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Pause on Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine won’t affect United Center appointments, city’s top doc says

Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times

Appointments at the United Center’s COVID-19 mass vaccination site will go on as scheduled next week with Pfizer doses being administered instead of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine that’s been shelved nationwide, officials said Thursday.

The city’s most prominent mass vax site has been doling out Pfizer since it launched a month ago in a parking lot across the street from the Near West Side arena.

That’ll still be the case Monday, which is when the federally run site had been scheduled to switch to J&J doses — until a handful of extremely rare blood clots tied to that vaccine prompted a temporary suspension this week while experts investigate.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency will provide additional Pfizer doses in its place, meaning plans won’t change for anyone with a United Center appointment, according to Chicago Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady.

“Everybody who has an appointment from Monday on at the United Center can keep that appointment. You do not need to do a thing. You will just receive Pfizer instead of Johnson & Johnson,” Arwady said during an online Q&A.

Read Mitchell Armentrout’s full story here.

News

12:15 p.m. US setting up $1.7B national network to track virus variants

WASHINGTON — The U.S. is setting up a $1.7 billion national network to identify and track worrisome coronavirus mutations whose spread could trigger another pandemic wave, the Biden administration announced Friday.

White House officials unveiled a strategy that features three components: a major funding boost for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state health departments to ramp up coronavirus gene-mapping; the creation of six “centers of excellence” partnerships with universities to conduct research and develop technologies for gene-based surveillance of pathogens; and building a data system to better share and analyze information on emerging disease threats, so knowledge can be turned into action.

“Even as we accelerate our efforts to get shots into arms, more dangerous variants are growing, causing increases in cases in people without immunity,” White House coronavirus adviser Andy Slavitt told reporters. That “requires us to intensify our efforts to quickly test for and find the genetic sequence of the virus as it spreads.”

Read the full story here.

11:20 a.m. 10,000 COVID-19 vaccines appointments will be available noon Friday

Cook County Health will release 10,000 first-dose COVID-19 vaccines Friday.

The Moderna and Pfizer vaccines will be available through appointment at noon Friday, according to Cook County Health.

Appointments will be available for anyone 16 years old and older, the agency said.

Read the full story and find out how to sign up here.

10:45 a.m. After contracting COVID-19, ex-Chicago Outlaws Motorcycle Club boss Orvie Cochran gets early prison release

After Outlaws Motorcycle Club boss Orville “Orvie” Cochran survived a shooting outside the biker gang’s South Side clubhouse in 2000 — he slipped on some ice and fell, thus avoiding a hail of bullets — a former friend described him as “- – – damn lucky.”

Cochran’s luck still hasn’t run out.

Arrested in 2017 after being on the run for 16 years to avoid racketeering charges, he caught a break on his sentence. And now — after contracting the coronavirus in prison — Cochran has gotten a federal judge to free him from prison six months early.

The judge ordered a “compassionate” release for Cochran, who had asked for that even before getting infected because, he said, he was afraid he would and had health problems that could make COVID especially dangerous for him.

Read the complete story by Robert Herguth here.

9 a.m. What is a COVID-19 vaccine passport, and will you need one?

What is a COVID-19 vaccine passport, and will I need one?

“Vaccine passports,” or vaccine certificates, are documents that show you were vaccinated against COVID-19 or recently tested negative for the virus. They could help you get into places such as stadiums or even countries that are looking to reopen safely.

The certificates are still being developed, and how and whether they’ll be used could vary widely around the world. Experts say they should be free and available on paper, not just on apps, since not everyone has a smartphone.

In the U.S., federal officials say there are no plans to make them broadly mandatory. In some states, Republican governors have issued orders barring businesses or state agencies from asking people to show proof of vaccination.

Read the full story here.

