CPS classes canceled through April 20
Thursday, Mar 19, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Politico this morning…
LEANING TOWARD A LOCKDOWN
It’s prime time for Lori Lightfoot. With the coronavirus pandemic spreading throughout the state, Chicago residents are anxiously wondering what dramatic steps the mayor may announce this afternoon to tame life in the city if they they help new infections. […]
If there is an order for residents to shelter in place, the mayor and the city’s COVID-19 Taskforce are expected to communicate to residents regularly about the details, including how to access essential items such as food and medicine.
* Well, the mayor’s office has released her remarks. Click here. Chicago Public Schools will now be closed through April 20th instead of the end of this month.
And the mayor restated something we already knew...
(W)e have repeatedly asked throughout this crisis that if you are sick, stay home. Most of you have listened, but some have not. And those of you that have not, have not only put yourselves at risk, you are endangering the public. We have documented an increasing number of cases in which sick people, went to their workplace, and got other people sick with the coronavirus.
Today, at my direction, the Department of Public Health issued an order that until further notice, if you are sick with respiratory symptoms like cough, fever, or shortness of breathe, but also, and importantly if you are beginning to feel sick – body aches, fatigue, sore throat – you too are ordered to stay home unless seeking medical care, or other essentials like food.
That story this morning needlessly freaked a lot of people out. This sort of thing needs to stop. Be responsible, for crying out loud. Avoid creating panic for clicks.
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Everyone has their own priority list
Thursday, Mar 19, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The BGA’s David Greising writing in the Tribune…
When the legislature gets back to business one day, it will take real leadership from Pritzker to do the people’s work. The immediate to-do list will include coronavirus-related responses, including health care needs and bagging all the federal help available.
A budget must be passed too. And, for now, there is a May 3 deadline for passing a bill for electoral-map reform.
There will be a temptation to set some urgent issues aside — or, worse yet, pass so-called reform bills that amount to nothing but window dressing.
It will take leadership by the governor, working with the legislature, to decide how to navigate this traffic jam of urgent needs. A special session may be a good way to proceed.
Thoughts on a special session for remap reform?
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…Adding… The executive order Pritzker signed today is here.
* From the governor’s daily COVID-19 press conference at the James R. Thompson Center…
It brings me great pain to announce that we have had three more deaths in Illinois associated with COVID 19.
One was a Will County resident in his 50s. A second, a Cook County resident in her 80s. And the third is a Florida resident who was visiting Sangamon County.
My heart goes out to the family and the friends of these patients. And I feel like I can speak for all of Illinois. When I say, we offer them our collective strength at this time. May their memories be for a blessing.
These moments will not get easier, nor should they. We are fighting this fight for every person in Illinois.
We’ve all lost something today.
Remember I’m using Otter for transcription, so pardon the typos.
* New executive order…
We’re also working hard to ensure that all our residents are able to get as many of the health care services that they need, even from the safety of their own homes. So today I’m signing an executive order significantly expanding telemedicine for both Medicaid and those who are private insured. This order will allow more providers to get reimbursed for these services and allow patients more flexibility and safety in getting the medical guidance and care that they need.
* Small biz…
Our small businesses are already hurting, and the root of that pain isn’t going to go away anytime soon. I’m pleased to announce today that my administration is offering relief to more than 20,000 small and medium sized bars and restaurants, all across Illinois by allowing a two-month delay in sales tax payments to the state, and to local jurisdictions, and we’re waving late filing fees and interest starting tomorrow, Friday, March 20.
* Tests…
As of yesterday we were able to do more than 1000 tests statewide and in just a few days will be increasing that to more than 2000 tests per day.
These tests are only discovering people who already have the virus. I know people are looking at other countries and even cities and jurisdictions around the United States and seeing the numbers rise significantly everywhere. But as we take action, we’re initiating a process that is intended to bend the curve.
