chicagotribune--2020-11-08--Election 2020: Joe Biden beats defiant Donald Trump; Kamala Harris first woman elected vice presiden

Election 2020: Joe Biden beats defiant Donald Trump; Kamala Harris first woman elected vice president

Biden announced his plans to launch the COVID-19 task force during remarks at his victory party Saturday night .
He @ @ @ @ @ him take the proposals he ’ s released during the campaign for dealing with the @ @ @ @ @ in personal protective equipment and loans for small businesses as well as plans to implement @ @ @ @ @ — and turn those proposals into a “ blueprint ” that he ’ ll enact @ @ @ @ @ .

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.
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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.
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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:
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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.”
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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—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
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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.”
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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.
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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.
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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.”
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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!”
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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
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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.”
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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—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.
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—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.
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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
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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.
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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--2020-11-08--Here is how the Chicago area reacted to the 2020 presidential election results

Nevertheless , Timatyos said that if Biden ends up moving into the White House , he will accept it .
@ @ @ @ @ there is too much division in America that needs healing , instead believing that most @ @ @ @ @ up by mainstream news outlets that increasingly remind him of the state media in his @ @ @ @ @ Iraq , he said .

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)
As the country received the news that the Associated Press and other news outlets had called Pennsylvania for Democrat Joe Biden, giving him enough Electoral College votes to become the 46th president of the United States of America, reactions were wide-ranging in the Chicagoland area.
Cheers and car horns rang out in some areas as the news spread on Saturday, including near Trump Tower in downtown Chicago, while some said they hoped the president challenged the election results.
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At an afternoon news conference, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot offered her congratulations to Biden and Kamala Harris.
“Has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?” she said after referring to the pair as president-elect and vice president-elect.
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Lightfoot said she has “an affinity for Joe Biden and his Scranton (Pennsylvania) roots,” adding that his “story and values” remind her of many people she grew up with in Massillon, Ohio.
Lightfoot had more laudatory words for Harris, who she said is “not just any Black woman” but a Black woman of “incredible talent, intellect, compassion and heart.”
She said the outcome of the election “opens up boundless possibilities for the return of science, the rule of law, respect for civil rights” and help for “our most vulnerable” citizens and communities.
Here is how the day unfolded in the Chicago area:
6:14 p.m.: Election outcome 'hopefully a step toward more civility and respect’
Emotions such as relief, hope and fear flowed from Lake County residents Saturday as news broke that former Vice President Joe Biden was the projected winner, ousting President Donald Trump to become President-elect of the United States.
David Hoffman of Highland Park, who said he voted for Biden, stood in front of a sign in his driveway reading “love wins” drawn by his children, 11 and 8. He said he was relieved because Trump’s statements made him uncomfortable.
“I will no longer have to explain to my children why (some of) the things the president says are not true and why they are things a president should not say,” Hoffman said.
As Hoffman looked at the driveway art of his children, he said it expresses hope that Americans will show more kindness.
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“Things have felt pretty divisive,” Hoffman said. “Electing (Biden) is hopefully a step toward more civility and respect for one another. We’ll see if this helps.”
Both hope and fear were feelings expressed by Mark Allen of Lake Forest. The retired 21-year U.S. Navy Commander and naval aviator now a technology business owner voted for Trump. He too has hope.
“He gave it everything he had,” Allen said.
“I’m not ready to say it’s over,” Allen said. “He has lawsuits going so I’m not giving up hope just yet.”
Allen cited a strong economy and impressive job growth as Trump’s accomplishments. The one-time military officer now worries about America’s security.
“I’m concerned about our homeland security,” Allen said. “He brought everything back to the United States,” he said, referring to manufacturing. “That’s the way it should be.”
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Read more here. —Steve Sadin
4:03 p.m.: Mayor Lightfoot: 'Make no mistake — America is back’
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot offered her congratulations to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris at a Saturday news conference.
“Has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?” she said after referring to the pair as president-elect and vice president-elect.
Lightfoot said she has “an affinity for Joe Biden and his Scranton (Pennsylvania) roots,” adding that his “story and values” remind her of many people she grew up with in Massillon, Ohio.
Lightfoot had more laudatory words for Harris, who she said is “not just any Black woman” but a Black woman of “incredible talent, intellect, compassion and heart.”
Until asked, Lightfoot did not mention President Trump by name, but said that with Biden in the White House, Americans are “never going to have to wonder whether (the president) sees our struggles and our tragedies.”
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She said the outcome of the election “opens up boundless possibilities for the return of science, the rule of law, respect for civil rights” and help for “our most vulnerable” citizens and communities.
“There’s a reason people all over the world are breathing a sigh of relief,” Lightfoot said, “Make no mistake — America is back.”
When asked about Trump conceding the race, the mayor said: “I think he will get there. I certainly hope he will. But whether he says those words or not, the time has come” for a transition.
—Staff report
3:20 p.m.: NBC’s Notre Dame-Clemson coverage tonight will move to USA Network during Joe Biden’s speech
Here’s one more thing to know about No. 4 Notre Dame’s football game Saturday night against top-ranked Clemson: NBC has a game plan for when presumptive President-elect Joe Biden’s scheduled speech to the nation around 7 p.m. interrupts the first half.
When Biden speaks, game coverage will switch to NBCUniversal cable corporate sister USA Network.
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When the speech is over, the game will move back to Chicago’s NBC-5 and other NBC stations.
Game coverage on NBC is set to start at 6:35 p.m., preceded by “Countdown to Kickoff” from 4:30-5 p.m. and resuming again at 6 p.m.
Read more here. —Phil Rosenthal
3:06 p.m.: At Biden rally in front of Trump Tower: ‘We voted a racist out of office’
Brandy Worthy rushed to Trump Tower when she heard the news, wanting to be with a large community of people to celebrate.
“It feels like we may see change,” she said.
