* Sun-Times…
Protesting what they call a discriminatory move that will exasperate respiratory health issues in a polluted community, six state legislators representing Chicago’s South Side are asking Gov. J.B. Pritzker to reject metal shredder General Iron’s planned move from Lincoln Park to the East Side. […]
The June 24 letter was delivered the day before a decision deadline on an environmental permit that would give General Iron the green light to move to a site at South Burley Avenue and 116th Street along the Calumet River. General Iron needs the construction and air-pollution control permit to build the new facility with its partner Reserve Management Group. Community groups have said a draft permit written by the state is weak and doesn’t protect residents from harmful air pollution. After accepting public comments, the agency is expected to rule on a final permit Thursday. […]
Pritzker’s office and the Illinois EPA have said state law limits the power they have to deny or write a permit for General Iron. For instance, numerous citations written by city of Chicago inspectors for violations of pollution and nuisance laws won’t be considered, state officials say. […]
General Iron’s Lincoln Park operation is currently closed after two explosions in May. The decision in 2018 to move from affluent Lincoln Park to the working-class Latino neighborhood is cited by activists as environmental racism. While much of that criticism has been directed at Mayor Lori Lightfoot and predecessor Rahm Emanuel, the lawmakers urged Pritzker to take a stand.
* The letter…
As legislators representing Chicago’s Southeast Side, we’re urging you to call for the denial of General Iron’s application for a construction permit in our community.
We’re troubled by reports of concerns from north side residents over the public health risks posed by the General Iron plant especially in light of their desire to relocate to our community. As you know, residents of the South side are disproportionately affected by respiratory issues due to a variety of factors including pollution. As our community grapples with the COVID crisis, now is not the time to fast track a construction permit to a repeat offender of state and federal environmental regulations.
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (“IEPA”) faces a critical decision testing the agency’s commitment to protecting the health and welfare of my constituents: whether to turn a blind eye to the long history of environmental infractions of General Iron in its current Lincoln Park location and grant it a weak, unenforceable permit to move to a recognized environmental justice community, or to make good on the agency’s duty to protect the rights of all Illinois residents to a healthful environment and deny a permit to this repeat offender. The agency’s choice is clear.
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency has broad authority and a duty to protect the Southeast Side. This authority includes the discretion to deny permits based on historic violations. It also includes the duty to write stringent permits that go beyond the minimum required as necessary to ensure that regulated industry does not “cause or tend to cause air pollution” and so that those who have polluted our environment do not get a free pass to do so again. Furthermore, both Congress and the Illinois Assembly have prohibited IEPA from implementing its duties in ways that discriminate on the basis of race, color, or national origin. IEPA’s own environmental justice policy, moreover, recognizes that the agency “supports the objectives of achieving environmental equity for all of the citizens of Illinois.”
Rather than uphold these duties and commitments, IEPA has proposed to issue a permit that would enable the relocation of a massive metal shredding facility from a White, wealthy and further gentrifying community to an environmental justice community. It is proposing to issue a permit that lacks any meaningful limits on pollution, while essentially leaving this chronic polluter to police itself with respect to virtually the same emission sources that the company has shown time and time again it cannot or will not control. And it is doing so where the applicant’s own air quality modeling shows the potential for violation of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards.
We urge IEPA to demonstrate its commitment to protecting the public health of all Illinoisans by preventing further pollution in Black and Brown communities of Chicago’s Southeast side and deny this permit.
Sincerely,
Senator Robert Peters of the 13th Legislative District
Senator Elgie R. Sims, Jr. of the 17th Legislative District
Representative Kambium Buckner of the 26th Representative District
Representative Marcus C. Evans, Jr. of the 33rd Representative District
Representative Nicholas K. Smith of the 34th Representative
District Representative Curtis J. Tarver, II of the 25th Representative District
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Caption contest!
Wednesday, Jun 24, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Gov. Pritzker was in Geneseo today to talk about broadband access…
Launching the state’s largest-ever broadband expansion initiative, Governor JB Pritzker announced $50 million in Connect Illinois grants to 28 projects touching every region of the state. The $50 million in state grants will be matched by $65 million in nonstate funding for a total of $115 million, with plans to expand access for more than 26,000 homes, businesses, farms, and community institutions across Illinois.
These funds are being released as part of the state’s $420 million statewide broadband expansion, Connect Illinois—the Governor’s plan to bring basic access to all communities by 2024. This plan aims to improve access through an unprecedented capital investment and with the nation’s largest grant matching program.
* From the event…
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715 new cases, 64 additional deaths
Wednesday, Jun 24, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Press release…
Public Health Officials Announce 715 New Confirmed Cases of Coronavirus Disease
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today announced 715 new confirmed cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 64 additional confirmed deaths.
- Cook County: 1 male 30s, 1 male 40s, 2 females 50s, 2 males 50s, 9 females 60s, 6 males 60s, 5 females 70s, 5 males 70s, 3 females 80s, 1 male 80s, 4 females 90s
- DuPage County: 1 female 50s, 1 male 60s, 1 male 70s
- Grundy County: 1 female 80s
- Jackson County: 1 female 90s
- Kane County: 1 female 80s, 1 male 90s
- Lake County: 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s
- Madison County: 1 female 90s
- McHenry County: 1 female 70s
- Peoria County: 1 female 80s
- St. Clair County: 2 males 70s, 1 female 90s
- Will County: 1 female 60s, 1 female 70s, 1 female 80s
- Winnebago County: 1 male 60s, 2 females 70s, 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 138,540 cases, including 6,770 deaths, in 101 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 29,331 specimens for a total of 1,428,841. The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from June 17–June 23 is 3%.
Hospitalizations and ICU usage continues to decline.
* IDPH also has a couple of recent charts…
* Race/Ethnicity Statewide Metrics
* Syndromic Surveillance
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* The feds moved to cut off funding for testing sites several weeks ago and backed away. But it looks like it’s now actually happening…
* The governor was asked today whether he had a say in this decision…
Well, when you say ‘Did we get a say?’ we were informed.
And, you know, it’s a decision that was made by the federal government. We, obviously, all the help we can get we’ll take. But upon learning this, we immediately began to work on making sure that we’re keeping those sites open with local personnel […]
What we want to make sure is the testing is widely available and free to people across our state. And so we are right now on the street actually with an RFP to make sure that we’re taking over those sites with local personnel so we can keep doing what we’ve been doing. […]
We’ll maintain the locations of those sites for now. But we also are adding mobile testing, for example, we’re adding more sites all the time, we want to make sure that it’s easy to locate, people to get to. And so, as long as this pandemic lasts, our job here is to make people safe, to make sure that if people feel like they’ve been exposed to somebody who has COVID-19 that they can get a test as fast as possible so they can either go back to school, go back to work, whatever it is that they need to do and testing helps do that. And so that’s why we’ve been so focused on ramping up our testing, the number of testing sites, and the number of tests. You may have noticed that we had a big ramp up from early on. I was struggling, as all states were, to get the materials necessary for testing. We had just a few thousand tests going for a state as big as ours. We’re now among the top five states in the country in testing, and among the large states were the top two or three in terms of per capita testing, and I want to be number one.