* National Guard…
Earlier this week I activated the first members of the Illinois National Guard mission to join the fight against Cova 19. In total the guard is a force of really extraordinary citizens but they would call themselves ordinary citizens, but they’re 13,000 strong committed to amazing work, and they bring to our preparations key capabilities in logistics and transportation and even medical specialties in the short term the guard will be working to support our efforts to set up mobile testing units, allowing us to expand testing while ensuring that those tests can be administered in the safest possible way.
The guard is also doing critical work planning for the weeks and months ahead, including expanding our healthcare capacity by potentially refitting and reopening previously closed hospitals.
US Rep. Bobby Rush called on Pritzker to reopen a South Side hospital that was closed last year.
* Rumors…
I want to address some of the rumors that have been running around, essential services will not close interstates highways and bridges will stay open grocery stores pharmacies gas stations. These sources of fundamental supplies will continue to operate. There is no need to run out and hoard food gas or medicine, by what you need, within reason there is enough to go around as long as people do not hoard. We will never shut these services down.
And please, let’s all remember that these essential institutions don’t run on their own, the cashiers the gas station attendants, the truckers the pharmacists, the delivery workers the sanitation workers. These are all people who keep our state on track. So please take every opportunity that you can to demonstrate your gratitude to them.
* IDPH Director Ngozi Ezike…
Unfortunately we do anticipate additional deaths. Please everyone stay home as much as possible, so we can reduce the number of people who are infected, which will reduce the number of people who get serious illness, which will reduce the number of people who will lose their life.
Overall we have 422 cases in 22 counties across Illinois. The number of cases is rising exponentially with increasing laboratory testing in DPH labs, as well as in the commercial labs and the hospital labs, we did expect to see this rise as you test more, you will identify more
* Testing…
Testing will be performed for individuals who are part of a cluster of confirmed cases or possible cases among those who work or live in a residential congregate setting, such as the nursing homes testing at the IDP h labs will also be prioritized for people for hospitalized patients with unexplained pneumonia or from a residential congregate setting, serving vulnerable populations. Long term care facilities such as nursing homes with confirmed cases will increase the monitoring of those individuals and take aggressive infection control measures.
However testing of all individuals is not indicated.
We will not recommend test for every single resident or staff of an of a long term care facility rather we will take all the precautions necessary and as soon as any staff or resident develops symptoms, they will be isolated and treated. If they’re showing symptoms whether they’ve been tested or not, they will get the same treatments and the same appropriate measures will be taken to care for them.
Patients who do not fall into one of these categories for testing can seek care for their healthcare provider who can then move on forward with a testing at a commercial or a hospital laboratory.
* Press release…
There are 136 new cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) across Illinois. Five additional counties are now reporting cases; Jackson, Kankakee, LaSalle, Washington, and Williamson counties.
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 422 cases in 22 counties in Illinois. Cases have occurred in ages 9 to 99.
* Today’s graph…
None of the fatalities were in nursing homes.
* On to questions for the governor. How long will school closings last…
We’ve set a deadline, a date by which we think that students would go back but I also think that parents should be contemplating the possibility that that might be extended.
* What is the threshold for a shelter in place order…
Look, my expertise is not as a scientist or as a doctor, and so epidemiologists as well as those who are experts in public health, are those who I rely upon both here in Illinois and there are we have some of the best in the world here in Illinois. And I’ve also called others around the nation, so that I can better understand what are the things that they’re looking at. Many of the people in this field are very very concerned that the United States is not doing enough. I think you’ve heard that on television and we you know we’ve when we talk about bending the curve we say it like everybody understands but what we’re talking about is making sure that we don’t end up in the situation that Italy is in.
So when I make decisions about this this is about how do we operate faster and better than Italy, and then other countries that have seen this, you know, grow exponentially for a very long period of time. […]
Suffice to say that we’re evaluating every day.
Graph…
* IRMA has a list on their website that will include all grocery stores adopting special shopping hours for senior citizens and other vulnerable populations. This will be updated frequently. Click here.
