chicagotribune--2020-09-01--Northwestern University president apologizes and reduces tuition after shifting 1st- and 2nd-year st

Northwestern University president apologizes and reduces tuition after shifting 1st- and 2nd-year students to remote learning: ‘I understand that anger’

Undergraduates receiving financial aid won ’ t be paying less , though .
NU can ’ t change family contribution @ @ @ @ @ in federal aid programs , though students can submit new information about their financial situations @ @ @ @ @ Those who need extra financial support to cover the costs of travel or technology needs @ @ @ @ @ the school ’ s financial aid office .

Northwestern University President Morton Schapiro said he made the decision to close residence halls and Greek houses after the school determined its plans did not set aside enough quarantine space for students. (Alyssa Pointer / Chicago Tribune)
Facing backlash from angry first- and second-year students who recently learned they can’t study at Northwestern University’s campus this fall, school President Morton Schapiro repeatedly apologized during an online presentation Tuesday and tried to provide more details about how the last-minute decision was made.
During the one-hour session, Schapiro said he was “absolutely convinced” that NU could reopen its residence halls to all students but began to worry late last week as COVID-19 cases rose in suburban Cook County and the school readjusted its capacity to quarantine students on campus based on estimates from the state.
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“I apologize for people who are so angry, and I understand that anger as a parent and as an educator,” Schapiro said. “In retrospect, I probably should have decided earlier in the week.”
The online event came after NU delivered the unpopular news to undergraduate inboxes late Friday afternoon, explaining that only third- and fourth-year students would be permitted to return to campus, take in-person classes and live in residence halls. The decision, communicated just nine days before move-in was scheduled to start, clashed with the school’s summer efforts to accommodate everyone who wanted to come back.
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While first- and second-year students can apply for access to campus under special circumstances, NU is asking all underclassmen to stay home and learn remotely if they can. Without an approved request, those students will not be allowed to use school facilities. Graduate students are still allowed to live and study on campus.
NU’s plight is the latest example of a school scaling back plans to fully reopen in the fall because of the continuing coronavirus pandemic. The Wildcats’ school year doesn’t start until later this month, but some colleges that began in August struggled as clusters of cases emerged in dorms and from off-campus parties.
Though NU had set aside 609 rooms for quarantine space on campus, the school decided on Thursday that wouldn’t be enough. While the university had about 2,000 empty beds, the quarantine rooms needed to be spaced out in accordance with social distancing, Schapiro said. Including sorority and fraternity houses, which NU owns, the school has capacity for about 5,000 students to reside on campus during normal years.
Information from other colleges and state health officials about the number of close contacts associated with any given infection caused the school to reevaluate its calculations, NU officials said.
“When we did the math, we saw that 609 would completely fill within seven to 10 days, and then we’d be forced to send everybody home,” Schapiro said. “How do you send people home who are infected? I don’t know what we would have done, but that’s when I made that decision.”
To ease the burden for undergraduates who incur additional costs from studying at home, NU reduced tuition by 10%. The reduction, however, comes after NU increased the price by 3.5% in June to about $58,000, and the discount won’t be applied to graduate students.
Undergraduates receiving financial aid won’t be paying less, though. NU can’t change family contribution levels because of its participation in federal aid programs, though students can submit new information about their financial situations and get new rates. Those who need extra financial support to cover the costs of travel or technology needs can apply for funding through the school’s financial aid office.
NU has also revised its deferral policies and will allow new incoming or transfer students to delay the start of their studies until the winter, spring or fall 2021 without penalty.
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In a message emailed to students Tuesday morning, Schapiro and other NU administrators again acknowledged that “many of you are upset with the changes we announced and how we announced them.”
During Tuesday’s online discussion, Dr. Richard D’Aquila, associate vice president of research at the medical school, provided the physician’s perspective. D’Aquila said his team at Northwestern Medicine has been consulting with school officials on fall plans.
While COVID-19 cases in some Illinois regions have been rising over the summer, the numbers hit closer to home Thursday when suburban Cook County, which includes Northwestern’s Evanston campus, was put at a warning level by the state, D’Aquila said.
As of last week, positivity rates in suburban Cook County were hitting 8% to 10%, D’Aquila said.
And on top of that, NU watched as other universities underestimated the number of quarantine beds needed, D’Aquila said.
“We also learned from talking to the state and the Chicago health department that the number of people that are identified as needing quarantine through contact tracing was a little bit more than we had expected,” D’Aquila said. “So that figured into the increased need for quarantine beds.”
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Indeed, some colleges have started using local hotels or off-campus apartments to provide isolation space for infected students.
While NU’s school year is still slated to start with classes on Sept. 16, move-in for residence halls has been delayed by about a week. Upperclassmen who were going to live in sororities or fraternities will need to apply for new accommodations on campus, find an off-campus dwelling or learn remotely, because the Greek houses were also been ordered to remain closed Friday.
Students returning to campus or living in Evanston will need to be tested upon arriving and follow a modified quarantine for two weeks. Students must stay in their rooms until they receive negative test results, which could take two to three days.
The majority of instruction for all students will be remote, and additional surveillance testing will take place throughout the fall, NU says.
echerney@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-09-01--Former Portage Clerk-Treasurer Christopher Stidham’s criminal case stumbles at start as judge recuse

Former Portage Clerk-Treasurer Christopher Stidham’s criminal case stumbles at start as judge recuses herself

The criminal charge , which carries a sentence of six months to 2.5 years in prison , regards the same @ @ @ @ @ audit conducted by the State Board of Accounts , which is Jan. 1 , 2015 @ @ @ @ @ 2016 , when , according to the audit , Stidham was paying his then-girlfriend ’ @ @ @ @ @ bookkeeping services on contract with his office .

Former Portage Clerk-Treasurer Chris Stidham speaks a 2019 meeting of the Board of Works and Safety. (Kyle Telechan / Post-Tribune)
A Porter County judge has recused herself from former Portage Clerk-Treasurer Christopher Stidham’s criminal case at his attorney’s request, citing a court matter when she was a magistrate and Stidham was a client’s attorney and he didn’t show up for a hearing.
Defense attorney Paul Stracci made the request of Porter Circuit Court Judge Mary DeBoer during Stidham’s initial hearing Tuesday, during which Stidham received a preliminary plea of not guilty. Stanley Levco, the special prosecutor in the case, agreed with the request.
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Stracci said he made the request to avoid any appearance, “and that’s all we believe it would be,” of impropriety in the case.
DeBoer, to clarify, said the matter was a family law case and she and the client were present for a hearing but Stidham wasn’t there. DeBoer called Stidham as a matter of professional courtesy but the incident did not rise to the level of disciplinary action.
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“I wasn’t happy. The client wasn’t happy,” she said.
She was aware that Stidham’s case, in which he’s been charged with a Level 6 felony count of official misconduct, carries a great deal of publicity.
“I don’t recuse unless I think there’s a really good reason and I think there’s a really good reason,” she said, adding with the attorneys’ consent, she would move forward with the initial hearing before stepping aside.
Porter Superior Court Judge Roger Bradford is being asked to take on the case. While DeBoer set hearings for Dec. 11 and Jan. 28, Levco said they would like to proceed sooner. DeBoer noted she did not have Bradford’s court calendar.
Stidham, 37, of the 2900 block of Wingstem Drive, was charged Feb. 26, the same day a special audit by the state called on him to reimburse the city for $8,000 “for disbursing funds without authority and for services not rendered.”
He appeared in court with his wife, Rachel.
The criminal charge, which carries a sentence of six months to 2.5 years in prison, regards the same time period as the special audit conducted by the State Board of Accounts, which is Jan. 1, 2015, through Dec. 31, 2016, when, according to the audit, Stidham was paying his then-girlfriend’s various businesses to perform bookkeeping services on contract with his office.
Stidham, a Democrat and local attorney, finished his second term as clerk-treasurer at the end of 2019. He ran unsuccessfully against Mayor Sue Lynch in the spring primary that year for a spot on the general election ballot as a mayoral candidate. If Stidham were to be convicted on the felony charge, he would automatically lose his law license, per state statute.
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The audit revealed a slew of problems, including paying Rachel Glass, whom he later married, for bookkeeping services that were never done and not submitting invoices for her businesses to the Board of Works.
The total, according to the audit, was $58,416.16 for the two years in question.
The investigation involved unapproved payments made by Stidham’s office in 2015 and 2016 to Glass, who operated, at different times, three businesses that reportedly provided bookkeeping services on contract to the clerk-treasurer’s office: Keeping the Books; E.R.G. Advisors; and Paramount Technology Solutions.
The work by Glass continued until shortly before she and Stidham married.
According to the audit, Glass’ businesses were paid $8,000 in 2016 for services related to bank reconcilements, but those documents weren’t prepared until January 2018.
There were no written contracts for the work done by Rachel Glass Stidham’s firms; the Board of Works minutes didn’t reflect approval of contracts with them; the invoices weren’t submitted to the board for approval; and the city did not properly file tax forms with the IRS for her businesses, according to the audit.
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Additionally, the Indiana Attorney General’s Office filed a civil complaint late last month seeking the repayment of more than $16,000 in public funds to the city of Portage.
The state, on behalf of the city of Portage, is seeking three times the amount of the actual loss, which is $24,000, plus court costs and attorney’s fees, according to a civil complaint filed Aug. 26.
The complaint notes that a surety bond for Stidham paid the principal amount of actual damages as well as the cost of the audit by the State Board of Accounts of $6,564.55, leaving the amount to be recovered at up to $16,000, not including court costs and attorney’s fees.
Amy Lavalley is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.


chicagotribune--2020-09-01--14 COVID-19 cases reported among 94 Maine South students exposed to virus via parties: District 207

Wallace expressed frustration last week that students had attended parties and not followed Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines @ @ @ @ @ the virus , and that some parents had not cooperated with school contact tracers .
@ @ @ @ @ hopes the incident has led to greater understanding of the role students and the community @ @ @ @ @ in order for schools to fully reopen for learning .

