chicagosun-times--2020-08-07--An urban farm to bring green energy, jobs to South Side

A large-scale urban farming campus that promises to bring jobs , fresh food and renewable energy to Chicago ’ s South Side is getting a financial boost from the state .
Green Era Renewable Energy and Urban Farming Campus will receive $ 2 million from the state through Rebuild Illinois — a program giving grants for infrastructure development in distressed areas .
That money , along with a $ 1 million loan from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency , allowed Green Era to secure the final bit of funding needed to develop the $ 32 million project on the 9-acre @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A brownfield is a site that is considered to have hazardous materials or pollutants in the soil and must be remediated before development can take place .
Green Era has been cleaning it up over the last several years .
Erika Allen , co-Founder of Green Era , said they have worked to secure funding for the project for almost 10 years and to know by spring 2022 the campus will be fully operational is exciting .
“ I ’ m really excited to have our young people see that their hard work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Not only will we be providing jobs that will give living wages , but it is reassuring that folks don ’ t have to leave their community to get a good job.
” Green Era also got a share of the inaugural Chicago Prize , announced on Thursday by the Pritzker Traubert foundation .
Splitting that $ 10 million award with Green Era was a “ healthy lifestyle hub ” at 79th and Halsted streets .
The Green Era operation , on the northwest corner of 83rd and Wallace streets , is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the development of the campus and 47 permanent jobs for the community with hundreds of other contracting opportunities .
“ For years , this project has been a brilliant idea on paper lacking the funding to get off the ground – and the brownfield where we now stand has been vacant for decades more , ” said Gov .
JB Pritzker .
“ But this is a project that combines capital investment with renewable energy , food production and access with climate-smart job training programs and education , new work opportunities with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ partnering with Black Chicago Tomorrow and the city to develop workforce training ; local residents and formerly incarcerated individuals will get priority .
The campus will have a 13,000 square-foot greenhouse — room to grow 14,000 pounds to 26,000 pounds of organic produce a year .
It will be sold on site and through the group ’ s mobile market .
More importantly , the facility will be a hub for developing green energy using recycled materials .
Green Era plans to compost 85,000 tons of recycled food and waste at the facility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turn be used to generate electricity and heat .
Generating energy through composting will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 42,500 tons per year — the equivalent of taking 9,182 cars off the road .
“ We are headed in a new era — which is why we are called ‘ Green Era ’ — where we have to consider the environment and it can no longer be an afterthought , ” Allen said .
“ As industry shifts in response to climate change and as we become more [ climate ] resilient , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Side is fully able to take advantage of that new economy.
” Green Era has already secured a partnership with BP to sell the energy produced at the facility .
“ When BP was approached by Green Era to collaborate on this project , we knew it would be a great opportunity to support sustainable neighborhoods in a city where our employees live and work , ” said Janet Kong , a regional business leader for BP .
“ It also demonstrates how renewable natural gas can play an important role in decarbonizing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also be available to residents with home gardens , Allen said .
“ People can also get compost from us where they can pick it up or have it delivered , ” Allen said .
“ Our delivery man can get them 5 yards of compost ; they can also purchase plants and flowers for their gardens.
” Manny Ramos is a corps member in Report for America , a not-for-profit journalism program that aims to bolster Sun-Times coverage of issues affecting Chicago ’ s South and West sides .

A large-scale urban farming campus that promises to bring jobs, fresh food and renewable energy to Chicago’s South Side is getting a financial boost from the state.
Green Era Renewable Energy and Urban Farming Campus will receive $2 million from the state through Rebuild Illinois — a program giving grants for infrastructure development in distressed areas.
That money, along with a $1 million loan from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, allowed Green Era to secure the final bit of funding needed to develop the $32 million project on the 9-acre land that is a brownfield site.
A brownfield is a site that is considered to have hazardous materials or pollutants in the soil and must be remediated before development can take place. Green Era has been cleaning it up over the last several years.
Erika Allen, co-Founder of Green Era, said they have worked to secure funding for the project for almost 10 years and to know by spring 2022 the campus will be fully operational is exciting.
“I’m really excited to have our young people see that their hard work paid off,” Allen said. “Not only will we be providing jobs that will give living wages, but it is reassuring that folks don’t have to leave their community to get a good job.”
Green Era also got a share of the inaugural Chicago Prize, announced on Thursday by the Pritzker Traubert foundation. Splitting that $10 million award with Green Era was a “healthy lifestyle hub” at 79th and Halsted streets.
The Green Era operation, on the northwest corner of 83rd and Wallace streets, is expected to create 240 construction jobs for the development of the campus and 47 permanent jobs for the community with hundreds of other contracting opportunities.
“For years, this project has been a brilliant idea on paper lacking the funding to get off the ground – and the brownfield where we now stand has been vacant for decades more,” said Gov. JB Pritzker. “But this is a project that combines capital investment with renewable energy, food production and access with climate-smart job training programs and education, new work opportunities with a community hub.”
Green Era is also partnering with Black Chicago Tomorrow and the city to develop workforce training; local residents and formerly incarcerated individuals will get priority.
The campus will have a 13,000 square-foot greenhouse — room to grow 14,000 pounds to 26,000 pounds of organic produce a year. It will be sold on site and through the group’s mobile market. Urban Growers Collective will run the farm and the programming.
Street view of the Green Era Renewable Energy and Urban Farming Campus on the northwest corner of 83rd Street and Wallace Street. Provided.
More importantly, the facility will be a hub for developing green energy using recycled materials. Green Era plans to compost 85,000 tons of recycled food waste at the facility, producing methane gas that will in turn be used to generate renewable energy.
Generating energy through composting will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 42,500 tons per year — the equivalent of taking 9,182 cars off the road.
“We are headed in a new era — which is why we are called ‘Green Era’ — where we have to consider the environment and it can no longer be an afterthought,” Allen said. “As industry shifts in response to climate change and as we become more [climate] resilient, we want to make sure the South Side is fully able to take advantage of that new economy.”
Green Era has already secured a partnership with BP to sell the energy produced at the facility.
“When BP was approached by Green Era to collaborate on this project, we knew it would be a great opportunity to support sustainable neighborhoods in a city where our employees live and work,” said Janet Kong, a regional business leader for BP. “It also demonstrates how renewable natural gas can play an important role in decarbonizing the energy sector.”
The compost will also be available to residents with home gardens, Allen said.
“People can also get compost from us where they can pick it up or have it delivered,” Allen said. “Our delivery man can get them 5 yards of compost; they can also purchase plants and flowers for their gardens.”
Contributing: Clare Proctor
Green Era’s 9-acre site will include a 13,000 square-foot greenhouse that will grow 14,000 pounds to 26,000 pounds of organic produce every year. Provided
Manny Ramos is a corps member in Report for America, a not-for-profit journalism program that aims to bolster Sun-Times coverage of issues affecting Chicago’s South and West sides.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-07--Man shot to death in West Rogers Park alley: police

A man was killed in a shooting Thursday in West Rogers Park on the North Side .
The 54-year-old was @ @ @ @ @ in an alley about 11:50 p.m. in the 7300 block of North Western Avenue when @ @ @ @ @ three people got out and opened fire , according to Chicago police .
The man @ @ @ @ @ and torso and was taken to Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston , where he was @ @ @ @ @ .
The Cook County medical examiner ’ s office has not released details about the @ @ @ @ @ in custody as Area Three detectives investigate .
Read more on crime , and track @ @ @ @ @ .

A man was killed in a shooting Thursday in West Rogers Park on the North Side.
The 54-year-old was with a group of people in an alley about 11:50 p.m. in the 7300 block of North Western Avenue when a minivan pulled up and three people got out and opened fire, according to Chicago police.
The man was hit in the chest and torso and was taken to Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston, where he was pronounced dead, police said.
He was identified as Vincente Mojica, the Cook County medical examiner’s office said. He lived in West Rogers Park.
An autopsy conducted Saturday confirmed Mojica died of his gunshot wounds, the medical examiner’s office said. His death was ruled a homicide.
No one is in custody as Area Three detectives investigate.
Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-07--Time for the gun industry and NRA to accept blame for America’s bloodshed

