chicagosun-times--2020-08-12--11 shot, 1 fatally, Tuesday in Chicago

11 shot, 1 fatally, Tuesday in Chicago

Eleven people were shot , one fatally , Tuesday in Chicago .
The day ’ s only reported fatal shooting killed a 30-year-old man in Austin on the West Side .
He was driving about 6:30 p.m. in the 5400 block of West Huron Street when a male in a gray Infiniti sedan fired shots , Chicago police said .
The man was struck in the chest , and he crashed into a garage a few blocks away .
When he got out of the vehicle , the male shot him in the chest again , police said .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Center where he was pronounced dead , police said .
The Cook County medical examiner ’ s office hasn ’ t released details about his death .
In non-fatal shootings , a 32-year-old man was wounded when he was shot in Garfield Park on the West Side .
He was on the sidewalk about 10:15 p.m. in the 3100 block of West Franklin Boulevard when someone got out of a vehicle and fired shots , police said .
The man was struck in the leg and shoulder , and his condition was stabilized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A 16-year-old boy was shot in Humboldt Park on the West Side .
He was inside a home about 9:50 p.m. in the 4100 block of West Crystal Street when he was shot in the leg during an argument , Chicago police said .
The teen was taken to Stroger Hospital in good condition , police said .
Minutes prior , a man was found shot in an apartment in West Rogers Park on the North Side .
The 27-year-old was found with a gunshot wound to his neck about 9:40 p.m. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Street , police said .
He was taken to St. Francis Hospital in Evanston , where he was in critical condition , police said .
About ten minutes prior , a man was shot in Gresham on the South Side .
The man was walking about 9:30 p.m. when someone he knew fired shots at him in the 7600 block of South Vincennes Avenue , police said .
The 30-year-old was shot in the chest and arm and dropped off at St. Bernard ’ s Hospital , where he was in good condition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being “ very uncooperative ” with officers .
Five minutes before then a 41-year-old man was wounded when he was shot in Roseland on the Far South Side .
He was walking about 9:25 p.m. in the 600 block of West 112th Street when he heard gunfire and felt pain , police said .
The man was hit in the leg , and he was taken to Roseland Hospital in good condition , police said .
A man was shot in Chatham on the South Side .
Someone in a black Jeep opened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as they followed him north in the 7600 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue , police said .
The man , 24 , was struck in the leg and taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in good condition , police said .
Forty-five minutes prior , a 26-year-old man was wounded when he was shot in Austin on the West Side .
He was traveling in a vehicle about 8 p.m. in the 500 block of North Lockwood Avenue when he was shot in the face and leg , police said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sinai Hospital in good condition , police said .
A 25-year-old man was wounded when he was shot in West Chesterfield on the South Side .
He was sitting in a parked vehicle about 5:30 p.m. in the 9200 block of South Indiana Avenue when someone in a black SUV shot him in the arm and buttocks , police said .
The man was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in serious condition .
A person is in custody after a 50-year-old man was seriously wounded in a shooting in Englewood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happened on a sidewalk about 12:30 p.m. in the 5900 block of South Hermitage Avenue , police said .
He was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center with a gunshot to his groin , police said .
A suspected shooter was arrested at the scene .
No charges have been filed .
The day ’ s first reported shooting wounded a 36-year-old man in Burnside on the South Side .
About 6:35 a.m. he was standing in the 500 block of East 88th Place , when he heard gunshots and felt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was struck in the head and was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in serious condition but is expected to live , police said .
Five people were shot , one fatally , Monday in Chicago .
Read more on crime , and track the city ’ s homicides .

Eleven people were shot, one fatally, Tuesday in Chicago.
The day’s only reported fatal shooting killed a 30-year-old man in Austin on the West Side.
He was driving about 6:30 p.m. in the 5400 block of West Huron Street when a male in a gray Infiniti sedan fired shots, Chicago police said. The man was struck in the chest, and he crashed into a garage a few blocks away.
When he got out of the vehicle, the male shot him in the chest again, police said.
The man was taken to Loyola University Medical Center where he was pronounced dead, police said. The Cook County medical examiner’s office hasn’t released details about his death.
In non-fatal shootings, a 32-year-old man was wounded when he was shot in Garfield Park on the West Side.
He was on the sidewalk about 10:15 p.m. in the 3100 block of West Franklin Boulevard when someone got out of a vehicle and fired shots, police said.
The man was struck in the leg and shoulder, and his condition was stabilized at Mount Sinai Hospital, police said.
A 16-year-old boy was shot in Humboldt Park on the West Side.
He was inside a home about 9:50 p.m. in the 4100 block of West Crystal Street when he was shot in the leg during an argument, Chicago police said.
The teen was taken to Stroger Hospital in good condition, police said.
Minutes prior, a man was found shot in an apartment in West Rogers Park on the North Side.
The 27-year-old was found with a gunshot wound to his neck about 9:40 p.m. in the 6500 block of North Richmond Street, police said.
He was taken to St. Francis Hospital in Evanston, where he was in critical condition, police said.
About ten minutes prior, a man was shot in Gresham on the South Side.
The man was walking about 9:30 p.m. when someone he knew fired shots at him in the 7600 block of South Vincennes Avenue, police said.
The 30-year-old was shot in the chest and arm and dropped off at St. Bernard’s Hospital, where he was in good condition, police said. The man was being “very uncooperative” with officers.
Five minutes before then a 41-year-old man was wounded when he was shot in Roseland on the Far South Side.
He was walking about 9:25 p.m. in the 600 block of West 112th Street when he heard gunfire and felt pain, police said.
The man was hit in the leg, and he was taken to Roseland Hospital in good condition, police said.
A man was shot in Chatham on the South Side.
Someone in a black Jeep opened fire on the man about 8:45 p.m. as they followed him north in the 7600 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue, police said.
The man, 24, was struck in the leg and taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in good condition, police said.
Forty-five minutes prior, a 26-year-old man was wounded when he was shot in Austin on the West Side.
He was traveling in a vehicle about 8 p.m. in the 500 block of North Lockwood Avenue when he was shot in the face and leg, police said.
The man was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in good condition, police said.
A 25-year-old man was wounded when he was shot in West Chesterfield on the South Side.
He was sitting in a parked vehicle about 5:30 p.m. in the 9200 block of South Indiana Avenue when someone in a black SUV shot him in the arm and buttocks, police said. The man was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in serious condition.
A person is in custody after a 50-year-old man was seriously wounded in a shooting in Englewood on the South Side.
The shooting happened on a sidewalk about 12:30 p.m. in the 5900 block of South Hermitage Avenue, police said.
He was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center with a gunshot to his groin, police said.
A suspected shooter was arrested at the scene. No charges have been filed.
The day’s first reported shooting wounded a 36-year-old man in Burnside on the South Side.
About 6:35 a.m. he was standing in the 500 block of East 88th Place, when he heard gunshots and felt pain, he told police.
He was struck in the head and was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in serious condition but is expected to live, police said.
Five people were shot, one fatally, Monday in Chicago.
Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-12--‘Spree’: As the passenger’s screaming, the driver’s streaming

We often speak of “ comfort viewing ” movies and shows — relatively light , familiar , tension-free material , perfect for late-night , curl-up-on-the-sofa viewing .
( This week ’ s Apple TV+ series “ Ted Lasso ” would be a classic example . )
On the opposite end of the spectrum we find the dizzying and unnerving and kinetic and deeply disturbing “ Spree , ” which plays like a social media version of “ American Psycho ” with bloody sprinklings of “ Taxi Driver , ” “ The King of Comedy ” and “ Joker ” on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Unfriended ” horror movies are told almost entirely via laptop screencasts , “ Spree ” is essentially an unbroken series of livestreams , primarily told from the point of view of one Kurt Kuncle ( Joe Keery from “ Stranger Things , ” doing some of his best work ) , a lonely and desperately ambitious YouTube/Snapchat/Instagram/FacebookLive/TikTok wannabe who chronicles his adventures as a ride-share driver through a series of GoPro-type cameras mounted throughout the vehicle .
Watching the film is like checking out Kurt ’ s feed , except we can ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comments scrolling across the screen .
( As Kurt ’ s antics become ever more violent and criminal , his following increases , with some urging him to keep pushing the envelope , while others claim it ’ s all just “ fake news ” ’ — a series of staged events with props , actors and phony blood . )
Kurt is obsessed with the YouTube superstar Bobby BaseCamp ( Joshua Orvalle ) , a vainglorious jerk who has become rich and famous through his own viral stunts and can make you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ endorsing your “ work.
” When Kurt announces his intentions to poison and kill his passengers and record the murders in real time and then actually follows through on the threat , BobbyBaseCamp remains unimpressed and unconvinced — until the two of them meet face to face .
( Even then , the ever-growing audience is filled with skeptics ripping Kurt and Bobby for supposedly concocting a make-believe stunt . )
Director and co-writer Eugene Kotlyarenko does a deep dive into dark humor as the body count piles up and Kurt stalks a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Adams ( Sasheer Zamata ) .
He doesn ’ t want to kill Jessie ; he wants to make an impression on her — and his efforts to do so are in some ways nearly as creepy and chilling as the killings he ’ s cheerfully carrying out .
Just about every aspect of “ Spree ” has a layered meaning , including the title itself , as Spree is the name of the ride-share company for which Kurt drives , and he goes on one horrific killing spree .
Every frame of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ information , from the shaky , hand-held camera angles to the constant scrolling of viewer messages to the occasional use of split screens .
Kurt sometimes plays to the camera like he ’ s a cast member on “ The Office ” or “ Parks & Rec , ” and we can ’ t help but laugh some of the over-the-top antics even as we cringe .
The violence in “ Spree ” is visceral and shocking — and many in the “ audience ” watching the deadly proceedings on their smart phones @ @ @ @ @ @ @ numb to the blurred lines between reality and entertainment .
Maybe what they ’ re watching is real ; maybe it ’ s all a hoax .
Either way , it ’ s only a matter of time before they ’ re going to turn their attention to the Next New Thing .

