chicagotribune--2020-11-28--Column: Songs of Good Cheer is going virtual. Here’s everything you need to know to join our annual

Column: Songs of Good Cheer is going virtual. Here’s everything you need to know to join our annual holiday singalong

And we ’ ve done our best to create the feel of the live shows .
It will be shorter @ @ @ @ @ over an hour .
But rest assured , most of the familiar band members will @ @ @ @ @ will be lively , and Eric Zorn will appear in his tuxedo .
We ’ @ @ @ @ @ in the Old Town School auditorium to retain a flavor of the live event .

Columnist Eric Zorn plays the violin while columnist Mary Schmich plays piano during a 2015 performance of Songs of Good Cheer charity fundraising event at the Old Town School of Folk Music. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)
This is your official invitation to the 22nd annual Songs of Good Cheer — and the first to be held online.
Songs, as we informally call it, is the holiday singalong my Tribune colleague Eric Zorn and I have hosted for two decades in the beautiful auditorium of the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago. We play and sing with a band of great musicians affiliated with the school. In recent years, we’ve put on six shows a season, all of them sold out.
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The tradition grew out of our conviction that in our harried holidays, singing together could calm us down and connect us to each other.
But 2020 is the year of the pandemic. Singing in a group is dangerous. What to do?
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We’ve been getting emails since June posing that question, one of them from Emily Kallemeyn with the subject line: “Virtual Songs of Good Cheer?”
“I am sure this would be tricky,” she wrote, “but I am hopeful that it might happen? And if it doesn’t, please know this has become my favorite holiday tradition (I dragged my parents, husband and kids about 6 years ago and we have all enthusiastically attended every year since!!) and we’ll be there with bells on in 2021.”
Well, Emily. It has been tricky, but get your bells out. Encouraged by all the people who’ve asked, we’re venturing into the frontier of online concert-making.
Over the past couple of months, the Cheerios, as we call the band members, have recorded themselves singing and playing holiday songs, usually at home. In some cases, our longtime sound engineer, Dan Glomski, and bandmate-turned-tech-whiz, Paul Tyler, have met with us individually to oversee our recording, always, of course, masked and socially distanced.
Paul and Dan then embarked on the complicated work of synching individual recordings to create the look and sound of a band.
We couldn’t have done it without the support of the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, which supplied money to help with the costs involved.
Now, at last, we can confidently say: On with the show. Here are answers to questions you may have.
So what exactly is this?
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It’s a singalong with a virtual twist.
Buy a ticket, and on the day of the show you’ll get a private YouTube link. Click on the link and sing along in the comfort and privacy of your home. Or hum. Or just listen.
Unlike most years, this show won’t be live, but it will be livestreamed, meaning that it will be released at a designated hour on a designated day. You’ll be singing along with all the other people who’ve clicked on the link at the same time. You won’t hear them, but you’ll feel them.
And we’ve done our best to create the feel of the live shows. It will be shorter than usual — a little over an hour. But rest assured, most of the familiar band members will be there, the songs will be lively, and Eric Zorn will appear in his tuxedo. We’ve shot some of it in the Old Town School auditorium to retain a flavor of the live event.
Dates?
Ticket holders will receive an email on Dec. 18 with the private YouTube livestream link. The show will begin streaming at 7 p.m. that day. After the original broadcast, the link will be available to view through Dec. 20.
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Your ticket also gets you a link to a PDF of a songbook with all the lyrics. You’ll get that before the show. Print out as many copies as you want.
How do I get tickets?
They’re on sale now. Call Old Town School at 773-728-6000 or click here.
Cost?
$25 per household. If you buy more tickets, you support good causes, including the Old Town School.
A portion of the ticket sales will benefit community partners of the Chicago Tribune’s holiday community giving campaign. Through ticket sales, Songs has raised $712,000 so far for Chicagoland charities.
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Who’s in the band?
They’re professional musicians affiliated with the Old Town School: Fred Campeau, Anna Jacobson, Lanialoha Lee, Roy McGrath, Rashida Phillips, Zacbe Pichardo, Steve Rosen, Barbara Silverman, Gail Tyler, Paul Tyler and Aaron Smith.
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I play piano. Eric plays fiddle and banjo, sings and is his usual convivial self.
What are the songs?
As usual, we’ll do a mix of familiar holiday songs and some we’ve discovered through the years. They include pop standards like “Winter Wonderland,” sacred tunes like “Silent Night,” the rollicking “Happy, Joyous Hanukkah” and the rousing “Conga del Viejo.”
What else?
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The year 2020 has been one long improv act. Virtual Songs of Good Cheer is our part of the improvisation. We hope you’ll join us in the spirit of Scott Uhler, a longtime attendee, who summed it up perfectly in a recent email.
“We are 110% in favor of a virtual event,” he wrote. “Since you have been sold out in the past, this may be a way to include even more folks in this seasonal gem. It would not be the holidays without the ‘Songs.’ We also have no other real use for our Christmas light necklaces and antler headgear. If Eric is hesitant, maybe you can entice him by letting him know he would not even have to get out of his pajamas this year. Let’s do this thing!!!”
mschmich@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-11-29--Chicagoans collect hundreds of donations to aid victims of hurricanes in Honduras: ‘Only the people

Chicagoans collect hundreds of donations to aid victims of hurricanes in Honduras: ‘Only the people can save each other’

“ We have sent aid to Central America in the past and we focus on that because there is a @ @ @ @ @ brothers and sisters out there , ” said Lindley .
He added that he assigns @ @ @ @ @ Honduras to receive and distribute the donations .
Once that ’ s done , the @ @ @ @ @ collect donations to send to hurricane victims in Guatemala .

Pastor Omar Lindley of Transformation Church International in Chicago, rolls out boxes of clothing, hygiene supplies and water for the people of Mexico, Honduras and other countries in Central America to help those affected by recent hurricanes. Boxes were stacked outside and loaded onto trucks. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
Though Doris Aguirre left her beloved Honduras two decades ago and cannot return because of her immigration status, she has never forgotten her people.
Most live in poverty and scarcity, she said. The pandemic worsened the financial struggle and then, in November, Hurricanes Eta and Iota hit nearly two weeks apart, leaving still more people homeless and at a higher risk of contracting the virus.
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When she saw the videos and photos of homes underwater and hundreds of families in shelters without food and clothes, she cried — then immediately sought out a way to provide help from Chicago.
She collected donations of hygiene products, including face masks and hand sanitizer, and sent out a few packages. Aguirre also organized a garage sale in her Cicero home’s backyard and some raffles to send money to provide hot meals.
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But she realized that her efforts “were not enough.” So she approached leaders at Adalberto United Methodist Church in Humboldt Park for help.
In mid-December, a Chicago pastor and other volunteers will make their way to Honduras and southern Mexico to deliver two semitrailers full of food, clothes and hygiene products that hundreds of people across the city have donated.
The pastor of the church, Jacobita Cortez said organizers have partnered with stores and individuals to rally the community to donate money and basic needs before Nov. 30.
“Solo el PUEBLO salva al pueblo,” Aguirre writes in social media posts as she updates the process of the relief along with photos and videos of those receiving aid in Honduras. She says that she does not trust government agencies to respond to the crisis and for that reason, “only the people can save each other.”
Other churches in the Chicago area also have organized emergency and humanitarian relief campaigns. While some have sent donations, others are sorting through donations and organizing the delivery to ensure help is received by those in need.
“The pandemic has really consumed our lives; many of us are going through a tough time here, without a job, sick and perhaps, grieving, but we cannot ignore that there are so many people suffering far worse than we are in Honduras,” Aguirre said.
Hurricane Eta, a Category 4 hurricane, and Hurricane Iota, a Category 5, hit at the beginning of November, killing dozens, causing catastrophic damage and displacing hundreds of thousands in Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala and southern Mexico.
But no country was harder hit by the hurricanes than Honduras, where more than a third of the population has been affected in mostly working-class neighborhoods. The region surrounding San Pedro Sula, one of the country’s industrial centers, suffered vast devastation after the storms caused the Chamelecon and Ulua rivers to breach their banks.
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Frelin Disney Sibrian, 25, and his family are devastated. Their home in San Manuel Cortes on the outskirts of San Pedro Sula, was completely flooded, forcing them to seek refuge in a nearby church.
“But at least we were able to make it out alive,” he said on a phone call. “I thank God for that.”
When his father — who lived through Hurricane Mitch in 1998 — noticed that the rain was not stopping, he rushed his family out of their home. He told each to put some clothes and blankets in a plastic bag and left.
When they attempted to return to rescue some of their most valuable belongings, the water had reached the second level of their home.
“Unfortunately many of my neighbors couldn’t leave and many more, couldn’t save anything at all,” Sibrian added.
Though he has never been to Chicago, he said he is “deeply grateful,” for those here who have sent humanitarian relief.
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Cinthia Castro collected $1,500 from friends and family and sent it to Karen Vargas and her husband Oscar Matute in Honduras. They are members of the Church Assembly of God and board members of the ministry Castillo del Rey, which helps and guides youth.
In the past few weeks, Vargas and her husband have focused on collecting and distributing money and other humanitarian aid among 5,000 families like Sibrian’s, who are in shelters or temporary homes.
One of their main concerns, said Vargas, is the lack of basic and hygiene products in shelters that are at capacity, where maintaining social distance is impossible.
“We fear a coronavirus outbreak; in fact, it’s happening as we speak,” Vargas said on a phone call from Honduras.
Her husband has been visiting some of the hardest hit areas to identify those in most need and who have been “forgotten” by governmental or private sector relief groups. They also ensure that the donations sent from abroad are delivered appropriately.
Daniel Argueta is a Honduran American living in Chicago who helped to organize a hurricane relief fund at Morningstar where he works that has raised nearly $2,000. He said that he prefers to identify shelters, not-for-profit organizations or churches in Honduras to send the money to directly and ask for proof of how the money is being used.
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Argueta also reached out to leaders of City Church, 777 N. Green St., for support. Members of the church have donated dozens of boxes of basic necessities, food, and clothes, said Vince Williams,the outreach coordinator.
Volunteers were sorting out the donations to find the best way to send them to Honduras.
When Sandy Rizo learned of the efforts, she sent a text message to her neighbors in Skokie letting them know about the damage the hurricanes had caused in her mother’s native country and asking if they could help.
Within minutes many responded not only to donate but also thank her for bringing the issue to their attention.
“Many may think that what happens in Central America does not affect them until they find out that their neighbor has deep connections there,” Rizo said. “I’m thankful we could come together for this.”
On Tuesday, Transformation Church International, 7711 S. Kedzie Ave., sent two 40-foot trucks full of food, water and other necessities.
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Pastor Omar Lindley led the effort in part sponsored by the church, which donated 6,000 pounds of rice, 2,000 pounds of beans, three pallets of vegetables and nine of water. Members of the church donated dozens of clothes, blankets and other hygiene products.
Lindley said that the cost of each truck is $3,200, all covered by the church.
“We have sent aid to Central America in the past and we focus on that because there is a constant need to help our brothers and sisters out there,” said Lindley. He added that he assigns other pastors and friends in Honduras to receive and distribute the donations. Once that’s done, the church plans to fundraise and collect donations to send to hurricane victims in Guatemala.
Sibrian said that knowing so many people are mobilizing to ensure their safety and well-being from across the glove gives him hope and solace.
larodriguez@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-11-29--Illinois teachers say COVID-19 struggles are mounting and they’re ‘acutely worried about the safety