* Pritzker was asked about reopening closed hospitals and expanding beds…
There are two types of hospital beds that we’re looking for. One is the NIC badge I mean rooms. I, and the ability to serve the people that are in those rooms. So two types one is those who are COVID-19 positive, who need to be treated for COVID-19. And then there are those who have some other illness that they’re in the hospital for, and they will need a bed, and we’re trying hard to stand up more of both of those types of beds, the more that we can alleviate the existing infrastructure of non COVID-19, the more likely we are to be able to serve the vastly increasing population of those who are tested positive for COVID-19. So we are, as I say we’re reopening hospitals. We’re looking at all the hospitals right now inventorying how to reopen them so we’ve got people on site in many cases, looking at you know remember there’s plant and equipment that you have to turn on it isn’t just as easy as turning the lights on. And then we’ve also got to have the healthcare personnel to move into those hospitals to make sure that we’re serving people properly. And then there are existing surgery centers and other places that have the potential to provide beds for for people that that aren’t normally places that would just accept a COVID-19 or other kind of a patient so we’re again outfitting those folks but but they also have nurses and doctors that are on staff and so they have a little more capability to begin with. All together so we’re, we’re working hard with all the hospitals to and you know that you know we we no longer have elective surgeries, going into our hospitals so that alleviates many of the beds, and also frankly puts a financial burden on the hospitals themselves who, you know, subsidize other care by doing elective surgeries often so anyway that’s that’s a lot of what we’re looking at. And we’re going to continue to look at, even more expansion that may include things like literally building a field hospital in Illinois and in various places. We’re also looking at how do you alleviate some of the intake that goes on at a hospital for people who really don’t need a bed sometimes they are put in a bed anyway to, you know, or were a month ago or two months ago, how do we alleviate some of that who could really convalesce for example at home, and not be in the hospital, and just evaluating, you know what, what does that look like how do we encourage that.
* A front group for the anti-graduated tax forces demanded today that Pritzker pull the proposal off the ballot. Pritzker’s response…
I would just say this is not a time for politics. We have too much to do to save people’s lives. We’re not focusing on, you know, legislative initiatives, other than focus right now on what it will take to provide the health care, and the unemployment and the services that people will need in what is going to be an increasingly difficult moment for everybody.
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59% Of Illinois’ Dialysis Patients Are Minorities
Thursday, Mar 19, 2020 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
The Illinois Kidney Care Alliance (IKCA) is a coalition of organizations, community groups and advocates, health professionals, and businesses from across our state advocating for some of Illinois’ most vulnerable people — those who are living with kidney failure, and their families.
In Illinois, some 30,000 people are currently on life-saving dialysis or awaiting a transplant. Approximately 59% of dialysis patients in Illinois are people of color. The incidence rate of kidney failure is expected to rise in the U.S. over the next decade – and is higher among African-Americans, Latinos and people of color than among whites.
The Illinois Kidney Care Alliance supports and helps craft public policy that protects those suffering from kidney failure, ensuring that patients’ needs come first. The well-being of patients and their families is our top concern. For more information, follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and visit our website.
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* Oh, man…
The outbreak of the respiratory virus began in China and was quickly spread around the world by air travelers, who ran high fevers. In the United States, it was first detected in Chicago, and 47 days later the World Health Organization declared a pandemic. By then it was too late: 110 million Americans were expected to become ill, leading to 7.7 million hospitalized and 586,000 dead.
That scenario, code-named “Crimson Contagion,” was simulated by the Trump administration’s Department of Health and Human Services in a series of exercises that ran from last January to August.
The simulation’s sobering results — contained in a draft report dated October 2019 that has not previously been reported — drove home just how underfunded, underprepared and uncoordinated the federal government would be for a life-or-death battle with a virus for which no treatment existed.
The draft report, marked “not to be disclosed,” laid out in stark detail repeated cases of “confusion” in the exercise. Federal agencies jockeyed over who was in charge. State officials and local hospitals struggled to figure out what kind of equipment was stockpiled or available. Cities and states went their own way on school closings.