We often speak of “comfort viewing” movies and shows — relatively light, familiar, tension-free material, perfect for late-night, curl-up-on-the-sofa viewing. (This week’s Apple TV+ series “Ted Lasso” would be a classic example.) On the opposite end of the spectrum we find the dizzying and unnerving and kinetic and deeply disturbing “Spree,” which plays like a social media version of “American Psycho” with bloody sprinklings of “Taxi Driver,” “The King of Comedy” and “Joker” on the side.
‘Spree’
Untitled RLJE Films presents a film directed by Eugene Kotlyarenko and written by Kotlyarenko and Gene McHugh. No MPAA rating. Running time: 92 minutes. Opens Thursday at local theaters and Friday on demand.
Just as the “Unfriended” horror movies are told almost entirely via laptop screencasts, “Spree” is essentially an unbroken series of livestreams, primarily told from the point of view of one Kurt Kuncle (Joe Keery from “Stranger Things,” doing some of his best work), a lonely and desperately ambitious YouTube/Snapchat/Instagram/FacebookLive/TikTok wannabe who chronicles his adventures as a ride-share driver through a series of GoPro-type cameras mounted throughout the vehicle. Watching the film is like checking out Kurt’s feed, except we can’t add to the constant stream of comments scrolling across the screen. (As Kurt’s antics become ever more violent and criminal, his following increases, with some urging him to keep pushing the envelope, while others claim it’s all just “fake news”’ — a series of staged events with props, actors and phony blood.)
Kurt is obsessed with the YouTube superstar Bobby BaseCamp (Joshua Orvalle), a vainglorious jerk who has become rich and famous through his own viral stunts and can make you an instant star merely by liking and endorsing your “work.” When Kurt announces his intentions to poison and kill his passengers and record the murders in real time and then actually follows through on the threat, BobbyBaseCamp remains unimpressed and unconvinced — until the two of them meet face to face. (Even then, the ever-growing audience is filled with skeptics ripping Kurt and Bobby for supposedly concocting a make-believe stunt.)
Director and co-writer Eugene Kotlyarenko does a deep dive into dark humor as the body count piles up and Kurt stalks a smart and edgy stand-up comedian named Jessie Adams (Sasheer Zamata). He doesn’t want to kill Jessie; he wants to make an impression on her — and his efforts to do so are in some ways nearly as creepy and chilling as the killings he’s cheerfully carrying out.
Just about every aspect of “Spree” has a layered meaning, including the title itself, as Spree is the name of the ride-share company for which Kurt drives, and he goes on one horrific killing spree. Every frame of the film is bursting with sensory overload information, from the shaky, hand-held camera angles to the constant scrolling of viewer messages to the occasional use of split screens. Kurt sometimes plays to the camera like he’s a cast member on “The Office” or “Parks & Rec,” and we can’t help but laugh some of the over-the-top antics even as we cringe. The violence in “Spree” is visceral and shocking — and many in the “audience” watching the deadly proceedings on their smart phones and tablets are either disbelieving or utterly numb to the blurred lines between reality and entertainment. Maybe what they’re watching is real; maybe it’s all a hoax. Either way, it’s only a matter of time before they’re going to turn their attention to the Next New Thing.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-12--Hundreds sign petition for Elk Grove Village-based Savage Bros. Co. to change  logo

An online petition for a candy machine maker based in Elk Grove Village to change its “ racist ” logo has garnered over 600 signatures .
Savage Bros Co. , which manufactures machines that candy makers use to create their product , was named after the company ’ s founder , the petition states .
However , pairing that name with a sketch of an Indigenous person in a headdress amounts to racism , the petition argues .
“ The company has , and continues to use the stereotypical head of an American Indian to convey ‘ savage ’ in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ racism of connecting American Indians with ‘ savage , ’ ” wrote Dr. John Low , the founder of the petition and an associate professor at the Ohio State University at Newark .
Bob Parmley , President of Savage Bros Co. , said that the company has “ no plans to change the name of our company that has been in continuing operation for over 165 years and is well recognized throughout our industry.
” They will , however , discuss the use of the logo at their next meeting with directors and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the connotation that our company ’ s founding family name has when used with the image has for many people , ” Parmley said .
“ In our current climate of social unrest and protests , this concern has taken a heightened interest by our company.
” The petition posted to change.org.
, titled “ Savage Bros. Candy uses American Indian head logo .
It ’ s time to remove that racist image , ” had 618 signatures Wednesday morning .
The petition is one example of a broader push to remove @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or otherwise .
Last week , Lane Tech College Prep voted unanimously to remove their longtime “ Indian ” mascot .
About a month earlier , the Washington NFL team announced they ’ d be dropping their “ Redskins ” name and Indian head logo .

An online petition for a candy machine maker based in Elk Grove Village to change its “racist” logo has garnered over 600 signatures.
Savage Bros Co., which manufactures machines that candy makers use to create their product, was named after the company’s founder, the petition states. However, pairing that name with a sketch of an Indigenous person in a headdress amounts to racism, the petition argues.
“The company has, and continues to use the stereotypical head of an American Indian to convey ‘savage’ in its company logo despite complaints about the racism of connecting American Indians with ‘savage,’” wrote Dr. John Low, the founder of the petition and an associate professor at the Ohio State University at Newark.
Bob Parmley, President of Savage Bros Co., said that the company has “no plans to change the name of our company that has been in continuing operation for over 165 years and is well recognized throughout our industry.” They will, however, discuss the use of the logo at their next meeting with directors and shareholders.
“We are not blind to the connotation that our company’s founding family name has when used with the image has for many people,” Parmley said. “In our current climate of social unrest and protests, this concern has taken a heightened interest by our company.”
The petition posted to change.org., titled “Savage Bros. Candy uses American Indian head logo. It’s time to remove that racist image,” had 618 signatures Wednesday morning.
The petition is one example of a broader push to remove Native American mascots from organizations both corporate or otherwise.
Last week, Lane Tech College Prep voted unanimously to remove their longtime “Indian” mascot. About a month earlier, the Washington NFL team announced they’d be dropping their “Redskins” name and Indian head logo.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-12--Woman dies after falling off boat in 59th Street Harbor

A woman died Wednesday after falling off a boat in 59th Street Harbor on the South Side .
The 45-year-old @ @ @ @ @ out of the boat about 12:10 a.m. in the 5900 block of South Harbor Drive @ @ @ @ @ Divers with the Chicago Fire Department pulled the woman out of the harbor but she @ @ @ @ @ after at the University of Chicago Medical Center , police said .

A woman died Wednesday after falling off a boat in 59th Street Harbor on the South Side.
The 45-year-old slipped as she was climbing out of the boat about 12:10 a.m. in the 5900 block of South Harbor Drive, Chicago police said.
Divers with the Chicago Fire Department pulled the woman out of the harbor but she succumbed to her injuries shortly after at the University of Chicago Medical Center, police said.
Area One detectives are investigating.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-12--Mather High School — attended by slain activist Caleb Reed — votes to remove police officers from sc

Mather High School — attended by slain activist Caleb Reed — votes to remove police officers from school

Less than two weeks after Mather High School student and activist Caleb Reed was gunned down in West Rogers Park , the Local School Council at Mather voted to remove the police officers stationed at the North Side school .
Reed , a junior at Mather , was a student leader at Voices Of Youth in Chicago Education ( VOYCE ) and a prominent voice in the push to remove Chicago police officers from Chicago Public Schools .
On Tuesday , the Mather LSC honored his work , voting 6-4 to remove their school resource officers .
“ We are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” said Electa Bay , a Mather grandparent .
“ This is an important and poignant victory , as we will be saying our final goodbyes to Caleb tomorrow at his funeral .
Having SROs out of the school was part of Caleb ’ s legacy and it ’ s so beautiful to see that we accomplished that at his school.
” The Mather LSC held a town hall meeting ahead of the vote to hear testimonials from school community members .
Derriona Ford , Reed ’ s girlfriend , was one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are telling you that we need more mental health and behavior health services and not police .
Why wouldn ’ t you listen to us ?
, ” asked Ford .
“ We are the one dealing with SROs day in and out and we need to you to hear us.
” Reed died Aug. 2 after being shot in broad daylight two days earlier in the 1900 block of West Granville Avenue .
He spoke at a rally in June calling on CPS to terminate their $ 33-million contract with the Chicago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the district ’ s 93 high schools .
The Board of Education narrowly voted to uphold the contract but later announced that they were slashing its budget to $ 15 million .
“ My sophomore year of high school I was arrested for attending a basketball game because I didn ’ t have my ID , ” Caleb said at the rally .
“ I sat in a police station for six hours .
I knew it wasn ’ t right at all , but inside I was angry , confused.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to say is I ’ m proud to be a Black young man , ” Caleb said .
“ It ’ s not a good feeling to be labeled as dangerous or criminals .
Because we ’ re not .
... No Black person should ever feel like this.
” Mather joins nine other schools that have elected so far to keep cops out of their buildings , according to VOYCE coordinator Maria Delgillo .
Those other schools are :

