chicagotribune--2020-12-09--Jury convicts Illinois man of masterminding 2017 Minnesota mosque bombing on all 5 counts

Jaylani Hussein , executive director of the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations , said during the press @ @ @ @ @ been served in this individual case , the threat of violence toward Muslim communities by @ @ @ @ @ .
Hussein said these groups have been galvanized by the Trump administration and that he @ @ @ @ @ take out their frustration with the president ’ s loss in November ’ s election @ @ @ @ @ nation .

ST. PAUL, Minn. — A jury on Wednesday convicted the leader of an Illinois anti-government militia group of several civil rights and hate crime charges in the 2017 bombing of a Minnesota mosque.
Prosecutors outlined 49-year-old Michael Hari’s hatred for Muslims as his motivation for the bombing during the trial, citing anti-Islam excerpts from Hari’s manifesto known as The White Rabbit Handbook, named after his militia group. Prosecutors presented evidence to jurors that included phone records and testimony of federal investigators who tracked Hari down to Clarence, Illinois, a rural community about 120 miles (190 kilometers) south of Chicago where Hari and two co-defendants lived after a seven-month investigation.
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The bombing took place on Aug. 5, 2017, when the pipe bomb exploded in the imam’s office as worshippers gathered for early morning prayers. No one was hurt in the explosion, though community members where shaken by the incident and the mosque’s executive director testified last month that it has led to diminished attendance due to fear.
Local faith leaders gathered in front of the federal courthouse building in St. Paul and thanked prosecutors and the jury during a press conference after the verdict was delivered. Abdulahi Farah, a program director at Dar Al-Farooq, said the mosque’s sense of community was “shattered” after the attack, but the guilty verdict sends a “strong message” to their congregants and other Muslim communities across the state.
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“Our community members definitely have been sharing messages of hope instead of fear and isolation,” Farah said. “Many more members are slowly coming back and feeling like this is the place where we belong, this is our home and we’re not going anywhere.”
Michael Hari in an undated photo. (Ford County Sheriff's Office)
Jaylani Hussein, executive director of the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said during the press conference that while justice has been served in this individual case, the threat of violence toward Muslim communities by white supremacist groups still exists. Hussein said these groups have been galvanized by the Trump administration and that he is concerned the groups will take out their frustration with the president’s loss in November’s election on Muslim communities across the nation.
“We urge, as we celebrate today’s verdict, that law enforcement and particularly state and federal leadership do not ignore ... the potential for more severe crimes like this happening moving forward,” he said.
U.S. Attorney Erica MacDonald said in a release Wednesday that Hari’s goal was to undermine the Dar Al-Farooq congregation’s right to practice their religion with violence “driven by hatred and ignorance.”
“Today’s guilty verdicts represent a condemnation of that hatred and uphold our fundamental right to live and worship free from the threat of violence and discrimination,” she said.
Law enforcement officials investigate the site of an explosion at the Dar Al-Farooq Islamic Center in Bloomington, Minn., on Aug. 15, 2017. (David Joles/AP)
Hari was found guilty on all five counts, which include using explosives, damaging property because of its religious character and obstructing the free exercise of religious beliefs. A sentencing hearing for Hari, who faces a mandatory minimum of 35 years in prison, has yet to be scheduled, according to MacDonald.
The testimony by those co-defendants, Joe Morris and Michael McWhorter, portrayed how Morris viewed Hari as a father figure, and how Hari instructed them to throw the pipe bomb into the Dar Al-Farooq Islamic Center as Hari waited in the car after driving up from Illinois in a truck rented by Hari. Morris, who along with McWhorter pleaded guilty in January 2019 to their role in the attack, testified that Hari said the mosque trained ISIS fighters.
Defense attorneys argued that prosecutors failed to produce forensic evidence putting Hari at the suburban Minneapolis mosque on the day of the attack and attempted to discredit Morris and McWhorter with what they said were inconsistencies in their testimony. Hari refused to testify in his own defense.
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Prosecutors refuted the defense’s claims, citing Hari’s past as a former sheriff’s deputy that investigated crimes as how he knew not to leave forensic evidence behind.


chicagotribune--2020-12-09--‘Indiana is on fire’: Gov. Eric Holcomb orders hospitals to cancel, delay elective surgeries as COVI

‘Indiana is on fire’: Gov. Eric Holcomb orders hospitals to cancel, delay elective surgeries as COVID-19 overwhelms health care system

Pilot hospitals would be required to have people “ ready on hold ” if there are leftover doses that day @ @ @ @ @ said .
Those who got sick and recovered from COVID-19 within the past 90 days @ @ @ @ @ delay a little bit , ” Weaver said , but everyone is encouraged to get @ @ @ @

CORRECTS NAME Ranjan Shukla, accompanied by her husband Dr Hari Shukla, receives the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle, England, Tuesday Dec. 8, 2020. The United Kingdom, one of the countries hardest hit by the coronavirus, is beginning its vaccination campaign, a key step toward eventually ending the pandemic. (Owen Humphreys/Pool via AP) (Owen Humphreys/AP)
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb said Wednesday hospitals are ordered to cancel or delay elective surgeries from Dec. 16 to Jan. 3.
The announcement came as Indiana looks for options to fight the nation’s second highest per-capita COVID-19 spread, straining its health care system.
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“The state of Indiana is on fire,” Holcomb said, noting doctors and nurses are “overwhelmed.”
The state had halted elective medical procedures in April to help preserve hospital equipment and protective gear. State Health Commissioner Dr. Kristina Box said the surgery restrictions will allow hospitals to shift health care workers to help care for patients with COVID-19.
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Holcomb, a Republican, said he was extending the statewide mask order and toughening restrictions on crowd sizes that he reinstated last month. The new rules will prevent local health departments from allowing exemptions for social gatherings of more than 25 people in counties with red ratings and more than 50 people in orange-rated counties.
District 1, which includes hospitals from Lake, Porter, LaPorte, Jasper and Newton counties, reported 16.7% or only 41 open intensive care unit beds. Virus hospitalizations in the five-county area was at 474, down from 588 Nov. 30, about twice spring’s peak.
Lake County reported six new COVID-19 deaths, totaling 507. Porter County has had 127 deaths to date, according to its health department dashboard.
Community Hospital in Munster is expected to get its first COVID-19 vaccine shipment next week for frontline medical workers, Indiana State Department of Health Chief Medical Officer Lindsay Weaver said.
In total, over 55,000 doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine are expected to go to five Indiana pilot hospitals, including Community.
Frontline medical workers will be first in line, under Phase 1A, then nursing home residents, or at-risk patients with chronic conditions like kidney disease, or type 2 diabetes. Phase 2, anticipated later, would cover those who are likely to catch the virus at work. Phase 3 would cover the general public, expected next summer at earliest.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee is scheduled to consider the Pfizer vaccine Thursday, and Moderna’s on Dec. 17.
The vaccine is free, but hospitals are allowed to charge an “administrative fee” directly to insurance companies, Weaver said.
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With 400,000 Indiana healthcare workers qualifying, including doctors, nurses, dietitians, cleaning staff and clergy, they couldn’t inoculate everyone that first week, she said.
Pilot hospitals would be required to have people “ready on hold” if there are leftover doses that day, for example, Weaver said. Those who got sick and recovered from COVID-19 within the past 90 days “may be asked to delay a little bit,” Weaver said, but everyone is encouraged to get the two-dose vaccine.
Pfizer’s vaccine requires two shots 21 days apart, while Moderna’s needs two shots 28 days apart. Both require ultra cold storage with at least a 94% protection rate with two doses.
The Associated Press contributed.


chicagotribune--2020-12-09--Coronavirus in Illinois updates: 8,256 new COVID-19 cases and 179 additional deaths reported as Chic

Coronavirus in Illinois updates: 8,256 new COVID-19 cases and 179 additional deaths reported as Chicago officials say they hope to vaccinate all city adults in 2021

“ I ’ ve heard from a number of restaurateurs about this issue but the one thing they ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ this very difficult year for them is just be fair .
Make sure that whatever @ @ @ @ @ they are enforced uniformly , that there ’ s no exceptions , and when people @ @ @ @ @ are held accountable , ” Lightfoot said .
“ Ald .
Tunney understands that he @ @ @ @ @ break the rules .
He didn ’ t just break them as a businessperson .
@ @ @ @ @ alderman who swore an oath to live and abide by a higher set of standards @ @ @ @ @ that ’ s one of the things I ’ ve been hearing a lot from @ @ @ @ @ them really angry and animated about this .
”

