chicagotribune--2020-11-06--Column: A Trump concession speech: ‘I hereby concede that I beat Sleepy Joe Biden’

As for the concession speech , I ’ m sure President Trump won ’ t have to use it , @ @ @ @ @ under which he could ever possibly lose anything or admit defeat .
But with the @ @ @ @ @ who believe in “ counting ” and “ addition ” and the turncoat state-level Republicans @ @ @ @ @ no voter fraud ” and “ the sanctity of our elections will be respected , @ @ @ @ @ than sorry .
( Not that President Trump would ever be sorry for anything .
@ @ @ @ @ . )

As a devoted supporter of President (for life) Donald Trump, I refuse to even begin to acknowledge he may have lost the presidential election to Sleepy Joe Biden.
Did every major news organization, including Fox News, call the election for Biden on Saturday? Yes. But moments before they did that, President Trump tweeted: “I WON THIS ELECTION, BY A LOT!” So clearly the outcome is up in the air. A president doesn’t just send an all-caps tweet willy nilly.
Advertisement
Because I love our president so much, and because I have spent so much time adoringly observing his glorious and most-amazing-ever presidency, I want to help him prepare for any possible outcome.
So I have prepared a concession speech for my great dear friend President Trump, and formed a fundraising organization called the Trump Campaign Coalition to Stop the Vote or Possibly Start the Vote or Maybe Reverse the Vote Depending on Which State We’re Talking About. TCCSVPSVMRVDWSWTA, for short. (Please send money immediately. We guarantee every dollar will go toward something patriotic and not directly into the Trump family’s bank account.)
Advertisement
As for the concession speech, I’m sure President Trump won’t have to use it, because there is no circumstance under which he could ever possibly lose anything or admit defeat. But with the FAKE NEWS media and liberals who believe in “counting” and “addition” and the turncoat state-level Republicans assuring Americans there is “no voter fraud” and “the sanctity of our elections will be respected,” better to be safe than sorry. (Not that President Trump would ever be sorry for anything. I would never suggest that.)
So here is a speech the president can use if necessary, though I’m sure it will never be necessary:
Hello losers, dopes, haters and vicious animals.
I am here to celebrate my massive, unprecedented — really it is quite unprecedented, many are saying that — reelection. It is really something. So beautiful. I have a map here to show you my many wins in the Electoral College, which is a thing you never heard much about until I became president. Electoral College they call it. Not actually a college, but a beautiful, beautiful thing.
As you can see from this map, it’s all red. I won everywhere, I think it’s 750 Electoral College votes to zero for Sleepy Joe. A big fat zero. I won the most of any president in history.
So with that, I hereby concede that Lyin' Joe Biden and Kamala (make sure to badly mispronounce her name here, Mr. President) Harris have lost, bigly, to me, your president for life.
Now, of course, the horrible people in the fake news and the Radical Left Dems and a number of Republicans who will soon be getting visits from some of my large Russian friends are trying to steal this amazing victory from you, the real Americans who love your favorite president.
Who doesn’t love me? I never understand that, I’m just … I mean, really.
Advertisement
I’ve done the best job of any president ever, even better than Honest Abe. Many people have said that. I had this big general come up to me — big, tough general — and he had tears in his eyes and he said, “President Trump, sir, I want to thank you because you’ve made everything so perfect. And you’ve given us so many bombs. So perfect.”
It’s love, really. It’s just so much love. And that’s what MAGA is all about, right? Love.
And hate, I suppose. Because we have to hate the demonic socialist anarchist Marxist communists who have taken our vote, our precious, precious vote, and tried to tarnish it through counting. That’s what they’ve done, believe me. They have ruined our vote with counting. I’m calling it “the c-word.” Nobody has ever used that term, I just came up with it. I think you’ll be hearing it a lot.
Counting. These un-American monsters just want to count. It’s all you hear about from the fake media: Count, count, count, COUNT, COUNT. Count, count, count.
And you know what they do? They say that if you count all the votes and there are more votes for Biden than there are for Trump, then Biden wins the state. Can you believe that? It’s a fraud. It’s cheating. It’s math, and you know who else uses math? Globalists. Evil, evil people who want to destroy us and all of the 58 states that make up our great nation.
So I ask you today, the forgotten men and women of America, to stand by me as I begin my second term. We have so much to look forward to. So much.
Advertisement
Our beautiful border wall is nearly complete. I’m told it will be done in two weeks. And you can bet Mexico is going to pay for every inch of it!
And in two weeks I will be unveiling the most amazing health care plan anyone has ever seen. People are already saying they can’t believe it. They call it “perfect.” It’s a perfect health care plan and you’ll soon be seeing it.
I will silence my critics by releasing all of my tax returns. As soon as they are no longer under audit, which I’m told will be very soon. Probably a couple of weeks. You’ll see.
I will soon be moving out of the White House because, frankly, it’s not that nice. I’ve never cared for it, so I’m choosing to leave, probably around Jan. 20. I will do my job as your president from one of my beautiful properties, possibly overseas.
And with your help, we will continue to Make America Great Again, as long as you keep sending me money and believing everything I say.
God bless those who love me, and no one else.
Advertisement
— Donald J. Trump, president forever
rhuppke@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-11-06--COVID-19 cases in Illinois by ZIP code: Search for your neighborhood

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

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


chicagotribune--2020-11-06--Column: Emmett Till house makes strides toward becoming an official city landmark and a museum

Built in 1895 in the West Woodlawn neighborhood , the two-flat was the home of Till and his mother , @ @ @ @ @ traveled to Mississippi in the summer of 1955 to visit relatives .
The 14-year-old was @ @ @ @ @ , 1955 , for allegedly whistling at a white woman at a convenience store .

Clergy watch the unveiling of of temporary signage for the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument site at Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ at 4021 S. State St., Aug. 1, 2023, in Chicago. It was the location of the 1955 funeral of 14-year-old Emmett Till. (E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune)
The South Side house of Emmett Till, whose brutal murder helped spark the civil rights movement, has taken key steps toward becoming an official city landmark and a museum.
The Commission on Chicago Landmarks on Thursday unanimously approved a recommendation to the City Council that the house, at 6427 S. St. Lawrence Ave., be granted landmark status. That would protect it from demolition or insensitive alterations.
Advertisement
Separately, a local nonprofit seeking to turn the house into a museum confirmed Friday that it has purchased the property.
The South Side former home of Emmett Till at 6427 S. St. Lawrence Avenue. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)
The house will become an “international heritage/pilgrimage destination,” said the group’s leader, Naomi Davis.
Advertisement
Built in 1895 in the West Woodlawn neighborhood, the two-flat was the home of Till and his mother, Mamie Till-Mobley, before he traveled to Mississippi in the summer of 1955 to visit relatives. The 14-year-old was tortured and murdered Aug. 28, 1955, for allegedly whistling at a white woman at a convenience store.
Till’s mother chose an open-casket funeral at a South Side church to show mourners and the world the horror and violence her son endured.
Concern about the house, officially known as the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley House, rose in September when the landmarks commission voted to give it preliminary protected status.
Preservationists expressed fear that the house’s then-owner, real estate developer Blake McCreight of Chicago’s BMW Properties might demolish the property or dramatically alter it, destroying its historic value. McCreight buys distressed properties and sells them to investors that want rental income, according to his website.
But McCreight indicated he would be willing to sell, and in October, the local nonprofit Blacks in Green, which promotes sustainability, economic development and land stewardship in African American communities, bought the house.
He had purchased it for $107,000 in 2019, according to property records.The sale to the nonprofit has not been recorded yet with the county.
Davis declined to reveal the purchase price, but said the group paid a $30,000 premium over comparable properties in West Woodlawn. “That’s what we felt we needed to do to acquire the property," she said. “He made a good penny.”
McCreight did not respond to a request for comment.
Advertisement
Chicago Tribune Opinion Weekdays Read the latest editorials and commentary curated by the Tribune Opinion team. By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our Subscriber Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy >
Blacks in Green has taken an active role in celebrating African American history in Chicago. It already owns a nearby parcel at 6354 S. St. Lawrence, home to the Mamie Till-Mobley Forgiveness Garden, and could acquire land to the north of the Till house as part of the museum’s campus, Davis said.
Davis said it will take millions of dollars to convert the house, which she said had a string of building code violations and was occupied by squatters, into a museum. “We’re undaunted,” she said. “We’re absolutely confident we’ll be able to raise the funds.”
Blacks in Green has consented to landmark designation for the house, said Ward Miller, executive director of the advocacy group Preservation Chicago.
The next step is for the council’s Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards to vote on the commissions recommendation. A vote is expected in December. If the committee approves, the recommendation will go to the full council.
Blair Kamin is a Tribune critic.
bkamin@chicagotribune.com
Advertisement
Twitter @BlairKamin


chicagotribune--2020-11-06--‘You got them Trump licks?’ Chicago brothers target COVID-19 stimulus checks in scheme to steal mail

‘You got them Trump licks?’ Chicago brothers target COVID-19 stimulus checks in scheme to steal mail, feds say

Records show FBI agents arrested Ahmed Kosoko in September while he was delivering mail on his usual route in north @ @ @ @ @ , who was on the phone with his brother at the time of the arrest @ @ @ @ @ would turn himself in later that day but he never showed up .