Less than two weeks after Mather High School student and activist Caleb Reed was gunned down in West Rogers Park, the Local School Council at Mather voted to remove the police officers stationed at the North Side school.
Reed, a junior at Mather, was a student leader at Voices Of Youth in Chicago Education (VOYCE) and a prominent voice in the push to remove Chicago police officers from Chicago Public Schools. On Tuesday, the Mather LSC honored his work, voting 6-4 to remove their school resource officers.
“We are more than pleased with the results,” said Electa Bay, a Mather grandparent. “This is an important and poignant victory, as we will be saying our final goodbyes to Caleb tomorrow at his funeral. Having SROs out of the school was part of Caleb’s legacy and it’s so beautiful to see that we accomplished that at his school.”
The Mather LSC held a town hall meeting ahead of the vote to hear testimonials from school community members. Derriona Ford, Reed’s girlfriend, was one of the students who spoke.
“Youth are telling you that we need more mental health and behavior health services and not police. Why wouldn’t you listen to us?,” asked Ford. “We are the one dealing with SROs day in and out and we need to you to hear us.”
Caleb Reed, a junior at Mather High School in West Ridge, speaks during a June 16, 2020, press conference outside City Hall about Chicago City Council legislation that would have terminated a $33 million contract between the Chicago Police Department and Chicago Public Schools. Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times
Reed died Aug. 2 after being shot in broad daylight two days earlier in the 1900 block of West Granville Avenue.
He spoke at a rally in June calling on CPS to terminate their $33-million contract with the Chicago Police Department that placed officers in 72 of the district’s 93 high schools. The Board of Education narrowly voted to uphold the contract but later announced that they were slashing its budget to $15 million.
“My sophomore year of high school I was arrested for attending a basketball game because I didn’t have my ID,” Caleb said at the rally. “I sat in a police station for six hours. I knew it wasn’t right at all, but inside I was angry, confused.”
“One thing I’m here to say is I’m proud to be a Black young man,” Caleb said. “It’s not a good feeling to be labeled as dangerous or criminals. Because we’re not. ... No Black person should ever feel like this.”
Mather joins nine other schools that have elected so far to keep cops out of their buildings, according to VOYCE coordinator Maria Delgillo.
Those other schools are:
Roosevelt High School;
Northside College Prep;
Benito Juarez Community Academy;
Roberto Clemente Community Academy;
Lane Tech College Prep High School;
John Hancock High School;
Kelvyn Park High School;
Curie Metro High School; and
Uplift Community High School.
Contributing: Nader Issa


chicagosun-times--2020-08-12--Duo fires Uzi into air in string of Humboldt Park robberies: police

Police are warning Humboldt Park residents of a string of armed robberies over a 10-minute span Tuesday evening that targeted several people , including a woman with two children .
In each of the three robberies , two teenage boys fired an Uzi-style handgun with an extended clip into the air , according to a community alert from Area Three detectives .
The suspects were between 14 and 17 years old .
In the first incident , the duo robbed a 61-year-old woman and a 51-year-old man on the street about 8:47 p.m. in the 900 block of North Francisco @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a round in the air , the pair left with the couple ’ s belongings .
Five minutes later at 8:52 p.m. , the pair stole the phone and wallet of a man 52-year-old man loading his car in the 800 block of North Washtenaw Avenue , police said .
Three minutes later , the pair failed to rob a woman who was with her two children in a parking lot in the 800 block of North Fairfield Avenue , police said .
They demanded her keys and tried to take her backpack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the air , but ran away empty handed .
Police asked anyone with information to call detectives at 312-744-8263 .
Read more on crime , and track the city ’ s homicides .

Police are warning Humboldt Park residents of a string of armed robberies over a 10-minute span Tuesday evening that targeted several people, including a woman with two children.
In each of the three robberies, two teenage boys fired an Uzi-style handgun with an extended clip into the air, according to Chicago police.
The suspects were between 14 and 17 years old.
In the first incident, the duo robbed a 61-year-old woman and a 51-year-old man in the 900 block of North Francisco Avenue, police said. After firing a round in the air at 8:47 p.m., the pair left with the couple’s belongings.
Five minutes later at 8:52 p.m., the pair stole the phone and wallet of a man 52-year-old man loading his car in the 800 block of North Washtenaw Avenue, police said.
Three minutes later, the pair failed to rob a woman who was with her two children in a parking lot in the 800 block of North Fairfield Avenue, police said. They demanded her keys and tried to take her backpack, and even fired a round into the air, but ran away empty handed.
No injuries were reported.
Police asked anyone with information to call detectives at 312-744-8263.
Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-12--Chicago’s No. 3 cop was suspended for ‘rape’ comment before announcing retirement

Fred Waller , the Chicago Police Department ’ s third-in-command , was suspended for 28 days for using the word “ rape ” during a meeting at police headquarters to express his feelings about officers being moved out of police districts to other units .
“ Grope me , don ’ t rape me , ” Waller said at the Nov. 19 meeting , police records show .
He made the remark before a group that included federal monitor Maggie Hickey and Christina Anderson , the police official riding herd over court-ordered reforms .
Anderson filed an internal affairs complaint @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who announced last month he will retire Saturday , is the department ’ s chief of operations , in charge of the officers in the city ’ s 22 police districts .
It ’ s rare for someone in the highest reaches of the department to be suspended .
Waller , 58 , is among a handful of top police officials who ’ ve announced retirements or been transferred out of key positions in recent months .
The highest-level police official to be disciplined in recent years was Eddie Johnson , demoted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rank of lieutenant after Mayor Lori Lightfoot said he lied about an incident in which he was found slumped over the wheel of his car .
An investigation found he ’ d been drinking .
Johnson retired in December .
Waller ’ s statement and the investigation that followed are detailed in more than 200 pages of documents from the internal affairs investigation that the Chicago Sun-Times obtained from the department in response to a public records request .
Anderson , deputy director of the department ’ s Office of Reform Management , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she was embarrassed by his comment and found it disrespectful .
Anderson ’ s unit is in charge of carrying out reforms under the federal consent decree reached amid the outrage that followed the release of video of the 2014 fatal shooting of Laquan McDonald by a police officer .
Hickey also was at the Nov. 19 meeting to discuss the allocation of officers , as were Deputy Supt .
Barbara West and First Deputy Supt .
Anthony Riccio , who ’ s retiring .
Some of the 18 people in attendance said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement and that the room went silent , according to the internal affairs report .
Waller told an investigator his comment was “ crude and improper ” but that he was trying to make a point that “ resources taken from patrol aren ’ t given back to patrol.
” After Waller made the rape comment , Hickey told him , “ Don ’ t ever say that again , ” according to witnesses quoted in the internal affairs report .
Anderson later told an investigator : “ As a manager , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under my command who were in the room and who may or may not have traumatic histories with , I hope not , but I just don ’ t know if they ’ ve had traumatic histories with that kind of abuse.
” Waller told an investigator he later apologized to Anderson , Hickey and others who were at the meeting , the records show .
On March 3 , the sergeant who investigated the incident recommended Waller be suspended for 14 days .
Six days later , though , police brass doubled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to the records , which don ’ t say why .
Charlie Beck was interim police superintendent at the time .
Supt .
David Brown was sworn in the following month .
In an interview Wednesday , Waller said the suspension didn ’ t have anything to do with his retirement , which he said was based on changes in insurance and “ the grind ” of the job .
He said he wasn ’ t forced out and that he continued to work despite the suspension , instead giving up vacation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could help the department address the city ’ s rising violence .
Waller said the punishment was “ somewhat harsh ” but that he understood “ the message they wanted to send.
” “ I was trying to make an emphatic point .
Do I advocate rape ?
No .
It wasn ’ t meant in that context , ” he said .
“ Looking back on it , inappropriate.
” Waller said he considered himself a “ watchdog ” for the patrol division , to make sure its resources weren ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need bodies , patrol is where you go .
But we also need those bodies to man those districts , ” he said .
Ald .
Chris Taliaferro ( 29th ) , a former police officer who chairs the city council ’ s Committee on Public Safety , said the 28-day suspension was appropriate .
“ It ’ s egregious , ” Taliaferro said of the rape comment .
“ It ’ s offensive to those who have suffered at the hands of being raped .
This is coming from a higher-ranking law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of women and men who have suffered as victims.
” John Catanzara , president of the Fraternal Order of Police , called the suspension absurdly long and an “ excuse ” to force out Waller .
“ It ’ s pretty disgusting that they would hammer him to that level , ” the union president said .
Waller ’ s concerm about stripping the patrol division of officers was “ well understood and 100 % spot-on , ” Catanzara said .

