* From Gov. Pritzker’s news media briefing today…
Will the state take any additional steps to enforce the stay at home order now that more county sheriffs are refusing to step in?…
You’ve heard us talk about that yesterday. So the answer is, I’d refer everybody to what I said yesterday about the fact that not only should people follow this, but there will be consequences. Also know that there were leaders in the legal community this morning that spoke about the challenges that will be brought to those local law enforcement to local governments and to businesses that are open, because they’re putting people at risk, they’re making their communities unsafe, and they’ll be subject to liability as a result.
* Illinois Sheriffs’ Association…
Illinois Sheriffs have been elected by their local citizens to keep their communities safe, a trust that every sheriff and sworn law enforcement officer holds dear. It is outrageous that the Governor is threatening retaliation against these leaders and the men and women of their offices. He is insulting heroic police officers, corrections officers and local voters.
*** UPDATE *** The Association’s president is Wayne County Sheriff Mike Everett. That’s the home of Fairfield’s Barb Wire Grill.
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* From the House Democratic Women’s Caucus…
Speaker Madigan:
The House Democratic Women’s Caucus has established an elections work group, chaired by Representative Katie Stuart, with members Representative Carol Ammons, Representative Deb Conroy, Representative Terra Costa-Howard, Representative Eva Dina Delgado, Representative Mary Edly-Allen, Representative Robyn Gabel, Representative Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz, Representative LaToya Greenwood, Representative Diane Pappas, and Representative Ann Williams. As we prepare to return to Springfield and vote on legislation that will impact the 2020 General Election, we request to be included in discussions about any legislation and that our suggestions be considered for inclusion in any bill.
There is much discussion about Illinois adopting a mandatory vote-by-mail (VBM) program; however, with less than 6 months to go, it has become clear that our election authorities are neither equipped nor financially able to mail a ballot to every elector. However, there are many steps we can take to encourage and facilitate greater participation in VBM and early voting for this upcoming election while we continue to work toward a statewide VBM program. In the meanwhile, the House Democratic Women’s Caucus has designated a top priority for the General Assembly to consider the for the 2020 General Election:
Make Election Day a state holiday. This requires all government and schools to close on November 3rd for the election. This allows election authorities the ability to use the schools. The bill can include language that subject to availability of federal funds, election authorities can seek reimbursement from the State Board of Elections to cover the costs of deep cleaning the facilities.
In addition, the Caucus suggests the General Assembly also consider the following changes for the 2020 General Election. The items below have been identified as high priority by the members of the Caucus, as such, should we not be able to have them included in legislation for our return next week, they will remain as priority items for our caucus and we request they be considered during subsequent sessions.
1. Require election authorities to send applications to individuals who have previously participated in an election. Any person who has requested a ballot, whether in person or via VBM, in the past X elections will be sent an application.
2. Conduct a campaign to encourage VBM. Require State Board of Elections (SBE) to do follow up mailers to those who received applications, those who newly register, and those who interact with the State. Another idea is to require state agencies to include language encouraging people to register to vote and vote prior to election day, either by mail or in person.
3. Allow new registrants to automatically request a VBM. This saves a step for new registrants. It requires the SBE to include a checkbox on the online registration form and transmit to the election authority (this should not be difficult).
4. Allow for curbside voting. Give election authorities the ability to assign 2 election judges to go to a car and allow a person to vote, typically via VBM. This will ensure people who cannot physically go into a polling location have a chance to vote, and provide a safety net in the event in person voting on election day becomes too dangerous.
5. Allow people to begin submitting applications for VBM now. Under current law a person cannot apply until August 5th. If we expedite the beginning, we have more time to urge people to apply for a VBM and more time to track down those who haven’t applied for a ballot.
6. Give DPH or local health departments authority to establish safety rules for in person voting. The bill can include language that, subject to availability of federal funds, local public health departments or election authorities can seek reimbursement for costs associated with providing PPE or cleaning supplies to election authorities.
7. Clarify that election authorities can begin processing, but not tabulating, VBM ballots before Election Day. Clarify that Section 19-8 allows election authorities to take all steps necessary to prepare and process returned VBMs, except actually tabulate the vote. The purpose is to make it clear they can conduct as much of the process in advance, without disrupting the integrity of the final ballot.
8. Allow election authorities to establish an election day voting center that would permit any elector to vote. This would be an exception to the in-precinct voting rule but provide a possible backup if a polling location is closed or lines are too long.
9. Require a panel of 3 election judges to review each VBM and require 2/3 in order to invalidate any VBM. This ensures both political parties have someone reviewing and signing off on any rejections. The language could establish a presumption that the VBM is valid unless it clearly lacks the requirements (e.g. no signature, already voted)
10. Create an election judge recruitment program. Create a program that encourages people to serve as election judges in the hopes we can fill the various spots and keep older, more vulnerable individuals from having to serve as judges. A few things that can be included, all limited to the 2020 election: (1) allow anyone 16 or over to serve as an election judge; (2) require high schools and colleges to provide notice to students of the opportunity to serve as an election judge and encourage participation; (3) require IDES to provide notice to any individual collecting unemployment of the opportunity to serve as an election judge during the early voting period and on election day; (4) require businesses to give employees serving as election judges paid leave paid leave to serve as election judge; (5) require constitutional amendment booklet to include notice about voter registration, requesting a VBM, and serving as an election judge.
The House Democratic Women’s Caucus intends to be active over the coming months and will be providing the public with information about the 2020 General Election. We look forward to working with you and your staff as we move forward.
Thoughts?
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Don’t believe everything you read
Thursday, May 14, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Madison - St. Clair County Record…
State police stormed a Carlyle bar and shut it down on May 8, according to a complaint challenging Gov. JB Pritzker’s virus order.
Dookie’s Set sued Pritzker in Clinton County court on May 11, asserting that he didn’t identify his constitutional power to seize control. […]
In the complaint for Dookie’s, [attorney Thomas DeVore] alleges that deeming the bar a health risk was arbitrary and capricious.
He wrote that at no time did the local health department investigate Dookie’s regarding suspicion of contamination with any infectious disease. […]
He wrote that before 1 a.m. on May 8, “eight armed Illinois state troopers stormed Dookie’s premises.”
“When one of the state troopers curtly asked Dookie’s why it was reopening in violation of Pritzker’s order, the owner told the trooper he needed to feed his family,” he wrote.
“At no time prior to storming Dookie’s premises did the state police advise the Clinton County sheriff’s department of its intentions.”
* I checked in with the Illinois State Police…
On May 8, 2020, ISP District 11 was notified by the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office that the Dookie Set located in Carlyle, IL was open and operating. ISP responded to the business and took the approach that ISP has taken consistently throughout this crisis – talking with the owner about the importance of the executive orders in protecting the public health by preventing the spread of COVID-19. ISP provided the owner with documents, including a cease and desist order.
In responding to calls about open bars, ISP works with the Illinois Liquor Control Commission which has authority to take action on the state liquor license of an establishment found to be unlawfully operating. The ILCC’s cease and desist order affords a licensed liquor establishment the opportunity to come into compliance before the ILCC moves forward with due process which, in this type of instance, could include imposition of a fine, or revocation or suspension of the establishment’s state liquor license issued by the ILCC.
The ISP will continue to act as community caretakers, working to educate citizens and businesses about the critical importance of the Stay and Home Executive Order in preventing the spread COVID-19 and urging voluntary compliance. While the goal is voluntary compliance, citizens should be aware that non-compliance with the Executive Order can result in criminal and civil sanctions.
So, they didn’t come storming in without notifying the county sheriff. And of course they were armed. They were on duty. Who would expect otherwise? Also, this was about the liquor commission, not the public health department.
* I hope this guy doesn’t get anyone hurt…
Just truly stupid advice.
* On a lighter note, here’s a gift idea for Eastern Bloc members as they prepare to return to session next week…
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* The governor started with an update on unemployment insurance. Click here and scroll down to the update for more info.
On to questions. On the IDPH website as of today, all regions are currently meeting the state’s metrics to move to the next phase of reopening May 29, I believe, obviously, this might change, but can you confirm that that is the case, including the Northeast Region?…
Every region is so far meeting all the metrics. Remember that they need to go through a time period and there needs to be an averaging of those metrics during that time period. You can see all the metrics on the IDPH website, but that is true and that on the website you can see that Chicago and the region surrounding Chicago has now dropped dropped below 20%, in terms of positivity rate and that’s a gating factor for moving into the next phase.
Remember to pardon all transcription errors.
* Why should counties and cities, they feel as if they’re being punished by being lumped in with Cook County. The Suburbs want to separate. I’ve spoken to several mayors, we’ve also seen several law enforcement, Kane county a couple of different counties are saying they’re going to ignore the rules, what any wiggle room any tweaking of the plan to let some of these regions perhaps be redesigned?…
You know the last question sort of begins to answer this question. The answer to the last question does anyway you can see that every region is poised, if it maintains the metrics that attempt now to move into phase three in a few short days, I mean literally we’re talking about 14 days. So I think it’s useful though to note that, look, you could have drawn regions in virtually any which way and I’ve said it before, but I want you to pay attention to the reason that we drew the regions, as we did.
Start with the fact that people who live in one area don’t necessarily stay in that one area the entire time. They travel outside of the county that they’re in or the city that they’re in and the immediate area and they do that frequently and so we had to account for that as we were drawing regions. Secondly, IDPH uses 11 EMS regions. We asked our medical teams to kind of give us their feedback about how the regions interact with one another and, when they need to move around resources and how do those regions interact. They came back to us and told us that these are the pairings of regions and that worked well together. And then finally, there’s almost any way to draw this map, there are people you know who live in one area who say, Gee, I don’t know anybody who’s been who’s contracted COVID-19, and therefore, you know, my little area should be led out of some region. But the reality is this is about healthcare resources and making sure that if something bad happens like a surge. [And then his wifi cut out.]
* Will the state take any additional steps to enforce the stay at home order now that more County Sheriff’s are refusing to step in?…
You’ve heard us talk about that yesterday. So the answer is, I’d refer everybody to what I said yesterday about the fact that not only should people follow this, but there will be consequences. Also know that there were leaders in the legal community this morning that spoke about the challenges that will be brought to those local law enforcement to local governments and to businesses that are open, because they’re putting people at risk, they’re making their communities unsafe, and they’ll be subject to liability as a result.
* Leader Brady from Bloomington is asking for perhaps a meeting to sit down, wants to have hearings wants to play a role in the Restore act, a public hearing….
Well, as you know, not only am I isolated right now because of the COVID-19 positive case in our office, but nobody is really getting together in groups of 10 or more. It’s against our stay at Home Rule. And so I’m very happy to have conversations with members of the opposite party, and with members of the General Assembly. And I’ve been doing so every single day. Indeed, Leader Brady has my number, I speak with him quite frequently. So there’s no lack of communication. He knows where I stand, I’ve answered questions, my staff has answered questions. His members have had, we’ve you know responded by giving data and information whenever asked so not sure what he’s missing out on. It sounds like grandstanding to me.
…Adding… From Leader Brady…
My caucus and I take the lives of our residents, and their livelihood, seriously. The public has a right to know how the decisions impacting their lives are being made. This is not about grandstanding; this is about transparency.
* Amy Jacobsen WIND radio says more and more county leaders and local mayors are disregarding your plan to reopen or moving ahead with their own plans. You and Mayor Lightfoot are threatening to use force to ensure compliance, but at the same time, you’ve released 1000 inmates from prison including 64 convicted murderers. Do you see the disconnect between these two positions? And with the cases in prisons leveling off, will you then be returning those inmates?…
Well that’s a loaded question if I ever heard one. Let’s start with this. Nobody is, you know, sending police forces in to break up activity across the state. What we are doing is enforcing, using lots of different methods by enforcing using our licensing capability and our ability to pull licenses for businesses. We’re using our ability to make sure that that you know the towns that are following this and funded properly and those that don’t, don’t. And so there are lots of ways in which we can enforce we will continue to work on that enforcement. And we would just once again suggest I would suggest towns and leaders elected leaders do your job. Lead. Be the person that they elected, who is supposed to be protecting your community, don’t fall prey to the rhetoric that’s out there that says oh let’s just open up this virus doesn’t affect anybody like me. You’re wrong.
* Are the requirements for favorable positivity rates for 14 days and hospital admissions for 28 days ironclad. In other words, in the midst of this. There is one bad day, does it do reset the clock to zero, or do they have to go another 14, or 28, without a hitch [the reporter should check the IDPH website, but whatevs]…
You can. There can be days and there are days in which the other metrics are above or inaccurate or above the caps that are set. This is about averaging over a period of time in a given region. If there is a county with bad numbers, will it go ahead and move to the next phase, with its fellow counties in that region. In other words, let’s say Scott County, had a really bad potential positivity rate, but the rest of the central region was okay with Scott go ahead and move up because it is included in the region with the better numbers. Remember that this is about health care regions and the availability of health care. Look at each of those metrics. You’ll take note of what we were attempting here. And so I would just remind everybody that, yes, there will be some areas that will be a bigger hotspot than another area within a region. We didn’t want to hold back a region because there’s one hotspot. What we do want to do is make sure everybody in that region has access to healthcare. Remember, in addition to the COVID-19 patients go into hospitals, we also have people who have heart attacks, people who have gunshot wounds. People have other medical needs that need to go in the hospital so we’re trying to make sure that healthcare is available to everybody, even while so many people are being hospitalized for getting sick from COVID-19.
* Businesses looking to open at the end of the month for your phases need to know what the guidance will be. When will that guidance be available so that they can notify suppliers what goods and [garbled] they need to open?…
So we have been working with industry leaders across the state, industry leaders in each of the many industries that exist in the state of Illinois. We’ve also asked industry to provide us with their best ideas about how to keep our patrons and their employees safe. And so all of that is being worked on now and we’ll certainly probably over the next two weeks or so be releasing the information that will be useful to people in each and every of those industries and where there might be something unusual situation that’s unique. Perhaps we want those people to come forward and seek guidance and IDPH will provide.
* A 12 year old Chicago boy is the youngest to die from COVID in Cook County, did have underlying conditions. Any advice for parents who may be concerned when they hear this news?…
Dr. Ezike: I’m sure every parent, everybody in Illinois is saddened to hear this news. Of course every, every life loss is a tragedy, but it is somehow just more emotional when it’s a child just at the beginning of their life. I know that there’s no way that we can predict who will have some of these most severe outcomes. I just, I think that’s why we’re trying so hard to work on the prevention and just try to limit the amount of people that get infected. Please remember that this is a continuum. We know the virus is there, we can’t change it or we can affect the number of people who can’t track the virus and that’s why staying at home. It does save lives in itself, it buys us time to learn more about this disease, and to hopefully find some cures buys time to have a slower rate of infection so that more people might have antibodies, we really just want to slow the progression down and that means slowing the death. I can’t do anything to necessarily stop every death but you can’t blame us for trying, and I again for parents out there again, the same methods, stay at home as much as possible. If you’re out please try to maintain the social distancing the physical distancing the six feet, wear a mask, clean frequently touch surfaces. Don’t forget about the emphasis on washing our hands for at least 20 seconds with soap. If using hand sanitizer is a percentage of at least 60% alcohol, all of these things will help decrease the number of fatalities that we will see, they sound mundane, but they are tried and true and will work.