Illinois teachers say COVID-19 struggles are mounting and they’re ‘acutely worried about the safety and well-being’ of students

“ Many of those changes , and the uncertainty that comes with them , will persist for the foreseeable future @ @ @ @ @ “ In addition to intense professional challenges , teachers are coping with the stress that @ @ @ @ @ pandemic around access to child care , maintaining their health and finding time for their @ @ @ @ @ state faces significant budget shortfalls , teachers also fear that the resources they need to @ @ @ @ @ reduced .
”

The escalating COVID-19 crisis is placing enormous burdens on Illinois teachers that could worsen an already critical teacher shortage in Illinois, public policy experts say.
The warning was based on a recent report from a researcher with the University of Illinois Institute of Government and Public Affairs, who found that teachers and administrators across the state are struggling on the job and at home because of COVID-19 stressors, which officials say could hurt teacher retention.
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“The work of teachers and schools was significantly altered by the pandemic,” Meghan Kessler, an assistant professor of teacher education at the University of Illinois at Springfield and the author of the report, said in a Tuesday statement.
Hand sanitizer at a teacher's desk in a parochial school with in-person learning in Chicago in October. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)
“Many of those changes, and the uncertainty that comes with them, will persist for the foreseeable future,” Kessler said. “In addition to intense professional challenges, teachers are coping with the stress that all families face during this pandemic around access to child care, maintaining their health and finding time for their loved ones. As the state faces significant budget shortfalls, teachers also fear that the resources they need to do their jobs will be reduced.”
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According to feedback Kessler received from educators, teachers have been asked to adapt quickly during the pandemic to teach students in entirely new ways, with some reporting they had to adjust to delivering “virtual learning on the spot.”
Some teachers who are back in the classroom with students reported that they are “coping with the additional precautions it brings and fears for their personal safety,” while also juggling the demands of a heavier workload as they teach both online and in person.
The IGPA report also found teachers citing that “interpersonal connections and relationships with students, which are some of the most gratifying and meaningful elements of teachers’ jobs, have diminished under all three models” of instruction during the pandemic.
Teachers also reported that even though they are working longer hours, they fear they are not offering educational experiences that are as “engaging and rigorous” as those that accompany traditional, full-time in-person teaching, Kessler said.
In addition to teachers reporting they feel “exhausted,” Kessler said educators also are “acutely worried about the safety and well-being of their students, especially in cases where the students might be exposed to abuse or neglect while away from school for prolonged periods.”
One educator from southern Illinois told Kessler: “If we haven’t already, I can say with all certainty that we will see an increase in trauma and anxiety among our students.”
While the educator told Kessler her school had provided meals and other services to families who are at risk, she said “not being able to see our kids and our kids not being able to see us, that’s really tough. Especially for those kids who are most vulnerable.”
Indeed, the steep challenges in recruiting teachers was evident even before the pandemic, with Illinois and states across the U.S. grappling to fill teacher vacancies, especially in fields such as special education and at schools in high-poverty districts, Kessler said.
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“As a profession grounded in care for students and communities, Illinois educators are ready and willing to take on the challenges presented by the pandemic, but they cannot do it alone,” Kessler said. “Our schools now require a significant infusion of financial and moral support from state leaders and community members.”
Among the short-term solutions officials are recommending is allowing for flexibility in accountability mandates, such as student testing and teacher evaluations.
Kessler also suggests “prioritizing COVID-19 testing and contact tracing for students and school employees, and investing in training and resources focused on social and emotional needs.”
The IGPA report arrives in the wake of a recent Illinois Education Association survey, which found that more than a third of Illinois teachers surveyed said they’ve considered leaving the profession amid the safety concerns and stress related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
An exodus from Illinois classrooms would arrive at a critical time, coinciding with teacher shortages at many school districts across the state and a surge in teacher retirements.
kcullotta@chicagotribune.com
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Twitter @kcullotta


chicagotribune--2020-11-29--From food pantries to parking lot Wi-Fi, public libraries evolve during COVID-19 pandemic

“ Something is being lost , that wonder of being in a library , ” she said .
“ But @ @ @ @ @ come back .
It ’ s not forever .
That ’ s what I keep @ @ @ @ @ ’ re going to hunker down and get through it and then come back better @ @ @ @