Please pardon all transcription errors.
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Question of the day
Wednesday, Jun 24, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* CBS 2…
The police chief in Arlington Heights has gone on record making a historic change.
Chief Nick Pecora has added “duty to intervene” to the Arlington Heights Police code of conduct.
According to the new rule, any officer observing another officer using force that is clearly beyond reasonable should stop it and then notify a supervisor.
The new order’s text…
Any officer present and observing another officer using force that is clearly beyond that which is objectively reasonable under the circumstances shall, when in a position to do so, safely intercede to prevent the use of such excessive force. Officers shall promptly report these observations and your associated action to a supervisor.
* The Question: Do you think this concept should be a state law? Explain.
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Open thread
Wednesday, Jun 24, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Dr. Ezike yesterday…
So as we move forward, we need to get back to the things that we have been putting on hold. Now is the time to schedule your kids’ back to school physicals if you haven’t already. We need to make sure that the kids get checked out by their providers and get their life saving immunizations. Earlier during the pandemic, we had seen a decline in immunization. So now it’s time to catch up. No more waiting.
Doctor’s orders, Illinois.
Yes, there could be another surge of COVID-19 in the fall or perhaps earlier, but let’s make sure we take this opportunity now to get to our doctors. Let’s get our immunizations, let’s get our health screenings. Let’s get as healthy as we can. Your baseline health status affects how you fare against this virus.
This includes parents and teachers. Get your bloodwork done, your mammogram. I went for my mammogram this morning. Get your colonoscopies, take care of yourself and your loved ones. Let’s continue to do what we know works. I saw somewhere that they referred to as the three W’s. And so I’m going to be using this: wash your hands, watch your distance, you know that’s referring to the six feet, and wear a face covering. Let’s not lose ground. Lives are in our hands. Thank you so much.
* My annual physical is today, so I’ll be back later. Until then…
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Please, wear a mask
Wednesday, Jun 24, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Eric Zorn…
“Wearing a face mask poses a health risk to me,” says a document circulating online that mask-phobes are urged to present to greeters, clerks or managers who try to enforce the requirement and block their entry from a store or other place of business. “Under the ADA and HIPPA (sic) I am NOT required to disclose my medical condition to anyone.”
The document goes on to give toll-free number to the U.S. Department of Justice’s ADA information line and to threaten violators with fines of up to $150,000.
It’s mostly nonsense. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) simply restricts disclosures by health providers. The ADA requires only that businesses provide assistance to people with disabilities so long as that requirement doesn’t cause undue hardships or pose a risk to the health and safety of other customers. Many stores will offer to shop for those who cannot shop independently and bring the merchandise to the door, for instance.
And if you don’t wear a mask, you’re clearly posing a health and safety risk to other customers and employees.
* How people think they can walk onto someone else’s private property and literally do anything they want is just beyond me…
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* Greg Bishop at the Center Square…
Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s executive order to close businesses across the state amid the COVID-19 pandemic could cost taxpayers billions of dollars in damages, according to an attorney challenging the governor’s orders.
Attorney Thomas DeVore represents dozens of people and business owners across Illinois challenging the governor’s authority to close parts of the economy to reduce the spread of COVID-19. DeVore said those cases are still alive and important.
Despite some reports that a judge in Madison County threw out a case brought forward by a business group, DeVore said what actually happened was the court denied the group a temporary restraining order. He said that was not a ruling on the merits of the case.
“There’s not been one case yet [to] take on the real underlying factual issues, putting on some testimony,” DeVore said. “I’d love nothing more to get the governor on the stand and ask his some questions … Whether we get to that or whether summary judgment is how this gets resolved I don’t know yet, but we’ll see. We’ve got to get some answers.”
He said since the legislature has failed to provide clarity on the issue, the courts must act.
“They’re very important, but ultimately the people know and I believe in my heart that the people, regardless of what court cases are going say, they already know that this was wrong,” he said. “They already know that this went too far.”
DeVore said despite the pandemic, the overarching issue is due process.
“You can’t strip property rights and liberty rights away from people without due process under any circumstance,” he said.
DeVore said he’s considering additional legal options, including a possible challenge to the state’s decision to cancel the annual state fairs and a challenge to restrictions for school districts.
Pritzker has said the cases challenging his authority were examples of political grandstanding and has defended his actions as being not only lawful, but based on science and data.
Outside of the existing challenges, DeVore expects there to be thousands of other cases brought forward demanding damages be paid.
“That in and of itself should be a deterrent in the future, saying ‘wait a second, we’re going to start shutting down businesses, we need to keep in mind we’re going to have to write a big check for that,’ yeah, that’s coming and it’s coming soon,” DeVore said. “I’m working on that.”
DeVore said it was possible those costs will be borne by taxpayers.
“Hopefully that means the taxpayers will remember next time an executive officer tries to do something like this they say ‘uh-huh, we’re not playing that game,’ ” DeVore said.
A takings lawsuit filed against Michigan’s governor was called a ‘very steep uphill battle’ by Michael McDaniel, a Western Michigan University Cooley Law School professor. He told WOOD TV under “normal circumstance,” there might be a case. “But the problem he has here… is these are not normal times,” he told the TV station.
* Meanwhile…
Illinois Right to Life Committee sued Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) in federal court over an emergency Covid-19 order that prohibits most gatherings of more than 10 people.
Executive Order 2020-38 unconstitutionally infringes IRL’s free speech rights, the group told the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois Tuesday.
IRL is a nonprofit organization that works to make abortion “unthinkable” and to turn Illinois into an anti-abortion state, according to its website. It is an “expressive association,” according to the complaint.
Education is one part of its approach, IRL says. But it hasn’t been able to participate in training sessions, rallies, educational panels, or speaking engagements since April due to the ban on group gatherings, the complaint says.
The order also has made it impossible for IRL to hold fundraising events that pay for its pro-life activities and charitable work, the group says. It also has become more difficult to spread its message throughout the state, IRL says. An internet-based approach isn’t sufficient, because “human-to-human interactions are the best way to compassionately share” IRL’s views, it added.
