chicagotribune--2020-12-18--Cook County becomes largest county to officially recognize Juneteenth as paid holiday for its employ

Cook County becomes largest county to officially recognize Juneteenth as paid holiday for its employees

The federal government does not officially recognize Juneteenth as a national holiday , and Chicago ’ s City Council has @ @ @ @ @ nonbinding day of observance despite previous attempts to make it an official holiday with all @ @ @ @ @ J.B. Pritzker has said he wants to work with the statehouse to designate Juneteenth as @ @ @ @ @ Nonetheless , this year thousands of Chicagoans working for private employers had the day off @ @ @ @ @ street after a tumultuous month following the death of Floyd , a Black man who @ @ @ @ @ police office knelt on his neck .

The Cook County Board voted Thursday to recognize Juneteenth as an official paid holiday for county government employees starting next year, following a year marked by racial justice protests over high-profile killings of Black people.
In 2021, Juneteenth will be designated as one of 14 government holidays granted to all Cook County workers, making it the country’s largest populated county to grant a paid day off to celebrate both Black Americans’ freedom from slavery and their contributions to the nation. Commissioners voted unanimously in favor of the measure, which outlines the centuries of mistreatment America has dealt on Black people.
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That sullied history stretches to this year’s killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of police as well as Ahmaud Arbery’s fatal shooting by two white men, the ordinance acknowledges.
“This year, Cook County and the nation have experienced unprecedented racial and civil unrest,” lead co-sponsor Commissioner Stanley Moore said. “The call to recognize Juneteenth in light of these unfortunate events is stronger than ever. The passage of this ordinance is the first step towards the healing process for African Americans and for all.”
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The federal government does not officially recognize Juneteenth as a national holiday, and Chicago’s City Council has instead designated it as a nonbinding day of observance despite previous attempts to make it an official holiday with all offices closed. Gov. J.B. Pritzker has said he wants to work with the statehouse to designate Juneteenth as an official state holiday. Nonetheless, this year thousands of Chicagoans working for private employers had the day off, prompting celebrations in the street after a tumultuous month following the death of Floyd, a Black man who died as a white Minneapolis police office knelt on his neck.
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, drawing on her roots as a history teacher, said to reporters on Thursday that slavery was America’s “original sin,” noting it was even enshrined in the Constitution.
“The end of slavery was a milestone in our country’s history — although I would argue that what followed slavery was 100 years of serfdom in the South,” Preckwinkle said. “But anyway, it’s an important milestone to mark.”
Juneteenth celebrates the emancipation of Black Americans from slavery on June 19, 1865, when Gen. Gordon Grainger led his troops to Galveston, Texas, and issued an order announcing the end of the Civil War and officially freeing remaining slaves in the state. They had been forced to remain in captivity for years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation in January 1863, and upon their freedom organized a “Jubilee Day” for the next year and following decades.
During Thursday’s board meeting, commissioners reflected on the significance of recognizing a day to celebrate the freedom of a people that American history books and governments have long ignored. Commissioner Deborah Sims said she remembers when Martin Luther King Jr. wasn’t honored with an official holiday, and Black history was scarcely recognized in her history books.
“Now we have Dr. King’s birthday, we have Juneteenth and Black Lives Matter are doing a lot of things,” Sims said. “So I can look back on this when I’m older-older and say that my grandchildren have a lot of things when they look in the mirror and can say Black people did a lot of great things in this country.”
Moore said he wants history books to follow in the county’s footsteps and “reflect Juneteenth as an American Independence Day.”
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The Cook County Board also voted Thursday on sending to committee a symbolic resolution to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day on the second Monday in October.
ayin@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-12-18--Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle’s South Cook Fair Transit pilot to slash certain Metra

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle’s South Cook Fair Transit pilot to slash certain Metra fares gets final green light without CTA participation

Preckwinkle unveiled the idea last year to bring “ equity investments ” to those areas that lack public transportation access @ @ @ @ @ the county despite households there spending a disproportionate amount of income on transportation .
The @ @ @ @ @ on southern Cook public transportation by offering more affordable fares and service improvements for the @ @ @ @ @ and Pace in the region .
The county is funding the program with about $ @ @ @ @ @ which will offset the fare reductions .

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle’s pilot program to galvanize public transportation on the South Side and south suburbs will chug ahead without participation just yet from the Chicago Transit Authority after more than a year of failed attempts to get the agency’s participation.
Cook County commissioners voted during a Thursday board meeting to approve a pair of intergovernmental agreements that would officially kick-start the South Cook Fair Transit pilot.
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Starting in January, the three-year program will slash fares on Metra Electric, which runs through Chicago’s South Side and south suburbs, and Rock Island Line, which serves areas of the Southwest Side and southwest suburbs, by 50%. It also boosts the hours and frequency of the Pace 352-Halsted bus route that runs from the CTA 95th/Dan Ryan station to the Pace Chicago Heights Terminal.
“Parts of the county (are) underserved by public transit and, as a result, hampered in their economic development because good public transit is the foundation of economic development,” Preckwinkle said in a call with reporters, outlining a vision of correcting those “transit deserts” that exist in southern Cook County.
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Preckwinkle unveiled the idea last year to bring “equity investments” to those areas that lack public transportation access compared with the rest of the county despite households there spending a disproportionate amount of income on transportation. The goal is to boost ridership on southern Cook public transportation by offering more affordable fares and service improvements for the thousands who rely on Metra and Pace in the region. The county is funding the program with about $35 million, some of which will offset the fare reductions.
Originally, the plan was to also bring CTA on board for coordination purposes such as Ventra cards eventually being used for free transfers with Metra, and the county offered to subsidize revenue losses that would happen. But Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot balked at the initiative, saying last fall that it would have a “dramatic effect” on CTA revenue.
“This particular proposal I think causes problems for the CTA and I’m not going to support something that would have the effect of diminishing ridership at the CTA,” Lightfoot said at the time.
Preckwinkle responded to a commissioner’s question about CTA’s participation with hints that she is not giving up.
“We are continuing our conversations with CTA,” she said during the board meeting. “We’ve decided that we were going to go forward with the two partners that were willing to work with us, Metra and Pace, on this pilot.”
Her former superintendent of the Cook County Department of Transportation and Highways John Yonan, who led much of those talks, swatted away the narrative that there was any discord between Cook County and CTA. He said it simply was not the right time for the city’s transit agency to jump on board.
“There’s a little bit of misinformation about them not wanting to work with us,” Yonan said. “There were just some other priorities set in how they viewed their role in this fair transit (pilot).”
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A CTA statement Thursday said the agency will closely follow the results of the pilot and echoed Preckwinkle’s comments that discussions are “still ongoing.” Any movement forward, however, needs to be financially sustainable in the long-term, the statement said.
“CTA continues an ongoing dialogue about this pilot with the service boards and the County,” the statement said. “Given how complex coordination of the transportation network is, the service boards are collaborating closely to analyze and understand the operational changes and impacts across the regional transit system.”
ayin@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-12-17--After errant raid of social worker’s home, Mayor Lori Lightfoot says city will not block residents’

After errant raid of social worker’s home, Mayor Lori Lightfoot says city will not block residents’ access to their own police records

“ It was literally somebody saying , mayor , here ’ s another one , ( some ) words to @ @ @ @ @ m paraphrasing , and I said let ’ s talk about it , let ’ @ @ @ @ @ risk officer Tamika Puckett ) involved , and there was a subsequent email from her @ @ @ @ @ on what are we doing , where are we on revising the search warrant protocols @ @ @ @ @ detailed update , ” Lightfoot said .

Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Thursday said her administration will no longer withhold video from residents seeking police records about their cases and acknowledged that the city’s handling of a wrongful raid on social worker Anjanette Young’s home harmed her relationship with Chicagoans.
The comments came as Lightfoot spent a third day dealing with continued criticism about her response to revelations about the February 2019 raid where Young was handcuffed naked by officers who had wrongly entered her home.
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“There’s a lot of trust that’s been breached, and I know there’s a lot of trust in me that’s been breached, and I have a responsibility to build back that trust,” she said.
On Wednesday, Lightfoot falsely denied that her administration withheld footage of the raid from Young. On Thursday, Lightfoot acknowledged her administration had denied an open records request submitted by Young for the footage and said that shouldn’t happen.
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“Any time a person who’s a victim requests information about an incident that happened to them, our government’s obligation is to respond in a fulsome, transparent and immediate way,” Lightfoot said.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot speaks during a news conference at City Hall on Dec. 17, 2020. She discussed the video of Chicago police mistakenly searching the wrong house and said the city will no longer withhold video from residents seeking police records of their own incidents. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)
In his first public comments on the case, police Superintendent David Brown also sent a stern message to officers who mistreat citizens such as Young when entering their homes with a search warrant.
“If that was your mother, how would you want her to be treated?” Brown said of the incident that happened before he joined the department. “We hire people who we think know right from wrong. And if they don’t know right from wrong, they don’t need to be police officers.
“Treat everyone with respect,” he added. “Everyone deserves a measure of respect.”
The controversy erupted on Monday night after Lightfoot’s Law Department attempted to block CBS from airing body camera footage of Chicago police officers mistakenly raiding Young’s home in February 2019, before the mayor took office.
Officers arrived at the wrong address and found Young naked, then handcuffed her, the video showed.
City lawyers also filed a request to have Young sanctioned for allegedly violating a confidentiality order on the video, though Lightfoot on Wednesday said Young should not be punished — just her lawyer, if a judge rules in that way.
A federal judge rejected the Lightfoot administration’s unusual request to prevent a television station from airing a news report. The courts long have ruled against efforts to prevent news companies from publishing reports, saying it’s an unconstitutional violation of the First Amendment.
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On Thursday, the mayor also acknowledged that members of her team told her about the raid in November 2019, as CBS was doing continued reporting on search warrants being served at the wrong addresses, which the TV station has covered extensively. Lightfoot said her administration would release the emails, though they did not immediately do so.
“It was literally somebody saying, mayor, here’s another one, (some) words to that effect, I’m paraphrasing, and I said let’s talk about it, let’s get (former chief risk officer Tamika Puckett) involved, and there was a subsequent email from her because I was pushing her on what are we doing, where are we on revising the search warrant protocols, and she gave a detailed update,” Lightfoot said.
Jitu Brown of the Kenwood Oakland Community Organization speaks as a small group holds a press conference to voice their opposition to the Chicago police wrongly raiding the home of Anjanette Young. The press conference took place in front of Chicago Police Headquarters on Dec. 17, 2020. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)
People listen in to speakers as a small group holds a press conference to voice their opposition to the Chicago police wrongly raiding the home of Anjanette Young. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)
During Thursday’s news conference with Lightfoot, Brown reiterated some of the changes to the department’s warrant policies made in January, resulting from CBS reporting. For instance, officers need to corroborate information they received from a confidential informant with a third party who has not been paid for their cooperation with law enforcement.
Brown said officers must exercise “due care” when they encounter children in cases when they get a search warrant authorizing them to enter someone’s home, and a complaint will be filed against them if the warrant was executed at the wrong home. And for consistency, he said, information about the informants can only be restricted to officers working on narcotics and gang teams.
This month, Brown said, the department established that “no-knock” warrants would be approved only by a high-level commander, and if there is a justifiable danger to life and safety in those checks. Plus, the department is in the process of adding body cameras to SWAT, narcotics and gang officers.
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The Police Department will be reviewing other search warrants to see if there’s any other mistakes officers have made. Brown said police officers must be the first to admit their mistakes without a judge telling them to.
“The video of the raid of Ms. Young’s home is hard to watch. It’s hard not to feel Ms. Young’s anguish and fear and pain when viewing that video,” Brown said. “I have been personally nurtured by very strong, smart Black women in my entire life. Ms. Young reminds me of those women who nurtured me.”
Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s administration famously fought to keep secret a video showing white police Officer Jason Van Dyke shooting Black teenager Laquan McDonald 16 times, but a county judge ordered his administration to release the video. Emanuel has since been dogged by accusations that he covered up the scandal to preserve his 2015 reelection campaign, an allegation he’s denied.
Chicago has since instituted a rule allowing the release of police shooting videos and audio within 60 days. Lightfoot said she will pursue changes to make other video releases easier.
In an interview with the Tribune earlier this week, Young’s attorney Keenan Saulter criticized the city for its handling of the situation. Saulter said he believes the city’s motivation was more about keeping an embarrassing incident secret.
“This city has a history of attempting to cover up unfavorable video,” Saulter said. “That’s all we’re dealing with here.”
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Young also talked about the wrongful raid in a news conference Wednesday.
“Making me stand in front of them naked, putting handcuffs on me while I was naked, no one should have to experience that,” Young told reporters. “That night, February 21, 2019, will be something that I will carry with me always.”
gpratt@chicagotribune.com
jgorner@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-12-17--Illinois receives expected full complement of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines. But questions remain about f

Illinois receives expected full complement of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines. But questions remain about forthcoming shipments.

“ We ’ re very far from that , but as close as we get to that , in the @ @ @ @ @ people are vaccinated the test positivity will likely go down because transmission will be decreased @ @ @ @ @ is actually put into the arms of individuals , ” she said .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ to see improved trajectories as more and more people are vaccinated .
”

Jamie Munks, John Keilman, Sarah Freishtat

Laquitta Boyd, holds her 6-year-old daughter Venisha while receiving her first COVID-19 vaccination at a back-to-school health fair hosted by RUSH University Medical Center at the Salvation Army Freedom Center on July 30, 2022, in Chicago. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)
Illinois ramped up its statewide vaccination effort with a focus on front-line health care workers Thursday, even as questions remain about just how many doses the federal government will send the state in the coming weeks.
On Thursday, the local health departments in Cook, Lake, Madison and St. Clair counties took in another combined 43,000 doses, rounding out the 86,000 state officials were expecting this week, which is separate from the direct shipment Chicago received, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said.
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“All shipments arrived safely and securely at their destinations over the course of the last two days,” Pritzker said at his daily coronavirus briefing in Chicago.
The 43,000 vaccines the state took in at the Illinois Strategic National Stockpile on Monday were distributed to 10 regional hospital centers across the state and directly to DuPage County, and from there to 45 counties and local health departments, and ultimately to 77 hospitals statewide, Pritzker said.
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Edward Hospital in Naperville and Elmhurst Hospital were among them. Each has been allotted 1,950 doses for its workers, though it’s just a start: The Edward-Elmhurst Health medical system has 8,500 staff members in total, and since the beginning of the pandemic has seen about 800 positive tests and one COVID-19-related death among its staff.
Edward Sulita, who transports patients and equipment, was the first one up at Elmhurst Hospital, baring his left arm for the shot in a large meeting room that had been turned into a makeshift vaccination center.
Sara Czechowicz, an infection control practitioner, drew 0.3 mL from the fingertip-sized glass vial and inserted the needle into Sulita’s shoulder as camera shutters clicked and the room burst into cheers.
“Trust science,” said Sulita, 69, who lives in Melrose Park and has not missed a day of work since the start of the pandemic. “They’ve been studying it longer than we have.”
At Edward Hospital, respiratory therapist Aminderjit Dhanoa took a break from his workday to become the first to receive the vaccine. Shortly after 2:15 p.m., the 37-year-old from South Elgin sat behind one of 15 vaccination stations set up in a hospital conference room as medical assistant Nikki Carini-Wardecki injected the dose into his arm.
Dhanoa had COVID-19 in October. He has recovered but said he was excited to receive the first dose of the vaccine because he didn’t want to take any chances.
“I’m still going to take all the precautions and everything,” he said. “But it’s just a peace of mind that I have my vaccine now.”
Health care workers also began receiving vaccination shots at Stroger Hospital, Cook County health officials said.
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A significant portion of the public is hesitant about taking the vaccine, and hospital workers are no exception. Dr. Michelle Meziere, who helped to lead the Edward-Elmhurst vaccine task force, said some employees have said they don’t want it.
The system has not made vaccination a requirement of employment, she said, but hopes to change minds through persuasion.
“Our plan over the next few months is to roll out education and to have everybody see their co-workers receive the vaccine and see that it’s safe, and that we stand behind the science,” she said.
As of Thursday morning, 3,500 vaccinations of the state share that excludes the Chicago vaccines had been administered to health care workers in the state, with more scheduled throughout the day and through the weekend, Pritzker said.
Questions remained around forthcoming Pfizer vaccine shipments, a day after Pritzker said expected shipments nationwide in the next two weeks have been cut in half, which “will likely cut our state’s projected Pfizer shipments this month roughly by half.”
Pamela Dunley, president and CEO of Edward-Elmhurst Hospital, gets a COVID-19 vaccine administered by nurse Ange Angarita on Dec. 17, 2020. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)
A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said later on Wednesday there had been no changes to the three official allocations that have been made to the states.
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Pritzker said Thursday state officials can view the vaccine order for the coming week and the federal government hasn’t “given us any explanation of why those numbers are smaller than they were before,” but federal officials have told states “they will make sure that the right numbers are delivered” within the time frame during which people need to receive their second shot.
Pfizer issued a statement Thursday that said “millions more doses” are sitting in the company’s warehouses, and that it has not received shipment instructions from the federal government for those.
“Pfizer is not having any production issues with our COVID-19 vaccine, and no shipments containing the vaccine are on hold or delayed,” the company’s statement said. “This week, we successfully shipped all 2.9 million doses that we were asked to ship by the U.S. Government to the locations specified by them.”
Pritzker said he hasn’t had any direct discussions with people who control those vaccine doses, and despite officials from the Illinois Department of Public Health having contact with the federal government every day, “we’ve not been informed why the federal government is not drawing down those vaccines.”
Dr. Sanjeeb Khatua, chief physician executive and COVID-19 incident commander for Edward-Elmhurst, said the logistics weren’t of great concern.
“We’re just really focused on, with the vaccine that we currently have, following our tier and staggered processes,” he said. “And so as the vaccine comes, regardless of how many we get, we will continue to follow our processes. And we’re just excited that we have a vaccine.”
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The state’s top public health official, Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike, said that although the initial guidance was that each vial of the Pfizer vaccine includes five doses, reports of extra amounts within the vials led federal agencies to update their recommendations to use every full dose of the vaccine that can be drawn from each vial.
In some cases, vials have been found to include enough for a sixth or seventh dose, which can be administered. But any remnants in a vial that isn’t enough for a full dose shouldn’t be combined with material from other vials, Ezike said.
“We don’t want to waste any vaccine but it’s also critical we make sure that every individual receives a full, safe and effective dose of vaccine,” Ezike said.
On Thursday, the state reported 8,828 newly confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 across the state and 181 additional deaths.
Throughout the pandemic, Illinois has seen 879,428 known and probable cases of the illness and a death toll of 14,835.
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The seven-day statewide positivity rate for cases as a share of total tests conducted was 8.4% for the period that ended Wednesday, down from 9.5% a week earlier.
As of Wednesday night, 4,751 people across the state were hospitalized with COVID-19, with 1,056 in intensive care units and 575 patients on ventilators.
Ezike said estimates indicate 60% to 80% of the population will need to be vaccinated in order to reach herd immunity.
“We’re very far from that, but as close as we get to that, in the meantime I think as more people are vaccinated the test positivity will likely go down because transmission will be decreased with every single vaccine that is actually put into the arms of individuals,” she said. “I expect that we will continue to see improved trajectories as more and more people are vaccinated.”
Chicago Tribune’s Alice Yin contributed.
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jmunks@chicagotribune.com
jkeilman@chicagotribune.com
sfreishtat@tribpub.com


chicagotribune--2020-12-17--‘We are saddened this was a child,’ says family of retired Chicago firefighter after 15-year-old boy

‘We are saddened this was a child,’ says family of retired Chicago firefighter after 15-year-old boy charged in fatal attempted carjacking

They waited for him to come out and three of them left the Ford and confronted Williams , 65 .
@ @ @ @ @ from his waistband and exchanged gunfire , police said .
Williams was hit once in @ @ @ @ @ The three got back into the car and sped down Artesian Avenue .

