chicagotribune--2020-07-28--Coronavirus in Illinois updates: 1,076 new COVID-19 cases is lowest in a week; 30 additional deaths

Coronavirus in Illinois updates: 1,076 new COVID-19 cases is lowest in a week; 30 additional deaths reported

“ So the idea of changing the current process that has taken us months to put into place , that @ @ @ @ @ , is a scary thought , ” she said .
“ These changes , whatever @ @ @ @ @ are going to create more bureaucratic layers for people to get the relief they need @ @ @ @ @ bills to pay , we have to put food on the table , we have @ @ @ @ @ of people are suffering .
”

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Paca Kujtim of Arlington Heights self-administers a COVID-19 test in his car at the Arlington International Racecourse on March 31, 2021 in Arlington Heights. Kujtim was getting testing as a precaution for upcoming travel. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
Illinois health officials Tuesday announced 1,076 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, and 30 additional confirmed deaths. The total breaks a string of six consecutive days with reported cases over 1,200. That brings the state to 173,731 confirmed cases and 7,446 deaths in 102 counties.
Also on Tuesday, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot added Wisconsin, Missouri, North Dakota and Nebraska to the city’s self-quarantine list. People entering the city from those states are asked to self-isolate for 14 days. There are now 22 states on the self-quarantine list.
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[ Illinois’ new COVID-19 plan: How the state will manage any outbreaks in 3 charts ]
[ COVID-19 cases in Illinois by ZIP code: Search for your neighborhood ]
[ Schools reopening tracker: What suburban Chicago districts are planning for the fall ]
[ 20 questions about assessing your COVID-19 risk at restaurants, gyms and more ]
Here’s what’s happening Tuesday regarding COVID-19 in the Chicago area and Illinois:
8:03 p.m.: City threatens fines for Chicagoans who don’t self-quarantine upon return from Wisconsin
Got summer plans to head to Wisconsin, maybe hit Lake Geneva this August to load up on sun and curds and New Glarus beer?
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Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot wants you to think about making other arrangements, and if you can’t, to lock yourself inside for a couple of weeks when you get back to help stop the spread of the coronavirus.
Lightfoot’s administration on Tuesday officially added Chicago’s northern neighbor — and vacation home to large numbers of Illinoisans, including Gov. J.B. Pritzker — to the list of states considered risky enough because of the growth rate of COVID-19 cases to require self-quarantine once back in the city.
That means starting this Friday, anyone who has spent more than 24 hours in Wisconsin should stay inside for two weeks upon getting to Chicago, or risk a fine of $100 to $500 per day for violating city statute.
“That’s ridiculous,” said Lynn Cole, owner of Geneva Lakes Jewelry in Lake Geneva, where many Chicagoans have second homes or vacation. “I don’t think people are going to listen to it. People are going to come to their summer homes.”
Read more here. —John Byrne, Gregory Pratt and Robert McCoppin
6:04 p.m.: US officials say Russian intelligence services are spreading disinformation about the coronavirus
Russian intelligence services are using a trio of English-language websites to spread disinformation about the coronavirus pandemic, seeking to exploit a crisis that America is struggling to contain ahead of the presidential election in November, U.S. officials said Tuesday.
Two Russians who have held senior roles in Moscow’s military intelligence service known as the GRU have been identified as responsible for a disinformation effort reaching American and Western audiences, U.S. government officials said. They spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.
The information had previously been classified, but officials said it had been downgraded so they could more freely discuss it. Officials said they were doing so now to sound the alarm about the particular websites and to expose what they say is a clear link between the sites and Russian intelligence.
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Read more here. —The Associated Press
5:47 p.m.: With ‘no perfect solution’ in sight, schools in Arlington Heights and Plainfield are latest to reject in-person classes this fall in favor of remote learning only
As the COVID-19 pandemic shows no signs of ceasing, school district officials in Arlington Heights and Plainfield said this week that their schools will be offering strictly remote learning in the fall.
While officials at Arlington Heights School District 25 had unveiled a preliminary plan earlier this summer that would have given families the choice between in-person or online learning, in a Monday letter to parents Superintendent Lori Bein said officials had reversed course.
“There is no perfect solution for how to provide in-person instruction while also providing a 100% guarantee of safety for all students and staff,” Bein said. “The only thing that I know for certain is that plans will need to be flexible as there could be many changes throughout the school year.”
Read more here. —Karen Ann Cullotta
5:07 p.m.: How to stay calm, optimistic, even happy during the COVID-19 pandemic — Tribune readers share what works for them
Last week, we asked you to share the one thing that has provided joy in your life amidst the confusion and uncertainty of the coronavirus. You responded with simple yet meaningful items and activities that spark creativity, love and the desire to help other people.
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We are sharing them here and hope they provide inspiration for others. —Kori Rumore
4:25 p.m.: Gary will close Marquette Park Beach starting Wednesday, Mayor Jerome Prince said.
Concerned about COVID-19′s spread, Prince said the beach will be closed for at least two weeks. The park’s shelters and parking lots will also be closed, he said.
Gary cops will be patrolling the beach and kicking off anyone there, Prince said. Marquette Park will still be open for recreation as long as people are keeping apart, he said.
“We continue to see almost daily double-digit increases in our new COVID-19 positive cases in Gary,” Prince said. “We also must ease the logistical strains on our public safety teams and our beach neighborhoods.”
Gary has seen 63 virus deaths and 1,047 positive cases, spokesman Mike Gonzalez said.
Read more here. —Meredith Colias-Pete
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4:14 p.m.: Berghoff closes temporarily, a month after reopening, blaming pandemic economic challenges
The Berghoff Restaurant, a historic German restaurant downtown, and Adams Street Brewery, its adjoining brewery, have temporarily closed, starting Tuesday, July 28. The Berghoff Cafe at O’Hare will remain open.
This decision was strictly a business one, according to a recording on the Berghoff’s main telephone line. No employee has tested positive for COVID-19 nor have the restaurants been cited for violating any COVID-19 policies or procedures.
Colleen Silk, brand manager, blamed the lack of customers downtown. In an email, she said that tourism in the Loop is down 68%, if not more, from last year and office buildings are still mostly closed. Since the restaurants re-opened June 30, they have seen an average of 15 to 20 customers a day, which is more than a 90% decrease since last year.
“So we may hopefully reopen in the near future, and to save what capital is left, the family decided it is best to close our doors for the time being,” she wrote. “It was not a decision they made lightly and (they) contemplated over this extensively beforehand.”
Read more here. —Grace Wong
3:57 p.m.: Plan to slash $600 unemployment boost could mean big delays in jobless benefits, states warn
A Republican proposal to slash the $600 weekly benefit boost for those left jobless because of the coronavirus shutdown could result in weeks or even months of delayed payments in some states.
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Older computer systems that took weeks to set up for the initial federal unemployment enhancement would need to be reprogrammed again twice under the GOP plan.
In Florida, state Rep. Anna Eskamani, a Democrat from Orlando, said the state has not even gotten the original supplemental benefit to everyone entitled to it.
“So the idea of changing the current process that has taken us months to put into place, that is still not even perfect, is a scary thought,” she said. “These changes, whatever they end up being, are going to create more bureaucratic layers for people to get the relief they need. Meanwhile, we have bills to pay, we have to put food on the table, we have medical expenses and a lot of people are suffering.”
How to handle unemployment is a fiercely contested part of the debate as Congress negotiates the latest relief legislation.
Democrats want to bring back the federally funded $600-a-week unemployment bonus that is expiring, saying it’s a way to keep families and the economy afloat in a time when there are far more people out of work than jobs available.
Republicans argue the current amount is so high that it encourages people to remain on unemployment. They want to reduce it in two steps: First, by cutting the benefit by two-thirds — to $200 a week through September. Then they want to switch that flat rate to a percentage in which the unemployed would receive benefits equal to no more than 70% of their previous incomes in November and December.
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The debate isn’t only about the economy and ideology. It’s also about what’s doable technologically, especially on software many states use that dates to the 1970s.
Read more here. —The Associated Press
2:58 p.m.: Aldermen, advocacy groups call on City Council to pass ordinance to move medically vulnerable people out of shelters and jails
A coalition of groups voiced their support Tuesday for an ordinance sitting in the Chicago City Council’s housing committee that would prioritize finding housing for medically vulnerable populations living in group living facilities such as shelters and jails during a pandemic like COVID-19.
The ordinance would amend existing housing regulations and is sponsored by Ald. Chris Taliaferro, 29th, and Ald. Walter Burnett Jr., 27th. It follows earlier reports about widespread COVID-19 cases in group settings such as homeless shelters, which health officials have called some of the most challenging outbreaks to stop.
“It’s unfathomable that we sit on unoccupied, ready-to-move-in homes while some are living on the street, and while some are even living in congregate shelters during a pandemic,” Taliaferro said during a Tuesday news briefing.
Read more here. —Kelli Smith
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1:50 p.m.: Democrats, Republicans are far apart as coronavirus aid talks intensify
Negotiations launched, the differences over the next coronavirus aid package are vast, a gulf between Democrats’ $3 trillion proposal and Republicans $1 trillion counteroffer, with millions of Americans’ jobless benefits, school reopenings and eviction protections at stake.
As top White House negotiators return to Capitol Hill on Tuesday the leverage is apparent: They are meeting at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office. Republicans are so deeply divided over the prospect of big government spending it’s leaving Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell with a weakened hand.
It's unclear whether any agreement can be reached between Congress and President Donald Trump before Friday's deadline for expiring aid.
“We cannot afford to fail,” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said as the chamber opened.
The outcome will be a defining one for the president and the parties heading into the November election as an uneasy nation is watching and waiting for Washington to bring some end to the health crisis and devastating economic fallout.
Read more here. —The Associated Press
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12:45 p.m.: Cubs’ Jon Lester voices his concerns about the Marlins’ COVID-19 outbreak: ‘It’s a little scary. You have to trust in this process and trust in the protocols.’
While COVID-19 hovered around baseball in the wake of the Miami Marlins’ multiple positive tests, Chicago Cubs left hander Jon Lester maintained his focus Monday night in pitching five no-hit innings in his 2020 debut.
After the Cubs held on for an 8-7 win over the Reds, Lester acknowledged the efforts of his teammates to follow the new health and safety protocols could go for naught if more teams are hit as hard as the Marlins.
“It raises questions,” Lester said late Monday night. “We’re all concerned about safety and the protocols. We have to continue to trust in what we’re doing, and hopefully we’re doing the right thing.”
Lester, 36, reluctantly used the world “bubble” in stressing how the Cubs’ traveling party must continue to contain themselves.
“As long as we can continue to get negative tests, obviously it’s good for us,” Lester said. “On the other hand, you don’t want to see anybody get sick or have to deal with this thing.
“It’s a little scary. You have to trust in this process and trust in the protocols that we have in place.”
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Read more here. —Mark Gonzales
12:20 p.m.: Study finds 6 COVID-19 ‘symptom clusters’ that may inform clinicians about the severity of cases
The specific set of symptoms COVID-19 patients experience at the onset of the disease may predict how severe their case will become, according to a study by researchers at King’s College London that analyzed self-reported symptoms.
The study identifies six “symptom clusters,” or subtypes, of COVID-19:
Subtype 1, “flu-like with no fever”: headache, loss of smell, muscle pain, cough, sore throat and chest pain.
Subtype 2, “flu-like with fever”: fever and loss of appetite in addition to headache, loss of smell, cough, sore throat and hoarseness.
Subtype 3, “gastrointestinal”: diarrhea and loss of appetite, no cough, headache, loss of smell, sore throat and chest pain.