Fred Waller, the Chicago Police Department’s third-in-command, was suspended for 28 days for using the word “rape” during a meeting at police headquarters to express his feelings about officers being moved out of police districts to other units.
“Grope me, don’t rape me,” Waller said at the Nov. 19 meeting, police records show.
He made the remark before a group that included federal monitor Maggie Hickey and Christina Anderson, the police official riding herd over court-ordered reforms. Anderson filed an internal affairs complaint against Waller over the comment.
Waller, who announced last month he will retire Saturday, is the department’s chief of operations, in charge of the officers in the city’s 22 police districts. It’s rare for someone in the highest reaches of the department to be suspended.
Waller, 58, is among a handful of top police officials who’ve announced retirements or been transferred out of key positions in recent months.
The highest-level police official to be disciplined in recent years was Eddie Johnson, demoted last year from superintendent to his service rank of lieutenant after Mayor Lori Lightfoot said he lied about an incident in which he was found slumped over the wheel of his car. An investigation found he’d been drinking. Johnson retired in December.
Waller’s statement and the investigation that followed are detailed in more than 200 pages of documents from the internal affairs investigation that the Chicago Sun-Times obtained from the department in response to a public records request.
Christina Anderson. Sun-Times file
Anderson, deputy director of the department’s Office of Reform Management, said in her complaint against Waller that she was embarrassed by his comment and found it disrespectful.
Anderson’s unit is in charge of carrying out reforms under the federal consent decree reached amid the outrage that followed the release of video of the 2014 fatal shooting of Laquan McDonald by a police officer.
Hickey also was at the Nov. 19 meeting to discuss the allocation of officers, as were Deputy Supt. Barbara West and First Deputy Supt. Anthony Riccio, who’s retiring.
Some of the 18 people in attendance said they were stunned by Waller’s statement and that the room went silent, according to the internal affairs report.
Waller told an investigator his comment was “crude and improper” but that he was trying to make a point that “resources taken from patrol aren’t given back to patrol.”
After Waller made the rape comment, Hickey told him, “Don’t ever say that again,” according to witnesses quoted in the internal affairs report.
Anderson later told an investigator: “As a manager, I was concerned for the well-being of persons under my command who were in the room and who may or may not have traumatic histories with, I hope not, but I just don’t know if they’ve had traumatic histories with that kind of abuse.”
Waller told an investigator he later apologized to Anderson, Hickey and others who were at the meeting, the records show.
On March 3, the sergeant who investigated the incident recommended Waller be suspended for 14 days. Six days later, though, police brass doubled the penalty, to 28 days, according to the records, which don’t say why.
Charlie Beck was interim police superintendent at the time. Supt. David Brown was sworn in the following month.
In an interview Wednesday, Waller said the suspension didn’t have anything to do with his retirement, which he said was based on changes in insurance and “the grind” of the job. He said he wasn’t forced out and that he continued to work despite the suspension, instead giving up vacation days and personal days, so he could help the department address the city’s rising violence.
Waller said the punishment was “somewhat harsh” but that he understood “the message they wanted to send.”
“I was trying to make an emphatic point. Do I advocate rape? No. It wasn’t meant in that context,” he said. “Looking back on it, inappropriate.”
Waller said he considered himself a “watchdog” for the patrol division, to make sure its resources weren’t depleted. “Everybody, when they need bodies, patrol is where you go. But we also need those bodies to man those districts,” he said.
Ald. Chris Taliaferro (29th). Sun-Times files
Ald. Chris Taliaferro (29th), a former police officer who chairs the city council’s Committee on Public Safety, said the 28-day suspension was appropriate.
“It’s egregious,” Taliaferro said of the rape comment. “It’s offensive to those who have suffered at the hands of being raped. This is coming from a higher-ranking law enforcement official who deals with the investigation of women and men who have suffered as victims.”
John Catanzara, president of the Fraternal Order of Police. Tyler LaRiviere / Sun-Times
John Catanzara, president of the Fraternal Order of Police, called the suspension absurdly long and an “excuse” to force out Waller.
“It’s pretty disgusting that they would hammer him to that level,” the union president said.
Waller’s concern about stripping the patrol division of officers was “well understood and 100% spot-on,” Catanzara said.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-12--‘Concern is growing’ in Illinois after 1,635 new COVID-19 cases (LIVE UPDATES)

Illinois at ‘ make-or-break moment ?
’ Despite high COVID-19 caseloads , troubling positivity rates , Pritzker says , ‘ We can lick this thing ’ Another 1,645 people have contracted COVID-19 across Illinois , testing positivity rates are up across much of the state — and “ concern is growing each day about the direction our numbers are going , ” the state ’ s top doctor said Wednesday .
“ Remember that numbers increasing actually represents people infected with this new virus , ” Illinois Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said .
“ Those people infected with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get sick , and those people who are sick can go on to be hospitalized , and those people who are hospitalized can go on to have very severe complications up to death.
” The latest cases were confirmed among 42,098 tests , keeping the state ’ s positivity rate over the last week at 4.1 % .
That number has floated over 4 % for the past week after nearly two months without eclipsing that mark , and it ’ s up from 2.5 % a month ago .
Positivity rates have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Illinois ’ 11 regions over the last week , a red flag for a state that ’ s reached a “ make-or-break moment ” with the coronavirus on the rebound , Gov .
J.B. Pritzker said .
Small businesses have been hit especially hard by the pandemic .
Here are some key sources for funding and advice for small businesses amid the pandemic .
—Make friends with a banker .
Need a place to start ?
Try the Illinois state treasurer ’ s list of institutions participating in its COVID-19 relief program @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impartial advice from a Small Business Development Center in your area .
Further information is here .
—Get a briefing on state government programs for business by calling ( 800 ) 252-2923 or emailing CEO.support @ illinois.gov .
Reporter David Roeder has more tips here .
6:05 p.m. State issues $ 46 million in grants to small businesses victimized by shutdowns State officials have released $ 46 million in grants to 2,655 small businesses in the first round of a program to assist owners affected by the COVID-19 shutdowns , Gov .
J.B. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Business Interruption Grant program , or BIG , included 1,165 grants worth $ 20.5 million to recipients in Chicago .
Awards range from $ 10,000 to $ 20,000 .
“ Overall , the BIG program will support thousands of small businesses who have suffered losses due to the COVID pandemic , with a substantial allotment set aside for childcare providers — an essential underpinning of our workforce for countless working families , ” Pritzker said .
The money comes from the state ’ s allotment under the federal CARES Act and calls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million .
The state ’ s Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity said another funding round is expected to be announced soon .
5:10 p.m. More than half of global COVID-19 cases are in U.S. , India , Brazil It took six months for the world to reach 10 million confirmed cases of the coronavirus .
It took just over six weeks for that number to double .
The worldwide count of known COVID-19 infections climbed past 20 million on Monday , with more than half of them from just three countries : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to the tally kept by Johns Hopkins University .
The average number of new cases per day in the U.S. has declined in recent weeks but is still running high at over 54,000 , versus almost 59,000 in India and nearly 44,000 in Brazil .
The severe and sustained crisis in the U.S. — over 5 million cases and 163,000 deaths , easily the highest totals of any country — has dismayed and surprised many around the world , given the nation ’ s vaunted scientific ingenuity and the head start it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The real number of people infected by the virus around the world is believed to be much higher — perhaps 10 times higher in the U.S. , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — given testing limitations and the many mild cases that have gone unreported or unrecognized .
3:55 p.m. UIC to require weekly COVID-19 testing for on-campus students , staff and athletes The University of Illinois at Chicago is implementing mandatory weekly COVID-19 testing for thousands of students and employees .
All students and staff living on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; and all performing arts students and staff will have to be tested weekly , starting Aug. 17 , according to an announcement Wednesday .
The saliva-based tests , which will be free for students , faculty and staff , should provide results within 24 hours .
People with COVID-19 symptoms , however , aren ’ t eligible for the test and instead “ should be referred to a healthcare provider for evaluation.
” These targeted groups make up about 2,000 people who will be tested on a weekly basis , said Sherri @ @ @ @ @ @ @ People are required to have a negative test result before they attend on-campus events or classes .
SILVER SPRING , Md .
— The U.S. budget deficit climbed to $ 2.81 trillion in the first 10 months of the budget year , exceeding any on record , the Treasury Department said Wednesday .
The nation ’ s budgetary shortfall is expected to eventually reach levels for the fiscal year more than double the largest annual deficit on record .
The federal government rang up a $ 63 billion deficit in July , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relatively modest amount compared to red ink that spilled in the spring months when the government tried to revive an economy that all but ground to a halt due to the coronavirus outbreak .
Last month ’ s deficit was sharply lower than June ’ s $ 864 billion , in part because the government collected a record amount tax revenue in July — $ 563 billion — after extending the filing deadline to July 15 .
That extension allowed Americans more time to sort through the economic havoc wrought by the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government receipts total $ 2.82 trillion , off just 1 % from the same period last year , Treasury officials said , crediting the “ income replacement ” provided by various government aid packages .
In other words , unemployment benefits and other aid are still taxable .
The Big 12 Conference reaffirmed its decision to press on with college football and other fall sports Wednesday , joining the Atlantic Coast and Southeastern conferences in taking the field amid the coronavirus pandemic .
The move came one day after the Big Ten and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this fall .
There is a chance the other two Power Five leagues will push their seasons to the spring , but that remains to be determined .
In the meantime , the Big 12 board of directors approved a plan to begin fall sports after Sept. 1 with football playing a schedule in which each team can play one non-conference game before league play begins Sept. 26 .
The schools will all play each other to give them 10 total games with the Big 12 title game scheduled for Dec. 12 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ players needed to be saved from themselves College football players ’ voices are rarely heard by the people who make decisions about their lives .
If their voices were heard , they might be walking around campus with more money in their pockets .
That extra money would be siphoned from the ocean of cash that universities and TV networks make off them .
For once , though , I ’ m happy that their opinions have been disregarded .
The Big Ten has shut down football because of the pandemic , despite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to do what they love to do .
But when football can lead to sickness or death , it follows that football needs to take a long vacation .
Hence the Big Ten ’ s stunning decision .
Players and coaches across the nation had mounted # WeWantToPlay and # WeWantToCoach Twitter campaigns , hoping to sway the university presidents who would be deciding their football fate .
In the case of the Big Ten and the Pac-12 , the presidents did the right thing , choosing to protect their athletes from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attack me with your foam Ohio State No .
1 hand , I am not generally in favor of depriving people of the thing that brings them joy .
But I know football players , and I know football coaches .
And they can ’ t always be trusted to make healthy decisions .
Read more from Rick Morrissey here .
1:58 p.m. Pandemic parody of ‘ Goodnight Moon ’ children ’ s book is coming in October A popular online spoof of the children ’ s favorite “ Goodnight Moon , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and widespread working from home , will be coming out In Octoberl .
“ Good Morning Zoom , ” written by Lindsay Rechler and illustrated by June Park , is scheduled for Oct. 6 , according to publisher Penguin Random House ’ s Philomel Books imprint .
Currently self-published , “ Good Morning Zoom ” ( $ 14.99 ) takes Margaret Wise Brown ’ s beloved bedtime story for young kids and turns it into a narrative about Zoom , bread baking , home schooling and other familiar parts of life during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and mother of two who lives in Manhattan .
Park is a graphic designer and illustrator who lives in Brooklyn .
According to the publisher , the net author proceeds will be donated to coronavirus relief charities .
“ COVID-19 is a difficult topic , especially for young children , ” Rechler said .
“ I wanted to tell my children a relatable story — a story that would help them become familiar with their new everyday lives and , within that story , touch upon what was happening in the outside world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contrast between quarantining safely inside versus what was happening outside my window.
” 8:01 a.m. Pritzker wins mask face-off : Enforcement rule for businesses survives challenge as state reports 1,549 more COVID-19 cases Gov .
J.B. Pritzker ’ s expanded masking enforcement rules for businesses survived a challenge in Springfield Tuesday as health officials announced another 1,549 people have tested positive for COVID-19 across Illinois .
The new rules announced by the Democratic governor ’ s office last week give local authorities leeway to fine businesses up to $ 2,500 , or hit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they don ’ t enforce Pritzker ’ s statewide face covering mandate or social distancing guidelines .
Six state lawmakers on the bipartisan Joint Committee on Administrative Rules voted to suspend the rules they complain offer “ extraordinary discretion , ” two votes shy of wiping Pritzker ’ s rules off the books .
The governor said his edict will “ provide multiple opportunities for compliance before any penalty is issued and will help ensure that the minority of people who refuse to act responsibly won ’ t take our state backward .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a commonsense way to enforce public health guidelines with an emphasis on education first so that Illinois can continue to make substantial progress in our fight against COVID-19 , ” Pritzker said in a statement .
• Another 1,549 people have tested positive for COVID-19 across Illinois .
The new cases were confirmed among 41,362 tests , keeping the statewide seven-day positivity rate at 4.1 % .
• Health officials announced Tuesday the virus has killed another 20 Illinois residents , raising the statewide death toll to 7,657 .
Experts expect fatality @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• Trini Lopez , a singer and guitarist who gained fame for his versions of “ Lemon Tree ” and “ If I Had a Hammer ” in the 1960s and took his talents to Hollywood , died Tuesday from complications of COVID-19 .
He was 83 .
• The Big Ten is on the verge of not playing football this fall , three people with knowledge of the decision confirmed to the Detroit Free Press .
• Cubs plan workouts to stay sharp with weekend series postponed due to COVID-19 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Indiana and Georgia have already reported infections just days into the academic year .
8:16 a.m. Teachers are ‘ scared ’ or feel ‘ in danger ’ as they ponder return to classroom Printing letters has gone the way of pounding out copy on a manual typewriter .
Just as well , it was mostly a summertime strategy for work-averse columnists to dispatch their duties without much effort .
However .
My column Monday discussing the wisdom of the Archdiocese of Chicago holding in-person classes during an epidemic drew insights from a number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three , condensing for space and scrubbing their messages of any track- ’ em-down-and-fire- ’ em details that vindictive school administrators — are there any other kind ?
— could use to go after them .