When Illinois’ latest COVID-19 mitigation rules went into effect recently, public venues from casinos to museums were ordered to shut down as the virus continues its ruthless spread. One notable exception, though, was public libraries.
The decision on whether to stay open remained with them, and while many have concluded that the risk is too high, others say they’re going to stick it out, and not just for the book lending.
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“It’s not enough to offer self-service,” said Megan Millen, executive director of the Joliet Public Library, which has curbed some services but is staying open. “In our community, a lot of people need our close-up assistance on how to fill out a job application or an unemployment application.”
Libraries, especially during times of crisis, have long been far more than just places where people can check out books and DVDs. With their high-speed internet connections, meeting rooms and massive depositories of information, print and otherwise, they are a beacon to those needing assistance or companionship.
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That has changed during the pandemic. Libraries across the state closed for months after Gov. J.B. Pritzker issued his stay-at-home order in March, and though many reopened during the summer, some services remain diminished or unavailable for fear of transmitting the virus.
Returned items sit in quarantine before being placed back on the shelves at the Elmhurst Public Library on Nov. 23, 2020. (Youngrae Kim / Chicago Tribune)
But libraries have made creative adjustments in these strange times, boosting their Wi-Fi signals so patrons can use the internet in their cars, expanding their curbside pickup services and offering all manner of virtual programming.
“There’s a difference in the second surge,” said Diane Foote of the Illinois Library Association. “Libraries closed all (in-person) services in the spring, including curbside, but we now know more about (limited) transmissibility on surfaces, returned books and things like that.”
The Elmhurst Public Library is lending out small tools used for crafting projects, including cutting machines, button makers and a soldering iron. It’s also putting together craft kits people can do themselves at home.
“We’re trying to provide people with a little solace, a boredom buster to help survive this unprecedented time when we’ve all been taxed so heavily,” said Mary Beth Harper, the library’s director.
In Chicago Heights, interim Director Kathy Parker said the library is keeping its doors open in large part because people in difficult circumstances are counting on its telecommunication services.
Sarah van der Heyden attaches a printed sticker onto a mug at Elmhurst Public Library on Nov. 23, 2020. (Youngrae Kim / Chicago Tribune)
Sarah van der Heyden works on a designed sticker for a mug at Elmhurst Public Library on Nov. 23, 2020. (Youngrae Kim / Chicago Tribune)
“In our community, a lot of the residents don’t have internet access or they may not have a printer,” she said. “It’s hard to apply for a job or navigate a website on your phone. That’s mostly what we’re getting — people who are looking for jobs. … A lot of people even apply for unemployment via fax.”
The Woodstock Public Library this year switched its popular “turkey bingo,” in which participants can win fixings for a Thanksgiving dinner, to an online forum.
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“It seemed like everyone had a good time even though it wasn’t quite the same thing,” Director Nick Weber said.
The library also started a food pantry in its building that quickly became a community fixture. When volunteers started to assemble meals for Thanksgiving, their goal was 25 bags. So far, they have handed out 140 and are putting together more.
“It’s one of those things where it’s awesome to see the community come out and support it, but you also wish it wasn’t necessary,” Weber said.
Despite the rising need for library services, some have concluded it’s too risky to stay open. The Bellwood Public Library closed two weeks ago after a person who had been in the building alerted officials about a positive COVID-19 test, though there was no indication any transmission happened at the library, Director Amy Crump said.
The library planned to reopen with curbside-only service until early January, Crump said.
Returned items sit in quarantine before being placed back o n the shelves at Elmhurst Public Library on Nov. 23, 2020. (Youngrae Kim / Chicago Tribune)
The Barrington Public Library made a similar decision, though it will continue to lend material through parking lot pickups, automated lockers and even by mail.
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“We saw the numbers spiking in Lake and Cook counties, and we felt like we really needed to do our part to slow that surge down,” spokeswoman Karen McBride said.
Libraries also serve as a hub of volunteerism, especially for teens looking to pick up service hours required by their schools or churches. The Homer Township Public Library in Homer Glen, which usually has dozens of kids working on the summer reading program and other projects, had to switch to remote opportunities this year.
That has included everything from creating greeting cards for children in foster care and hospitals, painting “kindness rocks” for the library’s rock garden or contributing to the We Were Here project, an online archive of pandemic memories.
“We’ve gotten feedback from a lot of folks in the community that they’re very grateful not only to get the service hours from home, but to have such a wide variety of projects to choose from,” said teen services coordinator Heather Colby.
The libraries that are staying open typically have large buildings and relatively few patrons coming inside, leaving plenty of social distance. But as winter approaches, they must decide whether they can accommodate those who depend on the buildings as warming centers.
Some have concluded they can’t do it this year. But Elmhurst wants to try to make it happen.
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“I plan to put together some kind of plan addressing that issue,” Harper said. “We don’t want to promote the spread of the virus but we don’t want to put people in a vulnerable situation.”
While the librarians are striving to live up to their mission during the pandemic, it’s clearly not the best of times. Millen, from Joliet, said she misses the packs of children who used to throng the library for everything from books to tutoring.
“Something is being lost, that wonder of being in a library,” she said. “But it’s going to come back. It’s not forever. That’s what I keep telling my staff. We’re going to hunker down and get through it and then come back better than before.”
jkeilman@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @JohnKeilman


chicagotribune--2020-11-29--Chicago nurse treating COVID-19 patients gets Thanksgiving phone call from Vice President-elect Kama

Chicago nurse treating COVID-19 patients gets Thanksgiving phone call from Vice President-elect Kamala Harris: ‘I know that it’s personal for you’

In May , Hardin offered written testimony to the U.S. House of Representatives ’ Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis @ @ @ @ @ the ICU with COVID-19 patients .
In her statement , Hardin wrote that “ hospital @ @ @ @ @ give nurses in my unit the protections that we need to avoid exposure and infection @ @

Talisa Hardin, a registered nurse in the University of Chicago Medical Center's burn unit, speaks at a rally in front of the Duchossois Center for Advanced Medicine in Chicago on July 22, 2019. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)
University of Chicago Medical Center nurse Talisa Hardin held her phone in front of a cozy fireplace as she stared at the familiar but perhaps unexpected face on the screen: Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.
During the video call on Thursday, Harris thanked Hardin for tirelessly treating COVID-19 patients — for “everything you do every day,” according to a video posted on Harris’ Instagram account.
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“I wanted to see you to say, ‘Happy Thanksgiving,’ ” Harris says in the video as a loose ear bud dangles against her turtleneck. “I’ve been reading about you and just all that you do in service of so many people.”
Harris wrote that she and her husband called Hardin and other front-line workers “to thank them for everything they have done in the fight against COVID-19. We won’t be able to get through this without them.”
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She also told Hardin, “I know it’s personal for you and I know ... it requires mental and emotional and physical and spiritual energy and power that you give to it, so thank you.”
In a video posted to Facebook by the union National Nurses United, Hardin is seen receiving the call and chatting with Harris. She tells Harris, “Thank you so much for saying that.”
In May, Hardin offered written testimony to the U.S. House of Representatives’ Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis detailing her experience working in the ICU with COVID-19 patients. In her statement, Hardin wrote that “hospital management has consistently refused to give nurses in my unit the protections that we need to avoid exposure and infection.”
In a caption to the Facebook video, Bonnie Castillo, executive director for National Nurses United, said Harris supports invoking the Defense Production Act “to finally produce the PPE nurses on the front lines of COVID-19 so desperately need to protect ourselves and our patients.”
echerney@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-11-29--Lake Zurich priest accused of sexually abusing minors while at Maryville Academy 25 years ago

Ryan , who was ordained in Springfield in 1979 , began working at Maryville in 1985 and was promoted to @ @ @ @ @ , according to the Lake Zurich church ’ s website .
Ryan previously served at @ @ @ @ @ as director for the Catholic Children ’ s Home in Alton .

The Archdiocese of Chicago says it is investigating allegations that a Lake Zurich priest sexually abused minors 25 years ago while he was assigned to Maryville Academy in Des Plaines.
The Rev. David Ryan, pastor at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Parish in Lake Zurich, was asked to live away from the parish during the investigation and “is fully cooperating with this directive,” the archdiocese said.
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Rev. David Ryan, when he was assistant executive director at Maryville Academy in 2003.
In a letter to the parish Saturday, Cardinal Blase J. Cupich wrote that he asked Ryan to “step away from ministry” after the archdiocese received the allegations. The archdiocese reported the allegations to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services and the Cook County state’s attorney office, Cupich wrote.
A spokeswoman for the archdiocese declined to provide further details about the allegations, saying in an email, “We have nothing to add to what is in the letter.”
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Attempts to reach Ryan were not successful Saturday night. His voicemail was still set up at St. Francis as of Saturday night but he did not return a message or an email sent to him seeking comment.
Ryan, who was ordained in Springfield in 1979, began working at Maryville in 1985 and was promoted to acting executive director in 2003, according to the Lake Zurich church’s website. Ryan previously served at a parish in Godfrey and as director for the Catholic Children’s Home in Alton.
He worked alongside the Rev. John P. Smyth, Maryville’s executive director, for 20 years, long before Smyth came under scrutiny in 2019 for similar allegations at the home for troubled children.
Smyth died in April 2019. A lawsuit was filed against the archdiocese after Smyth’s death but the Des Plaines Police Department said it did not find any “credible” evidence against him.
A spokesman for the Des Plaines police did not respond to a request for comment Saturday about the allegations involving Ryan.
Ryan also serves on the Board of Governors for the City Club of Chicago, according to its website. A representative for the organization could not be reached Saturday.
DCFS did not respond to an inquiry Saturday night.
echerney@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-11-30--CPS apologizes for inappropriate messages sent from school accounts

“ While this issue did not pose an information security risk or permit access to anyone outside the CPS network @ @ @ @ @ have been concerning for you and your children , ” DiBartolo said .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ error may have created , and we have taken measures to ensure it does not @ @ @ @

Chicago Public Schools is apologizing to parents after a series of inappropriate messages made their way to students’ inboxes Sunday morning.
Shortly after 10 a.m. Sunday, the messages sent from CPS email accounts were received by elementary school students, according to a letter sent to parents by Phillip DiBartolo, chief information officer.
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The CPS email group “accidentally allowed group members to reply all to messages and reach the entire group,” the letter said. For more than an hour Sunday, reply-all chaos that included some messages with curse words filled inboxes.
“While this issue did not pose an information security risk or permit access to anyone outside the CPS network, we understand it may have been concerning for you and your children,” DiBartolo said. “We apologize for any issues this error may have created, and we have taken measures to ensure it does not happen again.”
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Some schools asked parents to assist in deleting the messages. Additional messages can no longer be sent, according to the letter, and CPS is removing unread messages “to the extent possible.”


chicagotribune--2020-11-30--Chicagoans collect hundreds of donations to aid victims of hurricanes in Honduras: ‘Only the people


chicagotribune--2020-11-30--A 1-year-old went missing when his mother and uncle were killed in Riverdale. Now police are searchi

A 1-year-old went missing when his mother and uncle were killed in Riverdale. Now police are searching for the child’s father.

With the help of Illinois State Police , Riverdale police on Friday issued a statewide Amber Alert when K ’ @ @ @ @ @ in the early morning hours , ” according to a social media post from Riverdale @ @ @ @ @ , however , the missing child was dropped off at a police station and the @ @ @ @ @ although it wasn ’ t clear where or how the child was left , or @ @ @ @ @ from that police station that could aid the investigation .

