chicagotribune--2020-03-12--Park Ridge coronavirus response: schools closed through March 27; District 64 moves to online learni

Park Ridge coronavirus response: schools closed through March 27; District 64 moves to online learning

“ I ’ m very much concerned about what the next few months will look like for Park Ridge , @ @ @ @ @ I know there are a number of people who think this is much to do @ @ @ @ @ it turns out to be that , I ’ ll be very happy .
But @ @ @ @ @ follow the events and make sure we are in a position to respond , however @ @ @ @ @ ”

Park Ridge schools, the city, library and park district are responding to coronavirus concerns, with some special measures being taken.
Schools
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Park Ridge-Niles School District 64 and Maine Township High School District 207 announced Friday that schools will be closed March 16 - 20 in response to the coronavirus.
No cases of coronavirus have been reported in either district, the schools said.
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In District 64, students will be off March 16 and participate in online “e-learning” March 17-19, Superintendent Eric Olson said in a notice to parents.
There will be no classes on March 20 or the following week due to the already scheduled spring break, the district said.
Beyond the Bell, the before and after school program, will also be canceled, beginning March 16, according to the district.
“The decision to close our buildings to students was a public health precaution in keeping with the recommendations from the CDC, the Illinois Department of Public Health and Governor Pritzker,” Olson said in a notice to parents. “While the governor did not close schools, he advised avoiding large gatherings in an effort to limit the spread of COVID-19.”
The decision to close the schools was made a day after the districts announced that all sporting events and activities held outside of school would be cancelled.
In District 207, there will be no classes held next week or the following week, the district said.
During the week of March 16, “teachers will connect with students on a practice lesson for the purpose of ensuring that we have good e-Learning connections in place and can establish a routine for communication and assignments that would be used if District 207 schools are closed for an extended period of time and e-Learning days are established,” according to a district statement.
Maine East, Maine South, Maine West and Frost Academy will undergo a deep cleaning between March 17 and March 29, District 207 said. The district office at 1177 S. Dee Road in Park Ridge will remain open during this time.
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District 207 is also making arrangements to make sure that students have access to food, Internet, social-emotional support and other resources while the school buildings are closed, the district said. Information can be found on the district’s website.
Preschool classes held at Maine East, Maine South and Maine West will also be cancelled “until further notice,” according to the district.
Oakton Community College
Spring break for Oakton Community College students, which is scheduled to begin March 16, will be extended an extra week, until March 29, the college announced.
Beginning March 30, all credit course lectures will move to an online format, which will last until at least April 24, the college said.
The college will remain open after spring break and “student services including tutoring, advising, library services, computer lab access, etc. will continue to be offered,” a statement from Oakton said.
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All college-sponsored events with more than 50 attendees will be cancelled through April 24.
For more information, visit Oakton’s website.
Park Ridge and Niles-Maine Libraries
The Park Ridge Public Library and Niles-Maine District Library both announced Friday that they will be closing out of caution amid coronavirus concerns.
The Park Ridge Public Library will be closed March 14 - 29, reopening at 9 a.m. on March 30, the library said in a statement.
During the closure, no materials will be accepted for return and all exterior drop boxes will be closed, the library said. Overdue fines will be waived through April 1.
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Updates will be provided on the library’s website, www.parkridgelibrary.org, the library said.
The Niles-Maine District Library will be closed March 15 - 31. The library had planned to offer curbside service to fulfill material holds, but that was scrapped Monday.
The closures came a day after both libraries announced they were cancelling all public programs.
City of Park Ridge
The city of Park Ridge said there will be “no reduction or changes to critical emergency services, water distribution or refuse collection," but residents are being asked to avoid visiting City Hall and conduct all business online at www.parkridge.us or by phone at 847-318-5200.
The city’s website can also be used to apply for building permits and business licenses, and pay water bills, parking tickets, and vehicle stickers, the city said.
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Residents are also encouraged to cancel any home inspections if someone in the home is ill, according to the city, and all non-essential in-person services will be suspended until further notice, including notary services, car seat checks, and building tours.
Some city meetings are still scheduled to be held and the regular Monday meeting of the City Council had been moved to Wednesday, March 18.
Park Ridge Mayor Marty Maloney said last week that he was closely following all information that is coming from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as county and state departments of health, and has been in touch with Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge. Any response by the city will be directed by these sources, he indicated.
“I’m very much concerned about what the next few months will look like for Park Ridge,” Maloney said. “I know there are a number of people who think this is much to do about nothing, and if it turns out to be that, I’ll be very happy. But the city is going to follow the events and make sure we are in a position to respond, however we have to respond.”
Information from the CDC related to coronavirus prevention and how the virus is known to spread has been shared with residents on the city’s website.
Additionally, seniors and residents with special needs who have questions are advised to call the Park Ridge Police Department non-emergency line at 847-318-5252, according to the city.
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Park District
The Park Ridge Park District announced Friday that it is extending the closure of all facilities until March 29, including Beyond the Bell.
“We understand that our facilities are popular over spring break, and we apologize for this inconvenience to our loyal patrons,” the park district said in a statement. “During this closure, our buildings and grounds department, in coordination with our contracted cleaning companies, will be conducting deep cleaning and sanitizing of all public facilities.”
Early voting at Centennial Activity Center, the park district’s center for senior activities, continued as scheduled, the park district said.
The park board of commissioners’ March 19 meeting has been cancelled.
District 207 asks parents to report travel
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This week, parents of students in Maine Township High School District 207 were asked to self-report any travel outside the United States that they or their children have taken or will take in the near future, according to a notice sent to parents.
“This is being done out of an abundance of caution,” the notice says. “However, in the event someone connected to the schools has a confirmed case of coronavirus, it will be important to have this information on hand to share with health officials to help District 207 make the most informed decisions about the status of operating our schools.”
A form to report overseas travel can be found at bit.ly/207selfreport.
Any students or family members who have returned from mainland China or traveled to any countries considered “level 3” for the virus by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are told to self-quarantine for 14 days under federal and state guidelines and contact the Cook County Department of Public Health, District 207 said.
There had been no reports of coronavirus connected to any of the district’s three high schools, the district said.
jjohnson@chicagotribune.com
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Twitter: @Jen_Tribune


chicagotribune--2020-03-13--Ask Amy: Finding the courage to reveal secret of past abuse

Consider this the first test of your marriage .
If you and your fiance tackle this together , you will @ @ @ @ @ other 's assistance when trying to raise the money for your nuptials .
If your @ @ @ @ @ mix , your father may be more inclined to contribute , and if your future @ @ @ @ @ approaching his family , they may pony up .
The best way to do this @ @ @ @ @ person .

Dear Readers: Every year I step away from my daily column to work on other creative projects. I've gathered some topical "Best Of" columns from 10 years ago. Today's compilation deals with problems and complications related to weddings. (Some content has been lightly edited.) I'll be back in two weeks with fresh columns.
Dear Amy: I am a 33-year-old woman who has kept a secret since I was in junior high school.
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A relative who is a few years older than me, "Steve," did some sexually inappropriate things to me. It didn't involve nudity and I'd rather not get into detail, but it was very inappropriate and made me quite uncomfortable.
I never told anyone about this. Our parents were close and I never wanted to cause any hardship between them.
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It has not mattered before because we would see that part of the family so infrequently that I was able to avoid him.
I have mostly forgotten about the incident except for occasional flashbacks that I quickly repress.
We were recently sent a "save the date" announcement for Steve's wedding.
I have no desire to celebrate him in any way, much less be forced to go to his wedding.
My mother takes these occasions very seriously and has not responded well to my initial attempts to tell her that I do not want to attend.
I don't think any excuse (except telling her the truth) will get me out of this and still be in her good graces.
I don't want to tell the truth now because our mothers are very close, and I don't want to upset that relationship.
— Worried
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Dear Worried: If you try hard enough, you can always find a good reason for not revealing the truth -- to protect your mother's relationships, for instance.
Shedding light on this secret might be the best thing for you, and I could well imagine that your mother would want to know (most loyal mothers would).
You should get used to the idea that your mother is going to be upset, regardless of what you choose to do.
You could try to hedge by saying, "Mom, I really don't like 'Steve.' I haven't liked him since we were kids. I don't want to go to his wedding."
That might be enough of an explanation for your mother, but you should ask yourself if this is really right for you.
August 2020
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Dear Amy: I'm getting married in September and have been planning my wedding for quite a while. My mom and I have been paying for everything related to the wedding, and my father and stepmother haven't offered any money.
They've been telling me about financial hardships that they've been having, but I notice they have been buying high-ticket items for their three girls.
How can I ask them to contribute when they claim to have "no money"?
My fiance's family also hasn't offered to contribute.
How do I broach that subject with them -- I know his mom doesn't like me, but I'd appreciate the support.
— Fed Up
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Dear Fed Up: You and your fiance (not you and your mother) should be in charge of paying for and financing your wedding.
Consider this the first test of your marriage. If you and your fiance tackle this together, you will have the benefit of each other's assistance when trying to raise the money for your nuptials. If your mother isn't in the mix, your father may be more inclined to contribute, and if your future husband takes the lead in approaching his family, they may pony up. The best way to do this is respectfully -- and in person.
You should take your discomfort as a sign that you should be judicious and realistic when asking people to open their wallets.
You two should plan only the wedding you know you can afford.
January 2010
Dear Amy: Responding to the question of what to do with your wedding gown (after you've used it), I got married in a Jessica McClintock ensemble of white lace jodhpurs, a black silk jacket and a lace jabot.
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This Halloween for our neighborhood pet costume contest I made my cat, Roscoe, a wedding dress and used my lace jabot as his veil.
Roscoe won best in show!
Ask Amy Daily No-nonsense advice for better living delivered to your inbox every morning. By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our Subscriber Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy >
Of course, my jabot went back in the cedar chest afterward.
— Proud Cat Owner
Dear Proud: And people say that cat owners are a little eccentric! I'm imagining your costumed cat, as well as the next use for your lace jabot.
November 2010
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(You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.)
Copyright 2019 by Amy Dickinson
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency


chicagotribune--2020-03-13--Former SAIC instructor wins ‘Project Runway’: ‘I’m very proud of pulling it together and pulling it

Former SAIC instructor wins ‘Project Runway’: ‘I’m very proud of pulling it together and pulling it off’

Mac took painting and drawing classes at SAIC before joining the fashion program .
He said he has trouble “ @ @ @ @ @ wall or calling them done .
I ’ m very obsessive .
I never seem @ @ @ @ @ the painting , and it makes me kind of crazy .
With fashion , it @ @ @ @ @ where you ’ re taught to draw it .
You have a map for what @ @ @ @ @ and then you make it in the best way possible with all of your skills @ @ @ @ @ great , and it ’ s just ( expletive ) finished .
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ for me .
”

Avant-garde fashion designer Geoffrey Mac was named the winner of “Project Runway” Season 18 on Thursday’s episode, two decades after graduating from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
He beat three other finalists with a 10-look collection inspired by his father’s military service that featured over-sized puffy coats and futuristic evening wear. His prize includes $250,000 from Bluprint; $50,000 from Pilot; a feature in Elle magazine; and a mentorship with the Council of Fashion Designers of America.
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Mac told the Tribune he is trying to figure out what’s next, but he is leaning toward creating a unisex collection that can be worn in any season. He said he is slated to launch a fragrance called “G” around April 1 (“The coronavirus can’t stop that.”).
Clothing designer Geoffrey Mac won the Marshall Field's Distinction in Design competition in September 2002. (Anthony Robert La Penna/For the Tribune)
Mac took painting and drawing classes at SAIC before joining the fashion program. He said he has trouble “putting things up on the wall or calling them done. I’m very obsessive. I never seem to find the end of the painting, and it makes me kind of crazy. With fashion, it’s this beautiful moment where you’re taught to draw it. You have a map for what you’re making, and then you make it in the best way possible with all of your skills, and it turns out great, and it’s just (expletive) finished. It’s a really satisfying art form for me.”
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In his decade in Chicago, Mac said he worked as a host at the now-closed Shelter night club; started a latex company (“we tried to do high-fashion with it and steer clear of the fetish market, but of course, when we were at trade shows selling it, all the fetish boutiques were still buying it”); won the Marshall Field’s Distinction in Design contest in September 2002 and had his line sold at the flagship State Street store; and returned to his alma mater after graduating in 1999 to teach construction and design.
Mac, 42, said he moved from Chicago to New York around 2005 with no plan after a life-changing surfing trip to Costa Rica where a man saved him from drowning. “I decided I wanted to move because my life kind of flashed before my eyes. I was kind of really miserable working so much, doing all-nighters, and trying to pull off lines, and doing everything kind of single-handedly was exhausting.”
He said he auditioned for “Project Runway” a few years after the show premiered in 2004, but didn’t get cast. Mac said the show’s team later tried to get him to sign on, and he finally agreed — despite his social anxiety and fear of cameras — because he wanted to jump start his career.
“I wish I had stayed calmer (during the competition), but that’s sort of not in my nature under those circumstances and the pressure. This was everything for me to kind of showcase who I am as a designer. I’m really obsessive. I’m really into my work. I get really emotional and emotionally attached to it and hard on myself. It was a lot for me, and I’m very proud of pulling it together and pulling it off because it’s all of my fears all wrapped up in one,” Mac said.
tswartz@tribpub.com


chicagotribune--2020-03-13--Chicago-area election judges dropping out, polling places closing amid coronavirus fears

“ I think it ’ s fair to say that the events of the last week — including the World @ @ @ @ @ — are going to affect turnout negatively , ” Allen said .
“ I don @ @ @ @ @ a surge in early voting because people want to see our fancy new envelope .
@

City and suburban election officials are scrambling to find new election judges and polling places after they opted out of Tuesday’s election amid fears about the spread of the new coronavirus.
The hunt for replacements unfolded Friday afternoon as Chicago election commissioners won a court order to keep early voting sites open on Tuesday if needed. The sites have an ability to handle multiple ballots from different precincts.
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It was a rare spot of good news for voters, however. About 850 election judges told Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough’s office they would not show up — more than 10% of those had signed up for the job, spokesman James Scalzitti said Friday.
“There’s always going to be election judges who don’t show up on Election Day,” Scalzitti said. “But we’ve never had anything like this before. We’ve never had so many people cancel days before an election.”
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Many election judges are retired seniors, a group of people who are among the most vulnerable to COVID-19. To that end, Scalzitti said his office was conducting two additional training classes for election judges on Friday, after using social media to seek more of them. That effort targeted 18- to 24-year-olds. The lure: a $200 stipend.
And if that doesn’t bring enough new judges into the fold, Yarbrough is planning to shift some of the office’s 140 election technicians — who had been slated to field phone calls from voters and polling places having problems — to polling places.
An election judge stacks wristbands for voters at a polling site in Chicago on Election Day, April 2, 2019. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)
Chicago Board of Election Commissioners spokesman Jim Allen said there is great concern over getting enough Election Day judges, and the board continues to look for more, while providing any new ones with last-minute, online training.
“We have concerns that some of them won’t call,” said Allen, who did not have a number of those who called off in the city. “They simply won’t show.”
In DuPage County, election judge pay was boosted to $200 a day from $130 to attract additional judges. The hourly rate for judges who don’t work all day was being increased to $15 an hour from $10. Applications are being accepted here.
Election officials also are rushing to find new polling places amid fallout from virus fears.
In Chicago, more than 100 out of 1,400 polling places have dropped out, mostly in nursing homes, senior centers, private businesses and apartment buildings, Allen said.
On Friday afternoon, the downtown Aqua building was off the list after a case of COVID-19 was reported, Allen said. That also may knock out another nearby site, because it’s linked to Aqua by a pedway, he added.
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Elections officials are working with Mayor Lori Lightfoot and other city officials to replace those polling places with government building locations. Chicago voters also can check their polling place.
In suburban Cook County, nearly 100 of the 999 polling places that were originally scheduled to open have backed out. In many cases, voters from the affected precincts will have to go to their nearest courthouse to vote — with locations in Skokie, Rolling Meadows, Maywood, Bridgeview and Markham, Scalzitti said.
Updated information for suburban Cook County voters was posted on the clerk’s website.
Scalzitti said early voting hours will be extended on Saturday and Sunday, with polls open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., instead of closing at 5 p.m.
Most early voting locations still are scheduled to close at 5 p.m. on Monday, however. Exceptions include the so-called super site at 69 W. Washington St. in the Loop, and some locations in Arlington Heights, Calumet City, Cicero, Evanston and Oak Lawn that will stay open until 7 p.m.
Meanwhile, instead of holding special early voting at 113 suburban Cook nursing homes on Friday, the county offered mail-in ballots to residents at those locations.
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In DuPage County, 14 polling places were being relocated to the County Fairgrounds, at 2015 Manchester Road in Wheaton. And places with vulnerable populations, like residents of long-term and senior living facilities, were being provided mail-in ballots.
The central early voting place at the County Building at 421 N. County Farm Road in Wheaton is scheduled to stay open until 8 p.m. Friday through Monday. DuPage voters were being encouraged to check the county’s website regularly for updates.
Will County officials, meanwhile, were expanding early voting hours at six locations, while six polling places have changed.
Meanwhile, the online mail-in ballot application deadline was extended by seven hours until midnight Thursday, and many folks took advantage of that, Allen said. In all, the Chicago elections agency received 117,813 mail-in ballot applications — a new record that is more than three times the number from the 2016 presidential primary.
As of late Friday, 110,000 people had voted early in the city, which is about 5% ahead of the primary four years ago.
In suburban Cook, about 115,000 residents had voted early by Saturday morning, topping the record for a presidential primary. Another 8,472 mail-in ballots had been returned by Friday. A total of 31,409 were cast in the 2016 primary.
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Still, Allen expected voter turnout to be down overall.
“I think it’s fair to say that the events of the last week — including the World Health Organization declaring a pandemic — are going to affect turnout negatively,” Allen said. “I don’t think we see a surge in early voting because people want to see our fancy new envelope.”
Chicago Tribune’s Rosemary Sobol contributed.
hdardick@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @ReporterHal


chicagotribune--2020-03-13--Illinois guard Ayo Dosunmu has a big decision to make about the NBA. His dad says the abrupt end to

Illinois guard Ayo Dosunmu has a big decision to make about the NBA. His dad says the abrupt end to the season won’t play a factor.