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Subtype 4, “severe level one, fatigue”: fatigue in addition to headache, loss of smell, cough, fever, hoarseness and chest pain.
Subtype 5, “severe level two, confusion”: confusion in addition to headache, loss of smell, loss of appetite, cough, fever, hoarseness, sore throat, chest pain, fatigue and muscle pain.
Subtype 6, “severe level three, abdominal and respiratory”: shortness of breath, diarrhea and abdominal pain in addition to headache, loss of smell, loss of appetite, cough, fever, hoarseness, sore throat, chest pain, fatigue, confusion and muscle pain.
Read more here. —Lauren Leazenby
11:45 a.m.: After heavy COVID-19 toll on Illinois nursing homes, top regulators depart state agency
With thousands of COVID-19 deaths linked to Illinois nursing homes, two top regulators are now gone from a state agency criticized at times for its oversight of the facilities during the pandemic.
The Pritzker administration confirmed Tuesday that two top staffers at the Illinois Department of Public Health — Debra Bryars and Aimee Isham — departed last week.
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Agency spokeswoman Melaney Arnold said Bryars “left” July 20 while Isham began a leave that same day. She did not elaborate on reasons for the departures, saying she was “not able to discuss personnel information.” The departures were first reported by WBEZ.
A Tribune investigation early in the pandemic found a high percentage of Illinois nursing homes had been cited for poor infection control practices, prompting advocates to warn that the state needed to aggressively monitor and fight the virus.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker and top leaders have repeatedly said their swift actions limited the virus’ spread and saved lives. Yet the agency’s efforts have at times been broadly criticized as too timid and uncoordinated. Facilities complained they needed help getting more staff and protective gear as infections swept through hundreds of facilities.
Read more here. —Joe Mahr
11:30 a.m.: Bottled Blonde, controversial River North bar, closed permanently by coronavirus, but not violations
Bottled Blonde, the bar in the River North neighborhood of Chicago better known for its legal drama than pizza, closed permanently on Monday due to the coronavirus, but not COVID-19 violations.
“Yesterday, Bottled Blonde surrendered their business licenses, permanently closing the River North bar after a series of serious nuisance conditions dating back to 2017,” read a statement from the city’s department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection. “The establishment has a history of egregious license violations, including over-occupancy, noise violations, public urination, vomiting and other problematic conditions that have had a serious impact on neighbors and the surrounding community. The City is pleased that yesterday’s action will end three years of legal proceedings with the permanent closure of this problem business.”
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The bar had not received any COVID-19 related citations, wrote the department spokesperson. The city had conducted an investigation earlier this month, but did not find any COVID-19 violations at that time.
Bottled Blonde, opened in November 2015, was accused of a racist dress code and allegations of operating in violation of its liquor license, as well as rowdy patrons. In 2017, its business license was revoked, but the revocation was stayed. That revocation was removed last October, leading to the closing of the business, which reopened the next day when that closing was undone.
Read more here. —Louisa Chu
10:30 a.m.: Bears nose tackle Eddie Goldman reportedly opts out of the 2020 season over COVID-19 concerns
Veteran Chicago Bears players are reporting to Halas Hall Tuesday for the first time to begin their COVID-19 intake testing to be cleared for training camp, but one fixture in the team’s high-level defense won’t be there.
Nose tackle Eddie Goldman, the linchpin of the run defense, will opt out for the 2020 season, according to NFL Network.
Goldman, a second-round pick in 2015 who signed a $42 million, four-year contract extension two summers ago, has been an elite player in the middle of the defense. His absence would create a void in the middle of the line, creating more significant roles for Bilal Nichols and others.
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The list of NFL players choosing to sit out the season over COVID-19 concerns is growing. ESPN reported that Patriots linebacker Dont’a Hightower is the fifth New England player to exercise that option.
Players have until Aug. 3 to opt out and one general manager said “there are going to be more than we originally expected” Tuesday morning. Players opting out in a high-risk category will receive a $350,000 stipend and an accrued season. Players not in the high-risk category will receive a $150,000 stipend but will not accrue a season. The contract of players in both categories will toll.
Read more here. —Brad Biggs
9:40 a.m.: Chicago-area house flippers ‘surprisingly unaffected’ by COVID-19, but brace for mixed bag in months to come
Born from the burgeoning real estate market that preceded the Great Recession, flipping homes has become a national fascination over the past two decades. Thrifty bargain hunters scooped up foreclosed or decrepit properties, renovated them and quickly resold for a tidy profit.
The good news for those who have made a career out of the practice: It seems, at least for the time being, that house flipping has proven relatively pandemic-proof.
“My business has been surprisingly unaffected,” said Andy Goldman, whose family has been in the house-flipping business since the 1980s.
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In the first three months of 2020, 7.5% of homes sold in the United States were flipped, according to a June report from real estate research firm ATTOM Data Solutions. That’s the highest rate since 2006 and a jump from 6.3% at the end of 2019.
Home flipping rates had dropped drastically in 2007 and began to gradually recover in 2010. The number of flipped homes sold in a quarter peaked around 100,000 in 2005, and while it was on the rise in recent years, a decline began in the second quarter of 2019. In the first quarter of 2020, 53,705 single-family homes and condos were flipped, according to the report.
Still, it’s too soon to fully grasp how the coronavirus pandemic will impact the house flipping market through 2020 and beyond, ATTOM chief product officer Todd Teta said in a statement.
“Profits are down and are lower than they’ve been since the dark days following the Great Recession,” Teta said. “Enter now the coronavirus pandemic, and the prospects for house flipping are notably uncertain, at least in the short term.”
Read more here. —Milan Polk
9:15 a.m.: Chicago adds Wisconsin, 3 other states to 14-day self-quarantine order, which now covers 22 states
Chicago added Wisconsin and three other states to Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s 14-day self-quarantine order on Tuesday.
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There are now 22 states from which travelers are being told to self-quarantine upon arrival in Chicago due to coronavirus concerns. The requirement covering Wisconsin, Missouri, North Dakota and Nebraska goes into effect on Friday.
Lightfoot’s self-quarantine requirement was first implemented during the Fourth of July weekend but is not being actively enforced aside from signs and billboards telling people that they must self-quarantine.
The order figures to be particularly problematic with Wisconsin, given its proximity and the high number of people from Illinois who spend weekends and vacations there. Many Illinois and Chicago residents, including Gov. J.B. Pritzker, have homes there.
Read more here. —Gregory Pratt
8:45 a.m.: MLB shortened season could be threatened, but games don’t need to stop right now, says Dr. Anthony Fauci
The Miami Marlins’ coronavirus outbreak could endanger the Major League Baseball season, Dr. Anthony Fauci said Tuesday, although he doesn’t believe games needs to stop now.
More than a dozen Marlins players and staff members tested positive for COVID-19, stranding the team in Philadelphia and raising anew questions about MLB's attempts to conduct a season.
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"This could put it in danger," said Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert. "I don't believe they need to stop, but we just need to follow this and see what happens with other teams on a day-by-day basis."
Fauci made his comments on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”
Read more here. —The Associated Press
8:10 a.m.: Trump retweets video, banned by Facebook after going viral, that alleges unproven drug cures COVID-19
A week after appearing to project a more serious tone about the coronavirus, President Donald Trump is back to pushing unproven claims that an anti-malaria drug is an effective treatment and challenging the credibility of the nation’s leading infectious disease expert.
Overnight, after returning from a trip to North Carolina where he promoted efforts to develop a COVID-19 vaccine, Trump retweeted a series of tweets advocating for hydroxychloroquine.
YouTube, Facebook and Twitter have begun scrubbing the video from their platforms, saying it makes demonstrably false claims about the pandemic. The tweet the president amplified is, as of Tuesday morning, not visible on the platform but still atop his feed.
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The video, published by Breitbart News, features a group of people wearing white lab coats calling themselves “America’s Frontline Doctors,” according to CNN. In front of the Supreme Court, they maintain the drug can cure the disease caused by coronavirus — a claim which is contradicted by medical science. The speaker says masks are unnecessary and alleges a conspiracy by pharmaceutical companies.
The video went hugely viral on Facebook, with over 14 million views before it was removed Monday night for promoting misinformation, CNN reported.
Read more here. —The Associated Press
7:45 a.m.: Chicago-based McDonald’s facing bumpy recovery, 2nd quarter sales down 30%
Business did improve for McDonald’s throughout the second quarter as restrictions lifted across the globe, but the fast food giant faces a bumpy — and expensive — recovery.
Of the chain’s 39,000 restaurants worldwide, 96% are now open, compared with 75% at the start of the second quarter. Comparable-store sales that were down 39% in April were down only 12% by June.
Last week, McDonald’s said it will delay dining room reopenings for at least another month and will require face masks for anyone entering its restaurants.
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McDonald’s is also spending heavily to convince people to come back, particularly for breakfast. The Chicago company spent more than $200 million to support franchisee marketing during the second quarter. It also paid $31 million to distribution centers — payments normally made by franchisees — and $45 million to cover franchisees’ debts.
Read more here. —The Associated Press
7:20 a.m.: CTA giving away Ventra cards, healthy travel kits during food distribution event at South Side grocery store
A food distribution event at a Gresham neighborhood grocery store midday Tuesday will include the giveaway of 5,000 Ventra cards and healthy travel kits, according to the mayor’s office.
The food distribution at the parking lot of the Save-A-Lot grocery store, 7908 S. Halsted St., is sponsored by the city’s Racial Equity Rapid Response Team, which Chicago officials set up to work to address racial inequities made more apparent by the high rates of COVID-19 in communities of color.
The food distribution event was scheduled to run from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, according to a release from the mayor’s office.
The CTA Ventra card giveaway is sponsored by Butcher Boy Cooking Oils, a Chicago-area business, according to the release.
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—Chicago Tribune staff
6 a.m.: ‘Pandemic pods’ and ‘micro-schools’: How parents are finding ways to help their kids — and themselves — manage schooling at home
After spending months keeping her 6-year-old daughter occupied with nature hikes, scavenger hunts and virtual play dates, Julia Devetski was hoping she could finally return to work full time again once the energetic rising first grader was back in the classroom this fall at her school in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood.
But as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage — and after learning that her daughter and her Chicago Public Schools classmates will be doing remote learning at home at least part of the time when the new school year starts in September — Devetski joined the soaring ranks of parents who are counting on “pandemic pods” or “micro-schools” as a solution to their dilemma.
Equal parts traditional home schooling and Mary Poppins-style nurturing — with a COVID-19 sheltering-in-place twist — these new arrangements are beckoning parents who desperately need support as they juggle working from home with keeping tabs on their kids’ education.
Generally, the idea of pandemic pods, sometimes called micro-schools, Safe Centers for Online Learning or SCOLs, is to supplement or oversee remote learning, rather that replace it, for parents who have the resources.
The cry for help, which includes legions of parents daunted by the prospect of their kids returning to school and potentially catching the virus, has also spawned a burgeoning network of providers ranging from posh private tutoring centers to retired public school teachers and recent college grads, all of whom are offering to organize and supervise in-home instruction for groups of roughly three to five children.
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Read more here. —Karen Ann Cullotta
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chicagotribune--2020-07-28--ComEd battles on two fronts: Class-action lawsuit demanding refunds, federal court appearance on bri

