* I was in college in Munich on this day in 1980 when my roommate burst into our dorm room and woke me up to tell me that John Lennon had been murdered. All classes had been canceled.
Everyone was just in shock. How could something like this happen to a person like him?
There was no Internet back then and the only television was in the dorm’s lobby, so we mainly relied on Armed Forces Radio for updates.
It’s all such a blur now. But I remember, after hearing the news for myself on the radio, going to the main campus building (it was a University of Maryland campus on an Army base) and huddling with crying friends. I eventually wound up back in my room, and we put this song on the record player and sat in silence as we listened to it over and over again…
The Illinois Board of Higher Education today released public university enrollment data indicating enrollment numbers holding steady despite nationwide declines in new and returning students due to COVID-19. Overall enrollment in the state was up by 0.2 percent or 417 students compared to fall of 2019 with 182,586 students currently enrolled in public universities. A nationwide snapshot of fall enrollment shows higher education down by 1.8 percent compared to 2019, per the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.
“I am extremely proud of the resiliency of our students, our institutions, their leadership and faculty who all worked hard to make this Fall reopening as successful as possible. There was talk over the summer that college enrollments could be down 25 percent across the nation, and Illinois has proven that its students continue to stay the course,” IBHE Chair John Atkinson said. “Enrollment in our public universities remained largely steady which is, a reflection of both Governor Pritzker’s continued commitment to higher education funding and the planning and preparation of the IBHE Reopening Committee working with our public, private and community college leaders to reopen safely to students”
Undergraduate enrollment by headcount was down slightly, with a decrease of 1,345 students (1 percent) for a total of 129,512 students. Graduate enrollment was up 1,762, or 3.4 percent over last fall. Nationally, undergraduate enrollment at public universities was down nearly 2 percent, while graduate enrollment was up 3.6 percent.
* Illinois Public University Enrollments from Fall of 2020-2021 to Fall of 2019-2020…
The enrollment of Black students was also steady, with a total 20,829 student overall, up 0.6 percent from last year. Notable increases occurred in the number of new freshmen (3.2 percent) and in graduate/professional enrollments (5.2 percent). Nationally, public universities saw a decline of 4.0 percent in Black undergraduate enrollment. In Illinois, Black undergraduate enrollment was down only 0.8 percent.
The enrollment of public university Latinx students continued to rise to 27,868 students, an increase of 6.1 percent, or 1,594 students, over academic year 2019-2020. Growth was notable in both undergraduate enrollment (4.5 percent) and in graduate/professional enrollment (14.6 percent). Nationally, public university Latinx undergraduate enrollment was down 1.8 percent.
“This is the first year we have looked at our early enrollment data through an equity lens. Illinois public universities beat national trends, increasing enrollment for Black and Latinx students. We were very deliberate about investing in supports for our most vulnerable students,” said IBHE Director Ginger Ostro. “With $30 million in federal funds provided for institutions through Governor JB Pritzker’s Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund, private funding to provide emergency grants to students, creating a drive-up WiFi hotspot map, and launching a public education campaign, “Stay the Course,” everything we did since March was focused on keeping students on track to their degree.”
* Maybe after doing this, Congress can find time to cut a deal on a stimulus bill. Greg Hinz…
A project seen as crucial to keeping voracious Asian carp out of Lake Michigan and the rest of the Great Lakes is teed up for a vote in the U.S. House today.
Under a deal crafted by U.S. Rep. Bill Foster, D-Geneva, construction of a barrier separation system at the Brandon Road locks on the Des Plaines River just south of Joliet would be funded 80 percent by the federal government, up from the normal 50 percent.
That would cut Illinois’ share of the roughly $500 million project to $100 million, with other states likely to pick up some of the share. Former Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration had balked at the state’s fiscal hit, which had risen with estimated construction costs to as much as $250 million, but green leaders including the Environmental Law & Policy Center’s Howard Learner say they believe Rauner successor, J.B. Pritzker, will go along with the new funding plan trimming the state’s cost. […]
The same bill also authorizes the corps to study beach “resiliency” issues for the Chicago shoreline, which is under pressure from rising lake levels.