New cases & vaccination numbers

• The Illinois Department of Public Health reported 3,581 new cases of the disease were diagnosed Wednesday among 105,661 tests to keep the state’s average testing positivity rate at 4.2%.
• About one quarter of Illinois residents have been fully vaccinated so far, with 138,538 doses administered Tuesday. The state also reported 3,536 new cases and 31 more deaths.
• Pritzker office staffer tests positive for COVID-19. The staff member was not in close contact with Gov. Pritzker Monday, or in previous days.
• Staff member of state House Speaker Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch tests positive for COVID-19. The staff member was tested Monday as part of the Legislature’s required protocols to return to in-person work in the Capitol.

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NEW YORK — The average major league salary dropped 4.8% to just under $4.17 million on opening day from the start of the previous full season in 2019.

The average has fallen 6.4% since the start of the 2017 season, when it peaked at $4.45 million, according to a study of major league contracts by The Associated Press. The salary downturn is yet another sign baseball could be headed toward labor strife and a possible work stoppage in 2022.

Baseball’s middle class has borne the brunt of the drop. The median salary — the point at which an equal number of players are above and below — is $1.15 million, down 18% from $1.4 million two years ago and a drop of 30% from the $1.65 million record high at the start of 2015.

Of 902 players on opening-day rosters, 417 (62%) had salaries under $1 million, including 316 (35%) under $600,000.

The 50 highest-paid players are getting 33.4% of all salaries, up from 28.6% in 2017, and the 100 highest-paid are receiving 52.4%, an increase from 42.5% in 2017.

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer is the highest-paid player in 2021 at $38 million after agreeing to a $102 million, three-year contract he can terminate after one season. Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout is second at $37.1 million, followed by Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole ($36 million) and St. Louis third baseman Nolan Arenado ($35 million), who was acquired in an offseason trade with Colorado.

The World Series champion Dodgers topped the major leagues at $241 million, the highest big league total since the Dodgers set the record at $270 million at the start of the 2015 season.

Players are unhappy with the slide in salaries under the current collective bargaining agreement, even before last year’s pandemic-shortened season, and intend to press for changes during labor talks this year to replace the contract that expires Dec. 1.

The average was just over $500,000 when AP started its salary studies in 1989 and went down just twice before 2017: after the 1994-95 strike and between the 2003 and 2004 seasons.

The average has dropped 4.9% under the current labor agreement, which started after the 2016 season. The average rose 15.3% under the 2007-11 contract and 32.6% under the 2012-16 deal.

This year’s average was depressed by the opening-day absence of Houston pitcher Jake Odorizzi, who was left off the initial roster, and infielder Rougned Odor, who had been designated for assignment by Texas and later was traded to the New York Yankees. Their presence on opening day would have increased by average by roughly $24,000, cutting the drop over two years to 4.2%.

Add the money Boston owes second baseman Dustin Pedroia, on the voluntary retired list after missing most of the prior three seasons while hurt, and the average would have been down 3.9% to $4.2 million. Termination pay, option buyouts and portions of signing bonuses paid to released players are not included in the average.

In addition, the average likely was lowered slightly by the expansion of active rosters to 26, which probably caused teams to add 30 players making near the $570,500 minimum.

The New York Yankees are second at $201 million and the New York Mets, under new owner Steven Cohen, third at $186 million. The Angels are next at $181 million, followed by Washington ($179.6 million), Boston ($179.5 million), Houston ($176.5 million), San Diego ($175.7 million) and Philadelphia ($174.8 million).

The Cubs are at No. 11 with $156.5 million payroll. The White Sox are 15th with a $127.1 million payroll.

Twelve teams are under $100 million, with Pittsburgh at $46 million the lowest on opening day in a full season since Houston’s $44.6 million in 2014. Slightly above the Pirates are Cleveland ($51 million), Baltimore ($56 million) and Miami ($57 million).

Last year’s salaries were cut to 60/162nd because of the shortened season and cannot be compared with other years.

Average and median salaries decline over the course of the season as veterans are released and replaced by younger players making closer to the minimum.

The AP’s figures include salaries and prorated shares of signing bonuses and other guaranteed income for players on active rosters and injured lists and one player who started the season on the paternity list. For some players, parts of deferred money are discounted to reflect current values.