Fourteen Maine South High School students are known to have tested positive for COVID-19 out of more than 90 students who were identified as exposed to the virus via multiple gatherings in mid-August, school officials said.
The last positive case was reported to the school on Aug. 22, said Maine Township High School District 207 Spokesman Brett Clark.
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Contact tracing conducted by the school found 94 students had varying degrees of exposure to the virus due to “multiple parties” that were held, Clark said. District 207 Supt. Ken Wallace said these students either attended a party or came into contact with someone who had.
There have been no reports of positive COVID-19 cases involving students from Maine East and Maine West High Schools, Wallace said. Parents of children who have tested positive for the virus or been exposed to it are urged to contact their child’s school to report it, Wallace said.
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“We’ve got to work together,” he said. “This is not about punishing anybody, but for us to do school safely at all, we absolutely have to know the students who should be in the contact tracing protocol.”
Reporting COVID-19 cases will assist the district as it works to make decisions on when to open for in-classroom instruction, Wallace indicated.
Guidelines for parents regarding COVID-19 can be found on the district’s website, maine207.org.
In addition to reports of students testing positive for COVID-19, 24 staff members across the district’s three schools have also tested positive for the virus since July, Wallace said. The very first case was reported at Maine West, he said.
Classes at the three high schools are being held remotely, though some teachers are leading their online classes from their classrooms.
In-person orientation sessions for sophomores through seniors were canceled at Maine South last week after school officials learned of COVID-19 exposure at parties that were held in the city over a four-day period beginning Aug. 14, parents were told in the email from Principal Ben Collins.
Wallace expressed frustration last week that students had attended parties and not followed Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for preventing the spread of the virus, and that some parents had not cooperated with school contact tracers. This week he said he hopes the incident has led to greater understanding of the role students and the community as a whole must play in order for schools to fully reopen for learning.
“We hopes this drives home the need to follow what we know works: Wear your PPE, social distance, don’t get into big crowds, practice good hygiene,” Wallace said.
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While school is remote, some special education students are attending classes on campus, the superintendent said. The district’s goal is to welcome additional students over the next few weeks so they can work on projects they cannot do from home, like science and engineering labs, fine arts programs, and other “specialized courses,” Wallace said.
jjohnson@chicagotribune.com
Twitter: @Jen_Tribune


chicagotribune--2020-09-01--Husband, wife found slain in Markham home; family member in custody

The suspect , whose name is being withheld until charges are approved , was arrested just a few hours after @ @ @ @ @ s bodies inside the home they shared in the 16600 block of Sawyer Avenue , @ @ @ @ @ .

A family member is in custody in connection with the brutal slayings of a husband and wife found stabbed to death Monday inside their Markham home, officials said.
The suspect, whose name is being withheld until charges are approved, was arrested just a few hours after police discovered the couple’s bodies inside the home they shared in the 16600 block of Sawyer Avenue, city spokesman Michael Taylor said.
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“The scene was horrific,” said Taylor, who called the slayings an isolated incident and said residents should rest assured that they are not in danger.
The Cook County medical examiner’s office identified the victims as Gabriel Tyson Sr., 66, and Carmella Tyson, 65.
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Taylor said police found the pair after conducting a wellness check at their home late Monday afternoon. It wasn’t immediately clear how long they had been dead, he said.
Police have not released any information about a possible motive for the killings.
zkoeske@tribpub.com
Twitter @ZakKoeske


chicagotribune--2020-09-01--Former county official and McCook Mayor Jeffrey Tobolski pleads guilty to extortion charges, coopera

Former county official and McCook Mayor Jeffrey Tobolski pleads guilty to extortion charges, cooperates with investigation

Tobolski , who resigned from the County Board and from his post as McCook village president in March , has @ @ @ @ @ federal agents raided his offices in McCook nearly a year ago as part of a @ @ @ @ @ has led to a slew of charges against Democratic lawmakers and power players .
At @ @ @ @ @ agents seized more than $ 51,000 in cash stored in a safe , according to @ @ @ @ @ investigation .

Former Cook County commissioner and McCook Mayor Jeffrey Tobolski pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday to conspiring with a local police official to extort a restaurant owner who needed permission to host events serving alcohol.
During the hearing before U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber, prosecutors announced that Tobolski is cooperating with the investigation and his assistance is ongoing. Tobolski is in line for a significant break on his sentence if he cooperates fully, prosecutors said.
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Tobolski admitted in a plea agreement that he collected $29,700 in cash from the extortion scheme, which involved an unidentified restaurant on McCook-owned property.
Beginning in 2016, the business owner — identified only as Individual A — requested the permission of Tobolski and the McCook police official “to host events that involved the sale of alcohol” at his restaurant, which had a five-year lease with the village, according to the plea. At the time, Tobolski doubled as McCook’s liquor commissioner.
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The police official told Tobolski that Individual A was willing to pay them both off to get the liquor license, according to the plea. Tobolski agreed to the plan, “knowing that he had no lawful right” to the payments, the plea stated.
The police official then met periodically with Tobolski to hand over cash that had been provided by Individual A, according to the plea.
Tobolski also admitted in the plea that he extorted or collected bribes with at least four other people by abusing his official position as mayor or county commissioner. The amount of bribes he collected totaled at least $250,000, though the plea does not spell out how many victims were involved.
“In doing so, Tobolski organized, directed, and led other criminally responsible individuals,” the plea states.
Tobolski also pleaded guilty to filing a false tax return in 2018 where he underreported his income by at least $66,000, at least $10,000 of which was bribe money, according to his plea agreement. The document stated he also misreported his income in returns filed each year from 2012 to 2017.
Under preliminary sentencing guidelines, Tobolski faces up to 14 years in prison. Prosecutors have said they will ask for a downward departure from those guidelines when he is sentenced as long as he continues to cooperate.
Tobolski, 55, appeared in court via a video link from his lawyer’s office, where he was seated at a conference table with a bottle of water in front of him.
Tobolski, who resigned from the County Board and from his post as McCook village president in March, has been under a cloud since federal agents raided his offices in McCook nearly a year ago as part of a sweeping public corruption probe that has led to a slew of charges against Democratic lawmakers and power players. At Tobolski’s home, agents seized more than $51,000 in cash stored in a safe, according to sources with knowledge of the investigation.
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That same day, federal law enforcement authorities descended on the village hall in nearby Lyons. Those moves came two days after raids on the offices and home of state Sen. Martin Sandoval, a Chicago Democrat whose district includes both towns.
Sandoval pleaded guilty in January to a bribery scheme involving a red-light camera company representative and also is cooperating with authorities.
While Tobolski’s plea agreement doesn’t identify the restaurant involved in the extortion scheme, federal records from the Sept. 26 raid in McCook shows authorities seized checks related to the “Pub Max project.” The Pub at the Max restaurant was part of the McCook Athletic & Exposition Center facility until it closed in 2018 and was replaced with another eatery.
Authorities also sought items related to “Latino Night at the Max,” as well as McCook police Chief Mario DePasquale, the search warrant records show.
Tobolski’s guilty plea came at his first court appearance since he was charged in a two-count criminal information on Aug. 21, making him the second public official to be convicted of a felony in the ongoing corruption probe.
Louis Presta, the mayor of nearby Crestwood, was charged last month with accepting bribes to promote red-light camera company SafeSpeed and then lying about it to the FBI. He too has pleaded not guilty, though he’s expected to change his plea later this year.
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In February, Tobolski’s longtime chief of staff, Patrick Doherty, was charged in a three-count federal indictment for conspiring to pay bribes to a help a SafeSpeed executive get lucrative cameras installed in Oak Lawn. Doherty has pleaded not guilty.
On Monday, the former SafeSpeed official, Omar Maani of Burr Ridge, was charged with bribery conspiracy in the same alleged scheme as Doherty. Maani worked undercover for the FBI for months and wore a wire on several defendants, including Sandoval and Presta, according to court records.
SafeSpeed and its CEO, Nikki Zollar, have said they were not aware of Maani’s illegal activities and have denied any wrongdoing.
jmeisner@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-09-01--Hawaii added for first time to Chicago’s travel order of 22 states and territories. Here’s what you

Hawaii added for first time to Chicago’s travel order of 22 states and territories. Here’s what you need to know to avoid a large fine.

With 15.8 cases per 100,000 residents , Indiana , which has been contending with a recent spike in cases , @ @ @ @ @ , but Illinois ’ neighbor was not added because it had lower rates earlier , @ @ @ @ @ the city “ very well may ” add Indiana next week if cases continue to @ @ @ @ @ seen with Wisconsin ’ s addition and removal weeks later , neighboring states — particularly @ @ @ @ @ of commuters who travel across state lines to work in Chicago — can require a @ @ @ @ @ additional educational outreach .

