chicagosun-times--2020-11-09--Archdiocese announces church unifications in Back of the Yards and in South Suburbs

The Archdiocese of Chicago on Monday announced consolidations that will affect several parishes in the Back of the Yards , as well as in the south suburbs of Harvey and Markham .
Holy Cross Immaculate Heart of Mary , St. Joseph and St. Michael the Archangel — three parishes in the Back of the Yards on the Southwest Side — will unite as one new parish with a new , as yet undetermined name , no later than July 1 , 2021 , according to a statement issued Monday by the archdiocese .
Holy Cross and St. Joseph will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be designated the parish church where the sacramental records will be kept .
Additionally , an archdiocesan commission that reviewed unification recommended that St. Michael the Archangel continue to host one Sunday Mass each weekend .
Immaculate Heart of Mary will not be used for regular worship activity .
The decisions were made by Cardinal Blase Cupich in consultation with staff and advisers .
Further south , in the suburbs of Markham and Harvey , three other parishes were chosen to unite as one parish : Ascension St. Susanna , St. Gerard Majella @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unification will take place no later than July 1 , 2021 .
A name for the unified parish has yet to be determined .
The commission recommended ceasing regularly scheduled Masses at Ascension-St. Susanna and St. Gerard Majella and transitioning all regularly scheduled Masses to St. John the Baptist no later than the first Sunday of Advent 2021 .
Local leadership will set a specific timeline for this transition .
“ The sustainability of maintaining multiple worship sites while fostering unity and growing mission outreach will be a focus going forward , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of parishes is part of “ Renew My Church ” — a campaign the church is undertaking to ensure “ vibrant , life-giving faith communities accessible to all Catholics.
” The decisions were made , in part , after reviewing demographic data , financial summaries , and parish trends .

The Archdiocese of Chicago on Monday announced consolidations that will affect several parishes in the Back of the Yards, as well as in the south suburbs of Harvey and Markham.
Holy Cross Immaculate Heart of Mary, St. Joseph and St. Michael the Archangel — three parishes in the Back of the Yards on the Southwest Side — will unite as one new parish with a new, as yet undetermined name, no later than July 1, 2021, according to a statement issued Monday by the archdiocese.
Holy Cross and St. Joseph will be Sunday worship centers. St. Joseph will be designated the parish church where the sacramental records will be kept.
La Voz Sidebar 2023 Lea este artículo en español en La Voz Chicago.
Additionally, an archdiocesan commission that reviewed unification recommended that St. Michael the Archangel continue to host one Sunday Mass each weekend. Immaculate Heart of Mary will not be used for regular worship activity.
The decisions were made by Cardinal Blase Cupich in consultation with staff and advisers.
In Markham and Harvey, three other parishes were chosen to unite as one parish: Ascension St. Susanna, St. Gerard Majella and St. John the Baptist. The unification will take place no later than July 1, 2021. A name for the unified parish has yet to be determined.
The commission recommended ceasing regularly scheduled Masses at Ascension-St. Susanna and St. Gerard Majella and transitioning all regularly scheduled Masses to St. John the Baptist no later than the first Sunday of Advent 2021. Local leadership will set a specific timeline for this transition.
“The sustainability of maintaining multiple worship sites while fostering unity and growing mission outreach will be a focus going forward,” the statement said.
The ongoing reorganization of parishes is part of “Renew My Church” — a campaign the church is undertaking to ensure “vibrant, life-giving faith communities accessible to all Catholics.”
The decisions were made, in part, after reviewing demographic data, financial summaries, and parish trends.


chicagosun-times--2020-11-09--Horoscope for Tuesday, Nov 10, 2020

Horoscope for Tuesday, Nov 10, 2020

There are no restrictions to shopping or important decisions .
The moon is in Virgo .
You will be productive because this is an excellent day to get better organized , especially later in the day .
Make a To Do list and get serious about what you want to accomplish .
It ’ s easier to get stuff done when the stars are helpful !
This is a good day to homeschool kids .
It ’ s also an excellent day to get organized if you work in the arts , or anything to do with the hospitality industry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day wears on , you will become more and more effective .
This is an excellent day to get things done at home as well as to work with family members .
Joint efforts will flow smoothly , especially as the day wears on .
You might undo something and take it back to the basics in order to repair it .
You are an effective communicator .
Not only will you be encouraging and upbeat , you also have a penetrating insight that allows you to get to the bottom of things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with others to get stuff done .
This is a good money day for you .
You might earn more money , or have an excellent money-making idea , or see ways to boost your earnings , especially later in the day .
Respect your ideas and efforts because , quite likely , they will pay off .
Today the moon is in your sign dancing with Jupiter and Pluto .
This promotes gatherings , meetings and any kind of group situation .
It promotes social outings , sports events and fun times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ better organized and effective in whatever you do .
This is a good day for research of any kind or work that takes place behind the scenes , especially if you want to look for solutions to old problems or dig for answers .
You will get results !
Furthermore , others might help you .
You can be very effective if you are working at home .
This is a great day for a meeting via Zoom or in a socially distant situation because people are ready to help each other by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a friend or a group , you might get important information about the essence of something or how something works .
You will make a great impression on parents , teachers , bosses and the police today because they will see you as popular , affluent , effective and even powerful .
In turn , you will see them the same way .
Yup , it ’ s a mutual admiration society .
You can study and learn a lot today .
You might also be affected by something in the news or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be revealed related to politics , religion or racial issues .
Information that expands your knowledge of something will be important to you .
This is a good day for you to discuss money , financial deals , inheritances and taxes , debt and insurance matters because other people admire you , especially bosses and people in authority .
Plus , you will be quick to see the bottom line and make a decision to your best advantage .
Bonus !
Relations with partners , close friends and even members of the general @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
You can count on the support of others to achieve what you want to do .
You might even get financial support ?
Of course , you will be convincing .
If Your Birthday Is Today Actor , singer Taron Egerton ( 1989 ) shares your birthday .
You are creative , dynamic and witty .
You are also intelligent and insightful .
It ’ s a time of learning and perhaps teaching .
Explore any discipline that helps you get a better understanding of who you are .
Invest in your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you in a new direction , which could be crucial for your success next year .

Moon Alert
There are no restrictions to shopping or important decisions. The moon is in Virgo.
Aries (March 21-April 19)
You will be productive because this is an excellent day to get better organized, especially later in the day. Make a To Do list and get serious about what you want to accomplish. It’s easier to get stuff done when the stars are helpful!
Taurus (April 20-May 20)
This is a good day to homeschool kids. It’s also an excellent day to get organized if you work in the arts, or anything to do with the hospitality industry or the entertainment world. As the day wears on, you will become more and more effective.
Gemini (May 21-June 20)
This is an excellent day to get things done at home as well as to work with family members. Joint efforts will flow smoothly, especially as the day wears on. You might undo something and take it back to the basics in order to repair it.
Cancer (June 21-July 22)
You are an effective communicator. Not only will you be encouraging and upbeat, you also have a penetrating insight that allows you to get to the bottom of things. This is why you will work with others to get stuff done.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)
This is a good money day for you. You might earn more money, or have an excellent money-making idea, or see ways to boost your earnings, especially later in the day. Respect your ideas and efforts because, quite likely, they will pay off.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
Today the moon is in your sign dancing with Jupiter and Pluto. This promotes gatherings, meetings and any kind of group situation. It promotes social outings, sports events and fun times with kids. It helps you get better organized and effective in whatever you do.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
This is a good day for research of any kind or work that takes place behind the scenes, especially if you want to look for solutions to old problems or dig for answers. You will get results! Furthermore, others might help you. You can be very effective if you are working at home.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
This is a great day for a meeting via Zoom or in a socially distant situation because people are ready to help each other by exchanging information and mutual encouragement. Through a friend or a group, you might get important information about the essence of something or how something works.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
You will make a great impression on parents, teachers, bosses and the police today because they will see you as popular, affluent, effective and even powerful. In turn, you will see them the same way. Yup, it’s a mutual admiration society.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
You can study and learn a lot today. You might also be affected by something in the news or the media. Possibly, secrets will be revealed related to politics, religion or racial issues. Information that expands your knowledge of something will be important to you.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
This is a good day for you to discuss money, financial deals, inheritances and taxes, debt and insurance matters because other people admire you, especially bosses and people in authority. Plus, you will be quick to see the bottom line and make a decision to your best advantage. Bonus!
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)
Relations with partners, close friends and even members of the general public will be strong and effective today. You can count on the support of others to achieve what you want to do. You might even get financial support? Of course, you will be convincing.
If Your Birthday Is Today
Actor, singer Taron Egerton (1989) shares your birthday. You are creative, dynamic and witty. You are also intelligent and insightful. It’s a time of learning and perhaps teaching. Explore any discipline that helps you get a better understanding of who you are. Invest in your future self. This year will set you in a new direction, which could be crucial for your success next year.


chicagosun-times--2020-11-10--Illinois’ COVID-19 resurgence shows no sign of subsiding after 12,623 new cases were announced state

Illinois’ COVID-19 resurgence shows no sign of subsiding after 12,623 new cases were announced statewide (LIVE UPDATES)