Hours after two people were slain in Riverdale this weekend and a 1-year-old boy was kidnapped, authorities said the child was dropped off at a police station, unharmed.
Police now are searching for the boy’s father, who remained on the lam Sunday and is considered by investigators a suspect in the double homicide of the boy’s mother and uncle, authorities said. Reached by phone Sunday, a Riverdale detective said the department is limiting the release of information, and he would not provide an update on the case.
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With the help of Illinois State Police, Riverdale police on Friday issued a statewide Amber Alert when K’marion Hebron was abducted “in the early morning hours,” according to a social media post from Riverdale police. Around 5 p.m., however, the missing child was dropped off at a police station and the alert was called off — although it wasn’t clear where or how the child was left, or whether there is surveillance footage from that police station that could aid the investigation.
Officers earlier had been called to the 14000 block of South Tracy Avenue in Riverdale, where a man and a woman were found, apparently shot to death.
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Damien Beal, 27, of Chicago, and his 26-year-old sister, Jessica Beal — K’marion’s mother who lived in the Tracy Avenue home — were pronounced dead, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. A Saturday autopsy determined both suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the chest, the medical examiner’s office said.
Amber Alert Canceled – Child “Safely Located” Amber Alert notification An Amber Alert has been issued after a double... Posted by Riverdale Police Department on Friday, November 27, 2020
A relative of Jessica and Damien Beal said the family did not want to comment Sunday. It was not immediately clear who K’marion was living with.
In their investigation, Riverdale police quickly narrowed their focus to K’marion’s father.
“The suspect in the case has been identified as Clarence Hebron, 32. He is described as a Black male, standing 5-foot-6 inches tall and weighing 135 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes,” according to a post on a Riverdale police social media page.
Hebron was said to be driving a 2009 silver Dodge Caravan with Illinois license plate CA96676, it said.
Hebron has a lengthy criminal history with felonies in Cook County dating to 2005, court records show.
He had been charged with reckless homicide following a fatal traffic crash in Englewood in April 2019, according to published reports. Authorities maintained Hebron was speeding away in an attempt to elude police when his vehicle struck that of Dana Hubbard, 32, who was treated at the University of Chicago Medical Center and died about a week later.
Hebron pleaded not guilty to reckless homicide, aggravated fleeing and driving with a revoked license, records show.
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He had been held in jail until this July, when he was released on bond.
In 2009, he had been sentenced to 14 years in prison after being charged with a homicide that was pleaded down to a second-degree murder charge, records show.
On at least two occasions he attempted to elude police and faced the Class X felony that would deem him an armed habitual offender, records show.
Anyone with information about the case or Hebron’s whereabouts should call the Riverdale Police Department (708) 841-2203.
Chicago Tribune’s William Lee contributed.
kdouglas@chicagotribune.com
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Twitter @312BreakingNews


chicagotribune--2020-11-30--Prosecutor: Holiday partygoer who dug hands into leftovers fatally stabbed man who tried to force hi

Prosecutor: Holiday partygoer who dug hands into leftovers fatally stabbed man who tried to force him out

Despite numerous witnesses to the fight , no one witnessed the stabbing .
Jackson was last seen alive on top @ @ @ @ @ call 911 , according to prosecutors .
When a witness returned to the porch , @ @ @ @ @ and the mortally wounded victim keeling over a banister , Bucaro said .

A 29-year-old man stabbed the boyfriend of the host of a Thanksgiving party nine times after consuming numerous alcoholic drinks, prosecutors told a judge on Sunday.
The alleged attacker, James Dixon, had a heated argument with the host’s boyfriend at the end of the party when he began digging into the leftover food with his bare hands, authorities said during a bail hearing broadcast on YouTube.
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Dixon was charged with first-degree murder in connection with the stabbing that occurred around 3:15 a.m. Friday in the 6800 block of South Talman Avenue in the Marquette Park neighborhood, police said.
James Dixon, 29, is charged with first-degree murder. (Chicago Police Department)
Killed was Vincell Jackson, of Chicago’s Gresham neighborhood, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. Police said the victim was 52. Health officials had recently asked people to refrain from attending large holiday gatherings and to continue proper sanitation during the pandemic.
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During the bail hearing, where Judge Susana Ortiz ordered Dixon held on $350,000 bail, prosecutors said the host became alarmed by Dixon’s act and that Jackson forcefully escorted him to the home’s front door.
During this time, Dixon sucker-punched the older man and the fight moved to the home’s front porch, Assistant State’s Attorney Susie Bucaro told the judge.
Despite numerous witnesses to the fight, no one witnessed the stabbing. Jackson was last seen alive on top of Dixon asking that someone call 911, according to prosecutors. When a witness returned to the porch, they saw Dixon running away and the mortally wounded victim keeling over a banister, Bucaro said.
The victim suffered nine stab wounds, including several to his head, face and left arm, authorities said. He was taken to Holy Cross Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy confirmed that Jackson died of multiple stab wounds and his death was ruled a homicide, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
Dixon was arrested about eight hours later in possession of multiple knives, including one covered in blood, Bucaro told the court. He suffered only a minor cut to his hand consistent with an injury during a stabbing, she added.
Dixon’s court-appointed attorney, Patrick Ryan, pushed back, saying his client had a valid self-defense claim and suffered several wounds to his body protecting himself. But Bucaro countered that several attendees called Dixon the aggressor, with the victim calling for law enforcement help.
Judge Ortiz said prosecutors hadn’t met the burden of proof to keep Dixon in custody without bail pending trial, but citing his felony background, which included an arson conviction, she ordered the high bail in combination with house arrest if the Walmart stock worker with three prior felonies posts the required $35,000.
“I was just asking, how much does the case carry,” Dixon asked the judge before he was escorted away.
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“First-degree murder from 20 to 60 years, sir,” Ortiz said, adding that was a topic for his attorneys in coming days.
Dixon is scheduled to return to court later this week.
wlee@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @MidNoirCowboy


chicagotribune--2020-11-29--Police: West Rogers Park man charged after trading shots with officer on city’s Northwest Side

Jasso has five prior felony convictions for driving offenses , including driving on a revoked or suspended license and fleeing @ @ @ @ @ a felony DUI warrant in Wisconsin , according to prosecutors and court records .
Last @ @ @ @ @ of an unlawful use of a weapon charge during a bench trial , according to @ @ @

Bail was denied Sunday for a West Rogers Park man accused of trading gunshots with a uniformed Chicago police officer one day prior during a street stop on the city’s Northwest Side.
Gerardo Jasso, 35, is charged with attempted murder of a police officer, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and possession of a controlled substance. (Chicago Police Department)
Surveillance video and the officer’s body-worn camera captured Gerardo Jasso, 35, running away then firing twice from a handgun that was later recovered, prosecutors said during a bail hearing broadcast on YouTube.
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Jasso, a married father of four, is charged with attempted first-degree murder of a police officer, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and drug offenses.
The patrolling officers who approached Jasso as he drank from an open alcoholic beverage container in the 6200 block of North Campbell Avenue around 3:15 p.m. recognized him as a Latin King gang member from the neighborhood, Assistant State’s Attorney Susie Bucaro told the judge.
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Video captured Jasso running away with a gun loaded with an extended magazine, she added. Jasso is accused of firing multiple shots at the pursuing officer, who returned fire, authorities said. No one was struck by gunfire.
Jasso was arrested about three minutes later after citizens alerted police that he was hiding under a porch. A loaded 9 mm was found nearby in bushes near a fence, Bucaro said.
Following the arrest, a police spokesman posted a photo to social media of the recovered gun that appeared to have an extended magazine.
Officers in @ChicagoCAPS24 were fired upon in the 6200 blk of N. Campbell today. Officers returned fire. There are no reported hits. The offender was taken into custody and a firearm recovered. Area Detectives are investigating. #ChicagoPolice pic.twitter.com/dk0We3MEEz — Tom Ahern (@TomAhernCPD) November 28, 2020
Police also cited Jasso for drinking on the public way and felony possession of a controlled substance, for 2 grams of cocaine found on him, Bucaro said.
In custody, authorities said Jasso confessed to having a gun and firing two shots but said he was firing at an unknown person shooting at him.
Police recovered only four bullet casings at the scene, two each believed to belong to Jasso and the victim officer, Bucaro said. Investigators are awaiting the results of a gunshot residue test performed on Jasso, she added.
Jasso has five prior felony convictions for driving offenses, including driving on a revoked or suspended license and fleeing police in Cook County and a felony DUI warrant in Wisconsin, according to prosecutors and court records. Last year, he was acquitted of an unlawful use of a weapon charge during a bench trial, according to court records.
Judge Susana Ortiz approved a request to deny Jasso bail, calling him a danger to the public. He is expected to return to court Thursday.


chicagotribune--2020-11-29--Prosecutors: GPS and video captured teen at fatal shooting scene outside Northwest Side bar

Prosecutors said the motive for the shooting of Flores , of Orlando , Florida , was unknown but believed to @ @ @ @ @ s attorney , Tamara Walker , said he was a Walmart clerk who lived with @ @ @ @ @ toward a GED .
She added that her client had post-traumatic stress disorder after he @ @ @ @ @