In fish, the fin bone is connected to the tail bone and so on. But for a researcher at Southern Illinois University Carbondale studying an aggressive invader, it’s all about the ear bone.
That tiny bone in the ear of the grass carp is exposing an important clue to controlling their numbers in the Great Lakes. The findings are contained in a paper by SIU Professor of Zoology Gregory Whitledge, recently published in Journal of Great Lakes Research.
Whitledge and others used the telltale chemistry contained in the growth rings from the bone to identify key breeding grounds for the fish. The information contained in the otoliths, or so-called “ear stones,” could help wildlife managers better target population control efforts aimed at a fish that crowds out native animals.
Now, about the Golden Horseshoe Awards. Since there was basically no session this year, I’m not sure that many of our categories are even relevant (best restaurant, bars, waitstaff, legislators, lobbyists, etc.). So, what would you like to do? Which categories do you think would be most appropriate? And, remember, these awards are for achievement. We don’t waste our time on negativity. No snark allowed.
My own thoughts are that we give the best agency director award to Dr. Ezike and give a huge shoutout to all the staff who have kept everything together during these crazy times and call it a day.
IMHO - the boots on the ground and blog specific categories should remain this year. Best Government Staff/Official, Best Senate AA/District Office, Best House AA/District Office, Best Liaison - these are non-political in 2020 and the folks that would be considered for these categories have worked their tails off helping constituents and keeping this state afloat.
For the blog itself, Best Commenter and Best Use of Social Media should be considered since CapFax and Twitter have helped most of us keep our wits about us throughout the pandemic.
I’ll be using that comment as a basis for this year’s categories, but I may add or subtract as we go along, particularly since we have some time constraints.
* Today’s 2020 Golden Horseshoe Awards categories…
Best legislative assistant/district office manager - House Democrats
Best legislative assistant/district office manager - House Republicans
I know it’s not possible for everyone, but please try your best to nominate in both categories. And remember to explain your answer or your vote will not count. This is not a simple poll.
Also, while you’re contemplating your responses, please click here and donate to Lutheran Social Services of Illinois. We’ve already surpassed last year’s level, so let’s keep it going. Your donation will buy winter coats and boots and Christmas presents for foster kids.
* Deaths and hospitalizations are lagging indicators, so the new cases and positivity rates are somewhat encouraging. But sometimes trends don’t last long…
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 7,910 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 145 additional deaths.
- Boone County: 1 male 80s
- Christian County: 1 female 70s
- Clay County: 1 male 50s
- Clinton County: 1 male 60s
- Coles County: 1 female 80s
- Cook County: 2 males 30s, 2 females 60s, 3 males 60s, 1 female 70s, 4 males 70s, 7 females 80s, 2 males 80s, 3 females 90s, 7 males 90s, 2 females 100+
- DeKalb County: 1 female 90s
- DuPage County: 1 female 70s, 2 females 80s, 1 female 90s, 1 male 90s
- Effingham County: 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s
- Franklin County: 1 female 70s, 1 male 80s
- Fulton County: 1 male 70s
- Grundy County: 1 female 70s
- Hamilton County: 1 female 70s
- Hardin County: 1 female 90s
- Iroquois County: 2 females 70s, 1 male 70s
- Jackson County: 2 males 70s
- Jasper County: 1 female 90s
- Kankakee County: 1 male 60s, 1 female 70s
- Kendall County: 1 male 40s, 1 female 80s
- Knox County: 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s
- Lake County: 1 male 50s, 1 male 60s, 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s
- LaSalle County: 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s, 2 males 80s, 3 males 90s
- Lawrence County: 1 female 90s
- Lee County: 1 female 80s
- Livingston County: 1 male 80s, 2 females 90s
- Logan County: 1 female 90s
- Macon County: 1 male 90s
- Macoupin County: 1 female 90s
- Madison County: 2 males 50s, 2 females 70s, 1 female 80s, 2 males 80s, 2 females 90s, 1 male 90s
- Marion County: 2 females 80s, 2 males 80s
- Mason County: 1 female 70s, 1 female 90s, 1 male 90s
- McHenry County: 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s