ComEd battles on two fronts: Class-action lawsuit demanding refunds, federal court appearance on bribery scheme

“ Even though ComEd has already paid a $ 200 million fine , it ’ s important to keep in @ @ @ @ @ of that is going to ComEd ratepayers , ” said attorney Adam Levitt , who @ @ @ @ @ “ The purpose of our lawsuit is to work toward seeking full and complete justice @ @ @ @ @ , to be made whole for what we believe will be shown as improper inflation @ @ @ @

As ComEd made its first court appearance Tuesday since being hit with federal bribery charges involving House Speaker Michael Madigan’s political operation, the power company also dealt with a new class-action lawsuit demanding that customers be reimbursed at least $150 million for the benefits the utility gleaned from the scheme.
In a brief phone hearing at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse, prosecutors and lawyers for ComEd agreed that after a formal arraignment next week, the company would not have to return to court until 2023, when a three-year deferred prosecution agreement with the government is set to expire.
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ComEd has agreed to pay a record $200 million fine and cooperate with the ongoing probe of its lobbying practices in Springfield in exchange for the charges being dropped at the end of the agreement period.
The fine cannot be raised through rate hikes, according to the terms of the agreement. The deal, however, does not require ComEd to reimburse customers for any additional money received because of the scheme — an omission that the class-action lawsuit aims to address.
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“The corruption of ComEd has cost consumers and businesses in Illinois far too much for far too long,” said attorney Stephan Blandin, who is representing the plaintiffs. “While it’s important that ComEd came clean about bribery and agreed pay the government, there are 4 million families and businesses across the state that now deserve to be compensated for their overpayment for electricity for years and years.”
The civil suit, filed in Cook County on Monday, comes less than two weeks after ComEd stipulated to a “yearslong bribery scheme” involving jobs, contracts and payments to Madigan’s allies as it sought favorable treatment from the legislature.
“Through rampant and widespread corruption in the form of bribery of Illinois elected officials, ComEd and its parent company, Exelon Corporation, deprived ratepayers of vast sums of money, totaling in the hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars,” the suit states.
ComEd has publicly apologized for its actions, but the company denies the scheme meant customers were unfairly charged. To the contrary, a utility spokesman said Tuesday, the company has increased reliability by 70% since 2012 and customers’ bills are lower now than they were nearly a decade ago because of legislation passed by the Illinois General Assembly.
“We apologize for the past conduct that did not live up to our values and have made significant improvements to our compliance practices to ensure that nothing like it ever happens again,” spokesman Paul Elsberg said. “The improper conduct described in the deferred prosecution agreement, however, does not mean that consumers were harmed by the legislation that was passed in Illinois.”
While ComEd drew a sharp distinction between the criminal conduct described in court documents and its impact on customers, class-action attorney Blandin suggested the company’s position violated its pact with prosecutors to never disparage or contradict the agreement.
“There’s absolutely no question that Commonwealth Edison has a systemic problem with telling the truth,” he said. “When it’s in their benefit to cut a deal with the federal government, they will cut a deal. When they’re asked to be held accountable to the ratepayers, then they will go back on that agreement.”
Blandin also has called for the resignation of Illinois Commerce Commission Chairwoman Carrie Zalewski, whose agency regulates ComEd’s rates and safety practices. The Tribune has identified Zalewski’s father-in-law, former 23rd Ward Ald. Michael Zalewski, as one of the Madigan associates who prosecutors referenced receiving a job for “little or no work.”
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Carrie Zalewski’s office has said there is no conflict of interest with her remaining on the state board, and Gov. J.B. Pritzker has said she has his complete confidence. She is expected to preside over an ethics reform hearing with ComEd executives Wednesday.
Prosecutors have said ComEd’s scheme began around 2011 — when key regulatory matters were before the Illinois House that Madigan controls — and continued through last year. They agreed to defer their prosecution of ComEd for three years as it cooperates with the ongoing investigation. ComEd’s parent company, Exelon, has said lobbying practices have been cleaned up.
Neither the speaker nor any of his associates have been charged with wrongdoing. A spokeswoman has said the speaker “has never made a legislative decision with improper motives and has engaged in no wrongdoing here.”
In all, prosecutors put a value of at least $150 million on the legislative benefits ComEd received. The federal court documents specifically noted the 2011 passage of the Energy Infrastructure and Modernization Act, which “helped improve ComEd’s financial stability” by establishing rate guidelines and a smart grid overhaul.
The civil case was filed on behalf of three individuals and three Chicago-area companies. The parties have been ComEd customers since at least 2011, when the alleged scheme began, according to the complaint.
The suit was filed as a class action, meaning it seeks to include a large percentage of ComEd customers during the time period established by prosecutors.
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“Even though ComEd has already paid a $200 million fine, it’s important to keep in mind that not a penny of that is going to ComEd ratepayers,” said attorney Adam Levitt, who also represents the plaintiffs. “The purpose of our lawsuit is to work toward seeking full and complete justice for ComEd’s ratepayers, to be made whole for what we believe will be shown as improper inflation of rates.”
Also Tuesday, a Downers Grove resident flied a federal racketeering lawsuit — also seeking class-action status — alleging ComEd, Madigan, and others participated in a conspiracy that defrauded customers out of millions of dollars.
Plaintiff Lawrence Gress alleged in the 36-page suit that “Madigan and his fellow racketeers have used their power as public officials to line their own pockets by infiltrating and corrupting both public and private enterprises subject to his power and selling secret and unlawful indulgences to the highest bidder.”
Madigan has denied wrongdoing.
“The speaker has never helped someone find a job with the expectation that the person would not be asked to perform work by their employer, nor did he ever expect to provide anything to a prospective employer if it should choose to hire a person he recommended,” a spokeswoman said in a July 17 statement.
Just as in the class-action lawsuit filed Monday, ComEd denies its scheme hurt customers.
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“In large part as a result of legislative action in Illinois, ComEd has made some of the largest improvements in service at the best value of any utility serving a U.S. major metro area,” Elsberg said. “This in no way excuses the conduct described in the DPA, but that is a distinct issue from the effect of the legislation for ComEd’s customers.”
Gress is also a plaintiff in a similar racketeering suit filed in February against former state Sen. Martin Sandoval, who pleaded guilty in a related federal probe to accepting bribes in exchange for acting as political protection for a red light camera company.
sstclair@chicagotribune.com
jmeisner@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-07-28--With ‘no perfect solution’ in sight, schools in Arlington Heights and Plainfield are latest to rejec