IRL also alleged that the state is enforcing the ban selectively. For example, the order doesn’t apply to religious organizations, and the state recently declined to insist on compliance by people gathered to protest police brutality, the complaint says.
Discuss.
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* Politico…
It’s not often that Illinois Democrats and Republicans are on the same page, but that’s the case this week when it comes to money for nonprofits. Illinois’ GOP delegation in D.C. and state Democrats in the General Assembly are concerned about nonprofits being denied state funding because they accepted cash from the federal Paycheck Protection Program.
According to letters they sent to Gov. J.B. Pritzker, the Illinois Department of Human Services and Department of Children and Family Services are reducing or delaying state funding for nonprofits that received PPP funds.
These service organizations “serve thousands of Illinois residents,” the state Democrats say in their letter urging Pritzker not to reduce state funding for nonprofits. “While we recognize the state is facing budget constraints, the level of need for social services has exponentially increased” in wake of the pandemic due to unemployment, food insecurity, housing insecurity, and other economic challenges. […]
The GOP delegation’s letter is pointed: “Congress did not intend for the funds provided through the Paycheck Protection Program to supplement state budgets by offsetting the cost they pay for services through private nonprofit service providers,” the lawmakers wrote.
The governor isn’t likely to act on the lawmakers’ concerns. As Pritzker’s office explained to Playbook: The state kept paying social service providers during the pandemic, even when they couldn’t provide services. The goal was to keep those agencies whole. The money the state pays each month is for rent, utilities and personnel costs. The state says the agencies that take PPP funds to pay for rent, utilities and personnel costs, shouldn’t be paid for the same thing twice. Businesses and hospitals, on the other hand, don’t contract with the state for services.
Republican pushed back at the explanation, saying, “The state’s assertion that it may deduct an amount equivalent to any funds nonprofit organizations receive through PPP from what they are paid in their contracts is a clear overreach. Nonprofit service organizations should not be punished at the expense of the state during this difficult time.”
* From the GOP delegation’s letter…
As you are aware, the State of Illinois has consistently underfunded these nonprofit service providers.
Thoughts?
*** UPDATE *** The governor was asked about this today…
We have to marshal our resources, and when someone’s getting direct federal dollars to cover the very same expenses that would have been covered by the state, it seems logical to me at least for the time being to make to use those resources to cover other challenges that we have during this very difficult time.
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* Click here for background information if you need it. Press release from Illinois Federation of Teachers President Dan Montgomery and Illinois Education Association President Kathi Griffin…
“The guidelines ISBE released today provide a road map as we return to in-person instruction, but they don’t address some of the most pressing concerns that make it difficult to social distance appropriately and monitor the health and well-being of all our education support staff, teachers and students. We are especially concerned about the lack of personal protective equipment and providing a safe learning environment.
It is no secret that remote learning has been a challenge to teachers, parents and students and our membership looks forward to returning to in-person instruction, but anxiety remains high over class sizes and the lack of school nurses and other health and safety resources. We continue to be concerned about the deep disparities that exist in schools, especially in our Black and Brown communities, who still lack access to the internet and computers. We need to also consider our students who live in rural communities and their ability or lack-there-of to access information online. Parents, students and community members will feel safe returning to in-person instruction only when it is done safely by reducing class size and having a school nurse and necessary supplies in every school building.
Successfully incorporating the Illinois State Board of Education’s (ISBE) guidelines will depend largely on the labor management relationship and whether or not all the support staff, teachers and stakeholders have a real voice in determining what school looks like in our new normal.
We are committed to working with ISBE to help update the guidelines and give better guidance on what to do with crowded classrooms and schools, collective bargaining issues, and the lack of critical staff and resources such as school nurses and PPE. We are very much looking forward to working with our students, and we urge ISBE to assist every school in Illinois in getting the resources needed to keep every student and adult safe.
We are our students’ voice. It is imperative that as plans are developed for the year, we get a chance to ensure the safety of our students and our members, that some of our biggest concerns in this document are addressed, including resources and collective bargaining. We treasure the collaborative relationship we’ve had with ISBE throughout this pandemic and look forward to continuing our work together.”
* More on the IFT’s response in the Tribune…
Illinois Federation of Teachers President Dan Montgomery said in an interview that the guidelines raised more questions than answers and appeared more “aspirational” than grounded in “reality” with no certification that safety rules would be implemented and practiced.
“The thing that gives me the greatest pause is that it’s very squishy on social distancing, so I have a real concern that there’ll be districts or schools where they’ll say, ‘Well, let’s just try to keep the kids separated’ as opposed to really working it through and figuring out how you’re going to keep kids actually apart,” Montgomery said.
“The PPE issue is huge. I would really appreciate it if the State Board or the governor’s office could actually make sure every school district has masks and soap and sanitizer, and I don’t have confidence that that’s where we’re going to be anytime soon,” he said.
Montgomery said given safety concerns and the number of students, teachers and staff in schools in the Chicago area, “it’s hard to see how we’re going to have widespread, uniform in-person instruction” and that blended learning, mixing in-person and home teaching, would be the more practical outcome.
* WTTW…
The Chicago Teachers Union criticized that guidance. A statement from CTU President Jesse Sharkey reads, in part:
“Today’s guidance from ISBE is both too general and too vague to serve as a useful road map for CPS. In short, we’re going to be required to figure out many of the most critical features of school work for ourselves, in bargaining.
“Science increasingly shows that the virus is spread mainly through people breathing on each other for prolonged periods of time. Unfortunately, so much of traditional school involves exactly that practice.
“Keeping us safe will require more than just hand sanitizer … having a nurse in every building every day is more important than ever.”
* The Illinois Association of School Boards, however, was fairly positive and part of the announcement process…
IASB Executive Director Tom Bertrand joined state officials for the public announcement. Bertrand commended the Governor’s efforts to provide a path for the safe return of children to in-person learning: “We know that during a national crisis, schools are often the institutions best positioned to address the academic and social-emotional needs of children and the basic needs of many families. It is important to connect every child with caring, committed, competent educators — starting with the first day of school. The opportunity to return to school for in-person learning is an important step toward establishing that connection that is so important to the academic and social-emotional growth of our students.”
* Meanwhile…
Some Mahomet-Seymour students have tested positive for COVID-19 following an “unofficial prom” earlier this month.
The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District is investigating a COVID-19 outbreak associated with the “unofficial prom,” which was held in a private home on June 13. The event was not related to, sanctioned by, or endorsed by Mahomet-Seymour CUSD #3.
CUPHD said it is following up with the 10 confirmed cases.
As a precaution, all in-person activities at Mahomet-Seymour High School have been temporarily suspended. This includes athletic conditioning and behind-the-wheel driver’s education.
