chicagotribune--2020-09-10--Coronavirus in Illinois updates: 1,337 new known COVID-19 cases and 30 more fatalities reported as F

Coronavirus in Illinois updates: 1,337 new known COVID-19 cases and 30 more fatalities reported as Fauci sticks with 2021 prediction for vaccine

Illinois health officials Wednesday announced 1,337 new known cases of COVID-19 and 30 additional fatalities , bringing the total number of known infections in Illinois to 253,690 and the statewide death toll to 8,214 since the start of the pandemic .
Meanwhile , the Chicago Public Schools on began the school year Tuesday with remote learning .
Most educators were teaching from their homes , although some streamed lessons from their school classrooms .
Many suburban school districts have already resumed classes , with teachers giving lessons remotely from their school classrooms .
Some private schools , including the Archdiocese @ @ @ @ @ @ @ went back to school in person .
Also Tuesday , the city of Chicago added Kentucky to its mandatory quarantine order and removed California and Puerto Rico , officials announced .
9:05 p.m. : No COVID-19 relief package before the election ?
Top GOP senators make pessimistic predictions .
Top Republican senators made pessimistic predictions Wednesday about securing a bipartisan coronavirus relief package before the November election , signaling instead they will just try to pass legislation that would avoid a federal shutdown as lawmakers head home to campaign .
Senate Majority Leader @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was “ optimistic ” that Republicans would deliver strong support for the GOP ’ s $ 500 billion slimmed-down COVID-19 rescue package in a test vote Thursday .
But he declined to say whether his majority would be fully on board .
Democrats have indicated they will shelve the Republican measure as insufficient , leaving lawmakers at an impasse .
There ’ s no indication yet that bipartisan talks that crumbled last month will restart .
Lawmakers closely tracking recent efforts to strike a deal that could pass before the November election said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Unless something really broke through , it ’ s not going to happen , ” said Sen. Richard Shelby , R-Ala. , chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee .
The stalemate is politically risky for all sides heading into the fall election that will decide not only the presidency , but also control of Congress .
7:45 p.m. : Half of Chicago households report serious financial problems during the COVID-19 pandemic , NPR-Harvard poll finds Half of Chicago households , many of them Black and Latino families , reported facing serious financial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to a poll of more than 3,400 respondents in four major U.S. cities published Wednesday .
The poll was conducted from July 1 through Aug. 3 in New York City , Los Angeles , Houston and Chicago by NPR , the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard T.H .
Chan School of Public Health .
During the pandemic , many Chicago residents have struggled to pay bills , rent and utilities , as well as afford medical care and child care .
Many have also depleted their savings , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of Black households , 63 % of Latino households and 59 % of households making less than $ 100,000 annually in Chicago reported serious financial problems .
6:30 p.m. ( update ) : COVID-19 vaccine by Nov. 3 ?
Halted study explains just how unlikely that is .
The suspension of a huge COVID-19 vaccine study over an illness in a single participant shows there will be “ no compromises ” on safety in the race to develop the shot , the chief of the National Institutes of Health told Congress on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ studies of its vaccine candidate in the U.S. and other countries while it investigates whether a British volunteer ’ s illness is a side effect or a coincidence .
“ This ought to be reassuring , ” NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins said before a Senate committee .
“ When we say we are going to focus first on safety and make no compromises , here is Exhibit A of how that is happening in practice.
” 4:30 p.m. : Lightfoot says she doesn ’ t expect ‘ mass crowds of trick or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been an epic year for Halloween lovers , with the annual celebration of costumes and candy falling on a Saturday , it seems the coronavirus will be playing the final trick on those seeking treats in Chicago .
Mayor Lori Lightfoot said the city ’ s looking at how to best celebrate the holiday and doesn ’ t expect it to look like years past .
Lightfoot said the city is working on plans to recognize and celebrate Halloween , but in a way that ’ s “ consistent with the public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t expect to see mass crowds of trick or treating like we have in years past , ” she said .
“ It ’ s not safe for the children .
It ’ s not safe for the adults.
” The announcement isn ’ t a surprise in a city that ’ s discouraged large social gatherings while urging people to be careful about who they come into contact with , though it ’ s unclear how the city would enforce trick or treat bans .
3:45 p.m. : CPS clerks must continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but unfair labor complaint prompted by COVID-19 will be heard Chicago Public Schools employees who say the risks of COVID-19 make their buildings unsafe must continue to show up for in-person work for now .
Illinois education labor board denied a request from the Chicago Teachers Union for emergency relief for clerks and other school employees who ’ ve been asked to work in person but say CPS has not bargained with them in good faith over working conditions .
Despite the outcome of Wednesday ’ s hearing , the board has agreed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the union representing its pilots have reached an agreement that would spare almost 3,000 pilots from furloughs next month .
The Chicago-based airline last week warned that it planned to furlough 2,850 of its 13,000 pilots , along with more than 13,500 employees in other roles , amid a steep decline in air travel during the coronavirus pandemic .
Most of those furloughs are scheduled to start Oct. 1 .
Airlines that accepted federal aid this spring agreed to avoid layoffs before that date .
Hinsdale High School District 86 has launched @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hinsdale Central High School has had a positive COVID-19 test .
District officials notified families Wednesday morning about the positive test , but did not say when the person was tested or when the individual was in the school .
Students have been doing remote learning since the start of school last month , so students are not attending classes in person at Hinsdale Central or Hinsdale South high schools .
Students could be at the school campus participating in one of the fall sports , which include girls and boys cross country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diving .
1:04 p.m. : Impact of COVID-19 seen on enrollment numbers at Illinois universities The number of freshmen and international students are down at many Illinois universities as the impact on the coronavirus on fall enrollment begins to come into view .
At the University of Illinois , the number of undergraduate students enrolled is down about 350 from last year ’ s high .
The freshman class is also down about 1.8 % , and the number of students who chose to defer enrollment was nearly five times higher than in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ For more on fall enrollment at UIUC and other Illinois colleges , read more here .
—Elyssa Cherney 12:24 p.m. : ‘ I wanted to always play it down ’ : President Trump admits to downplaying the threat of coronavirus in new Bob Woodward book President Donald Trump acknowledged to journalist Bob Woodward that he had knowingly played down the coronavirus earlier this year even though he was aware it was “ deadly ” and vastly more serious than the seasonal flu .
“ This is deadly stuff , ” Trump told Woodward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ series of interviews he conducted with the president for his upcoming book , “ Rage.
” The Washington Post and CNN were given advance copies of the book and published details Wednesday .
“ You just breathe the air and that ’ s how it ’ s passed , ” Trump said .
“ And so that ’ s a very tricky one .
That ’ s a very delicate one .
It ’ s also more deadly than even your strenuous flu.
” That was a vastly different story than what Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wanted to always play it down , ” Trump told Woodward on March 19 .
“ I still like playing it down , because I don ’ t want to create a panic.
” Illinois health officials Wednesday announced 1,337 new known cases of COVID-19 and 30 additional fatalities , bringing the total number of known infections in Illinois to 253,690 and the statewide death toll to 8,214 since the start of the pandemic .
11:22 a.m. : NIH : Halted vaccine study shows there will be ‘ no compromises ’ on safety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of its potential COVID-19 vaccine while it investigates a volunteer ’ s illness shows there will be “ no compromises ” on safety in developing the shots , the chief of the National Institutes of Health told Congress on Wednesday .
“ This ought to be reassuring , ” NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins said before a Senate committee .
“ When we say we are going to focus first on safety and make no compromises , here is Exhibit A of how that is happening in practice.
” Late Tuesday , AstraZeneca @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hold while the company looks into whether a test subject ’ s illness is a side effect of the shot or a coincidence .
The company gave no details on the illness , but Collins said it involved a “ spinal problem.
” 10:22 a.m. : Tamale Guy restaurant reopens today in Chicago as owner remains in ICU Tamale Guy Chicago reopens today in the Ukrainian Village neighborhood .
The namesake restaurant of Claudio Velez was closed for nearly two weeks after he tested positive for COVID-19 , just two weeks after a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , two hour waits and selling out of thousands of tamales .
Prior to the coronavirus mandated closures , Velez was best known for his red cooler full of warm tamales , sold bar to bar on the North Side of the city .
Velez remains hospitalized on a ventilator in ICU with his condition improving .
His business partners , longtime chef and friend Pierre Vega and his wife Kristin Vega , will continue operations .
All staff tested negative for the coronavirus .
They also have cleaned and disinfected the takeout-only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Velez ’ s son , Osmar Abad .
A GoFundMe for Velez ’ s medical expenses has raised more than $ 56,000 to date .
Last week Abad said the family planned to close the campaign , but it ’ s still open .
“ We will leave the funds there until my dad is able to wake up and make his own decisions , ” said Abad .
9:24 a.m. : Dr. Anthony Fauci sticks with 2021 prediction for coronavirus vaccine Dr. Anthony Fauci said he ’ s sticking with his projection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may be ready in early 2021 .
He said it ’ s possible it could be sooner , but “ unlikely.
” The White House adviser on the coronavirus told `` CBS This Morning “ the more likely scenario is that we will know by the end of this calendar year and hopefully we ’ ll be able to start vaccinations in earnest as we begin early 2021.
” Fauci said it ’ s routine for late-stage vaccine studies to be put on hold because of side effects .
A study by AstraZeneca @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paused for safety reasons after an illness from a shot in a recipient in Britain .
7 a.m. : Pritzker to attend Springfield memorial service for those who died from COVID-19 After census event in Normal in the morning , Gov .
J.B. Pritzker was scheduled to attend a memorial service in Springfield Wednesday evening for people who have died from the coronavirus , according to his office .
Pritzker was scheduled to attend a memorial service at the First Presbyterian Church in Springfield “ to honor those who have lost their lives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” according to his press office .
Further details weren ’ t immediately released .
6:45 a.m. : Parents , students at Wheaton rally call for in-person learning and the early return of high school sports Could Illinois be next on the list for an early return of high school sports ?
That was an idea behind a large gathering Tuesday night in Wheaton .
Wheaton businessmen Dave Ruggles and Eric Brown helped form a “ We Stand for the Students ” rally at Memorial Park .
More than 1,000 people showed up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sports in its regular form as well as in-person learning to schools .
On Sept. 3 , Michigan government officials lifted an order restricting organized sports .
The Michigan High School Athletic Association then reinstated football and other fall sports .
The next day , the Louisiana High School Athletic Association announced football will resume in that state on Oct. 8 .
Colorado is considering doing the same for football and other fall sports .
Here are five stories from Tuesday related to COVID-19 .