State officials have released $46 million in grants to 2,655 small businesses in the first round of a program to assist owners affected by the COVID-19 shutdowns, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Wednesday.
Here’s what happened in Chicago and around Illinois as the coronavirus pandemic continued.
News
8:57 p.m. Illinois at ‘make-or-break moment?’ Despite high COVID-19 caseloads, troubling positivity rates, Pritzker says, ‘We can lick this thing’
Dr. Ngozi Ezike, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, delivers the latest numbers for the COVID-19 pandemic during Illinois Governor JB Pritzker’s daily press briefing on COVID-19 in his office at the Illinois State Capitol, Thursday, May 21, 2020 Justin L. Fowler/The State Journal-Register via AP
Another 1,645 people have contracted COVID-19 across Illinois, testing positivity rates are up across much of the state — and “concern is growing each day about the direction our numbers are going,” the state’s top doctor said Wednesday.
“Remember that numbers increasing actually represents people infected with this new virus,” Illinois Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said. “Those people infected with the new virus can go on to get sick, and those people who are sick can go on to be hospitalized, and those people who are hospitalized can go on to have very severe complications up to death.”
The latest cases were confirmed among 42,098 tests, keeping the state’s positivity rate over the last week at 4.1%.
That number has floated over 4% for the past week after nearly two months without eclipsing that mark, and it’s up from 2.5% a month ago.
Positivity rates have increased or stayed the same in nine of Illinois’ 11 regions over the last week, a red flag for a state that’s reached a “make-or-break moment” with the coronavirus on the rebound, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said.
Read the full story here.
7:12 p.m. A small business tip sheet for tough times
Small businesses have been hit especially hard by the pandemic. Here are some key sources for funding and advice for small businesses amid the pandemic.
—Make friends with a banker. Need a place to start? Try the Illinois state treasurer’s list of institutions participating in its COVID-19 relief program, available here.
—Solicit ideas and impartial advice from a Small Business Development Center in your area. Further information is here.
—Get a briefing on state government programs for business by calling (800) 252-2923 or emailing CEO.support@illinois.gov.
Reporter David Roeder has more tips here.
6:05 p.m. State issues $46 million in grants to small businesses victimized by shutdowns
State officials have released $46 million in grants to 2,655 small businesses in the first round of a program to assist owners affected by the COVID-19 shutdowns, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Wednesday.
The awards under the Business Interruption Grant program, or BIG, included 1,165 grants worth $20.5 million to recipients in Chicago. Awards range from $10,000 to $20,000.
“Overall, the BIG program will support thousands of small businesses who have suffered losses due to the COVID pandemic, with a substantial allotment set aside for childcare providers — an essential underpinning of our workforce for countless working families,” Pritzker said.
The money comes from the state’s allotment under the federal CARES Act and calls for an ultimate outlay of $540 million. The state’s Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity said another funding round is expected to be announced soon.
Read the full story here.
5:10 p.m. More than half of global COVID-19 cases are in U.S., India, Brazil
It took six months for the world to reach 10 million confirmed cases of the coronavirus. It took just over six weeks for that number to double.
The worldwide count of known COVID-19 infections climbed past 20 million on Monday, with more than half of them from just three countries: the U.S., India and Brazil, according to the tally kept by Johns Hopkins University.
The average number of new cases per day in the U.S. has declined in recent weeks but is still running high at over 54,000, versus almost 59,000 in India and nearly 44,000 in Brazil.
The severe and sustained crisis in the U.S. — over 5 million cases and 163,000 deaths, easily the highest totals of any country — has dismayed and surprised many around the world, given the nation’s vaunted scientific ingenuity and the head start it had over Europe and Asia to prepare.
The real number of people infected by the virus around the world is believed to be much higher — perhaps 10 times higher in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — given testing limitations and the many mild cases that have gone unreported or unrecognized.
Read the full report here.
3:55 p.m. UIC to require weekly COVID-19 testing for on-campus students, staff and athletes
The University of Illinois at Chicago is implementing mandatory weekly COVID-19 testing for thousands of students and employees.
All students and staff living on campus; all athletes and athletic staff; and all performing arts students and staff will have to be tested weekly, starting Aug. 17, according to an announcement Wednesday. The saliva-based tests, which will be free for students, faculty and staff, should provide results within 24 hours. People with COVID-19 symptoms, however, aren’t eligible for the test and instead “should be referred to a healthcare provider for evaluation.”
These targeted groups make up about 2,000 people who will be tested on a weekly basis, said Sherri McGinnis Gonzalez, a university spokeswoman.
People are required to have a negative test result before they attend on-campus events or classes.
Read the full story here.
2:14 p.m. Coronavirus spending spawns record $2.81 trillion US budget deficit
SILVER SPRING, Md. — The U.S. budget deficit climbed to $2.81 trillion in the first 10 months of the budget year, exceeding any on record, the Treasury Department said Wednesday.
The nation’s budgetary shortfall is expected to eventually reach levels for the fiscal year more than double the largest annual deficit on record.
The federal government rang up a $63 billion deficit in July, the department reported. That’s a relatively modest amount compared to red ink that spilled in the spring months when the government tried to revive an economy that all but ground to a halt due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Last month’s deficit was sharply lower than June’s $864 billion, in part because the government collected a record amount tax revenue in July — $563 billion — after extending the filing deadline to July 15. That extension allowed Americans more time to sort through the economic havoc wrought by the pandemic.
So far this budget year, government receipts total $2.82 trillion, off just 1% from the same period last year, Treasury officials said, crediting the “income replacement” provided by various government aid packages. In other words, unemployment benefits and other aid are still taxable.
Read the full report here.
2:11 p.m. Big 12 decides to play football this fall
The Big 12 Conference reaffirmed its decision to press on with college football and other fall sports Wednesday, joining the Atlantic Coast and Southeastern conferences in taking the field amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The move came one day after the Big Ten and Pac-12 announced they would not be participating this fall. There is a chance the other two Power Five leagues will push their seasons to the spring, but that remains to be determined.
In the meantime, the Big 12 board of directors approved a plan to begin fall sports after Sept. 1 with football playing a schedule in which each team can play one non-conference game before league play begins Sept. 26. The schools will all play each other to give them 10 total games with the Big 12 title game scheduled for Dec. 12.
Read the full report here.
2:09 p.m. Big Ten football coaches and players needed to be saved from themselves
College football players’ voices are rarely heard by the people who make decisions about their lives. If their voices were heard, they might be walking around campus with more money in their pockets. That extra money would be siphoned from the ocean of cash that universities and TV networks make off them.
For once, though, I’m happy that their opinions have been disregarded. The Big Ten has shut down football because of the pandemic, despite fervent pleas from players and coaches who want to do what they love to do. But when football can lead to sickness or death, it follows that football needs to take a long vacation. Hence the Big Ten’s stunning decision.
Players and coaches across the nation had mounted #WeWantToPlay and #WeWantToCoach Twitter campaigns, hoping to sway the university presidents who would be deciding their football fate. In the case of the Big Ten and the Pac-12, the presidents did the right thing, choosing to protect their athletes from the effects of COVID-19.
Before you attack me with your foam Ohio State No. 1 hand, I am not generally in favor of depriving people of the thing that brings them joy. But I know football players, and I know football coaches. And they can’t always be trusted to make healthy decisions.
Read more from Rick Morrissey here.
1:58 p.m. Pandemic parody of ‘Goodnight Moon’ children’s book is coming in October
A popular online spoof of the children’s favorite “Goodnight Moon,” reworked for the age of the coronavirus and widespread working from home, will be coming out In Octoberl.
“Good Morning Zoom,” written by Lindsay Rechler and illustrated by June Park, is scheduled for Oct. 6, according to publisher Penguin Random House’s Philomel Books imprint.
Currently self-published, “Good Morning Zoom” ($14.99) takes Margaret Wise Brown’s beloved bedtime story for young kids and turns it into a narrative about Zoom, bread baking, home schooling and other familiar parts of life during the pandemic.
Rechler is a banking executive and mother of two who lives in Manhattan. Park is a graphic designer and illustrator who lives in Brooklyn.
According to the publisher, the net author proceeds will be donated to coronavirus relief charities.
“COVID-19 is a difficult topic, especially for young children,” Rechler said. “I wanted to tell my children a relatable story — a story that would help them become familiar with their new everyday lives and, within that story, touch upon what was happening in the outside world. I thought a lot about the contrast between quarantining safely inside versus what was happening outside my window.”
Read the full story here.
8:01 a.m. Pritzker wins mask face-off: Enforcement rule for businesses survives challenge as state reports 1,549 more COVID-19 cases
Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s expanded masking enforcement rules for businesses survived a challenge in Springfield Tuesday as health officials announced another 1,549 people have tested positive for COVID-19 across Illinois.
The new rules announced by the Democratic governor’s office last week give local authorities leeway to fine businesses up to $2,500, or hit them with a misdemeanor charge, if they don’t enforce Pritzker’s statewide face covering mandate or social distancing guidelines.
Six state lawmakers on the bipartisan Joint Committee on Administrative Rules voted to suspend the rules they complain offer “extraordinary discretion,” two votes shy of wiping Pritzker’s rules off the books.
The governor said his edict will “provide multiple opportunities for compliance before any penalty is issued and will help ensure that the minority of people who refuse to act responsibly won’t take our state backward.
“These rules will ensure that there is a commonsense way to enforce public health guidelines with an emphasis on education first so that Illinois can continue to make substantial progress in our fight against COVID-19,” Pritzker said in a statement.
Read the full story here.
New Cases
Analysis & Commentary
7:49 p.m. Better to build trust than to be first when it comes to a COVID-19 vaccine
Early next year, scientists tell us, Americans can expect to hear that a safe and effective vaccine against COVID-19 soon will be available.
When that happens — and the nation’s top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, has said he is cautiously optimistic on the timeline for 2021 — it will be the best news possible for our pandemic-weary country.
All of us are waiting for a breakthrough that will allow daily life to return to some semblance of normal once again: to go back to movies, ball games and concerts or host dinner parties without fear of catching or spreading the coronavirus.
Life may not be completely “normal” for a long time, but a reliable vaccine is essential to the fight. Masks and social distancing can do only so much. “A vaccine will be the strongest thing we have against the disease,” as Dr. Karen Krueger of Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine told us.
Read the full editorial from the CST Editorial Board here.
8:16 a.m. Teachers are ‘scared’ or feel ‘in danger’ as they ponder return to classroom
Printing letters has gone the way of pounding out copy on a manual typewriter. Just as well, it was mostly a summertime strategy for work-averse columnists to dispatch their duties without much effort.
However. My column Monday discussing the wisdom of the Archdiocese of Chicago holding in-person classes during an epidemic drew insights from a number of school personnel.
So I picked three, condensing for space and scrubbing their messages of any track-’em-down-and-fire-’em details that vindictive school administrators — are there any other kind? — could use to go after them.
From a CPS social studies teacher:
I am befuddled by the school systems that are disregarding the pandemic. It seems the reopeners fall into three groups, people who believe: 1. COVID is not a real crisis, 2. If we just go back to normal everything will go back to normal, or 3. We have no choice, and/or this is an opportunity for us.
Read Neil Steinberg’s full column here.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-12--Better to build trust than to be first when it comes to a COVID-19 vaccine