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* Press release…
Today, Governor JB Pritzker announced guidelines that will allow K-12 schools, community colleges, and higher education institutions to safely resume in person instruction for the upcoming academic year. To help schools meet these guidelines and prevent the spread of COVID-19, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) will provide public K-12 districts in Illinois with 2.5 million cloth face masks, allowing K-12 schools to provide a cloth face mask to all students and staff.
The governor was joined by Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike, Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) Director Dr. Carmen Ayala, Illinois Association of School Boards Executive Director Tom Bertrand, Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) Executive Director Ginger Ostro and Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) Executive Director Dr. Brian Durham for today’s announcement. This guidance follows the release of industry-specific guidelines for Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois Plan, announced yesterday.
“Classroom learning provides necessary opportunities for our students to learn, socialize, and grow. The benefits of in-person instruction can’t be overstated,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Today ISBE, IBHE, and ICCB are issuing guidance that will serve as baseline public health requirements and expectations for the return of in-person learning this fall in P-12 schools and higher education, including all public school districts, non-public schools, colleges and universities. In close consultation with IDPH, infectious disease experts at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and other public health professionals, the guidance focuses on keeping students, teachers and families healthy and safe. It recognizes that Illinois is a diverse state, and school districts and institutions of higher education across Illinois will face unique challenges in how they’ll operate within their communities.”
The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) received $569 million in federal funding from the CARES Act for K-12 education, approximately $512 million of which will go directly to school districts to address local needs in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. IBSE will use the remaining $54.1 million to provide additional funding to schools in six categories: laptops and tablets, internet connectivity, virtual coaching for teachers, professional development, and support for entities who cannot receive direct funds due to ineligibility for Title I.
Local education agencies must apply to ISBE to receive funding from the CARES Act and the amount received will be based on the number and percentage of low-income students they serve. ISBE has already received applications from 580 local education agencies for this funding, with the goal of purchasing a variety of tools and resources, including technology devices, WiFi hotspots, and health and safety equipment for schools in need. Local school districts also plan to use funding to hire mental health support staff to provide services for students, families, and staff. ISBE has approved 534 applications thus far and distributed nearly three million dollars in funds.
GUIDANCE FOR K-12 SCHOOLS
The guidance released by ISBE and IDPH today allows schools to bring students back to school buildings in the fall while ensuring the health and safety of students and staff remains the top priority. The guidance was developed in collaboration with 56 educators, superintendents, social workers, nurses, and other stakeholders from across the state. View the guidance here.
“Nothing compares to face-to-face interactions between students and their teachers,” said State Superintendent of Education Dr. Carmen I. Ayala. “The dedication of Illinoisans to social distancing over the past several months has allowed us to plan to bring students back to classrooms this fall while keeping health and safety our number one priority. This fall will not be ‘business as usual’ in more ways than one. Our students will return to us transformed and hungry for knowledge that contextualizes current events. I urge schools to use summer to readjust curricula to honor these historic times and to continue to be diligent in following safety protocols.”
Each school district will determine how to implement the guidance based on its unique student enrollment, school facilities, staffing, transportation, and technological capacity. ISBE strongly encourages schools and districts to provide in-person instruction for all students, especially those under age 13, to ensure children have rich instructional environments.
The IDPH requirements for schools to reopen in Phase 4 are:
• Require use of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), including face coverings;
• Prohibit more than 50 individuals from gathering in one space;
• Require social distancing whenever possible;
• Conduct symptom screenings and temperature checks or require self-certification that individuals entering school buildings are symptom free; and
• Increase schoolwide cleaning and disinfection.
To ensure Illinois school districts are able to obtain the necessary supplies to resume in person instruction safely, ISBE and the Chief Procurement Office Bureau of Strategic Sourcing have secured several joint purchase agreements that K-12 can utilize to obtain supplies at prices that may be more competitive than purchasing on their own. ISBE will continue to expand the number of purchasing agreements in the coming weeks.
“In developing this guidance, we have put a focus on making sure in-person instruction is done safely and in an equitable way,” said Brenda Calvin, principal of Sauk Elementary School in Matteson and a member of the Transition Advisory Workgroup. “As a principal, I am looking forward to seeing students and teachers back in the classroom, and this document provides administrators across the state with the guidance and support they need to plan for the fall, no matter what their school looks like. I thank ISBE, IDPH, and Governor Pritzker for continuing to emphasize equity as we return to in-person instruction and for continuing to care for the well-being of all students in the state of Illinois.”
“The Phase 4 guidance for schools focuses on the unique context of the 852 school districts in the state of Illinois,” said Dr. Jennifer Garrison, superintendent of Vandalia Community Unit School District 203. “We acknowledge and thank the Governor’s Office for the emphasis on local control. We must focus on the safety of our staff and students first and foremost and at the same time be creative in how we return to learning in-person, specifically in Vandalia Schools. The opportunity to have a seat at the table and bring the downstate rural voice to the table is greatly appreciated. As educators, we have had many challenges before, and now is our time to turn the challenges before us into a unique opportunity to innovate with a laser-like focus on equity.”
“I am grateful that ISBE reached out to a variety of education stakeholders in developing this transition plan,” said Lindsey Jensen, 2018 Illinois Teacher of the Year, member of the Transition Advisory Workgroup, and teacher at Dwight Township High School. “In these unprecedented times, we are each other’s greatest resource. Having a variety of voices at the proverbial table ensures that we are considering all facets of education so that we can equitably meet the needs of all students when they return to our buildings.”
GUIDANCE FOR HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
The Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) established guidelines for higher education institutions to safely reopen their classrooms based on input from IDPH and higher education leaders throughout Illinois. When students return to campus this fall, they can expect new prevention measures from colleges and universities including social distancing, physical spacing, hand sanitizing stations, face covering requirements, and regular monitoring of students for symptoms of COVID-19.
Schools are developing policies around traffic flow, cleaning of public spaces, and staggered schedules for the use of laboratories, auditoriums and other group facilities. Small-group sessions and meetings with professors will also have to adhere to social distancing guidelines. Nevertheless, colleges expect dormitories, cafeterias, libraries, bookstores, and other amenities of college life to be available to students, subject to the approved guidelines.
“The path to personal success runs right through our schools, classrooms, colleges and universities. A good education means a good future for you and your families. When the economy rebounds, we want our students to be prepared for those jobs and that means–stay the course and stay in school,” said Ginger Ostro, IBHE Executive Director.
The full list of guidelines is available at The Illinois Board of Higher Education website.