The next question had a bad audio connection and the answer was too garbled to post. Sorry.
* Is it true there are confirmed cases of COVID-19 tracked back to the recent open up Illinois rally at the Thompson center. Does anyone know if that is correct?…
Dr. Ezike: I don’t have that information but I can try to see if I can assemble that for tomorrow if that is no.
* Hospital staff have told him that a number of cases where individuals who tested positive refused to be admitted, despite urging, what is the protocol?…
Dr. Ezike: We cannot force individuals to be hospitalized. People can refuse hospitalization just like they can refuse to be transported, even when 911 is called. If someone wants to leave the hospital in the middle of their stay, they can leave against medical advice. So again, I want to say that they would still continue to be tracked by the local public health department in terms of following up on symptoms, we would still do the contact tracing to identify people who they may have been in contact with it that hasn’t been done, but we can’t keep people in the hospital against their will.
* Is it true that Chicago hospitals originally plan to take down their drive up testing temps. They’re now changing that plan because there has been an uptick in cases…
Dr. Ezike: I cannot speak to that. I don’t have that information.
* Can you clarify some statements you made yesterday about looking forward to meeting up with legislators in Springfield. When is your self isolation over, how will you meet with the leaders and do you plan to get another test before you go?…
Well right now my staff and I are isolating is at home as you know and we’re working with IDPH to determine how long we have to do this.
I’d like to return to Springfield, probably, mid late next week for the opportunity to be there during session. But I just need to get sign off from the experts, from the doctors.
And what would that look like would you be in your governor’s office and would people be coming in or would it be zoom meetings, how do you envision that?
I think, you know, I’d be taking the same precautions that I generally do during this pandemic. I’ll spend time in my office. I’ll sleep overnight at the executive residence. So, it’ll be I think reasonably, or at least you know those two locations are reasonably well known to everybody, where I would spend time so you know that’s where you’d find me.
* As of yesterday we were about to surpass Queens County as the worst. The most cases nationwide. Just checking in, if we did surpass that and also if there’s any lessons to be had from Queens County since they’re kind of going on a downward trajectory now…
Dr. Ezike: I just want to make sure that everyone is clear how that has happened, increasing our testing. No one in the country has captured all of the cases of COVID-19. You have captured cases for which people have been tested and not everybody has been tested so I think it’s a credit that we have been able to ramp up testing throughout the state. And this is getting us closer to actual numbers but it’s falling, far, far, far below the actual numbers. We obviously want to promote testing, we want to get as many people tested as possible and to do that we have to keep ramping up our capacity, again, recall that less than two weeks ago we were testing about resulting about five seven specimens per day. And recently, we’ve had several days over 20,000. So that’s a significant jump, which appropriately has resulted in a significant increase in the number of cases identified. I don’t want to get that point lost that the number of cases that we’re identifying is proportional to the number of tests, and we’ve increased our cases because we’ve increased the amount of testing we’ve done and we hope to keep doing that. So you actually will see more cases because we will continue to ramp up our testing.
* A black Chicago mom with the COVID-19 diagnosis was sent home with her newborn and died soon after. With black maternal death rates in this country already alarmingly high what can be done prevent another tragedy like this from happening? Will there be an effort to ensure that all expectant mothers not only be tested but provided care if they’re found positive?…
Dr. Ezike: That is obviously, it’s a significant tragedy. Any case of maternal mortality is something that is thoroughly investigated as part of our maternal mortality review committee. We know that we have a high rate of maternal mortality and that is one of the thrusts of the public health of our agency that we have a very robust review committee. We’ve put out a landmark study paper that we put out a year, I think, October of 19, and we are looking forward to putting out the next one in short order. This is an important issue that we are addressing, while COVID is going on that’s another issue that public health has to continue to address in terms of maternal mortality rates of maternal mortality in in communities and mothers of color.
* A World Health Organization doctor said today coronavirus is not going anywhere and may end up being something like HIV, that we will have to live with. They also want the mental health crisis linked to [garbled]. What do you think of this assessment, is it possible that phase five will happen with the virus still among us?…
Dr. Ezike: We will have to see. Again we’re taking this slowly. I think it’s maybe under appreciated what we’re saying when we call this a novel Coronavirus. We don’t exactly know all the characteristics of this virus we’re dealing with. Of course, there’s search, and we’re learning from what cases have been seen around the world. We’re learning from the cases that we have even here, stateside. But as we learn more again this new pediatric inflammatory syndrome is being appreciated newly so there are new things that we find out almost every day, just two weeks ago the CDC added some additional symptoms that seemed to be coming up with increased frequency to suggest that they should be included as symptoms when you think about this a little bit, 19, we see that potential potentially in pediatric cases, they might have a different presentation, there might be more vomiting and diarrhea so again we are learning as we go. And so we need to have that time to be able to learn. So being able to forecast and project. A too far ahead is difficult. We’re trying to use the best information we have coupling it with information that we have from other viruses that may be similar, but even viruses in the same family of the SARS virus the MERS virus, those have shown quite different syndromes quite different, infectivity quite different fatality rates. So again we are trying to get as much information as we can and that’s why we have to follow the science and keep learning to make the best informed decisions that we can.
* You’ve talked about this before but people are getting angry people are sad there’s all sorts of emotions going on. Is there anything that you can tell people in Illinois, any sort of advice of how people should be coping through this crisis?…
Dr. Ezike: Again, this is an unprecedented situation, not just in terms of amount of lives lost in this very short period of time, but for those who are living, the the this complete disruption of their life. And for many their actual livelihoods, people are experiencing this virus in very different ways, and I am the first to to acknowledge that someone who’s sitting at home and trying to shelter in place but it’s still getting a paycheck is not at all in the same situation as someone who’s sitting at home, who’s not getting a paycheck, and is worried about paying their car note or their, their apartment rent or other bills or fighting for their family so the mental health toll that that will take that that is taking is significant and you know there are some supports that are available through the state, we have hotlines that are available we have some resources on our state websites. We’re hoping that people are able to connect with others not physically, but if there are no phone calls, if there are virtual connections we hoping that people are using the electronic methods that we’re becoming more familiar with, to be able to connect with people, tele health and tele mental health, being able to use this for telepsychiatry. That is a very effective method of still getting the help that is needed. I think telehealth lends itself very well to dealing with mental health issues. And so I’m encouraging people, whether they want to seek help from a from a psychiatric provider a mental health provider a social worker, if they want to reach out to people in their faith community, please avail yourself of all of those options because it is a real thing. This is causing a mental health strain on many people and some people much more.
* You’ve talked about this before but people are getting angry people are sad there’s all sorts of emotions going on. Is there anything that you can tell people in Illinois, any sort of advice of how people should be coping through this crisis?…
Again, this is an unprecedented situation, not just in terms of amount of lives lost in this very short period of time, but for those who are living, the the this complete disruption of their life. And for many their actual livelihoods, people are experiencing this virus in very different ways, and I am the first to acknowledge that someone who’s sitting at home and trying to shelter in place, but it’s still getting a paycheck is not at all in the same situation as someone who’s sitting at home, who’s not getting a paycheck, and is worried about paying their car note or their apartment rent or other bills or fighting for their family. So the mental health toll that will take that is taking is significant and you know there are some supports that are available through the state, we have hotlines that are available we have some resources on our state websites. We’re hoping that people are able to connect with others not physically, but if there are no phone calls, if there are virtual connections we hoping that people are using the electronic methods that we’re becoming more familiar with, to be able to connect with people, tele health and tele mental health, being able to use this for telepsychiatry. That is a very effective method of still getting the help that is needed. I think telehealth lends itself very well to dealing with mental health issues. And so I’m encouraging people, whether they want to seek help from a from a psychiatric provider a mental health provider a social worker, if they want to reach out to people in their faith community, please avail yourself of all of those options because it is a real thing. This is causing a mental health strain on many people and some people much more.
* I have a couple of questions about the positivity rate, and I would just like to say as a reporter I think that a lot of people don’t understand what it is, and how it’s being equated what I was told is that it’s on a seven day rolling basis, is there just a good explanation to everybody to understand the positivity rates of the regions…
They can find that on a daily basis. It’s on the IDPH website. You can take a look at the positivity rates for each region. And again it’s, the goal here is to keep it below 20%. Now, as of today every region is currently on track to do that there’s a rolling time period. 14 days for measuring that. And so that’s a, it allows us to make sure that, again, that we’re not experiencing a major surge. So that’s the purpose of that positivity rate.
People don’t understand at the north, I guess in the Northeast Region without a lower than 20% rate, just they’re trying to understand the clock the process…
It’s essentially a rolling average 14 days for the positivity rate and as it happens, the Northeast region was the only region. That wasn’t meeting that metric for a number of days going back. Back to May one. Now, as I have seen as you can see, it’s below 20% on a rolling 14 day basis. And I think overall if you look at the trend trend for the state and the trend for that region is downward. So I think that’s a very good sign that as of the end of a 28 day period on May 28 the end of May 28, that it’s highly likely that on that metric, the Northeast region as well as the other regions will meet that mark and then you know you’ve got to look at the other marks. But it looks to me like they’re all on track to meet the other marks to move into phase three.
* We’re hearing other states and cities tell school districts they need to start revising down their budgets for the next school year, we have not heard that in Illinois. Why?…
There’s going to be work on the state budget that’s done, there’s already been a lot of work by the working groups in Springfield, or that are in the General Assembly rather, and my administration has interacted with those working groups so our hope is though that we’re going to get kind of a unified voice, the need for federal support for the state, and in particular state of Illinois. I hope that Republicans will step up, people in the General Assembly elected officials, Republicans will step up and advocate for the state with their Republican colleagues in Congress, both in the House and in the Senate. Even in other states, hearing from Republicans maybe Republican senators will respond better than hearing from Democrats and we really should speak with one voice on this to the federal government. But all of that will have an effect on whether or not we’re able to fully fund schools to meet the evidence based funding, so that you know we all want to meet. And the schools so that they’ll be ready for the fall. So that’s one of the reasons why you haven’t heard a call for massive reductions, is because we’re right in the zone here where the House of Representatives voting on a package the senate considering that packages in the General Assembly in Springfield meeting next week, it all is happening in just a few week period, we’ll know much more in the next few weeks.
* How has your revenue projections for the fiscal year 2021 changed since you provided an update last month?…
The revenue projections have not changed a whole lot. There were, there are adjustments to our assumptions. With regard to costs around Medicaid, for example, that have adjusted but the revenue projections for 2021 really changed a whole lot. Remember, we projected a fairly significant downturn. And so that’s what the budget making processes considering.
I’ll take note that, that Tina just called on her colleague from a rival Chicago newspaper, which I think shows a lot of character on her part.
* Looking past the worst part of the pandemic, do you get a sense we’ll see a population shift from big cities like Chicago to smaller communities that aren’t a petri dish for COVID-19 and other viruses?…
It’s a great question Shia. I haven’t considered that, but I must say that there has been an overall trend, or at least a belief that there will be a trend of population movement from urban areas toward suburban and exurban and rural areas over time, in part because of the expansion of broadband. Of course we’re doing a lot of work on here in Illinois and our rebuild Illinois program infrastructure program invests $420 million in running broadband everywhere. So I think that will be the thing that really moves people, and less so worry about a future pandemic. I think at the moment, we’re in this moment where people aren’t going to move around I don’t believe the midst of this phase three phase four, hoping to get to phase five relatively quickly if we can. But I do think there’s a trend in the direction that you’re describing I just think it may be for other reasons.
* Do you have any concern the Illinois Supreme Court will follow the lead of Wisconsin and strip you of your stay at home powers?…
I don’t think so, we’re well within the laws that exist in Illinois to have a disaster declaration. And if there’s an ongoing disaster ongoing emergency, Illinois, as there is nationally and has been declared nationally we’ll continue to work within the law to make sure that we’re keeping people safe.
* In as few words as humanly possible, can you please explain the science behind why Illinois, unlike almost anywhere else, uses a 28-day hospitalization metric, instead of a 14 day metric? Thanks in advance for brevity and succinctness…
Thanks for the advice, Rich. Remember that the phase that we’re in, phase two, began May 1, many changes as a result of the fact. So as a result of the need to move into a new phase, you make changes from one phase to another. It means that we have to take a measure of how we’re doing within that phase so that we don’t have a surge that will overcome our healthcare system.
I will add that our plan only requires stabilization of these metrics, unlike the plan put out by the White House, like plans that were proposed in other states require 14 days of downward movement. Ours only requires stability. And if you look across the board in the state, we are, roughly speaking, the stable, moving downward, likely that we will move into phase three in a shorter period of time under the metrics that I put forward and not under the metrics that the White House put forth.
* Can you speak to the reopening plan your office has reached with the Catholic Church? Have any other denominations reached out to perhaps similar plans?…
Well the Catholic Church developed their own plan that fits well within the requirements of the stay at home order that we have in place. And talking about their plans, with regard to phase three also fits within the restore Illinois plan. So, we advised them when they asked us for our advice and that was it. And I’m actually very pleased, I think they did an excellent job with a plan that they put for their churches. Other church leaders have also reached out and we’ve tried to provide guidance. Each one has a different set of concerns about the rituals of their particular denomination. And so we’ve provided the advice from our Department of Public Health.
* Some businesses and regions including Southern Illinois and a county or local officials, health departments should make decisions about whether they should open not the state or the governor. Who has the authority or who should have the authority now the county or the state?…
While we’re under a pandemic, globe-wide pandemic and emergency disaster declaration, there’s a reason why those exist in the law. That’s because you want to make sure that we’re marshalling all of our resources as a state, dealing with something this large. And so, it is important that the state set ground rules that the executive orders, under the existing law set the ground rules for us in order to deal with it. And guess what, [the curve] is flattening and that didn’t just happen by accident. It happened because we put executive orders in, and people have followed those orders. So I would just suggest that, for now this is working. People need to follow it as we move into phase three and phase four. Very important that we not over burden our healthcare system that we keep people safe.
And, of course, it’s my goal for us to get back to normal. I want you to know for every region to everybody in the state of Illinois, to be doing precisely what they’d like to be doing right now, but we are facing a very difficult circumstance.