We have lifted the paywall on this story. To support essential reporting, please consider becoming a subscriber .
Paca Kujtim of Arlington Heights self-administers a COVID-19 test in his car at the Arlington International Racecourse on March 31, 2021 in Arlington Heights. Kujtim was getting testing as a precaution for upcoming travel. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
Illinois health officials Wednesday announced 1,337 new known cases of COVID-19 and 30 additional fatalities, bringing the total number of known infections in Illinois to 253,690 and the statewide death toll to 8,214 since the start of the pandemic.
Meanwhile, the Chicago Public Schools on began the school year Tuesday with remote learning. Most educators were teaching from their homes, although some streamed lessons from their school classrooms.
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Many suburban school districts have already resumed classes, with teachers giving lessons remotely from their school classrooms. Some private schools, including the Archdiocese of Chicago’s students, already went back to school in person.
Also Tuesday, the city of Chicago added Kentucky to its mandatory quarantine order and removed California and Puerto Rico, officials announced.
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Here’s what’s happening Wednesday with COVID-19 in the Chicago area and Illinois:
9:05 p.m.: No COVID-19 relief package before the election? Top GOP senators make pessimistic predictions.
Top Republican senators made pessimistic predictions Wednesday about securing a bipartisan coronavirus relief package before the November election, signaling instead they will just try to pass legislation that would avoid a federal shutdown as lawmakers head home to campaign.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said he was “optimistic” that Republicans would deliver strong support for the GOP’s $500 billion slimmed-down COVID-19 rescue package in a test vote Thursday. But he declined to say whether his majority would be fully on board. Democrats have indicated they will shelve the Republican measure as insufficient, leaving lawmakers at an impasse.
There’s no indication yet that bipartisan talks that crumbled last month will restart. Lawmakers closely tracking recent efforts to strike a deal that could pass before the November election said they saw little reason for hope.
“Unless something really broke through, it’s not going to happen,” said Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
The stalemate is politically risky for all sides heading into the fall election that will decide not only the presidency, but also control of Congress.
Read more here. —Associated Press
7:45 p.m.: Half of Chicago households report serious financial problems during the COVID-19 pandemic, NPR-Harvard poll finds
Half of Chicago households, many of them Black and Latino families, reported facing serious financial problems caused by the coronavirus pandemic, according to a poll of more than 3,400 respondents in four major U.S. cities published Wednesday.
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The poll was conducted from July 1 through Aug. 3 in New York City, Los Angeles, Houston and Chicago by NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
During the pandemic, many Chicago residents have struggled to pay bills, rent and utilities, as well as afford medical care and child care. Many have also depleted their savings, according to the study.
The poll found 69% of Black households, 63% of Latino households and 59% of households making less than $100,000 annually in Chicago reported serious financial problems.
Read more here. —Abdel Jimenez
6:30 p.m. (update): COVID-19 vaccine by Nov. 3? Halted study explains just how unlikely that is.
The suspension of a huge COVID-19 vaccine study over an illness in a single participant shows there will be “no compromises” on safety in the race to develop the shot, the chief of the National Institutes of Health told Congress on Wednesday.
AstraZeneca has put on hold studies of its vaccine candidate in the U.S. and other countries while it investigates whether a British volunteer’s illness is a side effect or a coincidence.
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“This ought to be reassuring,” NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins said before a Senate committee. “When we say we are going to focus first on safety and make no compromises, here is Exhibit A of how that is happening in practice.”
—Associated Press
4:30 p.m.: Lightfoot says she doesn’t expect ‘mass crowds of trick or treating’ this Halloween
On what should have been an epic year for Halloween lovers, with the annual celebration of costumes and candy falling on a Saturday, it seems the coronavirus will be playing the final trick on those seeking treats in Chicago.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot said the city’s looking at how to best celebrate the holiday and doesn’t expect it to look like years past. Lightfoot said the city is working on plans to recognize and celebrate Halloween, but in a way that’s “consistent with the public health guidance.”
“I don’t expect to see mass crowds of trick or treating like we have in years past,” she said. “It’s not safe for the children. It’s not safe for the adults.”
The announcement isn’t a surprise in a city that’s discouraged large social gatherings while urging people to be careful about who they come into contact with, though it’s unclear how the city would enforce trick or treat bans.
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—Gregory Pratt
3:45 p.m.: CPS clerks must continue to work in person for now, but unfair labor complaint prompted by COVID-19 will be heard
Chicago Public Schools employees who say the risks of COVID-19 make their buildings unsafe must continue to show up for in-person work for now.
Illinois education labor board denied a request from the Chicago Teachers Union for emergency relief for clerks and other school employees who’ve been asked to work in person but say CPS has not bargained with them in good faith over working conditions.
Despite the outcome of Wednesday’s hearing, the board has agreed to advance the case.
Read more here. —Hannah Leone
1:43 p.m.: United, pilots union reach tentative deal to avoid furloughs
United Airlines and the union representing its pilots have reached an agreement that would spare almost 3,000 pilots from furloughs next month.
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The Chicago-based airline last week warned that it planned to furlough 2,850 of its 13,000 pilots, along with more than 13,500 employees in other roles, amid a steep decline in air travel during the coronavirus pandemic.
Most of those furloughs are scheduled to start Oct. 1. Airlines that accepted federal aid this spring agreed to avoid layoffs before that date.
Read more here. —Lauren Zumbach
1:41 p.m.: Positive COVID-19 test at Hinsdale Central High School
Hinsdale High School District 86 has launched its contract tracing procedure as someone at Hinsdale Central High School has had a positive COVID-19 test.
District officials notified families Wednesday morning about the positive test, but did not say when the person was tested or when the individual was in the school.
Students have been doing remote learning since the start of school last month, so students are not attending classes in person at Hinsdale Central or Hinsdale South high schools.
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Students could be at the school campus participating in one of the fall sports, which include girls and boys cross country, girls tennis and girls swimming and diving.
Read more here. —Kimberly Fornek
1:04 p.m.: Impact of COVID-19 seen on enrollment numbers at Illinois universities
The number of freshmen and international students are down at many Illinois universities as the impact on the coronavirus on fall enrollment begins to come into view.
At the University of Illinois, the number of undergraduate students enrolled is down about 350 from last year’s high. The freshman class is also down about 1.8%, and the number of students who chose to defer enrollment was nearly five times higher than in a typical year, officials said.
For more on fall enrollment at UIUC and other Illinois colleges, read more here. —Elyssa Cherney
12:24 p.m.: ‘I wanted to always play it down’: President Trump admits to downplaying the threat of coronavirus in new Bob Woodward book
President Donald Trump acknowledged to journalist Bob Woodward that he had knowingly played down the coronavirus earlier this year even though he was aware it was “deadly” and vastly more serious than the seasonal flu.
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“This is deadly stuff,” Trump told Woodward on Feb. 7 in one of a series of interviews he conducted with the president for his upcoming book, “Rage.”
The Washington Post and CNN were given advance copies of the book and published details Wednesday.
“You just breathe the air and that’s how it’s passed,” Trump said. “And so that’s a very tricky one. That’s a very delicate one. It’s also more deadly than even your strenuous flu.”
That was a vastly different story than what Trump was telling the public.
“I wanted to always play it down,” Trump told Woodward on March 19. “I still like playing it down, because I don’t want to create a panic.”
Read more here. —The New York Times
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12:05 p.m.: 1,337 new known COVID-19 cases, 30 additional deaths reported
Illinois health officials Wednesday announced 1,337 new known cases of COVID-19 and 30 additional fatalities, bringing the total number of known infections in Illinois to 253,690 and the statewide death toll to 8,214 since the start of the pandemic.
—Chicago Tribune staff
11:22 a.m.: NIH: Halted vaccine study shows there will be ‘no compromises’ on safety
AstraZeneca’s suspension of final testing of its potential COVID-19 vaccine while it investigates a volunteer’s illness shows there will be “no compromises” on safety in developing the shots, the chief of the National Institutes of Health told Congress on Wednesday.
“This ought to be reassuring,” NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins said before a Senate committee. “When we say we are going to focus first on safety and make no compromises, here is Exhibit A of how that is happening in practice.”
Late Tuesday, AstraZeneca announced its final-stage studies are on temporary hold while the company looks into whether a test subject’s illness is a side effect of the shot or a coincidence. The company gave no details on the illness, but Collins said it involved a “spinal problem.”
Read more here. —Associated Press
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10:22 a.m.: Tamale Guy restaurant reopens today in Chicago as owner remains in ICU
Tamale Guy Chicago reopens today in the Ukrainian Village neighborhood. The namesake restaurant of Claudio Velez was closed for nearly two weeks after he tested positive for COVID-19, just two weeks after a grand opening with 10 block long lines, two hour waits and selling out of thousands of tamales. Prior to the coronavirus mandated closures, Velez was best known for his red cooler full of warm tamales, sold bar to bar on the North Side of the city.
Velez remains hospitalized on a ventilator in ICU with his condition improving. His business partners, longtime chef and friend Pierre Vega and his wife Kristin Vega, will continue operations. All staff tested negative for the coronavirus. They also have cleaned and disinfected the takeout-only restaurant according to CDC guidelines, said Velez’s son, Osmar Abad.
A GoFundMe for Velez’s medical expenses has raised more than $56,000 to date. Last week Abad said the family planned to close the campaign, but it’s still open. “We will leave the funds there until my dad is able to wake up and make his own decisions,” said Abad.
—Louisa Chu
9:24 a.m.: Dr. Anthony Fauci sticks with 2021 prediction for coronavirus vaccine
Dr. Anthony Fauci said he’s sticking with his projection that a safe and effective coronavirus vaccine may be ready in early 2021. He said it’s possible it could be sooner, but “unlikely.”
The White House adviser on the coronavirus told "CBS This Morning “the more likely scenario is that we will know by the end of this calendar year and hopefully we’ll be able to start vaccinations in earnest as we begin early 2021.”
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Fauci said it’s routine for late-stage vaccine studies to be put on hold because of side effects. A study by AstraZeneca of a potential coronavirus vaccine was recently paused for safety reasons after an illness from a shot in a recipient in Britain.
Read more here. —Associated Press
7:15 a.m.: JPMorgan Chase says some customers and employees misused PPP, other stimulus programs
JPMorgan Chase said Tuesday that a number of its employees and customers may have abused the Paycheck Protection Program and other coronavirus stimulus programs.
The New York-based bank said it is working with law enforcement in some cases, although in a memo sent to employees it did not state how many employees may have unethically misused the programs, or what exactly they did. The bank declined to comment beyond the memo.
“Unfortunately, we’ve also seen conduct that does not live up to our business and ethical principles — and may even be illegal,” the memo said.
Read more here. —Associated Press
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7 a.m.: Pritzker to attend Springfield memorial service for those who died from COVID-19
After census event in Normal in the morning, Gov. J.B. Pritzker was scheduled to attend a memorial service in Springfield Wednesday evening for people who have died from the coronavirus, according to his office.
Pritzker was scheduled to attend a memorial service at the First Presbyterian Church in Springfield “to honor those who have lost their lives to coronavirus … and their families,” according to his press office. Further details weren’t immediately released.
—Chicago Tribune staff
6:45 a.m.: Parents, students at Wheaton rally call for in-person learning and the early return of high school sports
Could Illinois be next on the list for an early return of high school sports?
That was an idea behind a large gathering Tuesday night in Wheaton.
Wheaton businessmen Dave Ruggles and Eric Brown helped form a “We Stand for the Students” rally at Memorial Park. More than 1,000 people showed up for two purposes — bringing back fall sports in its regular form as well as in-person learning to schools.
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On Sept. 3, Michigan government officials lifted an order restricting organized sports. The Michigan High School Athletic Association then reinstated football and other fall sports.
The next day, the Louisiana High School Athletic Association announced football will resume in that state on Oct. 8. Colorado is considering doing the same for football and other fall sports.
Read more here. —Jeff Vorva
Breaking coronavirus news Stay up to date with the latest information on coronavirus with our breaking news alerts.
In case you missed it
Here are five stories from Tuesday related to COVID-19.