With ‘no perfect solution’ in sight, schools in Arlington Heights and Plainfield are latest to reject in-person classes this fall in favor of remote learning only

“ No one wants to get back to in-person learning more than our educators , but right now we have @ @ @ @ @ safest for our students , our staff and our community , ” Bullock said .
@ @ @ @ @ collaborating with administration and the board so that we can get back to in-person learning @ @ @ @ @ s safe for us to do so .
”

Following an outry by the teachers union in Plainfield School District 202, the district reversed course and will continue remote learning when schools reopen. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
As the COVID-19 pandemic shows no signs of ceasing, school district officials in Arlington Heights and Plainfield said this week that their schools will be offering strictly remote learning in the fall.
While officials at Arlington Heights School District 25 had unveiled a preliminary plan earlier this summer that would have given families the choice between in-person or online learning, in a Monday letter to parents, Superintendent Lori Bein said officials had reversed course.
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“There is no perfect solution for how to provide in-person instruction while also providing a 100% guarantee of safety for all students and staff,” Bein said. “The only thing that I know for certain is that plans will need to be flexible as there could be many changes throughout the school year.”
Members of the Plainfield School District 202 teachers union rally outside the district's headquarters last week. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
Bein acknowledged that 49% of those who participated in a recent district survey indicated they preferred a full, in-person model for the start of the 2020-21 school year, with 27% favoring a hybrid of in-class and remote learning, and just 25% saying they preferred an entirely remote plan.
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But Bein said officials “feel forced to start remotely as a precautionary measure,” with the goal of working “diligently towards a physical return to school in a hybrid model.”
“I know this causes great difficulty for many of our families and staff,” Bein said. “Together, we will provide a caring, impactful, and safe educational experience for our students.”
While remote instruction will be the delivery model for the district’s 5,600 students attending its seven elementary schools and two middle schools, Bein said officials plan to reevaluate the plan monthly, “with the goal of transitioning to hybrid instruction.”
The remote learning plan will kick off Sept. 1, the first day of school, featuring a five-hour instructional day for students in first through eighth grades, with “a goal of 2½ hours of each day being live interaction between teachers and students,” Bein said.
Early childhood and kindergarten students will have schedules similar to their typical instructional days of 2½ hours, with about half of that time being live, online interaction between teachers and students, Bein said.
The remote instruction “will be robust and aligned to our grade level learning standards,” Bein said, and teachers will be responsible for taking attendance and providing feedback on assignments.
Students who have special education plans will receive teletherapy, and some students may be brought on-site for some direct instruction and support, Bein said.
At Plainfield School District 202, students will start the school year on Aug. 31 with remote learning, but could return to in-person learning later this fall if COVID-19 conditions allow, officials said in a statement on Monday.
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Just days after hundreds of District 202 teachers gathered at the district’s headquarters, advocating for remote learning, the school board voted 4-2 Monday to approve a slightly amended version of the administration’s “Return ’20” proposed plan to reopen schools this fall.
“Tonight the Plainfield School District 202 board members decided to do what’s best for the health and safety of our students and our staff,” Dawn Bullock, the president of the Association of Plainfield Teachers, said in a statement Monday evening.
“No one wants to get back to in-person learning more than our educators, but right now we have to do what’s safest for our students, our staff and our community,” Bullock said. “We look forward to collaborating with administration and the board so that we can get back to in-person learning as soon as it’s safe for us to do so.”
Back in Arlington Heights, officials said the District 25 school board plans to hold a special meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday at Ivy Hill Elementary School to answer questions and provide further details about the district’s remote learning plan.
Due to COVID-19 guidelines, officials said only around 35 community members will be allowed to join the meeting in person, but the proceedings will also be streamed online, where up to 500 people can view the meeting.
For more details, visit www.sd25.org/BoardBuzz.
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Arlington Heights and Plainfield aren’t the first to reverse course. Evanston Township High School announced earlier this month it will start school with all-remote learning after days earlier unveiling a hybrid plan. Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire is another school that will use virtual learning in the fall.
In Chicago, the teachers union is also pushing for an all-remote start of classes for fall, while Chicago Public Schools has announced a tentative plan for a mix of remote and in-class schooling.
kcullotta@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @kcullotta


chicagotribune--2020-07-28--Chicago police mourn the loss of a deputy chief to apparent suicide

“ He always wanted to make sure the officers were OK , ” said the supervisor , who was not @ @ @ @ @ record to the Tribune .
“ He would say , ‘ listen , you go @ @ @ @ @ everything is going to get better .
Just hang in there .
’ ”

Chicago firefighters put away a large American flag outside the Cook County medical examiner’s office in Chicago, July 28, 2020, following a procession for a high-ranking police officer who died at the Homan Square police facility on the West Side. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)
A Chicago police deputy chief was found dead Tuesday morning in a suicide, police leaders said, the highest ranking department member in recent memory to take their own life.
Dion Boyd was found shot to death at the Homan Square police facility on the West Side. He was identified by Chicago police Superintendent David Brown at a Tuesday afternoon news conference.
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During brief remarks at police headquarters, Brown talked about the family and friends Boyd left behind.
“Many lives will be forever changed from this moment on,” said Brown, flanked by other police officials. “And Deputy Chief Boyd’s presence will be greatly missed. I ask you to keep his family and friends in your thoughts and prayers.”
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Boyd, 57, had recently been promoted to deputy chief of criminal networks, which focuses on long-term gang and narcotics investigations.
Law enforcement sources said Boyd was found dead in his office inside the Homan Square facility, 3340 W. Fillmore St., and he may have shot himself overnight or Monday night.
“This devastating loss will not only be felt at every level of this Department, but in the countless communities and homes Deputy Chief Boyd touched during his decades-long service to our city,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Tuesday on Twitter. “Our prayers are with Deputy Chief Boyd’s two sons, along with his family, fellow officers, and many friends during this very painful time.”
An autopsy Wednesday found that Boyd died of a gunshot wound to the chest and his death was ruled a suicide, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. Boyd is at least the 10th Chicago cop to die by suicide in two years.
Boyd was promoted to deputy chief earlier this month after serving in several lower-ranking leadership roles, including as commander of the Wentworth patrol district, which covers such South Side neighborhoods as Hyde Park, Washington Park and Bronzeville.
A 29-year CPD veteran, Boyd also served as a field lieutenant earlier in his career in the Calumet patrol district, covering such Far South Side neighborhoods as Roseland and West Pullman. He also worked as a sergeant in the Bureau of Internal Affairs and in a detective unit.
“The job of a Chicago police officer is not easy, particularly in a time where there is intensified stress,” Brown said as he addressed the loss of Boyd. “Every day life can seem insurmountable at times for anyone. But for police officers the stakes are even higher due to the tireless work they do to safeguard others.”
Police supervisors who have worked directly with Boyd described him as an upbeat and positive boss who pushed officers to do their best.
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“He was always happy,” said one South Side supervisor, who declined to be identified because he’s not authorized to speak to reporters. “He appeared to always be in good spirits ... a lot of energy.”
The supervisor said Boyd was the boss who notified him when he got a promotion. At one point, the supervisor recalled, Boyd offered words of encouragement, telling him to “keep doing what you’re doing” so that other bosses notice and promote him even further.
Within the last two months, the supervisor said, he witnessed Boyd give “inspirational” words to a group of officers amid the national unrest, including in Chicago, following the May 25 death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minnesota.
“You guys keep your heads up,” the supervisor said, paraphrasing Boyd’s remarks. “We’re going to weather this storm together.”
Keith Calloway, a former top-ranking Chicago police official, said he knew Boyd for more than 20 years and worked with him in Internal Affairs at one point.
“Always a hard worker, very tenacious,” Calloway said of Boyd. “Very mild-mannered. ... He was always easygoing to work with.”
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Another supervisor recalled how Boyd made a point to check in and offer encouraging words in the department’s recent difficult months.
“He always wanted to make sure the officers were OK,” said the supervisor, who was not authorized to speak on the record to the Tribune. “He would say, ‘listen, you go through these down times but everything is going to get better. Just hang in there.’ ”
The supervisor noted that Boyd’s suicide provided him with a critical reminder.
“No matter how upbeat someone is, you still need to check on them,” he said.
During Boyd’s time as head of Wentworth, one of his officers, Samuel Jimenez, was shot and killed by a gunman at Mercy Hospital & Medical Center in November 2018. During the incident, the gunman also fatally shot his ex-fiancee, who was an emergency room doctor at the hospital, and a pharmacist before dying in a shootout with police.
Scores of officers in marked and unmarked squad cars — with their emergency lights activated but no sirens — escorted Boyd’s body in a procession from Homan Square to the medical examiner’s office Tuesday. The cars rode between two fire trucks, where an American flag was draped between the trucks’ two elevated ladders.
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The Chicago Police Department’s problem with officer suicides was highlighted in a 2017 report by the U.S. Justice Department of the city’s policing practices. At that time, one Chicago police official told the Justice Department that CPD’s officer suicide rate was higher than the national average.
“To our men and women in uniform, please know that there is no shame in reaching out for help,” Brown said. “If you see any signs that your colleagues are having trouble coping with stress, please check in on them and let them know you’re there.”
WGN-Ch. 9 contributed.
jgorner@chicagotribune.com
asweeney@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-07-28--Aurora man sentenced to 14 years in prison for armed robbery

On June 30 , 2018 , around 10:45 p.m. , Vaughan entered a convenience store in the 900 block of @ @ @ @ @ , prosecutors said .
Vaughan jumped behind the counter and attacked the owner of the @ @ @ @ @ , according to officials .