Police say a 15-year-old boy charged with an attempted carjacking that took the life of a retired Chicago firefighter was known to authorities as a member of a “crew” that stole cars in the south suburbs.
But the family of Dwain Williams said they wondered whether a suspect so young fully realized the consequences of what he did.
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“We are, of course, saddened that this was a child,” said Williams’ daughter, Dakeeda Williams-Barton. “I’m very disheartened that this was essentially a baby that has — I don’t even know if they understand the repercussion their actions have caused.”
The teen has been charged with murder in connection with the botched carjacking Dec. 3 outside Williams’ favorite popcorn shop on the Southwest Side.
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Police say the boy was riding in a black Ford Fusion with others around 2:30 p.m. when they spotted Williams driving a maroon Jeep Grand Cherokee and followed him to the shop in the 2400 block of West 118th Street in the Beverly Woods neighborhood.
Dwain Williams, a retired Chicago Fire Department lieutenant, was fatally shot in an exchange of gunfire with carjackers in the 2400 block of West 118th Street. (Family photo)
They waited for him to come out and three of them left the Ford and confronted Williams, 65. He pulled out a revolver from his waistband and exchanged gunfire, police said. Williams was hit once in the abdomen and collapsed. The three got back into the car and sped down Artesian Avenue.
Police found Williams lying on the pavement next to his Jeep with his revolver close by. Three types of shell casings were found at the scene: 9 mm, .40 caliber and .38 caliber.
Williams worked for the Chicago Fire Department for more than two decades.
Chicago police later released video that showed the fatal shooting in hopes of identifying the shooters, and community activists announced contributions toward a reward that grew to about $34,000.
The 15-year-old, not identified because he has been charged as a juvenile, was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday in the 400 block of West 16th Street in Chicago Heights, police said.
During a court hearing Thursday, a judge ordered the teen held in custody after prosecutors said the attack was calculated. The teen’s public defender had argued against detention, saying no witnesses identified him as firing a gun.
Chicago police said an adult suspect was also in custody and two more suspects were being sought.
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Chief of Detectives Brendan Deenihan said investigators, including the FBI and south suburban police departments, learned the four were involved in other carjackings and auto thefts.
“The south suburban departments were very familiar with this crew and believed they knew some of these offenders,” Deenihan said. “Eventually, through evidence and through some technology, the detectives were able to narrow down to these four individuals.”
Deenihan said a weapon was recovered and police were testing it to see if it was used in the attempted carjacking.
Williams’ family released a statement thanking the police “for its diligent efforts in investigating our husband and father’s murder. Your acts, words, and deeds of kindness are helping us to pull through this most difficult time.
“Though our dearly beloved hero is gone, our loving memory of him will never die,” it continued. “We must now focus our energy and endeavors on bringing those who committed this heinous crime to justice. We continue to enlist prayers for our family during our time of mourning, our community, and also prayers for the families of the offenders.”
[ ‘He put his whole heart into the city.’ Family remembers retired Chicago firefighter killed in attack by three armed carjackers. ]
pfry@chicagotribune.com
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Twitter @paigexfry


chicagotribune--2020-12-17--Should schools reopen? For those that have, how’s it going? Parents, the Tribune wants to hear from

Should schools reopen? For those that have, how’s it going? Parents, the Tribune wants to hear from you.

Tensions between Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Teachers Union are rising over whether it ’ s safe to bring @ @ @ @ @ school in the new year as coronavirus cases continue to surge .
Schools across the @ @ @ @ @ the same questions , even those that have already resumed in-person instruction .

Tensions between Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Teachers Union are rising over whether it’s safe to bring students and teachers back to school in the new year as coronavirus cases continue to surge. Schools across the suburbs are also wrestling with the same questions, even those that have already resumed in-person instruction.
The Tribune wants to hear from parents who are trying to navigate their children’s educational journey during these unprecedented times.
Fill out the survey below to tell us what you think.


chicagotribune--2020-12-17--Coronavirus in Illinois updates: State ramps up vaccination effort as entirety of first shipment del

Coronavirus in Illinois updates: State ramps up vaccination effort as entirety of first shipment delivered; 8,828 new cases and 181 additional deaths reported

“ My view on this is that I think that the best and easiest place for people to get these @ @ @ @ @ the retail pharmacies .
Operation Warp Speed already contracted with 16 different pharmacy chains .
@ @ @ @ @ that once we gear up in the pharmacy , we can give 20 to 25 @ @ @ @ @ ” Dr. Troyen Brennan , chief medical officer for CVS , said during a panel @ @ @ @ @ Chamber of Commerce Foundation on the vaccine rollout .