“ Last year he did not pass the eye test with me , ” Quam Dosunmu said .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ ready .
You look at him now , from last year to this year , @ @ @ @ @ defense and offense and he was still striving and not missing a beat .

Leading up to Illinois’ anticipated postseason, Ayo Dosunmu felt he was on the verge of something special.
“He was upbeat,” his father, Quam, told the Tribune on Friday. “He was like, ‘The world is about to see who I am.’ He was building up for this. He was really confident.”
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Instead, Dosunmu’s season ended prematurely, along with other college basketball players, after the Big Ten and NCAA canceled postseason tournaments Thursday amid concerns about the spread of the coronavirus.
Was it also the end of his Illini career?
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Illinois fans have speculated whether the enigmatic guard would leave for the NBA after his sophomore season.
"Everything is at a standstill,” Quam Dosunmu said. But he noted his son has little left to prove at Illinois. Missing a chance to compete in the NCAA Tournament won’t sway his son’s decision, he said.
“We set out and did what we wanted to do,” he said. “We accomplished all the goals we wanted to.”
Ayo Dosunmu drives towards the basket during the first half against Northwestern on Feb. 27, 2020. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)
After toying with the idea of leaving after his freshman season, Dosunmu returned, announcing he had “unfinished business.” He mentioned the possibility of playing only one season when he committed to Illinois as a senior at Morgan Park.
Dosunmu wanted to come back stronger, qualify for the NCAA Tournament, be named first-team All-Big Ten, see more Chicago recruits follow in his footsteps and lead Illinois to more victories.
The Illini finished just one game out of first place in the Big Ten, shy of another goal Dosunmu had set. He was named first-team all-conference by the media. He also improved his midrange game.
Averaging 16.6 points and shooting 48.4%, he stood out throughout the season with clutch performances. After finishing 12-21 overall and 7-13 in the Big Ten in 2018-19, the Illini went 21-10 overall with a 13-7 conference mark this season.
“Last year he did not pass the eye test with me,” Quam Dosunmu said. “I knew he wasn’t ready. You look at him now, from last year to this year, (Illinois) changed its defense and offense and he was still striving and not missing a beat.
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“He’s older, he’s stronger and mature. He accomplished a lot of goals that he set. We’ll just wait and go through the process like everyone else.”
Illinois has canceled all spring practices. The NBA season is on hold, and potential draftees will need to wait to see what’s in store for the combine and how teams handle individual workouts.
Dosunmu will be working out with his dad in Chicago as the university has moved all classes to online formats for several weeks and the Big Ten has placed a moratorium on organized team activities, such as practicing, until April 6.
“The goal now is to not get out of shape,” Quam Dosunmu said.
Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 12 A security guard stands by as a closed curtain which keeps people off the court after the men's Big 10 basketball tournament was cancelled on day 2 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on March 12, 2020. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)
Coach Brad Underwood told reporters in Champaign: “We’ll see what his future holds. We’ll be there to support him in every way we can.”
Processing Thursday’s shocking end to a special season was difficult for Dosunmu, like most players. In a group chat with his family, he texted a disappointed-face emoji.
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“When he got that (news), it was a roller-coaster ride,” Quam Dosunmu said. “The good thing is, he’s not in a boat by himself. This is all hoopers, all athletes, all sports.”
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Dosunmu became an Illini legend with decisive baskets against Wisconsin, Northwestern, Michigan, Indiana and Iowa.
He missed one game this season — Feb. 15 at Rutgers after injuring his leg at the end of the previous game against Michigan State. He returned and scored 24 points against Penn State on the road to help Illinois end a four-game skid.
Dosunmu’s importance to Illinois is both symbolic and statistical. Fans were as excited as he was about what he might accomplish during March Madness. They would love to see what he could accomplish as a junior, of course.
“You’re talking about a young man getting ready to perform on the stage he loved the most: That’s the big stage,” Underwood said. “My love for Ayo runs beyond what anyone would even imagine.
“We had a common link and wanted to see this thing grow. His pride is second to none. I have not been around a player as committed to success and work as Ayo is. That has helped get us to this point.”
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After Illinois beat Iowa 78-76 on Sunday in the regular-season finale, Dosunmu remained on the State Farm Center court longer than any teammate, soaking in the cheers from fans. The Hawkeyes were the only team Illinois had not beaten since he arrived on campus.
“He said, ‘I’m not going out and having that on my resume that I lost to Iowa,’ ” his dad said. “I feel great about all the accomplishments. He checked all the boxes.”


chicagotribune--2020-03-13--'It’s a unique time for all of us’: With baseball on pause, GM Rick Hahn keeps a long-range view for

'It’s a unique time for all of us’: With baseball on pause, GM Rick Hahn keeps a long-range view for the White Sox

“ We hope to be back playing games soon , ” Hahn said .
`` We ’ re going to @ @ @ @ @ only about the possibilities of what lies ahead for 2020 but certainly beyond that .
@ @ @ @ @ another side of this at some point , we know we ’ ll be playing @ @ @ @ @ know it ’ s going to be an exciting era for White Sox baseball in @ @ @ @

PHOENIX — Part of the preparation for what could be a promising season for the White Sox are on pause.
But general manager Rick Hahn is looking at the larger picture in the aftermath of Major League Baseball’s decision to suspend spring training games and delay opening day because of the coronavirus pandemic.
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“None of us are focused right now on any selfish interests or what may be lost in terms of opportunity,” Hahn said Friday during a conference call. “Instead, we’re focused on providing whatever physical and emotional support is needed for players or staff to get through a difficult time beyond the world of baseball."
The Sox were off Thursday, the day the news broke. Hahn and executive vice president Ken Williams met with the players Friday morning to discuss MLB’s decision, which will delay the season opener by at least two weeks.
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“We hope to be back playing games soon,” Hahn said. "We’re going to still remain very optimistic not only about the possibilities of what lies ahead for 2020 but certainly beyond that. We know there’s another side of this at some point, we know we’ll be playing baseball games again and we know it’s going to be an exciting era for White Sox baseball in the not-too-distant future.
“It makes sense for the greater good of society to delay that for a period of time. We understand that. We know where we fit in and we look forward to, when the time is right, bringing a great deal of happiness to people who need this.”
Hahn spoke with reporters hours before MLB announced the suspension of spring training camps. Players can return home, remain in their spring training cities or return to their club’s home city.
“It’s a unique time for all of us,” Hahn said. "Traditionally we’ve all viewed sports, and certainly from my perspective, baseball, as important distractions from the real world for people. Unfortunately at this point, it’s obvious that we are not immune from this as an industry.
“We are very supportive of the decision made by Major League Baseball when you are talking about the interest of the health and safety of fans and players, staff and everyone in the community. You really have no choice. We continue to monitor this situation closely."
Hahn said the timeline for the season opener will be dependent on how long the hiatus is.
“If, for example, there’s only a modest couple weeks away, certainly we’ve played a decent amount of (spring training) games,” Hahn said. “We got guys with their legs under them. We’ve got guys who are built to a certain level, and it’s a matter of maintaining that and then building off that. So it won’t be extremely long period of games at that point.
"Now if things change and for whatever reason people return home and we pick up again at a later date, it’s really going to be a function of how long that hiatus is.”
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In the meantime, the Sox are also holding off on making roster moves.
“I suspect that will continue at least through the weekend and then the early part of next week,” Hahn said.
"We’ve essentially pushed the pause button on the business side of things, and it’s just a matter of providing the treatment and support that the players need to maintain their current condition and hopefully soon progress toward opening day.”
Scott Reifert, the Sox senior vice president of communications, said ticket information could come next week.
“What we’re asking fans to do is to be patient and understanding of the situation,” Reifert said. “Fans should sit tight for now, and we will reach out to them directly as well as through the media to let them know procedures as we move forward.”


