chicagotribune--2020-10-06--Chicago’s summer of looting and unrest, and how the city is still reeling

They understand why protesters and rioters have poured onto the streets of downtown , and some acknowledge that crime is @ @ @ @ @ Chicago .
Some also agree with protesters that something systemic needs to be changed .
@ @ @ @ @ want to wait it out here in the city , fearful of stepping outside at @ @ @ @ @ to maybe get better .
Read more here

It’s been two months since vandals tore through the Magnificent Mile for hours, smashing windows and emptying whole stores, yet Chicago police are still regularly announcing new charges from that weekend in early August.
Just this week, a man was charged with looting seven shops in two hours after police methodically went through surveillance video and matched the looter’s tattoo with one that appeared on the suspect’s booking photo from the past.
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Chicago police say its Looting Task Force has posted more than 70 videos from that night and has gotten roughly 400 emails, phone calls and online tips. Detectives have also worked with security teams from some the looted businesses to set up stings to bust those selling hot merchandise.
So far, there have been 76 felony arrests, 26 vehicles seized and 48 undercover purchases of stolen merchandise from that night.
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The task force was formed a week after the looting, but pressure had been building on the Police Department and City Hall to do more to control crowds that had been fairly constant downtown since George Floyd was killed by Minneapolis police on May 25.
Five days after Floyd’s death, a sprawling protest in downtown Chicago turned violent and erupted into looting across the city for three days. By the time things calmed down, more than 1,200 people had been arrested, the National Guard had been called in and a curfew was ordered.
Downtown was virtually shut down. The August looting, a day after police shot someone on the South Side, only deepened the repercussions: mounting police overtime, redeployment of officers to downtown, complaints from neighborhoods that they were being abandoned, talk of businesses moving out of the city.
Following is a rundown of the looting and its continuing impact on Chicago.
MAY 30–JUNE 2
George Floyd protests turn violent
A Loop protest on Saturday, May 30, escalated with thousands of demonstrators marching, burning at least one flag, climbing onto a CTA bus and a light pole, hurling bottles, overturning police cars and surrounding officers. Read more here
Unrest spreads across the city and into the suburbs
The following day, unrest unfolded again, this time across the city and into the suburbs. There were widespread reports of looting, windows being smashed and stores being ransacked. The Illinois National Guard was called in to protect downtown. Access into the Loop was limited. Read more here
For third day, looting overshadows protests
Widespread looting overshadowed peaceful protests for a third straight day. Gov. J.B. Pritzker declared seven Illinois counties a disaster zone, and announced 250 members of the Illinois National Guard and an additional 300 members of the Illinois State Police would be deployed to help reinforce suburban and downstate police departments. That came in addition to the 375 guard members Pritzker activated in Chicago over the weekend at Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s request. Read more here
Chicago police and city leaders defend handling of protests and looting as questions swirl over response
As the city calmed down, officers were criticized for their decision to largely seal off downtown, effectively forcing some of the protest action into outlying neighborhoods, and for what appeared at times to be an outnumbered Police Department’s choice to stand back as looting began. Mayor Lori Lightfoot responded: “The violence we saw and the looting we saw spread like a wildfire.” Noting that police had made hundreds of arrests, she added: “That’s not standing by.” Read more here
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Businesses reeling from pandemic face rebuilding after George Floyd protests give way to looting
The week was supposed to mark a milestone for a city looking forward to reopening after nearly three months of being sidelined by COVID-19. Instead, businesses in Chicago spent May 31 sweeping up glass, boarding up windows and taking stock of destroyed stores and stolen inventory amid fallout from the death in Minneapolis of George Floyd. Long before night had fallen, any hope that workers, consumers and business would return to a sense of normalcy had been dashed. Read more here
Mayor announces measures to reform Chicago Police Department, also announces $10M grant fund to help looted businesses
In a televised speech aimed at calming a city rocked by widespread looting, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot on June 2 announced a $10 million grant fund for looted businesses and promised to implement a series of long-stalled police reforms. Lightfoot also laid out a series of measures she had ordered new Chicago police Superintendent David Brown to implement within 90 days as part of a broader effort at reforming the long-troubled department, some of which have been languishing for years. Read more here
The criminal charges that have emerged in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death have run the gamut
Mayor Lori Lightfoot and police Superintendent David Brown hinted that organized or out-of-town agitators were responsible for much of the violence and destruction. But the picture that has begun to emerge from court records in both Cook County and U.S. District Court is more complicated. The majority of those charged with any looting or vandalism are locals who appeared to be swept up in crimes of opportunity. Read more here
No apparent COVID-19 spread from George Floyd protests
Protests in Chicago and the suburbs over the Minnesota death of George Floyd as a police officer knelt on his neck so far had caused no identifiable uptick in COVID-19 cases, city and suburban Cook County officials said that week. Read more here
Mayor Lori Lightfoot disputes that Chicago cops were asked to protect US Rep. Bobby Rush’s office amid unrest: ‘That narrative is false’
Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Sept. 14 disputed that Chicago police were asked to protect U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush’s office amid looting this spring, saying the allegation is “false,” but investigations into the controversial incident are ongoing. Read more here
AUG. 9-10
Mag Mile trashed, 13 cops injured, 2 people shot
Hundreds of people swept through the Magnificent Mile and other parts of downtown Chicago early Aug. 10, smashing windows, looting stores and confronting police after officers shot a suspect in Englewood hours earlier. The mayhem reignited the debate over policing as city leaders continued to point fingers and downtown again was shut down. Read more here
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Englewood residents say downtown looting should not tarnish their neighborhood. ‘I don’t believe it’s fair.’
Chicago officials said the seeds for the violent crime spree were sewn on social media the afternoon of Aug. 9, hours after a police officer shot and wounded a 20-year-old man in Englewood. But residents and community leaders have disputed the connection and said it unfairly tarnished the South Side neighborhood. Read more here.
State’s Attorney Kim Foxx bristles at insinuation her office’s handling of earlier cases emboldened looters
Mayor Lori Lightfoot called on prosecutors not to let suspects cycle through the system without consequences. And police Superintendent David Brown implied that looters had gotten away with the same crimes during the widespread unrest earlier this year, eliminating any deterrent. Read more here
Those charged with downtown Chicago looting a mix of college students, out-of-work parents and convicted felons. But none have obvious ties to Englewood.
After hundreds of people looted stores on the Mag Mile and elsewhere downtown, 43 defendants appeared before judges charged with felonies, an odd mix of peer-pressured college students, out-of-work parents and convicted felons. But none of them, it appeared, were from Englewood. Read more here
Why Englewood residents told outside protesters to leave days after police shooting. ‘This is propped up. They’re throwing a party.’
A planned protest outside the Englewood police station the evening of Aug. 11 over the recent police-involved shooting devolved into shouting matches among demonstrators, with threats and insults hurled back and forth, after a group of older residents derided the event as “a party” and demanded that outsiders leave. Read more here
Shaken by summer looting in affluent neighborhoods, some Chicagoans are moving away.
They understand why protesters and rioters have poured onto the streets of downtown, and some acknowledge that crime is worse in other parts of Chicago. Some also agree with protesters that something systemic needs to be changed. But they don’t want to wait it out here in the city, fearful of stepping outside at night and hoping for things to maybe get better. Read more here
Mayor Lightfoot, police brass address again face criticism over response to looting and announce more measures to control unrest
Standing across from boarded-up businesses on the suddenly not-so-Magnificent Mile, Chicago police Superintendent David Brown said the city put an extra 1,000 cops on the street in recent days to prevent looters from again rampaging through downtown. And he promised better intelligence and rapid deployment of police resources to defend the city. Read more here
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Mayor Lori Lightfoot pledged $10 million to businesses damaged by looting. The city paid out far less, records show.
Under pressure to offer solutions as Chicago reeled from days of widespread looting earlier this summer, Mayor Lori Lightfoot promised help was on the way for small businesses that had been ransacked. City Hall would spend $10 million to create the “Together Now” fund, ask philanthropists to chip in more and funnel the cash to shop owners. But records obtained by the Tribune show the Lightfoot administration only paid out a fraction of what the mayor promised to businesses damaged during civil unrest. Read more here
Chicago has spent at least $222 million in overtime so far in 2020, already over budget for the year
Chicago spent at least $222 million on overtime for Chicago government workers through August, a budget-busting figure as the city faces historic shortfalls. Much of the spending is being driven by police and other public safety departments, as well as public health needs generated by the coronavirus pandemic. Read more here


