Suburban Cook County and the Metro East region outside St. Louis will come under stricter rules meant to curb the spread of COVID-19 on Wednesday, including a shuttering of indoor dining and bar service. […]
The suburban Cook County region has had eight consecutive days of test positivity rate increases and seven days of increased hospital admissions. It is the first region to surpass the state-set thresholds in these two areas at the same time. The other regions that have triggered tougher rules have done so by reaching an 8% positivity rate threshold.
Gov. Pritzker is pushing another wave of business lockdowns despite the courts overturning his emergency orders.
Small businesses are hanging on by a thread and many won’t survive. What’s more, Pritzker is trying to push a progressive tax that would be a nail in the coffin of businesses that survive the pandemic.
Join us for an event featuring two of America’s top economic minds, Dr. Art Laffer and Stephen Moore.
They will discuss their recently published comprehensive study describing the devastating impact the proposed “fair tax” will have on the future of Illinois.
The U.S. set a daily record Friday for new confirmed coronavirus infections and nearly matched it Saturday with 83,178, data published by Johns Hopkins University shows. Close to 8.6 million Americans have contracted the coronavirus since the pandemic began, and about 225,000 have died; both totals are the world’s highest. About half the states have seen their highest daily infection numbers so far at some point in October.
A recent surge in positive COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in El Paso, Texas, has caused city officials to order a curfew for residents.
The curfew has been imposed for 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. to limit mobility in the community, El Paso County Judge Ricardo Samaniego said at a press conference Sunday. For the next two weeks, citizens are required to stay home unless they are traveling to and from work or accessing essential services.
Only one person is permitted to access essential services at a time, and trick-or-treat activities on Halloween are not allowed, Samaniego said. Violators will be fined $250 for failing to wear a face mask and $500 for any other violations of the order. […]
Since Oct. 1, the county has seen a 160% increase in COVID-19 positivity rates and a 300% jump in hospitalizations.
Intensive care units at all area hospitals reached 100% capacity as of Saturday, Samaniego said. An overflow of ICU patients are being airlifted to other cities.
With new coronavirus cases shattering records on a daily basis, Utah’s hospitals are expected to begin rationing care in a week or two.
That’s the prediction of Greg Bell, president of the Utah Hospital Association, who said administrators of the state’s hospitals confronted Gov. Gary Herbert on Thursday with a grim list: Criteria they propose doctors should use if they are forced to decide which patients can stay in overcrowded intensive care units.
There are more than 41,000 Covid-19 patients hospitalized in the United States, a 40 percent rise in the past month. And unlike during the earlier months of the pandemic, more of those patients are being cared for not in metropolitan regions but in more sparsely populated parts of the country, where the medical infrastructure is less robust. […]
Skeptics need only look at places like Kansas City, Mo., where this month medical centers turned away ambulances because they had no room for more patients. And in Idaho, a hospital that was 99 percent full warned last week that it may have to transfer coronavirus patients to hospitals as far away as Seattle and Portland, Ore.
Hospitals in hard-hit parts of the country are resorting to a tactic commonly used during the pandemic as it eats away at medical resources: limiting their services.
In Tennessee on Saturday, the Maury Regional Medical Center in Columbia suspended all elective procedures requiring an overnight stay to make room for Covid-19 patients. Most of the facility’s 26 I.C.U. beds are already filled.
To better understand the experiences of teenagers during this unique time, my colleagues and I fielded a survey of 1,523 U.S. teens from May to July this year, asking about their mental health, family time, sleep, technology use, and views on the race-related protests and the police. We assessed mental well-being using four measures: life satisfaction, happiness, symptoms of depression, and loneliness. We then compared the 2020 teens’ responses with responses to identical questions from a similar survey in 2018.
Surprisingly, teens’ mental health did not collectively suffer during the pandemic when the two surveys are compared. The percentage of teens who were depressed or lonely was actually lower in 2020 than in 2018, and the percentage who were unhappy or dissatisfied with life was only slightly higher.
This relatively positive picture for mental health occurred despite many of the challenges faced by the teens in our survey. Nearly one out of three teens (29 percent) knew someone diagnosed with COVID-19. More than one out of four (27 percent) said a parent had lost a job, and exactly one out of four was worried about their families having enough food to eat. Nearly two-thirds (63 percent) were worried about catching the virus, and two-thirds worried about not being able to see their friends.
So why was teen mental health stable, or even better, during the pandemic?
“The indoor-dining issue is a joke,” said Jon Roderick, owner of Jerry’s Cafeteria in Granite City, on Friday. “Whenever they want to get really serious about this, they’ll close Walmart. … More people go through Walmart in an hour than go through my restaurant in a day. It’s a far more dangerous place.”
People don’t normally spend a couple of hours in Walmart without masks on their faces talking to others across from them and/or next to them at their tables.
DeVore also maintains that the Pritzker administration doesn’t have the authority to revoke liquor licenses over indoor dining and accused him of using intimidation tactics that “border on criminality.”
“The license holder has to be violating the (Illinois Liquor Control Act) or a local liquor ordinance or something,” DeVore said. “There is no authority to take someone’s liquor license because they’re not following his executive order. It’s impossible. The governor’s lying.”
For the umpteenth time, the governor’s EOs are authorized under the Illinois Emergency Management Act, a law that goes back decades. Among his many statutory emergency powers…
(1) To suspend the provisions of any regulatory statute prescribing procedures for conduct of State business, or the orders, rules and regulations of any State agency, if strict compliance with the provisions of any statute, order, rule, or regulation would in any way prevent, hinder or delay necessary action, including emergency purchases, by the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, in coping with the disaster. […]
(9) To suspend or limit the sale, dispensing, or transportation of alcoholic beverages, firearms, explosives, and combustibles.
On Saturday, Ives posted a video in front of Ki’s, a restaurant in Glendale Heights defying Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s new indoor dining ban, imposed in the wake of rising infections in DuPage. Ives said businesses following health guidelines should not be subject to “arbitrary” rules. Most area deaths came from “long-term care facilities,” not restaurants, she said.
As we’ve discussed before, the virus just doesn’t pop up in congregate facilities. It has to come in from somewhere. And a big “somewhere” is restaurants and bars.
* Meanwhile, Sam Toia at the Illinois Restaurant Association was on WGN Radio the other day…
We do need a stimulus bill. We need the Restaurant Act passed. That was a part of the Heroes Act that was passed out of the United States House. Within it was $120 billion in grants to independent restaurants. In Chicago, we’re A very independent restaurants city, we’re not like Tampa or Houston, a chain restaurant town. So it’s very important that we pass a stimulus bill for the restaurant industry, like we’ve done in the past for the airlines, for the banking industry for the auto industry. You know, we are the largest private sector employer here in the state of Illinois. We began the year with over 594,000 people working in the restaurant, food service industry, with over 25,000 restaurants. The National Restaurant Association predicts that 20% of the restaurants could close. That’s 5,000 restaurants and over 120,000 jobs. That’s why we need the United States federal government to stop with the stimulus bill for the restaurants.