Luxury tax payrolls computed by Major League Baseball are different, using average annual values of contracts on 40-man rosters plus about $15 million per team for benefits and extended benefits.

2021 Baseball Payrolls

Payrolls for the opening day rosters of the 30 major league teams. Figures were obtained by The Associated Press from management and player sources and include salaries and pro-rated shares of signing bonuses for players on the 26-man active roster, injured lists and paternity list. In some cases, parts of salaries deferred without interest are discounted to reflect present-day values. Adjustments includes cash transactions in trades, signing bonuses that are responsibility of club that agreed to contract, option buyouts and termination pay for released players.

Los Angeles Dodgers $241,372,403

N.Y. Yankees 201,074,956

New York Mets 186,001,814

Los Angeles Angels 180,609,676

Washington 179,557,685

Boston 179,540,260

Houston 176,495,417

San Diego 175,713,986

Philadelphia 174,808,832

St. Louis 164,972,833

Cubs 156,481,585

San Francisco 149,937,613

Toronto 139,646,569

Atlanta 132,458,375

White Sox 127,148,334

Minnesota 125,153,166

Cincinnati 123,575,488

Colorado 110,309,500

Texas 97,796,971

Arizona 94,394,792

Milwaukee 93,818,038

Kansas City 89,496,700

Seattle 83,603,100

Oakland 82,983,674

Detroit 80,866,200

Tampa Bay 66,820,709

Miami 57,481,750

Baltimore 56,158,500

Cleveland 51,269,100

Pittsburgh 45,599,000

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Chicago Bears: 3 wide receivers more deserving of HOF than Julian Edelman by Ryan Heckman

We just saw the Chicago White Sox throw the second no-hitter an MLB team has thrown this season. Carlos Rodon defied all odds and came in and no-hit the Cleveland Indians. It was a great way to get his season rolling. The Chicago Cubs, on the other hand, have one of the worst offenses to start a season in the history of the league. When you think about what Rodon did to Cleveland last week, you have to wonder if someone will no-hit this bad Cubs offense this season?

The Chicago Cubs have the type of offense that is a no-hit candidate this year.

The Cubs offense has been completely shutout twice already this season. They have also had many games where they have had less than five hits. They even have a game where they only had a single hit in the baseball game. It has been tough to see because it is clear that it isn’t getting better any time soon. If they didn’t find a way to get that one hit in that game, they would already have been no-hit.

If the Cubs are in a bad way in terms of their record by June, don’t be surprised if they start to sell off some of thier stars on expiring contracts. Anthony Rizzo, Javier Baez, and Kris Bryant are all on expiring contracts. Willson Contreras also only has one year left after this year so he is a candidate to be traded as well. Those are the four guys who are supposed to be thier best hitters so taking them out makes it even more possible to be no-hit.

It is a shame (and a bit of a mystery) how this level of expectation became a thing for the Cubs. They were World Series Champions in 2016. Now, we are worried about their offense is so bad that they are no-hit in a season. The team on the other side of town is recording no-hittters while the Cubs can’t hit at all.

Related Story: The Chicago Cubs owe Joe Maddon an apology

Now, as much of a worry as this is, it doesn’t mean that it will happen. It is really hard to get 27 outs without making a pitching change let alone one guy not allowing a hit. If it happens, it happens but the Cubs need to figure something out with this team. You can’t fire any more coaches or managers. At some point, the players have to be held accountable.

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A motor truck driver who exposed himself and masturbated inside a Department of Water Management truck in broad daylight while parked in a residential neighborhood.

A Chicago Fire Department lieutenant who repeatedly sexually harassed a restaurant employee while on duty in uniform and a battalion chief who tried to cover it up.

An animal care inspector who sent unprovoked communications to a co-worker’s spouse alleging the co-worker was having an affair on the job.

Inspector General Joe Ferguson’s latest quarterly report includes allegations of sexual misconduct and harassment, including one involving the city’s scandal-scarred Department of Water Management.