We have lifted the paywall on this story. To support essential reporting, please consider becoming a subscriber .
CTU workers direct vehicles lined up for COVID-19 testing outside of the Chicago Teachers Union on Dec. 30, 2021, in Chicago. CPS starts back to school on Monday following their holiday break. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
With federal approval for two coronavirus vaccines expected soon, Chicago officials said Wednesday they hope to vaccinate all city adults in 2021 as they laid out their plans to roll out the vaccine.
But even as city officials celebrated the news of imminent vaccine approval, Mayor Lori Lightfoot warned residents to follow public health guidance and not grow complacent because widespread community vaccination is still “many months away.
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The city’s announcement came as Illinois health officials on Wednesday reported 8,256 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 179 additional fatalities, bringing the total number of known infections in Illinois to 812,430 and the statewide death toll to 13,666 since the start of the pandemic.
Meanwhile, all eyes will be on the Food and Drug Administration on Thursday when an advisory committee is set to meet and discuss Pfizer’s request for emergency-use authorization of its COVID-19 vaccine. Here’s what the FDA approval will mean for Chicago and the rest of Illinois.
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Here’s what’s happening Wednesday with COVID-19 in the Chicago area and Illinois:
9:30 p.m.: US tops 3,000 daily deaths from COVID-19 for first time
The U.S. topped 3,000 deaths Wednesday in what is a single-day record, according to the COVID Tracking Project. That’s surpassed the level seen during last spring’s peak in and around New York City.
New cases per day have rocketed to more than 200,000 on average, and the number of patients in the hospital with COVID-19 stood at almost 105,000 on Tuesday, another all-time high.
Read more here. —Associated Press
4:45 p.m.: Indiana to cancel, delay elective surgeries as COVID-19 surges, Gov. Holcomb says
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb said Wednesday hospitals are ordered to cancel or delay elective surgeries from Dec. 16 to Jan. 3.
The announcement came as Indiana looks for options to fight the nation’s second highest per-capita COVID-19 spread, straining its healthcare system.
“The state of Indiana is on fire,” Holcomb said, noting doctors and nurses are “overwhelmed.”
The state had halted elective medical procedures in April to help preserve hospital equipment and protective gear. State Health Commissioner Dr. Kristina Box said the surgery restrictions will allow hospitals to shift health care workers to help care for patients with COVID-19.
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Holcomb, a Republican, said he was extending the statewide mask order and toughening restrictions on crowd sizes that he reinstated last month. The new rules will prevent local health departments from allowing exemptions for social gatherings of more than 25 people in counties with red ratings and more than 50 people in orange-rated counties.
Read more here. —Meredith Colias-Pete
4:10 p.m.: Lightfoot ‘deeply disappointed’ in Wrigleyville Ald. Tom Tunney after his Ann Sather restaurant breaks pandemic indoor dining rules
Mayor Lori Lightfoot said she’s “deeply disappointed” in Wrigleyville Ald. Tom Tunney after the longtime alderman acknowledged letting people eat inside his Ann Sather restaurant despite city and state rules designed to help stop the spread of coronavirus.
Tunney, whose restaurant is facing up to $10,500 in possible fines from the city, “knows that he did wrong” and “will absolutely be held accountable,” Lightfoot said.
“I’ve heard from a number of restaurateurs about this issue but the one thing they’ve consistently said to me throughout this very difficult year for them is just be fair. Make sure that whatever the rules are, that they are enforced uniformly, that there’s no exceptions, and when people break those rules, they are held accountable,” Lightfoot said. “Ald. Tunney understands that he made an intentional decision to break the rules. He didn’t just break them as a businessperson. He broke them as an alderman who swore an oath to live and abide by a higher set of standards than the average person and that’s one of the things I’ve been hearing a lot from people that’s made them really angry and animated about this.”
Tunney, a key member of Lightfoot’s City Council leadership team as her hand-picked chair of the Zoning Committee, previously acknowledged diners have been eating inside his Belmont Avenue restaurant and called it an “error in judgment.”
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Read more here. —Gregory Pratt
3:50 p.m.: Lightfoot-backed plan to let Cubs defer infrastructure payment to city advances
Chicago aldermen moved a step closer Wednesday to letting the Cubs put off a $250,000 payment for infrastructure work around Wrigley Field.
The proposal backed by Mayor Lori Lightfoot allows the team to make the scheduled 2021 “CubFund Project” payment in 2024. It passed the City Council License Committee on Wednesday, and will head to the full council next week.
In introducing the ordinance last month, on the same day she got aldermen to approve a $94 million property tax hike and other fine and fee increases to help balance the 2021 budget, the mayor cited the Cubs’ loss of revenue during the coronavirus pandemic.
On Wednesday, Southwest Side Ald. George Cardenas, 12th, nodded to the potentially problematic optics of giving the billionaire Ricketts family that owns the team a break on neighborhood improvement funds while regular Chicagoans are struggling.
“Someone has to explain, to a least me, from such an organization that has strong financial backing, obviously, it’s a billion-dollar industry, a billion-dollar entity, why we should defer this payment, besides the fact that there’s no baseball and there’s other things in play,” Cardenas said.
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Read more here. —John Byrne
2:18 p.m.: If you didn’t get a stimulus check, filing your 1040 can fix that. Here are 2020 tax tips you need to know.
It’s the time of year to start thinking about taxes — but the upcoming filing season is going to be a bit trickier for many Americans due to rampant unemployment, working from home and general upheaval due to COVID-19.
Here are a few pandemic specific conditions — good and bad — to be aware of.
Read more here. —Associated Press
1:57 p.m.: Only about half of Americans want to get vaccinated against the coronavirus, AP-NORC poll finds
As states frantically prepare to begin months of vaccinations that could end the pandemic, a new poll finds only about half of Americans are ready to roll up their sleeves when their turn comes.
The survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows about a quarter of U.S. adults aren’t sure if they want to get vaccinated against the coronavirus. Roughly another quarter say they won’t.
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Many on the fence have safety concerns and want to watch how the initial rollout fares — skepticism that could hinder the campaign against the scourge that has killed nearly 290,000 Americans. Experts estimate at least 70% of the U.S. population needs to be vaccinated to achieve herd immunity, or the point at which enough people are protected that the virus can be held in check.
Read more here. —Associated Press
1:52 p.m.: Tensions rise over mask requirements as coronavirus grips smaller US cities: ‘The worst health crisis ... and we’re fighting over a mask’
Arguments over mask requirements and other restrictions have turned ugly in recent days as the deadly coronavirus surge across the U.S. engulfs small and medium-size cities that once seemed at a safe remove from the outbreak.
In Boise, Idaho, public health officials about to vote on a four-county mask mandate abruptly ended a meeting Tuesday evening because of fears for their safety amid anti-mask protests outside the building and at some of their homes. One health board member tearfully announced she had to rush home to be with her child because protesters were banging on her front door.
In California, Sacramento County health officials had to suspend a meeting Tuesday after more than two dozen protesters pounded on the chamber doors during a debate over whether to strengthen enforcement against businesses that violate virus restrictions.
And in South Dakota, the mayor of Rapid City said City Council members were harassed and threatened over a proposed citywide mask mandate that failed this week even as intensive care units across the state filled with COVID-19 patients.
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“I think that’s a sad commentary here in the middle of a global pandemic, the worst health crisis in our lifetimes, and we’re fighting over a mask,” Mayor Steve Allender said.
Read more here. —Associated Press
1:34 p.m.: Oak Park approved as vaccination provider, could receive COVID-19 vaccines by mid-December
After the village of Oak Park received approval from the state as a vaccination provider, officials say they could begin offering COVID-19 vaccines to frontline employees later this month.
As one of the few towns with its own municipal health department, the village of Oak Park applied for and received approval from the state on Nov. 27 to become an authorized vaccine provider once a vaccine is approved, officials said.
Read more here. —Steve Schering, Pioneer Press
1:30 p.m.: Chicago officials outline initial coronavirus vaccine distribution plans: ‘We are very ready for the vaccine as it comes’
With federal approval for two coronavirus vaccines expected soon, Chicago officials said Wednesday they hope to vaccinate all city adults in 2021 as they laid out their plans to roll out the vaccine.
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Initial vaccine doses will be sent to all 34 hospitals in the city, officials said. Health care workers who treat COVID-19 patients or are at high risk for coronavirus spread will be first to receive it, the city said.
After health care workers, vaccines will be prioritized for a broad group of people including residents and staff at long-term care facilities, people with high risk due to underlying medical conditions, people who are 65 and older, and workers in “essential and critical industries.”
That broad designation potentially allows a wide array of people to be eligible, though public health commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said the definition of essential workers likely will be clarified through additional guidance from federal officials.
The city expects somewhere between 100,000-150,000 doses to be available in December, though that’s just an estimate.
”We are excited about this, we are very ready for the vaccine as it comes,” Arwady said.
Read more here. —Gregory Pratt
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12:06 p.m.: 8,256 new confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases and 179 additional deaths reported
Illinois health officials on Wednesday announced 8,256 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 179 additional fatalities, bringing the total number of known infections in Illinois to 812,430 and the statewide death toll to 13,666 since the start of the pandemic. Officials also reported 92,737 new tests in the last 24 hours.
The seven-day statewide rolling positivity rate for cases as a share of total tests was 9.6% for the period ending Tuesday.
—Chicago Tribune staff
8:28 a.m.: Trump offers $600 direct payments, but would eliminate $300 unemployment boost in COVID-19 relief plan
The Trump administration is back in the middle of Capitol Hill’s confusing COVID-19 negotiations, offering a $916 billion package to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that would send a $600 direct payment to most Americans but eliminate a $300-per-week employment benefit favored by a bipartisan group of Senate negotiators.
The offer arrived Tuesday with the endorsement of the top House Republican and appeared to demonstrate some flexibility by powerful Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. But Democrats immediately blasted the plan over the administration’s refusal to back the partial restoration, to $300 per week, of bonus pandemic jobless benefits that lapsed in August.
The House on Wednesday will pass a one-week government funding bill to give lawmakers more time to sort through the hot mess they have created for themselves after months of futile negotiations and posturing and recent rounds of flip-flopping. Without the measure, the government would shut down this weekend.
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President-elect Joe Biden is pressing for as much pandemic relief as possible, though he’s not directly involved in the talks. McConnell says Congress will not adjourn without providing the long-overdue COVID-19 relief. The pressure to deliver is intense — all sides say failure isn’t an option.
Read more here. —Associated Press
8:16 a.m.: Rockford-area coroner buys refrigerated trailer as COVID-19 surges
The Rockford-area coroner’s office has purchased a refrigerated trailer in the event deaths related to COVID-19 overwhelm the office’s capacity to store bodies.
The purchase of the $30,000 trailer was made as the county’s morgue neared capacity, Winnebago County Coroner Bill Hintz said.
“The way our numbers were rising at an alarming level, and I do say alarming, I did not want to be caught without any spaces left,” he said.
Read more here. —Associated Press
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Updated at 8:15 a.m.: British regulators: Those with ‘significant history’' of allergic reactions should hold off on COVID-19 vaccine
U.K. regulators said Wednesday that people who have a “significant history’' of allergic reactions shouldn’t receive the new Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine while they investigate two adverse reactions that occurred on the first day of the country’s mass vaccination program.
The U.K.’s Medical and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency is looking into whether the reactions were linked to the vaccine. The two people affected were staff members with the National Health Service who had a history of allergies, and both are recovering. Authorities have not specified what their reactions were.
In the meantime, the regulator has issued the warning for anyone who has had a significant allergic reaction to a vaccine, medicine or food. That includes anyone who has been told to carry an adrenaline shot or others who have had potentially fatal allergic reactions.
Read more here. —Associated Press
6:45 a.m.: 5 Bloomington bars & restaurants fined for violating COVID-19 restrictions
Five Bloomington bars and restaurants were fined by the city’s liquor commission Tuesday for violating state-imposed mitigation measures to slow the coronavirus pandemic.
Three others still face a decision before the Bloomington Liquor Commission.
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Last month, Bloomington Mayor and Liquor Commissioner Tari Renner announced five businesses were issued citations for violating those measures. They included Eastland Suites, 1801 Eastland Drive; Parkview Inn, 1003 S. Morris Ave.; Garden of Paradise, 1412 E. Empire St.; Western Avenue Tap, 1301 N. Western Ave.; and Cheeks Bar and Grill, 1206 Towanda Ave.
Since then, three others were cited, including Applebee’s, 502 N. Veterans Parkway, Joe’s Pub, 3907 General Electric Road, and Mickey’s Kitchen, at 1709 S. Veterans Parkway.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced Nov. 1 that bars and restaurants would have to temporarily stop indoor service and have all outdoor service end by 11 p.m.
Last month, 12 Bloomington bars and restaurants were issued citations, and Renner held off on fines, but warned that any further violations could result in fines and the suspension or revocation of their liquor licenses.
Applebee’s, Cheeks Bar and Grill, Eastland Suites, Parkview Inn and Garden of Paradise all admitted wrongdoing and have already paid a $400 fine, said City Attorney George Boyle.
—Bloomington Pantagraph, via Tribune Content Agency
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5 a.m.: After a tough 2020, Chicagoans are going big with their holiday lawn decorations.
Seeking to shine a little extra light in a difficult year, Chicagoans are going big with their 2020 holiday lawn ornaments, festooning porches that usually go bare and debuting eye-catching and over-the-top pieces: Christmas unicorns and dragons, life-size Buddy the Elf blow-ups and towering 12-foot snowmen from “Frozen.”
In suburban Highland Park and in Chicago’s Albany Park neighborhood, residents came together to erect light arches over the sidewalk. In the Rogers Park neighborhood, Treacy Greer managed to hoist an 11-foot pine tree onto her third-floor deck and festoon it with 800 colored lights.
“It just seemed like a good year to go big,” said Rebeccah Willard, 43, an oncology nurse in Oak Park who bought an 11-foot inflatable reindeer. “I think everyone’s feeling we need a little more joy, 2020 being what it has been.”
During a recent earnings call with analysts, Home Depot CEO Craig A. Menear cited strong Halloween decor sales and said the company had similar expectations for Christmas. Customers, he said, appear to be craving normalcy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read more here. —Nara Schoenberg
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chicagotribune--2020-12-09--Man dead, woman in serious condition after domestic incident in Valparaiso

