chicagotribune--2020-09-03--Column: Donald Trump and police unions — an unholy alliance that stops real police reform

There is little anyone can do at the moment to relieve the anger , frustration and disappointment that created such @ @ @ @ @ disobedience has been allowed to flourish .
Fixing all the problems that have left people @ @ @ @ @ so long will take decades , if it can be repaired at all .

Chicago police officers block West Washington Boulevard on Aug. 22, 2020, as activists march to the Fraternal Order of Police building and call for a defunding of the Chicago Police Department and the removal of cops in schools. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)
Every city and town in America is on edge. We look at the social unrest across the country and wonder what it would take to make it stop.
There is little anyone can do at the moment to relieve the anger, frustration and disappointment that created such a volatile environment where civil disobedience has been allowed to flourish. Fixing all the problems that have left people feeling ignored and underserved for so long will take decades, if it can be repaired at all.
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But there is one thing that could happen immediately to put our nation at ease. Police could stop shooting Black people unnecessarily.
The officers on the street could take a vow to never take out their weapon and shoot another unarmed Black man in the back, whether he is getting into his car or fleeing from the scene.
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They could acknowledge that suffocating a suspect by holding a knee on his neck is just plain wrong. They could stop and think twice before bursting into a young woman’s apartment and pounding her with a barrage of bullets as she lay in bed.
If there were no more unnecessary police violence, there would be no social unrest. If police simply decided to treat Black people with the same level of human decency as white people, America would be more harmonious.
Of course, that’s a fantasy as long as Donald Trump is in office.
America is changing. Many white people are no longer willing to turn a deaf ear to the voices of African Americans who have been screaming for years about being mistreated by the police. They are standing with Black people demanding change.
But that change isn’t going to occur on its own. We need the force of the federal government to make sure police departments adopt reforms that will treat all people fairly. The only way to do that effectively is with federal consent decrees that have the full backing of the U.S. Justice Department.
During Barack Obama’s administration, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division conducted at least 25 investigations into police departments across the country, resulting in 14 consent decrees mandating court-monitored reforms.
Obama understood that the police departments responsible for the deaths of Laquan McDonald, Michael Brown, Tamir Rice, Freddie Gray and others weren’t going to wake up one morning and decide they needed to change from within.
The federal government would have to force police to make reforms, and the courts would have to stand over them to make sure those reforms were carried out.
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Consent decrees between the Justice Department and law enforcement agencies have long been the federal government’s best tool for holding police accountable.
But one of the first things Donald Trump’s administration did after taking office was set then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions loose on a mission to dismantle the consent decrees. He wasn’t entirely successful, so the administration settled for taking the bite out of them.
As a result, many of the consent decrees weren’t fully enforced and investigations into new police department misconduct came to a near-halt.
No one was happier about that than the Fraternal Order of Police. Over the last four years, Trump and the police unions formed an unholy bond that laid the foundation for his “law and order” platform while giving cops the freedom to make their own rules.
Trump continues to shut down any mention of federal oversight and police unions, in return, have vowed to deliver him votes in November.
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That’s why America is in such a mess.
Police aren’t listening to the public’s calls for reforms because they don’t have to. They aren’t going to change the way they carry out business because there’s nobody to make them do it.
The FOP wants the public to believe that the police violence happening across the country is someone else’s fault, that every police shooting is justified and that officers fearing for their lives have no other option than to kill.
These unyielding unions stand behind rogue officers, insisting that they shouldn’t be punished because they haven’t done anything wrong.
Many of the cops on the streets know better. But in Chicago and other cities, the FOP is calling the shots.
The scrupulous, dedicated officers who believe that effective policing can only occur if there is mutual respect between the police department and the Black communities they serve are silenced by the overpowering voices of their union.
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That’s why police violence has long been a problem in cities such as Chicago.
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Just before Obama left office in 2017, the Justice Department issued a scathing report outlining the historical pattern of excessive force against African Americans and other unconstitutional practices by Chicago police.
The Trump administration threatened a lawsuit to stop the resulting consent decree from being implemented, but it remains in place. Though a federal judge oversees the decree, the city hasn’t done its part to make sure it is properly implemented.
Of course, the Police Department is just fine with things the way they are. So is the Trump administration.
As long as departments are allowed to go unchecked, the cycle of police killings and civil unrest will continue.
So we might as well get used to the violent clashes between police and protesters, looting and the ugly boarded-up windows on the Magnificent Mile.
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dglanton@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @dahleeng


chicagotribune--2020-09-03--For some CPS employees, the school year is already off to a rough start, even before classes begin T

For some CPS employees, the school year is already off to a rough start, even before classes begin Tuesday

Though teachers have built in breaks for meals and movement and are trying to limit the number of times students @ @ @ @ @ , Banks said staff members understand if children need to eat during class , and @ @ @ @ @ off the mic for any breaks .
Support staff members are also ready to monitor @ @ @ @ @ if a teacher needs to break away for a few minutes .

Abi Carbajal stands in the kindergarten line with her daughter, Liani Uribe, 7, who is entering the second grade, and Abi's little brother, Jacob Rebollar, 5, who is entering kindergarten, on the sidewalk outside of Newton Bateman Elementary School in Chicago's Irving Park neighborhood on Sept. 2, 2020. They were picking up remote learning school supplies ahead of Chicago Public Schools first day of school the following week. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)
The windowless conference room with poor air circulation was hardly an upgrade from the cramped office where Chicago Public Schools clerk Ramona Rojas was initially assigned when she returned to work last week.
In the main school office, nothing stood between Rojas and the maskless people who kept coming in even after she taped signs to the walls.
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The school supplied three masks and two buckets of disinfectant wipes, but those can only protect her from so many virus particles. With her stress levels rising, Rojas said she took her laptop and moved to the conference room at the suggestion of her principal.
Rojas, a clerk at Prussing Elementary in Jefferson Park, is also a grandmother, has asthma and lost two relatives to the coronavirus. So she doesn’t take it lightly that CPS employees like herself who are returning to work in school buildings comply with health and safety guidelines and receive the protections they need. Meanwhile, students resume remote learning Tuesday.
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CPS school clerk Ramona Rojas says the district has not provided her with necessary safety equipment for her job. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)
“I felt like I was not being supported. I felt like everybody was looking at me like I was doing something wrong,” Rojas said.
The Chicago Teachers Union has been fielding complaints from members around the city as they return to schools. Cases like Rojas’ raise the question of what to do when a co-worker is not following the rules, whether they are employed by CPS or staffed by a third party.
At more than 100 buildings, other clerks, technology coordinators and clinicians have reported unsafe conditions or lax enforcement of safety protocols, including a lack of signage, delayed PPE and people coming inside without symptom screening or masks, according to the teachers union.
“Our members are being asked to work in hazardous conditions at the same time their employer refuses to guarantee, or even discuss, safety needs with our union,” said CTU President Jesse Sharkey. “This is a blatant breach of employees’ right to safe working conditions, and it unnecessarily risks every person who enters those school buildings.”
In a grievance filed last week, CTU claimed that requiring employees to enter schools when their jobs could be done from home needlessly increases their risk of exposure to COVID-19. The union has also filed an unfair labor practice charge.
“This is especially concerning when our school clerks are predominantly African American and Latinx women whose communities have suffered the worst effects of COVID-19,” states the grievance, which also cites CPS’ “unilateral decision to require certain bargaining unit employees to return to in-person work without meeting its bargaining obligations over the terms and conditions under which that work can be done.”
For their part, CPS officials said the district “is continuing to engage with the CTU and other unions and will continue to after the start of the school year.”
CPS officials said clerks, who answer phones, enroll students and help hand out computers, need to be in school buildings to do their jobs — along with administrators, security officers, custodians, engineers, warehouse staff and food service workers. They pointed out that any employee can apply for a leave of absence or an accommodation, such as permission to work from home.
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Preparations for fall quarter have been going more smoothly at some schools. At Vanderpoel Humanities Academy in Beverly, Principal Kia Banks said the school benefits from its small enrollment count — 240 students — and tight-knit community.
“I’ve tried to emphasize to my staff, this is a turning point. We can embrace it and see it as a way of moving our public education system into the 21st century, and I really look forward to that,” Banks said.
Given it’s the first time they’re welcoming new students virtually, she said the staff reached out to new families and hosted online orientations.
“We did the best we could to supplement communication from the district with, ‘Yes, we understand some things may be a little complicated or frustrating, but we are here, give us a call,’” Banks said. “I could definitely see how larger schools, larger communities, could be struggling a little more with this.”
Banks said the school received the additional wipes, masks and gloves, and installed a clear barrier, or “sneeze guard,” near the front of the school. Anyone without a mask is not allowed entry.
“No one so far feels as though they won’t be protected,” she said.
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She said it helps that so far, only four teachers have said they plan to work from their classrooms, and parents have been making appointments to pick up computers or turn in enrollment paperwork. Only behind the closed doors of their classrooms can teachers let their masks down, and there will be no congregating in the teachers lounge for lunch, Banks said.
When school starts, Vanderpoel students will have lunch with their homerooms, if they choose to stay logged in for the break. The staff may play music, video clips or start a conversation, “so we can give them a social experience somewhat,” Banks said.
Though teachers have built in breaks for meals and movement and are trying to limit the number of times students are logging on and off, Banks said staff members understand if children need to eat during class, and are asking that they turn off the mic for any breaks. Support staff members are also ready to monitor lunch chats and step in if a teacher needs to break away for a few minutes.
Anyone entering Vanderpoel will have their temperature taken by a security officer, Banks said.
At Prussing, Rojas said the temperature-taking role has been inconsistent, and not everyone assigned the task is trained.
While many of her colleagues are similarly cautious, Rojas said she has seen others wearing their masks below their noses or not at all, and on Tuesday, one resisted a temperature check.
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“If any child gets sick, I can’t sleep at night thinking that I knew what was going on and I didn’t do anything about it,” she said.
Asked about what school employees should do if another person in their building is not wearing a mask, and if there were any enforcement mechanisms, CPS simply stated, “There are guidelines on mask usage, requirements etc.”
“The district is going beyond public health guidance to ensure staff has a safe working environment,” according to a CPS statement. Health measures cited include temperature checks, symptom screening, electric spray disinfectant misters, wall-mounted hand sanitizer dispensers and about 600 sneeze guards at schools. The district also provided more than 100,000 cloth face coverings and 500,000 disposable masks.
“Anyone not wearing a mask will be told to do so,” according to the district, which added that “most importantly, school buildings are nearly empty and there is ample room for social distancing.”
hleone@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-09-03--Affordable housing loan program aims to boost Chicago’s South and West sides