chicagotribune--2020-09-09--Aurora area election officials confident they can handle hike in mail-in voting

All the county clerks said they have systems in place to winnow out any multiple ballots someone might send in @ @ @ @ @ that while their offices mailed out applications for mail-in ballots , so have political organizations @ @ @ @ @ means people might have gotten more than one application for a mail-in ballot .

A woman wearing gloves drops off a mail-in ballot at a drop box in New Jersey in July. The pandemic is causing an increase in the number of people asking for mail-in ballots, something Aurora area election officials say they are prepared to deal with in the fall election. (Seth Wenig/AP)
Aurora’s election administrators are ready to handle an increase in mail-in voting in the fall election, they said during a Wednesday online event.
The county clerks of Kane, DuPage, Kendall and Will counties said they have procedures set up that will make sure mail-in ballots are secure, counted and counted only once. All four spoke on an online panel with Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin.
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“In our office we have a strict chain of custody,” said DuPage County Clerk Jean Kaczmarek.
All four county clerks said they have a panel of judges, which includes a representative of both major parties, that will look at mail-in ballots and decide on their legitimacy.
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Will County Clerk Lauren Staley Ferry said offices will have drop boxes for people to drop off their mail ballots because “people are concerned about the Postal Service.”
Kendall County Clerk Debbie Gillette. (Kendall County / HANDOUT)
In Kendall County, Clerk Debbie Gillette has one drop box near the Kendall County Building in Yorkville, and DuPage County has two drop boxes, one outside the county administration building in Wheaton and one inside the building too.
Kane County Clerk John Cunningham said he will have three drop boxes, one outside the clerk’s offices in Aurora and Geneva, and one in Elgin, most likely at City Hall. He said there are security cameras 24 hours on each drop box.
Still, Cunningham said he has “complete faith” in the post office after talking with officials there.
Kane County Clerk John Cunningham. (Jack Cunningham / Handout)
“It shouldn’t be any tougher than tax time, or Christmas time,” he said of handling mail-in ballots. “I think that’s been overblown.”
He did say that people should make sure when they mail their ballot, it is postmarked by at least election day itself. He said if people mail their ballot too late on election day, at some places it might not get postmarked until the next day.
All the county clerks said they have systems in place to winnow out any multiple ballots someone might send in. They all pointed out that while their offices mailed out applications for mail-in ballots, so have political organizations or candidates themselves, which means people might have gotten more than one application for a mail-in ballot.
But within the clerks' offices, they go through the requests and make sure everyone gets only one actual ballot mailed back to them, they said. And no one gets a mail-in ballot in Illinois unless they apply for it, Kaczmarek said.
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She said DuPage County has gotten more than 130,000 applications for mail-in ballots for the fall election, and expects to get as many as 150,000 by the end of September. The county has 625,000 registered voters.
Cunningham said he has received about 90,000 applications for the ballots.
There are other ways to vote in Illinois, too, besides mail ballots. Early voting starts Oct. 19, and a thing called in-person absentee voting starts Sept. 24. For early voting, people can go to the polling places set up by each county election jurisdiction. Each county sets up an in-person absentee voting place.
For early voting, Will County will have three sites most convenient for Aurora residents who live in Will County. One is at Naperville City Hall, the second is at the 95th Street Naperville Library building and another is at Village Hall in Plainfield.
Kendall County will have three remote locations, having added the Oswego Public Library this year, Gillette said. Other locations are Oswego Village Hall and Plano Village Hall.
DuPage County has 18 early voting sites, all of which are listed on the DuPage County Clerk’s website. Kane County will have 24 sites, some of them permanent and some set up at certain dates. The county also has two vote-mobiles, which set up at different sites throughout the county.
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In addition, there is grace period voting for anyone who has failed to register but wants to vote. That can be done at election jurisdiction offices for 30 days before the election.
Irvin pointed out that voting on election day itself “is a great American tradition,” and some people still like to vote on that day.
All four clerks said their polling places on election day will have masks, gloves and sanitizer for the judges, and will have shields installed. They also will observe social distancing.
The clerks said they cannot require voters to wear masks, but they will encourage it. In DuPage, Kaczmarek said they will have masks available if voters get there and want to wear one.
“We’re hoping everyone will wear a mask,” Kaczmarek said.
All four clerks said they will need election judges, who are paid between $150 and $260 for a day of work. Judges work a full day, from about 5 a.m. until after 7 p.m. on election day. People can contact their county clerk’s office if interested in becoming an election judge.
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slord@tribpub.com


chicagotribune--2020-09-10--Former state GOP Chairman Brady backs Democratic U.S. Rep. Sean Casten over Republican Jeanne Ives;

Former state GOP Chairman Brady backs Democratic U.S. Rep. Sean Casten over Republican Jeanne Ives; Ives, state party fire back

“ She ’ s about as far right as you can go of any candidate in the country , ” @ @ @ @ @ compounding that , I think she disqualified herself from any public office with that ad @ @ @ @ @ , which to me reflects really poor judgment , particularly the fact that she never @ @ @ @ @ Democrats condemned it .
”