One last thing to say, officials have been very collaborative with us, the local County Departments of Public Health, many of the county board chairs across the state and mayors. It’s the loudest folks that you’re hearing from and not the vast majority of the people in almost 1300 municipalities that exist in the state, or the hundred and two counties. It’s just the very loud voices of people who are being defiant and ignoring science and data.
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3,239 new cases, 138 additional deaths
Thursday, May 14, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Press release…
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today announced 3,239 new cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 138 additional deaths.
Coles County: 1 male 60s, 1 female 80s
Cook County: 4 males 30s, 1 female 40s, 2 males 40s, 3 females 50s, 10 males 50s, 4 females 60s, 13 males 60s, 4 females 70s, 10 males 70s, 1 unknown 70s, 9 females 80s, 15 males 80s, 11 females 90s, 1 female 100+
DuPage County: 2 males 70s, 3 females 80s, 3 females 90s
Jefferson County: 1 female 90s
Kane County: 1 male 30s, 1 female 60s, 1 male 70s, 1 male 80s, 2 females 90s
Kendall County: 2 females 80s
Lake County: 1 male 60s, 2 females 80s, 2 males 80s, 2 females 90s, 1 male 90s
Lee County: 1 male 50s
McHenry County: 1 female 60s
Sangamon County: 1 male 70s
St. Clair County: 1 male 50s, 1 male 80s
Wayne County: 1 male 80s
Will County: 1 male 40s, 1 female 50s, 1 male 50s, 1 female 60s, 3 males 60s, 1 female 70s, 3 males 70s, 2 females 80s, 2 males 80s, 1 female 90s, 1 female 100+
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 87,937 cases, including 3,928 deaths, in 99 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 22,678 specimens for a total of 512,037. The statewide 7-day rolling positivity rate is 17%
* Dr. Ezike…
As of last night 4473 people are reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 1132 patients were in the ICU and 689 patients were on ventilators
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COVID-19 roundup
Thursday, May 14, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Co-sign…
* The Tribune talked to several people about the state’s response to nursing homes. It boils down to these bullet points…
Gear: The state has said that — despite nationwide shortages — it’s provided county officials with personal protective equipment to cover the needs of nursing homes, and even begun direct shipments to facilities. But workers and homes have said they lack consistent supplies.
Staff: The industry, fearing it will run critically low on workers, asked the state weeks ago to create a new work corps, even prepare to call in the National Guard. The state has loosened hiring regulations but said facilities are responsible for their own staffing.
Metrics: The state doesn’t ask each facility to report each day on staffing levels or gear supplies — something advocates are pushing for nationally. Illinois officials say they’re looking to improve the process. Illinois does require facilities to report COVID-19 cases to health officials, but the information that the state provides publicly about cases at homes can be tardy or inaccurate.
Inspections: The state can inspect facilities for infection-control violations, but the City View case shows that the bar to dispatch inspectors can be high. Mostly, regulators offer long-distance guidance, saying that approach best ensures rules are followed across the state. Advocates say it has further endangered residents, some of whom they say already were receiving substandard care.
* From the SGOP…
Senate Republican Leader Bill Brady has sent the attached letter to Senate President Don Harmon asking for hearings next week to discuss and amend the governor’s Restore Illinois plan. This is in keeping with the Leader’s continued concerns with the 28-day window and the plan not using the 11 EMS regions.
The letter is here. I’ve asked the Senate Democrats for a response.
* Rep. Chris Welch interviewed Gov. Pritzker yesterday. The governor was able to explain his approach better in this setting. I wish he would do the same in his briefings…
* Tribune live blog…
‘Undoubtedly true’ that fall sports won’t return as normal, University of Illinois president says
Adler Planetarium lays off 120 staffers during coronavirus closure
Will County officials, small business owners sue over Pritzker’s stay-at-home order
High school and college seniors are petitioning their schools to hold in-person graduation ceremonies later rather than never
As House readies vote on coronavirus package with second stimulus checks, some lawmakers push for guaranteed income programs
Extra pay for many essential workers is expiring, even as COVID-19 deaths mount. Labor groups fight to keep ‘hero pay.’
They are not doctors or nurses. But they share the same elevated exposure to coronavirus, and they feel forgotten.
Swing sets and trampolines in short supply as stay-at-home morphs into play-at-home during the pandemic
Nearly 3 million more seek US jobless aid; coronavirus layoff toll now 36 million
New inflammatory condition in children probably linked to COVID-19, new study finds
Archdiocese of Chicago, dioceses of Joliet, Rockford, Peoria announce phased plans to reopen churches
Pritzker’s geographical grouping in COVID-19 fight rankles many suburban officials.
Many cities around the globe saw cleaner air after being shut down for COVID-19. But not Chicago.
Summer camp files for bankruptcy as parents clamor for refunds: ‘I think it’s going to be like getting blood from a stone’
ComEd offers grants to people, non-profit groups struggling to pay power bills
Chicago’s lakefront will remain closed, but here are the industries that Mayor Lori Lightfoot says are on track to expand or reopen during next phase
Short staffing. PPE shortages. Few inspections. Why calls are growing for Illinois nursing home regulators to step up efforts on COVID-19.
* Sun-Times live blog…
Coronavirus isolation may be contributing to overdose deaths: coroner
Chicago high school robotics team creates portable ventilator
Michelle, Barack Obama read a children’s book for Chicago Public Library during lockdown closure
Lightfoot leans on community groups to curb spread of coronavirus among Latinos
Catholic churches outline plan for gradual reopening
4 more COVID-19 cases in Chicago Police Department
Politicians pushing to reopen faster are ‘idiots,’ says expert, blaming those not following rules for continued rise in COVID-19 cases
COVID-19 scales back youth sports. That’s a win for many kids
Future COVID-19 vaccine will be effective only if we insist on its widespread use
12-year-old from Gage Park dies of COVID-19, marking the youngest Cook County death from the coronavirus
Grants arrive for nearly 1,000 Chicago microbusinesses
Adler Planetarium lays off 120 employees
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Demand For Dialysis Soars Due To COVID-19
Thursday, May 14, 2020 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
The Illinois Kidney Care Alliance (IKCA) consists of health advocates and professionals, community and patient groups, health providers and businesses focused on raising awareness about those who suffer from kidney disease.
As hospitals prepared to care for patients with COVID-19, another unanticipated medical complication has emerged — kidney failure. Approximately 20-40% of those most severely ill due to COVID-19 have developed acute kidney injury.
IKCA advocates for those who suffer from kidney failure and their families. Patients currently on life-sustaining dialysis or waiting for a functioning kidney are among society’s most vulnerable people. IKCA urges dialysis patients to continue their treatment and to adhere to social distancing during these challenging times. For more information, follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, or visit our website.
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*** UPDATED x1 *** By the numbers
Thursday, May 14, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* According to Worldometers, Illinois ranks 9th in the nation on number of cases reported per million population, at 6,684. The national average is 4,349.
Illinois ranks 11th in deaths per million population, at 299. National average is 259. New York (1,403), New Jersey (1,095), Massachusetts (771), Louisiana (520), Michigan (472), Pennsylvania (337) and Maryland (309) are among the states with more deaths per million.
Illinois ranks 13th in tests performed per million, at 40,093. National average is 31,363. New York (64,713) and Massachusetts (59,490) are way ahead of us. The others are small states.
* According to IDPH, the positivity rate in region 1 (Chicagoland area) is 20.7 percent. It’s 7.7 percent in the North-Central Region, 5.8 percent in the Central Region and 8.1 percent in the Southern Region.
Also according to IDPH, 50 percent of confirmed cases are women, 47.7 percent are men and 2.3 percent were either unknown or the form was left blank.
55.8 percent of deaths were men, 43.9 percent were women and 0.26 percent were unknown or the form was left blank.
The racial demographics on confirmed cases are almost worthless because 27 percent were unknown or the form was left blank. Deaths are a different story. Just 2.8 percent were left blank. Whites make up 42.5 percent of all deaths, African-Americans are 32.1 percent, Hispanics are 17 percent, Asian-Americans are 4.5 percent.
*** UPDATE *** I meant to update this post and forgot. IDPH has updated its metrics scoreboard since I published earlier today. Today’s positivity rate in region 1 (Chicagoland area) is 19.9 percent. It’s 8 percent in the North-Central Region, 5.7 percent in the Central Region and 7.9 percent in the Southern Region. And so…
For the first time on Thursday, each of the four regions in Gov. JB Pritzker’s reopening plan were on pace to meet the metrics required to move into the next phase of opening the state’s economy.
The Northeast region, which encompasses Chicago and the collar counties, where the largest number of COVID-19 cases have been reported, for several days had a higher percentage of positive coroanvirus tests than allowed for reopening. On Thursday, the positive test rate dipped to 19.9%, just enough to put it below the 20% threshold. That rate has fallen more than 3.2 percentage points in the region in the past 14 days, according to the state.
The earliest a region can move into Phase 3 is May 29 because one of the other metrics requires 28 days from May 1 with no overall increase in hospital admissions.
“Every region is poised, if it maintains the metrics that it’s at now, to move into Phase 3 in a few short days,” Pritzker said from his Chicago home Thursday during his daily news briefing. “Literally we’re talking about 14 days.”
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* AP…
Nearly 3 million laid-off workers applied for U.S. unemployment benefits last week as the viral outbreak led more companies to slash jobs, even though most states have begun to let some businesses reopen under certain restrictions.
Roughly 36 million people have now filed for jobless aid in the two months since the coronavirus first forced millions of businesses to close their doors and shrink their workforces, the Labor Department said Thursday.
Still, the number of first-time applications has now declined for six straight weeks, suggesting that a dwindling number of companies are reducing their payrolls.
By historical standards, though, the latest tally shows that the number of weekly jobless claims remains enormous, reflecting an economy that is sinking into a severe downturn. Last week’s pace of new applications for aid is still four times the record high that prevailed before the coronavirus struck hard in March.
* The Illinois numbers…
Add nearly 73,000 people to the more than 1 million Illinoisans who have filed for unemployment amid the COVID-19 crisis.
The U.S. Department of Labor reports of the 2.9 million people who filed across the country last week, there were 72,993 claims filed in Illinois.
That’s slightly down from the 74,476 who filed last week, but this week’s numbers will go up because 1099 workers were able to file claims starting Monday.
* Meanwhile…
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warned Wednesday of the threat of a prolonged recession resulting from the viral outbreak and urged Congress and the White House to act further to prevent long-lasting economic damage.
The Fed and Congress have taken far-reaching steps to try to counter what is likely to be a severe downturn resulting from the widespread shutdown of the U.S. economy. But Powell cautioned that widespread bankruptcies among small businesses and extended unemployment for many people remain a serious risk.
“We ought to do what we can to avoid these outcomes,” Powell said.
Additional rescue aid from government spending or tax policies, though costly, would be “worth it if it helps avoid long-term economic damage and leaves us with a stronger recovery,” he said.
*** UPDATE *** Press release…
The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) today released new statewide data showing the department processed 72,671 new initial claims for regular unemployment benefits during the week ending May 9. The department has now processed 1,076,461 claims for regular unemployment benefits from March 1 through May 9. This amount is nearly 11.5 times the number of claims the department processed over the same period last year, when IDES processed just 87,000 claims for regular unemployment benefits.
IDES has processed 33,729 Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation claims (PEUC), which provides up to 13 weeks’ worth of 100% federally funded benefits to individuals who have exhausted their regular state unemployment benefits. PEUC is potentially available for weeks beginning on or after March 29, 2020 and continuing through the week ending December 26, 2020.
While the number of initial claims for regular benefits has plateaued in the last two weeks, IDES will experience an increase in overall claims processed when the federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) claims data becomes available Thursday, May 21, 2020. Launched on May 11, more than 50,000 PUA claims have been filed through the new portal in the first three days of operation. IDES expects the number of claimants accessing the new unemployment system to continue to grow in the coming days and weeks.
Statewide unemployment claims data, which reflects activity for the week prior, is made available on the IDES website every Thursday afternoon. PUA claims data will follow these same federal embargo provisions, with this week’s data available on Thursday, May 21. Previous initial claims data has undergone a revision to properly account for the number of successfully processed claims.
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Careful what you wish for
Thursday, May 14, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* May 11 Tribune editorial…
With Illinois’ unemployment numbers surging amid a global pandemic, and with thousands of laid-off workers struggling to make ends meet — not to mention tanking state revenues — you might think state government would be firing on all cylinders.
You might also think, given the state’s precarious financial condition, that the General Assembly would be meeting in some fashion to address pressing matters, including the completion of a budget. Uh, nope.
House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President Don Harmon have been lying low and canceling legislative session days in Springfield — for safety reasons. Has anyone even seen or heard from Madigan in months? Just because he prefers seclusion doesn’t mean the public and the media should be acquiescing. He leads the party that controls this state.
* Two days later…
We know we urged members of the Illinois General Assembly to get back to work in Springfield, but that doesn’t mean we won’t flinch — and protest — after they arrive. Prepare yourselves, taxpayers, because it will be your hard-earned money on the line, as always.
On Tuesday, Gov. J.B. Pritzker turned up the volume on his request that lawmakers meet to pass legislation that would include broad relief and compensation measures for Illinoisans hurt by the coronavirus pandemic. “The legislature must convene so that we can begin to put our financial and economic house back in order,” Pritzker said. By Wednesday morning, House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President Don Harmon were announcing plans to restart their spring session next week.
Coincidentally or not, the push by Illinois Democratic leaders to get cracking came in tandem with U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi introducing the Democratic version of yet another coronavirus aid package. Pelosi’s bill comes with an extraordinary $3 trillion price tag, including as much as $1 trillion for states and cities.
Possibly billions to the states? No wonder Springfield is roaring back to life.
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Unclear on the concept
Thursday, May 14, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Rep. Skillicorn appears to be saying that the state must be opened in order to force this woman to hold a wedding party against her wishes…
And she called him on it…
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“Because I said so” is not a reason
Thursday, May 14, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Every day, the governor’s office answers questions from state legislators in writing. From the latest…
Q: Can the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) give further clarification on how the regions were developed in the Restore Illinois plan and how the IDPH Districts will factor into the plan (if at all)?
A: IDPH has 11 Emergency Medical Services Regions that have traditionally guided its statewide public health work. For the purposes of the Restore Illinois plan, from those 11, four health regions were established: Northeast Illinois, North-Central Illinois, Central Illinois and Southern Illinois.
To learn more about the development and implementation of the Restore Illinois plan, we encourage you to visit the plan here.
But if you follow that link and then click on the FAQ link, you’ll see this…
Q: How did the administration come up with the four regions?
A: The Illinois Department of Public Health has 11 Emergency Medical Services Regions that have traditionally guided its statewide public health work. For the purposes of the Restore Illinois plan, from those 11, four health regions were established: Northeast Illinois, North-Central Illinois, Central Illinois and Southern Illinois.