chicagotribune--2020-03-13--Louis A. Weiss Memorial Hospital and West Suburban Center lay off 52 workers, citing lack of state M

Louis A. Weiss Memorial Hospital and West Suburban Center lay off 52 workers, citing lack of state Medicaid funding

“ These reductions were necessitated by the state being months behind in paying the $ 15 million in Medicaid funding @ @ @ @ @ West Suburban Hospitals , '' Lehner said in a statement .
`` The state ’ @ @ @ @ @ serving large volumes of Medicaid patients on a timely and adequate basis is severely straining @ @ @ @ @ time we need their support most .
”

Pipeline Health, which owns Louis A. Weiss Memorial Hospital and West Suburban Hospital, laid off 52 workers at those facilities earlier this month, citing a lack of state funding. (Steve Schering / Pioneer Press)
Pipeline Health, which owns Louis A. Weiss Memorial Hospital and West Suburban Medical Center, laid off 52 workers at those facilities earlier this month, citing a lack of state funding.
The workers let go were administrative staff who worked in secretarial, clerical, marketing and other positions. Clinical staff like nurses and doctors were not affected, Pipeline spokesman Matt Lehner said. The last day those employees worked was March 6.
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Thirty-two of the laid off employees worked for West Suburban. The other 20 worked for Weiss.
“These reductions were necessitated by the state being months behind in paying the $15 million in Medicaid funding owed to the Weiss and West Suburban Hospitals," Lehner said in a statement. "The state’s failure to pay hospitals serving large volumes of Medicaid patients on a timely and adequate basis is severely straining our hospitals at exactly the time we need their support most.”
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Lehner said the hospitals are prepared to care for patients, including those who present COVID-19 symptoms.
But state politicians decried Pipeline’s decision to make the cuts as concerns about the virus were ramping up, and a few are calling on Pipeline to rehire those workers.
State Sen. Sara Feigenholtz, D-North Side, said the hospital provides crucial services for those with Medicaid, and that the hospital system should not be making cuts during a pandemic.
“This is a time when we need to show support for front line and all hospital staff. We should not be cutting, we should be adding (jobs),” Feigenholtz said.
Feigenhotlz acknowledged the state owes Pipeline, and said she and other politicians are scheduling meetings with the hospital’s management to prevent further layoffs.
Los Angeles-based Pipeline Health bought Westlake Hospital, West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park and Louis A. Weiss Memorial Hospital in Chicago for $70 million in January 2019 from Tenet Healthcare.
The health system pledged to save those hospitals at the time, but Pipeline said financial losses from Westlake Hospital threatened to drag down the other two facilities.
Last year, the state approved an application by Pipeline to close Westlake Hospital, a 230-bed hospital in Melrose Park that serves low-income and minority patients. Westlake filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware in August.
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abjimenez@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @abdel1019


chicagotribune--2020-03-13--Morton Grove ‘Taste’ went on, other activities closing

“ We have asked students to let us know if they need a wifi hotspot at home .
For those @ @ @ @ @ they need a hotspot , we will notify them via a text and email with @ @ @ @ @ one up once we receive them .
”

A closure of all schools, a suspension of recreational activities and continuation of village services – albeit at a distance – was the fallout for Morton Grove Friday as a result of the spread of the coronavirus.
District 219 – Niles West and Niles North High Schools
The area’s high schools were the centerpiece of a conference call of all 11 Niles Township area school superintendents Thursday night with agreement to close all schools for the next two weeks. That was reached well before Gov. Pritzker made the call to close schools.
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That time frame would postpone one week of classes, then take advantage of spring break from March 23 to 27. A March 30 re-opening was projected, but that was subject to the rapid march of events that seemed to change hourly.
With 2,400 students, Niles West serves the majority of Morton Grove and all of Lincolnwood. Students in a small section on the north end of Morton Grove attend Niles North. All will have a chance to participate in on-line educational programs starting on Tuesday (March 17).
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“We are also asking them to take any personal belongings home with them today,” District 219 Supt. Steven Isoye wrote in a letter to parents. "If students need a Chromebook, they should come to the Help Desk with their ID today.”
Any absent students can come to the schools between 8 a.m. and noon on Monday to pick up a Chromebook.
“We have asked students to let us know if they need a wifi hotspot at home. For those students who have told us they need a hotspot, we will notify them via a text and email with information on how to pick one up once we receive them.”
Teachers and support staff will be in school buildings on Monday to coordinate the e-learning program. A regularly-scheduled District 219 board meeting also will be held Monday with the public admitted. But after that day, only designated school employees will be allowed on school grounds as a thorough disinfecting is performed.
Isoye said the district will be in communication with the College Board regarding plans both for the AP and SAT testing as they are affected by virus developments, and pass the information on to families.
District 219 is also trying to coordinate assistance for students needing help with the unexpected vacation.
“We have been working with a few different agencies,” said district spokesman Jim Szczepaniak. “The Niles Township Food Pantry was concerned about students who depend on (discounted or free) lunches. That may be an alternative.”
Districts 67, 69 and 70
Hynes Elementary School and Golf Junior High School (District 67); Madison and Edison schools and Lincoln Junior High School (District 69) and Park View School (District 70) all expect to offer e-learning programs for the week starting March 16.
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In District 70, students in grades 3 through 8 were asked to bring home their electronic devices to aid in the e-learning program. The online lessons are non-graded programs.
District 69 will make up four class days, with next Friday a non-attendance day. Tentative final day of school is now June 10. District 70 will make up five days with a projected final day of June 15. No information was available about District 67’s makeup days.
Canceled programming
With COVID-19 perceived to hit hardest against those 65 and older, all senior programming offered by Mather at the Morton Grove Civic Center, 6140 Dempster, was suspended until further notice.
This decision follows the advice of Mather, the Evanston-based programming agency for seniors, and mirrors actions taken this week by the City of Chicago, Northshore Senior Center, Niles Senior Center and the City of Highland Park.
“This action is precautionary and consistent with recommendations from the CDC, IDPH, the Cook County Department of Public Health and Mather,” said Morton Grove Mayor Dan DiMaria. “The overall risk to residents in Morton Grove remains low at this time. This action is intended to decrease the risk of exposure to our valued senior population.”
Meanwhile, the Park District will suspend all events and programs while closing all facilities through March 30 with two exceptions – polling places for the March 17 primary election and the park board meeting Wednesday at Prairie View Community Center.
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Despite the suspension of senior programming, the Civic Center – also used as a polling place -- will remain open during the crisis. Village Administrator Ralph Czerwinski said visitors will be restricted to “certain areas…it will be a controlled environment.”
Library to shut down
As with other area municipal libraries, the Morton Grove Public Library, 6140 Lincoln Ave., will close Saturday through at least the next few weeks, corresponding to school closings.
Library directors did not want students on their extra breaks or others to congregate in large numbers at their facilities amid worries of a highly-communicable virus.
“We’re in uncharted territory,” said Morton Grove Library Director Pam Leffler. “We’d love to stay open, and it was difficult to make the decision to close.”
However, library services will continue online and literally outside the building.
Library staff will continue answering questions via phone, email, and online chat (the Chat With Us at the bottom of all website pages). The outdoor book drop will remain open to return materials. But patrons are welcome to hold onto their items for the time being since the library has automatic renewals and does not have overdue fines.
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The Library's free wi-fi will remain on and accessible from outside the building if internet access is needed.
Village services
Czerwinski said the Morton Grove village hall will stay open, but with a caveat -- increasing the distance between customers paying bills and obtaining licenses, and village employees. The medically-recommended six feet of “social distancing” is what officials hope to achieve by next week with more limited areas accessible to the public.
Social distancing also will be the goal for the regular Village Board meeting on March 23, which will be open to the public. A Plan Commission meeting also will be held as scheduled Monday, but an Advisory Commission meeting was canceled.
A municipal court session scheduled for Wednesday, in which the majority of cases involved accusations of failure to purchase village vehicle stickers, will be postponed about one month, Czerwinski said.
Caution in emergency services
As with other neighboring communities, Morton Grove emergency responders will exercise caution if they answer a call of a suspected COVID-19 case.
“We have three on the engine company and two on the ambulance,” Czerwinski, a former Skokie fire department official, said of the usual complement on emergency calls. “Here, we’ll send in two individuals instead of all five (as the call is evaluated). We’ll handle it with a little more caution to have the least impact on our personnel.”
Taste of Morton Grove went on as scheduled
Czerwinski could have postponed the popular annual Taste of Morton Grove Thursday night at the White Eagle Banquet Hall in Niles, in light of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s ban on gatherings of more than 1,000.
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But Czerwinski said precautions were taken to bar any obviously ill people and provide extra hand sanitizers. Also, organizers would have had difficulty contacting attendees with any last-minute event cancellation.
The virus scare did put a damper on the crowd count. Usually the Taste draws around 600. But Czerwinski said just 450 showed up.