Akeem Kosoko and his postal carrier brother had allegedly been stealing people’s personal funds from the U.S. mail for months when the federal government rolled out what undoubtedly seemed like the ultimate bonanza: “Trump checks.”
That’s how Kosoko referred to the federal “economic impact payments” — emblazoned with President Donald Trump’s name — that were mailed to financially struggling taxpayers during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, according to criminal charges recently unsealed in Chicago’s federal court.
Advertisement
In early May, the FBI was listening as Kosoko allegedly arranged a meeting on Chicago’s West Side to sell several stimulus checks to an associate for $5,000.
Akeem Kosoko, 26, is charged with conspiring to steal U.S. mail and theft of government funds. (Chicago Police Department)
“You get them Trump licks?” the associate, who was cooperating with the investigation, asked Kosoko in the May 7 call, according to the charges.
Advertisement
“You know it, boy!” Kosoko replied.
The exchange was one of several detailed in a 43-page criminal complaint charging Kosoko, 26, and his brother, Ahmed Kosoko, 35, with conspiring to steal U.S. mail and theft of government funds.
According to the charges, Ahmed Kosoko, who had been a U.S. Postal Service mail carrier since 2018, and other uncharged postal employees agreed to steal tax refunds, stimulus checks and other financial instruments from the mail in exchange for cash “and other items of value.”
Akeem Kosoko also possessed a mail carrier uniform and a special postal service “arrow key” to rifle through mailboxes on his own, which he referred to as “going fishing,” the charges alleged.
To disguise the fraud, the brothers recruited third parties from across the country to use their bank accounts to deposit the funds, and also used stolen personal identification numbers and other banking information of unwitting victims to withdraw the money from ATMs, the charges alleged.
Prosecutors told a federal judge in Chicago on Thursday that investigators were still trying to unravel the scope of the fraud, which involved financial transactions in Illinois, New York and Georgia.
“The scheme is so expansive, there are dozens, if not more, co-conspirators,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Nicholson said, adding that the total amount stolen appeared to be “upward of a million dollars.”
Records show FBI agents arrested Ahmed Kosoko in September while he was delivering mail on his usual route in north suburban Skokie. Akeem Kosoko, who was on the phone with his brother at the time of the arrest, told agents that he would turn himself in later that day but he never showed up.
Advertisement
Authorities spent more than a month looking for him before he arranged through his attorney to turn himself in to the U.S. Marshals Service last week, records show.
During a lengthy hearing Thursday, Akeem Kosoko’s attorney, Lisa Lopez, called her client a “man of modest means” who lives with his father in a small apartment in the 1100 block of North Milwaukee Avenue and works at his family’s clothing store.
Nicholson, however, said Kosoko appears to have no permanent residence and there was no evidence that Kosoko has ever had legitimate income.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Cummings ordered Kosoko held without bond, citing arrest warrants issued for him in two separate cases in Georgia as well as pending weapons charges against him in Cook County.
Cummings also said it was particularly “troubling” that Kosoko was charged with stealing checks meant to help financially strapped citizens during a global pandemic.
“That’s quite serious if that’s actually proven,” the judge said.
Advertisement
Ahmed Kosoko, 35, of Chicago, was released on his own recognizance by a different magistrate judge after his arrest in September, records show. His attorney, William Stanton, declined to comment Friday on the allegations.
According to the criminal complaint, the FBI was first alerted to the scheme in October 2019 when a confidential informant told agents that Akeem Kosoko had offered to sell him stolen checks and was recruiting others on Facebook and Instagram by touting “fast cash.”
Three months later, as the federal investigation progressed, Chicago police confiscated Akeem Kosoko’s cellphone after he was arrested during a traffic stop in the 1500 block of South Ridgeway Avenue, records show.
According to the arrest report, Kosoko, who was a passenger in a Jeep Grand Cherokee that ran a stop sign, had an unregistered, loaded handgun in his waistband. He told officers that the gun belonged to his brother and that he was carrying it for protection, according to the report.
Akeem Kosoko was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and was released on $5,000 bond, records show. Those charges are pending in Cook County Criminal Court.
In May, federal prosecutors secured a search warrant for Kosoko’s phone, which was still in the possession of the Chicago Police Department, according to testimony Thursday by FBI Special Agent Lindsay Burt.
Advertisement
On the device, investigators found a trove of text messages and social media chats discussing the mail theft scheme, including photos of stolen items and conversations between the Kosoko brothers about the amounts of certain checks, Burt said.
One photo found on the phone showed Ahmed Kosovo in April 2019 prying open an envelope he’d stolen while on his route, exposing a tax refund check addressed to a Skokie woman for $363, according to the charges.
“Weak (as expletive),” Ahmed texted to his brother in an apparent reference to the small amount of the check, according to the complaint. “Not really even worth taking.”
Shortly after searching Akeem Kosoko’s phone, the FBI instructed the confidential informant to arrange to purchase stolen pandemic stimulus checks from Kosoko, the complaint alleged.
The first meeting took place May 8 in the 2100 block of West Randolph Street. Agents watched as the informant, who was wearing a hidden camera and microphone, handed over $5,000 in exchange for a check intended for a man on the city’s Far South Side, the complaint alleged.
A few days later, the informant called Kosoko to ask when he’d be getting more Trump checks, the charges alleged. “Not today... tomorrow,” Kosoko allegedly replied.
Advertisement
On May 14, the two met again on the same block, where the informant paid Kosoko $6,000 for two more stimulus checks, which had been altered to change the names of the payees, the complaint alleged.
During that meeting, Kosoko allegedly explained to the informant how his network of postal carriers was able to steal the checks without being detected by supervisors.
“When they get someone else’s route bro, like they go do 10 blocks and that route don’t belong to them, they just pocket that (expletive). They can’t get in trouble,” Kosoko was quoted in the complaint as saying.
During the same conversation, the informant asked why Kosoko’s brother hadn’t been able to steal more.
“He ain’t been workin' like that,” Kosoko allegedly replied. "He caught the coronavirus.”
The Tribune’s Megan Crepeau contributed.
Advertisement
jmeisner@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-11-06--The annual cutting down of Chicago's Christmas Tree

Catherine Townsend , 85 , watches as workers are cutting and transporting her 45-foot Blue Spruce tree from her yard @ @ @ @ @ Park neighborhood on Friday , Nov. 6 , 2020.The tree is going to be the @ @ @ @ @ ” Christmas tree .
( Zbigniew Bzdak/Chicago Tribune )

This website stores data such as cookies to enable essential site functionality, as well as marketing, personalization, and analytics. By remaining on this website, you indicate your consent.


chicagotribune--2020-11-06--Rapper King Von killed in shooting outside Atlanta nightclub; 2 others dead, 3 wounded: police

The two cops , at least one of whom was working as a security guard for that business , intervened @ @ @ @ @ fired an unknown number of shots at two separate locations , according to the release @ @ @ @ @ where all the gunshots came from and who fired the fatal rounds that killed the @ @ @

Rapper King Von was killed in a shooting that left two other people dead and at least three wounded outside a nightclub in downtown Atlanta early Friday, authorities said.
The 26-year-old musician, born Dayvon Bennett, died at a hospital hours after two groups got into a bloody altercation in the parking lot of Monaco Hookah Lounge around 3 a.m., according to police. Two city police officers also fired their weapons during the shootout, but investigators believe Bennett was struck before cops arrived at the scene.
Advertisement
The Chicago-born rapper was in Atlanta for an album-release party at a different nightclub Thursday night. A preliminary investigation suggests he and a group of men went to the second venue after the party and got into an argument with two other men, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said in a news release.
The two cops, at least one of whom was working as a security guard for that business, intervened to stop the shooting and fired an unknown number of shots at two separate locations, according to the release. Authorities are still investigating where all the gunshots came from and who fired the fatal rounds that killed the three men.
Advertisement
It’s with great sadness that I have to confirm that King Von has passed away. I spoke with his manager who luckily has survived being shot and is currently recovering in the hospital. However, Von manager did confirm that Von was shot and did not make it. 😢 RIP King Von — DJ Akademiks (@Akademiks) November 6, 2020
“The officers did shoot, but we want to ensure we look at the evidence and be able to prove who did what,” Deputy Chief Timothy Peek of the Atlanta Police Department told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution from outside the club.
None of the officers were injured in the shooting.
Surveillance videos that were circulating on social media Friday appeared to show part of the incident. In one of the clips, several men could be seen attacking at least one victim before one of those involved pulled out a gun and fired. The shooting sparked a chaotic scene and it’s unclear if any of the videos shows Bennett.
Police said the rapper either drove himself or was given a ride to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The three surviving gunshot victims were in stable condition, authorities said. Another person who police believe was involved in the dispute sustained injuries after being struck by a car near the club.
Just received tragic confirmation.
Rest in peace, King Von.
Gone way too soon.
🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿 pic.twitter.com/VUwldNU4WG — Justin L. Hunte 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@TheCompanyMan) November 6, 2020
Tributes to the rapper began pouring in after friends learned of his tragic death Friday.
“It’s with great sadness that I have to confirm that King Von has passed away,” DJ Akademiks wrote on Twitter. “I spoke with his manager who luckily has survived being shot and is currently recovering in the hospital. However, Von manager did confirm that Von was shot and did not make it.”
“RIP my Bestfriend,” Grammy-nominated producer Chopsquad DJ said in an Instagram post.
Advertisement
“We sat on FaceTime for hours making songs together,” he wrote. “Every bar had a meaning and every song was a part of our soul. Every moment meant something and to grow wit you made me feel like I was a real producer. I love you bro.”
Rapper King Von attends Compound Saturday Nights at Compound on August 29, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Picasa/WireImage)
Bennett began his career in 2018 and was known for his tunes “Problems” and “Crazy Story." He released the album “Welcome to O-Block" last month and had been promoting a new music video that was set to be released Friday, according to his social media feed.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is leading the probe since the shooting involved two Atlanta officers.


chicagotribune--2020-11-06--Fleeing cops, Chicago murder suspect left behind his wallet, his gun, his knife, $1,980 in $20 bills

Fleeing cops, Chicago murder suspect left behind his wallet, his gun, his knife, $1,980 in $20 bills, $58 in gold coins and 10 silver dollars, police say

Torkelson revved the engine and sped off , the officers in pursuit .
He crashed into a ditch not far @ @ @ @ @ looked at the officers , then ran through a yard and into a field , @ @ @ @ @ wouldn ’ t catch up to him for about a week , when federal marshals @ @ @ @ @ jumped out a second-floor apartment window near Oak Hill , West Virginia , about 240 @ @ @ @ @ .