We have lifted the paywall on this story. To support essential reporting, please consider becoming a subscriber .
Laquitta Boyd, holds her 6-year-old daughter Venisha while receiving her first COVID-19 vaccination at a back-to-school health fair hosted by RUSH University Medical Center at the Salvation Army Freedom Center on July 30, 2022, in Chicago. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)
Illinois ramped up its statewide vaccination effort after the state received its expected full complement of Pfizer vaccines to begin a massive immunization effort that focuses first on frontline health care workers.
On Thursday, the local health departments in Cook, Lake, Madison and St. Clair counties took in another combined 43,000 doses, rounding out the 86,000 state officials were expecting this week, which is separate from the direct shipment Chicago received, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said.
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Earlier in the day, Illinois health officials announced 8,828 new cases of COVID-19 and 181 additional fatalities, bringing the total number of known infections in Illinois to 879,428 and the statewide death toll to 14,835 since the start of the pandemic.
Meanwhile in Washington, a government advisory panel endorsed a second COVID-19 vaccine Thursday, paving the way for the shot to be added to the U.S. vaccination campaign.
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Here’s what’s happening Thursday with COVID-19 in the Chicago area and Illinois:
8:50 p.m. (update): FDA says it will move to quickly authorize 2nd COVID-19 vaccine
The head of the Food and Drug Administration said late Thursday that his agency will move to quickly authorize the second COVID-19 vaccine to fight the pandemic, hours after the shot won the key endorsement of a government advisory panel.
FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn said in a statement that regulators have communicated their plans to drugmaker Moderna, which co-developed the vaccine with the National Institutes of Health. The announcement came after a panel of FDA advisers, in a 20-0 vote, ruled that the benefits of the vaccine outweighed the risks for those 18 years old and up.
Once FDA’s emergency use authorization is granted, Moderna will begin shipping millions of doses, earmarked for health workers and nursing home residents, to boost the largest vaccination effort in U.S. history.
Read more here. —Associated Press
5 p.m.: Walgreens, CVS predict COVID-19 vaccines will be available to the general public by appointment at pharmacies by spring
With health care workers the first to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and residents and staff of longterm care facilities next, Americans are asking when it will be their turn to get a dose.
Walgreens and CVS Health predict the vaccine will be available to the public during the spring, and patients will most likely be able to make appointments to get the shots at pharmacies.
“My view on this is that I think that the best and easiest place for people to get these vaccinations is going to be the retail pharmacies. Operation Warp Speed already contracted with 16 different pharmacy chains. Our point of view is that once we gear up in the pharmacy, we can give 20 to 25 million doses per month,” Dr. Troyen Brennan, chief medical officer for CVS, said during a panel discussion Thursday with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation on the vaccine rollout.
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Read more here. —Abdel Jimenez
4:45 p.m.: Illinois ramps up statewide COVID-19 vaccination effort, with entirety of state’s first shipment delivered
Illinois ramped up its statewide vaccination effort on Thursday after the state received its expected full complement of Pfizer vaccines to begin a massive immunization effort that focuses first on front-line health care workers.
On Thursday, the local health departments in Cook, Lake, Madison and St. Clair counties took in another combined 43,000 doses, rounding out the 86,000 state officials were expecting this week, which is separate from the direct shipment Chicago received, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said.
“All shipments arrived safely and securely at their destinations over the course of the last two days,” Pritzker said at his daily coronavirus briefing in Chicago.
The 43,000 vaccines the state took in at the Illinois Strategic National Stockpile on Monday were distributed to 10 regional hospital centers across the state and directly to DuPage County, and from there to 45 counties and local health departments, and ultimately to 77 hospitals statewide, Pritzker said.
As of Thursday morning, 3,500 vaccinations of the state share that excludes the Chicago vaccines had been administered to health care workers in the state, with more scheduled throughout the day and through the weekend, Pritzker said.
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Questions remained around forthcoming Pfizer vaccine shipments, a day after Pritzker said expected shipments nationwide in the next two weeks have been cut in half, which “will likely cut our state’s projected Pfizer shipments this month roughly by half.”
Read more here. —Jamie Munks, John Keilman and Sarah Freishtat
4:15 p.m.: Second COVID-19 vaccine wins backing from US expert panel, paving way for final FDA decision on emergency use
A second COVID-19 vaccine moved closer to joining the U.S. fight against the pandemic Thursday as government advisers convened for a public review of its safety and effectiveness.
It’s the next-to-last step for the vaccine developed by drugmaker A government advisory panel endorsed a second COVID-19 vaccine Thursday, paving the way for the shot to be added to the U.S. vaccination campaign.
The Food and Drug Administration is expected to follow the recommendation for the vaccine from Moderna and the National Institutes of Health. The FDA advisers, in a 20-0 vote, agreed the benefits of the vaccine outweighed the risks for those 18 years old and up.
The FDA’s green light for emergency use is expected quickly. Moderna would then begin shipping millions of doses, earmarked for health workers and nursing home residents, to boost the largest vaccination effort in U.S. history.
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Read more here. —Associated Press
4:03 p.m.: CPS reopening plan a step closer to reality after teachers union injunction is denied
The Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board on Thursday declined to pursue an injunction sought by the Chicago Teachers Union, clearing a hurdle for Chicago Public Schools to move forward with its plans to reopen schools in the new year.
Unwilling to accept defeat, the CTU is escalating its fight for staff and students to return to classrooms only when the union agrees it’s safe.
With unresolved factual disputes between the union and school district, the labor board decided the case fell short of legal requirements for seeking an injunction from the Illinois Attorney General.
In a 2-1 vote, the board agreed with general counsel Ellen Strizak’s recommendation to deny the request. Strizak said the union had not established reasonable cause to believe CPS had violated the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act, and that a hearing was needed to resolve factual disputes.
The CTU is now trying to have a hearing with an administrative law judge expedited to take place before CPS staff members are expected to return to schools Jan. 4. A hearing is currently scheduled for later in the month.
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Read more here. —Hannah Leone
3:28 p.m.: Naperville’s Edward Hospital administers first COVID-19 vaccine
The first COVID-19 vaccine was given at Naperville’s Edward Hospital shortly after 2:15 p.m. Thursday, when medical assistant Nikki Carini-Wardecki injected the dose into the arm of Aminderjit Dhanoa, a 37-year-old respiratory therapist from South Elgin.
Dhanoa had COVID-19 in October. He has recovered but said he was excited to receive the first dose of the vaccine because he didn’t want to take any chances.
“I’m still going to take all the precautions and everything,” he said. “But it’s just a peace of mind that I have my vaccine now.”
The room applauded after Carini-Wardecki injected the dose, a sign of the hope the vaccine has brought to the hospital.
“We’re thankful for the scientists who have discovered this vaccine,” said Dr. Sanjeeb Khatua, chief physician executive and COVID-19 incident commander for the Edward-Elmhurst Health System.
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“This is a historic day. And honestly it’s going to take a long time to get not just our healthcare workers vaccinated, but the communities as well. So I think today is about hope.”
—Sarah Freishtat
1:36 p.m.: EEOC guidance: Yes, employers can require the COVID-19 vaccine
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has decided that employers can require workers to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and offered guidance on exceptions.
Employers have been hoping for clarity from the agency as they mull whether to mandate vaccination even as many people remain concerned about the safety of a vaccine developed so quickly and not tested on certain populations.
The guidelines, published Wednesday, mostly confirm what attorneys have been advising clients as vaccines begin to be distributed.
In essence, the EEOC said employers can require that employees get inoculated as a condition of going to work, unless an employee declines because of a disability or a sincerely held religious belief.
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Read more here. —Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz
12:18 p.m.: Despite being cash-strapped, restaurants shell out to decorate and bring Chicago some Christmas cheer
Despite the pandemic, restaurants across the city have put extra money into holiday decorations in the hopes of creating a respite from the stress of the pandemic, and restore a sense of joy usually ubiquitous this time of year. And although some pop-ups have had to close because of the indoor dining shutdown, others are finding ways to host guests outdoors.
During Christmases past, it was common to walk into any restaurant or bar across the city and see the place decked out with festive decor. Indeed, holiday pop-ups have become a fierce tinsel-and-twinkly-lights competition with bars vying for revelers’ drink dollars. With indoor service shut down since late October, and likely to stay that way through the holidays, it would surprise few if restaurants went all Scrooge this year. Yet restaurants across the city are showing up for the holidays.
Read more here. —Grace Wong
12:09 p.m.: 8,828 new confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases and 181 additional deaths reported
Illinois health officials on Thursday announced 8,828 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 181 additional fatalities, bringing the total number of known infections in Illinois to 879,428 and the statewide death toll to 14,835 since the start of the pandemic.
Officials also reported 92,015 new tests in the last 24 hours. The seven-day statewide rolling positivity rate for cases as a share of total tests was 8.4% for the period ending Wednesday.
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—Chicago Tribune staff
10:53 a.m.: Congress inches toward $900B COVID-19 economic relief: ‘We made some progress this morning’
Congressional negotiators on the long-delayed $900 billion COVID-19 economic relief package worked through a handful of remaining holdups Thursday as they labored to seal a final agreement for more help to businesses and the unemployed and new stimulus payments to most Americans.
The central elements of the hard-fought compromise appeared in place: More than $300 billion in aid to businesses; a $300-per-week bonus federal jobless benefit and renewal of soon-to-expire state benefits; $600 direct payments to individuals; vaccine distribution funds and money for renters, schools, the Postal Service and people needing food aid.
But hang-ups involving Federal Reserve powers, state and local government matching requirements for disaster grants, and myriad smaller disagreements over non-pandemic add-ons have slowed progress, aides involved in the negotiations said.
A top negotiator warned that the current set of problems could knock the talks off track.
Read more here. —Associated Press
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10:32 a.m.: Hospitals discover a surprise in their vaccine deliveries: Extra doses
As boxes of Pfizer vaccines began arriving around the country this week, hospital pharmacists made a surprising discovery: Some of the glass vials that are supposed to hold five doses contained enough for a sixth — or even a seventh — person.
The news prompted a flurry of excited exchanges on Twitter and pharmacy message boards this week as hospital workers considered the tantalizing possibility that the limited supply of desperately needed vaccine might be stretched to reach more people.
Read more here. —The New York Times
10:19 a.m.: Shipping delays mounting as USPS struggles with ‘historic’ holiday volume
With a week to go before Christmas Eve, anyone who’s still scouring the internet for the perfect gift may want to get in the car and head for a store or start making I.O.U.’s.
Record online sales have led to the crush of packages at shipping companies and the U.S. Postal Service that was predicted a month ago. As a result, merchants of all sizes are issuing warnings and apologies to consumers, who are turning to social media to complain.
Read more here. —Lauren Zumbach
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9:57 a.m.: 9 Chicago businesses cited for COVID-19 violations, including 5 for allowing indoor dining or drinking
Chicago’s Department of Business and Consumer Protection fined nine businesses for COVID-19 violations last weekend. The citations are part of the department’s continued efforts to enforce the city’s ever-changing safety guidelines, which since Oct. 30 have included a shutdown of indoor dining, officials said.
Ten locations in the Wrigleyville entertainment district that were open and operating for outdoor dining were also investigated Saturday night, and all of them were in compliance with safety guidelines. In total, 118 investigations were conducted citywide Dec. 10 to 13.
Read more here. —Grace Wong
9:14 a.m.: Key Iowa COVID-19 vaccine panel holding secret meetings on who should get first vaccinations, circumventing open meetings law, experts say
A panel of experts that will help decide which groups get the coronavirus vaccine first in Iowa has been holding closed meetings, circumventing the state open meetings law.
The Iowa Department of Public Health convened the Infectious Disease Advisory Council this month to develop recommendations on how to use the vaccine when supplies are limited in the coming weeks and months.
In particular, the 25-member panel will recommend which groups of health care workers, essential workers and people at risk for severe COVID-19 illness should be considered higher priorities than others.
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Read more here. —Associated Press
8:28 a.m.: 2nd COVID-19 vaccine from Moderna, NIH gets public review today by FDA
A second COVID-19 vaccine moved closer to joining the U.S. fight against the pandemic Thursday as government advisers convened for a public review of its safety and effectiveness.
It’s the next-to-last step for the vaccine developed by drugmaker Moderna and the National Institutes of Health. The panel of physicians and medical researchers is expected to endorse it, followed by the Food and Drug Administration’s OK within hours or days.
The action would provide a boost to the largest vaccination effort in U.S. history that kicked off this week. More shipments of the first green-lighted vaccine, developed by Pfizer and BioNTech, were going out Thursday, earmarked for health care workers and nursing home residents around the country.
Watch live here. —Associated Press
5 a.m.: The first five: How a Chicago hospital picked its first vaccination recipients
The 975 coveted doses of the COVID-19 vaccine expected to arrive by police escort as soon as Thursday morning will create a new challenge for Roseland Community Hospital in a year that has been overrun by them.
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Like other medical centers across the country in recent days, Roseland has been tasked with deciding which of its hundreds of employees — for reasons both practical and symbolic — should be the first to get the injection they’ve all needed since the pandemic began.
The Far South Side hospital, which treats patients regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay, has carried a tremendous weight over the past 11 months. As the Roseland neighborhood has suffered a coronavirus death rate 67% greater than the citywide average, the staff opened a 40-bed COVID ward, provided inpatient care to 320 people and conducted more than 25,000 tests in a community that has long suffered from the city’s health care inequities.
It hasn’t always gone smoothly. When a pregnant woman with COVID died after failing to be quickly triaged upon arrival, the state cited the hospital for several issues related to its handling of the virus. The hospital has said it worked address the issues.
The hospital believes it will receive enough doses to vaccinate its 600 employees and contractors, including the estimated 25% who have expressed reluctance about getting the injections. Each vial contains about five shots, so Roseland President and CEO Tim Egan wanted the first five recipients to be a reflection of the many faces who have contributed to the fight.
Read more here. —Stacy St. Clair and Brian Cassella
Breaking coronavirus news Stay up to date with the latest information on coronavirus with our breaking news alerts.
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chicagotribune--2020-12-17--15-year-old boy charged with murder in February shooting at store that killed 18-year-old woman, inj