Go read the whole thing. The draft report is here. Chicago and Illinois participated in that exercise, but I don’t know if they were ever given the results.
* Politico…
President Donald Trump on Thursday put the onus on governors to obtain the critical equipment their states need to fight the coronavirus pandemic, telling reporters that the federal government is “not a shipping clerk” for the potentially life-saving supplies.
Appearing at the daily press briefing of the White House coronavirus task force, the president defended his decision to invoke the Defense Production Act — which would allow the administration to direct U.S. industry to ramp up production of emergency medical provisions — without actually triggering the statute.
“Governors are supposed to be doing a lot of this work, and they are doing a lot of this work,” Trump said. “The Federal government is not supposed to be out there buying vast amounts of items and then shipping. You know, we’re not a shipping clerk.”
The president’s remarks amounted to a rebuke of governors’ recent pleas for more robust federal intervention amid the rapidly spreading outbreak, which they warn will soon overwhelm local health care systems if hospital beds, face masks and other necessities are not soon furnished in significantly greater numbers.
*Hard sigh* As a buddy of mine just said, “There is an actual federal stockpile of things like PPE to ship to states. That is what they do.”
*** UPDATE *** Speaking of supplies, here’s the IHA…
The Illinois Health and Hospital Association (IHA) today issued a plea to the leaders of associations for the construction industry, dentists, veterinarians, and other groups that may be able to help the state’s more than 200 hospitals protect their healthcare workers as they care for COVID-19 patients. IHA is asking the organizations to donate face masks or N95s to their local hospitals.
“Hospitals all over the state are in jeopardy of potentially running out of critically needed protective medical supplies,” said Illinois Health and Hospital Association President and CEO A.J. Wilhelmi. “With continuing uncertainties about global and U.S. supplies of face masks, we urgently need to find alternative supplies, no matter where they are, so our hospitals can continue to provide life-saving care to current and future COVID-19 patients.”
The text of Wilhelmi’s message is as follows:
Subject: Illinois Hospitals Need Your Help - Request for Face Masks (N95s)
I am making an unusual, but critically important personal plea to you for help.
As you may be aware, Illinois hospitals and health systems are facing a critical shortage of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as they care for increasing numbers of patients with COVID-19. Yesterday, the number of COVID-19 cases in Illinois nearly doubled to 288. We anticipate that the number of cases will increase dramatically in the coming days and weeks, exhausting all the PPE at hospitals, including gowns, gloves, eye shields and, especially, medical masks (specifically, standard surgical masks and N95s, which have NIOSH or FDA approval, including expired N95s).
PPE is critical to protecting our frontline healthcare workforce from infection when testing and treating patients for COVID-19, keeping our dedicated physicians, nurses, technicians and others in our hospitals where they are needed most.
Earlier this week, you may have seen or heard that Vice President Mike Pence asked all construction companies to donate unused/packaged N95 masks to their local hospitals and to limit ordering more:
“We would make one specific request, and that is we would urge construction companies to donate their inventory of N95 masks to your local hospital and forgo additional orders of those industrial masks…Because of what the president asked to be included in legislation moving through the Congress, those industrial masks that they use on construction sites are perfectly acceptable for healthcare workers to be protected from a respiratory disease.” (See a news story on the Vice President’s remarks at a White House press conference)
In addition, there may be available N95 masks from dental offices or other healthcare facilities that have been temporarily shuttered because of the COVID-19 crisis.
On behalf of more than 200 hospitals and health systems across Illinois, I ask you to donate N95s to your local hospitals. We greatly appreciate any help you can provide to protect healthcare workers as they provide life-saving care to patients during this crisis. Thanks for considering, and please let me know if you have any questions or need more information.