As America seeks answers to gun violence , the gun industry should be in our nation ’ s sights .
A study released last week by the Center for American Progress details how the gun lobby over decades has insulated itself from responsibility for the 40,000 people who are shot and killed in the U.S. each year .
As a result , guns keep flowing onto the streets , leading to deaths and exacerbating tensions between police and communities .
Since 2013 , Chicago police have recovered more than 7,000 guns used in crimes .
This has to stop .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a huge role in making America safer .
Gun dealers could do more to keep guns out of criminal hands .
Manufacturers could insist dealers adopt safer practices .
Gunmakers could design guns that thieves or children can ’ t fire easily .
They could think about something besides making money .
Instead , the gun lobby continues to peddle the discredited narrative that it is not its products , but criminals alone , that are the problem .
No one should be falling for that anymore .
If you carelessly put firearms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are also helping to pull the trigger .
“ The gun debate has focused on the demand side of the problem and on the individuals who end up using guns , ” said Chelsea Parsons , CAP vice president for gun prevention policy .
People simply don ’ t understand the shadowy role the gun industry plays in the background .
The CAP study documents many ways the gun industry has been a reprehensible corporate citizen .
Among its “ achievements ” : It has warded off oversight by the Consumer Products Safety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has the authority to regulate guns for safety .
It pushed Congress to enact the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act , which gave gun manufacturers and dealers broad immunity in federal and state courts .
It has made it difficult for the underfunded Bureau of Alcohol , Tobacco , Firearms and Explosives to track guns recovered at crime scenes .
It has successfully supported numerous other measures , large and small , that make America an outlier among advanced nations for gun violence .
It shouldn ’ t be a surprise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday sued the leading gun-rights lobby , the National Rifle Association , claiming it diverted some $ 64 million in charitable contributions to support reckless spending by executives , Axios and other news outlets reported .
That case seeks to shut the association down .
A related lawsuit against the NRA and NRA Foundation was filed in Washington , D.C .
The cases also shine a light on the gun manufacturers who contribute to the NRA , said Kathleen Sances , president and CEO of the Gun Violence Prevention PAC-Illinois .
“ They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Sances said .
“ They don ’ t care that these guns end up in the secondary market.
” All these issues have become much more serious as the COVID-19 pandemic and nationwide protests have led to record sales of firearms to people who are feeling fearful and anxious .
But those people mostly don ’ t realize they are buying products that haven ’ t been designed or vetted for a high level of safety .
We can expect more accidents and misuse of guns .
We can expect more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrong hands .
We also are seeing an epidemic of gun store robberies and burglaries , in which firearms are carted off to wind up in the hands or criminals .
The ATF can do little more than write strongly worded letters to stores that are broken into over and over again .
The gun shop owners just shrug , file insurance claims and go back to their daily business .
All of of this adds up to more crime .
From Jan. 1 to Aug. 7 , guns caused 25,162 American deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The gun industry has proven it won ’ t step up to protect Americans .
When will our elected leaders force it to do so ?

As America seeks answers to gun violence, the gun industry should be in our nation’s sights.
A study released last week by the Center for American Progress details how the gun lobby over decades has insulated itself from responsibility for the 40,000 people who are shot and killed in the U.S. each year. As a result, guns keep flowing onto the streets, leading to deaths and exacerbating tensions between police and communities.
Since 2013, Chicago police have recovered more than 7,000 guns used in crimes.
This has to stop.
Editorials bug Editorials
Both manufacturers and gun dealers could play a huge role in making America safer. Gun dealers could do more to keep guns out of criminal hands. Manufacturers could insist dealers adopt safer practices. Gunmakers could design guns that thieves or children can’t fire easily.
They could think about something besides making money.
Instead, the gun lobby continues to peddle the discredited narrative that it is not its products, but criminals alone, that are the problem.
No one should be falling for that anymore. If you carelessly put firearms in the hands of criminals, you are also helping to pull the trigger.
“The gun debate has focused on the demand side of the problem and on the individuals who end up using guns,” said Chelsea Parsons, CAP vice president for gun prevention policy. People simply don’t understand the shadowy role the gun industry plays in the background.
The CAP study documents many ways the gun industry has been a reprehensible corporate citizen. Among its “achievements”:
It has blocked universal fingerprint-based background checks.
It has created gun-trafficking legal loopholes.
It has warded off oversight by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which means no government agency has the authority to regulate guns for safety.
It pushed Congress to enact the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, which gave gun manufacturers and dealers broad immunity in federal and state courts.
It has made it difficult for the underfunded Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to track guns recovered at crime scenes.
It has successfully supported numerous other measures, large and small, that make America an outlier among advanced nations for gun violence.
It shouldn’t be a surprise that the New York attorney general on Thursday sued the leading gun-rights lobby, the National Rifle Association, claiming it diverted some $64 million in charitable contributions to support reckless spending by executives, Axios and other news outlets reported. That case seeks to shut the association down.
A related lawsuit against the NRA and NRA Foundation was filed in Washington, D.C.
The cases also shine a light on the gun manufacturers who contribute to the NRA, said Kathleen Sances, president and CEO of the Gun Violence Prevention PAC-Illinois. “They are the largest supporters of the NRA,” Sances said. “They don’t care that these guns end up in the secondary market.”
All these issues have become much more serious as the COVID-19 pandemic and nationwide protests have led to record sales of firearms to people who are feeling fearful and anxious.
But those people mostly don’t realize they are buying products that haven’t been designed or vetted for a high level of safety. We can expect more accidents and misuse of guns. We can expect more of those guns to fall into the wrong hands.
We also are seeing an epidemic of gun store robberies and burglaries, in which firearms are carted off to wind up in the hands or criminals. The ATF can do little more than write strongly worded letters to stores that are broken into over and over again. The gun shop owners just shrug, file insurance claims and go back to their daily business.
All of this adds up to more crime. From Jan. 1 to Aug. 7, guns caused 25,162 American deaths, according to the Gun Violence Archive.
The gun industry has proven it won’t step up to protect Americans.
When will our elected leaders force it to do so?
Send letters to letters@suntimes.com.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-07--General Iron to fully reopen in Lincoln Park

General Iron , closed since May after explosions at its Lincoln Park metal shredding facility , can resume full operations as soon as Saturday after city officials gave the business clearance to fully reopen .
The business was allowed to partially reopen in June , but was still under a city order to keep its metal-shredding equipment idled until it satisfied the city it had resolved the issues that caused the blasts .
Last week , a consultant to the city approved the fixes .
Chicago ’ s fire and buildings departments inspected the equipment this week , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ August 8 .
In a letter to General Iron ’ s parent company , Reserve Management Group , the city ’ s Corporation Counsel Mark Flessner said the company met its legal obligations to show safeguards were in place to prevent another accident .
“ It is with reluctance that I send this letter , considering the disruption and concern that the facility ’ s recent explosion caused to the city and the surrounding community , ” he wrote .
“ I wish to make very clear that the city will be closely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is in the process of moving General Iron ’ s operation to the Southeast Side , a plan strongly opposed by community groups there .
Brett Chase ’ s reporting on the environment and public health is made possible by a grant from The Chicago Community Trust .

General Iron, closed since May after explosions at its Lincoln Park metal shredding facility, can resume full operations as soon as Saturday after city officials gave the business clearance to fully reopen.
The business was allowed to partially reopen in June, but was still under a city order to keep its metal-shredding equipment idled until it satisfied the city it had resolved the issues that caused the blasts. Last week, a consultant to the city approved the fixes.
Chicago’s fire and buildings departments inspected the equipment this week, according to a city order allowing reopening, effective August 8.
Related General Iron challenges pollution controls in state permit
In a letter to General Iron’s parent company, Reserve Management Group, the city’s Corporation Counsel Mark Flessner said the company met its legal obligations to show safeguards were in place to prevent another accident.
“It is with reluctance that I send this letter, considering the disruption and concern that the facility’s recent explosion caused to the city and the surrounding community,” he wrote. “I wish to make very clear that the city will be closely monitoring the facility.”
Reserve Management Group is in the process of moving General Iron’s operation to the Southeast Side, a plan strongly opposed by community groups there.
Brett Chase’s reporting on the environment and public health is made possible by a grant from The Chicago Community Trust.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-07--Are Pritzker’s proposed ‘common sense’ masking rules really ‘a slap in the face?’ (LIVE UPDATES)