COMMUNITY COLLEGES
As each region across the state prepares to enter Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois plan, Illinois community colleges are committed to welcoming students back to campus in the fall of 2020.
“The Illinois Community College Board’s guidance provides community colleges with a roadmap for delivering critical instructional programs within the context of Governor Pritzker’s Restore Illinois,” said Dr. Lazaro Lopez, Chair of the ICCB.
“The guidance will assist all community colleges in the development of plans that ensure the health, safety, and support of students while continuing to provide high quality instruction,” said Dr. Brian Durham, Executive Director of the ICCB.
Guidance for Illinois’ community colleges takes into consideration where each institution is located and is separated into three main categories: General Health and Safety, Instructional Guidelines, and Student Services. Among the key recommendations are:
• In person education will require face coverings to be worn by faculty, staff and students.
• Community colleges should conduct health screenings on employees, students and visitors before each campus visit.
• Community colleges should take additional measures to ensure social distancing and safety as determined by the features of spaces, learning methods, and other factors.
• Each community college should consider the needs of vulnerable staff or students when administering guidelines.
The guidance was developed in partnership with the ICCB’s Return to Campus Committee and approved by IDPH. The full list of guidelines is available at the ICCB website.
FINANCIAL AID ASSISTANCE AND COLLEGE PLANNING
As students prepare to return to higher education institutions this fall, the administration is offering information and guidance regarding financial aid. The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) offers assistance to students in completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the recently launched Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid, a path to financial aid for undocumented and transgender students made possible by Governor Pritzker.
“The Illinois Student Assistance Commission is here to support students on their path to—or back to—college this fall,” said Eric Zarnikow, Executive Director of ISAC. “We continue to provide free resources to help students and families with college planning and financial aid through one-on-one assistance from the ISACorps members in their community, our call center, and the tools and resources on our website, at www.isac.org. If you need help completing your FAFSA or Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid or in seeking financial aid adjustments based on changed financial circumstances, or just aren’t sure how to find your educational path beyond high school, please contact us for assistance.”
Thousands of Illinois families are facing new financial challenges as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. If needed, students can seek an adjustment in their financial aid offers from colleges and universities for the fall based on a change in their financial circumstances. Students in need of additional financial assistance should contact the financial aid office at the colleges or universities where they are enrolled or have been admitted. ISAC is available to guide students and families through this process.
ISAC also offers additional support services like “ISAC College Q&A,” a free text messaging service that helps students stay on track with their college plans. Through ISAC College Q&A, students and families can get answers to college planning and financial aid questions, as well as reminders for important deadlines, sent directly to their phones from ISAC experts. Interested families can sign up online here. Assistance is available in English and Spanish.
Families looking for additional resources and links specifically related to returning to campus and financial aid during the COVID-19 pandemic should visit https://www.isac.org/covid-19/.
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601 new cases, 38 additional deaths
Tuesday, Jun 23, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Dr. Ezike today…
The good news is that Illinois has seen declining cases and declining fatality totals week after week for the past five consecutive weeks. I commend every resident of Illinois for thinking of your neighbors across the state during this ongoing battle against COVID-19. Lives are in your hands, and you saved so many with your actions. These actions have given Illinois a leg up against this virus.
Since yesterday, we are reporting 601 people who are newly diagnosed with COVID-19 for a statewide total since the beginning of this pandemic of 137,825 cases. That does include 38 additional fatalities, for a total of 6,707 lives loss.
But let’s recall that at our highest, we reported 4000 cases within a single 24 hour period. That was about six weeks ago. And we reported 191 deaths on May 13th.
As of last night, over 1648 individuals were reported to be hospitalized with COVID-19 and of those 424 patients were in the ICU and 236 patients were on ventilators. We peaked at over 5000 patients in the hospital with COVID-19 and 1290 ICU patients on April 28th. S o we are delighted to see how far we’ve come and how many fewer patients we have hospitalized with COVID-19.
Please forget what you’ve heard. Increased testing is a good thing. Testing capacity across the state continues to grow. To date 1,399,000 tests have been run with 20,507 being reported in the last 24 hours. The highest number of specimens reported in a single 24 hour period was last Wednesday when nearly 30,000 tests were reported. These are all positive signs and affirm that the steps we have taken to slow the spread of COVID-19 are indeed working.
So as we move forward, we need to get things back to the things that we have been putting on hold. Now is the time to schedule your kids back to school physicals if you haven’t already. We need to make sure that the kids get checked out by their providers and get their life saving immunizations. Earlier during the pandemic, we had seen a decline in immunization. So now it’s time to catch up. No more waiting.
Doctor’s orders, Illinois.
Yes, there could be another surge of COVID-19 in the fall or perhaps earlier, but let’s make sure we take this opportunity now to get to our doctors, let’s get our immunizations, let’s get our health screenings. Let’s get as healthy as we can. Your baseline health status affects how you fare against this virus.
This includes parents and teachers. Get your bloodwork done, your mammogram. I went for my mammogram this morning. Get your colonoscopies, take care of yourself and your loved ones. Let’s continue to do what we know works. I saw somewhere that they referred to it as the three W’s. And so I’m going to be using this: wash your hands, watch your distance, you know that’s referring to the six feet, and wear a face covering. Let’s not lose ground. Lives are in our hands. Thank you so much.
Please pardon all transcription errors.
* Press release…
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today announced 601 new confirmed cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 38 additional confirmed deaths.
Boone County – 1male 60s
Cook County – 1 female 40s, 1 male 50s, 1 female 60s, 3 males 60s, 2 females 70s, 1 male 70s, 2 females 80s, 1 male 80s, 3 females 90s, 2 males 90s, 2 females 100+
DuPage County – 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s
Jefferson County – 1 male 70s
Kane County – 1 male 60s, 1 male 80s
Kankakee County – 1 female 60s
Kendall County – 1 male 90s
Lake County – 1 male 50s, 1 female 60s, 2 males 80s
Macon County – 1 male 80s
McHenry County – 1 female 80s
St. Clair County – 1 female 60s
Will County – 1 female 70s, 1 female 80s
Winnebago County – 1 female 50s
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 137,825 cases, including 6,707 deaths, in 101 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 20,507 specimens for a total of 1,399,510. The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from June 16–June 22 is 2%.
Following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, IDPH is now reporting both confirmed and probable cases and deaths on its website. Reporting probable cases will help show the potential burden of COVID-19 illness and efficacy of population-based non-pharmaceutical interventions. See CDC definition of a probable case on its website. IDPH will update these data once a week.