“ The residential development is the foundation of communities throughout the city , ” Markowski said .
“ The first @ @ @ @ @ that you have affordable , safe , clean accessible housing .
And once you have @ @ @ @ @ then commercial development can grow off of that , because those are the people who @ @ @ @ @ ”

Mayor Lori Lightfoot gives her budget address at the Cultural Center in Chicago on Aug. 31, 2020. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
Mayor Lori Lightfoot is set to join an affordable housing lender on Thursday to announce a big loan program designed to improve the city’s stock of inexpensive apartments.
The Community Investment Corporation’s launch of its $330 million, five-year loan pool for private landlords to renovate or purchase units comes as the mayor seeks to gain traction for her own ambitious “Invest South/West” commercial program designed to improve struggling neighborhood shopping districts on the South and West sides using city money to jump-start private investment.
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Housing Commissioner Marisa Novara said “naturally occurring affordable housing” like that provided through the CIC loan program is important because there isn’t nearly enough federal subsidy funding around to meet the need.
And Jack Markowski, CEO of the Community Investment Corporation, said he sees the organization’s latest residential loan package dovetailing with Lightfoot’s aim to bolster businesses.
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“The residential development is the foundation of communities throughout the city,” Markowski said. “The first step in community development is that you have affordable, safe, clean accessible housing. And once you have people living in those, then commercial development can grow off of that, because those are the people who can patronize the businesses.”
Forty banks are taking part in this latest round of Community Investment Corporation lending, which is designed to last for five years. While borrowers don’t have to prove they are providing affordable rents in struggling communities, those are overwhelmingly the landlords who avail themselves of the fund, Markowski said.
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“So much attention is focused on gentrification and high rents. That is not the issue in two-thirds to three-quarters of the city where we end up doing our business,” Markowski said. “When you’re doing business on the South and West sides, there is not a migration of affordable units to gentrified units.”
The goal is to help landlords buy and fix up apartments that people can afford in struggling areas, he said.
“Nobody from Lincoln Park is approaching us, and we wouldn’t be doing lending in Lincoln Park, and the reason is because there’s a very, very strong private market and they don’t need to come to us,” he added.
The new loans should go toward repairing or purchasing more than 7,000 units, with more than 85% of the money going to South and West side neighborhoods over the next five years, Markowski said.
jebyrne@chicagotribune.com
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chicagotribune--2020-09-03--Man shot by Cook County sheriff’s police during traffic stop on Southwest Side

The man , who was in good condition at Mount Sinai Hospital , was shot twice in the 4600 block @ @ @ @ @ about 7:20 p.m. , in the city ’ s LeClaire Courts neighborhood , sheriff ’ @ @ @ @ @ .

A man was shot by Cook County sheriff’s police Wednesday evening after he ran from a traffic stop and pulled a gun on officers, officials said.
The man, who was in good condition Thursday at Mount Sinai Hospital, was shot twice in the 4600 block of South Laramie Avenue about 7:20 p.m. Wednesday in the city’s LeClaire Courts neighborhood, sheriff’s spokesman Matt Walberg said. Nobody else was injured.
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The shooting happened after an officer patrolling near Stickney tried to stop a speeding car that didn’t have a front license plate and had “illegally tinted windows,” according to a news release. They said the driver briefly stopped but then fled east in his car after refusing the officer’s request to exit the vehicle.
The officer drove after the man’s car into an alley, where he noticed the man “exit his vehicle with something in his hand,” according to the release. He ordered the man to stop, but the man ran away, dropping his cellphone as he fled, officials said.
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The officer ran after the man as a second officer approached the man from the opposite direction. The initial officer in the chase noticed the man pull out a firearm from his bag, so the officer fired multiple shots, hitting the man “in the shoulder and buttocks,” according to the release.
Body camera footage from the scene shows the man running with what appears to be a gun, then falling onto the grass in a front yard after four shots can be heard fired. The man then rolls onto his back and throws what appears to be his bag away from him before lying back on the grass with his arms above his head as officers yell at him to get down.
The officers requested paramedic crews as the man continued to evade authorities, at one point running onto the front step of a residence, officials said. A sheriff’s police officer then used his Taser on the man, and police restrained and handcuffed him.
Police said they rendered first aid to the man until paramedics arrived. They found a silver and black handgun near the man, along with “suspected bags of crack cocaine.”
The man had three previous felony convictions, including one for aggravated battery to a police officer, according to the release, in 2018.
Chicago police were conducting an independent investigation into Wednesday’s events, officials said.
rsobol@chicagotribune.com
kelsmith@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-09-03--Coronavirus in Illinois updates: 2,128 new known COVID-19 cases and 27 additional deaths reported as

Coronavirus in Illinois updates: 2,128 new known COVID-19 cases and 27 additional deaths reported as infections spike at U. of I. after large weekend parties