A judge on Sunday set bail at $2 million for a 17-year-old accused of fatally shooting a Florida man last month while he was wearing a GPS tracker for a juvenile gun case, according to Cook County prosecutors.
Fabian Diaz, of Franklin Park, was charged as an adult with first-degree murder in the Oct. 16 shooting outside a bar in the 6700 block of West Belmont Avenue, authorities said. He appeared before a judge during a bail hearing broadcast on YouTube.
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Diaz was captured on surveillance video with another uncharged gunman firing shots that killed Ramon Flores Jr., 42, who was hosting a birthday party at the bar, prosecutors said. Authorities said a GPS device placed on Diaz for a pending juvenile gun case confirmed that he was inside a gray Toyota Camry that fled the scene and dropped him off at home.
Prosecutors said the motive for the shooting of Flores, of Orlando, Florida, was unknown but believed to be gang-related. Diaz’s attorney, Tamara Walker, said he was a Walmart clerk who lived with his family and was working toward a GED. She added that her client had post-traumatic stress disorder after he was shot and wounded.
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Judge Susana Ortiz denied the prosecution’s request to hold Diaz without bail but ordered the high bail along with house arrest because of the evidence against him.
He is scheduled to return to court Tuesday.


chicagotribune--2020-11-29--Wisconsin recount confirms Joe Biden’s win over Donald Trump

The Wisconsin Voters Alliance , a conservative group , has already filed a lawsuit against state election officials seeking to @ @ @ @ @ .
It makes many of the claims Trump is expected to make .
Gov .
@ @ @ @ @ asked the state Supreme Court to dismiss the suit .
Evers , a Democrat , @ @ @ @ @ “ mishmash of legal distortions ” that uses factual misrepresentations in an attempt to take @ @ @ @ @ of Wisconsin residents .

MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin finished a recount of its presidential results on Sunday, confirming Democrat Joe Biden’s victory over President Donald Trump in the key battleground state. Trump vowed to challenge the outcome in court even before the recount concluded.
Dane County was the second and last county to finish its recount, reporting a 45-vote gain for Trump. Milwaukee County, the state’s other big and overwhelmingly liberal county targeted in a recount that Trump paid $3 million for, reported its results Friday, a 132-vote gain for Biden.
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Taken together, the two counties barely budged Biden’s winning margin of about 20,600 votes, giving the winner a net gain of 87 votes.
“As we have said, the recount only served to reaffirm Joe Biden’s victory in Wisconsin,” Danielle Melfi, who led Biden’s campaign in Wisconsin, said in a statement to The Associated Press.
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With no precedent for overturning a result as large as Biden’s, Trump was widely expected to head to court once the recount was finished. His campaign challenged thousands of absentee ballots during the recount, and even before it was complete, Trump tweeted that he would sue.
“The Wisconsin recount is not about finding mistakes in the count, it is about finding people who have voted illegally, and that case will be brought after the recount is over, on Monday or Tuesday,” Trump tweeted on Saturday. “We have found many illegal votes. Stay tuned!”
Trump campaign officials didn’t immediately respond to AP requests for comment on Sunday.
The deadline to certify the vote is Tuesday. Certification is done by the Democratic chair of the Wisconsin Election Commission, which is bipartisan.
Election workers, right, verify ballots as recount observers, left, watch during a Milwaukee hand recount of presidential votes at the Wisconsin Center on Nov. 20, 2020, in Milwaukee. (Nam Y. Huh/AP)
The Wisconsin Voters Alliance, a conservative group, has already filed a lawsuit against state election officials seeking to block certification of the results. It makes many of the claims Trump is expected to make. Gov. Tony Evers’ attorneys have asked the state Supreme Court to dismiss the suit. Evers, a Democrat, said the complaint is a “mishmash of legal distortions” that uses factual misrepresentations in an attempt to take voting rights away from millions of Wisconsin residents.
Another suit filed over the weekend by Wisconsin resident Dean Mueller argues that ballots placed in drop boxes are illegal and must not be counted.
Trump’s attorneys have complained about absentee ballots where voters identified themselves as “indefinitely confined,” allowing them to cast an absentee ballot without showing a photo ID; ballots that have a certification envelope with two different ink colors, indicating a poll worker may have helped complete it; and absentee ballots that don’t have a separate written record for its request, such as in-person absentee ballots.
Election officials in the two counties counted those ballots during the recount, but marked them as exhibits at the request of the Trump campaign.
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Trump’s campaign has already failed elsewhere in court without proof of widespread fraud, which experts widely agree doesn’t exist. Trump legal challenges have failed in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada and Pennsylvania.


chicagotribune--2020-11-29--Coronavirus in Illinois updates: 7,178 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19, 57 deaths repor

Coronavirus in Illinois updates: 7,178 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19, 57 deaths reported Sunday

“ We ’ re coordinating with the ( Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ) , which has been changing @ @ @ @ @ , which is fine , we want to make sure we get their expertise .
@ @ @ @ @ level of complexity because the vaccines aren ’ t all going to be the same @ @ @ @ @ require this -94 degrees to be stored .
Some will not require that but will @ @ @ @ @ ” Pritzker said during one of his daily coronavirus briefings .
“ And so all @ @ @ @ @ into account in terms of the timing , the amount of preparation .
”