Early next year , scientists tell us , Americans can expect to hear that a safe and effective vaccine against COVID-19 soon will be available .
When that happens — and the nation ’ s top infectious disease expert , Dr. Anthony Fauci , has said he is cautiously optimistic on the timeline for 2021 — it will be the best news possible for our pandemic-weary country .
All of us are waiting for a breakthrough that will allow daily life to return to some semblance of normal once again : to go back to movies , ball games and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of catching or spreading the coronavirus .
Life may not be completely “ normal ” for a long time , but a reliable vaccine is essential to the fight .
Masks and social distancing can do only so much .
“ A vaccine will be the strongest thing we have against the disease , ” as Dr. Karen Krueger of Northwestern University ’ s Feinberg School of Medicine told us .
Chicagoans can be proud that our city is already playing a key role in the vaccine race .
Thousands of people have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trials at Northwestern and the University of Illinois at Chicago of two separate vaccines , expected to begin later this month .
Both vaccines have shown promising results in earlier testing and have reached Phase 3 , the final stage of testing during which a vaccine is administered to thousands of volunteers nationwide before it can be approved , potentially , by the Food and Drug Administration .
The UIC trial involves a vaccine developed by the biotech giant Moderna , which on Tuesday reached a $ 1.5 billion deal with the Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Northwestern will test a vaccine developed by pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca .
Altogether , more than 165 vaccines are in various stages of development worldwide , with 30 now undergoing human trials .
“ I ’ m very optimistic , with all these vaccines going into trials , that something will be effective , ” UIC ’ s Dr. Richard M. Novak , who will head the trials there , told us .
But even the most effective vaccine will be useless if too few people decide to get the shot .
And millions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 50 % of all Americans , according to several surveys conducted since May — have already decided against it .
One survey found an especially troubling statistic : African Americans , who are at a particularly high risk of severe illness or death from COVID-19 , still were far more likely than whites or Hispanics to report that they wouldn ’ t get vaccinated .
Clearly , America needs a public education campaign to build confidence in a vaccine , especially among Black Americans .
We hold out little hope that the Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another on a long list of reasons to vote Donald Trump out in November .
“ We ’ ve got to change our government , ” Novak said .
“ Get someone in charge who listens to science and is able to put forth a consistent effort against misinformation.
” No amount of education , we fear , will convince the strident anti-vaccine movement .
They don ’ t listen to scientists any more than Trump does .
But a smart , well-planned campaign that outlines the rigorous steps required to approve any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in general — could go a long way toward convincing others who are willing to listen and learn .
A campaign could reach those like this 56-year-old woman who told pollsters : “ I am not an anti-vaxxer .
[ But ] to get a COVID-19 vaccine within a year or two ... causes me to fear that it won ’ t be widely tested as to side effects.
” So Americans need to know this : We are not Russia .
In its rush to be “ first ” with a COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Russia will begin distributing an unproven vaccine this fall , before large-scale human trials are complete .
“ I realize this is a pandemic , ” Northwestern ’ s Krueger said , “ But I don ’ t think that ’ s a reason to skip over what we know is safe.
” Krueger and other experts insist that the FDA ’ s standards and the vaccine approval process overall will not allow the same to happen here .
Rushing the process , at any rate , would be self-defeating .
Imagine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and seeing thousands of people suffer severe unexpected side effects .
“ We ’ re going by the same process and standard we would normally , ” Krueger said .
To build public trust , better safe than first .

Early next year, scientists tell us, Americans can expect to hear that a safe and effective vaccine against COVID-19 soon will be available.
When that happens — and the nation’s top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, has said he is cautiously optimistic on the timeline for 2021 — it will be the best news possible for our pandemic-weary country.
All of us are waiting for a breakthrough that will allow daily life to return to some semblance of normal once again: to go back to movies, ball games and concerts or host dinner parties without fear of catching or spreading the coronavirus.
Life may not be completely “normal” for a long time, but a reliable vaccine is essential to the fight. Masks and social distancing can do only so much. “A vaccine will be the strongest thing we have against the disease,” as Dr. Karen Krueger of Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine told us.
Chicago plays key role
Chicagoans can be proud that our city is already playing a key role in the vaccine race. Thousands of people have signed up as potential volunteers for clinical trials at Northwestern and the University of Illinois at Chicago of two separate vaccines, expected to begin later this month.
Editorials bug Editorials
Both vaccines have shown promising results in earlier testing and have reached Phase 3, the final stage of testing during which a vaccine is administered to thousands of volunteers nationwide before it can be approved, potentially, by the Food and Drug Administration.
The UIC trial involves a vaccine developed by the biotech giant Moderna, which on Tuesday reached a $1.5 billion deal with the Trump administration to produce 100 million doses. Northwestern will test a vaccine developed by pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca.
Altogether, more than 165 vaccines are in various stages of development worldwide, with 30 now undergoing human trials.
“I’m very optimistic, with all these vaccines going into trials, that something will be effective,” UIC’s Dr. Richard M. Novak, who will head the trials there, told us.
Americans wary
But even the most effective vaccine will be useless if too few people decide to get the shot. And millions of us — from 25% to 50% of all Americans, according to several surveys conducted since May — have already decided against it.
One survey found an especially troubling statistic: African Americans, who are at a particularly high risk of severe illness or death from COVID-19, still were far more likely than whites or Hispanics to report that they wouldn’t get vaccinated.
Clearly, America needs a public education campaign to build confidence in a vaccine, especially among Black Americans. We hold out little hope that the Trump administration will see the need — yet another on a long list of reasons to vote Donald Trump out in November.
“We’ve got to change our government,” Novak said. “Get someone in charge who listens to science and is able to put forth a consistent effort against misinformation.”
No amount of education, we fear, will convince the strident anti-vaccine movement. They don’t listen to scientists any more than Trump does.
But a smart, well-planned campaign that outlines the rigorous steps required to approve any vaccine — and the science behind vaccines in general — could go a long way toward convincing others who are willing to listen and learn.
A campaign could reach those like this 56-year-old woman who told pollsters: “I am not an anti-vaxxer. [But] to get a COVID-19 vaccine within a year or two ... causes me to fear that it won’t be widely tested as to side effects.”
So Americans need to know this: We are not Russia.
Emphasizing safety over speed
In its rush to be “first” with a COVID-19 vaccine, President Vladimir Putin announced Tuesday that Russia will begin distributing an unproven vaccine this fall, before large-scale human trials are complete.
Scientists widely condemn the move as “reckless.”
“I realize this is a pandemic,” Northwestern’s Krueger said, “But I don’t think that’s a reason to skip over what we know is safe.”
Krueger and other experts insist that the FDA’s standards and the vaccine approval process overall will not allow the same to happen here.
Rushing the process, at any rate, would be self-defeating. Imagine releasing an unproven vaccine too early — and seeing thousands of people suffer severe unexpected side effects.
“We’re going by the same process and standard we would normally,” Krueger said.
To build public trust, better safe than first.
Send letters to letters@suntimes.com.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-12--Police seek suspects in connection with Chatham homicide