Coronavirus peak nowhere in sight as Illinois smashes record again with 12,623 new cases Illinois ’ skyrocketing COVID-19 resurgence showed no signs of letting up Tuesday as public health officials announced another record-breaking total of 12,623 probable and confirmed cases of the virus statewide .
That ’ s 185 more cases than the previous record set Saturday , while daily case tallies have now been measured in five digits for an unprecedented five consecutive days .
The state has already added more than 93,000 COVID-19 cases over the first 10 days of November , compared to 117,000 during all of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ once again following an apparent summer lull .
7:14 p.m. U.S. surpasses 1 million new confirmed coronavirus cases in first 10 days of November NEW YORK — The U.S. has surpassed 1 million new confirmed coronavirus cases in just the first 10 days of November , with more than 100,000 infections each day becoming the norm in a surge that shows no signs of slowing .
The 1 million milestone came as governors across the nation are making increasingly desperate pleas with the public to take the fight against the virus more seriously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the unusual step of delivering a live address to the state Tuesday , urging unity and cooperation to fight COVID-19 .
Minnesota ’ s governor ordered bars and restaurants to close at 10 p.m. , and Iowa ’ s governor said she will require masks at indoor gatherings of 25 or more people , inching toward more stringent measures after months of holding out .
The alarming wave of cases across the U.S. looks bigger and is more widespread than the surges that happened in the spring , mainly in the Northeast , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Sun Belt .
But experts say there are also reasons to think the nation is better able to deal with the virus this time around .
5:09 p.m. Chicago Federation of Labor serves up $ 272 million in cost-cutting options to avert pandemic-related layoffs The Chicago Federation of Labor on Tuesday served up a cost-cutting smorgasbord with potential to save up to $ 272 million — more than enough to avert the need for layoffs and , possibly , a $ 94 million property tax increase .
In 2011 , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alternatives to then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel ’ s ultimatum that organized labor choose between work-rule changes and 625 layoffs .
Their report suggested ways to cut the city budget by $ 242 million , largely by eliminating redundant layers of middle management , improving efficiency and having city employees do work that was being doled out to politically connected contractors .
Now the same firm has a proposal that could save at least $ 195 million and as much as $ 272 million .
All the ideas represent “ recurring , long-term structural improvements @ @ @ @ @ @ @ partial-year savings to allow realistic time for implementation.
” As COVID-19 continues to spread at a startling rate in Illinois , Gov .
J.B. Pritzker on Monday announced that suburbs to the south and west of Cook County , as well as part of southern Illinois , will face tighter restrictions beginning Wednesday .
Restrictions include a prohibition of gatherings of more than 10 people for both indoor and outdoor spaces and a six-per-party limit for outdoor restaurant and bar service .
The southern suburbs are in Will and Kankakee counties , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s COVID map .
The western suburbs are in Kane and DuPage counties , known as Region 8 .
The state ’ s southern tip is Region 5 .
The announcement came as state health officials announced 10,573 new coronavirus cases , marking the fourth consecutive day Illinois has recorded a five-figure caseload .
“ As the weather turns cooler and more activity is driven inside , we may have a real problem on our hands , ” Pritzker said .
12:49 p.m. Disneyland , Knott ’ s Berry Farm might not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because of COVID-19 California ’ s most popular amusement park has become the focal point of a struggle over how best to contain COVID-19 while keeping the economy afloat .
California ’ s Democratic Party leaders have tied the fate of Disneyland — “ the Happiest Place on Earth ” — to the health of the people who live around it , who have been hit hard by the virus .
But conservative Orange County officials want to ease restrictions to allow for the reopening of the lucrative tourist attraction , saying the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
State rules in California say large theme parks can ’ t open , even with a limited capacity , until there ’ s less than one new case per day per 100,000 county residents .
The state also requires counties to lower infection rates in their poorest communities to close to the average level of the county overall .
In Orange County , as in the rest of the state , Latinos have borne the brunt of coronavirus infections and deaths .
Under these requirements , Disneyland and Knott ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ park , will likely remain shut down until next summer or later , said Dr. Clayton Chau , director of the Orange County Health Care Agency .
Orange County supervisors argue that it ’ s not feasible to quickly address the socioeconomic factors — including poverty and crowded housing — that cause some communities to have higher COVID positivity rates and that the whole county shouldn ’ t be punished because of that .
“ If we have disadvantaged communities that are , because … of living conditions and other circumstances , damaged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we thus visit the pain of the lockdown and shutdown on the children in other communities ?
” Supervisor Donald Wagner — who represents prosperous Anaheim Hills , Irvine and Orange , which have low positivity rates — said at a meeting last month .
12:05 p.m. Supreme Court appears likely to leave to Affordable Care Act in place WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court seemed likely Tuesday to leave in place the bulk of the Affordable Care Act , including key protections for preexisting health conditions and subsidized insurance premiums that affect tens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh , among the conservative justices , appeared in two hours of arguments to be unwilling to strike down the entire law — a long-held Republican goal that has repeatedly failed in Congress and the courts — even if they were to find the law ’ s now-toothless mandate for obtaining health insurance to be unconstitutional .
The court ’ s three liberal justices are almost certain to vote to uphold the law in its entirety and presumably would form a majority by joining a decision that cut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has no financial penalty attached to it .
Congress zeroed out the penalty in 2017 , but left the rest of the law untouched .
“ Would Congress want the rest of the law to survive if the unconstitutional provision were severed ?
Here , Congress left the rest of the law intact , ” Roberts said .
“ That seems to be a compelling answer to the question.
” For his part , Kavanaugh said recent decisions by the court suggest “ that the proper remedy would be to sever the mandate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in place.
” A week after the 2020 election , the justices heard arguments by telephone in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic in the court ’ s third major case over the 10-year-old law , popularly known as “ Obamacare.
” Republican attorneys general in 18 states and the administration want the whole law to be struck down , which would threaten coverage for more than 23 million people .
11:59 a.m. Star-studded virtual benefit concert will honor nurses on Thanksgiving Day LOS ANGELES — Stevie Wonder , Celine Dion , Gloria @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nurses in a star-studded benefit virtual concert on Thanksgiving .
Nurse Heroes announced Tuesday that the concert called Nurse Heroes Live will stream on the organization ’ s YouTube channel and Facebook page along with LiveXLive at 6 p.m. Nov. 26 .
The benefit will provide money for a variety of programs including scholarships for nurses and their children .
Whoopi Goldberg will host the concert with special appearances by Oprah Winfrey and Billy Crystal .
10:19 a.m. NBA , players union agree to start season on Dec. 22 It ’ s official @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 22 .
The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association announced Monday night that they ’ ve struck a deal on rules for this coming season , setting the stage for what will be a frenzied few weeks before games resume .
Teams will play a 72-game schedule , which will be revealed in the coming weeks .
The league said a new system will be used to ensure that the split of basketball-related income continues , one of the many details that had to be collectively bargained with the union because the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ great deal of language that needed reworking because of the coronavirus pandemic .
8:32 a.m. Biden win makes fed help for Chicago more likely , top mayoral aides say Top mayoral aides said Monday they ’ re more hopeful than ever that pandemic-ravaged Chicago will receive replacement revenue from Washington , now that Joe Biden has defeated President Donald Trump .
Chief Financial Officer Jennie Huang Bennett and Budget Director Susie Park said they have no idea when Congress will ride to the rescue , how much money Chicago stands to receive or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second stimulus package .
But both women told the City Club of Chicago they believe Biden ’ s victory makes it more likely that Chicago will receive another windfall of federal funding to replace a healthy chunk of the $ 886 million in revenues lost to the coronavirus this year and the projected , $ 783 million in losses next year .
“ We ’ re very hopeful for additional federal funding .
… With President Biden , it will be more likely that we see increased pressure for funding for states and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced Monday that he has tested positive for coronavirus .
• A staff member in the office of Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle has tested positive for the coronavirus , her office announced Sunday .
• Two more Cook County judges have tested positive for the coronavirus .
• Gov .
J.B. Pritzker tested negative for the virus , his office announced Saturday .
10:05 a.m. As COVID-19 surges , McConnell and Trump must set foolishness aside and push through financial relief As COVID-19 tightens its grip on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it ’ s all the more important that lawmakers “ go big ” and pass a federal stimulus package that includes substantial aid to city and state governments , working Americans and small businesses .
But the hitch is Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky , and President Donald Trump , who seem to be locked in a race to determine who can be the most useless in America ’ s hour of need .
Citing improving unemployment figures , McConnell wants a smaller relief bill .
He has yet to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but no doubt the long-and-short of it would mean less aid doled out to fewer people and entities .
As for Trump , he has yet to commit to signing any new federal stimulus legislation .
He appears to be bent on spending the last 70 days of his tenure firing cabinet members and waging a Quixotic attempt to invalidate the presidential election he lost .
7:42 a.m. News of a promising COVID-19 vaccine is thrilling , but we can ’ t let down our guard Americans woke up Monday to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effective vaccine against COVID-19 may well be closer than ever .
The potential for a vaccine that is perhaps 90 % effective against coronavirus infection was especially welcome on the day after our country reached a terrible milestone : 10 million coronavirus cases .
It was cause for celebration , just as America celebrated the election of a new president who will take the pandemic seriously and develop a plan to rein it in .
But while America welcomes the news , the country can not let down its guard .