“A Department of Water Management truck driver, while on duty, exposed themselves and masturbated inside a DWM truck. The motor truck driver performed these acts in the daytime while parked in residential neighborhood,” Ferguson wrote.

“The motor truck driver’s public indecency was observable to nearby members of the public, as indicated by a video an individual recorded, which showed the MTD masturbating.”

During an interview, the accused driver repeatedly lied to investigators by falsely claiming that he had “spilled a drink on themselves” and, later, that he was “urinating into a bottle,” according to the inspector general’s report.

The driver has been fired but is appealing the discharge.

In 2017, a shake up triggered by racist, sexist and homophobic emails swept out then-Water Management Commissioner Barrett Murphy and top deputies William Bresnahan and Paul Hansen, brother of former Ald. Bernard Hansen (44th).

A Chicago Fire Department lieutenant has been discharged after being accused of sexually harassing a restaurant employee for months “numerous times a week” while on duty and in uniform.

“While at the restaurant, the lieutenant singled out the employee and made unwanted and inappropriate comments, saying the victim was pretty, calling the victim ‘baby’ and ‘sweetie’, stating, ‘I’m gonna marry you someday,’ and, ‘Are you gonna make my food with love?'” Ferguson wrote.

“The unwanted attention caused the employee to move to the kitchen area whenever the lieutenant entered the restaurant. The sexual harassment culminated one afternoon when the lieutenant approached the restaurant employee and kissed them on the cheek without consent or invitation.”

The lieutenant was accused of lying to investigators. Ferguson further accused the lieutenant’s supervisor, a battalion chief, of conducting an “unsanctioned investigation” into the alleged misconduct “despite the close personal relationship between them.”

The battalion chief was further accused of threatening co-workers by saying, “No one better talk to the media about this or I’ll kick their teeth in.”

The lieutenant was fired but is appealing the discharge. The battalion chief received a written reprimand and anti-sexual harassment training.

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INDIANAPOLIS — Police were working Friday to identify a gunman and determine his motive for opening fire at a FedEx facility near the Indianapolis airport, killing eight people and taking his own life in the latest mass shooting to rock the U.S.

Deputy Chief Craig McCartt of the Indianapolis police said the gunman started randomly shooting at people in the parking lot late Thursday night and then went into the building and continued firing. He said the gunman apparently died by suicide shortly before police entered the building.

“There was no confrontation with anyone that was there,” he said. “There was no disturbance, there was no argument. He just appeared to randomly start shooting.”

McCartt said four people were killed outside the FedEx processing facility and another four inside. Several people were also wounded, including five taken to the hospital.

The carnage took just a couple of minutes. “It did not last very long,” he said.

Officials with the coroner’s office said they have not been able to get to the scene to identify the victims because evidence is still being collected.

In the wake of the shootings, Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett said the community must guard against resignation and “the assumption that this is how it must be and we might as well get used to it.”

It was the latest in a recent string of mass shootings across the U.S. Last month, eight people were fatally shot at massage businesses across the Atlanta area, and 10 died in gunfire at a supermarket in Boulder, Colorado.

It was at least the third mass shooting this year in Indianapolis alone. Five people, including a pregnant woman, were shot and killed in January, and a man was accused of killing three adults and a child before abducting his daughter during at argument at a home in March.

A witness said that he was working inside the building when he heard several gunshots in rapid succession.

“I see a man come out with a rifle in his hand and he starts firing and he starts yelling stuff that I could not understand,” Levi Miller told WTHR-TV. “What I ended up doing was ducking down to make sure he did not see me because I thought he would see me and he would shoot me.”

Family members gathered at a nearby hotel to await word on loved ones — and some employees were bused there for tearful reunions. But hours later, some people said they still had no information about their relatives. Most employees aren’t allowed to carry cellphones inside the FedEx building, making contact with them difficult.