chicagotribune--2020-03-13--Oak Park, River Forest schools to close, shift to e-learning as coronavirus spreads

“ The decision to institute at-home e-learning was difficult as we realize the significant impact on our students , families @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ However , the health and safety of our students and staff are @ @ @ @ @ We currently have no indication of the coronavirus in our schools , but are initiating @ @ @ @ @ an abundance of caution .
”

In response to the spread of the coronavirus, Oak Park and River Forest High School administrators announced the school would be closed March 13 and students would shift to e-learning courses beginning March 16. (Steve Schering / Pioneer Press)
In response to the spread of the coronavirus, public and private schools in Oak Park and River Forest announced their campuses would close and students would take classes online beginning next week.
Oak Park and River Forest High School
Late Thursday night, Oak Park and River Forest High School announced student classes were canceled for March 13. Administrators and staff, however, are in attendance to prepare for e-learning days, which will take place March 16-20.
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“Students will not physically come to school, but these will be attendance days where they will have coursework and assignments,” superintendent Joylynn Pruitt-Adams said.
OPRF’s spring break is scheduled for March 23-27.
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“The decision to institute at-home e-learning was difficult as we realize the significant impact on our students, families and staff,” Pruitt-Adams said. “However, the health and safety of our students and staff are our number one priority. We currently have no indication of the coronavirus in our schools, but are initiating our e-learning plan out of an abundance of caution.”
On Thursday, Gov. J.B. Pritzker ordered the cancellation of all public events in Illinois with more than 1,000 people for 30 days and urged organizers to call off private and public gatherings of more than 250 people in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The move comes as officials announced seven more cases of COVID-19, bringing the state’s total to 32.
Oak Park School District 97
Oak Park District 97 also closed its school buildings Friday in preparation for remote learning options.
“As of March 12, we do not have any confirmed COVID-19 cases in Oak Park, and local health officials have indicated that the risk for the majority of the U.S. population, including our community, remains low,” superintendent Carol Kelley said. “As community leaders, we believe we have a responsibility to help maintain that low risk status.”
In response to the spread of the coronavirus, Oak Park District 97 administrators announced classes are canceled March 13 and students would begin e-learning courses beginning March 16. (Steve Schering / Pioneer Press)
District 97 will also be using Friday as a planning day for its staff.
Kelley said e-learning courses will begin March 16, and the district is currently planning to resume normal school operations on March 30.
“This is a rapidly-evolving situation and we will keep you informed if our plans change,” Kelley said.
District 97 students will also be on spring beak from March 23-27. Kelley said students and staff will not be expected to participate in remote learning during that week.
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OPRF High School and District 97 students and families will be allowed inside school buildings from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday to pick up any essential items, books and valuables, administrators said.
River Forest School District 90
Students in River Forest District 90 schools are in class Friday to receive their iPads and undergo training about e-learning.
Superintendent Ed Condon said classes would be canceled March 16, however, e-learning would begin the following day.
In response to the spread of the coronavirus, River Forest District 90 announced classes would be canceled March 16 and e-learning courses would begin the following day. Administrators said its school buildings would be closed through at least March 30. (River Forest District 90 )
“Students will be leaving school [Friday] with sufficient independent reading material for the coming week,” Condon said. “[School is in session Friday] to ensure that students have the books and necessary materials for us to conduct our e-learning plan in a robust manner.”
At this time, District 90 schools are expected to remain closed through March 30. District 90’s spring break will also take place March 23-27.
“The goal of informing parents about the closure beginning on Monday is to provide time for families to make advance plans for the length of the school closure that will be implemented in the coming week,” Condon said. “[The closure] is out of an abundance of caution and in response to the social distancing guidance recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”
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Trinity High School
Trinity High School in River Forest announced it will close at 3:07 p.m. Friday. In addition, Trinity’s dance concert set for Friday night and mother/daughter brunch scheduled for Sunday have also been canceled.
Fenwick High School
On Friday, teachers at Fenwick High School in Oak Park were instructed to have conversations with students to determine the essential texts needed in the event the school focuses on digital learning.
Fenwick is currently scheduled to have a faculty professional development day on March 16 and classes are still scheduled to take place March 17, however, officials are bracing for possible changes.
“On Monday, we will also discuss what we plan to do regarding school,” Fenwick principal Peter Groom said. “Between now and then, there will be a lot of information that comes out. We will not make a decision about school on Tuesday until Monday.”
For the weekend through Monday, Fenwick has canceled all athletic events and extracurricular activities.
sschering@pioneerlocal.com
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Twitter: @steveschering


chicagotribune--2020-03-11--Lori Loughlin, Mossimo Giannulli lawyer is prosecutors’ ‘worst nightmare’

But Loughlin and Giannulli say they believed the checks they wrote were legitimate donations that would support Singer ’ s @ @ @ @ @ USC as a fundraising gift .
Their lawyers have accused prosecutors of withholding information that @ @ @ @ @ claims of innocence , including notes from Singer 's iPhone in which he says the @ @ @ @ @ and say that he told parents that the payments were bribes .

After winning guilty verdicts against top Enron executives in one of the most high-profile cases of corporate fraud, the lead prosecutor declared: “No matter how rich and powerful you are, you have to play by the rules.”
More than a decade later, that same lawyer, Sean Berkowitz, is fighting to clear “Full House" star Lori Loughlin and her fashion designer husband, Mossimo Giannulli, of charges that they used their wealth and privilege to skirt the rules in the college admissions process.
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And he will be a formidable foe for prosecutors looking to put the famous couple behind bars, former colleagues say.
“Sean is a prosecutor's worst nightmare," said Jeffrey Cramer, who was in the U.S. attorney's office with him in Chicago. “If Sean has anything to work with at trial, he can show reasonable doubt."
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Berkowitz and the couple's other high-powered attorneys are hoping to help Loughlin and Giannulli avoid the same fate as other prominent parents who've landed in prison for participating in a college admissions cheating scheme that has rocked the world of higher education.
A Chicago-area native who led the special Justice Department task force that investigated the Enron scandal, Berkowitz has a reputation for being fearless yet cool-headed and a master at navigating complex cases. Lawyers who've worked with him say he's meticulous and unflappable with a Midwestern charm that makes him persuasive to juries.
“He’s very comfortable in the courtroom," said David Hoffman, who worked as a federal prosecutor alongside him and remains a close friend.
“He's very genuine, he's very relaxed ... and that I think comes across to everyone who's with him," said Hoffman, now a white collar lawyer in Chicago.
Berkowitz, 52, now a partner at Latham & Watkins in Chicago, declined to be interviewed by The Associated Press.
Loughlin and Giannulli hired him quickly after they were arrested last March on charges that they paid $500,000 to get their daughters into the University of Southern California as fake crew recruits.
Other prominent attorneys on their defense team include BJ Trach, also at Latham & Watkins, who previously worked as a federal prosecutor in Boston and now has other big-name clients such as General Electric and tobacco giant Philip Morris. Trach, 42, is known as a savvy young lawyer who's friendly with the prosecutors at the Boston courthouse, where Loughlin and Giannulli are scheduled to stand trial alongside six other parents in October.
The defense team has their work cut out for them.
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Nearly two dozen other parents, including fellow actress Felicity Huffman, have already admitted to paying bribes in the scheme, and several have been sentenced to prison.
Prosecutors have emails and recorded phone calls between Loughlin and Giannulli and the admitted mastermind of the bribery scheme, Rick Singer. Documents that prosecutors have revealed include a bogus resume presented to USC that falsely claims their younger daughter, Olivia Jade, rowed in such prestigious competitions as the Head of the Charles. Singer and the former coach authorities say Singer paid to create the fake athletic profile for Olivia Jade are cooperating with investigators and will likely testify against the couple at trial.
Lori Loughlin, left, arrives at federal court in Boston with her attorney Sean Berkowitz to face charges in a nationwide college admissions bribery scandal April 3, 2019. Berkowitz, a former federal prosecutor, has a reputation for being fearless, yet cool-headed and a master at navigating complex cases. (Steven Senne/AP)
But Loughlin and Giannulli say they believed the checks they wrote were legitimate donations that would support Singer’s charity or go directly to USC as a fundraising gift. Their lawyers have accused prosecutors of withholding information that could support the couple's claims of innocence, including notes from Singer's iPhone in which he says the FBI told him to lie and say that he told parents that the payments were bribes.
Berkowitz says that information is exonerating, and Cramer said the defense attorney is an expert at turning any problem with a case into a big advantage.
“With every case there are problems, and this case is no exception," said Cramer, now executive director of the Berkeley Research Group consulting firm. “And if there are problems in a case, and you have a defense lawyer who is as good as Sean, those little gaps in cases sometimes can become big holes for you to run through.”
Federal prosecutors say calling the payments donations instead of bribes doesn't make them legal.
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Outside the courtroom, Berkowitz is an avid runner who used to be a part owner of a now-shuttered rock club on Chicago's northwest side. He's married to journalist Bethany McLean, who co-authored "The Smartest Guys in the Room," about Enron's corruption and downfall.
Berkowitz was tapped in 2005 to be director of the Enron Task Force and was the lead prosecutor in the trial against founder Kenneth Lay and former chief executive Jeffrey Skilling for actions that led to the energy company's extraordinary meltdown.
His prosecuting partner at the Enron trial, John Hueston, is now defending another high-profile parent in the college admissions case: William McGlashan, who co-founded an investment fund with U2 Singer Bono. McGlashan denies participating in the scheme and is scheduled to go on trial in January.
During the monthslong trial in Houston, Berkowitz impressed even his adversaries with his ability to present the complicated case in a way jurors could grasp.
"He was remarkable in his ability to maintain a simple message for the jury,” said Chip Lewis, one of the attorneys for Lay. “It would have been very easy to lose the jury in all those details.”
In his final pitch to jurors, Berkowitz showed them a poster with the words “Truth” and “Lies” written in black and white. “You get to decide whether they told the truth, or they told lies," he said.
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“Don’t go back and let the defendants, with their high-paid experts and their lawyers, buy their way out of this,” he told them. "You can’t buy justice. You have to earn it.”