Worthy, a Black woman, said she felt optimistic when former President Barack Obama was elected, and now feels some of the same emotions, knowing voters came out to repudiate Trump.
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“We voted a racist out of office,” she said.
—Madeline Buckley
Helena Duncan, 25, of Hyde Park (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)
2:52 p.m.: Chicago woman ‘held my nose when I voted’ for Biden but relieved in outcome
Helena Duncan, 25, a democratic socialist was taking a walk in Jackson Park with her boyfriend when her mom texted her the news.
Though not an enthusiastic Biden supporter, Saturday’s outcome is “obviously a huge relief and I’m pleased and ecstatic,” said Duncan.
But as a supporter of the Green New Deal and “Medicare for All," Duncan said Biden is “not a candidate that will deliver on those issues.”
Duncan, who planned on going for another walk later with her mom to enjoy the historic moment, is a freelance writer who hopes to soon become a community organizer to fight for rent control in her Hyde Park neighborhood and throughout the state.
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”I voted for Biden but I held my nose when I did it because I have no faith in Biden as a leader to enact meaningful change to improve the lives of working people."
Duncan worried about next few months, saying: "The coronavirus is spreading so quickly, I just think it’s going to be a dark couple of months.''
But she said and her boyfriend are "both so relieved and allowing ourselves a moment of celebration.''
—Rosemary Sobol
I’m downtown where a huge crowd has gathered at Trump Tower. pic.twitter.com/pWAhhcIkbG — Madeline Buckley (@Mabuckley88) November 7, 2020
2:44 p.m.: Outside Trump Tower in Chicago, jubilation from Biden supporters
A large crowd was growing outside of Trump Tower, with jubilant Chicagoans posing with cardboard cutoffs of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris and waving signs with messages like “Bye Don.”
The crowd shut down Wacker Drive between Michigan and Wabash avenues. The bridge at Wabash was lifted, and dozens of police officers blocked the group from entering Michigan Avenue, which remained open to vehicles.
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People cheered and a drumline played, amplifying the party-like atmosphere downtown.
—Madeline Buckley
Xavier Montalvo, 24, of Wood Dale (James C. Svehla/For the Chicago Tribune)
2:40 p.m.: Trump supporter hopes Biden ‘can bring us together, but I don’t see it happening’
Xavier Montalvo, 24, is a college senior and IT account manager who just attended a rally in support of Trump Monday in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
He was at his suburban Wood Dale home enjoying a bowl of cereal when he saw the news on TV.
“I wasn’t too happy about it, I’ll say that.'’
Coming from the Chicago area, where many people don’t like the president, Montalvo said it was nice to be around others at the rally who share his views.
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“I’m a huge Trump supporter because of his values,” he said. “I’m pro-life, I love that he was de-regulating business, letting business expand, and low taxes.”
Montalvo felt that protests this year were very divisive, which continues now with some people celebrating while others are protesting. He also doesn’t trust mail-in ballots, because there’s no proof of who is voting.
”I can’t say (voter fraud is) happening, but I can’t say it’s not happening as well,'' Montalvo said. "It’s not totally far-fetched.''
He hopes Trump runs again in 2024.
“Now we’re more divided than ever,” he said. “I hope Biden can bring us together, but I don’t see it happening.”
Montalvo believes that a Biden win would make it harder for the everyday worker because large corporations, who he believes would be taxed higher under a Biden presidency, wouldn’t be able to offer as many jobs.
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"It will hurt the working class.''
Without Trump, Montalvo believes our foreign relations will suffer.
"We had a really great thing going with Trump.''
Still, Montalvo said, when he saw the news he realized how much he loves the country.
“We gotta accept it whether we like it or not. That’s the great thing about America.”
—Robert McCoppin and Rosemary Sobol
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1:42 p.m.: Chicago resident envisions ‘four more years of stagnation’ but relieved election over
Dan Motkowicz, a resident of Chicago’s Jefferson Park neighborhood, works in software sales and describes himself as a moderate, though said he did not vote for Joe Biden.
Regardless, Motkowicz, 38, said he did not feel disappointment when he heard the election called for Trump while listening to WBBM-AM 780 in his car.
“It was just a relief,” Motkowicz said. “It’s been a wild week.”
He feels Biden does not have much to offer the country. Instead of a clear vision, Motkowicz feels the Democrats were just waiting for Donald Trump to fail.
But still, Motkowicz said, “More than anything else, I just want the craziness of the country to calm down a bit. Even if that means we get four years now of stagnation.”
—Doug George
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1:28 p.m.: Biden supporter said debates were a turning point in the campaign
Adrieanne Arnold, 39, of Evanston, said she was happy, relieved, and a little shocked that the election was over in favor of her candidate after waiting for what felt like forever. She felt a turning point in the election were the presidential debates, which she said “spoke volumes.”
“I felt like Biden cared about how the American people felt,” she said. “It’s like your voice matters, you matter. Trump didn’t have any self-control. He was talking over Biden, so little old me, I know I’m not going to be heard.”
Despite this being the most divisive time she has seen in her life, Arnold estimated there’s a 50-50 chance Americans can unite on some level.
Having been a health manager at a manufacturing company, she hoped Biden would restore Obamacare to provide health insurance to millions of people, and that the new administration can find a vaccine for the coronavirus while reviving the economy.
“I feel like our country is on our way toward restoration,” she said. “We can all heal and restore day by day.”
—Robert McCoppin
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Singing “Hit the road Jack” in Union Park. pic.twitter.com/lBp960dF7t — Madeline Buckley (@Mabuckley88) November 7, 2020
1:20 p.m.: At union rally, celebrations — but also some wariness
At a Saturday rally initially planned by labor unions and social justice advocates to “demand legal votes of Black and Brown people be counted.” But the mood was more celebratory, given the race was called by the time the rally started.
Cheers and Biden-Harris signs permeated the event, though some participants were less enthusiastic, citing Biden’s involvement in the 1994 crime bill, which critics say led to mass incarceration.
“There’s still a lot of work to do,” one young participant said.
Deborah Lane, an organizer for the city’s transit union, wore all blue and beamed Saturday morning in Union Park.
Lane was particularly excited about presumptive Vice President-elect Kamala Harris’s historic role.
“It gives women a sense of energy,” Lane said.
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Rally participating planned to march downtown. About a dozen police officers on bicycles also gathered ahead of the rally.
—Madeline Buckley
Mawuli Agbefe, 31, of West Englewood (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)
1:06 p.m.: High school debate coach, West Englewood resident: ‘Our country … needs some truth and reconciliation’
Mawuli Grant Agbefe, 31, was at his West Englewood neighborhood home Saturday when his mom called.
“She let me know and I turned on the TV and watched it,'’ said Agbefe, a debate coach at Evanston Township High School who voted early.
“Honestly, I’m pleased. I honest thought it might take a lot longer because of all the mail-in ballots.''
He is optimistic about the next four years but said his heart goes out to everyone who has lost a loved one during the global pandemic or as a result of the current immigration and refugee policies.
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”Our country as a whole needs some truth and reconciliation. There are deep amount of hate,'' Agbefe said, citing “people with guns at rallies and the killing of people in hate crimes.”
”Racism and sexism and xenophobia … to those voters, that was not a deal-breaker. (Trump) got way more votes than he should have gotten.''
He toyed with the idea of getting out for some Champagne but decided against it.
"It’s probably not the best thing with the virus.''
—Rosemary Sobol
12:59 p.m.: Retired schoolteacher who voted for Trump: ‘Maybe we they can get to solving what ails us. There’s plenty.’
