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How we will have to honor our youngest COVID-19 sufferer
Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times
Ernesto Guzman, age 12, suffered from bronchial asthma and obstructive sleep apnea, two different underlying well being issues of doubtlessly severe penalties that experience figured into many different COVID-19 deaths, in step with the Cook County Medical Examiner’s administrative center.
But make no mistake, docs say it used to be the coronavirus that led to the pneumonia that took Ernesto’s lifestyles early Thursday morning at Advocate Christ Medical Center, Oak Lawn.
Because his loss of life came about after middle of the night, it’s not but counted some of the 3,928 reliable COVID-19 deaths in Illinois, however it used to be indexed some of the single-day file prime of 126 deaths reported Thursday from Cook County by way of the clinical examiner.
Will the loss of life of a 12-year-old boy reason extra other people to take this illness significantly? Mark Brown says he doubts it. But he hopes that may alternate.
“Take this seriously, folks,” he wrote. “Take it very seriously, because the life you risk may not be your own.”
Read Mark Brown’s complete column right here.
News
7:03 a.m. ‘Grandstanding’ by way of Grand Old Party? Or is Pritzker overlaying his selections?
SPRINGFIELD — After weeks of nudges from Republican legislators, the General Assembly is making plans to go back to Springfield to get again to paintings.
And as they get ready for the Legislature’s long-sought consultation subsequent week, Republicans stated Thursday they’re keen to agree to protection tips issued by way of the Democrats – however they would like an exam of their very own.
GOP lawmakers stated they’re going to put on face coverings, put up to COVID-19 assessments and temperature exams and apply different protection measures after they go back to Springfield, however they balked at signing a pledge to apply the ones suggestions as asked by way of House Speaker Mike Madigan.
And Republicans wish to put Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s “Restore Illinois” plan below the microscope with a public listening to.
GOP lawmakers have criticized Pritzker’s “Restore Illinois” plan as “arbitrary,” pronouncing the dates through which portions of the states can start to reopen don’t make sense, and its metrics forget about geographical variations in COVID-19’s have an effect on.
Read the entire tale by way of Neal Earley right here.
6:45 a.m. With the focal point at the coronavirus, Lightfoot opts for bare-bones capital plan
Singularly targeted at the battle towards the coronavirus, Mayor Lori Lightfoot has opted for a $100 million, naked bones capital plan — bankrolled by way of an present line of credit score — to pay for brand spanking new automobiles, sidewalks and the precious aldermanic menu program.
Normally, the town problems common legal responsibility bonds subsidized by way of belongings taxes to hide a extra sweeping capital program. But those aren’t commonplace instances.
The Lightfoot management is preoccupied with the town’s reaction to the coronavirus and the finances disaster induced by way of the stay-at-home shutdown of the Chicago financial system.
So the verdict used to be made to continue simplest with the ones capital tasks and purchases that totally had to get carried out and to finance it with a line of credit score that remained, even after Lightfoot stored $22 million by way of getting rid of a $1.four billion line of credit score negotiated by way of former Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
Read the entire tale by way of Fran Spielman right here.
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Analysis & Commentary
6:53 a.m. Chicago’s flag, civic delight and the battle towards COVID-19
If Chicago have been so as to add a 5th superstar to the town’s flag, an terrible lot of hipsters must get their tattoos transformed.
Maybe it’s perfect we simply depart the flag as it’s, although the town manages to succeed towards COVID-19.
Last Friday and once more on Wednesday, Mayor Lori Lightfoot floated the theory of including a 5th crimson superstar to Chicago’s flag to mark the town’s reaction to the coronavirus pandemic. She used to be seeking to rally the town. If Chicago’s effort to overcome the virus is terrifically a hit, she stated Friday, it’ll “in point of fact warrant a 5th superstar on our…