Illinois is almost certainly in for a long winter. The state hit a record number of new daily coronavirus cases, and new restrictions may be coming soon.
Here’s what you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic in Illinois.
News
8:55 p.m. Coronavirus peak nowhere in sight as Illinois smashes record again with 12,623 new cases
Pat Nabong/Sun-Times
Illinois’ skyrocketing COVID-19 resurgence showed no signs of letting up Tuesday as public health officials announced another record-breaking total of 12,623 probable and confirmed cases of the virus statewide.
That’s 185 more cases than the previous record set Saturday, while daily case tallies have now been measured in five digits for an unprecedented five consecutive days.
The state has already added more than 93,000 COVID-19 cases over the first 10 days of November, compared to 117,000 during all of October when the virus began trending upward once again following an apparent summer lull.
Read the full story here.
7:14 p.m. U.S. surpasses 1 million new confirmed coronavirus cases in first 10 days of November
NEW YORK — The U.S. has surpassed 1 million new confirmed coronavirus cases in just the first 10 days of November, with more than 100,000 infections each day becoming the norm in a surge that shows no signs of slowing.
The 1 million milestone came as governors across the nation are making increasingly desperate pleas with the public to take the fight against the virus more seriously. The Wisconsin governor planned to take the unusual step of delivering a live address to the state Tuesday, urging unity and cooperation to fight COVID-19.
Minnesota’s governor ordered bars and restaurants to close at 10 p.m., and Iowa’s governor said she will require masks at indoor gatherings of 25 or more people, inching toward more stringent measures after months of holding out.
The alarming wave of cases across the U.S. looks bigger and is more widespread than the surges that happened in the spring, mainly in the Northeast, and then in the summer, primarily in the Sun Belt. But experts say there are also reasons to think the nation is better able to deal with the virus this time around.
Read the full report here.
5:09 p.m. Chicago Federation of Labor serves up $272 million in cost-cutting options to avert pandemic-related layoffs
The Chicago Federation of Labor on Tuesday served up a cost-cutting smorgasbord with potential to save up to $272 million — more than enough to avert the need for layoffs and, possibly, a $94 million property tax increase.
In 2011, the CFL asked Pennsylvania-based Public Works to find alternatives to then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s ultimatum that organized labor choose between work-rule changes and 625 layoffs.
Their report suggested ways to cut the city budget by $242 million, largely by eliminating redundant layers of middle management, improving efficiency and having city employees do work that was being doled out to politically connected contractors.
Now the same firm has a proposal that could save at least $195 million and as much as $272 million.
All the ideas represent “recurring, long-term structural improvements,” though some are only “partial-year savings to allow realistic time for implementation.”
Reporter Fran Spielman has the full story.
12:52 p.m. Social gathering restrictions tightened in some suburbs
Nam Y. Huh/AP Photos
As COVID-19 continues to spread at a startling rate in Illinois, Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Monday announced that suburbs to the south and west of Cook County, as well as part of southern Illinois, will face tighter restrictions beginning Wednesday.
Restrictions include a prohibition of gatherings of more than 10 people for both indoor and outdoor spaces and a six-per-party limit for outdoor restaurant and bar service.
The southern suburbs are in Will and Kankakee counties, which make up Region 7 on the state’s COVID map. The western suburbs are in Kane and DuPage counties, known as Region 8. The state’s southern tip is Region 5.
The announcement came as state health officials announced 10,573 new coronavirus cases, marking the fourth consecutive day Illinois has recorded a five-figure caseload.
“As the weather turns cooler and more activity is driven inside, we may have a real problem on our hands,” Pritzker said.
Read the full report here.
12:49 p.m. Disneyland, Knott’s Berry Farm might not be able to reopen till next summer because of COVID-19
California’s most popular amusement park has become the focal point of a struggle over how best to contain COVID-19 while keeping the economy afloat.
California’s Democratic Party leaders have tied the fate of Disneyland — “the Happiest Place on Earth” — to the health of the people who live around it, who have been hit hard by the virus.
But conservative Orange County officials want to ease restrictions to allow for the reopening of the lucrative tourist attraction, saying the economic health of all residents depends on it.
State rules in California say large theme parks can’t open, even with a limited capacity, until there’s less than one new case per day per 100,000 county residents.
The state also requires counties to lower infection rates in their poorest communities to close to the average level of the county overall. In Orange County, as in the rest of the state, Latinos have borne the brunt of coronavirus infections and deaths.
Under these requirements, Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm, another big county amusement park, will likely remain shut down until next summer or later, said Dr. Clayton Chau, director of the Orange County Health Care Agency.
Orange County supervisors argue that it’s not feasible to quickly address the socioeconomic factors — including poverty and crowded housing — that cause some communities to have higher COVID positivity rates and that the whole county shouldn’t be punished because of that.
“If we have disadvantaged communities that are, because … of living conditions and other circumstances, damaged significantly by the virus, why must we thus visit the pain of the lockdown and shutdown on the children in other communities?” Supervisor Donald Wagner — who represents prosperous Anaheim Hills, Irvine and Orange, which have low positivity rates — said at a meeting last month.
Read the full story here.
12:05 p.m. Supreme Court appears likely to leave to Affordable Care Act in place
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court seemed likely Tuesday to leave in place the bulk of the Affordable Care Act, including key protections for preexisting health conditions and subsidized insurance premiums that affect tens of millions of Americans.
Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh, among the conservative justices, appeared in two hours of arguments to be unwilling to strike down the entire law — a long-held Republican goal that has repeatedly failed in Congress and the courts — even if they were to find the law’s now-toothless mandate for obtaining health insurance to be unconstitutional.
The court’s three liberal justices are almost certain to vote to uphold the law in its entirety and presumably would form a majority by joining a decision that cut away only the mandate, which now has no financial penalty attached to it. Congress zeroed out the penalty in 2017, but left the rest of the law untouched.
“Would Congress want the rest of the law to survive if the unconstitutional provision were severed? Here, Congress left the rest of the law intact,” Roberts said. “That seems to be a compelling answer to the question.”
For his part, Kavanaugh said recent decisions by the court suggest “that the proper remedy would be to sever the mandate and leave the rest of the act in place.”
A week after the 2020 election, the justices heard arguments by telephone in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic in the court’s third major case over the 10-year-old law, popularly known as “Obamacare.” Republican attorneys general in 18 states and the administration want the whole law to be struck down, which would threaten coverage for more than 23 million people.
Read the full story here.
11:59 a.m. Star-studded virtual benefit concert will honor nurses on Thanksgiving Day
LOS ANGELES — Stevie Wonder, Celine Dion, Gloria Estefan will be among the entertainers honoring nurses in a star-studded benefit virtual concert on Thanksgiving.
Nurse Heroesannounced Tuesday that the concert called Nurse Heroes Live will stream on the organization’s YouTube channel and Facebook page along with LiveXLive at 6 p.m. Nov. 26. The benefit will provide money for a variety of programs including scholarships for nurses and their children.
Whoopi Goldberg will host the concert with special appearances by Oprah Winfrey and Billy Crystal.
Read the full story here.
10:19 a.m. NBA, players union agree to start season on Dec. 22
It’s official: The NBA is coming back Dec. 22.
The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association announced Monday night that they’ve struck a deal on rules for this coming season, setting the stage for what will be a frenzied few weeks before games resume.
Teams will play a 72-game schedule, which will be revealed in the coming weeks. The league said a new system will be used to ensure that the split of basketball-related income continues, one of the many details that had to be collectively bargained with the union because the current agreement between the sides had a great deal of language that needed reworking because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Read the full story here.
8:32 a.m. Biden win makes fed help for Chicago more likely, top mayoral aides say
Top mayoral aides said Monday they’re more hopeful than ever that pandemic-ravaged Chicago will receive replacement revenue from Washington, now that Joe Biden has defeated President Donald Trump.
Chief Financial Officer Jennie Huang Bennett and Budget Director Susie Park said they have no idea when Congress will ride to the rescue, how much money Chicago stands to receive or what strings might be attached to a second stimulus package.
But both women told the City Club of Chicago they believe Biden’s victory makes it more likely that Chicago will receive another windfall of federal funding to replace a healthy chunk of the $886 million in revenues lost to the coronavirus this year and the projected, $783 million in losses next year.
“We’re very hopeful for additional federal funding. … With President Biden, it will be more likely that we see increased pressure for funding for states and municipalities,” Bennett said.
Read the full story here.
New Cases
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced Monday that he has tested positive for coronavirus.
A staff member in the office of Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle has tested positive for the coronavirus, her office announced Sunday.
Two more Cook County judges have tested positive for the coronavirus.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker tested negative for the virus, his office announced Saturday.
Analysis & Commentary
10:05 a.m. As COVID-19 surges, McConnell and Trump must set foolishness aside and push through financial relief
As COVID-19 tightens its grip on the nation’s health and economy, it’s all the more important that lawmakers “go big” and pass a federal stimulus package that includes substantial aid to city and state governments, working Americans and small businesses.
But the hitch is Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky, and President Donald Trump, who seem to be locked in a race to determine who can be the most useless in America’s hour of need.
Citing improving unemployment figures, McConnell wants a smaller relief bill. He has yet to detail what that package might look like, but no doubt the long-and-short of it would mean less aid doled out to fewer people and entities.
As for Trump, he has yet to commit to signing any new federal stimulus legislation. He appears to be bent on spending the last 70 days of his tenure firing cabinet members and waging a Quixotic attempt to invalidate the presidential election he lost.
Read the full editorial here.
7:42 a.m. News of a promising COVID-19 vaccine is thrilling, but we can’t let down our guard
Americans woke up Monday to the terrific news that a safe and highly effective vaccine against COVID-19 may well be closer than ever.
The potential for a vaccine that is perhaps 90% effective against coronavirus infection was especially welcome on the day after our country reached a terrible milestone: 10 million coronavirus cases.
It was cause for celebration, just as America celebrated the election of a new president who will take the pandemic seriously and develop a plan to rein it in.
But while America welcomes the news, the country cannot let down its guard.
Read the full editorial here.


chicagosun-times--2020-11-10--US surpasses 1 million new confirmed coronavirus cases in first 10 days of November