chicagotribune--2020-10-06--The Spin: Lightfoot on how White House could have fended off COVID-19 outbreak - ’don’t be stupid’ |

The Spin: Lightfoot on how White House could have fended off COVID-19 outbreak - ’don’t be stupid’ | In final pitch for Biden, Michelle Obama calls Trump’s comments on marches, suburbs ‘racist’ | Lightfoot mulls $200M in city layoffs, furloughs

The New York Times notes that `` ( i ) n a 24-minute video , Mrs. Obama appealed to parents @ @ @ @ @ working-class Americans and people of color , lashing President Trump ’ s mismanagement of the @ @ @ @ @ to gaslight the American people by acting like this pandemic is not a real threat @ @ @ @ @ and warning that Mr. Trump ’ s habit of stoking division could be an effective @ @ @ @ @ voting as the best remedy.
” Read the full story here .
Watch the video @ @

At first Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot vowed to “be careful in choosing my words” when asked about Republican President Donald Trump’s actions since his COVID-19 diagnosis, hospitalization and subsequent release.
She blasted his brief exit from the Walter Reed hospital Sunday so his motorcade could drive him past admirers as well as his exhortation to the public, upon his return to the White House yesterday, not to fear the virus.
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“I don’t even know what that means, in the context of over 210,000 Americans dead,” Lightfoot said this afternoon. “I don’t know what that means (with) millions who have been affected, and then even more individuals, families, communities, neighborhoods that have been themselves impacted by COVID-19.”
But her restraint was short-lived.
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Saying this is proof he should be voted out of office, the mayor intercepted my Tribune colleague Alice Yin’s question to the city’s top public health officer about how the White House, which is seeing an outbreak beyond the president, could have better protected itself.
“Follow the public health guidance, follow the guidance of the CDC (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Infection), follow the guidance of CDPH (Chicago Department of Public Health) - any of the above,” the mayor said. “Wear a mask. Social distance. … Don’t be stupid. That’s what they could have done.”
Staring down a $1.2 billion budget gap in 2021, Mayor Lightfoot is considering slashing $200 million in the Chicago city government workforce to close some of that gap, sources tell the Tribune. Furloughs and layoffs are in the mix, the Tribune’s Gregory Pratt writes. And labor unions are working on alternate proposals.
At a news conference later in the day, the mayor didn’t go into details but called the budget discussions painful and said they keep her up at night. All eyes should be on what this means as the city hammers out a contract with Chicago’s rank-and-file police officers. At least publicly, it’s been a contentious process.
In a new video released today, former first lady Michelle Obama makes the case for the Biden-Harris ticket to undecided voters and Americans who are not planning to cast a ballot. While touting Biden, the former vice president to President Barack Obama, she called Trump’s rhetoric and policies at times “racist” and accused him of mishandling the nation’s response to COVID-19.
And while the pandemic has put the brakes on much of life as we know it, in Illinois it doesn’t seem to have curbed pot smoking. September was another record-setting month for legal cannabis sales, my Tribune colleague Robert Channick reports. Dude.
Welcome to The Spin.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot announces Chicago's first ever community based Contract Tracing Corps and Resource Coordination Hub at the Greater Western Community Development Project in Chicago on Sept. 14, 2020. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune)
Facing a $1.2 billion budget shortfall for next year, Mayor Lightfoot previously has said that “all options are on the table” She’s also said that property taxes and job cuts are at the back of her list. As Gregory Pratt reports here, Lightfoot is considering possible cuts of up to $200 million in Chicago’s city government workforce to help fill the 2021 budget deficit, sources told the Tribune.
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Chicago has spent at least $222 million in overtime so far in 2020, already over budget for the year: COVID-19 is largely the reason why OT is soaring, but rising crime and civil unrest also have contributed to the city’s financial hole. The Tribune’s Gregory Pratt and Alice Yin have the details here.
Mayor announces $8 million in mental health grants largely focused on Chicago’s South and West sides: The city’s top public health official, Dr. Allison Arwady, said during a news conference today that some efforts would be focused on helping “continuous riders” on Chicago Transit Authority trains and buses. Pratt has that story too — read it here.
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State Rep. Emanuel Chris Welch addresses the Illinois State Board of Education at the Thompson Center in Chicago, Friday, Nov. 22, 2019. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune)
The Tribune’s Dan Petrella writes: "Accusing his Republican counterparts of engaging in “political theater” ahead of the Nov. 3 election, the Democratic chairman of a special Illinois House committee investigating the conduct of longtime Speaker Michael Madigan said Tuesday that the panel won’t meet again until the polls close.
"State Rep. Emanuel “Chris” Welch of Hillside said in a statement that the three GOP lawmakers on the special investigating committee, formed in response to a petition from House Republican leader Jim Durkin of Western Springs, ‘are wearing two hats.’”
Petrella notes that "Republicans have accused Welch of acting in defense of Madigan by blocking a vote last week to issue subpoenas to compel testimony from the powerful Southwest Side Democrat and other witnesses.
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“Earlier Tuesday, the leading Republican on the committee, Rep. Tom Demmer of Dixon, accused Welch of trying to slow-walk the investigating by requesting 'a data dump’ from Commonwealth Edison, which is at the center of the investigation” Read the full story here.
Treasurer Mike Frerichs is sworn into office by Judge Michael McCuskey at the Bank of Springfield Center on Jan. 14, 2019, in Springfield. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)
Democratic state Treasurer Michael Frerichs called a news conference for this morning, only to abruptly cancel minutes beforehand. He was expected to discuss comments he made in June that Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s signature graduated-rate income tax amendment proposal could lead to the taxing of retirement income for those who can afford it, the Tribune’s Rick Pearson writes. The measure is on the November ballot.
Instead, Frerichs issued an emailed statement saying everyone from him to the General Assembly to fellow Democrat Pritzker opposes a retirement tax.
Pearson notes: “Illinois does not currently tax retirement income and nothing in the proposed graduated-rate income tax amendment would change the law to allow that.”
Yet opponents to the amendment, which calls for taxing wealthier residents at a higher rate, have seized on Frerichs' June comments, contending the proposal would open the door to taxing pensions, 401(k) plans and other benefits. A GOP-aligned group referenced them in a lawsuit against the state, saying that it seemed passing the graduated tax amendment was a precondition to taxing retirement income.
What Frerichs said in June: “One thing a progressive tax would do is make clear you can have graduated rates when you are taxing retirement income,” he said, according to the Daily Herald. “And, I think that’s something that’s worth discussion.”
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What he says now: “I oppose creating a retirement tax in Illinois, along with the General Assembly, and governor."
Reminder: “Under the proposal, which is the first item on the Nov. 3 ballot, voters are being asked to change the state constitution to remove the mandated flat-rate income tax and allow for a graduated-rate tax structure that increases rates as income increases,” Pearson writes. Read the rest of his story here.
President Donald Trump walks out of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center after receiving treatment as a COVID-19 patient on Monday, Oct. 5, 2020, in Bethesda, Maryland. (Evan Vucci/AP)
Aamer Madhani with the Associated Press writes, "President Donald Trump abandoned COVID-19 relief talks on Tuesday, saying they won’t resume until after the election. The move came as the chairman of the Federal Reserve said that further fiscal intervention is needed to prevent the economy from spiraling downward.
“Trump tweeted that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was “not negotiating in good faith” and said he’s asked Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to direct all his focus before the election into confirming his U.S. Supreme Court nominee, Amy Coney Barrett.” Read the full story here.
Lightfoot on how Trump, administration officials could have better protected themselves from COVID-19: ‘Don’t be stupid, that’s what they could have done’: The Tribune’s John Byrne has the story here.
Trump, back at the White House, again compares COVID-19 to seasonal flu: ‘We have learned to live with it’: “Still sickened by COVID-19, President Donald Trump plunged back on Tuesday into playing down the disease that hospitalized him for three days and has so far killed more than 210,000 Americans,” The Associated Press writes. “He compared it anew to the seasonal flu and signaled he plans to return soon to the campaign trail.” Read the full story here.
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White House blocks new COVID-19 vaccine guidelines — The New York Times has the details: “Top White House officials are blocking strict new federal guidelines for the emergency release of a coronavirus vaccine, objecting to a provision that would almost certainly guarantee that no vaccine could be authorized before the election on Nov. 3, according to people familiar with the approval process.” Read the full story here.
In Illinois: 1,617 new known COVID-19 cases and 32 additional deaths. Read the latest here.
Indiana is again in danger of being added to Chicago’s quarantine list: The Tribune’s Alice Yin has the details here.
Column: Why the Rose Garden COVID-19 fiasco was dismal news for the return of live entertainment — Tribune theater critic and culture columnist Chris Jones reflects on what rapid testing portends for music venue and theaters. That same testing was used ahead of the formal announcement that Amy Coney Barrett would be Trump’s Supreme Court nominee last month at the White House; days later, the president and several in his circle who attended the event tested positive for the virus.
"While it rarely has been entirely clear who infected whom where in this crisis, and that is true here, the evidence of multiple infections at this event suggest that the hopeful idea that rapid tests could be used as a kind of instant pandemic metal detector, a notion that has been floated well beyond the White House, is not a viable plan. The virus appears to be way too tricky a beast for that hopeful solution to our current problem.
“These rapid tests have been especially beguiling to producers of indoor live entertainment. The Rose Garden debacle last weekend did not help the crisis in that sector.” Read the full piece here.
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Former first lady Michelle Obama (Vincent Thian/AP)
CNN reports: "Former first lady Michelle Obama made her closing message to Americans in a campaign video released less than a month before Election Day, saying President Donald Trump and his allies are 'stoking fears about Black and Brown Americans” to win an election and calling the President’s actions ‘morally wrong’ and ‘racist.’ Read the story here.
The New York Times notes that "(i)n a 24-minute video, Mrs. Obama appealed to parents and young people, white working-class Americans and people of color, lashing President Trump’s mismanagement of the coronavirus — “he continues to gaslight the American people by acting like this pandemic is not a real threat,' she said — and warning that Mr. Trump’s habit of stoking division could be an effective political tool. She urged voting as the best remedy.” Read the full story here. Watch the video here.
Thanks for reading The Spin, the Tribune’s politics newsletter. Sign up here to have it delivered to your inbox weekday afternoons. Have a tip? Email host Lisa Donovan at ldonovan@chicagotribune.com.
Twitter @byldonovan


