chicagotribune--2020-08-18--Daywatch: Michelle Obama rips Trump in DNC speech, ‘abuses of discretion’ found in Jussie Smollett c

Daywatch: Michelle Obama rips Trump in DNC speech, ‘abuses of discretion’ found in Jussie Smollett case and find an escape in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

“ Let me be as honest and clear as I possibly can : Donald Trump is the wrong president for @ @ @ @ @ said of her husband ’ s successor.
” He has had more than enough time @ @ @ @ @ do the job , but he is clearly in over his head .
He can @ @ @ @ @ ”

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In this image from video, former first lady Michelle Obama speaks during the first night of the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 17, 2020. (AP)
Former first lady Michelle Obama delivered a blistering attack on President Donald Trump in giving the keynote speech of the opening night of Democrats’ virtual national convention on Monday night, saying he has governed with “chaos” while displaying an “utter lack of empathy.”
“Let me be as honest and clear as I possibly can: Donald Trump is the wrong president for our country,” Obama said of her husband’s successor.” He has had more than enough time to prove that he can do the job, but he is clearly in over his head. He cannot meet this moment.”
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Analysis: 5 takeaways from the first night of the Democratic convention
Jussie Smollett departs after a court appearance Feb. 24, 2020, at the Leighton Criminal Court Building. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
Cook County prosecutors gave actor Jussie Smollett an inexplicable and unprecedented deal — and then misled the public about it — when they dropped disorderly conduct charges against him last year, but there was no evidence that they were swayed by outside clout or committed any crimes, a team of special prosecutors has concluded.
A news release Monday summarizing an investigation led by special prosecutor Dan Webb indicated that while no criminal charges were warranted against anyone in State’s Attorney Kim Foxx’s office, his team would be reporting potential violations of legal ethics over the handling of the Smollett investigation to Illinois’ attorney disciplinary board. Some false statements in the Smollett matter were made by Foxx herself, Webb found.
Police use pepper spray on protesters at the corner of Randolph and Dearborn streets in downtown Chicago on Aug. 15, 2020. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)
After violent clashes between police and protesters in downtown Chicago over the weekend, it seemed everyone from lawmakers and civil rights advocates to activists were accusing officers of “kettling,” a controversial practice for controlling crowds.
Arya Jennens, a freshman at Evanston Township High School, attends her first physical education class of the year through an online video chat with her teacher and other students at her home on Monday, Aug. 17, 2020. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)
Because of the large enrollment in the Chicago Public Schools and large suburban districts, a vast majority of the students in the state will start the school year learning remotely — which means thousands of students in Illinois are having a unconventional start to the school year.
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is a popular destination near Munising. (Ariel Cheung / Chicago Tribune)
The Upper Peninsula is particularly apt for a late-summer, socially distanced trip, Tribune editor Ariel Cheung writes. And communing with nature — stunning scenery, air fresh and fragrant, and birch trees as far as the eye can see — is a deeply restorative cure after being cooped up for most of the year.


chicagotribune--2020-08-18--Ex-DuPage County sheriff’s deputy wants job back after firing for punching restrained man in county

Ex-DuPage County sheriff’s deputy wants job back after firing for punching restrained man in county jail

A deputy , who appears in charge of the others , in a calm voice repeatedly tries to keep the @ @ @ @ @ as about four other deputies , including Elizarraraz , near the man ’ s head @ @ @ @ @ bed .
About the video ’ s 3:20-minute mark , as a medical professional questions @ @ @ @ @ health , the deputies increasingly struggle to control the man , who is still restrained @ @ @ @ @ not be seen due to the number of deputies surrounding him .