Illinois ’ new COVID-19 cases top 2,000 — but are Pritzker ’ s proposed ‘ common sense ’ masking rules really ‘ a slap in the face ?
’ In an effort to slow the rise in Illinois coronavirus cases , Gov .
J.B. Pritzker on Friday announced a new set of proposed rules that would offer local officials more leeway to mete out warnings and reprimands — before resorting to fines — for businesses that run afoul of the state ’ s public masking and social distancing guidelines .
Pritzker issued a statewide masking mandate May 1 , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and police departments more options to enforce it without revoking a business ’ license .
And as the statewide COVID-19 rebound continued with the latest 2,084 new cases confirmed by the Illinois Department of Public Health — the first time the state has topped 2,000 cases in a day since May 24 — Pritzker said his rules “ will help ensure that the minority of people who refuse to act responsibly won ’ t take our state backward.
” The governor pitched the new measures as “ common sense ” steps to protect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group blasted them as “ a slap in the face ” to the state ’ s struggling retailers .
Read the full story by Stefano Esposito here .
7:15 p.m. Harleys everywhere , masks nowhere : Sturgis expects crowd of 250,000 Thousands of bikers poured into the small South Dakota city of Sturgis on Friday as the 80th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally rumbled to life despite fears it could lead to a massive coronavirus outbreak .
The rally could become one of the largest public gatherings since the pandemic began , with organizers expecting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make their way through Sturgis during the 10-day event .
That would be roughly half the number of previous years , but local residents — and a few bikers — worry that the crowds could create a “ super-spreader ” event .
Many who rode their bikes into Sturgis on Friday expressed defiance at the rules and restrictions that have marked life in many locales during the pandemic .
People rode from across the country to a state that offered a reprieve from coronavirus restrictions , as South Dakota has no special @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mandates and a governor who is eager to welcome visitors and the money they bring .
6:35 p.m. With City Hall hit hard by pandemic , big TIF balances could be a tempting source of cash While Chicago city government ’ s finances flail in the face of a pandemic liable to blast a billion-dollar hole in City Hall ’ s budget , one part of its treasury is flush with cash — specially designated money that Mayor Lori Lightfoot might see as tempting to tap as she tries to balance the budget @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state , at the close of 2019 the city ’ s 140 tax-increment financing districts , known as TIFs , held a combined $ 1.79 billion — far above what city officials had projected .
The districts are a quilt of zones across the city where some property tax revenue is set aside for public improvements or to subsidize private development benefiting a neighborhood .
Budget officials are working to determine how much of a TIF surplus Lightfoot can declare for 2021 , when she ’ ll need all the help possible to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ layoffs .
Read the full story by David Roeder and Elvia Malagón here .
5:55 p.m. Cubs ’ series in St. Louis postponed after Cardinals player tests positive for COVID-19 What felt like an inevitable outcome for the Cubs earlier in the week has now become an unfortunate reality .
According to reports , the Cubs ’ series against the Cardinals was postponed Friday after at least one Cardinals player tested positive for COVID-19 .
The latest positive test comes just a week after St. Louis was hit by MLB ’ s second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ traveling party testing positive for coronavirus .
Read the full story by Russell Dorsey here .
5:15 p.m. New Cook County rental assistance program to offer up to $ 4,500 per household hit hard by COVID-19 Starting next week , Cook County residents behind on rent can apply for assistance through a new program that is expected to provide households impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic with up to $ 4,500 each , Cook County officials announced Friday .
The $ 20 million program will take applications starting Monday through Aug. 18 .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of up to three months of rent — or up to $ 4,500 — to as many as 7,000 suburban households , said Richard Monocchio , the executive director of the Housing Authority of Cook County .
The assistance is part of federal funds provided to the county from the federal Coronavirus Aid , Relief , and Economic Security Act .
Read the full story by Elvia Malagón here .
4:29 p.m. A positive and negative COVID-19 test in same day ?
How can this happen ?
Ohio Gov .
Mike DeWine ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are a reminder that no test is definitive .
The governor tested positive using a rapid test Thursday , before testing negative later in the day using a more sensitive laboratory-developed test .
He was tested because he was going to meet with President Donald Trump during his visit to the state .
No test for coronavirus infection is perfect , and test results can be affected by a variety of factors , including the type of test used , the quality of the sample and when it was taken during the course @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Last-ditch virus aid talks collapse ; no help for jobless now A last-ditch effort by Democrats to revive collapsing Capitol Hill talks on vital COVID-19 rescue money ended in disappointment on Friday , making it increasingly likely that Washington gridlock will mean more hardship for millions of people who are losing enhanced jobless benefits and further damage for an economy pummeled by the still-raging coronavirus .
“ It was a disappointing meeting , ” declared top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer , saying the White House had rejected an offer by House Speaker Nancy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 1 trillion .
He urged the White House to “ negotiate with Democrats and meet us in the middle .
Don ’ t say it ’ s your way or no way.
” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said , “ Unfortunately we did not make any progress today.
” With the collapse of the talks , he said President Donald Trump was now likely to issue executive orders on home evictions and on student loan debt .
1:30 p.m. How the pandemic is reshaping the way we date Many single Chicagoans took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hit in mid-March , anticipating a return to the status quo in a matter of weeks .
Weeks turned into months , shifting what ’ s considered normal in how people meet and date .
Video calls on Bumble are up 70 % , and people are having longer messaging conversations on Tinder , according to representatives from each app .
Zoom calls , socially distanced picnics and straying from “ hook-up culture ” characterize dating in a pandemic .
Some of these shifts , experts argue , are here to stay .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ professor at Northwestern University — said even before the pandemic , many people were critical of sex-driven relationships , where emotional connections take lower priority .
“ The pandemic has flipped the switch , ” Solomon said .
“ Long term , the pendulum may swing back , with more friendship and mutual caretaking that happens earlier , and sex gets pushed a bit later.
” Read the full story from Clare Proctor here .
12:37 p.m. Cubs-Cardinals game postponed after another St. Louis player tests positive for coronavirus Friday ’ s Cubs-Cardinals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been postponed after another member of the St. Louis tested positive for COVID-19 .
The Athletic first reported the postponement .
The teams were to play a three-game series this weekend .
The Cardinals haven ’ t played a game since July 29 after 13 members of its organization tested positive for COVID-19 .
On Tuesday , the Cardinals put six players on the COVID-19 injured list .
St. Louis , with permission from the players , announced that Yadier Molina , Paul DeJong , Junior Fernandez , Kodi Whitley , Edmundo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus .
The Illinois Department of Employment Security announced Thursday that 20 weeks of state extended benefits are available to those who exhaust the allotted 26 weeks of regular state unemployment and the additional 13 weeks of federal Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation benefits .
IDES encouraged those with unemployment questions to visit IDES.Illinois.gov first before calling the unemployment hotlines , which continue to receive a high volume of calls .
Meanwhile , the U.S. Department of Labor reported Thursday that there were 24,712 first time unemployment claims filed in Illinois during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of more than 8,500 from the previous week .
The number of continued unemployment claims in the state remained historically high at 629,814 despite a decrease of nearly 19,000 from the previous week .
8:06 a.m. Loyola University Chicago closes all dorms for fall semester due to COVID-19 No Loyola University Chicago students will live in on-campus housing this fall , the university announced Thursday .
Citing COVID-19 health conditions and future uncertainty , the university announced the decision to close all residence halls for the upcoming semester , according to an email @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school had previously planned to put all on-campus students in single dorm rooms , with some living in the nearby Hampton Inn to allow for social distancing .
“ We simply can not put our on-campus residential students in harm ’ s way and risk further disruption to them and their families if they needed to move home mid-semester because of an outbreak in one of our residence halls or as a result of the state and city reverting back to Phase 3 , ” Thursday ’ s email read .
Read the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • Cubs ’ weekend series in St. Louis postponed after Cardinals player tests positive for COVID-19 • 2nd federal prisoner at Marion dies this week of COVID-19 • Public health officials announced the state ’ s largest new caseload in more than 10 weeks on Friday — 2,084 new cases — as well as 21 additional deaths attributed to COVID-19 .
• The number of confirmed infections in the U.S. has topped 4.7 million , with new cases running at over 60,000 a day .
While that ’ s down from a peak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ half of July , cases are rising in 26 states , many in the South and West , and deaths are climbing in 35 states 3 p.m. Preschool programs forge ahead during the COVID-19 pandemic but raise a warning flag It ’ s been seven weeks now since the Carole Robertson Center for Learning reopened its early childhood education programs in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic , and it hasn ’ t been easy .
There were new safety procedures for staff , extra responsibilities for everyone plus added costs for protective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ On three occasions , someone contracting the virus necessitated the closing of an entire classroom , requiring all students and teachers in the class to stay home for two weeks .
When that happens , other families often choose to keep their children home for a while , too .
Government funding that ’ s tied to enrollment and attendance dwindles as a result .
Read the full column by Mark Brown here .
1:34 p.m. Go ahead and laugh , but maybe the Bears ’ approach to COVID-19 will help during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their response to the pandemic , with players dutifully wearing masks and avoiding each other like the … coronavirus .
They also think their approach to COVID-19 might be a competitive advantage this season .
My initial response : That ’ s such a Bears thing to think .
Over the years , I ’ ve railed against the franchise ’ s preoccupation with things that are secondary ( team history , practice facilities , etc . )
and its failure at things that should be primary ( winning games ) .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ praising quarterback Mitch Trubisky for his leadership skills , his devotion to football and his desire to be great .
What about , you know , his ability to play quarterback , we ’ ve asked and asked .
Any news on that front , coach ?
So when Nagy gushed the other day about the team ’ s response to the coronavirus , my antennae immediately started vibrating .
Was Nagy really going there ?
Was he saying the Bears would have a competitive advantage in 2020 because their devotion to masks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ joy ?
Yes , he was .
And maybe he was right to say it .
Read the full column from Rick Morrissey here .
Albert G. Spalding was a fine specimen of a man : 6-foot-1 with dark hair and a thick mustache .
He was also a heck of a pitcher : 47 wins , 12 losses for the Chicago White Stockings in 1876 .
That ’ s a lot of games .
Most teams only had one pitcher .
Unsurprisingly , Spalding ’ s hands were beat up with “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Boston first baseman , Charles C. Waite .
wore something on his hand — a leather glove that matched his skin tone because he was “ ashamed to wear it ” and hoped fans wouldn ’ t notice .
Men were aghast at the idea of protective equipment .
In his 1911 book on baseball , Spalding notes the first catcher ’ s mask was ridiculed as “ babyish ” and “ cowardly.
” Spurning personal protective equipment didn ’ t begin with COVID-19 .
When you look at the history of PPE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face masks is simple to understand : it ’ s a guy thing .
Read the full column by Neil Steinberg here .