NEW YORK — The U.S. has surpassed 1 million new confirmed coronavirus cases in just the first 10 days of November , with more than 100,000 infections each day becoming the norm in a surge that shows no signs of slowing .
The 1 million milestone came as governors across the nation are making increasingly desperate pleas with the public to take the fight against the virus more seriously .
The Wisconsin governor planned to take the unusual step of delivering a live address to the state Tuesday , urging unity and cooperation to fight COVID-19 .
Minnesota ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at 10 p.m. , and Iowa ’ s governor said she will require masks at indoor gatherings of 25 or more people , inching toward more stringent measures after months of holding out .
The alarming wave of cases across the U.S. looks bigger and is more widespread than the surges that happened in the spring , mainly in the Northeast , and then in the summer , primarily in the Sun Belt .
But experts say there are also reasons to think the nation is better able to deal with the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re definitely in a better place ” when it comes to improved medical tools and knowledge , said William Hanage , a Harvard University infectious-disease researcher .
Newly confirmed infections in the U.S. are running at all-time highs of well over 100,000 per day , pushing the running total to more than 10 million and eclipsing 1 million since Halloween .
Several states posted records Tuesday , including more than 12,000 new cases in Illinois , 7,000 in Wisconsin and 6,500 in Ohio .
Deaths — a lagging indicator , since it takes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ die — are climbing again , reaching an average of more than 930 a day .
Hospitals are getting slammed .
And unlike the earlier outbreaks , this one is not confined to a region or two .
Cases are on the rise in 49 states .
“ The virus is spreading in a largely uncontrolled fashion across the vast majority of the country , ” said Dr. William Schaffner , an infectious-disease expert at Vanderbilt University .
While deaths are still well below the U.S. peak of about 2,200 per day back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nation ’ s overall toll will hit about 400,000 by Feb. 1 , up from about 240,000 now .
But there is also some good news .
Doctors now better know how to treat severe cases , meaning higher percentages of the COVID-19 patients who go into intensive care units are coming out alive .
Patients have the benefit of new treatments , namely remdesivir , the steroid dexamethasone and an antibody drug that won emergency-use approval from the Food and Drug Administration on Monday .
Also , testing is more widely available @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be on the horizon , perhaps around the end of the year , with Pfizer this week reporting early results showing that its experimental shots are a surprising 90 % effective at preventing the disease .
And there ’ s a change pending in the White House , with President-elect Joe Biden vowing to rely on a highly respected set of medical advisers and carry out a detailed coronavirus plan that experts say includes the kind of measures that will be necessary to bring the surge under control .
Biden pledged during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , make testing free and widely available , hire thousands of health workers to undertake contact-tracing , and instruct the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to provide clear , expert advice .
“ We are already seeing encouraging signs from President-elect Biden with regard to his handling of COVID-19 , ” said Dr. Kelly Henning , a veteran epidemiologist who heads the Bloomberg Philanthropies ’ public health programs .
“ I am relieved to see he ’ s already put some of the smartest scientific minds on his new coronavirus task force @ @ @ @ @ @ @ try and get the pandemic under control as quickly as possible.
” While the first surge in the Northeast caught many Americans unprepared and cut an especially deadly swath through nursing homes , the second crest along the nation ’ s Southern and Western rim was attributed mostly to heedless behavior , particularly among young adults over Memorial Day and July Fourth , and hot weather that sent people indoors , where the virus spreads more easily .
The fall surge similarly has been blamed largely on cold weather driving people inside and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stoked by President Donald Trump and other politicians .
Even in parts of the country that have been through coronavirus surges before , “ you see people breaking out of it ” and letting their guard down , Schaffner said .
“ There really is COVID fatigue that is blending into COVID annoyance , ” he said .
The short-term outlook is grim , with colder weather and Thanksgiving , Christmas and New Year ’ s ahead .
Generations of family members gathering indoors for meals for extended periods “ is not a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Other factors could contribute to the spread of the virus in the coming weeks : Last weekend saw big street celebrations and protests over the election .
On Saturday night , an upset victory by Notre Dame ’ s football team sent thousands of students swarming onto the field , many without masks .
Meanwhile , the next two months will see a lame-duck Congress and a president who might be even less inclined than before to enact disease-control measures .
Those voted out of office or no longer worried about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ are not going to be motivated to do a fantastic job , ” Hanage said .
Experts are increasingly alarmed about the virus ’ s resurgence in places like Massachusetts , which has seen a dramatic rise in cases since Labor Day , blamed largely on young people socializing .
Republican Gov .
Charlie Baker is warning that the health care system could become overwhelmed this winter , and he recently ordered restaurants to stop table service , required many businesses to close by 9:30 p.m. , and instructed residents to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a.m. Brooke Nichols , a professor and infectious-disease mathematical modeler at Boston University School of Public Health , said the governor ’ s actions don ’ t go far enough .
“ Right now because of the exponential growth , throw the kitchen sink at this , and then you can do it for not as long , ” Nichols said .
Meanwhile , political leaders in a number of newer coronavirus hot spots are doing less .
In hard-hit South Dakota , Gov .
Kristi Noem has made it clear she will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voiced doubt in health experts who say face coverings prevent infections from spreading .
Even higher case and death rates have been seen in North Dakota , where many people have refused to wear masks .
Gov .
Doug Burgum has pleaded with people to do so , and praised local towns and cities that have mandated masks .
But he has avoided requiring masks himself .
Both Noem and Burgum are Republicans and have taken positions in line with those of the president .
“ It would be simplistic to say it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it does kind of go along party lines of whether people took it seriously , tried to prevent it and took painful measures , versus those who said , ‘ Let it rip , ’ ” said Dr. Howard Markel , a public health historian at the University of Michigan .

NEW YORK — The U.S. has surpassed 1 million new confirmed coronavirus cases in just the first 10 days of November, with more than 100,000 infections each day becoming the norm in a surge that shows no signs of slowing.
The 1 million milestone came as governors across the nation are making increasingly desperate pleas with the public to take the fight against the virus more seriously. The Wisconsin governor planned to take the unusual step of delivering a live address to the state Tuesday, urging unity and cooperation to fight COVID-19.
Minnesota’s governor ordered bars and restaurants to close at 10 p.m., and Iowa’s governor said she will require masks at indoor gatherings of 25 or more people, inching toward more stringent measures after months of holding out.
The alarming wave of cases across the U.S. looks bigger and is more widespread than the surges that happened in the spring, mainly in the Northeast, and then in the summer, primarily in the Sun Belt. But experts say there are also reasons to think the nation is better able to deal with the virus this time around.
“We’re definitely in a better place” when it comes to improved medical tools and knowledge, said William Hanage, a Harvard University infectious-disease researcher.
Newly confirmed infections in the U.S. are running at all-time highs of well over 100,000 per day, pushing the running total to more than 10 million and eclipsing 1 million since Halloween.
Several states posted records Tuesday, including more than 12,000 new cases in Illinois, 7,000 in Wisconsin and 6,500 in Ohio.
Deaths — a lagging indicator, since it takes time for people to get sick and die — are climbing again, reaching an average of more than 930 a day.
Hospitals are getting slammed. And unlike the earlier outbreaks, this one is not confined to a region or two. Cases are on the rise in 49 states.
“The virus is spreading in a largely uncontrolled fashion across the vast majority of the country,” said Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious-disease expert at Vanderbilt University.
While deaths are still well below the U.S. peak of about 2,200 per day back in April, some researchers estimate the nation’s overall toll will hit about 400,000 by Feb. 1, up from about 240,000 now.
But there is also some good news.
Doctors now better know how to treat severe cases, meaning higher percentages of the COVID-19 patients who go into intensive care units are coming out alive. Patients have the benefit of new treatments, namely remdesivir, the steroid dexamethasone and an antibody drug that won emergency-use approval from the Food and Drug Administration on Monday. Also, testing is more widely available.
In addition, a vaccine appears to be on the horizon, perhaps around the end of the year, with Pfizer this week reporting early results showing that its experimental shots are a surprising 90% effective at preventing the disease.
And there’s a change pending in the White House, with President-elect Joe Biden vowing to rely on a highly respected set of medical advisers and carry out a detailed coronavirus plan that experts say includes the kind of measures that will be necessary to bring the surge under control.
Biden pledged during the campaign to be guided by science, make testing free and widely available, hire thousands of health workers to undertake contact-tracing, and instruct the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to provide clear, expert advice.
“We are already seeing encouraging signs from President-elect Biden with regard to his handling of COVID-19,” said Dr. Kelly Henning, a veteran epidemiologist who heads the Bloomberg Philanthropies’ public health programs.
“I am relieved to see he’s already put some of the smartest scientific minds on his new coronavirus task force and that they are acting urgently to try and get the pandemic under control as quickly as possible.”
While the first surge in the Northeast caught many Americans unprepared and cut an especially deadly swath through nursing homes, the second crest along the nation’s Southern and Western rim was attributed mostly to heedless behavior, particularly among young adults over Memorial Day and July Fourth, and hot weather that sent people indoors, where the virus spreads more easily.
The fall surge similarly has been blamed largely on cold weather driving people inside and disdain for masks and social distancing, stoked by President Donald Trump and other politicians.
Even in parts of the country that have been through coronavirus surges before, “you see people breaking out of it” and letting their guard down, Schaffner said.
“There really is COVID fatigue that is blending into COVID annoyance,” he said.
The short-term outlook is grim, with colder weather and Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s ahead. Generations of family members gathering indoors for meals for extended periods “is not a recipe for anything good,” Hanage said.
Other factors could contribute to the spread of the virus in the coming weeks: Last weekend saw big street celebrations and protests over the election. On Saturday night, an upset victory by Notre Dame’s football team sent thousands of students swarming onto the field, many without masks.
Meanwhile, the next two months will see a lame-duck Congress and a president who might be even less inclined than before to enact disease-control measures. Those voted out of office or no longer worried about reelection for at least two more years, “are not going to be motivated to do a fantastic job,” Hanage said.
Experts are increasingly alarmed about the virus’s resurgence in places like Massachusetts, which has seen a dramatic rise in cases since Labor Day, blamed largely on young people socializing.
Republican Gov. Charlie Baker is warning that the health care system could become overwhelmed this winter, and he recently ordered restaurants to stop table service, required many businesses to close by 9:30 p.m., and instructed residents to stay home between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.
Brooke Nichols, a professor and infectious-disease mathematical modeler at Boston University School of Public Health, said the governor’s actions don’t go far enough.
“Right now because of the exponential growth, throw the kitchen sink at this, and then you can do it for not as long,” Nichols said.
Meanwhile, political leaders in a number of newer coronavirus hot spots are doing less. In hard-hit South Dakota, Gov. Kristi Noem has made it clear she will not institute a mask requirement and has voiced doubt in health experts who say face coverings prevent infections from spreading.
Even higher case and death rates have been seen in North Dakota, where many people have refused to wear masks. Gov. Doug Burgum has pleaded with people to do so, and praised local towns and cities that have mandated masks. But he has avoided requiring masks himself.
Both Noem and Burgum are Republicans and have taken positions in line with those of the president.
“It would be simplistic to say it’s a Red-vs.-a-Blue experience, but it does kind of go along party lines of whether people took it seriously, tried to prevent it and took painful measures, versus those who said, ‘Let it rip,’” said Dr. Howard Markel, a public health historian at the University of Michigan.