It was just before noon Saturday in a sun-splashed Washington Square Park, the city’s oldest park, across from the Newberry Library on the Near North Side.
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Benjamin Malcolm, a 73-year-old retired public schoolteacher, was walking his dog, a 3-year-old Schnauzer named Howard.
“Just heard on TV,” he said. “Maybe we they can get to solving what ails us. There’s plenty.”
He said that he had voted for Donald Trump for president “in person on Election Day” even though he admitted to being “a lifelong Democrat, more or less.”
He said he found Joe Biden “not the most stimulating candidate and too much of the same old same old.”
Still, he said that he was happy “it’s over. This was frustrating, this long wait, and I hope we can move on without any trouble.”
The park was crowded with people and dogs and a lot of little children. He pointed toward some of them, playing with a ball, and said, “They don’t care or even know what just happened, but I hope they get to live in a world better than we’ve got now.”
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—Rick Kogan
12:51 p.m.: Pritzker, Preckwinkle, Madigan and Chicago mayors past and present congratulate Biden
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker tweeted their congratulations to the Biden-Harris ticket on their presumptive victory.
The mayor said Biden and Kamala Harris, saying they fought “a passionate, hard-fought and historic campaign drawn from our highest values as a nation."
”Chicago is excited to work together in tackling the many challenges we face in rebuilding our communities," Lightfoot tweeted, “recovering from the COVID-19 crisis, addressing climate change, and becoming stronger and more resilient than we have ever been. Let’s get to work!”
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle tweeted that “history was made” Saturday morning and noting Harris will be the first woman and first person of color to serve as vice president.
Former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who served in the Obama-Biden White House, tweeted that Biden and Harris will “lead for all.”
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Illinois House Speaker and state Democratic Party Chairman Mike Madigan also released a statement: “Many Illinoisans and Americans have been clear-eyed about dumping Donald Trump since he was elected in 2016. Trump never intended to be a president for all Americans or help anyone but himself. We’ve all suffered the consequences, especially the millions of Americans who have felt the brunt of the pandemic through tragedy and financial uncertainty. We’re ready for this nightmare to be over, and we’ve made our voices heard in record numbers. President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will bring us back from the disastrous chapter we’ve all endured.”
—Staff report
12:31 p.m.: Brookfield woman who has mostly voted Republican: ‘I’m so happy, so relieved’
Vicki Krutzler, of west suburban Brookfield, says she has mostly voted Republican her whole life, with the exception of Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012 and Joe Biden. In 2016, she chose neither of the major party candidates but wrote in another name.
“I’m so happy, I’m so happy,” said Krutzler, 62. “I’m relieved. I just want a president who represents everyone.”
She feels Biden will have an easier time representing Republicans than Donald Trump would have representing Democrats in the next four years, especially as the pandemic continues.
As for Biden, “I’m not saying he’s a perfect man. I don’t need him to be a perfect man. But we need someone in the White House who has respect for the office.”
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—Doug George
12:38 p.m.: More celebrations outside Trump Tower
More celebration in the street 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/CwSL7XEzlX — armando l sanchez (@mandophotos) November 7, 2020
12:29 p.m.: Chicago Trump backer hopeful president will contest vote count to Supreme Court
Trump voter Ronald Timatyos said late Saturday morning The Associated Press calling the race for Biden was a nonissue because he hopes the president will challenge the election results until it reaches the conservative-majority U.S. Supreme Court.
The 37-year-old from Edison Park isn’t certain there is election fraud happening, he said, but he thinks the president should follow through on unproven claims that his foes are trying to “steal” the election.
“I don’t think he should (concede),” Timatyos said. “I know it sounds crazy. I know it sounds like he’s got a one-in-a-million chance, but for some reason I keep thinking of the story of David and Goliath, and everything was stacked against them, but David came out on top. That’s kind of what I’m seeing here.”
The former Barack Obama supporter said he had become disillusioned with politicians — until Trump came along and launched his 2016 bid for the presidency, bucking political norms and alarming Washington’s establishment at the time with his off-the-cuff remarks.
Prior to that, Timatyos said, he had a very low opinion of Trump as just another rich man who’s “got young women running around him, flaunting his money."
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”But after he ran for office, and every time he spoke, he spoke truth. I said, you know what, I could rock with a guy like that. He might not say the things you like to hear, but you always know his opinion out front," Timatyos said.
Nevertheless, Timatyos said that if Biden ends up moving into the White House, he will accept it. He doesn’t think there is too much division in America that needs healing, instead believing that most of the rancor is stirred up by mainstream news outlets that increasingly remind him of the state media in his parents' home country of Iraq, he said.
Across the U.S., people want the same things, Timatyos said: They want the coronavirus pandemic to end, and they want their jobs back.
“Americans just want to be Americans,” Timatyos said. “The American people will be just fine whether it’s Trump, whether it’s Biden. We are American. We are brothers and sisters. We’ll be fine. But we need truth to be released to the country, not scams.”
—Alice Yin
12:24 p.m.: Fireworks in Rogers Park
Some of the fireworks in Rogers Park pic.twitter.com/SiUvMMc5AE — Liam T.A. Ford (@ltaford) November 7, 2020
12:09 p.m.: 'I’ve been so pessimistic for the last four years’
Mat Thambi, a clinical assistant professor in the University of Illinois Chicago College of Pharmacy, lives in Oak Park with his wife and children and is a longtime Democrat.
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“My biggest emotions right now are relief and excitement and optimism,” he said, moments after media outlets declared former Vice President Joe Biden the winner of the 2020 presidential election.
“I’ve been so pessimistic for the last four years, it’s good to have something to look forward to now.”
Thambi, 49, said he feels it will still be a process for the entire country to acknowledge Biden as the winner.
“I feel like a lot of the right wing is not going to consider it fair,” he said, especially since it appears Biden’s victory in Pennsylvania was the biggest deciding factor.
—Doug George
11:58 a.m.: McHenry County business owner: ‘I hope people don’t lose interest’ now
Scott Dehn, 42, owner of the McHenry Outdoor Theater, said he did not want to publicly take sides, but tried to look on the bright side of the vote-counting process.
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“I’m actually kind of proud of the process,” he said. “It was professional and done with unbiased intentions to find the winner.”
“Regardless of who is elected, I hope people don’t lose interest once this election is over,” he said. “I hope this big turnout continues election after election.”
He also hoped that despite political differences, people would find things that bring them together.
“Blue or red,” he said, “they both like movies.”
—Robert McCoppin
11:32 a.m.: Cheers ring out in Lincoln Park after presidential race declared for Biden
Moments after CNN called the race for former Vice President Joe Biden, cheers, honks and clanging of pots and pans rang out in Lincoln Park.
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Molly Longest and Lexi Hiland were in a Lincoln Park apartment when they heard the news. They didn’t have Champagne on hand, so they opened some hard Kombucha.
“We got out the pots and pans,” Longest said. “A neighbor was dancing in the window.”
The pair then took their dogs out to the street to take in a celebratory atmosphere, as drivers on Clark Street honked their horns.
Hiland wore a sweater that said “USA."
”I’ve been wearing it all week," she said.
—Madeline Buckley
Cars honk near Trump Tower in downtown Chicago