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is reporting a spike in positive COVID-19 cases among undergraduate students , saying the infections are tied to large parties and gatherings over the weekend , according to a media release .
About 780 new cases have been identified since classes began Aug. 24 , said Martin Burke , a chemistry professor leading the school ’ s testing program , during a Wednesday afternoon news conference .
He corrected a previous figure released by the school that said more than 400 cases had been identified .
Meanwhile , Illinois health officials on Wednesday announced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 27 additional fatalities , bringing the total number of known infections in Illinois to 238,643 and the statewide death toll to 8,091 .
Officials also reported 32,751 new tests in the last 24 hours .
The seven-day statewide positivity rate is 4.5 % .
8 p.m. ( update ) : ‘ Irresponsible and dangerous ’ partying by some students leads U. of I. to crack down on social activity and warn of suspensions Despite an expansive testing program and models that predicted how many COVID-19 cases would pop up on campus , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a grim reality shared by other colleges attempting to stay open : Partying among undergraduate students is leading to hundreds of more infections than anticipated , jeopardizing the in-person experience for everyone .
UIUC , the state ’ s largest university , has tallied roughly 780 new cases on its downstate campus among students , faculty and staff since classes began Aug. 24 , according to Martin Burke , a chemistry professor leading the school ’ s testing program .
Earlier Wednesday , the school had characterized the number as “ more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
To deal with the surge , UIUC officials announced a number of changes to its contact tracing efforts , stricter disciplinary actions against students flouting the rules and a crackdown on social activity through Sept. 16 .
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is reporting a spike in positive COVID-19 cases among undergraduate students , saying the infections are tied to large parties and gatherings over the weekend , according to a media release .
About 780 new cases have been identified since classes began Aug. 24 , said Martin Burke , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s testing program , during a Wednesday afternoon news conference .
He corrected a previous figure released by the school that said more than 400 cases had been identified .
“ In the past few days , the number of positive cases has increased at a rate that is on track to double the number of cases every week , ” according to the UIUC release .
“ If that trend continues , the university would experience 75-100 new cases each day and would expect to have as many as 8,000 positive cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ School leaders also said Wednesday that some infected people could require hospitalization if cases the virus continues to spread .
Officials detailed plans to counteract the increase at a 3:30 p.m. news conference .
The strategy includes increasing staffing to monitor student behavior , contacting students who test positive more quickly and asking undergraduates to limit non-essential social events .
4:25 p.m. : CDC tells states to prepare for COVID-19 vaccine by late October or early November The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has notified public health officials in all 50 states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distribute a coronavirus vaccine to health care workers and other high-risk groups as soon as late October or early November .
The new CDC guidance is the latest sign of an accelerating race for a vaccine to greatly ease a pandemic that has killed more than 184,000 Americans .
The documents were sent out on the same day that President Donald Trump told the nation in his speech to the Republican National Convention that a vaccine might arrive before the end of the year .
Over the past week , both Dr. Anthony @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infectious disease expert , and Dr. Stephen Hahn , who heads the Food and Drug Administration , have said in interviews with news organizations that a vaccine could be available for certain groups before clinical trials have been completed , if the data is overwhelmingly positive .
Public health experts agree that agencies at all levels of government should urgently prepare for what will eventually be a vast , complex effort to vaccinate hundreds of millions of Americans .
But the possibility of a rollout in late October or early November has also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seeking to rush the distribution of a vaccine — or simply to hype that one is possible — before Election Day on Nov. 3 .
Speaking a day after Aurora reached its 5,000th confirmed case of COVID-19 – which includes a total of 118 deaths – Irvin said the city remains committed to the three W ’ s : washing hands often and using hand sanitizer ; watching your distance from other people ; and wearing a mask .
“ It ’ s a simple thing that can have a huge impact , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But it only works if you wear it.
” The latest Federal Reserve survey of U.S. economic activity found generally modest gains in August but also pessimism about the future given the threats posed by the coronavirus .
The Fed report made public Wednesday said that a theme echoed across the country is the continued uncertainty stemming from the pandemic and its negative effect on consumer and business activity .
The report , based on responses gathered before Aug. 24 , found that economic activity had increased modestly from late July but remained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hit in March .
The coronavirus outbreak has pushed the country into a deep recession and resulted in millions of people losing their jobs and thousands of businesses struggling to survive .
This despite the Fed and Congress providing massive amounts of economic support .
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is seeing a large uptick in COVID-19 cases after some undergraduates partied over the weekend without masks or social distancing , officials say .
They plan to crack down even more on social gatherings , saying students could face immediate suspensions .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ their residences for the next two weeks , only leave home for essential needs and avoid gathering even in small groups .
If the current trend isn ’ t reversed , the campus could end up with 8,000 cases by the end of the semester , officials warned .
2 p.m. : Winter patios ?
Dining igloos ?
As pandemic persists , bars and restaurants are prepping for one of the strangest winters Chicago has ever seen As bad as things have been for Chicago bars and restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The late-summer transition from sun-dappled patios to indoor tables and booths rarely occupies a second thought across Chicago and its suburbs .
But amid shifting attitudes about health and safety during a persisting coronavirus pandemic , the change is likely to be far less intuitive than in years past .
“ We ’ re in terror of it , ” said Michael Roper , owner of the Hopleaf Bar .
“ The patio represents most of our business right now.
” 12:15 p.m. : Families in suburban Cook County public housing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by federal CARES Act dollars All families with school-age children in suburban Cook County public housing buildings will be eligible for free broadband internet under a program funded through federal coronavirus stimulus money , officials announced Wednesday .
The Housing Authority of Cook County joined Comcast under the company ’ s Internet Essentials Partnership Program to begin delivering internet to nearly 14,000 children in more than 6,500 households , Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said in a news conference at Richard Flowers Community Housing in Robbins .
” The challenges being faced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during my tenure .
In fact , they ’ re greater than what we ’ ve ever seen in modern history , ” Preckwinkle said .
“ And that leaves us trying to connect teachers and students in new and creative ways .
We must now use technology to provide meaningful instruction to our young people.
” Every student who lives in the public housing complexes or has a voucher qualifies for the program , which will run for at least nine months .
About 600 families are currently signed on to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
The county is paying for the $ 9.95 per month bundle for these families with about $ 600,000 in federal CARES Act money .
12:11 p.m. : 2,128 new known COVID-19 cases and 27 more deaths reported Illinois health officials on Wednesday announced 2,128 new known cases of COVID-19 and 27 additional fatalities , bringing the total number of known infections in Illinois to 238,643 and the statewide death toll to 8,091 since the start of the pandemic .
Officials also reported 32,751 new tests in the last 24 hours .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ % .
An analysis of pooled results from seven studies , led by the World Health Organization and published Wednesday by the Journal of the American Medical Association , found that steroids reduced the risk of death in the first month by about one-third compared to placebo treatment or usual care alone in these seriously ill patients who needed extra oxygen .
10:52 a.m. : Illinois receives approval for extra $ 300 in weekly jobless benefits from FEMA The Federal Emergency Management Agency , which is responsible for doling out the funds , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approved the state for the Lost Wage Assistance program , which President Trump ordered last month to extend federal jobless benefits after a $ 600 weekly supplement expired in late July .
Trump authorized the use of up to $ 44 billion from FEMA ’ s Disaster Relief Fund for the payments .
The agency said it will work with Gov .
J.B. Pritzker to implement a system to pay the benefits .
Neither the state nor FEMA immediately responded to a question Wednesday about when jobless workers could expect to begin receiving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Airlines plans to furlough 16,370 employees Oct. 1 unless it gets more federal aid In a memo to employees , Chicago-based United said additional funding from the federal government is “ the one thing ” that could prevent job cuts and delay the impact on employees until next year .
Airlines already received billions of dollars through the federal coronavirus aid package this spring , in exchange for agreeing to avoid layoffs before Oct. 1 .
But demand for travel remains sharply reduced , and United executives have said they don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a vaccine is widely available .
8:36 a.m. : CDC halts evictions for some renters due to COVID-19 .
Here ’ s who qualifies .
The Trump administration has issued a directive halting the eviction of certain renters through the end of 2020 to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus .
Federal , state and local governments have approved eviction moratoriums during the course of the pandemic for many renters , but those protections are expiring rapidly .
A recent report from one think tank , the Aspen Institute , stated that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ households that have suffered COVID-19-related job loss and concluded that millions more are at risk of eviction in the next several months .
7:48 a.m. : ‘ Additional ventilators ... are no longer required ’ : Feds say national stockpile is full , cancel orders The Trump administration is canceling some of its remaining orders for ventilators , after rushing to sign nearly $ 3 billion in emergency contracts as the COVID-19 pandemic surged in the spring .
The Department of Health and Human Services issued a statement Tuesday affirming that the national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the life-saving breathing machines , with nearly 120,000 available for deployment to state and local health officials if needed .
Though the orders were billed as a cost-saving measure , Democrats said the cancellations show the White House vastly overspent in its quest to fulfill President Donald Trump ’ s pledge to make the United States the “ King of Ventilators.
” Several Chicago sports teams planned to join city officials to encourage young people to wear masks and following other health guidelines as part of the city ’ s We Are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the mayor ’ s office .
6 a.m. : Universities suspending students who party without masks and flout social distancing College students , beware : You could temporarily lose your spot on campus ― or worse , get expelled ― for partying with your peers this fall .
It happened at Purdue University in Indiana , where 36 students received “ summary suspensions ” earlier this month for attending an off-campus gathering that lacked face masks and social distancing , just hours after a warning from administrators .
As colleges across the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ classes , many are ramping up enforcement of new rules to curtail the spread of COVID-19 .
The stakes are high : Universities that can ’ t contain the virus on campus have paused in-person classes or reverted to remote learning entirely , sending students home for the rest of the semester .
In recent weeks , some colleges have said they will check social media to monitor student behavior , review security footage when students mingle in large groups and , most severely , kick students out of classes for violating school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10 questions about coronavirus testing , answered Want to get a COVID-19 test solely because you ’ re visiting your grandparents ?
In Illinois , there ’ s nothing stopping you .
COVID-19 testing has come a long way since May .
You don ’ t need symptoms — or a doctor ’ s OK — to find out if you ’ re infected with the highly contagious virus .
Drive-thru testing is common , and the wait can be short or nonexistent .
Hospitals , individual doctors and the state of Illinois @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in some cases , a less invasive testing method , in which the swab doesn ’ t go far up your nose .
We asked health experts what you need to know to navigate the new testing landscape .
Here are five stories from Tuesday related to COVID-19 .