* As we’ve already discussed, the lack of clarification or insight into the reasoning behind the regional map has led to anger, confusion and division. The latest from Capitol News Illinois…
Officials from Peoria County on Wednesday unveiled their own COVID-19 reopening plan that breaks up north-central Illinois into a sub-region of 11 counties, which officials say will allow the area to take a more localized approach that protects public and economic health better than the state’s plan.
The proposed plan, which Peoria officials have dubbed “Restore Heart of Illinois,” seeks to amend Pritzker’s four-region “Restore Illinois” plan by carving out an 11-county area within the 27-county North-Central region, which would include the metropolitan centers of Peoria and Bloomington.
The sub-region, which is based on commuter data, would include Peoria, Tazewell, Woodford, Fulton, Marshall, Stark, McLean, Livingston, Bureau, Putnam and LaSalle counties.
“They’re not really that different,” Peoria County Public Health Administrator Monica Hendrickson, who also has a background in epidemiology, said of the three-stage sub-region plan and the state’s five-phase plan.
Phil Luciano…
Friday, the proposal was sent to Gov. JB Prtizker, who has yet to offer a reply to Ardis or the others. In the past, Pritzker has said he is not considering localized changes to his Restore Illinois blueprint. But Ardis said Wednesday the governor’s blessing is not imperative regarding the Peoria-area plan, which could go into effect in seven to 10 days.
“The plan is to continue to move forward,” Ardis said. “If the governor comes out and say no, our plan is to move forward.” […]
The plan calls for three stages for reopening, with the entire sub-region aiming at moving forward together. “However, if an identifiable location within the sub-region is not following approved guidance and/or showing health system stress indicators, that area may be excluded from moving to the next stage,” the plan states.
But the plan is hopeful of an aggressive reopening: “We have an extraordinary ability to respond to health emergencies in our sub-region. We believe that ability uniquely enables the sub-region to move forward in a more aggressive manner, beginning with a 50 percent opening rather than the 25 percent common in many plans.”
The new plan would push the sub-region from what is currently the governor’s phase 2 into phase 3 almost immediately — a scenario not seen by the governor until the end of May, at best. Phase 3, for example, allows for offices, salons and barber shops to open, with capacity limits and other safety precautions. Face coverings would still be required. Any gatherings of 10 or fewer would be allowed. The governor’s phase 4 would start at the end of May.
* Look, I’m not saying the regions are necessarily bad. What I am saying is that the governor needs to explain exactly why the eleven EMS regions were not used…
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* From the Clifford Law Offices, one of the most successful trial lawyer firms in the country…
Several bar leaders from across the state are speaking out supporting the rule of law and on behalf of innocent victims of violators of Illinois’ stay-at-home Executive Order effective through May 30.
Governor J.B. Pritzker’s Executive Order requires Illinois residents to continue to shelter in place through May 30, but it has come under fire from some downstate legislators. Bar leaders from the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA), Chicago Bar Association (CBA) and Illinois Trial Lawyers Association (ITLA) are speaking out in support of the Governor’s Executive Order in an effort to protect Illinoisans across the state and to reinforce the rule of law.
As of Wednesday, May 13, 2020, the number of deaths in Illinois attributed to COVID-19 totaled more than 3,700 and the number of total infections in the state exceeded 84,000.
Presidents of three leading bar associations stated that they recognize the Governor’s authority to protect its citizens, particularly in a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic situation, and that the Executive Order to shelter in place must be practiced by the Illinois citizenry for the health, safety and welfare of all.
ISBA President David Sosin said, “The constitutionality of the Governor’s actions is now before the courts and we await the decision of the judicial branch, but in the meantime, we must respect the rule of law in this state. A violation of the Governor’s Executive Order may result in consequences that result in legal action, but at the same time, we appreciate the efforts being made to recognize that different areas of the state may be treated differently depending upon their experience with coronavirus and their current success with social distancing efforts.”
CBA First Vice President Maryam Ahmad, who ascends to the presidency next month, echoed Sosin’s sentiments and added, “The Chicago Bar Association supports our Governor’s efforts to assure and defend the safety of the residents of Illinois; this goal is consistent with the CBA’s mission to promote the general welfare of our members and to preserve and protect the legal profession. Governor Pritzker’s Executive Orders properly cite and rely upon broad statutory authority, particularly now, during a crisis. They are presumptively valid and have the effect of law. Parties seeking to challenge these orders should do so before a court; unless declared unconstitutional, these orders are to be followed.”
ITLA President Antonio Romanucci said, “The risk of opening early outweighs the benefit of limiting liability not only for a municipality but also for any employer who follows the guidelines of the municipality.” Romanucci said in a May 8 written statement that the “prudent course” would be to stay closed and limit any further potential spread that could lead to litigation. “Certainly, no one wants to do a second round of sheltering,” he went on to say.
Mark Prince, immediate past President of ITLA of downstate Marion, said, “I am supportive of the Governor’s Executive Order because Illinois needs to re-open only once and do it the right way. This deadly virus affects everyone across the state and even one death is one too many.”
Romanucci pointed out that the insurance industry itself pointed out that consequences for violating the Executive Order may include liability for those who become sick as a result of violating the order and denial of insurance claims should a court find the business or local government to be acting outside the parameters of what is covered in their policies.
ISBA President David Sosin, CBA First Vice President Maryam Ahmad, ITLA President Antonio Romanucci and ITLA Immediate Past President Mark Prince will hold a virtual press conference at 11 a.m., Thursday, May 14, 2020, on Zoom.
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* From the governor’s media briefing yesterday afternoon…
Amy Jacobson from WIND asks if the Illinois attorney general has a written legal opinion that dates back to 2001 that essentially said that you are acting illegally. You did not have the power to issue the stay at home order beyond the initial 30 days according to this legal opinion.
* Tribune last night…
Republican state Rep. Darren Bailey has filed an amended lawsuit in a downstate court challenging Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s stay-at-home order, contending that a 2001 Illinois attorney general document contradicts the state’s position on why the order could be extended beyond the initial 30 days.
The 2001 letter from then-Attorney General Jim Ryan to the state Emergency Management Agency director appears to respond to questions about foot-and-mouth disease and whether the governor could “exercise emergency powers in excess of 30 days after the declaration of a disaster.”
According to the letter, which is among the documents filed with Bailey’s lawsuit, Ryan wrote that he would “comment informally upon the questions you have raised.”
The act “clearly authorizes the governor to exercise emergency powers for up to 30 days,” Ryan wrote in the 2001 letter cited in the lawsuit. “A construction of its provisions to allow the governor to extend the 30-day period would render the limitation clause meaningless. A more reasonable construction, taking into consideration the other provisions of the act, is that the governor would be required to seek legislative approval for the exercise of extraordinary measures extending beyond 30 days.”
* I reached out to the attorney general’s office for some clarification. This was an informal opinion and, contrary to the Tribune report, was not written by Attorney General Ryan…
I will comment informally on the questions you have raised.
The AG’s offices told me the informal opinion was not about a human health risk, making it different than the current circumstances. And, despite the informal opinion from 2001, Attorney General Kwame Raoul has successfully argued the 30-day issue twice now. Once with a federal judge and also with a Cook County judge…
Mahwikizi’s suit also asked the court to issue a declaratory judgment that Pritzker’s emergency powers under the Illinois Emergency Management Act expired April 8, or 30 days after he issued his March 9 disaster proclamation.
Gamrath rejected that argument, holding the IEMA Act gives Pritzker authority to extend his power beyond an initial 30-day period without approval from the legislature.
The 30-day limit, Gamrath wrote, only applies more strictly to a “discrete event — one that stops and starts in a relatively short amount of time.”
The COVID-19 pandemic, she wrote, “is not a discrete or isolated disaster. It is a dynamic pandemic, still ongoing.”
“This continuing disaster poses a threat that is underway and has not abated as quickly as a more typical natural disaster like an earthquake or tornado,” Gamrath wrote. ”When an emergency epidemic of disease occurs and a pandemic ensues, the [g]overnor has authority under the [a]ct to utilize emergency powers beyond a single 30-day period to protect the community and residents of the [s]tate.”
So, give Bailey credit for finding that informal opinion, but we’ll see if the move works.
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Our Democracy Is Too Important, The Fight Continues
Thursday, May 14, 2020 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
The deadline to let voters decide if we should reshape our constitution and redistricting process has passed, but our fight continues. Fixing the foundation of our democracy is too important and we still can move forward toward a better redistricting process.
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Gerrymandering is voter suppression and we must end it. We can join the ranks of people in both red and blue states across the country who have made improvements to their redistricting process.
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Open thread
Thursday, May 14, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Illinois topics and polite conversation only, please.
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* If you click here you will see Vote Yes for Fair Tax just reported a $500,000 contribution from the California-based Omidiyar Network. Pierre Omidyar founded eBay and set up a “philanthropic investment firm” called Omidiyar Network.
Vote Yes for Fair Tax is not Gov. Pritzker’s political committee. I wrote about the group last month in Crain’s…
But the Vote Yes for Fair Tax committee won’t be running expensive TV ads, says its chairman, John Bouman of the Shriver Center on Poverty Law. “This is more of the sort of sweat-equity, grassroots, community-based ground game” approach, he says.
The organization’s largest contributor to date (at $250,000) is the National Education Association, which has thousands of members here. The Illinois Federation of Teachers has kicked in $100,000. AFSCME Illinois Council 31, with tens of thousands of members, has contributed $50,000 in cash so far and donated the time of two staffers. SEIU Healthcare, which also has tens of thousands of members here, contributed $50,000 in cash and $10,000 for access to Voter File data, and donated the time of two staffers.
I’ve detected some worry among Pritzker types that this other group could go off-script and weaken the overall message.
But Vote Yes for Fair Tax spokesman Jake Lewis says he wasn’t worried about muddying the message. “The folks who are involved in Vote Yes for Fair Tax have been working on this issue for years and years,” he says. Many of the people involved, including Bouman at the Shriver Center, have long been working to pass a progressive income tax through the Responsible Budget Coalition. “The more folks working on this,” Lewis says, “the more effective we’re going to be.”
Up until now, the NEA had been the committee’s largest contributor, at $250,000.
* In contrast, the Vote No On The Blank Check Amendment committee reported having no money at the end of the first quarter.
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Social media isn’t real life
Wednesday, May 13, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* A new Washington Post-University of Maryland poll reminds us all that the stuff we see on Facebook and Twitter in many online comment boards is not how people at large may not actually be thinking…
By 78 percent to 22 percent, Americans believe it is “necessary” for people in their communities to stay at home as much as possible.
The spread is very similar among those of incomes below $50,000 (82-18), those of incomes of $50,000 to $100,000 (77-23), and those of incomes over $100,000 (71-29). It’s also much the same among rural voters (77-23) and non-college-educated whites (75-25), both demographics that tilt heavily towards supporting President Trump […]
Fifty-eight percent of Americans overall say current restrictions on businesses are “appropriate,” vs. only 21 percent who say they are “too restrictive.”
Here again, the spread is very similar among those of incomes below $50,000 (56-18), those of incomes of $50,000 to $100,00 (61-22), and those of incomes over $100,000 (60-25). And again, it’s much the same among rural voters (64-20) and non-college whites (54-28). […]
By 80 percent to 20 percent, Americans overall say it’s “necessary” for people in their communities to wear a mask when coming close to others.
And yet again, the spread is very similar among those of incomes below $50,000 (83-17), those of incomes of $50,000 to $100,00 (78-22), and those of incomes over $100,000 (74-25). It’s also much the same among rural voters (73-27) and non-college whites (76-24).
More here. Methodology is here.
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* AP a few days ago…
Pritzker has also faced lawsuits, including one filed Friday in Clay County by salon owner Sonja Harrison. She alleged that Pritzker didn’t have constitutional authority to close her business, Visible Changes. A judge in the same southern Illinois county has already ruled in favor of one Republican lawmaker who claimed the order violated his civil rights. The state has appealed.
Judici…
This court has reviewed the plaintiff’s verifed complaint for declaratory judgment and injuctive relief; The plaintiff’s request for a temporary restraining order without notice is denied. To justify to the plaintiff, verifed complaint must contain specific facts clearly showing that “immediate and irreparable injuries, loss or damage will result to the applicant before notice can be served and a hearing had thereon”. 735 ILCS 5/11-101. This ruling is limited to the issue of notice.
Statute…
No temporary restraining order shall be granted without notice to the adverse party unless it clearly appears from specific facts shown by affidavit or by the verified complaint that immediate and irreparable injury, loss, or damage will result to the applicant before notice can be served and a hearing had thereon.
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* Gov. Pritzker at his media briefing today…
Before I take questions from the press, I want to briefly address some of what we’ve been hearing lately from those who believe that we need to reopen faster than the science and the data dictates.
Folks, I know this is hard. I know that people are hurting. This virus has taken many lives, and destroyed many livelihood.s COVID-19 has turned our world upside down, stolen our sense of normalcy and stability. I want this to end just as much as you do. If I could take away the pain and the loss that you’re feeling right now I would do it in a heartbeat.
This virus is still among us. This pandemic is not over. And to pretend otherwise in a misguided attempt to reclaim what we’ve lost will only make this last longer. There are no easy decisions in a pandemic. Every choice [has] consequences.
I know leaders across the state are struggling with these choices. I have sympathy for them in that struggle. But what I don’t have sympathy for is those so intent on disregarding science and logic, so afraid to tell their constituents what they may not want to hear, they put more people’s lives at risk.
Here’s what I want to say to those leaders who weren’t elected to do what’s easy. We’re elected to do what’s right. For the small minority of businesses that choose to ignore the medical doctors and the data and to ignore your legal obligations for the residents of your communities, there will be consequences.
Businesses and individual professionals that are licensed by state agencies will be held accountable for breaching public health orders. Counties that try to reopen in defiance may not be reimbursed by FEMA for damages they cause because they ignored the law. Local law enforcement and the Illinois State Police can and will take action.
But there is no consequence the state could impose that is greater than the harm that you will do to your own communities.
192 Illinoisand lost their lives to this virus in the past 24 hours. 192.
How is that not real to you? More people will get sick, get admitted to the hospital and die if we don’t stay the course and follow the guidance the experts have provided to the elected officials out there, or playing to the crowd that ignores science and carries symbols of hate.
Step up and lead. Now, more than ever, your communities need you.
Please pardon all transcription errors.
* More…
Last thing before I take questions, I want to address something that I said yesterday regarding baseball and baseball players. I want to apologize for leaving the impression that baseball players shouldn’t have the right to bargain, or protect their health and safety. I absolutely support that right. I should have made that more clear to you.
