chicagotribune--2020-12-29--Flash floods, the warmest summer on record and 15 tornadoes spawned in one day: Chicago’s extreme we

Flash floods, the warmest summer on record and 15 tornadoes spawned in one day: Chicago’s extreme weather during 2020

“ It is not common for airplanes to induce snow , though it does happen under the right conditions .
@ @ @ @ @ source of rising motion , snowflakes develop when the air temperature is below roughly -10 @ @ @ @ @ .
When the air temperature is close to but not below those temperatures , we @ @ @ @ @ water droplets that easily freeze when shaken up or disturbed , such as when a @ @ @ @ @ ’ s not easy to sustain these sorts of conditions for long periods of time @ @ @ @ @ do occur , most areas actually see freezing drizzle ( as those water droplets fall @ @ @ @ @ icing as they fly through the cloud layer with the water droplets .
”

What an intense year it was — in weather.
“What sticks out to us was that we experienced many extremes,” Brett Borchardt, meteorologist for the National Weather Service’s Chicago office, said after conferring with colleagues.
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Examples of this ferocity include:
Here is how 2020 unfolded, meteorologically.
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January: Flooding, warmth and airplane-produced snow
City worker Alonzo Owens takes pictures of waves crashing on East 73rd Street as his crew works to clear flooded South Shore Drive in Chicago on Jan. 11, 2020. (Zbigniew Bzdak/Chicago Tribune)
Notable events
Jan. 11: Major lakeshore flooding and erosion due to near record-high water levels in Lake Michigan.
Significant lakeshore flooding & immediate lakeside erosion WILL OCCUR today & this eve. The 14-18 ft waves along the northeast IL shore, including the Chicago shore, will be the highest in at least 2-3 years. Heed closure signs & stay away from the immediate shore. #ILwx #INwx pic.twitter.com/tkm3dxH8Pz — NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) January 11, 2020
Jan. 17-18: Two to 5 inches of snow blankets the area.
❄ Here is a look at snowfall totals across the area. ❄
Additional snowfall and freezing rain amounts can be found here: https://t.co/pdKetmMDuF pic.twitter.com/KIv04VMUWJ — NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) January 18, 2020
Jan. 19: Meteorological winter (December-February) is, so far, one of the warmest on record.
Our "gee whiz" desk has been hard at work this morning crunching the stats on the 1st half of meteorological winter (Dec-Feb). Check out the "report card" on winter so far, we think you'll find it interesting. Spoiler alert: it's been one of the warmest on record! #ILWX #INWX pic.twitter.com/GdRNmb4poB — NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) January 19, 2020
Jan. 26: The conditions are just right for airplanes to produce snow over Chicago.
“It is not common for airplanes to induce snow, though it does happen under the right conditions. Provided sufficient moisture and a source of rising motion, snowflakes develop when the air temperature is below roughly -10 °C (14 °F). When the air temperature is close to but not below those temperatures, we instead end up with little water droplets that easily freeze when shaken up or disturbed, such as when a plane flies by. It’s not easy to sustain these sorts of conditions for long periods of time. However, when they do occur, most areas actually see freezing drizzle (as those water droplets fall) and airplanes often experience icing as they fly through the cloud layer with the water droplets.” — Brett Borchardt, National Weather Service meteorologist
Light snow near Chicago? We think this is being caused by airplanes descending into O'hare and Midway airports this evening. Be warned: there's lots of science ahead in the attached graphic! #science #snow #ILwx pic.twitter.com/L1SFioO631 — NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) January 27, 2020
February: A record high to below zero
Snow frozen on the plants in Humboldt Park in Chicago as the snow keeps coming on Feb. 13, 2020. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)
Notable events
Feb. 2: The sun returns after 11 consecutive days of clouds and the temperature reaches 52 degrees — a record high for the day — at O’Hare International Airport, the city’s official recording site.
To many, Sunday was a glorious weather day for early February, helped by the fact the past 11 days were overcast for much of the area. Unfortunately plenty of more clouds are ahead this week, but take a look at today's highs, including a record at Chicago (52°). #ILwx #INwx pic.twitter.com/KgCAHoiKYH — NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) February 3, 2020
Feb. 14: The temperature at O’Hare airport drops to below zero for the first time this winter. It’s also the coldest Valentine’s Day morning in 77 years.
Good subzero morning Chicago!
The official climate site at O'Hare International Airport has dropped below zero for the first time this winter.
Sure, the Windy City can get colder, but this is cold enough to cause frostbite concerns. Bundle up this morning! #ILwx #INwx pic.twitter.com/N8okLQSGfq — NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) February 14, 2020
December-February: Chicago experiences its 14th warmest recorded winter.
Overview of meteorological Winter (Dec-Feb) 2019-20. Temps averaged out well above normal, with near normal precip & below normal snowfall. For #Chicago, 14th warmest winter since 1871, while #Rockford tied 1982-83 for its 9th warmest winter. https://t.co/S7RWg3yg6c #ilwx #inwx pic.twitter.com/psiPmQR8QO — NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) March 5, 2020
March: More flooding and a little snow
The lakefront near 5000 South Lake Shore Drive in Chicago as the waves crash against the shoreline on a cold and windy March 6, 2020. (Jose M. Osorio/Chicago Tribune)
Notable events
March 6: Significant lakeshore flooding.
Chris Corcoran, left, and Ed Keegan, both of Chicago, take in the view from 39th Street in Chicago as powerful waves are whipped up on Lake Michigan on March 6, 2020. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)
March 22-23: More than 2 inches of heavy, wet snow falls at O’Hare.
Here is a look at yesterday's snow totals across NE Illinois and NW Indiana. Most areas received 1-3 inches, but some areas just southwest of the Chicago metro received up to 4-6 inches of snow! #ILwx #INwx
Additional snow reports can be found here: https://t.co/uNrfblfKZ3 pic.twitter.com/JFC0ZM1x0N — NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) March 23, 2020
End of March: Monthly snowfall totals are below normal.
March 2020 snowfall was below normal at the official climate sites, though a portion of northern Illinois generally I-80 and south had above normal snowfall. This was driven by the March 22-23 moderate to heavy wet snow event. pic.twitter.com/jNqeAO7ISV — NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) April 2, 2020
April: A dramatic hail event
Daffodils are weighed down by the snow in downtown Chicago as a mid-April snowfall blankets the Chicago area on April 15, 2020. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
Notable events
April 3: Chicago’s first 70-degree day of 2020.
Here is a look at max temps today as observed at area airports and marine platforms. Temps around 70 were common away from Lake Michigan. This is Chicago's first 70F day since 10/10/19 and only slightly after the average date of the first 70F (last week of March). pic.twitter.com/TIFNIIL8OW — NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) April 4, 2020
April 7: Chicago’s first 80-degree day of 2020 ends with a dramatic hail event.
Here's a map of radar-estimated hail swaths and a few of the largest hail reports across the area from the severe thunderstorms on April 7th. We're putting together more information about the storms on a webpage that will be made available in the coming days. pic.twitter.com/RhmwPZXCun — NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) April 8, 2020
April 18: The previous day’s snow storm — which dumped almost 4 inches of snow at O’Hare Airport — is eclipsed by warmth.
❄☀ Snow-to-Warm Fact:
It's 58° in #Chicago, making today the warmest day immediately after a calendar day with 2+" of snow on record. Snow records go back to 1884.
Closest to this? Interestingly last April. The 14th saw 5.4" of snow, then 52° on the 15th (& 73° on the 16th). — NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) April 18, 2020
April 28-30: Heavy rain leads to flooding of area rivers.
River flooding is ongoing across much of northern Illinois after significant rainfall over the past two days. Those with interest along area rivers can monitor the latest river forecasts and conditions here: https://t.co/J5ldACf0Oi pic.twitter.com/YtjJopSWo7 — NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) April 30, 2020
May: Record rain and tornadoes
A woman wearing a face mask walks past an advertisement for the Chicago Women's Park and Gardens in the 1800 block of South Indiana Avenue on May 26, 2020, in Chicago. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Notable events
May 9: The temperature at O’Hare drops below freezing — the first time in 18 years that it’s done so this late in the spring.
If you were up early today & it felt like winter, you're right! Widespread freeze (<=32°), with hard freeze (<=28°) in many spots. Some sites might have had coldest May AM on record! For #Chicago (ORD), coldest since 5/3/2004 & coldest since 5/4/2005 in #Rockford. #ilwx #inwx pic.twitter.com/lxE5kiZaeJ — NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) May 9, 2020
May 19: The month’s precipitation record is broken for the third time in three consecutive years.
Run-down of record rainfall on 3rd straight May in #Chicago (at ORD)
• 3rd straight new May record rain
• Wettest May week by nearly 3" over previous
• 4th wettest 4-day stretch on record
• Wettest & 5th wettest May days
Update to graphic by 6/1#RainRainGoAway #ilwx pic.twitter.com/sEikGHhSRx — NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) May 20, 2020
May 23: Severe storms produce a few brief tornadoes.