- McLean County: 1 male 90s
- Mercer County: 1 female 80s
- Monroe County: 1 male 70s, 1 male 80s
- Morgan County: 1 male 30s, 1 male 90s
- Moultrie County: 1 female 80s
- Peoria County: 1 female 90s
- Perry County: 1 male 90s
- Pike County: 1 male 50s
- Richland County: 1 female 90s
- Rock Island County: 1 male 50s, 2 males 60s, 3 males 80s, 1 female 90s
- Sangamon County: 1 male 70s, 1 male 90s
- Shelby County: 1 male 70s
- St. Clair County: 1 male 50s, 1 female 60s, 1 male 70s, 1 male 80s
- Tazewell County: 1 male 60s, 1 male 90s
- Warren County: 1 male 70s
- Washington County: 1 male 80s
- Whiteside County: 1 male 60s, 1 female 70s, 1 female 90s
- Will County: 1 male 40s, 1 female 50s, 1 male 60s, 2 females 80s, 1 male 80s
- Williamson County: 2 males 70s
- Winnebago County: 1 female 70s, 1 male 90s
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 804,174 cases, including 13,487 deaths, in 102 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 95,825 specimens for a total 11,274,608. As of last night, 5,199 in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 1,071 patients were in the ICU and 626 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from December 1 – December 6, 2020 is 9.9%. The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity from December 1 – December 6, 2020 is 11.8%.
*All data are provisional and will change. In order to rapidly report COVID-19 information to the public, data are being reported in real-time. Information is constantly being entered into an electronic system and the number of cases and deaths can change as additional information is gathered. Information for a death previously reported has changed, therefore, today’s numbers have been adjusted. For health questions about COVID-19, call the hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov.
Pfizer has told the Trump administration it cannot provide substantial additional doses of its coronavirus vaccine until late June or July because other countries have rushed to buy up most of its supply, according to multiple individuals familiar with the situation.
That means the U.S. government may not be able to ramp up as rapidly as it had expected from the 100 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine that it purchased earlier this year, raising questions about whether it can keep to its aggressive schedule to vaccinate most Americans by late spring or early summer.
Trump administration officials denied there would be availability issues in the second quarter, citing other vaccines in the pipeline — most immediately, Moderna’s, also expected to be approved in coming weeks. Both vaccines are two-dose regimens, so the 100 million doses purchased of each would cover 50 million people each. […]
But several officials knowledgeable about the contracts said that supplies from other companies may be insufficient to fill the gap.
Last summer, Pfizer officials had urged Operation Warp Speed to purchase 200 million doses, or enough of the two-shot regimen for 100 million people, according to people knowledgeable about the issue who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss the situation. But the Warp Speed officials declined, opting instead for 100 million doses, they said. The New York Times first reported that federal officials passed on the opportunity when Pfizer offered to sell more doses.
When the St. Clair County Health Department shut down Reifschneider’s Grill & Grape in Freeburg last week for violating a statewide ban on indoor dining, its other location less than 20 miles away in Monroe County remained open.
The reason? The two counties — one controlled by Democrats and the other by Republicans — have different approaches to enforcing COVID-19 restrictions.
In a crackdown last week, Democratic-led St. Clair County yanked liquor and food licenses for seven bars and restaurants that still welcomed customers indoors. Monroe County, under GOP control, relies solely on education. It has not closed or suspended any businesses. […]
Gov. J.B. Pritzker has put the onus on local officials to carry out his executive orders. But just as COVID-19 is politically polarizing at the national level, questions about enforcement are enmeshed in local politics.
In the past week, Indiana has the nation’s second highest per capita COVID-19 spread, after Rhode Island, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
That trend appears to show the state’s outlook is getting worse, even as cases and hospitalization rates hit all-time highs recently.