A former DuPage County sheriff’s deputy is fighting to get his job back after he was fired for allegedly punching an uncooperative 21-year-old man while he was restrained and intoxicated, an incident that took place inside the county jail last year and was partially captured on video.
Luis Elizarraraz admitted he struck the inmate last summer, but the former deputy maintained it was in self-defense, according to public documents obtained by the Tribune through an open records request.
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Still, more than four months after the incident, DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick terminated Elizarraraz for his use of force, which one sheriff’s official described as “closed fist punches to the head of a handcuffed inmate,” the records show.
The July 27, 2019, incident occurred about a year before the national civil unrest movement and use-of-force debate sparked by the death of George Floyd, who died after a Minneapolis police officer placed a knee on his neck for several minutes. And while the case was referred last year to prosecutors for criminal charges — which they declined to file — an arbitrator now is considering whether to give Elizarraraz his badge back in a much different climate for law enforcement.
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The DuPage County case did not result in serious injuries. Still, it illustrates how one suburban police official responded after being faced with what his office described as its first and only use-of-force complaint since Mendrick took office after winning election in November 2018.
Mendrick, through an office spokesman, declined to comment due to the former deputy’s ongoing arbitration hearing. The sheriff began investigating the incident after two deputies expressed concerns that Elizarraraz used excessive force, according to the spokesman.
The Tribune obtained a sheriff’s office video that showed the response of several deputies, including Elizarraraz, in the first several minutes after the man was brought into the jail last summer.
The deputy’s use of force is obstructed in the nearly 13-minute video due to the angle it was shot and the number of deputies who were crowded into the small cell. After a scuffle, though, the man is heard moaning and a supervisor instructs Elizarraraz to “step out” of the cell shortly afterward.
Luis Elizarraraz, a former DuPage County sheriff deputy, is fighting to get his job back after he was fired for allegedly punching an uncooperative 21-year-old man at the county jail in July 2019. (Chicago Tribune Handout)
The man, a Michigan resident who at the time lived in DuPage County while attending a nearby college, was arrested earlier that evening in Wheaton on multiple charges including driving under the influence, aggravated battery, resisting arrest and assault-related charges.
He was accused of attacking four Wheaton Police Department officers and causing physical damage to the inside of a police SUV after “headbutting” the holding area within the back seat, according to court records. Two of the Wheaton police officers later sought medical treatment, authorities said. Neither required hospitalization.
Police immediately transported him to the DuPage County sheriff’s jail to await bond court in the morning. At the start of the sheriff office video, he appears seated in the back of an SUV with a mesh hooded mask over his face used in law enforcement to protect officers from being spat upon in difficult arrests.
Several deputies can be seen carrying the man, irritated by the face mask and uncooperative, out of the SUV and into a small jail cell. Deputies place him on his stomach on what appears to be a concrete bed within the cell. His hands and legs restrained with handcuffs and a strap device, his face still hooded, he is at times belligerent, incoherent and appears under the influence of an unknown substance. He demands the deputies “get off me.”
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A deputy, who appears in charge of the others, in a calm voice repeatedly tries to keep the inmate relaxed. He supervises as about four other deputies, including Elizarraraz, near the man’s head, restrain him on the bed. About the video’s 3:20-minute mark, as a medical professional questions the inmate about his mental health, the deputies increasingly struggle to control the man, who is still restrained on the bed but cannot be seen due to the number of deputies surrounding him.
“Are you going to (expletive) kill me?” he screams before shouting profanities at the deputies and then moans out in pain.
Elizarraraz, seen on the video still near the inmate’s head, also cannot be fully seen due to the camera angle. Seconds later, the deputy who appears to be in charge instructs him to “step out.” As he exits the cell, about the video’s 4-minute mark, Elizarraraz looks directly into the camera.
The head deputy next informed the inmate they were placing him on a suicide watch and needed to remove his clothing for his own protection. After the deputies cut off his clothing, giving him a blanket, they remove all his restraints and exit the cell about eight minutes later without further issue.
The man was released on bond the next afternoon. Elizarraraz provided a written statement to a superior describing his use of force. According to a copy of the July 28, 2019, memo, Elizarraraz said the inmate was “highly combative, kicking at staff numerous times in a violent manner and thrashing his shoulders repeatedly in an attempt to escape my grasp.” The deputy accused the inmate of kicking another deputy in the chest.
“As I tried to regain control of (his) upper body area, he opened up his mouth and attempted to bite me,” Elizarraraz said, according to the memo. “I immediately put my hand on the side of his head and struck him in the upper body area in order to prevent him from biting me.”
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But, according to another memo days later exchanged between jail supervisors, two of the deputies involved in the incident “relayed concerns” that Elizarraraz’s use of force was “excessive,” sparking an investigation. One of the deputies is the one whom Elizarraraz had identified as being kicked in the chest.
In response to Tribune questions, sheriff’s spokesman Justin Kmitch said the former deputy has provided “several explanations” for his use of force. Kmitch said officials “anticipate the facts will be borne out in the arbitrator’s ruling,” according to a written statement.
On Aug. 5, 2019, Sheriff Mendrick referred the case to DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin’s office for possible prosecution of the deputy after reviewing the video and statements from his staff, including Elizarraraz, documents show.
Prosecutors notified the sheriff Oct. 23 that no charges would be pursued. Prosecutors “did not have sufficient evidence to support criminal charges,” according to Paul Darrah, the office spokesman. Darrah confirmed the investigation is complete.
The deputy was “terminated for cause” on Dec. 9, records show.
Elizarraraz, who at 34 and with 10 years of service is not yet eligible to collect his pension, is fighting to get his job back. His annual salary was about $85,000, according to public records.
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An arbitration hearing was held earlier this summer. Lawyers on both sides recently submitted their final written brief to the arbitrator. The arbitrator typically renders a decision 30 to 60 days afterward. The proceedings are closed to the public.
His attorney, Timothy O’Neil, said Elizarraraz had never been disciplined for force-related issues and has had good performance reviews. The ex-deputy has a bachelor’s degree in law enforcement.
O’Neil said his client used “authorized force,” consistent with his training, the law and the sheriff’s own policies at the time.
The attorney described the inmate as combative and noted he injured Wheaton police officers and committed conduct that amounted to a felony against one of Elizarraraz’s fellow jail deputies as well.
“The force used was 100 percent in line with the training authorized by Mendrick and applicable U.S. Supreme Court decisions,” O’Neil said in a written statement to the Tribune.
The attorney argues the deputy was wrongfully terminated. Elizarraraz is seeking back pay and lost benefits, “costing the taxpayers of DuPage County tens of thousands of dollars,” O’Neil said.
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The attorney added: “It will hardly make up for the pain of being terminated 16 days before Christmas with two small children at home.”
Kmitch, the sheriff’s office spokesman, said this was the first and only use-of-force complaint the office has received since Mendrick became sheriff. The office has nearly 400 sworn deputies, slightly more than half of whom are assigned to the corrections bureau.
Its use-of-force policy doesn’t specifically prohibit a closed-fist punch. It allows force to be used when a deputy has a “reasonable belief” the action is required, including as “a control measure when absolutely necessary” but not as punishment.
The office updated its policy in the wake of the Floyd fallout, but only limiting restraints that cut blood flow to the brain to situations where a deputy’s life is in danger, Kmitch said. The policy also requires other deputies to intervene if such an incident occurs.
Attempts to reach Elizarraraz and the inmate in question, who has a black eye in his sheriff office mug shot, were unsuccessful.
Police in Wheaton denied causing injury to the man when he was in their custody.
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“(He) neither complained about being injured nor had any apparent injuries while in the custody of Wheaton Police Department officers,” said Deputy Chief P.J. Youker.
The man punched in the incident, now 22, is 6 feet tall and 205 pounds, according to court records. A former high school standout linebacker in Michigan, he does not have a prior criminal history. He was never charged with any wrongdoing related to his time in the sheriff’s custody and has not filed a complaint or lawsuit regarding his treatment in the jail.
He has pleaded not guilty. He is next due in court Sept. 28. His attorney, Michael Schmiege, declined to comment.
cmgutowski@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-08-18--Boys, 13 and 14, in critical condition after separate overnight shootings, police say

About 9 p.m. , a 13-year-old boy was in a vehicle with two other people in the 1500 block of @ @ @ @ @ Lawndale neighborhood on the West Side when they heard gunshots , police said .
The @ @ @ @ @ chest , and he was dropped off at a nearby fire station then taken to @ @ @ @ @ .

Firefighters hose off the blood where a 14-year-old boy and a 17-year-old girl were shot about 7:20 p.m. Monday in the 500 block of East 42nd Street in the Bronzeville neighborhood on the South Side. (Paige Fry/Chicago Tribune)
A 14-year-old boy was shot in the head and a 13-year-old boy was shot in the chest Monday night in separate shootings within two hours of each other, according to Chicago police.
Both of the boys are in hospitals in critical condition, police said. The first shooting occurred at 7:20 p.m. in the 500 block of East 42nd Street in the Bronzeville neighborhood on the South Side.
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The 14-year-old boy and a 17-year-old girl were standing on a sidewalk when a vehicle approached them and someone inside fired shots, police said.
The boy was taken to Comer Children’s Hospital in critical condition, police said. The girl was shot in the leg and foot and taken to Mercy Hospital & Medical Center in good condition.
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The shooting took place near Fuller Elementary School and there was a gathering outside when the shooting took place, according to a law enforcement source. There were no eye witnesses. It’s unclear if they were the intended target.
Multiple shell casings were found at the scene. Chicago fire arrived around 9:30 p.m. to hose down blood on 42nd Street.
About 9 p.m., a 13-year-old boy was in a vehicle with two other people in the 1500 block of South Kedvale Avenue in the Lawndale neighborhood on the West Side when they heard gunshots, police said. The boy was shot in the chest, and he was dropped off at a nearby fire station then taken to Stroger Hospital in critical condition.
The people who dropped him off at the fire station did not stay for questioning, police said.
No arrests have been made in either shooting.
Earlier Monday, a 9-year-old boy suffered a graze wound to the head while he was riding in a car on the South Side, police said.
The shooting occurred just after 2 p.m. in the first block of West 87th Street in the Chatham neighborhood, police said. He was taken to Comer Children’s Hospital in good condition.
pfry@chicagotribune.com
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Twitter @paigexfry


chicagotribune--2020-08-18--In DNC speech, Michelle Obama rips President Trump for lack of empathy, says he’s ‘clearly in over h

In DNC speech, Michelle Obama rips President Trump for lack of empathy, says he’s ‘clearly in over his head’