The statewide COVID-19 rebound continued with the latest 2,084 new cases confirmed by the Illinois Department of Public Health — the first time the state has topped 2,000 cases in a day since May 24
Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced a new set of proposed rules that would offer local officials more leeway to dish out warnings and reprimands,
The proposal was met with swift condemnation from the Illinois Retail Merchants Association.
Also, Cook County officials announced that residents who are behind on paying rent can apply for assistance through a new program that is expected to provide households impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic with up to $4,500 each. The program starts next week.
And the Cubs’ weekend series with the St. Louis Cardinals was postponed because of newly discovered COVID-19 cases with the Cardinals.
Here’s what we learned today in the fight against the coronavirus in Chicago, the state and the nation.
News
9 p.m. Illinois’ new COVID-19 cases top 2,000 — but are Pritzker’s proposed ‘common sense’ masking rules really ‘a slap in the face?’
Pat Nabong/Sun-Times
In an effort to slow the rise in Illinois coronavirus cases, Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Friday announced a new set of proposed rules that would offer local officials more leeway to mete out warnings and reprimands — before resorting to fines — for businesses that run afoul of the state’s public masking and social distancing guidelines.
Pritzker issued a statewide masking mandate May 1, but the new rules would give local health and police departments more options to enforce it without revoking a business’ license.
And as the statewide COVID-19 rebound continued with the latest 2,084 new cases confirmed by the Illinois Department of Public Health — the first time the state has topped 2,000 cases in a day since May 24 — Pritzker said his rules “will help ensure that the minority of people who refuse to act responsibly won’t take our state backward.”
The governor pitched the new measures as “common sense” steps to protect the state, but one leading business group blasted them as “a slap in the face” to the state’s struggling retailers.
Read the full story by Stefano Esposito here.
8:40 p.m. US reports show racial disparities in kids with COVID-19
Racial disparities in the the U.S. coronavirus epidemic extend to children, according to two sobering government reports released Friday.
One of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports looked children with COVID-19 who needed hospitalization. Hispanic children were hospitalized at a rate eight times higher than white kids, and Black children were hospitalized at a rate five times higher, it found.
The second report examined cases of a rare virus-associated syndrome in kids. It found that nearly three-quarters of the children with the syndrome were either Hispanic or Black, well above their representation in the general population.
The coronavirus has exposed racial fractures in the U.S. health care system, as Black, Hispanic and Native Americans have been hospitalized and killed by COVID-19 at far higher rates than other groups.
Read the full story here.
8 p.m. IHSA moves football to the spring
There will not be any high school football in Illinois this fall.
That announcement was expected to come from the Illinois High School Association on Wednesday afternoon. But Gov. J.B. Pritzker used his COVID-19 news conference to scoop the IHSA and announce new restrictions and guidelines for youth, high school and adult recreational sports.
It took IHSA executive director Craig Anderson by surprise. Anderson had been in regular contact with Deputy Gov. Jesse Ruiz over the last week and a half.
“The governor was originally going to speak at 2:30, not noon,” Anderson said. “We were in the middle of [the IHSA board meeting] when I got a text saying the governor moved his press conference up.”
Read the full story by Michael O’Brien here.
7:15 p.m. Harleys everywhere, masks nowhere: Sturgis expects crowd of 250,000
Thousands of bikers poured into the small South Dakota city of Sturgis on Friday as the 80th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally rumbled to life despite fears it could lead to a massive coronavirus outbreak.
The rally could become one of the largest public gatherings since the pandemic began, with organizers expecting 250,000 people from all over the country to make their way through Sturgis during the 10-day event. That would be roughly half the number of previous years, but local residents — and a few bikers — worry that the crowds could create a “super-spreader” event.
Many who rode their bikes into Sturgis on Friday expressed defiance at the rules and restrictions that have marked life in many locales during the pandemic. People rode from across the country to a state that offered a reprieve from coronavirus restrictions, as South Dakota has no special limits on indoor crowds, no mask mandates and a governor who is eager to welcome visitors and the money they bring.
Read the full story here.
6:35 p.m. With City Hall hit hard by pandemic, big TIF balances could be a tempting source of cash
While Chicago city government’s finances flail in the face of a pandemic liable to blast a billion-dollar hole in City Hall’s budget, one part of its treasury is flush with cash — specially designated money that Mayor Lori Lightfoot might see as tempting to tap as she tries to balance the budget.
According to reports filed with the state, at the close of 2019 the city’s 140 tax-increment financing districts, known as TIFs, held a combined $1.79 billion — far above what city officials had projected.
The districts are a quilt of zones across the city where some property tax revenue is set aside for public improvements or to subsidize private development benefiting a neighborhood.
Budget officials are working to determine how much of a TIF surplus Lightfoot can declare for 2021, when she’ll need all the help possible to avert tax hikes, service cuts and layoffs.
Read the full story by David Roeder and Elvia Malagón here.
5:55 p.m. Cubs’ series in St. Louis postponed after Cardinals player tests positive for COVID-19
What felt like an inevitable outcome for the Cubs earlier in the week has now become an unfortunate reality.
According to reports, the Cubs’ series against the Cardinals was postponed Friday after at least one Cardinals player tested positive for COVID-19. The latest positive test comes just a week after St. Louis was hit by MLB’s second outbreak, with 13 members of its traveling party testing positive for coronavirus.
Read the full story by Russell Dorsey here.
5:15 p.m. New Cook County rental assistance program to offer up to $4,500 per household hit hard by COVID-19
Starting next week, Cook County residents behind on rent can apply for assistance through a new program that is expected to provide households impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic with up to $4,500 each, Cook County officials announced Friday.
The $20 million program will take applications starting Monday through Aug. 18. It’s expected to provide financial relief of up to three months of rent — or up to $4,500 — to as many as 7,000 suburban households, said Richard Monocchio, the executive director of the Housing Authority of Cook County.
The assistance is part of federal funds provided to the county from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.
Read the full story by Elvia Malagón here.
4:29 p.m. A positive and negative COVID-19 test in same day? How can this happen?
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine’s positive-then-negative test results for the coronavirus are a reminder that no test is definitive.
The governor tested positive using a rapid test Thursday, before testing negative later in the day using a more sensitive laboratory-developed test. He was tested because he was going to meet with President Donald Trump during his visit to the state.
No test for coronavirus infection is perfect, and test results can be affected by a variety of factors, including the type of test used, the quality of the sample and when it was taken during the course of any infection.
Read the full story here.
3:15 p.m. Last-ditch virus aid talks collapse; no help for jobless now
A last-ditch effort by Democrats to revive collapsing Capitol Hill talks on vital COVID-19 rescue money ended in disappointment on Friday, making it increasingly likely that Washington gridlock will mean more hardship for millions of people who are losing enhanced jobless benefits and further damage for an economy pummeled by the still-raging coronavirus.
“It was a disappointing meeting,” declared top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer, saying the White House had rejected an offer by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to curb Democratic demands by about $1 trillion. He urged the White House to “negotiate with Democrats and meet us in the middle. Don’t say it’s your way or no way.”
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said, “Unfortunately we did not make any progress today.”
With the collapse of the talks, he said President Donald Trump was now likely to issue executive orders on home evictions and on student loan debt.
Read the full story here.
1:30 p.m. How the pandemic is reshaping the way we date
Many single Chicagoans took a hiatus from dating when the pandemic hit in mid-March, anticipating a return to the status quo in a matter of weeks. Weeks turned into months, shifting what’s considered normal in how people meet and date. Video calls on Bumble are up 70%, and people are having longer messaging conversations on Tinder, according to representatives from each app.
Zoom calls, socially distanced picnics and straying from “hook-up culture” characterize dating in a pandemic. Some of these shifts, experts argue, are here to stay.
Alexandra Solomon— a relationship therapist and professor at Northwestern University — said even before the pandemic, many people were critical of sex-driven relationships, where emotional connections take lower priority.
“The pandemic has flipped the switch,” Solomon said. “Long term, the pendulum may swing back, with more friendship and mutual caretaking that happens earlier, and sex gets pushed a bit later.”
Read the full story from Clare Proctor here.
12:37 p.m. Cubs-Cardinals game postponed after another St. Louis player tests positive for coronavirus
Friday’s Cubs-Cardinals game at Busch Stadium in St. Louis has been postponed after another member of the St. Louis tested positive for COVID-19.
The Athletic first reported the postponement.
The teams were to play a three-game series this weekend.
The Cardinals haven’t played a game since July 29 after 13 members of its organization tested positive for COVID-19.
On Tuesday, the Cardinals put six players on the COVID-19 injured list. St. Louis, with permission from the players, announced that Yadier Molina, Paul DeJong, Junior Fernandez, Kodi Whitley, Edmundo Sosa and Rangel Ravelo tested positive for the virus.
Read the full report here.
10:18 a.m. State unemployment extended as claims remain historically high
The Illinois Department of Employment Security announced Thursday that 20 weeks of state extended benefits are available to those who exhaust the allotted 26 weeks of regular state unemployment and the additional 13 weeks of federal Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation benefits.
IDES encouraged those with unemployment questions to visit IDES.Illinois.gov first before calling the unemployment hotlines, which continue to receive a high volume of calls.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Labor reported Thursday that there were 24,712 first time unemployment claims filed in Illinois during the week ending Aug. 1, a decrease of more than 8,500 from the previous week.
The number of continued unemployment claims in the state remained historically high at 629,814 despite a decrease of nearly 19,000 from the previous week.
Read the full report here.
8:06 a.m. Loyola University Chicago closes all dorms for fall semester due to COVID-19
No Loyola University Chicago students will live in on-campus housing this fall, the university announced Thursday.
Citing COVID-19 health conditions and future uncertainty, the university announced the decision to close all residence halls for the upcoming semester, according to an email sent to the school community. The school had previously planned to put all on-campus students in single dorm rooms, with some living in the nearby Hampton Inn to allow for social distancing.
“We simply cannot put our on-campus residential students in harm’s way and risk further disruption to them and their families if they needed to move home mid-semester because of an outbreak in one of our residence halls or as a result of the state and city reverting back to Phase 3,” Thursday’s email read.
Read the full story by Clare Proctor here.
New cases
Cubs’ weekend series in St. Louis postponed after Cardinals player tests positive for COVID-19
2nd federal prisoner at Marion dies this week of COVID-19
Public health officials announced the state’s largest new caseload in more than 10 weeks on Friday — 2,084 new cases — as well as 21 additional deaths attributed to COVID-19.
The number of confirmed infections in the U.S. has topped 4.7 million, with new cases running at over 60,000 a day. While that’s down from a peak of well over 70,000 in the second half of July, cases are rising in 26 states, many in the South and West, and deaths are climbing in 35 states
Analysis & Commentary
3 p.m. Preschool programs forge ahead during the COVID-19 pandemic but raise a warning flag
It’s been seven weeks now since the Carole Robertson Center for Learning reopened its early childhood education programs in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, and it hasn’t been easy.
There were new safety procedures for staff, extra responsibilities for everyone plus added costs for protective equipment, cleaning and staffing requirements.
On three occasions, someone contracting the virus necessitated the closing of an entire classroom, requiring all students and teachers in the class to stay home for two weeks.
When that happens, other families often choose to keep their children home for a while, too. Government funding that’s tied to enrollment and attendance dwindles as a result.
Read the full column by Mark Brown here.
1:34 p.m. Go ahead and laugh, but maybe the Bears’ approach to COVID-19 will help during the season
The Bears are very proud of their response to the pandemic, with players dutifully wearing masks and avoiding each other like the … coronavirus. They also think their approach to COVID-19 might be a competitive advantage this season.
My initial response: That’s such a Bears thing to think. Over the years, I’ve railed against the franchise’s preoccupation with things that are secondary (team history, practice facilities, etc.) and its failure at things that should be primary (winning games). I’ve criticized coach Matt Nagy for praising quarterback Mitch Trubisky for his leadership skills, his devotion to football and his desire to be great.
What about, you know, his ability to play quarterback, we’ve asked and asked. Any news on that front, coach?
So when Nagy gushed the other day about the team’s response to the coronavirus, my antennae immediately started vibrating. Was Nagy really going there? Was he saying the Bears would have a competitive advantage in 2020 because their devotion to masks would make an epidemiologist cry tears of joy?
Yes, he was. And maybe he was right to say it.
Read the full column from Rick Morrissey here.
8:07 a.m. Men have long shunned protective gear
Albert G. Spalding was a fine specimen of a man: 6-foot-1 with dark hair and a thick mustache. He was also a heck of a pitcher: 47 wins, 12 losses for the Chicago White Stockings in 1876.
That’s a lot of games. Most teams only had one pitcher. Unsurprisingly, Spalding’s hands were beat up with “severe bruises.”
So Spalding noticed that Boston first baseman, Charles C. Waite. wore something on his hand — a leather glove that matched his skin tone because he was “ashamed to wear it” and hoped fans wouldn’t notice. Men were aghast at the idea of protective equipment. In his 1911 book on baseball, Spalding notes the first catcher’s mask was ridiculed as “babyish” and “cowardly.”
Spurning personal protective equipment didn’t begin with COVID-19. When you look at the history of PPE, the current uproar over wearing cotton face masks is simple to understand: it’s a guy thing.
Read the full column by Neil Steinberg here.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-07--Rick Renteria acknowledges “unique situation” with Zach Collins’ playing time