* Downstate Madison County and Adams County have both authorized their own reopenings… Other than withholding federal funds, what other enforcement mechanisms are you considering? Have you ruled out sending in state police?…
Well, not just federal funds that we’re talking about, as I just said the businesses that ignore the executive orders that ignore the law will be held accountable by our department of Professional Regulation. They will be held accountable by any licensing body, liquor commission Liquor Control Commission, the others. There are enforcement mechanisms here that we will be using against them. And again [I implore the leaders] of these communities not to give into a minority of residents who are clamoring to ignore the science and the data, but instead to follow the rules to follow the law and most importantly to keep residents of your community safe.
* The local communities already reeling from economic downturn, federal funds are withheld by our administration. If regulation gets involved it takes away some of the licenses of business owners. I mean these are folks that are already hurting, bears responsibility if their hardship gets even worse…
They’re the ones who bear the responsibility because they’re the ones who are not following the rules. Let’s be clear what we’re trying to do here is keep people healthy and safe, and to reopen the economy simultaneously. That’s what the Restore Illinois plan did.
I would suggest to everybody they take a look again at that plan that is more expeditious in many ways than the plan put out by the White House, but it also takes into account, making sure that our health care institutions have the capacity to manage people who will get sick. As things reopen in the economy if you do it too fast you’re going to see an over running of the healthcare system. And very importantly, many people getting sick going into the hospital, ending up in ICU beds
* Would you consider getting out of Chicago and visiting some of the small mom and pop shops and restaurants in the suburbs, downstate to see for yourself how they say that they can safely reopened with social distancing just like a stores are operating currently…
Well, as you know I’ve traveled quite a lot around the state and I of course talk to business owners everywhere in the state, and have been doing so especially over the last two months, as we’ve been trying to provide supports for them and to make sure that we’re putting rules in place for phase three phase four that will make sense for them when it is safe to open. I love to travel the state love to go into communities. At this point, though, remember that for me to go in to shake hands with people to hug people the way that I like to do isn’t going to be a smart thing for them or for me and it breaks the rules, frankly. Meanwhile, as you know, I’ve been very much in communication with the state of Illinois and speaking with the mayor’s city council people representatives, all over the state. And I look forward to a moment when we have a real opportunity to get together to celebrate the reopening of businesses reopening of our economy, when it is safe and healthy for people to do so.
Dude is in quarantine and reporters are asking why he isn’t out and about? Weird.
* Would you not benefit you know from a firsthand view today of these locations with their measures set up with a plexiglass perhaps in some of these locations, set up you know obviously you’re sitting in in meetings with scientists, discussing models but what it benefits you to go to some of these locations and eyeball yourself. Their current setup?…
100% and I would suggest to the business owners who are thinking about reopening against the rules breaking the law, that they come to Chicago and come to a hospital in Chicago, or go to a hospital near them that has COVID-19 patients and talk to the nurses, the doctors who are on the front lines and ask them, what it means to them that people follow the stay at home rules. Because the fact is that right now what’s so important is that people do the right thing for their neighbors their friends, their communities, for everybody in the state, frankly, most people are doing the right thing. And most people understand why you have a stay at home rule. It is a minority of folks who are breaking the rules and putting people in danger.
“Come to Chicago” is not a great response.
* Based on the IDPH data that region, according to that data every region except the Northeast, is already green for phase three. Why are they not reopening now why do they have to wait until May 29?…
There’s a reason why we’re watching all of these regions over a period of time. First of all, if you look very closely at the data set not declining the numbers that you want to have declining or not, there is a flatness of flattening of the curve, but not a decline. And so what we want to do is watch as we reopened remember there were many changes that were made in the stay at home order on May 1. And so once you make those changes what you want to do is watch and see whether there is an increase in the caseload, and the positivity rate in the hospitalizations and so on. The same thing will happen when we enter phase three to enter phase three which is coming in 16 days I believe we’re going to wait and watch. Because, you know, people don’t get sick immediately, what happens is they get sick, they get exposed. And then they get sick over time. And then they end up in a hospital some number of them. And then, in an ICU bed and so on and that happens over the course of several weeks. So it’s very important that we watch and carefully monitor what’s happening in each region, but I am very glad that three of the four regions already looked like they’re on a path to reach phase three. And I’m hopeful that the last region the Northeast region will also be able to reach phase three quickly, although I would point out that there’s a 14 day measurement of that last metric that positivity rate 14 day metric, or making sure that that’s under 20, and it looks very much as if the Northeast region is heading that direction. And as I said, there are about 16 days left in the, the month of May, and if you average out looking at the last few days positivity and what likely will be either stable or downward movement of that positivity number, the Northeast region will hit the mark by the end of May as well.
He really needs to work on that pitch. Way too disjointed.
* Dana Kozlov from CBS two wants to get your thoughts on the legislature getting together next week, and specifically some Republican lawmakers are preparing or have already prepared legislation allowing for other businesses to reopen and requiring you to get legislative approval on any additional emergency declarations…
It’s their right to introduce legislation. I mean, I think everybody understands that what I’ve been doing is following the science and the data, doing what’s best for our economy, given that the virus is out there. I want to remind everybody that when people get sick, and when they die, but that too has an economic cost, I mean, aside from the variable cost of families and communities. There’s also an economic cost to our state. When that’s happening so take that into account when you’re suggesting that we should follow a different path.
* Has any other staff ever tested positive or showing symptoms…
No other staff people have tested positive to my knowledge, at this point, and the one staffer who did I was in contact with the day that person indicated that they are feeling fine.
Have you been tested again since Sunday?…
I have not be tested every day. I have been isolating. There’s no reason for me to test every day. I think you know once we discovered that someone was positive in our office I think it was appropriate for me to get tested, and you know at this point I’m simply isolating like others do when they find out they’ve been in somewhat close contact with someone who’s tested.
* We continue to get complaints from people who cannot collect unemployment benefits because of a variety of mistakes that the system can’t seem to correct as you call certainly numbers, and at those certain numbers, no one answers. Are you doing about this and why is it taking so long?…
Yeah, I mean you know we have thousands of many thousands of calls that come in each day, thousands get answered and responded to. And people get processed over the phone, as well. I realized that it is difficult when you can’t file. If there’s some problem with your filing online, and it requires perhaps an arbitration or some other intervention that it does mean that you’ll have to have a personal discussion with somebody. We’re working very hard we’ve just spun up this outside call Center to add on top of the internal IDs capability, and we’re getting to them as fast as possible again with an unprecedented number of filings. It is difficult but I will say that the new PUA system for people who are independent contractors for filing is resulting in 10s of thousands of people being able to connect with the system and as I indicated yesterday about 50,000 filings.
* We are hearing from nursing home owners who are saying that testing supplies are still scarce. When can nursing homes expect more testing supplies, or is there a shortage of COVID-19 tests for those long term care facilities?…
Well there’s a shortage of tests all across the country. We’ve prioritized those nursing home so they’re actually getting many more on balance than other facilities or other locations are and so to the extent that there’s a facility that hasn’t had testing. It’s simply because there are so many in the state of Illinois we now have, I think we have more has to get the test done. We’ve had to go sign outside contracts you’ve heard me talk about, for example, and our new contract which allows them to deliver tests and pick up tests once they’re completed. So we’re again, our testing capability is spinning up all over the state nursing homes are among the highest priority.
* Amy Jacobson from wind asks if the Illinois attorney general has a written legal opinion that dates back to 2001 that essentially said that you are acting illegally. You did not have the power to issue the stay at home order beyond the initial 30 days according to this legal opinion. Do you agree with the AG’s office? If so, will you rescind the order as invalid. And if not, why you believe you can disregard the Office of the Attorney General?…
The Attorney General’s Office has not issued that to us, and indeed the attorney general’s office is handling legal matters for the governor’s office, for the stay at home order to defend it. We do have the legal right to issue those executive orders especially here in the context of a disaster declaration. And as you know, that’s something that enables the governor of the state to take actions to protect the health and safety of people across the state and that’s what I’ve been doing.
* Fox 32 has a question regarding Willie Wilson, getting 100 pastors to go against your stay at home order. Have you reached out to Willie Wilson. What will you do with those pastors have service on Sunday?…
No, it’s a ridiculous call on the part of Willie Wilson. The idea of encouraging pastors, bringing what amounts to a large population of elderly African Americans to church to get together, not only in defiance of the executive order, but also putting them at significant risk. Think about it. We’re talking about senior citizens who as we know are a vulnerable population. And on top of that, African American senior citizens, most of those that he’s talking about. And they are especially vulnerable as well. Those double sets of comorbidity putting those groups of people together in large groups is an enormous mistake, and I would suggest that Willie Wilson do his homework that he look at what the science and data says that that will do to people that obviously I care deeply about and I assume he does too
* In April, Dr. Ezike said that even cases quote with a clear alternate cause of death who tested positive are listed as a COVID death. Yesterday you indicated that IDPH was trying to remove those obvious cases. Did that process begin. And can you explain the process?…
Dr. Ezike: If it’s not a forensic pathologist performing an autopsy, and who was doing that work to determine the actual cause of that we are calculating obviously the numbers, we get reported deaths to us. And so again I think I’ve expressed this many times before tha, because we are getting the information and turning it over the same day that we’re getting it it doesn’t give us enough time to go through and make sure that there aren’t some enter either the wrong state needs to be attributed somewhere else, that it’s not the, you know, a different cause of death to make sure that there wasn’t a double count that they weren’t the same people listed in two different reports. So, again, not being able to have enough time in an effort to get the information out to the public so quickly, you know some of that review cannot happen. And so when it happens on the back end and we do try to remove things that are clearly not intended to be listed amongst the COVID death and so we are trying to remove. There was an accident, a car accident, if there was a homicide or suicide or something that was clearly not related we are trying to remove those numbers to make sure that these are accurate.
* Friday I asked you if you had a snapshot of the possible cases of the child inflammatory syndrome that we’re seeing across the country I think New York is now reporting more than 100 civil cases related to that. And I think you indicated a few days ago that public health departments were going to begin reporting. Do you have an update today on that whole issue?…
Dr. Ezike: Please know that we have a very systematic process to approach this. So, we have, I have talked to many pediatric specialists, both pediatric infectious disease, doctors pediatric cardiologists pediatric intensivist. And so we have assembled a team, along with our IDPH staff who are going to convene again from the information that I’ve received from all of these specialists. This is a complicated disorder, it’s not a single disease rather it’s a spectrum of disorders, much like you would think of autism, where one autistic patient, you know you have the ID, the diagnosis of autism, but one patient does not look and look completely different from another patient holding that same diagnosis so again with this inflammatory disease that’s associated sometimes with with shock, it’s a spectrum of disorders and so you know in some cases you’ll have the individual have coronary artery involvement sometimes they don’t. Again, that’s why there’s a team of specialists that are convenient so that they can come up with some agreed upon criteria that will be used that IDPH will then put out the guidance saying this is the criteria. These are the features that we’re looking for. This is what we want you when you see it to report to IDPH so you know again, sometimes information gets ahead of itself without getting the due process and the due diligence. This is not a situation of COVID with Kawasaki that has been reported repeatedly in the press, and Many of these cases would not fit the criteria for Kawasaki, we have multiple Kawasaki specialists here in Illinois, they will be part of the team, but we want to get a clear definition of the features that will be looked for, and then we will put that out as what to let all pediatric, but all providers know that these are the features we’re looking for and this is what we’re asking to be reported. So we hope to have that whole process completed before the end of next week.
* In factories with a cluster of COVID positive cases among employees, at what point is the state stepping in to ensure safety of essential workers? What enforcement measures are being taken to make sure private companies are following proper safety measures?…
There are two ways that those get enforced, three ways really, the Department of Labor, of course complaints to the Department of Labor, things that are filed with the attorney general’s office as well. Private actions that people can take, because of the negligence of the employer.
* The number of positive test results have been soaring in Illinois in the past few weeks sometimes leading the entire nation. Some of that is due to more cases but what extent is the increased telling us something about how far COVID has spread in the state?…
Dr. Ezike: No, the issue is, you have more testing. I think we’ve always known that if we saw a day, in the early days when we had very limited capacity and could do, maybe 100 or 200, that if you did those many tests, you would get a certain number of positives. We knew that for that one positive, that wasn’t the only positive in the state of every positive we know that there were many other people who did not get tested, who had similar symptoms. But, in fact we were telling people to stand down because we didn’t have the capacity we said okay, if you’re a pretty healthy person and you have mild symptoms, but you know you were in contact with someone who was diagnosed, yep, you probably have covid, so just isolate yourself. At that time we think we were saying, stand down for 14 days from the start of symptoms, and then get better and then return. So we know that there are for everyone there were like many additional people for each one case that were positive with us being able to test more, we’re just getting to those actual numbers. But again we know that there have been people who were sick and couldn’t get tested, and we know other people who were around a confirmed case, probably were COVID positive also. So I think we should be looking at the denominator and see, it’s a great thing that we’re increasing our capacity for testing. As you look at the percent positivity. It’s not that our percent positivity is going up, not the case at all. So, the concern that oh my goodness maybe things are getting worse in terms of the higher numbers of cases, the higher numbers of cases are because we’re testing more people, but overall I think our positivity rate is not going up, but we do all want to know what our status is.
* With the legislature reconvening next week when will you return to Springfield governor and how will the state pay for the aid package you’re calling for?…
Well I’m glad that the legislature is going to return to Springfield and I certainly look forward to seeing people in Springfield as a result of their return.
Let me also say that it’s very important to me that we pass a COVID relief package for the families of the state, for the small towns of Illinois and for the small business. Much of the work that was done at the federal level, missed out on supporting many people there are just lots of people who fell through the cracks of that big federal program the PPP program for example, many small businesses never were able to access. We want to make sure that our small businesses or family businesses out there the small, you know, startups that people have put their lives into. We want to make sure that they survive and thrive. And so, a COVID relief package is very important to do.
How will we pay for it? Obviously, as I said for some time now, we have real challenges with the loss of revenue, because of COVID-19. So, we need to we need to rely upon the federal government and its support for all the states. In order for us to provide the services that people need in order for us to pay for the education that our kids need, and for us to support our businesses and our families in the wake of this as we’re dealing with this COVID-19 crisis.
* The state’s $800 million long term bond issue cleared the market today. It did so at record yield penalties for the state. Do you think it’s worth it to pay such a steep penalty instead of holding off until you learn whether the federal government will come through with aid? Also is the state considering using the Federal Reserve’s short term lending program for either the 1.2 billion of certificates that have not yet sold or issue other that? And if not, why not, that lowers the cost of borrowing…
It’s a lot of questions. So, let me start with the fact that there were people who didn’t think anybody, any state could get a bond deal through. We did, and people you see the strength of the folks who are interested in investing in our bonds, they see that the state has strength that we’ve been on a path that was putting us on firm fiscal footing before COVID-19 came along. So I think they know that we’re also going to be headed, you know, as we’re coming out of COVID-19 in a responsible way to deal with the financial challenges that we have. That’s why we were able to get strong interest in our bonds.