Speaking of the values that she and her husband have sought to instill in their daughters , Obama said that @ @ @ @ @ next generation “ see our leaders labeling fellow citizens enemies of the state while emboldening @ @ @ @ @ watch in horror as children are torn from their families and thrown into cages , @ @ @ @ @ bullets are used on peaceful protestors for a photo-op .
”

Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden, with Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., raise their arms up as fireworks go off in the background during the fourth day of the Democratic National Convention, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2020, at the Chase Center in Wilmington, Del. Looking on are Jill Biden, far left, and Harris' husband Doug Emhoff, far right. (Andrew Harnik/AP)
Former first lady Michelle Obama delivered a blistering attack on President Donald Trump in giving the keynote speech of Monday’s opening night of Democrats’ virtual national convention, saying he has governed by “chaos” while displaying an “utter lack of empathy.”
“Being president doesn’t change who you are,” she said. “It reveals who you are.”
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“Let me be as honest and clear as I possibly can: Donald Trump is the wrong president for our country,” Obama said of her husband’s successor. ”He has had more than enough time to prove that he can do the job, but he is clearly in over his head. He cannot meet this moment.”
Obama then used Trump’s now infamous “it is what it is” quotation about COVID-19 deaths to assess his performance as president.
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“He simply cannot be who we need him to be for us,” Obama said with a shake of her head. “It is what it is.”
.@MichelleObama: "Donald Trump is the wrong president for our country. He has had more than enough time to prove that he can do the job, but he is clearly in over his head. He cannot meet this moment. He simply cannot be who we need him to be for us. It is what it is." #DNC pic.twitter.com/1St3h3pt1u — CSPAN (@cspan) August 18, 2020
The harsh criticism of Trump, while praising former Vice President Joe Biden as a “profoundly decent man,” was uncharacteristic for the Chicago native who was known to admonish Democrats in her 2016 convention speech, “Our motto is: when they go low, we go high.”
Indeed, she followed up on her comment from four years ago.
“Going high is the only thing that works because when we go low, when we use those same tactics of degrading and dehumanizing others, we just become part of the ugly noise that’s drowning out everything else. We degrade ourselves. We degrade the very causes for which we fight,” she said.
“But let’s be clear: Going high does not mean putting on a smile and saying nice things when confronted by viciousness and cruelty,” she said. “Going high means taking the harder path. It means scraping and clawing our way to that mountain top.”
[ Analysis: 5 takeaways from the first night of the Democratic convention, including Michelle Obama’s dominant moment ]
It was the fourth time that Michelle Obama had delivered a national convention speech, twice during her husband Barack Obama’s runs for the White House as a candidate in 2008 and seeking reelection in 2012, as well as in 2016. She is widely regarded by Democrats as a popular and motivational speaker.
But her address this time took on somber tones as she repeatedly attacked Trump for displaying a lack of empathy at times when a nation needed reassurance, be it from racial strife or the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Whenever we look to this White House for some leadership or consolation or any semblance of steadiness, what we get instead is chaos, division and a total and utter lack of empathy,” she said.
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Speaking of the values that she and her husband have sought to instill in their daughters, Obama said that they and others in the next generation “see our leaders labeling fellow citizens enemies of the state while emboldening torch-bearing white supremacists. They watch in horror as children are torn from their families and thrown into cages, and pepper spray and rubber bullets are used on peaceful protesters for a photo-op.”
As a result, she said, “They see what happens when that lack of empathy is ginned up into outright disdain.”
Giving her view of how the country has changed since her husband left office in January 2017, Obama said, “The state of the nation is very different. More than 150,000 people are dead and our economy is in shambles because of a virus that this president downplayed for too long.”
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At the same time, she said, “Internationally, we’ve turned our back, not just on agreements forged by my husband, but on alliances championed by presidents like Reagan and Eisenhower.”
“If you don’t think things cannot possibly get worse, trust me, they can, and they will if we don’t make a change in this election,” she said. “If we have any hope of ending this chaos, we have got to vote for Joe Biden like our lives depend on it.”
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Obama said Biden, who served as her husband’s vice president, “knows what it takes to rescue an economy, beat back a pandemic and lead our country. And he listens. He will tell the truth and trust science.”
She urged voters to back Biden in large numbers if they wanted to see a return to “the most basic requirements for a functioning society.” She said, “right now, folks who know they cannot win fair and square at the ballot box are doing everything they can to stop us from voting.”
Obama’s remarks were recorded before Biden’s announcement last Tuesday that he had chosen California Sen. Kamala Harris as his running mate. She later voiced her approval of the choice on social media.
On Twitter and in a flurry of news releases, Trump and his campaign mocked and criticized other speakers Monday night, including New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. But they had little response to the former first lady’s stinging criticism.
Obama remains widely popular, including surveys last year that found her to be the most admired woman in the U.S. and the world. Still, Trump did offer a preemptive swipe for her planned address during an earlier rally in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, saying, “Who wants to listen to Michelle Obama do a taped speech?”
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chicagotribune--2020-08-18--At virtual Democratic convention, Mayor Lori Lightfoot says Trump is mounting a ‘full-out assault’ o

At virtual Democratic convention, Mayor Lori Lightfoot says Trump is mounting a ‘full-out assault’ on Postal Service, election and democracy

“ Donald Trump thrives in chaos .
He likes creating this , this atmosphere of uncertainty , of danger — @ @ @ @ @ it not right ?
What we need to do is make sure that we block @ @ @ @ @ people know that their vote is safe , that there ’ s many ways in @ @ @ @ @ , and that they ’ re not going to be prevented from voting , ” @ @ @ @ @ is one of the most important things is to break through the noise and the @ @ @ @ @ his campaign are trying to create that somehow their vote won ’ t matter , @ @ @ @ @ t be able to vote .
Not true .
”