15-year-old boy charged with murder in February shooting at store that killed 18-year-old woman, injured 4 other people

The boy , not named because he is a juvenile , was one three people who opened fire at 5:30 @ @ @ @ @ entrance of Ali ’ s Minimart at 79th Street and Avalon Avenue , according to @ @ @ @ @ more than 20 gunshots were fired into the building .

Evidence technicians place markers next to bullet casings at the scene where five people were shot Feb. 25, 2020, in the 7900 block of South Avalon Avenue in the Avalon Park neighborhood. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)
A 15-year-old boy has been charged in connection with a February shooting at a convenience store in Avalon Park that left an 18-year-old woman dead and four others seriously injured, Chicago police said.
The boy, not named because he is a juvenile, was one three people who opened fire at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 25 at the entrance of Ali’s Minimart at 79th Street and Avalon Avenue, according to prosecutors. In all, more than 20 gunshots were fired into the building.
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Jaya Beemon, 18, was hit in the neck while apparently shopping in the store and died at the University of Chicago Medical Center. She lived about 2½ miles away.
A 17-year-old girl was shot in the arm, chest and ankle, an 18-year-old woman was shot in the back, a 19-year-old man was shot in the leg and a 63-year-old man was shot in the leg.
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During a detention hearing Thursday, prosecutors said surveillance footage shows three shooters getting out of a vehicle near the store in the 7900 block of South Avalon Avenue and opening fire, aiming at an unarmed person who was inside the crowded store.
The teen was ordered held in custody by a Cook County Juvenile Court judge.
The shooting took place when Charlie Beck, formerly of the Los Angeles Police Department, was serving as Chicago’s interim chief. “They peered into the market (and) saw who was inside — which was a full market with four teenagers and one adult male,” Beck told the Tribune at the time.


chicagotribune--2020-12-17--Walgreens, CVS predict COVID-19 vaccines will be available to the general public by appointment at p

Walgreens, CVS predict COVID-19 vaccines will be available to the general public by appointment at pharmacies by spring

Laquitta Boyd, holds her 6-year-old daughter Venisha while receiving her first COVID-19 vaccination at a back-to-school health fair hosted by RUSH University Medical Center at the Salvation Army Freedom Center on July 30, 2022, in Chicago. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)
With health care workers the first to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and residents and staff of long-term care facilities next, Americans are asking when it will be their turn to get a dose.
Walgreens and CVS Health predict the vaccine will be available to the public during the spring, and patients will most likely be able to make appointments to get the shots at pharmacies.
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“I think that the best and easiest place for people to get these vaccinations is going to be the retail pharmacies,” said Dr. Troyen Brennan, chief medical officer for CVS, during a Thursday panel discussion with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation on the vaccine rollout.
“Operation Warp Speed already contracted with 16 different pharmacy chains,” Brennan said. “Our point of view is that once we gear up in the pharmacy, we can give 20 to 25 million doses per month.”
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A vial of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is seen after being administered on Dec. 17, 2020, at Roseland Community Hospital on Chicago's Far South Side. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
Five health care workers were the first in Chicago to receive COVID-19 vaccinations, which took place Tuesday at Loretto Hospital. Though states will determine who is next in line to receive a vaccine, Brennan said it would be best to inoculate people based on populations who are most at risk of contracting the virus in order to reduce the spread. Public access to the vaccine could follow shortly after, he said.
“My own hope — I may be ahead of myself a little bit — is that’s something that can be occurring by mid-February or end of February,” Brennan said.
On Friday, Walgreens said its pharmacists had begun administering the vaccine to residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities in Ohio and Connecticut. It expects to provide vaccinations in approximately 800 long-term care facilities across 12 states next week.
Dr. Ngozi Ezike, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, said during a briefing with Gov. J.B. Pritzker Friday that Walgreens and CVS are expected to begin vaccinations at long-term care facilities in Illinois the week of Dec. 28.
Dr. Kevin Ban, chief medical officer for Walgreens, said the company estimates it might be able to administer COVID-19 vaccines to the public by early March. The Deerfield-based pharmacy retailer said last week it plans to hire about 25,000 people across the U.S., including up to 9,000 pharmacists and other health care workers, to administer the vaccine.
Once the vaccines are available for mass distribution, Ban said the process might look similar to getting a flu shot, where patients schedule an appointment and have a pharmacist administer the shot inside one of its stores.
Walgreens also is looking at setting up off-site and mobile clinics to reach rural areas and communities that might have a hard time accessing a pharmacy, Ban said.
Still, supply availability will play a key role in determining how many people can access the vaccine, the companies said. Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine was the first to receive emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration, with Moderna following close behind.
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There are about 760,000 people in Illinois, including health care workers and residents at long-term care facilities, currently eligible to receive a vaccine, said Garth Reynolds, executive director of the Illinois Pharmacists Association. Along with supply, the availability of workers to administer the doses will determine how fast the vaccine reaches the public, which he predicts could take until summer.
Brennan said as more pharmaceutical companies like AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson apply and receive emergency approval for their vaccines, access will grow.
abjimenez@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @abdel1019


chicagotribune--2020-12-17--Man accused of decapitating woman’s corpse told police he panicked, denied killing her

Prosecutors said Bryant was still in the apartment when police arrived , and quickly escaped when he spotted them .
@ @ @ @ @ until after Bryant ’ s escape that the officers discovered the body ’ s head @ @ @ @ @ found it in the kitchen , wrapped in plastic , along with a handsaw in @ @ @ @ @ Bryant ’ s personal items , Deboni said .

A judge on Thursday denied bail to a career burglar who Cook County prosecutors said admitted beheading the body of a woman inside her South Shore apartment over the summer but denied killing her.
Authorities charged Eric Bryant only with dismembering a human body, and not murder, in the death of Kimiko Armstrong, 61. Armstrong had to be identified through fingerprints, authorities said.
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Bryant, 49, who has 12 felony convictions — most of them burglaries — would later tell police that he panicked because the woman’s body was beginning to decompose and that he decapitated it in an effort to dispose of the body, prosecutors said.
He told police, “The worst thing he did was wrap the head and cut it off with a handsaw,” Assistant State’s Attorney Kevin Deboni told the court.
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Chicago police say Eric Bryant, 49, was charged with dismembering a human body, following the death of a woman in the 7400 block of South Chappel in July 2020. (Chicago Police Department)
During a bail hearing broadcast on YouTube, prosecutors told Judge Charles S. Beach II that an autopsy found the decapitation occurred after the victim was already dead, but because the remains were so badly decomposed, a violent death couldn’t be excluded.
The victim also had “multiple narcotics” in her body, and the cause and manner of Armstrong’s death were both ruled undetermined, authorities said.
The smell of decomposition brought police to Armstrong’s apartment in the 7400 block of South Chappel Avenue the evening of July 23 after neighbors complained of “a very bad smell” coming from the second floor, according to Deboni.
Inside, police found Armstrong’s body in a hallway on the floor, wrapped in plastic and bed coverings, authorities said.
Prosecutors said Bryant was still in the apartment when police arrived, and quickly escaped when he spotted them. But it wasn’t until after Bryant’s escape that the officers discovered the body’s head was missing. Police later found it in the kitchen, wrapped in plastic, along with a handsaw in a bedroom and many of Bryant’s personal items, Deboni said.
Bryant, who works in metal scrap yards, according to his court-appointed attorney, was arrested Tuesday on an unrelated burglary call and was placed in custody.
Beach approved the prosecution’s request denying bail, agreeing that Bryant posed a threat to the public.
Bryant is expected to return to court Jan. 4.


chicagotribune--2020-12-17--Former Gary Housing Authority head to plead not guilty to wire fraud charges Friday, attorney says

The complaint alleges the campaign fund of Individual A was used during that period to pay Cossey for consulting work @ @ @ @ @ New Day Foundation that was either underreported in Cossey ’ s financial filings or earned @ @ @ @ @ was dissolved by the state for failing to provide financial paperwork three years in a @ @