Here's a map of severe weather reports from storms this afternoon and evening. Since the event was so widespread and prolonged, there likely are additional areas of wind damage, flooding, or large hail that are not represented here. We welcome any additional reports you may have! pic.twitter.com/MVE46khPoQ — NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) May 24, 2020
June: Remnants of a tropical storm pass by
A double rainbow appears over the skyline after a rainstorm on June 26, 2020, in Chicago. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)
Notable events
June 2: The day’s record high temperature is broken when 94 degrees is recorded at O’Hare airport.
The day’s record high temperature is broken when 94 degrees is recorded at O’Hare airport. June 9: Remnants of Tropical Storm Cristobal pass over the area. It’s at least the 16th time since 1886 that Chicago has experienced heavy rain and flooding, strong winds and an occasional tornado due to remnants from tropical storms that have traveled northwest from the Atlantic Basin.
Tuesday saw gusty showers (little to no lightning) that brought scattered wind damage including in the Chicago area. There was also a brief tornado near Onarga, IL. This all was due in large part to the remnants of Tropical Storm Cristobal.
https://t.co/DsPX7PUFD2#ILwx #INwx pic.twitter.com/DGfUjJiQvz — NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) June 10, 2020
June 26-27: Severe storms produce heavy rain and strong winds.
Severe storms produce heavy rain and strong winds. June 29: O’Hare airport records a heat index of 102°.
O’Hare airport records a heat index of 102°. June 30: A weak microburst is detected on weather radar.
Did you know we can detect weak microbursts from terminal radars located near O'Hare and Midway airports? Here's one that occurred earlier today near Lemont. Radar-estimated wind speeds of 35-40 mph occurred as cold air "splatted" down from the storm. #naturalAC #ilwx #inwx pic.twitter.com/Vw7tXa3MIw — NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) June 30, 2020
July: Hot start to summer and a pulse storm
The sun sets behind Wrigley Field during the sixth inning of an opening day baseball game between the Chicago Cubs and the Milwaukee Brewers, on July, 24, 2020, in Chicago. (David Banks/AP)
Notable events
July 5: It’s the 12th day of temperatures in the 90s or higher — more than twice the average year to date. The National Weather Service determines summer 2020 is off to the 7th hottest start on record.
Today #Chicago saw it's 12th 90° day of 2020, which is more than twice the avg YTD 90s thru July 5th. Several more 90° days are expected this week, keeping 2020 well ahead of avg, but still trailing solidly behind the very hot summer of 2012. Chicago avgs 16 90s/year #HeatWave pic.twitter.com/xVORxXK8K1 — NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) July 5, 2020
July 26: A fast-developing storm with gusty winds and heavy rain, called a pulse storm, is captured on video.
A 52 mph wind gust was measured just offshore of Chicago with this tiny but potent storm! Additional gusty thunderstorms are possible later this evening so stay weather aware! https://t.co/KusU0SC1fh — NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) July 26, 2020
End of the month: July 2020 is the fourth warmest on record in Chicago.
August: A derecho spawns tornadoes and summer temperature record
Neighbors with a hand saw clear a down tree blocking Kedzie Avenue in Logan Square on Monday, Aug. 10, 2020 after a large storm passed through the city. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune) (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
Notable events
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Monday's event reminded us of the importance of being weather-ready and checking on the forecast. Preparedness and practice are important and allow for the right response in an efficient manner when weather threatens. Thanks again for sharing hazardous weather info! #ILwx #INwx pic.twitter.com/sHcE0gFyIQ — NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) August 12, 2020
(1/2) Here's a final map of all 15 (!) tornadoes that touched down during the 8/10/2020 derecho event. We also shaded areas where widespread straight line winds >75 mph likely occurred. Other pockets of enhanced straight-line wind damage likely happened outside the shading. pic.twitter.com/yp34Xs7It5 — NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) August 13, 2020
End of the month: The sixth driest August on record ends the warmest summer on record in Chicago.
Meteorological summer concluded on 8/31, and this past summer ended as the warmest on record in Chicago with an avg temperature of 76.7 degrees & 6th warmest on record in Rockford with an avg temperature of 74.7 degrees. Both cities were also much drier this summer than normal. pic.twitter.com/3gGtGD9BD3 — NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) September 2, 2020
September: Smoke from Western wildfires makes for hazy skies
A jet ascends from O'Hare International Airport in front of the setting sun, dimmed by smoke from Western states' wildfires, on Sept. 21, 2020, in Chicago. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)
Notable events
Sept. 13: It’s the eighth consecutive day of measurable precipitation.
ICYMI - A light rain shower dropped 0.02" at Chicago O'Hare Airport at about 3 AM this morning, marking today the 8th straight day of measurable precipitation! The last time we had 8 (or more) days in a row with precipitation was in 2018...and before that, 2013. #ilwx pic.twitter.com/xfBKFQlPkZ — NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) September 13, 2020
Sept. 19: Smoke from wildfires in the West wafts into the Chicago area creating hazy skies and dramatic sunsets.
Late aftn satellite via @CODMeteorology shows smoke from western wildfires (hazy/milky color) overspreading NW IL. Smoke layer overhead Sunday, but at 10kft above ground, so no air quality issues, but milky color to sky. Sunsets should be picturesque next 2 evenings. #ilwx #inwx pic.twitter.com/iaDxKyIGzN — NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) September 19, 2020
October: A teeny, tiny bit of snow
Alpacas left to right: Ventania, 19, Chach'ella, 13, and Lady Talbot, 14, peer our from the barn in the snowfall at J4 Alpacas farm on Oct. 26, 2020 in Bull Valley. They are Suri alpacas. The farm was founded in 1996 by the Morgan family. They are currently winding down their farm and have just 7 alpacas left, but at one time they had 85 alpacas living on the farm. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)
Notable event
Oct. 26: First snow of the season, but it’s not measurable.
Today brought the first ❄of the season to Chicago, with a trace observed at O'Hare, and some suburbs even saw a few tenths.
Checking the stats, it's indeed right about that time of year for the Windy City's first snow.
More snow climatology: https://t.co/Q98tlnKD0d #ILwx pic.twitter.com/Z2XuiGcfFM — NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) October 26, 2020
November: Warm temperatures, extraordinary wind
Benjamin Scaffer-Dowling, 3, plays in autumn leaves on Nov. 7, 2020, while talking a walk with his mother, Jessica Schaffer, and aunt Ayalmesh Stonys in their neighborhood in Chicago. Schaffer said, “It’s a beautiful weather, and the election results came through. So we decided to celebrate and have some fun.” (Youngrae Kim / Chicago Tribune)
Notable events
Nov. 4-10: Seven consecutive days of temperature highs in the 70s make the stretch the latest in the year that it’s been that warm. The warm weather is pushed out by a powerful cold front, which brings severe storms and strong winds to Chicago. DeKalb and Kane counties experience EF-0 tornadoes.
Nov. 15: Chicago is experiencing an extraordinarily windy fall.
Has it been extra windy this autumn? 🤔
Numbers say...yes! For the past 5 weeks in Chicago & surrounding areas:
• Over half the days had 30+ mph gusts
• Over a quarter of days had 40+ mph gusts
• 3 days with 50+ mph, 2 just this past week!
#TheWINDYCity is trending! #ILwx pic.twitter.com/30V8WhG6g1 — NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) November 15, 2020
Nov. 24: O’Hare airport records its first measurable snowfall of the season — 0.7 inches.
Select snowfall total reports from this AM:#Rockford: 1.7"
NWS Chicago (Romeoville): 1.5"
3 mi. SW of Midway: 0.8"#Chicago-O'Hare: 0.7"
If you measured snow before it started to melt, we'd appreciate your reports. Please include your location. Thanks! #ilwx #inwx — NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) November 24, 2020
December: Clouds block view of planets
Aidan Fitzpatrick walks with her dog Lucy near the lighthouse at Loyola Beach as high waves batter the lakeshore in Chicago on Dec. 12, 2020. (Youngrae Kim / Chicago Tribune)
Notable events
Officially, Happy Meteorological Winter! ❄ This season runs from Dec-Feb and better aligns with the temperature cycle.
More: https://t.co/sAKpByrcID
Chicago normals:
Dec
Hi: 35° Lo: 21° Snow: 8.2"
Jan
Hi: 31° Lo: 17° Snow: 10.8"
Feb
Hi: 35° Lo: 20° Snow: 9.1"#ILwx #INwx — NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) December 1, 2020
Dec. 21: Cloudy skies prevent people in Chicago from viewing the alignment of Jupiter and Saturn on the winter solstice.
[530 pm Mon 12/21] Unfortunately, low clouds across northern IL and northwest IN will block our view of the 'Great' Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn this evening, as they set around 645 pm CST. Areas farther south will have a good view however. pic.twitter.com/zuwzY7CBlm — NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) December 21, 2020
What to expect this winter
Borchardt says the outlook for the new year predicts a higher chance of above average precipitation than average or below — but cautioned that this does not necessarily mean more snow for our area. Temperature-wise, he says there are currently no signs that it will be either much colder or much warmer than an average winter.
“At any rate, Chicago winters will always include warm stretches and cold stretches, as well as periods of accumulating snow, no matter the year,” Borchardt said.
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(National Weather Service Chicago)
Sources: National Weather Service; Chicago Tribune reporting, archives and photos