Mayor Lori Lightfoot cast President Donald Trump and Republicans as “enemies of democracy” who are mounting a “full-out assault” on the integrity of the November election by undermining the U.S. Postal Service and making it more difficult for people to vote by mail amid a pandemic.
Lightfoot made the comments Monday morning during a virtual roundtable discussion at the Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee focused on protecting the right to vote this fall.
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“Every day the importance of this fall’s election grows and grows, and every day, unfortunately, we see increasing evidence that this administration is mounting a full-out assault on every pillar of our democracy, including the integrity of our elections,” Lightfoot said. “This is real, folks. It’s not an exaggeration. It’s not a conspiracy theory.”
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The former federal prosecutor then went on to hammer the Trump administration and Republicans for draconian cuts at the Postal Service that have disrupted the delivery of mail in recent days. Trump has acknowledged opposing funding for the Postal Service as an effort to undercut vote-by-mail efforts, which he has insisted would lead to corruption while offering no evidence and voting by mail himself in Florida.
Lightfoot said since the White House had failed to keep Americans safe from the COVID-19 pandemic, “vote by mail is the lane we need to run in” to avoid having people “risk their health just to cast a vote.”
“That’s why we cannot allow this administration to undermine the Postal Service in a way that is clearly trying to drive the Postal Service to its knees, making mail service unreliable — putting postal workers at risk by changing hours and stretching into the night and failing to give the post office the resources that it needs to fulfill its basic mission,” Lightfoot said. “This assault, of course, is about election integrity.”
The Trump campaign did not respond to a request for comment.
Lightfoot also slammed Republicans for what she portrayed as additional attacks on the election, including a “thinly veiled poll tax” in some states to ban felons from voting, purging voter rolls in certain areas of the country and closing polling places in targeted neighborhoods. She called on Democrats to push back on those efforts and GOP desires to sow confusion about voting by mail.
“What we need to do in the face of this pandemic is to make sure that Americans understand that it is safe to vote, not dangerous,” Lightfoot said. “They are drumming up a climate of anxiety that is driven by their desperation to hold on to power. You can see the Senate majority eroding and the Oval Office is slipping from their grasp. Their current efforts reflect their desperation and their fear.”
During a speech Monday afternoon in Mankato, Minnesota, Trump repeated previous criticism that Amazon and other companies are taking advantage of the Postal Service, which he contended loses money by having to deliver large volumes of packages. Trump, however, did not address the criticism that the Postal Service changes are aimed at undermining the election.
“The post office has been a disaster for many, many decades,” he said. “We want to strengthen the post office and make it good.”
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As he often does, Trump also managed to lob criticism at Chicago in his Minnesota speech, saying that “criminals are terrorizing civilians in Chicago, Portland and now New York City.” He also said that outside of New York and Chicago, crime stats nationally have improved during his time in the White House, blaming Democratic leaders for the problems.
“Do you want the failed policies of (New York) Mayor Bill de Blasio or Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Chicago, or (Minneapolis) Mayor Jacob Frey brought to every city and town in this nation?” Trump asked as the crowd shouted, “No!” back. “If left-wing Democrats can’t run a city, why on earth would you let them run your country?”
At an event later Monday in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, Trump again warned that if Democrat Joe Biden is elected, the looting and violent protests seen in Portland, Minneapolis, New York and Chicago would become the norm nationwide.
“In Chicago, they literally raised up the drawbridges to prevent hordes of rioters from ransacking the city. Can you believe it?” Trump said of Lightfoot’s security measures to protect the downtown shopping district from looting. As he has before, Trump compared Chicago’s high level of gun violence with war zones in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“This is the future that Joe Biden plans to bring to every city, town and suburb in our nation,” Trump said.
Lightfoot made her comments about Trump during a virtual online roundtable discussion along with Emily Cain, executive director of EMILY’s List; Alex Morgan, executive director of the Progressive Turnout Project political organization; and Rachana Desai Martin from the Biden campaign.
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When panelists were asked what keeps them up at night on the subject of protecting people’s ability to vote, Lightfoot said it was the “chaos and uncertainty” over the integrity of mail-in balloting.
“Donald Trump thrives in chaos. He likes creating this, this atmosphere of uncertainty, of danger — is something right, is it not right? What we need to do is make sure that we block out the noise and let people know that their vote is safe, that there’s many ways in which they can do it, and that they’re not going to be prevented from voting,” Lightfoot said. “That is one of the most important things is to break through the noise and the chaos that this administration and his campaign are trying to create that somehow their vote won’t matter, somehow, they won’t be able to vote. Not true.”
Lightfoot also appeared for a little more than 30 seconds during the prime-time two-hour telecast of the convention Monday night, as part of a roundtable with Biden on social justice. When Biden asked what she’s doing to tackle systemic racism, the mayor explained that she’s working to improve the quality of life in all communities and bringing more diverse stakeholders into the decision-making process at City Hall.
Also on Monday, in a preview of the Illinois delegation’s salute to allies in organized labor, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin said union postal workers as well as the public were being victimized by a “post office under assault by Donald Trump.”
“America’s message to Donald Trump is very simple: Keep your hands out of our mailboxes,” Durbin said. “We believe the Postal Service does a great job and needs our support. They don’t need to be sabotaged in the name of political victory for Donald Trump.”
At the same event, U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García said Trump’s actions involving the Postal Service represent “one of the most flagrant violations of democracy” in the president’s efforts to undermine government institutions.
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Trump, he said, was seeking “to advance his own interest, to prevent a fair election by causing destruction, confusion and undermining one of the most important essentials of any democracy and that is a post office.”
García is scheduled to visit the Postal Service’s Chicago headquarters Tuesday morning along with a delegation of other Illinois Democrats in Congress to speak about the controversy.
bruthhart@chicagotribune.com
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Twitter @BillRuthhart
Twitter @rap30


chicagotribune--2020-08-18--Accused looters and protesters appear in court following consecutive weekends of trouble

Authorities also charged seven people tied to looting the previous week , including three people accused of looting a River @ @ @ @ @ , but who were initially charged with misdemeanors and released on personal recognizance bails .
@ @ @ @ @ trio , Kendra Mosby , 24 , Crystal Williams , 33 , and Corey Sanders @ @ @ @ @ first sign that authorities could go after dozens of people picked up for looting but @ @ @ @ @ misdemeanors .

Police use pepper spray on protesters at the corner of Randolph and Dearborn streets in downtown Chicago on Aug. 15, 2020. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)
During one long court call Monday, one Central Bond Court judge saw defendants from two weekends of mayhem, involving last week’s widespread looting and this weekend’s violent clash between protesters and Chicago police.
During the afternoon call at the Leighton Criminal Court Building broadcast on Youtube, Judge John F. Lyke Jr. saw nine defendants.
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The consecutive weekends of trouble again put Chicago in the national spotlight as the country continues to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic and citizens angry over the police-involved death of George Floyd.
The looting at some of downtown’s most upscale retailers on the Mag Mile last week appeared connected to a social media campaign, though city officials originally speculated that it was connected to a police-involved shooting in Englewood.
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On Saturday, hundreds of protesters had gathered in Millennium Park in what began as a call to defund Chicago police and divert the money to social service programs aimed at helping the poor and mentally ill. By the end, activists and police both accused the other of dirty tactics.
Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 44 Damaged windows at the Zara store following early morning looting in downtown Chicago on Aug. 10, 2020. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
Two men faced charges connected to the protests, including a 25-year-old who prosecutors said was captured on video hitting a helmeted police officer in the head with his skateboard three times on Saturday afternoon.
An attorney for Jeremey Johnson, of Lakeview, who faces aggravated battery to a police officer charges, said his client was a student at Columbia College who worked full time at Second City.
Lyke called the incident unprovoked and violent but released Johnson on $20,000 bail and electronic monitoring. Lyke also allowed Johnson to work leading up to trial but barred him from having a skateboard during the same period.
Police also charged activist Shaundric Mann, 24, with felony resisting a police officer, saying he was among a group of demonstrators who forced their way past a line of bicycle officers who had set up a perimeter in the Loop. Prosecutors said Johnson then pulled away from officers trying to arrest him and that he struck a sergeant while waving his arms to evade arrest.
Following his arrest, other young activists kept vigil outside the Wentworth police district Sunday, demanding he be released without charges, but police announced felony charges later in the day.
Taylore Norwood of GoodKids MadCity is emotional as she speaks about the treatment of young black women in the city during a press conference held in response to violence clashes between police officers and protesters in downtown Chicago Saturday night, Aug. 16, 2020, outside the 2nd District Chicago Police station. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)
Mann, who is a FedEx carrier, according to his attorney, was released on $5,000 bail and ordered to return to court later this month.
Authorities also charged seven people tied to looting the previous week, including three people accused of looting a River North Walgreens on Aug. 10, but who were initially charged with misdemeanors and released on personal recognizance bails. The felony charges against the trio, Kendra Mosby, 24, Crystal Williams, 33, and Corey Sanders, 28, are the first sign that authorities could go after dozens of people picked up for looting but released without charges or given misdemeanors.
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Chicago police have bolstered efforts in tracking down looters who poured into downtown and smashed their way into upscale retailers, creating a looting task force and publicly releasing videos of the thieves.
One case appeared easy for the task force to solve: They tracked down Taeshia Rochon, 22, who prosecutors said livestreamed her thefts from Nordstrom Michigan Avenue and a designer sunglasses shop, posting both to Facebook and Youtube.
Rochon’s name was given to the looting task force by an anonymous tip, authorities said.
In another case, a 25-year-old food delivery driver tried to sell stolen designer sunglasses on Facebook Marketplace under the name “Legit Hustle,” according to prosecutors.
Police also arrested a couple in their 20s who they said tried to sell looted items, such as a $200 Hermès bracelet and a $1,600 Valentino purse, on a classified advertising website.
wlee@chicagotribune.com
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chicagotribune--2020-08-18--‘A little awkward’: Schools begin a new year, many with remote learning and a different feel due to

