chicagosun-times--2020-12-10--8 shot, 1 fatally, Wednesday in Chicago

8 shot, 1 fatally, Wednesday in Chicago

Eight people were shot , one of them fatally , Wednesday in Chicago , including an incident where an off-duty Chicago police officer fatally shot his son during a domestic incident in Garfield Ridge on the Southwest Side , according to a source with knowledge of the shooting .
Rafael Flores , 23 , was shot about 1:50 a.m. in a home in the 5600 block of South Nottingham Avenue , according to Chicago police .
Police said he was fatally shot “ by the homeowner during a physical altercation , ” and was pronounced dead at the scene .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ domestic related.
” County property records show that the home is owned by a 19-year member of the Chicago Police Department , and a source with knowledge of the shooting said Flores was the officer ’ s son .
In non-fatal shootings , a 15-year-old girl was shot in Lawndale on the West Side .
About 10:15 p.m. , the girl was riding in the passenger seat of a vehicle in the 4400 block of West 15th Street , when someone in a white SUV fired shots , striking her in the back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Stroger Hospital in fair condition .
A man was shot in Morgan Park on the South Side .
Someone shot the man , 22 , as he sat inside a vehicle about 5:25 p.m. in the 11200 block of South Ashland Avenue , police said .
He showed up at St. Bernard Hospital with a gunshot wound to the thigh .
He was in good condition .
About an hour prior , a 36-year-old man was shot in Gresham on the South Side .
About 4:25 p.m. , he was standing near @ @ @ @ @ @ @ South Sangamon Street , when he heard shots and felt pain , police said .
He was struck in both thighs and the calf and brought himself to St. Bernard Hospital , where he was listed in good condition .
A man in his 40s was shot in Austin on the West Side .
About 1:30 p.m. , he was inside a vehicle in the 4800 block of West Superior Street , when he heard shots and felt pain , police said .
He was struck in the shoulder and brought himself to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where he was listed in good condition .
A 15-year-old boy was grazed by a bullet in Rogers Park on the North Side .
The boy was outside about 1 p.m. in the 1600 block of West Juneway Terrace , when someone in a vehicle drove up and fired shots , police said .
The boy was grazed on his hip and forearm .
He showed up later at St. Francis Hospital in Evanston , where he was listed in good condition .
A 31-year-old man was wounded in a shooting in Humboldt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was shot in his buttocks about 9:15 a.m. in the 800 block of North Homan Avenue , according to preliminary information from police .
He took himself to Norwegian American Hospital in good condition .
A 23-year-old man was shot in Little Village on the Southwest Side .
About 3:45 a.m. , he was walking in the 2800 block of West 19th Street , when he heard shots and felt a pain , police said .
He was struck in the back but walked into Saint Anthony Hospital .
He is in good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two of them fatally , Tuesday citywide .
Read more on crime , and track the city ’ s homicides .

Eight people were shot, one of them fatally, Wednesday in Chicago, including an incident where an off-duty Chicago police officer fatally shot his son during a domestic incident in Garfield Ridge on the Southwest Side, according to a source with knowledge of the shooting.
Rafael Flores, 23, was shot about 1:50 a.m. in a home in the 5600 block of South Nottingham Avenue, according to Chicago police. Police said he was fatally shot “by the homeowner during a physical altercation,” and was pronounced dead at the scene. Detectives were investigating the shooting as “domestic related.” County property records show that the home is owned by a 19-year member of the Chicago Police Department, and a source with knowledge of the shooting said Flores was the officer’s son.
In non-fatal shootings, a 15-year-old girl was shot in Lawndale on the West Side.
About 10:15 p.m., the girl was riding in the passenger seat of a vehicle in the 4400 block of West 15th Street, when someone in a white SUV fired shots, striking her in the back, police said. She was taken to Stroger Hospital in fair condition.
A man was shot in Morgan Park on the South Side.
Someone shot the man, 22, as he sat inside a vehicle about 5:25 p.m. in the 11200 block of South Ashland Avenue, police said. He showed up at St. Bernard Hospital with a gunshot wound to the thigh. He was in good condition.
About an hour prior, a 36-year-old man was shot in Gresham on the South Side.
About 4:25 p.m., he was standing near an alley in the 7700 block of South Sangamon Street, when he heard shots and felt pain, police said. He was struck in both thighs and the calf and brought himself to St. Bernard Hospital, where he was listed in good condition.
A man in his 40s was shot in Austin on the West Side.
About 1:30 p.m., he was inside a vehicle in the 4800 block of West Superior Street, when he heard shots and felt pain, police said. He was struck in the shoulder and brought himself to West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park where he was listed in good condition.
A 15-year-old boy was grazed by a bullet in Rogers Park on the North Side.
The boy was outside about 1 p.m. in the 1600 block of West Juneway Terrace, when someone in a vehicle drove up and fired shots, police said. The boy was grazed on his hip and forearm. He showed up later at St. Francis Hospital in Evanston, where he was listed in good condition.
A 31-year-old man was wounded in a shooting in Humboldt park on the West Side.
He was shot in his buttocks about 9:15 a.m. in the 800 block of North Homan Avenue, according to preliminary information from police. He took himself to Norwegian American Hospital in good condition.
A 23-year-old man was shot in Little Village on the Southwest Side.
About 3:45 a.m., he was walking in the 2800 block of West 19th Street, when he heard shots and felt a pain, police said. He was struck in the back but walked into Saint Anthony Hospital. He is in good condition.
Eight people were shot, two of them fatally, Tuesday citywide.
Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.


chicagosun-times--2020-12-10--Woman, CPD officer, injured in crash in Chatham

A woman and a Chicago police officer were injured in a vehicle crash Wednesday in Chatham on the South Side @ @ @ @ @ the woman was driving a white Hyundai Elantra east on 87th Street , when she @ @ @ @ @ side of a Chicago police squad car as they were turning in the 700 block @ @ @ @ @ Chicago police said .
The woman driver was taken to St. Bernard Hospital in good @ @ @ @ @ One officer was taken to the hospital in good condition , and a second officer @ @ @ @

A woman and a Chicago police officer were injured in a vehicle crash Wednesday in Chatham on the South Side.
About 11:35 p.m., the woman was driving a white Hyundai Elantra east on 87th Street, when she struck the driver’s side of a Chicago police squad car as they were turning in the 700 block of East 87th Street, Chicago police said.
The woman driver was taken to St. Bernard Hospital in good condition, police said. One officer was taken to the hospital in good condition, and a second officer refused medical attention.


chicagosun-times--2020-12-10--Illinois House Black Caucus backs Madigan for speaker to ‘provide strong, consistent leadership’

Members of the Illinois House Black Caucus announced Wednesday night their group support for embattled Speaker Michael Madigan to remain in his position for another term , complicating the effort to remove him .
The move had been expected since the caucus heard pitches Saturday from Madigan and his only announced opponent , state Rep. Stephanie Kifowit of Oswego , in a meeting orchestrated by the speaker ’ s allies .
“ After analysis , we believe our caucus is in a more advantageous position under the leadership of Speaker Madigan to deliver on our priorities , ” the group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Caucus has spent the last half of the year preparing an ambitious legislative agenda in response to the issues raised by the Black Lives Matter movement and civil unrest following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis .
The lawmakers suggested Madigan gives them the best chance of passing it .
“ We need a Speaker that will provide strong , consistent leadership and support for the challenges ahead , ” the statement added .
The statement made no mention of the ongoing federal investigation of the powerful Southwest Side Democrat in connection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials to curry favor with the speaker by hiring his political allies in no show jobs .
Four people , including Madigan confidant Michael McClain , were named in the most recent indictment .
Madigan has not been charged and has denied any wrongdoing .
So far , nineteen Democratic members of the Illinois House have announced they will not support Madigan ’ s re-election , which would leave him shy of the 60 votes needed to maintain his grip on the gavel he has held for nearly 40 years .
But if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guns , nobody else could get the necessary 60 votes either .
One Black Caucus member , state Rep. Maurice West of Rockford , is among the legislators who has declared his opposition to Madigan remaining as speaker .
At Saturday ’ s meeting reported exclusively by the Sun-Times , Madigan pledged his support to the Black Caucus agenda — and to raise the state ’ s income tax if Gov .
J.B. Pritzker seeks to do so .

Members of the Illinois House Black Caucus announced Wednesday night their group support for embattled Speaker Michael Madigan to remain in his position for another term, complicating the effort to remove him.
The move had been expected since the caucus heard pitches Saturday from Madigan and his only announced opponent, state Rep. Stephanie Kifowit of Oswego, in a meeting orchestrated by the speaker’s allies.
“After analysis, we believe our caucus is in a more advantageous position under the leadership of Speaker Madigan to deliver on our priorities,” the group said in a statement.
The Black Caucus has spent the last half of the year preparing an ambitious legislative agenda in response to the issues raised by the Black Lives Matter movement and civil unrest following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
The lawmakers suggested Madigan gives them the best chance of passing it.
“We need a Speaker that will provide strong, consistent leadership and support for the challenges ahead,” the statement added.
Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan after winning his 17th term as speaker at Sangamon Auditorium at the University of Illinois-Springfield in 2017. Ted Schurter/The State Journal-Register via AP file
The statement made no mention of the ongoing federal investigation of the powerful Southwest Side Democrat in connection with the alleged efforts of Commonwealth Edison officials to curry favor with the speaker by hiring his political allies in no show jobs. Four people, including Madigan confidant Michael McClain, were named in the most recent indictment. Madigan has not been charged and has denied any wrongdoing.
So far, nineteen Democratic members of the Illinois House have announced they will not support Madigan’s re-election, which would leave him shy of the 60 votes needed to maintain his grip on the gavel he has held for nearly 40 years.
But if the 22-member Black Caucus sticks to its guns, nobody else could get the necessary 60 votes either.
One Black Caucus member, state Rep. Maurice West of Rockford, is among the legislators who has declared his opposition to Madigan remaining as speaker.
At Saturday’s meeting reported exclusively by the Sun-Times, Madigan pledged his support to the Black Caucus agenda — and to raise the state’s income tax if Gov. J.B. Pritzker seeks to do so.