In an ideal world , Zach Collins would be with the Class AAA Charlotte Knights getting playing time every day .
Of course , nothing is ideal about 2020 .
Since there is no minor-league season , Collins is up with the White Sox , who are well-stocked at catcher , first base and designated hitter .
That ’ s made getting consistent at-bats difficult for Collins , who was the DH for the second straight night for Friday ’ s series opener with Cleveland .
Before Friday , Collins had played in just five games with 10 at-bats .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ how the Sox envisioned developing the former first-round pick , but not much in 2020 is how anybody envisioned .
“ The truth is there ’ s probably a likelihood if we had been in a normal situation he ’ d be playing down in Triple-A , continuing to get more at-bats , continuing to stay active , ” Sox manager Rick Renteria said .
“ We still believe there ’ s value in him gaining information here and getting some of the at-bats he ’ s getting .
It ’ s just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now where we ’ re in a unique situation .
Nobody expected to find ourselves in it but we ’ re going to try to do everything we can to keep him moving along .
“ It ’ s very difficult for him .
Any player that feels he should be having opportunities and getting them is always going to be anxious to want to show everybody what they ’ re capable of doing .
I totally , totally understand that.
” Collins has gotten more at-bats of late , but that ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Edwin Encarnacion ( left shoulder ) .
When Encarnacion returns , that will mean less time for Collins , barring other injuries .
And Encarnacion took dry swings Friday , with Renteria hoping he could do normal work Saturday .
Because of the Sox ’ roster construction , the unique nature of the season and the lack of minor-league baseball , there isn ’ t an ideal way to accommodate everybody .
Renteria acknowledged that .
“ I wish I had a perfect solution to the whole situation .
I don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s fluid , it ’ s organic and we ’ re going to try and do the best we can for everybody under the circumstances.
” Health report Yasmani Grandal didn ’ t start due to irritation in his left foot .
Renteria said the Sox had wanted to give him a day off anyway , though he was available for an at-bat .
Nomar Mazara ( left foot ) also didn ’ t start after being hit with a pitch and exiting Thursday .
He was also available off the bench @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right groin ) , Renteria said he will work out with the Sox on Sunday and is expected to return next week against the Tigers .
The other side Aaron Civale , Cleveland ’ s starter on Friday night , entered his matchup against Dylan Cease with a 3.75 earned-run average .
That ’ s the highest of Cleveland ’ s three scheduled starters , with Saturday ’ s pitcher Zach Plesac entering 0-1 with a 1.80 ERA , and Shane Bieber coming into Sunday ’ s finale 3-0 with an 0.83 ERA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are up for the obstacle Cleveland ’ s staff brings .
“ They have really good pitchers so it ’ s going to be a challenge , ” Jimenez said .
“ But we have a really good lineup so we are going to compete .
They have to compete too with us .
So , we ’ re good .
”

In an ideal world, Zack Collins would be with Class AAA Charlotte getting playing time every day.
Of course, nothing is ideal in 2020.
With no minor-league season, Collins is up with the White Sox, who are well-stocked at catcher, first base and designated hitter. That has made getting consistent at-bats difficult for Collins, who was the DH for a second consecutive night in the series opener Friday against the Indians.
Before Friday, Collins had played in only five games with 10 at-bats. That’s likely not how the Sox envisioned developing the 2016 first-round pick.
“The truth is, there’s probably a likelihood if we had been in a normal situation, he’d be playing down in Triple-A, continuing to get more at-bats, continuing to stay active,” manager Rick Renteria said. “We still believe there’s value in him gaining information here and getting some of the at-bats he’s getting. It’s just one of those moments in time right now where we’re in a unique situation. Nobody expected to find ourselves in it, but we’re going to try to do everything we can to keep him moving along.
“It’s very difficult for him. Any player that feels he should be having opportunities and getting them is always going to be anxious to want to show everybody what they’re capable of doing. I totally, totally understand that.”
Collins has gotten more at-bats of late, but that’s partly because of the absence of Edwin Encarnacion (left shoulder). When Encarnacion returns, that will mean less time for Collins, barring other injuries. And Encarnacion took dry swings Friday, with Renteria hoping he could do normal work Saturday.
Because of the Sox’ roster construction, the unique nature of the season and the lack of minor-league baseball, there isn’t an ideal way to accommodate everybody. Renteria acknowledged that.
“I wish I had a perfect solution to the whole situation, but I don’t,” Renteria said. “It’s fluid, it’s organic and we’re going to try to do the best we can for everybody.”
Health report
Yasmani Grandal didn’t start because of irritation in his left foot. Renteria said the Sox had wanted to give him a day off anyway, though he was available for an at-bat. Nomar Mazara (left foot) also didn’t start after being hit with a pitch and exiting Thursday. He was available off the bench, as well.
Both are expected back Saturday.
As for Tim Anderson (strained right groin), Renteria said he will work out with the Sox on Sunday and is expected to return next week against the Tigers.
The other side
Aaron Civale, the Indians’ starter on Friday, entered his matchup against Dylan Cease with a 3.75 ERA. That’s the highest of Cleveland’s three scheduled starters, with Zach Plesac entering 0-1 with a 1.80 ERA on Saturday and Shane Bieber coming into Sunday’s finale 3-0 with an ERA of 0.83.
Eloy Jimenez sounded like the Sox were up for the battle.
“They have really good pitchers; it’s going to be a challenge,” Jimenez said. “But we have a really good lineup, so we are going to compete. They have to compete, too, with us. So we’re good.”
Bright lights
The Indians-Sox series finale has been moved to ESPN’s “Sunday Night Baseball,” which had an open spot in the schedule after the Cubs-Cardinals series was postponed.
It will be the Sox’ first appearance on “Sunday Night Baseball” since May 12, 2013, against the Angels.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-07--Judge denies emergency motion compelling Chicago police give arrestees phone call, lawyer within hou