‘A little awkward’: Schools begin a new year, many with remote learning and a different feel due to impact of coronavirus

“ I feel like if kids can go one day then why can ’ t they go the rest of @ @ @ @ @ asked .
“ All these kids are now going to be in contact with each @ @ @ @ @ is sick right now then you should see … that everyone is going to get @ @ @ @ @ next couple of weeks .
”

Robert McCoppin, Kelli Smith, Karen Ann Cullotta

Arya Jennens, a freshman at Evanston Township High School, attends her first physical education class of the year through an online video chat with her teacher and other students at her home on Monday, Aug. 17, 2020. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)
Arya Jennens was looking forward to meeting other students on her first day of high school Monday. That became impossible when Evanston Township High School canceled in-person classes in favor of remote learning due to the coronavirus.
School officials tried to make the best of it by holding breakout Zoom meetings for small groups to introduce themselves. Arya described herself as a cross-country runner, with two turtles and a dog, whose favorite color is purple.
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“It’s a little awkward to try to get to know your classmates, so freshman year it’s going to be a lot more difficult than if we were in person,” she said. “People just aren’t very comfortable talking on camera.”
Thousands of school kids across Illinois have begun sharing the experience of returning to school remotely, though some are attending in person. Not all Illinois public school students were back in class by Monday. Most Chicago-area schools will be starting in the days ahead — and in the case of Chicago Public Schools, on Sept. 8.
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Arya Jennens, 13, a freshman at Evanston Township High School, keeps a white board with her schedule on the wall at her home in in Evanston on Monday, Aug. 17, 2020. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)
According to a survey being taken by the Illinois State Board of Education, about 24% of the responding school districts will offer remote learning, 30% will have in-person learning and 46% will offer blended learning.
But because of the large enrollment in the Chicago Public Schools and large suburban districts, a vast majority of the students in the state will start the school year learning remotely. The survey, which as of Monday included responses from 714 of the state’s 852 districts, indicated about 1 million of more than 1.68 million total students would be remote learners when the school year began.
After having to switch suddenly to remote learning starting in mid-March when Gov. J.B. Pritzker ordered the closing of schools due to COVID-19, school officials say they now have had time to prepare better for online classes.
Following the disappointment of ending last school year remotely, Arya said her new school seemed better organized to offer instruction online this year, rather than just assigning homework. As an athlete, she said she also has the advantage of seeing other students in person outside of class.
Her mother, Joanna Jennens, said she was hoping her two school-aged daughters could go back to school, but she understood why they couldn’t.
“It’s unfortunate it has to be virtual, but both kids seem to be having a great first day,” she said.
Students at Leyden High School District 212 in the west suburbs also started their school year remotely Monday. Principals opened the morning with a virtual welcome back assembly, which 1,200 students logged on to watch. The community also started classes later than usual at 9 a.m., a change that officials implemented after hearing feedback through summer focus groups and town halls.
The Leyden community was excited to begin courses, and attendance was perfect or close to perfect in many online classes, according to Nick Polyak, the district’s superintendent.
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“This isn’t what anybody wants for the start of the school year, but I’m very proud of what’s happening here at Leyden,” Polyak said. “... What I’m most concerned about is maintaining the level of excitement and engagement we have right now.”
Officials at Homewood-Flossmoor High School District 233 also noted high levels of engagement Monday for an entirely virtual first day of school, with online classes seeing about 93% attendance from students. Athletes were “welcomed back” for sports approved by the Illinois High School Association, and activity programs such as theater had already begun in a virtual format, said Jodi Bryant, a school spokesperson.
“In the coming weeks, we are planning different ways to bring (students) back to campus in the afternoons and evenings (for) some of the more hands-on and other specific academic programs to further support the curriculum. (i.e. engineering, auto, manufacturing, technology classes etc),” Bryant said in an email.
In Gurnee, students at Warren Township High School District 121 experienced a few connectivity and login issues at the start of the day, but about 91% were in attendance, meeting their teachers or taking lessons associated with the district’s remote learning programs, by the afternoon. The district, which plans to stay remote until at least October, planned a shorter school day to “get some of the bugs out early,” according to Superintendent John Ahlgrim.
“It just takes a little bit more diligence to make sure all students are kind of connected,” Ahlgrim said. “That’s one of the things that is a little bit easier to do with in-person learning, when the students are all in front of teachers.”
Lockport Township High School District 205 decided last week to switch to a fully remote plan after hearing the state’s updated guidelines. But the district opened in person Monday for half the students and will welcome the other half Tuesday. It plans to move fully remote Thursday.
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Bob McBride Jr., superintendent of the district, said students followed all safety protocols Monday and were excited to be back in a school building, but their enthusiasm was tempered since they knew they’d move to remote learning later that week.
“It’s made me a little sad because I think what we’ve seen today and we will see tomorrow is what large high school districts like ours can do to keep students with their teachers in person and do it safely,” McBride said.
Kathleen Zacharias, 37, is a parent of two students at Lockport Township. The Lockport-area native said she’s apprehensive about remote learning because one of her children is enrolled in a special education program and has anxiety and mental health concerns. The school has done everything it possibly can but its “hands have been tied,” she said.
“I feel like if kids can go one day then why can’t they go the rest of the days?” Zacharias asked. “All these kids are now going to be in contact with each other, so if somebody is sick right now then you should see … that everyone is going to get (sick) within the next couple of weeks.”
Even at schools that don’t start until later, officials were preparing for a different way of doing things.
At Winnetka School District 36, officials anticipate welcoming students back with a hybrid approach on Aug. 27.
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With about 92% of Winnetka parents indicating on a recent survey that they support in-person instruction for their children, students will be assigned to either a morning or afternoon time slot, with the remaining half of the school day designated for remote learning.
In a recent email to parents, District 36 Superintendent Trisha Kocanda urged parents to start preparing their children for the start of a school year that will bring many changes to their typical classroom routines, including mandatory social distancing and wearing masks.
“If your child is planning to attend in-person, it is important that they practice wearing a mask for at least three hours at a time,” Kocanda said in an email to parents.
Parents should also be starting to think about how they want to set up their at-home learning station for the remote part of their children’s school day, Kocanda said.
At New Trier High School, which has campuses in Winnetka and Northfield, about 4,000 students will begin the school year later this month with a two-week period of remote learning for teachers and students starting on Aug. 26. The high school then aims to shift to a step-by-step plan that could see classrooms reopening for students in special programs by mid-September, with an anticipated 25% of students receiving in-person instruction by early October.
rmccoppin@chicagotribune.com
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kelsmith@chicagotribune.com
kcullotta@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-08-19--Chicago’s plan to replace city’s lead water pipes expected in coming weeks, official says

Chicago politicians including Lightfoot have long struggled with the issue .
Lead pipes have been linked to health issues and @ @ @ @ @ full-on replacement would cost billions the city can ’ t afford .
In the meantime @ @ @ @ @ have been careful to say the city ’ s water is safe to drink .