Police were called around 5 p.m. Tuesday to the 150 block of Mayfield Avenue for a report of a female @ @ @ @ @ gunshot wound .
Police located the female , who said the person responsible for her @ @ @ @ @ residence .
Police located a male subject with a gunshot wound to his head at @ @ @

One of two victims in a Tuesday shooting that Valparaiso police are calling “an isolated event and a domestic situation” has died and the second is in serious but stable condition, according to a release.
Police were called around 5 p.m. Tuesday to the 150 block of Mayfield Avenue for a report of a female in the area with a gunshot wound. Police located the female, who said the person responsible for her injury was inside a nearby residence. Police located a male subject with a gunshot wound to his head at that location.
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Both subjects were transported to Northwest Health Porter and then transferred to South Bend Memorial Hospital. The male, 38, later died and the female, 22, is considered critical/serious but stable, police said.
“We believe this incident to be an isolated event and a domestic situation involving the persons located on scene when police arrived. There is no threat to public safety stemming from this investigation,” Capt. Joe Hall, public information officer for the Valparaiso Police Department, said in the release.
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Additional information may be released later, Hall said, thanking community members who expressed concern about the incident.
“Our thoughts are with the families that have been impacted by these events,” he said.
Amy Lavalley is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.


chicagotribune--2020-12-09--Cause of Morton Grove apartment fire that killed cats likely electrical: Fire chief

On its Facebook page , the Morton Grove Police Department said it had received inquiries from citizens interested in helping @ @ @ @ @ homes .
Anyone who would like to provide assistance is asked to contact Police Social @ @ @ @ @ @ mortongroveil.org , the department said .

A fire damaged apartments and killed pet cats inside a building at Lincoln and Fernald Avenues in Morton Grove on Nov. 29. (Jennifer Johnson / Pioneer Press)
A fire that displaced three Morton Grove families and a dry cleaning business last month may have been electrical in nature, the village’s fire chief said.
The fire started on the morning of Nov. 29 inside a second floor apartment at the northeast corner of Fernald and Lincoln Avenues.
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“There is some evidence that looks like it’s electrical and that (evidence) needs to be sent out to a lab for further analysis,” said Fire Chief Frank Rodgers.
Insurance companies have taken over the investigation, he said.
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Two cats died and one resident was taken to the hospital after experiencing a medical issue following the fire, Rodgers said.
A third cat, belonging to another occupant of the building, survived, as did pet rabbits, which were rescued from an apartment, fire officials said.
Rodgers said there are currently no plans to demolish the building, which is believed to be one of the village’s oldest commercial structures, and repairs are being explored.
Summit Cleaners, which operated on the first floor of the building on Lincoln Avenue, is relocating to 6425 Dempster St., a sign in the front window of the business said.
On its Facebook page, the Morton Grove Police Department said it had received inquiries from citizens interested in helping the residents who lost their homes. Anyone who would like to provide assistance is asked to contact Police Social Worker Elizabeth Arnold at earnold@mortongroveil.org, the department said.
jjohnson@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-12-09--Deadliest year ever for fatal opioid overdoses in Cook County. ‘These are losses that could and shou

Deadliest year ever for fatal opioid overdoses in Cook County. ‘These are losses that could and should be prevented.’

Blacks and Latinos make up 63 % of the deaths even though they represent less than half of the county @ @ @ @ @ she said .
Men account for more than three-quarters of the cases .
The 45- @ @ @ @ @ most likely to die from an overdose , followed by 55- to 64-year-olds .

Cook County will end 2020 with its deadliest year for opioid overdoses, according to data from the medical examiner’s office that underscores how a chronic public health crisis raged to record levels amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The county’s confirmed opioid overdose deaths this year have already surpassed last year’s record-breaking tally, with 1,498 cases compared with 2019′s 1,277, according to chief medical examiner Dr. Ponni Arunkumar.
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There are more than 600 death cases still pending, and about 70% to 80% of them are expected to be ruled as opioid-related. Arunkumar said Cook County is on track to exceed 2,000 opioid deaths this year.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has overshadowed the opioid crisis this year, but this crisis deserves our attention,” Arunkumar said at a news conference Wednesday. “For 2,000 families across Cook County, (2020) will be remembered as the year that opioids took their son or daughter, parent, sibling and uncle or dear friend. These are losses that could and should be prevented.”
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The Chicago Recovery Alliance, a group helping with opioid addiction, is on the street at Cermak at Washtenaw in Chicago in 2020. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)
Blacks and Latinos make up 63% of the deaths even though they represent less than half of the county’s total population, she said. Men account for more than three-quarters of the cases. The 45- to 54-year-old age group is most likely to die from an overdose, followed by 55- to 64-year-olds.
“We’re in a very bad place,” said Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said at the news conference. “This is an extraordinary time, and surely levels of stress and anxiety are very high, and sometimes folks are tempted to deal with that stress and anxiety with self-medication.”
Arunkumar said 2020′s caseload was already above the same period last year before the pandemic, but there was a spike after Gov. J.B. Pritzker issued his stay-at-home order in March. Fentanyl, an extremely powerful synthetic drug, was the most common opioid in the cases this year.
Officials with the Cook County Department of Public Health revealed a multiyear project with the nonprofit Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities to curb opioid overdoses in suburban Cook County. It will kick off with a partnership among 12 police departments and communities for naloxone distribution and “deflection sites,” senior medical officer Dr. Kiran Joshi said.
Naloxone is a medication that rapidly reverses opioid overdose. Deflection entails approaching someone who is at high risk of an overdose, has previously overdosed or is in need of substance abuse treatment and connecting them with case management and other treatment options that don’t involve the criminal justice system or emergency departments, according to Jac Charlier, executive director of TASC’s Center for Health and Justice.
A Chicago Recovery Alliance outreach worker shows off a bottle of Narcan, which are distributed to clients requesting them at the traveling CRA van, July 16, 2020. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)
Other resources provided would include help with housing, transportation and employment.
As of Wednesday, 78 law enforcement officers were trained in naloxone administration and 169 kits were disseminated, Joshi said. The goal is to give out 2,500 kits by the end of September and train 1,900 officers in their use.
The program is funded by a multiyear grant from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Joshi said.
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Three suburban police chiefs who participated in a pilot of the project spoke at the news conference about how pervasive opioids are in some areas. Maywood police Chief Vladimir Talley said his ZIP code 60153, which also includes Broadview, has one of suburban Cook County’s highest mortality rates in opioid overdoses. His officers have deployed naloxone at least 42 times, often on a weekly basis, he said.
“At one point, the entire length of 159th Street was nicknamed the Heroin Highway,” Markham police Chief Terry White said. “At its height, we were seeing two to three deaths by overdose every month. One death is too many.”
ayin@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-12-09--COVID-19 Q&A: Can people who already had COVID-19 get the vaccine? What about possible allergic reac

COVID-19 Q&A: Can people who already had COVID-19 get the vaccine? What about possible allergic reactions? How long might protection last? Coronavirus questions answered