The financial penalty that you pay in this environment you know where every state is challenged every state, essentially has gotten a kind of a move, push toward the negative by those who rate the bonds of states that you know, of course, everybody’s going to get a ding on the markets as they go out to seek to borrow, but it was important for us to do so. It helps us to continue to keep people working by investing in our capital program and by lowering the overall pension liability, because a portion of those dollars actually go to buy out folks who are in our pension system and retiring, and we can buy them out at a discount for the dollars that we’re borrowing. So you know we’ll be continually accessing the public markets as states always do. But we were very pleased by the strong showing strong interest in the bonds that Illinois sold today.
* The Sun-Times has reported that Navy Pier has received nearly $25 million in coronavirus loans from the federal government towards salaries and other expenses. Do you think the federal government should be loaning the pier money to cover such high salaries?…
I haven’t evaluated the application that the Pier put in but look we have very important functions of the city of the county of the state. These facilities’ institutions that need to be supported. Navy Pier the, you know, McCormick Place others. It’s very important I think that they are supported in one fashion or another, as to what the application said I can’t speak to the specifics of it. But as you know as an institution, I think it’s important for us to preserve those parts of Chicago that will be very important for us to come out of the crisis that we’re in now, and to come out of the financial doldrums that we’re in now, people will want to go back to Navy Pier we need to make sure that the pier is strong.
* When does the State anticipate offering guidance to state universities about when it might be feasible for the fall semester. Is it realistic for them to plan for on campus learning. And what do you anticipate might be feasible for college athletes which are a big recruitment tool?…
First of all our Board of Higher Education and our community college boards, both will be considering whether or not you know and when the universities and community colleges will be opening up so I’m not going to render an opinion about whether they will or won’t. But it’s important to me that we get kids back to school, and I’m determined to see that happens. Having said that, again we’re all kind of watching the numbers and watching the progress here that we’re able to make against COVID-19.
What was the last part of the question, student athletes. I mean it’s again I think all of us want to be able to give guidance this far in advance, but it’s very hard to do right.
* With lawmakers coming back to Springfield, can you offer some guidance on where you think the budget should be cut or areas that should be spared cuts?…
We’re gonna have to work on this together, the legislature, Democrats and Republicans, if they’re willing to work with us. It’s important that we have a plan here for balancing the budget. We have challenges that really require the federal government to be involved in terms of areas that I think are vital for us going forward. You know how important it has been to me to lift up to improve our Department of Children Family Services to see that cut in any significant way would be really damaging. I think that’s one area where that I can identify that I really don’t want to see us do any damage to the progress that we’ve already made, and keep us moving in a forward direction. There are other things you know we talk about something important that nobody paid attention to before. The Department of Public Health. We do invest in our public health infrastructure. Now more than ever, But we’ll need it now in this COVID-19 crisis. You know what I think everybody realizes, there could be another pandemic that comes along, other healthcare crisis, public health crisis and so we need to invest in the fundamentals of our public health system including our county public health system so there’s a lot that I think we’re gonna have to work on in this budget. But vital vital to this is getting support from the federal government, there’s no chance that we won’t have to suffer severe damaging cuts to higher education in K 12 education to basic services that people need, if we don’t get any support. That’s what’s going to happen to our state, we’re going to see just an enormous hole where we’ve made so much progress.
* There’s a lot of concern about the drive thru testing site [in Bloomington] which is closing tomorrow. You said it was only averaging 26 people per day and there are plenty of other testing options in Bloomington. We think you may have been given bad information is your administration willing to revisit the decision to open alternative sites here in Bloomington?…
What’s important to us is that people get tested and there were many many days of that drive through testing in which it was underperforming. I was citing one day I have to admit that, you know, they’re different numbers run through my head. I remember that being one of the days of Bloomington. The fact is, though that what we want to make sure that happens is that people actually use drive through testing, the other drive thru facilities have done much much more. Many more tests have been performed at the other ones that we want to promote and encourage people to get tested. We reached out spoke with some of the leaders in Bloomington, and we’re assured that they would encourage people to use the drive thru testing in Bloomington and so we’ve extended drive thru in Bloomington through next week.
* A number of reports from researchers in China and India have shown the spread of COVID-19 through air conditioning at restaurants and offices, what is the state doing and what can it do to ensure similar infections don’t occur here?…
That’s not testing that’s been confirmed. That’s not something that’s been acted upon. As a result, but we’re very much interested in the CDC, determination, and the studies that will be done to confirm that or, or to determine that that’s accurate. But that’s something that we’re going to keep an eye on obviously all of these situations. We don’t know enough about this coronavirus this novel coronavirus, so each time is a new piece of information, you heard that the original call around this Kawasaki like effect on children was deemed to be somewhat inaccurate. Now there’s a much more robust view of what it really is and how to track it. And the same thing is true here. As we learn more, we’re gonna follow the guidance that’s given but the research capability doesn’t exist for the state of Illinois, but does at the federal level and with private research and public research institutions that have the ability to do so.
* Governor both the Illinois thoroughbred and harness racing associations are worried that their seasons will be severely truncated spelling the death knell for an already struggling industry in Illinois, Arlington High scores hasn’t yet committed to doing spectator free racing but harness racing has, I understand. It is also come to an agreement with the Department of Agriculture and IDPH on conducting races without fans in the stands. When will both of these types of racing be able to commence so the trainers will be able to earn their living?…
When it’s determined that there are rules that will keep everybody safe. That’s the most important thing I mean obviously in our restore Illinois plan. We didn’t list every single industry, including harness racing or racing. But we are making sure that each industry has a set of guidelines, and we’ve encouraged industry leaders in fact that’s much of what’s happening, and been happening over the last number of weeks and weeks going forward. What the proper rules should be in each industry you know how far apart do people need to be. They safely distance on the backstretch for example, and you know when they’re lined up in a race, how far apart. Do they really need to be, do they need to be in stalls that are two apart for example. So, all because you have jockeys Of course and not to mention the trainers or the people working with jockeys at the start of a race so all those things need to be considered. As we’ve talked about with other major league sports, there will not be at least at the beginning, fans in the stands, but it is possible, I think, to see that at least I can imagine that there will be some approval at some point for all of horse racing. But again, I’m going to leave that to the experts, particularly the doctors to make sure that everybody can do it safely.
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* Oy…
* Dr. Ezike at today’s briefing…
Today we are reporting 1677 new cases of COVID. A total of 84,698 total individuals [have tested for] COVID-19 here in the state of Illinois.
Unfortunately, our death total is at 3792, of which 192 were reported in the last 24 hours. The largest one day increase that we have recorded thus far. […]
To date, 489,359 tests have been performed. 13,668 were reported in just the last 24 hours. The increase of testing around Illinois. There is an increase in positive COVID-19 cases detected, that is expected. Rather than focusing on the large numbers of cases yesterday, once you take into account the very large amount of specimens that were [collected]. […]
Positivity rates statewide thus far is 17%. That was calculated on a seven day rolling average. That means for today we looked at the number of positive and total tests reported from May 3 through May 10, there is a three day lag. […]
As of last night 4563 people were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19 illness. Of those 1208 patients were in the ICU and 714 patients were on ventilators.
* Press release…
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today announced 1,677 new cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 192 additional deaths.
Clinton County: 1 female 20s
Cook County: 1 male teens, 1 female 30s, 3 males 40s, 4 females 50s, 8 males 50s, 10 females 60s, 21 males 60s, 13 females 70s, 18 males 70s, 15 females 80s, 19 males 80s, 1 unknown 80s, 17 females 90s, 6 males 90s, 3 females 100+
DuPage County: 2 males 60s, 2 females 70s, 1 male 70s, 5 females 80s, 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s, 1 male 90s
Jasper County: 1 male 90s
Jefferson County: 1 male 60s
Kane County: 1 female 70s, 3 females 80s, 1 female 90s, 1 male 90s
Lake County: 1 male 40s, 2 males 50s, 1 female 60s, 2 males 70s, 2 females 90s, 1 unknown 90s
Madison County: 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 90s
McHenry County: 1 male 70s, 1 female 90s
Sangamon County: 1 female 80s, 1 female 90s
St. Clair County: 1 female 60s, 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s, 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s, 1 male 90s
Will County: 1 female 60s, 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s, 1 female 90s
Winnebago County: 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 female 90s
Edwards County is now reporting a case of COVID-19. Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 84,698 cases, including 3,792 deaths, in 99 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 17,668 specimens for a total of 489,359. The statewide 7-day rolling positivity rate is 17%.
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* House Speaker Madigan just sent out the topics of the special session. New or existing bills can be used. Click the pic for the full document…
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*** UPDATED x1 *** COVID-19 roundup
Wednesday, May 13, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
*** UPDATE *** Breaking news…
* Iowa…
Governor Kim Reynolds said Wednesday that restrictions will be lifted statewide on May 15, with the exception of bars and casinos. That includes all businesses, from salons to fitness centers, with some specific guidance in place.
Those restrictions could include masks and capacity caps. There will be additional guidance available today from the IDPH.
* Also Iowa…
The Iowa Legislature has again pushed back plans for reconvening its 2020 session, which has been interrupted by the coronavirus pandemic.
Lawmakers suspended their session March 16 for 30 days as part of the effort to slow the spread of COVID-19 and protect the health of legislators, staff and the public.
After pushing that back until this Friday, the Legislative Council now plans to vote to wait until June 3 to resume its in-person work at the Statehouse in Des Moines.
* Tribune live blog headlines…
Cook County Board to vote on waiving 1.5% interest fee on late property tax payments through October 1
The social-distancing police are among us. Would you call out a neighbor for unsafe practices? Or call 911?
Little Company of Mary hospital was up against it when the coronavirus hit. Then central Illinois nurses came to the rescue.
‘It was set to be a record year’: Great Lakes cruise operators buckle up for a rough season in wake of the pandemic
Report: Structural racism — from segregated housing to limited job opportunities — responsible for high rate of COVID-19 deaths among African Americans
Grocery prices see biggest monthly increase in nearly 50 years
Can you get a marriage license in Cook County during the coronavirus pandemic? Well, that depends.
Fed chief warns coronavirus recession could be lengthy, painful
Chicago bracing for Mexican beer shortage as coronavirus industry shutdown persists
Coronavirus pandemic scams: Here’s how to avoid falling for them
Longtime Naperville couple die within a month of each other, both victims of COVID-19 complications
Streets and San to restart regular street cleaning in Chicago next week
Black Chicago churchgoers join one-quarter of Americans who say their faith’s grown stronger during the COVID-19 pandemic
* Sun-Times live blog…
Madigan’s office outlines rules for state legislators’ return to Springfield
Preckwinkle offers plan to delay fees on late property tax bills
Mysterious inflammatory syndrome striking kids in NY may be related to COVID-19
Paul Manafort released from prison due to virus concerns
Status of Summer: What Chicago festivals, events are canceled, postponed
Chinese Americans in Chicago donate 1 million surgical masks to city’s first-responders
Potbelly considers shutting 100 sandwich shops amid coronavirus pandemic
Chinese Americans in Chicago donate 1 million surgical masks to city’s first-responders
Future COVID-19 vaccine will be effective only if we insist on its widespread use
Can we agree — when COVID-19 vaccines arrive, they need to be free?
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* Danielle Moran at Bloomberg today…
Illinois sold $800 million of debt its first borrowing since the coronavirus exacerbated the worst-rated state’s fiscal woes, showing that its access to the capital markets remains intact even as investors demanded large yield penalties to buy the securities.
Bonds maturing in 2045 with sold at a 5.85% yield, nearly four percentage points above top-rated benchmark debt, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. That’s slightly under the 5.95% yield initially offered, according to preliminary wires viewed by Bloomberg, yet still more than double the penalty on its last sale in November, when debt due in 2044 priced at 159 basis points over benchmark. […]
“This is what every other lower-rated issuer or state, the Connecticuts, the New Jerseys, or anyone that has been waiting a little bit — this is a very good sign for them,” said Nisha Patel, a portfolio manager at Parametric Portfolio Associates LLC. “That the lowest rated state with a lot of speculation of losing their investment grade rating, the deal like this getting done, with this type of subscription signals to other issuers that the water is warm, you can come into the market and get a decent size issue done.”
The yield penalty investors are requiring shows how dramatically the coronavirus pandemic has affected investors’ views of Illinois’s bonds. Prices on previously issued bonds have tumbled sharply since March amid speculation that the steep economic slowdown may turn it into the first state to be stripped of its investment grade rating.
The sale will be used for capital projects and to fund an ongoing pension buyout plan, according to the Bond Buyer.
* Speaking of the Bond Buyer…
Federal Reserve leadership said their municipal short-term lending program will be up and running in a matter of weeks, not months, while municipalities forge ahead and price deals to a mostly receptive muni market.
In a Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee hearing Tuesday, Fed Vice Chair of Supervision Randal Quarles said he expects the Fed’s Municipal Liquidity Facility as well as its Main Street Lending Program to be open in a matter of weeks. […]
The Fed, since the creation of the MLF in early April has been releasing details over the past few weeks on how it will work, but it has yet to begin buying munis. The program will buy $500 billion of short-term notes from issuers. […]
“In 2008, the Fed didn’t take any action with respect to the municipal market,” said Michael Decker, senior vice president of policy and research at Bond Dealers of America. “They didn’t buy any bonds, they didn’t make any loans, they stayed completely out of the municipal market. So they are starting this up right from scratch and so I think that’s why it’s probably taking a little bit longer than some of the other facilities.”
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* Illinois has somewhere around a thousand miles of borders with surrounding states. And communities near those borders are always antsy whenever Illinois does something that makes it less competitive with our neighbors. The COVID-19 response and the reopening of states all around Illinois is no different except in scale. Molly Parker took a look at this issue in southern Illinois and as part of her story talked to the governor’s chief of staff…
Anne Caprara, Pritzker’s chief of staff, told The Southern on Friday that the governor’s office understands some of the challenges presented with neighboring states outlining reopening plans that, in some cases, are starkly different than Illinois’.
She said that some states aren’t slowly reopening, but have rather taken an approach of “just throw the doors open, and see what happens.” Caprara said that’s not a risk Pritzker is willing to take. But she said that the reality is that Illinois’ government can only control what happens inside its borders to protect citizens of the state. “If we had a federal response, we wouldn’t have to worry about these things. We’re dealing the best we can with the situation we’ve been handed,” she said. […]
Caprara said that Illinois’ efforts have been successful to date in slowing the rate of transmission, and ensuring that hospitals are not overrun. As the state moves toward reopening, the virus is “not gone,” she said.