chicagotribune--2020-11-09--Trump vs. Biden: Inside Chicago’s politically split 41st Ward — ‘I don’t talk about it, you know?’

Editor ’ s note : An earlier version of this story said the 41st Ward was the only one in @ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump , based on unofficial vote tallies .
The Chicago Board of Election has @ @ @ @ @ website and that is no longer the case .
The ward voted in favor of @ @ @ @ @ 50.87 % to 47.5 % for Trump , according to unofficial vote totals .
Trump @ @ @ @ @ city dropped to 16.15 % , according to unofficial vote totals .

On a quiet street corner on Chicago’s Far Northwest Side, a lone blue-and-white Biden-Harris sign stood on a tidy front lawn late this week. Behind the bungalow’s tan fence, a man grilling burgers in the unseasonably warm November twilight said the sign wasn’t his.
“I actually went with Trump. My wife went for Biden,” Alex Mendez, 51, said with a laugh.
In famously Democratic Chicago, politically divided households might be harder to come by than those split between Cubs and White Sox fans. The 41st Ward isn’t the norm, though.
Centered around the Edison Park neighborhood east of O’Hare International Airport, the ward was among the most narrowly divided in the city.
When the Tribune interviewed residents on Thursday, Trump was running ahead of Biden in unofficial results. By Sunday, Biden had eked ahead, but it was still close.
On Sunday, 50.87% of the vote was going to former Vice President Joe Biden compared with 47.5% for President Donald Trump, according to unofficial results.
Support for President Donald Trump is seen in the 41st Ward on Chicago's Northwest Side on Nov. 6, 2020. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)
Citywide, Trump got 16.15%, according to unofficial tallies. That’s better than the 12.4% of the vote he landed against Hillary Clinton in 2016. But the overall electoral picture was a familiar one.
Fourteen of the city’s 50 wards topped 90% support for former Vice President Joe Biden. The biggest cluster was on the city’s South Side — with the largest support for Biden in the 21st Ward where nearly 96% of voters cast a ballot for the Democratic ticket.
Biden and Kamala Harris got less than 60% of the votes in just three wards, including the 41st.
As of Sunday morning, there were still 60,000 uncounted mail-in ballots in the city, according to a Chicago Board of Elections spokesman.
How rare is a Republican ward-level presidential win in Chicago? The last came in 1992, in the 41st Ward, when about 52% of voters went for President George H.W. Bush and Vice President Dan Quayle over Democratic challengers Bill Clinton and Al Gore.
Ald. Anthony Napolitano said he wasn’t at all surprised with this year’s outcome.
“We’re just as strong Democrat as Republican. This is a strong labor neighborhood,” Napolitano said. “But I do believe everyone up here has a lot of conservative values. And the last three-plus years have been pure chaos, and a lot of people here lay that with the Democrats.”
Signs against Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Gov. J.B. Pritzker are seen at a home in the 41st Ward on Chicago's Northwest Side Nov. 6, 2020. The 41st is the only Chicago ward where a majority of votes went to incumbent Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)
“You hear the neighborhood scuttlebutt about all the looting and rioting somewhere in the country, and the Democrats didn’t have law and order on their side,” Napolitano said. “Not once was that behavior called out by the Democrats.”
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Matthew Podgorski chairs the Northwest Side GOP Club that operates in the 41st Ward and parts of some neighboring wards and counts about 400 dues-paying members. He said Trump’s message resonated with voters in the area at a time the Republican Party, long an afterthought in Chicago politics, is putting together a strong apparatus in that part of the city.
“(Trump) has been more vocally pro-police than any president has been in my lifetime, at a moment when it’s needed more than ever,” Podgorski said.
The ward is in many ways not demographically representative of the city. It was about 82% white in 2010, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. And it’s home to lots of cops, firefighters and other city workers who are required by residency rules to live in Chicago.
But as the rancorous presidential campaign lurches toward a conclusion that likely will leave America as deeply divided as ever, Edison Park residents have perhaps figured out a path forward, even if it sometimes means just treading carefully.
Neighbors there say in the past few years, the president has become a touchy subject and political divisions, though not deep enough to cut through the tightknit feel of the community, have led people to think twice before broaching anything Trump-related.
Sharon Knudtson, 70, said she voted for Trump this year after staying home four years ago. Most of her close friends are Democrats, she said, but it’s no issue to her.
“I don’t know about those divisions,” Knudtson said. “Whenever they talk about politics, I just, I don’t talk about it, you know?”
No matter how the presidential election turns out, Napolitano said he’s confident residents will honor the outcome.
“In the 41st Ward, whether it’s Biden or Trump, people will say ‘He’s our president for the next four years, and we’re going to back him and hope he succeeds for the country,’” he said.
The South Side 21st Ward is in many respects a world away from Edison Park. Made up of middle-class neighborhoods such as Auburn Gresham, West Chatham and Brainerd, the ward was about 98% African American in 2010, according to the census.
Biden and Harris got 95.8% of the vote in the 21st Ward, the highest percentage they received in any ward in the city, according to unofficial tallies.
Ald. Howard Brookins Jr. said Trump’s racially charged rhetoric and knee-jerk support for law enforcement during protests over the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police deepened already strong opposition to the president’s policies in the ward.
“In contrast to the 41st Ward, where thousands of police live, my ward is one of the Blackest in the city,” Brookins said. “And I don’t know a Black man who doesn’t have a story of being frightened by police, of being racially profiled by police.”
Block clubs and other politically active community groups form the backbone of an extremely engaged electorate in the ward, he said.
Darnell Owens, 33, of the 21st Ward in Chicago, voted for Biden. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)
“And then, my ward has been one of the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Brookins said. “People here, it’s personal for them. They see their friends and family suffering, and it’s clear the president’s inability to handle the situation has made it worse.”
Pushing his grand-niece on a tire swing at Foster Park in the 21st Ward, Darnell Owens, 33, said he voted for Biden because the former vice president demonstrates leadership, while Trump tries to sow animosity among Americans.
“The last four years have been not so great,” Owens said. “You can see it. It’s in the attitudes. If we’re a nation of unity, why is there so much division? Why?”
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story said the 41st Ward was the only one in Chicago to vote for President Donald Trump, based on unofficial vote tallies. The Chicago Board of Election has updated the numbers on its website and that is no longer the case. The ward voted in favor of former Vice President Joe Biden 50.87% to 47.5% for Trump, according to unofficial vote totals. Trump’s support in the city dropped to 16.15%, according to unofficial vote totals.
ayin@chicagotribune.com
jebyrne@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-11-08--New and probable COVID-19 cases again top 10,000 in Illinois, another 42 are dead