We have lifted the paywall on this story. To support essential reporting, please consider becoming a subscriber .
Dick DeGray, of Brattleboro, Vt., puts on his mask before going into the Municipal Building, in Brattleboro, as the town started to require visitors and staff to put their masks back on Aug. 11, 2021, due to COVID-19 virus numbers increasing in Windham County. (Kristopher Radder/The Brattleboro Reformer)
Chicago has revamped its travel quarantine order to reflect rising rates of the coronavirus in Chicago and the rest of Illinois, moving from a blanket list of states to a color-coded list comparing the rate of infection here with that in other states.
On Tuesday, the city added New York, California and Washington, D.C., to its orange list, requiring all travelers from those states to either quarantine or prove they have had a negative COVID-19 test 72 hours before arriving in Chicago. Idaho was moved from the stricter red list to the orange list.
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Under the original version of the emergency travel order, states had been added to the list when they reached an infection rate greater than 15 cases per 100,000 residents and removed once the daily case average remains below that rate for two consecutive weeks.
Now, the city is using a color-coded list, which will be updated every two weeks.
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“First and foremost, I would like people to avoid travel at this time if at all possible. But by creating a tiered system and using Chicago’s case rate as a category threshold, it allows us to be responsive to the changing dynamics of the pandemic,” said city health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady.
States that weren’t on the quarantine list that were added to the orange list the first week were Michigan, Connecticut, Arizona, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Georgia, Maryland, Oregon, Washington and Louisiana.
Yellow-coded states are those with a rolling seven-day average below 15 cases per day per 100,000 residents. Anyone returning from these states doesn’t have to quarantine. Three states qualified as of Tuesday.
Orange-coded states are those with a rolling seven-day average between 15 cases per day per 100,000 residents and Chicago’s rolling seven-day average, which was 60 as of Tuesday. People traveling from these states must either quarantine for 14 days or show they had a negative COVID-19 test no more than 72 hours before arrival in Chicago. There were 35 orange states, plus Washington, D.C., as of Tuesday.
Red-coded states are those with a rolling seven-day average above Chicago’s. Anyone traveling from these states has to quarantine. There were 11 red-coded states as of Tuesday.
People who commute across the Indiana or Wisconsin state lines to or from Chicago to work or go to school will be exempt from the quarantine rule, a nod to the symbiotic relationship between the neighboring states. But workers in Chicago from Indiana will be expected to avoid restaurants, bars and other public spaces in the city.
Here’s what you need to know about the city’s quarantine policies:
City says people will be fined
Anyone who visits red-listed states should stay inside for two weeks upon their return or risk a fine of $100 to $500 per day, 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.
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Despite the list’s fluctuating size, enforcement of the order so far has been nonexistent, save for some billboards and signs that Mayor Lori Lightfoot has said are intended to “educate” people into compliance.
Lightfoot’s initial self-quarantine requirement was implemented during the Fourth of July weekend.
If city contact tracers get information that people who’ve caught the virus were in proximity to someone from a quarantine state and flouted the rules, they’ll issue a citation, Arwady has said.
They’ll also be on the lookout for people who are on social media “flagrantly posting their social activities, clearly out and about in Chicago after being in settings that are subject to our quarantine order, within the time frame,” she said. Investigators will look into any reports about city workers not following the guidelines, the health commissioner said.
Arwady has since clarified that the city “is not Big Brother,” nor does it have the resources to dedicate anyone to aimlessly scroll feeds from Chicagoans.
But if the agency receives a tip or is already looking into someone to determine whether to fine them, that’s when the city may scour social media.
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“One of the easiest ways to sort of get enough proof … without me having to send out an inspector … is to look at social media,” Arwady said.
Details for travelers
The order has plenty of exceptions for different types of workers and depending on how long travelers spend in the listed states.
If someone drives through a state on the list but does not stay more than 24 hours, that person does not need to quarantine. But a city employee clarified that Chicagoans who choose to drive into Wisconsin and go out in public, regardless of whether they return later in the same day, do need to quarantine after such voluntary activities.
For example, Chicagoans who drive through Indiana (a red-listed state), Ohio and New York (orange-listed states) to spend a week in Vermont (a yellow-listed state) but who did not stay in Indiana and Ohio more than 24 hours do not need to quarantine. There are similar restrictions for air travelers. .
Travelers visiting Chicago from red- or orange-listed states also are subject to the order if they are staying longer than a day. Everyone older than age 2 who lands at a Chicago airport is required to wear a mask, then quarantine if they’ve come from a listed state.
If someone is staying with a Chicago resident after traveling to an affected state, the traveler must quarantine, but other people in the home who did not travel to a listed state are not required to quarantine. The resident should follow guidance for being around someone who has potentially been exposed.
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Travelers or area residents who leave a Chicago airport and immediately travel to a suburb or outside Chicago limits are not required to quarantine — unless their municipality also has a travel restriction in place. The order also states that face coverings should be worn and that public transportation should not be used by those headed outside city limits.
Testing and exceptions to quarantine requirements in the revised rules
Under the guidance revised in November, Chicago residents returning from travel in red states or residents of red states who travel to the city are required to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival here, according to the city travel order website.
People in similar circumstances entering Chicago from orange states must either quarantine for 14 days or, with a “pre-arrival negative test result” from no more than three days before traveling to Chicago, may choose instead to employ “strict masking, social distancing and avoidance of in-person gatherings.”
There also is an option for those who can’t get a test while visiting an orange state, such as a visit not much longer than 24 hours. Someone can quarantine upon arrival in Illinois until a test can be arranged locally, according to the city’s travel order website. The test needs to be issued by a private provider because of concerns about limited capacity at public health testing sites.
“If you cannot be tested for COVID-19 prior to arriving in Chicago and do not take a post-arrival test, you must quarantine for 14 days (or the duration of your stay, whichever is shorter),” according to the website.
Essential workers and other exceptions
For those who live outside Chicago but work in the city, it’s important to determine whether you’re an essential or nonessential worker according to the executive order.
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There are limited exceptions to the quarantine order for essential workers who have to travel for work. Travelers who don’t live in Chicago but who have to be in Chicago to work and who traveled to an orange- or red-listed state for work do not need to quarantine. Travelers who live in Chicago and who travel to a listed state for work do not have to quarantine, according to the order.
But if workers go to a listed state when they didn’t have to, or for medical care, or because of parental shared custody, they would be subject to quarantine.
People who work in Chicago and live elsewhere can do so if they haven’t traveled to a high-incidence state. If they have traveled to a high-incidence state, they are subject to requirements regarding essential workers who are Chicago residents.
For the purposes of the order, an “essential worker” is a person who works in any one of the 16 critical employment sectors. The term also includes any government workers traveling in their official capacities. Essential workers must:
Avoid any nonessential interactions until the quarantine period has ended. They must limit themselves to work-related activities and related functions, and avoid public spaces as much as possible.
Monitor temperature and signs of symptoms, wear a face covering when in public, maintain social distance, and clean and disinfect workspaces.
Avoid as much as possible extended periods in public, contact with strangers and large congregate settings.
What does quarantine mean?
According to the emergency travel order, quarantine means staying at one place for 14 days before doing any activities outside of the home. Included in the restrictions:
Not go out in public or otherwise leave home, unless seeking medical care or COVID-19 testing.
Wear a face covering and do not use public transit if seeking medical care or testing, or when traveling to or from an airport, train station or bus station.
Don’t go to the grocery store; instead have food and other supplies delivered.
Stay in separate quarters with a separate bedroom and, if possible, use a separate bathroom than non-traveling household members.
Travelers still must quarantine even if they had a negative COVID-19 test because people “can develop symptoms and become contagious up to 14 days from their last exposure.”
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Are the rules different for each state or territory?
Generally, the emergency order is applied uniformly to any state or territory on the list. However, with neighboring states, travelers should pay close attention to what constitutes a visit and distinctions between essential and nonessential workers.
What are the state lists?
The following is a rolling list of states on Chicago’s red, orange and yellow lists. The lists will be updated every two weeks:
Red-listed states (11): Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
Orange-listed states and Puerto Rico (36): Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia.
Yellow-listed states (3): Hawaii, Maine and Vermont.
Chicago Tribune’s Alice Yin, John Byrne and Gregory Pratt contributed.
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kdouglas@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @312BreakingNews


chicagotribune--2020-09-01--Illinois warns extra $300 in weekly unemployment benefits would last only three weeks and leave out

Illinois warns extra $300 in weekly unemployment benefits would last only three weeks and leave out thousands of jobless workers

The state said in a Monday news release it expects the “ shelf-life ” of the program under the current @ @ @ @ @ three weeks .
It said about 55,000 low-income claimants won ’ t be eligible for @ @ @ @ @ limited to those who qualify for at least $ 100 in weekly unemployment benefits , @ @ @ @ @ the federal pandemic assistance program .

The coronavirus outbreak continues to threaten jobs even as the housing market, auto sales and other segments of the economy rebound from a springtime collapse. (Nam Y. Huh / AP)
Illinois hasn’t been approved for the extra $300 in weekly unemployment benefits authorized by President Donald Trump, but is already warning the aid will be limited.
The state said Monday it has applied for the Lost Wage Assistance program, which President Donald Trump created through executive action to extend federal jobless benefits after the $600 weekly supplement ran out at the end of July.
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The state said in a Monday news release it expects the “shelf-life” of the program under the current funding model to last about three weeks. It said about 55,000 low-income claimants won’t be eligible for the funds, which are limited to those who qualify for at least $100 in weekly unemployment benefits, either through state programs or the federal pandemic assistance program.
In early August, President Trump authorized the Federal Emergency Management Agency to spend no more than $44 billion for lost wage payments. But those funds are likely to dry up as more states receive approval and start disbursing benefits.
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States approved for the program are guaranteed an initial three weeks of funding, and additional funding will be determined on a weekly basis, according to FEMA.
Illinois is one of the last states to apply for the program. As of Monday, 41 states have received approval for the benefits, according to FEMA’s website. The agency will dole out funds to states, and states will administer those funds retroactive to Aug. 1.
In an emailed statement, FEMA said “states, territories or the District of Columbia should apply for grants as quickly as possible given the potential for program termination based on the parameters established.”
The state did not respond to a question Tuesday about the timing of its application. Gov. J.B. Pritzker said in a Monday news release the program creates “needless competition among the states” for limited FEMA dollars and will “sow more confusion among the unemployed.”
Eliza Forsythe, assistant professor in labor and employment relations at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, said it’s possible states that were slow to apply could receive only the allotted three weeks of funding from FEMA.
“Once the pot of money is gone, it’s the end of the program,” Forsythe said.
Some states acted more quickly than others because they could process benefits under the new program using their current systems, she said.
abjimenez@chicagotribune.com
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Twitter @abdel1019


chicagotribune--2020-09-01--Chicago adds North Carolina, Hawaii and Nebraska to travel quarantine order, warns Indiana could be