A piece of old lead pipe that was being replaced with a copper pipe is shown in 2016. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)
Mayor Lori Lightfoot will unveil a plan to replace Chicago’s lead water pipes sometime in the coming weeks, top administration officials said, though key details about the plan remain in doubt.
Lightfoot water Commissioner Randy Conner and Budget Director Susie Park told aldermen about the plan at a City Council committee meeting on Tuesday.
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The plan will be voluntary, but other key details aren’t yet known.
Chicago politicians including Lightfoot have long struggled with the issue. Lead pipes have been linked to health issues and violence spikes, but a full-on replacement would cost billions the city can’t afford. In the meantime, Lightfoot and other politicians have been careful to say the city’s water is safe to drink.
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At an unrelated news conference on Wednesday, Lightfoot essentially reiterated the points made by administration officials while acknowledging the city hasn’t figured out financing for the project. But, she added, “The time of reckoning is now.”
Chicago has the most lead service lines in the United States, largely because the city’s plumbing code required the use of lead to connect single-family homes and two-flats to street mains until Congress banned the practice in 1986.
City officials have known for decades that lead service lines are a public health hazard. They largely avoided scrutiny over the years by adding chemicals to the municipal water supply that form a protective coating inside lead pipes connecting homes to cast-iron street mains.
In 2013, experts from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency published a study of Chicago homes detailing how that protective coating can break down if water hasn’t been used for several hours, allowing bits of lead or microscopic particles of the toxic metal to leach into tap water.
The researchers also found that lead levels in tap water could spike for months — or even years — if service lines had been disturbed by street work or plumbing repairs, including the installation of water meters.
Other cities have launched programs that split the cost of replacing the pipes with property owners, often on a sliding scale intended to ease the burden on low-income residents.
gpratt@chicagotribune.com
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Twitter @royalpratt


chicagotribune--2020-08-19--The Spin: Lightfoot says raising bridges helps protect Trump Tower | Wisconsin, Nebraska off Chicago

The Spin: Lightfoot says raising bridges helps protect Trump Tower | Wisconsin, Nebraska off Chicago’s travel list | Democrats sound alarm over US Postal Service

“ The nearly 1,000-page report , the fifth and final one from the Republican-led Senate intelligence committee on the Russia @ @ @ @ @ launched an aggressive effort to interfere in the election on Trump ’ s behalf .
@ @ @ @ @ chairman had regular contact with a Russian intelligence officer and says other Trump associates were @ @ @ @ @ ’ s aid , particularly by maximizing the impact of the disclosure of Democratic emails @ @ @ @ @ ” Read more here .

Vehicles at the U.S. Postal Service Chicago headquarters in Chicago on Aug. 18, 2020. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)
Mayor Lori Lightfoot responded this morning to President Donald Trump’s campaign trail criticism yesterday of her move to raise Chicago’s bridges during unrest.
The U.S. Postal Service announced it would put a halt to changes that were in the works until after the election. Hours earlier, a group of Illinois’ congressional Democrats held a news conference calling for action.
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And, a Republican-led U.S. Senate panel found Russia interfered with the 2016 election to help the Trump campaign.
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Police officers guarding the Trump International Hotel & Tower hold back protesters during a rally and march to remember the May 25 killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer, in the Loop on May 30, 2020, in Chicago. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)
From the Tribune’s Gregory Pratt: “Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said President Donald Trump’s son Eric has sent her ‘little notes’ after the city’s protected Trump Tower downtown from ‘protesters and vigilantes.‘”
Lightfoot made the comments on MSNBC Tuesday morning after being asked about criticism from President Trump about her decision to raise the bridges. At a Wisconsin event on Monday, Trump said Lightfoot “literally raised up the drawbridges to prevent hordes of rioters from ransacking the city.” Read more here.
* Viral video claims people were caught on Chicago River bridge as it was being raised. City says they actually climbed up.
People are reminded to maintain a social distance of 6 feet between one another as they enjoy the day at Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, on July 28, 2020. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)
From the Tribune’s Gregory Pratt: “The city of Chicago has removed Wisconsin and Nebraska from its mandatory quarantine order, but is putting Iowa and Kansas back on this Friday.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration added Wisconsin and Nebraska to the 14-day self-quarantine order in late July. Kansas and Iowa were pulled from the list earlier this month, but will be back on as of Friday, according to the mayor’s office.” Read more here.
* Deadline for suburban residents to apply for Cook County rental assistance extended to next week
Suburban Cook County residents now have until 4 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 24, to apply for grants to cover rent amid the coronavirus pandemic.
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The deadline was extended from Tuesday, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle announced that afternoon. She wrote in a statement that the decision came after brutal high-wind storms left many county residents without power or internet.
"In addition to the ongoing Cook County emergency support, it is important to ensure a fair opportunity for residents to take full advantage of the critical Cook County relief services — such as our Rental Assistance program," Preckwinkle wrote.
Up to $4,500 is available per household to pay between one to three months of rent thanks to $20 million in federal CARES Act funds.
Suburban residents can apply at www.cookcountyil.gov/recovery. — (Alice Yin)
Vehicles at the U.S. Postal Service Chicago headquarters in Chicago on Aug. 18, 2020. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)
From the Tribune’s Alice Yin: Senior citizens waiting weeks for life-sustaining medication. Renters and homeowners nervous that their bills won’t arrive on time, cornering them into paying late fees. A nonprofit held up in efforts to raise money for a food pantry because the mail was delayed.
And, the growing fear that millions of Americans might not get their mail-in ballots counted for the Nov. 3 election.
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Those are some of the stories and concerns that members of Illinois’ Democratic congressional delegation said they have fielded from constituents who are alarmed about the state of the U.S. Postal Service in recent months. Just on Monday, the office of Rep. Brad Schneider received about 600 such calls, the Deerfield Democrat said.
Gathered in front of Chicago’s Postal Service headquarters, eight congressmen blamed the White House.
“Seeking to dismantle the Post Office services during a pandemic is nothing less than criminal intent to destroy an institution that is constitutionally authorized and serves all of the American people,” Democratic U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García of Chicago said.
Hours later, Trump’s appointed postmaster general, Louis DeJoy, released a statement saying he will suspend some operational changes until after the election. He assured that retail hours will not change, collection boxes and other equipment won’t be moved, mail processing facilities won’t close and overtime will be approved when necessary.
“The United States Postal Service will play a critical role this year in delivering election mail for millions of voters across the country,” DeJoy wrote. He defended his previous decisions but contended “to avoid even the appearance of any impact on election mail, I am suspending these initiatives until after the election is concluded.” More here.
* U.S. Reps. Foster, Underwood, Casten rally to support U.S. Postal Service at Aurora facility
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* Postal Service halts some operational changes amid outcry, lawsuits before November election
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., left, accompanied by Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, right, speaks before a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on election security on Capitol Hill in Washington on March 21, 2018. (Andrew Harnik/AP)
From the AP: “The Trump campaign’s interactions with Russian intelligence services during the 2016 presidential election posed a ‘grave’ counterintelligence threat, a Senate panel concluded Tuesday as it detailed how associates of Donald Trump had regular contact with Russians and expected to benefit from the Kremlin’s help.
“The nearly 1,000-page report, the fifth and final one from the Republican-led Senate intelligence committee on the Russia investigation, details how Russia launched an aggressive effort to interfere in the election on Trump’s behalf. It says the Trump campaign chairman had regular contact with a Russian intelligence officer and says other Trump associates were eager to exploit the Kremlin’s aid, particularly by maximizing the impact of the disclosure of Democratic emails hacked by Russian intelligence officers.” Read more here.
In this image from video, former first lady Michelle Obama speaks during the first night of the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 17, 2020. (AP)
From the Tribune’s Rick Pearson and Bill Ruthhart: Former first lady Michelle Obama delivered a blistering attack on President Donald Trump in giving the keynote speech of Monday’s opening night of Democrats’ virtual national convention, saying he has governed by “chaos” while displaying an “utter lack of empathy.”
“Being president doesn’t change who you are,” she said. “It reveals who you are.”
"Let me be as honest and clear as I possibly can: Donald Trump is the wrong president for our country,” Obama said of her husband’s successor. “He has had more than enough time to prove that he can do the job, but he is clearly in over his head. He cannot meet this moment.”
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Obama then used Trump’s now infamous “it is what it is” quotation about COVID-19 deaths to assess his performance as president.
“He simply cannot be who we need him to be for us,” Obama said with a shake of her head. “It is what it is.” More here.
The president fired back today, according to ABCNews, saying the former first lady ”was over her head.”
* President Trump to pardon Susan B. Anthony, who was arrested for voting as a woman in 1872
Thanks for reading The Spin, the Tribune’s politics newsletter. Sign up here to have it delivered to your inbox weekday afternoons.