We have lifted the paywall on this story. To support essential reporting, please consider becoming a subscriber .
Paca Kujtim of Arlington Heights self-administers a COVID-19 test in his car at the Arlington International Racecourse on March 31, 2021 in Arlington Heights. Kujtim was getting testing as a precaution for upcoming travel. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is reporting a spike in positive COVID-19 cases among undergraduate students, saying the infections are tied to large parties and gatherings over the weekend, according to a media release.
About 780 new cases have been identified since classes began Aug. 24, said Martin Burke, a chemistry professor leading the school’s testing program, during a Wednesday afternoon news conference. He corrected a previous figure released by the school that said more than 400 cases had been identified.
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Meanwhile, Illinois health officials on Wednesday announced 2,128 new known cases of COVID-19 and 27 additional fatalities, bringing the total number of known infections in Illinois to 238,643 and the statewide death toll to 8,091. Officials also reported 32,751 new tests in the last 24 hours. The seven-day statewide positivity rate is 4.5%.
Here’s what’s happening Wednesday with COVID-19 in the Chicago area and Illinois:
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8 p.m. (update): ‘Irresponsible and dangerous’ partying by some students leads U. of I. to crack down on social activity and warn of suspensions
Despite an expansive testing program and models that predicted how many COVID-19 cases would pop up on campus, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is confronting a grim reality shared by other colleges attempting to stay open: Partying among undergraduate students is leading to hundreds of more infections than anticipated, jeopardizing the in-person experience for everyone.
UIUC, the state’s largest university, has tallied roughly 780 new cases on its downstate campus among students, faculty and staff since classes began Aug. 24, according to Martin Burke, a chemistry professor leading the school’s testing program. Earlier Wednesday, the school had characterized the number as “more than 400″ before clarifying during a news conference.
To deal with the surge, UIUC officials announced a number of changes to its contact tracing efforts, stricter disciplinary actions against students flouting the rules and a crackdown on social activity through Sept. 16.
Read more here. —Elyssa Cherney
5:30 p.m. (update): COVID-19 cases spike at University of Illinois after large weekend parties
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is reporting a spike in positive COVID-19 cases among undergraduate students, saying the infections are tied to large parties and gatherings over the weekend, according to a media release.
About 780 new cases have been identified since classes began Aug. 24, said Martin Burke, a chemistry professor leading the school’s testing program, during a Wednesday afternoon news conference. He corrected a previous figure released by the school that said more than 400 cases had been identified.
“In the past few days, the number of positive cases has increased at a rate that is on track to double the number of cases every week,” according to the UIUC release. “If that trend continues, the university would experience 75-100 new cases each day and would expect to have as many as 8,000 positive cases over the course of the semester.”
School leaders also said Wednesday that some infected people could require hospitalization if cases the virus continues to spread.
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Officials detailed plans to counteract the increase at a 3:30 p.m. news conference. The strategy includes increasing staffing to monitor student behavior, contacting students who test positive more quickly and asking undergraduates to limit non-essential social events.
Read more here. —Elyssa Cherney
4:25 p.m.: CDC tells states to prepare for COVID-19 vaccine by late October or early November
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has notified public health officials in all 50 states and five large cities to prepare to distribute a coronavirus vaccine to health care workers and other high-risk groups as soon as late October or early November.
The new CDC guidance is the latest sign of an accelerating race for a vaccine to greatly ease a pandemic that has killed more than 184,000 Americans. The documents were sent out on the same day that President Donald Trump told the nation in his speech to the Republican National Convention that a vaccine might arrive before the end of the year.
Over the past week, both Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country’s top infectious disease expert, and Dr. Stephen Hahn, who heads the Food and Drug Administration, have said in interviews with news organizations that a vaccine could be available for certain groups before clinical trials have been completed, if the data is overwhelmingly positive.
Public health experts agree that agencies at all levels of government should urgently prepare for what will eventually be a vast, complex effort to vaccinate hundreds of millions of Americans. But the possibility of a rollout in late October or early November has also heightened concerns that the Trump administration is seeking to rush the distribution of a vaccine — or simply to hype that one is possible — before Election Day on Nov. 3.
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Read more here. —The New York Times
4 p.m.: As Aurora hits 5,000th case of coronavirus, mayor stresses preventative measures
Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin Wednesday recommitted to the tenets of the Mask Up Aurora campaign.
Speaking a day after Aurora reached its 5,000th confirmed case of COVID-19 – which includes a total of 118 deaths – Irvin said the city remains committed to the three W’s: washing hands often and using hand sanitizer; watching your distance from other people; and wearing a mask.
“It’s a simple thing that can have a huge impact,” Irvin said of mask-wearing. “But it only works if you wear it.”
Read more here. —Steve Lord
2:46 p.m.: Federal Reserve survey finds widespread pessimism about US economic future
The latest Federal Reserve survey of U.S. economic activity found generally modest gains in August but also pessimism about the future given the threats posed by the coronavirus.
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The Fed report made public Wednesday said that a theme echoed across the country is the continued uncertainty stemming from the pandemic and its negative effect on consumer and business activity.
The report, based on responses gathered before Aug. 24, found that economic activity had increased modestly from late July but remained well below levels seen before the pandemic hit in March.
The coronavirus outbreak has pushed the country into a deep recession and resulted in millions of people losing their jobs and thousands of businesses struggling to survive. This despite the Fed and Congress providing massive amounts of economic support.
Read more here. —Associated Press
2:40 p.m.: Amid COVID-19 spike blamed on weekend parties, U. of I. tells students to stay home
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is seeing a large uptick in COVID-19 cases after some undergraduates partied over the weekend without masks or social distancing, officials say.
They plan to crack down even more on social gatherings, saying students could face immediate suspensions. Students are being asked to stay int their residences for the next two weeks, only leave home for essential needs and avoid gathering even in small groups.
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If the current trend isn’t reversed, the campus could end up with 8,000 cases by the end of the semester, officials warned.
Read more here. —Elyssa Cherney
2 p.m.: Winter patios? Dining igloos? As pandemic persists, bars and restaurants are prepping for one of the strangest winters Chicago has ever seen
As bad as things have been for Chicago bars and restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic, they’re about to get worse.
Winter is coming.
The late-summer transition from sun-dappled patios to indoor tables and booths rarely occupies a second thought across Chicago and its suburbs. But amid shifting attitudes about health and safety during a persisting coronavirus pandemic, the change is likely to be far less intuitive than in years past.
“We’re in terror of it,” said Michael Roper, owner of the Hopleaf Bar. “The patio represents most of our business right now.”
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Read more here. —Josh Noel
12:15 p.m.: Families in suburban Cook County public housing to get free internet in Comcast program funded by federal CARES Act dollars
All families with school-age children in suburban Cook County public housing buildings will be eligible for free broadband internet under a program funded through federal coronavirus stimulus money, officials announced Wednesday.
The Housing Authority of Cook County joined Comcast under the company’s Internet Essentials Partnership Program to begin delivering internet to nearly 14,000 children in more than 6,500 households, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said in a news conference at Richard Flowers Community Housing in Robbins.
”The challenges being faced today are unlike any that I encountered during my tenure. In fact, they’re greater than what we’ve ever seen in modern history,” Preckwinkle said. “And that leaves us trying to connect teachers and students in new and creative ways. We must now use technology to provide meaningful instruction to our young people.”
Every student who lives in the public housing complexes or has a voucher qualifies for the program, which will run for at least nine months. About 600 families are currently signed on to the service, HACC executive director Richard Monocchio said. The county is paying for the $9.95 per month bundle for these families with about $600,000 in federal CARES Act money.
Read more here. —Alice Yin
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12:11 p.m.: 2,128 new known COVID-19 cases and 27 more deaths reported
Illinois health officials on Wednesday announced 2,128 new known cases of COVID-19 and 27 additional fatalities, bringing the total number of known infections in Illinois to 238,643 and the statewide death toll to 8,091 since the start of the pandemic. Officials also reported 32,751 new tests in the last 24 hours. The seven-day statewide positivity rate is 4.5%.
—Chicago Tribune staff
11:06 a.m.: Steroids confirmed to improve survival rates for severely ill coronavirus patients, studies show
New studies confirm that multiple types of steroids improve survival for severely ill COVID-19 patients, cementing the cheap drugs as a standard of care.
An analysis of pooled results from seven studies, led by the World Health Organization and published Wednesday by the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that steroids reduced the risk of death in the first month by about one-third compared to placebo treatment or usual care alone in these seriously ill patients who needed extra oxygen.
Read more here. —Associated Press
10:52 a.m.: Illinois receives approval for extra $300 in weekly jobless benefits from FEMA
Illinois received approval Tuesday for an extra $300 in weekly federal unemployment benefits authorized by President Donald Trump through an executive order in August.
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The Federal Emergency Management Agency, which is responsible for doling out the funds, said in a Tuesday news release it approved the state for the Lost Wage Assistance program, which President Trump ordered last month to extend federal jobless benefits after a $600 weekly supplement expired in late July. Trump authorized the use of up to $44 billion from FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund for the payments.
The agency said it will work with Gov. J.B. Pritzker to implement a system to pay the benefits. Neither the state nor FEMA immediately responded to a question Wednesday about when jobless workers could expect to begin receiving the payments.
Read more here. —Abdel Jimenez
10:33 a.m.: United Airlines plans to furlough 16,370 employees Oct. 1 unless it gets more federal aid
United Airlines plans to furlough 16,370 employees this fall as the coronavirus pandemic continues to take a toll on air travel.
In a memo to employees, Chicago-based United said additional funding from the federal government is “the one thing” that could prevent job cuts and delay the impact on employees until next year.
Airlines already received billions of dollars through the federal coronavirus aid package this spring, in exchange for agreeing to avoid layoffs before Oct. 1. But demand for travel remains sharply reduced, and United executives have said they don’t expect flying to return to normal until a vaccine is widely available.
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Read more here. —Lauren Zumbach
8:36 a.m.: CDC halts evictions for some renters due to COVID-19. Here’s who qualifies.
The Trump administration has issued a directive halting the eviction of certain renters through the end of 2020 to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Federal, state and local governments have approved eviction moratoriums during the course of the pandemic for many renters, but those protections are expiring rapidly.
A recent report from one think tank, the Aspen Institute, stated that more than 20 million renters live in households that have suffered COVID-19-related job loss and concluded that millions more are at risk of eviction in the next several months.
Read more here. —Associated Press
7:48 a.m.: ‘Additional ventilators ... are no longer required’: Feds say national stockpile is full, cancel orders
The Trump administration is canceling some of its remaining orders for ventilators, after rushing to sign nearly $3 billion in emergency contracts as the COVID-19 pandemic surged in the spring.
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The Department of Health and Human Services issued a statement Tuesday affirming that the national stockpile has now reached its maximum capacity for the life-saving breathing machines, with nearly 120,000 available for deployment to state and local health officials if needed. Though the orders were billed as a cost-saving measure, Democrats said the cancellations show the White House vastly overspent in its quest to fulfill President Donald Trump’s pledge to make the United States the “King of Ventilators.”
Read more here. —Associated Press
6:45 a.m.: Chicago sports teams, city officials tout mask wearing in One Home Team campaign
Several Chicago sports teams planned to join city officials to encourage young people to wear masks and following other health guidelines as part of the city’s We Are All One Home Team campaign, according to the mayor’s office.
The Chicago Blackhawks, Bulls, Cubs, Sky, and White Sox will join the city in flying flags for the public relations campaign, according to a release from the mayor’s office.
The city previously released a Snapchat filter allowing people to add a mask to photos and handed out 30,000 masks as part of the campaign, which also has included billboards and social media ads.
“The City encourages all residents to participate in the campaign by posting and sharing photos of their masks on social media using the hashtag #TeamUpMaskUp,” according to the release.
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—Chicago Tribune staff
6 a.m.: Universities suspending students who party without masks and flout social distancing
College students, beware: You could temporarily lose your spot on campus ― or worse, get expelled ― for partying with your peers this fall.
It happened at Purdue University in Indiana, where 36 students received “summary suspensions” earlier this month for attending an off-campus gathering that lacked face masks and social distancing, just hours after a warning from administrators.
As colleges across the country allow students to return for fall classes, many are ramping up enforcement of new rules to curtail the spread of COVID-19. The stakes are high: Universities that can’t contain the virus on campus have paused in-person classes or reverted to remote learning entirely, sending students home for the rest of the semester.
In recent weeks, some colleges have said they will check social media to monitor student behavior, review security footage when students mingle in large groups and, most severely, kick students out of classes for violating school policy.
Read more here. —Elyssa Cherney
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6 a.m.: Your top 10 questions about coronavirus testing, answered
Want to get a COVID-19 test solely because you’re visiting your grandparents?
In Illinois, there’s nothing stopping you.
COVID-19 testing has come a long way since May. You don’t need symptoms — or a doctor’s OK — to find out if you’re infected with the highly contagious virus. Drive-thru testing is common, and the wait can be short or nonexistent.
Hospitals, individual doctors and the state of Illinois are offering multiple options — including, in some cases, a less invasive testing method, in which the swab doesn’t go far up your nose.
We asked health experts what you need to know to navigate the new testing landscape.
Read more here. —Nara Schoenberg
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Breaking coronavirus news Stay up to date with the latest information on coronavirus with our breaking news alerts.
In case you missed it
Here are five stories from Tuesday related to COVID-19.