chicagotribune--2020-12-29--Column: It wasn’t all bad, was it? 9 things to keep from 2020

Culinary development .
As the weeks turned into months and the wisdom of staying in our bubbles remained clear , the great question of the day became : “ What ’ s for dinner ?
” So we made sourdough , at least until we figured out that having a fresh loaf of sourdough twice a week was not ideal even for waistlines typically surrounded by sweatpants .
After that , we made sourdough castoffs into a delectable ( and freezable ! )
pizza dough .
We learned to make refrigerator pickles , a kitchen skill only a couple of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bread .
We pickled onions , a lot , because : tacos .
But we also pickled green tomatoes and green beans , and they all tasted great even as they boosted our gut health and made us think about wearing more gingham .
Oh , and we finally tried homemade hummus — because we had purchased enough chick peas for a battalion back when COVID-19 first made us think about stocking up — and now we are collectively kicking ourselves for buying the stuff ready-made at stores all these years .
There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but I won ’ t boast .

I think most of us would gladly erase 2020 from our memories, in the same way that certain tall buildings fail to acknowledge the 13th floor.
By almost any measure, it’s been a trash fire of a year. I could list what makes this true — the various fuels feeding the conflagration — but you know them. To one degree or another, you’ve probably been burned.
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Instead, let’s take a few moments at year’s end to think about some things that are worth keeping from 2020, the achievements and developments, personal and societal, that might fill a little silver-linings notebook.
Inequality awareness. Yes, we’ve seen statistics about rising income disparity in the U.S., about the way the haves since roughly the 1970s have been having a lot more of the communal pie. But 2020 drove it home in a way that was visceral. As food-pantry lines lengthened, as COVID-19 hit poorer people harder, as young people took to the streets to protest racially-based mistreatment, as an eviction crisis swelled toward a coming crest, it was impossible to ignore that this society we’ve tolerated fundamentally ain’t just. So now we know. Even the most blithe or heartless person we know knows. What are we going to do about it?
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Culinary development. As the weeks turned into months and the wisdom of staying in our bubbles remained clear, the great question of the day became: “What’s for dinner?” So we made sourdough, at least until we figured out that having a fresh loaf of sourdough twice a week was not ideal even for waistlines typically surrounded by sweatpants. After that, we made sourdough castoffs into a delectable (and freezable!) pizza dough. We learned to make refrigerator pickles, a kitchen skill only a couple of notches more challenging than toasting the aforementioned bread. We pickled onions, a lot, because: tacos. But we also pickled green tomatoes and green beans, and they all tasted great even as they boosted our gut health and made us think about wearing more gingham. Oh, and we finally tried homemade hummus — because we had purchased enough chick peas for a battalion back when COVID-19 first made us think about stocking up — and now we are collectively kicking ourselves for buying the stuff ready-made at stores all these years. There were more complicated recipes, too, but I won’t boast.
Buffoon rebuffery. It was closer than it ought to have been — fewer than 100,000 votes in a few states could have tipped things the other way. But a record number of people voted for the calm, humane moderate who respects the nation’s government and traditions over the fellow who’s existed in the highest office like, in comedian John Mulaney’s unforgettable formulation, “a horse in a hospital.” It’s an ongoing battle, but for now at least the America we thought we knew has reasserted itself.
The cast of “Schitt’s Creek”. (AP Photo)
Television mastery. In the midst of watching every single thing on Netflix, half of Hulu and — why not? — a three-hour bloc of kitchen-gadget infomercials, we finally learned how to “cast” video from out phones to our TVs. We learned where to find that elusive final season of “Schitt’s Creek.” We figured out how to change the “Picture” setting so that the movies we now have no choice but to watch in our living rooms do not look like home videos. And we even remembered to cancel Apple TV after plowing through “Ted Lasso” and “The Morning Show.”
Work-from-home ascendancy. Ring lights and webcams and curated backdrops. Zoom calls with bosses now dressed in a sackcloth. Brown paper packages piled as a stand. These were the things that made home office grand. So now that we’ve got it all set up just so — never have I been so obsessed with issues such as monitor height and mouse ergonomics — when we are able to “go back to work,” will we? At a minimum, a lot more people are going to have options.
Expertise appreciation. This, too, is a continuing battle. But if you were paying attention, you had to recognize and cheer the triumphs in 2020 of medical workers treating coronavirus patients, of scientists fabricating effective vaccines more quickly than has ever before been accomplished, of the general value of putting trust in people who are trained to do their jobs well. It was a year that ended with absolutely everyone knowing exactly who we mean when we say, “America’s leading infectious disease expert.”
Athlete awakening. Building on the example set by Colin Kaepernick, NBA stars refused to restart their interrupted season until the league accommodated pro-equality demands including turning stadiums into polling places. The even more outspoken WNBA dedicated its entire season to social justice. And it spread outward so that, for instance, pro soccer teams in Europe and the U.S. began games by taking a knee for the cause. What was once controversial enough to get an all-star player blacklisted from his league is now mainstream, endorsed by other professional leagues.
Outdoors elevation. Whether sitting around a backyard firepit, cycling alongside a downstate river or rock climbing in a national park, we learned to love open air with the passion it deserves but maybe hasn’t always received. More than a marketing slogan, the great outdoors became a lifeline for people who wanted to visit safely with friends and a reminder that we are of this world, not over it. Even as winter settles in and we try to bend nature to our comfort levels — I’m looking at you, newly purchased patio heater -- we are seeking out plein air to replenish constricted souls.
Urban reimagining. How much this will endure we’ll have to see. But during 2020 cities across America began to acknowledge that streets — the public way — are for the whole public, not just that portion of it that happens to be surrounded by two tons of motorized metal, and that maybe certain European cities have had a better idea. Car dominance this year was challenged by the development of new bike routes and the creation of outdoor dining plazas. It was a clever response to the demand for outdoor space and, bigger picture, a healthy acknowledgement that not every avenue needs to be traversable by a Ford F150. As I looked this summer at Clark Street in River North cordoned off for restaurant tables and people on bicycles pedaling by on less-car-congested streets, I could only say to myself, “Amster-DAM!”
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So what are your pandemic-year silver linings? What do you think is worth keeping from 2020?
sajohnson@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @StevenKJohnson


chicagotribune--2020-12-29--Illinois’ largest rodents are in city lagoons, rivers and streams. Now, they’re on Instagram.

Illinois ’ largest rodents are in city lagoons , rivers and streams .
They ’ re on Instagram and TikTok @ @ @ @ @ and at other times a welcomed presence , beavers have found respite all over the @ @ @ @ @ when they were wiped out by hunters by the early 1900s — and a sign @ @ @ @ @ possibilities have long been on the upswing .
Now they ’ re making their last @ @ @ @ @ in to shore up their lodges and stock up on food .

Among the more humble recipients of our longer walks and affinity for nature during the pandemic: beavers.
On recent mornings, shortly before and after sunrise, small groups of people have traveled to a bridge on the Northwestern University campus in Evanston. Some leave willow branches. For the beavers.
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“They’ve got this whole following,” said Tamar Selch, who stops by regularly with her husband, Zach. “They’re very cute. And how often do you really get to see beavers out there?”
A beaver swims through a lagoon on the Northwestern University campus in Evanston on Dec. 24, 2020. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)
Illinois’ largest rodents are in city lagoons, rivers and streams. They’re on Instagram and TikTok. Sometimes a nuisance, and at other times a welcomed presence, beavers have found respite all over the state, a switch from when they were wiped out by hunters by the early 1900s — and a sign that water quality and habitat possibilities have long been on the upswing. Now they’re making their last push as the cold sets in to shore up their lodges and stock up on food.
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And offering another reminder of what we notice when we spend more time outdoors.
“When I was a kid, the idea that I would see a wild beaver on my walks in the morning was unheard of,” Zach Selch said. “So it’s sort of cool to have them right here in the middle of Evanston.”
The Selch family posts about the Northwestern beavers on social media, sometimes LinkedIn. They’ve enjoyed identifying who’s who in the family. And there is a certain cuteness to appreciate.
“They pretty much stand on their hind legs and pick up the food in their hands and then they chew it, and it’s like you would expect,” Zach Selch said. “Click click click click click click click click. So it’s pretty fascinating to watch them.”
Scientists describe the four-legged engineers as smart, tenacious, usually busy. They leave behind a scent that smells something like vanilla, and their teeth are sharp enough to cut through a willow tree in a minute. They never stop growing and can top 70 pounds — enough to take out a small car.
“There’s so much wildlife that people are just not aware of because we’re not looking for it,” said Margaret Frisbie, executive director of Friends of the Chicago River. “And so many people during this pandemic have been out in nature in a way that just wasn’t happening.”
One of the first spots Frisbie clocked evidence of beavers was at Bubbly Creek, a branch of the Chicago River that runs through Bridgeport and was the Union Stock Yards’ dumping grounds. Once described as a sewer, the South Fork of the South Branch is the recent recipient of federal funds nearing $12 million to cover a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers restoration study and assessment project.
“It’s just going to be transformative,” Frisbie said. “People’s perception of it is it’s just this foul place. But if you went there right now you would find wildlife.”
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By the turn of the 20th century, beavers were nearly wiped out in Illinois, according to the state’s Department of Natural Resources. It’s likely they were extinct throughout almost all of the state at one point.
Starting in 1929, beavers were reintroduced to various counties, and in later decades some beavers in booming populations were trapped and released to help bolster others. In the lower Great Lakes basin, beavers really returned in the 1970s, said Chris Anchor, a wildlife biologist with the Cook County Forest Preserve District. The passage of the Clean Water Act helped make habitat more welcoming.
“The water quality in general has improved dramatically in the last 40 years,” Anchor said. “So because these species are generalists, it has improved their ability to live amongst us, and they took advantage of it.”
This year, we’re noticing.
Two members of a family of five beavers in a lagoon on the Northwestern University campus in Evanston on Dec. 24, 2020. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)
“The number of people using the forest preserves has absolutely exploded,” Anchor said. “So there’s just a lot more eyes out there seeing things they normally don’t see.”
An “extreme uptick” in reported beaver activity hit the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County in the last two years, said Dan Grigas, a district ecologist. District officials expect it’s either from an increase in overall population density, or more attention paid to the rodents, or a combination of both.
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“There’s hardly ever downtime in a beaver’s life,” Grigas said. “They’re always doing something.”
As temperatures drop or severe storms arrive, the semiaquatic, sociable experts at hunkering down and making it through a tough winter will head inside their dens, or lodges. One option involves burrowing into a bank, so the beavers can swim down and then come up into one big room above the water line. “Like a studio apartment, basically,” Grigas said. The other is the recognizable mound of sticks and mud.
The season is usually “easy living for a beaver,” Anchor said. They’ll rely on their food cache — a “magnificent” one can currently be seen at Powderhorn Lake on the city’s Southeast Side.
The Cook County Forest Preserves sometimes helps to move beavers around, or steps in if dams lead to health or safety issues. Gnawed trees spotted near the Montrose Beach dunes earlier this year caused some concerns. Stewards said they had a U.S. Department of Agriculture biologist check out the site, but the peripatetic rodent seemed to be on its way.
When beavers find a partner, they tend to stick together for as long as the natural world allows — although research suggests they may be “opportunistically promiscuous.” They create family units, called colonies, and breeding starts in the new year. Baby beavers — kits — start to appear after a few months. After sticking around for a few years, the kids have to strike out on their own; males are usually kicked out first, Grigas said.
Area beavers don’t have many predators. But otters have cleaned out some young beavers.
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“Otters are actually the Vikings, the Goths, the Lombards, the Vandals of the aquatic world,” Anchor said. “They come through and they let their presence be known.”
If beavers can skirt predators, and avoid wreaking havoc on private property, they can help ecosystems. They were once literally parachuted into Idaho to help with flooding; the test beaver was reportedly named Geronimo. In more recent years, they’ve been considered as a natural solution to drought problems in the West.
A lagoon on the Northwestern campus in Evanston is the home to a family of five beavers. (E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune)
In the Midwest, with warmer winters and increased precipitation fueled by climate change, beavers can help keep some water systems balanced, with dams cushioning water fluctuations in urban areas. On the flip side, it’s important that beavers don’t dam one of the few creeks with active springs and high water quality, which support rare species like some mussels.
Or take down too many trees.
On a late December morning in Evanston, as the sun rose above an unsettled Lake Michigan, a beaver that was perched under a bridge gnawed a twig, swam toward a thin layer of ice cracked by its tail and disappeared under the water. Multiple people stopped by to ask if the family was out. Felicia Brown stopped to watch.
“It became a source of inspiration,” Brown said. “I was going out there once or twice a week, then I was going out there four times a week. And everybody was comparing notes.”
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She pointed out the protective wiring up around some nearby trees, and a few remaining stumps.
“When the willow trees started to be decimated, I was so excited,” Brown joked. She saw beavers years ago and recognized the signs. This family became a highlight of the year’s walks, she said. If you saw people by the bridge, you knew the beavers were out.
“It was definite motivation to get out there and to see what was going on.”
mgreene@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @MorGreene


chicagotribune--2020-12-29--Tracking Chicago homicide victims

Tracking Chicago homicide victims

Though there are homicides recorded throughout the city they are most concentrated in the South and West sides .