chicagosun-times--2020-12-09--Teen girl shot in Lawndale

Teen girl shot in Lawndale

A 15-year-old girl was shot Wednesday in Lawndale on the West Side .
About 10:15 p.m. , the girl was @ @ @ @ @ of a vehicle in the 4400 block of West 15th Street when someone in a @ @ @ @ @ striking her in the back , Chicago police said .
The girl was taken to @ @ @ @ @ , police said

A 15-year-old girl was shot Wednesday in Lawndale on the West Side.
About 10:15 p.m., the girl was riding in the passenger seat of a vehicle in the 4400 block of West 15th Street when someone in a white SUV fired shots, striking her in the back, Chicago police said.
The girl was taken to Stroger Hospital in fair condition, police said
Area Four detectives are investigating.


chicagosun-times--2020-12-09--Horoscope for Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020

Horoscope for Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020

Avoid shopping or making important decisions from 6:30 to 8:15 Chicago time .
After that , the moon moves from Libra into Scorpio .
What a difference a day makes !
Today you feel more confident and more curious about everything .
You want to learn new things , and you want to get the facts .
If you could , ( highly unlikely ) you would love to travel somewhere to get a change of scenery .
Today you feel more invigorated and ready to discuss issues related to inheritances , shared property , shared responsibilities and insurance disputes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you want and what you don ’ t want .
You also know how to draw boundaries .
( I use a pencil with an eraser . )
Your relations with partners and close friends are different .
You feel more clear-headed and more focused .
This means that others can speak to you more directly and vice a versa , you will respond to them directly .
Big change from yesterday ’ s ballgame .
Whereas yesterday , your energy was lackluster when it came to work , today you are fired @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , you are at least sitting up and taking nourishment . )
Get as much done as possible today .
Quite likely , you will delegate to others .
This is a much better day for you !
Relations with kids will be upbeat .
Your interest in sports , the arts and romantic diversions will be turned on .
In fact , you might feel competitive today !
It ’ s a good day to be physically active in sports .
Whereas yesterday , you might ’ ve had difficulty talking to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , today you ’ re ready to put your cards on the table .
You feel confident , dynamic and ready for whatever happens .
“ Show me what ya ’ got.
” Today the Moon is in your sign giving you an emotional boost , which is one of the reasons you will communicate with more energy when talking to others today .
You feel positive and mentally energetic , which is why you want to go places and get things done .
This is a good money day for you .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ income , which is why you should respect your money-making ideas .
If you are spending money , you will do so with confidence .
Please be aware of the shopping restrictions of the moon alert .
This is a much stronger day for you !
With the sun and Mercury in your sign , you are getting a boost of energy from fiery Mars in your fellow fire sign .
This is why you feel physically vigorous and keen to begin projects .
It ’ s a good day for new beginnings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You ’ re beginning to feel like your old self .
Yesterday was sort of off kilter .
( “ Who was that masked man ?
” ) That used to be a joke - I ’ m not sure it applies to this year , when you have to put on a mask to go into a bank .
Your exchanges with friends and groups will be more invigorating .
In part , this is because you will reach out to them with more enthusiasm and confidence .
Naturally , this will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ !
It ’ s time to rally the troops and set them marching !
Your relations with parents , bosses , teachers and VIPs are excellent today .
In fact , whatever happens might ultimately lead to an increase in your earnings or a boost to your wealth in some way .
Ka-ching !
Yay me !
If Your Birthday Is Today Actress , singer Nia Peeples ( 1961 ) shares your birthday .
You ’ re an excellent problem solver !
It ’ s important to find the kind of work you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entering a new cycle , it means it ’ s time to define some goals to determine what you want for yourself in the next few years .
Be confident and physically energetic about going after what you want .
Just do it .

Moon Alert
Avoid shopping or making important decisions from 6:30 to 8:15 Chicago time. After that, the moon moves from Libra into Scorpio.
Aries (March 21-April 19)
What a difference a day makes! Today you feel more confident and more curious about everything. You want to learn new things, and you want to get the facts. If you could, (highly unlikely) you would love to travel somewhere to get a change of scenery.
Taurus (April 20-May 20)
Today you feel more invigorated and ready to discuss issues related to inheritances, shared property, shared responsibilities and insurance disputes. You have a better idea what you want and what you don’t want. You also know how to draw boundaries. (I use a pencil with an eraser.)
Gemini (May 21-June 20)
Your relations with partners and close friends are different. You feel more clear-headed and more focused. This means that others can speak to you more directly and vice a versa, you will respond to them directly. Big change from yesterday’s ballgame.
Cancer (June 21-July 22)
Whereas yesterday, your energy was lackluster when it came to work, today you are fired with energy and ambition! (Well, you are at least sitting up and taking nourishment.) Get as much done as possible today. Quite likely, you will delegate to others.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)
This is a much better day for you! Relations with kids will be upbeat. Your interest in sports, the arts and romantic diversions will be turned on. In fact, you might feel competitive today! It’s a good day to be physically active in sports.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
Whereas yesterday, you might’ve had difficulty talking to a parent or an older family member, today you’re ready to put your cards on the table. You feel confident, dynamic and ready for whatever happens. “Show me what ya’ got.”
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
Today the Moon is in your sign giving you an emotional boost, which is one of the reasons you will communicate with more energy when talking to others today. You feel positive and mentally energetic, which is why you want to go places and get things done.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
This is a good money day for you. You might see ways to boost your income, which is why you should respect your money-making ideas. If you are spending money, you will do so with confidence. Please be aware of the shopping restrictions of the moon alert.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
This is a much stronger day for you! With the sun and Mercury in your sign, you are getting a boost of energy from fiery Mars in your fellow fire sign. This is why you feel physically vigorous and keen to begin projects. It’s a good day for new beginnings.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
Your confidence has returned today. You’re beginning to feel like your old self. Yesterday was sort of off kilter. (“Who was that masked man?”) That used to be a joke - I’m not sure it applies to this year, when you have to put on a mask to go into a bank.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
Your exchanges with friends and groups will be more invigorating. In part, this is because you will reach out to them with more enthusiasm and confidence. Naturally, this will encourage them to give you lively response! It’s time to rally the troops and set them marching!
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)
Your relations with parents, bosses, teachers and VIPs are excellent today. In fact, whatever happens might ultimately lead to an increase in your earnings or a boost to your wealth in some way. Ka-ching! Yay me!
If Your Birthday Is Today
Actress, singer Nia Peeples (1961) shares your birthday. You’re an excellent problem solver! It’s important to find the kind of work you love to do. Because you are entering a new cycle, it means it’s time to define some goals to determine what you want for yourself in the next few years. Be confident and physically energetic about going after what you want. Just do it.


chicagosun-times--2020-12-10--CTU releases list of demands for reopening CPS

As the fight continues over the safe reopening of Chicago Public Schools in the midst of a raging public health crisis , the Chicago Teachers Union has released for the first time a list of demands it wants met before members return to schools , including lower COVID-19 test positivity rates , testing and vaccination protocols and changes to both hybrid and remote learning .
Some of the demands are likely to face strong and immediate rejection by city officials who have been adamant that it ’ s up to them to decide how and when the nation ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ classrooms for the first time since March .
The district and the union have maintained an increasingly abrasive and hostile relationship , perhaps the least collaborative of any major public school system in the nation , as the standoff over reopening schools continues .
The CTU ’ s public release of demands after months of inaction at the bargaining table — which includes about a dozen unproductive meetings in the past month — hearkens back to the weeks leading up to last fall ’ s 11-day strike that was the union ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ union threatened a strike vote in August when Mayor Lori Lightfoot was planning to send teachers and students back to schools to start the fall , the table appears set once again for the threat of a work stoppage , an option the CTU is considering .
There does not appear to be enough time for agreements to be reached on all of these demands before preschool and special education cluster program staffers are scheduled to return Jan. 4 .
“ The CTU is putting forward a safe reopening plan that undercuts CPS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the people who are hurting education , ” reads a preliminary document that the CTU plans to publicize this week .
“ We will go back to in-person school when CPS can demonstrate that they have taken our concerns seriously.
” CPS spokesman James Gherardi said in a statement that district representatives will continue meeting with the union , “ but proposals that contradict public health guidance and reduce instructional time will not be accepted.
” He said that after 43 meetings since June , this is the first written proposal related to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The union ’ s demands , approved by the 800-member House of Delegates Wednesday evening , all fall under one of three categories : Safety , equity and trust .
Among the equity demands that could be the least agreeable for CPS are the CTU ’ s rejection of simultaneous teaching — in which teachers instruct students in classrooms and remotely at the same time — and a proposed reduction of remote learning screen time by one hour each day .
CPS ’ current plan only works with simultaneous teaching and would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chief Janice Jackson said this week that a reduction in online instruction would be a non-starter , despite complaints by families all fall .
The CTU is also demanding clear public health criteria for opening and closing schools and is proposing a 3 % test positivity threshold .
Schools would reopen citywide for all students and staff if the rate is lower , and would close if it ’ s higher , the union said , with community-by-community decisions also possible if rates vary .
The city ’ s seven-day rolling average stood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials have previously said they would look to a case doubling metric , closing schools if total cases citywide were doubling in less than 18 days .
Gherardi , the CPS spokesman , called the union ’ s proposed metrics “ arbitrary standards that are not based on actual public health recommendations , ” and said “ no public health leaders have endorsed the positivity rate threshold [ of 3 % ] requested by the CTU.
” New York City , home of the country ’ s largest school district , used a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last month — though officials have since reopened while the city sits above that benchmark .
Case totals and test positivity have been the most widely used metrics across the country .
Other safety proposals by the CTU include enforceable protocols on masks , cleaning , health screening , PPE , social distancing and ventilation .
CPS has said it would implement policies on all of those issues , but the union has said there need to be tighter rules for when policies aren ’ t followed .
On testing , the union @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staff on a weekly basis , rotating each week and focusing on communities that have the highest positivity rates .
CPS has said it ’ s developing a plan for regular rapid testing of asymptomatic workers but has released few details .
The CTU is also demanding comprehensive contact tracing and , once a vaccine is available , access to a vaccine starting with the neighborhoods that have been hardest hit by the virus .
In its “ trust ” category , the union is calling for a CPS-CTU joint committee on COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conduct inspections , investigations and issue directives , and is asking for parents , community members , principals and building engineers to be brought to the bargaining table .
The CTU is also looking for safety committees to be established at each school .
“ The pandemic has closed schools .
By not meeting these needs , CPS is keeping them shut , ” the CTU document reads .
CTU leaders in recent days have tried to preempt any blame the union might receive for a delay in reopening by redirecting the onus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sharkey said in a livestreamed update to members Tuesday that he didn ’ t want Lightfoot pushing a narrative that schools are closed because of the union .
He instead wanted to make clear that the pandemic forced school closures and poor public health conditions have kept them from reopening .
The CTU earlier this week filed a challenge with the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board seeking an injunction against CPS ’ planned reopening in January .
If the board sides with the union , the plans to return to classrooms would almost @ @ @ @