* Meanwhile, here’s some headlines from the Tribune’s very good COVID-19 page…
Metra cuts weekday schedule in half as coronavirus causes deep ridership drop
Chicago police and paramedics just announced their first coronavirus cases. How are they dealing with COVID-19 on the front line?
Chicago orders coronavirus patients, people showing symptoms, to stay home
Suburban Cook County coronavirus cases rise to 75 with 17 new infections
Professional licenses expiration dates extended
Illinois General Assembly cancels session
Lightfoot addressing the public tonight in broadcast from City Hall
Illinois unemployment claims skyrocket as coronavirus pandemic causes workplaces to shut down
As day cares shut down, parents must juggle child care and working from home
ER doctors at Rush Oak Park Hospital test positive for coronavirus as village issues ‘shelter in place’ order
* SJ-R…
Springfield COVID-19 updates: Closings, cancellations, help available
* This is not good, but it’s going to happen in lots more places, so prepare yourself…
One staff member at the Church Creek senior living center in Arlington Heights has contracted the COVID-19 coronavirus, the center said Wednesday.
* Sun-Times…
Labor leaders in the Chicago area and nationally Thursday urged private employers to pay workers during furloughs and called for federal legislation to ensure the continued flow of money and benefits to people — and not corporations — as the nation’s economic paralysis spreads because of the pandemic.
“Workers are making sacrifices right now,” said Robert Reiter Jr., president of the Chicago Federation of Labor. “We cannot let those sacrifices be in vain.”
He called on private employers to help their staffs. “This is a time when folks have to step up,” Reiter said.
Also, click here for an informational thread on prisoner release.
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Question of the day
Thursday, Mar 19, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* As I told you earlier today, the entire Georgia state legislature is under self-quarantine after a member showed up to vote who later tested positive for COVID-19.
From a press release…
U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Rob Portman (R-OH) today introduced a bipartisan resolution to amend the Standing Rules of the Senate to allow senators to vote remotely during a national crisis. … The Senate would have to vote to renew remote voting every 30 days.
* This is the passage in the Illinois Constitution which most people believe prevents remote voting by the General Assembly…
Sessions of each house of the General Assembly and meetings of committees, joint committees and legislative commissions shall be open to the public. Sessions and committee meetings of a house may be closed to the public if two-thirds of the members elected to that house determine that the public interest so requires; and meetings of joint committees and legislative commissions may be so closed if two-thirds of the members elected to each house so determine.
* A very able attorney and lobbyist who’s been around a while counsels against reinterpreting that passage with legislation to allow remote voting or taking a two-thirds vote to close public access…
Do I think there’s a way to legislate without being in Springfield? Yes.
Do I think it’s a good idea at this point? No.
Please don’t think I’m saying they should run down and vote on random things. But I think, at this point, they should work out what is essential, what needs to be voted on, and then if they need to vote, structure a roll call and go vote. Then every person who is there is quarantined for 14 days.
To have a truly functioning government - at least a democratic one - you have to ensure the public has access to their public officials in some capacity. And you have to have at least the appearance that government is functioning and working when everyone isn’t. In the coming weeks people will be looking at their local leaders in a way they never have before.
If every member of the GA self-quarantined as of last week when they were told to, they could go to Springfield in 8-10 days. And then leave and re-quarantine for 14 days when they leave.
Except lots didn’t self-quarantine. And if they don’t anticipate every problem that’s going to come up between now and May 31, they’ll have to come back.
* The Question: Should the General Assembly authorize secure remote voting (which would require one trip to Springfield, followed by a self-quarantine), or should the minimum number for a quorum come to Springfield once, vote on a limited agenda and then go home and self-quarantine until it is safe to return? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please…
online polls
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Please, stop spreading COVID-19 rumors
Thursday, Mar 19, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Nash Naam, an Effingham hand surgeon, writing in the Effingham Daily News…
Last week I was in Egypt. After returning, I elected to stay home for 14 days as per the CDC recommendations. Now, the rumor across the area is that I have the coronavirus infection, which is totally and unequivocally not true. But no matter what you do, you can’t stop rumors like this.