chicagosun-times--2020-11-10--Study says partial openings can help reduce COVID — but full reopening could lead to hundreds of tho

Study says partial openings can help reduce COVID — but full reopening could lead to hundreds of thousands of infections

Restricting occupancy at restaurants , churches , stores and other public places is one of the most effective ways to reduce the spread of COVID-19 , new research finds .
But fully reopening restaurants could lead to hundreds of thousands of new infections in Chicago alone , the research released Tuesday by the journal Nature found .
Using cellphone data and computer models that study where 98 million people visited nationwide during the early months of the pandemic , researchers at Northwestern University and Stanford found a small number of “ superspreader ” locations account for a large majority of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of infections in Black and Latino communities .
Analyzing infection numbers recorded in March and April as well as mobility patterns of people , researchers estimated that if restaurants had fully reopened here in May , there could have been 600,000 additional virus cases .
“ On average across metro areas , full-service restaurants , gyms , hotels , cafes , religious organizations , and limited-service restaurants produced the largest predicted increases in infections when reopened , ” the study says .
“ Reopening full-service restaurants was particularly risky : in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ additional 596k infections by the end of May , more than triple the next riskiest ” category .
“ Reopening full-service restaurants has the largest predicted impact on infections , due to the large number of restaurants as well as their high-visit densities and long dwell times , ” the study said .
That finding gives ammunition to Gov .
J.B. Pritzker who has called restaurants superspreader sites for the virus and defends his decision to ban indoor dining .
“ Places where people gather and spend time together without masks are places @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus , ” Pritzker spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh said in an email .
But the study also stated that reopening a business in Chicago at 20 percent of its maximum occupancy can cut down on infections by 80 percent compared with a full reopening .
Beth Redbird , a study co-author and assistant professor of sociology at Northwestern , said the research aims to provide policy makers with ways to address the disparities seen in low-income communities of color that are experiencing high rates of infections .
Low-income neighborhoods tend to have small grocery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pack in more people in tighter areas , Redbird said .
Policy makers could address that issue by helping to broaden the option for these communities to have more shopping options , she added .
Public places , including government services , can offer options such as drive-through locations , she said .
In general , any options to increase spacing and ventilation can address risk .
While the researchers discourage full reopenings of businesses , reduced capacity can be an important component , Redbird added .
“ There are policy remedies that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said .
“ The idea behind the project is understanding that with a virus like COVID , that human movement can inform policy around reducing infection , ” Redbird added .
Brett Chase ’ s reporting on the environment and public health is made possible by a grant from The Chicago Community Trust .

Restricting occupancy at restaurants, churches, stores and other public places is one of the most effective ways to reduce the spread of COVID-19, new research finds.
But fully reopening restaurants could lead to hundreds of thousands of new infections in Chicago alone, the research released Tuesday by the journal Nature found.
La Voz Sidebar 2023 Lea este artículo en español en La Voz Chicago.
Using cellphone data and computer models that study where 98 million people visited nationwide during the early months of the pandemic, researchers at Northwestern University and Stanford found a small number of “superspreader” locations account for a large majority of infections and also help explain the disproportionate number of infections in Black and Latino communities.
Analyzing infection numbers recorded in March and April as well as mobility patterns of people, researchers estimated that if restaurants had fully reopened here in May, there could have been 600,000 additional virus cases.
“On average across metro areas, full-service restaurants, gyms, hotels, cafes, religious organizations, and limited-service restaurants produced the largest predicted increases in infections when reopened,” the study says. “Reopening full-service restaurants was particularly risky: in the Chicago metro area, we predicted an additional 596k infections by the end of May, more than triple the next riskiest” category.
“Reopening full-service restaurants has the largest predicted impact on infections, due to the large number of restaurants as well as their high-visit densities and long dwell times,” the study said.
That finding gives ammunition to Gov. J.B. Pritzker who has called restaurants superspreader sites for the virus and defends his decision to ban indoor dining.
“Places where people gather and spend time together without masks are places where there is increased risk of contracting coronavirus,” Pritzker spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh said in an email.
But the study also stated that reopening a business in Chicago at 20 percent of its maximum occupancy can cut down on infections by 80 percent compared with a full reopening.
Beth Redbird, a study co-author and assistant professor of sociology at Northwestern, said the research aims to provide policy makers with ways to address the disparities seen in low-income communities of color that are experiencing high rates of infections.
Low-income neighborhoods tend to have small grocery stores, for instance, that can pack in more people in tighter areas, Redbird said. Policy makers could address that issue by helping to broaden the option for these communities to have more shopping options, she added.
Public places, including government services, can offer options such as drive-through locations, she said. In general, any options to increase spacing and ventilation can address risk.
While the researchers discourage full reopenings of businesses, reduced capacity can be an important component, Redbird added.
“There are policy remedies that are not all or nothing,” she said.
“The idea behind the project is understanding that with a virus like COVID, that human movement can inform policy around reducing infection,” Redbird added.
Brett Chase’s reporting on the environment and public health is made possible by a grant from The Chicago Community Trust.


chicagosun-times--2020-11-10--‘Awful’ autumn: Yet another record COVID-19 caseload, hospitalizations, positivity up — and ‘it’s no

‘Awful’ autumn: Yet another record COVID-19 caseload, hospitalizations, positivity up — and ‘it’s not over yet’

Illinois reported another record-breaking total of 12,623 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday , hospitals in some parts of the state are packed with triple the number of coronavirus patients they saw during the first wave of the pandemic and the peak of the skyrocketing autumn surge is still nowhere in sight .
“ These numbers are awful , ” Gov .
J.B. Pritzker said .
“ Even where things are not as awful , things are still bad.
” “ We need to gird ourselves for winter because it ’ s not over yet ... We have potentially months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he said .
For now , the state ’ s main weapon in that fight is local enforcement of masking and social distancing guidelines , according to the Democratic governor — but he hasn ’ t ruled out more serious action such as the stay-at-home order that helped bend Illinois ’ springtime curve .
The entire state is now under enhanced “ mitigation ” efforts including a ban on indoor bar and restaurant service , while some regions have been saddled further with 10-person gathering limits .
“ We ’ re monitoring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ action is possible , ” Pritzker said .
Illinois has already added more than 93,000 COVID-19 cases over the first 10 days of November , compared to 117,000 during all of October when the virus began trending back upward .
In the last five days alone , 56,019 new cases have been reported .
That ’ s more than Illinois saw in the first three months of the pandemic combined .
More than 511,000 people have now been confirmed to carry the virus in Illinois at some point since March — about 4 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than a third of all cases have been diagnosed in the last month alone .
The latest positive cases were confirmed among another record number of 101,955 tests submitted to the state , but they were enough to raise Illinois ’ seven-day average testing positivity rate to 12 % .
That number , which indicates how rapidly the virus is spreading , has almost quadrupled in just over a month .
It ’ s now at its highest point since mid-May .
Illinois hospitals are admitting their highest numbers of coronavirus patients in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ night , 4,742 beds were taken up by COVID-19 patients , an increase of more than 300 people from the night before .
The state averaged about 4,800 nightly hospitalizations at the height of the first wave .
Hospitals in Chicago and Cook County are still “ a fair distance behind their worst hospitalization peaks in the spring ” — by about half — but numbers have doubled in southern Illinois and more than tripled in the central and east-central regions .
“ We must not let them become overrun , ” Pritzker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ implore you to make sure that everyone wears a mask and stops gathering with a large number of people in your homes .
They need your help.
” The Illinois Department of Public Health also announced 79 more deaths have been attributed to the virus , raising the state ’ s death toll to 10,289 .
Among the latest victims were 31 Chicago-area residents , including 20 from Cook County .
Chicago is at 13 % positivity , adding almost 1,700 new cases per day .
City Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady @ @ @ @ @ @ @ active cases of COVID-19 citywide .
“ We are seeing these growths across every ZIP code in Chicago , ” Arwady said .
“ Nothing has slowed down yet … We don ’ t know how far this is going to go.
” As for bending the curve , Arwady said , “ We know how to do this .
We did it once already .
But I ’ ll tell you , when I am out in Chicago , I don ’ t see people taking this as seriously as we did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The governor did suggest there ’ s “ light at the end of the pandemic tunnel ” in the form of encouraging trial results on a potential COVID-19 vaccine , “ but we just don ’ t know exactly when we will get there , ” Pritzker said .
“ Let ’ s use the best tools that we have in the meantime.
” The city also revamped its COVID-19 travel quarantine order with a tiered , color-coded system that now covers 43 states and Puerto Rico , all reporting high infection rates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but anyone arriving to Chicago from a “ red ” hot-spot state must self-isolate for two weeks .
Travelers coming from orange hot spots must either arrive with a recent negative COVID-19 test result , or else isolate .
Iowa , Wisconsin and Indiana are among the current red states , while Michigan , Missouri and Kentucky are orange .