As British regulators investigate two possible allergic reactions , what should people with allergies know ?
Can people who already had COVID-19 get the vaccine ?
How long might protection last ?
These are some of the many questions readers sent us that we ’ ve put to health and science experts .
This resource will be updated as more questions arrive , so check back often .
Have your own pandemic question ?
Send it to the Tribune here .
Get the latest Chicago COVID-19 information and updates from Chicago Tribune reporters and editors on our COVID-19 Facebook page @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the Pfizer vaccine , now that British regulators are investigating 2 possible allergic reactions ?
First , don ’ t panic , says Dr. William Schaffner , a professor of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and former board member at the Infectious Diseases Society of America .
The recent news of possible allergic reactions is “ a bit of a surprise , ” he said , as this did not occur during Pfizer ’ s clinical trials .
But varying things can happen after a person is vaccinated — we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to many different people .
The system is working as it should , he said .
Experts have detected this issue , and British officials are going to investigate further .
“ And they ’ ve said in the meantime , all you folks who have had allergies to other things , stand aside for the moment , and we ’ ll call you when we ’ re comfortable with this , ” Schaffner said .
If someone has already had COVID-19 , could they still get the vaccine ?
Yes , Schaffner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the vaccine will offer even more robust protection than whatever protection someone gets from the infection itself .
“ If you ’ ve had COVID before , that ’ s OK , ” he said .
“ You ’ re not going to have a more severe reaction to the vaccine or anything like that.
” It ’ s hard to say , Schaffner said , and he knows this might be an unsatisfactory response .
He , too , is eager to find out .
“ Just as soon as we start @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be assessed , and we ’ ll just have to stay tuned for further information down the road , ” he said .
He would not offer any estimate , saying this is a new vaccine and a distinctive virus , and more data is needed .
Pregnant women are commonly excluded from research , and have not been included so far in clinical trials for the coronavirus vaccine , despite groups like the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists calling for their inclusion .
This is an issue , said Dr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Institutes of Health ’ s COVID-19 Prevention Network , as many in the health care field are women .
Dr. Emily Miller , assistant professor in the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine at Northwestern Medicine ’ s Feinberg School of Medicine , said unknowns have to be “ balanced against the risk of not getting the vaccine , which is the risk of acquisition of ( COVID-19 ) , which has concrete and well-documented risks .
...
Through that lens , if we can remember that there is no zero-risk option , then the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine.
” Women considering becoming pregnant will similarly have no available information on pregnancy after getting the vaccine .
Miller said she will be watching closely to see if the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ’ s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices offers any pregnancy-specific guidance .
She encourages patients to discuss their options with their health care provider .
The full impact of COVID-19 on alcohol use is not yet known , but rates of alcohol usage have been rising during the pandemic .
According to the World Health Organization , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system and increases the risk of adverse health outcomes .
The organization suggests people minimize their alcohol consumption — particularly during the pandemic .
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism ( NIAAA ) has issued communications warning people to avoid excessive drinking .
“ A person ’ s pattern of alcohol consumption can have an impact on health , ” he said .
“ The current 2015-2020 guidelines suggest limiting drinks to up to one drink per day for women or two drinks per day for men .
Having one drink @ @ @ @ @ @ @ having seven drinks all at once in a single day .
It ’ s best to spread them out as recommended in the guidelines.
” Need to get tested for COVID-19 during the post-Thanksgiving rush ?
Here ’ s how to find the most convenient and affordable options .
Start with your primary care doctor ; many doctors offer in-office testing .
If you don ’ t have a doctor who does testing , then rapid testing , in-home testing or drive-thru testing are options .
If an option is not affordable enough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , try crowdsourcing information to get up-to-date information about local testing sites , appointment availability , cost and wait times .
Looking for a rapid test with same-day results ?
Those tests are best for people who actually have COVID-19 symptoms , said Heather Keirnan , a nurse and vice president of operations for Northwestern Medicine Immediate Care .
If you don ’ t have symptoms , the PCR test , which can detect very small amounts of the coronavirus , is a better choice , she said .
For those who care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clinics offer shorter waits .
Many require upfront payments of $ 175 to $ 300 .
If you want to submit a claim to your insurance company , check the rules for coverage .
Your insurer may require that you are referred for testing by a doctor .
Is it OK to travel if you don ’ t have any co-morbidities , and is it possible to do so safely ?
The short answer is no , according to Dr. Gregory Poland , professor of medicine and infectious diseases at the Mayo Clinic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good idea , ” said Poland , who is also director of the Mayo Vaccine Research Group .
“ What ( Dr. Fauci ) meant when he said that was your individual risk .
But that ’ s only one side of the coin .
“ The other side of the coin is the more times you bring more people together , the greater the risk for super spreader and transmissibility , ” he continued .
“ So that healthy 22-year-old may have an upper respiratory mild symptom , or no symptoms at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus to the people he walks by , or sits next to , or in that airplane with him .
So it actually does add risk.
” Poland predicts that there ’ s going to be a “ continued exponential increase ” in COVID-19 cases , followed by increases in hospitalizations and deaths , he said .
“ So it makes absolutely no sense to be traveling right now — unless you have no possible alternative.
” To some degree , that does cut down on exposure , as it decreases the number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who will encounter you , Poland said .
Yet , the current surge stems from small gatherings , he said .
“ Here ’ s what ’ s driving a lot of this current surge : It is this seemingly deceptively safe family gatherings and small group gatherings , ” Poland said .
“ So when your relatives drive a day or two to come and see you , now both of you are trading whomever you ’ ve been in contact with at school , work , church ( or ) whatever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re just giving more and more opportunity.
” “ You would drive , you would quarantine — as you say — the two weeks before , ” he said .
“ You might even get a test to be sure that even though you ’ re asymptomatic , that you ’ re not infected .
You would then drive without staying in a hotel or going to restaurants .
You ’ d have a procedure for how you ’ d get gas and go to the bathroom.
” Once you arrived , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same house as other family members , or at least sleep on different floors , he said .
When sharing common areas , everyone would wear masks and maintain their distance .
Meals would have be to eaten in separate rooms .
“ So do you really want to do all that ?
” Poland asked .
“ Or do you want to say , like our family is saying , ‘ We ’ re really thankful that everybody ’ s in good health , and we want everybody to stay healthy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gone , people can return to work and be with others 10 days after testing positive , said Mercedes Carnethon , vice chair of preventive medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine .
A negative test isn ’ t needed , unless someone ’ s workplace or school requires it .
If people test positive , they should isolate themselves immediately , said Robert Citronberg , Advocate Aurora Health ’ s executive medical director of infectious disease and prevention .
Isolate for 10 days from the onset of symptoms .
If someone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they should isolate 10 days from the date of the positive test .
Here ’ s the good news : those who test positive can still go outside .
“ Truthfully , if you ’ re cooped up inside your house for 10 days you may go a little stir crazy , ” Citronberg said .
They should wear a mask and avoid being close to people , but it ’ s OK to get some fresh air .
What can college students do to best protect themselves and their families when they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ matter what students do , it won ’ t be without risk , Citronberg said .
If any family members at home are high risk , students should be especially cautious .
He recommends two layers of testing — one test before leaving campus and another three days after returning home .
Here ’ s what he acknowledged will be the tough part : Until you have passed the 14-day incubation period , everyone should remain masked inside the home except while eating .
Families should try to eat separately .
He recommends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ student last had other social contact .
It might be mandated for people at high risk , but likely not for the general population , said Tina Tan , pediatric infectious disease physician at the Feinberg School of Medicine .
She noted there is not enough information about how these vaccines might impact children or pregnant women , for example , who have not been included in trials .
Pfizer says its COVID-19 vaccine may be 90 % effective .
The vaccine uses genetic code that trains the immune system to recognize the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus .
How does it work ?
Pfizer Inc. ’ s Nov. 9 announcement comes on the heels of the pandemic having killed almost a quarter-million people in the United States , according to The Associated Press .
Dr. Anthony Fauci , the U.S. government ’ s top infectious-disease expert , said the results suggesting 90 % effectiveness are “ extraordinary.
” Pfizer , which is developing the vaccine with its German partner BioNTech , is among four candidates already in huge studies in the U.S. , with still more being tested in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moderna Inc. , also hopes to file an application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration this month .
Neither company ’ s shot is made with the coronavirus itself .
Instead , the vaccine contains a piece of genetic code that trains the immune system to recognize the spiked protein on the surface of the virus .
It ’ s called a messenger RNA vaccine .
( A refresher on basic biology : DNA is transcribed , or copied , into RNA , which then makes proteins that carry out the actual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ messenger RNA are couriers that carry instructions from DNA to proteins . )
Chemist and biochemist Chuan He , the John T. Wilson Distinguished Service Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Chicago , says what Pfizer has done has taken advantage of the basic knowledge about messenger RNA generated in the last several decades .
“ mRNA therapy in the vaccine field supplies proteins that mimic viral proteins to induce an immune response , ” he said .
“ mRNA comes in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a period of time to elicit an immune response , then the immune cells will keep this memory .
The RNA is gone and your body goes back to its normal state , but your immune cells have been trained by the presence of this foreign protein produced from the delivered mRNA.
” Pfizer ’ s news , however , doesn ’ t mean a vaccine will be here soon .
Pfizer ’ s study is continuing , and the company cautioned that the protection rate might change as more COVID-19 cases are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warned for months that any COVID-19 shot may be only as good as flu vaccines , which are about 50 % effective and require yearly immunizations .
Earlier this year , Fauci said he would be happy with a COVID-19 vaccine that was 60 % effective .
Chicago ’ s travel quarantine list moved Nov. 10 from a list of states under travel quarantine orders to a color-coded list comparing the rate of infection here with other states .
Under the original version of the emergency travel order , states were added to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rate higher than 15 cases per 100,000 residents and were removed once the daily case average remained below that rate for two consecutive weeks .
The city ’ s new color-coded list will be updated every two weeks .
Visitors of red states will face fines of $ 100 to $ 500 per day if they don ’ t quarantine , according to the city .
Those who visit orange-listed states are subject to the same fines if they don ’ t have a negative COVID-19 test or quarantine .
There are exceptions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the listed states .
People who commute across the Indiana or Wisconsin state line to or from Chicago to work or go to school will be exempt from the quarantine rule .
But workers in Chicago from Indiana will be expected to avoid restaurants , bars and other public spaces in the city .
Read on for the rolling list of states on Chicago ’ s orange and red lists .
The Illinois Department of Public Health encourages people to get tested before and after any gatherings and to curb activities outside their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Disease Control and Prevention says the lowest risk Thanksgiving plans include celebrating only with those who already live in your home , or a virtual dinner with friends and family .
Dr. Robert Murphy , executive director of the Institute for Global Health at Northwestern University ’ s Feinberg School of Medicine , recommends people who choose to get tested do so as close to the event as possible — keeping in mind that some tests return results in 15 minutes and others take days .
“ That ’ s not a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everybody , that does give you some measure of protection , ” Murphy said .
“ Nothing is 100 % protective .
There ’ s no right or wrong answer .
It ’ s how much risk you ’ re willing to take.
” People who want to get tested for COVID-19 before the holidays are looking at two basic types of tests .
One is an antigen test , which looks for specific proteins on the surface of the virus and often returns results within 15 minutes .
However , it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ type of test , a molecular test , such as a PCR test .
Molecular tests detect the virus ’ s genetic material .
It can take a day to a week for results , depending on the testing facility .
Is a person likely to catch COVID-19 a second time ?
Is immunity real ?
If so , how long does it last ?
Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said Nov. 5 that even though we all desire to spend the holidays with friends and family , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If not , she said previously , it could result in a funeral down the line .
“ Perhaps this holiday — as we have already done for most of 2020 — we are going to have to do it COVID-style , and that means virtual , ” she said .
“ We ’ ll have to stay at home and forego the large gatherings so that we will have future events that we can be with our friends and family.
” “ Travel will increase your chances of contracting and spreading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crowded event , as will having multiple people in your home for Thanksgiving , ” she said .
“ So in terms of travel , we do recommend avoiding travel to areas of higher risk , but as you are seeing , that is almost everywhere.
” What is the risk of eating or meeting outside , and not socially distancing from people sitting at the table , especially when we ’ re all from different households and all have been following different levels of precautions ?
While spending time outdoors has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 to some degree , Singer reiterates that there is no “ risk-free gathering.
” In May , when the state was beginning to reopen and loosen restrictions after the quarantine period , the general rule of thumb for meeting up with friends was that outside is better than inside , and masks are better than no masks , said Dr. Emily Landon , executive medical director of Infection Prevention and Control at the UChicago Medicine .
What is the most recent breakdown of age groups that have died of COVID-19 ?
There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from COVID-19 as of Nov. 5 since the start of the pandemic .
A breakdown on those deaths by age , race and gender can be found here .
Data on available hospital beds and ventilators can also be found on the same page .
Is it safe to visit your doctors if you ’ re at higher risk now ?
What about colonoscopies and other scoping procedures ?
She suggests finding out what safety measures your doctor ’ s office is taking , like remote check-in to limit waiting room time , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restrictions , increased cleaning procedures , and 100 % masking of staff and patients , among other things .
“ The same rules apply for procedural areas , ” she said .
“ Additionally , some providers require that patients undergo COVID-19 testing prior to procedures .
For less urgent medical issues , some providers offer telehealth ( or ) video visits , which is the safest option.
” How serious is the potential for ocular transmission of COVID ?
Should I wear goggles when in proximity to others , like on an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ There are receptors for the virus present in the structures of the eye , but this route ( of transmission ) is less common , ” explained Pho .
“ In situations where masking and social distancing can ’ t be guaranteed , such as in crowded places , or more enclosed areas like airplanes , I do recommend wearing eye protection .
I also strongly recommend them for people who are knowingly in close proximity to someone who is infected , such as caregivers for household members with COVID-19.
” Could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rates and death tolls by changing our diet and health habits ?
How does your personal health increase or decrease your chances of COVID-19 complications or death ?
Which health conditions are mostly linked to higher death tolls ?
While pursuing a healthy lifestyle with good eating habits and regular exercise can be beneficial , Pho says prevention methods are the best way to evade COVID-19 and the complications that can come with it .
“ Avoiding exposure to the virus through masking , social distancing and hand sanitizing are essential , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ theory that even if masks aren ’ t 100 % effective at preventing all infections , they reduce the amount of virus ... that is inhaled , leading to an overall milder illness.
” Older age , pregnancy , medications that weaken the immune system and medical conditions including diabetes , chronic kidney disease , heart disease , obesity , sickle cell disease and more can increase the risk for severe complications or death in someone who has contracted the virus , said Pho .