chicagotribune--2020-10-06--Complaints fly after Park Ridge Republican organization’s event photos show unmasked attendees near

Complaints fly after Park Ridge Republican organization’s event photos show unmasked attendees near each other

“ I have been made aware of the event that was held at the Park Ridge Country Club yesterday morning @ @ @ @ @ “ This was not a city event , nor was city staff aware of the @ @ @ @ @ I have had a conversation with the city manager and have an email into the @ @ @ @ @ Staff will be following up tomorrow morning to discuss what took place .
I am @ @ @ @ @ of the event as those of you who have contacted me to share your anger @ @

A screenshot from Facebook shows attendees at a Republican Women of Park Ridge brunch on Oct. 3, 2020, posing for photos shoulder to shoulder and unmasked. (Facebook / HANDOUT)
After photos of numerous unmasked people at a well-attended political event Saturday appeared on social media, Park Ridge residents and others complained it endangered the community — particularly because it occurred days before public schools were set to reopen.
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On Oct. 3, the Republican Women of Park Ridge (RWPR) hosted its annual Red, White and Blue Brunch at the Park Ridge Country Club. It was attended by an unspecified number of people.
Over the weekend, a series of photos of the event, both posed and candid, appeared on social media. They showed some guests not wearing masks and posing shoulder to shoulder for photos. Other photos showed guests sitting together at tables without masks and practicing little social distancing.
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The event echoed a Sept. 18 Republican fundraiser held in Lake Forest, which was attended by many dozens of people, many unmasked and not practicing social distancing, as seen in a video made of the event and posted on Facebook. On Sept. 30, Ronna McDaniel, national chair of the Republican National Committee, who had been a speaker at the event, announced she had tested positive for COVID-19.
The Park Ridge event Saturday drew concern, amid the greater coronavirus pandemic, from others who reached out to Park Ridge Mayor Marty Maloney on social media.
Maloney expressed his displeasure on his Facebook page after the pictures surfaced.
“I have been made aware of the event that was held at the Park Ridge Country Club yesterday morning,” he wrote. “This was not a city event, nor was city staff aware of the event until this morning. I have had a conversation with the city manager and have an email into the Park Ridge Country Club. Staff will be following up tomorrow morning to discuss what took place. I am as disappointed in the pictures of the event as those of you who have contacted me to share your anger.”
Maloney’s comments were supported by a large number of commenters to that post.
“It’s very disappointing to see the careless disregard for rules and community health displayed by so-called community leaders,” posted Jean Sandrin Lemke.
With some families calling for students to return to in-person learning and Park Ridge-Niles School District 64 set to bring students back into its buildings soon, Victoria Marks Bennett posted, “With our kids trying/needing to get back to school, a potential setback like this is very concerning.”
Fourth Ward Alderman Roger Shubert was the only member of the council to appear at the breakfast.
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He said there were some brief moments where he took off his mask to project his voice and he apologized for that.
“Certainly I’m a big fan of wearing masks,” Shubert said at the October 5 city council meeting.
Shubert said the event complied with guidelines, noting the tables were spaced apart and there were wristbands distributed that indicated how far apart people wanted to stand.
The RWPR and the Park Ridge Country Club issued statements denying any characterization the event was not safe.
“The breakfast was conducted in compliance with the strict rules imposed by our host, which did a very good job of adhering to the guidelines issued by the Illinois Department of Public Health,” the RWPR statement read in part. “All tables and chairs were spaced appropriately throughout the rooms that were used. Additionally, the Republican Women of Park Ridge took active steps to ensure the safety of its attendees including providing free masks and hand sanitizers to attendees upon arrival and requiring that all attendees wear masks and social distance.”
The two speakers at the breakfast were listed as Todd Ricketts, the Republican National Committee Finance Chairman and Richard Porter, a top Illinois official with the Republican National Committee.
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Porter released a statement indicating precautions were in place.
“Every person I saw wore a mask when entering until they sat down to eat, at which point people removed their masks. I wore a mask the entire time, other than when sitting to eat, during the pledge and when I spoke — from a podium that was well more than six feet away from others,” he wrote.
Finally, the PRCC issued a statement stating the event was in compliance with Illinois Department of Public Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 guidelines.
The country club’s statement added a series of precautions were in place, including that guests were placed in three separate spaces, where none exceeded more than 50 people; no more than six people were allowed at each table; all the tables were six feet apart, and the doors were open, allowing for increased air circulation. Guests could also eat outside.
City Manager Joe Gilmore said at the city council meeting officials were not aware of the breakfast in advance and the Cook County Health Department had been contacted.
Gilmore said they would be reviewing the situation with the country club on Tuesday afternoon.
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“Our main goal with businesses and restaurants and everyone in town is to promote compliance,” he said.