As the fight continues over the safe reopening of Chicago Public Schools in the midst of a raging public health crisis, the Chicago Teachers Union has released for the first time a list of demands it wants met before members return to schools, including lower COVID-19 test positivity rates, testing and vaccination protocols and changes to both hybrid and remote learning.
Some of the demands are likely to face strong and immediate rejection by city officials who have been adamant that it’s up to them to decide how and when the nation’s third-largest school district will return to classrooms for the first time since March.
The district and the union have maintained an increasingly abrasive and hostile relationship, perhaps the least collaborative of any major public school system in the nation, as the standoff over reopening schools continues. The CTU’s public release of demands after months of inaction at the bargaining table — which includes about a dozen unproductive meetings in the past month — harkens back to the weeks leading up to last fall’s 11-day strike that was the union’s longest in three decades.
After the union threatened a strike vote in August when Mayor Lori Lightfoot was planning to send teachers and students back to schools to start the fall, the table appears set once again for the threat of a work stoppage, an option the CTU is considering. There does not appear to be enough time for agreements to be reached on all of these demands before preschool and special education cluster program staffers are scheduled to return Jan. 4.
“The CTU is putting forward a safe reopening plan that undercuts CPS’ ability to lie about us being the people who are hurting education,” reads a preliminary document that the CTU plans to publicize this week. “We will go back to in-person school when CPS can demonstrate that they have taken our concerns seriously.”
CPS spokesman James Gherardi said in a statement that district representatives will continue meeting with the union, “but proposals that contradict public health guidance and reduce instructional time will not be accepted.” He said that after 43 meetings since June, this is the first written proposal related to in-person instruction that the CTU has submitted.
The union’s House of Delegates (pictured meeting during last’s year’s strike) met Wednesday to discuss demands for returning to schools next month. Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times
The union’s demands, approved by the 800-member House of Delegates Wednesday evening, all fall under one of three categories: Safety, equity and trust.
Among the equity demands that could be the least agreeable for CPS are the CTU’s rejection of simultaneous teaching — in which teachers instruct students in classrooms and remotely at the same time — and a proposed reduction of remote learning screen time by one hour each day. CPS’ current plan only works with simultaneous teaching and would otherwise need a redesign. And schools chief Janice Jackson said this week that a reduction in online instruction would be a non-starter, despite complaints by families all fall.
The CTU is also demanding clear public health criteria for opening and closing schools and is proposing a 3% test positivity threshold. Schools would reopen citywide for all students and staff if the rate is lower, and would close if it’s higher, the union said, with community-by-community decisions also possible if rates vary. The city’s seven-day rolling average stood at 13.1% Thursday.
City health officials have previously said they would look to a case doubling metric, closing schools if total cases citywide were doubling in less than 18 days. Gherardi, the CPS spokesman, called the union’s proposed metrics “arbitrary standards that are not based on actual public health recommendations,” and said “no public health leaders have endorsed the positivity rate threshold [of 3%] requested by the CTU.”
New York City, home of the country’s largest school district, used a 3% threshold when it closed schools last month — though officials have since reopened while the city sits above that benchmark. Case totals and test positivity have been the most widely used metrics across the country.
Other safety proposals by the CTU include enforceable protocols on masks, cleaning, health screening, PPE, social distancing and ventilation. CPS has said it would implement policies on all of those issues, but the union has said there need to be tighter rules for when policies aren’t followed.
On testing, the union wants to target a quarter of district staff on a weekly basis, rotating each week and focusing on communities that have the highest positivity rates. CPS has said it’s developing a plan for regular rapid testing of asymptomatic workers but has released few details. The CTU is also demanding comprehensive contact tracing and, once a vaccine is available, access to a vaccine starting with the neighborhoods that have been hardest hit by the virus.
In its “trust” category, the union is calling for a CPS-CTU joint committee on COVID-19 that would include independent experts who could conduct inspections, investigations and issue directives, and is asking for parents, community members, principals and building engineers to be brought to the bargaining table. The CTU is also looking for safety committees to be established at each school.
“The pandemic has closed schools. By not meeting these needs, CPS is keeping them shut,” the CTU document reads.
CTU leaders in recent days have tried to preempt any blame the union might receive for a delay in reopening by redirecting the onus to City Hall. CTU President Jesse Sharkey said in a livestreamed update to members Tuesday that he didn’t want Lightfoot pushing a narrative that schools are closed because of the union. He instead wanted to make clear that the pandemic forced school closures and poor public health conditions have kept them from reopening.
The CTU earlier this week filed a challenge with the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board seeking an injunction against CPS’ planned reopening in January. If the board sides with the union, the plans to return to classrooms would almost certainly be delayed.


chicagosun-times--2020-12-10--16 years after conviction in West Side killing, man asks to be freed, as co-defendant was

A man in prison for a fatal robbery on the West Side is asking a Cook County judge to toss out his conviction , saying in a petition Thursday he should be freed as his co-defendant Xavier Walker was .
Jovanie Long , 41 , says Chicago police detectives roughed him up to extract a false confession to the 2000 shooting and that his trial lawyer made errors in representing him , including failing to enter photos of his injuries into evidence and not calling witnesses to support his alibi .
“ The conviction of Mr. Long and Mr. Walker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officers and whether the court believed the signed false confessions of both men , ” said Long ’ s attorney , Jarrett Adams , who is seeking a new trial for Long .
To bolster Long ’ s request , former assistant public defender John Conniff , who was his trial lawyer , signed an affidavit Tuesday saying he never investigated Long ’ s claims that detectives abused him .
Conniff , who has retired as an attorney , also said he never used those claims to try to block Long ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Long and Walker were convicted in a 2004 bench trial .
They were found guilty of killing 29-year-old Marek Madjak during a robbery at 1:10 a.m. on May 13 , 2000 , in the 4700 block of West Ohio Street .
Madjak was found face-down six feet from his van with his pockets emptied in an area known for prostitution , police said .
They said Long was the shooter and Walker the lookout .
Long was sentenced to 45 years in prison , and Walker got 35 years .
Walker , 40 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arguing that he was framed and coerced to make a false confession .
Cook County prosecutors agreed to vacate his conviction in July 2019 but left open the possibility of retrying him .
Then , they surprised Walker ’ s attorneys in December 2019 when they dropped the case , and he walked out of prison .
Long says he was at home with his family in Bellwood at the time of the killing and that he met Walker and other friends at a club on the West Side about an hour after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ witness told them Walker confided in him that Long was responsible for the killing .
The witness , Maurice Wright , later recanted his statement during Long ’ s and Walker ’ s trials , which were held simultaneously before Judge Marcus Salone .
In June , Wright signed an affidavit saying he doesn ’ t know who killed Madjak .
In his new court filing , Long said he has a list of 11 people who could testify that the detectives who questioned him also abused those people during unrelated interrogations .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal court against the city , Cook County , the detectives who handled his case and others .
“ Arrested at the age of 19 , Xavier was forced to live in a cage and serve out a punishment for crimes he did not commit for the next 19 years of his life , ” according to his lawsuit , which was filed Sunday .