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* Press release…
The National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) of Illinois issued the following statement regarding Phase 4 reopening guidelines released by Gov. JB Pritzker’s office, which allows for movie theatres to reopen beginning June 26 with a maximum capacity of 50 people:
“While theatres across Illinois are excited to welcome customers back to the movies, the strict capacity limits announced by the governor’s office will make it difficult for many theatres to reopen. For some, it will simply not be feasible to rehire workers, purchase supplies and cover overhead costs if only 50 customers will be allowed in each auditorium. Many theatre auditoriums are quite large and can safely accommodate more viewers while maintaining proper physical distancing and sanitation measurers,” said Chris Johnson, president of the National Association of Theatre Owners of Illinois and CEO of Classic Cinemas. “We are disappointed the governor’s office declined to raise capacity limits after indicating a willingness to do so during recent conversations but remain hopeful that changes can be made sooner rather than later. We are eager to salvage what’s left of the summer blockbuster season and reclaim our role as a safe space to escape from life’s struggles.”
NATO of Illinois has proposed setting attendance limits at 50 percent of capacity – the same limits set for retail establishments and personal care businesses. Additional safety measures include:
• Requiring all employees to undergo training before returning to work on enhanced cleaning procedures, personal health and wellness, use of face masks and gloves, and maintaining social distancing.
• Taking employee temperatures before reporting to work for each shift.
• Mandating that cloth masks be worn at all times and disposable gloves be worn during customer interactions.
• Maintaining a minimum of six-foot distance between viewing parties, using empty seats and rows as necessary.
• Placing six-foot spacing markings in areas where guests may have to queue and assigning staff to ensure social distancing is respected.
• Encouraging customers to purchase tickets online to decrease contact opportunities.
I asked the group’s spokesperson Monique Garcia what the theaters were doing about the viral load issue. Dozens, or even hundreds of people sitting in the same room for a couple of hours could potentially shed a lot of virus into the air, after all…
“There are some who think we should just do nothing, have no restrictions, no capacity limits. But when you think of a gathering size of 100 and having a 30 percent chance of somebody in that 100 having a COVID virus — when you go up to 250 and that probability goes up to 60 percent — this is why we are being cautious and prudent.”
* Garcia’s response…
Among the safety precautions theatres have in place to limit risks include purchasing tickets online, staggered showtimes, maintaining a minimum six-foot distance between viewing parties, enhanced cleaning procedures including sanitation of seats between showings, and encouraging the use of face coverings even when seated in an auditorium.
Because we know that air flow is important in limiting risk, many theaters are placing special focus on improving air quality. This includes adjusting HVAC systems to increase the amount of fresh air being circulated and to remove stale air more quickly. New filters will also be put in place, including in vacuums and other devices.
Thoughts?
*** UPDATE *** The governor was asked today about the theater owners’ expectation that they’d be able to sell tickets for half of their available capacity…
I want to be clear to anybody that had expectations of something larger that there is the opportunity for us to do that at any moment, you know, going forward as we look and see. Remember when we change guidelines, when we move from one phase to another, what we’re looking to do is to measure how are we doing in hospitalizations, how are we doing in positivity rates. If we start to see things moving up, forget spiking, if we see things moving upward we want to watch them closely. And it’s over time that you see well if things are relatively stable, or even decreasing as we saw, interestingly during phase three even though we opened up quite a lot in phase three, the answer is, you can make adjustments along the way and we certainly will.
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Question of the day
Tuesday, Jun 23, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Tribune…
During late-night hours, the sound of loud fireworks has echoed through many Chicago neighborhoods, resulting in a staggering increase in 911 calls. The city has received more than 7,000 911 calls for fireworks disturbances so far this year compared with only 842 last year during the same time frame, a 736% increase over the same period in 2019, according to data provided by the Office of Emergency Management and Communications.
The numbers mirror increases in cities throughout the country, which those in the fireworks industry say can be traced to the cancellation of organized shows because of the pandemic. There has been a surge in complaints about fireworks in New York, Boston and Hartford, Connecticut. Residents of other cities, including Los Angeles and Baltimore, have taken to social media to vent their frustration. […]
Nationwide, the fireworks industry has seen an increase in sales as the coronavirus pandemic has led to the cancellation of many public fireworks displays.
You gotta wonder if those commercial fireworks are now finding their way to individual consumers. Some of the videos I’ve seen online are crazy.
* The Question: Have fireworks been a problem where you are? Tell us a story.
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* Governing Magazine…
Cities’ police officer per capita rates vary depending on a range of factors. In 2016, police departments serving cities with populations exceeding 25,000 employed an average of 16.8 officers and 21.4 total personnel for every 10,000 residents.
* I looked at the ten most populous American cities and what follows is a ranking in order of police officers per 10,000 population according to Governing. The numbers in parentheses are murder and nonnegligent manslaughter per 100,000 people per year…
Chicago 43.9 (24.13)
New York City 42.3 (3.39)
Philadelphia 40.2 (20.06)
Dallas 24.8 (12.48)
Los Angeles 24.6 (7.01)
Houston 22.2 (11.50)
Austin 18.9 (2.57)
Phoenix 17.4 (9.55)
San Antonio 14.4 (8.15)
San Diego 12.8 (2.46)
San Jose 9.0 (3.08)
Chicago ranks first in both categories.
* Now, keep in mind that the above police force numbers are from 2016…
Former Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced a plan in 2016 to increase the number of police officers by 1,000 over two years in response to a significant increase in gun violence that year. At the end of 2018 the City announced that its hiring plan was complete, with more patrol officers, detectives and leadership positions (sergeants and lieutenants). By 2019, the Police Department had about 1,200 more budgeted positions than it had in 2016.
So, Chicago’s per capita police officer numbers are even higher than the above chart shows.
* From yesterday’s press conference by Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown…
During his news conference, Brown also rejected a notion popular with University of Chicago criminologists who work closely with the police department. He said the violence cannot be blamed on easy access to guns.
“I’m from Texas,” Brown said, noting that state’s high number of firearms. “Houston, San Antonio and Dallas have lower murder rates.”
He said that shows it would be possible for Chicago to tamp down its infamous gun violence.
The key, Brown said, is building a public safety infrastructure that combines policing, street outreach work and investments in poor neighborhoods. He said that collaboration is just getting off the ground and is “obviously not mature.”
The overall story was basically a hit piece on Brown. But as I told subscribers this morning, the “street outreach work” is actually a sophisticated and do-able approach to addressing this problem…
An epidemiologist by training, [Dr. Gary Slutkin] is the executive director of Cure Violence. Cure Violence is a Chicago-based non-profit organization founded in 2000 by Slutkin in affiliation with the University of Illinois–Chicago School of Public Health.