chicagotribune--2020-10-06--Hammond woman ordered to repay $380K, sentenced to prison in Gary trucking scheme

“ When an employee takes advantage of an employer ’ s trust to steal for the employer , the consequences @ @ @ @ @ for the employer and the other employees , costing jobs and causing economic hardship , @ @ @ @ @ My office is dedicated to prosecuting fraud schemes like this and will continuously work with @ @ @ @ @ these investigations .
”

A Hammond woman was ordered to repay $381,000 and was sentenced to two years in prison after allegedly stealing the money from her job at a Gary trucking company, federal prosecutors said.
Tracy Cox, 52, pleaded guilty to wire fraud. She was sentenced Tuesday to two years in prison, two years supervised release and ordered to repay $381,759, U.S. Attorney Thomas Kirsch II said.
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Cox worked for Corico Inc., 2250 E 15th Ave., as a “trusted employee” in the accounts payable department since 1992, according to federal court filings. Later, around 2016, she took over as its controller left, as head of accounts payable and the office manager.
Prosecutors allege between May 2011 and July 2018, Cox created a scheme where she used the Comdata payment system to authorize check numbers for truck drivers to pay for fuel. She got the authorization codes and made out the checks or cash advances to herself, then altered years of bank statements.
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Cox put through around 400 unauthorized transfers, prosecutors said.
Over time, she allegedly diverted more money after her promotion. It started with $2,500 in 2011, then ballooning from $27,000 in 2016 to $189,000 from January to July 2018, according to court documents.
Within one day in July 2018, she put in a request at a Pilot truck stop in Gary for $996. Within 17 minutes, she put in another request at a Pilot station in Highland for $990, records show.
In July 2018, Comdata told Corico’s owner that Cox has been stealing money for years. The owner confronted Cox who “left Corico and never returned,” according to an affidavit. The owner later found another box of payroll checks Cox hid at her mother’s house, filings state.
“When an employee takes advantage of an employer’s trust to steal for the employer, the consequences can have a trickle-down effect for the employer and the other employees, costing jobs and causing economic hardship,” Kirsch said. “My office is dedicated to prosecuting fraud schemes like this and will continuously work with our law enforcement partners on these investigations.”
Assistant United States Attorney Philip C. Benson prosecuted the case. It was investigated by the FBI.


chicagotribune--2020-10-06--Lightfoot on how Trump, administration officials could have better protected themselves from COVID-1

Lightfoot on how Trump, administration officials could have better protected themselves from COVID-19: ‘Don’t be stupid, that’s what they could have done’

“ It ’ s depressing , it is disparaging of the hard work of so many who have sacrificed , @ @ @ @ @ day , to try to keep themselves safe , their families safe , not to @ @ @ @ @ health care workers and the first responders who ’ ve been on the front lines @ @ @ @ @ pandemic , ” she said at an unrelated news conference .

Mayor Lori Lightfoot leaves following her budget address with the media at the Cultural Center in Chicago on Aug. 31, 2020. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot tore into President Donald Trump on Tuesday for his behavior since contracting COVID-19, telling him to start following health care guidelines, wear a mask and “don’t be stupid.”
A day after Trump returned to the White House from his weekend stay at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and told Americans “don’t be afraid” of the virus, Lightfoot initially said she was going to “be careful in choosing my words” to react to his message and decisions in the days since he and others at the White House have tested positive for the virus.
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“I do think it’s unfortunate, both in the way the president has behaved himself personally,” Lightfoot said. “I find it very unfortunate. We heard news today that the basic, I think, absolute obligation, given the superspreader event sponsored by the president, that the White House is refusing to provide information to do basic case investigation and contact tracing.”
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But Lightfoot, who has repeatedly used blunt language in criticizing Trump, soon got more direct, saying he continuously “undermines even more the credibility of the president and White House leadership on the issue that affects all of us.”
“It’s depressing, it is disparaging of the hard work of so many who have sacrificed, and continue to every single day, to try to keep themselves safe, their families safe, not to mention the sacrifices of the health care workers and the first responders who’ve been on the front lines of this horrible disease and pandemic,” she said at an unrelated news conference.
As to what Trump and his administration could have done better to protect themselves and their communities, Lightfoot said they should follow the rules doctors say are important to slow the spread of the disease.
“Follow the public health guidance. Follow the guidance of the (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Follow the guidance of the (Chicago Department of Public Health),” the mayor said. “Any of the above. Wear a mask. Social distance. I’ll let (Chicago Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady) give the medical explanation, but, like, don’t be stupid, that’s what they could have done.”
jebyrne@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @_johnbyrne


chicagotribune--2020-10-06--Maywood couple married 56 years die hours apart after furnace malfunctions, overheats home

A fire crew was dispatched to the home after the 911 call , during which the caller also said the @ @ @ @ @ “ that they had just gotten a new furnace , ” Bronaugh said .
A @ @ @ @ @ son who called 911 “ noted that the furnace had previously ( been ) serviced @ @ @ @ @ . ''