Judge denies emergency motion compelling Chicago police give arrestees phone call, lawyer within hour

A Cook County judge Friday declined to issue an emergency order compelling Chicago police to provide arrestees access to a phone and a lawyer within an hour of being taken to a police station .
The request for the emergency injunction was brought by attorneys representing the Cook County public defender ’ s office and a collection of activist groups in a lawsuit filed in June that accuses police of systematically violating state law by routinely denying arrestees phone calls and access to defense attorneys .
“ It is not my role to be an activist judge by writing legislation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Division Judge Neil Cohen said of approving an emergency order that would set a timeframe for when police should provide phone calls .
State law says that arrestees have the right to make a “ reasonable ” number of phone calls to family and an attorney of their choice within a “ reasonable ” amount of time .
Petitioners say that for more than two decades , the state has defined a “ reasonable ” timeframe as within an hour of being brought to a police station , and additionally asked the judge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are unable to meet that window .
Attorneys for the city maintain police are granted discretion under state law for how quickly an arrestee is given a phone call .
Cohen said the ambiguity would be explored in-depth as the case continues , but he did not want to make a decision before evidentiary hearings and before the state responds to the suit .
However , the judge called examples put forth by the public defender ’ s office of police not providing a private phone call for several hours , if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ disheartening.
” “ I expect everybody , including the Chicago Police Department — more importantly the Chicago Police Department , who are supposed to serve and protect — to follow the law , ” Cohen said .

A Cook County judge Friday declined to issue an emergency order compelling Chicago police to provide arrestees access to a phone and a lawyer within an hour of being taken to a police station.
The request for the emergency injunction was brought by attorneys representing the Cook County public defender’s office and a collection of activist groups in a lawsuit filed in June that accuses police of systematically violating state law by routinely denying arrestees phone calls and access to defense attorneys.
“It is not my role to be an activist judge by writing legislation, or rewriting legislation,” Chancery Division Judge Neil Cohen said of approving an emergency order that would set a timeframe for when police should provide phone calls.
State law says that arrestees have the right to make a “reasonable” number of phone calls to family and an attorney of their choice within a “reasonable” amount of time.
Petitioners say that for more than two decades, the state has defined a “reasonable” timeframe as within an hour of being brought to a police station, and additionally asked the judge to make police officers document cases when they are unable to meet that window.
Attorneys for the city maintain police are granted discretion under state law for how quickly an arrestee is given a phone call.
Cohen said the ambiguity would be explored in-depth as the case continues, but he did not want to make a decision before evidentiary hearings and before the state responds to the suit.
However, the judge called examples put forth by the public defender’s office of police not providing a private phone call for several hours, if at all, “tragic” and “disheartening.”
“I expect everybody, including the Chicago Police Department — more importantly the Chicago Police Department, who are supposed to serve and protect — to follow the law,” Cohen said.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-07--‘Restorative’ courts are expanding in Chicago — and that’s a good thing

We ’ re encouraged by the addition of two community-based courts designed to keep younger nonviolent offenders out of the maw of the traditional court system .
The two Restorative Justice Community Courts are set to open Sept. 14 in the Englewood and Avondale neighborhoods .
The courts will aim to settle nonviolent felony and misdemeanor cases involving young people through talks and sit-downs between victims and defendants , even members of the community .
The first restorative justice court in Chicago has been operating in North Lawndale since 2017 .
The courts are based on a pioneering model in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lowering recidivism among both juveniles and young adults .
We ’ re mindful that this is Cook County , where even the best-intended plans often go sideways .
Still , we ’ re hoping to see similar , or better , results here .
Young people who ’ ve made stupid mistakes and committed nonviolent crimes — say shoplifting or vandalism — shouldn ’ t get slapped with a permanent criminal record .
Give them a chance to wipe the slate clean and make things right with the victim .
“ We say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ We ’ re not going to send you to jail , ’ ” Cook County Circuit Court Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans said during a recent ribbon-cutting opening of the Avondale court .
“ We are going to make certain that you repair the harm that you have committed , but also that you get the kind of help you need so you won ’ t engage in this kind of conduct in the future , ” Evans said .
Under the program , 18- to 26-year-old offenders would be sent to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state ’ s attorney ’ s office .
The candidates have to live in or around the neighborhoods where the courts are located and must have no violent criminal history .
The crime has to have been committed in a neighborhood served by the court , and the offender and the person who was harmed have to both agree to participate .
“ We are going to make certain that you repair the harm that you have committed , but also that you get the kind of help you need , ” Judge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , all sides join a peace circle — a concept generally based on Native American and Aboriginal principles for conflict resolution and a key component of the restorative justice movement .
The group is led by a “ circle keeper , ” who will help them prepare a Repair of Harm agreement .
If the restorative court judge accepts the agreement , there could be a range of “ repairs , ” including counseling , drug treatment or paying restitution .
Once completed with court approval , the offender can get the arrest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say the North Lawndale court has handled about 130 cases so far .
“ Once the harm has been repaired , the case will be dismissed , ” the restorative court ’ s Presiding Judge Colleen Sheehan told the Austin Weekly News in 2017 .
“ This court provides a way for the defendant to take responsibility for the harm they have caused without losing opportunities that often come with a felony conviction.
” The program is similar to the pioneering Red Hook Community Justice Center , which opened 20 years ago in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can include mental health treatment and community restitution projects such as painting over graffiti or working on a parks beautification project .
There is also a peacemaking program , where parties in a dispute or crime gather along with community members to discuss and resolve the offense , “ but also to heal the relationships among those involved and restore balance to the community , ” according to the Red Hook court ’ s website .
The court has been credited with bringing down the arrest rates in nearby precincts , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the court have a recidivism rate that is 10 % lower than for those in the traditional court system .
Among juveniles , it was 20 % lower .
“ We want them to know that we want them to be successful , ” Red Hook Community Justice Center Judge Alex Calabrese told Governing in 2017 .
“ They ’ re so used to getting knocked on their head by the court system.
” Any strategy that puts fewer young people in jail or on probation , while attempting to heal the community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

We’re encouraged by the addition of two community-based courts designed to keep younger nonviolent offenders out of the maw of the traditional court system.
The two Restorative Justice Community Courts are set to open Sept. 14 in the Englewood and Avondale neighborhoods. The courts will aim to settle nonviolent felony and misdemeanor cases involving young people through talks and sit-downs between victims and defendants, even members of the community.
The first restorative justice court in Chicago has been operating in North Lawndale since 2017.
The courts are based on a pioneering model in Brooklyn that’s been credited with lowering recidivism among both juveniles and young adults. We’re mindful that this is Cook County, where even the best-intended plans often go sideways.
Still, we’re hoping to see similar, or better, results here.
Editorials bug Editorials
Young people who’ve made stupid mistakes and committed nonviolent crimes — say shoplifting or vandalism — shouldn’t get slapped with a permanent criminal record.
Give them a chance to wipe the slate clean and make things right with the victim.
Repairing harm, changing behavior
“We say to them when they get arrested: ‘We’re not going to send you to jail,’ ” Cook County Circuit Court Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans said during a recent ribbon-cutting opening of the Avondale court.
“We are going to make certain that you repair the harm that you have committed, but also that you get the kind of help you need so you won’t engage in this kind of conduct in the future,” Evans said.
Under the program, 18- to 26-year-old offenders would be sent to the special courts by recommendation of the state’s attorney’s office.
The candidates have to live in or around the neighborhoods where the courts are located and must have no violent criminal history. The crime has to have been committed in a neighborhood served by the court, and the offender and the person who was harmed have to both agree to participate.
“We are going to make certain that you repair the harm that you have committed, but also that you get the kind of help you need,” Judge Timothy C. Evans.
Once in court, all sides join a peace circle — a concept generally based on Native American and Aboriginal principles for conflict resolution and a key component of the restorative justice movement.
The group is led by a “circle keeper,” who will help them prepare a Repair of Harm agreement.
If the restorative court judge accepts the agreement, there could be a range of “repairs,” including counseling, drug treatment or paying restitution. Once completed with court approval, the offender can get the arrest expunged or the charges dropped.
Officials say the North Lawndale court has handled about 130 cases so far.
“Once the harm has been repaired, the case will be dismissed,” the restorative court’s Presiding Judge Colleen Sheehan told the Austin Weekly News in 2017. “This court provides a way for the defendant to take responsibility for the harm they have caused without losing opportunities that often come with a felony conviction.”
The program is similar to the pioneering Red Hook Community Justice Center, which opened 20 years ago in Brooklyn.
At Red Hook, sentences can include mental health treatment and community restitution projects such as painting over graffiti or working on a parks beautification project.
There is also a peacemaking program, where parties in a dispute or crime gather along with community members to discuss and resolve the offense, “but also to heal the relationships among those involved and restore balance to the community,” according to the Red Hook court’s website.
The court has been credited with bringing down the arrest rates in nearby precincts, according to Governing magazine. And adults served by the court have a recidivism rate that is 10% lower than for those in the traditional court system. Among juveniles, it was 20% lower.
“We want them to know that we want them to be successful,” Red Hook Community Justice Center Judge Alex Calabrese told Governing in 2017. “They’re so used to getting knocked on their head by the court system.”
Any strategy that puts fewer young people in jail or on probation, while attempting to heal the community and themselves, is worth a try.
Send letters to letters@suntimes.com.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-07--Kanye West poised to be bounced from Illinois presidential ballot: Not enough valid signatures