Illinois reported another record-breaking total of 12,623 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, hospitals in some parts of the state are packed with triple the number of coronavirus patients they saw during the first wave of the pandemic and the peak of the skyrocketing autumn surge is still nowhere in sight.
“These numbers are awful,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said. “Even where things are not as awful, things are still bad.”
“We need to gird ourselves for winter because it’s not over yet ... We have potentially months of the fight ahead of us,” he said.
For now, the state’s main weapon in that fight is local enforcement of masking and social distancing guidelines, according to the Democratic governor — but he hasn’t ruled out more serious action such as the stay-at-home order that helped bend Illinois’ springtime curve. The entire state is now under enhanced “mitigation” efforts including a ban on indoor bar and restaurant service, while some regions have been saddled further with 10-person gathering limits.
“We’re monitoring the numbers closely, and additional statewide action is possible,” Pritzker said.
Graph not displaying properly? Click here.
Illinois has already added more than 93,000 COVID-19 cases over the first 10 days of November, compared to 117,000 during all of October when the virus began trending back upward.
In the last five days alone, 56,019 new cases have been reported. That’s more than Illinois saw in the first three months of the pandemic combined.
More than 511,000 people have now been confirmed to carry the virus in Illinois at some point since March — about 4% of the state population. More than a third of all cases have been diagnosed in the last month alone.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker answers questions from the media during a daily COVID-19 update at the James R. Thompson Center last week. Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times file
The latest positive cases were confirmed among another record number of 101,955 tests submitted to the state, but they were enough to raise Illinois’ seven-day average testing positivity rate to 12%.
That number, which indicates how rapidly the virus is spreading, has almost quadrupled in just over a month. It’s now at its highest point since mid-May.
Illinois hospitals are admitting their highest numbers of coronavirus patients in six months, too. On Monday night, 4,742 beds were taken up by COVID-19 patients, an increase of more than 300 people from the night before. The state averaged about 4,800 nightly hospitalizations at the height of the first wave.
Hospitals in Chicago and Cook County are still “a fair distance behind their worst hospitalization peaks in the spring” — by about half — but numbers have doubled in southern Illinois and more than tripled in the central and east-central regions.
“We must not let them become overrun,” Pritzker said, adding that hospital leaders “implore you to make sure that everyone wears a mask and stops gathering with a large number of people in your homes. They need your help.”
The Illinois Department of Public Health also announced 79 more deaths have been attributed to the virus, raising the state’s death toll to 10,289. Among the latest victims were 31 Chicago-area residents, including 20 from Cook County.
Chicago is at 13% positivity, adding almost 1,700 new cases per day. City Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady estimated there could be up to 145,000 active cases of COVID-19 citywide.
Nurse practitioner Capri Reese takes a minute to herself in an elevator after an 80-year-old man suffering from COVID-19 died at Roseland Community Hospital on April 28. Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times file
“We are seeing these growths across every ZIP code in Chicago,” Arwady said. “Nothing has slowed down yet … We don’t know how far this is going to go.”
As for bending the curve, Arwady said, “We know how to do this. We did it once already. But I’ll tell you, when I am out in Chicago, I don’t see people taking this as seriously as we did back in April back in May.”
The governor did suggest there’s “light at the end of the pandemic tunnel” in the form of encouraging trial results on a potential COVID-19 vaccine, “but we just don’t know exactly when we will get there,” Pritzker said. “Let’s use the best tools that we have in the meantime.”
Chicago’s new tiered travel quarantine guide. City of Chicago
The city also revamped its COVID-19 travel quarantine order with a tiered, color-coded system that now covers 43 states and Puerto Rico, all reporting high infection rates.
All non-essential travel is discouraged, but anyone arriving to Chicago from a “red” hot-spot state must self-isolate for two weeks. Travelers coming from orange hot spots must either arrive with a recent negative COVID-19 test result, or else isolate. Iowa, Wisconsin and Indiana are among the current red states, while Michigan, Missouri and Kentucky are orange.


chicagosun-times--2020-11-10--If you believe good health care should be an American right, stand up again for Obamacare

President-elect Joe Biden needs our help to create a better health care system .
As Illinoisans prepare to sign up for next year ’ s Affordable Care Act insurance by the Dec. 15 deadline , the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday debated whether to throw out the 2010 law altogether .
The contrast couldn ’ t have been clearer between the Trump administration and 18 Republican attorneys general , who want to deny millions of Americans health care , while Biden talked on the very same day about health care as a “ human issue ” that “ affects every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fight , but Biden is in the clear right .
Our nation should never return to a day when people had their health insurance revoked just as they needed it , when some people were charged more in premiums than others for the same level of care and when a pre-existing condition sometimes meant you couldn ’ t get insurance at any price .
We should , in fact , restore access to health care to the millions of people who lost their insurance coverage as the Trump administration steadily chipped away at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden said , make Obamacare better .
To succeed , Biden will need to ride a wave of strong public support , which is where all of us come in .
We must make our voices heard .
The past four years have shown that many Republicans will continue to oppose the ACA , no matter how cold-hearted , unless they find themselves up against even stronger political winds in favor of it .
Biden will need widespread and vociferous public support if certain reforms to Obamacare — to increase access and reduce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the next Congress .
No matter how the runoff senatorial elections turn out in Georgia , neither party will have a 60-vote filibuster-proof majority in the Senate .
The Democratic House majority has shrunk , as well .
It is because of the hard compromises that were necessary to pass the original bill , given a closely divided Congress , that Obamacare today is flawed in a number of widely criticized ways .
Hospitals , for example , are unfairly charged twice for re-admitting a patient during a short frame of time — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — even if the patient is admitted the second time for a problem entirely unrelated to the first problem .
The first admission might be for a heart attack , while the second admission is for a broken leg , but the hospital must pay a kind of fine all the same .
Moreover , the cost of ACA insurance can be out of reach for people who don ’ t qualify for subsidies or tax credits .
Yet the Trump administration and 18 Republican attorneys general argued in front of the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be stricken off the books .
With nothing to replace it .
The results could be catastrophic .
Some 20 million people would lose their health insurance in the middle of the third wave of the coronavirus pandemic .
More than 130 million Americans with pre-existing medical conditions — a number that is growing with the heart and lung maladies caused by COVID 19 — no longer would be assured access to insurance .
Young people might no longer be allowed to remain on their parents ’ insurance until age 26 .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ makes health care affordable to the working poor , would end .
And requirements that all insurance policies cover essential benefits , such as maternity care and emergency services , would go out the window .
The Cook County Health and Hospitals System relies on ACA payments to help pay for the care it delivers to anyone who walks through the door .
Illinois , crushed under a COVID-19 budget crisis , does not have the resources to set up a replacement system should the court pull the plug on the ACA .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Court justices signaled that they are reluctant to strike down the entire ACA law just because the individual mandate — a requirement that every American must have health insurance or pay a fine — was zeroed out in 2017 .
Back Biden on this one Should the court , however , rule this spring or summer that the ACA as a whole can not stand , the real danger is that any bill to revive or replace the law will never get out of a Senate committee .
Not if Senate Majority Leader @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he can .
Your job , if you believe as we do that health care should be an American right , is to send a message to McConnell .
Make clear to him the political price that he and his party would pay .
As Biden said on Tuesday , this should not be a “ partisan issue.
” It ’ s a “ human issue .
”

President-elect Joe Biden needs our help to create a better health care system.
As Illinoisans prepare to sign up for next year’s Affordable Care Act insurance by the Dec. 15 deadline, the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday debated whether to throw out the 2010 law altogether. The contrast couldn’t have been clearer between the Trump administration and 18 Republican attorneys general, who want to deny millions of Americans health care, while Biden talked on the very same day about health care as a “human issue” that “affects every family.”
Editorials bug Editorials
It will be a tough fight, but Biden is in the clear right. Our nation should never return to a day when people had their health insurance revoked just as they needed it, when some people were charged more in premiums than others for the same level of care and when a pre-existing condition sometimes meant you couldn’t get insurance at any price.
We should, in fact, restore access to health care to the millions of people who lost their insurance coverage as the Trump administration steadily chipped away at the ACA. We should, as Biden said, make Obamacare better.
Be heard
To succeed, Biden will need to ride a wave of strong public support, which is where all of us come in. We must make our voices heard. The past four years have shown that many Republicans will continue to oppose the ACA, no matter how cold-hearted, unless they find themselves up against even stronger political winds in favor of it.
Biden will need widespread and vociferous public support if certain reforms to Obamacare — to increase access and reduce unreasonable charges — are to get through the next Congress.
No matter how the runoff senatorial elections turn out in Georgia, neither party will have a 60-vote filibuster-proof majority in the Senate. The Democratic House majority has shrunk, as well. It is because of the hard compromises that were necessary to pass the original bill, given a closely divided Congress, that Obamacare today is flawed in a number of widely criticized ways.
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Hospitals, for example, are unfairly charged twice for re-admitting a patient during a short frame of time — seen as an indication of subpar care — even if the patient is admitted the second time for a problem entirely unrelated to the first problem. The first admission might be for a heart attack, while the second admission is for a broken leg, but the hospital must pay a kind of fine all the same.
Moreover, the cost of ACA insurance can be out of reach for people who don’t qualify for subsidies or tax credits.
No good alternative
Yet the Trump administration and 18 Republican attorneys general argued in front of the U.S. Supreme Court Tuesday that the law should be stricken off the books. With nothing to replace it.
The results could be catastrophic.
Some 20 million people would lose their health insurance in the middle of the third wave of the coronavirus pandemic. More than 130 million Americans with pre-existing medical conditions — a number that is growing with the heart and lung maladies caused by COVID 19 — no longer would be assured access to insurance. Young people might no longer be allowed to remain on their parents’ insurance until age 26.
The program’s Medicaid expansion, which makes health care affordable to the working poor, would end. And requirements that all insurance policies cover essential benefits, such as maternity care and emergency services, would go out the window.
The Cook County Health and Hospitals System relies on ACA payments to help pay for the care it delivers to anyone who walks through the door. Illinois, crushed under a COVID-19 budget crisis, does not have the resources to set up a replacement system should the court pull the plug on the ACA.
On Tuesday, at least five Supreme Court justices signaled that they are reluctant to strike down the entire ACA law just because the individual mandate — a requirement that every American must have health insurance or pay a fine — was zeroed out in 2017.
Back Biden on this one
Should the court, however, rule this spring or summer that the ACA as a whole cannot stand, the real danger is that any bill to revive or replace the law will never get out of a Senate committee. Not if Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell can help it — and he can.
Your job, if you believe as we do that health care should be an American right, is to send a message to McConnell. Make clear to him the political price that he and his party would pay.
As Biden said on Tuesday, this should not be a “partisan issue.” It’s a “human issue.”
Send letters to letters@suntimes.com.


