* Rather than simply repeating the local mayor’s incendiary words, the SJ-R is finally starting to talk to medical professionals…

Springfield and Sangamon County officials told bar and restaurant owners to operate as they had been through the weekend. Officials are set to announce Tuesday how they plan to implement Pritzker’s mitigation order.

But local health officials are sounding the alarm. Dr. Raj Govindaiah, chief medical officer for Memorial Health System, said that the virus is “spreading so rapidly right now” that mitigations will help, but it would likely be at least two to three weeks before rates start trending down under the best circumstances.

“The surge is in our community right now,” Govindaiah said. “And instead of asking me what I’m doing, I’m going to ask the community, what is it doing? Because I can only do so much. I cannot create enough hospital beds for everyone in central Illinois if they all get sick at the same time.”

Govindaiah said Memorial currently has the highest number of COVID-19 patients it has had at any point during the pandemic, approaching 100 patients. Last month, it was 60. The month before, 30. […]

Govindaiah said mitigation measures imposed by Pritzker would be effective if people followed them, noting that the highest risk exposures occur when people are eating and drinking in close proximity for prolonged periods of time.

* The message might be getting through…

Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell said he’s been in constant communication with Springfield Mayor Jim Langfelder, Springfield Police, and the Sangamon County Department of Public Health for guidance on enforcement so they can all be on the same page.

Campbell said he wants to do what safe for community, but also remain fair to business owners.

“We have the ability to warn people if they’re not socially distancing or they don’t have their mask on,” Campbell said. “We have the ability to cite them if there is a clear violation. So, we will continue to use that type of discretion when it comes to enforcement.”

Langfelder’s office released a statement, stating a joint press briefing will take place on Tuesday afternoon at the Sangamon County Department of Public Health.

Springfield is a massive regional medical center. The mayor has often said he wants to attract more health care-related businesses. That’s a great idea. But COVID denialism ain’t the way to do it.

* Winnebago County’s public health officials are spitting into the wind right now. The county’s positivity rate is 14.9 percent, but too many area leaders seem wholly unconcerned…

One of the most intense election cycles in recent memory will come to a head Tuesday night, and few things would feel better than to celebrate political success — or mourn a defeat — with family and friends.

Don’t do it.

That’s the advice from Winnebago County Health Department Administrator Sandra Martell and Mayor Tom McNamara. […]

Once such event was planned for Monday night at Fozzy’s Bar & Grill, which announced on its Facebook page that it would host state Rep. John Cabello’s election eve rally, along with Sheriff Gary Caruana, Loves Park Mayor Greg Jury and state Sen. Dave Syverson. Fozzy’s offered free food to the first 100 people in the door. […]

Contacted Monday, Cabello expressed little concern about the transmission of COVID-19.

Fozzy’s Bar & Grill was issued its “4th Order of Closure” on October 28th. And yet it’s still open and defiant because the local authorities won’t cooperate with public health officials. Also, that wasn’t just free food, it was a free buffet. A buffet. In a pandemic. Nothing to see here. Move along.

* East Peoria’s mayor gets some blowback…

The Tazewell County Health Department and East Peoria officials are at odds over Gov. JB Pritzker’s order for tighter COVID-19 restrictions in Region 2, which includes the Tri-County Area.

Shortly after the governor issued the order on Sunday, East Peoria Mayor John Kahl said in a Facebook post that the city will not be enforcing those orders. On Monday, the Tazewell County Health Department posted a scathing reply, via its own Facebook page.

“While we appreciate an elected official can do as he/she sees fit for their community, no official, including Mayor Kahl, has had a recent conversation with TCHD or been given permission to speak for the health department on this developing issue. … Denying that COVID-19 is real, disregarding the mitigations and ignoring strong public health guidance for safety only makes COVID worsen in our community and does nothing to get us back to normal or slow infection in our community,” the post read.

* Peoria’s mayor urged caution…

On Monday, Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis said he had fielded a slew of emails suggesting he also thumb his nose at Pritzker.

“Some of those emails said I should tell the governor to go and pound salt,” Ardis said. “And those were the nice ones.”

But Ardis said he not only did not have the legal standing to shrug off the order, but he also did not want to prod any Peoria businesses into putting themselves at risk.

“No mayor in the state has the authority to override the governor’s executive order unless the court decides otherwise,” he said. “We shouldn’t give businesses a false sense of security that the state won’t come in and enforce the governor’s (executive order) and potentially revoke their liquor and gaming licenses.”

* Park Ridge is cracking down…

Park Ridge restaurants that defy the governor’s indoor dining ban and continue to serve customers inside are being fined daily, a city official said.

Between Thursday and Sunday, the city issued three restaurants a total of $1,750 in fines for continued non-compliance with the governor’s order, said Jim Brown, director of community preservation and development.

The restaurants were fined $250 for the first violation and $500 for subsequent violations, Brown said.

Daily fines of $500 “will continue as long as they remain open,” the director said, adding that the city is also exploring other options, such reporting the establishments to the county and state health departments or recommending a suspension of their liquor licenses.

“No one is happy about enforcing this,” Mayor Marty Maloney said during a virtual meeting of the Park Ridge City Council Monday. “We’re all in this situation, playing the hand we’re dealt.”

* Meanwhile…

Also raising concerns is Lincoln Mayor Tracy Welch, who in a Facebook post said he’s “adamant that our bars and restaurants cannot withstand another lengthy shutdown and I will do everything in my power to see that they survive.”

He said there have been discussions with the police chief and the city “will not take any action against a business that chooses to remain open unless there is a judicial order.”

“I will not revoke or suspend the liquor license for any establishment that chooses to remain open and serve alcohol,” he said.

If people just worked the program, there would be no need for a lengthy cessation of indoor service. The resisters are making it worse for everyone else.