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chicagotribune--2020-12-30--Great-grandmother on shooting death of 13-year-old boy: ‘This little guy was fine, they just took hi

Great-grandmother on shooting death of 13-year-old boy: ‘This little guy was fine, they just took his life, just like that for no reason.’

“ This little guy was fine , they just took his life , just like that for no reason , @ @ @ @ @ Simon said , adding that she had seen Quiroz and was joking around with him @ @ @ @ @ “ He wasn ’ t doing anything wrong , just walking down the street and @ @ @ @ @ the wrong place at the wrong time .
”

“Just walking down the street,” Lois Jane Simon kept saying as she talked about her 13-year-old great-grandson shot dead on the Southwest Side over the weekend.
“Probably didn’t even know who he was,” Simon, 90, added of the two gunmen who approached Xavier Quiroz about 9 a.m. Sunday in the 5500 block of South Archer Avenue, a few miles from his home in Garfield Ridge.
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“Why are people like that?” she said. “Why are they so, so bad? I don’t understand.”
Quiroz was standing outside when two people shot him in the chest, back and shoulder, according to police. Officers were alerted to the shooting by an unknown caller, Chicago police said. Quiroz was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was pronounced dead.
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Police initially listed the victim as between 17 and 20 years old. But the medical examiner later corrected the age. No arrests have been made.
“He was a good kid,” Simon told the Tribune. “He was a good little guy.”
Simon said she knew of no reason why anyone would want to kill the boy, a student at Kinzie Elementary School.
“This little guy was fine, they just took his life, just like that for no reason, for no reason,” Simon said, adding that she had seen Quiroz and was joking around with him about a week ago. “He wasn’t doing anything wrong, just walking down the street and just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time.”
At least 55 of the more than 765 homicides in Chicago this year have been victims under the age of 18, according to a Tribune database. There have been at least 4,115 people shot in the city, 1,412 more than 2019.
Quiroz’s family members have created a GoFundMe page to raise money for funeral expenses. “Xavier ... was a victim of senseless gun violence over the Christmas weekend,” they posted on the page, adding that he “loved basketball, his dogs and his family.”
The GoFundMe had raised more than $12,000 by Tuesday afternoon, which Simon said gave her goose bumps knowing there were “perfect strangers” trying to help in a bad situation.
“I just wanted to thank people,” Simon said. “Thank them so much and let them know that they’re in my prayers every day, every day. I so appreciate the fact that there are good people like that in the world.”
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Quiroz is survived by his mother and two brothers, 4 and 6, according to family members.
kelsmith@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @KelliSmithNews


chicagotribune--2020-12-30--Coronavirus in Illinois updates: Here’s what’s happening Wednesday with COVID-19 in the Chicago area

The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is expected to be relied on in many countries because of its low cost , availability and @ @ @ @ @ can be kept in refrigerators rather than the ultra-cold storage some other vaccines require .
@ @ @ @ @ will sell it for $ 2.50 a dose and plans to make up to 3 @ @ @ @ @ of 2021 .

We have lifted the paywall on this story. To support essential reporting, please consider becoming a subscriber .
Laquitta Boyd, holds her 6-year-old daughter Venisha while receiving her first COVID-19 vaccination at a back-to-school health fair hosted by RUSH University Medical Center at the Salvation Army Freedom Center on July 30, 2022, in Chicago. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)
By the end of the day Monday, 126,211 COVID-19 vaccinations had been given throughout Illinois, as the state began the third week of its mass immunization effort, according to Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s office.
As of Tuesday, 269,625 doses of vaccine had been delivered to Illinois, not including the share that went directly to the city of Chicago.
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The state’s next allotment of vaccine is expected to be delivered “on a rolling basis” this week and Monday, according to the governor’s office.
However, the U.S. goal of getting initial COVID-19 vaccine doses to 20 million Americans by year’s end is looking like a long shot.
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The Trump administration’s Operation Warp Speed initially promised to unleash a vast stockpile of 300 million vaccine doses by January but later slashed its target and said it hoped to get about 40 million doses to recipients by the end of the year.
The CDC reported Tuesday that only 11.45 million doses had been distributed since Dec. 13, with only about 2.1 million doses actually administered.
On Wednesday, state health officials announced 7,374 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 178 additional fatalities, bringing the total number of known infections in Illinois to 955,380 and the statewide death toll to 16,357 since the start of the pandemic.
Here’s what’s happening Wednesday with COVID-19 in the Chicago area and Illinois:
4:25 p.m.: Plan to reopen CPS schools ‘doesn’t have anything to do with vaccination,’ Chicago health commissioner says, though teachers slated for shots in coming months
Chicago Public Schools teachers and staff won’t be vaccinated against the coronavirus before buildings are due to reopen for in-person classes, but eventually school nurses will help administer the inoculations.
Teachers, along with other groups considered front-line essential workers, are slated to be in the second phase of vaccination, after the first-priority rollout for health care employees and long-term care facility residents and workers that began this month.
Chicago’s public health commissioner, Dr. Allison Arwady, said Wednesday that teacher vaccinations could potentially begin in March or late February at the earliest. That’s after the scheduled resumption of in-person classes in CPS, which is Jan. 11 for pre-kindergarten and some special educations and Feb. 1 for most kindergarten through eighth graders, unless they opt for continued remote learning. The first group of teachers are expected to report to schools on Monday.
But Arwady, when asked during the online Q and A why CPS planned to bring staff and students back before staff members are vaccinated, said the decision “doesn’t have anything to do with vaccination.” Read more here. — Alice Yin and Elyssa Cherney
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1:43 p.m.: Timeline: How COVID-19 upended the Chicago-area restaurant industry — and how it fought back.
When the coronavirus pandemic hit, it ushered in a year of uncertainty, fear and struggle that spanned industries, income brackets and communities.
Restaurants across the state were forced to pivot repeatedly, with hundreds laying off employees and eventually closing because of the mounting expenses and a lack of governmental aid that never really came. Some found new ways of operating or introduced new concepts they hoped would align better with the shift to takeout and delivery that became a lifeline for beloved culinary institutions in the Chicago area.
As 2020 draws to a close, we look back at the past nine months and how the pandemic affected restaurants, bars and breweries. While it’s still unclear what 2021 will bring, the lessons of 2020 will remain important for some time to come.
Read more here. —Grace Wong
1:28 p.m.: Aetna drops Walgreens from its Medicaid plan, making it harder for low-income Chicagoans to get their prescriptions during the pandemic
Critics say the decision is hitting poor and majority-Black neighborhoods on the South and West sides hard at a time when residents are already disproportionately suffering from COVID-19 and unemployment.
“It’s really pathetic,” state Rep. La Shawn Ford, D-Chicago, said of Aetna’s decision. “It’s an attack not just on Black people, but on those that are struggling during the pandemic.”
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In a written statement, Aetna responded that it has nearly 2,000 in-network pharmacies statewide for Medicaid members, including independent pharmacies and those in national and regional chains such as Walmart and Jewel-Osco.
Read more here. —Nara Schoenberg
12:10 p.m.: 7,374 new confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases and 178 additional deaths reported
Illinois health officials on Wednesday announced 7,374 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 178 additional fatalities, bringing the total number of known infections in Illinois to 955,380 and the statewide death toll to 16,357 since the start of the pandemic.
Officials also reported 74,573 new tests in the last 24 hours. The seven-day statewide rolling positivity rate for cases as a share of total tests was 7.6% for the period ending Tuesday.
—Chicago Tribune staff
11:45 a.m.: Illinois reports 126,211 COVID-19 vaccinations administered throughout the state
By the end of the day Monday, 126,211 COVID-19 vaccinations had been given throughout Illinois, as the state began the third week of its mass immunization effort, according to Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s office.
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As of Tuesday, 269,625 doses of vaccine had been delivered to Illinois, not including the share that went directly to the city of Chicago.
This week, 21,450 Pfizer doses and 16,200 Moderna doses were shipped to the city, public health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said in a Wednesday virtual Q&A.
Arwady underscored that there is no concern the vaccine will expire before use, given that they have about a six-month shelf life and are being distributed within days. What will really determine efficient roll-out, she said, is more allocation.
Read more here. —Jamie Munks and Alice Yin
6:05 a.m.: UK approves use of 2nd COVID-19 vaccine with easier storage
Britain on Wednesday became the first country to authorize an easy-to-handle COVID-19 vaccine whose developers hope it will become the “vaccine for the world.” The approval and a shift in policy that will speed up rollout of the vaccine in the U.K. comes as a surge in infections threatens to swamp British hospitals.
The Department of Health said it had accepted a recommendation from the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency to authorize emergency use of the vaccine developed by Oxford University and U.K.-based drugmaker AstraZeneca.
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Britain has bought 100 million doses of the vaccine. Hundreds of thousands of people in the U.K. have already received a different vaccine, made by U.S. drugmaker Pfizer and German firm BioNTech.
Partial results from studies in almost 24,000 people in Britain, Brazil and South Africa suggest the shots are safe and about 70% effective for preventing illness from coronavirus infection.
The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is expected to be relied on in many countries because of its low cost, availability and ease of use. It can be kept in refrigerators rather than the ultra-cold storage some other vaccines require. The company has said it will sell it for $2.50 a dose and plans to make up to 3 billion doses by the end of 2021.
A decision on the vaccine is further off in the United States, where the Food and Drug Administration is waiting for data from a separate clinical trial. The study was halted in September and delayed for nearly seven weeks — much longer than in other countries — as regulators investigated whether an illness in a participant in Britain was related to the vaccine. American regulators ultimately allowed the trial to proceed.
Read more here. —Associated Press
6 a.m.: New year brings new laws, but fewer of them, thanks to the pandemic
One of the side effects of the coronavirus pandemic was a drastically shortened spring session of the General Assembly, which means far fewer laws taking effect on New Year’s Day than in a typical year.
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Only about a half-dozen new state laws and policies take effect Jan. 1. A year earlier, more than 250 new laws took effect, including the landmark legalization of recreational marijuana.
Nonetheless, some of the new laws will have a significant effect on people’s lives.
Read more here. —Dan Petrella and Jamie Munks
Breaking coronavirus news Stay up to date with the latest information on coronavirus with our breaking news alerts.
In case you missed it
Here are some recent stories related to COVID-19:


chicagotribune--2020-12-30--Daywatch: CPS denies COVID-19 accommodations, weed sales top $1B and ex-Cubs player lists home near