I think you’re more likely to get the Coronavirus in one of your friend’s basement than you are in a gathering and a personal gathering, than you are in one of our restaurants here throughout the state of Illinois. Now, we always say, I want to make sure I go on and say that we do not, the IRA the Illinois Restaurant Association, we do not advocate for operatives to disobey the governor’s executive order, even though we cannot support the mitigation measure, but we do not want them to, like I said, disobey the governor’s executive order. […]
We’re trying to talk to the governor and his team, saying ‘Can’t we go to 25 percent capacity? Do we have to go to zero percent capacity?’ And we agree that people should not be standing at the bar, we think that diners should be in their seats. And when they’re in their seats, they’re wearing their mask. When the waitperson comes, they’re wearing their mask. And then the food comes, you take your mask off. And then when a person comes back, you put your mask on, cover faces, keep open places, social distancing. We get that, we just need to work together. But we agree that people should not be standing around a restaurant bar. Diners should be in seats with their faces covered 100%, but not close down 100% you know, at least go to 25%.
If it was that easy, there would be no problems with a spiking virus right now. The fact is that way too many restaurant owners are ignoring public health requirements. And they’re only emphasizing this failure to do their part by thumbing their noses at the new mitigations while their local positivity rates skyrocket. From a suburban Republican buddy…
You drive around here and restaurants have signs up that they are staying open. It’s bizarre and unsettling from both a health and rule of law perspective. Hope it changes.
…Adding… From comments…
One thing I keep seeing on Facebook is people complaining that because most of the current transmission is in private residences, bars and restaurants shouldn’t be tamped down. Well, guess what…today’s heavy caseload from residential spread is tomorrow’s restaurant superspreading event.
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 4,729 new confirmed cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 17 additional deaths.
- Adams County: 1 female 80s
- Cook County: 1 male 30s, 1 male 50s, 1 female 60s, 1 male 60s, 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s, 2 female 80s, 2 male 80s, 1 female 90s, 1 male 90s
- Lake County: 1 female 90s
- Peoria County: 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 female 90s
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 378,985 cases, including 9,522 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from October 19 – October 25 is 6.3%. Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 57,264 specimens for a total 7,326,216. As of last night, 2,638 people in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 589 patients were in the ICU and 238 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
*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 deaths 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.
* Sunday…
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 4,062 new confirmed cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 24 additional deaths.
Cook County: 1 male 20s, 1 male 40s, 1 male 60s, 4 females 70s, 3 females 80s, 2 males 80s
Fayette County: 2 females 70s
Ford County: 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s
Lake County: 1 female 90s
Macon County: 1 female 80s
Macoupin County: 1 male 40s
Monroe County: 1 female 80s
St. Clair County: 1 male 60s, 1 male 90s
Whiteside County: 1 male 50s, 1 male 80s
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 374,256 cases, including 9,505 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from October 18 – October 24 is 6.1%. Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 72,097 specimens for a total 7,268,952. As of last night, 2,605 people in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 565 patients were in the ICU and 214 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
* Saturday…
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 6,161 new confirmed cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 63 additional deaths.
Adams County: 1 male 60s, 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s
Carroll County: 1 female 80s, 1 female 90s
Clark County: 1 female 60s, 1 female 80s, 2 females 90s, 1 male 80s, 1 male 90s
Coles County: 1 female 90s
Cook County: 1 female 40s, 1 female 60s, 2 males 60s, 2 females 70s, 4 males 70s, 2 females 80s, 2 male 80s, 2 females 90s, 1 male 90s
DeWitt County: 1 male 80s
Douglas County: 1 male 90s
DuPage County: 2 males 60s
Edgar County: 2 males 80s
Ford County: 1 male 90s
Franklin County: 1 male 80s
Jefferson County: 2 males 90s
Kane County: 1 male 90s
Kankakee County: 1 male 40s
Kendall County: 1 female 80s
Lake County: 1 male 90s
Marion County: 1 female 80s, 1 female 90s
McDonough County: 2 females 60s, 1 male 60s
Monroe County: 1 female 90s
Montgomery County: 1 female 90s
Peoria County: 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s
Pike County: 1 female 80s, 1 female 90s
St. Clair County: 1 male 90s
Stark County: 1 female 40s
Tazewell County: 1 female 80s, 2 females 90s
Washington County: 1 male 70s
Will County: 1 male 50s, 1 male 80s
Winnebago County: 1 female 80s
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 370,194 cases, including 9,481 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from October 17 – October 23 is 6.1%. Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 83,517 specimens for a total of 7,196,855. As of last night, 2,616 people in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 560 patients were in the ICU and 222 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
Like cities across the country, Chicago is facing a massive financial challenge as a result of the pandemic and the absence of assistance from the federal government. 65% of our budget deficit is directly attributable to the fiscal impacts of this pandemic. #Chi2021Budget
A reminder of the pandemic's impact on our economy: - 77.5% decline in the hotel tax - 49.5% decline in the amusement tax - Ground transportation tax down 47.8% - Parking taxes down 48% - Motor vehicle fuel tax down 48.5% - City share of the sales tax down 35%#Chi2021Budget
Today Citizens for Judicial Fairness is launching a new ad highlighting Justice Tom Kilbride’s broken promise not to accept “one penny” from Mike Madigan.
The ad uses Kilbride’s own words against him. Kilbride told WBEZ on October 2 that he issued a “mandate” to his campaign to reject money from Madigan or his entities. Despite that public declaration, Kilbride took more than half a million dollars from the Madigan controlled Democratic Party of Illinois on October 16th according to disclosure records filed with the Illinois State Board of Elections.
Chairman of Citizens for Judicial Fairness Jim Nowlan released the following statement:
Madigan’s favorite judge Tom Kilbride is in trouble, and Madigan is riding to the rescue. For weeks, Kilbride has been touting his independence, honesty, and integrity, but in a sad act of desperation, Kilbride accepted $550,000 from Madigan a mere two weeks after publicly vowing to reject any money from Madigan and his entities. Kilbride’s actions make it clear that he puts his allegiance to Madigan over his independence and even his own integrity.
- Jim Nowlan
Learn more about Justice Kilbride’s broken promise not to take any money from Madigan or his entities:
News-Gazette: Trashed by fellow Democrats, Madigan still flush with cash
Peoria Journal Star: Madigan-controlled funds used to boost Tom Kilbride in Supreme Court race
State Rep. Tim Butler isn’t sure how he contracted COVID-19, but he knows what to do now.
It entails remaining in quarantine for at least 10 days. Of course, that span matches almost perfectly the time until election day Nov. 3.
“It’s difficult as a politician, going into the last 10 days before the election, to say, ‘Hey, you’ve got to stay home,’” Butler said. “That kind of stinks.” […]
“It is what it is,” said Butler, who also said he spent the previous week in Springfield. “Obviously it’s a very contagious virus. I’ve taken it seriously from the beginning.
“I’ve tried to wear a mask and social distance when at all possible, but obviously all of us don’t take all the protections we do 24 hours a day, and we get a little lax. So who knows how I got it.”
Butler, who represents the northern part of Springfield up through Tazewell County, is the fifth state legislator who has publicly disclosed a COVID-19 diagnosis since the Spring. Others include Reps. Edward Gonzalez Jr. (D-Chicago), Sam Yingling (D-Grayslake), David Welter (R-Morris) and Dave Severin (R-Benton). Illinois Congressmen Rodney Davis (R-Taylorville) — who represents part of Springfield — and Mike Bost (R-Murphysboro) also tested positive.
House Republican members Welter, Severin and Butler announced their diagnoses within a little more than a week of each other.
Local health officials said Sunday that the region that includes Sangamon County is “strikingly close” to additional mitigations for bars and restaurants as it combats another wave of COVID-19. […]
“I’ve practiced infectious diseases for 40 years,” added Dr. Donald Graham, a clinical professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Disease at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. “I’ve seen a number of epidemics, both in Springfield, Sangamon County and the state of Illinois and throughout the country and I can tell you this is the worst I’ve ever seen.”