Chicago murder suspect Juan Torkelson was on the run for barely a day when he found himself on the side of a road in Ohio and two police officers approaching his green Honda SUV.
Inside his car was a 9 mm Smith & Wesson pistol, a knife, a box of ammo, around $2,000 in $20 bills, $58 in gold coins and 10 silver dollars, according to a police report.
Advertisement
“What the (obscenity) do you want?” he yelled out the window, then grabbed the pistol, aimed it at the officers and pulled the trigger, the report says. There was a click but no shot.
Torkelson revved the engine and sped off, the officers in pursuit. He crashed into a ditch not far away, got out, looked at the officers, then ran through a yard and into a field, the report states. Authorities wouldn’t catch up to him for about a week, when federal marshals arrested him Tuesday after he jumped out a second-floor apartment window near Oak Hill, West Virginia, about 240 miles down U.S. Route 35.
Advertisement
Juan Torkelson, 28, was arrested in West Virigina after fleeing to Ohio and having a confrontation with sheriff's deputies there while on electronic monitoring in a Chicago murder case. (Chicago Police Department)
He had a large knife but no injuries were reported. He remained in custody in West Virginia on Wednesday, with no word when he would be brought back to Chicago to face charges in a stabbing last year that killed Chicago graffiti artist Reinaldo Sanchez and injured three others in Portage Park.
Torkelson, 28, was charged with first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder after he was arrested for the attack. On June 25 he was released on electronic monitoring after posting $10,000 bail.
The Cook County sheriff’s office, which oversees the electronic monitoring program, said it was notified on Oct. 27 of a “possible unauthorized leave” for Torkelson. Local authorities were unable to locate him.
The next day, Torkelson was pulled over near Columbus, Ohio, after an officer said he saw his Honda following another car too closely. The officer said he remained in his police car while waiting for another officer to arrive, in the meantime running the license plate of the Honda.
Torkelson kept looking out the window of his car and yelled to the officer, “Can I help you,” according to the police report. The second officer soon arrived and that’s when Torkelson pulled the gun and sped off. The officers chased the Honda, reaching speeds of 70 to 80 mph before Torkelson lost control and crashed into the ditch, the report says.
Police used dogs to find him but could not, authorities said.
On Tuesday, deputy U.S. marshals learned he might be at an apartment complex in the Oak Hill area, according to Mark Gregoline, deputy commander of the Marshals Service’s Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force.
Gregoline would not say how the deputy marshals found Torkelson, but said their investigation led them to the area. When they arrived, Torkelson leapt through a second-floor glass window and ran off, Gregoline said. After a brief foot chase, the deputy marshals arrested Torkelson.
Advertisement
Gregoline did not know why Torkelson was at the apartment complex.
While he’s being held in jail in West Virginia, authorities in Madison County say they are weighing felony charges against him for pulling a gun and allegedly trying to shoot the officers.


chicagotribune--2020-11-06--School police votes put spotlight on Chicago’s Local School Councils. Why one parent is running for

School police votes put spotlight on Chicago’s Local School Councils. Why one parent is running for the first time in this month’s elections

“ I don ’ t know if this is even practical , but in my idealistic mind , I feel @ @ @ @ @ involvement , I could figure out how to get our neighbors to engage and actively @ @ @ @ @ school so that we have a diverse school that mirrors our community , ” she @ @ @ @ @ ’ m not a teacher , I ’ m just a parent .
But there @ @ @ @ @ other schools , that I know our school is missing .
”

As mail-in ballots cast in the presidential election hold the nation’s attention, Chicago Public Schools says it will count ballots postmarked by election day for its local school council races.
The district initially said votes needed to be in by Nov. 18 for elementary schools and Nov. 19 for high schools, but now will allow ballots in the mail by those dates to count if they are received by Nov. 30, according to a letter responding to concerns from community groups.
Advertisement
This year’s council elections — postponed from April because of COVID-19 — are competitive at some schools and wide open at others, with 5,910 candidates vying for 5,672 spots, and nearly 700 seats with no one running. That’s an improvement over the last election two years ago, when only 5,658 candidates ran for 5,730 seats.
The small elected bodies were in the spotlight when councils at 72 schools voted on whether to keep Chicago police officers stationed on campus, during a summer of protests in which the Chicago Board of Education approved another contract with the Chicago Police Department. With 55 schools keeping officers and 17 removing them, the issue also drew attention to how many of the groups had vacancies and lacked quorum.
Advertisement
The district cited the policing issue as one of the reasons for the “renewed interest” in the school council elections, along with “a robust marketing strategy” that included email and social media campaigns, targeted ads and radio spots.
For first-time candidate Jo Etta Harris at Shoesmith Elementary in Kenwood, some of that rings true. Events over the summer, including the school police votes, opened her eyes to the kinds of decisions LSCs are responsible for.
First-time local school council candidate Jo Etta Harris with her children, Bronson Harris Shaw, 6, left, and Ophelia Harris-Shaw, 9, at their Chicago home. She's running for a seat at Shoesmith Elementary in Kenwood. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
“I saw how much money was set aside for cops to be in schools,” Harris said. “I thought, ‘Wow, so you get to vote on these things if you’re on the (council)?’ I know there are bigger things, but that got a lightbulb going off in my head.”
Her decision to run was further influenced by her first-grade son’s switch to Keller Regional Gifted Center, a selective enrollment elementary school in Mount Greenwood, while her fourth-grade daughter continued going to Shoesmith. “I’m pro-neighborhood school, but I was very curious what the selective enrollment, best-of-the-best schools in Illinois thing had to offer,'" Harris said.
In addition to more resources at Keller, parents seemed more involved, and she began to think about the school council at Shoesmith. Though Harris already volunteers there, she’d never seriously thought about the LSC before, with an impression they were sometimes steppingstones for people with political aspirations.
“I never really had my eye on the LSC,” she said. “It seemed like people drawn to it are trying to build up some type of name in the community."
Last time, there weren’t as many candidates as seats, and she wondered if she should have run. But up until filing papers were due in October, she wasn’t sure about it. While deliberating, Harris looked at what schools had the most openings.
Advertisement
“I noticed that it was a lot of the West Side and South Side and schools with a predominantly Black demographic. … At a cultural level, a personal, level, I just thought you know, we as Black people have to do better for our kids too. We need to run. Not for political gain, just to be there as an advocate for not only my own children but also for other kids."
About 91% of Shoesmith students are Black, and Harris said that doesn’t reflect the diversity of her neighborhood.
“I don’t know if this is even practical, but in my idealistic mind, I feel like maybe that level of involvement, I could figure out how to get our neighbors to engage and actively send their kids to the school so that we have a diverse school that mirrors our community,” she said. “… I’m not a teacher, I’m just a parent. But there are things I see in other schools, that I know our school is missing.”
Harris said she is one of six Shoesmith parents running, along with three community members, two teachers and one other staff member.
Running her first campaign during a pandemic, Harris would like more guidance from CPS on how to reach out to other parents who aren’t usually engaged. The candidates had a virtual forum, but they were the only ones who logged in. Overall, though, Harris said she feels good about running.
Advertisement
Seeking more opportunities for participation, LSCs.4.ALL, a coalition of parents and community groups, asked the district in a letter last week for more information about the upcoming elections.
“We appreciate the challenges CPS faces in conducting this election during a pandemic, but have serious concerns about whether these processes will meet CPS' constitutional obligations to ensure a free and equal LSC election," the letter states.
It outlined four primary concerns: the tight timeline for mail-in ballots, which CPS planned to send out this week; ballot security; access, particularly for families experiencing homelessness; and providing information on candidates to voters.
“We have heard concerns from many parents and community members about inconsistencies and confusion in CPS' distribution of information about candidates,” according to the letter.
This week, director of LSC relations Guillermo Montes De Oca responded, noting that the Illinois General Assembly had allowed CPS to modify its election process. The district implemented mail-in voting for parents and staff, who can also vote in-person or curbside, and there is online voting for high school students and in-person voting for community members.
LSCs at high schools can have one student member, and fellow high school students can vote for them.
Advertisement
“We disagree that the LSC elections process, as laid out, violates the Constitution,” De Oca wrote. “However, based on your feedback and concerns, we have reassessed our election processes.”
In addition to counting ballots postmarked by the election dates, he wrote that on the day the groups sent their letter, the district extended the deadline for candidates to submit campaign literature.
When Harris told her daughter she planned to run, the fourth grader asked why.
“She thought it was pretty funny I put some corny picture of myself with a candidate statement,” Harris said. “... I explained to her, ‘I want to be involved and advocate for you and for your classmates.’”
Her son thought it was cool and wondered why she didn’t run at his school. “Your school, they’re covered,” Harris said.
hleone@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-11-06--Coronavirus in Illinois updates: Here’s what happened Nov. 5 with COVID-19 in the Chicago area

Though the mural will feature an image of Pedro Duarte and a few other community members who have died , @ @ @ @ @ be of people who are alive .
At the center will be a phoenix holding @ @ @ @ @ that morphs into a border wall and detention cages .
At the top left corner @ @ @ @ @ group of kindergartners playing with Legos in the shape of the city of Chicago .
@ @ @ @ @ portraits of some essential workers from the neighborhood .