Former Illinois Republican Chairman Pat Brady endorsed Democratic U.S. Rep. Sean Casten in a series of ads on Thursday, saying Republican challenger Jeanne Ives, a hard-line social conservative and backer of President Donald Trump, was “too extreme” for the suburban district.
Brady’s decision to back the first-term Casten, of Downers Grove, over Ives, a former state representative of Wheaton, reflects the turmoil that has existed within the state GOP over the last several years as its socially conservative and moderate factions have struggled for control and party identity in an increasingly Democratic state.
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“I’m Pat Brady, a lifelong Republican, but I can’t support Jeanne Ives for Congress. Ives makes Trump look reasonable. She’s attacked same-sex families, even questioned the science behind climate change and the coronavirus. Ives is on the wrong side of history,” Brady says in one ad.
In a second ad, Brady touts Casten without mentioning Ives, saying the Democrat “makes decisions based on facts, never politics. He’s worked across the aisle to protect our health and get our economy moving again.”
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Brady, of St. Charles, is a resident of the west and northwest suburban 6th Congressional District, where Casten upset veteran Republican U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam of Wheaton two years ago. Brady backed Roskam in that race.
Like the state GOP, the congressional district is finding its own identity. Once containing the heart of DuPage County’s rock-ribbed Republicans, the district has shifted Democrat while retaining parts of its social conservatism centered around Wheaton. The district favored Democrat Hillary Clinton by 7 percentage points over Trump in 2016.
Casten said in a statement that he was “honored” to receive the Brady endorsement.
“I believe that public officials should always lead with their values,” Casten said. “Jeanne Ives has made it clear that her values don’t represent the 6th District, and Pat Brady has made it clear that her values don’t represent the Republican Party.”
The state’s current Republican leadership — Chairman Tim Schneider, National Committeeman Richard Porter and National Committeewoman Demetra Demonte — came to Ives’ defense in a joint statement that contended “identifying and labeling Pat Brady as a Republican is false and misleading.”
“Pat Brady is a liberal Democrat and has been for some time. Sean Casten may have the backing of political hacks but Jeanne Ives is supported by hard working taxpayers,” the statement said.
Ives weighed in on Twitter, saying: “Of course Pat Brady endorsed Sean Casten. Amoral, ruling class political hacks stick together.”
Lobbyists Stumping for Lobbyists. Our Response:
Of course Pat Brady endorsed Sean Casten. Amoral, ruling class political hacks stick together. — Jeanne Ives (@JeanneIves) September 10, 2020
In response, Brady, now a lobbyist, said, “I’m still a Republican but I can’t embrace the Ives extreme agenda, which does not in my opinion represent the 6th Congressional District.” He said Ives’ “rabid response” to his decision to back Casten and her past controversial history were reasons why she is “temperamentally ill equipped for public office.”
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Ives has had a complicated relationship with the state GOP. After six years in the Illinois House, she nearly upset then-Gov. Bruce Rauner in the 2018 GOP primary.
In that campaign, she ran an ad using exaggerations and misleading statements to attack Rauner’s conservative credentials with actors mockingly saying “thank you” to him for expanded transgender, abortion and immigration rights.
Schneider, who is now coming to Ives’ defense, was Rauner’s hand-picked state GOP chairman and denounced the 2018 ad. He said it did not reflect the Illinois Republican Party, called it a “cowardly attempt to stoke political division” and asked her to apologize and remove it. She did neither.
State Republicans who are running a “races to watch” online program to help raise funds for a variety of contenders did not include Ives. State GOP officials said she declined to participate in the fundraising effort, but they support her candidacy.
Brady said it was the 2016 ad that showed Ives’ beliefs were “too extreme for the district” — a theme echoed on other social media ads the Casten campaign began rolling out Wednesday.
“She’s about as far right as you can go of any candidate in the country,” he said. “But compounding that, I think she disqualified herself from any public office with that ad she ran two years ago, which to me reflects really poor judgment, particularly the fact that she never disavowed it after Republicans and Democrats condemned it.”
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Ives launched her own half-minute cable-TV ad campaign Thursday with a biographical ad recounting her Army and legislative background. Her campaign is spending at least $43,228, cable industry records show, and running a minutelong version on social media.
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Brady, a resident of the district, was state GOP chairman from 2009 to 2013 and previously was a Republican national committeeman for the state. He resigned the top Republican post after endorsing same-sex marriage, angering social conservatives who said his position countermanded a plank in the state Republican platform that specified marriage can only take place between a man and a woman. Brady said his support was a personal, not party, position.
Among those pushing for Brady’s ouster at the time was state Sen. Jim Oberweis of Sugar Grove. Oberweis is the Republican nominee challenging first-term Democratic U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood of Naperville in the neighboring urban and exurban 14th Congressional District.
Underwood, who defeated veteran GOP U.S. Rep. Randy Hultgren of Plano, also launched her first ad of the general election campaign, a half minute spot aimed at demonstrating she has traveled throughout the district and had three measures signed into law, including one aimed at lowering the cost of insulin drugs. Cable industry records show she is spending $190,584 to air the spot.
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chicagotribune--2020-09-10--Bail denied for man charged with kidnapping two law students from Hyde Park home, forcing them to wi

Bail denied for man charged with kidnapping two law students from Hyde Park home, forcing them to withdraw cash at ATMs

Following his arrest , Drummond told authorities that he picked up two intoxicated women at the side of the road @ @ @ @ @ with them when they went to the ATM , but denied groping one of the @ @

A man with a history of burglaries is accused of kidnapping two University of Chicago law students from their Hyde Park apartment and forcing them to withdraw cash from ATMs late last month.
Johnathan Drummond, 29, was arrested Tuesday and charged with aggravated kidnapping, armed robbery, aggravated criminal sexual abuse and home invasion in connection with the Aug. 31 attack.
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Johnathan Drummond (Chicago police / HANDOUT)
A judge on Thursday denied bail for Drummond during a hearing broadcast on YouTube, calling him a threat to the community.
Prosecutors described how Drummond — who has prior convictions for burglary, residential burglary, robbery and a federal gun case — entered the apartment of the women, aged 22 and 25, in the 1300 block of East 52nd Street on Aug. 31.
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Both women had arrived in the city within the week to begin classes, the 25-year-old just the day before, Assistant State’s Attorney James Murphy told the court.
Drummond entered the home through a transom window above their front door, demanded cash, rummaged through their possessions and hit them several times, prosecutors said.
Drummond pressed a hard metal object against the back of one of the women, claiming it was a gun, according to Murphy. Though the women never saw it, they said they were convinced he had a gun.
After taking jewelry, Drummond ordered the women out of the home, demanding they go with him to banking machines to withdraw cash.
Drummond allegedly drove the women to several ATMs and forced them to withdraw cash. One woman was able to withdraw $450, but the other woman was unable to withdraw funds, police said. She began contacting family members in hopes they could wire her money.
While traveling between ATMs, Drummond began groping one of the victims inside the car, striking her in the face when she pulled away, Murphy said.
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Drummond drove them to a Walgreens that could complete the transaction, but the wiring service was not available that early in the morning, police said.
Drummond fled when the victims were able to seek help from shoppers in the parking lot, authorities said. He went to his girlfriend’s home, confessing that he’d kidnapped two women and stole their jewelry, Murphy said. Both victims identified Drummond in a photo array.
Following his arrest, Drummond told authorities that he picked up two intoxicated women at the side of the road and explained that he was with them when they went to the ATM, but denied groping one of the victims.
But prosecutors countered, saying surveillance video corroborated the women’s version of events, adding that neither victim appeared intoxicated. The women said they had never seen him before.
Drummond is the father of a 1-year-old daughter, according to his court-appointed attorney.
Drummond, of the 7700 block of South Carpenter Street, was barred from contacting the victims or witnesses. He is scheduled to return to court later this month.


chicagotribune--2020-09-10--FBI refuses to give records of ‘ongoing criminal investigation’ in Jussie Smollett matter to city; l

FBI refuses to give records of ‘ongoing criminal investigation’ in Jussie Smollett matter to city; lawyers for actor fail to get state case dismissed

“ Disclosure at this time would reveal and impair the effectiveness of investigatory records and techniques compiled for law enforcement @ @ @ @ @ 29 letter stated .
The response also said that any information the FBI possesses that @ @ @ @ @ jury “ would present an obstacle in complying '' with the subpoena since such matters @ @ @ @ @

Actor Jussie Smollett leaves the Cook County Jail on March 16, 2022, after he was ordered to be released pending appeal of his conviction and 150-day sentence. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)
The FBI has refused to turn over records of its investigation into the alleged hoax attack on actor Jussie Smollett to the city of Chicago, arguing that doing so could jeopardize an “ongoing criminal investigation,” records filed in federal court show.
And in Cook County court Thursday, a judge shot down Smollett’s latest attempt to get his criminal case brought by a special prosecutor thrown out.
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The FBI development came as part of a lawsuit filed by the city against Smollett seeking to recoup $130,000 in Chicago police overtime spent investigating the January 2019 incident, which ignited a media firestorm after Smollett was charged with staging the racist and homophobic attack only to see the case abruptly dropped by Cook County prosecutors.
The FBI investigated a threatening letter purportedly sent to the “Empire” studios in Chicago a week before the attack that contained an unknown powdery substance as well as a homophobic epithet and a crudely drawn picture of a man hanging from a noose in a tree. The return address on the letter said only “MAGA,” a reference to President Donald Trump’s campaign slogan.
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The FBI also was looking into a threatening phone call Smollett said he’d received a few days after receiving the letter.
No federal charges were filed, however, and the FBI has been silent on the status of its investigation since.
In November 2019, the city’s Law Department subpoenaed the FBI for any documents and communications relating to the letter and phone call, as well as any documents the agency provided to special prosecutor Dan Webb, who earlier this year re-indicted Smollett on disorderly conduct charges.
The FBI rejected the subpoena in July, saying it "would require the FBI to reveal information acquired as part of an ongoing criminal investigation,” according to records filed Wednesday by the city in U.S. District Court.
“Disclosure at this time would reveal and impair the effectiveness of investigatory records and techniques compiled for law enforcement purposes,” the July 29 letter stated. The response also said that any information the FBI possesses that was obtained via a grand jury “would present an obstacle in complying" with the subpoena since such matters are typically kept secret.
In its motion this week, the city asked U.S. Magistrate Judge Sunil Harjani to order the FBI to comply with the subpoena, arguing that the information will be crucial in taking the sworn depositions of Smollett and other witnesses in its ongoing lawsuit.
The city argued that “given the media scrutiny, multiple indictments, and public disclosure of key facts” in the Smollett case already, the need for grand jury secrecy was “uniquely minimal.”
The city also said the FBI’s claim that its investigation is ongoing “is unconvincing.”
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“There have been no federal charges against Smollett despite the key events taking place almost two years ago,” city attorneys said, adding that the U.S. attorney’s office “appears to have ceded its criminal case to the special prosecutor.”
“The court should order disclosure of the materials so the city can fairly litigate its case and ensure that justice is served,” the motion stated.
Harjani ordered the FBI and Smollett’s attorneys to respond by Sept. 18.
The FBI’s involvement in the Smollett investigation has long been at issue. Communications released to the Chicago Tribune showed that State’s Attorney Kim Foxx had asked then-police Superintendent Eddie Johnson to turn over the investigation to the FBI after she was approached by Tina Tchen, a former chief of staff to first lady Michelle Obama.
Foxx later recused herself from the case. Webb was appointed special prosecutor last year after a Cook County judge found that Foxx had improperly handled her withdrawal from the case early in the process, rendering the whole case void.
Webb brought his case against Smollett in February.
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In that matter, a Cook County judge on Thursday declined to grant a request from Smollett’s lawyers for a dismissal, saying he did not have the authority to interfere with another judge’s decision to appoint Webb in the first place.
Judge James Linn also ruled that an inadvertently recorded video of a star prosecution witness talking to his attorney would be protected by attorney-client privilege and not available for use by the defense.
Smollett’s attorneys claimed that the short clip of video provides proof that the witness, Olabinjo Osundairo, colluded with his attorney to frame Smollett.
But Linn, who viewed the video in chambers, said he saw no bombshells in the footage. Attorney-client privilege is sacred, and the video should never have been recorded or turned over to prosecutors in the first place, he ruled.
“Everybody’s got it, nobody should have it, it never should have existed,” Linn said. “Nobody should have it at all.”
And the defense doesn’t need the video in order to argue that the Osundairo brothers' lawyer may have fed them a story, Linn said.
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“They can certainly talk about circumstances and timing about what was said before they talked to their lawyer and what they talked about after their lawyer,” he said.
Defense attorneys have also filed another challenge to the validity of Smollett’s second indictment. Some witnesses — including the Osundairo brothers — did not testify in person before the special grand jury that Webb convened. Instead, their testimony from the Cook County grand jury was read into the record. But the entire initial prosecution, including the grand jury matters, was ruled void, the defense notes.
Attorneys are slated to argue that matter next month.
Meanwhile, Smollett’s advocates have circulated an open letter of support for the actor signed by luminaries such as academic and activist Angela Davis and actor Danny Glover.
“At a time when the people of Chicago are demanding community control of the police and when our movement for Black Lives demands that police be defunded and demilitarized, Chicago police and prosecutors continue to expend precious public resources to cover up a hate crime and renew their fabricated case against Jussie Smollett,” the letter reads. “... We believe this case is being used to distract us from the countless acts of racial injustice perpetrated by police against Black people and LBGTQ people and particularly in the wake of the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Jacob Blake and many others."
jmeisner@chicagotribune.com
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mcrepeau@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-09-10--The Spin: New round of Gov. Pritzker vs. Ken Griffin | Dems Casten, Underwood aim for crossover appe