Kanye West is poised to be bounced from the Illinois presidential ballot , with a State Board of Elections review of signatures on his nominating petitions determining on Friday that West did not file the 2,500 valid names needed to qualify .
West ’ s last-minute entry into the White House race is seen as a bid to siphon Black votes from Joe Biden , who will become the Democratic nominee on Aug. 20 .
West , an entertainer raised in Chicago , has been a booster of and close to President Donald Trump .
Wearing his “ MAGA ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Oct. 11 , 2018 in the Oval Office , when he made a plea for clemency for Larry Hoover , the notorious Chicago Gangster Disciple kingpin locked up in a federal prison .
While Illinois is a solid Democrat state , West getting on the ballot in some key swing states could have an impact in a close contest .
There have been multiple news reports about Republican operatives assisting his ballot access in other states .
The unofficial results of West ’ s Illinois petition scrub , concluded Friday , were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filed objections to West ’ s petitions : Sean Tenner , the 46th Ward Democratic Committeeman and president of KNI communications .
To qualify as an Independent , West needed 2,500 valid signatures .
According to a state board report on the objections , given to Tenner , West filed 3,128 signatures , but 1,928 of those were found invalid .
An examination of West ’ s petitions by the Chicago Sun-Times revealed he used out-of-state people to circulate his petitions and many scrawled names were not legible .
News reports said West @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; that appears to be the case in Illinois .
The Friday results of the petition review do not represent a final ruling by the state board .
West is entitled to dispute the findings .
A hearing reviewing the objections , and making a final decision on whether to knock him off the ballot , is still to come .
A board spokesman said no date has been set .
Attorney Ed Mullen , who represented the Tenner group , said in a statement : “ A federal court reduced the standard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the COVID pandemic , and West was unable to even surpass this dramatically lower threshold .
West ’ s lack of valid petition signatures is a sign of a disorganized and not ready for prime-time campaign.
” Tenner said he was not acting on behalf of the Biden campaign .
Another objector , Reverend Mitchell Johnson , is a KNI consultant .
He and Tenner are co-founders of the “ Abolition Institute , ” an organization dealing with modern-day and past slavery .
Tenner said they decided to challenge West after he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Harriet Tubman , the famous abolitionist , “ never actually freed the slaves .
She just had the slaves go work for other white people.
” Tenner said “ insulting and lying about Harriet Tubman , one of America ’ s greatest abolitionists who frequently risked her life so others could be free , is simply unacceptable from a presidential candidate .
We ’ ve had enough divisive rhetoric like that in the past four years.
” On Friday , West was officially off the New Jersey ballot , withdrawing after his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enough ballots to get 270 electoral votes needed to win the White House .
His wife , Kim Kardashian West said in recent weeks West , with a bipolar disorder , is struggling with mental issues .
Earlier this week Trump was asked about West .
“ I like Kanye very much , ” he said , adding : “ No , I have nothing to do with him getting on the ballot .
We ’ ll have to see what happens .
”

Kanye West is poised to be bounced from the Illinois presidential ballot, with a State Board of Elections review of signatures on his nominating petitions determining on Friday that West did not file the 2,500 valid names needed to qualify.
West’s last-minute entry into the White House race is seen as a bid to siphon Black votes from Joe Biden, who will become the Democratic nominee on Aug. 20.
West, an entertainer raised in Chicago, has been a booster of and close to President Donald Trump. Wearing his “MAGA” hat, West held court with Trump on Oct. 11, 2018, in the Oval Office, when he made a plea for clemency for Larry Hoover, the notorious Chicago Gangster Disciple kingpin locked up in a federal prison.
While Illinois is a solid Democrat state, West getting on the ballot in some key swing states could have an impact in a close contest. There have been multiple news reports about Republican operatives assisting his ballot access in other states.
The unofficial results of West’s Illinois petition scrub, concluded Friday, were disclosed by one of the parties who filed objections to West’s petitions: Sean Tenner, the 46th Ward Democratic committeeperson and president of KNI communications.
To qualify as an Independent, West needed 2,500 valid signatures. According to a state board report on the objections, given to Tenner, West filed 3,128 signatures, but 1,928 of those were found invalid.
An examination of West’s petitions by the Chicago Sun-Times revealed he used out-of-state people to circulate his petitions and many scrawled names were not legible. News reports said West used paid petition passers in other states; that appears to be the case in Illinois.
The Friday results of the petition review do not represent a final ruling by the state board. West is entitled to dispute the findings. A hearing reviewing the objections, and making a final decision on whether to knock him off the ballot, is still to come. A board spokesman said no date has been set.
Attorney Ed Mullen, who represented the Tenner group, said in a statement: “A federal court reduced the standard signature requirement from 25,000 to 2,500 because of the COVID pandemic, and West was unable to even surpass this dramatically lower threshold. West’s lack of valid petition signatures is a sign of a disorganized and not ready for prime-time campaign.”
Tenner said he was not acting on behalf of the Biden campaign.
Another objector, Reverend Mitchell Johnson, is a KNI consultant. He and Tenner are co-founders of the “Abolition Institute,” an organization dealing with modern-day and past slavery. Tenner said they decided to challenge West after he said at a South Carolina campaign rally that Harriet Tubman, the famous abolitionist, “never actually freed the slaves. She just had the slaves go work for other white people.”
Tenner said “insulting and lying about Harriet Tubman, one of America’s greatest abolitionists who frequently risked her life so others could be free, is simply unacceptable from a presidential candidate. We’ve had enough divisive rhetoric like that in the past four years.”
On Friday, West was officially off the New Jersey ballot, withdrawing after his petitions were challenged. West will not be on enough ballots to get 270 electoral votes needed to win the White House. His wife, Kim Kardashian West, said in recent weeks West, with a bipolar disorder, is struggling with mental issues.
Earlier this week, Trump was asked about West. “I like Kanye very much,” he said, adding: “No, I have nothing to do with him getting on the ballot. We’ll have to see what happens.”


chicagosun-times--2020-08-07--2nd federal prisoner at Marion dies this week of COVID-19

MARION , Ill. — A second inmate diagnosed with COVID-19 at the federal prison in Marion , Illinois , has died this week , authorities said .
Taiwan Davis , 39 , died Wednesday at a hospital where he was receiving treatment for the disease , the Federal Bureau of Prisons said .
Davis tested positive for COVID-19 on July 29 , it said .
Davis had “ pre-existing medical conditions , which the CDC lists as risk factors for developing more severe COVID-19 disease , ” the agency said in a news release .
The CDC is the federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Davis had been in custody at Marion since December .
He was serving a seven-year sentence for distribution of a controlled substance from the Southern District of Illinois .
Davis ’ death follows that on Sunday of Earl James , 65 .
James was diagnosed with COVID-19 on July 22 , and was transported to a hospital for increased shortness of breath , coughing and lack of oxygen five days later .
He also had pre-existing medical conditions that put him at high risk for developing a more severe COVID-19 disease , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serving a 30-year sentence for sexual abuse , aggravated sexual abuse of a minor and abusive sexual contact , and attempted aggravated sexual abuse of a minor , the Southern Illinoisan reported .
He was sentenced in Arizona .
Currently , 80 inmates and four employees at Marion have active cases of COVID-19 , according to the Bureau of Prisons .