chicagotribune--2020-08-19--Chicago removes Wisconsin, Nebraska from mandatory travel quarantine list — but Iowa and Kansas are

Chicago removes Wisconsin, Nebraska from mandatory travel quarantine list — but Iowa and Kansas are going back on

Exceptions to the self-quarantine order include essential workers , those coming here for medical treatment and those for whom “ @ @ @ @ @ practicable or advisable.
” The order also does not apply to people who are at @ @ @ @ @ flight , or are driving through the city on their way elsewhere .

The city of Chicago has removed Wisconsin and Nebraska from its mandatory quarantine order, but is putting Iowa and Kansas back on this Friday.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration added Wisconsin and Nebraska to the 14-day self-quarantine order in late July. Kansas and Iowa were pulled from the list earlier this month, but will be back on as of Friday, according to the mayor’s office.
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Lightfoot’s self-quarantine requirement was first implemented during the Fourth of July weekend, though it is generally not being enforced aside from signs and billboards telling people that they must self-quarantine.
[ Here's the full list of U.S. states and territories included in Chicago's mandatory quarantine order ]
The order drew much attention 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.
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The order requires people who have spent more than 24 hours in high-risk states to self-quarantine for 14 days after entering Chicago.
Exceptions to the self-quarantine order include essential workers, those coming here for medical treatment and those for whom “self-quarantine is not possible, practicable or advisable.” The order also does not apply to people who are at the airport for a connecting flight, or are driving through the city on their way elsewhere.
Also exempted, according to the mayor’s office, are sports teams.
The order covers 19 states and Puerto Rico, according to public health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady.
Chicago hasn’t seen increases in death rates but is still around 300 new cases per day, Arwady said. The city would like to get back under 200 new cases per day, she said.
gpratt@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @royalpratt


chicagotribune--2020-08-19--16-year-old boy among two shot in East Garfield Park

The 16-year-old was struck in the groin and taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in critical condition , according to police @ @ @ @ @ was struck in the thigh , was taken to Stroger Hospital in good condition , @ @ @

A shooting in the East Garfield Park neighborhood on the West Side left a 16-year-old boy in critical condition Tuesday night, according to Chicago police.
At about 5:40 p.m. in the 3900 block of West Gladys Avenue, the teen and a 23-year-old man were on the sidewalk when a vehicle approached and someone inside fired shots, police said.
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The 16-year-old was struck in the groin and taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in critical condition, according to police. The 23-year-old, who was struck in the thigh, was taken to Stroger Hospital in good condition, police said.
No one was in custody, and Area Four detectives are investigating.
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On Monday evening, in separate shootings, a 14-year-old boy was shot in the head and a 13-year-old boy was shot in the chest, according to police.


chicagotribune--2020-08-18--Notre Dame moves classes online for two weeks after COVID-19 cases more than double in one day; camp

Notre Dame moves classes online for two weeks after COVID-19 cases more than double in one day; campus public spaces also shut down

But after students came back , the challenges came into focus .
On Sunday , Notre Dame announced it was @ @ @ @ @ to carry out surveillance testing of the general student population , in addition to athletes @ @ @ @ @ it would improve the process for students with symptoms or known exposures to get tested @ @ @