Chicago adds North Carolina, Hawaii and Nebraska to travel quarantine order, warns Indiana could be next

“ I certainly though want to let Chicagoans know that we have concerns about Indiana , ” Arwady said .
@ @ @ @ @ t see improvement across the state , we will then add them next Tuesday , @ @ @ @ @ an eye on it , really hoping that that is more of a data reporting @ @ @ @ @ some real concern .
”

Paca Kujtim of Arlington Heights self-administers a COVID-19 test in his car at the Arlington International Racecourse on March 31, 2021 in Arlington Heights. Kujtim was getting testing as a precaution for upcoming travel. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
The city of Chicago added North Carolina, Hawaii and Nebraska to its mandatory quarantine order, while warning that a recent spike in cases in Indiana could soon put that state on the list.
The order for the three additional states is effective Friday, at which point 21 states and Puerto Rico will be covered under the order. The city adds a state to its quarantine list if the state averages more than 15 new daily COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents over a seven-day period. People who have spent more than 24 hours in the high-risk states are required to self-quarantine for 14 days after entering Chicago.
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[ Hawaii added for first time to Chicago’s travel order of 22 states and territories. Here’s what you need to know to avoid a large fine. ]
Indiana crossed the threshold for the list this week, but the city opted not to add it to the order yet because it had lower rates earlier, began using an additional test that contributed to the case count and has seen the virus highly concentrated in college towns, Dr. Allison Arwady, Chicago’s public health commissioner, said at a Tuesday news conference.
Still, the neighboring state “very well may” be added later, she said.
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“I certainly though want to let Chicagoans know that we have concerns about Indiana,” Arwady said. “If we don’t see improvement across the state, we will then add them next Tuesday, so we’re keeping an eye on it, really hoping that that is more of a data reporting anomaly, but we have some real concern.”
Arwady said Indiana last week started factoring in antigen positive tests that added about a thousand cases in one day, contributing to the recent spike. The city is watching to see if the overall rise in cases is because of the data reporting change and not because of actual increased risk.
But Arwady singled out college towns South Bend and Muncie, home to Notre Dame and Ball State universities, respectively, as destinations to avoid as those campuses report hundreds of cases during the start of the school year, driving Indiana’s positivity rate up.
The attention to Indiana follows a larger pattern in the Midwest, Arwady said. Iowa is leading the nation in new COVID-19 cases per capita, while Kansas, North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota are seeing more cases than at any point in the pandemic, she said.
“A number of these states are really not doing well,” Arwady said. “We really do have concerns in the Midwest broadly about COVID.”
The latest order covers Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Alabama, Mississippi, Kansas, Oklahoma, Georgia, Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, South Carolina, Louisiana, Idaho, Texas, Hawaii, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, Florida, California and Puerto Rico.
A week ago, Arizona and North Carolina were taken off the quarantine list, while South Dakota was added. California, Florida and Puerto Rico dipped below the threshold and will be officially removed if their cases continue to decline for another week, Arwady said.
Lightfoot’s self-quarantine requirement was implemented during the Fourth of July weekend. Though the order is generally not being enforced aside from signs and billboards telling people that they must self-quarantine, violators are subject to fines of $100 to $500 per day, up to $7,000.
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Exceptions to the self-quarantine order include essential workers, those traveling for medical treatment and those for whom “self-quarantine is not possible, practicable or advisable.” The order also does not apply to people who are at the airport for a connecting flight or are driving through the city on their way elsewhere.
Illinois’ numbers exceed the threshold for the quarantine order, but the city has opted not to add it to the list. Arwardy warned Chicago could follow suburban Cook County in seeing a second surge of the virus. That new wave could be compounded by the flu season and other viruses as the weather gets colder.
“We are at the beginning of a slow increase, which could signal — if we’re not able to turn that around — a slow beginning to what could be a significant surge as we move into the fall and winter,” Arwady said.
Hospitalizations and deaths remain stable in the city, but three people are still dying as a result of the virus every day on average, Arwady said. Chicago is averaging 348 positive tests a day, and its seven-day rolling positivity rate was at 5.3% as of Sunday. Arwady has said the city hopes to get back under 200 new cases per day, the bench mark that allows city officials to potentially loosen restrictions.
“We are still seeing slow increases in COVID-19,” Arwady said. “We are not out of the woods. … It is not the time to relax your guard. It is not the time to be getting together unnecessarily.”
Illinois health officials on Tuesday announced 1,492 new known cases of COVID-19 and 39 additional fatalities, bringing the total number of known infections in Illinois to 236,515 and the statewide death toll to 8,064 since the start of the pandemic. Officials also reported 22,961 new tests in the last 24 hours. The seven-day statewide positivity rate is 4.3%.
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ayin@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-09-01--Chicago police fatally shoot man after shots fired at officers in Pilsen

Chicago police shot and killed a man after officers were fired upon as they got out of their car in @ @ @ @ @ West Side Monday night , authorities said .

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 16 The family of Miguel Vega — father Miguel Vega Sr., from left, mother Maria Vega and brother Erik Vega — speak with members of the news media near the intersection of 18th Street and Blue Island Avenue on Oct. 1, 2020, in Chicago. Miguel Vega was fatally shot by police on Aug. 31 on the 1300 block of West 19th Street. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)
Chicago police shot and killed Miguel Vega after officers were fired upon as they got out of their car in the Pilsen neighborhood on the West Side, authorities said.


chicagotribune--2020-09-01--Chicago teen charged in connection with three armed robberies in Oak Park, police say

“ The Oak Park Police Department was able to recover video from one of these incidents and , with the @ @ @ @ @ Chicago Police Department and the FBI violent crimes unit , Henyard was identified , ” @ @ @ @ @ Episcopo said .
“ Henyard was stopped by the Chicago Police Department on Aug. 29 @ @ @ @ @ an original Oak Park warrant .
”

Jaheim Henyard, 18, of Chicago, is facing four counts of armed robbery after his alleged involvement in three separate armed robberies that occurred July 17 and Aug. 1 in Oak Park. (Cook County Sheriff)
A Chicago teen has been charged with four counts of armed robbery in connection with three separate incidents that occurred this summer in Oak Park, authorities said.
Jaheim Henyard, 18, of the 4900 block of West Quincy Street, Chicago, was charged with the armed robberies at 1:35 p.m. Aug. 29 after being taken into custody in the 3100 block of West Harrison Street in Chicago, police said.
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According to police, Henyard is alleged to have been involved in armed robberies that occurred in Oak Park on July 17 in the 100 block of Garfield Street and Aug. 1 in the 1000 block of South Harvey Avenue and the 1100 block of South Taylor Avenue.
In the Aug. 1 incidents, three Oak Park residents were robbed of their cellphones at gunpoint, police said.
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“The Oak Park Police Department was able to recover video from one of these incidents and, with the assistance and partnership of the Chicago Police Department and the FBI violent crimes unit, Henyard was identified,” Oak Park police sergeant Angelo Episcopo said. “Henyard was stopped by the Chicago Police Department on Aug. 29 and taken into custody on an original Oak Park warrant.”
In the incident on South Harvey Avenue, two Oak Park residents reported they were approached by two men, one holding a black hand gun, when the men demanded they hand over their phones, police said.
In the 1100 block of South Taylor Avenue incident, which occurred five minutes later, an Oak Park resident said he was approached by a man holding a black handgun who demanded his phone, police said.
After being turned over to Oak Park police, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office approved the charges, Episcopo said.
According to the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, Henyard is being held on $100,000 bond and was scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 1.
sschering@pioneerlocal.com
Twitter: @steveschering


chicagotribune--2020-09-01--Watch live: Trump participates in roundtable on community safety in Kenosha

President Trump is expected to participate in a roundtable discussion on community safety in Kenosha .
Get the latest updates @ @

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chicagotribune--2020-09-01--Watch live: Public Health Commissioner Dr. Arwady gives an update on Chicago’s travel order

Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady is expected to give an update on the city ’ s @ @ @ @ @ with the city ’ s latest coronavirus data , at 1 p.m. Get the latest @ @ @


chicagotribune--2020-09-01--COVID-19 in Illinois by the numbers: Here’s a daily update on cases, positivity rate and hospital da

COVID-19 in Illinois by the numbers: Here’s a daily update on cases, positivity rate and hospital data in your area

Among the metrics ( see below ) tracked under guidelines set by Gov .
J.B. Pritzker are the percentage of @ @ @ @ @ , the number of people hospitalized for COVID-19-like illnesses , and the capacity of hospitals @ @ @ @ @ state will decide how much or how little to restrict activities based on these metrics @

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.
To assess how different parts of Illinois are handling the COVID-19 pandemic, officials look at the state through the 11 regions of Emergency Medical Services. The city of Chicago is one region, for example, and the rest of Cook County is another.
Among the metrics (see below) tracked under guidelines set by Gov. J.B. Pritzker are the percentage of coronavirus tests that return positive, the number of people hospitalized for COVID-19-like illnesses, and the capacity of hospitals to take in new patients.The state will decide how much or how little to restrict activities based on these metrics. (Cases, deaths and tests data is as of Dec. 31).
• Check out the Tribune’s coronavirus coverage.
• Remembering the lives of those in Illinois who died from coronavirus.
• Other Chicago, suburbs and Illinois COVID-19 metrics.
• See how the governor’s plan to manage the regions works.
Source: Illinois Department of Public Health
Created by the Chicago Tribune dataviz team. On Twitter @chitribgraphics


chicagotribune--2020-09-01--Tuesday weather: Cooler Chicago temps, chance of thunderstorms combine with 8-foot waves, rip curren

Tuesday weather: Cooler Chicago temps, chance of thunderstorms combine with 8-foot waves, rip currents to make for high swim risk

Meteorologist Brian Leatherwood said the system was moving northeast in the late morning and could skirt the Lake Michigan shoreline @ @ @ @ @ .
Before that , likely between 3 and 4 p.m. , the main thunderstorm threat @ @ @ @ @ of the Chicago metro area , closer to Kankakee .
Radar imaging about 11:30 a.m. @ @ @ @ @ in the Peoria area , which included evidence of lightning strikes , he said .