Alison Bowen, Christen A. Johnson, Darcel Rockett

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chicagotribune--2020-12-09--Mayor Lori Lightfoot ‘deeply disappointed’ in Wrigleyville Ald. Tom Tunney after his Ann Sather rest

Mayor Lori Lightfoot ‘deeply disappointed’ in Wrigleyville Ald. Tom Tunney after his Ann Sather restaurant breaks pandemic indoor dining rules

Mayor Lori Lightfoot said she’s “deeply disappointed” in Wrigleyville Ald. Tom Tunney after the longtime alderman acknowledged letting people eat inside his Ann Sather restaurant despite city and state rules designed to help stop the spread of the coronavirus.
Tunney, whose restaurant is facing up to $10,500 in possible fines from the city, “knows that he did wrong” and “will absolutely be held accountable,” Lightfoot said Wednesday.
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Ann Sather restaurant on Belmont Avenue in Lakeview on Dec. 7, 2020. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
“I’ve heard from a number of restaurateurs about this issue but the one thing they’ve consistently said to me throughout this very difficult year for them is just be fair. Make sure that whatever the rules are, that they are enforced uniformly, that there’s no exceptions, and when people break those rules, they are held accountable,” Lightfoot said. “Ald. Tunney understands that he made an intentional decision to break the rules. He didn’t just break them as a businessperson. He broke them as an alderman who swore an oath to live and abide by a higher set of standards than the average person and that’s one of the things I’ve been hearing a lot from people that’s made them really angry and animated about this.”
Tunney, a key member of Lightfoot’s City Council leadership team as her hand-picked chair of the Zoning Committee, previously acknowledged diners have been eating inside his Belmont Avenue restaurant and called it an “error in judgment.”
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“We’ve been sporadically letting some people in, regulars at the restaurant, to accommodate them from time to time,” Tunney said Monday. “It’s done. It will not continue, as of today.”
Tunney previously declined to comment about the citations, beyond acknowledging he had received them and has a hearing date early next year. He did not immediately return a message seeking comment on Lightfoot’s remarks.
Tunney is the latest Democratic politician to get in trouble for not following social distancing rules. Recently, California Gov. Gavin Newsom was widely ridiculed for attending a fancy dinner at The French Laundry.
In Chicago, Lightfoot was criticized early in the pandemic for getting her hair done after Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker issued a stay-at-home order that also closed down hair salons and barbershops. Lightfoot, who justified her decision in part by saying she is the face of the city and does national media appearances, also had done a public service announcement advising residents that getting their roots done isn’t an essential service.
Lightfoot also was criticized for joining street celebrations after Joe Biden was declared the winner of last month’s presidential election.
Earlier in the week Tunney said that the dining room was never crowded at Ann Sather and that diners were kept apart at socially distanced tables.
Tunney last month voted against Lightfoot’s 2021 budget package and its $94 million property tax increase. The alderman, whose ward includes some of the highest property values in the city, said he couldn’t support another hike on his constituents. The tax hike passed by a 28-22 vote, and the budget passed by a vote of 29-21.
How much Tunney’s Lakeview restaurant ultimately gets fined will be determined by the Department of Administrative Hearings at a later date.
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gpratt@chicagotribune.com
Twitter@royalpratt


chicagotribune--2020-12-09--50 degrees in December? Winter temps are rising across the country, and some of the biggest jumps ar

50 degrees in December? Winter temps are rising across the country, and some of the biggest jumps are around the Great Lakes

“ It sounds like a lot but that 10 inches of snow is going to fall , and generally speaking @ @ @ @ @ melt very slowly or stick around for a long period of time and slowly infiltrate @ @ @ @ @ slowly melt and run off and not cause the flooding issues that we would see @ @ @ @ @ an inch or 2 inches of rain over a short period of time , ” @ @ @ @ @ that does create some issues .
”