Both the governor and the staff members subsequently tested negative and were released from quarantine .
Under Centers for Disease @ @ @ @ @ that is allowed because they had met with the person who became infected 48 hours @ @ @ @ @ and therefore weren ’ t considered “ close contacts , ” the governor ’ s @ @ @

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 daily count of newly confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 in Illinois again topped 10,000 on Sunday and another government official was self-isolating after a staff member tested positive for the disease.
Illinois public health officials reported 10,009 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 42 additional fatalities, bringing the total number of known infections in Illinois to 487,987 and the statewide death toll to 10,196 since the start of the pandemic.
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The state on Friday begin reporting probable cases as well as those confirmed by testing, but even before that the daily case count was setting record highs.
Also Sunday, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle’s office said she’s self-isolating after a staff member tested positive for COVID-19. Preckwinkle is not experiencing any symptoms and is being tested, her office said.
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Gov. J.B. Pritzker and some staff members briefly went into isolation late last week after someone at a meeting they attended last Monday tested positive for COVID-19.
Both the governor and the staff members subsequently tested negative and were released from quarantine. Under Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, that is allowed because they had met with the person who became infected 48 hours before the onset of symptoms and therefore weren’t considered “close contacts,” the governor’s office said.
Pritzker had twice previously gone into longer periods of isolation after coming in contact with an infected person.
State officials on Sunday also said 90,757 new tests had been conducted in the last 24 hours. The seven-day statewide positivity rate is 10.6%.
Over 4,000 people are reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 833 patients were in the ICU and 368 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators, according to public health officials.
jvillagomez@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-11-08--Coronavirus in Illinois updates: 10,009 new confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases and 42 additional

Coronavirus in Illinois updates: 10,009 new confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases and 42 additional deaths reported Sunday

Saturday was the second day Illinois reported both confirmed and probable cases , following what state officials said was Centers @ @ @ @ @ guidance on how to count cases .
On Friday , officials said there were 10,376 @ @ @ @ @ , in addition to 7,673 probable cases of COVID-19 from since the beginning of the @ @ @ @ @ the health department did not make clear how many of the cases were confirmed with @ @ @ @ @ probable cases .

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)
Illinois COVID-19 hospitalizations are rising so quickly that, in roughly a week, the number could surpass the highest tally seen in the spring surge, a Tribune analysis has found. And the skyrocketing admissions are raising new concerns that some hospitals could eventually be packed with patients.
The analysis comes as Illinois continues experiencing surges in coronavirus cases and deaths. State health officials Sunday reported more than 10,000 new confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases. There also were 42 more deaths reported Sunday, bringing the confirmed statewide death toll to 10,196. The seven-day statewide positivity rate increased to 10.6%.
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Here’s what’s happening this weekend with COVID-19 in the Chicago area and Illinois:
Sunday
10,009 new confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases and 42 additional deaths reported
The daily count of newly confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 in Illinois again topped 10,000 on Sunday and another government official was self-isolating after a staff member tested positive for the disease.
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Illinois public health officials reported 10,009 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 42 additional fatalities, bringing the total number of known infections in Illinois to 487,987 and the statewide death toll to 10,196 since the start of the pandemic.
The state on Friday begin reporting probable cases as well as those confirmed by testing, but even before that the daily case count was setting record highs.
Also Sunday, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle’s office said she’s self-isolating after a staff member tested positive for COVID-19. Preckwinkle is not experiencing any symptoms and is being tested, her office said.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker and some staff members briefly went into isolation late last week after someone at a meeting they attended last Monday tested positive for COVID-19.
Both the governor and the staff members subsequently tested negative and were released from quarantine. Under Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, that is allowed because they had met with the person who became infected 48 hours before the onset of symptoms and therefore weren’t considered “close contacts,” the governor’s office said.
Pritzker had twice previously gone into longer periods of isolation after coming in contact with an infected person.
State officials on Sunday also said 90,757 new tests had been conducted in the last 24 hours. The seven-day statewide positivity rate is 10.6%.
Over 4,000 people are reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 833 patients were in the ICU and 368 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators, according to public health officials. — Jessica Villagomez
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Saturday
Day after disclosing Monday meeting that included person who tested positive for COVID-19, Pritzker and staff out of quarantine following negative tests
A day after saying Gov. J.B. Pritzker and staff who attended a Monday meeting with officials outside state government were having to quarantine because someone at the meeting later tested positive, the governor’s office said.
Pritzker and his staff have tested negative for the coronavirus.
The governor’s staff has routine testing weekly on Wednesdays, then had negative tests again Friday, according to a news release.
Pritzker went into isolation for the third time pending the results of tests taken after his afternoon briefing, his office said Friday.
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Because they met with the person who tested positive more than 48 hours before the person developed symptoms, Pritzker “and staff who attended the meeting, are not considered close contacts,” according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, according to the release. And because they aren’t considered close contacts with the person, the governor and staff won’t have to quarantine further, according to the release.
—Chicago Tribune staff
12,438 new confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases and 76 additional deaths reported
Illinois health officials on Saturday announced 12,438 new new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 — a new record daily high — and 76 additional fatalities, bringing the total number of known infections in Illinois to 477,978 and the statewide death toll to 10,154 since the start of the pandemic.
Officials also reported 98,418 new tests in the last 24 hours. The seven-day statewide positivity rate is 10.3%, a jump from Friday’s rate of 9.6%.
The record daily tally reflects the new way the state is counting new daily cases, including not only confirmed cases but also probable cases.
Saturday was the second day Illinois reported both confirmed and probable cases, following what state officials said was Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance on how to count cases. On Friday, officials said there were 10,376 new cases confirmed through testing, in addition to 7,673 probable cases of COVID-19 from since the beginning of the pandemic. On Saturday, the health department did not make clear how many of the cases were confirmed with testing and how many were probable cases.
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A confirmed case is “laboratory confirmed” according to the IDPH, while a probable case meets “clinical criteria and is epidemiologically linked or has a positive antigen test.” An antigen test detects whether coronavirus antibodies are in a person’s blood, which would be a signal they had the virus.
If a person who counted as a probable case eventually tests positive for the virus with a molecular test that person won’t be counted in the state’s total cases twice.
Of the 76 deaths confirmed Saturday, 26 were in Cook County, with Whiteside County, which has a population of only about 58,000 people, second among the state’s counties, with five newly confirmed deaths.
—Chicago Tribune staff
As Chicagoans turn out after Biden projected as winner, health officials warn of large crowds
As news organizations projected that former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. would be the next president and Chicago-area residents took the streets to celebrate, health officials warned people to wear masks and avoid large crowds.
“REMINDER to avoid large crowds, but if you’re around others be sure to wear a face covering!!!” the Illinois Department of Public Health said in a tweet.
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REMINDER to avoid large crowds, but if you're around others be sure to wear a face covering!!! pic.twitter.com/1ZUbdZoPz2 — IDPH (@IDPH) November 7, 2020
— Chicago Tribune staff
Morgan County jail sees COVID-19 outbreak
Morgan County reported 29 additional infections and also grappled with an outbreak at the Morgan County Detention Facility, according to a daily briefing by the Morgan County Department of Public Health, Jacksonville/Morgan County Emergency Management, Memorial Health System, Morgan County commissioners and the city of Jacksonville.
Two staff members and six inmates at the jail have tested positive for coronavirus, according to the county health department. One more prisoner at Jacksonville Correctional Center also tested positive Thursday, increasing the number of people infected as part of an outbreak at the facility to 376 prisoners and 15 staff members.
—Jacksonville Journal-Courier