Dr. Slutkin asserts that gun violence is an infectious disease. Like tuberculosis, gun violence exhibits the following definitional signs and symptoms of infectious disease:
• Contagion: one event leads to another which leads to another
• Predictive morbidity (injury) and mortality (death)
• Pattern distribution: it spreads in predictable ways
• Pattern disruption: targeted interventions can slow and reverse its spread
Accordingly, Cure Violence treats violence as an infectious disease. The organization goes to violent urban neighborhoods where it intervenes to interrupt gun violence and limit its spread.
The organization operates in over 30 cities worldwide and reduces violence by pursuing three well-defined strategies:
• Detecting and interrupting conflicts;
• Identifying and treating high-risk individuals; and
• Changing social norms
Until March 2015, Cure Violence operated in 14 high-risk Chicago neighborhoods. They embedded trained “violence interrupters” and “behavioral change agents” within high-risk communities. These trained professionals identify signs of impending violence and intervene to cool tempers, buy time and shift perspectives. Their “signal” network includes local organizations (e.g. hospitals) to identify signs of brewing trouble. [Emphasis added.]
And then Gov. Bruce Rauner zero-funded the effort with all too predictable results.
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* WalletHub…
With states opening up and the national unemployment rate now at 13.3% compared to the nearly historic high of 14.7% at the peak of the coronavirus pandemic, WalletHub today released its report on the States Whose Unemployment Rates Are Bouncing Back Most, along with accompanying videos and audio files, to illustrate which areas of the country have had the best recovery so far.
This report examines unemployment rates on a monthly basis, complementing the weekly analysis in WalletHub’s report on the States Whose Unemployment Claims Are Recovering the Quickest.
In order to identify the states with the best recovery in unemployment rates, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia based on four key metrics. We looked at the change in each state’s unemployment rate during the latest month for which we have data (May 2020) compared to May 2019 and January 2020. We also compared not seasonally adjusted continued claims in May 2020 to May 2019. Finally, we considered each state’s overall unemployment rate. Below, you can see highlights from the report, along with a WalletHub Q&A.
Unemployment Recovery in Illinois (1=Most Recovered, 25=Avg.):
• 313.77% Change in Unemployment (May 2020 vs May 2019)
o 920,610 unemployed people in May 2020 vs 222,493 in May 2019;
o 14th worst recovery in the U.S.
• 263.43% Change in Unemployment (May 2020 vs January 2020)
o 920,610 unemployed people in May 2020 vs 253,312 in January 2020;
o 12th worst recovery in the U.S.
• 801.93% Change in Not Seasonally Adjusted Continued Claims (May 2020 vs May 2019)
o 762,367 continued claims in May 2020 vs 84,526 in May 2019
o 5th best recovery in the U.S.
• 14.70% Unemployment Rate (May 2020)
o 10th worst recovery in the U.S.
More here.
* Definition of continued claims…
Continued claims, also referred to as insured unemployment, is the number of people who have already filed an initial claim and who have experienced a week of unemployment and then filed a continued claim to claim benefits for that week of unemployment. Continued claims data are based on the week of unemployment, not the week when the initial claim was filed.
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* Illinois Supreme Court press release…
The events of recent days and weeks have exposed frailties in our public institutions and brought to the forefront the disproportionate impact the application of certain laws, rules, policies and practices have had on the African American population, the Latinx community, and other people of color in Illinois and nationally.
Racism exists, whether it be actualized as individual racism, institutional racism or structural racism, and it undermines our democracy, the fair and equitable administration of justice, and severely diminishes individual constitutional protections and safeguards of full citizenship with the attendant rights and benefits sacred to all. People of color have no less expectation of fairness, equity and freedom from racial discrimination than others, yet they are continually confronted with racial injustices that the Courts have the ability to nullify and set right. […]
But there is still much work to be done.
To further these efforts, the Court is announcing the recruitment of a Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer (CDIO) for the Judicial Branch. The CDIO will serve as a leader in proposing practices, procedures and rules for Illinois’ courts to protect the constitutional rights of the public we serve. This executive-level hire will work with the Supreme Court, the Administrative Director and Court leaders throughout the Judicial Branch to achieve the Supreme Court’s strategic goals related to diversity, equity and inclusion.
We recognize that these steps are only part of a long process that requires continuous research on the role of racism in our society and actions necessary for its eradication. The Court will continue to advance initiatives to achieve its mission to protect the rights and liberties of all by providing equal justice for all under law.
More at the link.
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* Pearson…
A federal appeals court panel has rejected an effort by state elections officials to delay a lower court ruling setting up new candidate filing rules for independent and third-party contenders to appear on the Nov. 3 general election ballot due to the coronavirus pandemic.
In a ruling Sunday, a panel of the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected an attempt by the State Board of Elections to stay federal Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer’s mid-May preliminary injunction that made it easier for independent and third-party candidates to access the ballot due to personal distancing rules implemented to deal with COVID-19.
“We deny the motion because the board has not shown that it would be irreparably harmed by injunctive relief that it initially agreed to and because staying the preliminary injunction at this late date would result in clear harm to the plaintiffs who have relied on its terms,” the appellate panel said.
The order is here.
* Anzel…
The concessions were made in response to a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Illinois’ statutorily mandated elections rules during COVID-19. The filing deadline prescribed by state law would have been on Monday.
The appeals court wrote in its opinion that, “Despite agreeing to each of these terms,” the elections board asked Pallmeyer to reconsider her order a few weeks later. She opted only to move the filing deadline up to July 20.
One month later, on June 9, the board asked a federal appeals court to suspend enforcement of Pallmeyer’s order completely and allow it to “determine necessary election modifications” instead.
In court documents, it argued a federal court does not have the authority to dictate how states conduct their elections. It also alleged a later filing deadline could mean officials will miss federal and state cutoffs to finalize ballots and mail them to citizens overseas.
* Meisel…
“In contrast, the appellees have provided evidence showing that they would be significantly injured if we stayed the preliminary injunction,” the panel wrote.
However, the Seventh Circuit did not slam the door on the appeals process, ordering both the board and the Green and Libertarian parties to submit paperwork by July 6, asking for either briefings or an oral argument.
Board of Elections spokesman Matt Dietrich acknowledged Monday that most of the board’s original wishes are now moot, as the seven-day window for third party petition filing is still set to begin on July 13.
“It would appear unlikely that any filing dates will be changed,” Dietrich said.
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Let’s be careful out there
Tuesday, Jun 23, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* WGEM…
“People are going into stores with no masks on,” [Blessing Health System CEO and President Maureen Kahn] said. “As the states have opened up, people have been moving about the cabin going out and enjoying some time and forgetting about the most important things that we’ve been educating folks on. They need to be wearing a mask, washing their hands and social distancing.”