Miller warned that other regions of Illinois have had to recently implement additional mitigation measures, including a ban on indoor service at bars and restaurants.
The state’s top medical officer wept during a coronavirus briefing Friday as deaths and hospitalizations continue to climb throughout Illinois.
Dr. Ngozi Ezike, head of the Illinois Department of Public Health, has unwaveringly guided Illinois through the COVID-19 crisis for months. But the doctor broke down during an emotional briefing where she pleaded for Illinoisans to wear masks and social distance so they can save lives — and stop health care workers from being overwhelmed by seeing more patients die.
Ezike noted at the start of the briefing she is not immune to “COVID fatigue” and has felt and lived the pain and tragedy of life during the pandemic. But cases, hospitalizations and deaths from COVID-19 are all rising, she said, before noting the most recent statistics.
“Since yesterday, we lost an additional 31 lives for a total of 9,418 deaths. These are people who started with us in 2020 and won’t be with us at the Thanksgiving table.” She paused for a moment and continued, “Today, we are reporting 3,874 new cases, for a total of 364,033 confirmed cases since the start of this pandemic.”
“I’ve never run a marathon, but I have the utmost regard for those who’ve been able to train and plan and finish a marathon. But this is a difficult race when you can’t actually see the endpoint, and I’m sorry that that’s the message I have for you,” Ezike said.
“Nevertheless, I’m asking you to fight the fatigue,” she added. “Fight the urge to give up on social distancing. Fight for your kids to have safe, healthy opportunity to have in-person learning in school with teachers who were trained to teach them in the classroom. Fight to have safe, healthy environments in which we can work so that businesses can remain open so that our economies can start to thrive again. This does mean wearing your mask.” […]
She said the decisions of those who attend unmasked gatherings promote the spread of the virus which can then find its way to more vulnerable populations. She urged those attending unmasked gatherings to “think beyond themselves” and consider who they may unknowingly infect, especially if they have the virus but are not showing symptoms.
“All these people who work with the public on a regular basis – you cannot work from home as a bus driver,” Ezike said. “And so these people have to go to work every day as the disease is increasing throughout the state. And they’re the ones that will be dying.”
Her high position does not keep her in “some Covid free bubble exempt from all the pain and the tragedy of this pandemic,” Ezike said.
“So I understand how pandemic fatigue is striking everyone,” she added. “It’s real. People are tired of not seeing their families. They’re tired of postponing the weddings and the other life celebrations. Trying to work from home while also trying to manage kids learning … remotely is a challenge.
“Not being able to visit your loved ones in long-term care and nursing homes, not being able to gather with groups of friends for a night out in your favorite restaurant is getting to be a lot to bear. The way we work, the way we live, the way we play has all changed and the harsh reality is that the sacrifices we’ve made — and that we continue to make — do not have a future expiration date.”
Some people will refute the statistics, Ezike said. But the reality is that coronavirus cases, hospitalizations and deaths are surging again.
“The way we work, the way we live, the way we play have all changed,” IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said, “and the harsh reality is that the sacrifices we’ve made and that we continue to make do not have a future expiration date.” […]
Since the pandemic began, Illinois has recorded 364,033 confirmed cases and 9,418 deaths.
“These are people who started with us in 2020 and won’t be with us at the Thanksgiving table,” Ezike said.
* Video…
In an emotional briefing, Illinois' top health official teared up while she delivered the latest COVID-19 numbers for the state and urged residents not to get complacent in fighting the virus. https://t.co/U7tCzwcCKtpic.twitter.com/fjtSPPFyxy
In an interview with NBC Nightly News over the weekend, Ezike said she’s received hundreds of email since the news conference, and that “it sounds like everyone needed to have that release together.” […]
“It’s incited some feelings, some PTSD-type feeling as we think about starting round two, just remembering how difficult round one [was],” she said.
Ezike is not exempt from COVID-19 as she has lost relatives from the virus and takes it personally when she hears of business owners blatantly defying the state’s rules and residents refusing to wear masks.
“There are no good decisions, but who wants to be in a situation like that,” she said. […]
“We need to take those tears and turn it into action,” she said. “We need to wear our masks, maintain our distance, get our flu shots. We can be sad, but we can still fight.”
*** UPDATE *** From today…
Ezike on her tears Friday: "I just got overwhelmed. A combination of a lot of months of frustration and maybe some fear and some discouragement at the route and the road that we've taken, despite some opportunities and chances to do better. … https://t.co/cst7MpKXo8
State COVID-19 restrictions, including the closure of indoor service at bars and restaurants, are likely to return to the Metro East this week, leaving restaurant owners scrambling to find a way to stay open as the weather cools.
The region on Sunday hit three consecutive days with a COVID-19 test positivity rate above 8%, which automatically prompts additional restrictions from the Illinois Department of Public Health, according to the state pandemic plan.
The state had not made an official announcement Sunday, but county officials expect restrictions to begin Wednesday, Bryan Whitaker, assistant director of St. Clair County Emergency Management Agency, said in a briefing Sunday.
The new measures will include closure of all indoor dining and an 11 p.m. curfew for bars and restaurants. Outdoor diners will be required to make a reservation and social gatherings will be capped at 25 people or 25% of a room’s capacity, whichever is less, according to the state plan.
The Metro East region, which includes St. Clair, Madison, Monroe, Clinton, Bond, Washington and Randolph counties, has faced targeted restrictions twice before. The area was the first of the state’s 11 regions to have state restrictions added, on Aug. 18, prompted by its positivity rate, and then again on Sept. 2.
…Adding… Press release…
Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) are announcing COVID-19 resurgence mitigations will be implemented in Regions 4 and 10, which encompass Metro East and Suburban Cook County respectively, beginning at 12:01 am on Wednesday, October 28, 2020. Region 4 has had a 7-day rolling average test positivity rate of 8 percent or above for three consecutive days. Region 10 has had eight consecutive days of increases in test positivity and seven days of increased hospital admissions making it the first region in the state to meet the metrics for additional mitigations in this way and surpass warning levels in two categories simultaneously. The sustained increases seen in the regions exceed the thresholds set for establishing mitigation measures under the state’s Restore Illinois Resurgence Plan.
The administration continues to work aggressively to support small businesses impacted by the ongoing pandemic, distributing $7.5 million and $14.8 million respectively in emergency grants and assistance to businesses and communities in Regions 4 and 10 alone. Businesses in the regions will also receive priority consideration for the current round of Business Interruption Grants as a result of the additional mitigations.
“Over the weekend, two more regions – Region 4, Metro East, as well as Region 10, Suburban Cook County – triggered our metrics for additional mitigations, meaning that, starting Wednesday, 6 of our 11 regions will be operating under our resurgence framework,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Much like the four areas already operating under Tier One or Tier Two of the plan – Northwestern Illinois, Southern Illinois, and Will, Kankakee, DuPage and Kane Counties – Region 4 triggered our 8 percent positivity average threshold, the second time it has done so since mid-summer. Region 10, on the other hand, is the first region in Illinois to earn additional mitigations not because of its positivity rate alone, but because its positivity rate and its COVID-related hospitalizations have both seen a sustained increase over the last 10 days.”