The Spin: New round of Gov. Pritzker vs. Ken Griffin | Dems Casten, Underwood aim for crossover appeal | Lightfoot’s lead pipe replacement program offers window into shifting mindset at City Hall

“ If the president had information … about the deadly impact of this virus and if he chose instead to @ @ @ @ @ virus , for whatever ill-intended purpose , lives were lost .
And that ’ s @ @ @ @ @ , ” Lightfoot told reporters after Wednesday ’ s City Council meeting .
She added @ @ @ @ @ knew all of that information , early on , and could have done something differently @ @ @ @ @ is all I need to hear about why he shouldn ’ t get a second @ @ @

In the latest chapter of billionaire versus billionaire, Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Ken Griffin offer very different takes on taxation in the state and the departure of Illinois residents.
Griffin penned an opinion piece for the Tribune’s editorial pages, which operate separately from the newsroom, arguing against the Pritzker-backed ballot initiative to shift the state’s flat income tax structure to a graduated income tax model, saying the change would wring more money from residents who’ve for decades watched elected leaders mismanage their hard-earned tax dollars. Illinois’ wealthiest man, and the founder and CEO of the Citadel investment firm, suggests there’s a link between the state’s fiscal woes, a culture of political corruption and Illinois’ loss of more residents than any state in the last decade.
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Pritzker, who’s championing the switch to a graduated income tax rate, maintains it will hit the wealthiest residents in the wallet and countered today: “People have been leaving Illinois because it has flat tax, because we have an unfair tax system. Middle-class families, working-class families get up and leave the state because they’re being treated unfairly, the wealthiest people in our state have frankly been subsidized by the middle class and the working class. All we’re trying to do is level the playing field in Illinois.”
Pritzker and Griffin have written big checks to get out their respective messages on the proposed amendment.
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Freshman Democratic U.S. Reps. Sean Casten and Lauren Underwood, who both flipped seats in suburban and exurban districts that had been Republican strongholds, are working hard to show their crossover appeal in the run-up to the November election.
As first reported in the Tribune this morning, Casten, of Downers Grove, has won the endorsement of former Illinois GOP Chairman Pat Brady of St. Charles. Brady even cut an ad for Casten, who’s facing former state Rep. Jeanne Ives, a Wheaton Republican, in the west and northwest suburban 6th Congressional District.
Meantime, Underwood, of Naperville, released her first campaign ad today, aimed at showing she can work across the aisle, touting in the spot “three pieces of legislation signed in to law by President Donald Trump” and noting that she’s there to represent 720,000 people living in the 14th District. She’s facing Republican state Sen. Jim Oberweis, the dairy magnate from Sugar Grove.
And Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced today the city’s plans to start replacing water pipes that contain brain-damaging lead. While it marks a shift in attitudes at City Hall, the mayor readily acknowledges the “money doesn’t exist” to cover the $8.5 billion price tag for a citywide effort.
Lightfoot also pushed back at criticism over what will be a small start: a $19 million effort to replace lines at 750 homes, bankrolled with federal grants and low-interest loans.
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Mayor Lori Lightfoot discusses the 2021 budget Aug. 31, 2020. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
Tribune environmental reporter Michael Hawthorne writes: “Chicago, the last big American city to require water pipes made of brain-damaging lead, is now the last one beginning to rip toxic pipes out of the ground.”
The new program Lightfoot introduced today “is the latest example of a shifting mindset at City Hall, where mayors and aldermen resisted changes to Chicago’s plumbing code until Congress outlawed lead water pipes in 1986,” Hawthorne notes.
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“Former city officials — up to and including Mayor Rahm Emanuel — also denied for years that anyone could be harmed just by drawing a glass of water from their household faucet.” Read the full story here.
During an afternoon news conference, the mayor criticized her City Council floor leader — typically a trusted confidant — Ald. Gilbert Villegas, 36th, for noting on Twitter that it would take 500 years to complete the job at this rate: “This is a start but at 750 out of 400,000 lines be replaced next year, the project should be done by 2553. We should also be looking at other big cities that are tackling this same issue, Phil, NY, etc. Full replacement is one tool in the tool box.”
Lightfoot responded: “I’m not sure where Ald. Villegas got that timeline” but said it will be a multiyear project that must begin somewhere. “We could do what a lot of other past administrations have done, which is not touch this issue. That’s not the right thing to do.” Without naming Villegas, she said: “Let’s be a little smarter about what we comment on and get the information first,” before taking to Twitter.
This is a start but at 750 out of 400,000 lines be replaced next year, the project should be done by 2553. We should also be looking at other big cities that are tackling this same issue, Phil, NY, etc. Full replacement is one tool in the tool box. https://t.co/15zZIVNbDD — Gilbert Villegas (@gilbert36ward) September 10, 2020
Other city news: Chicago City Council OKs package aimed at protecting affordable housing around planned Obama Presidential Center — The Tribune’s John Byrne writes, “The measure passed after months of negotiations between Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration and housing advocates who fear longtime residents will lose their housing as the neighborhood gentrifies when the Obama center gets built in nearby Jackson Park.”
During a speech here in 2018, former President Barack Obama downplayed concerns about increased housing costs and other issues that have been raised by residents who live near the proposed center.
Resident groups have been unsuccessful in persuading the Obama Foundation to sign a contract guaranteeing property tax freezes and rental assistance programs. Leaders said they were continuing to fight so they won’t be left behind or pushed out of their neighborhoods. They are pushing for a community benefits agreement — a contract enforceable in court — from the foundation, the city and the University of Chicago.
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Aldermen approve measure that will allow more nudity in Chicago bars: The Tribune’s Byrne has that story too.
Cook County: Activists, nurses union demand $157 million cut from sheriff’s office budget next year: The Tribune’s Alice Yin writes that the group is leaning on Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, who holds the purse strings at county government, ahead of her rolling out a budget proposal in the coming weeks. It comes amid a national discussion about racial bias in policing and the criminal justice system. More than 20% of Cook County’s $6.2 billion budget this year goes toward public safety, the second-highest expenditure following the health fund. Sheriff Tom Dart this summer dinged the “defund folks” as having “misplaced” goals, but yesterday his office focused on how he’s been a leader in fighting “unjust incarceration.” Read the full story here.
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Rep. Lauren Underwood speaks outside the Ken Christy Post Office on Aug. 18, 2020, in Aurora. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
The Tribune’s Rick Pearson writes: “Two years ago, Democrat Sean Casten gained some unlikely Republican supporters in what became his successful upset of veteran GOP U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam — former Lt. Gov. Bob Kustra and former Rep. Harris Fawell.
“Now, as the first-term Casten faces a challenge from former Republican state Rep. Jeanne Ives of Wheaton, the Democrat has enlisted another GOP backer — former state Republican Chairman Pat Brady of St. Charles.”
Brady makes it clear in one of two digital ads released today why he’s backing the Democrat: “I’m Pat Brady, a lifelong Republican, but I can’t support Jeanne Ives for Congress. Ives makes (Donald) Trump look reasonable. She’s attacked same-sex families, even questioned the science behind climate change and the coronavirus. Ives is on the wrong side of history.” Read the full story, which includes links to the ads, here.
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For her part, Ives is launching a series of cable ads starting tomorrow through Sept. 16. The price tag, according to Comcast, is $43,228.
In the neighboring district, Underwood launched her first ad campaign of the season touting how she’s able to work with lawmakers across the aisle. Watch the ad here.
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot leave a news conference Sept. 16, 2019, in Chicago. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
Senate Democrats scuttled a scaled-back GOP coronavirus rescue package on Thursday as the parties argued to a standstill over the size and scope of the aid, likely ending hopes for coronavirus relief before the November election. Read the full Associated Press story here.
Durbin cast a no vote saying the proposal essentially cuts in half the $600 weekly enhanced unemployment benefit and doesn’t include cash payments for families. The proposal also didn’t provide relief dollars to state and local governments – swimming in a sea of red ink as tax revenues dwindle during the pandemic – that cover the paychecks of teachers, firefighters and law enforcement. In a statement, Durbin said that “(e)ven as this proposal falls short of helping American small businesses and families, Republicans are still advocating for corporations which are seeking liability immunity.”
Federal PPP loans kept many small businesses afloat this summer. Without more funding, experts see a wave of bankruptcies coming: The Tribune’s Robert Channick has the details here.
Illinois Dems holding their nose over comments Trump made to one-time Pulitzer-prise winning journalist Bob Woodward: In February, the president discussed the deadly nature of the virus with Woodward but by March Trump said, according to recorded interviews, he was playing it down so people didn’t panic.
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Trump is now saying he was just being a “cheerleader” for the nation and trying to keep everyone calm.
In an interview on CNN this week, Durbin said presidents over time have tried to be calming forces during times of crisis, mentioning President Franklin Roosevelt after the bombing of Pearl Harbor or President George W. Bush after the 9/11 attacks, but in this instance President Trump “misled” the public.
It’s also concerning that he knew the virus was deadly but still didn’t put together a national plan, leaving “governors and mayors and others on their own” to manage the crisis, Durbin said.
“If the president had information … about the deadly impact of this virus and if he chose instead to downplay the significance of the virus, for whatever ill-intended purpose, lives were lost. And that’s pretty sobering to think about,” Lightfoot told reporters after Wednesday’s City Council meeting. She added: “If the president knew all of that information, early on, and could have done something differently — to me, that is all I need to hear about why he shouldn’t get a second term.”
Lightfoot was also asked about the criticism of Woodward, who waited months to reveal the president’s comments rather than making them public earlier.
“Obviously, you know, all of us (have) to live with our conscience,” she said.
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Woodward defends decision to withhold Trump’s virus comments: “He tells me this, and I’m thinking, ‘Wow, that’s interesting, but is it true?’ Trump says things that don’t check out, right?” Woodward told The Associated Press. In other words, Woodward says, he needed time to vet it.
State COVID-19 positive test rate down, but hospitalizations rising; Gov. Pritzker announces funding job to connect unemployed with jobs, training: The Tribune’s Dan Petrella has the details here.
Half of Chicago households report serious financial problems during the COVID-19 pandemic, NPR-Harvard poll finds: The Tribune’s Abdel Jimenez offers this snapshot of the poll, noting that it “found 69% of Black households, 63% of Latino households and 59% of households making less than $100,000 annually in Chicago reported serious financial problems.” Read the story here.
US unemployment claims hold steady at 884,000: The newly released figure from the Labor Department is the latest sign that layoffs are stuck at a historically high level six months after the viral pandemic flattened the economy, The Associated Press reports. In Illinois last week, 23,305 people filed initial claims for unemployment benefits, down from 26,194 initial claims a week earlier. Read the full story here.
10 things science has learned about COVID-19 in less than a year: The Tribune’s Hal Dardick breaks it down here.
House Speaker Michael Madigan, before the start of the budget address by Gov. J.B. Pritzker at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield, on Feb. 19, 2020. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
From the Tribune’s Jamie Munks: "The Illinois House kicked off a rarely used disciplinary process Thursday to probe the conduct of Speaker Michael Madigan in light of allegations that Commonwealth Edison undertook a bribery scheme to gain his favor, with Republicans seeking to hear testimony from the powerful Democrat and former utility executives and lobbyists.
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"Madigan, the nation’s longest serving speaker and the chairman of the Illinois Democratic Party, has not been charged and has denied wrongdoing.
"The special committee is made up of three Democrats and three Republicans, and partisan differences were quickly felt.
"Rep. Emanuel “Chris” Welch, a Democrat from Hillside who chairs the committee, said the panel’s first task is to reach out to the U.S. attorney’s office to ensure the legislative committee’s effort doesn’t interfere with the ongoing federal probe.
Rep. Deanne Mazzochi, a Republican from Elmhurst, suggested Welch’s proposal was an effort to bring the proceedings to a halt, and that there’s a “whole host of work” the committee can do independently of the U.S. attorney’s office."
Thanks for reading The Spin, the Tribune’s politics newsletter. Have a tip? Email host Lisa Donovan at ldonovan@chicagotribune.com.
Twitter @byldonovan