We have lifted the paywall on this story. To support essential reporting, please consider becoming a subscriber .
CTU workers direct vehicles lined up for COVID-19 testing outside of the Chicago Teachers Union on Dec. 30, 2021, in Chicago. CPS starts back to school on Monday following their holiday break. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
The COVID-19 related death toll in Illinois surpassed 10,000 on Thursday and the daily number of new known cases again hit a new high as the resurgence of the virus continues to escalate.
The state reported 97 additional deaths over a 24-hour period, raising the number of deaths statewide since the pandemic began to 10,030. It was the first time the state’s single-day death toll has surpassed 90 since June 11, when it was 91.
Advertisement
The daily number of newly diagnosed cases was 9,935, also a new high. That raised the known statewide case total to 447,491. The previous high was 7,899 on Sunday. The seven-day statewide positivity rate jumped from 8.5% to 9.1%.
Additionally, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said he will again impose tougher statewide restrictions if the latest resurgence continues to escalate. Pritzker’s warning of a potential statewide order is a departure from his messages in recent weeks that the state will stick to cracking down only on regions in his reopening plan when they reach state-set bench marks.
Advertisement
Here’s what’s happening Thursday with COVID-19 in the Chicago area and Illinois:
7:20 p.m.: Lightfoot says she can’t yet put a date on Chicago Public Schools' reopening
Thursday marked the final day of student attendance for the virtual fall quarter, and Chicago Public Schools has yet to publicly announce a date for a return to classrooms, beyond its plan to offer in-person learning to students in prekindergarten and special education clusters sometime before 2020 is over.
CPS also has not publicly released the outcome of intent-to-return surveys submitted by parents of eligible students.
Regardless of rumors circulating, they won’t be going back on Monday, the first day of the second quarter, CTU President Jesse Sharkey said in an update to members Wednesday.
“Although some principals continue to tell staff otherwise, Chicago Public Schools officials told us during bargaining today that they do not plan to reopen school buildings to returning students and staff on Monday,” Sharkey wrote.
CPS officials confirmed they aren’t bringing staff back Monday and all students will still begin the quarter remotely, but did not say when they will announce more details.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Thursday revealed no new details but reiterated that any decision about schools will be based in public health guidance.
“That’s still very much a work in progress. I don’t want to put a specific date on it,” Lightfoot said during a news conference. “... We’re not going to do anything that puts kids in harms way, but we’ve got to start thinking about a path that gets those kids who are falling behind back into school and that’s precisely what’s happening.”
Advertisement
Read more here. —Hannah Leone
6:30 p.m.: Pritzker warns of potential statewide crackdown
Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Thursday said he will again impose tougher statewide restrictions if the latest resurgence of the coronavirus, which has now claimed more than 10,000 lives in Illinois, continues to escalate.
Pritzker’s warning of a potential statewide order is a departure from his messages in recent weeks that the state will stick to cracking down only on regions in his reopening plan when they reach state-set bench marks.
“If the current trajectory continues, if our hospitals continue to fill up, if more and more people continue to lose their lives to this disease, we’re going to implement further statewide mitigations, which nobody, and I mean nobody, wants,” Pritzker said during a particularly bleak daily coronavirus briefing.
Read more here. —Jamie Munks
5:55 p.m.: New Trier High School’s COVID-19 reopening plans too fast for teachers, too slow for some parents
A plan to reopen New Trier High School for in-person instruction next week is being criticized by teachers and described as insufficient by some parents.
Advertisement
The decision to reopen for some in-person learning comes just as the state and the region are experiencing a sharp uptick in the number of new COVID-19 cases. A representative of the teachers union sees that as reason to back away from the plan. At the same time, some parents are demanding an even more expansive return to on-campus learning.
At a Wednesday night special meeting, the New Trier High School Board of Education voted unanimously to resume hybrid, on-campus learning Nov. 10 for students with last names beginning with F through K. That would be followed by another group of students later in the week. Over the course of the following weeks, additional groups of students will be brought back until all students have experienced some in-person learning, according to the plan.
The high school’s campuses in Winnetka and Northfield reopened briefly under a hybrid learning plan in early October before shutting down again after just one week due to COVID-19 concerns.
The decision to reopen the high school next week was made as officials launch a new COVID-19 saliva screening program, as stated in a Thursday letter to parents posted on the high school’s website. School officials announced last month that they will pay up to $1.3 million to conduct COVID-19 saliva screenings for students and staff.
Read more here. —Karen Ann Cullotta
4:25 p.m.: Counties with the worst COVID-19 surges overwhelmingly voted for Trump, analysis shows
U.S. voters went to the polls starkly divided on how they see President Donald Trump’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, with a surprising twist: In places where the virus is most rampant now, Trump enjoyed enormous support.
Advertisement
An Associated Press analysis reveals that in 376 counties with the highest number of new cases per capita, the overwhelming majority — 93% of those counties — went for Trump, a rate above other less severely hit areas. Most were rural areas in Montana, the Dakotas, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
Read more here. —Associated Press
3:13 p.m.: Chicago’s travel order to undergo changes next week, Lightfoot says
Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s travel ban will undergo some changes next week, though city officials declined to specify what they would be.
Lightfoot and public health commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said they would not be canceling the order, however.
“Obviously we’re very much aware of what the percent positivity is and other expansion of cases in states certainly in our surrounding area and across the country so we are looking at what makes the most sense and we’ll make an announcement about that soon,” Lightfoot said.
Public health commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady also said there would be “some adjustments” to the travel order, but didn’t specify.
Advertisement
—Gregory Pratt
1:44 p.m.: Taste of Chicago, Air Show funding not in city 2021 budget
Summertime 2021 is a distant mirage in Chicago, but if you’re making warm weather plans to help you get through the winter, don’t put Taste of Chicago or the Air and Water Show in your calendar.
With the COVID-19 pandemic expected to continue making large public gatherings dangerous for the foreseeable future, the city has not budgeted next year to run either of the big summer events that draw huge crowds to the lakefront.
Special Events Commissioner Mark Kelly told aldermen during his annual budget hearing Thursday that Taste and the Air Show haven’t been canceled yet. But the $9 million or so it takes to run them haven’t been included in his department’s spending plan.
Taste and the Air Show were both canceled this year, as Mayor Lori Lightfoot responded to the coronavirus by clearing the docket of nearly all the major events in Chicago’s downtown and Grant Park.
Taste usually takes place for a week in mid-July in Grant Park, and the Air Show takes over the lakefront for a weekend in mid-August.
Advertisement
—John Byrne
1:02 p.m.: Illinois COVID-19 death toll surpasses 10,000, daily case count sets new high
The COVID-19 related death toll in Illinois surpassed 10,000 on Thursday and the daily number of new known cases again hit a new high as the resurgence of the virus continues to escalate.
The state reported 97 additional deaths over a 24-hour period, raising the number of deaths statewide since the pandemic began to 10,030. It was the first time the state’s single-day death toll has surpassed 90 since June 11, when it was 91.
The daily number of newly diagnosed cases was 9,935, also a new high. That raised the known statewide case total to 447,491. The previous high was 7,899 on Sunday.
As of Wednesday night, 3,891 people were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19, with 772 patients in intensive care units and 343 patients on ventilators.
Read more here. —Jamie Munks
Advertisement
1 p.m.: Mayor Lori Lightfoot announces $10 million grant program for bars and restaurants struggling with COVID-19 shutdown
Mayor Lori Lightfoot is announcing Thursday a $10 million federally funded grant program to help independent Chicago bars and restaurants struggling with shutdowns brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.
Under Lightfoot’s plan, eligible businesses could get up to $10,000 each in grant funds.
In addition, the mayor will propose a cap on the fees that third-party delivery apps can charge restaurants, which will need to be approved by the City Council, and launch a web portal, ChiServes.com, to help hospitality workers find workforce development resources, she said.
Lightfoot has attempted to position herself as a friend to bars and restaurants after Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker shut down indoor service due to a spike in COVID-19 cases. She criticized Pritzker’s plan and said she would try to change his mind before dropping her opposition a day later.
But Lightfoot also has faced criticism for stricter rules on liquor sales, which she’s since rescinded, and her own anti-coronavirus measures.
Read more here. —Gregory Pratt
Advertisement
Noon: Chicago Bears send players and coaches home after Cody Whitehair reportedly tests positive for COVID-19
The Chicago Bears closed their facilities Thursday as they deal with a potential COVID-19 outbreak ahead of Sunday’s game against the Tennessee Titans.
NFL Network reported center Cody Whitehair tested positive for COVID-19, a revelation that comes two days after it was revealed swing tackle Jason Spriggs tested positive. Right guard Germain Ifedi has been in quarantine as a close contact with Spriggs.
And the Tribune’s Brad Biggs reports Whitehair might not be the only new addition to the COVID-19 list, which is for players who either test positive or have been in close contact with someone who has. Whitehair didn’t practice Wednesday because he has a calf injury, but was present during the portion of practice open to the media.
Read more here. —Colleen Kane
10:58 a.m.: Sangamon County judge dismisses lawsuits challenging Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s coronavirus orders and restrictions
A judge in central Illinois this week dismissed a group of lawsuits challenging Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s authority in issuing pandemic-driven orders and restrictions, calling the arguments in those actions “devoid of facts to support the conclusions.”
The Illinois Supreme Court earlier this year moved to consolidate several lawsuits with near-identical challenges to the governor’s emergency actions, including one filed by a Republican state lawmaker, to Sangamon County Circuit Court.
Advertisement
In their lawsuits, the plaintiffs used “just three factual allegations” in support of their theory that Pritzker overstepped his authority: “the total number of people who have been tested for, contracted and died from COVID-19 in each of their counties,” Sangamon County Circuit Judge Raylene Grischow wrote.
The judge ruled that those allegations are not sufficient to prove the plaintiffs' claim that COVID-19 is not a public health emergency in their counties. Grischow said she “cautions counsel to set forth facts to support conclusions.” Her ruling was issued Wednesday.
Read more here. —Jamie Munks
9:22 a.m.: Pilsen mural features residents, including essential workers: ‘It mirrors the community’s resilience’
Though the mural will feature an image of Pedro Duarte and a few other community members who have died, most of the faces will be of people who are alive. At the center will be a phoenix holding in its mouth a serpent that morphs into a border wall and detention cages. At the top left corner, there will be a group of kindergartners playing with Legos in the shape of the city of Chicago. The mural will also include portraits of some essential workers from the neighborhood.
“The wall is a reflection of who we are and it mirrors the community’s resilience,” Serrano said. “We also want to encourage others to acknowledge each other’s presence, power and strength.”
So far, there are about 15 faces on the wall, including one of a mother without legal immigration status carrying her child and a street musician holding a guitar. Zapata has taken photo portraits of all the living subjects.
Advertisement
Read more here. —Laura Rodríguez Presa
7:15 a.m.: Red Cross appeals for blood donations, plasma to fight coronavirus
The American Red Cross on Thursday appealed for donors to ward off a seasonal slump in donations that the nonprofit often sees in the fall and early winter, while asking anyone who’s had the novel coronavirus to consider donating plasma for COVID-19 patients.
“The traditional slump in blood donations between Thanksgiving and New Year’s comes as the blood supply already faces challenges created by the coronavirus pandemic,” the Chicago-area branch of the Red Cross said in a news release. “Required medical treatments and emergencies don’t pause for the holidays or a widespread coronavirus outbreak.”
When someone donates, the Red Cross is testing blood, platelet and plasma for COVID-19 antibodies.
“The test may indicate if the donor’s immune system has produced antibodies to this coronavirus, regardless of whether an individual developed COVID-19 symptoms,” according to the release. “Red Cross antibody tests will be helpful to identify individuals who have COVID-19 antibodies and may now help current coronavirus patients in need of convalescent plasma transfusions”
The Red Cross has many blood drives lined up in the Chicago area for the next few weeks. For dates and times, check the agency’s website. People can also use the Red Cross Blood Donor App, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or use the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device. — Chicago Tribune staff
Advertisement
6 a.m.: State driver facilities in West Chicago, Aurora to reopen Thursday after closing because of coronavirus case
Two driver services facilities will reopen Thursday in West Chicago and Aurora after COVID-19 reached the buildings and forced two-week closures.
The West Chicago Commercial Driver’s License at 1280 Powis Road and the Aurora Driver Services facility at 339 East Indian Trail closed in late October after an employee tested positive for COVID-19.
Employees at both buildings were quarantined for 14 days and the facilities have since been “thoroughly cleaned and disinfected,” according to a press release from the Illinois Secretary of State’s office.
State officials encouraged people to go online to www.cyberdriveillinois.com for services such as renewing license plate stickers, obtaining replacement driver’s licenses/ID cards and safe driver renewals. Expiration dates for driver’s licenses and identification cards were extended until Feb. 1 because of the pandemic.
—Kelli Smith
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--2020-11-07--Election 2020 live updates: With result uncertain, but moving clearly in his direction, Biden calls