chicagotribune--2020-03-11--On ‘The Bachelor’ finale, Peter Weber’s mother crashes the party

She confronted Weber , and questioned why he proposed to her in the first place .
She called him `` @ @ @ @ @ she had consistently been the support system in the relationship .
`` When I said @ @ @ @ @ said yes to a partnership and being teammates , '' Sluss told him .
`` @ @ @ @ @ give me that love in return , that 's not a relationship . ''

According to Chris Harrison, nobody knew how bachelor Peter Weber’s journey ended. Not even Weber (or producers, or his contestants, or Reality Steve, for that matter). But on the latter half of the two-night finale, audiences were finally clued in when the saga ended with a proposal -- and then some.
The evening started with a live studio audience, but quickly transitioned to Weber in Australia. After declaring that he was "100 percent certain" about Hannah Ann Sluss and their future, he picked out a ring, called her father for his blessing, and prepared to propose.
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Meanwhile, Sluss considered her own hesitations privately. "I want someone to be sure of me and it doesn't seem like he's there," she confessed. In fact, she was so hesitant, production sent Harrison to relay the news to Weber: "I hate to darken the mood… To be honest, I'm not positive she's coming."
Despite the scare, the two finally reunited for Weber to confess his love. "You're thoughtful, you're caring, you're selfless, you're passionate and beyond all else, you're one of a kind," he told her. "And my heart chooses you forever." The first-impression rose winner ultimately walked away with an engagement.
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But with the heartfelt moment came a warning from Harrison, who assured viewers that the story wasn't done.
Weber was able to share the news with his family, who was overwhelmed with joy. Sluss, who was the obvious favorite of his final two, received their stamp of approval. Despite their endorsement, Weber seemed less than enthusiastic during his and Sluss's in-person reunion that followed.
[ Barbara Figarola Weber, mom of ‘Bachelor’ star Peter Weber, was a Chicago pageant queen in the ’70s ]
She confronted Weber, and questioned why he proposed to her in the first place. She called him "selfish" and argued that she had consistently been the support system in the relationship. "When I said yes to you, I said yes to a partnership and being teammates," Sluss told him. "But if you can't give me that love in return, that's not a relationship."
The two continued their emotional exchange (while Weber's mother's live reactions were simultaneously broadcasted), that led to their decision to separate. Sluss's declaration of their breakup was met with claps from Weber's mother.
While their split had happened weeks prior, the evening continued with the former couple's onstage reunion. Sluss was prepared, delivering direct commentary on what went wrong in their relationship. She took the opportunity to question why he hadn't given her the "full truth" about runner-up Madison Prewett, and explained how his lack of communication led to their blindsiding breakup. "Words are powerful, Peter," she said.
During her statements, she also revealed that Weber had reached out to former bachelorette Hannah Brown for "closure" in their relationship. She finished: "If you want to be with a woman, you have to become a real man."
After wrapping up the hot seat with Sluss, Harrison told Weber that he visited Auburn, Alabama to pay a visit to Prewett. During their sit-down, he recounted the last few weeks, before whisking her off to California to see Weber face-to-face. His parents continued to show distaste for the situation, regularly rolling their eyes during the live portion.
Prewett and Weber met in California and talked through their past before reuniting on stage. While the two made their future plans unclear, Weber's mother was very precise with her thoughts on the situation.
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"We did not have that connection with Madison," she told the audience. She recounted their meeting in Australia - she shared that they waited for hours, never received an apology and that Prewett rejected their family. "How do you expect a mother - who loves her son with all of her heart - to take that? As a mother, that wasn't what we were expecting."
She continued to passionately reject their relationship. "She's going to have to fail to succeed." The meeting was tense, with multiple attacks led by the family.
The audience ultimately rallied around Prewett, booing Weber's mother fights with her son. Prewett accepted the criticism with grace and focused on moving forward with Weber, marking the end of his season.
While one season ended, another prepared to begin: Harrison’s last act of the night was to bring next season’s bachelorette, Clare Crawley, to the stage. Her Bachelor nation highlight reel ran, with her reflecting on the past and looking forward to her future. “I don’t want to give up - it’s worth it.”


chicagotribune--2020-03-10--David Bote isn’t taking his status with the Cubs for granted — and he’s working all the angles to se

David Bote isn’t taking his status with the Cubs for granted — and he’s working all the angles to secure a roster spot

“ Anything I can do to help the team win , whether it ’ s bouncing around or staying in @ @ @ @ @ Bote said .
“ I have things I like to do and things I can @ @ @ @ @ win .
( Manager ) David Ross has decisions to make for the best of @ @ @ @ @ and he ’ s very qualified to do so .
He doesn ’ t need @ @ @ @

MESA, Ariz. — Two seasons after building a cult following based on his dramatic hits, David Bote isn’t taking his status for granted as he battles for a spot on the opening-day Cubs roster.
“Anything I can do to help the team win, whether it’s bouncing around or staying in the same spot,” Bote said. “I have things I like to do and things I can do to help the team win. (Manager) David Ross has decisions to make for the best of this team going forward, and he’s very qualified to do so. He doesn’t need my qualification.”
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The competition at second base is so thick that Bote recently has played more at third base, auditioning as a potential fill-in when Kris Bryant shifts to the outfield. Bote didn’t disappoint Friday. He made a diving, backhanded stop to rob White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson of a hit.
One of Bote’s biggest challenges could occur in the final two weeks of spring training. Bench coach Andy Green said Ross might play Bote at shortstop for a few games to see if he can back up Javier Baez.
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Nico Hoerner is the team’s best backup shortstop option, but Hoerner, 22, might need more minor-league seasoning after skipping Triple A to fill in for the injured Baez in the final three weeks of the 2019 season.
“(Bote) has got plenty of arm strength for that spot,” Green said Sunday. “Ross intends to get him over there these last couple of weeks, just depending on roster construction.
“If Nico is on the club, then Nico obviously becomes the backup shortstop. If something happens and he’s not, then Rossy wants to make sure we get our bases covered.”
Another option is non-roster invitee Hernan Perez, who has started 106 games at shortstop over parts of an eight-year career.
But the Cubs have a lengthy history with Bote, who ascended from an 18th-round pick in 2012 to the majors in 2018.
David Bote talks with Jason Kipnis during spring training at Sloan Park on Feb. 18, 2020. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)
He achieved hero’s status in the second half of 2018 by hitting two dramatic home runs, including a pinch-hit grand slam with two outs in the ninth for a 4-3 victory over the Nationals in a nationally televised Sunday night game.
Bote hit a game-tying homer 2½ weeks before his grand slam, setting the stage for a game-winning home run by Anthony Rizzo in a 7-6 win over the Diamondbacks.
The dramatic hits overshadowed a .212 batting average with 12 strikeouts in 32 at-bats in September 2018. A 3-for-25 slump with eight strikeouts at the start of May sank his 2019 batting average to .233 at an inopportune time as Ben Zobrist took a leave of absence and Daniel Descalso began to struggle.
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But Bote rebounded by not chasing breaking pitches out of the strike zone and gradually appearing less vulnerable to high pitches.
“It’s part of the process,” said Bote, whose .257 batting average and .362 on-base percentage were marked improvements. “If you start swinging at pitches in the dirt, they’ll go there because you’re swinging at balls there.
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"They’re quick to exploit what you’re showing them. So the quicker you’re making an adjustment off that, you can get the next leg up. It’s a back-and-forth game all over. It will be that way until you stop playing.”
In the second inning of Sunday’s game against the Diamondbacks, Bote displayed his plate discipline by drawing a two-out walk to load the bases and set up the Cubs’ lone run in an 8-1 loss.
“If you know what they’re exploiting and you’re able to combat (it) by either putting it in play or holding off and getting in a good count and hitting a mistake,” Bote said, “then they have to stop going there and find something else to do.”
Bote’s .353 career batting average as a pinch hitter (12-for-34), remarkable for a third-year player, could be a major factor when finalizing the 26-man roster.
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He credits hitting coach Anthony Iapoce, “one of my favorite coaches ever,” for his passion, knowledge and understanding of the human element to hitting.
“Rarely do we talk about mechanics or approach,” Bote said. “From the human side, what does that influence in the batter’s box in your mind and (the pitcher’s) mind?
“He wants us to be comfortable, to be us, and he does it in a Jedi Mind Trick-type way of inserting these truth bombs.”