Mary Cossey, former executive director of the Gary Housing Authority and confidant of former Gary Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson, will enter a plea of not guilty Friday on three charges of wire fraud stemming from a Chapter 13 bankruptcy filing, according to her attorney.
Attorney Scott King said his Cossey would be appearing in court Friday in a videoconference to enter her plea and get a date set for trial.
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“We will be entering a plea of not guilty and we intend to see her vindicated at trial,” King said.
Cossey, 54, of Munster, has been indicted on three counts of wire fraud related to her bankruptcy petition following an investigation by the FBI and IRS in collaboration with the Northern Indiana Bankruptcy Fraud Working Group coordinated by the U.S. Trustee for Region 10, said Thomas Kirsch II, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana.
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Investigators allege Cossey defrauded the bankruptcy trustee and her creditors by providing false information in her bankruptcy petition and concealed prohibited post-petition and preferential payments to a personal friend and creditor, identified in the indictment as Individual A, according to Kirsch.
“The purpose of Cossey’s scheme was to avail herself of the benefits of bankruptcy — including preventing foreclosure on her home, reducing the majority of her debt on a rental property in Gary, Indiana, and eliminating her unsecured debt for pennies on the dollar — without making any of the financial sacrifices required by Chapter 13 debtors,” Kirsch’s office wrote in the release.
Cossey originally was indicted in August. Her case had been postponed as the two sides attempted to reach a plea agreement. The FBI investigated Cossey’s finances form December 2013 to January 2019.
According to the court documents, it took three years to finalize a bankruptcy plan for Cossey after she filed in December 2016.
From January 2013 to September 2019 Cossey allegedly made more than 200 cash deposits to Individual A. According to the documents, Individual A indicated that 80% of the deposits went to pay the American Express bill in Individual A’s name. Cossey did not disclose Individual A as a creditor and did not disclose payments to Individual A made prior to the bankruptcy filing.
The concealed income and assets allegedly include $95,000 in cash, $5,000 in consultant fees for campaign and fundraisers $78,000 severance from Indiana American Water Co., $54,000 in retirement account withdrawals, $17,000 in rental income, $8,000 in title loans, and $3,000 in real estate commissions.
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The complaint alleges the campaign fund of Individual A was used during that period to pay Cossey for consulting work she performed for the Gary New Day Foundation that was either underreported in Cossey’s financial filings or earned at a time the foundation was dissolved by the state for failing to provide financial paperwork three years in a row.
Money received by Cossey outside of what was reported to the bankruptcy trustee allegedly was placed in a new Chase bank account opened in September 2016, according to the court documents.
Carrie Napoleon is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.


chicagotribune--2020-12-17--Chicago Public Schools’ reopening plan a step closer to reality after teachers union injunction is d

Chicago Public Schools’ reopening plan a step closer to reality after teachers union injunction is denied

“ In my view , health and safety is a mandatory subject of bargaining which may not be disregarded by @ @ @ @ @ especially in light of the fact that it is unlikely in my view that the @ @ @ @ @ 4.5 , envisioned the situation we now find ourselves in , ” Sered said .
@ @ @ @ @ the Chicago Board of Education has announced a date certain to bring children and teachers @ @ @ @ @ bargaining that decision with the CTU .
Further , as we are literally dealing with @ @ @ @ @ I find this to be irreparable harm .
”

The Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board on Thursday declined to pursue an injunction sought by the Chicago Teachers Union, clearing a hurdle for Chicago Public Schools to move forward with its plans to reopen schools in the new year.
Unwilling to accept defeat, the CTU is escalating its fight for staff and students to return to classrooms only when the union agrees it’s safe.
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With unresolved factual disputes between the union and school district, the labor board decided the case fell short of legal requirements for seeking an injunction from the Illinois attorney general.
In a 2-1 vote, the board agreed with general counsel Ellen Strizak’s recommendation to deny the request. Strizak said the union had not established reasonable cause to believe CPS had violated the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act, and that a hearing was needed to resolve factual disputes.
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The CTU is now trying to have a hearing with an administrative law judge expedited to take place before CPS staff members are expected to return to schools Jan. 4. A hearing is currently scheduled for later in the month.
Chicago's King Elementary was empty on the first day of CPS classes in September, and the district and teachers union are still fighting over when schools are safe to reopen. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
Before CPS set hard reopening dates, the labor relations board denied a similar request by the CTU on the grounds that CPS hadn’t yet taken unilateral action. But the board discussed revisiting the case if the school district set dates without collective bargaining.
Then CPS announced that schools would reopen Jan. 11 to students in prekindergarten and moderate to severe special education cluster programs. Other students in kindergarten through sixth grade, and most seventh and eighth graders, would start a hybrid model on Feb. 1. No return date has been set for high schools.
Shortly after the announcement, CTU refiled a request to stop the plan until the union had agreements with CPS over outstanding issues such as enforcement of health and safety measures, a coronavirus testing plan and the metrics used to open or close schools.
“So here we all are again,” Strizak said.
This time, Strizak cautioned that the board shouldn’t assume the union had a good chance of prevailing with an injunction when there were still facts in dispute, including whether CPS had bargained in good faith in more than 40 meetings with the teachers union since June.
“It is unclear whether these meetings actually constitute bargaining sessions,” Strizak said. “... There are factual issues in this case as to whether (CPS’s) conduct amounts to bad-faith bargaining.”
An overarching question since March has been whether school districts are even required to bargain with employee unions over plans to reopen schools during the coronavirus pandemic.
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CTU has argued that because reopening during a pandemic relates to employee health and safety, it qualifies as a mandatory subject of bargaining. But CPS officials have insisted that reopening is substantially about where instruction occurs and so counts as a permissive subject, meaning they can bargain but don’t have to and can make a decision even if the parties are still negotiating over its impact.
In a previous case, the board defined places of instruction as “physical locations where instruction is provided,” Strizak said, “but it is well settled in labor law that employee safety is a mandatory subject of bargaining.”
How those categories apply amid an unforeseen shift to remote learning and a highly contagious, deadly virus complicates the issue of whether CPS has indeed failed to bargain over required subjects, as CTU has claimed.
“That may well be or it may not, depending on whether the return to in-person learning is considered a permissive subject of bargaining ... because it concerns places of instruction, or a mandatory subject of bargaining because it concerns employee health and safety,” Strizak said.
Disagreeing with Strizak’s recommendation, board member Lynne Sered, who cast the dissenting vote, said reopening should not fall under section 4.5 of the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act, which includes “hours and location of instruction” on a list of permissive subjects of collective bargaining.
“I want to acknowledge the seriousness of the issues involved and also acknowledge the devastating effect COVID-19 has brought upon students, parents and employees of the Chicago Public Schools,” Sered said. “The issue before us, however, remains focused on the requirements of the collective bargaining agreement between the CTU and the (Chicago Board of Education).”
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People attend a vigil organized by the Chicago Teachers Union outside Willa Cather Elementary School in Chicago on Dec. 17, 2020, for teachers, staff and students across Chicago who have been impacted by COVID-19. (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune)
Norine Gutekanst, a retired teacher, attends a vigil organized by the Chicago Teachers Union outside Willa Cather Elementary School. (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune)
The CTU’s contract requires CPS to bargain over “policy matters directly affecting wages, hours and terms and conditions of employment as well as the impact thereon” and holds that employees “shall work under safe and healthful conditions.”
The Illinois lawmakers who passed the educational labor relations act probably did not foresee a pandemic, Sered said.
“In my view, health and safety is a mandatory subject of bargaining which may not be disregarded by the provisions of 4.5, especially in light of the fact that it is unlikely in my view that the General Assembly, when contemplating 4.5, envisioned the situation we now find ourselves in,” Sered said. “It is undisputed that the Chicago Board of Education has announced a date certain to bring children and teachers back to in-person learning without bargaining that decision with the CTU. Further, as we are literally dealing with life and death issues, I find this to be irreparable harm.”
The other two board members, Gilbert O’Brien Jr. and Lara Shayne, voted to uphold the general counsel’s recommendation without further discussion.
CPS is claiming victory, asserting that schools cannot address deepening inequities without opening their doors.
“The district commends the IELRB for ruling in favor of the more than 77,000 CPS students whose families have asked to return to schools,” said CPS spokeswoman Emily Bolton. “Schools in Chicago and across the country have shown that classrooms are safe with the proper mitigations. ... It’s time for the CTU to put students first and be supportive partners in the effort to safely reopen classrooms for the families who need us now more than ever.”
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Union leaders said they expect CPS to oppose their request for an expedited hearing, and that if a judge were to rule in their favor after schools had already reopened, the remedy would be meaningless.
“In that case, all options will be on the table for the CTU to enforce our rights and protect the health, safety and livelihoods of students, educators and their families,” said CTU President Jesse Sharkey. “... Our case at trial is rock solid, and we’re not wavering from our commitment to place safety, equity and trust at the heart of any agreement to return to our school communities.”
CTU leaders have been coy about their threshold for taking a strike vote. At Wednesday’s Chicago Board of Education meeting, Sharkey said a lack of agreement over outstanding issues “is going to make our union campaign in a way which is going to have very real consequences for this whole city.”
On Thursday, the union announced its executive board will meet next week “to lay out next steps in the union’s campaign to return to buildings only when CPS has bargained to consensus on critical safety issues.”
[ Should schools reopen? For those that have, how’s it going? Parents, the Tribune wants to hear from you. ]
hleone@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-12-17--Bloody pillow and knife found in Washington Park apartment of man charged with assaulting woman and

Bloody pillow and knife found in Washington Park apartment of man charged with assaulting woman and dragging her to vacant lot