chicagotribune--2020-09-02--Democratic nominee Joe Biden plans Kenosha trip on Thursday, countering President Donald Trump’s ‘la

Democratic nominee Joe Biden plans Kenosha trip on Thursday, countering President Donald Trump’s ‘law and order’ message

“ We want to talk to him about what type of legislation , bills and laws , that we can @ @ @ @ @ protect our African American children as they go out the door , ” Blake said @ @ @ @ @ things that can be done that once they walk into office , they ’ ll @ @ @ @ @ We want to talk about reparations .
These are things that affect our community and @ @ @ @ @ of the American Dream .
”

Rick Pearson, Bill Ruthhart, Genevieve Bookwalter

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden will make his first 2020 campaign trip to the key battleground state of Wisconsin on Thursday, traveling to riot-torn Kenosha with what he said was a message of healing.
“I’m not going to tell Kenosha what they have to do, but what we have to do together,” Biden told reporters at Queen Theater in Wilmington, Delaware.
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”We’ve got to heal. We’ve got to put things together and bring people together. So, my purpose in going will be to do just that — be a positive influence on what’s going on, talk about what need be done and try to see if there’s a beginning of a mechanism to bring the folks together,” Biden said.
Biden also is expected to meet with “the whole family” of Jacob Blake, the 29-year-old Black man who was paralyzed after being shot in the back by a Kenosha police officer last month, his uncle Justin Blake said. The news of Biden’s visit came on the same day Jacob Blake was moved out of an intensive care unit, his uncle said.
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The visit by the former Democratic vice president and his wife comes just days after President Donald Trump went to Kenosha, pledging law and order as a counter to “reckless far-left politicians” who “push the destructive message that our nation and our law enforcement are oppressive or racists.”
Trump and Republicans have accused Biden and Democrats of avoiding criticism of violent protests and contending Democratic governors and mayors have failed to use strong law enforcement, including calling in the National Guard.
But Biden and Democrats have criticized the violence and instead accused Trump of engaging in divisive rhetoric that has fueled the racial strife behind protests motivated by police actions against Black people.
For Kenosha, it was the Blake shooting that sparked local protests and unrest. Following a subsequent protest, 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse of Antioch, Illinois, was charged with murder in the deaths of two protesters and attempted murder in the wounding of a third.
Biden said he believed the vast majority of police officers are “good, decent (and) honorable” and that “they’re the ones who want to get rid of the bad cops even more than anybody else does because it reflects on them.”
He said that while the judicial system should “work its way,” he also believed at “a minimum” that charges should be filed against Rusten Sheskey, the Kenosha police officer in the Blake case, as well as against Louisville, Kentucky, police involved in the March 13 death of health care worker Breanna Taylor in a no-knock warrant case.
“I believe the vast majority of the community writ large as well as law enforcement want to straighten things out, not inflame things. But this president keeps throwing gasoline on the fire every place he goes,” Biden said.
“Protesting is a right and free speech is a right. But to engage in violence, burning, looting, the rest, in the name of protesting is wrong and that persons should be held accountable for their actions,” Biden said.
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Biden’s trip coincides with a new ad his campaign released Tuesday in battleground states to denounce violence, using portions of a speech he delivered Monday in Pittsburgh.
“I want to make it absolutely clear. Rioting is not protesting. Looting is not protesting. It’s lawlessness, plain and simple. And those who do it should be prosecuted,” Biden says in the ad.
“Fires are burning and we have a president who fans the flames. He can’t stop the violence because for years he’s fomented it,” the Democrat nominee says. “But his failure to call on his own supporters to stop acting as an armed militia in this country shows how weak he is. Violence will not bring change. It will only bring destruction. And it’s wrong in every way.”
In a precursor to his message in Kenosha, Biden says in the ad that if he were president, “my language would be less divisive. I’d be looking to lower the temperature in this country, not raise it.” And he accuses Trump of trying to “instill fear in America.”
Trump, in accepting the Republican Party’s nomination for a second term at the GOP’s pandemic-truncated convention, warned of anarchy and a radical takeover of the country if Biden is elected and said the former vice president would be “the destroyer of American greatness.”
Biden’s campaign has spent days evaluating a trip to Kenosha, which saw businesses looted and burned in the aftermath of the Blake shooting.
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The Kenosha visit will mark Biden’s first campaign appearance in the Midwest since a Detroit rally on March 9, the night before the Michigan primary. Following his victory there, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated in the U.S., leaving Biden to cancel rallies and campaign virtually in Illinois and Wisconsin before Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders dropped out of the race.
As Trump has traveled the country, he and Republicans have criticized Biden for refusing to leave his home and engage voters.
Since March, Biden largely has made appearances virtually from his home or at venues in his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware, in addition to a handful of trips to nearby Pennsylvania. The visit to Pittsburgh was an exception and his travel to Wisconsin points to a more expansive campaign schedule ahead.
Biden said Wednesday he wanted to get out more on the campaign trail but do it safely amid the pandemic.
“I think a president has the responsibility to set examples — set the right example for how to get out. Not go out and not wear a mask and not have large crowds of people standing next to one another, not wearing masks, not being a potential cauldron for significant outbreaks of COVID,” he said in reference to Trump’s campaign style.
After meeting with medical experts, Biden said, “we’ve worked out a protocol where how I get in the plane, what kind of plane I get on, how it’s sanitized, how I engage people.”
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Earlier on Wednesday, before Biden’s Wisconsin trip was announced, Trump posted on Twitter: “Joe Biden is a Low Energy Candidate the likes of which we have never seen before. The last thing our country needs is a Low Energy Individual, especially when surrounded by High Energy Chess Players scattered all over the world. He’s back in his basement now - no schedule!”
In another tweet, Trump took note of his visit to Kenosha.
“Joe Biden is not on the side of Law Enforcement, and that was spectacularly evident on my very successful trip yesterday to Kenosha. We solved the problem quickly, and it was very much appreciated by the people of Wisconsin. Joe Biden wouldn’t know where to begin - a bad record!” Trump said, contending federal actions tamped down continued violent protests in the city.
Joe Biden is not on the side of Law Enforcement, and that was spectacularly evident on my very successful trip yesterday to Kenosha. We solved the problem quickly, and it was very much appreciated by the people of Wisconsin. Joe Biden wouldn’t know where to begin - a bad record! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 2, 2020
Trump’s 2016 victory in Wisconsin was integral for him winning the White House. Democrat Hillary Clinton has been criticized for not visiting the state and taking it for granted.
Trump also began airing a new TV ad in Wisconsin and Minnesota Wednesday, highlighting the unrest in Kenosha. It opens with images of fires in the cities and demonstrators attempting to push over a fence in front of Kenosha’s courthouse as a masked Biden simultaneously kneels.
“Lawless criminals terrorize Kenosha. Joe Biden takes a knee,” the narrator says before a photo of the him is shown side by side with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. “Biden and the radical left’s weak response has led to chaos and violence, and the calls for defunding the police would make it worse.”
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The ad then contrasts images of Trump exiting Marine One, shaking hands with police officers and saluting the flag with images of Kenosha buildings on fire, fireworks being shot off during demonstrations and residents boarding up storefronts. The spot credits Trump with calling the National Guard into the city, but that was the decision of Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, who rejected a Trump offer to send Homeland Security officials into the state.
“President Trump is making it stop, sending in the National Guard and federal law enforcement to protect Wisconsin’s families,” the ad concludes. “Communities, not criminals. Jobs, not mobs. Strong leadership when America needs it most.”
The Biden campaign responded to the ad by attacking Trump for failing to “condemn violence of all kinds.” Biden also announced a record fundraising haul in August of $364.5 million between the Biden campaign, the Democratic National Committee and Democratic fundraising committees. More than half of that money — $205 million — came from small online donations, the campaign said.
The prolific fundraising month, which is more than Trump and Biden raised combined in July, is believed to have shattered the roughly $200 million monthly record Barack Obama set in 2008.
The Biden campaign’s announcement about Thursday’s trip offered few specifics except to say that he and his wife “will hold a community meeting in Kenosha to bring together Americans to heal and address the challenges we face. After, Vice President Biden and Dr. (Jill) Biden will make a local stop.”
On the eve of Biden’s visit, Kenosha Mayor John Antaramian announced that the nightly curfew the city has had in place for more than a week since Blake’s shooting was no longer necessary.
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“After consulting with local law enforcement agencies, I have decided the curfew is no longer needed,” Antaramian said in a statement. “The last several nights have been relatively peaceful in the community, and in the judgment of law enforcement, it is appropriate to remove the curfew.”
Justin Blake, Jacob Blake’s uncle, said earlier that he’d like the conversation with Biden to include potential legislation that would help the nation’s African American community, especially kids.
“We want to talk to him about what type of legislation, bills and laws, that we can start working on that would protect our African American children as they go out the door,” Blake said. “We want solid things that can be done that once they walk into office, they’ll be willing to do. We want to talk about reparations. These are things that affect our community and disallow us from being part of the American Dream.”
Blake said his family — especially his brother, Jacob Blake’s father — has received “quite a few threats” since the younger Blake’s shooting. They have been moved to new lodging in Wisconsin that “was a little more secure.”
As for the younger Jacob Blake’s condition, Justin Blake said “he’s still in a lot of pain and he’s highly medicated.”
However, “thus far the good days have outweighed the bad. That’s hard to say when you wake up and you’re paralyzed.”
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Corrections and clarifications