chicagotribune--2020-03-14--Hinsdale South’s phenomenal season ends in unexpected heartbreak: ‘Being with this team is something

Hinsdale South’s phenomenal season ends in unexpected heartbreak: ‘Being with this team is something I’ll never forget.’

The end was not satisfactory for Hinsdale South , which defeated Kenwood 70-62 on March 6 to win a regional @ @ @ @ @ a home game against Benet on March 11 , but that game was postponed 24 @ @ @ @ @ a student from the school had coronavirus , which proved not to be the case @

It wasn’t the way Billy Durkin wanted his high school career to end, which is why he’s focusing on all the things that went right for the Hinsdale South boys basketball team in 2019-20.
The Hornets finished 30-3, the best record in program history. They won the West Suburban Gold with only one conference loss.
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But the dream season ended Thursday prior to a Class 3A sectional semifinal against Benet, when the IHSA canceled the remainder of the state basketball playoffs due to coronavirus concerns.
What will Durkin’s best memories be from his team’s season?
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“I am going to remember every single day,” said Durkin, a senior guard who will play at Lewis University next year. “I remember there were only two practices where we weren’t going 100 percent. This team worked so hard and never took any plays off.”
The end was not satisfactory for Hinsdale South, which defeated Kenwood 70-62 on March 6 to win a regional title. That set up a home game against Benet on March 11, but that game was postponed 24 hours due to concerns that a student from the school had coronavirus, which proved not to be the case.
Shortly after the team arrived Thursday evening for the Benet game, the IHSA had made its decision to cancel everything.
But that’s not what senior guard James Ruzicka will choose to remember.
“The practices every day, the bus rides to the tournaments, just being with the team every day after school,” Ruzicka said. “There were a lot of good memories and a lot of good bonds with a lot of people.”
Added senior forward Aaron Tims: “I’m going to remember just the locker room talk, all having fun together, the on-court and off-court memories. Being with this team is something I’ll never forget.”
The Hornets reached 30 wins due to their unselfish play. Four players averaged double figures: Ruzicka (11 points), Tims (12), Durkin (14) and Durkin’s brother, sophomore Bobby Durkin (10). Senior Daeshawn Amy averaged eight points before he broke his ankle late in the season.
Coach Brett Moore said his team avoided taking “me” shots. The Hornets did not care who led the team in scoring, just as long as they won.
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They did plenty of that. Their three losses — to Bolingbrook, Schaumburg and Proviso East — came by a total of 10 points.
Prior to this season, Hinsdale South had never won more than 22 games in a season. They also outscored their opponents by 554 points (16.8 points per game) and grabbed 300 more rebounds than their opponents.
“Thirty wins was unexpected,” said Tims, who is making plans to play college basketball. “I didn’t think that was going to happen. I thought we were going to be good.”
The future looks bright, too. Bobby Durkin, who led the team with 72 3-pointers, returns next season, along with another impact sophomore, Garrett Bolte, who put in solid minutes when Amy went down.
The Hornets will graduate five seniors, but Billy Durkin said he sees big things ahead for the program.
“They are going to follow the same principles,” he said of next season’s team. “I feel like they are going to be just fine. I think it will be hard to do 30-3 again, but I have faith in them.”
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Gregg Voss is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter @Pioneer_Press


chicagotribune--2020-03-14--Notre Dame’s promising season ends in disappointment amid coronavirus concerns

“ I feel for our players and the kids at school , ” Clancy said .
“ I feel for @ @ @ @ @ of the other schools still playing .
The IHSA did everything it could to make @ @ @ @ @ the information we had , it seems like the right call .
”

Notre Dame's Troy D'Amico (0) tries to get around Deerfield's Walk Mattingly (14) during the Class 3A Grayslake North Sectional semifinal on Tuesday, March 10, 2020. (Mark Kodiak Ukena / Pioneer Press)
At critical points in a basketball game, Notre Dame often finds a way to take its effort to another level.
Troy D’Amico and Louis Lesmond provided the impetus during Notre Dame’s 48-32 victory against Deerfield on March 10 in a Class 3A Grayslake North Sectional semifinal. D’Amico and Lesmond paced the Dons during a 16-2 run over a six-minute stretch.
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“Someone always picks us up, and we get going stronger,” said Lesmond, a junior from Evanston who led all scorers with 20 points. “After the buzzer-beater at the end of the third (quarter), everyone got excited. I tried to get everyone involved.”
The buzzer-beater came from D’Amico, a junior from Chicago. With the Dons (29-5) leading 32-27 with two seconds remaining in the third quarter, he launched a 3-pointer to extend the lead and set the stage for the fourth-quarter run.
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“They were catching up, and I had the shot,” D’Amico said. “I knew it would be contested, but there was no time left so I took it.”
As D’Amico was leaving the gym, his mind was on the next game and the chance to take another step toward the state tournament in Peoria. He pointed to a section of unused bleachers at the far end of the fieldhouse behind the south basket.
“They’ll be using those bleachers when we play St. Pat’s or St. Viator,” D’Amico said, referring to Friday’s scheduled sectional final.
St. Viator beat St. Patrick in the other sectional semifinal, but that’s when the season ended. The IHSA canceled the rest of the season Thursday due to the coronavirus pandemic.
After learning about the playoff cancellation, Notre Dame coach Kevin Clancy said he was disappointed for his team and the school community. The Dons were ranked second in the state among Class 3A teams by the Associated Press.
“I feel for our players and the kids at school,” Clancy said. “I feel for the other players and students of the other schools still playing. The IHSA did everything it could to make it happen. Based on the information we had, it seems like the right call.”
After the Deerfield game, Clancy said the Dons are able to remain composed when a team disrupts their rhythm. They usually find a way to resume their dominance, like they did after the Warriors chipped away at Notre Dame’s 27-14 halftime lead.
“They’re a very level team that doesn’t get nervous,” Clancy said of his Dons. “They stay calm and stick to their game. You saw that tonight.”
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D’Amico said one thing that helps Notre Dame prepare for a variety of situations is the time the team spends watching video of the next opponent. He said the team spends two to three hours of its weekly 14-hour practice time by watching film together.
Then there is individual video-watching. D’Amico said he spends at least an hour on his own before each game watching what the next opponent will do so there are few surprises. When the right moment comes, the Dons rise to the next level.
“We have a lot of coaches, and they send us film by email,” D’Amico said. “I do that for each game, so we knew what to expect (against Deerfield) and how to respond.”
Steve Sadin is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter @Pioneer_Press


chicagotribune--2020-03-14--Highland Park prepares to fight coronavirus

“ We need everybody ’ s help , ” she said .
“ Think about your neighborhood , think about @ @ @ @ @ living alone and who might be sick without anyone knowing and who might run out @ @ @ @ @ no way to get home .
”