From the video , it appears Williams “ might have actually been alive ” as her limp body was pulled @ @ @ @ @ said .
Brown was seen kicking her as he knelt over her body in the @ @

A man has been charged with slashing and assaulting a woman in his Washington Park apartment, then dragging her bound and partially clothed body to a vacant lot nearby, where he kicked her and left her for dead.
A witness called police after the early morning attack on Dec. 11, but paramedics were unable to save Tyese Williams, 38, according to prosecutors.
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Other witnesses said they heard “loud banging noises” from the apartment of Terrance Brown, 33, that night in the 5800 block of South Prairie Avenue. Surveillance cameras caught him dragging Williams, whose mouth was taped and hands tied, prosecutors said.
One of the witnesses was Brown’s mother, who lives in the same apartment building as Brown.
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Brown, who told police Williams had been intoxicated, also told officers he “did not want the victim to die in his mom’s house, so he took her outside,” according to prosecutors.
Additionally, Brown told police he did not call 911 because that is “for emergencies only,” prosecutors said.
Terrance Brown (Chicago police / HANDOUT)
From the video, it appears Williams “might have actually been alive” as her limp body was pulled from the apartment, prosecutors said. Brown was seen kicking her as he knelt over her body in the lot.
Brown’s mother answered when officers knocked on Brown’s first-floor apartment door. They went inside and noted the “strong odor of bleach” and spotted the “blood-soaked pillow” and knife, and blood spatter, prosecutors said.
Brown claimed the “Mexican mafia” was responsible for the brutal killing. He told authorities that he was helping to protect Williams from the “Mexican cartel,” prosecutors said.
Judge Charles S. Beach II said Brown’s version of events was not supported by the evidence and ordered him held without bail on first-degree murder charges. He is due back in court on Jan. 4.
rsobol@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-12-17--Cook County clerk announces COVID-19 marriage lottery for first-of-the-year license

“ The pandemic has altered our courses in so many different ways , but the special institution of marriage and @ @ @ @ @ year must go on , ” Yarbrough said in a statement .
“ We are @ @ @ @ @ this tradition in a safe and exciting way .
”

Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough reacts as she presides over the first marriage of 2020, as bride and groom Jasmin Blackman and Demarco Johnson kiss during the brief ceremony at the county clerk's office in Chicago on Jan. 2, 2020. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
With the COVID-19 pandemic having the potential to turn the annual camp-out by loving couples looking to tie the knot into a superspreader event, Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough is holding a lottery to figure out who will get the coveted first marriage license of 2021.
In a pre-pandemic Chicago, people would line up to obtain the first marriage license of the year, Yarbrough would marry them in early January and local businesses would donate gifts as story-hungry TV crews looked on. But this year, that won’t work because of spiking cases of the deadly disease.
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“This year, due to COVID-19, Yarbrough is announcing a lottery drawing for the first license, accompanied by a Zoom wedding and special COVID-conscious gifts for the newlyweds from some of Chicagoland’s signature establishments,” Yarbrough’s office said in a news release.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker issued an executive order in May allowing couples the right to apply for marriage licenses online and to be married via videoconference in the wake of COVID-19.
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“The pandemic has altered our courses in so many different ways, but the special institution of marriage and the first nuptials of the year must go on,” Yarbrough said in a statement. “We are thrilled to be carrying on this tradition in a safe and exciting way.”
Applications are being accepted online beginning Thursday and interested couples can apply for their chance to win the first license at www.cookcountyclerk.com/firstmarriage.
Applications must be received by Tuesday, Dec. 29, and the drawing for the first marriage license of 2021 will be held Dec. 30. The Zoom wedding ceremony will take place on Monday, Jan. 4, the first day of official business in Cook County in 2021.


chicagotribune--2020-12-17--Will Chicago see a white Christmas this year? Here’s what 149 years of weather data predict for Dec.

Will Chicago see a white Christmas this year? Here’s what 149 years of weather data predict for Dec. 25.

The National Weather Service considers Christmas to be white only when snow depth on the ground is 1 inch or more the morning of Dec. 25 .
So , any snow that could fall later that day ?
Pretty , but it does n't count .
The most snowfall on Christmas Day in Chicago happened in 1950 , when 5.1 inches blanketed the ground at Midway Airport .
Forecasters predicted light snow for that day .
In 2016 and 2017 , Chicago had 2 inches of snow on the ground heading into Christmas Day , marking the city 's first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no snow on the ground in 2018 or 2019 .
Dreaming of a white Christmas ?
Forecasters say it ’ s possible for the Chicago area this year .
Based on climate normals from 1981-2010 , the National Centers for Environmental Information predicts O'Hare International Airport ( the city 's official recording site since 1980 ) has a 37 percent probability of a white Christmas in 2020 .
Looking for an almost-guaranteed place to find snow on Christmas morning ?
Try Crested Butte , Colo. , which is one of about a dozen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 100 percent historical probability of a white Christmas .
Historic probability of at least 1-inch of snow on Christmas , based on normals between 1981 and 2010 .
Click on a dot to see the chance of snow at that location : Number of days when snow fell on Christmas — and how much Days as counted between 1871 and 2019 at Chicago 's official recording site ( 17 years of Christmas weather data is missing ) The 8 years when 2 inches or more fell “ The snow , which began about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ base .
They had predicted snow for downstate Illinois , but none for the Chicago area .
Varying wind conditions were blamed for the faulty prediction.
” — Chicago Tribune , Dec. 26 , 1950 An automobile abandoned by its owner after it stalled is covered in snow on Lake Shore Drive at 37th Street on Dec. 26 , 1950 .
Snow plows later piled the snow higher around the car .
( Chicago Tribune historical photo published Dec. 27 , 1950 ) “ The snow , which began to fall while the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last endeavor to atone for their failure to ‘ do it early , ’ continued all night and throughout yesterday.
” — Chicago Tribune , Dec. 26 , 1909 “ The snowfall began late in the afternoon , following a severe cold snap that dropped the mercury to an official 7 degrees above zero at 6 and 7 a.m .
This made yesterday one of the coldest Christmases since 1903 , when 3 below was recorded .
— Chicago Tribune , Dec. 26 , 1933 A group of skaters `` cracking the whip @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Park on Dec. 25 , 1933 .
( Chicago Tribune , Dec. 26 , 1933 ) “ A ‘ white Christmas ’ beyond all expectations virtually paralyzed Chicago and much of the state yesterday , dotting streets and highways with thousands of stalled cars , and stranding thousands of hungry families miles from the holiday turkeys they were planning to eat with friends or relatives.
” — Chicago Tribune , Dec. 26 , 1951 Drivers shovel to free their vehicles from clogged drifts on Beacon Street , looking south from Lawrence Avenue , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
( Chicago Tribune , Dec. 26 , 1951 ) “ Chicago florists complained that many of their Christmas flowers were frozen while being delivered through the zero weather , but in the subzero northwest flower dealers didn ’ t even bother to make deliveries.
” — Chicago Tribune , Dec. 26 , 1935 Willis Herman , right , takes Lillian Bertrang and Delores Koller for a sleigh ride in Lincoln Park aboard a 75-year-old cutter on Dec. 25 , 1935 .
( Chicago Tribune , Dec. 26 , 1935 ) “ One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ street car traffic have already resulted from the storm , which came unannounced and caught the city unawares.
” — Chicago Tribune , Dec. 26 , 1903 “ Widespread flooding plagued the southern suburbs , where the weather bureau reported that 6.6 inches of rain fell on Christmas eve .
The normal rainfall for the entire month of December here is only 1.9 inches.
” — Chicago Tribune , Dec. 26 , 1965 Firefighters in Harvey aid Darlene Burton , left , her brother , Bernard , 3 , and sister Donna , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Dec. 25 , 1965 .
( Chicago Tribune , Dec. 26 , 1965 ) “ Our Christmas Day snow has increased the city ’ s seasonal snow tally to 12.7 inches .
That ’ s well ahead of normal and nearly one-third the normal amount of snow that falls over a full season.
” — WGN-TV chief meteorologist Tom Skilling in the Chicago Tribune , Dec. 26 , 2002 Matthew Carney and his dog Ginger head downhill at Oz Park in Chicago on Dec. 25 , 2002 .
( Nancy Stone/Chicago Tribune @