chicagosun-times--2020-11-10--More pot shops in Illinois? Lawmakers mull plan to create new dispensary licenses amid delays

Legislators in Springfield are hashing out a plan that one lawmaker says could potentially double the number of new marijuana shops as the state grapples with an ongoing licensing imbroglio that ’ s hampered the governor ’ s pro-pot agenda , the Sun-Times has learned .
A lottery to determine the winners of the next wave of 75 licenses has been delayed indefinitely after a string of lawsuits were filed in the wake of the announcement that just 21 groups qualified in September .
Though Gov .
J.B. Pritzker later created a process to give the more than 900 losing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also prompted legal action from three of the finalists .
State Rep. La Shawn Ford , D-Chicago , is now pushing a legislative fix that would unleash 75 additional dispensary licenses , meaning there could eventually be a total of 150 new licenses .
Those groups that didn ’ t make the cut for the lottery would automatically be included in the new application process without having to pay new fees , he added .
On Tuesday — a day after Ford and other members of a cannabis working group met with members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ representative claimed new legislation could “ cure some of the faults of the current law ” and potentially “ eliminate some of the lawsuits.
” Ford believes the move would help the state to meet its goal of prioritizing licenses for social equity applicants , a designation created to bolster minority ownership in the state ’ s overwhelmingly white cannabis industry .
While all the initial lottery contestants earned the extra application points for qualifying for social equity status , concerns have been raised that some include individuals with deep pockets , connections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the cannabis industry .
“ I can truly say that the governor ’ s office really wants to see this problem go away so that we can get more social equity applicants [ involved ] because that ’ s what the law was intended to produce , ” he said .
A spokeswoman for Pritzker ’ s office didn ’ t respond to requests for comment .
State Rep. Kelly Cassidy , another Chicago Democrat and member of the cannabis working group , confirmed discussions on releasing new licenses are “ ongoing.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , consensus that we need to get more licenses out .
But the how , I think , is the challenge , ” said Cassidy , a key sponsor of the law that legalized recreational cannabis .
She said no agreements had been reached on how many additional licenses could be created .
“ I think it ’ s very premature to talk about what ’ s going to be in it because I think we ’ re still talking concepts , not language , ” she added .
Both the pending litigation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ impacts everything ” lawmakers are considering , according to Cassidy , who compared the tenuous situation to poking a Jell-O mold .
“ You poke it on the left , it ’ s going to wiggle on the right , ” she said .
“ You always have to think about what that wiggle ’ s going to do.
” The news that legislators are considering legislation to create more licenses comes as Pritzker and other officials await a critical ruling on whether the state can move forward with the governor ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the losing pot shop applicants .
The plaintiffs in that case in Sangamon County argue that Pritzker and members of his administration are “ bowing to political pressure from applicants who received lower scores ” and instituting new rules that aren ’ t outlined in the law .
They hold that the lottery should be held as it was originally announced .
Former state Sen. Pam Althoff , now the executive director of the influential Cannabis Business Association of Illinois , believes the plan to award additional licenses is being hatched because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can be done to change the first lottery results.
” Though Althoff hadn ’ t heard the specific proposal to issue 75 additional licenses , she was familiar with the overarching idea of “ a second round with the existing social equity applicant pool.
” Both Althoff and Ford said legislation could include a key change that would allow applicants to qualify for the additional batch of licenses without notching a perfect score — something that was a point of contention for social equity candidates who didn ’ t earn the crucial application @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Instead , they said applicants would merely need to meet a lower threshold .
But with the upcoming veto session canceled , lawmakers won ’ t be able to debate a new cannabis bill until January ’ s lame-duck session .
Ford said that could work in their favor , given that only a simple majority is needed to pass both houses .

Legislators in Springfield are hashing out a plan that one lawmaker says could potentially double the number of new marijuana shops as the state grapples with an ongoing licensing imbroglio that’s hampered the governor’s pro-pot agenda, the Sun-Times has learned.
A lottery to determine the winners of the next wave of 75 licenses has been delayed indefinitely after a string of lawsuits were filed in the wake of the announcement that just 21 groups qualified in September. Though Gov. J.B. Pritzker later created a process to give the more than 900 losing applicants another shot, that plan has also prompted legal action from three of the finalists.
State Rep. La Shawn Ford, D-Chicago, is now pushing a legislative fix that would unleash 75 additional dispensary licenses, meaning there could eventually be a total of 150 new licenses. Those groups that didn’t make the cut for the lottery would automatically be included in the new application process without having to pay new fees, he added.
On Tuesday — a day after Ford and other members of a cannabis working group met with members of Pritzker’s team — the representative claimed new legislation could “cure some of the faults of the current law” and potentially “eliminate some of the lawsuits.”
Rich Hein/Sun-Times file
Ford believes the move would help the state to meet its goal of prioritizing licenses for social equity applicants, a designation created to bolster minority ownership in the state’s overwhelmingly white cannabis industry. While all the initial lottery contestants earned the extra application points for qualifying for social equity status, concerns have been raised that some include individuals with deep pockets, connections to state government or existing ties to the cannabis industry.
“I can truly say that the governor’s office really wants to see this problem go away so that we can get more social equity applicants [involved] because that’s what the law was intended to produce,” he said.
A spokeswoman for Pritzker’s office didn’t respond to requests for comment.
State Rep. Kelly Cassidy, another Chicago Democrat and member of the cannabis working group, confirmed discussions on releasing new licenses are “ongoing.”
“There’s, I think, consensus that we need to get more licenses out. But the how, I think, is the challenge,” said Cassidy, a key sponsor of the law that legalized recreational cannabis.
She said no agreements had been reached on how many additional licenses could be created.
“I think it’s very premature to talk about what’s going to be in it because I think we’re still talking concepts, not language,” she added.
Both the pending litigation and the potential for future legal action “impacts everything” lawmakers are considering, according to Cassidy, who compared the tenuous situation to poking a Jell-O mold.
“You poke it on the left, it’s going to wiggle on the right,” she said. “You always have to think about what that wiggle’s going to do.”
State Rep. Kelly Cassidy speaks with reporters about harassment allegations in Springfield, Wednesday morning, June 6, 2018. Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times file
The news that legislators are considering legislation to create more licenses comes as Pritzker and other officials await a critical ruling on whether the state can move forward with the governor’s plan to offer a second chance to the losing pot shop applicants.
The plaintiffs in that case in Sangamon County argue that Pritzker and members of his administration are “bowing to political pressure from applicants who received lower scores” and instituting new rules that aren’t outlined in the law. They hold that the lottery should be held as it was originally announced.
Former state Sen. Pam Althoff, now the executive director of the influential Cannabis Business Association of Illinois, believes the plan to award additional licenses is being hatched because “there’s really nothing that can be done to change the first lottery results.”
Though Althoff hadn’t heard the specific proposal to issue 75 additional licenses, she was familiar with the overarching idea of “a second round with the existing social equity applicant pool.”
Both Althoff and Ford said legislation could include a key change that would allow applicants to qualify for the additional batch of licenses without notching a perfect score — something that was a point of contention for social equity candidates who didn’t earn the crucial application points for partnering with a military veteran. Instead, they said applicants would merely need to meet a lower threshold.
But with the upcoming veto session canceled, lawmakers won’t be able to debate a new cannabis bill until January’s lame-duck session. Ford said that could work in their favor, given that only a simple majority is needed to pass both houses.


chicagosun-times--2020-11-10--‘S.W.A.T.’ dives into Black, police conflict in season debut