A jogger and his dog make their way along the lakefront near Monroe Street in Chicago on Aug. 31, 2020. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
With overcast skies, cooler temperatures and greater than a 50% chance of scattered showers or thunderstorms, forecasters say Tuesday won’t exactly be a day at the beach for Chicagoans.
In fact, strong winds and occasional waves as high as 8 feet will make even shoreline activities dangerous, according to a small craft advisory and a beach hazards statement issued by the National Weather Service. Although Chicago beaches never opened this year because of the city’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Tuesday also brings a high swim risk — above and beyond the consequences of trespassing by going for a swim.
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“North winds across the western shores of Lake Michigan will result in higher waves ... and a high rip current risk through the day. These dangerous swim conditions will be present on Illinois and Indiana beaches. The 3 to 6 foot waves on top of the increased lake levels will make for a risk for walking along the immediate lakeshore as well,” according to the weather service website.
Dangerous swim conditions on southwest Lake Michigan today. Stay out of the water and use caution along the lakefront. #ilwx #inwx pic.twitter.com/iDo9Y8Qmne — NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) September 1, 2020
A cold front was expected to move in and bring with it a good chance of showers and thunderstorms, which will increase by late morning and persist into the evening, forecasters said.
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Meteorologist Brian Leatherwood said the system was moving northeast in the late morning and could skirt the Lake Michigan shoreline after it moves into Indiana. Before that, likely between 3 and 4 p.m., the main thunderstorm threat in Illinois was expected south of the Chicago metro area, closer to Kankakee. Radar imaging about 11:30 a.m. showed a band of activity in the Peoria area, which included evidence of lightning strikes, he said.
“We can see some precipitation that’s starting to ramp up in that area,” he said. “There could be some fairly strong storms but that’s predominantly south of the metro area. Chicago will almost certainly get some showers but not thunderstorms. We think the worst of it is going to be south.”
Communities well south of the city that get the most rain could expect as much as half an inch, he said.
[11:20 AM Radar Update] An area of rain and embedded thunderstorms will continue tracking northeast into the area this morning and afternoon. A few storms could become strong to marginally severe this PM in and around the white outlined area. #ILwx #INwx pic.twitter.com/Si9Qt7IxTF — NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) September 1, 2020
The north to northwest wind, potentially approaching 40 mph, also was expected to increase the likelihood and severity of rip currents.
A small craft advisory, which means wind speeds of 21 to 33 knots are expected to produce waves that are dangerous for small boats, was in effect for all Lake Michigan beaches in Illinois and those in Lake and Porter counties in northwest Indiana until 4 p.m.
“Inexperienced mariners ... especially those operating smaller vessels should avoid navigating in these conditions,” the advisory said.
Waves of 3 to 6 feet are expected, with occasional waves as high as 8 feet are possible but conditions should improve later in the day, forecasters said.
The chance of thunderstorms is about 60% Tuesday. The high temperature is expected in the upper 70s, forecasters said. Overnight, the temperature could drop as low as 59 degrees.
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The Chicago Park District had not closed portions of its Lakefront Trail Tuesday but forecasters warned users to exercise caution near the water’s edge because of the dangerous combination of near-record lake levels and strong winds.
While Tuesday will not be an ideal beach day, the north winds will be resulting in higher waves by daybreak & a high rip current risk through the day. For any beachgoers, please note that these dangerous swim conditions will be present at IL & IN beaches. #ILwx #INwx pic.twitter.com/CogFk6oLM2 — NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) August 31, 2020
“Remain out of the water to avoid dangerous swimming conditions and do not venture out onto piers, jetties, breakwalls, or other shoreline structures.” the weather service said.
Meteorologists expect the temperature Wednesday to rebound, with a high of 85 degrees. The rest of the week should be warmer and dry, though there will again be the threat of thunderstorms Thursday. Friday should be windy and the high temperature likely won’t hit 80 degrees. The forecast high temperature in Chicago on Saturday is 82 degrees.
For more weather information, visit the Tribune’s weather page.
kdouglas@chicagotribune.com
@312BreakingNews


chicagotribune--2020-09-01--‘I miss my son’: Family and friends of stabbing victim Elias Valdez remember the Glenview-area teen,

‘I miss my son’: Family and friends of stabbing victim Elias Valdez remember the Glenview-area teen, demand justice for his death

According to Mary Wisniewski , spokeswoman for the Cook County Chief Judge ’ s office , a judge ’ s @ @ @ @ @ to the juvenile detention center or placing them under house arrest is based on several @ @ @ @ @ the offense , the safety of the public , the minor ’ s criminal history @ @ @ @ @ and ability to care for the minor at home .

Family and friends of Elias Valdez protest in front of the Glenview police station on Aug. 30, 2020, about Valdez's suspected killer being placed on house arrest. Valdez, 15, was stabbed in Glenview and died during surgery on Aug. 5. (Kaitlin Edquist / Pioneer Press)
They want justice for Elias.
That was the battle cry outside the Glenview police station Sunday as dozens of Elias Valdez’s friends and family hoisted signs in the air and chanted, demanding justice in the death of their loved one.
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Valdez, 15, was stabbed Aug. 5 and died during surgery later that evening, according to police. A 16-year-old boy surrendered himself to police a couple weeks later and was charged with second-degree murder. After an initial hearing, he was placed under home electronic monitoring.
Now, those who knew Valdez are voicing their anger over the court’s decision. Marcela Fierros, Valdez’s mother, said it’s not right that the boy suspected of taking her son’s life gets to be home with his family.
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“I feel sad for the loss of my son,” she said in Spanish. “I also feel angry because justice has not been given.”
Fierros also thinks race may have played a role. She said she doesn’t think her son would’ve been placed under house arrest if the roles were reversed and her son, who is Hispanic, had killed the other boy, who police said their reports list as white.
Marcela Fierros, right, holds a poster in front of the Glenview police station on Aug. 30, 2020, to protest her son's suspected killer being placed on house arrest. Elias Valdez, 15, was stabbed in Glenview and died during surgery on Aug. 5. (Kaitlin Edquist / Pioneer Press)
Elizabeth Valdez, just 10 months younger than her brother, said Elias didn’t deserve what’s happened to him. It’s been hard on her and her other younger sister, she said, knowing that someone they grew up with is gone.
“I’m mad,” she said. “It’s not fair how he passed away. It’s not fair to know that he’s gone and I’m not receiving answers.”
Friends of Valdez remember the teenager as being easy-going, caring and well-liked. Those closest with him said they played video games “Fortnite” and “Call of Duty,” rode bikes and hung out at the skate park together.
Oscar Ocampo, 18, used to be neighbors with Valdez and his family. He said the language barrier has made things harder on Fierros, so he’s tried to help coordinate and promote the protest efforts.
“It’s been really rough, hard, confusing, difficult,” he said.
According to Ocampo, the group decided to protest in front of the Glenview police department rather than at the Skokie courthouse where the decision was made in order to make the protest more accessible for the Glenview community and because they question the police’s investigation of the stabbing.
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A memorial with stuffed animals, candles and flowers is shown in Glenview on Aug. 31, 2020, near the spot where 15-year-old Elias Valdez was found with a stab wound to his chest a few weeks before. Valdez died during surgery following the stabbing. (Kaitlin Edquist / Pioneer Press)
Valdez was found the evening of Aug. 5 in a grassy area in the 1200 block of Greenwood Road with a stab wound to his chest. According to police, a bike was found nearby.
A memorial cross now sits near that spot, surrounded by stuffed animals, prayer candles and flowers, some now wilted.
The boy was transported to Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge and died in surgery following the stabbing, police said. An autopsy determined the death was a homicide, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
He was a rising sophomore at Glenbrook South High School, where he had joined the wrestling team and was described by principal Lauren Fagel as “a kind, charismatic young man who exhibited great leadership qualities.”
A few days after friends and family laid Valdez to rest, a 16-year-old boy from unincorporated Glenview surrendered himself to investigators, was charged with second-degree murder and was placed in the electronic monitoring program.
According to Mary Wisniewski, spokeswoman for the Cook County Chief Judge’s office, a judge’s decision between sending a minor to the juvenile detention center or placing them under house arrest is based on several factors including the severity of the offense, the safety of the public, the minor’s criminal history and the parents’ willingness and ability to care for the minor at home.
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In general, she said more minors are being placed under home confinement due to COVID-19 concerns because they can remain isolated at home rather than risk contraction in the detention center. As of Aug. 31, 198 minors were in the county’s electronic monitoring program.
The 16-year-old boy is expected to return to juvenile court for a status hearing Sept. 9, according to the Cook County state’s attorney’s office. Meanwhile, Valdez’s family said they will continue protesting with another event planned on Sept. 5 from 5-7:30 p.m. at Skokie Courthouse, 5600 Old Orchard Road.
Elizabeth Valdez, left, and Yulissa Campos protest in front of the Glenview police station on Aug. 30, 2020, about Elias Valdez's suspected killer being placed on house arrest. Valdez, 15, was stabbed in Glenview and died during surgery on Aug. 5. (Kaitlin Edquist / Pioneer Press)
Hundreds of cars drove by the protest Sunday, some honking in solidarity as protestors chanted and held signs emblazoned with photos of Elias and with the word “justice” and its Spanish translation “justicia.” One sign demanded that the teen charged in the death be given a first-degree murder charge instead of second-degree.
Second-degree murder is a lesser charge of first-degree murder. Illinois law defines first-degree murder, in part, as intending to kill or do great bodily harm to another person — knowing that act would cause death — without lawful justification. Second-degree murder is defined as a person committing the act of a first-degree murder but that, at the time of the killing, the person is acting under “sudden and intense passion” wrongly believing the action to be in self defense.
According to Elizabeth Valdez, Elias was a good brother. She remembers that she used to cry sometimes when they first started pre-school after their mom dropped them off. When this happened, she said, the teachers took her to Elias because he calmed her down.
She also recounted the last moments between her mother and brother before he left to go on a bike ride Aug. 5. She remembered her mom saying, “Sabes que te quiero mucho, hijo,” which translates to “You know that I love you a lot, son.”
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“Si mama, ya se,” he responded.
Yeah mom, I know.
Fierros said she’s comforted by the fact that their last conversation involved her telling him she loved him and giving him a hug but that the memory also makes her sad.
“I miss my son,” Fierros said in Spanish. “I miss hugging him. I miss telling him I love him. I don’t have him anymore.”
Editor’s note: This story was updated to reflect a rescheduled day and location for the upcoming protest.
kedquist@chicagotribune.com
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Twitter: @kaitlinedquist