Election 2020 live updates: With result uncertain, but moving clearly in his direction, Biden calls count process ‘numbing’

Meadows traveled with Trump in the run-up to Election Day and last appeared in public early Wednesday morning without a @ @ @ @ @ victory in the vote count .
He had been one of the close aides around @ @ @ @ @ down with the virus more than a month ago , but was tested daily and @ @ @ @ @ .

President-elect Joe Biden, right, on stage with Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, left, Nov. 7, 2020, in Wilmington, Del. (Andrew Harnik/AP Photo)
Democrat Joe Biden declared victory in his quest to be 46th president of the United States of America after he was named the presumptive winner of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania by the Associated Press and other major media organizations.
Biden secured what the AP and others determined was an insurmountable lead in the Keystone State on Saturday morning after more than four days of ballot counting across the country. The state put him over the 270 Electoral College votes he needed to win his bitter battle with incumbent President Donald Trump.
Advertisement
The presumptive president-elect addressed the nation from the Chase Center in Wilmington, Delaware on Saturday night.
Biden touted the fact that he’s won more votes than any presidential ticket in history, calling his win “a convincing victory, a victory for the people.” He also said he was “surprised” by seeing the celebrations and an “outpouring of joy” in the wake of his win nationwide.
Advertisement
Departing from longstanding democratic tradition and signaling a potentially turbulent transfer of power, Trump issued a combative statement saying his campaign would take unspecified legal actions. And he followed up with a bombastic, all-caps tweet in which he falsely declared, “I WON THE ELECTION, GOT 71,000,000 LEGAL VOTES.” Twitter immediately flagged it as misleading.
The Trump campaign has repeatedly disputed the tabulation of votes, alleging — without evidence — that the results have been corrupted by the mail-in ballot process.
A longtime senator from Delaware who served as Barack Obama’s vice president, Biden made two failed runs for the White House in the past. He declined to run in 2016 after the death of his son, Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden, from brain cancer.
In a statement, he said he was humbled by the victory and it was time for the battered nation to set aside its differences.
“It’s time for America to unite. And to heal,” Biden said. “With the campaign over, it’s time to put the anger and the harsh rhetoric behind us and come together as a nation... There’s nothing we can’t do if we do it together.”
His running mate, California Sen. Kamala Harris, is now in line to be the first woman and first South Asian person to be elected vice president.
The AP has not called several other states, including as Georgia and North Carolina, where ballots are still being tallied. The final margin of victory for Biden, both in the Electoral College and popular vote, may not be known for several days or weeks.
Here is how the day unfolded:
Advertisement
9:05 p.m.: Biden to unveil COVID-19 panel Monday
Joe Biden will unveil a group of scientists and experts to help him craft a plan to tackle the coronavirus pandemic on Monday.
Biden announced his plans to launch the COVID-19 task force during remarks at his victory party Saturday night. He said those advisers would help him take the proposals he’s released during the campaign for dealing with the pandemic — which include investments in personal protective equipment and loans for small businesses as well as plans to implement more standardized public health guidelines — and turn those proposals into a “blueprint” that he’ll enact when inaugurated president next January.
Biden said the plan would be “built on bedrock science” and “constructed out of compassion, empathy and concern.” Biden made President Donald Trump’s mishandling of the pandemic a central focus of his campaign and pledged that his top priority as president would be managing the virus.
Biden said that “our work begins with getting COVID under control” , adding Americans “cannot repair the economy, restore our economy or relish life’s most precious moments” without doing so.
—Associated Press
President-elect Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden wave to supporters Nov. 7, 2020, in Wilmington, Del. (Andrew Harnik/AP)
9 p.m.: Biden speaks to nation, pledges ‘not to divide but to unify’
Joe Biden is pledging to be a president “who seeks not to divide but to unify.”
Advertisement
Biden delivered his first remarks as president-elect at a victory party in Wilmington, after he was declared the winner of the presidential election on Saturday. Biden jogged onto the stage wearing a black suit, black mask and light blue tie. He pointed and waved at the screaming crowd gathered to hear him speak.
Echoing his campaign stump speech, Biden promised to be a president who “doesn’t see red states or blue states, only sees the United States,” and said he would work “with all my heart” to win the confidence of all Americans.
Biden touted the fact that he’s won more votes than any presidential ticket in history, calling his win “a convincing victory, a victory for the people.” He also said he was “surprised” by seeing the celebrations and an “outpouring of joy” in the wake of his win nationwide.
Biden said that “once again, America’s bent the arc of the moral universe more toward justice.”
Biden also made an appeal to supporters of President Donald Trump.
Biden said that “this is the time to heal in America” and pledged to be a president to represent even those who didn’t support him.
Advertisement
Noting “I’ve lost a couple times myself,” Biden said, “now, let’s give each other a chance.”
Trump has not conceded the race to Biden, pursuing legal challenges over ballot counts in several states.
Biden said “it’s time to put away the harsh rhetoric, lower the temperature, see each other again, listen to each other again,” saying of his political opponents, “they are not our enemies. They are Americans.”
—Associated Press
Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 25 Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), the Democratic nominee for vice president, speaks during a drive-in campaign rally in Philadelphia, on Nov. 2, 2020. Harris made history Saturday, Nov. 7, as the first Black woman elected as vice president of the United States, shattering barriers that have kept men — almost all of them white — entrenched at the highest levels of American politics for more than two centuries. (Michelle V. Agins/The New York Times)
8:50 p.m.: Harris says voters have ‘ushered in a new day for America'
Vice president-elect Kamala Harris spoke Saturday in her first address to the nation since she and Joe Biden were declared the winners of the presidential election.
Harris says voters chose hope, unity, decency, science and truth in choosing she and Biden over President Donald Trump.
Advertisement
Harris, the first woman to be elected vice president, wore a white pantsuit in tribute to women’s suffrage. She also opened her remarks with a tribute to the late Georgia Congressman John Lewis, a Civil Rights icon, who said democracy is not a state but an act. Harris will also be the first Black woman to serve as vice president.
Harris paid tribute to Black women who “so often prove they are the backbone of our democracy.”
Harris is the daughter of Jamaican and Indian immigrants.
Harris noted her ascension to the role comes 100 years after the 19th Amendment was ratified and 55 years after the signing of the Voting Rights Act, which expanded who could participate in American democracy.
She praised Joe Biden for having “the audacity to break one of the most substantial barriers that exist in our country” by selecting a woman as his running mate.
“Every little girl watching tonight sees that this is a county of possibilities,” Harris said.
Advertisement
The remarks were some of the most direct she has delivered about her history-making role as Biden’s running mate.
—Associated Press
8:15 p.m.: ‘The President will accept the results of a free and fair election’
That’s the message from a White House official Saturday, even as President Donald Trump is refusing to concede after losing to Democrat Joe Biden.
Trump has insisted he will contest the results and his campaign has launched a flurry of legal action in a handful of states trying to overturn Biden victories.
But the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, also said the Trump administration is following all statutory requirements that govern government transitions.
—Associated Press
Advertisement
6:20 p.m.: ‘#Sharpiegate’ controversy may be ending
The #Sharpiegate controversy may be over now that the attorneys who challenged the use of the markers to complete Election Day ballots in metro Phoenix told a court they’re dismissing their legal challenge.
Roopali Desai, an attorney for Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, said she received notice Saturday from the court that the lawyers who filed the lawsuit are now ending the case.
A copy of the dismissal notice provided to The Associated Press doesn’t specify a reason for dismissing the case, and Alexander Kolodin, one of the attorneys who filed the lawsuit, declined a request for comment.
Arizona election officials have said voting with a Sharpie would not invalidate their ballot. But many social media users have falsely claimed their ballots had been invalidated because they were told to use the markers to fill out their ballots.