chicagotribune--2020-11-08--Police: Woman arrested for boarding plane at O’Hare without a ticket

The unidentified woman was taken into custody aboard the airliner taxied at O ’ Hare ’ s Terminal 3 just @ @ @ @ @ police said , citing preliminary information .
The woman , who was able to bypass @ @ @ @ @ of criminal trespassing after boarding an airplane without a ticket , police said .

A Marquette Park woman told authorities she evaded security checkpoints at O’Hare International Airport and boarded an American Airlines flight for Los Angeles so she could see rapper and music mogul Jay-Z, Cook County prosecutors told a judge on Monday.
Someone spotted Yaazmina Payton ducking under a set of ropes at the boarding door near the ticket gate at Terminal 3 around 7:45 a.m. Sunday and alerted a ticket agent, prosecutors said during a bail hearing broadcast on YouTube.
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Payton, 23, was taken into custody after being unable to produce a ticket or boarding pass and was later charged with felony criminal trespass.
Following her arrest, authorities said Payton offered to show them how she bypassed security, freely admitting she pushed past a gate into a secure area by evading detection while Transportation Security Administration officers were distracted.
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Payton also admitted passing another security checkpoint and said she was trying to go to LA to see the Grammy Award-winning rapper, Assistant State’s Attorney Jocelyn Schieve told the court.
Payton’s court-appointed attorney said she had post-traumatic stress disorder and an anxiety disorder.
Judge John F. Lyke Jr. ordered Payton released on $500 bail but approved a prosecution order barring her from the airport.
In a statement, a TSA spokesman said the agency was conducting an investigation that could take up to 90 days to complete.


chicagotribune--2020-11-08--It was nice while it lasted: Forecasters say higher temperatures in Chicago dropping by midweek

Then , notable winds Tuesday will transition Chicago back to its usual fall temperatures , he said .
Wind gusts @ @ @ @ @ and a short period of rain showers and possible thunderstorms Tuesday evening will bring Chicago @ @ @ @ @ 50s .

People on Belmont and Sheffield Ave. try to shield themselves from the rain as a cold front moves into Chicago on Nov. 10, 2020. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)
Enjoy it while you can, the unseasonably warm weather in Chicago is coming to a halt this week, according to the National Weather Service.
Near record-breaking temperatures in the 70s are forecast to continue in the Chicago area through Tuesday, with a temperature drop into the 50s by Wednesday, said Kevin Birk, a meteorologist with the weather service.
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“We are going to stay nice tomorrow and somewhat warm on Tuesday, but we will be seeing significant changes occurring that night.”
A cold front is expected to breeze through the area Wednesday, ending a record stretch of high temperatures in the Chicago area. Birk said we are looking at near record temperatures through Tuesday, however.
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Then, notable winds Tuesday will transition Chicago back to its usual fall temperatures, he said. Wind gusts of up to 45 mph and a short period of rain showers and possible thunderstorms Tuesday evening will bring Chicago back down to the cool 50s.
“Normally we are in the mid-50s, so it’s where we usually are this time of year,” Birk said.
The weather pattern over the last week has been persistent and has brought much of the country some “good warmth,” Birk said.
“Sometimes we can get warm temperatures in November but that’s usually a day or so,” he said. “This was more of a persistent warm pattern that allowed for mild conditions.”
jvillagomez@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @JessicaVillag


chicagotribune--2020-11-08--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--2020-11-08--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--2020-11-08--Daily Illinois coronavirus graphs: 42 new deaths, 10,009 new confirmed and probable cases and 90,757

Daily Illinois coronavirus graphs: 42 new deaths, 10,009 new confirmed and probable cases and 90,757 new test results

Illinois announced 10,009 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 Sunday for a total of 487,987 .
The state also @ @ @ @ @ a total of 10,196 and 90,757 new test results for a total of 8.4 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--2020-11-08--Naperville-area woman shot boyfriend, then video-chatted another woman he had been dating, prosecuto

Naperville-area woman shot boyfriend, then video-chatted another woman he had been dating, prosecutors allege

Lagrone told DuPage County sheriff ’ s investigators that her gun went off accidentally , Meindl said .
However , @ @ @ @ @ boyfriend ’ s Facebook page to contact the other woman through a live video chat @ @ @ @ @ does not include audio , appears to show the victim on the ground in a @ @ @ @ @ , Meindl said .
The video also shows someone off screen , believed to be @ @ @ @ @ at least twice , Meindl said .