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· In a headline and story on Tuesday’s front page, the Associated Press erroneously reported a quote from Joe Biden based on his prepared remarks. He said President Donald Trump was “stroking violence.”
The Tribune regrets the error.
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Publishing information quickly and accurately is a central part of the Chicago Tribune’s news responsibility and a value shared in all our publications. Our editorial code of principles governs professional behavior and journalism standards. Everyone in our newsroom must agree to live up to this code of conduct. Download the file.
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chicagotribune--2020-09-03--City Council panel approves $2.25 million to family of Black teen fatally shot by Chicago police

Another $ 3.8 million settlement is proposed for police Officer Laura Kubiak .
She sued the city and two former @ @ @ @ @ was stripped of her post in the department ’ s Office of News Affairs days @ @ @ @ @ officer was resolved .

Chicago police investigate the scene of the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Paul O'Neal by an officer in 2016 in the South Shore neighborhood. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)
The City Council Finance Committee on Thursday approved a $2.25 million payment to the mother of Paul O’Neal Jr., an unarmed Black teen who was fatally shot in the back by a Chicago police officer in a South Side backyard during a foot chase in 2016.
While O’Neal was unarmed, the officer who shot him, Jose Diaz, said he believed the 18-year-old O’Neal had fired a gun at him.
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In fact, the shots came from two other officers who moments earlier fired at a stolen Jaguar that O’Neal was driving as he tried to elude police who had attempted to pull the vehicle over.
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Another $3.8 million settlement is proposed for police Officer Laura Kubiak. She sued the city and two former bosses because she said she was stripped of her post in the department’s Office of News Affairs days after her complaint against another officer was resolved.
Paul O'Neal Jr. (Family photo)
Kubiak was then reassigned to the night shift patrolling a violent neighborhood.
“Officer Kubiak’s removal from her position as a News Affairs liaison ... and reassignment to midnight beat patrol in a dangerous neighborhood was in retaliation for her complaining of and exposing the unlawful conduct of an officer with a history of violent behavior,” according to her suit.
Some aldermen said they were troubled to learn from city lawyer Renai Rodney on Thursday that Kubiak would have been willing to drop the suit if she was simply returned to news affairs. But the Finance Committee approved the payment.
The full City Council is set to consider the settlements next Wednesday.
jebyrne@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @_johnbyrne


chicagotribune--2020-09-03--Family, friends hold vigil for man fatally shot after Chicago officers say they were fired on: ‘Why

Family, friends hold vigil for man fatally shot after Chicago officers say they were fired on: ‘Why did they have to kill my son that way?’

“ If ( police ) were going after him , they could have shot him anywhere else in the body @ @ @ @ @ directly to his head ?
” asked a tearful Jacqueline Leon , a childhood friend @ @ @ @ @ The two grew up in the area , and she ’ s lost a few @ @ @ @ @ shootings and other shootings over the years .

The family of Miguel Vega — father Miguel Vega Sr., from left, mother Maria Vega and brother Erik Vega — speak with members of the news media near the intersection of 18th Street and Blue Island Avenue on Oct. 1, 2020, in Chicago. Miguel Vega was fatally shot by police on Aug. 31 on the 1300 block of West 19th Street. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)
Miguel Vega’s mother sobbed as she watched Aztec dancers perform ancestral prayer movements in the middle of the street, in front of the sidewalk where her son was fatally shot by police Monday night.
The Indigenous dancers joined Vega’s family, friends and community member allies at a vigil to remember Vega and to demand full transparency from Chicago police about the altercation. Family members refuse to believe the limited information police have released.
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Dozens gathered Wednesday night near 19th and Throop streets in the Pilsen neighborhood to offer condolences to the Vega family, leaving votive candles and flowers at a small makeshift altar in front of a two-story white brick house. Days earlier, Vega’s body had been lying there “in a pool of blood” after he was shot in the back of his head while running away from police, his family said.
“If (police) were going after him, they could have shot him anywhere else in the body to stop him, why directly to his head?” asked a tearful Jacqueline Leon, a childhood friend of Vega’s. The two grew up in the area, and she’s lost a few of her friends to police shootings and other shootings over the years.
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“Instead of helping, they make it worse,” she said.
A dancer with Aztec Dance Huehuecoyotl performs during a vigil on Sept. 2, 2020, for Miguel Vega, who was shot and fatally wounded by police in the area. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)
Chicago police say Vega was shot after officers were fired upon as they got out of their unmarked car about 10:45 p.m. Monday in the 1300 block of West 19th Street. The officers had been responding to a call of a suspicious person when they noticed a group standing on the sidewalk, police said.
“Officers were driving down the street, observed five individuals, attempted to exit their vehicle and were immediately fired upon,” Chicago police Deputy Chief Daniel O’Shea told reporters Monday.
Officers returned fire and hit Vega, according to a police statement. He was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he died hours later. Two people were arrested and later released, and two others remained at large. A gun was recovered from the scene, police said.
But the department’s preliminary statement does not include many details, including whether Vega was seen firing a gun or whether anyone else in the group was armed.
Vega’s younger brother Erik Vega says some neighbors and other witnesses have told the family his brother was unarmed and running away from police during the confrontation. The gun recovered at the scene was nearly 40 feet from his body.
“The truth lies within the videos of the body cameras of the police officers,” Erik Vega said after the vigil Wednesday and repeated the family’s demand that Chicago police speak to the family about how the confrontation took place leading to his brother’s death.
Erik Vega said an official from the Civilian Office of Police Accountability called his family and told them that the agency is working to release the body camera footage to the family as soon as possible and before it is released to the public.
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In front of the crowd and overcome by emotion, Erik Vega remembered his brother and acknowledged that he “may not have been an angel.”
“But sometimes you gotta turn things around, and that’s what brother was trying to do,” he said.
Miguel Vega, 26, grew up in Pilsen and had two young children. He most recently moved with his parents to Calumet City and had gotten a new job but often returned to the neighborhood to visit childhood friends, his family said.
His mother, Maria Vega, said that “he had a lot of friends, but I don’t know who was a gang member or who wasn’t.”
Cook County criminal records do not show a record of gang activity or gun charges.
But even if Vega was affiliated with gang activity at some point in his life, “it just doesn’t justify the way he was killed,” Erik Vega said.
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“If we justify his death because he was in a gang, police will continue to respond this way, killing more Black and brown people,” said an attendee who identified himself only as Carmen and declined to give his last name.
He said he was a representative of the Chicago Chapter of Los Brown Berets, a pro-Chicano organization that emerged during the Chicano Movement in the late 1960s. The group works to organize and mobilize communities across the country to expose farm workers’ struggles, demand educational reform and demonstrate against police brutality. Three of their representatives attended the vigil to show solidarity and offer support to the grieving family.
“He lost his life to a system that I don’t think can really be reformed at this point,” said Leah Neustadt, who biked from Roscoe Village to attend the vigil. A sign saying “Defund the Police” adorned her bike.
People gather in the 1300 block of West 19th Street in Chicago on Sept. 2, 2020 for a vigil for Miguel Vega. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)
However, other neighbors and witnesses to the confrontation showed displeasure at having the vigil take place and said they thought police acted accordingly the night of the confrontation.
A witness who asked not to be named citing fear for his safety said he watched the altercation unfold through a camera outside his home Monday night. He and other neighbors called the police as soon as they noticed the group walking around, throwing gang signs.
Vega, the witness said, was among the group. When the unmarked police car arrived at the scene, at least some in the group began hollering before at least two people began shooting at police and those in the group started running.
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Still, the family said the authorities haven’t been responsive or transparent about the altercation and “that’s all we want.”
Miguel Vega’s mother’s pain goes beyond just losing her oldest son, she said. It’s made worse by the mistrust she has of the police, she said. It frustrates her and upsets her, the way authorities have handled the situation.
“Why did they have to kill my son that way?” Maria Vega cried.


chicagotribune--2020-09-03--‘Very sad. Very unfortunate’: Body of missing Evanston boater pulled from Lake Michigan

Fire officials had provided updates Sunday on the search on social media .
In a post about 40 minutes after @ @ @ @ @ launched the search , a department representative said Fire Department “ divers are out of @ @ @ @ @ added they would continue to search from a boat using “ search cameras .
”