“When you see notifications on your phone, but you’re not getting a text back from your kid and you’re not getting information and you still don’t know where they are … what are you supposed to do?” said Mindy Carson, holding back tears in the early hours of Friday. Her daughter, Jessica, works in the facility and she had not heard from her.

Gov. Eric Holcomb ordered flags to be flown at half-staff until April 20, and he and others decried the shooting, with some noting how frequent such attacks are.

“We wake up once more to news of a mass shooting, this time in Indiana. No country should accept this now-routine horror. It’s long past time to act,” Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, who is from Indiana, tweeted.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she was “horrified and heartbroken” by the shooting in Indianapolis and called for congressional action on gun control.

“As we pray for the families of all affected, we must work urgently to enact commonsense gun violence prevention laws to save lives & prevent this suffering,” the Democratic leader said in a tweet.

President Joe Biden and Attorney General Merrick Garland were both briefed on the shooting, and Biden’s chief of staff and homeland security adviser have been in touch with local leaders and law enforcement officials in Indianapolis.

Chris Bavender, a spokesperson for the FBI’s Indianapolis office, said that they are helping the police with the investigation.

A man told WTTV that his niece was sitting in the driver’s seat of her car when the gunfire erupted, and she was wounded.

“She got shot on her left arm,” said Parminder Singh. “She’s fine, she’s in the hospital now.”

___

Casey Smith is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

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A young boy is handed a gun by someone older, chased down a Southwest Side alley by a police officer and shot to death.

It’s a series of events now commanding the attention of Chicago, which had been anxiously awaiting the release of police body camera video of the fatal shooting of 13-year-old Adam Toledo.

But a tragically similar scenario played out nearly 30 years ago when an officer shot and killed a 12-year-old boy in the Brighton Park neighborhood — the youngest Chicago police shooting victim in recent memory.

Debra Fahrforth still doesn’t believe her son had a gun, as police claimed, when an officer shot 12-year-old Joey Chlopek the afternoon of June 6, 1992.

“I’ll never believe what the cops said about that day. My boy was jumping over the fence” when he was shot, said Fahrforth, 60.

It was nearly three decades ago, but she lives with it every day, surprised it didn’t prompt her to take her own life.

“When he died, I died,” she said.

‘I’m still very doubtful’

Police said Joey was shot after he pointed a .22-caliber pistol at a plainclothes officer, David Jarmusz, during a foot chase. Joey was shot three times in an alley and collapsed in a backyard in the 3000 block of West 38th Street.

Other than Jarmusz, there were no witnesses to the shooting.

Sun-Times file

That 1992 tragedy shares many parallels with the fatal shooting in March of 13-year-old Adam Toledo, who was also running from an officer, allegedly with a gun in his hand.

Prosecutors said Adam was handed the gun by a 21-year-old man who had fired at a passing car minutes earlier. Officers found Adam and the man in an alley and chased them, with one officer shooting Adam in the chest as the boy turned around by a fence behind Farragut Career Academy High School.

In Joey’s shooting, police said they were searching for an 18-year-old gang member when they allegedly saw Joey trying to hide a gun as he stood with a group playing basketball outside Davis Elementary School, 3014 W. 39th Pl.

File photos

As the officer approached Joey, the child began to run, leading to the chase. Police said the pursuit wound through several alleys into a partially paved gangway. Jarmusz entered the gangway from the front, identified himself and ordered Joey to stop, but the boy pointed the gun at Jarmusz, who opened fired and struck Joey three times, police said.

Chlopek fell dead in a backyard between the front gate and a peach tree. The youth had to hop a fence to get into the yard. Police said Joey’s gun was found in a vegetable garden in the yard.

A 14-year-old boy was later charged with handing the gun to Joey at the school before the chase began.

Fahrforth remains uncertain about what actually happened that day, pointing out that the officer had already shot and wounded two other people at that point in his then-19-year career with Chicago Police Department.

The lack of video in Joey’s shooting is the most striking difference with Adam’s shooting, and a source of Fahrforth’s doubt. “I wish they had a camcorder … I’m still very doubtful” about what happened, she said.