The snowfall on Dec. 24, 2017, was almost a whiteout on Chicago's North Side at the lakefront. (Nancy Stone / Chicago Tribune)
The National Weather Service considers Christmas to be white only when snow depth on the ground is 1 inch or more the morning of Dec. 25.
So, any snow that could fall later that day? Pretty, but it doesn’t count.
The most snowfall on Christmas Day in Chicago happened in 1950, when 5.1 inches blanketed the ground at Midway Airport. Forecasters predicted light snow for that day.
For the first time in five years, Chicago had a white Christmas in 2022 — with 1 inch of snow on the ground. In 2016 and 2017, Chicago had 2 inches of snow on the ground heading into Christmas Day, marking the city’s first white Christmases since 2013. There was no snow on the ground in 2018, 2019, 2020 or 2021.
(1/3) This Christmas for #Chicago:
• First White Christmas (1+" of snow depth) since 2017
• High temp in the mid teens was the coldest Christmas high since 1996 (2000 was close with 17°)
• Low temp of 2° was the coldest Christmas low since 2008 #ILwx pic.twitter.com/A2lbjd5uJo — NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) December 26, 2022
Based on climate normals from 1991-2020, the National Centers for Environmental Information predicts O’Hare International Airport (the city’s official recording site since 1980) had a 35 percent probability of a white Christmas this year.
Looking for an almost-guaranteed place to find snow on Christmas morning? Try Crested Butte, Colo., which is one of about a dozen locations in the continental U.S. that has 100 percent historical probability of a white Christmas.
Chance of a white Christmas
Historic probability of at least 1-inch of snow on Christmas, based on normals between 1991 and 2020. See an interactive version of the map.
(NOAA Climate.gov, NCEI)
Number of days when snow fell on Christmas in Chicago — and how much
The 8 years when 2 inches of snow or more fell on December 25 in Chicago
5.1 inches (1950)
An automobile abandoned by its owner after it stalled is covered in snow on Lake Shore Drive at 37th Street on Dec. 26, 1950. Snow plows later piled the snow higher around the car. Published in the Dec. 27, 1950, edition of the Chicago Tribune. (Chicago Tribune historical photo)
“The snow, which began about 10 a.m., caught weather forecasters off base. They had predicted snow for downstate Illinois, but none for the Chicago area. Varying wind conditions were blamed for the faulty prediction.” — Chicago Tribune, Dec. 26, 1950
5 inches (1909)
As published in the Dec. 26, 1909, edition of the Chicago Tribune. (Chicago Tribune Archives)
“The snow, which began to fall while the belated shoppers were still scrambling in a last endeavor to atone for their failure to ‘do it early,’ continued all night and throughout yesterday.” — Chicago Tribune, Dec. 26, 1909
4.3 inches (1933)
A group of skaters "cracking the whip" on a frozen pond at Welles Park on Dec. 25, 1933. Published in the Dec. 26, 1933, edition of the Chicago Tribune. (Chicago Tribune Archives)
“The snowfall began late in the afternoon, following a severe cold snap that dropped the mercury to an official 7 degrees above zero at 6 and 7 a.m. This made yesterday one of the coldest Christmases since 1903, when 3 below was recorded.” — Chicago Tribune, Dec. 26, 1933
4 inches (1951)
Drivers shovel to free their vehicles from clogged drifts on Beacon Street, looking south from Lawrence Avenue, in Chicago on Dec. 25, 1951. Published in the Dec. 26, 1951, edition of the Chicago Tribune.
“A ‘white Christmas’ beyond all expectations virtually paralyzed Chicago and much of the state yesterday, dotting streets and highways with thousands of stalled cars, and stranding thousands of hungry families miles from the holiday turkeys they were planning to eat with friends or relatives.” — Chicago Tribune, Dec. 26, 1951
3.9 inches (1935)
Willis Herman, right, takes Lillian Bertrang and Delores Koller for a sleigh ride in Lincoln Park aboard a 75-year-old cutter on Dec. 25, 1935. Published in the Dec. 26, 1935, edition of the Chicago Tribune. (Chicago Tribune Archives)
“Chicago florists complained that many of their Christmas flowers were frozen while being delivered through the zero weather, but in the subzero northwest flower dealers didn’t even bother to make deliveries.” — Chicago Tribune, Dec. 26, 1935
3.2 inches (1903)
As published in the Dec. 26, 1903, edition of the Chicago Tribune. (Chicago Tribune Archives)
“One death, numerous accidents, and delayed street car traffic have already resulted from the storm, which came unannounced and caught the city unawares.” — Chicago Tribune, Dec. 26, 1903
2.9 inches (1965)
Firefighters in Harvey aid Darlene Burton, left, her brother, Bernard, 3, and sister Donna, 7, after their home was flooded on Dec. 25, 1965. Published in the Dec. 26, 1965, edition of the Chicago Tribune. (Chicago Tribune Archives)
“Widespread flooding plagued the southern suburbs, where the weather bureau reported that 6.6 inches of rain fell on Christmas eve. The normal rainfall for the entire month of December here is only 1.9 inches.” — Chicago Tribune, Dec. 26, 1965
2 inches (2002)
Matthew Carney and his dog Ginger head downhill at Oz Park in Chicago on Dec. 25, 2002. (Nancy Stone/Chicago Tribune)
“Our Christmas Day snow has increased the city’s seasonal snow tally to 12.7 inches. That’s well ahead of normal and nearly one-third the normal amount of snow that falls over a full season.” — WGN-TV chief meteorologist Tom Skilling in the Chicago Tribune, Dec. 26, 2002
Sources: National Weather Service, National Centers for Environmental Information, Tribune archives


chicagotribune--2020-12-17--Dreaming of a white Christmas? Forecasters say it’s possible for the Chicago area this year.

“ It ’ s going to be around 40 ( degrees ) on the 23rd , ahead of a cold @ @ @ @ @ later in the day , ” Walker said .
“ Depending on how quickly the @ @ @ @ @ any precipitation may fall , it could be rain or snow or begin as rain @ @ @ @ @ the cold air moves in .
We don ’ t have a good handle on @ @ @ @ @ ”

A person looks on as waves build at Loyola Beach in Chicago's Rogers Park neighborhood on Dec. 12, 2020. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)
Although sources close to Santa Claus say he prefers the quieter landings afforded by snow-covered roofs, recent Christmases in Chicago have left the jolly old guy open to close encounters with children awakened by the clatter of a loud landing.
But this year, forecasters say, there’s a chance of snow in the days leading up to Dec. 25, increasing the likelihood that children will remain nestled snug in their beds. With so many Advent calendar doors to open before then, though, a white Christmas is far from guaranteed.
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There is a chance of precipitation on both Wednesday and Christmas Eve, said Matt Friedlein, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. That’s precipitation — not necessarily snow — because the high temperature Wednesday is expected to be well above freezing, said Paul Walker, a meteorologist with AccuWeather.
“It’s going to be around 40 (degrees) on the 23rd, ahead of a cold front that will move in later in the day,” Walker said. “Depending on how quickly the temperature drops relative to when any precipitation may fall, it could be rain or snow or begin as rain and end as snow as the cold air moves in. We don’t have a good handle on that at this point.”
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Walker said there are many factors that will determine if it snows Wednesday or Christmas Eve, when there should be a second opportunity for snow.
[ Will Chicago see a white Christmas this year? Here’s what 149 years of weather data predict for Dec. 25. ]
“It depends on the timing of this front, wind direction, and where the bands of snow might set up,” Walker said. “And a lot could change between now and then.”
Even if those factors align favorably, there’s a chance it won’t snow until late Christmas Eve, in which case little ones could be greeted on Christmas Day by presents both under the tree and one outdoors, in the form of a fresh coat of powder.
“It’s a possibility,” he said.
Walker said the high temperature Dec. 24 isn’t expected to exceed freezing and the low could be around 18 degrees. On Christmas Day, the high should be about 24 degrees and the low could drop to 14 degrees.
Friedlein said he isn’t certain if or how much precipitation could fall but agreed the weather in the days before Christmas appears “unsettled,” and that the temperature will drop to below average for this time of year.
[ Christmas weather in Chicago: The warmest and coldest since 1871 ]
“It looks like it should turn colder around Christmas, or late next week. Temperatures will be below normal. Right now that looks like highs in the lower 20s, but of course, that’s eight days out,” Friedlein said.
Neither Walker nor Friedlein offered an estimate of how likely it is to snow, citing the many variables that could shift. The greater assurance is that it will be cold, particularly if snow does fall.
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“The potential for temps below normal is the main message at this point,” Friedlein said. “Especially if we were to get a little bit of snow cover — that could serve as a natural freezer of sorts.”
For more weather news visit the Tribune’s weather page.
kdouglas@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @312BreakingNews


chicagotribune--2020-12-17--Metra announces weekday schedule changes on 4 lines to start in January

On the Metra Electric District lines , changes “ will resolve operational issues created by the implementation of Positive Train @ @ @ @ @ safety system , on the Blue Island Branch as well as on the South Chicago @ @ @ @ @ ” according to the release .
On the South Chicago Branch Line , all outbound @ @ @ @ @ 3 p.m. will leave Millennium Station 10 minutes later than on the current schedule .
@ @ @ @ @ Island Branch Line will be moved slightly later .

Metra next month will change weekday schedules on four of its lines, including three of those serving the northwest and west suburbs and the Metra Electric District line, in what the commuter rail agency said Thursday was an effort “to improve travel options and train operations across the Metra system.”
Weekday schedules on the Milwaukee North and West lines, North Central Service and the Metra District Electric line will change effective Jan. 11, according to a news release from the agency.
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On the Metra Electric District lines, changes “will resolve operational issues created by the implementation of Positive Train Control, a federally mandated safety system, on the Blue Island Branch as well as on the South Chicago Branch during the midday,” according to the release. On the South Chicago Branch Line, all outbound trains between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. will leave Millennium Station 10 minutes later than on the current schedule. Four trains on the Blue Island Branch Line will be moved slightly later.
On the Milwaukee North and West lines, weekday changes in “departure times and stopping patterns, particularly in rush periods, to create new options, address service gaps, provide limited express service on some trains and improve operations,” according to the release. Some trains will be added on the lines, and others will be converted to partial or complete express trains.
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The agency also is changing some stops so-called flag stops, where trains will only stop if people are visible on a platform or if passengers have told a conductor they want to leave a train at the stop.
North Central Service line changes “will address operational issues,” according to the release. This includes a later afternoon train leaving 27 minutes later to accommodate riders’ work schedules.
For more details on the changes, check Metra’s website or call the agency’s customer service line at 312-322-6777.