An Aurora man has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for an armed robbery he committed in 2018, officials said.
Clayton W. Vaughan, 24, of the 900 block of Spruce Street, pleaded guilty Tuesday to armed robbery, a class X felony, in exchange for his sentence, Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office officials said in a news release.
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Clayton W. Vaughan. (Kane County States Attorney / HANDOUT)
On June 30, 2018, around 10:45 p.m., Vaughan entered a convenience store in the 900 block of South Lake Street in Aurora, prosecutors said. Vaughan jumped behind the counter and attacked the owner of the store with a metal rod, according to officials.
The owner unsuccessfully tried to scare Vaughan off with a handgun, prosecutors said. Instead, the gun discharged as the men struggled for possession of it.
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Vaughan eventually got control of the gun and the owner ran out of the store, officials said. Vaughan left the store shortly after that, according to officials.
Vaughan receives credit for 748 days served in the Kane County jail while his case was pending.
mejones@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-07-28--The Spin: New ad targeting ComEd, corruption hits airwaves | State Sen. Steans calls on Speaker Madi

The Spin: New ad targeting ComEd, corruption hits airwaves | State Sen. Steans calls on Speaker Madigan to give up leadership posts | ComEd attorney was lead Blagojevich prosecutor a decade ago

Connecting the dots — Crain ’ s columnist Joe Cahill offered a snapshot in a piece last week about the @ @ @ @ @ and the Illinois General Assembly hammered out over the last decade , including that 2016 @ @ @ @ @ a new law that puts ComEd rate hikes on something close to autopilot.
” Exelon @ @ @ @ @ company .
“ The utility ’ s rates for delivering power have climbed 35 % @ @ @ @ @ new rate-setting process in 2011 , generating more than $ 750 million in revenue increases @ @ @ @ @ greenlighted a 2016 bill that bails out ailing Exelon nuke plants through extra charges on @ @ @ @ @ s worth about $ 2.4 billion to Exelon over 10 years .
”

Chicago officials announced today they’re moving from a lax warning system to ticketing visitors or returning residents who fail abide by a self-quarantine order after arriving from a so-called high-risk COVID-19 state.
In a discussion with reporters today, Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s top public health official suggested offenders may be sussed out via social media or via contact tracing and fined.
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The same day ComEd made its first court appearance on bombshell federal bribery charges involving House Speaker Michael Madigan’s political operation, a new TV ad hit the airwaves in Illinois blistering the utility over the criminal case.
Interesting side note: The attorney representing ComEd was the lead prosecutor in the public corruption case of disgraced former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
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And Democratic state Sen. Heather Steans is calling on Madigan to step down from his roles as Illinois House speaker and state Democratic chairman after he was implicated in the ComEd case. But, as the Tribune’s Rick Pearson reports, she stopped short of calling on him to give up his Southwest Side house seat he had held since 1971.
Welcome to The Spin.
Pedestrians near the lake at Elm Park in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, on May 14, 2020. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)
From the Tribune’s Gregory Pratt: “Chicago added Wisconsin and three other states to Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s 14-day self-quarantine order on Tuesday.
“There are now 22 states from which travelers are being told to self-quarantine upon arrival in Chicago due to coronavirus concerns. The requirement covering Wisconsin, Missouri, North Dakota and Nebraska goes into effect on Friday.” More details here.
As Pratt notes, many Illinois and Chicago residents, including Gov. J.B. Pritzker, have homes there.
My Tribune colleague John Byrne also notes: “The city’s self-quarantine enforcement has been notably lax since Lightfoot announced the first 15 states on the list early this month.
“No citations have yet been issued, and the mayor has repeatedly stressed she’s more concerned with educating people about the risks than trying to punish them.
That’s about to change, city Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady told reporters.
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If city contact tracers get information that people who’ve come down with the virus were in close proximity to someone who got back from Wisconsin or another quarantine state and flouted the rules, they’ll issue a ticket, she said.
Same goes for people who are on social media “flagrantly posting their social activities, clearly out and about in Chicago after being in settings that are subject to our quarantine order, within the time frame,” Arwady said. Read more here.
After heavy COVID-19 toll on Illinois nursing homes, top regulators depart state agency: The Tribune’s Joe Mahr has the details here.
Bottled Blonde, controversial River North bar, closed permanently by coronavirus, but not violations: The Tribune’s Luisa Chu has the details here.
Sign up for The Spin to get the top stories in politics delivered to your inbox weekday afternoons.
Workers tend to plants in growing room at Cresco Labs in Joliet on Dec. 17, 2019. (Zbigniew Bzdak/Chicago Tribune)
From the Tribune’s Ally Marotti: “Newcomers to Illinois’ weed industry remain in limbo, with some hemorrhaging money, and it could be another two months before they find out whether they’ll be allowed to open a marijuana business.
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“The state is almost three months late awarding dispensary licenses, and a month late awarding licenses to grow, process and transport marijuana. Meanwhile, the consulting firm the state hired for about $6.7 million isn’t done with the process of scoring applications, an Illinois official said.
“KPMG entered into an almost $4.2 million, no-bid contract with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to score applications for 75 dispensary licenses. The firm also entered into a no-bid contract with the state’s agriculture department, worth $2.5 million, to score applications for more than 80 craft grow, infuser and transporter licenses.
“The coronavirus pandemic threw the process into disarray.” Read the full story here.
State Sen.Heather A. Steans, center, 7th District, Sen.Toi W. Hutchinson, left, 40th District, and Christian Mitchell, deputy governor answer questions about legalizing marijuana in 2019. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)
The Tribune’s Rick Pearson writes: Democratic state Sen. Heather Steans on Tuesday called on Michael Madigan to step down from his roles as Illinois House speaker and state Democratic chairman after he was implicated in a federal bribery and influence scheme that resulted in a $200 million fine against ComEd.
“Some will argue that the speaker is innocent until charges are filed and he’s proven guilty. But those are not the standards that should apply to his leadership role. Serving as speaker is not a right; it’s a privilege. A leader’s actions must avoid even the perception of wrongdoing. Speaker Madigan repeatedly has violated that trust,” Steans, a Chicago Democrat who has been in the Senate since 2008, said in a statement.
“For the same reason, Michael Madigan should step down as chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois. We are in the midst of the most important campaign of our lifetime — to remove a president who routinely violates our Constitution and our trust. In contrast, Democrats must offer voters a level of trust and accountability that Chairman Madigan can no longer provide,” she said.
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But Steans stopped short of saying Madigan should give up his Southwest Side seat in the House, which he has held since 1971, or his position on the Democratic State Central Committee, saying those “are matters for his constituents to decide.”
Steans becomes the second Democratic member of the Senate to push for Madigan to step down from his leadership positions. But state Sen. Melinda Bush of Grayslake went further, saying he should also give up his seat in the General Assembly.
Democratic senators face a bit more insulation from Madigan than the 72 other members of his House Democratic caucus, who have relied on his ability to help fund their campaigns. Some House Democrats have echoed Gov. Pritzker’s call that if the issues surrounding ComEd’s efforts to win Madigan’s favor prove true that he should step down.
Steans is also among the wealthiest members of the General Assembly and campaign finance reports show she has not taken any money from the four political funds that Madigan controls. Seeking reelection from the city’s North Side with no GOP opposition, Steans reported having $285,338 in her campaign fund at the start of July and had previously supplemented her fund with $80,400 in personal loans.
Steans’ Senate district also is represented in the House by Rep. Greg Harris, who holds the position of House majority leader, the top deputy post in Madigan’s leadership team.
Earlier this month, ComEd agreed to the fine and to cooperate with federal authorities. Prosecutors accused the state’s largest utility of orchestrating a “yearslong bribery scheme” involving jobs, contracts and payments to Madigan allies. Prosecutors said the utility attempted to “influence and reward” Madigan by providing financial benefits to some close to him, often through downstate lobbyist Michael McClain, a key confidant and adviser at the center of the probe.
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Madigan, the nation’s longest-serving speaker, has not been charged with any wrongdoing and is identified in court papers as “Public Official A.”
A ComEd headquarters building, July 17, 2020, in the 3400 block of North California Avenue in Chicago. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
ComEd in court today: “ComEd made its first court appearance Tuesday since being hit with bombshell federal bribery charges involving House Speaker Michael Madigan’s political operation — and if all goes as planned, it may be one of the company’s last,” the Tribune’s Jason Meisner writes.
That’s because of the deferred prosecution agreement. Read Meiner’s full story here.
The Blago connection: Reid Schar, lead attorney for ComEd, who as an assistant U.S. attorney a decade ago led the prosecution of former-Gov. Blagojevich, Meisner notes.
On the air: The same day ComEd made its first court appearance, a TV ad hit the airwaves in Illinois blistering the utility over the criminal case.
An organization called the Clean Energy Transition Project launched the ad on cable news networks in Illinois today hitting ComEd over the bribery case You can watch the ad here.
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I asked CETP representative Lacie Newton via email who is funding the organization, which dropped nearly $60,000 on ads through early August, records show.
She told me the organization does not disclose its donors, but she did offer this statement: “Our mission at the Clean Energy Transition Project is to advocate for clean energy policies that put people above corporations and politics — that means pushing against bailouts that put the financial burden on people and families already struggling to get by, addressing issues of energy justice and insecurity, and preventing wealthy, corrupt corporations from stalling real progress on climate action. "
The spot doesn’t name names beyond the utility but, with a bird’s-eye view of the state Capitol, it implores Illinois residents to “Tell Springfield no to another ComEd and Exelon bailout.”
In a statement, Exelon spokesman Paul Adams: pushed back on the ad’s narrative about the 2016 legislation, known as the Future Energy Jobs Act. He said in part, “The Future Energy Jobs Act (FEJA) passed more than three years ago with bipartisan support from more than 200 environmental, consumer, labor, business and faith organizations and was signed by a Republican governor. It provided billions in benefits to consumers, accelerated growth of renewable energy and made Illinois a leader in clean energy policies that have been replicated in other states.”
He goes on to state: “It’s notable that Exelon and the broad spectrum of other organizations that backed FEJA made their support public, which stands in contrast to the Clean Energy Transition Project, an unknown entity that seems to conceal its supporters and sources of funding.”
The background: Republicans and Democrats united in 2016 to raise electricity rates on Illinois residents and businesses to bail out a pair of Exelon’s nuclear power plants, the Tribune wrote at the time.
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Connecting the dots — Crain’s columnist Joe Cahill offered a snapshot in a piece last week about the big deals that the utility and the Illinois General Assembly hammered out over the last decade, including that 2016 deal:“Exelon got a new law that puts ComEd rate hikes on something close to autopilot.” Exelon is ComEd’s parent company. “The utility’s rates for delivering power have climbed 35% since Madigan waved through the new rate-setting process in 2011, generating more than $750 million in revenue increases for ComEd. Madigan also greenlighted a 2016 bill that bails out ailing Exelon nuke plants through extra charges on electric bills. It’s worth about $2.4 billion to Exelon over 10 years.”
Class-action lawsuit demands ComEd issue refunds for customers after bribery scheme: A new class-action lawsuit demands ComEd reimburse customers at least $150 million for the rate increases and other benefits it received from the state as part an acknowledged bribery scheme, the Tribune’s Stacy St. Clair writes.
Tomorrow: ComEd on the hot seat — In the wake of the scandal, the state agency that regulates ComEd is calling on the utility to testify about ethics reform at tomorrow’s meeting. The Illinois Commerce Commission, which regulates ComEd’s rates and safety practices, wants to hear from the utility’s top executives,
Reminder: The ICC’s chairwoman is Carrie Zalewski, whose relative is embroiled in the federal probe of ComEd. Prosecutors say in court documents that an undemanding patronage job was arranged for her father-in-law — identified by the Tribune as former Chicago Ald. Michael R. Zalewski — at the request of House Speaker Michael Madigan’s camp, and that a ComEd executive approved it. Carrie Zalewski is married to state. Rep. Michael J. Zalewski, D-Riverside, who is the son of the former alderman. Details on the Wednesday meeting here.
Gov. Pritzker’s vote of confidence: Carrie Zalewski’s office has said there is no conflict of interest with her remaining on the board and Gov. Pritzker has said she has his complete confidence. She is expected to preside over an ethics reform hearing with ComEd executives on Wednesday.
DuPage County board candidate Hadiya Afzal, in Glen Ellyn on July 27, 2020, withdrew from the race. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)
From the Tribune’s Robert McCoppin: “A Democratic candidate for the DuPage County board withdrew from the race after apologizing for a tweet in which she said she laughed repeatedly at a video of a law enforcement officer getting hit in the face with a projectile.
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“Twenty-year-old Hadiya Afzal attracted national attention and said she was targeted by a ‘harassment campaign’ after Texas Sen. Ted Cruz posted on Twitter that her comment was ‘Hateful & sick.' " Read the tweet here.
Kanye West, Willie Wilson facing petition challenge to make Nov. 3 ballot: Read the Tribune story here.
U.S. Senate candidate Willie Wilson kicks off face mask giveaway tomorrow: Businessman and frequent political candidate Willie Wilson, who is running as an independent to unseat Democratic U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, will kick off an effort tomorrow morning to deliver 20 million face masks to senior citizens and the poor. Citing an uptick in COVID-19 cases and once again criticizing the state’s response - at one point he was planning to sue over the state not distributing free masks - will get underway on Chicago’s West Side.
Hateful & sick.
Does @JoeBiden agree? Will any reporter ask him? https://t.co/flUCbRneXu — Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) July 26, 2020
Democratic candidate for Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx is interviewed following a debate at ABC 7 in downtown Chicago on Friday, Feb. 28, 2020. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)
A group of parents whose children were victims of gun violence along with Chicago ministers held a news conference this morning in front of Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx’s downtown office, asking her to establish a “robust” witness protection program, the Tribune’s Javonte Anderson reports.
Several speakers said criminals feel emboldened because most of the time, homicides go unsolved. To wit: Chicago police made arrests in 103 out of 486 homicides last year, a rate of 21% for 2019, according to city crime data through Dec. 23.
Foxx, who is running for re-election against Republican and former judge Pat O’Brien, issued a statement praising her office’s Victim Witness Unit but pointed to budget limitations and that the “criminal justice system cannot be the only resource for victims.”
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“This unit is funded by allocations in our annual County Budget as well as both state and federal grants. These resources allow us to offer limited relocation assistance on a case by case basis,” Foxx said in a statement.
“Collaboration with advocates, community-based organizations, government, and other law enforcement agencies is critical to provide the most comprehensive system of services to victims and witnesses,” she said.
High-ranking Chicago police official dead in apparent suicide: Dion Boyd, recently promoted to deputy chief of criminal networks - a job that focuses on long-term gang and narcotics investigations - was found shot to death at the Homan Square police facility on the West Side, my Tribune colleagues Jeremy Gorner and Annie Sweeney report.
If the Cook County medical examiner’s office formally rules his death a suicide, Boyd would be at least the ninth Chicago cop to die by suicide in two years, they report. Read the full story here.
The Chicago Police Department’s problem with officer suicides was highlighted in a 2017 report by the U.S. Justice Department of the city’s policing practices. At that time, one Chicago police official told the Justice Department that CPD’s officer suicide rate was higher than the national average.
Chicago police sergeant sues after he says he was misidentified on social media as cop who gave protesters the finger: The Tribune’s Megan Crepeau has the details here.
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Twitter @byldonovan