“We are seeing test positivity across the state increase, but for Region 10, Suburban Cook County, we are also seeing a steady increase in hospitalizations for COVID-like illness,” said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike. “At the beginning of the pandemic, we were concerned about overwhelming our hospitals and we must take action now to prevent that possibility. We are entering flu season and our hospitals are facing both COVID-19 and flu admissions. The same things that can help prevent the spread of COVID-19 will help prevent the spread of flu. Please, wash your hands, watch your distance, and wear your mask. And make sure to get your flu shot.”
Mitigation measures taking effect October 28 in Regions 4 and 10 include:
Bars
No indoor service
All outside bar service closes at 11:00 p.m.
All bar patrons should be seated at tables outside
No ordering, seating, or congregating at bar (bar stools should be removed)
Tables should be 6 feet apart
No standing or congregating indoors or outdoors while waiting for a table or exiting
No dancing or standing indoors
Reservations required for each party
No seating of multiple parties at one table
Restaurants
No indoor dining or bar service
All outdoor dining closes at 11:00 p.m.
Outside dining tables should be 6 feet apart
No standing or congregating indoors or outdoors while waiting for a table or exiting
Reservations required for each party
No seating of multiple parties at one table
Meetings, Social Events, Gatherings
Limit to lesser of 25 guests or 25 percent of overall room capacity
No party buses
Gaming and Casinos close at 11:00 p.m., are limited to 25 percent capacity, and follow mitigations for bars and restaurants, if applicable
These mitigations do not currently apply to schools.
Support for small businesses has been one of the central features of the Pritzker administration’s COVID-19 response. Since March, the administration has launched a menu of small business and community relief programs – with over $500 million in grants and programs launched by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), including emergency hospitality grants, a downstate small business stabilization program, Fast Track Capital, and more.
DCEO is also actively processing reimbursements for local governments impacted by COVID-19 via the state’s local CURES program. All eligible governments in Regions 4 and 10 can submit their certification to the department and begin submitting reimbursement requests. For more information on programs available for businesses and communities, please visit DCEO’s website.
In the coming days, IDPH will continue to track the positivity rate in both regions to determine if mitigations can be relaxed, if additional mitigations are required, or if current mitigations should remain in place. If the positivity rate in Region 4 averages less than or equal to 6.5% for three consecutive days, then the region will return to Phase 4 mitigations under the Restore Illinois Plan. If the positivity rate averages between 6.5% and 8%, the new mitigations will remain in place and unchanged. If the positivity rate averages greater than or equal to 8% after 14 days, more stringent mitigations can be applied to further reduce spread of the virus.
If the positivity rate in Region 10 averages less than or equal to 6.5% over a three-day period, there is a decrease in hospital admissions for COVID-19 like illness over a three-day period, and the three-day rolling averages of ICU bed availability and medical/surgical bed availability is greater than or equal to 20% over a seven-day period, the region will return to Phase 4 mitigations under the Restore Illinois Plan. Conversely, if the average positivity rate continues to increase over seven out of 10 days and the hospital admissions for COVID-19 like illness continues to increase over seven out of 10 days, more stringent mitigations can be applied. If the metrics remain stable, the region will continue to be monitored.
Currently four of the state’s 11 regions have positivity rates above the public health department’s 8% threshold for resurgence mitigations. Regions 5, 7, and 8 are currently operating under additional mitigations as the regions continue to report a 7-day rolling positivity rate above 8%. Region 1 is currently operating under Tier 2 mitigation measures after experiencing reporting a positivity rate greater than 8% for 14 days despite Tier 1 mitigation measures being in place.
As part of the administration’s robust response to the pandemic, the state continues to strengthen its nation-leading testing operation. Illinois is averaging more than three times the testing than the average state. Testing is readily available throughout the state, and the vast majority of test results are returned within an actionable period. Moving forward, testing remains a critical step to reduce the spread of the virus, given that a positive test result begins the contact tracing process and can prevent further spread in communities.
In addition to testing, IDPH continues to monitor each region in the state for several key indicators to identify early, but significant increases of COVID-19 transmission in Illinois, potentially signifying resurgence. Indictors include an increase in the region’s positivity rate with a simultaneous increase in either hospital admissions for COVID-like-illness or a decrease in hospital capacity, or three consecutive days of greater than or equal to 8% test positivity rate (7-day rolling average). These indicators can be used to determine whether additional community mitigation interventions are needed for a region to prevent the further spread of COVID-19.
A full list of mitigation measures pertaining to some businesses and industries may be found on the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) website at www.dceocovid19resources.com/restore-illinois.
Ken Griffin, in a billionaire battle with Gov. J.B. Pritzker over the governor’s effort to switch Illinois to a graduated-rate income tax system, pumped another $7 million of his wealth to oppose it, state campaign finance reports showed Friday.
Griffin, the founder and CEO of Citadel, a Chicago-based hedge fund and investment firm, has now given $53.75 million to the Coalition to Stop the Proposed Tax Hike group, which is opposed to Pritzker’s signature agenda item — a proposed state constitutional amendment on the Nov. 3 ballot to move Illinois from a flat-rate income tax to a graduated-rate income tax that increases the levy along with income. […]
Griffin, regarded as Illinois’ wealthiest person, is worth $15 billion, according to Forbes. Pritzker, an heir to the Hyatt Hotel fortune, is worth $3.4 billion, according to Forbes. Pritzker has put $56.5 million into the Vote Yes for Fairness group backing the proposed amendment.
Griffin’s donation, which the group received Wednesday but wasn’t reported until Friday, came as he launched a personal attack on Pritzker and Democrats. He called Pritzker “a shameless master of personal tax avoidance” in an email to his Chicago employees on Thursday.
[Chris Mooney of the Institute of Government and Public Affairs] suggested that Griffin could potentially be using his huge contributions on these hot-button issues to raise his political profile for a run against Gov. Pritzker in a battle of billionaires. “It seems very unlikely, especially after the experience of the Rauner administration,” he said, adding that Griffin would likely be labeled “Rauner II.”
“On the other hand,” Mooney said, “hubris is a very powerful force for the superrich, as it is for a lot of people. So who knows. Maybe he’s going to do it anyway and see what happens.”
* The Question: In your opinion, will he run? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please…
The owners of FoxFire restaurant in Geneva are suing Gov. JB Pritzker over his ban on indoor service at restaurants and bars because of a rising number of COVID-19 infections.
The ban took effect Friday in Kane and DuPage counties as well as in Will and Kankakee counties. An emergency petition, filed in Kane County on Friday, asks a judge to issue a temporary restraining order to prevent Pritzker, the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Kane County Health Department from enforcing the ban without a court hearing. […]
In addition to filing the emergency petition, FoxFire on Friday also filed a suit against Pritzker, the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Kane County Health Department. The suit states that Pritzker has exceeded the emergency powers that were given to him.
Kane County’s seven-day rolling average positivity rate on Sunday was 11.5 percent. Region 8’s hospital bed capacity is down to 25 percent after 8 straight days of admission increases.
*** UPDATE *** The complaint is here. They’re using the ol’ “He only gets one 30-day emergency declaration” gambit that has failed in every county but one. The emergency TRO petition is here.
As of Oct. 21, hospital admissions for patients with COVID-like illnesses had increased 75% in two weeks within the Illinois Department of Public Health’s Region 8, which includes DuPage and Kane counties.
As of Oct. 23, only 25% of hospital beds in Region 8 were open, down from a third earlier that week. The state’s hospitalization “red zone” is 20% availability. At that point, regions are automatically put into state mitigation.