A beloved Maywood couple married just shy of 57 years, each active with various hobbies well into their retirement years, died hours apart Sunday when a malfunctioning furnace overheated their home, family members and investigators said.
The couple were identified as Leevell Robinson and Ora Robinson, of the 1200 block of South 15th Avenue in Maywood, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. They were found unresponsive in their home by one of their three children, who then called 911 about 2 p.m. Sunday, said Maywood Fire Chief Craig Bronaugh.
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A fire crew was dispatched to the home after the 911 call, during which the caller also said the home was excessively hot and “that they had just gotten a new furnace,” Bronaugh said. A later police news release said the son who called 911 “noted that the furnace had previously (been) serviced, as it was malfunctioning."
Leevell Robinson, 80, was pronounced dead at the home at 2:27 p.m., officials said. Ora Robinson, 78, was taken to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood where she was pronounced dead at 6:49 p.m.
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The Robinsons were parents, grandparents and great-grandparents and their three children, daughter Terri and sons Athedus and Torvis gathered Tuesday, reflecting on the lives of their parents, fixtures in the Maywood community for nearly six decades.
“My parents lived a good life,” said Terri Robinson, the oldest of the children, in a phone interview. “It’s a loss for us. It’s a big hole in our hearts. But we’re going to be strong because that’s the way they raised us.”
Terri Robinson said her mother, who formerly worked for Jewel-Osco, was known as an excellent cook. Asked what her specialty was, all three siblings responded near instantly and in unison: Everything. “What couldn’t she cook?” someone offered.
Athedus and Torvis Robinson grew up playing baseball and Ora Robinson was known to take servings of Gatorade to all the kids gathered outside, practicing.
“Forty years later they still remember and talk about my mom. She was everybody’s mom and when she became a grandmother she was everyone’s grandma,” Terri Robinson said. “She was a loving mother, a great cook, a best friend to all of us, a great adviser.”
Family knew the spirit of the Christmas season reached the Robinson home when they heard the first notes of The Temptations singing “Silent Night,” a favorite of Leevell Robinson’s, his children said. The couple often hosted Christmas and Thanksgiving gatherings. In the summer, they would barbecue in the backyard on the Fourth of July. On other holidays or special occasions, Ora Robinson might make her often-requested apple cake.
“Holidays were the best time. Daddy would be down here playing music or be outside in the backyard, dancing or listening to the blues," Terri Robinson said.
Leevell Robinson was retired from Navistar International, the successor company of International Harvester, and he liked to tinker. He would hang on to things in case he could fix what was broken or use parts to fix something else.
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“He believed he could fix everything and sometimes he could," Terri Robinson said. "He was my fix-it man when I lived nearby them. He was a hard worker who took care of his family. He took excellent care of us, we never wanted for anything.”
Leevell Robinson was involved with the Freemasons and he was such an impressive bowler that when they were younger all his kids learned to bowl after they saw the shiny gold trophies he’d won. Ora Robinson would keep score for the family during bowling outings.
“My mom loved to travel and once a month we’d have poker night. I always had to tell them at work, I’m hosting poker so I’ve got to clean so my mother wouldn’t fuss at me,” she said with a laugh. “We’d get together for six, seven, eight hours, playing poker and laughing and talking.”
Robinson, who often took trips with her mother, said the pair last traveled together to Washington, D.C., about five years ago. Mother and daughter spoke on the phone several times a week, often discussing elaborate menus they were planning before Terri would pick up her mother to go grocery shopping during the weekend.
All three children lived within an hour of the Robinson family home in Maywood, and on Sunday, Athedus stopped to check in on their parents.
Bronaugh, the fire chief, said the couple was found in bed, unconscious in the abnormally hot home.
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Autopsies were performed Monday and the medical examiner’s office determined each died as a result of a malfunctioning furnace with underlying health issues as contributing factors. The manner of both deaths was accidental, according to the medical examiner’s office. Carmen Rivera, a Maywood police spokeswoman, said investigators were notified and found no evidence suggesting foul play.
Bronaugh said the dispatcher told the 911 caller to get out of the home in case the unresponsive couple was suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning, but it later was determined that wasn’t the case.
“We did a manual shutdown of the furnace system" upon arrival, he said. “We also conducted carbon monoxide readings and we did not find elevated levels in the home.”
The children said it has been difficult losing both parents at once and thinking forward to the upcoming holidays without them is tough to bear, as they try to figure out funeral arrangements.
“We’re here for each other. We find strength in God, in our faith in God,” Terri Robinson said. “We know it’s his will and this is his way of making us stronger.”
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kdouglas@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @312BreakingNews


chicagotribune--2020-10-06--Two men shot at Waukegan home

Two men shot at Waukegan home

The two men , one in his 30s and the other in his 40s , were hospitalized after police responded @ @ @ @ @ 1600 block of Lyons Court shortly after 7 p.m. Monday , Commander Joe Florip said @ @

Waukegan police are investigating a Monday incident in which two men sustained gunshot wounds.
The two men, one in his 30s and the other in his 40s, were hospitalized after police responded to a residence in the 1600 block of Lyons Court shortly after 7 p.m. Monday, Commander Joe Florip said Tuesday.
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The conditions of the men were not available, Florip said.
Further details were not immediately available from police.


chicagotribune--2020-10-06--Edward Hospital has first COVID-19 death in nearly two months as Naperville cases continue to declin

Edward Hospital has first COVID-19 death in nearly two months as Naperville cases continue to decline

The first COVID-19 death at Edward Hospital in Naperville in about two months occurred this week but the number of @ @ @ @ @ go down , hospital officials said .

The first COVID-19 death at Edward Hospital in Naperville in about two months occurred this week but the number of coronavirus patients is starting to go down, hospital officials said. (Anne Halston / Naperville Sun)
Edward Hospital reported the death Tuesday of a patient it was treating for COVID-19, the first fatality the Naperville medical facility has had in about two months.
Edward has 48 coronavirus-confirmed patient deaths since the hospital began tracking them in late March, hospital spokesman Keith Hartenberger said.
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As of Tuesday, the hospital was treating 15 inpatients with confirmed cases, he said.
The number is down from last week, when the number was 21 on Sept. 29, hospital data show. The last time COVID-19 patients at Edward topped 20 was in early June.
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Since March 24, the hospital has successfully treated and released 592 people with COVID-19, Hartenberger said.
The death this week comes as number of active cases of the coronavirus continues to decline in Naperville after spiking around Labor Day.
Naperville’s COVID-19 dashboard shows the city had 282 active cases of COVID-19 on Sept. 6, up 117 cases from the city’s previous peak of 165 on May 24.
Since Labor Day weekend, the number of active cases has steadily decreased since to 126 on Oct. 4, according to the dashboard.
The average number of daily cases per 100,000 people in Naperville stands at 7.1 as of Oct. 4, down from 17.4 cases per 100,000 on Sept. 10.
Dashboard data also shows there have been 1,899 total cases of the coronavirus and 49 deaths this year in Naperville.
North Central College is trending down as well, with the exception of a slight increase the last days of September.
The number of positive COVID-19 cases at the Naperville college has been declining since classes started in the fall, data on NCC’s website said.
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Since mid-August, North Central’s coronavirus positivity rate has not exceeded 1%, with 33 students and one staff member testing positive, data showed.
There were 19 positive tests during the month of August, when more than 1,000 tests were administered to students and staff on campus.
Of the 14 positive results in September, nine were confirmed from on-campus tests taken Sept. 23-29.
As of Tuesday, the only positive case reported in October came from a test taken Sept. 29.
Of the 34 people with COVID-19, four students were quarantined in designated campus housing, the website said. One staffer and 26 students isolated at home following their positive test.
The college provided no details on where three students who tested positive as part of the college’s entry testing process isolated after testing was taken Aug. 16.
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Taking a broader look, DuPage and Will counties, which had a spike in the number of cases of the coronavirus in late August, are seeing a decline.
As of Oct. 4, the number of active cases of COVID-19 was 1,468 in DuPage County and 1,173 in Will County.
Both counties were reported a late summer high total of 1,586 active cases at the end of August.
subaker@tribpub.com


chicagotribune--2020-10-06--Democratic chair of House committee investigating Speaker Michael Madigan accuses GOP of ‘wearing tw

Democratic chair of House committee investigating Speaker Michael Madigan accuses GOP of ‘wearing two hats,’ says no more meetings until after election

While Republicans on the committee sought documents from ComEd pertaining to its communications with Madigan and close associates , Welch @ @ @ @ @ s worth of documents detailing the company ’ s dealings with the administration of Pritzker @ @ @ @ @ with current and former leaders of all four caucuses of the General Assembly .