MARION, Ill. — A second inmate diagnosed with COVID-19 at the federal prison in Marion, Illinois, has died this week, authorities said.
Taiwan Davis, 39, died Wednesday at a hospital where he was receiving treatment for the disease, the Federal Bureau of Prisons said. Davis tested positive for COVID-19 on July 29, it said.
Davis had “pre-existing medical conditions, which the CDC lists as risk factors for developing more severe COVID-19 disease,” the agency said in a news release. The CDC is the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Davis had been in custody at Marion since December. He was serving a seven-year sentence for distribution of a controlled substance from the Southern District of Illinois.
Davis’ death follows that on Sunday of Earl James, 65. James was diagnosed with COVID-19 on July 22, and was transported to a hospital for increased shortness of breath, coughing and lack of oxygen five days later. He also had pre-existing medical conditions that put him at high risk for developing a more severe COVID-19 disease, the Bureau of Prisons said.
James was serving a 30-year sentence for sexual abuse, aggravated sexual abuse of a minor and abusive sexual contact, and attempted aggravated sexual abuse of a minor, the Southern Illinoisan reported. He was sentenced in Arizona.
Currently, 80 inmates and four employees at Marion have active cases of COVID-19, according to the Bureau of Prisons.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-07--Man dies days after Bolingbrook crash

Man dies days after Bolingbrook crash

A Woodridge man died of complications Tuesday from injuries he sustained in a crash last week in Bolingbrook .
John @ @ @ @ @ pronounced dead at 12:40 p.m. at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood , according to @ @ @ @ @ ’ s office .
He was injured in a crash at 9:45 a.m. July 29 @ @ @ @ @ Drive , the medical examiner ’ s office said .
Autopsy results released Friday found @ @ @ @ @ blunt force injuries to his chest , the medical examiner ’ s office said .
@ @ @ @ @ accident .
Bolingbrook police did not immediately respond to a request for details .

A Woodridge man died of complications Tuesday from injuries he sustained in a crash last week in Bolingbrook.
John McKinley, 71, was pronounced dead at 12:40 p.m. at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
He was injured in a crash at 9:45 a.m. July 29 at Rockhurst Road and Bolingbrook Drive, the medical examiner’s office said.
Autopsy results released Friday found he died of complications from blunt force injuries to his chest, the medical examiner’s office said. His death was ruled an accident.
Bolingbrook police did not immediately respond to a request for details.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-07--“I had to look at my daughters and remind them what it means to do what’s right”

“ I need to be able to look myself in the mirror every day , ” was how Rep. Terra Costa Howard ( D-Glen Ellyn ) explained to me recently why she decided to call for House Speaker Michael Madigan ’ s resignation .
“ More importantly , ” the freshman suburban Democrat said , “ I had to look at my daughters and remind them what it means to do what ’ s right.
” Costa Howard said she didn ’ t take a poll before making her decision .
“ My data collection is what I hear when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I receive , the comments that are on my Facebook pages .
That speaks volumes , ” she said .
“ I live in a community where I am out publicly all the time , so I talk to people all the time.
” And they have all been giving her an earful about Madigan .
“ There are people who are unhappy that I stepped out on this , ” she said when pressed .
And some of those folks run labor unions .
“ We have labor unions who are upset @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would say anything.
” But she quickly pointed to her own pro-labor voting record , saying , “ I ’ m not really sure how much more I can say about where I stand about unions .
It ’ s incredible to me that anybody would question those values.
” She did , however , vote against the minimum wage hike , which was a major union priority last year — although Madigan himself has blocked or watered down several such pay increase proposals in the past .
Costa Howard also talked about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a “ buddy ” who is also a “ high-ranking labor person.
” “ It got really ugly , ” she said .
“ And the beauty of it was everybody around me went after him about it.
” “ What I found to be so ironic was him having this whole conversation about power and , you know , keeping the working person ” in power .
“ And I looked at him and I ’ m like , the only reason anybody has power is if somebody gave it to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who are they ?
The emperor has no clothes in that situation , and people need to wake up and see that.
” That ’ s what I ’ ve been telling the “ mushrooms ” for years : You ’ re the ones who have all the power .
Without you , Madigan has no majority .
And no majority means no power .
The entire caucus has revolved for decades around getting Madigan ’ s most vulnerable members re-elected , whether they agreed with those decisions or not .
Vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out and re-elect you , not the other way around .
While Costa Howard was quick to say she didn ’ t want to “ make it sound like it ’ s all organized labor , ” she did claim that she knows colleagues who “ received calls from ‘ certain groups ’ to say , ‘ Stand down , don ’ t expect us to financially support you if you [ call on Madigan to resign ] .
’ And I find that really troubling.
” And what about her colleagues ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ upset because they may feel I put them on a hot seat ?
Well , I can ’ t control other peoples ’ districts , I can only control myself and what ’ s best for me and my district and what the people of the state of Illinois are looking for with leaders.
” Costa Howard said she will not vote for Madigan if he runs again for House Speaker .
But she said she won ’ t reject any money spent on her behalf by the state party he controls .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 48th District .
So , saying I ’ m not supposed to be supported by the Democratic Party is not fair .
It ’ s my party , I represent the party and when individuals make contributions to the Democratic Party they expect it to be used on Democratic candidates , which I am one of.
” She did say , though , that she would refuse direct cash contributions from Speaker Madigan ’ s personal campaign committee .
And what about objections made by some of her colleagues that she and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after Madigan steps down ?
What should happen ?
“ Exactly what happened in the Senate , ” when Senate President John Cullerton abruptly retired last year , she said .
“ There is a caucus , a conversation about who should step up to be speaker .
They were able to do it in the Senate.
” Terra Costa Howard is genuinely liked by many of her colleagues and she hasn ’ t been a showboat who instinctively sought refuge with the knee-jerk anti-Madigan ’ s of the world .
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what happens to her in the coming weeks and months .

“I need to be able to look myself in the mirror every day,” was how Rep. Terra Costa Howard (D-Glen Ellyn) explained to me recently why she decided to call for House Speaker Michael Madigan’s resignation.
“More importantly,” the freshman suburban Democrat said, “I had to look at my daughters and remind them what it means to do what’s right.”
Costa Howard said she didn’t take a poll before making her decision. “My data collection is what I hear when I talk to people, the emails I receive, the comments that are on my Facebook pages. That speaks volumes,” she said. “I live in a community where I am out publicly all the time, so I talk to people all the time.” And they have all been giving her an earful about Madigan.
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“There are people who are unhappy that I stepped out on this,” she said when pressed. And some of those folks run labor unions. “We have labor unions who are upset. They’re disappointed that I would say anything.”
But she quickly pointed to her own pro-labor voting record, saying, “I’m not really sure how much more I can say about where I stand about unions. It’s incredible to me that anybody would question those values.”
She did, however, vote against the minimum wage hike, which was a major union priority last year — although Madigan himself has blocked or watered down several such pay increase proposals in the past.
Costa Howard also talked about a confrontation at a recent weekend event with a “buddy” who is also a “high-ranking labor person.”
“It got really ugly,” she said. “And the beauty of it was everybody around me went after him about it.”
“What I found to be so ironic was him having this whole conversation about power and, you know, keeping the working person” in power. “And I looked at him and I’m like, the only reason anybody has power is if somebody gave it to them. When you take that away, who are they? The emperor has no clothes in that situation, and people need to wake up and see that.”
That’s what I’ve been telling the “mushrooms” for years: You’re the ones who have all the power. Without you, Madigan has no majority. And no majority means no power. The entire caucus has revolved for decades around getting Madigan’s most vulnerable members re-elected, whether they agreed with those decisions or not. Vote your conscience and then make him go out and re-elect you, not the other way around.
They never listened.
While Costa Howard was quick to say she didn’t want to “make it sound like it’s all organized labor,” she did claim that she knows colleagues who “received calls from ‘certain groups’ to say, ‘Stand down, don’t expect us to financially support you if you [call on Madigan to resign].’ And I find that really troubling.”
And what about her colleagues? “Do I have colleagues who are upset because they may feel I put them on a hot seat? Well, I can’t control other peoples’ districts, I can only control myself and what’s best for me and my district and what the people of the state of Illinois are looking for with leaders.”
Costa Howard said she will not vote for Madigan if he runs again for House Speaker. But she said she won’t reject any money spent on her behalf by the state party he controls.
“I am the Democratic candidate for the 48th District. So, saying I’m not supposed to be supported by the Democratic Party is not fair. It’s my party, I represent the party and when individuals make contributions to the Democratic Party they expect it to be used on Democratic candidates, which I am one of.”
She did say, though, that she would refuse direct cash contributions from Speaker Madigan’s personal campaign committee.
And what about objections made by some of her colleagues that she and others have no plan for what happens after Madigan steps down? What should happen?
“Exactly what happened in the Senate,” when Senate President John Cullerton abruptly retired last year, she said. “There is a caucus, a conversation about who should step up to be speaker. They were able to do it in the Senate.”
Terra Costa Howard is genuinely liked by many of her colleagues and she hasn’t been a showboat who instinctively sought refuge with the knee-jerk anti-Madigan’s of the world. It’s going to be fascinating to see what happens to her in the coming weeks and months.
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Rich Miller also publishes Capitol Fax, a daily political newsletter, and CapitolFax.com.