A man in prison for a fatal robbery on the West Side is asking a Cook County judge to toss out his conviction, saying in a petition Thursday he should be freed as his co-defendant Xavier Walker was.
Jovanie Long, 41, says Chicago police detectives roughed him up to extract a false confession to the 2000 shooting and that his trial lawyer made errors in representing him, including failing to enter photos of his injuries into evidence and not calling witnesses to support his alibi.
“The conviction of Mr. Long and Mr. Walker rested entirely on the credibility of the officers and whether the court believed the signed false confessions of both men,” said Long’s attorney, Jarrett Adams, who is seeking a new trial for Long.
To bolster Long’s request, former assistant public defender John Conniff, who was his trial lawyer, signed an affidavit Tuesday saying he never investigated Long’s claims that detectives abused him.
Conniff, who has retired as an attorney, also said he never used those claims to try to block Long’s confession from being used at trial.
Long and Walker were convicted in a 2004 bench trial. They were found guilty of killing 29-year-old Marek Madjak during a robbery at 1:10 a.m. on May 13, 2000, in the 4700 block of West Ohio Street. Madjak was found face-down six feet from his van with his pockets emptied in an area known for prostitution, police said.
They said Long was the shooter and Walker the lookout.
Long was sentenced to 45 years in prison, and Walker got 35 years.
Xavier Walker. ABC7 Chicago
Walker, 40, was freed a year ago after arguing that he was framed and coerced to make a false confession.
Cook County prosecutors agreed to vacate his conviction in July 2019 but left open the possibility of retrying him. Then, they surprised Walker’s attorneys in December 2019 when they dropped the case, and he walked out of prison.
Long says he was at home with his family in Bellwood at the time of the killing and that he met Walker and other friends at a club on the West Side about an hour after the shooting.
The police said a witness told them Walker confided in him that Long was responsible for the killing. The witness, Maurice Wright, later recanted his statement during Long’s and Walker’s trials, which were held simultaneously before Judge Marcus Salone.
In June, Wright signed an affidavit saying he doesn’t know who killed Madjak.
In his new court filing, Long said he has a list of 11 people who could testify that the detectives who questioned him also abused those people during unrelated interrogations.
Walker has filed a wrongful-conviction lawsuit in federal court against the city, Cook County, the detectives who handled his case and others.
“Arrested at the age of 19, Xavier was forced to live in a cage and serve out a punishment for crimes he did not commit for the next 19 years of his life,” according to his lawsuit, which was filed Sunday.


chicagosun-times--2020-12-10--COVID-19 has killed 196 more Illinoisians, the third-most deaths ever reported in a single day (LIVE

COVID-19 has killed 196 more Illinoisians, the third-most deaths ever reported in a single day (LIVE UPDATES)

COVID-19 has killed 196 more Illinois residents , public health officials announced Thursday , the third-most deaths ever reported in a single day as the coronavirus continues ravaging vulnerable populations across the state even with the finish line of the pandemic slowly coming into view .
The virus has claimed nearly 1,600 Illinois lives over the first 10 days of December , by far the state ’ s worst stretch in the last nine months .
With an average of almost 160 deaths per day , Illinois ’ COVID-19 death rate has more than tripled compared to the first 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ victims were 101 Chicago-area residents , including a Cook County man in his 30s and two women in their 40s .
The Illinois Department of Public Health also reported 11,101 new cases of the virus statewide , the most reported in a day since the start of the month .
But because they were diagnosed among 114,503 tests , the state ’ s average positivity rate fell for a third consecutive day ; it ’ s down to 9.5 % , the lowest since Nov. 5 .
Hospital numbers also took a step @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a jump in coronavirus patients Tuesday night .
By Wednesday night , the number of beds occupied by people suffering from COVID-19 had fallen by 146 , to 5,138 .
That ’ s the fewest since Nov. 10 , but still well beyond the burden hospitals faced in the first wave in April .
The number of patients requiring intensive care also fell to 1,081 , and those requiring ventilators fell to 606 .
Hospitals are still being stretched thin across the southern and western regions of the state , where more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
WASHINGTON — A U.S. government advisory panel has endorsed Pfizer ’ s coronavirus vaccine , in a major step toward an epic vaccination campaign that could finally conquer the outbreak .
The Food and Drug Administration is expected to follow the recommendation issued Thursday by its expert advisers .
The advisory group , in 17-4 vote with one abstention , concluded that the shot appears safe and effective against the coronavirus in people 16 and older .
A final FDA decision is expected within days .
Millions of shots would then ship @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nursing home residents .
Widespread access to the general public is not expected until the spring .
The meeting of outside advisers to the Food and Drug Administration represented the next-to-last hurdle before the expected start of the biggest vaccination campaign in U.S. history .
Depending on how fast the FDA signs off on the panel ’ s recommendation , shots could begin within days .
As the fight continues over the safe reopening of Chicago Public Schools in the midst of a raging public health crisis , the Chicago Teachers Union has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of demands it wants met before members return to schools , including lower COVID-19 test positivity rates , testing and vaccination protocols and changes to both hybrid and remote learning .
Some of the demands are likely to face strong and immediate rejection by city officials who have been adamant that it ’ s up to them to decide how and when the nation ’ s third largest school district will return to classrooms for the first time since March .
The district and the union have maintained an increasingly abrasive and hostile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any major public school system in the nation , as the standoff over reopening schools continues .
The CTU ’ s public release of demands after months of inaction at the bargaining table — which includes about a dozen unproductive meetings in the past month — hearkens back to the weeks leading up to last fall ’ s 11-day strike that was the union ’ s longest in three decades .
After the union threatened a strike vote in August when Mayor Lori Lightfoot was planning to send teachers and students back to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ table appears set once again for the threat of a work stoppage , an option the CTU is considering .
There does not appear to be enough time for agreements to be reached on all of these demands before preschool and special education cluster program staffers are scheduled to return Jan. 4 .
“ The CTU is putting forward a safe reopening plan that undercuts CPS ’ ability to lie about us being the people who are hurting education , ” reads a preliminary document that the CTU plans to publicize this week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in-person school when CPS can demonstrate that they have taken our concerns seriously.
” 1:02 p.m.
Here ’ s what we know about the COVID-19 vaccines heading to Chicago and Illinois As the coronavirus pandemic continues to devastate the health and economic stability of countries around the globe , COVID-19 vaccines are being developed at record speeds by researchers and pharmaceutical companies rushing to meet the urgent and widespread need .
This week , officials announced that Chicago and Illinois will receive their first doses of the vaccine , developed by drugmakers Pfizer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Both vaccines require two doses to be maximally effective ; Pfizer ’ s two shots must be administered three weeks apart , and Moderna ’ s requires four weeks between doses .
Here ’ s what we know now about who will receive the vaccine , how it will be distributed , and what lies ahead .
• Illinois Gov .
J.B. Pritzker said Tuesday that he anticipates the state will receive about 109,000 doses of the vaccine in the first shipment from the federal government within the next few weeks .
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the coronavirus vaccine in that first shipment by the third and fourth week in December , Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said Tuesday .
Once the distribution pipeline is in place , roughly 25,000 doses of Pfizer vaccines expected to arrive every week , with Moderna vaccines to follow .
From there , Arwady said the city expects to “ scale up rapidly.
” • First in line will be Chicago ’ s 37 hospitals so they can at least begin the job of vaccinating their “ highest-risk ” health care workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health care workers who are “ seeing COVID patients ” and those “ performing procedures that put them at highest risk , ” according to Dr. Carla Robinson , a medical director at the Chicago Department of Public Health .
• The first round of vaccines will also go to employees of Chicago ’ s long-term care facilities .
That includes both skilled nursing facilities and assisted living facilities .
12:08 p.m. COVID doesn ’ t care if you follow all the rules This is a story about a good man who worked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his taxes , played by the rules and was starting to enjoy retirement , only to die a week after testing positive for COVID-19 .
No longer able to live by himself , Terry finally agreed a few months ago to move to a retiree apartment complex 15 minutes away from me and my family in Chicago .
It had a good track record of keeping its residents safe from COVID-19 , provided him three squares a day and a spacious one-bedroom apartment where he could snack on Snickers and watch TV to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week , he learned several staffers at the apartment complex had tested positive for COVID-19 .
Within days , his own test came back positive .
He had no symptoms , but as a precaution , he was taken to the hospital , where he was infused with bamlanivimab , the experimental antibody drug .
The ER doctor called his prognosis good , and he was released .
Two days later , he was dead , his body discovered during the morning delivery of breakfast to his room .
Read the full column @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mayor ‘ deeply disappointed ’ in Tunney for violating indoor dining ban Mayor Lori Lightfoot said she is “ deeply disappointed ” in her hand-picked Zoning Committee Chairman Tom Tunney for allowing regular customers to dine inside his Lake View restaurant in defiance of state and city orders .
Tunney faces up to $ 10,500 in fines after being caught thumbing his nose at rules he knew just about better than anybody but chose to ignore — to make an extra buck and accommodate his most loyal customers .
He acknowledged he “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would never happen again .
But that was only after a blog devoted to police issues exposed the double-standard , including photographs of indoor dining at Ann Sather on Dec. 3 .
Lightfoot made clear that , if she has anything to say about it , the hefty fine will not be reduced by an administrative hearings officer .
“ I ’ m deeply disappointed .
I ’ ve known Tom Tunney for 25-plus years .
I consider him a friend .
He understands what he did was absolutely wrong .
… He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rules .
He didn ’ t just break them as a business person .
He broke them as an alderman , ” she said .
“ I ’ ve heard from a number of restaurateurs about this issue .
The one thing they ’ ve consistently said to me throughout this very difficult year for them is , ‘ Just be fair , mayor.
’ Make sure that , whatever the rules are , that they ’ re enforced uniformly .
That there ’ s no exceptions .
And that , when people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ held accountable.
” In late October , Gov .
J.B. Pritzker ordered Illinois restaurants to close dining rooms again to stop a second surge of coronavirus cases .
9:33 a.m. Bears shut down Halas Hall after another positive coronavirus test After another player tested positive for the coronavirus , the Bears shut down Halas Hall on Thursday .
Meetings will be conducted virtually , but the team will not practice .
The unnamed player is already in isolation .
He ’ s the fourth player to test positive this week .
The Bears @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the NFL ’ s reserve/COVID-19 list : inside linebacker Manti Te ’ o , defensive lineman LaCale London and receiver Thomas Ives .
The Bears are still scheduled to play the Texans on Sunday .
The NFL is delaying games only if there ’ s no evidence that an outbreak has been curbed on a team .
8:55 a.m.
Seniors ’ COVID-19 vaccine consumer guide : What to expect once the shots are available With vaccines to protect against COVID-19 coming soon , what should older adults expect ?
The first candidates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrive before Christmas , according to Alex Azar , who heads the federal Department of Health and Human Services .
Both vaccines are notably effective in preventing illness due to the coronavirus , according to information released by the companies , though much of the data from clinical trials is still to come .
Both have been tested in adults 65 and older , who mounted a strong immune response .
Seniors in nursing homes and assisted living centers will be among the first Americans vaccinated , under recommendations by a federal advisory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will need to wait a while longer .
8:18 a.m. Illinois ’ infection rate drops again , but hospitalizations jump Days ahead of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine ’ s expected arrival in Illinois , the state endured its fifth-highest daily death count of the pandemic Wednesday with public health officials announcing COVID-19 has claimed 179 more lives .
And while the average statewide infection rate has fallen to its lowest point in almost five weeks , Illinois hospitals saw their biggest one-day jump in coronavirus patients since reaching an all-time high before Thanksgiving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Illinois Department of Public Health included 61 Cook County residents and 27 more from elsewhere across the Chicago area .
The daily toll of 179 trails only the spring peak of 191 and the three worst days of the pandemic , all of which have been tallied over the last week — capped by the grisly record of 238 COVID-19 deaths reported Dec. 2 .
The respiratory disease has claimed 13,666 Illinois lives since early March — about 52 lives lost each day .
At least 812,430 people have contracted the virus over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health officials reported 8,256 new cases of the coronavirus Wednesday , and an additional 179 deaths .
• Maria Lopez , the wife of Guadalupe Lopez , a beloved 911 dispatcher who died from complications of COVID-19 last month , died of complications from COVID-19 on Friday .
8:40 a.m. ‘ Sweet gentle soul ’ holes up in his room with flu-like symptoms — dies on the way to the hospital Xavier P. Gaines made his living as an armed security guard but loved working on computers and playing video games , dreaming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to design his own games .
Gaines lived at home with his mom , kept to himself and stayed out of trouble .
In fact , he ’ d never been in any trouble .
Gaines was only 26 when he landed on this week ’ s Cook County medical examiner ’ s list of COVID-19 victims .
He died Dec. 2 , his heart giving out as he struggled to breathe just moments after walking down the steps of his West Pullman home — before he could get to the hospital .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ house , in the ambulance , ” his mother , Nicky Reynolds , told me between tears .
Gaines was a big man .
Maybe 6 foot tall , 365 to 375 pounds , his family said .
The Medical Examiner ’ s office listed “ morbid obesity ” as a contributing factor in his death .
Some families would prefer I gloss over that part , knowing that people can be judgmental .
But the deadly coronavirus is particularly dangerous to those who are overweight , and I ’ ve come across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know it ’ s a factor that should be emphasized , not hidden .
Read the full column from Mark Brown here .