Accusing his Republican counterparts of engaging in “political theater” ahead of the Nov. 3 election, the Democratic chairman of a special Illinois House committee investigating the conduct of longtime Speaker Michael Madigan said Tuesday that the panel won’t meet again until the polls close.
State Rep. Emanuel “Chris" Welch of Hillside said in a statement that the three GOP lawmakers on the special investigating committee, formed in response to a petition from House Republican leader Jim Durkin of Western Springs, “are wearing two hats.”
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State Rep. Emanuel "Chris" Welch addresses issues concerning seclusion in Chicago Public Schools during a meeting of the Illinois State Board of Education at the Thompson Center in Chicago on Nov. 22, 2019. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune)
“While sitting on a committee that is charged with conducting an impartial investigation based on the petition filed by Leader Durkin, the Republican members of this committee are also engaged in competitive political campaigns in which they have chosen to campaign almost exclusively against the speaker,” Welch said.
Welch took issue in particular with two committee members, Reps. Grant Wehrli of Naperville and Deanne Mazzochi of Elmhurst, participating in a campaign news conference on Monday, “effectively confirming their assumption of guilt and chiding Democratic opponents for not jumping to the same conclusion.”
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Wehrli and Mazzochi are both engaged in competitive reelection battles against Democratic challengers who have received sizable campaign contributions from funds tied to Madigan, who also chairs the state Democratic Party.
Republicans have accused Welch of acting in defense of Madigan by blocking a vote last week to issue subpoenas to compel testimony from the powerful Southwest Side Democrat and other witnesses.
In a hastily called videoconference with reporters Tuesday, Mazzochi called Welch “a coward."
“He doesn’t have the resolve to have Mike Madigan come before our committee,” she said.
Wehrli said Welch appears "willing to cast aside his own integrity to protect Speaker Michael J. Madigan.”
Earlier Tuesday, the leading Republican on the committee, Rep. Tom Demmer of Dixon, accused Welch of trying to slow-walk the investigating by requesting “a data dump” from Commonwealth Edison, which is at the center of the investigation
Durkin petitioned for the creation of the rarely used special investigating committee after ComEd in July admitted in a deferred prosecution agreement with the U.S. attorney’s office that it engaged in a yearslong bribery scheme aimed at currying favor with Madigan.
In a statement Tuesday, Durkin called Welch’s decision “a disgrace and a slap in the face to the governor, the General Assembly and the citizens of Illinois.”
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Gov. J.B. Pritzker has said on multiple occasions that Madigan should answer questions about ComEd’s admissions.
Madigan, who has not been charged and has denied any wrongdoing, declined an invitation to testify at a hearing last week.
The only witness to testify before the committee to date, an executive with ComEd parent Exelon, confirmed that, among other actions, the utility paid Madigan associates through third-party companies despite the fact that they did little or no work.
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The committee is tasked with determining whether Madigan should be charged with engaging in “conduct unbecoming to a legislator” and face potential discipline.
While Republicans on the committee sought documents from ComEd pertaining to its communications with Madigan and close associates, Welch has requested a decade’s worth of documents detailing the company’s dealings with the administration of Pritzker and his two predecessors and with current and former leaders of all four caucuses of the General Assembly.
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“We cannot conduct a thorough investigation with blinders on; if we are to consider whether ComEd’s admissions in the deferred prosecution agreement constitute conduct unbecoming of a lawmaker, we need to understand the full extent of ComEd’s actions — including interactions with other elected officials instrumental to the passage of their legislation,” Welch said.
The committee also is seeking testimony from former top ComEd lobbyist Fidel Marquez, who pleaded guilty in federal court last week to one count of bribery conspiracy. In a deal that could keep him out of prison, Marquez has agreed to cooperate with federal authorities in their ongoing public corruption probe.
An attorney for Marquez could not be reached immediately for comment.
Welch said he also is reviewing the committee’s subpoena powers.
Republicans believe Welch, a member of Madigan’s House leadership team, is attempting to run out the clock on the committee, which will be dissolved when the current term of the General Assembly ends in January. Lawmakers would have to file a new petition to restart the process.
Welch set the next hearing date for Nov. 5, when it won’t be against “the backdrop of a political campaign.”
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dpetrella@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-10-06--Mayor Lori Lightfoot announces $8 million in mental health grants largely focused on Chicago’s South

Mayor Lori Lightfoot announces $8 million in mental health grants largely focused on Chicago’s South and West sides

As part of her 2020 budget , Lightfoot increased the amount of spending for mental health services but has been @ @ @ @ @ not following through on a campaign promise to reopen public mental health clinics closed by @ @ @ @ @ first term .

The city of Chicago has awarded $8 million in grant funds for 32 community groups to increase mental health care programs, with much of it focused on the South and West sides, Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced Tuesday.
Nearly all the projects will expand mental health services for young adults, children and adolescents, city officials said. Some of the grant recipients will receive $240,000 while others will receive $350,000 every year through 2020, Lightfoot said.
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The funding can be used to hire staff, expand existing services, fund new programs in communities of high need and promote collaborations that integrate mental health care with primary care, city officials said.
In addition, the city’s public health department also will provide $1.6 million for increased services for the homeless through Heartland Alliance Health and Lawndale Christian Health Center.
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In a news release, Lightfoot said the money will provide “tens of thousands of additional Chicagoans in our under-resourced communities with the care they need — regardless of their ability to pay, health insurance status or immigration status.”
At an afternoon news conference, Lightfoot urged people to seek mental health treatment if needed.
“I don’t know any family, including my own, who doesn’t have a relative, a parent, an aunt, a sister or a brother who faces some kind of trauma or depression or more serious mental health,” she said.
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Esther Corpuz, the CEO of Alivio Medical Center, one of the grant recipients, called the grants an “important investment in our essential mental health safety net."
“Ensuring the availability of trauma-informed mental healthcare is critical to closing the healthcare gap and bringing first-rate care to our communities,” Corpuz said in the statement.
As part of her 2020 budget, Lightfoot increased the amount of spending for mental health services but has been criticized by progressive groups for not following through on a campaign promise to reopen public mental health clinics closed by Mayor Rahm Emanuel during his first term.
According to the mayor’s office, the $8 million in grants will be funded from $5.3 million in corporate funds that were included in the 2020 budget, and $2.7 million in federal community development block grants as part of the CARES Act.
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Twitter @royalpratt


chicagotribune--2020-10-06--Teen shot in leg during Gurnee altercation

The youth had arranged to meet several other acquaintances at the parking lot , but an altercation erupted and an @ @ @ @ @ the teen , striking him the leg , according to authorities .

Gurnee police said Tuesday they are investigating an incident in which a juvenile was shot in the leg.
The teen boy was shot Monday around 5:50 p.m. in a parking lot near the intersection of Stearns School Road and Dilleys Road, police said.
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The youth had arranged to meet several other acquaintances at the parking lot, but an altercation erupted and an acquaintance fired several shots at the teen, striking him the leg, according to authorities.
The teen drove away for a few blocks and then contacted police. The Gurnee Fire Department transported him to Advocate Condell Medical Center for treatment. His injuries are not considered life-threatening, police said.
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Police searched the area but did not locate any suspects. Investigators are asking any nearby businesses or residences with exterior surveillance cameras to contact them.
Citizens with information can contact the Lake County CrimeStoppers hotline at (877) 662-2222, or they can go to LakeCountyCrimeStoppers.com.


chicagotribune--2020-10-06--Gary house fire claims man, 30, girl, 6; woman airlifted to Chicago for care

The cause of the fire , which began in the front of the house , was still unknown , officials @ @ @ @ @ Indiana State Fire Marshal ’ s office and Gary fire and police departments were still @ @ @ @ @ fire started in the lower unit .