The body of a 32-year-old Evanston man who apparently fell off a boat into Monroe Harbor four days ago was pulled from the lake Thursday morning, Chicago police said.
Shortly after 6 a.m., police Marine Unit officers recovered his remains near Monroe Harbor, not far from where he’d gone missing, said Officer Anthony Spicuzza, a police spokesman.
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The man, whose identity was not being made public yet, fell from a boat about 6:40 p.m. Sunday and failed to resurface.
Immediately after he went missing, a dive team search by the Chicago Fire Department, the U.S. Coast Guard and police was deployed to find him.
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Family and friends of a person who reportedly fell into the lake wait and watch as a police boat and police helicopter search the lake near 500 S. Lake Shore Drive in Chicago on Aug. 31, 2020. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
“It’s very sad, it’s very unfortunate,’' said Evanston police Cmdr. Ryan Glew, who confirmed a vigil for the man was still planned for 6 p.m. Thursday at the corner of Dodge Avenue and Church Street. “He’s from a good family in town, good members of the community.’'
Fire officials had provided updates Sunday on the search on social media. In a post about 40 minutes after divers from the Fire Department launched the search, a department representative said Fire Department “divers are out of the water,” and added they would continue to search from a boat using “search cameras.”
Then, about 8 p.m. Sunday, the department suggested it was unlikely the man would be located alive.
“After (an) extensive search the event has been transitioned to a recovery,” it said.
rsobol@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-09-03--The Spin: Biden travels to Wisconsin, talks by phone with Kenosha police shooting victim Jacob Blake

The Spin: Biden travels to Wisconsin, talks by phone with Kenosha police shooting victim Jacob Blake | Voting twice in an election is illegal | Mayor Lightfoot pushes back on Trump’s call to defund cities

The Tribune ’ s Bill Ruthhart , Rick Pearson and Genevieve Bookwalter , who covered the visit , wrote : @ @ @ @ @ an hour with the family of Jacob Blake , the 29-year-old Black man who was @ @ @ @ @ the back by a Kenosha police officer last month .
The visit — with Blake @ @ @ @ @ sisters , brother and members of his legal team at an airport building in Milwaukee @ @ @ @ @ Blake was moved out of an intensive care unit.
” Biden said Jacob Blake ’ @ @ @ @ @ the meeting with Biden by phone .
Full coverage of the visit here .

Joe Biden, Democratic presidential candidate and former vice president, meets with community members at Grace Lutheran Church in Kenosha on Thursday, Sept. 3, 2020. (Carolyn Kaster/AP)
When he arrived in Milwaukee today, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden talked by phone with paralyzed police shooting victim Jacob Blake and met in person with members of his family before traveling to Kenosha, a city that has become a focal point in the national reckoning over race.
While there, Biden attended a community meeting focused on calls for racial justice little more than a week after Blake, who is Black, was shot in the back by a white Kenosha police officer. Biden’s trip was a rebuttal of sorts to President Donald Trump who was in Kenosha on Tuesday with a law-and-order message aimed at quelling the protests, looting and violence sparked by the shooting little more than a week ago.
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Of course politics are in play: With the November election little more than two months away, Wisconsin is a battleground state that Trump narrowly won in 2016.
Earlier today, Mayor Lori Lightfoot took Trump to task today, a day after he issued a memorandum threatening to slash federal funding to Democratic-run cities that, he writes, have become “lawless zones” and “permit anarchy, violence, and destruction” — references to protests, violent clashes and looting that have unfolded in major cities, including Chicago, since a white Minneapolis police officer was captured on video killing an unarmed and handcuffed George Floyd.
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The memo names four cities as targets. While Chicago isn’t one of them, the president leaves the door open to defund other cities where unrest has followed the Floyd killing. Lightfoot weighed in on Twitter this morning: “If @realDonaldTrump wanted ’law and order,’ he’d start with the White House. 1,000 people die daily from his failure on the pandemic. Instead of taking ownership, he chooses to play politics with lives.”
Welcome to The Spin
Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden, and his wife, Jill, board a plane at New Castle Airport, in New Castle, Delaware, on Thursday, Sept. 3, 2020, en route to Kenosha. (Carolyn Kaster/AP)
Biden said after he got off the plane in Milwaukee, he had a chance to speak with Jacob Blake by phone and was struck by Blake’s resilience.
“He talked about how nothing was going to defeat him, how, whether he walked again or not, he was not going to give up,” the former vice president said.
The Tribune’s Bill Ruthhart, Rick Pearson and Genevieve Bookwalter, who covered the visit, wrote: “Biden met privately for an hour with the family of Jacob Blake, the 29-year-old Black man who was paralyzed after being shot in the back by a Kenosha police officer last month. The visit — with Blake’s father, two sisters, brother and members of his legal team at an airport building in Milwaukee — came a day after Blake was moved out of an intensive care unit.” Biden said Jacob Blake’s mother called in to the meeting with Biden by phone. Full coverage of the visit here.
Inside Kenosha’s Grace Lutheran Church, Biden spoke after listening to a handful of speakers from among about two dozen community members who were gathered and kept masked and socially distanced. The group included a firefighter, members of the law enforcement community, business owners and union members.
Seeking to contrast himself with Trump, Biden repeated the story of how he decided to get into the presidential contest after watching Trump’s reaction to white supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia, in August 2017, being confronted by demonstrators, including one who was killed.
The two released attack ads this week in Wisconsin and elsewhere: Trump’s spot tried to paint Biden as an ally of looters and arsonists along with other far left politicians including Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. The Biden campaign responded to the ad by attacking Trump for failing to “condemn violence of all kinds.” Trump has at once distanced himself and seemingly defended the actions of Kyle Rittenhouse, the alleged 17-year-old vigilante from Antioch who shot three people during protesting in Kenosha; two of the people died.
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New round of polls show Biden ahead, particularly in battleground states such as Wisconsin, but it’s a narrow lead: The New York Times takes a deep dive here.
Ex-Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder is latest Republican to endorse Biden: Trump ‘a bully who lacks a moral compass’: The Associated Press has the full story here.
Related: Illinois U.S., Sen. Dick Durbin, who is seeking a fifth term, hits the virtual campaign trail for Biden. It’s a kickoff for “Catholics for Biden,” according to the campaign.
A voter heads into vote at Orozco Community Academy school in Chicago, Tuesday, March 17, 2020, (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
President Trump has raised eyebrows and the ire of some election officials after suggesting those who vote by may want ensure it was tabulated - by heading to their polling place in person to see if they could vote again. The Associated Press has a story about it here.
While he and the White House have walked back the double voting commentary, he continues to push an unfounded refrain that voting by mail, something more Americans are opting for amid the pandemic, will result in widespread voter fraud.
While the old tongue-in-cheek adage encourages to “vote early and often” in an election, it’s actually illegal to either attempt or to vote more than once, state election officials say. Illinois law offers a bureaucratic explainer but states that “Voting more than once” is a Class 3 felony.
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Encouraging others to double vote isn’t addressed by election laws, but attorneys at the state election board say there are routes to prosecute such cases, said Matt Dietrich, with the Illinois State Board Of Elections.
“It is not lawful to instruct others to commit a felony,” Dietrich said.
Cases of double voting are rarely prosecuted but with all the discussion about voter fraud, election officials will be on high alert, Dietrich said.
Twitter, Facebook slap warning labels on Trump’s posts on voting twice: NBC News has the story here.
Facebook says it will restrict new political ads in week before presidential election, quash attempts to falsely declare victory: Read the AP story here.
State’s top attorney warns about robocalls discouraging vote-by-mail: Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul is urging Illinois residents to disregard robocalls that falsely claim their personal information will be shared with third parties.
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In a news release, Raoul said “some voters have reported receiving robocalls warning them that voting by mail could result in their private information being provided to third parties” including ‘the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to track people for mandatory vaccines, police departments and law enforcement in order to locate individuals who have outstanding warrants, and creditors to help find people who owe outstanding debt.” Raoul said residents should contact the Illinois State Board of Elections with questions about voting — whether by mail or in person.
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Mayor Lori Lightfoot following her budget address at the Cultural Center in Chicago on Monday, Aug. 31, 2020. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
President Trump released a five-page memo Wednesday evening directing federal agencies to find ways to cut billions in federal grants to four solidly Democratic cities and consider other “anarchist jurisdictions.” The president name-checked New York City; Washington, D.C.; Seattle; and Portland, Oregon, but left the door open to other cities that have seen unrest.
As Trump wrote on Twitter last night: “My administration will do everything in its power to prevent weak mayors and lawless cities from taking federal dollars while they let anarchists harm people, burn buildings, and ruin lives and businesses. We’re putting them on notice today.”
Chicago has seen its share of unrest, which likely prompted Lightfoot’s strong pushback.
Funds we might lose. As The Washington Post notes, “(t)he federal government provides funding for cities in a variety of ways (including) ... transportation projects, housing aid, law enforcement grants and numerous other measures. Even though the money is often approved by Congress, administration officials can attempt to cancel certain projects. The new memo asks about the legal authority for canceling certain projects.”
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My Administration will do everything in its power to prevent weak mayors and lawless cities from taking Federal dollars while they let anarchists harm people, burn buildings, and ruin lives and businesses. We’re putting them on notice today. @RussVought45 — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 3, 2020
If @realDonaldTrump wanted “law and order,” he'd start with the White House. 1,000 people die daily from his failure on the pandemic. Instead of taking ownership, he chooses to play politics with lives. — Mayor Lori Lightfoot (@chicagosmayor) September 3, 2020
An Illinois Department of Employment Security office in Springfield in 2016, (Seth Perlman/AP)
The Tribune’s Abdel Jimenez reports: “Illinois has received approval for an extra $300 in weekly federal unemployment benefits authorized by President Donald Trump through an executive order in August.
“The Federal Emergency Management Agency, which is responsible for distributing the funds, said in a Tuesday news release it approved the state for the Lost Wage Assistance program, which Trump ordered last month to extend federal jobless benefits after a $600 weekly supplement expired in late July. Trump authorized the use of up to $44 billion from FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund for the payments.” Read the full story here.
New U.S. unemployment claims fall below 1 million, but layoffs remain elevated: Details from The Associated Press here.
Stimulus check updates: Mitch McConnell raises new doubts on Congress getting COVID-19 relief done in fall — Bloomberg News has the details here.
Spectators allowed at Arlington racecourse in final weeks of season: Starting today, Arlington International Racecourse welcomed a limited number of spectators through its doors for live racing. There’s only a month left in the season, but the reopening comes in time for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby, Pioneer Press reports here.
Officials from the Arlington Heights Department of Health and Human Services, Cook County Department of Public Health and the Illinois Department of Public Health OK’d the plan to allow a limited number of spectators — 300 max — into the outdoor areas of the facility on race days, according to a news release from the racecourse.
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Reminder: Last week, suburban Cook County was among 30 counties in Illinois that state public health officials put at a “warning level” as COVID-19 transmissions rise in the area.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot talks about the $1.2 billion shortfall in the 2021 pandemic budget at the Cultural Center in Chicago on Monday, Aug. 31, 2020. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
Mayor Lori Lightfoot joined affordable housing lender Community Investment Corp. this afternoon to launch its $330 million, five-year loan pool for private landlords to renovate or purchase units in order to improve the city’s stock of inexpensive apartments, the Tribune’s John Byrne writes.
Byrne notes that it “comes as the mayor seeks to gain traction for her own ambitious “Invest South/West” commercial program designed to improve struggling neighborhood shopping districts on the South and West sides using city money to jump-start private investment.”
Jack Markowski, CEO of the Community Investment, said he sees the organization’s latest residential loan package dovetailing with Lightfoot’s aim to bolster businesses. Read Byrne’s full story here.
Thanks for reading The Spin, the Tribune’s politics newsletter. Sign up here to have it delivered to your inbox weekday afternoons. Have a tip? Email host Lisa Donovan at ldonovan@chicagotribune.com.
Twitter @byldonovan