Rosa Lagrone is charged with attempted murder after she allegedly shot her boyfriend at her townhouse near Naperville. (DuPage County sheriffs office / HANDOUT)
A Naperville-area woman allegedly shot her boyfriend, then video-chatted with a woman he had been dating while the victim bled on the floor in the background, DuPage County prosecutors said Sunday.
Rosa Lagrone, 34, faces attempted murder and other charges. She appeared during Sunday morning’s video bond court call at the DuPage County Jail, sitting in a wheelchair and frequently keeping her face lowered during her hearing.
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Lagrone is accused of shooting her boyfriend around 2:15 p.m. Friday during an argument over his relationship with another woman. Lagrone contacted that woman through a video chat feature on social media while her boyfriend was on the floor in the background in what appeared to be a pool of blood, DuPage County Assistant State’s Attorney Mandy Meindl said.
The 27-year-old man was shot once, and the bullet went through his arm and lodged in his spine, Meindl said. The man, who is on a ventilator, remains hospitalized and tests were being conducted Sunday to determine if there was any brain activity. Meindl said charges against Lagrone could be upgraded to murder if her boyfriend does not survive.
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On Oct. 30, Lagrone learned that her boyfriend was having a relationship with another woman, prosecutors said. The couple argued over that relationship on Friday and the victim attempted to pack his bags to move out of the townhome in the 25W000 block of Keswick Lane in unincorporated DuPage County near Naperville, Meindl said.
Lagrone told DuPage County sheriff’s investigators that her gun went off accidentally, Meindl said. However, Meindl said Lagrone used her boyfriend’s Facebook page to contact the other woman through a live video chat. The video, which does not include audio, appears to show the victim on the ground in a pool of blood and speaking, Meindl said. The video also shows someone off screen, believed to be Lagrone, kicking the man at least twice, Meindl said.
Lagrone, who has four children ages 14, 13, 10 and 6, called a relative after the shooting and told them to come pick up her children, who were outside in a car, Meindl said.
“You have to come get the kids right now. I’m going to jail for the rest of my life,” Lagrone allegedly told the relative, Meindl said.
The four children heard arguing throughout the day but did not hear a gunshot, Meindl said. Lagrone allegedly put the children in the car as the couple were arguing.
Police recovered the weapon used in the shooting along with one spent shell case and another unspent round, authorities said.
Lagrone is being held on $1.5 million bond and could face life in prison if found guilty of attempted murder. She also is charged with aggravated battery involving a firearm and aggravated domestic battery.
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“Just days removed from Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October, we are faced with this tragic shooting of a young man near Naperville,” DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick said in a news release. “Domestic violence cases are up, in DuPage County, nearly 50 percent over the same period last year and this cannot be tolerated.”
In the same news release, DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin pointed to a recent medical article noting that domestic violence cases are on the rise across the country. He urged victims of domestic violence to seek help by calling the Family Shelter Service Of Metropolitan Family Services DuPage at 630-469-5650 or by visiting their website at Family Shelter Service - Metropolitan Family Services.
Alicia Fabbre is a freelance reporter for The Naperville Sun.


chicagotribune--2020-11-08--DuPage sheriff deputies investigate domestic shooting near Naperville

The shooting occurred Friday afternoon in an unincorporated area near Naper Boulevard and Keswick Lane , said Justin Kmitch , @ @ @ @ @ s office .
He said “ all involved parties are accounted for , ” and @ @ @ @ @ to residents in the area .

DuPage County Sheriff’s deputies are investigating a domestic shooting near Naperville, authorities said.
The shooting occurred Friday afternoon in an unincorporated area near Naper Boulevard and Keswick Lane, said Justin Kmitch, spokesman for the sheriff’s office. He said “all involved parties are accounted for,” and that there was no danger to residents in the area.
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He declined to provide further details, noting the incident remains under investigation.
A spokesman for the Dupage County State’s Attorney’s Office also declined comment and referred calls to the sheriff’s office, noting the incident is under investigation.
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Yellow crime scene tape encircled a two-story home in the area Friday, and a large police presence was observed.


chicagotribune--2020-11-07--Waukegan releases reasons for firing officer who killed Marcellis Stinnette

He wrote he believed Williams , who appeared to be reaching for something inside the car , was reaching for @ @ @ @ @ officer arrived with the ballistic shield , they approached the car and saw there were @ @ @ @ @ the officer “ dragged Tafara from her underarms ” away from the car , and @ @ @ @ @

Demonstrators march through Waukegan Oct. 24, 2020, while protesting the police shooting that killed Marcellis Stinnette and wounded Tafara Williams. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)
Waukegan Police Chief Wayne Walles fired the officer who fatally shot a 19-year-old Black man because he failed to turn on his body camera and because he killed a passenger who “was not in control of the suspect car,” according to the termination letter obtained this week by the Lake County News-Sun.
The termination letter was among documents made public in response to a Freedom of Information Act request for records related to the police shooting. The documents include reports from more than a dozen officers who responded the night of Oct. 20 and further detail police officers' fatal encounter that night with Marcellis Stinnette and Tafara Williams, his girlfriend and the mother of his infant child.
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The documents show minutes before a Waukegan police officer Dante Salinas fired the shots that killed Stinnette and wounded Williams, officer James Keating reported over the radio that “they just ran me over” after he approached the couple in a parked car, according to Waukegan police reports and video obtained by the Lake County News-Sun.
However, police bodycam video indicates officer James Keating was not run over by the vehicle driven by Williams.
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Marcellis Stinnette was shot and killed by Waukegan police on October 20th. (Family photo) (Family photo)
Keating first approached a suspicious car around 11:56 p.m. near the intersection of Liberty and Oak streets, the documents show. The car’s VIN and temporary registration plates did not match, and both were expired, according to a search warrant.
Keating recognized Stinnette and told him he had an arrest warrant, video shows. That warrant was a non-extraditable warrant for his arrest out of Florida for a probation violation, according to the search warrant. Keating was leaning on the passenger’s side of the car when Williams put the car into gear and drove off, according to police reports and video.
After Keating radioed that he had been hit by the car, one police report states, “Salinas then asked Officer Keating if he was all right over the radio. Officer Keating stated that he slid off the car, but he was OK.”
Minutes later, Salinas radioed dispatchers that he had located the car. Within 12 seconds, according to the search warrant, he again radioed dispatch: “Shots fired.”
Salinas radioed that the car had also tried to run him over, according to reports from several officers who later responded to the scene.
The reports made public by Waukegan police do not include any from Keating or Salinas. Multiple officers reported arriving after the shooting, but their reports do not describe the shooting. Salinas' body camera was off during the shooting, Waukegan police have said.
Videos previously made public show Williams led police on a brief chase after driving away from Keating, before the car slid off the road. As Salinas pulled his squad alongside the car and got out of his vehicle, Williams backed up the car.
When officers responded, they found the car backed into a commercial building near Helmholz and Martin Luther King Jr. avenues, the recently released reports show.
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Stinnette’s mother, Zharvellis Holmes, has filed a lawsuit alleging in part that her son did not get medical attention for eight minutes. The police reports shed light on what happened in the minutes after he was shot.
One officer wrote Salinas said over the radio he would not approach the car, and that officer called for a ballistic shield. When that officer arrived he took cover behind a squad and joined Keating, who was also on scene, in giving commands to Williams.
He described ordering Williams out of the car, and Williams struggling to stand.
“It appeared that Tafara was losing strength,” he wrote.
He wrote he believed Williams, who appeared to be reaching for something inside the car, was reaching for a weapon. When another officer arrived with the ballistic shield, they approached the car and saw there were no weapons. Then, the officer “dragged Tafara from her underarms” away from the car, and began examining her injuries.
Another officer removed Stinnette from the car, the reports state. He was described in some police reports as apparently breathing but unresponsive, and was later pronounced dead at a hospital.
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Salinas and Keating could not be reached for comment Friday.
Officers, in reports, described both Salinas and Keating as “upset,” having “rapid breathing at times” and “shaking.”
The documents made public by Waukegan also provide some information about the backgrounds of Stinnette, Williams, and the officers.
Neither Salinas, who is Hispanic, nor Keating, who is white, had prior use-of-force-related complaints filed against them during the five years they worked as Waukegan police officers, documents show, but Salinas was the subject of a previous lawsuit alleging he used excessive force during an incident at an August 2019 baptism party in which he used a Taser and physical force.
Waukegan police determined Salinas' use-of-force in that instance was within department policy, documents show, but in a 2019 memo a commander, while agreeing it was within department policy, wrote, “I feel it might be beneficial for Officer Salinas to meet with Sergeant Lopez to go over the incident. This would give Officer Salinas some tools he could use if faced with a similar situation in the future.”
Kevin O’Connor, an attorney for Stinnette’s family, said he finds the videos and documents “extremely disturbing.” He disputed Keating’s statement that Williams tried to run him over when she drove off and said it was incendiary.
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“He started the whole chain of events,” O’Connor said. “That was a message that she tried to run him over and his life was in danger.”
O’Connor also disputed Salinas' statement that Williams tried to hit him with the car, and reiterated the length of time it took to get Stinnette out of the car was disturbing.
Antonio Romanucci, an attorney for Williams' family, said in a statement he had seen nothing to justify the force officers used.
“We are still waiting for some additional evidence in this case, but the information released about the October 20, 2020 incident shows what we have been saying: We are not seeing anything in the video footage to justify the use of deadly force in this case.”
Waukegan attorney Rick Richmond said the city “denies all allegations of wrongful conduct.”
“Because this matter is now in litigation, it would be inappropriate to comment further,” he said. “However, we look forward to having the facts reviewed and decided upon.”
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In addition to the lawsuit filed by Stinnette’s mother, Williams has also filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of herself and her son against the city of Waukegan, Salinas and Keating.
sfreishtat@tribpub.com