Remember “flatten the curve”? Well, the state’s 7-day average case positivity rate rose 54% in the 2-week period ending Oct. 22. And Region 8’s 7-day average test positivity rate increased 64% during the 10 days prior to that date.
The trend certainly does not appear to be our friend. And who knows what the situation is by the time you read this?
Even so, Rep. Deanne Mazzochi (R-Elmhurst) complained during a House Republican campaign press conference last week about the state mitigation measures which will soon be imposed on her home county of DuPage, claiming that “we do not have the same type of crisis scenario that we did back in March.”
Scientists knew very little about the virus in March, so people didn’t know quite what to do. Also, Gov. J.B. Pritzker has said over and over that he has zero plans to impose another sweeping stay-at-home order, which shut down a gigantic swath of an already mostly self-shuttered economy beginning in March.
The new mitigations apply mainly to bars and restaurants, closing indoor service and limiting hours. There is really no comparison between these mitigations and what was imposed in March. Remember when you couldn’t get a haircut, or visit the doctor for a routine checkup, have a cavity filled or hang out with a friend? This is most definitely not that.
Mazzochi went on to declare that the governor is “perfectly happy to wreck what’s going on in DuPage.”
Um, even if his secret identity really is a cartoon super-villain, Pritzker carried DuPage County in 2018. Presumably, he’d like to win it again. Joyfully wrecking DuPage would serve what purpose? Mazzochi may be spending too much time on social media.
But her reaction is an indication of the influential forces that are being targeted here. Influential restaurant and bar owners don’t appear to be willing to take this lying down. Several have made a big public show of remaining open to indoor service in defiance of the new prohibitions.
Opponents of the new mitigations say that bars and restaurants and other venues shouldn’t be singled out when the “real” problem is in nursing homes. But these venues are more interconnected than you might think.
“Recent data released by Johns Hopkins University and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services shows that weekly cases in nursing homes rose nationwide in late September as the disease became more widespread in 38 states and the country entered its third coronavirus spike,” the Washington Post has reported.
In other words, if you want to protect Grandma (and a whole lot of other folks), you gotta control community spread. Nursing homes aren’t isolated bubbles. Workers, contractors, vendors, visitors, etc. come and go all the time. Whatever is in the community has a good chance of getting into those facilities and then can spread like wildfire.
DuPage County’s own contact tracing shows the second most outbreaks between Sept. 29 and Oct. 13 were connected to restaurants. The most? Long-term care and assisted living centers. That’s just one of several reasons why the state is focusing on restaurants.
Some folks, including the Illinois Restaurant Association, are referencing some DuPage stats that go back to March to claim that restaurants aren’t a real problem. Except, restaurants and taverns were closed for months last spring. Of course they weren’t a source.
Countless restaurants and bars are centers of their communities and many of their proprietors are widely respected. Not to mention that the hospitality industry is an incredibly large and important segment of the state’s economy.
There is no doubt that some very good, hardworking people are about to face financial ruin, owners and employees alike. And a lot of those owners have relationships with their legislators, mayors and other powerful types.
Point being, the governor is facing a different sort of challenge than last spring. We were mostly in it together back then. But now the virus is forcing the state to single out an organized, motivated and influential constituency and those folks are bound to gain significant traction, especially if heavily populated suburban Cook and Chicago are put into mitigation.
Voter Fraud Alert!
ILGOP Handing Out Voter Fraud Alert Fliers in DuPage County
WATCH: Video of Electronic Voting Machine “Glitch”
The Illinois Republican Party has learned of potential voter fraud in DuPage County that has been occurring for more than a week.
Several voters have reported that while reading the questions on the screen of the electronic voting machines at early voting locations in DuPage County, after 10 seconds, the machine will automatically highlight Mike Madigan endorsed candidates and the Tax Hike Amendment in red.
“This is an outrageous abuse of our voting system and must be quickly remedied. Speaker Madigan and the Democrats will stop at nothing to enact higher taxes on our middle class families and retirees,” said Tim Schneider, ILGOP Chairman. “Illinois GOP volunteers will be handing out fliers in DuPage County to voters alerting them of this clear abuse of our election system.”
“This serious issue needs to be immediately corrected before it further impacts the election. We continue to see more and more proof as to just how far Democrats are willing to go to rig this election,” said House Republican Leader Jim Durkin.
Good grief. This is happening on every voting touch screen in DuPage County. They highlight vote yes for the tax hike and EVERY Madigan backed candidate. Litigation forthcoming. https://t.co/Xq6wDAZRAi
* As it turns out, the DuPage County GOP knew about this. I discovered that when I did what the ILGOP should’ve done if they actually cared and checked with the DuPage County Clerk’s office…
Rich,
DuPage County’s touchscreen voting machines, in compliance with the voter access requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act, utilize a text-highlighting feature to assist impaired voters. The text-highlighting feature in question has been consistently utilized throughout the life of the county’s voting system. An audio track reads the ballot questions and available selections while the accompanying text is highlighted in red. Headphones and a touchpad are provided for any voters who choose to utilize the audio track. The text of the first question and candidate name on each page are read to the voter, and the accompanying text is highlighted. Voters utilizing the assistance keypad can then cycle through the selections for each race, which are read over the headphones while the accompanying text is highlighted in red. Voters who choose not to utilize the assistance keypad can proceed directly to marking their choices, at which point the highlighted text follows their most recent selection.
In response to concerns raised by the DuPage Republican Party, on the morning of Friday, October 23, senior staff from the DuPage County Clerk’s Office met with members of the DuPage GOP leadership for a demonstration and explanation of the text-highlighting feature and its necessity to comply with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act within the technological constraints of DuPage County’s fifteen-year-old voting system. The system utilized by DuPage County is state-certified and functioned in an identical manner in the 2020 General Primary, and our office is unaware of any concerns raised at that time by parties, candidates, or voters.
Stickers have been placed on every voting machine at the Early Voting sites explaining in both English and Spanish that the text-highlighting feature is for impaired voter assistance only and that highlighted selections can by cycled through utilizing the provided keypad, as well as reminding voters to review all ballot selections to ensure accuracy before casting their vote.
Regards,
Adam Johnson
Chief Deputy Clerk
DuPage County Clerk
Also, as the Illinois State Board of Elections’ spokesman points out, “Democrats are listed first because they won the post-primary lottery for ballot placement.”
But, you know, “Madigan and the ADA-compliant Diebold machines he controls,” or something.
*** UPDATE 1 *** The Illinois GOP suggested some questions for the DuPage County Clerk, so I passed them along…
Rich,
In response to the follow-up questions you passed along from the ILGOP:
“1) If this is for ADA, why is this the only jurisdiction in the state complying with ADA? Is everyone else failing their constituents and flouting the law?”
I can’t speak for the ADA compliance practices of other jurisdictions. I do know that most other counties have implemented new voting systems in the fifteen years since DuPage County purchased the machines our office inherited upon taking over election administration last year. The newer systems have more robust and flexible options for meeting ADA requirements. The DuPage County Clerk would certainly welcome assistance in advocating for a county as large and affluent as DuPage to make the investment required to upgrade to a state of the art voting system rather than doing the best we can with last-generation equipment.
“2) Again, if this is for ADA, why is this the first year they have decided to “comply” with the law? Have they been breaking the law up until this point?”