“There’s nothing the governor can do about that. There’s nothing anybody else can do about that,” she said. “So really, the question at the end of the day is: How many people dying are we willing to accept to open the economy? And that’s a tough question.” […]
“No one is saying never open up,” she said. “But what we are saying is that the difference between opening up on Tuesday and opening up at the end of May, or the end of June, might be 6,000 people dead. What am I supposed to say to those people, the people who that’s your mother or father, or that’s your sister or brother, that your life is expendable?” […]
Caprara acknowledged that the challenges presented by the variants in reopening are difficult ones. She said the state is choosing to err on the side of caution.
Discuss.
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* Rebecca Anzel at Capitol News Illinois…
The attorney representing two Republican lawmakers in separate cases challenging Gov. JB Pritzker’s emergency powers has three new clients: a hair salon owner and a restaurateur with two establishments.
Thomas DeVore, in the five cases, argues the governor has neither constitutional nor statutory power to implement consecutive 30-day COVID-19 state of emergency orders. If the governor doesn’t have that power, DeVore argues, he cannot extend stay-at-home orders. […]
All three of DeVore’s most recent filings against the state are nearly identical. According to the documents, the establishments’ owners have “no doubts Pritzker will at some point come before (a judge) with reams of paper, and a team of attorneys, proclaiming he was doing what was necessary to protect the people of this state.”
But that has “absolutely no consequence whatsoever” because, the lawsuits allege, the governor does not have the authority to order businesses closed. That power rests with the Illinois Department of Public Health, DeVore argues.
* WREX…
Rep. John Cabello (R-Machesney Park) has filed a temporary restraining order in regards to Gov. JB Pritzker’s stay at home order.
According to online court records, the injunction was filed in the 17th Circuit Court on Tuesday. According to those same court records, a motion was filed on behalf of Gov. Pritzker, although it’s unclear what that motion is for.
The injunction will go before a judge Friday.
* Tribune…
For about 80 other businesses, DeVore’s Greenville firm has used a different tactic.
DeVore has advised the businesses to write letters to their local health boards, citing a portion of a directive from Dr. Ngozi Ezike, the Illinois public health director, that accompanied Pritzker’s order. The directive says health officials have the authority to shut down businesses that violate Pritzker’s order if they’re determined to be public health risks. The letters go on to tell local health authorities that because the owners believe their businesses aren’t public health risks, they will reopen within 48 hours.
The letters then demand if authorities want the business closed, officials should seek a court order to close the business.
“We haven’t heard back from them objecting in a single case,” DeVore said.
This is how that works…
[Rodney Viehland, the owner of Coles County Dragway] said after the fourth attempt to gain approval from the local health and county officials, hired attorney Tom DeVore to represent him in a lawsuit filed on Monday, May 4, 2020, against the Coles County State’s Attorney, Coles County Sheriff’s Department and the Coles County Health Department.
Viehland said it was his last resort because he didn’t want to be the business owner who opened illegally and had his event shut down by the police.
The defendants, according to Viehland, had 48 hours in which to respond to the suit. Viehland said none of the three defendants responded.
Viehland said he received a letter from the court which stated, “The local health board has received notice of your lawful objections to being closed as an alleged health risk, and Department of Health did not respond with any objections within the 48 hours. Given their failure to seek a court order within the time prescribed by law, this inaction by the local Board of Health is deemed as acknowledgement on their part that your business is not a public risk.” By the following Thursday, Coles County Dragway was open for a test and tune.
DeVore has also actively pressed several counties and other local governments to defy the stay at home order. Madison County was probably his most high-profile victory.
* Law.com…
DeVore said his successful representation of Bailey has led to him getting calls from lawyers and would-be clients across the country, including California, Kansas, Maine, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
DeVore generated local headlines in January 2017, when he criticized a group of students who gave him incorrect change at a concession stand. In a Facebook post, DeVore repeatedly called each of the students a “special child (that’s politically correct for window licker).”
“Lord help us with the window lickers, I mean special children,” DeVore wrote.
At the time, he was a candidate for the Montgomery County School Board, but he quit the race about a month later. He said his comments were taken out of context in describing DeVore as criticizing “special needs children for their inability to count.” He filed a libel lawsuit over the episode in early 2017.
DeVore said that while he believes he had an easy case to prove, he decided not to pursue it after dropping out of the race. He said both the defendant and the community realized he wasn’t insulting children with developmental disabilities. He said the case has been administratively closed for two years, but he was filling paperwork to have it dismissed.
That kinda underplays the situation. One of the people he sued was a special education teacher…
The flyer was posted to her Facebook account on Jan. 22. The flyer, attached to the suit as “Exhibit A,” includes the snapshot of DeVore’s post followed by the message, “This is Thomas DeVore in real life. He is running for our school board in Montgomery County Illinois. If you would like to let him know what you think of his position on disabilities please contact him,” and then gives the name, address and telephone number of his law office.
The suit argues that DeVore’s law firm “has no connection to the false statements or to DeVore seeking public office,” and further, “DeVore has received numerous threatening and insulting messages. An incalculable number of unpleasant opinions were posted about DeVore, the company, and DeVore’s personal business interests on social media,” and “DeVore’s law firm, and its affiliates, received business communications from clients asking for an explanation.”
The suit claims that actions by the defendants “have caused financial harm to DeVore’s business reputation, impaired his future business and professional interests, and caused intentional infliction of emotional distress,” and “made it seemingly impracticable for DeVore to seek public office as a school board member.”
…Adding… 2017…
The lone defendant remaining in the suit is Brian Wheeler of Hillsboro, whose attorney Jack Evans was present in court during the hearing.
“We definitely agree that all claims against Zach Wygal should be dismissed with prejudice, and we certainly appreciate the fact that they saved us from the trouble of preparing our own motion to dismiss,” Wygal’s attorney Chris Sherer of Hillsboro said during the Thursday hearing in front of Judge Doug Jarman. “We believe the plaintiff’s complaint suffers from a variety of infirmities, the most significant of which is that it was Mr. DeVore’s own statements, not any statements made by my client, that attracted the public’s attention and went viral.”
Sherer also questioned the motive behind the suit.
“We just want to state for the record that we believe the plaintiffs are attempting to use the judicial process to engage in a public relations campaign to rehabilitate Mr. DeVore’s image, which was tarnished by his own doing,” the attorney said. “However, we just want the record to be clear that Mr. Wygal is not willing to agree to any revisionist attempt to minimize the significance of the insensitive comments made by a school board candidate.”
Sherer also acknowledged that Wygal has been reimbursed for filing fees incurred in the matter.
* And from 2009…
A Bond County man says he gave up an opportunity to attend law school and quit his anticipated position as a paralegal to accept a job paying $125,000 per year, only to be fired from the job four months after he was hired.
Thomas G. DeVore filed a lawsuit Aug. 18 in Madison County Circuit Court against Foresight Management, Montgomery Land Company, Bond Land Company, Colt, Roger A. Dennison Jr., John F. Dickinson II and James Morris.
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* From the Illinois Directors and Owners of Childcare Centers…
ILDOCC is strongly urging Governor Pritzker to allow businesses in Illinois to reopen now and to put childcare centers at the forefront of the effort.
“Even now the state is forcing us to turn away parents who need childcare to go back to work,” said Sarah Stoliker, President of Illinois Directors and Owners of Childcare Centers (ILDOCC). “We need to be open now, and businesses need to start re-opening for parents. They can’t put food on the table.”
Governor Pritzker says schools and childcare centers won’t be back to full capacity until the state has reached Phase 5, when a vaccine or treatment is available.
“We can’t wait that long. Less than 1/3 of early childhood education centers are currently open,” Stoliker warned. “We need all of the centers open now, or they are in danger of being permanently closed. It’s a crisis.”
She explained that under the governor’s emergency orders, centers can only operate if they take in the children of essential workers and also limit room space to 10 children– conditions that are not enough to keep a center running.
“Centers already have robust health and safety standards we work with 365 days a year,” said Stoliker, who owns a center in Will County. Now, there are even more specific standards put in place because of Covid-19. We are well-equipped for this crisis, but the governor is undercutting us by limiting room space to 10 children, as well as dictating who can be open or not. Currently only 10% of space statewide in centers is being utilized…”
Janice L. Martin, Owner of Under Carrey’s Care Centers in Riverdale, said, “We need action taken quickly to re-open centers in order to assist our families that are in fear of losing their jobs. One mom in particular is a CNA and is afraid because she has to leave work early to pick up her child from family members who don’t know how to care for a child with challenging behaviors.”
Cindy Mahr, a director and owner of In A Kid’s World in Rock Island, is looking at Iowa opening up just across the river. “If those centers are open and most of the ones in Illinois are closed, the families will drive 5 minutes to find care as they go back to work. Our programs won’t just be closed for the short-term,” Mahr stated. “Considering what the border states are doing is imperative.”
Robin Moore, a center director/owner of the Robin’s Nest centers in southern Illinois, is also very concerned. Moore says Gov. Pritzker’s phased reopening plan is not a good approach for families trying to get back to work. “Now we’re moving into June and July, they’re suggesting. We don’t have enough childcare in southern Illinois to provide childcare for people returning to work,” said Moore.
Stoliker concurred. “We just need all centers open and a thoughtful, stair-step approach to opening up state businesses right now. It is costing people their mental and physical health, their livelihoods, and, ultimately, their lives.”
“The governor needs to do the kind of math that ‘we, the people’ are doing at our kitchen tables,” Stoliker suggested. “Governor Pritzker needs to get out of his news conference and look around or at least talk to people on the phone who have much different information than he has. It’s destroying people’s jobs and lives.”
ILDOCC is a statewide organization of directors and owners who work in childcare centers every day. The group formed to be a voice for those “working in the trenches”, who have no voice in policy-making at the state level.
“Not only are the states bordering Illinois doing things differently, but even New York has kept childcare centers open during their state’s pandemic.” Stoliker lamented, “Only in Illinois do we kill the goose laying the golden egg and the egg itself.”
* From Jordan Abudayyeh at the governor’s office…
The administration convened a working group to create guidance to expand childcare safely in phases three and four of the Restore Illinois Plan.
Currently, providers may open under emergency rules and we encourage them to do so as a way of increasing capacity. Less than 25% of licensed providers have reopened under the emergency care rules. We expect the working group and IDPH to have guidance for childcare facilities ready to move into the next phase in the coming weeks.
* Illinois Action for Children…
As an organization on the front lines of early care and education every day, Illinois Action for Children understands how critically-important child care and child care providers are to our state. They are, in many ways, the lifeblood of the economy. We strongly believe that during this pandemic, however, the best and safest place for children to be is at home or with their relatives. Our state cannot recover if children and their families are not healthy and safe.
When COVID-19 began to spread in Illinois the Governor closed all child care effectively immediately, correctly citing the danger to providers, children, and their families if COVID-19 was able to spread unmitigated throughout the child care system and into communities in every corner of the state.
A new emergency child care system for Illinois’ essential workers was created in a matter of days. More than 2,500 child care centers and homes have enrolled in this program and are continuing to be paid by the state in full for the children they are currently caring for as well as for the slots that have been left vacant to ensure a safe care environment.
As Illinois continues to flatten the curve and move toward Phase 3 of the Restore Illinois: A Public Health Approach To Safely Reopen Our State plan, the reopening of child care must take place under the same science-based approach. The Governor has created a task force that will incorporate the input and voices of providers throughout all of the state to determine the safest approaches for reopening child care as we move through the phases of reopening Illinois.
We recognize the economic and financial hardship the COVID-19 pandemic is causing businesses throughout Illinois. The challenge, however, is that an attempt to return to full operations of child care without effective treatments or a vaccine will result in a dangerous and potentially deadly spread of COVID-19 in our state.
Illinois Action for Children stands with the Governor’s science-based approach and will continue to work closely with his administration to identify ways that providers can be assisted throughout this crisis. We also support the Governor’s calling of the Illinois House and Senate back to work to pass legislation that would support small businesses like child care. IAFC has also joined our many partners to strongly advocate for at least $50 billion in the next federal relief package to help ensure the financial stability of child care providers throughout our state.
We must do everything in our power as a state to ensure we have a safe child care system that is ready when Illinois’ workers return to work.
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Yeah, that’s probably not a good idea
Wednesday, May 13, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Sarah Hayden at the Dispatch-Argus…
Less than a week after laying off 15 deputy clerks in the Rock Island County circuit clerk’s office and two legal assistants in the state’s attorney’s office, county officials are considering pay increases for elected offices, including Circuit Clerk Tammy Weikert.
During a Tuesday morning teleconference meeting, members of the county finance and personnel committee approved advancing two resolutions that will give pay increases for the county auditor, circuit clerk, coroner and recorder from a base pay of $91,800 to $93,636. Health insurance and other benefits pushes the total annual compensation for each official to more than $105,000.
The resolution states the auditor, circuit clerk, coroner and recorder will receive 2% salary increases again on Dec. 1, 2022, from $93,636 to $95,509.
“This is the biannual resolution to set office holder salaries for the county,” County Administrator Jim Snider said. “The change occurs when the office is up for election. This is not based on who’s in office; it’s based on who’s up for election.”
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Pritzker criticized over baseball remarks
Wednesday, May 13, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Sports Illustrated…
While MLB and the MLB Players Association continue to negotiate a potential deal that could see the sport return this summer, Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker said Tuesday that he’s “disappointed in many ways that players are holding out for these very, very high salaries and payments” amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Pritzker appeared to take particular note of the MLBPA’s issues with the finances associated with the reported plan approved by owners on Monday. MLBPA Tony Clark recently told The Athletic that they are not in favor of a proposed 50-50 split, leading to possible delays in finalizing an agreement.
“I realize the players have the right to haggle over their salaries, but we do live in a moment where the people of Illinois and the people of the United States deserve to get their past time back, to watch anyway on television,” Pritzker said.
“If they’re able to come up with safety precautions, as has been suggested by Major League Baseball that works, I hope that the players will understand that the people of our United States need them to recognize that this is an important part of the leisure time that all of us want to have during the summer to watch them play baseball, to root for our favorite teams…I must say I’m disappointed in many ways that players are holding out for these very, very high salaries and payments during a time when I think everybody is sacrificing.”
* On the one hand, I can see his point…
Whew. And those numbers don’t include April or the first part of May.
* On the other hand…
First, people don’t “deserve to get their pastime back.” We are not obligated to professional sports during a pandemic. We are not owed athletes, their family/significant others, coaches, trainers, groundskeepers, broadcasters, bus drivers, hotel staff, cooks, et. al. putting their lives at risk because we’re bored, because business owners want to see cash flow, because politicians need a symbolic victory.
Secondly, the players aren’t “holding out.” They agreed to salary reductions in March, as their salaries were pro-rated based on games played. For instance, a player earning $5 million this year for a 162-game season ($30,864 per game) would earn $2.47 million if there were to be an 80-game season this year. The players already sacrificed. The owners want to renegotiate the deal the two sides virtually shook hands upon two months ago in favor of a more owner-friendly deal. It’s the owners who are “holding out.”