Police are looking for four people and two vehicles in connection with a homicide last month in Chatham on the @ @ @ @ @ 17 shooting killed 60-year-old Derek Teague and wounded a 23-year-old man in the 8200 block @ @ @ @ @ Chicago police said .
A video shared by police shows four people in the area @ @ @ @ @ ’ re seen running away from a building and speeding off in two different vehicles @ @ @ @ @ has a moon roof .
Anyone with information is asked to call Area Two detectives @ @ @ @ @ on crime , and track the city ’ s homicides .

Police are looking for four people and two vehicles in connection with a homicide last month in Chatham on the South Side.
The July 17 shooting killed 60-year-old Derek Teague and wounded a 23-year-old man in the 8200 block of South Drexel Avenue, Chicago police said.
A video shared by police shows four people in the area of the shooting. They’re seen running away from a building and speeding off in two different vehicles; one is light-colored and has a moon roof.
Police are looking for multiple people and two vehicles in connection with a homicide July 17, 2020, in Chatham. Chicago police
Anyone with information is asked to call Area Two detectives at 312-747-8271.
Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-12--City to limit Loop access until next week

The city will continue its nightly restrictions to downtown through the weekend in an effort to prevent further looting after several businesses were targeted early Monday following a police shooting in Englewood .
The restrictions — in place from 9 p.m. until 6 a.m. each night until Monday morning , Aug. 17 — include raised bridges , a partial shutdown of Lake Shore Drive , expressway ramps and no CTA train service to the downtown area .
The city has already enacted two back-to-back nights of limited downtown access , but Wednesday ’ s announcement by the Office of Emergency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the longest timeframe yet .
Residents and workers seeking to enter downtown are required to pass through “ access points ” where they will be required to “ show identification or proof that they live in the area and/or work in the area , ” OEMC said in a statement .
The city says the restrictions are not a curfew , marking a distinction between the blanket restrictions the city imposed after rioting and looting in late May that the ACLU blasted as “ broad and vague ” and infringing First Amendment rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between Fullerton Avenue and I-55 ; inbound Belmont ramp is also closed ; • All downtown bridges will be raised except : LaSalle , Harrison , Ida B .
Wells , Lake Shore Drive , Columbus , Kinzie and Grand ; • CTA trains will not enter a large area surrounding the central downtown area .
More specifically : Red Line service will not run between Fullerton and 47th ; Blue Line service will not run between Division and UIC-Halsted ; Green Line service will not run between Ashland and 47th ; Brown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Loop ; Orange Line service will not run between Halsted and Loop ; and Pink Line service will not run between Polk and Loop ; • Bus service remains unaffected , but may be rerouted due to bridge/street closures ; • Divvy service will be shut down between North , Ashland and Cermak .
“ Access points ” for residents and workers are located at :

The city will continue its nightly restrictions to downtown through the weekend in an effort to prevent further looting after several businesses were targeted early Monday following a police shooting in Englewood.
The restrictions — in place from 9 p.m. until 6 a.m. each night until Monday morning, Aug. 17 — include raised bridges, a partial shutdown of Lake Shore Drive, closed expressway ramps and CTA train service limited to the Red and Blue lines in the downtown area.
The city had already enacted two back-to-back nights of limited downtown access, but Wednesday’s announcement by the Office of Emergency Management and Communications extended the restrictions for the longest timeframe yet.
La Voz Sidebar 2023 Lea este artículo en español en La Voz Chicago.
Residents and workers seeking to enter downtown are required to pass through “access points” where they will be required to “show identification or proof that they live in the area and/or work in the area,” OEMC said in a statement.
The city says the restrictions are not a curfew, marking a distinction between the blanket restrictions the city imposed after rioting and looting in late May that the ACLU blasted as “broad and vague” and infringing First Amendment rights.
CTA Red and Blue Line trains had previously been included in the Loop shutdown, but the transit authority announced Thursday evening that service on those lines would resume overnight in the downtown area. Green, Brown, Orange and Pink Line service will remain out of service.
The nightly restrictions include:
Lake Shore Drive is closed between Fullerton Avenue and I-55; inbound Belmont ramp is also closed;
All downtown bridges will be raised except: LaSalle, Harrison, Ida B. Wells, Lake Shore Drive, Columbus, Kinzie and Grand;
Some CTA trains will not enter a large area surrounding the central downtown area. More specifically: Green Line service will not run between Ashland and 47th; Brown Line service will not run between Belmont and Loop; Orange Line service will not run between Halsted and Loop; and Pink Line service will not run between Polk and Loop;
Bus service remains unaffected, but may be rerouted due to bridge/street closures;
Kennedy/Dan Ryan Expressway ramps closed from Cermak to Division;
Northbound Stevenson Expressway ramp to northbound Lake Shore Drive closed;
Eastbound Eisenhower Expressway closed at Ida B. Wells Drive;
Divvy service will be shut down between North, Ashland and Cermak.
“Access points” for residents and workers are located at:


chicagosun-times--2020-08-12--Before trying to sneak a ringer on the ballot, Trump should have consulted with a few Chicago politi

Before trying to sneak a ringer on the ballot, Trump should have consulted with a few Chicago political operatives

President Trump could avoid embarrassing himself further if he ’ d just hire a few seasoned Chicago political operatives to teach him the subtleties of running a phony candidate — a “ ringer ” — to take votes from a real election opponent .
Rule # 1 : Don ’ t send your own campaign lawyer , Lane Ruhland , to file signatures for the ringer , Kanye West , as a third-party candidate for president in Wisconsin .
That makes it too obvious you ’ re running the Grammy-winning rapper to siphon African-American votes from Joe Biden in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Rule # 2 : Don ’ t send Ivanka and Jared Kushner to meet with West in Colorado as he ’ s filing to get on the ballot there to cut into Biden ’ s mile-high lead over you .
Send a low-level emissary .
And tell West not to tweet about the meeting afterward .
Make reporters work to establish West ’ s ties to your campaign .
America ’ s Dairyland boasts 15,000 lawyers .
Find one that has not represented your campaign .
And send a non-relative to Colorado @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the Chicago Sun-Times ’ political reporter , I was often impressed by the skill with which political operatives convinced the patsies they were legitimate candidates .
The earnestness of one congressional candidate , a boxer being helped by family friends of the incumbent , made it hard for me to report that he was a ringer , though he had the same first name and a similar last name as the apparent real challenger , a former gang crimes prosecutor .
The ringer ended up coming in second , ahead of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s to say ?
Mission accomplished though : The incumbent won re-election .
I had an easier time writing stories about the ringers who took no calls , lived in their mother ’ s basements and did not even put up a lawn sign in their own front yards .
I once watched party honchos slate candidates for judge when a woman broke the code of silence and said she should be slated as a reward for running as a ringer years earlier .
The party brass winced uncomfortably as she spelled out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ name put on the ballot to siphon votes away from the real women judicial challengers running against the party ’ s choice .
“ I did run five years ago for judge , ” she said .
“ It was my understanding that the committeemen or the people for the Democratic Party put out my petitions .
I had them signed .
I was told not to raise any money and not do any campaigning .
I didn ’ t .
I got 88,000 votes not doing anything .
I came in third @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slated candidate.
” No luck .
The party leaders did not slate her .
But I have watched them slate candidates who more subtly reminded the committeemen of their service as ringers .
I watched in court as former U.S. Rep. Jesse L. Jackson Jr. sued the legendary Shaw brothers , twins Bill and Bob , for finding another Jesse L. Jackson to run on the ballot against him .
The judge had to throw out the case because the other man really was named Jesse L. Jackson .
The stunt kept Jackson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ elections that season .
Given the many ways Trump has debased the office of president of the United States , it would be entirely consistent of him to drag this fall ’ s election down to the level of a Chicago ward brawl .
Among the signatories to West ’ s Wisconsin petitions : “ Mickey Mouse ” and “ Bernie Sanders.
” But if you ’ re gon na play this distasteful game , Mr. President , try to follow the rules .
You speak TV .
Just rewatch the episode @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political operatives explain ringer etiquette to Christine Baranski ’ s character as they prep her to run for judge in Chicago .
And make sure your lawyer gets to the state elections office before the 5 p.m. closing time on the day petitions are due so she doesn ’ t have to knock on the locked door asking to file after deadline .
Trump is a huge underdog for re-election , trailing badly in the polls in swing states like Wisconsin , Colorado and Ohio where he is trying to get West on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenged there and in Illinois , where the Board of Elections has ruled half of West ’ s signatures invalid .
They are set to drop him from the ballot .
Clearly Kanye West is unlike Ross Perot , Ralph Nader or Jill Stein , third-party candidates whose presence on the ballot may have altered the outcomes of earlier elections .
They jumped in early with clearly articulated platforms .
West took off his “ MAGA ” hat and whimsied into this election at the 11th hour — too late to qualify to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The New York Times reports that West ’ s wife , Kim Kardashian West , has asked the media to be understanding that her husband is dealing with mental illness .
Melania Trump has made no corresponding claim about her husband ’ s mental state but psychologists around the world have offered diagnoses of Trump ’ s psychological afflictions as he casts aspersions on Biden ’ s mental health .
Subtlety has never been part of Trump ’ s election tool kit .
Pallasch was the Sun-Times ’ political reporter .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Illinois State Comptroller Susana A. Mendoza .
He has never been employed by a campaign or as a political operative .