chicagotribune--2020-09-01--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 @ @ @ @ @ state is not providing data for any ZIP code with five cases or fewer .

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--2020-09-01--Daily Illinois coronavirus graphs: 39 new deaths, 1,492 new confirmed cases and 22,961 new test resu

Daily Illinois coronavirus graphs: 39 new deaths, 1,492 new confirmed cases and 22,961 new test results

Illinois announced 1,492 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 Tuesday for a total of 236,515 .
The state also announced 39 @ @ @ @ @ of 8,064 and 22,961 new test results for a total of 4.09 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.


chicagotribune--2020-09-01--Gary teen faces extra prison time if guilty in Portage woman’s killing; trial date set for February

The third defendant , a 16-year-old who was 15 at the time of the crime , faces felony counts of @ @ @ @ @ a murder ; murder in the perpetration of a robbery ; and robbery resulting in @ @ @ @ @ remains at the Porter County Juvenile Detention Center .
The Post-Tribune is not naming him @ @ @ @ @ waived to adult court ; a hearing on that matter is scheduled for Sept. 30 @

One of three teens charged with killing a Portage woman in November could face a longer sentence if he’s convicted for the use of a firearm in the perpetration of a felony, a Porter County judge agreed during a Tuesday court hearing.
Shaun Thompson, 17, of Gary, was 16 when he was charged with murder in the perpetration of a robbery and felony robbery in the Nov. 19 death of Adriana Saucedo, 27. Thompson and two co-defendants, also of Gary, allegedly shot and killed Saucedo blocks from her home after picking her up for a drug deal she arranged on Facebook, according to court documents.
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In addition to accepting the request for the sentence enhancement over the objections of defense attorney James Woods, Porter Circuit Court Judge Mary DeBoer set a trial date for 9 a.m. Feb. 1. The trial is scheduled for five days; a status hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. Nov. 17.
Thompson, who remains in Porter County Jail and has pleaded not guilty, allegedly shot and killed Saucedo before he and the co-defendants disposed of her body at an abandoned Gary elementary school, documents state.
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Deputy Prosecutor Mary Ryan recently filed a request for a sentence enhancement because of Thompson’s alleged use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.
Thompson, appearing via videoconference because of the COVID-19 pandemic, said he understood what the enhancement meant.
The enhancement, DeBoer said, could add five to 20 years to any sentence Thompson received if he is found guilty in the case. The murder charge carries a sentence of 45 to 65 years in prison and the robbery charge has a sentencing range of 10 to 30 years.
Woods argued that there was some question about who had the gun when Saucedo was killed and that the request for the enhancement was not timely, since the initial charges were filed almost a year ago.
“I don’t see in the rules where it has to be filed by a specific date and time,” Ryan said, arguing the use of a firearm is already part of the charges pending against Thompson, who at that point did not have a trial date.
DeBoer confirmed that Thompson maintained his plea of not guilty with the enhancement.
One of the defendants, Jonathan Brown, 18, who was 17 when Saucedo was killed, faces the same charges as Thompson. He is scheduled for a hearing before DeBoer on Sept. 8, and his attorney said during a June hearing he hoped to have a resolution in his client’s case by then. He remains in Porter County Jail and has pleaded not guilty.
The third defendant, a 16-year-old who was 15 at the time of the crime, faces felony counts of aiding, inducing or causing a murder; murder in the perpetration of a robbery; and robbery resulting in serious bodily injury. He remains at the Porter County Juvenile Detention Center. The Post-Tribune is not naming him because he has not been waived to adult court; a hearing on that matter is scheduled for Sept. 30.
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According to charging documents, the youngest teen arranged a marijuana deal on Facebook with Saucedo on Nov. 19 in a conversation that started about the purchase of an iPhone. The boy told the older teens they should rob her instead.
The trio picked Saucedo up from her home in the 6200 block of Kathryn Court, stopped to buy gas with $20 provided by Saucedo, and drove to a parking lot not far from her home where Thompson allegedly shot her to death. In all, after Saucedo paid for gas, the teens netted $80 in the robbery, with Brown receiving $20 and the youngest teen and Thompson splitting the remaining money, court documents state.
The teens, according to court documents, then drove to the abandoned Horace Norton Elementary School, 1356 Harrison Blvd. in Gary to dispose of Saucedo’s body.
The trio, according to court documents, went to eat at McDonald’s and Pizza Hut after leaving the school.
Amy Lavalley is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.


chicagotribune--2020-09-01--President Trump visits Kenosha following days of protests

President Donald Trump will visit Kenosha Tuesday over the objections of the city ’ s mayor and Wisconsin ’ s @ @ @ @ @ the police shooting of Jacob Blake spurred protests , violent clashes with law enforcement , @ @ @ @ @ businesses and the death of two protesters .

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 44 A Trump supporter and Chicago activist Ja'Mal Green face off as they wait for President Donald Trump's motorcade outside Bradford High School in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Sept. 1, 2020. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
President Donald Trump will visit Kenosha Tuesday over the objections of the city’s mayor and Wisconsin’s governor, nine days after the police shooting of Jacob Blake spurred protests, violent clashes with law enforcement, the destruction of dozens of businesses and the death of two protesters.


chicagotribune--2020-09-01--Burned trucks, damaged street lights: Kenosha unrest has caused $2 million in damage to public-owned

Burned trucks, damaged street lights: Kenosha unrest has caused $2 million in damage to public-owned property, city says

Mayor John Antaramian has said the city will request $ 30 million in aid from the state to help rebuild @ @ @ @ @ unrest .
Some of the city ’ s garbage trucks , which were parked downtown @ @ @ @ @ movement by protesters , were set on fire during the demonstrations .

A woman lights a cigarette on a garbage truck that was set on fire late Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Kenosha, Wis., after protests sparked by the shooting of Jacob Blake by a Kenosha police officer a day earlier. (Morry Gash/AP)
KENOSHA, Wis. — Damage to city-owned property from violence that erupted over the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha is estimated at nearly $2 million so far, a city official said.
The city’s public works director, Shelly Billingsley, provided the estimate to local leaders Monday night on what it would cost to replace garbage trucks, street lights and traffic signals, among other things that were destroyed or damaged in the unrest over the last week.
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The estimate was made as some Kenosha residents fear Tuesday’s planned visit by President Donald Trump may stir more emotions and cause more violence and destruction in the southeastern Wisconsin city after several days of peace. Others, however, welcomed the president’s trip.
Trump’s visit comes as demonstrators are calling for the Kenosha officer who shot Blake seven times in the back Aug. 23 to be fired and face attempted murder charges, and more than a week after authorities say a 17-year-old from northern Illinois shot and killed two protesters.
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Blake, a 29-year-old Black man, was shot while police responded to a call about a domestic dispute. His family on Tuesday plans to hold a community gathering at the site where he was shot that is to include a community clean-up, food drive and voter registration effort.
Mayor John Antaramian has said the city will request $30 million in aid from the state to help rebuild in the aftermath of the unrest. Some of the city’s garbage trucks, which were parked downtown to provide security and limit movement by protesters, were set on fire during the demonstrations.
Billingsley said they were insured and that city staff is working with the insurance company to log damage information, the Kenosha News reported. Some of the trucks, which had functioned as snow-plow vehicles in the winter, were also destroyed.
Billingsley said she hoped that the setback would not affect snow plow operations this winter. She told the Public Works Committee the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors could affect the timeline in obtaining the new trucks.
City staff continues to compile numbers from the damage, Billingsley said.


chicagotribune--2020-09-01--Black editor resigns in protest from the Kenosha News over rally coverage headline

The journalist , Daniel J. Thompson , a digital editor who said he was the only full-time Black staff member @ @ @ @ @ covers southeastern Wisconsin , said the headline did not accurately sum up the article and @ @ @ @ @ the rally itself , which he attended .
The rally for Blake , who was @ @ @ @ @ Aug. 23 , included calls for unity from his father , Jacob Blake Sr. , @ @ @ @ @ governor , Mandela Barnes , the article said .