chicagotribune--2020-09-03--Chicago aldermen stall O’Hare cargo expansion project over lack of diversity

With the big project hinging on the bond funding , city officials will try to address aldermen ’ s concerns @ @ @ @ @ could come back to consider the bond issuance again as soon as next week so @ @ @ @ @ consider it Wednesday .

Planes take off at Chicago O'Hare International Airport on July 6, 2020, in Chicago. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
Aldermen complaining Thursday about low minority participation numbers in an O’Hare International Airport cargo expansion project stalled for the time being a plan to issue $55.6 million in bonds to help pay for the next phase of the work.
Officials from Aeroterm were grilled by members of the City Council Finance Committee about the company’s failure to meet benchmarks for hiring minorities and Chicago residents in the first two phases of the northeast cargo expansion project.
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“In a city that celebrates diversity, a responsibility to diversity should definitely be there, and definitely a responsibility to the people who live in the city of Chicago,” Ald. Sophia King, 4th, said.
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Aviation Commissioner Jamie Rhee promised to hold the company to the targets.
With the big project hinging on the bond funding, city officials will try to address aldermen’s concerns quickly. The Finance Committee could come back to consider the bond issuance again as soon as next week so the full City Council can consider it Wednesday.
jebyrne@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @_johnbyrne


chicagotribune--2020-09-03--Rochester mayor suspends officers involved in Daniel Prude’s suffocation death following release of

Rochester mayor suspends officers involved in Daniel Prude’s suffocation death following release of body camera footage

“ My father should have been met with a mental health specialist .
He should not have been killed in @ @ @ @ @ 18-year-old daughter , Tashyra Prude , said in an interview with The Associated Press .
@ @ @ @ @ that .
He was treated like an animal .
And I want this to be @ @ @ @ @ not only my father , but justice for people like Breonna Taylor , who were @ @ @ @ @ ”

Protesters stand amid clouds of chemical irritant released by police outside the Public Safety Building in Rochester, New York, Sept. 3, 2020. Seven police officers involved in the suffocation death of Daniel Prude in Rochester were suspended Thursday by the city's mayor, who said she was misled for months about the circumstances of the fatal encounter. (Adrian Kraus / AP)
Seven police officers involved in the suffocation death of Daniel Prude in Rochester, New York, were suspended Thursday by the city’s mayor, who said she was misled for months about the circumstances of the fatal encounter.
Prude, 41, who was Black, died when he was taken off life support March 30. That was seven days after officers who encountered him running naked through the street put a hood over his head to stop him from spitting, then held him down for about two minutes until he stopped breathing.
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Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren announced the suspensions at a news conference amid criticism that city officials had kept Prude’s death secret for months.
While denying a cover-up, Warren acknowledged that Prude “was failed by the police department, our mental health care system, our society, and he was failed by me.”
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Hours after the announcement, a crowd of protesters unswayed by the suspensions demonstrated late into the night outside Rochester’s police headquarters. Officers doused some protesters with a chemical spray and fired an irritant into the crowd to keep activists from approaching metal barricades ringing the building.
The confrontation came on the second day of peaceful demonstrations over Prude’s death.
The mayor said she only became aware that Prude’s death involved the use of force on Aug. 4. Initially, she said, Police Chief La’Ron Singletary portrayed it as a drug overdose, which is “entirely different” than what Warren said she witnessed in body camera video. The mayor said she told the chief she was “deeply, personally and professionally disappointed” in his failure to accurately inform her what happened to Prude.
Warren said the seven officers would still be paid because of contract rules and that she was taking the action against the advise of attorneys.
“I understand that the union may sue the city for this. They shall feel free to do so,” she said.
Warren did not announce any action against Singletary. Approached at a community event, Singletary declined to comment but said he would speak later.
Messages left with the union representing Rochester police officers were not immediately returned Thursday.
Prude’s death happened just as the coronavirus was raging out of control in New York and received no public attention at the time.
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His family held a news conference Wednesday and released police body camera video obtained through a public records request that captured his fatal interaction with the officers.
The videos and other records detailed how police had gone looking for Prude after he bolted from his brother’s home early on March 23, hours after receiving a mental health evaluation at a hospital.
When officers found Prude he was completely naked, on the street in a light snow. He lay on the ground as they handcuffed him, then grew agitated, shouting and writhing and demanding that the officers give him a gun.
A crowd of protesters gather on Sept. 2, 2020, in Rochester, N.Y., near the site where Daniel Prude was restrained by police officers. (Adrian Kraus/AP)
Officers put a hood over his head because he had been spitting and then pressed his face into the pavement for two minutes, police video shows.
The hoods are intended to protect officers from a detainee’s saliva and have been scrutinized as a factor in the deaths of several prisoners in recent years.
The videos show Prude, his voice muffled by the hood, begging the white officer pushing his head down to let him go. As the officer, Mark Vaughn, says, “Calm down” and “Stop spitting,” Prude’s shouts became anguished whimpers and grunts.
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“OK, stop. I need it. I need it,” Prude says.
The officer lets Prude go after about two minutes when he stops moving and falls silent. Officers then notice water coming out of Prude’s mouth and call over waiting medics, who start CPR.
A medical examiner concluded that Prude’s death was a homicide caused by “complications of asphyxia in the setting of physical restraint.” The report lists excited delirium and acute intoxication by phencyclidine, or PCP, as contributing factors.
In his final months, Prude, who was known to his Chicago-based family as “Rell,” had been having mental health problems and had been going back and forth between his Chicago home and his brother’s place in Rochester, relatives said.
“My father should have been met with a mental health specialist. He should not have been killed in the street,” his 18-year-old daughter, Tashyra Prude, said in an interview with The Associated Press. “He did not deserve that. He was treated like an animal. And I want this to be a step toward justice for not only my father, but justice for people like Breonna Taylor, who were killed by the police.”
New York Attorney General Letitia James’ office took over the investigation of the death in April. It is still not complete.
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“The Prude family and the greater Rochester community deserve answers, and we will continue to work around the clock to provide them,” James said in a statement Thursday.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a statement that he watched video of Prude’s fatal encounter with police Wednesday night.
“What I saw was deeply disturbing and I demand answers,” he said, adding that he was confident James’ investigation would be thorough. “For the sake of Mr. Prude’s family and the greater Rochester community I am calling for this case to be concluded as expeditiously as possible.”
Demonstrators came out on Thursday evening for a second straight night, about 200 of them gathering near the street corner where Prude was restrained by police. Some activists felt suspending the officers was not enough.
“This is a cover up and honestly our mayor, our police chief, they should be bought up on criminal charges,” said Justin Morris.
Earlier Thursday, Prude’s brother, Joe Prude, said all his younger brother wanted that morning was “somebody to grab him up and help him.”
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“No matter how you look at the situation, the man was absolutely in his birthday suit, handcuffed behind his back, on the ground already, in freezing weather,” Prude’s brother, Joe Prude, said. “How could you sit here and label that man a threat to you when he’s already cuffed up? How could you throw a bag over his head?
Hill reported from Albany. Associated Press writers Michael R. Sisak, Ted Shaffrey and Jennifer Peltz in New York and Don Babwin in Chicago contributed to this report.