The CDC reported Indiana had 48,000 new coronavirus cases reported in the past week, or 103.1 per 100,000. Rhode Island, reported 8,100 new cases, or 110.6 per 100,000.
Indiana reported 124 new virus deaths Tuesday
Indiana has about half the population of Illinois and just as many or even more deaths. Whew.
New guidance from the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is offering new hope to families with loved ones in long-term care.
IDPH announced an essential caregiver position in these facilities for the first time after months of deliberation.
Family members can go through testing protocols and enter facilities to take care of their loved ones as long as there isn’t an ongoing outbreak.
In a guidance document, IDPH specifies the essential caregivers “must be screened, tested, and provided PPE in accordance with the health care personnel guidance in the facility’s COVID-19 plan.”
The governor had a different level of ire for a Chicago alderman and a Republican state Representative who separately violated COVID-19 safety protocols.
State Rep. Brad Halbrook, R-Shelbyville, said the indoor party he hosted Thursday in Douglas County was a Christmas get together to “celebrate victories and freedom.”
Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Halbrook should have known better.
“Shame on him for having people in a room, packed together, not wearing a mask,” Pritzker said. “[Halbrook] knows better, he should know better, if he doesn’t, maybe he shouldn’t be in the General Assembly.”
Photos posted on social media show attendees close together and not wearing masks. Halbrook said nobody was forced to go.
“I didn’t make any of those recommendations,” Halbrook told WMAY. “Everybody knows what it is, it’s hammered into them 24/7, 365, and so anybody and everybody knows what those recommendations are. The big issue is most those people there are not big fans of government control in their lives, they’re not big fans of the governor.”
In Chicago, Alderman Tom Tunney apologized for his “error in judgement” in recently serving people inside his Ann Sather restaurant.
“I’ll tell you what the difference is, by the way, the alderman admitted that he shouldn’t have done it,” Pritzker said.
Tunney admitted to serving patrons inside after a Chicago blog posted about it.
“OK, but Brad Halbrook, he’s been caught,” Pritzker said. “You think he’s admitting it? No. You think he’s taking responsibility? He has 100 people in a space, he knows so much better than that.”
Halbrook said people have a constitutional right to peaceably assemble.
“It’s really shameful that they report that I was caught having a holiday party,” Halbrook said. “It was out there for all the world to see and anybody could come and go as they wished or chose.”
Ives was interviewed on a talk radio program and said, “I didn’t know that you know anybody cared what I was doing to begin with.” She also repeated Halbrook’s comment about how nobody was forced to show up, and called the legislators who did show up “freedom fighters.”
Q: Speaker Madigan was quoted over the weekend saying something about helping you get an income tax increase in light of the failure of the graduated tax proposal. What is he talking about?
A: Well, what I can say is that I’m focused on the cuts that need to be made in state government, making sure that we’re paring back as best we can, making efficiencies in state government, looking to Republican and Democratic leaders as I already have and asking them for their best ideas about what it is that we need to cut in state government. So that’s what I’ve been focused on. And I will say that I have not yet heard back from the leaders about what their best proposals are for what cuts need to be made. And so I’m awaiting their responses.
Thoughts?
*** UPDATE 1 *** Letter from Leader Durkin to Gov. Pritzker…
After the rejection of the progressive tax amendment by voters, the four legislative leaders and yourself spoke on November 12th to discuss the myriad of issues relating to the unbalanced budget passed by the General Assembly in May that you eventually signed into law.
For much of that call, you and I discussed options for reductions in spending. To further our discussion, I asked for a list of spending reductions your agencies proposed in response to your September 2019 order to reduce spending by 6.5 percent. As of today, I have not received that document, and I am now asking again for the list of spending reductions by agency.
Even though Veto Session was canceled against our wishes, I hope you will once again call us together to discuss your proposals for balancing the state’s budget as January fast approaches. Speaker Madigan has stated he will work with you on another tax increase, but I hope that you will respect the will of the voters and instead look to live within our means.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Senate President Don Harmon’s spokesman John Patterson…
Republicans made it clear deep budget cuts were a better alternative to a Fair Tax. The voters have spoken. We now look forward to our colleagues across the aisle offering up the Republican cuts for public review.