Another positive coronavirus test shuttered Halas Hall, sending all Chicago Bears to conduct their meetings virtually.
Here’s what else happened in coronavirus-related news.
News
8:55 p.m. Latest COVID-19 tally: 196 more Illinois deaths
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times file
COVID-19 has killed 196 more Illinois residents, public health officials announced Thursday, the third-most deaths ever reported in a single day as the coronavirus continues ravaging vulnerable populations across the state even with the finish line of the pandemic slowly coming into view.
The virus has claimed nearly 1,600 Illinois lives over the first 10 days of December, by far the state’s worst stretch in the last nine months. With an average of almost 160 deaths per day, Illinois’ COVID-19 death rate has more than tripled compared to the first 10 days of November.
Among the latest victims were 101 Chicago-area residents, including a Cook County man in his 30s and two women in their 40s.
The Illinois Department of Public Health also reported 11,101 new cases of the virus statewide, the most reported in a day since the start of the month. But because they were diagnosed among 114,503 tests, the state’s average positivity rate fell for a third consecutive day; it’s down to 9.5%, the lowest since Nov. 5.
Hospital numbers also took a step in the right direction, recovering from a jump in coronavirus patients Tuesday night. By Wednesday night, the number of beds occupied by people suffering from COVID-19 had fallen by 146, to 5,138. That’s the fewest since Nov. 10, but still well beyond the burden hospitals faced in the first wave in April.
The number of patients requiring intensive care also fell to 1,081, and those requiring ventilators fell to 606. Hospitals are still being stretched thin across the southern and western regions of the state, where more than 80% of ICU beds are occupied.
Read Mitchell Armentrout’s full story here.
6:13 p.m. Panel of FDA advisors back Pfizer coronavirus vaccine
WASHINGTON — A U.S. government advisory panel has endorsed Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine, in a major step toward an epic vaccination campaign that could finally conquer the outbreak.
The Food and Drug Administration is expected to follow the recommendation issued Thursday by its expert advisers. The advisory group, in 17-4 vote with one abstention, concluded that the shot appears safe and effective against the coronavirus in people 16 and older.
A final FDA decision is expected within days. Millions of shots would then ship to begin vaccinating health care workers and nursing home residents. Widespread access to the general public is not expected until the spring.
The meeting of outside advisers to the Food and Drug Administration represented the next-to-last hurdle before the expected start of the biggest vaccination campaign in U.S. history. Depending on how fast the FDA signs off on the panel’s recommendation, shots could begin within days.
Read the full report here.
4:32 p.m. CTU releases list of demands for reopening CPS
As the fight continues over the safe reopening of Chicago Public Schools in the midst of a raging public health crisis, the Chicago Teachers Union has released for the first time a list of demands it wants met before members return to schools, including lower COVID-19 test positivity rates, testing and vaccination protocols and changes to both hybrid and remote learning.
Some of the demands are likely to face strong and immediate rejection by city officials who have been adamant that it’s up to them to decide how and when the nation’s third-largest school district will return to classrooms for the first time since March.
The district and the union have maintained an increasingly abrasive and hostile relationship, perhaps the least collaborative of any major public school system in the nation, as the standoff over reopening schools continues. The CTU’s public release of demands after months of inaction at the bargaining table — which includes about a dozen unproductive meetings in the past month — hearkens back to the weeks leading up to last fall’s 11-day strike that was the union’s longest in three decades.
After the union threatened a strike vote in August when Mayor Lori Lightfoot was planning to send teachers and students back to schools to start the fall, the table appears set once again for the threat of a work stoppage, an option the CTU is considering. There does not appear to be enough time for agreements to be reached on all of these demands before preschool and special education cluster program staffers are scheduled to return Jan. 4.
“The CTU is putting forward a safe reopening plan that undercuts CPS’ ability to lie about us being the people who are hurting education,” reads a preliminary document that the CTU plans to publicize this week. “We will go back to in-person school when CPS can demonstrate that they have taken our concerns seriously.”
Read the full story here.
1:02 p.m. Here’s what we know about the COVID-19 vaccines heading to Chicago and Illinois
As the coronavirus pandemic continues to devastate the health and economic stability of countries around the globe, COVID-19 vaccines are being developed at record speeds by researchers and pharmaceutical companies rushing to meet the urgent and widespread need.
This week, officials announced that Chicago and Illinois will receive their first doses of the vaccine, developed by drugmakers Pfizer and Moderna, later this month. Both vaccines require two doses to be maximally effective; Pfizer’s two shots must be administered three weeks apart, and Moderna’s requires four weeks between doses.
Here’s what we know now about who will receive the vaccine, how it will be distributed, and what lies ahead.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Tuesday that he anticipates the state will receive about 109,000 doses of the vaccine in the first shipment from the federal government within the next few weeks.
Chicago expects to receive the 20,000-to-25,000 doses of the coronavirus vaccine in that first shipment by the third and fourth week in December, Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said Tuesday. Once the distribution pipeline is in place, roughly 25,000 doses of Pfizer vaccines expected to arrive every week, with Moderna vaccines to follow. From there, Arwady said the city expects to “scale up rapidly.”
First in line will be Chicago’s 37 hospitals so they can at least begin the job of vaccinating their “highest-risk” health care workers. Priority will be given to those health care workers who are “seeing COVID patients” and those “performing procedures that put them at highest risk,” according to Dr. Carla Robinson, a medical director at the Chicago Department of Public Health.
The first round of vaccines will also go to employees of Chicago’s long-term care facilities. That includes both skilled nursing facilities and assisted living facilities.
Read more here.
12:08 p.m. COVID doesn’t care if you follow all the rules
This is a story about a good man who worked brutally hard his adult life, paid his taxes, played by the rules and was starting to enjoy retirement, only to die a week after testing positive for COVID-19.
It’s a story about my stepdad, Terry Warmbir.
No longer able to live by himself, Terry finally agreed a few months ago to move to a retiree apartment complex 15 minutes away from me and my family in Chicago.
It had a good track record of keeping its residents safe from COVID-19, provided him three squares a day and a spacious one-bedroom apartment where he could snack on Snickers and watch TV to his heart’s content.
Last week, he learned several staffers at the apartment complex had tested positive for COVID-19. Within days, his own test came back positive. He had no symptoms, but as a precaution, he was taken to the hospital, where he was infused with bamlanivimab, the experimental antibody drug. The ER doctor called his prognosis good, and he was released.
Two days later, he was dead, his body discovered during the morning delivery of breakfast to his room.
Read the full column from Steve Warmbir here.
10:40 a.m. Mayor ‘deeply disappointed’ in Tunney for violating indoor dining ban
Mayor Lori Lightfoot said she is “deeply disappointed” in her hand-picked Zoning Committee Chairman Tom Tunney for allowing regular customers to dine inside his Lake View restaurant in defiance of state and city orders.
Tunney faces up to $10,500 in fines after being caught thumbing his nose at rules he knew just about better than anybody but chose to ignore — to make an extra buck and accommodate his most loyal customers.
He acknowledged he “made a mistake” and promised it would never happen again. But that was only after a blog devoted to police issues exposed the double-standard, including photographs of indoor dining at Ann Sather on Dec. 3.
Lightfoot made clear that, if she has anything to say about it, the hefty fine will not be reduced by an administrative hearings officer.
“I’m deeply disappointed. I’ve known Tom Tunney for 25-plus years. I consider him a friend. He understands what he did was absolutely wrong. … He made an intentional decision to break the rules. He didn’t just break them as a business person. He broke them as an alderman,” she said.
“I’ve heard from a number of restaurateurs about this issue. The one thing they’ve consistently said to me throughout this very difficult year for them is, ‘Just be fair, mayor.’ Make sure that, whatever the rules are, that they’re enforced uniformly. That there’s no exceptions. And that, when people break those rules, that they are held accountable.”
In late October, Gov. J.B. Pritzker ordered Illinois restaurants to close dining rooms again to stop a second surge of coronavirus cases.
Read Fran Spielman’s full story here.
9:33 a.m. Bears shut down Halas Hall after another positive coronavirus test
After another player tested positive for the coronavirus, the Bears shut down Halas Hall on Thursday. Meetings will be conducted virtually, but the team will not practice.
The unnamed player is already in isolation. He’s the fourth player to test positive this week. The Bears already already put three practice squad players on the NFL’s reserve/COVID-19 list: inside linebacker Manti Te’o, defensive lineman LaCale London and receiver Thomas Ives.
The Bears are still scheduled to play the Texans on Sunday. The NFL is delaying games only if there’s no evidence that an outbreak has been curbed on a team.
Read the full report here.
8:55 a.m. Seniors’ COVID-19 vaccine consumer guide: What to expect once the shots are available
With vaccines to protect against COVID-19 coming soon, what should older adults expect?
The first candidates, from Pfizer and Moderna, could arrive before Christmas, according to Alex Azar, who heads the federal Department of Health and Human Services.
Both vaccines are notably effective in preventing illness due to the coronavirus, according to information released by the companies, though much of the data from clinical trials is still to come. Both have been tested in adults 65 and older, who mounted a strong immune response.
Seniors in nursing homes and assisted living centers will be among the first Americans vaccinated, under recommendations by a federal advisory panel. Older adults living at home will need to wait a while longer.
Read the full FAQ here.
8:18 a.m. Illinois’ infection rate drops again, but hospitalizations jump
Days ahead of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine’s expected arrival in Illinois, the state endured its fifth-highest daily death count of the pandemic Wednesday with public health officials announcing COVID-19 has claimed 179 more lives.
And while the average statewide infection rate has fallen to its lowest point in almost five weeks, Illinois hospitals saw their biggest one-day jump in coronavirus patients since reaching an all-time high before Thanksgiving.
The latest fatalities reported by the Illinois Department of Public Health included 61 Cook County residents and 27 more from elsewhere across the Chicago area.
The daily toll of 179 trails only the spring peak of 191 and the three worst days of the pandemic, all of which have been tallied over the last week — capped by the grisly record of 238 COVID-19 deaths reported Dec. 2.
The respiratory disease has claimed 13,666 Illinois lives since early March — about 52 lives lost each day. At least 812,430 people have contracted the virus over the past nine months.
New Cases
Analysis & Commentary
8:40 a.m. ‘Sweet gentle soul’ holes up in his room with flu-like symptoms — dies on the way to the hospital
Xavier P. Gaines made his living as an armed security guard but loved working on computers and playing video games, dreaming he might one day have a chance to design his own games.
Gaines lived at home with his mom, kept to himself and stayed out of trouble. In fact, he’d never been in any trouble.
Gaines was only 26 when he landed on this week’s Cook County medical examiner’s list of COVID-19 victims.
He died Dec. 2, his heart giving out as he struggled to breathe just moments after walking down the steps of his West Pullman home — before he could get to the hospital.
“He died in front of my house, in the ambulance,” his mother, Nicky Reynolds, told me between tears.
Gaines was a big man. Maybe 6 foot tall, 365 to 375 pounds, his family said.
The Medical Examiner’s office listed “morbid obesity” as a contributing factor in his death.
Some families would prefer I gloss over that part, knowing that people can be judgmental. But the deadly coronavirus is particularly dangerous to those who are overweight, and I’ve come across it often enough at this point to know it’s a factor that should be emphasized, not hidden.
Read the full column from Mark Brown here.