In an image provided by Jordan Pauley, Daniel Thompson covering a demonstration in Kenosha, Wis., in August 2020. Thompson has resigned in protest from his job as an editor at The Kenosha News after objecting to its coverage of a rally in support of Jacob Blake. (Jordan Pauley via The New York Times)
A journalist resigned Saturday from his job at the Kenosha News in Wisconsin after objecting to the headline of an article that chronicled a rally in support of Jacob Blake, a Black man who was shot seven times in the back by a white Kenosha police officer.
The journalist, Daniel J. Thompson, a digital editor who said he was the only full-time Black staff member at the paper, which covers southeastern Wisconsin, said the headline did not accurately sum up the article and gave a false impression of the rally itself, which he attended. The rally for Blake, who was left paralyzed by the shooting Aug. 23, included calls for unity from his father, Jacob Blake Sr., and Wisconsin’s lieutenant governor, Mandela Barnes, the article said.
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The headline, which appeared on the Kenosha News website Saturday, highlighted a remark from one rally participant: “Kenosha speaker: ‘If you kill one of us, it’s time for us to kill one of yours.’” The online version of the article included a 59-second video showing the person who spoke those words, a Black man who was not identified by name.
Thompson, who joined the paper’s newsroom three years ago, said he found the headline off-base. “The story is about the entire reaction of all the speakers and people in attendance, and that quote is one outlier falling within a flood of positive ones,” he said in an interview.
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He added that the speech made by Blake’s father would have been more worthy of the headline. “The things that frustrated me most is Mr. Blake, Jacob Blake’s father, himself personally, called for a night of peace, of no destruction, no riots,” Thompson said.
The rally, billed as “Justice for Jacob,” came days after Kyle Rittenhouse, a 17-year-old from Illinois, was charged with homicide in the killings of two protesters during earlier demonstrations in Kenosha. President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit the Wisconsin city Tuesday.
Thompson, 30, said he attended the Saturday rally but did not cover it. Shortly after 7 p.m. that day, he sent a text that included a screenshot of the headline to Bob Heisse, executive editor of The Kenosha News.
“I don’t even know if I can associate with the company after that,” Thompson said in the text exchange. “I need to calm down, but I wanted you to know immediately.”
According to a screenshot provided by Thompson, Heisse responded, “Yes you should calm down. That is a public threat, and it is an exact quote at a rally that was to that point totally on message.”
Thompson replied: “Then I quit.”
Heisse confirmed that Thompson was no longer with The Kenosha News but would not go into detail, saying, “I do not comment on personnel matters.” He added, “The community depends on us, and we are working under challenging circumstances. We are telling all sides of the story with photos, videos and stories, and we will continue to do so.”
In a video he posted on Facebook after his resignation, Thompson said, “I did what I did because today is about Jacob Blake. It’s about his family, it’s about moving forward together peacefully, and I saw that today, and that headline did not reflect it. And when they refused to change it, I quit.”
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He has set up a GoFundMe campaign and said he was contemplating “a framework for how I would run a media company in Kenosha and if that is a viable option for me.”
By noon Sunday, the headline had been changed on the Kenosha News site. It now reads: “Kenosha speaker strays from message at rally.”
“I hear the headline’s been changed,” Thompson wrote on Facebook. “Wow. Only took me quitting.”
c.2020 The New York Times Company


chicagotribune--2020-08-31--Citing ‘catastrophic collapse’ of economy, Mayor Lori Lightfoot says Chicago faces $1.2 billion shor

Citing ‘catastrophic collapse’ of economy, Mayor Lori Lightfoot says Chicago faces $1.2 billion shortfall in 2021 ‘pandemic budget’

“ I ’ m confident that when the time is right we will be able to put together a package @ @ @ @ @ to make sure that we have the kind of entertainment district that will not only @ @ @ @ @ that we were able to get passed in Springfield , but to create a lot @ @ @ @ @ jobs , well-paying jobs , to make sure that we bring opportunity to our city @ @ @ @ @ ” Lightfoot said .

Citing the “catastrophic collapse of our local and national economy” because of COVID-19 and damage to local businesses from civil unrest, Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Monday laid out a $1.2 billion shortfall for what she called Chicago’s “pandemic budget” in 2021.
Filling the historic deficit will likely require personnel cuts and could lead to layoffs, and the mayor promised to use a TIF surplus and consider a computer lease tax as other potential measures. Lightfoot made no mention of a possible property tax hike in her remarks.
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Asked afterward for specifics about cuts or taxes, Lightfoot said that “all options are on the table,” though property taxes and job cuts are at the back of her list.
“The reality is that life will be different for the foreseeable future, impacting how services are provided and how departments are structured, and we must adjust to meet that reality,” Lightfoot said in an afternoon speech at the Cultural Center.
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[ Coronavirus in Illinois updates: Here's the latest on the pandemic in the Chicago area ]
“A very difficult part of reimagining government will also include looking to our workforce, and making needed changes in places that are not being fully utilized during the remainder of this crisis and in our post-COVID-19 world,” she said.
Lightfoot largely avoided discussion about the city’s rising pension costs, aside from calling for state lawmakers to work together and solve the problem. But alluding to the issue, Lightfoot pushed back against Republican critics who say the federal government shouldn’t help blue cities and states such as Chicago and Illinois because their budget woes are “a result of years of mismanagement.”
“In other words, our own darn fault,” Lightfoot said. “Simply not true. COVID-19′s estimated impact on revenue loss for 2021 totals no less than $783 million, or 65% of our total estimated gap. So, the vast majority of our gap for next year is because of revenue loss due to COVID-19.”
Roughly $400 million of the shortfall stems from a ramp up in payments toward the city’s long-underfunded employee pension accounts.
The ongoing coronavirus crisis has also spiked the 2020 budget shortfall to nearly $800 million, Lightfoot said. She said that deficit would be filled using relief funds and other unspecified aid from the federal government, in addition to debt refinancing, and borrowing.
Chicago’s total budget last year was about $11.65 billion.
In laying out the 2021 shortfall, Lightfoot cited dire numbers — more than 900,000 Chicago-area residents filed for unemployment since the start of the pandemic, while personal services, hospitality and tourism industries “are still seeing a fraction of their typical revenues and some businesses have sadly closed with no hope of coming back.”
[ Jobless workers could get an extra $300 a week in benefits. Pritzker says Illinois is applying for Trump’s benefits program. ]
She also pledged to rely on old tactics to fill the deficit, such as closing unfilled job vacancies.
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As she has since her 2019 election, Lightfoot pointed to Chicago’s newly minted casino license as an important element in restoring the health of city finances.
Her administration last week issued a request for information from perspective operators. Though it could be years before the “world class entertainment district” with a giant gambling parlor the mayor envisions is up and running, Lightfoot said Chicago will be uniquely positioned to profit from such a project.
“I’m confident that when the time is right we will be able to put together a package of revenue and other incentives to make sure that we have the kind of entertainment district that will not only be true to the legislation that we were able to get passed in Springfield, but to create a lot of jobs that are good jobs, well-paying jobs, to make sure that we bring opportunity to our city and to our residents,” Lightfoot said.
Lightfoot also tried to thread the political needle on police funding. Chicago needs to greatly reduce police overtime spending, and find a way to lower the massive annual outlay the city makes to settle lawsuits against officers for misconduct, she said in her speech.
But the mayor said defunding the police, a popular proposal among some progressive groups, is not the answer. And she said she doesn’t believe most Chicagoans favor such a drastic move, especially when laying off officers would likely hurt the department’s diversity.
She did suggest police officers shouldn’t be the first ones to respond to many of the crises they are called to, without elaborating on how the city would staff or pay for alternative responses.
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“For me, the crux of this discussion around public safety funding is answering the threshold question of who is the best responder to address a community’s call for help,” Lightfoot said. “For far too long, we have reflexively answered ‘the police,’ while defunding needed social services. But the truth is that by virtue of our neglect of communities, police officers are responding to calls for help that go far beyond their training and expertise.”
Lightfoot’s administration will host virtual town halls each night this week to get residents’ ideas on how to deal with the situation.
[ McCormick Place loses its largest 2021 convention so far as coronavirus cancellations creep into next year ]
The bad news has seemed inevitable for months, as tax receipts plummeted with large parts of the economy shut down and spending in Chicago by tourists and conventioneers cratered throughout the summer because of the pandemic.
Lightfoot announced in June that the crisis had already blown a $700 million hole in this year’s spending plan.
The mayor says she has tried to make Chicago the “most open big city in America” by allowing limited indoor dining, letting gyms reopen and taking other steps to boost the city’s bottom line in recent months. But spending on those kinds of amenities remains just a fraction of what it was prior to COVID-19.
And even before the pandemic hit and decimated many of the city’s most important revenue streams, Lightfoot figured to be faced with an ugly 2021 financial outlook.
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After announcing in a televised prime time August 2019 speech that Mayor Rahm Emanuel had saddled her with an $838 million deficit for 2020, Lightfoot said that she dealt with it by making structural changes such as cutting government costs through so-called zero-based budgeting and eliminating vacant positions.
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The mayor also turned to several one-time fixes to close the gap rather than calling for large-scale revenue increases such as property tax hikes that would have hit broad swaths of Chicagoans and been politically difficult for the mayor.
Many aldermen were happy there was no big property tax jump for 2020, and passed her package 39-11. But some of them wondered privately why she didn’t leverage her popularity coming off her election win to ram through a hike then rather than waiting until later in her term.
It will be much harder to point to her predecessor if she turns to property taxes this time, though she would certainly point to the unprecedented nature of the virus to justify such a move.
Laurence Msall, president of the Civic Federation budget watchdog group, said that property tax revenue in Chicago is tied up to such a large extent in pension obligations that another tax hike wouldn’t do the trick. Msall said that without federal financial help, Lightfoot will probably need to look at large-scale government restructuring such as layoffs or furloughs.
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“The notion that you would try to tax your way out of an economic crisis of this magnitude defies most economic analysis,” Msall said. “So let’s make sure that not just Chicago or Illinois, but every large municipality in the country realizes that in order to have a full economic recovery, we need basic services, and that means federal help.”
Northwest Side Ald. Nick Sposato, 38th, said he would prefer to see city workers take small across-the-board pay cuts, “maybe 2% or 3%, say,” than to have the administration resort to layoffs.
“I don’t know if that gets you where you need to be or not, but cuts are better than layoffs, in my opinion,” he said.
Ald. Gilbert Villegas, 36th, Lightfoot’s City Council floor leader and chairman of the council on Economic, Capital and Technology Development, said he would seek input from tech companies about how to save money by delivering services more efficiently.
Asked whether that means layoffs, Villegas said “Everything has to be on the table.”
Union leaders need to be involved in frank talk about the future of the city’s workforce, Villegas said. “We have to have some very candid conversations with one another,” he said.
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As for the possibility of a property tax hike, Villegas said he’s not sure aldermen will go for it.
“People are hurting all over the city, so that has to be the absolute last resort,” he said. “And then, more importantly, you need the votes. We need to see whether members of the council have the appetite for that.”
jebyrne@chicagotribune.com
gpratt@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-08-31--Former Portage official owes city $16K, Indiana Attorney General’s office says