These rumors have to stop or we’re going to drive ourselves insane and people will definitely be hurt.
Keep calm and be smart.
I ran some errands the other day and a receptionist was complaining that the city of Champaign was seizing guns. I told her it isn’t happening. She defiantly refused to believe me, even though I do this for a living. It’s not happening.
* The mere introduction of this ordinance prompted tons of rumors this week that Springfield would be shut down…
In Springfield, officials introduced a measure this week to allow the mayor to declare an emergency and establish a curfew.
It won’t even be voted on until next Tuesday. Could it happen then? Maybe. The mayor should be explaining things better.
I heard one rumor a few days ago that all access to Springfield would be immediately sealed off. Um, no.
Please, calm down, people. Maybe get off Facebook for a while. My life was dramatically improved by simply deleting that app from my phone. I still access it with my desktop computer, but it feels less stressful. At the least, cull your friend list. And do your part by sending the rumor mongers to Snopes or the CDC or the state’s new website or reputable local news outlets.
Don’t retweet or post things on Facebook without first checking the source. If it’s someone with a rose next to their name or those big red X’s with 20 followers, that’s a pretty good indication you need to move along. Verify, verify, verify and block or call out the mongers.
* Speaking of local media outlets, particularly the TV stations: Stop posting scary, half-true click-bait headlines. This is a scary time. Scary headlines can’t be avoided. But scary coronavirus headlines that needlessly generate panic with half-true claims should be avoided.
WICS TV, which has been the absolute worst at clickbait tweets, has finally calmed itself down in recent days. Everyone needs to do the same.
Just please use some common sense. Thanks. /rant
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Act like you’re already a carrier
Thursday, Mar 19, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* AJC…
All of Georgia’s state lawmakers were urged Wednesday to self-isolate themselves for weeks after a state senator who participated in a Monday vote disclosed he tested positive for the disease caused by coronavirus.
State Sen. Brandon Beach said he was screened for the disease Saturday when he sought medical attention for a cough and mild fever, but that the test results didn’t arrive until Wednesday.
In between, the Alpharetta Republican said he felt healthy enough to join dozens of legislators, staff members and reporters for a one-day special legislative session at the Capitol to grant Gov. Brian Kemp broad powers to respond to the pandemic.
The positive test triggered emails from Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan and House Speaker David Ralston recommending that all 236 state lawmakers, as well as dozens of staffers from both chambers, quarantine themselves through March 30.
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* We’ve already talked about how Sen. Dave Syverson and Rep. John Cabello, both Winnebago County Republicans, are upset at Gov. Pritzker’s order to shut down bars and restaurants.
They’ve been harshly criticized by other local leaders, but they’re sticking to their opposition. Here’s Richard Bodee at WREX…
We asked both Sen. Syverson and Rep. Cabello about their thoughts on social distancing, the preferred method the CDC recommends people use.
“It’s not for me to question the medical experts who say that,” Sen. Syverson says. “Do the [right] things, wash your hands, social distance.”
“If the people who want to open their business, keep it open, we should let them do that,” Rep. Cabello says.
We tried to ask Cabello if he stood by that, even if it meant hurting people who are immunocompromised.
“I’m not a doctor,” Cabello says.
OK, you’re not doctors. How about listening to some doctors?
…Adding… Some advice from actual doctors…
* Rep. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) initially questioned the need for parade cancellations and the restaurant/tavern shutdowns and implied that the virus was a Chicago problem so the measures shouldn’t be applied to the entire state and also wondered if the governor actually had the power to take his actions. Well, the Eastern Bloc member has completely changed his tone. From a March 16 press release…
State Rep. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) continues to monitor the on-going situation with the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation in Illinois. At the daily press briefing by Governor JB Pritzker, 105 cases have been confirmed in Illinois including those who have recovered, and two more counties have identified people who tested positive for the COVID-19, Peoria and Will.