chicagotribune--2020-11-09--Daywatch: Chicago reacts to Joe Biden win, hundreds of schools potentially exposed to COVID and wher

Daywatch: Chicago reacts to Joe Biden win, hundreds of schools potentially exposed to COVID and where to order Thanksgiving pies

Everyone needs a little slice of heaven this Thanksgiving , and these Chicago pie shops , bakeries and restaurants are @ @ @ @ @ will be happy to find plenty of pumpkin , sweet potato , pecan , apple @ @ @ @ @ for those who want to go deeper into pie territory , there are chess , @ @ @ @ @ more choices — even a few cakes and other desserts .

Good morning, Chicago. State health officials Sunday reported more than 10,000 new confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases, for the third day in a row of over 10,000 cases. There also were 42 more deaths reported Sunday, and the seven-day statewide positivity rate increased to 10.6%.
Meanwhile, wondering if you can you catch COVID-19 twice? Or if immunity is real? What about ocular transmission? Health and science experts answered your questions about the coronavirus.
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And in vaccine news, Pfizer says an early peek at its vaccine data suggests the shots may be 90% effective at preventing COVID-19.
Here’s more coronavirus news and other top stories you need to know to start your day.
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Listen to the Tribune | 2020 Election results | More newsletters | Puzzles & Games
With Trump Tower in the background, Darren McRoy, of Skokie, celebrates on Michigan Avenue in downtown Chicago after Joe Biden defeated President Donald Trump to become the 46th president of the United States on Nov. 7, 2020. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)
From the crowds who danced and celebrated in front of the Trump Tower in Chicago, to the small band of Trump supporters who gathered at the Illinois Capitol in Springfield, to the congratulatory statements of politicians including Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who declared, “America is back,” reactions to the news of presumptive President-elect Joe Biden’s presumptive defeat over President Trump only highlighted the region’s and nation’s deep political divides.
Kamala Harris makes history, becoming the first Black woman and South Asian elected vice president
Dr. Edward Ward, left, an emergency medicine physician, talks to medical student Timothy Lee at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago on Nov. 6, 2020. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)
Illinois COVID-19 hospitalizations are rising so quickly that, in roughly a week, the number could surpass the highest tally seen in the spring surge, a Tribune analysis has found.
And the skyrocketing admissions are raising new concerns that some hospitals could eventually be packed with patients.
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)
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.
Second City (1616 N. Wells St.) in Chicago on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2020. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)
Second City is at a crossroads. The company’s ownership and leadership teams are in flux after allegations of institutional racism went viral on social media, and the remaining decision makers vowed to review everything from human resources protocol to material used in shows and artwork on their walls — even as the coronavirus pandemic has reduced resources.
The Chicago Tribune caught up with the organization, interviewed the company’s current leaders, reviewed their diversity promises and talked to alumni about their experiences.
Apple pie with miso butterscotch at Sepia. (Sepia)
Everyone needs a little slice of heaven this Thanksgiving, and these Chicago pie shops, bakeries and restaurants are ready to serve. Traditionalists will be happy to find plenty of pumpkin, sweet potato, pecan, apple and cherry here. But for those who want to go deeper into pie territory, there are chess, chocolate, cranberry and lots more choices — even a few cakes and other desserts.


chicagotribune--2020-11-09--Woman, 34, dead in West Side fire, officials say

About 2:40 a.m. , the department responded to the fire at a one-story home in the 5000 block of West @ @ @ @ @ Austin neighborhood , the department said .
The fire started in the front of the @ @ @ @ @ put out about 10 minutes later .

Chicago police stand in front of a home where a woman was found dead after an early morning fire on Nov. 9, 2020. (José M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)
A woman is dead after a West Side house fire early Monday, according to the Chicago Fire Department.
About 2:40 a.m., the department responded to the fire at a one-story home in the 5000 block of West Gladys Avenue in the South Austin neighborhood, the department said. The fire started in the front of the home, and it was put out about 10 minutes later.
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A 34-year-old woman was found unresponsive inside the home, Chicago police said. She was pronounced dead at the scene at 3:19 a.m., according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
The woman’s cause and manner of death is pending an autopsy by the medical examiner’s office. Her identity was not released Monday morning by the medical examiner.
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The cause of the fire is under investigation by police and fire officials.
pfry@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @paigexfry