With the recent influx of cases ahead of plans for Illinois to move into Phase Four, Kahn said wearing a face covering can make all the difference.
“When you’re getting into those tight spaces, wearing a mask is a good way to protect yourself, your family and the people you love,” she said.
Adams County Health Department officials said they do expect to see more cases as the state reopens, but said that can be controlled if people follow the guidelines.
“As we go through the contact tracing and talk with you all, the main goal now is to reemphasize those simple measures that can be taken to make sure this doesn’t get out of hand,” Adams County Public Health Administrator Jerrod Welch said.
* Daily Herald…
But don’t toss your face mask, given that COVID-19 is spread mainly through droplets when people sneeze, said physician Michael Bauer.
“It is not all fine. It is not back to normal,” Bauer said. “Everyone wants it to be, but we are still in the midst of this pandemic.”
The Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital medical director, for one, doesn’t plan to watch a movie anytime soon, for example.
“To me, personally, I would have no desire to sit in an indoor space like that,” Bauer said.
* Sun-Times…
Lightfoot on Monday told reporters Chicago’s guidelines are sometimes different because the city is an air hub, its population density is higher and there are “lots of active infections here still.”
Caution is dictated because, the mayor said, a resurgence is “more than a risk. It’s a very real possibility.” Social distancing, hand hygiene and face masks remain essential, Lightfoot said.
“This approach — turning the dimmer switch cautiously — continues to cause economic harm and hardship. We recognize that. But my first responsibility as mayor is to save lives,” Lightfoot said.
“There are some who think we should just do nothing, have no restrictions, no capacity limits. But when you think of a gathering size of 100 and having a 30 percent chance of somebody in that 100 having a COVID virus — when you go up to 250 and that probability goes up to 60 percent — this is why we are being cautious and prudent.”
* WTTW…
But with COVID-19 cases on the rise in many states — 12 have reported a record number of cases since Friday — how can Illinois safely reopen while protecting residents against future outbreaks?
“The first thing I think we need to continue doing is what Gov. Pritzker has said all along, and that’s making sure we follow the science and the data and what the epidemiologists are advising us to do,” Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton said during an interview Monday for “Chicago Tonight.” “When you see these 12 states where you see these record-breaking new cases and these spikes, part of it is because if you go too fast … you risk not having the hospital capacity but you also risk increasing the spread.”
Stratton said Illinois had taken a deliberately cautious approach and urged residents to continue to socially distance and follow health guidelines even as the state moves into the next phase of its reopening.
“COVID-19 is still out there but moving to phase four means we are at a place where we have a better handle on some of the things we can do to stop the spread — and it’s guided by the science,” Stratton said.
* Greg Hinz…
We can argue about the economic cost. But we got something for our money: a much, much healthier state and city relative to regions that responded differently. And an opportunity to carefully reopen our economy while other parts of the nation are contemplating a slowdown.
Now, of course, we’ll find out whether Chicago and Illinois folks can keep it up and be a little more sensible in reopening than appeared to be the case elsewhere, with scenes of packed bars and maskless shopping. I’ll be the optimist on that. We’ve come so far, I don’t think people will casually throw it all way.
Congratulations. You have part of your life back, Chicago. Now don’t blow it.
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* Greg Hinz…
Today, as the party prepares to assemble in some combination of Charlotte, N.C., and Jacksonville, Fla., things are a little different. The list of Illinois delegates to Trump’s celebration of himself is, for the most part, composed of lower-lower dignitaries—a number of them concerned about catching COVID-19 and wondering whether they’ll really attend. To give just one example: Of the five GOP House members from the state—the number was in the double digits for decades—I can confirm only two who are definitely planning to attend. […]
With Trump fairly popular south of I-80 but pretty much toxic in the more populous north, that doesn’t leave much appeal. Add in a little COVID-19 and you get a delegate list that appears to include just two sitting state senators (including Senate GOP Leader Bill Brady) and three representatives.
For instance, while Brady will be there, House GOP Leader Jim Durkin says he, at most, will drop by briefly, and suggests that’s a long shot. “My focus is supporting state party efforts, especially in the House,” he tells me. He adds, “In that part of the world (Florida and North Carolina) there is a return of the virus at dangerous levels. I’ll make that decision (whether to attend) as we get closer.” […]
Not there: Cook County Republican chief Sean Morrison. “I didn’t choose to be a delegate. I have plans it would be hard for me to get away from,” he tells me. “I decided to leave the spot for other people who would like to be there.” I couldn’t reach DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin. But he’s not now listed as a delegate.
* Update…
One of the most prominent Illinoisans scheduled to attend this summer’s Republican National Convention now is sending word he may take a pass.
In an email, Jason Gerwig, the spokesman for Illinois Senate GOP Leader Bill Brady, said his trip to the August convention is “still being discussed, not locked in.” […]
“No change, just working on scheduling. Got ahead of myself,” Gerwig replied. But Brady was named a delegate to the convention by the state party at its meeting just nine days ago, and I have a hunch that wouldn’t have happened if he said he might not go.
I reached out to Greg yesterday to ask about the congressional delegation. LaHood is a delegate, so it’s assumed he’ll go. Bost’s spouse is a delegate, so Greg assumes he’ll be there. Davis’ folks didn’t call back. Shimkus is retiring. Kinzinger’s people said he has not yet decided.
* You gotta figure Rodney Davis will go because he has tied himself so closely to the POTUS. Here’s Bernie…
“I certainly hope the president is re-elected,” Davis said. “I think outside of this pandemic, we would have had historic economic growth. We would have continued (the) sustained, lowest unemployment levels in my lifetime. I believe that working with the president, we’ve enacted good policies.”
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Illinois facing critical shortage of blood
Tuesday, Jun 23, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Please help…
The Illinois Coalition of Community Blood Centers put out a plea Monday for organizations to host blood drives in light of what it called “a critical shortage of blood in Illinois.”
There are two reasons for the shortage, according to Margaret Vaughn, the coalition’s government affairs director.
She said typically 60% of donations come from off-site blood drives, but drives normally hosted by businesses are not being held because employees are still working from home.
Also, demand for blood has spiked due to the May return of elective surgeries coupled with a surge of patients who put off needed surgeries for months because of COVID-19 concerns.
“Now, demand is sky high because the people who put off treatment for three months are sicker,” Vaughn said. “There is a backlog with all these cases. There is concern with how they’re going to get through the rest of the summer. It’s not unique to Illinois. They are in this mess all over the country. We really want to regroup now.”
Margaret is an old pal of mine, so do me a favor and help her organization out. Thanks!
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