chicagosun-times--2020-12-10--Coming to the rescue of Americans swamped by student loan debt belongs at top of Biden agenda

Millions of Americans will get another 30 days ’ reprieve from federal student loan payments now that outgoing Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has extended the existing payment moratorium until Jan. 31 .
A little extra breathing room is no doubt welcome to those struggling to make financial ends meet during the pandemic .
But it does nothing to address the underlying problem : A student debt crisis that demands a solution , as this editorial board has said time and again : Our country simply can not leave 45 million Americans with $ 1.6 trillion in college debt sitting like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ On average , borrowers owe nearly $ 33,000 , and 11 % have defaulted on their loans .
Without a fair , practical and permanent solution , too many young people will spend decades paying back huge loans .
They ’ ll delay buying a home , starting a family and getting on with their lives .
We don ’ t buy the argument , made by conservatives , that the borrowers should have just been smarter in the first place and not taken out such big loans .
America as a whole @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , yet the price of a college education has become far less affordable over time .
As President Lyndon B. Johnson said 55 years ago when he signed into law the first federal student loan program , America should make it possible for every young person to attend college at an affordable price .
But we also can ’ t completely buy the argument , made by Sen. Elizabeth Warren and others on the left , that President-elect Joe Biden should cancel $ 50,000 of every student loan borrower ’ s debt via @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office .
That ’ s not necessarily fair , practical or permanent .
There is a more nuanced approach , one more aggressive than Biden ’ s own proposal to cancel $ 10,000 of student loan debt across the board — that would hardly make a dent in the problem — but which also takes into account such matters as ability to pay and the future of burdensome college costs .
The Biden administration and Congress must work together to come up with something better .
There ’ s debate as to whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an executive order .
Beyond that , the economic impact to the nation as a result of such a decision is an open question .
An analysis by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget concluded that the cost of debt forgiveness would exceed any economic boost .
Other experts point out that , under current tax law , the cancelled debt would likely count as taxable income , undercutting any stimulus .
“ It actually takes money out of your pocket , ” as Matthew Chingos , vice president for education data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Institute , explained to us .
“ It ’ s a lousy way to try and stimulate the economy , certainly compared to giving people direct payments.
” Debt cancellation also lumps together those most in need of relief — maybe they went to a for-profit school on the promise of a lucrative job that never materialized — with doctors , lawyers and MBAs who can afford to repay hefty loans .
And what about those young people , and their families , who have already sacrificed and stuck to a tight budget @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pay off their loans ?
There ’ s also the question of what to do for the 17-year-old applying to college now .
What help will he , and his younger siblings down the road , receive so they can back their loans ?
“ If you just forgive some debt , but then go right on making those loans tomorrow , is this a world where people expect that ?
” Chingos said .
We urge the Biden administration to push for at least one option sure to transform the student loan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of income-based repayment .
You would pay back what , by an objective and measurable standard , you can afford .
Four existing federal student loan repayment plans are income-based and forgive any outstanding balance after 20 or 25 years .
Yet too few borrowers are aware of these programs , Chingos points out , and each has different , sometimes confusing , eligibility requirements .
Congress and the next education secretary can fix that .
Make sure every borrower receives information that clearly explains income-based repayment .
Expand eligibility criteria so that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ participate .
Congress should consider making income-based repayment the standard for all college loans , possibly also reducing the time frame after which outstanding debt is forgiven .
We should also point out the need for Congress to cut the red tape and reform the public-service loan forgiveness program , which under DeVos ’ poor management has granted forgiveness to less than 1 % of teachers , firefighters and others working for the public good .
Polls show that a substantial , bipartisan majority of Americans understand the depth of the student loan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loan forgiveness .
Only about one in four Americans argue for no relief at all .
This is an issue that belongs at the very top of the Biden administration ’ s agenda .

Millions of Americans will get another 30 days’ reprieve from federal student loan payments now that outgoing Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has extended the existing payment moratorium until Jan. 31.
A little extra breathing room is no doubt welcome to those struggling to make financial ends meet during the pandemic. But it does nothing to address the underlying problem: A student debt crisis that demands a solution, as this editorial board has said time and again:
Our country simply cannot leave 45 million Americans with $1.6 trillion in college debt sitting like a weighty albatross around their necks. On average, borrowers owe nearly $33,000, and 11% have defaulted on their loans.
Without a fair, practical and permanent solution, too many young people will spend decades paying back huge loans. They’ll delay buying a home, starting a family and getting on with their lives.
Editorials bug Editorials
We don’t buy the argument, made by conservatives, that the borrowers should have just been smarter in the first place and not taken out such big loans. America as a whole benefits when more young people are well-educated, yet the price of a college education has become far less affordable over time.
As President Lyndon B. Johnson said 55 years ago when he signed into law the first federal student loan program, America should make it possible for every young person to attend college at an affordable price.
But we also can’t completely buy the argument, made by Sen. Elizabeth Warren and others on the left, that President-elect Joe Biden should cancel $50,000 of every student loan borrower’s debt via executive order on the day he takes office. That’s not necessarily fair, practical or permanent.
There is a more nuanced approach, one more aggressive than Biden’s own proposal to cancel $10,000 of student loan debt across the board — that would hardly make a dent in the problem — but which also takes into account such matters as ability to pay and the future of burdensome college costs. The Biden administration and Congress must work together to come up with something better.
No quick, easy fix
There’s debate as to whether Biden legally can cancel debt outright with an executive order. Beyond that, the economic impact to the nation as a result of such a decision is an open question.
An analysis by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget concluded that the cost of debt forgiveness would exceed any economic boost. Other experts point out that, under current tax law, the cancelled debt would likely count as taxable income, undercutting any stimulus.
“It actually takes money out of your pocket,” as Matthew Chingos, vice president for education data and policy at the relatively liberal Urban Institute, explained to us. “It’s a lousy way to try and stimulate the economy, certainly compared to giving people direct payments.”
Debt cancellation also lumps together those most in need of relief — maybe they went to a for-profit school on the promise of a lucrative job that never materialized — with doctors, lawyers and MBAs who can afford to repay hefty loans.
And what about those young people, and their families, who have already sacrificed and stuck to a tight budget, maybe working two jobs, to pay off their loans?
There’s also the question of what to do for the 17-year-old applying to college now. What help will he, and his younger siblings down the road, receive so they can back their loans?
“If you just forgive some debt, but then go right on making those loans tomorrow, is this a world where people expect that?” Chingos said.
Reforming the system
We urge the Biden administration to push for at least one option sure to transform the student loan system for the better: An expansion of income-based repayment. You would pay back what, by an objective and measurable standard, you can afford.
Four existing federal student loan repayment plans are income-based and forgive any outstanding balance after 20 or 25 years. Yet too few borrowers are aware of these programs, Chingos points out, and each has different, sometimes confusing, eligibility requirements.
Congress and the next education secretary can fix that. Make sure every borrower receives information that clearly explains income-based repayment. Expand eligibility criteria so that more young people have the option to participate.
Congress should consider making income-based repayment the standard for all college loans, possibly also reducing the time frame after which outstanding debt is forgiven.
We should also point out the need for Congress to cut the red tape and reform the public-service loan forgiveness program, which under DeVos’ poor management has granted forgiveness to less than 1% of teachers, firefighters and others working for the public good.
Polls show that a substantial, bipartisan majority of Americans understand the depth of the student loan debt crisis and support some degree of loan forgiveness. Only about one in four Americans argue for no relief at all.
This is an issue that belongs at the very top of the Biden administration’s agenda.
Send letters to letters@suntimes.com