She watched the video of Adam being shot and wonders if that was how her own boy was killed.

“I thought, That’s my son running, not knowing what to do. Scared to stop, scared to run. And the results are, he’s gone,” she said. “I feel so bad for that family. It does remind me of Joey running out of the park. It really does.”

Sun-Times file

‘If there was a video, we would’ve won’

Fahrforth filed a federal lawsuit against the officer and the city, claiming Joey couldn’t have had a gun when he was shot. A federal judge ruled in favor of the city and the officer in 1995, but the suit details the doubts Joey’s family had about the police version of events.

The suit claimed Joey couldn’t have been holding a gun because police described him as having it in his right hand, despite the boy being left-handed. The suit also claimed Joey couldn’t have been pointing the gun at the officer because an autopsy showed the three bullets entered Joey’s side. There were also no fingerprints on the gun that matched Joey’s, but police said this was fairly common, and that about half of recovered guns didn’t have usable prints.

Fahrforth maintains the officer planted the gun on Joey, who she said was actually running home and had a key in his hand when he was shot. She believes video of the incident would have vindicated her and her son.

“If there was a video, we would’ve won,” she said.

The officer didn’t reply to a phone message seeking comment.

Sun-Times file

‘I feel for this mother’

Looking back, Fahrforth thinks Joey was portrayed unfairly by the media, which she said exaggerated parts of the story and painted him as a bad kid.

Media reports said Joey had a gang tattoo on the inside of one of his fingers, which police pointed to as proof he was in a gang. Family and friends disputed the meaning of the tattoo.

Fahrforth said she didn’t know about her son’s alleged gang connection and said relatives hid it from her. She said she did her best to supervise Joey but was working two jobs.

Fahrforth said she sympathizes with Adam’s mom. “I feel for this mother. You don’t think your baby can be doing anything wrong, or would be doing anything wrong. You think the streets grabbed him. I don’t know. The streets are powerful, I will say that.”

Sun-Times file

‘We were treated like garbage’

Almost 30 years later, Fahrforth said she thinks police culture hasn’t improved. And she’s still bitter about the way she thinks police treated her, even after an officer shot and killed her child.

“It’s something taken from you that you think you would never have to go through. Do I think anything’s changed? No, I think it’s even worse today. I think there’s more trigger-happy officers out there,” she said.

Fahrforth said she learned of her son’s death at work. “I said to my boss, ‘My son’s dead.’ … But I never thought it was a cop. In my wildest dream I thought it was a gang shooting. … Never thought it was an officer until I got there. And when I got there, I tried to go to my son and they wouldn’t let me. They said, ‘Cross the line and we’ll shoot you next.'”

Fahrforth said she asked for police protection at her house during Joey’s wake, but police wouldn’t provide it. “We were treated like garbage,” she said. “You know I’m still bitter with the police department.

“I know all the money in the world couldn’t bring my son back,” she continued. “No mother can get over this. You never get over it; you learn to live with it. I know God says to forgive, but the only thing it makes me do is accept death now.”

Fahrforth said the death of her son was “the hardest thing” in her life.

“I’m surprised I didn’t commit suicide, to tell you the truth. When he died, I died. Part of me went with him,” she said. “I have to live with this every day. Does this officer have to live with it? He’s taking his pension right now.”

“There’s three answers, and only one right one,” Fahrforth said. “There’s [the officer’s] story, and my thoughts, and then there’s God that knows what happened.”

Pat Nabong/Sun-Times

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The Barbershop: Dennis Byrne, Proprietor

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Hey moderates, how do you like your Joe Biden now?

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By Dennis Byrne,
today at 11:03 am

Putty in the hands of the wokemeisters who are reimagining America

Joe Biden was your escape hatch. An aura of moderation surrounded Biden during the campaign. Even though he didn’t really explain exactly how he would govern if elected. From his bunker, he was content to let himself be defined as a moderate.