The lawsuit alleged tabulation equipment was unable to record a voter’s ballot on Tuesday because she completed it with a Sharpie. One of the remedies sought by the lawsuit was for voters who used Sharpies to be present to watch workers count ballots, a proposition that the judge expressed skepticism about.
Election officials say votes wouldn’t be cancelled if ink from a Sharpie bleeds through the back side of ballots and that there is a process that would keep the ballots from being canceled out if problems arise.
Advertisement
—Associated Press
President Donald Trump returns to the White House after playing a round of golf Nov. 7, 2020, in Washington. (Evan Vucci/AP)
4:15 p.m.: After golfing, Trump welcomed back to DC with jeers after loss
President Donald Trump has returned to the White House and a very different Washington, D.C., after losing his reelection bid.
Trump’s motorcade returned from his golf club in Virginia via roads largely cleared of other cars and people Saturday afternoon.
But as he approached the White House, he was welcomed home with boos and raised middle fingers. Chants of “Loser, loser, loser” and profanities were also heard as his motorcade drove by.
Trump has so far refused to concede to presumptive President-elect Joe Biden and is promising legal challenges. He is the first president to lose reelection since George H.W. Bush in 1992.
—Associated Press
Advertisement
3:07 p.m.: Former President Obama phones Biden as Michelle Obama takes jab at Trump on Twitter
Joe Biden has spoken to Barack Obama, reaching out to the former president with one of his first calls as presumptive president-elect.
Biden’s campaign confirmed the phone call Saturday with Obama, whom Biden served under as vice president for eight years, but offered few details on what was said.
Meanwhile, Michelle Obama took to Twitter to say that she was “beyond thrilled” that Biden had been elected president and that his running mate, Kamala Harris, is “our first Black and Indian-American woman” as vice president.
In a series of tweets, the former first lady said the pair would “restore some dignity, competence, and heart at the White House.”
But Michelle Obama also warned supporters that voting in elections for candidates who win “isn’t a magic wand.”
“Let’s remember that tens of millions of people voted for the status quo, even when it meant supporting lies, hate, chaos and division,” she tweeted, in a swipe at President Donald Trump. “We’ve got a lot of work to do to reach out to these folks in the years ahead and connect with them on what unites us.”
Advertisement
Thank you to all of you who poured every ounce of your hope and determination into this democracy over these past four years, registering voters, getting them to the polls, keeping folks informed. More votes were cast in this election than ever before. It’s because of you. — Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) November 7, 2020
—Associated Press
2:45 p.m.: Congressional Republicans largely silent as race is called for Biden
Congressional Republican leaders have been notably silent on President-elect Joe Biden’s victory, but several GOP allies of President Donald Trump are disputing the outcome.
Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri tweeted Saturday: “The media do not get to determine who the president is. The people do.” He added, “When all lawful votes have been counted, recounts finished, and allegations of fraud addressed, we will know who the winner is.”
Other rank-and-file Republican lawmakers took a similar approach, insisting on waiting for some other verification of the results.
“Voters decide who wins the election, not the media,” tweeted Republican Rep. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma. “I fully support President Trump as he continues to fight for every legal vote to be counted.”
Trump has so far refused to concede and is promising legal challenges. He is the first president to lose reelection since George H.W. Bush in 1992.
Advertisement
The media do not get to determine who the president is. The people do. When all lawful votes have been counted, recounts finished, and allegations of fraud addressed, we will know who the winner is — Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) November 7, 2020
—Associated Press
2:45 p.m.: Crowds gather outside club where Trump golfed
Several hundred people have gathered outside President Donald Trump’s Virginia golf club after his election loss to President-elect Joe Biden.
The crowd includes dozens of Biden supporters celebrating his win, singing, “Hey hey hey, goodbye” and chanting, “Lock him up!” — a chant frequently heard at Trump rallies, directed at people he doesn’t like.
There are also dozens of Trump supporters, many waving large Trump flags and chanting, “We love Trump!” A convoy of trucks festooned with pro-Trump and American flags has been driving up and down the street, with one driver jeering at the gathered press.
There’s horn honking, cowbell ringing, whistle-blowing and plenty of cheering.
Trump was golfing when a flurry of media outlets, including The Associated Press, declared Saturday morning that Biden had won the election.
Advertisement
He is now on his way back to the White House.
—Associated Press
1:30 p.m.: No formal transition yet begun, Trump administration spokesperson says
The Trump administration has yet to formally begin the transition to Joe Biden.
A spokesperson for the General Services Administration said early Saturday afternoon that the administrator, Emily Murphy, has not formally ascertained that Biden is the “apparent winner” of the race. The Associated Press declared Biden the victor of the race late Saturday morning.
The formal ascertainment frees up millions of dollars and opens doors at federal agencies to Biden transition staffers to begin implementing transition plans.
The spokesperson says, “GSA and its Administrator will continue to abide by, and fulfill, all requirements under the law.”
Advertisement
For his part, President Donald Trump is not conceding the race and is promising unspecified legal challenges seeking to overturn the outcome of the race.
—Associated Press
1:30 p.m.: Congrats flow in from Western allies
Leaders of the United States' traditional Western allies are offering their congratulations to Joe Biden.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in a statement Saturday that the U.S. is the United Kingdom’s “most important ally” and added that he looks “forward to working closely together on our shared priorities, from climate change to trade and security.”
Johnson also singled out Kamala Harris for “her historic achievement” as the first woman, first Black woman and first person of South Asian descent to win national U.S. office.
French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted that “we have a lot to do to overcome today’s challenges. Let’s work together!”
Advertisement
And Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he’s eager to start “tackling the world’s greatest challenges together.”
All three men have had complicated and at times strained relationships with President Donald Trump.
Biden comes to the presidency with extensive foreign policy experience and said throughout his campaign that he’d immediately work to shore us U.S. relationships with traditional allies.
Jens Stoltenberg, secretary-general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, said Saturday in a statement that he looks forward to working with Biden and Harris “to further strengthen the bond between North America and Europe.”
He added that “US leadership is as important as ever in an unpredictable world.”
—Associated Press
Advertisement
1:16 p.m.: Obama says he ‘could not be prouder’ of Biden, his ex-VP
Former President Barack Obama says he “could not be prouder” to congratulate President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.
In a statement Saturday, Obama says Biden has “got what it takes to be President and already carries himself that way,” because he will enter the White House facing “a series of extraordinary challenges no incoming President ever has.”
Acknowledging that the election revealed the nation remains bitterly divided, Obama said, “I know he’ll do the job with the best interests of every American at heart, whether or not he had their vote.”
He adds: “I encourage every American to give him a chance and lend him your support.”
Biden served as Obama’s vice president for two terms.
Bill Clinton tweeted that “America has spoken and democracy has won.” The 42nd president also predicted Biden and Harris would “serve all of us and bring us all together.”
Advertisement
Jimmy Carter, the 39th president, said in a statement Saturday that he and his wife, Rosalynn, are “proud” of the Democrats' “well-run campaign and seeing the positive change they bring to our nation.”
Neither Clinton nor Carter mentioned President Trump in their congratulatory remarks.
—Associated Press
Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 41 Black Lives Matter activists join crowds celebrating the election of Joe Biden over President Trump in the election for the presidency of the United States on Wacker Drive in downtown Chicago, Nov. 7, 2020. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)
12:55 p.m.: Parties pop up as presidential race is called by AP, TV networks
Across the country, there were parties and prayer after Democrat Joe Biden won the presidency.
In New York City, spontaneous block parties broke out Saturday. People ran out of their buildings, banging on pots. They danced and high-fived with strangers amid honking horns.
People streamed into Black Lives Matter Plaza near the White House, waving sings and taking cellphone pictures.
Advertisement
In Lansing, Michigan, Donald Trump supporters and Black Lives Matter demonstrators filled the Capitol steps.