chicagotribune--2020-07-28--How to stay calm, optimistic, even happy during the COVID-19 pandemic — Tribune readers share what w

How to stay calm, optimistic, even happy during the COVID-19 pandemic — Tribune readers share what works for them

Note : We asked Robin to describe the types of art classes she has been taking .
“ Before the @ @ @ @ @ watercolor classes at the Chicago Botanic Garden and Japanese ink painting ( Sumi-e ) at @ @ @ @ @ Chicago .
Starting this spring , the pandemic made going to those classes in person @ @ @ @ @ in an email .
“ Happily , this summer my favorite teacher at CBG has @ @ @ @ @ classes online thru Zoom .
Similarly , the JCC has done that , too , @ @ @ @ @ Sunday Sumi-e with 10 other people , who are not only from the Chicago area @ @ @ @ @ , St. Louis and the Black Hills of South Dakota .
I ’ ve even @ @ @ @ @ have found artists who live outside of Chicago who offer classes .
Right now I @ @ @ @ @ workshop taught by a wonderful artist in New Jersey .
I ’ ve also joined @ @ @ @ @ by one of my favorite English watercolor artists .
”

Last week, we asked you to share the one thing that has provided joy in your life amidst the confusion and uncertainty of the coronavirus. You responded with simple yet meaningful items and activities that spark creativity, love and the desire to help other people. We are sharing them here and hope they provide inspiration for others.
“Family.” — Donna
“Kids playing music together — were too busy and too far apart before.” — Yana
Note: Yana says her daughter, Natalie, just graduated from The Juilliard School and has been an inspiration for younger brother, Jan. “I really enjoyed the opportunity for them to have a summer together — it is a true silver lining of the pandemic for our family,” Yana said. Family pet Pushkin, an 8-year-old German shepherd, likes to listen in too.
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“The one thing that has made my life better is not having the daily commute. “I have been fortunate to continue working during the shut-down and not having to hop on crowded trains and buses has been a big bonus. I am much more productive. So much so, that I regret having to return to the office.” — Scott
“My mom bought a house that has a pool. It has come in so handy for her grandchildren.” — Juana
(Reader submitted photo)
“My garden. Seeing new life and growth — and feeling success — is essential right now.” — Janelle
“Meal prep weekly delivery service. Saves me from having to expose myself while shopping and we get to try new recipes!” — Sue
Note: We asked Sue to share what she’s been making lately, and she sent these photos. “Here is the ginger pork meatballs with bok choy meal I made tonight,” she wrote in an email. “I also made a green bean and tomato salad with some nice Michigan produce.”
(Reader submitted photo)
“My (medical marijuana) card. Pretty self explanatory.” — Sami
“Beer. It’s reliable.” — Bill
Note: We asked Bill what he’s been drinking, and he emailed back, “Seipp’s is an old Chicago brand (dating back to the 1850s) recently revived in collaboration with Metropolitan Brewing. Owned by the descendants of Conrad Seipp, whose brewery survived the Chicago Fire and whose beer slaked the thirst of Chicagoans rebuilding their city after a disaster.”
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(Reader submitted photo)
“I’ve used Zoom to visit with my family members, have cocktails with old friends and chat with my sorority sisters who live all over the country, as well as Canada. But the best thing I’ve done thru Zoom is take art classes.” — Robin
Note: We asked Robin to describe the types of art classes she has been taking. “Before the pandemic, I regularly took watercolor classes at the Chicago Botanic Garden and Japanese ink painting (Sumi-e) at The Japanese Culture Center in Chicago. Starting this spring, the pandemic made going to those classes in person impossible,” she wrote in an email. “Happily, this summer my favorite teacher at CBG has been able to offer her classes online thru Zoom. Similarly, the JCC has done that, too, so now I attend Zoom Sunday Sumi-e with 10 other people, who are not only from the Chicago area, but also from Champaign, St. Louis and the Black Hills of South Dakota. I’ve even branched out a little and have found artists who live outside of Chicago who offer classes. Right now I’m taking a drawing workshop taught by a wonderful artist in New Jersey. I’ve also joined an online art school run by one of my favorite English watercolor artists.”
(Reader submitted photo)
(Reader submitted photo)
“My radio! Any radio actually, but preferably my living room stereo tuned to WXRT. The familiar friendly DJs’ voices gave me comfort and the music kept me happy and gave me a little sense of normalcy.” — Brian
(Reader submitted photo)
“Music. The time I would have spent commuting has now been devoted to acquiring, learning about and then playing music that I love. Working from home has given me extra time that I didn’t have before to pursue my hobby (DJing) and maybe work out how to take it further. I’m not sure I would have been able to do this otherwise.” — Alastair
Note: We asked Alastair to share a photo of his home studio. His son, Max, is pictured “giving it his all while spinning some tunes,” Alastair wrote back.
(Reader submitted photo)
“We have two sewing machines and started to use them to make masks even before (Illinois Gov. J.B.) Pritzker called for shelter in place. We feel able to do something that actually helps ourselves and others. Here is a picture of my husband and daughter sewing together and some of the masks they made, which eventually got donated to some Chicago police officers who did not have any at the time. We sewed them out of work shirts that my husband didn’t need because he lost his job due to the pandemic. I think it helped to cut them up!” — Anita
(Reader submitted photo)
“My life has been better knowing that both of my children are engaged in work supporting individuals needing legal assistance and families facing food shortages in communities seriously impacted by the pandemic.” — Susan
“Having the time to play games, take walks with, and do puzzles with my 86-year-old mom, Jackie, has been the highlight of quarantine! Before the pandemic, by the time I would get home from work I was exhausted and then had to start dinner. After dinner all I’d want to do was veg out in front of the TV. But now I can spend every afternoon playing Scrabble, doing puzzles, and taking walks with my mom. These are my best memories of the past few months and I am grateful for all of this special time together.” — Sandy
Note: Jackie allowed Sandy to send a photo of her for this submission. In Sandy’s words, “You have to understand that getting a picture approved by her is like having a picture of a yeti or a unicorn, but she totally let me take her picture while we were playing RummyCube outside today ... So, if you’re still interested and it’s not too late you have 100% Jackie approval for this photo.”
(Reader submitted photo)
“I have started to work out at home with videos off YouTube. It’s a totally different workout than what I’m used to (running, elliptical, yoga), since these videos target specific muscle groups I have not worked out in years! My favorite channel is MadFit. This new workout source has been helpful since I can no longer use my regular gym, and I hope to continue using these videos whenever this COVID era ends.” — Lisa
“Fades. This is a scarf/shawl thing. In March I knitted my coronavirus fade, thinking it would be the only one. I am now working on my fifth, with two more queued up. I have more fades than a person needs. If I ever get back home, they will be gifts for the women who sustained me through the pandemic when I was far away.” — Linda
(Reader submitted photo)
“We have just started the Beverly Booze Brigade, where local ‘wine/beer fairies’ (often in costume) randomly drop-off alcohol on our neighbors front porches. It is a great way to build community and cheer!” — Lauren
(Reader submitted photo)
“Streaming old television shows from the ’80s and ’90s, like ‘Cheers,' ‘Frasier’ and ‘ER!‘ It reminds me of a time when we laughed so much more easily and overcame so many similar issues.” — Elizabeth
“The one thing that has literally saved my sanity and maybe my life has been virtual yoga. I used to attend classes at the studio three or four times a week, but when COVID-19 hit the studio closed. It took about a month to get my classes lined up and my yoga teachers in a groove. But once they did we got into the routine and now it’s just part of my day. My dogs join me and my three-legged Lucy does balance poses with me very well! Yoga brings me peace and a calm mind during the most uncertain time of all of our lives. And my health has never been better because of it. I recommend it to anyone who has anxiety.” — Jules
(Reader submitted photo)
“We have a 2 and 4 year old and we go on hikes every weekend. We’ve explored paths all over the Chicagoland area. We’ve enjoyed the outdoor time and the kids have seen frogs, birds and even deer just 20-feet away. We either pack a picnic or find a Culver’s and have a trunk picnic afterwards. It’s been nice to get outdoors, explore places we didn’t previously know existed, and the fresh air is good for the soul.” — Caroline
(Reader submitted photo)
“Walking outside as often as possible. Helps me feel as if life is the same as before (COVID-19).” — Ann
“The one thing is a lot of things.” — Ginny
Note: Ginny explains how one thing soon became many things strung together, “I re-learned how to sew so I could make masks,