Eckertson Lewis, 60, practices his hockey skills on inline skates at 38th Street and King Drive in Chicago's Bronzeville neighborhood on Dec. 9, 2020. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)
Under blue skies and the first signs of sun Chicago had seen in days, a shirtless man darted around a North Side track. A little boy pulled off his gloves and ran ahead of his family on the sidewalk. Near the beach, a man and his dog laid back on a quiet hill like it was a cool summer day.
It’s December.
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Winter temperatures are rising across the country, with some of the most pronounced increases occurring near the Great Lakes.
In Illinois, average daily temperatures in the winter season in the last 30 years have increased 2.5 degrees, relative to about a century earlier, according to an analysis included in a forthcoming report on the effects of climate change in Illinois from The Nature Conservancy.
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The temperature hit 52 degrees Wednesday at O’Hare International Airport and was forecast to do the same Thursday before dropping over the weekend.
“If you’re a lifelong resident of Illinois, it is noticeable,” said Jim Angel, the state’s former climatologist. “I kind of marvel at some of those winters back in the ’70s, and back even to the turn of the 20th century there, that were much, much colder and much longer. Those winters were no fun, let’s put it that way.”
Future winters may be no fun in a different way. Warming temperatures can increase flooding and set off a series of harmful effects on the natural world, human health and economic interests.
The balmy lead in to the holiday season is emblematic of human-fueled climate change resulting in creeping temperatures around the globe. Last year was the second warmest on record; the five warmest were clocked in the last five years, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Since 1981, temperature records that used to be broken about every 13 years started to last only a few years.
A skater rolls by on a board at Wilson Avenue and Lake Shore Drive in Chicago on Dec. 2, 2020. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)
A number of complex factors are at play in warming winters. With Illinois straddling warmer climates in the south and cooler ones to the north, the air mass above the state shifts regularly, said Trent Ford, the state’s climatologist. Circulation patterns in the winter are more conducive for warmer weather; there has been an expansion of warmer climates north, and more warm air coming up from the south.
“Because of that variability, there’s a lot more potential to change,” Ford said.
Scientists are studying why the shift is occurring. “The measurement is a lot easier than figuring out what’s causing it,” Ford said.
The starkest winter increase is in the average overnight minimum temperature across the state —3 degrees.
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Burning fossil fuels increases carbon — one of the largest sources of greenhouse gases — but it also creates some aerosols that help reflect sunlight during the day and have a cooling effect, said Don Wuebbles, a professor of atmospheric sciences at the University of Illinois. At night, that masking decreases, reducing the cooling effect.
In addition, increases in humidity and cloud cover trap more energy, contributing to warmer nighttimes.
Overall, winter warming is consistent in Illinois, trending up across 10-year periods. That’s not the case for summer, which has warmed the least. Or fall, which has started to accelerate in warming in the last 30 years.
An unprecedented week of hot days for early November broke records. Chicago, on average, sees one day in the 70s in the late fall month. In what the National Weather Service called a “remarkable stretch of warmth,” a full week of highs hit the 70s with two consecutive days hitting 76 degrees. A string of at least four days in the 70s in November has only been recorded four times. Seven consecutive days? Never.
November ended up as the fourth warmest recorded in Chicago. The average temperature was 47.4 degrees, a more than 7-degree increase from the 40.3 average. Globally, it was the hottest November on record.
As for summer, because of an increase in precipitation in the Midwest, higher soil moisture has helped keep temperatures a little cooler in the summer, Wuebbles said. But in coming decades, summers are expected to become drier, like 2020 — Chicago’s warmest summer on record.
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In the winters ahead, although there may be fewer teeth-chattering cold days overall, chilly days aren’t disappearing. Also, you shouldn’t throw out your snow shovel.
“First of all, changes in climate do not mean that you’re not going to have cold events,” Wuebbles said. There’s always changes in weather patterns, and stronger “waviness” in the jet stream, which can send cold Arctic air over the Midwest.
Ford noted the record low temperatures for Chicago recorded in January 2019. “It’s just that overall the trend is that we’re getting more and more of the warmer years, and fewer and fewer of the colder years.”
Snowfall trends in northern and central Illinois have held steady in the last century. But there has been an increase in precipitation, mostly in winter rain.
As the warmer atmosphere holds more water vapor, more large precipitation events can be expected. “That means higher potential for flooding here in the Midwest, " Wuebbles said. “That’s a major problem.”
“It sounds like a lot but that 10 inches of snow is going to fall, and generally speaking it’s going to melt very slowly or stick around for a long period of time and slowly infiltrate into the soil, or slowly melt and run off and not cause the flooding issues that we would see if we were to get an inch or 2 inches of rain over a short period of time,” Ford said. “So that does create some issues.”
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A person jumps in the air while exercising near the lakefront at Montrose Avenue in Chicago on Dec. 2, 2020. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)
Wuebbles outlined three choices in dealing with climate change: mitigate, adapt or suffer. “And right now we’re doing some of all three. And what we need to do in order to avoid suffering is to do a lot of mitigation and a lot of adapting.”
Warmer temperatures can cause plants to come out of dormancy earlier, throwing off natural cycles, or increase the risk of buds being killed off in a late spring freeze. There’s also the impact on human health. Vector-borne diseases, like those transmitted by ticks or mosquitoes, are believed to be connected to winter warming; critters’ overwintering more successfully can boost reproductive success.
Reduced ice cover on the Great Lakes and a warming basin present their own challenges. Shorelines have less protection against severe winter storms, like the one in January that caused millions of dollars in damage. And warming waters may shift the basin’s ecology, leaving some cold-water species struggling to compete.
Future changes in temperature are dependent on models estimating a range of carbon emissions in the coming decades.
“We can say with high confidence that a decrease in carbon dioxide emissions now into the near future, there’s high confidence that that will result in a decrease in the overall warming from now until the end of the century,” Ford said. “For the winter as well.”
mgreene@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-12-09--Lightfoot-backed plan to let Cubs defer infrastructure payment to city advances

“ Someone has to explain , to at least me , from such an organization that has strong financial backing @ @ @ @ @ s a billion-dollar industry , a billion-dollar entity , why we should defer this payment @ @ @ @ @ there ’ s no baseball and there ’ s other things in play ?
” @ @ @

The Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers play in an empty stadium Aug. 16, 2020, at Wrigley Field. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
Chicago aldermen moved a step closer Wednesday to letting the Cubs put off a $250,000 payment for infrastructure work around Wrigley Field.
The proposal backed by Mayor Lori Lightfoot allows the team to make the scheduled 2021 “CubFund Project” payment in 2024. It passed the City Council License Committee on Wednesday and will head to the full council next week.
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In introducing the ordinance last month, on the same day she got aldermen to approve a $94 million property tax hike and other fine and fee increases to help balance the 2021 budget, the mayor cited the Cubs’ loss of revenue during the coronavirus pandemic.
On Wednesday, Southwest Side Ald. George Cardenas, 12th, nodded to the potentially problematic optics of giving the billionaire Ricketts family that owns the team a break on neighborhood improvement funds while regular Chicagoans are struggling.
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“Someone has to explain, to at least me, from such an organization that has strong financial backing, obviously, it’s a billion-dollar industry, a billion-dollar entity, why we should defer this payment, besides the fact that there’s no baseball and there’s other things in play?” Cardenas said.
Cubs Vice President Mike Lufrano said during the hearing that the CubFund payments were meant specifically to deal with issues due to the crowds around the park.
“They are intended to address unanticipated expenses related to Cubs baseball on the community around Wrigley Field,” Lufrano said.
With no fans at games over the past year, the team will instead put off that payment, while continuing to make investments in the community through their Cubs Care charities and other contributions, Lufrano said.
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Lightfoot, when asked about the proposal at an unrelated news conference later, said the proposal would not waive the Cubs’ payment to the city but defer it a year. “The Cubs are a business like any other business and they’ve suffered great hardship this year as well,” Lightfoot said.
The CubFund payments are part of a 2013 deal when the Ricketts family was asking for City Council approval to undertake massive renovations around Wrigley Field.
The team agreed to make $500,000 payments each year from 2014 to 2018, and $250,000 payments from 2019 to 2023, to cover the cost of new street lighting, paving and other infrastructure work around the park “to show that they’re good neighbors,” according to Wrigleyville Ald. Tom Tunney, 44th.
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The final $250,000 payment would instead be made in 2024 under the amendment backed by Lightfoot and Tunney.
Lightfoot introduced the proposal to defer the payment days after Wrigley Field was listed as a National Historic Landmark, which will likely make it eligible for millions of dollars in historic preservation tax credits.
Also Wednesday, the License Committee advanced a package of temporary relief measures to give restaurants and other businesses financial breaks as they struggle to survive the pandemic. The ordinance would extend all business and public vehicle licenses until July 15, 2021.
All late fees for licensees also would be waived until the end of 2021. And the city’s sidewalk cafe relief measures would be extended at least until the end of the cafe season in 2021, reducing fees for permits for restaurants that need to be able to serve diners outside during the pandemic.
All current cafe permits would be extended until June 2021 instead of having to be renewed at the start of the outdoor dining season. The business package also heads to the full council next week.
jebyrne@chicagotribune.com
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chicagotribune--2020-12-09--Two charged in botched Round Lake Beach armed  robbery where store clerk shot at suspects

The pair , police say , attempted to rob the One Stop food and liquor store in the 1000 block @ @ @ @ @ 10:45 p.m. Monday .
Police said at least one of them was armed , and @ @ @ @ @ store and ordered the store employees to stand behind a counter .
One store employee @ @ @ @ @ to access a gun and fired on the would-be robbers , authorities said .

Police say a Waukegan woman has been charged with armed robbery after she and an accomplice attempted to hold-up a Round Lake Beach store, but were instead shot by a clerk.
Round Lake Beach Police on Wednesday identified the woman as Feliciyunna S. Spruille, 20, of the 700 block of Lewis Avenue. Spruille was still at Advocate Condell Hospital in Libertyville Wednesday, where she was being treated for injuries received Monday night, officials said.
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After she is released, Spruille will be transported to the Lake County jail, police said.
Her alleged accomplice, a 16-year-old boy from Waukegan, has also been charged with armed robbery. He has been taken to the Depke Juvenile Detention Center in Vernon Hills, according to police.
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The pair, police say, attempted to rob the One Stop food and liquor store in the 1000 block of Fairfield Road at about 10:45 p.m. Monday. Police said at least one of them was armed, and that the pair entered the store and ordered the store employees to stand behind a counter. One store employee, though, was able to access a gun and fired on the would-be robbers, authorities said.
Both alleged robbers were struck at least once, police said, but were able to reach a getaway vehicle parked outside that was occupied by two other people.
The four drove away north on Fairfield Avenue, but Round Lake Heights police spotted the car about a mile north of the store. The vehicle stopped and two occupants fled on foot. Police then arrested the two wounded subjects who were left inside the vehicle, which authorities say was stolen in Kenosha, Wis.
Police are continuing to search for the other two accomplices.


chicagotribune--2020-12-09--Chicago rapper G Herbo pleads not guilty to federal fraud charges, faces up to 6 years in prison if

Chicago rapper G Herbo pleads not guilty to federal fraud charges, faces up to 6 years in prison if convicted

Wright , who grew up in the South Side neighborhood known as “ Terror Town , ” faces up to @ @ @ @ @ if he ’ s convicted at trial , though there could be later enhancements given @ @ @ @ @ includes a weapons conviction in Cook County , Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Breslow told the @ @ @ @ @