The lyrics to “Amazing Grace” began to echo through the crowd, and the Trump supporters put their hands on a counterprotester and prayed.
Cars honking near Trump Tower in Chicago after Democrat Joe Biden defeated President Donald Trump to become the 46th president of the United States. pic.twitter.com/jPbqTUZTmn — armando l sanchez (@mandophotos) November 7, 2020
—Associated Press
12:50 p.m.: Biden to speak in Delaware tonight
Joe Biden is planning to address the nation on Saturday night.
His campaign announced that Biden and his wife, Jill, and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff will appear at a drive-in rally outside the convention center in Wilmington, Delaware.
Biden clinched the White House over President Donald Trump late Saturday morning with a victory in Pennsylvania, the state where he was born. He later added Nevada to his column for a total of 290 electoral votes with three states uncalled.
Advertisement
The outdoor stage in Wilmington features projections of the Biden-Harris logo, colored lights and a line of towering American flags. Outside the security fence, people were already arriving with Biden campaign signs and chanting, “Joe! Joe!” and yelling, “We did it!” Cars in the area honked.
—Associated Press
12:30 p.m.: Trump refuses to concede election, promises legal challenges
President Donald Trump is not conceding to President-elect Joe Biden, promising unspecified legal challenges seeking to overturn the outcome of the race for the White House.
Trump said in a statement that “our campaign will start prosecuting our case in court to ensure election laws are fully upheld and the rightful winner is seated.”
Trump was at his Virginia golf course when the presidential race was called for Biden on Saturday. Biden clinched his victory with a win in Pennsylvania, the state where he was born.
In recent weeks, Trump has alleged — without evidence — widespread fraud and misconduct in the election.
Advertisement
His comments have drawn bipartisan rebuke from election officials and lawmakers as dangerous attempts to undermine public confidence in the vote.
—Associated Press
12:25 p.m.: Harris says the administration has a lot of work to do
The presumptive Vice President-elect Kamala Harris says she and the presumptive President-elect Joe Biden have a lot of work to do.
Harris made the comments in a tweet Saturday, shortly after Biden clinched the presidency by winning Pennsylvania.
She says, “This election is about so much more than Joe Biden or me. It’s about the soul of America and our willingness to fight for it. We have a lot of work ahead of us.”
The California senator makes history with her election as vice president. She is the first woman, the first Black person and the first person of South Asian descent elected to the office.
Advertisement
Biden said in a statement Saturday, “With the campaign over, it’s time to put the anger and the harsh rhetoric behind us and come together as a nation.”
“We are the United States of America,” he wrote. “And there’s nothing we can’t do, if we do it together.”
Biden made no mention of his opponent, President Donald Trump, who has not conceded the race.
So proud of you. ❤❤🇺🇸🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/Orb1ISe0dU — Doug Emhoff (@DouglasEmhoff) November 7, 2020
Hillary Clinton is congratulating the “history-making ticket." Clinton, who lost to Trump in 2016, called the election “a repudiation of Trump, and a new page for America.”
Harris will become the first woman to hold national office, and the first non-white woman.
Clinton was the first woman to be a major party nominee for president. She won almost 3 million more votes than Trump but fell short in key battleground states to lose the Electoral College.
Advertisement
—Associated Press
President Donald Trump walks to his vehicle on the South Lawn of the White House on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020. (Evan Vucci/AP)
11:23 a.m.: Trump at Virginia golf club as vote counts continue
States are still counting votes in the presidential election, Democrat Joe Biden is on the verge of victory and President Donald Trump is at his Virginia golf club for the first time since the end of September.
Trump left the White House on Saturday morning and had on golf shoes, a windbreaker and a white hat.
The White House isn’t immediately responding to questions about the president’s possible golfing partners.
There were a few people with Biden flag banners outside the club entrance when Trump arrived.
Trump also has spent the morning tweeting about his unsubstantiated allegations of election fraud and illegal voting. Twitter hid four of the president’s tweets behind a warning label that they may contain disputed or misleading statements about the election.
Advertisement
—Associated Press
8:15 a.m.: Incendiary texts in Philly traced to outfit run by top Trump aide
A texting company run by one of President Donald Trump’s top campaign officials sent out thousands of targeted, anonymous text messages urging supporters to rally where votes were being counted in Philadelphia on Thursday, falsely claiming Democrats were trying to steal the presidential election.
This image provided by Chris Bray on Friday, Nov. 6, 2020, shows a message he received Thursday via a texting company run by Gary Coby, one of President Donald Trump’s top campaign officials. Bray is a registered Independent who said he voted for Biden.
The messages directed Trump fans to converge at a downtown intersection where hundreds of protesters from the opposing candidates' camps faced off Thursday afternoon. Pennsylvania is a crucial battleground state where former Vice President Joe Biden’s jumped ahead Friday and in a televised address later predicted a victory that would give him the presidency.
The texts were sent using phone numbers leased to the text-messaging platform Opn Sesame, said two people familiar with the matter who spoke on condition they not be further identified. The company’s CEO is Gary Coby, the Trump campaign’s digital director. It provides text-messaging services to GOP clients including the Republican National Committee.
“ALERT: Radical Liberals & Dems are trying to steal this election from Trump! We need YOU!” the text said, directing recipients to “show your support” on a street corner near the Philadelphia Convention Center where votes were being counted and tensions were running high.
A top Trump campaign official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the message did not come from the campaign. Because Opn Sesame is used by multiple customers, none of whom the company would identify, it could not be determined exactly who sent the message. Coby declined to comment.
Advertisement
Later Thursday night, two men were arrested near the convention center for carrying loaded handguns without a permit, Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said. District Attorney Larry Krasner said there were no indications they were part of an extremist group. Their vehicle bore a window sticker for the right-wing conspiracy theory QAnon and an AR-style rifle and ammunition inside, Outlaw said.
—Associated Press
Friday:
White House chief of staff Mark Meadows arrives to hear President Donald Trump speak on election night in the East Room of the White House, on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2020. (Evan Vucci/AP)
11:30 p.m.: Trump’s chief of staff Mark Meadows diagnosed with COVID-19
President Donald Trump’s chief of staff Mark Meadows has been diagnosed with the coronavirus as the nation sets daily records for confirmed cases for the pandemic.
Two senior administration officials confirmed Friday that Meadows had tested positive for the virus, which has killed more than 236,000 Americans so far this year.
Meadows traveled with Trump in the run-up to Election Day and last appeared in public early Wednesday morning without a mask as Trump falsely declared victory in the vote count. He had been one of the close aides around Trump when the president came down with the virus more than a month ago, but was tested daily and maintained his regular work schedule.
More on this story here. —Associated Press
Advertisement
11:26 p.m.: Why ballot-counting in Nevada is dragging on
The pace of vote-counting in Nevada is being criticized for taking too long and it’s even become fodder for online jokes. But government officials say they are emphasizing accuracy over speed in a year when processing an unprecedented flood of mail-in ballots under extended deadlines is taking more time.
“We told everyone early on that results would take at least 10 days,” Secretary of State spokeswoman Jennifer A. Russell said in an email.
More on this story here. —Associated Press
11:14 p.m.: Biden says he’s preparing for White House
Joe Biden says he is already preparing to assume the presidency even though he has not been declared the winner in his race against President Donald Trump.
“I want people to know we’re not waiting to get the work done,” he said late Friday in remarks to the nation.
Biden said he and his running mate, Kamala Harris, have held briefings on the coronavirus and the economy this week as the U.S. records record daily cases.
Advertisement
He noted nearly 240,000 people have died from the pandemic and said he wants those families to know they aren’t alone.
He also addressed the millions of Americans who remain out of work and are struggling to pay rent or buy food.
“We don’t have any more time to waste on partisan warfare,” he said.
The Associated Press has not yet declared a winner in the race between Biden and Trump because neither candidate has reached the 270 Electoral College votes needed to carry the White House.
—Associated Press
[ Here's what happened Friday ]
[ Here's what happened on Thursday ]
[ Here’s what happened on Nov. 3 and 4 ]