We have lifted the paywall on this story. To support essential reporting, please consider becoming a subscriber .
CTU workers direct vehicles lined up for COVID-19 testing outside of the Chicago Teachers Union on Dec. 30, 2021, in Chicago. CPS starts back to school on Monday following their holiday break. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
For the latest updates, click here for Monday’s live blog.
Illinois health officials on Sunday announced 7,178 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 57 additional fatalities, bringing the total number of known infections in Illinois to 720,114 and the statewide confirmed death toll to 12,193 since the start of the pandemic.
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Meanwhile, the state of Illinois’ plan for distributing a COVID-19 vaccine when one becomes available puts front-line health care workers first in line to be inoculated, but shifting projections on how many initial doses the state is likely to receive and other factors make it uncertain exactly how that plan will roll out.
Dr. Anthony Fauci on Sunday said that the U.S. may see “surge upon a surge” of the coronavirus in the weeks after Thanksgiving, and he does not expect current recommendations around social distancing to be relaxed before Christmas. Fauci also said that it’s “not too late” for people traveling back home after Thanksgiving to help stop the spread of the virus by wearing masks, staying distant from others and avoiding large groups of people.
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Here’s what’s happening on Thanksgiving weekend with COVID-19 in the Chicago area and Illinois:
Sunday
7,178 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19, 57 deaths reported
Illinois health officials on Sunday announced 7,178 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 57 additional fatalities, bringing the total number of known infections in Illinois to 720,114 and the statewide confirmed death toll to 12,193 since the start of the pandemic.
There were 62,740 tests reported. The seven-day statewide positivity rate is 12.1%.
Illinois teachers say COVID-19 struggles are mounting and they’re ‘acutely worried about the safety and well-being’ of students
The escalating COVID-19 crisis is placing enormous burdens on Illinois teachers that could worsen an already critical teacher shortage in Illinois, public policy experts say.
The warning was based on a recent report from a researcher with the University of Illinois Institute of Government and Public Affairs, who found that teachers and administrators across the state are struggling on the job and at home because of COVID-19 stressors, which officials say could hurt teacher retention.
“The work of teachers and schools was significantly altered by the pandemic,” Meghan Kessler, an assistant professor of teacher education at the University of Illinois at Springfield and the author of the report, said in a Tuesday statement.
“Many of those changes, and the uncertainty that comes with them, will persist for the foreseeable future,” Kessler said. “In addition to intense professional challenges, teachers are coping with the stress that all families face during this pandemic around access to child care, maintaining their health and finding time for their loved ones. As the state faces significant budget shortfalls, teachers also fear that the resources they need to do their jobs will be reduced.”
Read more here. —Karen Ann Cullotta
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From food pantries to parking lot Wi-Fi, public libraries evolve during COVID-19 pandemic
When Illinois’ latest COVID-19 mitigation rules went into effect recently, public venues from casinos to museums were ordered to shut down as the virus continues its ruthless spread. One notable exception, though, was public libraries.
The decision on whether to stay open remained with them, and while many have concluded that the risk is too high, others say they’re going to stick it out, and not just for the book lending.
“It’s not enough to offer self-service,” said Megan Millen, executive director of the Joliet Public Library, which has curbed some services but is staying open. “In our community, a lot of people need our close-up assistance on how to fill out a job application or an unemployment application.”
Libraries, especially during times of crisis, have long been far more than just places where people can check out books and DVDs. With their high-speed internet connections, meeting rooms and massive depositories of information, print and otherwise, they are a beacon to those needing assistance or companionship.
That has changed during the pandemic. Libraries across the state closed for months after Gov. J.B. Pritzker issued his stay-at-home order in March, and though many reopened during the summer, some services remain diminished or unavailable for fear of transmitting the virus.
But libraries have made creative adjustments in these strange times, boosting their Wi-Fi signals so patrons can use the internet in their cars, expanding their curbside pickup services and offering all manner of virtual programming.
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Read more here. —John Keilman
Chicago nurse treating COVID-19 patients gets Thanksgiving phone call from Vice President-elect Kamala Harris: ‘I know that it’s personal for you’
University of Chicago Medical Center nurse Talisa Hardin held her phone in front of a cozy fireplace as she stared at the familiar but perhaps unexpected face on the screen: Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.
During the video call on Thursday, Harris thanked Hardin for tirelessly treating COVID-19 patients — for “everything you do every day,” according to a video posted on Harris’ Instagram account.
“I wanted to see you to say, ‘Happy Thanksgiving,’ " Harris says in the video as a loose ear bud dangles against her turtleneck. “I’ve been reading about you and just all that you do in service of so many people.”
Harris wrote that she and her husband called Hardin and other front-line workers “to thank them for everything they have done in the fight against COVID-19. We won’t be able to get through this without them.”
She also told Hardin, “I know it’s personal for you and I know ... it requires mental and emotional and physical and spiritual energy and power that you give to it, so thank you.”
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Read more here. —Elyssa Cherney
Saturday
With no action by Washington, governors and state lawmakers race to offer COVID-19 aid as daily count of new US cases tops 200,000 for first time
Faulting inaction in Washington, governors and state lawmakers are racing to get pandemic relief to small-business owners, the unemployed, renters and others whose livelihoods have been upended by the widening coronavirus outbreak.
In some cases, elected officials are spending the last of a federal relief package passed in the spring as an end-of-year deadline approaches and the fall COVID-19 surge threatens their economies anew. Democrats have been the most vocal in criticizing President Donald Trump and the GOP-controlled Senate for failing to act, but many Republican lawmakers are also sounding the alarm.
Underscoring the need for urgency, the number of new COVID-19 cases reported in the United States reached 205,557 on Friday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University – the first time its daily figure topped the 200,000 mark. Its previous daily high was 196,000 on Nov. 20.
The total number of cases reported in the U.S., since the first one in January, has topped 13 million.
Read more here. —Associated Press/Report for America
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Cook County sheriff has coronavirus, according to his office
Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart has tested positive for COVID-19, according to a press release from his office.
Dart, who has served as sheriff since 2006, received the results on Friday after being tested on Tuesday, the release said. He is experiencing symptoms of the virus as he recovers at home.
He last reported to work on Nov. 19, and began feeling symptoms the following day, according to the release. Dart then “immediately self-quarantined,” the release said.
Read more here. —Madeline Buckley
7,873 new confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases and 108 additional deaths reported
Illinois health officials on Saturday announced 7,873 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 108 additional fatalities, bringing the total number of known infections in Illinois to 712,936 and the statewide death toll to 12,137 since the start of the pandemic. Officials also reported 79,055 new tests in the last 24 hours.
The seven-day statewide rolling positivity rate for cases as a share of total tests was 10.1% for the period ending Friday.
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—Chicago Tribune staff
Friday
Coronavirus numbers could fluctuate after Thanksgiving, but don’t be fooled, health experts say
The coronavirus testing numbers that have guided much of the nation’s response to the pandemic are likely to be erratic over the next week or so, experts said Friday, as fewer people get tested during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend and testing sites observe shorter hours.
The result could be potential dips in reported infections that offer the illusion that the spread of the virus is easing when, in fact, the numbers say little about where the nation stands in fighting COVID-19.
“I just hope that people don’t misinterpret the numbers and think that there wasn’t a major surge as a result of Thanksgiving, and then end up making Christmas and Hanukkah and other travel plans,” said Dr. Leana Wen, a professor at George Washington University and an emergency physician.
Read more here. —Associated Press
Coronavirus is striking American mink farms, but Illinois’ shrinking fur industry has so far escaped the virus
Outbreaks of coronavirus have struck mink farms in Wisconsin and Michigan, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said. For now, though, no Illinois producers have reported finding the virus in their animals.
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Mink raised on farms to become fur coats or hats have become a recent source of coronavirus worries. A mutated form of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19, was found in some animals in Denmark and prompted the government to order the deaths of the nation’s entire population of 17 million mink out of concern the disease could jump to humans and be resistant to vaccines.
Read more here. —John Keilman
7,574 new confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases, 66 deaths reported
Illinois health officials on Friday announced 7,574 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 66 additional fatalities, bringing the total number of known infections in Illinois to 705,063 and the statewide confirmed death toll to 12,029 since the start of the pandemic.
There were 77,130 tests reported in the previous 24 hours. The seven-day statewide positivity rate is 12.2%.
It was the first day since Nov. 4 that fewer than 8,000 cases were reported, though it was likely due to the Thanksgiving holiday.
Black Friday online sales could top $9 billion as shoppers in Chicago area and elsewhere stay home to buy gifts amid pandemic
Albert Edillor, 39, of Skokie, remembers years when lines for Black Friday deals stretched around store parking lots.
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Instead, there were a few dozen shoppers waiting outside a Walmart in Niles when the store opened this morning, with employees reminding them to keep a shopping cart between each group.
Black Friday long has been considered the unofficial kickoff of the holiday shopping season but in recent years, merchants have welcomed smaller crowds as they put more deals online and began offering discounts earlier in the week of Thanksgiving.
This year, with the coronavirus pandemic leaving both stores and shoppers wary of crowds, discounts were advertised even earlier in the week and retailers skipped the Thanksgiving and Black Friday “doorbuster” deals of years past.
Despite less foot traffic, sales are expected to increase between 3.6% and 5.2% this year, totaling at least $755.3 billion, according to The National Retail Federation, a trade group.
Read more here. —Lauren Zumbach and Abdel Jimenez
Illinois’ plan for COVID-19 vaccine distribution puts front-line health care workers first, but many details still up in air
The state of Illinois’ plan for distributing a COVID-19 vaccine when one becomes available puts front-line health care workers first in line to be inoculated, but shifting projections on how many initial doses the state is likely to receive, the various temperature storage requirements for different vaccines and changing federal recommendations make it uncertain exactly how that plan will roll out.
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Gov. J.B. Pritzker said this week the state will “be ready to go, we believe, as soon as those vaccines hit the ground,” as promising developments about coronavirus vaccine effectiveness continue to trickle out from studies by drugmakers. But he made clear the many challenges of distributing a long-awaited vaccine that could put an end to restrictions that have upended life and commerce in the state.
“We’re coordinating with the (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), which has been changing its recommendations along the way, which is fine, we want to make sure we get their expertise. There’s also a level of complexity because the vaccines aren’t all going to be the same. Some are going to require this -94 degrees to be stored. Some will not require that but will have different temperature requirements,” Pritzker said during one of his daily coronavirus briefings. “And so all of that should be taken into account in terms of the timing, the amount of preparation.”
Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Wednesday that the initial doses of a vaccine could be available as soon as next month, although it will be next year before shots are available for the general public.
The state in October laid out the framework for how it intends to distribute a COVID-19 vaccine with top priority going to the “critical workforce” that provides health care, staff and residents in long-term care and assisted living facilities, and essential workers outside the health care industry.
Projections of the number of doses the state will receive are “constantly in flux,” said Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike, who in one week gave dramatically different estimates.
Read more here. —Jamie Munks
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Before COVID-19, low-income college students often struggled to stay in school. The pandemic has only made it harder
Low-income college students face myriad challenges as they try to continue their education despite pandemic-related setbacks.
Some students have withdrawn from school because of changing economic circumstances, problems with online learning or difficulty connecting to virtual student services.
According to U.S. census data from August, nearly 7 million people said they canceled college plans for the fall because their income had changed during the pandemic and they could no longer pay.
Overall undergraduate enrollment at U.S. colleges is down about 4.4%, with the greatest declines seen in community colleges and among first-year students, according to the latest data from the National Student Clearinghouse. While the NSC does not break the numbers down by socioeconomic status, nontraditional and low-income students typically favor community colleges.
In Illinois, fewer students have applied for federal and state financial aid since schools closed down in March compared with the same time last year, according to the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, which administers need-based grants to college students. That’s a sign low-income students might be abandoning college plans altogether instead of seeking help with tuition.
Read more here. —Elyssa Cherney
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Here’s how to get through seasonal affective disorder during a pandemic
With our days growing shorter and the temperatures dropping, the time for seasonal affective disorder is here.
Sometimes referred to as the winter blues, seasonal affective disorder is a form of depression that occurs during the winter months.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, many Americans have reported an increase in anxiety and depression. With added levels of stress, more people may experience SAD this year.
Experts say daily exercise and reaching to people every day can help. Find out more about dealing with the disorder here. —Hannah Herrera Greenspan
Thursday
Health officials report 12,022 new confirmed and probable cases and 131 more deaths
Illinois health officials on Thanksgiving announced 12,022 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 131 additional fatalities, bringing the total number of known infections in Illinois to 697,489 and the statewide confirmed death toll to 11,963 since the start of the pandemic.
Americans risk traveling over Thanksgiving despite warnings
Millions of Americans took to the skies and the highways ahead of Thanksgiving at the risk of pouring gasoline on the coronavirus fire, disregarding increasingly dire warnings that they stay home and limit their holiday gatherings to members of their own household.
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Those who are flying witnessed a distinctly 2020 landscape at the nation’s airports: plexiglass barriers in front of the ID stations, rapid virus testing sites inside terminals, masks in check-in areas and on board planes, and paperwork asking passengers to quarantine on arrival at their destination.
While the number of Americans traveling by air over the past several days was down dramatically from the same time last year, many pressed ahead with their holiday plans amid skyrocketing deaths, hospitalizations and confirmed infections across the U.S.
Some were tired of more than eight months of social distancing and determined to spend time with loved ones.
“I think with the holidays and everything, it’s so important right now, especially because people are so bummed out because of the whole pandemic,” said 25-year-old Cassidy Zerkle of Phoenix, who flew to Kansas City, Missouri, to visit family during what is traditionally one of the busiest travel periods of the year.
Read more here. —Associated Press
Dead mink infected with a possible mutated form of COVID-19 resurface from graves after burial in Denmark
Some of the thousands of mink culled to minimize the risk of them re-transmitting the new coronavirus to humans have risen from their shallow graves in western Denmark after gases built up inside the bodies, Danish authorities said Thursday.
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“The gases cause the animals to expand and in the worst cases, the mink get pushed out of the ground,” Jannike Elmegaard of the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration said. He said it affected “a few hundred” animals.
Read more here. —Associated Press
Virus surge, once in the nation’s middle, gains steam all around
What started as a Midwestern surge has grown into coast-to-coast disaster.
Over the last two months, rural counties and midsize cities in the Great Plains and Upper Midwest have been the main drivers of the dizzying growth in U.S. coronavirus cases.
But the virus appears to have entered a new phase in recent days: The reason the country is continuing to break case records has less to do with North Dakota and Wisconsin than it does with swift resurgences of the virus in cities like Baltimore, Los Angeles, Miami and Phoenix and with first-time spikes in smaller cities away from the nation’s middle, like Cumberland, Maryland.
“Our people are tired,” said Maggie Hansen, chief nursing executive at Memorial Healthcare System in south Florida. “They’re tired, and they don’t see an end in sight.”
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Read more here. —The New York Times
Their teeth fell out. Was it another COVID-19 consequence?
Earlier this month, Farah Khemili popped a wintergreen breath mint in her mouth and noticed a strange sensation: a bottom tooth wiggling against her tongue.
Khemili, 43, of Voorheesville, New York, had never lost an adult tooth. She touched the tooth to confirm it was loose, initially thinking the problem might be the mint. The next day, the tooth flew out of her mouth and into her hand. There was neither blood nor pain.
Khemili survived a bout with COVID-19 this spring, and has joined an online support group as she has endured a slew of symptoms experienced by many other “long haulers”: brain fog, muscle aches and nerve pain.
There’s no rigorous evidence yet that the infection can lead to tooth loss or related problems. But among members of her support group, she found others who also described teeth falling out, as well as sensitive gums and teeth turning gray or chipping.
Read more here. —The New York Times
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No Thanksgiving reunion for couple after man barred from U.S. visit by Customs officers at O’Hare
They were a long-distance couple hoping to reunite for the holiday season.
An African man and an American woman who fell in love during a religious mission trip.
Nkosinathi Gama is a 29-year-old man from Eswatini, a country in southern Africa that was formerly known as Swaziland. Rachel Perkins is a 24-year-old seminarian student at the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago.
They thought everything would go smoothly. Why wouldn’t they?
Gama had his visa, a return ticket and a negative COVID-19 test. Plus, Gama had visited the U.S. last year without a problem.
Read more here. —Javonte Anderson
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COVID-19 outbreak at Chicago homeless shelter points to coronavirus surge dangers, advocates say
A homeless shelter on Chicago’s West Side is grappling with an outbreak of COVID-19 cases, prompting concerns from advocates and organizations as the coronavirus surges nationwide.
The Franciscan Outreach shelter, 2715 W. Harrison St. in Lawndale, had 55 of its 140 guests test positive for the virus last week, according to Richard Ducatenzeiler, executive director of Franciscan Outreach.
A majority of those who tested positive are asymptomatic, and about 20 of the most vulnerable people were transferred to an isolation wing set up by A Safe Haven, Ducatenzeiler said. The rest were isolated in the shelter’s southern dormitory.
“We’re not designed to serve as an isolation center, so it’s definitely not a perfect setup,” Ducatenzeiler said. “They’re still having to walk through common spaces in order to go to the restroom or take a shower, and trying to control that at all times becomes difficult.”
Read more here. —Kelli Smith
Chicago State’s Lance Irvin, a 2-time cancer survivor, isn’t coaching in person this season because of the health risks COVID-19 presents
Chicago State basketball coach Lance Irvin was supposed to be in Champaign on Wednesday for the season opener.
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Instead he was home in Chicago, watching the Cougars take on Ohio on television and taking notes.
As a two-time cancer survivor, Irvin decided to step back this season, understanding that coaching during the COVID-19 pandemic raises health risks he isn’t comfortable taking.
“I’ve been through a lot,” Irvin said. “I’m trying to be smart. What I’m doing is for the health and well-being of myself and my family. I’m going with the advice of my doctor. I’m in such good shape, but we don’t want to see, if I get a serious virus, how my body will deal with it.
“It wouldn’t be smart. I was in the room when they said, ‘He’s got a 50% chance of making it.’ “
Read more here. — Shannon Ryan
Splitting 5 to 4, Supreme Court blocks New York coronavirus restrictions on houses of worship
As coronavirus cases surge again nationwide the Supreme Court late Wednesday barred New York from enforcing certain limits on attendance at churches and synagogues in areas designated as hard hit by the virus.
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The justices split 5-4 with new Justice Amy Coney Barrett in the majority. It was the conservative’s first publicly discernible vote as a justice. The court’s three liberal justices and Chief Justice John Roberts dissented.
Read more here. —Associated Press
Have a question about COVID-19? University of Chicago’s Dr. Emily Landon will answer readers’ questions Dec. 2 on Facebook Live.
The number of COVID-19 cases is rising, along with worries and concerns: Am I doing all that I can to stay safe from the coronavirus? Why did I test positive if I wore a mask and isolated? I haven’t been infected though I’m not taking any precautions, so is this even real? It can be hard to keep up with the news with so many new developments.
That’s why the Chicago Tribune is partnering with the University of Chicago to answer readers’ questions with a Facebook Live event Dec. 2. I’ll be asking readers’ questions to University of Chicago Medicine infectious diseases expert Dr. Emily Landon in hopes of quelling some of those concerns. If you have a question you haven’t been able to find an answer to, now is your chance to be heard.
The link to the Facebook Live stream will go live on our Facebook page Dec. 2. Also, our written Q&A is continuously updated, so if you have a question that we haven’t answered yet there, send it to the Tribune here.
Read more here. —Darcel Rockett