chicagosun-times--2020-12-10--Disney plans to stream a galaxy of Star Wars, Marvel, Pixar series and movies

NEW YORK — The Walt Disney Co. unveiled a galaxy ’ s worth of new streaming offerings on Thursday , including plans for 10 “ Star Wars ” series spinoffs and 10 Marvel series that will debut on Disney+ .
But even as Disney emphasized its expanding streaming portfolio , the company said theatrical release remains an important component of its big-budget spectacles .
In a virtual presentation for investors , Disney chief executive Bob Chapek laid out super-sized ambitions for it direct-to-consumer efforts , leaning heavily on some of the company ’ s biggest brands .
Over the next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ premiere directly on Disney+ not just an armada of “ Star Wars ” and Marvel series but 15 live-action , Pixar and animated series , and 15 live-action , Pixar and animated movies .
Chapek said Disney+ subscribers worldwide have reached 86.8 million , up from 74 million last month .
The service has easily exceeded most forecasts , reaching that number 13 months since its launch in November 2019 .
Disney said one of its upcoming films , the animated “ Raya and the Last Dragon ” will in March debut simultaneously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Disney+ .
That ’ s the same approach the company took earlier this fall for “ Mulan , ” with a $ 30 early-access fee on top of the $ 8 monthly subscription .
Disney made other adjustments to reorient its film operations around streaming .
Hulu , which this year debuted the Andy Samberg comedy “ Palm Springs ” and Sarah Paulson thriller “ Run , ” will be home to more original films from 20th Century Studios and Searchlight Pictures .
Many in Hollywood had eagerly awaited Disney ’ s response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it will release all 17 of its 2021 films — from “ Dune ” to “ The Matrix 4 ” — simultaneously on its streaming platform , HBO Max , and in theaters .
That move set off shockwaves prompting a backlash from much of the film industry , including theater chains , producing partners and some of the studio ’ s top talent .
Christopher Nolan criticized the plans as “ a bit of a mess.
” Some said the long-forecast end times for cinemas had arrived .
Others questioned the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ top studios sacrificing a year of box office — and the cascading windows of release that follow a theatrical run — to salvage the rocky rollout of HBO Max — a service that many HBO subscribers have yet still haven ’ t activated .
Wall Street approved .
Stocks for WarnerMedia ’ s parent company AT & T are up about 6 % since the announcement by Jason Kilar , chief executive of WarnerMedia and a veteran of Hulu and Amazon .
John Stankey , the AT & T chief executive , on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new media reality unlikely to fade after COVID-19 .
“ That horse left the barn , ” he said .
But Disney signaled that while it will continue to be flexible during the pandemic in distributing its films and series , it still sees theatrical release as valuable .
After several postponements , the Marvel film “ Black Widow ” is scheduled to open in theaters May 7 .
Compared to WarnerMedia , the present situation is very different for Disney , which has already laid the foundation for a formidable Netflix competitor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dominated the box office .
Disney has experimented with the premium digital release of “ Mulan ” and the upcoming Pixar release “ Soul , ” but its box-office might has been the envy of Hollywood .
The company ’ s films accounted for more than $ 13 billion in ticket sales worldwide last year and 38 % of moviegoing in the U.S. and Canada .
Seven Disney films topped $ 1 billion worldwide .

NEW YORK — The Walt Disney Co. unveiled a galaxy’s worth of new streaming offerings on Thursday, including plans for 10 “Star Wars” series spinoffs and 10 Marvel series that will debut on Disney+. But even as Disney emphasized its expanding streaming portfolio, the company said theatrical release remains an important component of its big-budget spectacles.
In a virtual presentation for investors, Disney chief executive Bob Chapek laid out super-sized ambitions for it direct-to-consumer efforts, leaning heavily on some of the company’s biggest brands. Over the next few years, Disney is planning to premiere directly on Disney+ not just an armada of “Star Wars” and Marvel series but 15 live-action, Pixar and animated series, and 15 live-action, Pixar and animated movies.
Chapek said Disney+ subscribers worldwide have reached 86.8 million, up from 74 million last month. The service has easily exceeded most forecasts, reaching that number 13 months since its launch in November 2019.
Disney said one of its upcoming films, the animated “Raya and the Last Dragon” will in March debut simultaneously in theaters and by premier access on Disney+. That’s the same approach the company took earlier this fall for “Mulan,” with a $30 early-access fee on top of the $8 monthly subscription.
Disney made other adjustments to reorient its film operations around streaming. Hulu, which this year debuted the Andy Samberg comedy “Palm Springs” and Sarah Paulson thriller “Run,” will be home to more original films from 20th Century Studios and Searchlight Pictures.
Many in Hollywood had eagerly awaited Disney’s response following WarnerMedia’s announcement last week that it will release all 17 of its 2021 films — from “Dune” to “The Matrix 4” — simultaneously on its streaming platform, HBO Max, and in theaters.
That move set off shockwaves prompting a backlash from much of the film industry, including theater chains, producing partners and some of the studio’s top talent. Christopher Nolan criticized the plans as “a bit of a mess.” Some said the long-forecast end times for cinemas had arrived. Others questioned the economics of one of Hollywood’s top studios sacrificing a year of box office — and the cascading windows of release that follow a theatrical run — to salvage the rocky rollout of HBO Max — a service that many HBO subscribers have yet still haven’t activated.
Wall Street approved. Stocks for WarnerMedia’s parent company AT&T are up about 6% since the announcement by Jason Kilar, chief executive of WarnerMedia and a veteran of Hulu and Amazon. John Stankey, the AT&T chief executive, on Tuesday said the pandemic had unleased a new media reality unlikely to fade after COVID-19. “That horse left the barn,” he said.
But Disney signaled that while it will continue to be flexible during the pandemic in distributing its films and series, it still sees theatrical release as valuable. After several postponements, the Marvel film “Black Widow” is scheduled to open in theaters May 7.
Compared to WarnerMedia, the present situation is very different for Disney, which has already laid the foundation for a formidable Netflix competitor in Disney+ and which has for years dominated the box office. Disney has experimented with the premium digital release of “Mulan” and the upcoming Pixar release “Soul,” but its box-office might has been the envy of Hollywood. The company’s films accounted for more than $13 billion in ticket sales worldwide last year and 38% of moviegoing in the U.S. and Canada. Seven Disney films topped $1 billion worldwide.


chicagosun-times--2020-12-10--Latest COVID-19 tally: 196 more Illinois deaths

COVID-19 has killed 196 more Illinois residents , public health officials announced Thursday , the third-most deaths ever reported in a single day as the coronavirus continues ravaging vulnerable populations across the state even with the finish line of the pandemic slowly coming into view .
The virus has claimed nearly 1,600 Illinois lives over the first 10 days of December , by far the state ’ s worst stretch in the last nine months .
With an average of almost 160 deaths per day , Illinois ’ COVID-19 death rate has more than tripled compared to the first 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ victims were 101 Chicago-area residents , including a Cook County man in his 30s and two women in their 40s .
The Illinois Department of Public Health also reported 11,101 new cases of the virus statewide , the most reported in a day since the start of the month .
But because they were diagnosed among 114,503 tests , the state ’ s average positivity rate fell for a third consecutive day ; it ’ s down to 9.5 % , the lowest since Nov. 5 .
“ I ’ m glad to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a reversal in our progress that would dash that hope , though , again we are not out of the Thanksgiving surge period yet , ” Gov .
J.B. Pritzker said .
“ I can not overstate how preliminary this progress is.
” Hospital numbers also took a step in the right direction , recovering from a jump in coronavirus patients Tuesday night .
By Wednesday night , the number of beds occupied by people suffering from COVID-19 had fallen by 146 , to 5,138 .
That ’ s the fewest since Nov. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ burden hospitals faced during the first wave in April .
The number of patients requiring intensive care also fell to 1,081 , and those requiring ventilators fell to 606 .
Hospitals are still being stretched thin across the southern and western regions of the state , where more than 80 % of ICU beds are occupied .
The first doses of the coronavirus vaccine are just days away from arriving in Illinois , but still months away from being widely available to residents .
In the meantime , Pritzker ’ s health team @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tragedy by wearing masks , maintaining social distance and scrapping plans for large holiday gatherings .
Instead of planning the usual end-of-year parties , Illinois Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike encouraged residents to postpone and use this time to plan their “ end-of-pandemic ” parties for next year .
“ The finish line is in sight .
We ’ ve come very far , ” Ezike said .
“ Let ’ s keep going and let ’ s get everybody to the end of this marathon , and get back to normal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 11.5 million coronavirus tests have been administered in Illinois .
At least 823,531 people have carried the virus — 6.5 % of the state population — and 13,681 of those have died .