“ The State ’ s claims arise from Defendant Christopher Stidham ’ s systematic violations of his position of trust @ @ @ @ @ of public funds… and other improper conduct inconsistent with the proper performance of the duties @ @ @ @ @ the Public , ” the civil suit notes , adding the special audit disclosed that @ @ @ @ @ unlawfully expanded , obtained by fraud or in an unlawful manner , or wrongfully withheld @ @ @ @ @ ”

The Indiana Attorney General’s Office is seeking the repayment of more than $16,000 in public funds to the city of Portage from former Clerk-Treasurer Christopher Stidham.
Stidham allegedly diverted $8,000 in city funds, according to a state audit released in late February, the same day he was charged in Porter Circuit Court with official misconduct, a Level 6 felony.
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The state, on behalf of the city of Portage, is seeking three times the amount of the actual loss, which is $24,000, plus court costs and attorney’s fees, according to a civil complaint filed Aug. 26.
The complaint notes that a surety bond for Stidham paid the principal amount of actual damages as well as the cost of the audit by the State Board of Accounts of $6,564.55, leaving the amount to be recovered at up to $16,000, not including court costs and attorney’s fees.
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“I would hope the city could at least recoup their losses,” said Portage Mayor Sue Lynch, who declined further comment because she had not seen the complaint.
Stidham, 37, of the 2900 block of Wingstem Drive, is scheduled to appear before Porter Circuit Court Judge Mary DeBoer at 1 p.m. Tuesday for an initial hearing on the criminal charge. That hearing, scheduled for March 17, was pushed back initially because Stanley Levco, the special prosecutor in the case, had a scheduling conflict, and was reset again because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Stidham is listed as representing himself in the civil complaint, according to online court records. Neither Stidham nor his attorney in the criminal matter, Paul Stracci, returned a request for comment.
Stidham, a Democrat and local attorney, finished his second term as clerk-treasurer at the end of 2019. He ran unsuccessfully against Lynch in the spring primary that year for a spot on the general election ballot as a mayoral candidate. If Stidham were to be convicted on the felony charge, he would automatically lose his law license, per state statute.
The criminal charge regards the same time period as the special audit conducted by the State Board of Accounts, which is Jan. 1, 2015 through Dec. 31, 2016, when, according to the audit, Stidham was paying his then-girlfriend’s various businesses to perform bookkeeping services on contract with his office.
The total, according to the audit, was $58,416.16 for the two years in question.
The audit revealed a slew of problems, including paying his then-girlfriend, Rachel Glass, whom he later married, for bookkeeping services that were never done and not submitting invoices for her businesses to the Board of Works.
The audit called on Stidham to reimburse the city for $8,000 “for disbursing funds without authority and for services not rendered” and requested that Stidham reimburse the state for the cost of the special investigation.
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“The State’s claims arise from Defendant Christopher Stidham’s systematic violations of his position of trust through the misappropriation and diversion of public funds… and other improper conduct inconsistent with the proper performance of the duties owed to the State and the Public,” the civil suit notes, adding the special audit disclosed that “public money had been unlawfully expanded, obtained by fraud or in an unlawful manner, or wrongfully withheld from the public treasury.”
The complaint also notes that, according to the audit report, Stidham “intentionally and knowingly” failed to obtain proper approvals for payments made for bank reconcilements and other services; made payments to a related party for unverified services not received by the city; and diverted public funds.
The investigation into Stidham involved unapproved payments made by Stidham’s office in 2015 and 2016 to Glass, who operated, at different times, three businesses that reportedly provided bookkeeping services on contract to the clerk-treasurer’s office: Keeping the Books; E.R.G. Advisors; and Paramount Technology Solutions.
The work by Glass continued until shortly before she and Stidham married.
According to the audit, there were no written contracts for the work done by Rachel Glass Stidham’s firms; the Board of Works minutes didn’t reflect approval of contracts with them; the invoices weren’t submitted to the board for approval; and the city did not properly file tax forms with the IRS for her businesses.
The genesis for the special investigation began in late June 2019 when then-Mayor John Cannon announced a committee’s findings “that predicted a ‘sufficient likelihood’ of unlawful conduct warranting further investigation by law enforcement and other officials.”
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Cannon, who called on Stidham to resign, said at the time that he appointed a bipartisan executive committee in April of that year to investigate possible wrongdoing in the clerk-treasurer’s office.
That report was later turned over to the State Board of Accounts and Indiana State Police, agencies that went on to conduct their own investigation.
Amy Lavalley is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.


chicagotribune--2020-09-02--Daywatch: Trump takes reelection message to Kenosha, universities suspend students for flouting COVI

Daywatch: Trump takes reelection message to Kenosha, universities suspend students for flouting COVID-19 rules and Chicago sees hottest summer on record

As colleges across the country allow students to return for fall classes , many are ramping up enforcement of new @ @ @ @ @ of COVID-19 .
The stakes are high : Universities that can ’ t contain the @ @ @ @ @ in-person classes or reverted to remote learning entirely , sending students home for the rest @ @ @ @

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Good morning, Chicago. The city added three more states to its mandatory quarantine order on Tuesday — and warned that Indiana could be next.
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Chicago also closed five businesses this past weekend for violating COVID-19 rules, including four restaurants and bars.
And, wondering where your closest drive-thru COVID-19 test site is or if you can avoid that deep nasal swab? We have your top 10 questions about coronavirus testing, answered.
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Here’s more coronavirus news and other stories you need to know to start your day.
A Trump supporter and Chicago activist Ja'Mal Green face off as they wait for President Donald Trump's motorcade outside Bradford High School in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Sept. 1, 2020. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
President Donald Trump took his reelection message of law and order to riot-torn Kenosha and the key swing state of Wisconsin on Tuesday, saying he doesn’t believe law enforcement is systemically racist and contending that those protesting for structural change in American society are ignoring those who want safety.
Making the trip over the objections of the Democratic governor and mayor, the Republican president lavished praise on a state essential to his 2016 victory and a crucial one for his reelection prospects against Democrat Joe Biden. Trump vowed to pump millions of dollars to help rebuild Kenosha and fund law enforcement efforts statewide.
Unmasked students walk on campus of the University of Notre Dame on Aug. 18, 2020, in South Bend, Ind. (Robert Franklin/South Bend Tribune)
As colleges across the country allow students to return for fall classes, many are ramping up enforcement of new rules to curtail the spread of COVID-19. The stakes are high: Universities that can’t contain the virus on campus have paused in-person classes or reverted to remote learning entirely, sending students home for the rest of the semester.
Northwestern University president apologizes and reduces tuition after shifting 1st- and 2nd-year students to remote learning: ‘I understand that anger’
Caleb Reed, a Chicago Public Schools student and leader of Voices of Youth in Chicago Education, speaks to the media outside City Hall on June 16, 2020. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)
The initial story of Caleb Reed’s death was tragic enough: A 17-year-old activist with a bright future killed on a West Rogers Park sidewalk when someone shot from a passing car. But a month later, as prosecutors brought charges in the case, a more devastating narrative emerged: Reed was killed by his own friend shooting blindly at a car down the street.
Dr. Deborah Birx, White House coronavirus task force coordinator, takes questions from the local press at a news conference outside Rush University Medical Center after meeting with Chicago-area health officials on Sept. 1, 2020. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)
White House coronavirus response coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx expressed concern during a visit to Chicago Tuesday about the growing number of counties in Illinois where 5% to 10% of COVID-19 tests are coming back positive.
Laura Nieto, of Oak Park, and her boyfriend, Matthew Williams, of Long Island, New York, keep cool by standing along the lakefront near Monroe Harbor in Chicago on a hot and humid Aug. 25, 2020. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)
Chicago’s meteorological summer didn’t set too many records as it happened, but higher-than-normal temperatures each month stacked up to make for the hottest summer on record, according to the National Weather Service.