Again, I can’t speak for DuPage County’s previous ADA compliance practices, since elections have only been under the oversight of the County Clerk’s Office since last year, when the Republican majority on the County Board voted on a party-line basis to dissolve the Election Commission immediately during the middle of the ongoing spring consolidated election rather than implement the phased transition plan our office requested. Apparently, the Republican County Board members were so concerned with the quality of election administration in DuPage County that they believed there was not a single day to spare before bringing Clerk Kaczmarek in to start cleaning up the mess.
Regards,
Adam Johnson
Chief Deputy Clerk
DuPage County Clerk
*** UPDATE 2 *** ILGOP…
Following calls by voters and Republican Party officials, DuPage County Clerk Jean Kaczmarek is acknowledging an issue with DuPage County voting machines and has committed to several remedial measures requested by the ILGOP and others.
Several voters reported that while reading the questions on the screen of the electronic voting machines at early voting locations in DuPage County, after 10 seconds, the machine would automatically highlight the candidate or question that occupied the first ballot position, which this year are the Democratic Party candidates. The technical issue is related to how the County’s voting machines comply with the ADA.
“While all counties must adhere to ADA requirements while conducting their elections, we have not seen this occur in any other county in the State, where a candidate’s name would be automatically highlighted, as they were in DuPage,” said ILGOP Chairman Tim Schneider. “We brought these issues to the Clerk and appreciate the Clerk’s office taking these issues seriously.”
The DuPage County Clerk has committed to place signage at each Early Voting site, to provide a hand out to each voter, and to place explanatory signage on each electronic voting machine used in Early Voting in DuPage County. While a technological fix is unavailable during the Early Voting period, the Clerk has committed to investigate whether a technological fix may address the issue for Election Day voting.
Said Schneider, “We appreciate the Clerk taking these remedial measures to help avoid any voter confusion on these machines. It is obviously of the utmost importance that all voters have the chance to make an informed choice at the polls.”
*** UPDATE 3 *** Adam Johnson at the DuPage County Clerk’s office just called to say that the clerk’s office did not sign off on the statement in the ILGOP release above. That was a draft, but the clerk’s office said it couldn’t agree to that language and they were working on agreed language when the Republican press release popped. “That’s not a statement from us,” Johnson said. “That’s nothing that we signed off on at all.”
* I may have told you this story, so pardon me if this is a rerun. When my daughter was just a kid, we pulled up to a strip mall parking lot and this song came on the radio. We cranked it up to 11, banged our heads, pumped our fists and shouted out the lyrics while passers-by gave us strange looks. Good times.
Anyway, I’ve been thinking about my kid all day, so I dialed up this video, turned it up to 11 and rocked away…
* Gov. Pritzker said today that several IDPH regions are becoming more worrisome this week. The Metro East’s Region 4 is back up above an 8 percent positivity rate as of today, for instance. Three days of sustained 8 percent positivity triggers mediation measures, and Region 4 only recently emerged from a long ordeal with those regulations.
Region 9, which encompasses Lake and McHenry counties, has seen its average positivity rate hover in the upper 7’s for the past few days and is now at 7.7 percent. Region 8 is now at 9.4 percent, with available hospital beds down to 25 percent. A 20 percent surge capability for hospital beds triggers mitigation.
Region 1, in northern and northwestern Illinois, cannot get its act together and is at 11.7 percent today. Region 7, which is Will and Kankakee counties is at 9.2 percent. Suburban Cook is at 7.3 with its hospital bed availability down to 23 percent. And Chicago is at 7 and hospital bed availability is down to 22 percent, just two points above the danger zone.
* IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike cried for several minutes at the podium today as she literally begged Illinoisans to take this virus seriously. “Let’s please think beyond ourselves,” she said. “For those seven, eight days that you may be shedding the virus, you’re unknowingly, unwittingly infecting people in your path.”
“The people of Illinois are her patients,” Gov. Pritzker explained after Dr. Ezike finished speaking. He also said the director has been subjected to “verbal attacks” and that protesters have shown up at her home.
“I’m desperate to find a message that will work,” Ezike said. “The virus has caused this and instead of pitting one group against another, we need to get that and fight against the virus. We have a mask and we’re asking people to use that and I don’t know what else to say.”
…Adding… Got busy and forgot to post this…
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 51 counties in Illinois are considered to be at a warning level for novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). A county enters a warning level when two or more COVID-19 risk indicators that measure the amount of COVID-19 increase.
Fifty-one counties are currently reported at a warning level – Adams, Bond, Boone, Carroll, Cass, Christian, Clay, Clinton, Crawford, DeKalb, Douglas, Edwards, Fayette, Ford, Franklin, Gallatin, Greene, Hamilton, Henderson, Jersey, Jo Daviess, Johnson, Kane, Kendall, Knox, LaSalle, Lee, Macon, Macoupin, McDonough, McHenry, Mercer, Morgan, Moultrie, Ogle, Perry, Pike, Pulaski, Rock Island, Saline, Shelby, Stephenson, Union, Vermilion, Wabash, Warren, Wayne, Whiteside, Will, Williamson, and Winnebago.
Although the reasons for counties reaching a warning level varies, some of the common factors for an increase in cases and outbreaks are associated with gatherings in people’s homes, weddings and funerals, bars and clubs, university and college parties as well as college sports teams, family gatherings, long-term care facilities, correctional centers, schools, and cases among the community at large, especially people in their 20s.
Public health officials are observing businesses blatantly disregarding mitigation measures, people not social distancing, gathering in large groups, and not using face coverings. Mayors, local law enforcement, state’s attorneys, and other community leaders can be influential in ensuring citizens and businesses follow best practices.
Several counties are taking swift action to help slow spread of the virus, including increasing testing opportunities, stressing the importance of testing to providers, hiring additional contact tracers, working with schools, and meeting with local leaders.
IDPH uses numerous indicators when determining if a county is experiencing stable COVID-19 activity, or if there are warning signs of increased COVID-19 risk in the county. A county is considered at the warning level when at least two of the following metrics triggers a warning.
New cases per 100,000 people. If there are more than 50 new cases per 100,000 people in the county, this triggers a warning.
Number of deaths. This metric indicates a warning when the weekly number of deaths increases more than 20% for two consecutive weeks.
Weekly test positivity. This metric indicates a warning when the 7-day test positivity rate rises above 8%.
ICU availability. If there are fewer than 20% of intensive care units available in the region, this triggers a warning.
Weekly emergency department visits. This metric indicates a warning when the weekly percent of COVID-19-like-illness emergency department visits increase by more than 20% for two consecutive weeks.
Weekly hospital admissions. A warning is triggered when the weekly number of hospital admissions for COVID-19-like-illness increases by more than 20% for two consecutive weeks.
Tests performed. This metric is used to provide context and indicate if more testing is needed in the county.
Clusters. This metric looks at the percent of COVID-19 cases associated with clusters or outbreaks and is used to understand large increase in cases.
These metrics are intended to be used for local level awareness to help local leaders, businesses, local health departments, and the public make informed decisions about personal and family gatherings, as well as what activities they choose to do. The metrics are updated weekly, from the Sunday-Saturday of the prior week.
A map and information of each county’s status can be found on the IDPH website at https://www.dph.illinois.gov/countymetrics.
Many Republicans like to vote on election day. Not this year!
With Governor Pritzker putting new COVID-19 restrictions on predominately Republican counties, we are anticipating an election day surprise limiting the number of voters in a polling place. The Democrats, know that Republicans “like to see their vote counted” as opposed to the Democrats who have voted by mail for years.
This is a way to further suppress the Republican vote.
Don’t let this happen - VOTE NOW!