LOS ANGELES — The ghost of a bitter chapter for Los Angeles haunts the season debut of “ S.W.A.T.
, ” which casts today ’ s police-connected African American deaths as part of a cruelly repetitive history .
Series star Shemar Moore and executive producer Aaron Rahsaan Thomas are proud to claim ownership of the result airing 8 p.m. Wednesday on CBS ( paired with a second , gear-shifting episode at 9 p.m. ) .
“ We ’ ve been successful for three years playing super-cops and entertaining folks , ” Moore said .
“ For ‘ S.W.A.T.
’ to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around this country , in the world , is very brave and very bold.
” Thomas said it ’ s a step toward fulfilling the vision for the series he co-created with Shawn Ryan ( “ The Shield ” ) .
It ’ s a reboot of the 1975-76 series with Steve Forrest as Daniel “ Hondo ” Harrelson , head of a mostly white SWAT unit .
This time around , Hondo is an LA-born African American striving to uphold the law and connect his multiethnic team with the community it serves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first episode to try to say that we ’ re going to be a show that entertains but also engages our audience .
Well , 2020 allowed us to double down on that , ” Thomas said .
The episode is one answer to whether network TV dramas , ever reliant on law enforcement officers as unalloyed heroes , can reflect opposing views as the deaths of George Floyd , Breonna Taylor and others drive demands for systemic change in police practices .
The “ S.W.A.T.
” story line is directly linked to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the custody of Minneapolis police , Thomas said .
Three months earlier , Thomas had been working on an episode intended to mark the anniversary of the April 1992 acquittal of LAPD officers in the beating of Black motorist Rodney King .
The jury verdict triggered days of protest and destruction in Los Angeles , a deadly parallel to the 1965 Watts-area violence that also followed an LA police stop of a Black driver .
“ At the time , the intent was to tell a story about how we perhaps had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years between Watts and Rodney King , and since there have been 28 years between Rodney King and now , ’ ’ and there had been no major incidents , Thomas said .
`` Maybe , maybe we ’ ve learned our lesson.
” Then , efforts to make that episode for last season were derailed by the coronavirus outbreak that halted TV and movie production last March .
And then came the outraged reaction to a video showing Floyd pressed under an officer ’ s knee for nearly 8 minutes before his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ episode went from a kind of humble appreciation to now , all of a sudden , there ’ s kind of a realization that perhaps we haven ’ t made the progress that we hoped that we had had before , ” Thomas said .
In the revamped story , Hondo and his dad , Daniel Sr. , ( Obba Babatundé ) are shown in flashbacks that recall their experience .
Later , the two clash over whether there ’ s been progress — even with well-intentioned African Americans like Hondo on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ easy solution when Black people are being treated like they ’ re disposable , ” the older man says bitterly , his tears flowing .
The episode is framed by scenes of a protest march and concludes with a powerful recitation of Floyd ’ s last words .
Straight-ahead heroics aren ’ t slighted , as Hondo ’ s team tracks members of a drug cartel and try to deter a terrorist attack — all in under an hour , and with fleeting acknowledgment of the pandemic .
( The paired 9 p.m. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CIA trail an international crime boss . )
Moore and Thomas said the episode had the strong support of CBS and co-producer Sony Pictures Television , but it ’ s also the result of having a Black star and executive producer with the motivation and authority to initiate it .
Moore also is a producer for “ S.W.A.T.
” “ What the show looks to do , and I ’ ve always looked to do as an individual , is to try to increase the types of voices that we see , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to eliminate the status quo that we ’ ve had before , but to expand the choices that a viewer has , so that you have different types of cop shows ... .
not just the standard that we ’ ve grown accustomed to.
” It remains to be seen how viewers react to a traditional broadcast drama addressing topical issues more common to cable and streaming fare .
Moore said that giving “ S.W.A.T.
” fans the thrill ride they expect is the priority but doesn ’ t preclude offering more , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ respects varied perspectives .
“ I don ’ t care who you are when you watch that show , you are moved .
And to be able to entertain folks but also move them and create a conversation , a debate ” is the goal , the actor said .
“ We don ’ t care what side you take , but just let us present all sides , because that ’ s what we need , we need more communication .
”

LOS ANGELES — The ghost of a bitter chapter for Los Angeles haunts the season debut of “S.W.A.T.,” which casts today’s police-connected African American deaths as part of a cruelly repetitive history.
Series star Shemar Moore and executive producer Aaron Rahsaan Thomas are proud to claim ownership of the result airing 8 p.m. Wednesday on CBS (paired with a second, gear-shifting episode at 9 p.m.).
“We’ve been successful for three years playing super-cops and entertaining folks,” Moore said. “For ‘S.W.A.T.’ to take on what’s been happening around this country, in the world, is very brave and very bold.”
Thomas said it’s a step toward fulfilling the vision for the series he co-created with Shawn Ryan (“The Shield”). It’s a reboot of the 1975-76 series with Steve Forrest as Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson, head of a mostly white SWAT unit. This time around, Hondo is an LA-born African American striving to uphold the law and connect his multiethnic team with the community it serves.
“We attempted from the very first episode to try to say that we’re going to be a show that entertains but also engages our audience. Well, 2020 allowed us to double down on that,” Thomas said.
The episode is one answer to whether network TV dramas, ever reliant on law enforcement officers as unalloyed heroes, can reflect opposing views as the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others drive demands for systemic change in police practices.
The “S.W.A.T.” story line is directly linked to Floyd’s death last May while in the custody of Minneapolis police, Thomas said.
Three months earlier, Thomas had been working on an episode intended to mark the anniversary of the April 1992 acquittal of LAPD officers in the beating of Black motorist Rodney King. The jury verdict triggered days of protest and destruction in Los Angeles, a deadly parallel to the 1965 Watts-area violence that also followed an LA police stop of a Black driver.
“At the time, the intent was to tell a story about how we perhaps had made progress because there had been 27 years between Watts and Rodney King, and since there have been 28 years between Rodney King and now,’’ and there had been no major incidents, Thomas said. ``Maybe, maybe we’ve learned our lesson.”
Then, efforts to make that episode for last season were derailed by the coronavirus outbreak that halted TV and movie production last March. And then came the outraged reaction to a video showing Floyd pressed under an officer’s knee for nearly 8 minutes before his death.
“The tenor of the episode went from a kind of humble appreciation to now, all of a sudden, there’s kind of a realization that perhaps we haven’t made the progress that we hoped that we had had before,” Thomas said.
In the revamped story, Hondo and his dad, Daniel Sr., (Obba Babatundé) are shown in flashbacks that recall their experience. Later, the two clash over whether there’s been progress — even with well-intentioned African Americans like Hondo on the force.
“Ain’t no easy solution when Black people are being treated like they’re disposable,” the older man says bitterly, his tears flowing. The episode is framed by scenes of a protest march and concludes with a powerful recitation of Floyd’s last words.
Straight-ahead heroics aren’t slighted, as Hondo’s team tracks members of a drug cartel and try to deter a terrorist attack — all in under an hour, and with fleeting acknowledgment of the pandemic. (The paired 9 p.m. episode sees the SWAT team help the CIA trail an international crime boss.)
Moore and Thomas said the episode had the strong support of CBS and co-producer Sony Pictures Television, but it’s also the result of having a Black star and executive producer with the motivation and authority to initiate it. Moore also is a producer for “S.W.A.T.”
“What the show looks to do, and I’ve always looked to do as an individual, is to try to increase the types of voices that we see,” Thomas said. “Not so much to eliminate the status quo that we’ve had before, but to expand the choices that a viewer has, so that you have different types of cop shows.... not just the standard that we’ve grown accustomed to.”
It remains to be seen how viewers react to a traditional broadcast drama addressing topical issues more common to cable and streaming fare.
Moore said that giving “S.W.A.T.” fans the thrill ride they expect is the priority but doesn’t preclude offering more, and doing it in a way that respects varied perspectives.
“I don’t care who you are when you watch that show, you are moved. And to be able to entertain folks but also move them and create a conversation, a debate” is the goal, the actor said. “We don’t care what side you take, but just let us present all sides, because that’s what we need, we need more communication.”


chicagosun-times--2020-11-10--Fire breaks out at General Iron week after company pays settlement to city over explosion

A week after General Iron ’ s owner paid $ 18,000 to settle a number of violation notices issued by the city for air pollution and other nuisances , a fire broke out in the metal-shredder ’ s yard in Lincoln Park Tuesday afternoon .
General Iron ’ s operations are being moved to the Southeast Side and last week ’ s announcement by the city helped the business ’ owner Reserve Management Group resolve those past issues as it seeks a final permit to begin operations along the Calumet River .
One of the citations settled last week related @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fire Tuesday started in some debris laying in General Iron ’ s yard and didn ’ t appear to be related to equipment , said Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford .
Three fire engines were called and the large rubbish fire was extinguished “ relatively quickly , ” Langford said .
There were no reported injuries .
Initial air sampling showed no toxic materials released in the air , he said .
RMG said in a statement that the metal shredder “ was not operating prior to or during the incident due @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possible causes and we are fully cooperating with City officials.
” As of Tuesday afternoon , RMG had not filed its full application to receive its final permit , a city spokesman said .
Brett Chase ’ s reporting on the environment and public health is made possible by a grant from The Chicago Community Trust .

A week after General Iron’s owner paid $18,000 to settle a number of violation notices issued by the city for air pollution and other nuisances, a fire broke out in the metal-shredder’s yard in Lincoln Park Tuesday afternoon.
General Iron’s operations are being moved to the Southeast Side and last week’s announcement by the city helped the business’ owner Reserve Management Group resolve those past issues as it seeks a final permit to begin operations along the Calumet River.
One of the citations settled last week related to an explosion in May.
The fire Tuesday started in some debris laying in General Iron’s yard and didn’t appear to be related to equipment, said Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford.
Three fire engines were called and the large rubbish fire was extinguished “relatively quickly,” Langford said. There were no reported injuries.
Initial air sampling showed no toxic materials released in the air, he said.
RMG said in a statement that the metal shredder “was not operating prior to or during the incident due to maintenance. ... We are investigating possible causes and we are fully cooperating with City officials.”
As of Tuesday afternoon, RMG had not filed its full application to receive its final permit, a city spokesman said.
Brett Chase’s reporting on the environment and public health is made possible by a grant from The Chicago Community Trust.