G Herbo performs to a large crowd on the first day of Lollapalooza at Grant Park on Aug. 2, 2018. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)
Chicago rapper G Herbo pleaded not guilty via a videoconference Wednesday to federal charges brought in Massachusetts alleging he and five members of his crew used stolen identities to make fraudulent charges for extravagant services ranging from private jet trips to “designer puppies.”
Dressed in a black shirt with the words “Off White” on the front, G Herbo, whose real name is Herbert Wright III, leaned toward his computer microphone and said, “not guilty” in a firm voice when asked how he pleaded to charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
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Wright, 25, appeared from a home in Los Angeles, where he turned himself in to federal authorities after the charges were made public in Springfield, Massachusetts, last week. He was allowed to remain free on an unsecured $75,000 bond — meaning Wright did not have to post any money himself.
Court records show Wright’s manager, Joseph “JB” Bowden, also signed a $25,000 cash bond that he has to post before Wright can travel out of California.
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Wright’s lawyer, meanwhile, revealed during the 30-minute hearing that Wright’s fiancee, Taina Williams, is four months pregnant and asked that he be allowed to travel to New Jersey to visit her and their new baby. U.S. Magistrate Judge Katherine Robertson granted the request.
Prosecutors also identified one of the witnesses in the case as an Atlanta woman with whom Wright shares a child from a prior relationship. Wright was ordered not to speak with her about the case.
Wright, who grew up in the South Side neighborhood known as “Terror Town,” faces up to about six years in prison if he’s convicted at trial, though there could be later enhancements given his criminal history, which includes a weapons conviction in Cook County, Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Breslow told the magistrate judge in Springfield.
So far, prosecutors have uncovered as much as $1.5 million in stolen goods and services, though that figure could go higher. Breslow has said the evidence in the case is “massive,” including hundreds of alleged victims, both individual account holders and businesses that allegedly lost money because of the fraud.
The arraignment marked the first court appearance for Wright, whose blunt lyrics of life on the South Side skyrocketed him to a recent appearance on the “Tonight Show” and landed him on Forbes’ 30 under 30 musicians list.
The indictment unsealed last week alleged Wright, his music promoter and other members of his crew used stolen identifications to charge more than a million dollars’ worth of exotic services over a four-year period, the Tribune first reported.
Trips on private jets, limousine rides, luxury car rentals and a vacation at a villa in Jamaica were fraudulently purchased, federal authorities alleged, as were two designer puppies bought for Wright from a dealer in Michigan in 2017, according to the indictment.
Also charged in the alleged scheme were Antonio “T-Glo” Strong, Wright’s promoter and manager; South Side rapper Joseph “Jo Rodeo” Williams; and alleged co-conspirators Steven Hayes Jr., Demario Sorrells and Terrence Bender, all of Chicago.
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Hayes, Bender, Sorrells, and Williams all pleaded not guilty in a video arraignment on Monday.
A hearing for Strong had not been set as of Wednesday.
Wright’s attorney, James Lawson, has declined to comment publicly on the case. G Herbo’s management company, Machine Entertainment Group, issued a statement after the charges were unsealed saying he “maintains his innocence and looks forward to establishing his innocence in court.”
The indictment comes as Wright’s fame continues to rise. Last week, G Herbo was named to Forbes’ 30 under 30 musicians list. He posted the news to his 6 million Instagram followers on Nov. 30 with the caption, “NEVER PAID ATTENTION 2 ACCOLADES...CAN”T START NOW ... & I CAN’T STOP NOW!!”
Wright also recently performed his hit “PTSD” with Chance the Rapper on the “Tonight Show” with Jimmy Fallon.
During Wednesday’s hearing in Massachusetts, prosecutors said they were concerned about Wright’s self-reported use of marijuana and a drink dubbed “lean,” which is a mixture of cough syrup and soda. The judge ordered Wright to abstain from any substance abuse.
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Robertson also briefly mentioned Wright’s burgeoning career, saying any future requests to travel to perform would be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.
“I understand Mr. Wright is a singer,” the judge said. “Now, he may not be performing at this time given the conditions (of bond), but that may be an issue down the road.”
Breslow, the prosecutor, said that Wright reported earning $1 million a year and has “considerable assets” in his bank accounts, and that prosecutors may ask in the future that his bond be increased.
According to the indictment, the scheme centered on the defendants’ use of stolen credit card information and personal identities obtained either from the “dark web” or other sources.
The defendants then texted or used social media to share the stolen information on the fly, at times even as merchants were in the process of charging the goods or services. They referred to the stolen information in coded messages as “cards,” “moves” or “joints,” according to the charges.
In November 2017, Strong, using the name “Darren Geiger” and identifying himself as Wright’s manager, called an unidentified pet company in Michigan to order “two designer puppies” for Wright using a stolen credit card, according to the charges.
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jmeisner@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-12-09--Oak Park approved as vaccination provider, could receive COVID-19 vaccines by mid-December

“ Another group that can receive those initial vaccines are paramedics , ” Pavlicek said .
“ We will work @ @ @ @ @ of paramedics .
In all those categories , vaccinations are not mandatory , but optional @ @ @ @ @ initial vaccination over at least the first four to six weeks will be the two-dose @ @ @ @ @ get on a weekly basis , it includes the second dose .
”

With a COVID-19 vaccine expected to be approved this week, the village of Oak Park says it could provide vaccines to frontline workers before the end of December. (Steve Schering / Pioneer Press)
After the village of Oak Park received approval from the state as a vaccination provider, officials say they could begin offering COVID-19 vaccines to frontline employees later this month.
As one of the few towns with its own municipal health department, the village of Oak Park applied for and received approval from the state on Nov. 27 to become an authorized vaccine provider once a vaccine is approved, officials said.
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An advisory committee within the Food and Drug Administration will meet Thursday to discuss Pfizer’s request for emergency-use authorization of its COVID-19 vaccine. The committee will make a recommendation to the FDA, which will make the ultimate decisions on approval. If approved, vaccines could begin to be distributed to United States residents within days.
Village manager Cara Pavlicek told the village board at its Dec. 7 meeting that Oak Park could receive an initial allocation of COVID-19 vaccines by the middle of the month.
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“Staff has actually been working through vaccination planning since August,” Pavlicek said. “[State and federal agencies] are meeting regularly and providing guidance which establishes a tiered system for vaccination of individuals in the United States.”
Once the United States authorizes use of a COVID-19 vaccine, Pavlicek said the Illinois Department of Public Health would distribute its allotment of vaccines to authorized providers, including Oak Park.
Pavlicek said that initial allotment would be provided to people deemed “1A” in a ranking system, which includes frontline hospital employees. Those eligible for vaccines include employees at Rush Oak Park Hospital, West Suburban Medical Center, PCC Wellness Center and the village’s firefighters/paramedics, she said.
“Another group that can receive those initial vaccines are paramedics,” Pavlicek said. “We will work on a process for vaccination of paramedics. In all those categories, vaccinations are not mandatory, but optional. We also believe our initial vaccination over at least the first four to six weeks will be the two-dose vaccinations. Every allotment we get on a weekly basis, it includes the second dose.”
Pavlicek said federal and state agreements with pharmaceutical companies will lead to vaccines being distributed to the village’s nursing homes and senior facilities.
“We will neither receive nor deliver those vaccinations,” Pavlicek said. “This is an adult-only vaccination, but I still don’t think there’s a complete definition on age and whether that’s 18. That will be decided before it’s out.”
Information about how the general public can receive the vaccine would likely be released early next year, Pavlicek said.
Trustee Arti Walker-Peddakotla urged the village to create a robust communication campaign to ensure that minority residents, who have been disproportionately affected by the virus, have confidence in the vaccine.
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“I believe vaccinations are super important,” Walker-Peddakotla said. “I understand, especially in minority communities, there is a distrust of vaccinations and government health programs. I hope there’s education in messaging that’s specifically tailored to those groups of individuals so we can increase trust in this process.”
Pavlicek said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been discussing such an initiative, and said more information would be released once dates of availability become more certain.
“We’re very sensitive to make sure we reach all of our residents,” Pavlicek said. “We want to make sure everybody has the same trust in the vaccination.”
While the larger public waits for vaccine availability, Pavlicek urged the community to keep practicing the safety measures that have become commonplace in 2020.
“We know people will need to continue to wear masks, socially distance and wash their hands, even once the vaccine is out there,” Pavlicek said. “This is going to take a process, but I have great confidence in our public health staff that we are putting together really good processes so the minute we have vaccination and can move to the general population, we’re going to be very organized in there to do it. Our work is ramping up greatly.”
sschering@pioneerlocal.com
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Twitter: @steveschering


chicagotribune--2020-12-09--South Holland man dies after he and another man were shot, crashed into vehicles in Gary

Police said a South Holland , Illinois man in the SUV was taken to Methodist Hospitals Northlake , where he @ @ @ @ @ The Lake County Coroner ’ s office identified the man as 23-year-old Xzavier Edwards-Smith , @ @ @ @ @ , as having died in a release .
The second man , a 26-year-old from @ @ @ @ @ another hospital for treatment , police said .

Gary Police say two men involved in a Tuesday night vehicle crash in Gary had been shot at some point prior the accident, and one of the men died from his injuries.
Officers arrived at incident in the 2200 block of Grant Street around 7:20 p.m. Tuesday to find first responders removing a man who had been shot from a black SUV, which had struck a fence and several parked vehicles in a parking lot, police said in a release. A second man was also shot.
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Police said a South Holland, Illinois man in the SUV was taken to Methodist Hospitals Northlake, where he was later pronounced dead. The Lake County Coroner’s office identified the man as 23-year-old Xzavier Edwards-Smith, of South Holland, Illinois, as having died in a release. The second man, a 26-year-old from Portage, was taken to another hospital for treatment, police said.
Police said the incident started in the 2500 block of Grant, but no other information is being released at this time. The city’s Metro Homicide Unit is investigating, police said.
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Anyone with information on this incident is asked to contact the Metro Homicide Unit at 219-755-3855 or the Crime Tip Line at 866-CRIME-GP.
Michelle L. Quinn is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.


chicagotribune--2020-12-09--Watch live: Gov. J.B. Pritzker gives a COVID-19 update

Gov .
J.B. Pritzker will give an update on the state ’ s response to the coronavirus in a briefing @ @ @ @ @ the latest updates on COVID-19 in Illinois here .


chicagotribune--2020-12-09--Column: Crybaby Trump has gone ‘coup-coup’ and GOP nods along. Call it what it is: Crazy, stupid and

Column: Crybaby Trump has gone ‘coup-coup’ and GOP nods along. Call it what it is: Crazy, stupid and dangerous.