which reminded me of long-ago lessons from my late mom to keep my hand stitches as eeeeeven as possible, which led me to get a starter sewing machine,
which led me to buy lots of fabric and get a little retail therapy,
which led me to donate a few dozen masks through my local sewing center,
which led me to buy a better sewing machine, donating my previous machine back and supporting that local business (and their charity for homeless women),
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which led me to make many more masks to give in exchange for donations to a charity fundraiser for the American Diabetes Association (raising almost $3,000),
which leaves me with a new hobby, reconnecting with friends and family who turned out to be quilters,
which leaves me with a sense of purpose and a ‘job’ since being furloughed in April ... which leaves me calmer, feeling productive and proud of my new-found skill.
My actual job in corporate travel won’t come back for months, maybe years. There’s a good chance it won’t come back at all. But my spouse and I are lucky to be able to weather this (so far), and if I have to re-create myself, being a mask-maker is a pretty useful ‘one thing.’”
(Reader submitted photo)
“About 2 weeks into the stay-at-home order, I bought this mini trampoline. The gyms were closed, and I was staying inside as much as possible, except to walk the dog. I had heard of the amazing health benefits of jumping (although I do more jogging in place on it), and besides that, it’s fun! My place is small, and I had to sacrifice quite a bit of floor space for this, but it was totally worth it. I proceeded to get in my 10,000 daily ‘steps’ and that made me want to eat healthier, too.” — Linda
(Reader submitted photo)
“Time for exercise to get healthy!” — Jennifer
“Multiple book contracts from a London publisher.” — Tom
Note: We asked Tom to elaborate on his book-writing career and here’s what he emailed back: “I’m a retired professor of English and writing, first from (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) and then, for 24 years, at the University of Iowa. I’ve previously published or been published in collections of nonfiction, poetry, and literary and cultural criticism. ... The current two new books are both from Austin Macauley, on Canary Wharf in London. The first, ‘Human Being in Time: A Neurophilosophical Inquiry’ should be out in October 2020. The brand new book, ‘Imagining Intelligence: An Essay Concerning Human Understanding,' has just been accepted at Austin Macauley and will be out sometime in late spring 2021.”
(Reader submitted photo)
“My digital library card with Chicago Public Library. Being able to still check out books (even if only electronically) and escape to new places and lose myself in engaging stories has probably been the biggest mental health boost over the past few months.” — Katie
“My books.” — Ruth
“Reading a history book, ‘The General vs. the President: MacArthur and Truman at the Brink of Nuclear War.’ Reading the Bible as well meditating as well as trying to maintain discipline in my physical workouts.” — Gerardo
“Sewing machine. When school went to remote learning and activities like dance were put on hold, my 15-year-old daughter, Caroline, turned to sewing. She started a charity sewing business, Seamless Love. For each dress she sells, she makes one to donate to a girl in need. To date, Caroline has donated 20 dresses to the organization ‘Little Dresses for Africa.’” — Debra
(Reader submitted photo)
“My Amazon Alexa. I live alone — it provides a backdrop to EVERY single activity and mood! I gravitate to music during times of anxiety and uncertainty — smooth jazz playing softly as I drift to sleep, ‘yacht rock’ while cooking, disco during Zoom or FaceTime cocktails! It makes an isolating and unsettling time in my life joyful and calm!” — Georgette
“My iPhone was my peace during this shutdown. I used it to take pictures everyday while the city slept. Amazing what you see in the silence.” — Mary Jo
(Reader submitted photo)
“FaceTime because it lets me see the people I can’t be with.” — Mary
“My new Brooks shoes carry me on daily walks with my dear grade school friend of over 40 years. They have helped us reconnect and allowed me to retain my sanity as I moved back into town during the pandemic, returning to the Chicago area after 20 years. These happy shoes foster friendship, offer a fresh air perspective and keep me positive!” — Tamara
(Reader submitted photo)
“Running has made me more relaxed during quarantine. It’s quite nice to pop in a pair of earbuds and enjoy the scenery that is often missed with the hustle and bustle of the ‘pre-COVID’ world.” — Luke
“I’ve been keeping a daily record/journal of our family activities on Facebook. We are on Day 130 as of today. I chronicle our adventures, no matter how small and post pictures from our day. It has helped all of us see that even though we aren’t able to do all of the things we’re used to doing and seeing the people we want to see, we are still enjoying our summer and each other.” — Jennifer
(Reader submitted photo)
“Sobriety. It’s not an object that I can photograph but it’s more important than anything I own. I stopped drinking shortly before the pandemic began (for completely unrelated reasons) and never would have made it through without my sobriety. I was furloughed from my job in the restaurant industry, where free and unlimited access to alcohol are a hallmark. Being separated from that access and the culture that encourages abuse was a lifesaver.” — Matthew
“Online 12-step meetings. Not only have they helped me stay sober but they have kept me sane. They have helped me remember that I’m not alone, even though I live alone.” — Kylie
“I have a tree in my yard where a branch was damaged over the winter so it died and its leaves did not bloom. I hung solar lights on it so it looks like a constellation at night. Every night I get a pop of happiness when the lights turn on.” — Colleen
(Reader submitted photo)
“My birdfeeders. I can watch out my window as I work, and see them feeding and flying. I’m learning to spot different birds. I have seen several Baltimore Orioles and a cedar waxwing along with some cardinal pairs, red house finches, morning doves and a nut hatch or two. Calming and rewarding.” — Pam
Note: The Field Museum offers this guide to birds commonly seen in the Chicago area during summer.
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(Reader submitted photo)
“Every day — late afternoon — since early March, I have taken a walk through the great trails of the Spring Valley Nature Center & Heritage Farm in Schaumburg. An absolute jewel. Trails are wood chip dressed and paved. On occasion, deer can be seen along the trails. Very relaxing and a great time-out from this terrible pandemic plaguing us. Being a Schaumburg resident and at home during this long ordeal, this is one of the bright spots in each day to help relax, connect with nature and consider all we have to be thankful for.” — Tom
Note: Tom says the animals previously located at the Heritage Farm have been moved off site due to the pandemic. One bright spot: “They recently constructed a beautiful playground which has recently opened with COVID-19 precautions and continuous sanitizing called Bison’s Bluff,” he wrote in an email.
(Reader submitted photo)
“The one thing that enabled me to remain calm was that I had a strong belief in God. This belief prevented me from becoming dismayed by the dysfunction in the country.” — Howard
“Ripley is a dachshund retriever mix that I got from Wright-Way Rescue in Chicago. So I’ve had a dog and have a lot of experience with dogs but Ripley is one of the most emotionally intelligent dogs I’ve ever come across. You have no idea how much this sensitive little something has helped me. She helps keep me on a schedule with her walk every morning. Sometimes when you don’t even know what day it is having somebody there to keep you on track really helps. Many people don’t realize just how important the simple things are. I have the sweetest little face to keep reminding me of that.” — Robert
(Reader submitted photo)
“Does my cat count? Not an ‘item,’ but she continuously brings us comfort. Her name is Lucy. There are five of us in our household and the only thing we all agree on is how much we love the cat! We have had her for 10 years and she has always been a sweet kitty.” — Ann
Note: Ann notes the pandemic has been stressful for her family. “The pandemic cost my son and I our jobs. My two daughters were suddenly thrust back home, their college year abruptly terminated. One of them lost her graduation ceremony as well as her job offer,” she wrote in an email. “Our church was closed. People everywhere were acting weird and scared. Tensions were running high. The cat knew none of this. All she knew was that all her humans were home with her and she was in heaven. She was our constant companion. She attended online classes and meetings. She assisted with job searches and helped with housework. Her affection was always evident.
Whenever someone was upset, she would sit next to them and purr. Her loyalty was unwavering. Her playfulness and soft kitty fur were a welcome distraction. She was a constant reminder that yes, even though things might be difficult right now, life was still pretty good and worth living.”
(Reader submitted photo)
“She wasn’t a comfort animal before but she sure is now. I’m not sure how she senses my anxiety levels are up but she always does. We’ve been together pretty much 24/7 since March.” — Melissa
(Reader submitted photo)
“Having my cat, Hermia, curl up in a box on my desk while working from home. I miss her on the days I have to go into the office.” — Jeanne