Daywatch: CPS denies COVID-19 accommodations, weed sales top $1B and ex-Cubs player lists home near Wrigley Field

Limited transportation has long been a hurdle to employment , hindering growth at some companies and preventing people who need @ @ @ @ @ .
As the rise of e-commerce spurs job growth in industrial areas that are often @ @ @ @ @ , employers hope addressing transit needs attracts a wider pool of candidates and helps workers @ @ @ @

Good morning, Chicago. On Tuesday, Illinois health officials announced 5,644 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 105 additional fatalities. The news came as Chicago officials announced that travelers coming from Wisconsin can now bypass the 10-day quarantine by receiving a negative COVID-19 test result before coming into the city.
Meanwhile, Chicago saw its first major winter snow of the season on Tuesday. Curious how much it snowed near you? Check out our storm map.
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Here’s more coronavirus news and other top stories you need to know to start your day.
For your smart speaker | Join our COVID-19 Facebook group | More newsletters | Puzzles & Games
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A classroom sits empty at King Elementary on Sept. 8, 2020, the first date of the academic year for Chicago Public Schools. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune)
About 7,000 teachers and staff are due to report to Chicago Public Schools buildings on Monday, but the district has denied accommodations or leave to the majority of educators who applied — particularly those who said a household member is vulnerable to COVID-19.
In a news release issued Tuesday, CPS spokeswoman Emily Bolton said the district will provide weekly COVID-19 testing for those who live with high-risk household members and is working to provide exemptions to employees who serve as primary caregivers for individuals with a medical condition.
‘It just took her so fast,’ says mom of Lincoln-Way East senior who died from COVID-19 infection
A person walks a dog with the Capitol in the background Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020, in Washington. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)
President Donald Trump’s push for bigger $2,000 COVID-19 relief checks stalled out Tuesday in the Senate as Republicans blocked a swift vote proposed by Democrats and split within their own ranks over whether to boost spending or defy the White House.
The roadblock mounted by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell may not be sustainable as pressure mounts. Trump wants the Republican-led chamber to follow the House and increase the checks from $600 for millions of Americans.
Marijuana plants grow under lights at Cresco Labs medical marijuana cultivation facility Aug. 8, 2018, in Joliet. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)
People are still buying weed. Lots of it. Despite the massive economic disruption wrought by the pandemic, 80 recreational cannabis dispensaries have opened in Illinois and business is on pace to top $1 billion in 2020, including medical marijuana sales.
The industry could get a lot bigger in 2021 with more municipalities welcoming weed retailers and 30 dispensaries yet to open under the state’s inaugural legislation
Illinois Supreme Court to decide fate of last contested medical marijuana growing license in the state
Pedestrians walk down 73rd Street in Bedford Park on Dec. 22, 2020. The village of Bedford Park spearheaded a pilot program, set to launch by year’s end, that offers employees a way to plan and book their commutes. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)
Limited transportation has long been a hurdle to employment, hindering growth at some companies and preventing people who need work from accessing available jobs. As the rise of e-commerce spurs job growth in industrial areas that are often not close to public transportation, employers hope addressing transit needs attracts a wider pool of candidates and helps workers arrive on time.
Retired Chicago Cubs player Ben Zobrist his wife, singer Julianna Zobrist, are listing their six-bedroom, 3,500-square-foot Victorian-style house in North Center for just under $2.1 million. (Julianna Zobrist)
Retired Chicago Cubs second baseman and outfielder Ben Zobrist — whose heroics in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series helped the team win its first title in 108 years — and his wife, singer Julianna Zobrist, will list their six-bedroom, 3,500-square-foot Victorian-style house in North Center for just under $2.1 million. Take a look inside here.


chicagotribune--2020-12-30--New year brings new laws, including insulin price limit, while minimum wage goes up another dollar

“ We ’ re obviously , at this moment in particular , very grateful for the amazing advances in medical @ @ @ @ @ for the ( coronavirus ) vaccine and everything else , but these amazing medications are @ @ @ @ @ afford them , ” said state Rep. Will Guzzardi , a Chicago Democrat who sponsored @ @ @ @ @ in the House .

One of the side effects of the coronavirus pandemic was a drastically shortened spring session of the General Assembly, which means far fewer laws taking effect on New Year’s Day than in a typical year.
Only about a half-dozen new state laws and policies take effect Jan. 1. A year earlier, more than 250 new laws took effect, including the landmark legalization of recreational marijuana.
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Nonetheless, some of the new laws will have a significant effect on people’s lives. Here’s a look at what’s new as of Friday.
Minimum wage increase
Low-wage workers across Illinois are getting their third raise in 12 months, with the minimum wage increasing by $1, to $11 per hour, following a $1 increase on Jan. 1, 2020, and a 75 cent raise on July 1.
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Workers are in line for a $1 increase each year on Jan. 1 until the minimum wage hits $15 per hour in 2025.
All of that is a result of a law that went into effect in 2019. While the increase is a welcome boost for some workers who are most at risk during the pandemic, not everyone is celebrating.
New Illinois Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, at the State Capitol on May 20, 2020, in Springfield. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)
Business organizations, many of which opposed the increase in the first place, have called for the hikes to be suspended as shops and restaurants struggle to keep their doors open amid the coronavirus-induced economic slowdown.
The Illinois Retail Merchants Association was among the groups that pushed for the increases to be postponed, but not repealed, during the pandemic.
“It’s going to make it harder for those businesses that are barely hanging on to hang on and, if they hang on, to keep the people they’ve currently got employed,” said Rob Karr, the association’s president and CEO.
But those arguments have been rejected by Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who made a minimum-wage increase his first major policy win upon taking office last year, and the Democratic-controlled legislature, which saw previous attempts at raising wages thwarted by Pritzker’s predecessor, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner.
“This economy is going to recover. … Particularly people who are working at the lowest wages in our economy, the poorest working people in Illinois, we think that they deserve a raise,” Pritzker said during a coronavirus briefing in mid-December.
Chicago’s minimum wage, currently $14 per hour for companies with more than 20 workers, will go up to $15 per hour on July 1.
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Cook County also has a higher minimum wage, currently $13 per hour, but most municipalities have opted out.
Insulin price limit
Illinois will become one of the first states to limit the out-of-pocket price of insulin through a law takes effect Jan. 1.
The cost will be limited to $100 for a 30-day supply, regardless of how much insulin is needed to fill a patient’s prescription.
As insulin prices have soared, some people with diabetes who rely on the medication to regulate levels of glucose in their blood and prevent life-threatening complications have been forced to turn to lower-quality products or to ration their supply. That can have dire consequences.
An estimated 1.3 million Illinois residents have diabetes and rely on insulin to regulate their blood sugar levels.
The new law applies to state-regulated commercial insurance plans but not federally regulated plans.
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The legislation received bipartisan support when it passed in the Illinois General Assembly during the 2019 fall veto session, despite opposition from the insurance and pharmaceutical industries.
The Illinois House of Representatives conducts its spring legislative session May 21, 2020, at the Bank of Springfield Center in Springfield, instead of at the Illinois State Capitol. (Ted Schurter/The State Journal-Register)
“We’re obviously, at this moment in particular, very grateful for the amazing advances in medical technology, with the race for the (coronavirus) vaccine and everything else, but these amazing medications are only effective if people can afford them,” said state Rep. Will Guzzardi, a Chicago Democrat who sponsored the insulin price cap legislation in the House.
Guzzardi said the measure, while somewhat limited in scope, is a first step toward “more far-reaching reforms” related to pharmaceutical prices.
The new law also calls for a trio of state agencies to probe the factors that have led to insulin price surges and to issue a public “insulin pricing report” with policy recommendations that address how to prevent overpricing in the future.
Colorado was the first state to pass an insulin cost limit measure.
Two-year vehicle registration
Tired of having to remember to renew your license plate sticker every year?
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A law that takes effect Jan. 1 authorizes the secretary of state’s office to allow drivers to register their cars for two years at a time.
But not right away. Because of pandemic-related budget restraints, the secretary of state’s office is not prepared to immediately implement the change, which will require computer upgrades, said Dave Druker, a spokesman for Secretary of State Jesse White.
The office expects to have everything in place for two-year registrations later in 2021, Druker said.
It doesn’t come with any price cuts. Drivers will have to pay double the normal fee if they want to register their vehicles for two years. The registration cycle must coincide with the vehicle’s emissions testing schedule.
Missing person DNA
Law enforcement agencies will be able to begin collecting DNA samples of a missing person’s family members in an effort to create a reference DNA sample, under a new law that takes effect Jan. 1.
The law adds the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System to the list of laboratories law enforcement can coordinate with when they are trying to find a missing person.
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The law does not allow for DNA samples collected in missing person cases from family members to be kept by law enforcement agencies once the missing person is located.
“Successfully finding a missing person requires law enforcement to move fast, and we want to make sure they have every tool available to do their job,” said state Sen. Tony Munoz, the Chicago Democrat who sponsored the legislation. “By using the national system, we have a better opportunity of finding missing people sooner.”
The new law also calls for a missing person’s information to be submitted to the national system within 45 days, and in high-risk missing person cases, law enforcement agencies would be required to submit a packet of all DNA samples to the system within 30 days.
Address confidentiality
A program that protects the addresses of domestic violence victims is expanding to include victims of sexual assault and stalking.
The Illinois attorney general’s address confidentiality program allows eligible victims to use a substitute address and mail forwarding. Once an application is approved, state and local governments must use the substitute address when creating new public records or corresponding with the program participant, according to the attorney general’s office.
More information is available on the attorney general’s website at https://illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/victims/address_confidentiality.html.
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dpetrella@chicagotribune.com
jmunks@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-12-30--Illinois Supreme Court to decide fate of last contested medical marijuana growing license in the sta

Illinois Supreme Court to decide fate of last contested medical marijuana growing license in the state

Because Illinois has restricted licensing to only 21 growers , analysts say its licenses are worth far more than in @ @ @ @ @ Colorado or Oregon , where there are hundreds of licensed growers and licenses are offered @ @ @ @ @ dollars .
The licenses are also expected to be worth far more than 40 new @ @ @ @ @ plans to issue , which are limited to 5,000 square feet of growing space , @ @ @ @ @ for the Curative site .