I realize I’m just a simple newspaper columnist, but it seems having a lame-duck U.S. president openly advocating a coup is a really bad and insane thing, yet the people who most loudly call themselves patriots don’t appear to give a whit.
Maybe I’m on an island here, but the conclusion that can be drawn from the following string of facts concerns me:
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1) Joe Biden clearly and unequivocally won the 2020 presidential election.
________
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The Chicago Tribune publishes a variety of columnists. Columns are opinion content that reflect the views of the writers and not necessarily the Chicago Tribune.
________
2) The loser, President Donald Trump, refuses to acknowledge his loss and is goading Republican state legislators to find ways to subvert the election results, all while filing dozens upon dozens of frivolous lawsuits that have all been dismissed because they are baseless, preposterous and grounded in unhinged speculation.
3) Republicans in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, along with loyalists in Trump’s Cabinet and Republicans in legislatures across the country, are acting like this is all perfectly normal and giving credence to the falsehood that Trump has a chance of overturning the election results.
The conclusion is: WHAT IN THE NAME OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY IS WRONG WITH YOU REPUBLICANS?!??!
Let’s set aside the obvious fact that if a Democrat pulled an autocratic stunt like this, every Republican, all of their family members and probably most of their pets would be running around like their hair was on fire, screaming, “TYRANNY!!!”
That would be, and I can’t stress this enough, an entirely reasonable reaction.
That’s why there are people like me, and plenty of other Americans paying attention to Trump’s postelection crapnado of nonsense, who feel like our heads are going to explode because few if any sane Republicans are standing up and saying: “Hey, this is bonkers, deeply embarrassing and unconscionably bad for the stability of our democracy. Knock it off.”
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Here is a small sampling of tweets President Trump, who lost both the popular vote and the Electoral College, sent Wednesday morning, accompanied by my comments in parentheses:
“RIGGED ELECTION!” (The election was not rigged. There is no evidence to support this.)
“We will soon be learning about the word ‘courage’, and saving our Country. I received hundreds of thousands of legal votes more, in all of the Swing States, than did my opponent. ALL Data taken after the vote says that it was impossible for me to lose, unless FIXED!” (Virtually every word of this is a lie.)
“No candidate has ever won both Florida and Ohio and lost. I won them both, by a lot! #SupremeCourt” (This is false and just plain stupid. John F. Kennedy beat Richard Nixon, and Nixon won Florida and Ohio.)
“#OVERTURN” (This is the current president of the United States of America openly calling for the results of our election to be overturned. That’s outrageous and ahistoric, and should be condemned as fundamentally anti-American.)
[ Majority of Republican House members sign on to lawsuit asking Supreme Court to invalidate presidential election ]
Those were all sent the morning after the country passed what’s called the safe harbor deadline. That means Congress must, by law, treat election results certified by the states as conclusive. A shorter version is this: Biden will be the next president, and that’s not going to change.
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So why — why? why? why? — are the majority of Republicans continuing to entertain the lunatic squawking of a soon-to-be-one-term president who is psychologically incapable of accepting defeat?
On Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Sen. Roy Blunt and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, during a meeting of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, all voted against a standard and symbolic resolution that would have affirmed Biden as president-elect.
Sen. Ted Cruz threw up his hand this week and offered to argue a ludicrous Pennsylvania election case before the U.S. Supreme Court. The high court, of course, rejected the case, because it was patently absurd.
Cruz is smart and had to know that would happen. Why does he, and others such as Sen. Lindsey Graham, debase himself over and over again at the altar of a man so clearly destined to be condemned by history?
President Donald Trump talks to reporters in the Oval Office on Dec. 3, 2020. Trump has twisted the arms of state lawmakers in an effort to overturn the election results. (Doug Mills/The New York Times)
The time for lame excuses (“We just need to give Trump room to work through this loss”) and tacit approval of frivolous lawsuits (“The president has every right to pursue all legal avenues”) is over.
Everyone — Republicans, Democrats, pundits, preachers, citizens, editorial boards, shop clerks, CEOs — needs to stand up and call this colossally stupid coup-porn what it is: Dangerous, idiotic nonsense.
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Trump is not “frustrated” or “venting.” He is a whiny, sore loser willing to burn our democracy to the ground.
The lawsuits being filed aren’t patriotic attempts to protect the sanctity of our elections. They are baseless, error-filled, legally laughable attempts to waste time and pimp a narrative likely to ensure a sizable chunk of the population never accepts the result of this election.
The people testifying at bizarro-world hearings held by Trump attorney and COVID-19 superspreader Rudy Giuliani are not “patriotic but misinformed souls.” They’re people being willfully stupid, and they deserve every bit of ridicule they get as their unhinged, conspiracy filled ramblings become viral sensations.
We don’t stop this craziness from happening again by downplaying or excusing it all. We stop it by calling it out and making clear that such lunatic fringe behavior is socially unacceptable.
But that’s going to require people currently renting apartments in Crazytown to break their leases and cross back over to Saneville.
We need Republicans to acknowledge reality and douse the fires Trump continues to set.
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We need to call the election denialism being ginned up exactly what it is: Unacceptable, by any measure.
(If you hated this column as much as I did, why not join the third annual Insult-A-Columnist Holiday Food Drive and make a donation to the Greater Chicago Food Depository under the RexStinks team name? Or, if for some reason you liked the column, you can hop on Team RexRocks. Either way, you help feed people! Just go to: https://www.myfooddrive.org/#InsultRex.)
rhuppke@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-12-09--Suburban man charged with selling devices that turn pistols into machine guns

“ How it ’ s gon na go is , people are going to get them switches .
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ the people who want to go shoot some people , gangbangers and ( expletive ) @ @ @ @ @ .
“ After a couple months , like 50 % of them switches are gon @ @ @ @ @ know what I mean ?
So people are gon na need more .
”

A south suburban man is facing federal firearms charges after agents allegedly seized machine guns and more than 100 “switch” devices from his home capable of converting a standard pistol into a fully automatic weapon.
Leonard Johnson, 32, also known as “Scrap,” was charged in a criminal complaint with one count of illegal possession of a machine gun.
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Leonard Johnson, 32, of Robbins, is facing federal firearms charges after agents allegedly seized machine guns and more than 100 “switch” devices from his home capable of converting a standard pistol into a fully automatic weapon. (U.S. Attorney’s Office)
He was arrested Monday after agents from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives executed a search warrant at his home in Robbins, where they seized five firearms — including three machine guns — and 117 “switch” devices, the charges alleged.
The nine-page complaint alleged that after agents asked Johnson about the switches, he replied, “I’m not stupid. Yes, I got some attachments up there.”
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“Fully auto? Turns it into a machine gun, basically?” the agent asked, according to the complaint.
“Yes, fully automatic,” Johnson allegedly replied.
The complaint includes two images allegedly posted by Johnson on social media, including one depicting him holding a large stack of cash and the words, “If it ain’t about money, it don’t make sense,” followed by a shrugging emoji.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Gilbert ordered Johnson to remain in custody pending a detention Friday, court records show.
No lawyer was listed for Johnson on the court docket as of Wednesday.
The charges against Johnson came just days after another south suburban man, Steve Goley, was accused of selling four Glock conversion devices to an undercover informant in September, court records show.
A criminal complaint filed against Goley on Friday alleged Goley was secretly recorded by the informant during a Sept. 24 meeting at a business parking lot, where he talked about the popularity of the machine gun switches among the city’s gang members.
“How it’s gonna go is, people are going to get them switches. It’s gonna go to the people who want to go shoot some people, gangbangers and (expletive),” Goley allegedly said. “After a couple months, like 50% of them switches are gonna be gone, you know what I mean? So people are gonna need more.”
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Goley was scheduled to appear Wednesday for a detention hearing, when prosecutors said they will seek to have him held in custody as a danger to the community, records show.
His lawyer could not immediately be reached for comment.
jmeisner@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-12-09--Watch live: Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot gives update on COVID-19, vaccination plan

Mayor Lori Lightfoot will join CDPH Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady to provide an update on COVID-19 and the city ’ @ @ @ @ @ briefing scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Get the latest updates on COVID-19 in Illinois here .


chicagotribune--2020-12-09--COVID-19 cases in Illinois by ZIP code: Search for your neighborhood

Search below by street address , ZIP code or city , then click on the map to see the number @ @ @ @ @ .
The state is not providing data for any ZIP code with five cases or @ @

Note: With Chicago and Illinois moving into phase 5, the Tribune is no longer updating this data. If the state moves back into bridge phase, the Tribune we reassess. Daily metrics on COVID-19, like cases, deaths and hospitalizations, can be found here. And Daily metrics on the vaccination effort can be found here. More on where the coronavirus stands nationally and around the world can be found here.
Illinois releases the number of positive COVID-19 cases by ZIP code daily. The map below shows the cumulative cases for each area as well as other analysis of the data.
• Check out the Tribune’s coronavirus coverage.
• Tracking daily Illinois coronavirus deaths, cases and tests.
Search below by street address, ZIP code or city, then click on the map to see the number of confirmed and probable cases. The state is not providing data for any ZIP code with five cases or fewer.
Data as of June 10.
The map search tool above works best in Chrome or Firefox and may not perform consistently in Internet Explorer.
Note: Because of a coding error this map was displaying the incorrect rates for new cases in the last 7 days per 100,000 people — the issue should now be resolved.. The Tribune adjusted the data shown on the map below to focus on new cases, those the state tracked in the last 7 seven days. The totals for the entire pandemic are still available, but in the pop-up after tapping or clicking on a ZIP.


chicagotribune--2020-12-09--Daily Illinois coronavirus graphs: 179 new deaths, 8,256 new confirmed and probable cases and 92,737

Daily Illinois coronavirus graphs: 179 new deaths, 8,256 new confirmed and probable cases and 92,737 new test results

Illinois announced 8,256 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 Wednesday for a total of 812,430 .
The state also @ @ @ @ @ a total of 13,666 and 92,737 new test results for a total of 11.4 million @

Johns Hopkins University & Medicine tracked coronavirus cases, deaths and test totals from Jan. 22, 2020 through March 10, 2023, but is no longer providing this data. These charts will no longer be updated.
Check the Illinois Department of Public Health for the most up-to-date data for Illinois.
[ Remembering the lives of those in Illinois who died from coronavirus ]
Can’t see these charts? Go here.