“We need to continue to use common sense with personal hygiene and limiting the size of groups we are congregating around,” commented Rep. Bailey. “According to the Illinois Department of Public Health director, the most vulnerable people for experiencing the harshest reactions to the virus are the elderly, pregnant women, and those with compromised immune systems.”
The Illinois Department of Public Health announced 12 new cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) across Illinois, on Monday, bringing the total to 105 in Illinois. No cases have been announced in the 109th District, as testing progresses, this is likely to change. We should expect this and it is not a reason for panic.
*** UPDATE *** WMAY…
The new Republican nominee for U.S. Senate questions whether the state and national response to the coronavirus pandemic has gone too far.
Appearing live on WMAY, former Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran, Jr. said if he were in the Senate, he would be asking whether it’s really necessary to shut down large numbers of businesses and make people stay at home… or whether those efforts should have been focused on just those who are most vulnerable to the virus. Curran admits he doesn’t have all the answers… but says there should have been more discussion about the measures being taken.
Everyone is vulnerable to this virus. Saying stuff like that is the exact sort of thing which encourages young people to crowd beaches.
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* Fran Spielman…
Indicted Ald. Edward Burke (14th) has already been stripped of his two biggest power bases: chairman of the City Council’s Finance Committee and head of judicial slatemaking for the Cook County Democratic Party.
Now, he’s lost the one job he has held the longest: 14th Ward Democratic committeeperson.
State Rep. Aaron Ortiz, whose 2018 victory over Burke’s brother Dan was the beginning of the end for the Burke family dynasty, declared victory over Edward Burke in a three-way race. Burke has held the committeeperson job since his father’s death in 1968.
Ortiz got 40.4% of the vote to Burke’s 32.8%. Alicia Elena Martinez got 26.7%, with 29 out of 31 precincts reporting. She was widely viewed as a candidate put up by Burke to divide the vote and pave the way for his re-election.
Martinez didn’t do much of anything and raised no money. She passed one piece of literature that played up her family ties to police. Burke should’ve thrown her a few bucks.
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* UFCW Local 881…
As Illinois and the nation enters the first week of unprecedented shutdowns of government and private business, the hardworking members of Local 881 United Food and Commercial Workers remain on the front lines of the societal and economic crisis that COVID-19 presents.
Staffing hundreds of grocery stores and pharmacies across Illinois and Northwest Indiana, Local 881 UFCW members are providing a vital link to millions of families who need to access food, prescriptions, and household products that allow them to stay home safely and help flatten the curve. Local 881 UFCW members are putting in thousands of hours at risk to their own health, to ensure stores remain stocked and sanitized, and will remain on the leading edge of the state’s response to this health crisis.
Local 881 UFCW staff and leadership have been in constant communication with our employer partners, government officials at all levels, and our membership to advocate for member’s safety and rights during this time. We are particularly thankful to have strong and responsive leaders like Governor Pritzker, Mayor Lightfoot, and the members of our Congressional delegation who are approaching this crisis with the needs of working families first and foremost.
To that end, Local 881 UFCW President and International Vice President, Steve Powell, today released the following list of requests to local, state, and federal leadership in Illinois:
· Grocery, retail, and pharmacy Union members are staffing the front lines of this public health crisis. As we have witnessed the demand for food and supplies reach unprecedented levels, our hardworking men and women are working tirelessly to meet the needs of the Illinois citizens. I ask that Local 881 workers be designated as first responders and be recognized as the essential workers they are in the midst of this crisis.
· In the event of local travel restrictions or curfews, I request that Local 881 members be given permission and protection in order to safely commute to and from their work locations in order to perform their essential jobs by showing proof of employment or their Union membership card.
· In light of the recent guidelines limiting gathering and event sizes, I ask you to provide a more comprehensive plan that protects our workers and community within stores by providing crowd control measures or specific limits to the number of people allowed in stores at any given time. We continue to call on our employers to provide protective measures and supplies to all members who are working in the stores, particularly those in the check-outs, who are coming into contact with hundreds of customers in an average shift.