Even if the players were holding out (which they’re not), they would have every right to do so, as they are the ones putting their careers and lives on the line for the almighty entertainment dollar. The owners aren’t going to be in close quarters in the clubhouse with three dozen other people, sitting next to players who spit, discard chewed sunflower seed shells, and inadvertently cough and sneeze in their vicinity. The risk is being taken on entirely by the players. It’s easy for owners, for politicians, for fans, and for members of the media to suggest what the players should do when they won’t have to personally deal with the consequences of doing so.
* And…
1. Anything with even the slightest relation to a salary-capped system frightens players, even if this proposal doesn’t involve a salary ceiling or any other cap tenets. The mistrust between the sides has deepened in recent years — just look at their different interpretations of that March agreement, which is barely six weeks old — and the slightest whiff of a cap sends off Pandora’s box signals at the union.
2. Salaries do not grow commensurate with revenue gains. So now, in a year in which the game is struggling, it’s necessary for the players to share in the losses? That’s not how it works.
3. If a second wave of the coronavirus were to strike before or during the postseason and force the cancellation of games, postseason TV money would vanish. Even if the estimated revenues were $5 billion, they would crater with the cancellation of playoff money and leave the players with less than their prorated share.
To really understand what the players think about the revenue-split idea, one needed only hear what MLBPA executive director Tony Clark told The Athletic: “A system that restricts player pay based on revenues is a salary cap, period. This is not the first salary-cap proposal our union has received. It probably won’t be the last. That the league is trying to take advantage of a global health crisis to get what they’ve failed to achieve in the past — and to anonymously negotiate through the media for the last several days — suggests they know exactly how this will be received. None of this is beneficial to the process of finding a way for us to safely get back on the field and resume the 2020 season — which continues to be our sole focus.”
* And…
After Pritzker’s comments were posted Tuesday on Twitter, Eireann Dolan, the wife of Nationals pitcher Sean Doolittle and an Illinois resident, tweeted: “This is wild to me. Players haven’t even seen a proposal yet. How can they be holding out on something they literally haven’t seen?”
Shortly after the sport was shut down during spring training in March to help slow the spread of the coronavirus, MLB and the union reached an agreement that players would be paid a prorated salary for a shortened season, based on the number of games played. […]
Players went on strike in 1994 to fight a proposed salary cap, and the work stoppage lasted into the 1995 season. Baseball remains the only major sport without a cap on salaries.
“A system that restricts player pay based on revenues is a salary cap, period,” Clark told The Athletic. “This is not the first salary-cap proposal our union has received. It probably won’t be the last. That the league is trying to take advantage of a global health crisis to get what they’ve failed to achieve in the past — and to anonymously negotiate through the media for the last several days — suggests they know exactly how this will be received.”
Thoughts?
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A different sort of remap debate
Wednesday, May 13, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Center Square…
Illinois Municipal League Executive Director Brad Cole told WMAY on Tuesday it wants to see the regions separated by the eleven Emergency Medical Service Regions, not the quadrants in the governor’s reopening plan.
Cole also said municipal leaders want to shorten the 28-day timeline to fully get to the next phase to 14 days. And, in parts of the state that haven’t been hit hard by COVID-19, Cole said there were concerns about the data starting with May 1.
“We think that there could be a backdate to that,” Cole said. “We can look back further than May 1, especially in an area that hasn’t had any hospitalizations or positive tests.”
But, after releasing his reopening plan last week, Pritzker was asked if historical data back to March 20 was being used at all.
* Marie Wilson at the Daily Herald…
A push intensified Tuesday to let the collar counties progress separately from Cook and Chicago toward Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s COVID-19 bench marks for reopening the economy.
Leaders representing DuPage, Kane and McHenry counties called on Pritzker to remove their areas from the Northeast region under the Restore Illinois plan, which also includes Cook, Grundy, Lake, Kankakee, Kendall and Will counties.
County leaders, mayors and at least one state representative say the coronavirus situation in their communities is much different from what it is in Cook County and Chicago, where the high concentrations of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths have occurred.
“When it comes to recovery, our situation is much more akin to Boone and DeKalb counties and points west than the Chicago metro area,” McHenry County Chairman Jack Franks said in a news release. […]
State rolling averages show the positivity rates in suburban Cook County and Chicago are above the 20% level, at 20.2% for suburban Cook and 23.2% for Chicago. But the rates also top 20% in Kane and Lake counties, at 24.5% for Kane and 25.6% for Lake.
* NBC 5…
The mayor of suburban Elmhurst has asked Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker to reconsider portions of his plan to reopen Illinois, particularly including the city and DuPage County in the same health care region as Cook County. […]
“In the Northeast region, the positivity rate as of midnight on May 8 is at 22.3 percent, which is of course higher than the 20 percent cap on this metric to move into the next phase,” Pritzker said.
Elmhurst Mayor Steven Morley said Elmhurst and DuPage County are on track to meet the required COVID-19 data points dictated in the governor’s plan in a “matter of weeks, if not days.”
“To be clear this is unacceptable,” Morley said in a letter to Pritzker. “Governor you represent all Illinoisans, not just the city of Chicago. We are asking you to understand the needs of all communities.”
* WCSJ…
Grundy County Board members last night voted unanimously on a resolution to have Grundy County moved to another region in the Restore Illinois Health Regions Map.
Currently, Grundy County is in a region with Cook County and they are requesting state officials to move them into the North-Central Health Region.
* Journal Star…
The numbers, according to Peoria’s mayor, speak for themselves.
Mayor Jim Ardis said the Tri-County Area has already met the scientific metrics required by Gov. JB Pritzker to move to the next phase of reopening after two months of shelter-in-place orders.
“What we are saying, and the numbers speak for themselves, is that we were in that place a month ago. So, we are lucky … well, it’s not all luck, as there has been a lot of community effort,” he said.
Ardis held off on revealing the specifics of the Heart of Illinois plan that will be discussed Wednesday morning at a news conference. The plan, which involves communities from Woodford, Tazewell, Peoria, McLean and seven other adjacent counties, seeks to create a “subregion” within Pritzker’s plan. Currently, the area is in a region that includes Rockford.
* WCSJ…
Illinois House Republicans have circulated a petition demanding that Illinois Governor JB Pritzker remove Kendall County and Grundy County from what they call, “the Cook County region.”
* Related…
* McHenry County mayors want out of Northeast Region in Pritzker’s Restore Illinois plan
* Algonquin Discusses Dining On Patios, In Parks, On Streets
* Kankakee County seeks blueprint to reopen region
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Question of the day
Wednesday, May 13, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* We discussed this yesterday, but here’s Jerry Nowicki at Capitol News Illinois…
Gov. JB Pritzker said Tuesday he would consider withholding federal pass-through funds to counties ignoring his stay-at-home order and said it “would be best” for the General Assembly to meet before the end of May to take up key state business.
When asked in his daily COVID-19 briefing via videoconference Tuesday if the state would consider withholding federal aid to counties reopening early, Pritzker said, “we would consider that.”
“The state already provides a lot of support for cities and counties,” he said. “And so I would just suggest that there are a number of enforcement mechanisms that are available to us, and I don’t want to utilize those — I have asked people to do the right thing and I want to point out that the vast majority of people in Illinois have been doing the right thing and I’m so very proud of that.”
Pritzker said those disobeying his orders are “outliers” who are “not following science and data,” but rather they are “listening to partisan rhetoric” and “following their own instincts, but no science.”
* The Question: Do you support withholding state aid (including federal pass-through money) from local governments which reopen ahead of the state’s schedule (as long as it’s legal to withhold it)? Make sure to explain your answer.
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Bailey plan fails to pass in home county
Wednesday, May 13, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* As we’ve already discussed, the Madison County board overwhelmingly approved a proposal to reopen the county in defiance of Gov. JB Pritzker. Rep. Darren Bailey was in his home county of Clay last night to watch a similar plan fail for lack of a second…
As the state mandated shutdown of Illinois continues because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Clay County Board met last night at the courthouse in Louisville in a marathon session lasting more than 3 hours.
A crowd of residents about 50 in number attended the meeting in the upstairs courtroom observing social distancing as best they could with family members huddled together. These residents were on hand to voice their opinion about the shutdown and to let elected leaders know they want to get back to work. […]
The major topic of the meeting was a resolution for the board’s consideration calling for the adoption of an alternative plan to open businesses in Illinois rather than the five-phased system enacted by the governor.
Illinois State Representative Darren Bailey addressed the board and the public first and said additional measures will be put forward in the days ahead. Clay County Health Department Administrator Jeff Workman presented his case for the adoption of the resolution to encourage the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and Governor J.B. Pritzker to consider other options in the push to return to some sort of normalcy. The board also heard from Insurance Broker Bill Atwood, Louisville Stylist Sonja Harrison who just filed her own case against the Governor earlier this week, as well as an impassioned plea from Flora Stylist Stacey Earleywine for the board to take action and Rep. Darren Bailey closed out the argument calling for an end to the governor’s action. […]
Board Chairman Ted Whitehead thanked everyone for attending and for their passion for the cause. Clay County State’s Attorney Andrew Koester spent much of the meeting interpreting the various legal points of the proposed resolution and ones shared from other governmental bodies. When the discussion concluded it was clear that residents who attended wanted the board to approve the resolution put forward by local legislators and regional health departments with the expectation that it be forwarded onto the IDPH and on to Gov. Pritzker. While a motion was made to adopt the resolution, it died for lack of a second. It was also suggested that a subcommittee be formed to study a resolution adopted by the Clark County Board which declared their businesses were free to reopen at their own risk. It’s possible that Chairman Ted Whitehead could call a special meeting in the coming days should another stronger resolution come as a result of the subcommittee’s work. It’s also possible a court ruling against the governor could have major ramifications against his plan and conceivably give local officials more control over their own areas.
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* Politico…
State lawmakers are returning to Springfield to wrap up what will be a super-abbreviated legislative session hampered by the coronavirus pandemic.
Democrats are holding Zoom caucus meetings today at 10 a.m. to discuss when and how they’ll go to the state capitol. Most likely, they will return on staggered schedules, with senators going first.
Lawmakers expect to be called to Springfield soon. They were told this week to be sure to get tested for the coronavirus even if they don’t have symptoms.
House Speaker Michael Madigan holds the cards on all the details. Lawmakers could convene (in a social distancing sort of way) as early as next week, though they could wait to meet until after Memorial Day.
By then, Illinois will have a better idea about how much and what kind of federal funding would be directed toward the state in the latest relief package to help budgets bleeding revenue.
Technically, legislators are already in session through May 30, but their return could be deemed a “special session” — which would allow them to focus on a limited number of issues. It’s one of those confusing, legislative inside-baseball-sort-of-things.
I’m not quite sure what that last paragraph is supposed to mean (they could use a special session to limit the topics of discussion) and the spring session, as always, is scheduled through May 31, but subscribers know a lot more about options for a return.
…Adding… Subscribers were told about this as well…
The Illinois General Assembly might gather at the Bank of Springfield Center to allow social distancing amid pandemic.
Brian Oaks, general manager of the downtown convention center, said that he’s been talking with House Speaker Michael Madigan’s office. “We don’t have anything final,” Oaks said.
*** UPDATE 1 *** House Democrats were just told in caucus that they’re returning next week.
*** UPDATE 2 *** House Democrats were told that they will, indeed, meet in the convention center.
*** UPDATE 3 *** Senate Democrats were told they will come back next Wednesday through Friday. As I told subscribers this morning, the Senate will convene at the Statehouse.
*** UPDATE 4 *** Senate President Don Harmon and House Speaker Michael Madigan are expected to issue a statement at around noon today.
*** UPDATE 5 *** Click here for the House’s plan. This will indeed be a special session in order to limit the number of topics. Speaker Madigan has also asked his members to sign a pledge…
In the interest of conducting the necessary business of the Illinois House of Representatives in a manner that prioritizes the health and safety of our fellow members, staff, and our communities at large, we do hereby pledge to follow the recommendations as approved by the Illinois Department of Public Health by:
• Getting tested for COVID-19 in the days before the House is to resume – even if we are asymptomatic or have recovered from a previous infection. If we test positive, we will stay home and self-quarantine.
• Undergoing a temperature check on session days prior to entering the Capitol or any other grounds used to convene session. If we record an elevated fever, we will undergo a new test prior to entering the building.
• Wearing a facemask at all times when in session and whenever in the company of colleagues and staff. We understand additional protective equipment may be required if recommended by experts, and we commit to using it. (Cloth face coverings will be provided to members and essential staff who need it.)
• Traveling to session alone and staying in a hotel or apartment on our own, including doing our best to travel without spouses, children and other family members.
• Avoiding any unnecessary exposure by refraining from extracurricular activities like non-essential meetings, gatherings, shared meals or drinks with colleagues, lobbyists, or others while in session.
• Following social distancing recommendations at all times while in Springfield for the business of the House.
• Upon returning home, we will seek another test for COVID-19 and/or self- quarantine for at least seven days.
• Taking any additional individual precautions necessary to contribute to the health and safety of those around us.
*** UPDATE 6 *** As often happens, the House will have a concurrent special session along with its regular session.
*** UPDATE 7 *** Speaker Madigan has sent a letter to House GOP Leader Jim Durkin asking that the House Republicans sign the above pledge “Given your enthusiasm to resume normal operations of the House and the uncertainty of these times.” Click here to read the letter.
*** UPDATE 8 *** From the Senate Democrats…
We will be scheduling a special session for May 20, 21 and 22 to address fiscal and COVID-19 related issues.
The Senate plans to meet at the Capitol in the Senate chamber.
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SoS White looking at reopening possibilities
Wednesday, May 13, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Finke…
Secretary of State Jesse White’s office said Tuesday it is in the process of examining days when the office can reopen, including driver services facilities that have been closed since mid-March. […]
“The memo has gone out to employees letting them know we are looking at potential opening dates,” said White spokesman Dave Druker. “Nothing has been signed off yet. There still needs to be some clearance on some of this. Essentially, the letter was to let people know there are plans to come back in the not too distant future.” […]
How to reopen the driver services facilities and keep people safe is one of the issues that must be resolved, Druker said. Employees will wear masks, he said, and there will be dividers between the employees and the public as people see in retail outlets. There also will be floor markers to show where customers should stand to maintain proper distancing.
What hasn’t been determined is how to deal with potential crowds of people who may all show up at once expecting service. People could be asked to make appointments or there could be limits placed on the number of people allowed inside a facility at one time.
The article doesn’t make it sound like reopenings are imminent. But the SoS has already reopened three facilities for commercial drivers.
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Open thread
Wednesday, May 13, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Please keep it Illinois-centric and be nice to each other. Thanks.
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