President Trump could avoid embarrassing himself further if he’d just hire a few seasoned Chicago political operatives to teach him the subtleties of running a phony candidate — a “ringer” — to take votes from a real election opponent.
Rule #1: Don’t send your own campaign lawyer, Lane Ruhland, to file signatures for the ringer, Kanye West, as a third-party candidate for president in Wisconsin. That makes it too obvious you’re running the Grammy-winning rapper to siphon African-American votes from Joe Biden in a desperate attempt to save your cheddar there.
Rule #2: Don’t send Ivanka and Jared Kushner to meet with West in Colorado as he’s filing to get on the ballot there to cut into Biden’s mile-high lead over you. Send a low-level emissary. And tell West not to tweet about the meeting afterward.
Make reporters work to establish West’s ties to your campaign. America’s Dairyland boasts 15,000 lawyers. Find one that has not represented your campaign. And send a non-relative to Colorado.
Opinion bug Opinion
When I used to cover campaigns as the Chicago Sun-Times’ political reporter, I was often impressed by the skill with which political operatives convinced the patsies they were legitimate candidates.
The earnestness of one congressional candidate, a boxer being helped by family friends of the incumbent, made it hard for me to report that he was a ringer, though he had the same first name and a similar last name as the apparent real challenger, a former gang crimes prosecutor. The ringer ended up coming in second, ahead of the supposedly real challenger, so who’s to say? Mission accomplished though: The incumbent won re-election.
I had an easier time writing stories about the ringers who took no calls, lived in their mother’s basements and did not even put up a lawn sign in their own front yards.
I once watched party honchos slate candidates for judge when a woman broke the code of silence and said she should be slated as a reward for running as a ringer years earlier. The party brass winced uncomfortably as she spelled out how she had agreed to have her name put on the ballot to siphon votes away from the real women judicial challengers running against the party’s choice.
“I did run five years ago for judge,” she said. “It was my understanding that the committeemen or the people for the Democratic Party put out my petitions. I had them signed. I was told not to raise any money and not do any campaigning. I didn’t. I got 88,000 votes not doing anything. I came in third in that race, right behind the slated candidate.”
No luck. The party leaders did not slate her. But I have watched them slate candidates who more subtly reminded the committeemen of their service as ringers.
I watched in court as former U.S. Rep. Jesse L. Jackson Jr. sued the legendary Shaw brothers, twins Bill and Bob, for finding another Jesse L. Jackson to run on the ballot against him. The judge had to throw out the case because the other man really was named Jesse L. Jackson.
The stunt kept Jackson too busy to meddle in the Shaws’ elections that season.
Given the many ways Trump has debased the office of president of the United States, it would be entirely consistent of him to drag this fall’s election down to the level of a Chicago ward brawl. Among the signatories to West’s Wisconsin petitions: “Mickey Mouse” and “Bernie Sanders.”
But if you’re gonna play this distasteful game, Mr. President, try to follow the rules. You speak TV. Just rewatch the episode of “The Good Wife” where political operatives explain ringer etiquette to Christine Baranski’s character as they prep her to run for judge in Chicago.
And make sure your lawyer gets to the state elections office before the 5 p.m. closing time on the day petitions are due so she doesn’t have to knock on the locked door asking to file after deadline.
Trump is a huge underdog for re-election, trailing badly in the polls in swing states like Wisconsin, Colorado and Ohio where he is trying to get West on the ballot. His petitions have been challenged there and in Illinois, where the Board of Elections has ruled half of West’s signatures invalid. They are set to drop him from the ballot.
Clearly Kanye West is unlike Ross Perot, Ralph Nader or Jill Stein, third-party candidates whose presence on the ballot may have altered the outcomes of earlier elections. They jumped in early with clearly articulated platforms. West took off his “MAGA” hat and whimsied into this election at the 11th hour — too late to qualify to get on the ballot in most states.
The New York Times reports that West’s wife, Kim Kardashian West, has asked the media to be understanding that her husband is dealing with mental illness. Melania Trump has made no corresponding claim about her husband’s mental state but psychologists around the world have offered diagnoses of Trump’s psychological afflictions as he casts aspersions on Biden’s mental health.
Subtlety has never been part of Trump’s election tool kit.
Pallasch was the Sun-Times’ political reporter. He now serves as director of communications for Illinois State Comptroller Susana A. Mendoza. He has never been employed by a campaign or as a political operative.
Send letters to letters@suntimes.com.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-12--A small business tip sheet for tough times

—Make friends with a banker .
Need a place to start ?
Try the Illinois state treasurer ’ s list @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 relief program , available here .
—Don ’ t be too proud to ask @ @ @ @ @ creditors .
—Solicit ideas and impartial advice from a Small Business Development Center in your @ @ @ @ @ here .
—Get a briefing on state government programs for business by calling ( 800 @ @ @ @ @ @ illinois.gov .
—Black-owned businesses can join online discussions about ways to grow .
The @ @ @ @ @ and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity .
The next one is Aug. @ @ @ @ @ .
—Check out the City of Chicago ’ s Small Business Resource Guide here .
@ @ @ @ @ Commerce ’ s guide to the Main Street Lending Program .
—All set to go @ @ @ @ @ Chamber ’ s guide to operating safely in a pandemic .

—Make friends with a banker. Need a place to start? Try the Illinois state treasurer’s list of institutions participating in its COVID-19 relief program, available here.
—Don’t be too proud to ask for help, including from creditors.
—Solicit ideas and impartial advice from a Small Business Development Center in your area. Further information is here.
—Get a briefing on state government programs for business by calling (800) 252-2923 or emailing CEO.support@illinois.gov.
—Black-owned businesses can join online discussions about ways to grow. The discussions are presented by Groupon and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. The next one is Aug. 20 and information is here.
—Check out the City of Chicago’s Small Business Resource Guide here.
—Review the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s guide to the Main Street Lending Program.
—All set to go? Now consult the U.S. Chamber’s guide to operating safely in a pandemic.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-12--Chicago police launch new video portal to help ID looting suspects

Seeking the public ’ s help in identifying more looting suspects , the Chicago Police Department Wednesday launched a new web portal that will feature additional video footage of the widespread theft and property damage that overtook the downtown area and other neighborhoods earlier this week .
More than 20 people have been charged so far in connection with the looting and destruction that started late Sunday night and continued early Monday morning .
The new portal will be continuously updated as additional footage and charging information comes in to police .
Local business owners and area residents can also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through the portal .
The site is operated by CPD detectives who are assigned to a new task force dedicated to the looting .
One of the videos already posted was recorded on a suspect ’ s own cellphone .
The video shows two men , whose faces are clearly visible , attempting to break into an ATM .
“ Detectives are asking everyone to look at these images , ” CPD Chief of Detectives Brendan Deenihan said Wednesday .
“ This was just an attack on our city and we really need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offenders so we can arrest and charge them.
” Police officials have said the gunfire and widespread looting downtown was spurred , in part , by misinformation and rumormongering about the circumstances of a police shooting in Englewood Sunday afternoon .
Officers shot 20-year-old Latrell Allen after , according to CPD , Allen fired at police near 57th Street and Racine Avenue .
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability , the agency that investigates uses of force by CPD officers , issued a statement Monday saying that its preliminary investigation so far supports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Allen , who lives near where he was shot , was charged Monday with two counts of attempted murder and another count of unlawfully possessing a weapon .
He remains hospitalized .
A handgun was recovered at the scene of the shooting , and police officials Wednesday said an additional shotgun was found during a subsequent search of Allen ’ s home .

Seeking the public’s help in identifying more looting suspects, the Chicago Police Department Wednesday launched a new web portal that will feature additional video footage of the widespread theft and property damage that overtook the downtown area and other neighborhoods earlier this week.
More than 20 people have been charged so far in connection with the looting and destruction that started late Sunday night and continued early Monday morning.
The new portal will be continuously updated as additional footage and charging information comes in to police. Local business owners and area residents can also submit their own video footage to police through the portal. The site is operated by CPD detectives who are assigned to a new task force dedicated to the looting.
One of the videos already posted was recorded on a suspect’s own cellphone. The video shows two men, whose faces are clearly visible, attempting to break into an ATM.
“Detectives are asking everyone to look at these images,” CPD Chief of Detectives Brendan Deenihan said Wednesday. “This was just an attack on our city and we really need everyone’s help to identify these offenders so we can arrest and charge them.”
Police officials have said the gunfire and widespread looting downtown was spurred, in part, by misinformation and rumormongering about the circumstances of a police shooting in Englewood Sunday afternoon.
Officers shot 20-year-old Latrell Allen after, according to CPD, Allen fired at police near 57th Street and Racine Avenue.
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability, the agency that investigates uses of force by CPD officers, issued a statement Monday saying that its preliminary investigation so far supports the CPD’s version of events.
Allen, who lives near where he was shot, was charged Monday with two counts of attempted murder and another count of unlawfully possessing a weapon. He remains hospitalized.
A handgun was recovered at the scene of the shooting, and police officials Wednesday said an additional shotgun was found during a subsequent search of Allen’s home.