· We are calling on the Illinois Congressional delegation to do the right thing by amending the Families First Coronavirus Response Act to recognize our country’s grocery, retail, and food processing workers as first responders. We ask that they use the federal relief legislation to guarantee that all of these workers receive at least two weeks of paid leave. This will ensure that our members can continue to serve their communities without having to choose between their health and their paycheck.
* Rosemary Sobol and Alice Yin at the Tribune…
Chicago Public Library will close most but not all of its locations, drawing the ire of the union representing municipal employees who demanded all libraries be closed.
CPL made the announcement Wednesday night, saying they were making the reductions in 61 locations to ensure the health and safety of residents. Twenty libraries, including Harold Washington Library, will remain open. The closures will begin at the end of Saturday, March 21.
“Chicago libraries serve as social safety nets for our communities – where our young people become lifelong learners and technology centers connect our residents to the world,” Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot said in the statement. “Although some libraries will close to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, we know residents and neighborhoods will continue to need access to the resources they provide.”
* AFSCME Council 31…
This afternoon, the union was informed that the city intends to keep 20 library branches open despite the coronavirus pandemic and has directed “all full-time direct public service staff” to continue to report to work. AFSCME Council 31 Executive Director Roberta Lynch issued this statement in response:
“Our union recognizes the vital role that our city’s public libraries play in educating children, expanding knowledge and building community connections. But those valuable collective assets must be balanced against the urgent need to protect the health and well-being of library patrons and employees and help contain the spread of the coronavirus.
“Libraries are highly social venues which by their very nature contravene the directives for social distancing that have come from every reputable public health authority. The benefits of keeping even a reduced number of libraries open cannot justify the risks involved at a time when both the governor and mayor have stressed the urgency of preventing community transmission to slow this pandemic. The American Library Association has called for nationwide closures and countless cities have complied.
“The heart and soul of our libraries are the staff who welcome, assist and uplift patrons of every age and background every day. CPL will not be able to fulfill its mission if those employees are fearful and feeling abandoned by those who should be concerned with their well-being.
“AFSCME is calling for all CPL branches to be closed to the public. At the same time, we stand ready to work with the Administration to expand electronic access to library resources, staff and programs during this crisis.”
Thoughts?
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* NPR…
Public health officials encourage “social distancing” now but they also worry it is leading to a shortage of donated blood.
The American Red Cross, which supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood, says donor drives across the country have been cancelled “at an alarming rate” and the organization now faces a “severe blood shortage.”
“In really good times we may have five days of inventory available for our hospital clients and now we’re running at a day or day-and-a-half in some cases,” says Chris Hrouda, president of Biomedical Services for the Red Cross.
As of Tuesday, the Red Cross says about 2,700 blood drives had been canceled because of concerns about people gathering at workplaces, college campuses and schools — all places where drives typically take place. The organization estimates that’s resulted in 86,000 fewer blood donations because 80% of the blood it collects comes from drives held at these locations.
* Tribune…
Vitalant, which collects blood from donors across the country, has seen 10 blood donation drives canceled in the Chicago area in recent days over fears about COVID-19. Vitalant typically holds about six or seven drives a day in the Chicago area, said Eva Quinley, Vitalant regional director.
Vitalant has also seen a 30% to 40% drop-off in donations in recent days, she said.
“Vitalant has now had almost 1,000 units of blood canceled in the past two days and expect more,” Quinley said in an email Thursday. “We are going to have an unprecedented blood shortage.”
* The House Republicans are helping spread the word…
Heh.
* I’m not allowed to donate blood because I lived on a military base in Germany in 1980 with my parents. The military bought beef at the time that wasn’t screened for Mad Cow Disease (remember that?).
But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give blood if you possibly can.
So, click here to locate your local Red Cross blood donation center and get over there as quickly as you can. Thanks!
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