A five-year court case soon to be brought before the Illinois Supreme Court will determine if a coveted cannabis growing license should continue to be held by the company already using it in Aurora, or potentially go to a rival that wants to set up shop in Zion.
The case pits Curative Health Cultivation, LLC in Aurora, against Medponics Illinois LLC, which filed suit and won an initial court ruling that Curative should be stripped of its license. An appellate court reversed that ruling, and now the state’s highest court will rule on a license that’s likely worth millions of dollars.
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A hearing is expected to take place early next year. The license at stake is worth far more than any of the new permits that Illinois plans to issue, analysts say. Because the medical license later qualified Curative to grow recreational marijuana, the Curative permit is the last one to be contested that allows growing huge amounts of cannabis for both markets.
One company in the dispute appears to have a significant advantage in terms of size and experience in the industry. New York-based Columbia Care, which acquired Curative Health after it won the license, is one of the largest cannabis operators in the world, with 100 facilities in 18 jurisdictions in the United States and Europe, including dispensaries in Chicago’s Jefferson Park community and west suburban Villa Park.
Columbia Care officials declined to comment on the suit, but previously said they planned to start supplying product just this year, years later than their competitors.
Marijuana plants grow under lights at a Cresco Labs medical marijuana cultivation facility in Joliet. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)
Columbia Care’s co-founders and partners are director Michael Abbott and CEO Nicholas Vita, both former executives at New York investment firm Goldman Sachs. Columbia Care reported a company record with $54 million in revenue in the third quarter of this year, with a 39% gross profit margin.
The company declined to comment on the suit, but it also has the office of Attorney General Kwame Raoul on its side, defending the Illinois Department of Agriculture’s handling of the matter.
In contrast, Medponics is an upstart challenger, trying to get is first and only cannabis license to open a Dutch-style hydroponics greenhouse in Zion. The company also has the backing of Zion’s mayor, who is hoping taxes generated by the license would help improve the city’s dire finances and make up for revenue lost since its nuclear power plant closed in 1998.
Its principal owners are businessmen James Merlo, of Wadsworth, and James Herchenbach, of Libertyville. The two men said they met with state lawmakers as far back as 2012 in talks that led to the state law allowing medical marijuana.
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Merlo recently moved his logistics business, Trifinity Specialized Distribution, from Waukegan to Kenosha, Wisconsin, saying he was fed up with Illinois. Herchenbach also plans to open a hydroponics greenhouse for produce in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin. But both men still want the last full-size cannabis license that’s being contested in Illinois.
In an interview with the Tribune, Medponics President Keith Malone highlighted the company’s plans to use hydroponics technology to grow cannabis, and said his company should get the license if Curative loses it, because Medponics was the only company to challenge the awarding of the license within months of its issuance in 2015.
“We’ve consulted our attorneys, we’ve also consulted other legal scholars ... and they tell us under the case law that we have an excellent chance of appeal,” Malone said.
But if the Supreme Court rules against Curative, it still likely will be up to the state to decide if Medponics or another company will get the license.
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The license being disputed is to grow and sell medical cannabis. But every medical license holder in Illinois, including Curative Health, also became licensed to sell recreational marijuana to the public starting this year.
Because Illinois has restricted licensing to only 21 growers, analysts say its licenses are worth far more than in other states, such as Colorado or Oregon, where there are hundreds of licensed growers and licenses are offered for a couple of million dollars. The licenses are also expected to be worth far more than 40 new craft grower licenses the state plans to issue, which are limited to 5,000 square feet of growing space, compared with 210,000 square feet for the Curative site.
The value of cannabis grow licenses can vary greatly. One small Illinois operation is to be sold for about $32 million in a recently announced deal. But with total Illinois retail cannabis sales expected to clear $1 billion this year, a large-scale operation could be worth closer to $100 million, estimated financial analyst Matt Karnes, founder of Greenwave Advisors in New York City.
The state agriculture agency first issued medical cannabis licenses in 2015. But then-Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration said that the application scoring process that had taken place during the administration of Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn was flawed and could result in extensive litigation. A list of scores showed that Curative Health had the high score in its district but was marked as “DQ,” which Medponics officials understood to mean disqualified.
Several lawsuits were filed challenging the state’s awarding of cannabis licenses and generally were dismissed or settled. But Medponics sued the state and Curative Health over its license, and won the first legal round in 2017.
Judge Michael Fusz overturned the awarding of the license to Curative Health. He maintained that the Aurora cultivation center was located too close to an area zoned exclusively for residential purposes, even though other uses were allowed, putting the facility in violation of state law.
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Curative and the agriculture department’s position was “illogical and does not fit the plain meaning of the statute,” the judge ruled.
“The award of the license to Curative is therefore clearly erroneous; the Court has the definite and firm conviction that a mistake has been made,” the judge wrote.
However, the judge added, the license should not necessarily go to Medponics. The rules state that in case a company forfeits the permit, it shall be awarded to the next highest-scoring applicants. Medponics scored fifth-highest. The judge did not order the Department of Agriculture to award the license to anyone, but ruled that the agency should reevaluate and rescore all the applicants to determine which qualified applicant falls outside of the 2,500-foot setback.
Curative Health appealed the initial court ruling. Before the appeal was resolved, in October 2019, Curative Health was among the first in the state awarded a license to also grow recreational marijuana. This prompted the city of Zion, which is counting on Medponics to bring in much-needed cash to the city, to issue a cease-and-desist letter demanding Columbia Care, Curative’s owner, stop producing marijuana for recreational sale.
At the time, Department of Agriculture spokeswoman Krista Lisser said a stay was put on the 2017 ruling pending the outcome of Columbia Care’s appeal, meaning the company’s medical growing permit was effectively active at that time and the company met that requirement for a recreational license.
Days later, the appeals court partially overturned the lower court’s ruling, saying that although the facility was within 2,500 feet of a residential area, it was not an “exclusively” residential area, because it allowed numerous other uses such as transportation and utility services, golf courses, day cares or hospitals. The appellate court cited rules and an online explanation from the Department of Agriculture that defined the zoning rule to mean “exclusively residential.”
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While the ruling did not set legal precedent, it suggests that a medical cannabis cultivator in Illinois could be located near any residential area that also allowed other uses — though the law states plainly that a cultivation center may not be near “an area zoned for residential use.” In general, the courts give deference to state agencies that set rules interpreting such laws.
Aurora officials generally have sided with Columbia Care. City spokesman Clayton Muhammad issued a statement that city officials believe the appellate court was right to reinstate the license, and said they were “cautiously optimistic” the Supreme Court will affirm the license.
But Medponics got some high-powered legal backup for its side. In February 2015, DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin wrote a letter asking the Department of Agriculture to deny the requested license for the site.
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Berlin wrote that the site was within 2,500 feet of a residential zone, putting it too closes to homes, schools and day cares, in contravention of state law, and endangering the “morals and welfare” of children in the nearby Stonebridge subdivision.
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The city of Zion has a stake in Medponics winning as well.
The northern suburb has a deal to lease land for Medponics’ cultivation center for 3% of the company’s gross revenue. City administrator David Knabel estimates that would generate about $1.5 million in new revenue for the city, filling most of its anticipated deficit.
“This is just the right thing to do, is to award the license to them,” Knabel said.


chicagotribune--2020-12-30--Column: Looking back on 2020: A pants-less year of isolation and fervent hand-washing

We covered our faces with masks and , in doing so , created an easy way to identify the selfish @ @ @ @ @ the careless , with masks slouched recklessly below their noses .
If you told me @ @ @ @ @ that Americans would be complaining that wearing a cloth mask to protect others from a @ @ @ @ @ burdensome , I would ’ ve laughed you out of the room .

The Wash Your Hands mural by artist Mosher is seen on April 29, 2020, in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago. (Chicago Tribune)
As a columnist, I’m required by law to write a late-December column looking back on the year about to end.
This time around, I’m not sure the year deserves a column.
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We will remember 2020, in large part, as a time of isolation, frustration, trepidation and wildly enhanced sanitation. It was the year of the coronavirus pandemic, a year that changed our lives and how we live them more dramatically than any in recent history.
________
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Columns are opinion content that reflect the views of the writers.
________
I can, and will, make light of the year’s unique awfulness, but I can’t make jokes without first acknowledging the unprecedented tragedy our nation has endured. More than 300,000 of our fellow citizens died of COVID-19 this year, a number that grew and grew and grew each passing day. It came in waves that defied description, stretches when we were — and still are — losing thousands of souls each day.
It brought unparalleled economic pain, crushing job loss and so much fear and uncertainty that those emotions became status quo.
There was still joy, of course, because our lives never stop entirely, even in lockdowns. Babies were born, couples wed, businesses found clever ways to persevere. People voted in record numbers, unwilling to let the pandemic stifle their voices.
Some got inordinately good at making sourdough bread, a boon to the carb-enthusiast community, of which I am a proud member.
Some found being at home — a lot — tightened the family fabric and served as a reminder of things that matter most.
And we washed our hands. Oh, we washed our hands so, so many times. On New Year’s Day 2020, I could not and would not have imagined I might spend the year washing my hands with such vigor and frequency that buckets of lotion would be needed to keep my fingers from becoming bare-bone phalanges.
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We cleaned and disinfected countertops, packages, pets. Groceries and drawer handles, phone screens and steering wheels, doorknobs and purses. In some moments of extreme paranoia, some of us — I won’t mention any names — even disinfected bottles of disinfectant, lest the virus somehow invade like a Trojan horse.
We covered our faces with masks and, in doing so, created an easy way to identify the selfish — maskless heathens — and the careless, with masks slouched recklessly below their noses. If you told me at the beginning of 2020 that Americans would be complaining that wearing a cloth mask to protect others from a deadly virus was simply too burdensome, I would’ve laughed you out of the room.
Alas.
We learned social distancing is an effective way to reduce the spread of the coronavirus AND an effective excuse for avoiding interactions with people we don’t really like. Talk about a win-win!
We learned a lot about Zoom and other videoconferencing platforms. And we witnessed how many perfectly intelligent adult humans are rendered helpless when asked to unmute themselves. We saw our co-workers’ living rooms, bedrooms, back porches and, occasionally, their wandering children.
We learned meetings can be just as boring from the comfort of our homes as they are in an office, except when the occasional wandering child makes an unplanned appearance.
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The tide turned dramatically in my favor as a top-ranking general in the War on Pants. My legs have gone unsheathed the entire year. I don’t remember what jeans look like. And I know I’m not alone.
We learned what it felt like to be nervous about our national supply of toilet paper. And we learned that buying one-ply in a pinch is better than nothing, but not by much.
Our pets lived their best lives, logically assuming we humans had finally come to our senses and decided to never leave their sides.
We learned how to correctly spell quarantine.
Did I mention the hand-washing? Ugh. My mitts have turned to dust.
We ended the year on a hopeful note, with vaccines arriving and a sense that — while caution must persist and the suffering will continue — a return to some semblance of normalcy awaits us in 2021.
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That will be welcome.
But 2020 will remain burned into our memories. A lot of bad. Some good. Hopefully some lessons learned.
Decades from now, someone will ask you what you were doing the year a virus shut down the world.
If you remember nothing else, or if you’ve locked this span of time away, you can always fall back on a guess that’s likely accurate. Just say you were washing your hands and wishing you had more toilet paper.
(If you hated this column, there’s still time to donate to the third annual Insult-A-Columnist Holiday Food Drive under the RexStinks team name. Or, if for some reason you liked the column, you can hop on Team RexRocks. All donations go to benefit the Greater Chicago Food Depository. Just go to: https://www.myfooddrive.org/#InsultRex.)
rhuppke@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-12-30--Dec. 29 storm map: How much did it snow near you?