chicagotribune--2020-11-07--Blue wave drenches DuPage County, aiding Democratic transformation of one-time Republican stronghold

Blue wave drenches DuPage County, aiding Democratic transformation of one-time Republican stronghold. But will it last?

DuPage County , once known as one of the most solidly Republican areas in the country , appears to have @ @ @ @ @ County Board for the first time since the 1930s .
Two more Democrats are leading @ @ @ @ @ , and could be joined by another when the final votes are tallied .

The electoral blue wave predicted by political scientists might have fizzled in much of the U.S., but on Tuesday it drenched a corner of the Chicago area that, not long ago, was practically untouched by Democrats.
DuPage County, once known as one of the most solidly Republican areas in the country, appears to have given Democrats control of the County Board for the first time since the 1930s. Two more Democrats are leading their races for countywide office, and could be joined by another when the final votes are tallied.
Advertisement
DuPage voters also backed Democrats in every federal race from president to U.S. representative, as well as every state senator and nine of 13 state representatives.
It’s a stunning turn of fortune two decades in the making, observers say, the result of shifting demographics, shrewd campaigning and the divisive reign of President Donald Trump.
Advertisement
“He doesn’t do well with suburban women and I think that hurts us,” said Jim Zay, a County Board member and chairman of DuPage County Republicans. “It’s time to rebrand and regroup and come back in two years.”
Many of the county’s races ended on a paper-thin margin — nine were within a percentage point or two as of Friday afternoon — so it could be contested territory for years to come. But College of DuPage political science professor Melissa Mouritsen, who has written about the county’s transformation, said it’s following a path already traveled by other American suburbs.
“DuPage is purple; it’s not fully Democratic yet,” she said. “But it’s at that tipping point.”
A history in red
For more than a century DuPage County was as Republican as could be, home to GOP stalwarts such as U.S. Rep. Henry Hyde, who led the impeachment of President Bill Clinton, Pate Philip, president of the Illinois Senate for a decade, and two-time Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan. As recently as 2000, the election of a single Democrat to the County Board was cause for a wonder-struck story in the Tribune.
But Mouritsen said the changes that would result in the county’s political realignment were already underway. One was demographic: The county went from 79% white in 2000 to 66% now, and median household income, expressed in 2018 dollars, dropped from $99,000 to $88,000.
As the population diversified by race, income and political ideology — many newcomers hailed from the Democratic power center of Cook County, Mouritsen said — a growing number of people proved amenable to the Democrats. The redrawing of political districts after the 2010 census, a process controlled by House Speaker Michael Madigan, also helped to elevate Democrats to national and state offices, she said.
County offices, however, remained thoroughly red. Liz Chaplin, who was first elected to the DuPage board with two other Democrats in 2012, was by 2016 the last of her party on the 18-member panel.
“Sometimes I just felt like I was hitting my head against the wall,” she said. “It’s hard when you’re the only one.”
Advertisement
Then came Donald Trump.
He was the favorite among the county’s Republican primary voters in 2016, but the DuPage electorate as a whole rejected him, giving him only 39% of the vote in the general election, the lowest GOP share in decades.
Two years into Trump’s tumultuous administration, the county’s moderate Republicans were open to hearing a new message, said Cynthia Borbas, chair of the DuPage Democrats.
“Previously they were like, ‘Oh, Democrats? We don’t even want to talk to you,’” she said. “But because of Trump, more people are paying attention and they’re willing to have more conversations with us. And we’re connecting on the values and issues we care about.”
Trickle to a flood
In the 2018 election, DuPage voters elected Jean Kaczmarek as county clerk, making her the first Democrat to hold countywide office in 84 years. They also added six Democrats to the County Board.
Jamie Wood, who moved to Lisle from Detroit two years ago, said he votes Democratic all the way down the ballot, even for candidates whose names and policy stances are unfamiliar.
Advertisement
“My mindset right now is to just have as much of a blue wave as I possibly can just because of how much I’m fed up with the status quo,” he said.
Wood, 33, who grew up in Elgin, is familiar with DuPage’s political history, but said young families like his are replacing older residents who were reliably Republican. These new families, he said, consider schools their top priority and aren’t as focused on traditional GOP concerns such as public safety.
State’s Attorney Robert Berlin, who ran unopposed, emphasized law and order in a letter he sent in his role as Republican committeeman to Democratic households in his precinct. He wrote that county GOP officials from coroner to auditor “stand for one thing: the importance of public safety and adherence to the rule of law.”
Two of those candidates, aspiring recorder Babette Holder Youngberg and incumbent Circuit Court Clerk Chris Kachiroubas, were trailing their Democratic opponents Friday afternoon with thousands of votes left to be counted. Auditor Bob Grogan led his Democratic rival by just 676 votes.
But Berlin noted that a referendum asking whether the county should keep law enforcement as its top funding priority was approved by a 3-to-1 margin, suggesting the message was still potent. He said he didn’t know why Republicans stumbled in DuPage, but added that it happened in many other suburbs across the country.
“We’re not unique in that regard,” he said.
Advertisement
Purple future?
Amy Chavez, a Naperville Democrat who won election to the County Board, said her constituents are chiefly concerned about COVID-19 — “When they think safe, they want to be safe from the virus” — and that the new Democratic majority will ensure the health department has what it needs to conduct testing and contact tracing.
Kerry Senesac catches her dog, Bella, while Paula Deacon Garcia, a Democrat who was leading her race for a seat on the DuPage County Board, collects her campaign yard signs Nov. 6, 2020, in Lisle. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
Paula Deacon Garcia, of Lisle, who was leading her race for a board seat Friday, said her issues are climate change, sustainability and public health, along with lowering the temperature at public meetings.
“Since I’ve been attending, they’ve become quite partisan,” she said. “I’m looking for a bipartisan approach.”
Republican board Chairman Dan Cronin could not be reached for comment.
Zay was hopeful a return to form might not be far away for DuPage Republicans. The GOP needs to do a better job claiming credit for making DuPage an appealing place to live, he said, and must bring more women and young people into the fold.
He noted that every seat on the County Board will be up for election in two years. Trump won’t be on that ballot, but another polarizing figure likely will: Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker, whose shutdown orders during the pandemic have angered plenty of suburbanites.
Advertisement
Borbas, meanwhile, said the county’s Democrats aren’t taking anything for granted. They fought Republicans for every vote in the 2020 election and are ready to do it again, she said.
“I don’t think it’s a fluke, I don’t think it’s a one-off, I don’t think DuPage is blue,” she said. “But I think what it means is that we’re in the game now and we’re here to stay.”
jkeilman@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @JohnKeilman


chicagotribune--2020-11-07--Watch live: Joe Biden, Kamala Harris deliver election address

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden is expected to deliver a speech on Friday night at about 9 p.m. CST .
@ @ @ @ @ Harris is also expected to deliver remarks Friday alongside Biden .


chicagotribune--2020-11-07--Hundreds of Illinois schools potentially exposed to COVID-19 in last month, new contact tracing data

Hundreds of Illinois schools potentially exposed to COVID-19 in last month, new contact tracing data shows

The statewide data , obtained through contact tracing , is the first school-related COVID-19 data that Illinois officials have published @ @ @ @ @ and educators urged the state to release information about the virus ’ s spread in @ @ @ @ @ of Illinois , the school year began nearly three months ago , and people have @ @ @ @ @ in-person learning without comprehensive information .

In the last 30 days, people who tested positive for the novel coronavirus reported having recently visited a total of 647 public and private schools statewide, according to Illinois public health data released Friday.
The data also lists 10 schools with current COVID-19 outbreaks, defined as at least five cases among staff or students that were traced to school exposure. Among those sites are a DuPage County religious school and three public schools in McHenry County.
Advertisement
The figures do not include cases related to Chicago Public Schools buildings. Chicago, the state’s largest school district, tracks those separately; data shows 137 COVID-19 cases linked to CPS sites.
The statewide data, obtained through contact tracing, is the first school-related COVID-19 data that Illinois officials have published. It comes after parents and educators urged the state to release information about the virus’s spread in schools. In many parts of Illinois, the school year began nearly three months ago, and people have had to make decisions about in-person learning without comprehensive information.
Advertisement
Dr. Ngozi Ezike, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, speaks alongside Gov. J.B. Pritzker during a daily pandemic news conference on Nov. 4, 2020, at the Thompson Center in Chicago. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)
The Illinois Department of Public Health announced that it would make school-level case data public after a story by the Chicago Tribune and ProPublica Illinois detailed the lack of school data last month.
For an outbreak to be considered school related, those affected must have had shared exposure on school grounds and be from different households. Exposure in before- or after-school programs is included. The data does not indicate how many positive cases have been linked to each school building.
The Tribune and ProPublica reported last month that 44 schools statewide had experienced an outbreak. The department has since redefined what is considered an outbreak, from a cluster of two or more cases to a minimum of five linked cases.
The health department did not respond to questions about the change.
The statewide data on school exposure lists schools where health departments determined that someone with a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 had visited up to two weeks before symptoms or a positive test.
“This is exposure data, not necessarily the exact location where the student or teacher actually contracted COVID-19,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said at his daily coronavirus briefing, where the data was made public.
The data does not include the exact number of COVID-19 patients who had reported visiting individual schools, instead showing a range, such as “fewer than 5” or “5-10.”
Until Friday, Illinois had been releasing only county-level data about COVID-19 cases in people younger than 20. That age range includes many college students, so it wasn’t as useful to parents and officials in K-12 school districts.
Advertisement
The new data release includes the count of infections among children between 5 and 17 years old. In that age group, cases have more than doubled since the start of the school year, though the infections weren’t always linked to school. As of late October, there had been 16,236 COVID-19 cases among school-age children since Aug. 15.
More than 70% of the state’s public schools are holding in-person classes at least part time, according to a Tribune analysis of Illinois State Board of Education data. The school COVID-19 data is to be updated weekly, officials said.
Tribune reporter Dan Petrella contributed.
jrichards@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-11-07--Court overturns ruling that Geneva steakhouse may stay open for indoor service despite coronavirus b

Court overturns ruling that Geneva steakhouse may stay open for indoor service despite coronavirus ban

In defending the closures , state officials have cited a study that found people with COVID-19 were twice as likely @ @ @ @ @ .
They also said that restaurants and bars were the second most common place people @ @ @ @ @ visited in Illinois , after private gatherings .

Abraham Ramirez, left, serves water to Candy Hanslik, of Elgin, and Lois Perry, right, of Naperville, during lunch at FoxFire Restaurant in Geneva on Oct. 27, 2020. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)
An appellate court Friday reversed a lower court ruling that had allowed a Geneva restaurant to stay open for indoor dining despite coronavirus restrictions by Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
The 2nd District Appellate Court ruled that a Kane County court “abused its discretion” by letting the restaurant, FoxFire, defy the closure order. The higher court said the restaurant’s lawyers failed to show that it would be able to prove that Pritzker had exceeded his authority.
Advertisement
Restaurant co-owner K.C. Gulbro said he would talk with his lawyers about how to respond.
“We’re a little disappointed,” he said. “We feel this is still unfair. Our restaurant is a safe environment and we should be allowed to stay open.”
Advertisement
In defending the closures, state officials have cited a study that found people with COVID-19 were twice as likely to have visited a restaurant. They also said that restaurants and bars were the second most common place people with COVID-19 said they had visited in Illinois, after private gatherings.
The decision was the latest in a series of court rulings across the state rejecting lawsuits that attempted to overturn the governor’s emergency coronavirus orders.
Kane County Judge Kevin Busch had ruled Oct. 26 that the governor had violated state law, which gave him the power to issue an emergency order “not to exceed 30 days.” Instead, the governor had kept issuing one emergency order after the other.
Presiding Appellate Justice Joseph Birkett wrote in the opinion that nothing in the law prohibited issuing multiple disaster declarations, in contrast to other parts of the law that limit local authorities from renewing disaster declarations for more than seven days without consent of the local governing board.
Previous Govs. Patrick Quinn and Bruce Rauner had also issued multiple disaster orders to address flooding or other problems, which lawmakers did not try to change in the statute. In fact, the appellate ruling noted, lawmakers this year explicitly referred to the governor’s authority to issue successive disaster proclamations.
The restaurant’s attorney also argued that the Department of Public Health Act requires a court order to close any business. But the appellate court ruled that the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act overrules that, by empowering the governor to suspend procedures for conducting state business.
The Illinois Restaurant Association had also filed papers in the case, arguing that restaurants were unfairly targeted for closure when statistics do not prove they are major sources of spreading the virus.
Birkett wrote that while the court appreciates the hardships through which restaurants are going, its job was not to question the governor’s policies, but only to decide whether he was operating within his legal authority.
Advertisement
The appellate court ordered that the matter return to the Kane County court for further proceedings.
rmccoppin@chicagotribune.com