chicagotribune--2020-11-29--Chicago area in for winter weather overnight with 5 inches of lake-effect snow possible in Indiana,

Chicago area in for winter weather overnight with 5 inches of lake-effect snow possible in Indiana, flood advisory issued

Downtown Chicago could also see as much as half an inch of snow if conditions are right .
Snow would @ @ @ @ @ a.m. if it materializes , he said , and will only get worse the farther @ @ @ @ @ the morning commute could be treacherous for anyone traveling between Indiana and Illinois .
Snow @ @ @ @ @ confined to the area immediately near the lake and , because of the shoreline ’ @ @ @ @ @ greater likelihood of affecting points farther south , Kluber said .

Forecasters expect winter weather to finally grip northern Illinois and northwest Indiana this week, beginning with the possibility of lakeshore flooding, strong winds and as much as 5 inches of snow Sunday into Monday, primarily in Indiana.
A lakeshore flood advisory for the Cook County shoreline will begin at midnight and continue through to Monday evening. A lakeshore flood warning will be in effect for the northwest Indiana shore all the way to the Michigan state line beginning at midnight all the way until Tuesday morning, said Todd Kluber, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
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Kluber said a system will move into the area Sunday afternoon that’s expected to bring strong winds and precipitation that, with the temperature hovering around freezing, is expected to fall as snow. Northwest Indiana is expected to bear the brunt of the system, as the lake effect will produce 3 to 5 inches of snow in Porter County, near Valparaiso, he said. The Gary area in Lake County could get 1 to 3 inches of snow.
“The confidence increases as you go east,” Kluber said.
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Downtown Chicago could also see as much as half an inch of snow if conditions are right. Snow would likely start falling around 3 a.m. if it materializes, he said, and will only get worse the farther east you go — meaning the morning commute could be treacherous for anyone traveling between Indiana and Illinois. Snow in the city would be confined to the area immediately near the lake and, because of the shoreline’s shape, has a greater likelihood of affecting points farther south, Kluber said.
“On top of that, what’s going to exacerbate or make this more hazardous, are the wind gusts of 35 mph, beginning about 8 or so (Sunday) evening. Those winds will increase further late tonight into tomorrow so we’re looking at, along the shore in Cook County, winds of about 40 mph, even briefly gusting to 45 mph.”
The powerful wind gusts are expected to whip up waves on the lake, leading to the possibility of flooding.
Kluber said the area has had relatively mild temperatures so far this season, but temperatures are expected to drop Tuesday and better align with what’s typical this time of year.
Sunday’s high temperature was in the 40s and Monday and Tuesday should drop down to a high of 34 or 35 degrees, he said. The low Monday night, though, should drop to the low 20s.
“We should be in the low 20s for outlying areas and the mid-20s in the city. The low at O’Hare should be 25 (degrees), which is the lowest it’s been for O’Hare so far this season,” Kluber said. “But the average low for Chicago for this date is 26 (degrees), so it will feel colder but it’s really in line with norms for this time of year.”
Check back for updates.