Forecasters said most of the area is expected to get at least an inch of snow from the storm , @ @ @ @ @ and west of Chicago could see as much as 7 inches from the season ’ @ @ @ @ @ Here are the snow totals as of Tuesday night .

A fast-moving, rush-hour storm started to roll through northern Illinois on Tuesday afternoon, giving Chicago its first major winter snow of the season.
A winter storm warning is in effect for the far north suburbs until noon Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service. A winter weather advisory was issued for areas closer to Chicago until 9 a.m. Wednesday, including Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, LaSalle and Will counties.
Forecasters said most of the area is expected to get at least an inch of snow from the storm, though areas to the north and west of Chicago could see as much as 7 inches from the season’s first major snowfall. Here are the snow totals as of Tuesday night.


chicagotribune--2020-12-29--Coronavirus in Illinois updates: Here’s what happened Dec. 29 with COVID-19 in the Chicago area

” We ’ re getting to this 1B , 1C rollout , where we ’ re starting to take care @ @ @ @ @ of 75 — that ’ s easily done with a driver ’ s license , @ @ @ @ @ Those between the ages of 16 and 64 in that 2B ( rollout ) with @ @ @ @ @ certainly is going to take a physician to identify you as having diabetes or COPD @ @ @ @ @ sure we vaccinate people in the right stratification regardless of where they ’ re at @ @ @ @ @ speak for whatever state she ’ s in , but you would hope that if @ @ @ @ @ falls into what would be the 1C category , that they would honor that .
@ @ @ @ @ here , the vaccine should be out to the general public .
”

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Laquitta Boyd, holds her 6-year-old daughter Venisha while receiving her first COVID-19 vaccination at a back-to-school health fair hosted by RUSH University Medical Center at the Salvation Army Freedom Center on July 30, 2022, in Chicago. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)
Travelers heading to Chicago from Wisconsin can now bypass the 10-day quarantine by receiving a negative COVID-19 test result before coming into the city.
Illinois’ neighbor to the north was bumped down from the most severe “red” designation under Chicago’s travel order to “orange,” effective Friday, according to the city’s travel order website. But 10 other states moved up from orange to red, which mandates a 10-day quarantine for travelers returning to Chicago from those states.
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On Tuesday, state health officials announced 5,644 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 105 additional fatalities, bringing the total number of known infections in Illinois to 948,006 and the statewide death toll to 16,179 since the start of the pandemic.
Additionally, Chicago’s public health commissioner received the COVID-19 vaccine Tuesday morning at Malcolm X College as part of a wave of non-hospital health care workers now eligible for the shot.
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Meanwhile, the U.S. Senate is back in session today, one day after the Democrat-led U.S. House voted overwhelmingly to increase COVID-19 relief checks to $2,000. The outcome is the GOP-controlled Senate is uncertain.
Here’s what’s happening Tuesday with COVID-19 in the Chicago area and Illinois:
4:50 p.m.: COVID-19 Q&A: Am I eligible to get the vaccine if I’m out of state? When will vaccine testing begin for those 16 and younger? Coronavirus questions answered.
I am in the high-risk category for COVID-19. I’m an Illinois resident but out of state for the next six months. Am I eligible to receive the vaccine in the state I am visiting?
According to Dr. Kevin Most, a board-certified physician in family medicine and chief medical officer and senior vice president for medical affairs at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital, the issue is going to hinge on whether the reader has a physician who will identify her as being high risk.
”We’re getting to this 1B, 1C rollout, where we’re starting to take care of people over the age of 75 — that’s easily done with a driver’s license,” he said. “Those between the ages of 16 and 64 in that 2B (rollout) with complications or vulnerabilities — that certainly is going to take a physician to identify you as having diabetes or COPD. We’re making sure we vaccinate people in the right stratification regardless of where they’re at. I can’t speak for whatever state she’s in, but you would hope that if she has proof that she falls into what would be the 1C category, that they would honor that. When she’s back here, the vaccine should be out to the general public.”
Read more questions and answers here. – Darcel Rockett
3:41 p.m.: About 2,000 CPS staff members due back at school Monday asked for COVID-19 accommodations. Most were denied.
Seven thousand teachers and staff are due to report to Chicago Public Schools buildings Monday, but the district has denied accommodations or leave to the majority of educators who applied — particularly those who said a household member is vulnerable to COVID-19.
A CPS spokeswoman Tuesday said the district will provide weekly COVID-19 testing for those who live with high-risk household members and is working to provide exemptions to employees who serve as primary caregivers for individuals with a medical condition.
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But a lawyer for the Chicago Teachers Union, which has repeatedly criticized the district’s reopening plan and threatened “collective action,” said the numbers show that many educators are being forced to choose between their safety and livelihood and that many cannot afford to sacrifice their jobs. Most of those permitted to take leave are doing so without pay, CTU Deputy General Counsel Thad Goodchild said.
”CPS has denied about 60% of the leave and accommodations requests of our members to which they responded, even as CPS has a back-load of hundreds of requests to which they’ve failed to respond,” he said in a written statement. Read more here. — Elyssa Cherney
3:03 p.m.: Tribune critic Phil Vettel reflects on a terrible year for Chicago restaurants — and the inspired ways some adapted to survive
If one had deliberately set out to destroy the region’s restaurant industry, one could hardly have done more damage than the events of 2020 managed to accomplish.
An indoor-dining ban in the spring forced Chicago restaurants to adapt to a carryout and delivery model, taking on the expense of purchasing disposable containers and surrendering a big chunk of their profits to third-party delivery services. Outdoor dining returned in the summer, followed by indoor dining — at 25% capacity. Then, in fall, indoor dining was banned yet again.
I’m not about to argue that these measures, intended to slow the spread of the coronavirus, were at all unnecessary. But the restrictions resulted in hundreds of layoffs, and federal/state assistance proved to be meager at best as far as restaurants were concerned.
The wonder is not how many restaurants we lost in 2020; it’s that any restaurants are left. Read more here. — Phil Vettel
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2:08 p.m.: ‘It just took her so fast,’ says mom of Lincoln-Way East senior who died from COVID-19 infection
Just days before Christmas, 18-year-old Sarah Simental, a senior at Lincoln-Way East High School, complained to her mom of suffering from a mild headache and congestion.
“We thought it was a cold,” her mom, Deborah Simental, said Tuesday.
This past Sunday, surrounded by her family, the Tinley Park teen who loved animals and volunteered at a pet rescue died at the University of Chicago Medical Center, with COVID-19 having brought on respiratory failure.
Read more here. —Mike Nolan, Daily Southtown
2 p.m.: Coronavirus at Illinois long-term care facilities: 62,600 confirmed cases and 7,910 deaths
The Illinois Department of Public Health is releasing information on COVID-19 tied to long-term care facilities in Illinois. The data shows outbreaks have occurred at 1,473 long-term care facilities in 94 counties. Of those, 1,001 facilities have an “active” outbreak, defined as a positive test result in the past 28 days. In all, 62,600 confirmed cases can be tied to long-term care facilities, with 7,910 deaths, as of Dec. 25.
—Chicago Tribune staff
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12:09 p.m.: 5,644 new confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases and 106 additional deaths reported
Illinois health officials on Tuesday announced 5,644 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 105 additional fatalities, bringing the total number of known infections in Illinois to 948,006 and the statewide death toll to 16,179 since the start of the pandemic.
Officials also reported 66,786 new tests in the last 24 hours. The seven-day statewide rolling positivity rate for cases as a share of total tests was 7.4% for the period ending Monday.
—Chicago Tribune staff
11:31 a.m.: Wisconsin removed from ‘red’ tier states in Chicago travel order, negative COVID-19 test needed to avoid quarantine
Travelers heading to Chicago from Wisconsin can now bypass the 10-day quarantine by receiving a negative COVID-19 test result before coming into the city.
Illinois’ neighbor to the north was bumped down from the most severe “red” designation under Chicago’s travel order to “orange,” effective Friday, according to the city’s travel order website. But 10 other states moved up from orange to red, which mandates a 10-day quarantine for travelers returning to Chicago from those states.
Chicago’s public health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said this New Year’s Eve, people should avoid gatherings and nonessential travel — and that it’s not too late to change plans to accommodate a COVID-safe holiday.
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”This is not a year for gathering,” Arwady said during a news conference. “The bottom line is that still COVID is absolutely surging across the U.S., and you should delay travel if at all possible.”
As of Friday, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia and will be added to the red tier. Alaska, Connecticut, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Wisconsin and Wyoming and will move down to the orange designation. Only Vermont and Hawaii will not be under any additional restrictions.
Read more here. —Alice Yin
11:14 a.m.: With ‘no hesitation,’ Chicago’s health commissioner gets Pfizer shot at new Malcolm X College mass vaccination site for non-hospital health care workers
Chicago’s public health commissioner received the COVID-19 vaccine Tuesday morning at Malcolm X College as part of a wave of non-hospital health care workers now eligible for the shot.
Dr. Allison Arwady, who heads Chicago’s public health department, rolled up her sleeve for the Pfizer vaccine at the Near West Side campus, where the city has set up a makeshift mass vaccination site for health care workers. Wearing a black “Protect Chicago” mask, Arwady sat down and said she was ready for her first dose of the vaccine.
After the shot in her left arm, Arwady waited in the chair for about 15 minutes in order to monitor any side effects. But she said she felt invigorated that after almost a year of serving as Chicago’s authoritative voice on all things COVID-19, she was able to publicly be part of the vaccination effort that will be crucial in bringing the city back to normal.
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“I’m wonderful,” Arwady said when asked whether she felt OK. “Honestly, can’t even feel it. I’m so pleased right now.”
Read more here. —Alice Yin
10:29 a.m.: Fate of $2,000 payments now rests with GOP’s Senate, which meets today
President Donald Trump’s push for $2,000 COVID-19 relief checks now rests with the Senate after the House voted overwhelmingly to meet the president’s demand to increase the $600 stipends, but Republicans have shown little interest in boosting spending.
The outcome is highly uncertain heading into Tuesday’s session. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has declined to publicly address how he plans to handle the issue. But Democrats, sharing a rare priority with Trump, have seized on the opportunity to force Republicans into a difficult vote of either backing or defying the outgoing president.
After bipartisan approval by the House, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer warned, “There is no good reason for Senate Republicans to stand in the way.”
Read more here. —Associated Press
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6 a.m.: After outbreak of COVID-19 in the spring, changes at Ludeman Center in Park Forest kept resurgence numbers down, officials say
What began as a health emergency at a state-operated development center in Park Forest has become a managed situation, according to two state legislators.
Although still serious, cases of COVID-19 at the Ludeman Center are down significantly from their peak in April, said state Rep. Anthony DeLuca, D-Chicago Heights.
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March, 21% of staff and 77% of residents at the Ludeman Center had confirmed cases of the virus, according to state data.
In May, challenges at the Ludeman Center included too few employees to manage such a massive viral outbreak and a lack of personal protective equipment for staff members exposed to contagious residents.
Intervention and assistance from state health agencies helped get the situation under control, according to DeLuca, who said shortly before Christmas, 12 residents and 20 staff of the Ludeman Center had COVID-19.
“There’s one resident who’s in the hospital, but I’m told she has underlying health conditions,” DeLuca said. “As of now, there are no issues with staffing and no issues with PPE.”
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Read more here. —Carole Sharwarko, Daily Southtown
5 a.m.: Donnie Kirksey, Chicago basketball legend, dies at 57 of complications related to COVID-19
To many Chicagoans who knew him, Donnie Kirksey was a Hall of Famer in every sense of the word.
He was officially recognized as such through accolades in the Chicago Public League, the Illinois Basketball Coach/es Association and in many basketball circles in the state. But the title also extended to a personal level for many of the coaches, students and friends who knew him.
Hyde Park Academy head coach Donnie Kirksey in 2010. (Scott Strazzante / Chicago Tribune)
“He’s legendary, but he’s a Hall-of-Fame person and human being,” said Tom Kleinschmidt, 47, head basketball coach at DePaul College Prep who was friends with Kirksey for more than 30 years.
Kirksey, 57, died Monday of complications related to COVID-19, which he had been battling for a few weeks. He was the dean of students and head basketball coach at his alma mater Chicago Vocational Career Academy, but friends say his legacy extended far beyond his most recent position.
Read more here. —Kelli Smith
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Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 6 A beaver swims through a lagoon on the Northwestern campus in Evanston on Dec. 24, 2020. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)
Illinois’ largest rodents are in city lagoons, rivers and streams. Now, they’re on Instagram and TikTok, thanks to pandemic-weary Chicagoans.
Among the more humble recipients of our longer walks and affinity for nature during the pandemic: beavers.
On recent mornings, shortly before and after sunrise, small groups of people have traveled to a bridge on the Northwestern University campus in Evanston. Some leave willow branches. For the beavers.
“They’ve got this whole following,” said Tamar Selch, who stops by regularly with her husband, Zach. “They’re very cute. And how often do you really get to see beavers out there?”
Illinois’ largest rodents are in city lagoons, rivers and streams. They’re on Instagram and TikTok. Sometimes a nuisance, and at other times a welcomed presence, beavers have found respite all over the state, a switch from when they were wiped out by hunters by the early 1900s — and a sign that water quality and habitat possibilities have long been on the upswing. Now they’re making their last push as the cold sets in to shore up their lodges and stock up on food.
And offering another reminder of what we notice when we spend more time outdoors.
Read more here. —Morgan Greene
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chicagotribune--2020-12-31--Illinois reports 126,211 COVID-19 vaccinations administered throughout the state