Whatever works, I suppose. Gotta get those voters motivated one way or another.
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 3,874 new confirmed cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 31 additional deaths.
- Adams County: 1 female 70s
- Christian County: 1 male 40s, 1 female 80s
- Clark County: 1 female 80s
- Clinton County: 1 male 90s
- Cook County: 1 male 30s, 1 female 90s
- DeWitt County: 1 female 70s
- Jefferson County: 1 male 60s
- Kane County: 1 female 70s
- Kankakee County: 1 male 60s
- Lake County: 1 female 70s
- LaSalle County: 2 females 90s
- Macon County: 1 male 70s, 1 male 80s
- Madison County: 1 female 80s
- McLean County: 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s
- Rock Island County: 1 male 90s
- Sangamon County: 1 male 70s
- Shelby County: 1 female 70s
- St. Clair County: 1 male 80s
- Tazewell County: 1 male 80s
- Vermilion County: 2 males 70s
- Warren County: 1 male 90s
- White County: 1 male 70s, 1 male 90s
- Will County: 1 female 70s
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 364,033 cases, including 9,418 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from October 16 – October 22 is 5.6%. Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 82,256 specimens for a total of 7,113,338. As of last night, 2,498 people in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 511 patients were in the ICU and 197 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
*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 deaths 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.
Friday, Oct 23, 2020 - Posted by Advertising Department
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* I posted a document from the governor’s office on contact tracing on October 5th. I was apparently the only one to do that. So, the governor’s press secretary linked to my Google Drive upload…
Republican state Representatives from southern Illinois are on the road with stops across the state holding rallies for what they call the “Restore Illinois Bus Tour.”
They stopped in Springfield Thursday. […]
State Rep. Darren Bailey, R-Xenia, was at the Springfield stop. He told the crowd his efforts in the courts against Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s COVID-19 executive orders are crucial to restoring Illinois, and he’s succeeding. […]
“This man has got to pay the price,” Bailey said. “He has devastated families, he is devastating businesses, he is destroying Illinois and I believe now every day that goes by the reasons and the proof of that grow.”
Bailey claims the governor is trying to destroy the state’s economy “to be first in line for a federal bailout.”
Defendant, Thomas J. Dart, Sheriff of Cook County (Sheriff), instituted employment disciplinary proceedings against plaintiffs, Matthew Goral, Kevin Badon, Michael Mendez, Milan Stojkovic, David Evans III, Frank Donis, and Lashon Shaffer, who were employed as officers for the Sheriff. The disciplinary charges against plaintiffs were filed with the Cook County Sheriff’s Merit Board (Merit Board) pursuant to section 3-7011 of the Counties Code (Code). Plaintiffs filed motions with the Merit Board to dismiss the disciplinary charges against them. While the administrative proceedings were pending, plaintiffs filed an action in the circuit court of Cook County for declaratory, injunctive, and monetary relief against the Sheriff, Cook County, the Merit Board, and Toni Preckwinkle, president of the Cook County Board of Commissioners (collectively, defendants). In that lawsuit, plaintiffs asserted that the Merit Board was not legally constituted because several of its members had been appointed to and/or served terms that did not comply with the statutory requirements set forth in section 3-7002 of the Code.
On defendants’ motions, the circuit court of Cook County dismissed plaintiffs’ action on the ground that they had failed to exhaust their administrative remedies. The appellate court reversed in part, holding inter alia that, since plaintiffs had challenged the authority of the Merit Board to address the charges, the “authority” exception to the exhaustion requirement applied. We allowed defendants’ petition for leave to appeal. For the reasons that follow, we affirm the judgment of the appellate court and remand to the circuit court for further proceedings. […]
Defendants next contend that allowing widespread exceptions to the exhaustion doctrine would thwart the legislative intent of consigning certain disputes to agency specialists and would create “unworkable chaos” at the Merit Board. Defendants maintain that the decision by the appellate court imposes fact-finding burdens on the circuit courts that “fly in the face” of legislation about the role of courts in reviewing agency actions. According to defendants, the result reached by the appellate court would subject administrative agencies throughout Illinois to a wave of declaratory or injunctive lawsuits based on interlocutory procedural challenges to individual agency hearing officers. Defendants further contend that allowing plaintiffs to “skip over” administrative processes by filing claims in the circuit court is the opposite of judicial economy and efficiency. We do not agree. […]
Specifically, Rule 3.1 provides that “[a] lawyer shall not bring or defend a proceeding, or assert or controvert an issue therein, unless there is a basis in law and fact for doing so that is not frivolous, which includes a good-faith argument for an extension, modification or reversal of existing law.” We are confident that the bar will adhere to that proscription. Thus, there are adequate safeguards in place to protect against the chaos that defendants allege.
The 4-3 majority apparently didn’t consider Darren Bailey’s example.
A narrowly decided state supreme court ruling Thursday could potentially leave Cook County taxpayers on the hook for millions in backpay for sheriff’s officers who were suspended while facing disciplinary proceedings. […]
The sheriff’s office bemoaned the decision, saying it will significantly increase the time it takes to discipline an officer for misconduct and make it more difficult to fire bad officers.
“Today’s Illinois Supreme Court decision is a catastrophic blow to law enforcement accountability,” sheriff’s office spokesman Matthew Walberg said in an emailed statement. “The decision rewards employees who engaged in criminal, unethical and despicable conduct at the expense of Illinois taxpayers.”
Jewish students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have endured “an unrelenting campaign of anti-Semitic harassment,” according to a complaint filed with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights.
Those students and others supportive of Israel “have been subjected to an alarming increase in anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism over the past five years,” according to a statement issued Friday by the Louis B. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, which helped prepare the complaint.
Over that period, multiple swastikas have allegedly been scrawled across the campus; menorahs and mezuzahs have allegedly been vandalized; and windows of Jewish fraternities have allegedly been “smashed with bricks,” according to the statement. What’s more, pro-Palestine students have also allegedly glorified members of terrorist organizations, assailed Jewish students and their allies with epithets like “Nazi” and “white supremacist” and turned university diversity training “into anti-Israel indoctrination.”
The complaint alleges that university administrators have failed to provide “a discrimination-free academic setting” despite being notified of the “developing hostile environment.” The statement also claims that some university employees have “been complicit” in fostering that environment.
“Jewish students at UIUC have been targeted for years,” said Alyza D. Lewin, President of the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law. “We gave UIUC seven months since the complaint was filed to address the ongoing harassment. In the face of continuous stall tactics and almost no action from the university, we decided to publicize our efforts. We hope public awareness of this dire situation will prompt the university to finally acknowledge and address the egregious anti-Semitic harassment it has swept under the rug for far too long.”
*** UPDATE 1 *** Democratic Rep. Jonathan Carroll…
The Jewish Caucus has offered to work with and given the University of Illinois every opportunity to address this issue. Instead of taking this seriously, they’ve done absolutely nothing about it. We’ll continue supporting Jewish students throughout the state and stand up for their basic civil rights.
*** UPDATE 2 *** From the university…
We have not been contacted by the Department of Education Office of Civil Rights (OCR) regarding any official complaint against the university, but the lawyers who submitted it to OCR in March also submitted it later to an organization that accredits the university. We were asked this summer to respond to the complaint. After receiving our response, that organization determined that the allegations raised in the complaint do not indicate substantive noncompliance with their requirements and that no further review would be conducted.