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· A story on Page 1 Thursday on what has been learned so far about COVID-19 misidentified the university where the virus detected in wastewater led to the quarantine of 311 students. It was the University of Arizona.
The Tribune regrets the error.
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chicagotribune--2020-09-10--Column: Always-calm Trump lied about coronavirus but patriotically made sure no Americans died of pa

Column: Always-calm Trump lied about coronavirus but patriotically made sure no Americans died of panic

So , you see , while nearly 200,000 Americans have died from a virus that President Trump knew was deadly @ @ @ @ @ rallies and calling it something that would just go away , and while he admittedly @ @ @ @ @ virus , he succeeded at not scaring people .
Do you know how many Americans @ @ @ @ @ scared ?
Probably millions .

I can tell you this: If there’s one thing President Donald Trump does not want to do, it’s create a panic.
Tweet from Trump, Sept. 10, 2020: “If I don’t win, America’s Suburbs will be OVERRUN with Low Income Projects, Anarchists, Agitators, Looters and, of course, ‘Friendly Protesters’.”
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Many Americans are outraged over revelations that Trump told journalist Bob Woodward in February that he knew the coronavirus was “more deadly than even your strenuous flus” while he was publicly saying the virus might be less deadly than the flu.
Trump also acknowledged to Woodward in March, according to the recorded interview: “I wanted to always play it down. I still like playing it down, because I don’t want to create a panic.”
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Precisely. This president loathes anything that might create panic.
Tweet from Trump, Sept. 8, 2020: “If Biden gets in, this violence is ‘coming to the Suburbs’, and FAST. You could say goodbye to your American Dream!”
His years in office have demonstrated nothing if not a dedication to maintaining calm.
Tweet from Trump, Aug. 8, 2020: “Sleepy Joe Biden just agreed with the Radical Left Democrats to raise Taxes by Three Trillion Dollars. Everyone will pay - Will kill your Stocks, 401k’s, and the ECONOMY. BIG CRASH! #MAGA”
On Wednesday night, President Trump discussed the need to save Americans from a plague of coronavirus panic with Fox News host Sean Hannity: “I’m the leader of the country. I can’t be jumping up and down and scaring people. I don’t want to scare people.”
Tweet from Trump, July 15, 2020: “Joe Biden and the Radical Left want to Abolish Police, Abolish ICE, Abolish Bail, Abolish Suburbs, Abolish the 2nd Amendment – and Abolish the American Way of Life. No one will be SAFE in Joe Biden’s America!”
So, you see, while nearly 200,000 Americans have died from a virus that President Trump knew was deadly while he was still planning rallies and calling it something that would just go away, and while he admittedly downplayed the seriousness of the virus, he succeeded at not scaring people. Do you know how many Americans die each year from being scared? Probably millions.
So the truth is, President Trump saved millions of Americans who otherwise would have died from being frightened.
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Our president would never frighten anybody.
Tweet from Trump, Jan. 21, 2019: “Four people in Nevada viciously robbed and killed by an illegal immigrant who should not have been in our Country. 26 people killed on the Border in a drug and gang related fight. Two large Caravans from Honduras broke into Mexico and are headed our way. We need a powerful Wall!”
It’s just not in his nature.
Tweet from Trump, Oct. 22, 2018: “Sadly, it looks like Mexico’s Police and Military are unable to stop the Caravan heading to the Southern Border of the United States. Criminals and unknown Middle Easterners are mixed in. I have alerted Border Patrol and Military that this is a National Emergy. Must change laws!”
As President Trump said Tuesday night regarding the revelations from the Woodward interviews: “I don’t want people to be frightened.”
Trump talking to Hannity on June 25, 2020, about Joe Biden: “He is a candidate that will destroy this country. And he may not do it himself. He will be run by a radical fringe group of lunatics that will destroy our country, and people have to know that.”
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The president continued: “I don’t want to create panic.”
Trump speaking at Mount Rushmore on July 3, 2020: “As we meet here tonight, there is a growing danger that threatens every blessing our ancestors fought so hard for, struggled, they bled to secure. Our nation is witnessing a merciless campaign to wipe out our history, defame our heroes, erase our values and indoctrinate our children.”
And then he said: “I’m not going to drive this country or the world into a frenzy.”
Tweet from Trump, Jan. 2, 2018: “North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just stated that the ‘Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times.’ Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!”
I can think of no instance where this president hasn’t done all he can to bring Americans together and keep them calm and free from fear.
So surely he’s telling the truth about why he downplayed the coronavirus. And surely there’s nothing he could have done to save American lives by speaking frankly and honestly about COVID-19.
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Trump speaking on March 13, 2020: “I don’t take responsibility at all.”
I know this pandemic has had his full and complete attention.
Trump speaking on Sept. 10, 2020: “I watched Lou Dobbs last night, Sean Hannity last night, Tucker last night, Laura. I watched Fox & Friends in the morning.”
And I’m sure the American people, with the exception of the nearly 200,000 citizens who died from a virus the president chose to downplay, agree.
rhuppke@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-09-10--Coronavirus in Illinois updates: 1,953 new known COVID-19 cases and 28 more deaths reported as state

Coronavirus in Illinois updates: 1,953 new known COVID-19 cases and 28 more deaths reported as state announces nearly $17 million effort to help unemployed residents