“ Number one , we are pushing this vaccine out absolutely as soon as we receive it , ” Arwady @ @ @ @ @ certainly be distributing a lot more than that and so I ’ m really hopeful @ @ @ @ @ , we ’ ll be able to move this out faster .
… I wish @ @ @ @ @ speed up how quickly the vaccine was getting here , but there ’ s not @ @

Laquitta Boyd, holds her 6-year-old daughter Venisha while receiving her first COVID-19 vaccination at a back-to-school health fair hosted by RUSH University Medical Center at the Salvation Army Freedom Center on July 30, 2022, in Chicago. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)
By the end of the day Monday, 126,211 COVID-19 vaccinations had been given throughout Illinois, as the state began the third week of its mass immunization effort, according to Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s office.
As of Tuesday, 269,625 doses of vaccine had been delivered to Illinois, not including the share that went directly to the city of Chicago.
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This week, 21,450 Pfizer doses and 16,200 Moderna doses were shipped to the city, public health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said in a Wednesday virtual question-and-answer session.
Arwady underscored that there is no concern among city health officials that the vaccine inventory will expire before use, given that the vaccines have about a six-month shelf life and are being distributed within days. What will really determine efficient rollout, she said, is more allocation.
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“Number one, we are pushing this vaccine out absolutely as soon as we receive it,” Arwady said. “We can certainly be distributing a lot more than that and so I’m really hopeful that as production ramps up, we’ll be able to move this out faster. … I wish there was a way to speed up how quickly the vaccine was getting here, but there’s not.”
As of Tuesday, 25,264 Chicago residents had been vaccinated, according to a city dashboard, although that tally does not account for health care employees who work in Chicago and live outside the city.
The daily death toll of people with COVID-19 in Illinois remains stubbornly high, following an aggressive fall resurgence of the virus. Another 178 deaths were reported on Wednesday. The number of deaths reported daily has stayed above 100 for most of December, and Wednesday’s death toll was the highest it’s been since Dec. 18, when the state reported 181 deaths.
Vaccinations in Illinois are currently going to people within the top priority groups, those seen as some of the most likely to be exposed and the most vulnerable, front-line health care workers and residents of long-term care facilities, in what’s known as “Phase 1a” of distribution.
Last week, Pritzker reported that more than 100,000 vaccinations had been administered during the first week. The first vaccinations in Illinois were given Dec. 15.
The state’s next allotment of vaccine is expected to be delivered “on a rolling basis” this week and Monday, according to the governor’s office.
Because of the holiday this week, providers needed to certify that they are open and able to receive the shipment, the governor’s office said.
The state has set aside 76,050 doses for a federal program being administered through CVS and Walgreens to give the shots in skilled nursing facilities, which is half the amount needed to give the first dose in all skilled nursing facilities in the state outside of Chicago, according to the governor’s office.
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The other half will be reserved over the next two weeks, Pritzker’s office said.
The skilled nursing facility vaccinations through the federal program began in Illinois on Monday, and vaccinations at state-run veterans homes has also started.
In Chicago, nearly all of the Moderna doses were sent to long-term care facilities, which began vaccination on Monday, while the rest went to outpatient health care workers who also began receiving doses this week, Arwady said. The Pfizer vaccine is primarily going to hospitals.
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention earlier this month issued additional guidance for groups of people to receive priority for vaccinations following the top priority groups that are being vaccinated now.
That guidance suggests that a massive group of people be included in a Phase 1b for distribution, including those aged 75 and older and “front line essential workers,” which includes first responders, correctional workers, and transit and postal workers.
The state has yet to release details on how it will prioritize vaccines within that next phase. Pritzker said last week the Illinois Department of Public Health is reviewing those recommendations “in the context of Illinois data,” and that state officials will give more details about Illinois’ future vaccination phases in the new year.
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The state on Wednesday reported 7,374 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19, raising the statewide total to 955,380 cases throughout the course of the pandemic. There have been 16,357 deaths of people with COVID-19.
The new cases reported Wednesday came out of a batch of 74,573 tests conducted during the previous 24 hours.
The seven-day statewide positivity rate for cases as a share of total tests was 7.6% for the period ending Tuesday, which had ticked up slightly over the past few days. The case positivity rate was 7.5% a week earlier. On Dec. 1, that statewide rate was over 10%.
As of Tuesday night, 4,244 people statewide were hospitalized with COVID-19, with 882 patients in intensive care units and 496 on ventilators.
jmunks@chicagotribune.com
ayin@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-12-31--Huntley man charged with attempted murder in Carpentersville stabbing, Kane officials say

The victim was taken to a local hospital for treatment , police said .
The extent of his injuries has @ @ @ @

A Huntley man has been charged with attempted murder in connection with the stabbing of a 36-year-old man in Carpentersville, according to the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Joshua A. Doss, 39, was also charged with armed violence, home invasion with a dangerous weapon, aggravated battery and violating an order of protection, according to the Kane County State’s Attorney’s office.
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The attack occurred about 4:30 p.m. Monday in the 3100 block of Merrywell Court and stemmed from a domestic situation, authorities said.
The victim was taken to a local hospital for treatment, police said. The extent of his injuries has not been released.
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Doss is awaiting a bond hearing on the charges.
Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.