Firefighters are shown Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2020, outside of a home in the 500 block of Maryland Street in Gary where two people died in an overnight fire. (Carole Carlson / Post-Tribune)
A 6-year-old girl and 30-year-old man died in a Tuesday morning house fire in Gary and a woman, who also lived in the home, was airlifted to a Chicago hospital in critical condition, authorities said.
The Lake County coroner’s office identified the man as Dennis Liggins, of the 500 block of Maryland Street. The 6-year-old was identified as Ciara Brown, of the same address. She was pronounced dead at 5:37 a.m. and Liggins at 9:20 a.m.
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Fire Chief Sean O’Donnell said firefighters arrived at 4:50 a.m. and entered through the rear door. They found the man near the rear door and then found the young girl. He said firefighters administered aid to the girl who later died at Methodist Hospitals Northlake in Gary.
He said the woman, who was airlifted, was a relative of the man and girl. They lived in a lower unit of the two-flat house. An unidentified couple, who lived upstairs, evacuated safely, O’Donnell said.
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The front of the white two-story house was blackened by the fire, which also singed the brick house to its south.
Gary Fire Department Division Chief Mark Everette said the injured woman suffered from smoke inhalation. He said she was initially taken to Methodist Hospitals Northlake campus, and then airlifted to Chicago.
The cause of the fire, which began in the front of the house, was still unknown, officials said. Everette said the Indiana State Fire Marshal’s office and Gary fire and police departments were still investigating. He said the fire started in the lower unit.
Neighbor Karis Jones said the injured woman visited her house on Monday with Ciara. She said she shared her own son’s birthday cake with Ciara who danced happily during the visit.
Jones said the woman was dedicated to her son, Dennis.
“He was her world,” she said.
Jones said she could hear the woman, who fire officials said self-evacuated, yelling after the fire started. “I could hear her yell, ‘My babies are in there,’” Jones said.
Kenneth Washington, who also lives on Maryland Street, said the woman is his daughter’s aunt.
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“I know her world is hurt,” he said. “Whenever you see her, you’d see the baby,” he said of Ciara.
Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.


chicagotribune--2020-10-06--Travel to Indiana discouraged but neighboring state not added to Chicago’s travel quarantine list th

Travel to Indiana discouraged but neighboring state not added to Chicago’s travel quarantine list this week. Here’s what you need to know to avoid a large fine.

States are added to the list when they have an infection rate higher than 15 cases per 100,000 residents and @ @ @ @ @ average remains below that rate for two consecutive weeks .
According to an order from @ @ @ @ @ city ’ s Department of Public Health , those who travel to any of the @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 risk must then quarantine for two weeks upon their return or face hefty fines @ @ @ @ @ not issued any since the policy was put in place early in the summer .

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


chicagotribune--2020-10-06--Sources: Man found dead outside Bridgeport police station was suspect in fatal shooting on Far South

Sources: Man found dead outside Bridgeport police station was suspect in fatal shooting on Far South Side

Little more than an hour earlier , about 1:20 p.m. , a man in his 20s suffered a gunshot wound @ @ @ @ @ 11800 block of South Union Avenue — about 11 miles away from where the apparent @ @ @ @ @ was taken to Roseland Community Hospital , where he was pronounced dead , police said @

A 49-year-old man who Chicago police say fatally shot himself Monday afternoon in the parking lot of the Bridgeport police station was suspected in the shooting death of another man earlier in the day, according to law enforcement sources.
The 49-year-old shot himself in the head inside a parked vehicle in a handicapped spot in the visitors lot of the Deering District station, 3120 S. Halsted St., one of the sources said.
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Around 2:45 p.m., he had threatened suicide, before eventually shooting and killing himself, according to police.
Police pore over a vehicle in the parking lot of the Deering District station on Halsted Street in Chicago after a reported shooting incident there on Oct. 5, 2020. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)
Little more than an hour earlier, about 1:20 p.m., a man in his 20s suffered a gunshot wound to his head in the 11800 block of South Union Avenue — about 11 miles away from where the apparent suicide eventually occurred — and was taken to Roseland Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said.
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One of the sources said investigators suspect the younger man was fatally shot by the 49-year-old before he turned the gun on himself at the police station. Initial reports Monday indicated the two men were related, but a police spokesman on Tuesday said they were not.
They are scheduled for autopsies Tuesday at the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
Police cordoned off traffic outside the police station along Halsted from 31st Street to 33rd Street.


chicagotribune--2020-10-06--COVID-19 in Illinois by the numbers: Here’s a daily update on cases, positivity rate and hospital da

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

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

Note: With Chicago and Illinois moving into phase 5, the Tribune is no longer updating this data. If the state moves back into bridge phase, the Tribune we reassess. Daily metrics on COVID-19, like cases, deaths and hospitalizations, can be found here. And Daily metrics on the vaccination effort can be found here. More on where the coronavirus stands nationally and around the world can be found here.
To assess how different parts of Illinois are handling the COVID-19 pandemic, officials look at the state through the 11 regions of Emergency Medical Services. The city of Chicago is one region, for example, and the rest of Cook County is another.
Among the metrics (see below) tracked under guidelines set by Gov. J.B. Pritzker are the percentage of coronavirus tests that return positive, the number of people hospitalized for COVID-19-like illnesses, and the capacity of hospitals to take in new patients.The state will decide how much or how little to restrict activities based on these metrics. (Cases, deaths and tests data is as of Dec. 31).
• Check out the Tribune’s coronavirus coverage.
• Remembering the lives of those in Illinois who died from coronavirus.
• Other Chicago, suburbs and Illinois COVID-19 metrics.
• See how the governor’s plan to manage the regions works.
Source: Illinois Department of Public Health
Created by the Chicago Tribune dataviz team. On Twitter @chitribgraphics


chicagotribune--2020-10-06--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--2020-10-06--Daily Illinois coronavirus graphs: 32 new deaths, 1,617 new confirmed cases and 49,513 new test resu

Daily Illinois coronavirus graphs: 32 new deaths, 1,617 new confirmed cases and 49,513 new test results

Illinois announced 1,617 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 Tuesday for a total of 305,011 .
The state also announced 32 @ @ @ @ @ of 8,836 and 49,513 new test results for a total of 5.97 million .

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


chicagotribune--2020-10-06--Lansing police say 34-year-old man dead following motel shooting

The department said the shooting appears to be domestic related and a person of interest is in custody .