Illinois health officials Thursday announced 1,953 new known cases of COVID-19 and 28 additional fatalities , bringing the total number of known infections in Illinois to 255,643 and the statewide death toll to 8,242 since the start of the pandemic .
Also Thursday , Gov .
J.B. Pritzker joined local officials in Rockford to announce a nearly $ 17 million effort to connect roughly 1,300 people who are unemployed amid the coronavirus pandemic with training and jobs , including temporary jobs assisting with the response to COVID-19 .
Two federal grants totaling $ 16.6 million will be distributed to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to help train and employ out-of-work residents for jobs such as contact tracing , building sanitation , temperature screening , and food preparation and distribution .
Priority will be given to applicants who have lost their jobs during the pandemic .
Meanwhile , after 1,044 students and 26 employees tested positive for the virus since Aug. 6 , according to data from the University of Wisconsin-Madison , the school is now moving all classes online and quarantining students in two of its largest dorms .
The city-county public health department said there are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to UW-Madison .
4:45 p.m. : Money for $ 300 unemployment boost is about to run out , with no extension in sight The temporary $ 300-a-week unemployment insurance boost implemented by President Donald Trump is about to end , with no extension in sight .
The Federal Emergency Management Agency said Thursday in an email to The Associated Press that it has distributed $ 30 billion of the $ 44 billion it had set aside for the benefit .
The agency said the fund was enough to cover six weeks of additional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unemployed workers won ’ t receive any more after this week .
FEMA emphasized that all eligible recipients will get the $ 300 boost to cover six weeks , a period that ended Sept. 5 .
4:25 p.m. : CTA expands tool to let passengers know when buses and trains get too crowded Starting Thursday , CTA passengers can see how crowded trains are before boarding to allow for social distancing measures recommended to minimize the spread of the coronavirus .
The CTA has seen a slight uptick in passengers in June since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
J.B. Pritzker ’ s five-phase reopening plan , spokeswoman Catherine Hosinski said .
Still , ridership has been down by about 70 % since the start of the pandemic , she said .
Initially for bus routes , the CTA launched its ridership information dashboard on its website as a way to help passengers avoid buses that are too crowded .
The addition of the rail dashboard provides a range for the average number of seats taken at each station , with an icon depicting three people to show typical crowding levels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a high level of ridership on trains , all three people icons are filled in for a station , showing that 20 seats or more are taken .
For lower levels of ridership , one of the three people icons are filled in for a station , showing up to 10 seats being occupied per rail car .
And for medium levels of ridership , two of the three people are filled in for a station , showing that between 10 to 20 seats are occupied per rail car .
The percentage of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ downward in Illinois after rising for much of the summer , but state officials remain concerned about stubbornly high positivity rates in certain regions as well as rising hospitalizations .
“ We can ’ t outrun this virus .
It hasn ’ t gone away , ” Gov .
J.B. Pritzker said Thursday during a news conference at the James R. Thompson Center in the Loop .
“ We can ’ t pretend that we can fully restore our economic vitality as long as it ’ s here without any way to temper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ PPP loans kept many small businesses afloat this summer .
Without more funds , experts say a wave of bankruptcies is coming .
For six months , small businesses have relied on PPP loans , operational pivots and no small measure of hope to keep their doors open during the pandemic .
More than 225,000 Paycheck Protection Program loans worth nearly $ 23 billion were approved in Illinois alone .
Without additional federal relief , some experts project a flood of small business bankruptcies this fall as the PPP money runs dry .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ months into a pandemic : more pressure , less sex Divorce is hard .
Add a global pandemic and it may cause you to rethink some things .
That was the reality for three couples whom attorney Susan Myres counseled on divorce .
At the beginning of the pandemic , they all decided to step back and reconsider going through with separating in the midst of a global crisis .
“ I think COVID , for people with a kindness and generosity in their heart , made them kind of sit up straight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really what I want to do ?
’ , ” said Myres , president of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers , which is based in Chicago .
About six months into COVID-19 , many people are working from home , meaning they may be spending a lot more time with their significant others .
But regardless of if you ’ re just dating or thinking of starting a family , many relationships are under significant stress .
“ We don ’ t know if it is ( transverse myelitis ) , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being done now as part of the follow-up.
” Senate Democrats scuttled a scaled-back GOP coronavirus rescue package on Thursday , saying the measure shortchanged too many pressing needs as the pandemic continues its assault on the country .
The mostly party-line vote capped weeks of wrangling over a fifth relief bill that all sides say they want but are unable to deliver .
The bipartisan spirit that powered earlier aid measures has given way to election-season political combat and name-calling .
The 52-47 vote fell well short of what was needed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end hopes for coronavirus relief before the November election .
12:20 p.m. : Gov .
J.B. Pritzker announces funding to connect 1,300 unemployed residents with training and jobs , some in coronavirus response Gov .
J.B. Pritzker joined local officials in Rockford on Thursday to announce a nearly $ 17 million effort to connect roughly 1,300 people who are unemployed amid the coronavirus pandemic with training and jobs , including temporary jobs assisting with the response to COVID-19 .
Two federal grants totaling $ 16.6 million will be distributed to a dozen local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ train and employ out-of-work residents for jobs such as contact tracing , building sanitation , temperature screening , and food preparation and distribution .
Priority will be given to applicants who have lost their jobs during the pandemic .
12:05 p.m. : 1,953 new known COVID-19 cases and 28 more deaths reported Illinois health officials Thursday announced 1,953 new known cases of COVID-19 and 28 additional fatalities , bringing the total number of known infections in Illinois to 255,643 and the statewide death toll to 8,242 since the start of the pandemic .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , gyms and more , COVID-19 has upended how we think our living spaces should work Your home is working overtime during the pandemic .
For many , what was once just a dwelling has become classroom , office , restaurant , gym , movie theater and more .
COVID-19 has not only kept most of us confined to our quarters for the past six months — it has also altered the very definition of home .
As homebuyers increasingly seek out pandemic-friendly features like home offices and expansive outdoor space , Chicago-area @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are helping them find the features they need to live in this new normal .
9:39 a.m. : Trump ’ s own words in Bob Woodward book refocus attention on his handling of the coronavirus In April , the president tried to shift the public ’ s focus to the economy .
In July , to defending the country ’ s “ heritage.
” In September , to enforcing “ law and order.
” But all along the way , the death toll from the coronavirus continued to mount .
And now , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attention to his handling of the pandemic when he can least afford it — less than two months before Election Day .
8:04 a.m. : From speedier Wi-Fi to new bikes : As the pandemic drags on , companies paying for work-from-home perks beyond the basics Six months into the coronavirus pandemic and with no return to the office in sight , Chicago-area employers are realizing that working remotely through a global health crisis requires more than helping employees pay for a comfy office chair .
They are investing in intangibles that can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , online tutoring for kids , or sessions with a life coach .
Not every company is pouring money into their employees ' remote work setups .
In the midst of an economic downturn and an ongoing unemployment crisis , the investments are a luxury not all can afford .
The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits was unchanged last week at 884,000 , a sign that layoffs are stuck at a historically high level six months after the viral pandemic flattened the economy .
The latest figure released by the Labor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who sought benefits in any week on record before this year .
7 a.m. : State to announce new support for Illinois residents who have lost jobs because of COVID-19 Gov .
J.B. Pritzker was scheduled to be in Rockford on Thursday to announce “ investments to expand job opportunities ” for people in Illinois who have lost their jobs because of the coronavirus .
Pritzker was scheduled to make the announcement at a federal- and state-taxpayer funded center , The Workford Connection , which is one of 22 local state-chartered boards designed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those seeking workers and provide job training .
6 a.m. : 10 things science has learned about COVID-19 in less than a year It ’ s been only nine months since the world learned of a new coronavirus that would trigger a pandemic declaration in March and ultimately disrupt billions of lives .
That ’ s little more than a blink of the eye when it comes to understanding a novel disease , and the advice from scientists and doctors is still evolving as they accumulate experience with COVID-19 .
But there are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — so far — about the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus and the disease it causes , including the benefits of wearing a face mask and that sometimes 6 feet of social distance isn ’ t enough .
Here are five stories from Wednesday related to COVID-19 .