chicagotribune--2020-11-29--COVID-19 in Illinois by the numbers: Here’s a daily update on cases, positivity rate and hospital da

COVID-19 in Illinois by the numbers: Here’s a daily update on cases, positivity rate and hospital data in your area

Among the metrics ( see below ) tracked under guidelines set by Gov .
J.B. Pritzker are the percentage of @ @ @ @ @ , the number of people hospitalized for COVID-19-like illnesses , and the capacity of hospitals @ @ @ @ @ state will decide how much or how little to restrict activities based on these metrics @

Note: With Chicago and Illinois moving into phase 5, the Tribune is no longer updating this data. If the state moves back into bridge phase, the Tribune we reassess. Daily metrics on COVID-19, like cases, deaths and hospitalizations, can be found here. And Daily metrics on the vaccination effort can be found here. More on where the coronavirus stands nationally and around the world can be found here.
To assess how different parts of Illinois are handling the COVID-19 pandemic, officials look at the state through the 11 regions of Emergency Medical Services. The city of Chicago is one region, for example, and the rest of Cook County is another.
Among the metrics (see below) tracked under guidelines set by Gov. J.B. Pritzker are the percentage of coronavirus tests that return positive, the number of people hospitalized for COVID-19-like illnesses, and the capacity of hospitals to take in new patients.The state will decide how much or how little to restrict activities based on these metrics. (Cases, deaths and tests data is as of Dec. 31).
• Check out the Tribune’s coronavirus coverage.
• Remembering the lives of those in Illinois who died from coronavirus.
• Other Chicago, suburbs and Illinois COVID-19 metrics.
• See how the governor’s plan to manage the regions works.
Source: Illinois Department of Public Health
Created by the Chicago Tribune dataviz team. On Twitter @chitribgraphics


chicagotribune--2020-11-29--COVID-19 cases in Illinois by ZIP code: Search for your neighborhood

Search below by street address , ZIP code or city , then click on the map to see the number @ @ @ @ @ .
The state is not providing data for any ZIP code with five cases or @ @

Note: With Chicago and Illinois moving into phase 5, the Tribune is no longer updating this data. If the state moves back into bridge phase, the Tribune we reassess. Daily metrics on COVID-19, like cases, deaths and hospitalizations, can be found here. And Daily metrics on the vaccination effort can be found here. More on where the coronavirus stands nationally and around the world can be found here.
Illinois releases the number of positive COVID-19 cases by ZIP code daily. The map below shows the cumulative cases for each area as well as other analysis of the data.
• Check out the Tribune’s coronavirus coverage.
• Tracking daily Illinois coronavirus deaths, cases and tests.
Search below by street address, ZIP code or city, then click on the map to see the number of confirmed and probable cases. The state is not providing data for any ZIP code with five cases or fewer.
Data as of June 10.
The map search tool above works best in Chrome or Firefox and may not perform consistently in Internet Explorer.
Note: Because of a coding error this map was displaying the incorrect rates for new cases in the last 7 days per 100,000 people — the issue should now be resolved.. The Tribune adjusted the data shown on the map below to focus on new cases, those the state tracked in the last 7 seven days. The totals for the entire pandemic are still available, but in the pop-up after tapping or clicking on a ZIP.


chicagotribune--2020-11-29--Daily Illinois coronavirus graphs: 57 new deaths, 7,178 new confirmed and probable cases and 62,740

Daily Illinois coronavirus graphs: 57 new deaths, 7,178 new confirmed and probable cases and 62,740 new test results

Illinois announced 7,178 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 Sunday for a total of 720,114 .
The state also @ @ @ @ @ a total of 12,193 and 62,740 new test results for a total of 10.43 million @

Johns Hopkins University & Medicine tracked coronavirus cases, deaths and test totals from Jan. 22, 2020 through March 10, 2023, but is no longer providing this data. These charts will no longer be updated.
Check the Illinois Department of Public Health for the most up-to-date data for Illinois.
[ Remembering the lives of those in Illinois who died from coronavirus ]
Can’t see these charts? Go here.


chicagotribune--2020-11-29--Inmate from Arizona dies at Thomson prison in Illinois after fight with another inmate, officials sa

Inmate from Arizona dies at Thomson prison in Illinois after fight with another inmate, officials say

It was at least the second beating death at the prison this year .
In March , 31-year-old inmate , @ @ @ @ @ beaten by another inmate .

THOMSON, Ill. — A 37-year-old inmate from Arizona has died at a northwestern Illinois prison after a fight with another inmate.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons reported the death of Edsel Aaron Badoni at Thomson Correctional Center on Friday night, according to Sauk Valley Media.
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Badoni of Arizona died around 2:30 p.m. after the fight.
The other inmate was not identified and was treated for unspecified injuries.
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The FBI was investigating.
Badoni was serving nearly 14 years for assault with a deadly weapon, assault resulting in serious bodily injury and discharging a firearm during a violent crime.
It was at least the second beating death at the prison this year. In March, 31-year-old inmate, Matthew Phillips died after being beaten by another inmate.


chicagotribune--2020-11-30--Daywatch: Illinois’ vaccine distribution plan in flux, Lightfoot security detail’s tickets dismissed

Daywatch: Illinois’ vaccine distribution plan in flux, Lightfoot security detail’s tickets dismissed and Lincoln Park’s North Pond drying up

Meanwhile , the week will be starting off cold and windy in Chicago .
A storm system was forecast to @ @ @ @ @ of snow in northwest Indiana and a lakeshore flood advisory is in effect for the @ @ @ @ @ of snow , don ’ t forget that Chicago ’ s winter parking ban goes @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday .
Here ’ s what you need to know to avoid a ticket .

Good morning, Chicago. Illinois officials on Sunday announced 7,178 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 57 additional fatalities. The new numbers came as Dr. Anthony Fauci said that the U.S. may see “surge upon a surge” of the coronavirus over the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, the week will be starting off cold and windy in Chicago. A storm system was forecast to dump up to 5 inches of snow in northwest Indiana and a lakeshore flood advisory is in effect for the Cook County shoreline. Speaking of snow, don’t forget that Chicago’s winter parking ban goes into effect at 3 a.m. Tuesday. Here’s what you need to know to avoid a ticket.
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Here’s more coronavirus news and other top stories you need to know to start your day.
For your smart speaker | Holiday gift guide | Experts answer your COVID-19 questions | More newsletters | Puzzles & Games
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A worker administers a COVID-19 test at the Odeum Expo Center in Villa Park of DuPage County on Nov. 23, 2020. (Youngrae Kim / Chicago Tribune)
The state of Illinois’ plan for distributing a COVID-19 vaccine when one becomes available puts front-line health care workers first in line to be inoculated, but shifting projections on how many initial doses the state is likely to receive, the various temperature storage requirements for different vaccines and changing federal recommendations make it uncertain exactly how that plan will roll out.
Illinois teachers say COVID-19 struggles are mounting and they’re “acutely worried about the safety and well-being” of students
From food pantries to parking lot Wi-Fi, public libraries evolve during COVID-19 pandemic
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot emerges from her vehicle for a press conference in the 6300 block of South St. Lawrence Avenue in Chicago, July 2, 2019. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
The city of Chicago dismissed the majority of tickets issued to Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s security detail by red-light and speed cameras, including some that were recorded at times when the mayor was scheduled to be attending non-city events, records show.
Since Lightfoot became mayor in May 2019, the police security detail assigned to her protection has received 13 tickets for speed and red-light camera violations, and 10 of those have been dismissed, records show.
In other political news, a Chicago alderman who long championed the city’s anti-puppy mill ordinance has reversed his position, a move that comes after he received donations from a Lincoln Park store owner.
The Lawndale Community Academy building at 3500 W. Douglas Blvd. in Chicago is one of three schools that could close and be consolidated in a new so-called STEAM school. (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune)
Two North Lawndale groups submitted a proposal this month to CPS that would close three elementary schools and consolidate their students into one new school with modern facilities, cutting-edge academic programs and resources for families.
But not everyone in the community supports the idea. Many parents, students and staff believe shutting the schools would dismantle three distinct communities and put children in harm’s way by sending them through gang activity or violence to get to school.
An aerial view of the North Pond in Lincoln Park in Chicago on Aug. 14, 2020. The North Pond, a natural area located within Lincoln Park, needs to be rehabilitated because it is drying up and eroding at the banks. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)
Lincoln Park’s North Pond is drying up, shrinking and becoming too shallow to support the wildlife that calls it home. Without intervention, the park will likely lose the pond entirely due to erosion and sediment runoff, according to a conservation group that is launching a bid to save it.
Each December, the Santa Claus post office processes roughly 400,000 pieces of mail, a monumental amount for a town with just 2,400 residents. (Spencer County Visitors Bureau)
Yes, there really is a Santa Claus. No, not the one at the North Pole, but a town of the same name. Just a few minutes’ reindeer ride north of the Ohio River, Santa Claus, Indiana, delights young and old alike, particularly during the holidays.