A 34-year-old man died late Monday night following a shooting inside a Lansing motel room, according to police.
The Lansing Police Department responded at 11:47 p.m. to a report of shots fired at the United Motel, 2249 Bernice Road, according to a news release.
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Police found a man with multiple gunshot wounds inside a motel room and attempts to revive him were unsuccessful, according to the release.
The department said the shooting appears to be domestic related and a person of interest is in custody.
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The Cook County medical examiner has identified the man has Eugene Stigler, 34, of Riverdale.
mnolan@tribpub.com


chicagotribune--2020-10-06--Trump vs. Biden: Track the race for president in key battleground states

Of those , 218 electoral votes are in states rated as likely or solidly Democrat and expected to vote for @ @ @ @ @ electoral votes are tied to states rated as likely or solidly Republican and expected to @ @ @ @

Bill Ruthhart, Chad Yoder, Jonathon Berlin

Going into Tuesday’s voting, the list of battleground states that President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden were fighting for was a long 13. By the end of the night, that list had shrunk to a half-dozen.
By Wednesday morning, all eyes were on three familiar battlegrounds: Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania.
Propelled by the late counting of votes from Democratic strongholds, Biden had taken a lead in Michigan and Wisconsin by late morning Wednesday, while Trump remained in front in Pennsylvania with hundreds of thousands of votes outstanding.
Regardless of where those states land, the margin in the race to 270 Electoral College votes promises to be thin. Here is a look at results in hand so far from Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, as well as some of the other battlegrounds that have been projected already or are closer to projection.
Also included here are final FiveThirtyEight polling averages for those states — polling that, as in 2016, proved to underestimate Trump’s sway with voters.
Those polls had Biden up 8.2 points nationally, for example. In key Midwest states, Biden led Minnesota by 9.3, Wisconsin by 8.2 and Michigan by 8 points. Trump won states where he was leading — Iowa, Texas and Ohio.
State by state


chicagotribune--2020-10-06--Lansing man dies in early morning crash, Munster police say

Police were called near the intersection of Hohman Avenue and Adelaide Place just after 4 a.m. for a single-vehicle rollover @ @ @ @ @ Peirick said in a release .

A Lansing man died early Tuesday after an early morning crash in north Munster, police said.
Police were called near the intersection of Hohman Avenue and Adelaide Place just after 4 a.m. for a single-vehicle rollover, Munster Police Lt. John Peirick said in a release.
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Robert S. Scordato, 41, was pronounced dead at the scene, he said.
Munster Fire Department, the Lake County Sheriff’s Accident Reconstruction Team and the Lake County Coroner’s Office assisted.
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Anyone with information is asked to call the Munster Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division at 219-836-6678.
--Meredith Colias-Pete


chicagotribune--2020-10-06--State treasurer abruptly cancels news conference to address remarks on taxing retirement income that

State treasurer abruptly cancels news conference to address remarks on taxing retirement income that have been seized on by opponents of graduated-rate income tax

Supporters say 97 % of Illinoisans , those making $ 250,000 or less , would pay the same or lower @ @ @ @ @ structure that was signed into law and would go into effect if the amendment is @ @ @ @ @ contend the tax change would hurt businesses and jobs and lead to an exodus of @ @ @ @ @ .

Democratic State Treasurer Michael Frerichs abruptly canceled a Tuesday news conference to rebut comments he made in June about taxing retirement income, an issue now being used by opponents fighting a proposed graduated-rate income tax amendment.
Ten minutes before he planned to speak at the downtown James R. Thompson Center, a Frerichs aide told reporters the event had been canceled. Asked for a reason, the aide offered none.
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Treasurer Mike Frerichs before being sworn into office by Judge Michael McCuskey at the Bank of Springfield Center on Jan. 14, 2019, in Springfield. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)
Later, Frerichs issued a statement in which he did not address the canceled news conference but said he opposes a retirement tax and supports the graduated rate income tax.
“I oppose creating a retirement tax in Illinois, along with the General Assembly, and governor,” Frerichs said.
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“I encourage others to join me to stand up for working families and retirees, so they get a tax cut while we ask millionaires and billionaires to pay their fair share. The fact is opponents of the fair tax have actually released plans to tax retirement income and raise taxes on everyone,” Frerichs said.
At issue was a comment Frerichs made in June to the Des Plaines Chamber of Commerce. The Daily Herald reported that Frerichs said one consideration for adopting the graduated-rate amendment was that it could allow the taxing of retirement income for those who can afford it.
“One thing a progressive tax would do is make clear you can have graduated rates when you are taxing retirement income,” he said, according to the Daily Herald. “And, I think that’s something that’s worth discussion.”
Illinois does not currently tax retirement income and nothing in the proposed graduated-rate income tax amendment would change the law to allow that. But opponents to the amendment have seized on Frerichs' comments in contending the proposal would open the door to taxing pensions, 401(k) plans and other benefits.
Under the proposal, which is the first item on the Nov. 3 ballot, voters are being asked to change the state constitution to remove the mandated flat-rate income tax and allow for a graduated-rate tax structure that increases rates as income increases.
Supporters say 97% of Illinoisans, those making $250,000 or less, would pay the same or lower income taxes under a rate structure that was signed into law and would go into effect if the amendment is ratified by voters. Opponents contend the tax change would hurt businesses and jobs and lead to an exodus of the wealthy from the state.
Frerichs' comments most recently were used by a GOP-aligned group in a lawsuit against the state over the informational language used in a state pamphlet sent to voters and on the ballot explaining the proposed amendment.
“Furthermore, some evidence suggests that passing the … amendment is a precondition to imposing a tax on retirement income,” the lawsuit said before referencing Frerichs' June comments.
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Supporters of the amendment have called the lawsuit “frivolous.”
Before Frerichs called off his news conference, the lead group opposing the proposed amendment, the Coalition to Stop the Proposed Tax Hike, issued a statement contending the state treasurer had “admitted taxing retirement income is on the table.”
“No amount of backtracking can change the fact this is the worst possible time to raise taxes, and we simply can’t trust Springfield politicians,” said Lissa Druss, spokesperson for the coalition.
Quentin Fulks, who chairs the pro-amendment Vote Yes For Fairness group, contended opponents pushing the retirement tax argument are “simply trying to confuse Illinoisans.”
“The facts are absolutely clear: the Fair Tax does not tax retirement income, nor does it make it any easier to do so,” Fulks said, using the name the group has adopted for the amendment. “Treasurer Frerichs supports the Fair Tax because it helps our working families and like the governor and the General Assembly, opposes taxing retirement income.”
rap30@aol.com


chicagotribune--2020-10-06--Man shot on Dan Ryan near Garfield Boulevard in Englewood late Monday, 2nd expressway shooting of da

Man shot on Dan Ryan near Garfield Boulevard in Englewood late Monday, 2nd expressway shooting of day in Chicago

About 9:15 p.m. , troopers were called to the inbound Dan Ryan Expressway at Garfield Boulevard in Englewood for a @ @ @ @ @ according to an emailed statement from Trooper Elizabeth Clausing , a state police spokeswoman .
@ @ @ @ @ shot at least once and he was being treated at an area hospital for injuries @ @ @ @ @ said .

Illinois State Police were investigating a shooting late Monday on the Dan Ryan Expressway, the second Chicago shooting to fall under state police jurisdiction that day, officials said.
About 9:15 p.m., troopers were called to the inbound Dan Ryan Expressway at Garfield Boulevard in Englewood for a report of shots fired, according to an emailed statement from Trooper Elizabeth Clausing, a state police spokeswoman. A 22-year-old man had been shot at least once and he was being treated at an area hospital for injuries not considered life-threatening, she said.
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About 21 hours earlier troopers were called to the North Mayfair neighborhood on the Northwest Side for an unrelated fatal shooting on the Edens Expressway. A 21-year-old man — later identified as Jose Alfredo Alcantar Herrera of the 5800 block of North St. Louis Avenue in the Hollywood Park neighborhood — was killed, according to the medical examiner’s office.
In Englewood, all northbound lanes of Interstate 94 were closed and traffic was diverted off the Dan Ryan at 59th Street, Clausing said. All lanes were reopened just before 2 a.m.
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Check back for updates.
kdouglas@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @312BreakingNews