We have lifted the paywall on this story. To support essential reporting, please consider becoming a subscriber .
Paca Kujtim of Arlington Heights self-administers a COVID-19 test in his car at the Arlington International Racecourse on March 31, 2021 in Arlington Heights. Kujtim was getting testing as a precaution for upcoming travel. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
Illinois health officials Thursday announced 1,953 new known cases of COVID-19 and 28 additional fatalities, bringing the total number of known infections in Illinois to 255,643 and the statewide death toll to 8,242 since the start of the pandemic.
Also Thursday, Gov. J.B. Pritzker joined local officials in Rockford to announce a nearly $17 million effort to connect roughly 1,300 people who are unemployed amid the coronavirus pandemic with training and jobs, including temporary jobs assisting with the response to COVID-19.
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Two federal grants totaling $16.6 million will be distributed to a dozen local workforce agencies across the state to help train and employ out-of-work residents for jobs such as contact tracing, building sanitation, temperature screening, and food preparation and distribution. Priority will be given to applicants who have lost their jobs during the pandemic.
Meanwhile, after 1,044 students and 26 employees tested positive for the virus since Aug. 6, according to data from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the school is now moving all classes online and quarantining students in two of its largest dorms.
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The city-county public health department said there are at least 46 separate outbreaks currently tied to UW-Madison.
Here’s what’s happening Thursday with COVID-19 in the Chicago area and Illinois:
4:45 p.m.: Money for $300 unemployment boost is about to run out, with no extension in sight
The temporary $300-a-week unemployment insurance boost implemented by President Donald Trump is about to end, with no extension in sight.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency said Thursday in an email to The Associated Press that it has distributed $30 billion of the $44 billion it had set aside for the benefit. The agency said the fund was enough to cover six weeks of additional jobless aid starting Aug. 1, so unemployed workers won’t receive any more after this week.
FEMA emphasized that all eligible recipients will get the $300 boost to cover six weeks, a period that ended Sept. 5.
Read more here. —Associated Press
4:25 p.m.: CTA expands tool to let passengers know when buses and trains get too crowded
Starting Thursday, CTA passengers can see how crowded trains are before boarding to allow for social distancing measures recommended to minimize the spread of the coronavirus.
The CTA has seen a slight uptick in passengers in June since the state entered phase four of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s five-phase reopening plan, spokeswoman Catherine Hosinski said. Still, ridership has been down by about 70% since the start of the pandemic, she said.
Advertisement
Initially for bus routes, the CTA launched its ridership information dashboard on its website as a way to help passengers avoid buses that are too crowded.
The addition of the rail dashboard provides a range for the average number of seats taken at each station, with an icon depicting three people to show typical crowding levels along each route.
When there is a high level of ridership on trains, all three people icons are filled in for a station, showing that 20 seats or more are taken. For lower levels of ridership, one of the three people icons are filled in for a station, showing up to 10 seats being occupied per rail car. And for medium levels of ridership, two of the three people are filled in for a station, showing that between 10 to 20 seats are occupied per rail car.
Read more here. —Abdel Jimenez
4:15 p.m.: Illinois' COVID-19 positive test rate down but hospitalizations rising
The percentage of positive coronavirus tests appears to be trending downward in Illinois after rising for much of the summer, but state officials remain concerned about stubbornly high positivity rates in certain regions as well as rising hospitalizations.
“We can’t outrun this virus. It hasn’t gone away,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Thursday during a news conference at the James R. Thompson Center in the Loop. “We can’t pretend that we can fully restore our economic vitality as long as it’s here without any way to temper or prevent it.”
Advertisement
Read more here. —Dan Petrella
2:22 p.m.: PPP loans kept many small businesses afloat this summer. Without more funds, experts say a wave of bankruptcies is coming.
For six months, small businesses have relied on PPP loans, operational pivots and no small measure of hope to keep their doors open during the pandemic.
They may be on borrowed time.
More than 225,000 Paycheck Protection Program loans worth nearly $23 billion were approved in Illinois alone. Without additional federal relief, some experts project a flood of small business bankruptcies this fall as the PPP money runs dry.
Read more here. —Robert Channick
1:44 p.m.: Marriage and dating 6 months into a pandemic: more pressure, less sex
Divorce is hard. Add a global pandemic and it may cause you to rethink some things. That was the reality for three couples whom attorney Susan Myres counseled on divorce. At the beginning of the pandemic, they all decided to step back and reconsider going through with separating in the midst of a global crisis.
Advertisement
“I think COVID, for people with a kindness and generosity in their heart, made them kind of sit up straight and think about, ‘Is this really what I want to do?’,” said Myres, president of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, which is based in Chicago.
About six months into COVID-19, many people are working from home, meaning they may be spending a lot more time with their significant others. But regardless of if you’re just dating or thinking of starting a family, many relationships are under significant stress.
Read more here. —Milan Polk
1:33 p.m.: Coronavirus vaccine trial stopped after woman develops severe neurological symptoms
A woman who received an experimental coronavirus vaccine developed severe neurological symptoms that prompted a pause in testing, a spokesman for drugmaker AstraZeneca said Thursday.
The study participant in late-stage testing reported symptoms consistent with transverse myelitis, a rare inflammation of the spinal cord, said company spokesman Matthew Kent.
“We don’t know if it is (transverse myelitis),” Kent said. “More tests are being done now as part of the follow-up.”
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Read more here. —Associated Press
2:35 p.m.: GOP’s slimmed-down coronavirus aid bill scuttled by Senate Democrats
Senate Democrats scuttled a scaled-back GOP coronavirus rescue package on Thursday, saying the measure shortchanged too many pressing needs as the pandemic continues its assault on the country.
The mostly party-line vote capped weeks of wrangling over a fifth relief bill that all sides say they want but are unable to deliver. The bipartisan spirit that powered earlier aid measures has given way to election-season political combat and name-calling. The 52-47 vote fell well short of what was needed to overcome a filibuster and seems likely to end hopes for coronavirus relief before the November election.
Read more here. —Associated Press
12:20 p.m.: Gov. J.B. Pritzker announces funding to connect 1,300 unemployed residents with training and jobs, some in coronavirus response
Gov. J.B. Pritzker joined local officials in Rockford on Thursday to announce a nearly $17 million effort to connect roughly 1,300 people who are unemployed amid the coronavirus pandemic with training and jobs, including temporary jobs assisting with the response to COVID-19.
Two federal grants totaling $16.6 million will be distributed to a dozen local workforce agencies across the state to help train and employ out-of-work residents for jobs such as contact tracing, building sanitation, temperature screening, and food preparation and distribution. Priority will be given to applicants who have lost their jobs during the pandemic.
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More information is available here.
Read more here. —Dan Petrella
12:05 p.m.: 1,953 new known COVID-19 cases and 28 more deaths reported
Illinois health officials Thursday announced 1,953 new known cases of COVID-19 and 28 additional fatalities, bringing the total number of known infections in Illinois to 255,643 and the statewide death toll to 8,242 since the start of the pandemic.
—Chicago Tribune staff
11:47 a.m.: As homes become offices, gyms and more, COVID-19 has upended how we think our living spaces should work
Your home is working overtime during the pandemic. For many, what was once just a dwelling has become classroom, office, restaurant, gym, movie theater and more. COVID-19 has not only kept most of us confined to our quarters for the past six months — it has also altered the very definition of home.
As homebuyers increasingly seek out pandemic-friendly features like home offices and expansive outdoor space, Chicago-area real estate developers, designers and agents are helping them find the features they need to live in this new normal.
Advertisement
Read more here. —Lauren Leazenby
9:39 a.m.: Trump’s own words in Bob Woodward book refocus attention on his handling of the coronavirus
Try as he might to change the subject, President Donald Trump can’t escape the coronavirus.
In April, the president tried to shift the public’s focus to the economy. In July, to defending the country’s “heritage.” In September, to enforcing “law and order.” But all along the way, the death toll from the coronavirus continued to mount.
And now, Trump’s own words are redirecting attention to his handling of the pandemic when he can least afford it — less than two months before Election Day.
Read more here. —Associated Press
8:04 a.m.: From speedier Wi-Fi to new bikes: As the pandemic drags on, companies paying for work-from-home perks beyond the basics
Six months into the coronavirus pandemic and with no return to the office in sight, Chicago-area employers are realizing that working remotely through a global health crisis requires more than helping employees pay for a comfy office chair. They are investing in intangibles that can help with mental wellness, like exercise, online tutoring for kids, or sessions with a life coach.
Advertisement
Not every company is pouring money into their employees' remote work setups. In the midst of an economic downturn and an ongoing unemployment crisis, the investments are a luxury not all can afford.
Read more here. —Ally Marotti
7:56 a.m.: US unemployment claims hold steady at 884,000
The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits was unchanged last week at 884,000, a sign that layoffs are stuck at a historically high level six months after the viral pandemic flattened the economy.
The latest figure released by the Labor Department Thursday still far exceeds the number who sought benefits in any week on record before this year.
In Illinois last week, 23,305 people filed initial claims for unemployment benefits, down from 26,194 initial claims a week earlier.
Read more here. —Associated Press
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7:47 a.m.: University of Wisconsin-Madison moves classes online, quarantines students in two dorms as coronavirus cases spike on campus
The University of Wisconsin-Madison is moving all classes online and quarantining students in two of its largest dorms as it deals with rising cases of COVID-19.
Colleges across the country have been grappling with outbreaks in recent weeks after choosing to return to in-person instruction, but system President Tommy Thompson insisted on opening campuses this fall despite the warning signs.
According to UW-Madison data, 1,044 students and 26 employees have tested positive for the virus since Aug. 6. The city-county public health department said there are at least 46 separate outbreaks currently tied to UW-Madison.
Read more here. —Associated Press
7 a.m.: State to announce new support for Illinois residents who have lost jobs because of COVID-19
Gov. J.B. Pritzker was scheduled to be in Rockford on Thursday to announce “investments to expand job opportunities” for people in Illinois who have lost their jobs because of the coronavirus.
Pritzker was scheduled to make the announcement at a federal- and state-taxpayer funded center, The Workford Connection, which is one of 22 local state-chartered boards designed to connect people who are unemployed and those seeking workers and provide job training.
Advertisement
—Chicago Tribune staff
6 a.m.: 10 things science has learned about COVID-19 in less than a year
It’s been only nine months since the world learned of a new coronavirus that would trigger a pandemic declaration in March and ultimately disrupt billions of lives.
That’s little more than a blink of the eye when it comes to understanding a novel disease, and the advice from scientists and doctors is still evolving as they accumulate experience with COVID-19.
But there are a few things that science has learned — so far — about the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus and the disease it causes, including the benefits of wearing a face mask and that sometimes 6 feet of social distance isn’t enough.
Read more here. —Hal Dardick
Breaking coronavirus news Stay up to date with the latest information on coronavirus with our breaking news alerts.
In case you missed it
Here are five stories from Wednesday related to COVID-19.


chicagotribune--2020-09-10--Mail carrier shot and seriously wounded on Far South Side, police say she was not the target

Police officers from the U.S .
Postal Service and Chicago police detectives investigate at the scene where a mail carrier @ @ @ @ @ 9100 block of South Ellis Avenue , on Sept. 10 , 2020 .
The mail @ @ @ @ @ of Chicago Medical Center in critical condition , according to police .

Police officers from the U.S. Postal Service and Chicago police detectives investigate at the scene where a mail carrier was shot, in the 9100 block of South Ellis Avenue, on Sept. 10, 2020. The mail carrier was transported to University of Chicago Medical Center in critical condition, according to police. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)
A mail carrier was shot and seriously wounded on the Far South Side late Thursday morning and authorities are offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to her shooter, officials said.
The shooting happened about 11:30 a.m. in the 9100 block of South Ellis Avenue in the Burnside neighborhood, according to Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Merritt.
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Gunmen in vehicles that sped past her at high speed fired shots at the woman, who was working at the time, said Kellie Bartoli, a police spokeswoman.
The 24-year-old woman was shot in both legs, the buttocks and the back of the head, police said. One of the bullets traveled into her abdomen.
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The woman, who did not appear to be the intended target, was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in critical condition, Bartoli said.
The Postal Service has offered a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the attack, according to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Police are also looking for help from the community and have asked anyone with tips to call Area 2 detectives, 312-747-8271. People also may call the U.S. Postal Inspection Service tip line at 1-877-876-2455 (say “Law Enforcement”) and reference Case No. 3157692.
rsobol@chicagotribune.com