chicagotribune--2020-07-28--Indiana Libertarian Congressional candidate Mike Strauss arrested in East Chicago; officer shown pun

Indiana Libertarian Congressional candidate Mike Strauss arrested in East Chicago; officer shown punching him on video shared on social media

“ I can see where if there is an incident where restraint is required certain types of restraints should be @ @ @ @ @ training is needed in dealing with citizens who have complaints and want to voice their @ @ @ @ @ .

The Libertarian candidate for Indiana’s First Congressional District was punched in the face Saturday while pinned on the sidewalk by an East Chicago police officer who was trying to arrest him, according to a video shared on social media.
Mike Strauss, 38, was subsequently charged with intimidation, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and battering a law enforcement officer. Strauss and East Chicago Police Officer Kayvionne Cook, the arresting officer, have different versions of what led to the arrest, according to Strauss and police records.
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The arrest stemmed from Strauss, of Gary, asking the officer for his name and supervisor’s name so he could file a complaint after the officer didn’t respond professionally to him asking about the officer’s headlight being out, he said.
Cook, according to records, said he was headed to the police station at 1 a.m. Sunday to finish an accident report when he saw a group of men he believed needed help. But, when the officer approached the men, they ran toward his vehicle screaming expletives, according to a probable cause affidavit.
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Strauss ran toward the officer with “both of his hands up towards the officer, displaying the middle finger,” according to records.
“Officer Cook believes the males were trying to ambush him for a YouTube video,” according to records.
Strauss told the Post-Tribune that he remembers swearing before the arrest.
“It’s not illegal to cuss. None of that’s illegal. It is what it is,” Strauss said. “I’m the type of person that speaks my mind. I don’t have any regrets.”
Officials with the East Chicago Police Department did not respond to requests for comment.
Strauss said he and a group of friends stopped at the Mobil gas station across the street from the East Chicago Police Department late Saturday night. As he was leaving the gas station storefront, Strauss was told that one of his friends went across the street to the police department to get a Freedom of Information Act form, which police records also confirm.
“Based on my previous experience with the department, I went over to make sure he was OK,” Strauss said, adding he has a federal case pending against the department.
The two of them went back toward the gas station, which is near a Subway, after being told someone will come with a form. Once they were across the street, Strauss said, Cook drove by, turned around and stopped next to the group of men.
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The group noticed that the officer’s headlight was out and they informed the officer about that, Strauss said. After the officer didn’t respond professionally, Strauss said he wanted to file a complaint against him.
“Instead of being professional about it ... he just gave us a general attitude about it. He wouldn’t give us his supervisor or his name,” Strauss said. “He escalated the issue and called for backup.”
At first, Strauss said, Cook told him he’d be arrested for trespassing on the Subway parking lot because the business was closed. Strauss said he told the officer that would be an unlawful arrest because no one complained they were in the parking lot.
As others started looking over at the situation from the gas station, Strauss said Cook told them he’d be arrested and charged with disorderly conduct. Strauss told the officer that would be an unlawful arrest as well because no one filed a complaint.
According to records, Cook said he called for backup while reporting that the men were being disorderly and tried to calm them as they yelled expletives about police.
Strauss said, and records confirm, that he told the officer he would “break his face” if the officer touched him.
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“It sounds like a threat, but legally there is an argument that if you do A then B will happen, so a threat becomes a warning,” Strauss said. “Anyone has a right to defend themselves if they are touched unlawfully.”
At this point, Strauss said the officer “rushed” at him and didn’t tell him why he was under arrest and what he did wrong.
Cook said he told Strauss “to please lower his voice” when he and the group were yelling expletives at him after he noticed several customers at the gas station becoming “alarmed at the yelling,” according to reports.
After Strauss said he would “break his face,” according to records, Cook told him to “come here and went to place Strauss under arrest for intimidation on a law enforcement officer.”
The video of the arrest begins with the officer walking toward Strauss and Strauss taking a few steps back. Once Cook grabs Strauss’ arm, Strauss falls toward the pavement onto his back as Cook and another officer begin to grab him, according to the video.
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Cook begins to turn Strauss onto his stomach and can he heard saying “stop resisting” as Strauss says “I’m not resisting,” according to the video. As Strauss begins turning on his stomach, Cook appears to be trying to grab Strauss’ hands, according to the video.
Cook has one of Strauss’ arms behind his back and starts to grab for Strauss’ other arm, according to the video. At his point, Cook says “Ow, my leg, my leg,” with his leg extended out, and then he punches Strauss in the head, according to the video.
Cook then moves his body and places a knee in Strauss’ neck as he handcuffs one of Strauss’ hands. Cook removes his knee from Strauss’ neck to pull Strauss’ other hand behind his back.
Cook placed a knee in Strauss’ back as he appears to be cuffing both of Strauss’ hands, according to the video.
As Cook held his knee in Strauss’ neck, Strauss can be heard yelling for help and “I’m bleeding.” Those recording the arrest began exclaiming after Cook punched Strauss and one man can be heard asking, “Have you learned nothing from George Floyd?”
According to records, Cook said Strauss’ leg was wrapped around his leg and that Strauss was applying pressure, hyperextending the officer’s left leg. When Strauss wouldn’t stop applying pressure, the officer punched him, according to records.
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“Officer Cook then attempted to strike Strauss with a closed fist to the side of the neck known as a brachial stun. The strike that the officer used is also known as a pain compliance technique. After the officer used the technique, Strauss then released the officer’s legs and began to comply with officers commands,” according to records.
Once Strauss was handcuffed, the officer lifted him and took him to a squad car, according to the video. Three other officers can be seen in the video with Cook, two kneeling near Strauss during the arrest and one standing near Strauss’ head.
Cook went to the hospital after he felt “extreme pain in the left knee,” according to records. A doctor diagnosed him with acute pain of the left knee, and he is currently off-duty until he is medically cleared, according to records.
Chuck Bronson, 44, of Lafayette, said he is Strauss’ friend who saw the arrest. Bronson said that Strauss “likes to exercise free speech” and did so from the sidewalk before “basically he was attacked.”
“It was brutal,” Bronson said. “Some people act like, you don’t have free speech, or, by saying that to police you get what you deserve. But, by case law, it’s allowed. It’s covered by the First Amendment.”
Strauss said he will pursue the matter in court, even if the charges against him are dropped. If the charges aren’t dropped, he will take the case to trial, he said.
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Police officers should handle complaints from residents with professionalism, Strauss said.
“I can see where if there is an incident where restraint is required certain types of restraints should be used. However, proper training is needed in dealing with citizens who have complaints and want to voice their grievances,” Strauss said.