Throughout this time, the university has been engaged in a long, meaningful and what we believed was a collaborative discussion about the concerns raised by the involved parties, so it is very disheartening that they chose to stop engaging with us. We are disappointed with the approach this group has taken to move our conversation to the media, but we are absolutely committed to an inclusive university community where everyone feels welcome.
One of our core institutional values is ensuring that people of all faiths, ethnicities, national origins and viewpoints can live, learn and thrive. We will never tolerate bigotry, racism or hate, and we condemn acts and expressions of anti-Semitism.
Robin Kaler, Associate Chancellor for Public Affairs
*** UPDATE 3 *** Democratic Rep. Bob Morgan…
I’m aware that antisemitism has been on the rise at the University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign, my alma mater. I hope the university will take steps to immediately and meaningfully confront this dangerous trend. As a Jewish UIUC alum and former ISG president, I expect more from a school that means so much to me and all of Illinois.
*** UPDATE 4 *** Jewish United Fund…
It is with deep sadness that JUF has consulted on a U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights complaint against the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign (UIUC) due to an increasingly hostile environment for Jewish students in violation of federal law.
Antisemitic harassment is expressly prohibited under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
JUF cares deeply about UIUC as the flagship public University of our state, approximately 8% of whose student body is Jewish. Those Jewish students deserve the same level of protections afforded to every student population which faces discrimination. That in our own backyard, UIUC has permitted a hostile climate to exist is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. JUF will always stand up for Jews when our safety and security is threatened.
Even after five years of intensive discussion with JUF, UIUC has consistently chosen to turn its back on the Jewish community and allowed a hostile climate to fester. Incidents ranged from swastikas scrawled on campus dorms and a university-sponsored training with antisemitic content to repeated BDS campaigns and concomitant harassment of Jewish students on campus and in social media.
JUF calls on the University to do the right thing to swiftly rectify the current situation and return to being a place of pride for our community. We will continue to work with the University and will also continue to support active Jewish life through our Illini Hillel Cohen Center for Jewish Life.
As residents gear up to cast their vote this election, WIFR wants to help you get to know the names you will see on the ballot.
One race to look out for is State Representative in the 67th District. Democrat incumbent Rep. Maurice West joined Courtney Sisk on 23 News First at Four to discuss his run for a second term.
Rep. West said he’s proud of the work he’s already done, including bringing $2 million in funding to the district to provide job training to young adults. For the first time publically, Rep. West said if he’s reelected, he will not be voting for Speaker Madigan.
“I am hoping that there’s a strong state representative that I could vote for. Someone who believes in term limits for leadership like I do. Someone who will be an advocate for strong, immediate ethics reform so that we can regain trust in our government. Someone who believes in bipartisanship. So I’m looking forward to another option.” Rep. West said.
Hedge fund billionaire Ken Griffin slammed Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker as “a shameless master of personal tax avoidance” Thursday in an email to his Chicago employees that criticized the governor’s push for a graduated-income tax rate amendment. […]
“I am not willing to stand by as, once again, spineless politicians try to sell a trick disguised as a solution. Particularly not from a governor who, having inherited a great deal of wealth, has worked so diligently to avoid paying taxes himself,” Griffin wrote in an email obtained by the Tribune, which was verified by a company spokesman. […]
“Pritzker–a shameless master of personal tax avoidance–is well aware that many of the state’s top taxpayers will soon be decamping for states with more attractive tax policies. Under our federalist system, each state is free to compete to encourage companies and employees to join its community. Governors of Florida, Texas and other states have made compelling pitches for businesses – like Citadel – to leave Illinois,” Griffin wrote. […]
In his email, Griffin said he was troubled by protesters who demonstrated outside Citadel’s Loop office and “misrepresented my deep commitment to the youth of our city.” He said his firm has “brought countless families to the state, led important philanthropic and community initiatives and, together, have made Illinois a better place to live and raise a family.”
As Illinois smashed another daily record with 4,942 new coronavirus cases reported Thursday, Gov. J.B. Pritzker threw down the gauntlet to suburban bar and restaurant owners threatening to flout his latest restrictions on indoor drinking and dining.
The Democratic governor issued his harshest warning yet to potential scofflaws before his indoor dining ban goes into effect Friday in Will, Kankakee, Kane and DuPage counties, where COVID-19 infection rates are soaring to new highs.
But some owners say they will still seat customers inside, arguing the latest rollback means a “death sentence” for their businesses after months of struggling to stay afloat while following guidelines and avoiding outbreaks.
“If people are going to force us, because they won’t follow the mitigations, and they’re going to let people get sick in their business, then we’re going to take this very seriously,” Pritzker said at a downstate coronavirus briefing. “If we have to stop them from doing business because they’re helping to spread this disease and get people sick, then that’s what we’re going to do.”
“We are now seeing the entire state is moving up in terms of hospitalizations, in terms of ICU beds, ventilators and death,” Pritzker said, pointing to “dozens of studies” showing bars and restaurants have proven to be fertile grounds for COVID-19 transmission.
“It is very serious right now, folks, and if we need to close down restaurants and bars, or take away their liquor licenses, take away their gaming licenses, we will do that,” Pritzker said during his daily coronavirus briefing at the St. Clair County Health Department in Belleville. “Because we are now heading into a peak that is beyond, potentially, where we were in March and April.”
Pritzker said the Illinois State Police will issue warnings and citations to businesses that don’t adhere to the rules, and the state will use its authority over liquor and gambling licenses if necessary.
“I think you know I’ve been reluctant to do this before because it has a very serious implication for the future of a business,” Pritzker said. “I want businesses to stay in business. I want them to survive.”
Pritzker’s warning came just after Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced her own clampdown, including a 10 p.m. curfew starting Friday on nonessential businesses and the suspension of indoor service at taverns and taprooms that don’t serve food
Just hours after Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced new restrictions on businesses in response to rising COVID-19 cases, White House coronavirus response coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx cautioned that closing public spaces won’t be enough to stop the illness’s spread.
Birx said it’s possible some of the recent spread is happening in people’s homes, during family gatherings, as the weather gets colder. She spoke at a news conference following a private meeting with leaders from Rush University System for Health, Northwestern Medicine and the Illinois and Chicago departments of public health at Northwestern Memorial Hospital on Thursday.
“It won’t be as simple as closing public spaces because public spaces … were very safe over the summer and probably remain safe,” Birx said. “This is really something that has happened in the last three to four weeks. What has happened in the last three to four weeks is that people have moved their social gatherings indoors.”
A growing body of research has concluded that the steep drop in economic activity last spring was primarily a result of individual decisions by consumers and businesses rather than legal mandates. People stopped going to restaurants even before governors ordered them shut down. Airports emptied out even though there were never significant restrictions on domestic air travel.
States like Iowa that reopened quickly did have an initial pop in employment and sales. But more cautious states have at least partly closed that gap, and have seen faster economic rebounds in recent months by many measures.
Economists say it is hard to estimate exactly how much economic activity is still being restrained by capacity limits, social-distancing rules and similar policies, many of which have been lifted or loosened even in places governed by Democrats. In most states, restaurants, retail stores and even bars are allowed to operate.
Perhaps the most widespread government action that has hindered economic growth is the decision by many school districts to adopt virtual learning at the start of the school year, which appears to have driven many parents, particularly women, out of the labor force to care for young children who would otherwise be in class.
But as the pandemic flares again in much of the country, most economists agree this much is clear: The main thing holding back the economy is not formal restrictions. It is people’s continued fear of the virus itself.
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