COVID-19 has killed 196 more Illinois residents, public health officials announced Thursday, the third-most deaths ever reported in a single day as the coronavirus continues ravaging vulnerable populations across the state even with the finish line of the pandemic slowly coming into view.
The virus has claimed nearly 1,600 Illinois lives over the first 10 days of December, by far the state’s worst stretch in the last nine months. With an average of almost 160 deaths per day, Illinois’ COVID-19 death rate has more than tripled compared to the first 10 days of November.
Among the latest victims were 101 Chicago-area residents, including a Cook County man in his 30s and two women in their 40s.
Graph not displaying properly? Click here.
The Illinois Department of Public Health also reported 11,101 new cases of the virus statewide, the most reported in a day since the start of the month. But because they were diagnosed among 114,503 tests, the state’s average positivity rate fell for a third consecutive day; it’s down to 9.5%, the lowest since Nov. 5.
“I’m glad to say that we have yet to see a reversal in our progress that would dash that hope, though, again we are not out of the Thanksgiving surge period yet,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said. “I cannot overstate how preliminary this progress is.”
Hospital numbers also took a step in the right direction, recovering from a jump in coronavirus patients Tuesday night. By Wednesday night, the number of beds occupied by people suffering from COVID-19 had fallen by 146, to 5,138. That’s the fewest since Nov. 10, but still well beyond the burden hospitals faced during the first wave in April.
The number of patients requiring intensive care also fell to 1,081, and those requiring ventilators fell to 606. Hospitals are still being stretched thin across the southern and western regions of the state, where more than 80% of ICU beds are occupied.
The first doses of the coronavirus vaccine are just days away from arriving in Illinois, but still months away from being widely available to residents. In the meantime, Pritzker’s health team is begging residents to stave off more tragedy by wearing masks, maintaining social distance and scrapping plans for large holiday gatherings.
Instead of planning the usual end-of-year parties, Illinois Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike encouraged residents to postpone and use this time to plan their “end-of-pandemic” parties for next year.
“The finish line is in sight. We’ve come very far,” Ezike said. “Let’s keep going and let’s get everybody to the end of this marathon, and get back to normal all together.”
Since March, about 11.5 million coronavirus tests have been administered in Illinois. At least 823,531 people have carried the virus — 6.5% of the state population — and 13,681 of those have died.
Graph not displaying properly? Click here.


chicagosun-times--2020-12-10--Northwestern has to deal with Illinois before heading to Big Ten championship game

Pat Fitzgerald had barbecue for lunch , then went home and watched college football with his wife .
Receiver Ramaud Chiaokhiao-Bowman and roommate Kyric McGowan took in some games .
They downed ice cream sandwiches and played “ Call of Duty : Warzone.
” It sure was a different way to celebrate for No .
15 Northwestern after clinching the Big Ten West for the second time in three years .
The Wildcats host Illinois in the regular-season finale on Saturday and will then turn their attention to the conference championship game against No .
3 Ohio State in Indianapolis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that went from winning the division in 2018 to finishing at the bottom , it ’ s quite a turnaround .
With an unexpected bye after Minnesota canceled last week because of a COVID-19 outbreak within its program , Northwestern ( 5-1 , all Big Ten , No .
14 CFP ) didn ’ t get a chance to celebrate following a win the way it did after a clinching victory two years ago at Iowa .
Instead , the Wildcats had a walkthrough Saturday and were presented the division trophy .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Fitzgerald said .
Northwestern didn ’ t even win a league game last year until a victory over Illinois in the finale .
The Wildcats finished 3-9 overall and 1-8 in conference play , a steep drop after going 9-5 in all and 8-1 in the conference .
But here they are , back on top of the division .
“ We can play , ” Chiaokhiao-Bowman said .
“ Sometimes , Northwestern is portrayed this way or that way , having these type of athletes or those type of athletes .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we ’ re coming to play .
We ’ re coming to win the West , we ’ re coming to win the Big Ten championship.
” The Buckeyes are in the title game after Big Ten administrators and athletic directors called an audible and voted to drop the six-game requirement to be eligible .
But for Northwestern , there is a more immediate task at hand .
The Wildcats hope to get back to winning when they meet Illinois ( 2-4 ) after losing at Michigan State two weeks ago .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ close on a positive note .
They scored the first 14 points against Iowa last week , only to give up the next 35 on the way to a 35-21 loss .
Northwestern is 5-1 in conference play for the third time since 2000 .
That team won five of its first six en route to a 6-2 league mark and a Big Ten co-championship .
And in 2018 , the Wildcats ’ only regular-season conference loss was to Michigan early on .
They got blown out by Ohio State in the league @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t say if Brandon Peters or Isaiah Williams will get the nod at quarterback for Illinois .
Peters has started the past two games after missing three because of a positive COVID-19 test .
He completed his first eight passes while throwing for two touchdowns against Iowa , only to finish the game 10 of 18 with 116 yards .
Williams replaced him in the fourth quarter .
“ We know what we ’ re going to do at the quarterback position , ” Smith said .
“ No , we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right now , like no one else does .
Can ’ t wait to put that on display this Saturday up in Evanston.
” Smith loves to “ get off the bus running.
” To that end , the Illini lead the Big Ten in total yards rushing ( 1,261 ) and rank second to Ohio State in yards per game ( 210.2 ) and carry ( 5.0 ) .
But they ’ ll be tested by one of the league ’ s stingiest defenses .
Northwestern allows 3.7 yards per run .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , opponents need to get their points early .
The Wildcats have a 61-22 edge in the second half .
And in four of the six games , they did not allow a point over the final two quarters .
Northwestern has outscored Illinois 161-68 while winning their past five meetings — the Wildcats ’ best streak in a series dating to 1892 .
Their longest win streaks against Big Ten opponents were seven straight over Indiana from 1959-65 and six in a row versus Wisconsin from 1929-37 .

Pat Fitzgerald had barbecue for lunch, then went home and watched college football with his wife.
Receiver Ramaud Chiaokhiao-Bowman and roommate Kyric McGowan took in some games. They downed ice cream sandwiches and played “Call of Duty: Warzone.”
It sure was a different way to celebrate for No. 15 Northwestern after clinching the Big Ten West for the second time in three years.
The Wildcats host Illinois in the regular-season finale on Saturday and will then turn their attention to the conference championship game against No. 3 Ohio State in Indianapolis on Dec. 19.
For a team that went from winning the division in 2018 to finishing at the bottom, it’s quite a turnaround. With an unexpected bye after Minnesota canceled last week because of a COVID-19 outbreak within its program, Northwestern (5-1, all Big Ten, No. 14 CFP) didn’t get a chance to celebrate following a win the way it did after a clinching victory two years ago at Iowa.
Instead, the Wildcats had a walkthrough Saturday and were presented the division trophy.
“Very different than in Iowa City,” Fitzgerald said.
Northwestern didn’t even win a league game last year until a victory over Illinois in the finale. The Wildcats finished 3-9 overall and 1-8 in conference play, a steep drop after going 9-5 in all and 8-1 in the conference.
But here they are, back on top of the division.
“We can play,” Chiaokhiao-Bowman said. “Sometimes, Northwestern is portrayed this way or that way, having these type of athletes or those type of athletes. But at the end of the day, we’re coming to play. We’re coming to win the West, we’re coming to win the Big Ten championship.”
The Buckeyes are in the title game after Big Ten administrators and athletic directors called an audible and voted to drop the six-game requirement to be eligible.
But for Northwestern, there is a more immediate task at hand. The Wildcats hope to get back to winning when they meet Illinois (2-4) after losing at Michigan State two weeks ago.
The Illini, meanwhile, look to close on a positive note. They scored the first 14 points against Iowa last week, only to give up the next 35 on the way to a 35-21 loss.
CONFERENCE CALL
Northwestern is 5-1 in conference play for the third time since 2000. That team won five of its first six en route to a 6-2 league mark and a Big Ten co-championship. And in 2018, the Wildcats’ only regular-season conference loss was to Michigan early on. They got blown out by Ohio State in the league title game.
QUARTERBACK QUESTION
Coach Lovie Smith wouldn’t say if Brandon Peters or Isaiah Williams will get the nod at quarterback for Illinois. Peters has started the past two games after missing three because of a positive COVID-19 test. He completed his first eight passes while throwing for two touchdowns against Iowa, only to finish the game 10 of 18 with 116 yards. Williams replaced him in the fourth quarter.
“We know what we’re going to do at the quarterback position,” Smith said. “No, we’re not going to talk about it right now, like no one else does. Can’t wait to put that on display this Saturday up in Evanston.”
ON THE RUN
Smith loves to “get off the bus running.” To that end, the Illini lead the Big Ten in total yards rushing (1,261) and rank second to Ohio State in yards per game (210.2) and carry (5.0). But they’ll be tested by one of the league’s stingiest defenses. Northwestern allows 3.7 yards per run.
GET ‘EM EARLY
When it comes to scoring against Northwestern, opponents need to get their points early. The Wildcats have a 61-22 edge in the second half. And in four of the six games, they did not allow a point over the final two quarters.
SERIES SURGE
Northwestern has outscored Illinois 161-68 while winning their past five meetings — the Wildcats’ best streak in a series dating to 1892. Their longest win streaks against Big Ten opponents were seven straight over Indiana from 1959-65 and six in a row versus Wisconsin from 1929-37.