File photo of the Highland Park City Council. It passed an emergency declaration giving the mayor specific powers as the effort to stem coronavirus increases. (Mark Kodiak Ukena / Pioneer Press)
In response to the coronavirus outbreak, Highland Park City Council Mayor Nancy Rotering has executed a declaration of emergency that she said would allow for a swifter local response to the growing worldwide crisis.
At an emergency meeting Saturday, Highland Park’s City Council unanimously voted for the emergency declaration that gives Rotering specific increased temporary powers regarding life safety and health issues.
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“While these steps may seem extreme, they are advised by the careful guidance of the Illinois Department of Public Health which urges all Illinois residents to reduce social contact as much as possible,” Rotering said.
The declaration allows for emergency purchasing for goods and services, emergency staffing for the fire, police and public works departments and greater cooperation with other local government agencies.
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The declaration lasts for seven days, but through a separate vote at Saturday’s meeting, that was immediately extended until the next regular or special city council meeting. The council is set to meet for a regular meeting April 6, but Rotering said another meeting could be called as the virus situation continues to develop.
“We are in interesting times and very fluid times with respect to the application of emergency laws and powers,” Corporation Counsel Steven Elrod said after the meeting.
Elrod anticipated a series of other North Shore suburbs would desire similar actions over the next week to address the coronavirus situation.
Despite officials closing municipal buildings, which started Monday, City Manager Ghida Neukirch said emergency management services such as police and fire and water distribution would continue as normal.
Other public facilities in Highland Park also decided to close following the coronavirus outbreak being declared a pandemic last week by the World Health Organization.
The Highland Park Public Library is closed indefinitely. Patrons still will be able to check out books, movies and other materials at a self-service pick up location at the library’s lower level, Executive Director Jane Conway stated in a press release.
“The library’s high foot-traffic of approximately 1,000 visitors per day with extensive programming and high-use public spaces, like computer stations, pose unique risks in a pandemic situation,” Conway stated.
She said the decision to temporarily close the library was prompted by new guidance released March 11 by the Illinois Department of Public Health.
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Officials at the Park District of Highland Park also have closed all facilities and canceled all programs and activities until further notice.
Some programs and activities will be rescheduled, and memberships will be put on a temporary hold, officials said. Updates will be provided on the park district’s website, Facebook page and via email updates.
“The closure is not due to any known exposure,” the park district’s statement reads. “Our park board supports this decision for the health and well-being of our program participants, the general community and our staff.”
Rotering emphasized residents should follow the guidelines of health officials being advocated throughout the nation.
“I can’t stress this enough. Stay home,” Rotering said. "Let’s do everything we can to minimize social contact and slow the spread of this virus.”
Rotering said people who want to assist others now should consider donations to the Moraine Township Food Bank and asked people to check in on neighbors, even if that requires doing so from a distance.
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“We need everybody’s help,” she said. “Think about your neighborhood, think about your network, who is living alone and who might be sick without anyone knowing and who might run out of food or medication with no way to get home.”
Pioneer Press reporter James T. Norman contributed.
Daniel I. Dorfman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.


chicagotribune--2020-03-14--Laughter as medicine? From Zanies to iO, some Chicago comedy clubs are staying open

iO Chicago in Lincoln Park is also keeping its doors open .
“ We ’ re disinfecting seats and tables @ @ @ @ @ leaves , ” said co-founder and artistic director Charna Halpern .
“ We ’ re @ @ @ @ @ things clean and our staff is wash , wash , wash.
It ’ s constant @ @ @ @ @ props too .
“ The performers on stage want to make sure we disinfect the @ @ @ @ @ show , ” said Halpern , adding that they ’ re not taking tables out @ @ @ @ @ done in the past to make space for more patrons during crowded shows .
“ @ @ @ @ @ that , ” she said .
“ People have their own space .
”

A large crowd fills the Laugh Factory in Chicago in 2019. The North Side comedy spot has reduced the maximum number of patrons in response to the coronavirus but is still open for business. (Youngrae Kim / Chicago Tribune)
SECOND UPDATE: Comedy Bar, Zanies, and Laugh Factory are also now closing, per announcements late Sunday. Zanies is closed until March 30. Laugh Factory is closed as of Tuesday.
UPDATE: This story has been updated with the announcement Sunday than iO will close until March 30.
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Most theaters and big shows in Chicago are closed — Second City called it a “dramatic pause,” stopping all shows until March 26 due to coronavirus. Comedian Gabriel Iglesias’ show scheduled at the United Center Saturday night has been postponed until October and Whitney Cummings’ comedy show at The Vic scheduled for March 27 has been moved to August.
But Zanies — with the help of a lot of cleaning supplies — is soldiering on, staying open and hoping to deliver laughs. “We’ve always had a very sanitary place but we’ve hired an outside group to come in and do it and make sure that the facility is safe, sanitary and healthy for our customers,” said publicist Rick Gieser of Zanies in Old Town on Thursday. “It’s a respite. It’s a place where people can come and not think about all the horrors in the outside world. We need a place to laugh.”
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In Lakeview, Laugh Factory Chicago is staying the course as well. “What I’ve done, at least for the interim, is place a higher level of sanitary guidelines for my staff,” Laugh Factory Chicago president Curtis Shaw Flagg said. Among other precautions, any employees that handle food or drink are wearing gloves, and straws are now delivered still wrapped so that customers can unwrap their straws themselves. Flagg said he’s taking the idea of potential cancellations on a “case by case basis.” “The public health concern outweighs any bottom line for me personally,” he added.
iO Chicago in Lincoln Park kept its doors open until Sunday with the help of “constant washing,” said co-founder and artistic director Charna Halpern. But the comedy club put the word out on social media then it would close at least until March 30.
The Comedy Bar, a stand-up comedy venue attached to Gino’s East River North pizzeria, is staying open, and going all-in. According to an announcement Sunday, the Comedy Bar “officially changes their name to ‘The COVID-y Bar 19’" and remains operating in Chicago, Nashville and Dubuque. "Although their jokes may be dirty, the Comedy Bar’s venues are being diligently monitored and sanitized to ensure the safety of their guests.”
Venues reported strong ticket sales through the weekend and for shows in the upcoming weeks as well. “The Chicago area people need a reason to laugh, so Zanies is doing well at this point as far as that,” said Gieser. “We have not seen a downturn at all. Ticket sales for the next couple of weeks are still coming in at a normal pace.”
At Laugh Factory, Flagg has noticed an unusual spike in in-person ticket sales. “This last Saturday I was kind of surprised because online ticket sales were really low … but then we ended up having a full house for the show,” said Flagg. “So I think maybe people are a little afraid to pull the trigger early but then end up having cabin fever. Our walk-up tickets were a lot more than usual, especially in the winter when people aren’t walking around as much. I didn’t expect us to have a full house and we did.”
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Laugh Factory is operating at reduced capacity, said Flagg Friday night. “We are actually capping audiences at 200 (normal capacity is 300). Any additional would include staff and comics.” But as we’ve all learned in the past week, nothing is certain in this fast-moving landscape. “That could easily change tomorrow though,” Flagg added.
Zach Freeman is a freelance writer.
ct-arts@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-03-14--Watch live: Gov. J.B. Pritzker and health officials discuss the coronavirus in Illinois

Gov .
J.B. Pritzker joins state health officials to provide an update on the coronavirus in Illinois .
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chicagotribune--2020-03-14--Infant boy found deceased inside Lawndale home, 2 other children taken to hospital, officials said

Two other children in the home who were under the age of 15 were taken to Stroger Hospital , but @ @ @ @ @ immediately , said Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford .

A man was arrested after his baby boy was found deceased inside a home with three other injured children who were taken to a hospital Saturday afternoon on the West Side.
The 26-year-old man walked into the 11th District police station on the city’s West Side around 1 p.m. and told desk officers that he killed his baby, who was 5-months-old, according to a police report.
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The man said Friday around 7 a.m. his infant would not stop crying, so he “continually struck him in the back,'' the report said. "As his hits got harder, the infant went unresponsive.''
Officers rushed to the home in the 500 block of South California Avenue, but Solomon Greer, 5 months old, was unresponsive and pronounced dead on the scene at 1:56 p.m. Saturday, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
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Three other children in the home — a 2-year-old girl, a 3-year-old boy and a 5-year-old boy — were taken to Stroger Hospital for “medical evaluation,” because they suffered signs of apparent malnutrition, officials said.
An autopsy will be performed Sunday on Solomon, who lived on the same block where he was found, the medical examiner’s office said.
The 26-year-old man was placed under arrest but no charges have been filed, police said.
Check back for details.
rsobol@chicagotribune.con


chicagotribune--2020-03-14--Boy, 15, and man, 39, stabbed on Red Line train in Uptown

Both were taken to Weiss Memorial Hospital , where the teen was treated for a wound to his left arm @ @ @ @ @ wound to his right arm .
They were listed in good condition , police said @

A 15-year-old boy and a 39-year-old man were stabbed while trying to leave a Red Line train early Saturday in Uptown.
It happened about 2:30 a.m. in the 4600 block of North Broadway after the two victims argued with the assailant on the train, police said.
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As they tried to leave, the assailant, a male wearing a ski mask, stabbed them in their arms and then ran away.
Both were taken to Weiss Memorial Hospital, where the teen was treated for a wound to his left arm and the man with a wound to his right arm. They were listed in good condition, police said.
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No arrests have been made.
Area North detectives are investigating.


chicagotribune--2020-03-14--Chicago-area election judges dropping out, polling places closing amid coronavirus fears