Students wearing masks walk on campus at the University of Notre Dame on Tuesday. The school is moving classes online for two weeks to try to stem the spread of COVID-19 after cases jumped from 58 to 147 in one day. (Robert Franklin/South Bend Tribune)
Calling COVID-19 “a formidable foe,” the University of Notre Dame’s president announced Tuesday that all undergraduate courses will be shifted online for at least two weeks in an effort to contain a spike in cases since classes began on campus a week ago.
The Rev. John Jenkins detailed the change in a video address for students after cases identified at a campus testing center jumped from 58 to 147 in just one day.
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“We have decided to take steps short of sending students home, at least for the time being, while protecting the health and safety of the campus community,” Jenkins said. “For at least the next two weeks, we will move undergraduate classes to remote instruction, close public spaces on campus and restrict residence halls to residents only.”
Jenkins said the school was prepared to halt in-person classes indefinitely but decided to try the stricter trial period after consulting with the county’s public health department, which supports the move.
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Runners exit the University of Notre Dame's campus at the main gate on Tuesday in South Bend, Indiana. The campus is shutting down for two weeks after a spike in coronavirus cases. (Robert Franklin/South Bend Tribune)
The university outside South Bend, Indiana, began the fall semester early and serves as a bellwether as other colleges attempt to reconvene face-to-face instruction for the first time since the pandemic shut down schools in the spring.
Also on Tuesday, Michigan State University said it was moving almost all classes to online formats and asked students to stay home. That followed a decision Monday by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to revert to online classes after clusters of COVID-19 cropped up in dorms and a fraternity house, leading to 135 new cases on campus this week.
Dr. Mark Fox, deputy health officer for St. Joseph County in Indiana, said it could take up to three weeks for Notre Dame to see a sustained drop in cases. He said most infections were linked to off-campus activity, indicating that school policies for keeping classes and dorms safe have been effective so far.
Notre Dame spokesman Paul Browne said students are expected to remain in their residences and take classes virtually for the time being. The revised online classes begin Wednesday.
“Traveling to various points across the country and back again is not helpful,” he said.
While classes are remote, students living off campus should stay there, limit interactions to roommates and refrain from visiting campus, according to Jenkins. Gatherings larger than 10 people will also be prohibited.
“The objective of these temporary restrictions is to tame the spread of the virus so we can get back to in-person instruction,” Jenkins said. “If these steps are not successful, we will have to send students home, as we did last spring.”
Tuesday’s one-day increase marked the largest surge in cases since students returned to campus Aug. 3. At that point, only 33 of about 12,000 students had tested positive when they were assessed prior to arriving and had to self-isolate at home before being cleared to return to school.
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But after students came back, the challenges came into focus. On Sunday, Notre Dame announced it was enhancing its protocols and planned to carry out surveillance testing of the general student population, in addition to athletes. The school also said it would improve the process for students with symptoms or known exposures to get tested on campus.
In that message, Notre Dame officials said the majority of cases appeared to stem from two off-campus events, held Aug. 6 and Aug. 9, where students failed to wear masks and practice social distancing. Most of the infections involve seniors living off campus.
"Our contact tracing reveals that there is a ring clearly associated with those who attended each of these off-campus events," the message said. "Secondary rings have now occurred among those in close contact with those in the first ring."
Jenkins said students who report irresponsible behavior to contact tracers will not be disciplined because they are helping the school identify sources of infection. There are other avenues for students to face consequences for partying without masks or gathering en masse, Jenkins said, and the university has received several reports that are being reviewed.
A total of 927 people have been tested at the campus site. All the positive cases involve students, with the exception of one employee. No students have been hospitalized, according to Notre Dame.
The university is placing students who test positive in isolation spaces such as a hotel on campus and privately owned apartments nearby.
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Chicago Tribune’s Kelli Smith contributed.
echerney@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-08-18--Harvey tow company owner pleads guilty to aiding shakedown of entrepreneur

After paying the second bribe , the business owner was given access to the Loomis lot and used it for @ @ @ @ @ from federal agents to try and obtain a lease for a different city-owned lot , @ @ @ @

A politically connected tow company operator and former Harvey Public Library Board trustee pleaded guilty Monday to aiding and abetting the solicitation of bribes from a businessman who was looking to lease city-owned property in Harvey.
Will Wiley, who prosecutors said served as a “bagman” for illicit cash payments to city officials, faces 30 to 37 months in prison under federal sentencing guidelines.
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He and his co-defendant, Donald Luster, an economic development consultant and former mayor of Dixmoor, were among six Harvey officials and their associates charged in March 2019 as part of a federal probe into multiple city corruption schemes.
Luster, a twice-convicted felon, has pleaded not guilty to the charges and intends to take his case to trial, according to court filings.
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Donald Luster (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)
Wiley and Luster were accused of soliciting bribes from a south suburban entrepreneur who was looking to expand his towing business into Harvey.
Unbeknownst to them, the business owner, referred to in court documents as CS-2, was wired up and working undercover for the FBI “out of a sense of civic duty, in order to expose corruption in the City of Harvey,” according to a criminal complaint.
In September 2017, the business owner approached the city about leasing land it owned in the area of 150th Street and Loomis Avenue to open a new branch of his towing business, the complaint states.
Wiley, the owner of W&K Towing, 14810 Myrtle Ave., acted as an intermediary between the business owner and Luster to negotiate a lease for the Loomis lot.
At the behest of Luster, he demanded and received a $5,000 payment from the business owner in exchange for the lease on Dec. 3, 2017, according to the complaint.
Wiley told the man that in exchange for the bribe he should be able to begin working on the lot within the next week, according to a transcript of intercepted conversations included in the complaint.
The men also discussed the possibility of the entrepreneur paying off another city official, Individual B — Derrick Muhammad, a Harvey police officer and brother of former Mayor Eric Kellogg, based on the description in the complaint — to secure towing work, the complaint states.
A couple weeks after accepting the initial bribe, Wiley returned to the entrepreneur and told him he’d need to come up with an additional $7,000 to secure the lease, according to the complaint.
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He said paying the $7,000 would cover three months rent and also make it more likely Muhammad would trust him and steer city towing work his way, the complaint states.
To comply with the additional payment demand, the entrepreneur met with Luster on Jan. 5, 2018, in the backroom of a restaurant he owned in South Holland, and set down an envelope containing $7,000 on Luster’s desk, according to the complaint.
After paying the second bribe, the business owner was given access to the Loomis lot and used it for several days before receiving instructions from federal agents to try and obtain a lease for a different city-owned lot, the complaint states.
The entrepreneur worked out an agreement with Luster and Muhammad to relocate to a new lot at 14500 Ashland Ave., but that deal fell apart after Luster was terminated by the city on March 8, 2018.
Luster’s termination came one day after unsealed federal court documents revealed the FBI was investigating him for allegedly demanding bribes from developers.
Wiley’s sentencing date was not immediately available.
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He is the third of six Harvey officials and their associates who were federally charged last year to enter a guilty plea in the past month.
Muhammad, the former mayor’s brother, and former Harvey police officer Derrick Moore both recently pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice for their roles in a police cover-up undertaken to protect two acquaintances from possible gun charges.
Muhammad, 72, of South Holland, faces 18 to 24 months in prison under federal sentencing guidelines and Moore, 49, of Blue Island, faces 12 to 18 months.
Prosecutors have said they would seek a shorter sentence for Moore due to his continued cooperation with the government.
Two other Kellogg relatives, Rommell Kellogg and Corey Johnson, who were separately accused of operating a long-running strip club extortion scheme in the city have pleaded not guilty and their cases are pending.
zkoeske@tribpub.com
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chicagotribune--2020-08-18--Prosecutors charge Elgin man with having sexual contact with a minor younger than 17

Erik M. Valentine , of the 400 block of North Aldine Street , has been charged with six counts of @ @ @ @ @ a class 2 felony , and one county of possession of child pornography , a @ @ @ @ @ news release said .

Erik M. Valentine, of Elgin, has been charged with six counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and one count of possession of child pornography by the Kane County State's Attorney's Office. (Kane County States Attorney / HANDOUT)
A 35-year-old Elgin man has been arrested on charges he had sexual contact with a minor under the age 17, the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office said.
Erik M. Valentine, of the 400 block of North Aldine Street, has been charged with six counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, a class 2 felony, and one county of possession of child pornography, a class 3 felony, a news release said.
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Valentine has been released on $5,000 bond. His next court date is scheduled for Oct. 14, the release said
The case remains under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call the Elgin Police Department at 847-289-2600.