The latest
Illinois election officials: We’re ready for next COVID-19 test on Tuesday
New pandemic precautions are being put to the test.
Chicago’s big stadiums are opening up for residents to throw their support behind candidates instead of sports teams.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot has the police preparing for a worst-case scenario of citywide unrest.
But the most radical part of this election unlike any other might already be more than halfway over — for Illinois voters anyway.
That’s because, as of Friday, more than 3 million Illinois voters had cast their ballots — with four days remaining before Tuesday’s election. That represents about 53% of the nearly 5.7 million total voters in 2016.
Read the full story by Mitchell Armentrout here.
News
8:43 a.m. Danielle Colaprico hosts camp to help athletes whose recruitment was derailed by COVID-19
When Danielle Colaprico was being recruited to play Division I soccer, she had a slew of options.
After narrowing it down to seven schools, she decided on Virginia.
When she reflects on that time in her career, she remembers being full of excitement because of her opportunities. The players she trains when she’s not in the midfield for the Red Stars remind her of how different it would be trying to earn a scholarship now.
That was the inspiration for her two-day identification camp this weekend at De La Salle.
“From what I’ve seen and experienced, unless you’re on a top club and going to elite tournaments, it’s really hard to get seen by coaches,” Colaprico said. “That’s a huge reason why women stop playing and a reason I wanted to host this camp.”
Colaprico’s camp will feature 50 players ages 14-18 who will be showcasing their skills in front of coaches from NAIA, junior college, Division II and Division III programs.
7:35 a.m. UIC studies COVID-19 experimental therapy Trump touted as a cure
A team of University of Illinois Chicago researchers plan to study an experimental biological therapy to see if it can help prevent COVID-19 infections.
The study aims to test at least 25 people, comparing those who receive four shots of treatment with those who receive a solution with no medicine. The therapy uses a combination of lab-engineered antibodies, which are immune system proteins that fight viruses and infections.
Different from a vaccine, UIC scientists want to see if the therapy, developed by biotech company Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, can stop the spread of the virus in the body even if individuals are exposed to others who are infected.
Read the full story by Brett Chase here.
7:10 a.m. Illinois restaurant workers blast ban on indoor services
Indoor service at Chicago bars and restaurants was suspended Friday by the state in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Outdoor service is allowed, but it must end at 11 p.m.
Restaurant association representatives said they plan to meet next week with Gov. J.B. Pritzker. The association launched a petition drive asking the governor to lift the dining restrictions.
The group contends banning indoor service will result in a larger spread of the virus by driving people into “uncontrolled, unmonitored private gatherings.” They’re asking the state to reconsider the mitigations and to re-offer financial support packages and PPE to restaurants, a program that was vital for businesses during the initial spread last spring.
“We want to work with the state to offer a different path. One that addresses the surges we’re seeing while protecting the livelihood of industry workers and restaurant owners across Illinois,” said Sam Toia, president of the Illinois Restaurant Association.
New Cases
- Illinois’ average coronavirus testing positivity rate reached its highest point in five months Friday as public health officials announced a second straight record-breaking day of 6,943 new infections statewide.
- The soaring tally came along with a record-high 95,111 tests submitted to the Illinois Department of Public Health, raising the statewide average testing positivity rate over the last week to 7.3%.
Analysis & Commentary
7:15 a.m. Why Chicago couldn’t avoid the state’s indoor dining restrictions
For generations now, Chicago has had its own separate set of state laws for just about every topic under the sun. The city’s mayor is allowed to appoint the school board, Chicago has its own “working cash fund” law, the state’s mayoral veto law does not apply to the city and Chicago has a unique exemption allowing it to deduct money from worker paychecks.
From big to archaic, the list is almost endless.
So, when you’ve grown accustomed to doing it your own way for a century or so, you may start thinking you’re a special case in literally everything. And that seems to be what happened last week.