* From the most never-wrong expert on everything COVID…
Now @GovPritzker has some explaining to do. According to this new “science and data,” Resturants and Bars, YOUTH travel sports, group classes at gyms should be open! We’ll discuss @MorningAnswer
The Illinois Department of Public Health released information on the rates of COVID-19 exposure throughout the state and where exposure is most prominent.
The Governor has pointed out, in the past, restaurants, bars and schools top the list, but now we’re seeing different results.
* The governor was asked about the decrease for bars and restaurants yesterday and he said the numbers have dropped because they’ve been closed for indoor service. Not all have closed, obviously, but the mitigations are clearly working.
“I think in the wake of what we’ve seen in the murder of George Floyd and the concerns in the city that relates to the consent decree, people want to make sure there’s police accountability, so our top priority is working with the attorney general on police licensing,” [Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx] said.
The head of FOP Lodge 7 said with murders skyrocketing this year, Foxx should focus her attention there. He called the licensing effort retaliation for the union’s support of her opponent Pat O’Brien.
“Since she wants to pick that fight, along with some other people in this state, and she wants to join that chorus, bring it on,” said FOP President John Catanzara, Jr. “You know, we’ve been very clear that licensing is not acceptable in any way, shape or form.”
The FOP claims there has been more accountability, but vowed to work against any lawmaker that supports policing licensing.
“They want blood. They don’t want fairness. They want blood and they’re not going to get it,” Catanzara vowed.
The state’s attorney can only act on murderers after the cops catch them. Just sayin…
A federal judge told Chicago’s main police union on Monday that it needs to ensure its member officers are wearing face masks and maintaining safe social distances while on the job, in keeping with public health guidelines around COVID-19.
The pointed reminder from U.S. District Court Judge Robert Dow Jr., who is overseeing sweeping mandated department reforms, came after the Fraternal Order of Police filed a motion alleging the city was violating its own health guidelines. Officers have been put at risk when the Chicago Police Department conducted training sessions that included up to 50 people, the union alleged. […]
“(T)he Court reiterates the importance of the moving party continuing to monitor and insist upon compliance with the guidelines by its own membership, which is a concern given the number of photographs and videos that the Court and the Independent Monitor (overseeing the reforms) have seen during the pandemic showing CPD patrol officers out of compliance with masking and social distancing requirements,” Dow wrote. […]
“Litigants who invoke equity ‘must come with clean hands,’” the judge wrote, referencing language from a noted case, “and during this pandemic, with masked faces as well.”
* The governor was asked about the latest numbers yesterday…
Illinois is entering what could be “the most crucial month of this entire pandemic,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Monday, a period bookended by Thanksgiving and a string of December holidays traditionally marked by gatherings that carry the risk of spreading the coronavirus.
Though the state has recently seen a slight decrease in the hospitalization rate for COVID-19 patients, it’s still 14% higher than the spring peak during the initial surge of the pandemic.
“It’s likely too early for us to have yet seen the bulk of Thanksgiving-related hospitalizations. We’re now in our 11th day since Thanksgiving and we are four days out from Hanukkah and 18 days from Christmas, 19 days from Kwanzaa, 24 from New Year’s Eve,” Pritzker said Monday. “These next four weeks may be the most crucial month of this entire pandemic. We quite literally have very limited leeway in our hospital systems to manage another surge.”
The current [national] rise in hospitalizations began in late September, and for weeks now hospitals have faced unprecedented demand for medical care. The number of hospitalized patients has increased nearly every day: Since November 1, the number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 has doubled; since October 1, it has tripled.
* Keep the discussion confined to Illinois politics and be decent to each other. Thanks. Also, you might want to click here and contribute to Lutheran Social Services of Illinois. Your donation will buy Christmas gifts for foster kids and make sure they have coats and boots for the winter.