Even if the accusations were true that he would be the handmaid of the far-left wing of the Democratic Party, for you it was the better of the Hobson choices: His calm demeanor and centrism versus the multiple uglies of Donald Trump.

Too bad. You have been betrayed.

As often the “Great Unifier” mindlessly parrots the words about a new day of bipartisanship, he goes along with governance by one party, passing this law and that law, without a single consult with or vote from Republicans.

The “unifier?” He repeats his “unifying” message with such conviction that I wonder whether he is even aware of the stark contradiction between his words and his administration’s go-it-alone actions. Never before has a president offered up such a contradiction between his words and his actions.

So, now you must live with the radical agenda he is pursuing. His policies can hardly be described as moderate. Among them:

• Spending out the wazoo. A couple trillion dollars here and a couple trillion dollars there.
• More than 50 executive orders, more than 30 on his first day in office. Did he even know what was in them?
• Threw 11,000 people–many of them union members–out of work by thoughtlessly cancelling the Keystone XL pipeline.
• Not a peep about Democratic congress persons willing to pass laws without any Republican input.
• Creates a pack-the-Supreme-Court commission.

There are too many middle-of-the-road betrayals to list here. If as a moderate you thought protecting the border had to be a part of a compromise plan for immigration reform, you’re out of luck.

If you thought that China and India should agree to cap emissions as a condition of rejoining the Paris Climate Accords, forget it.

Do you really think that Biden will use his veto power to stop the extreme restructuring of the Supreme Court and the raw political act of giving statehood to the District of Columbia?

Has the thought crossed your mind that Biden isn’t up to the job and that a shadow cabinet is running the government? If it hasn’t, you haven’t been watching the aging man stumble through his appearances. Does he have a policy of not venturing beyond the Mississippi River or the Appalachians?

As loathsome and unpredictable as Donald Trump is, Biden is turning out to be utterly predictable. A fighter for moderation, compromise, negotiation, centrism and unity he is not. So far, whatever the extreme left has put on his plate, he has declared it to nutritious, tasty and good to the last drop.

If you believe that unity and moderation are necessary to lift America out of its current malaise, you had better start organizing now. Before it’s too late.

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    HSPARKS

    6 minutes ago

    I have buyers remorse for the 2nd presidential election in a row . This situation reaffirms my belief that all…
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    Margaret H. Laing

    36 minutes ago

    I’m definitely a moderate, Dennis. I’m happy that I don’t have something new to panic about from the White House…
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    Dennis Byrne

    21 hours, 44 minutes ago

    In reply to Aquinas wired:

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    Aquinas wired

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Despite Moratorium Chicago Foreclosure Activity Hits A One Year High

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By Gary Lucido,
today at 11:45 am

The ATTOM Data Solutions Q1 2021 Foreclosure Market Report released yesterday provided a bit of insight into what is going on with Chicago’s and the nation’s foreclosure activity in the era of a perpetual moratorium on foreclosures. The latest extension of the moratorium moved it out to June 30 but it’s likely to get extended again, given past patterns. Yet, the nation’s foreclosure activity ticked up again in March and Chicago foreclosure activity, shown in the graph below, hit a one year high. Of course, we’re still at exceptionally low levels of foreclosures.

Chicago foreclosure activity has declined dramatically since the housing crisis. However, the recent plunge is the result of the moratorium placed on foreclosures in light of the Covid-19 crisis.

Rick Sharga, executive vice president of RealtyTrac, an ATTOM Data Solutions company, explained what’s going on as follows:

The foreclosure moratorium on government-backed loans has virtually stopped foreclosure activity over the past year. But mortgage servicers have been able to begin foreclosure actions on vacant and abandoned properties, which benefits neighborhoods and communities. It’s likely that these foreclosures are causing the slight uptick we’ve seen over the past few months.

Sharga also commented that the foreclosure moratorium and forbearance program have added approximately one year to the timeline for completing a foreclosure, now taking about 930 days to complete.

In the last year the timeline for completing a foreclosure has extended by about one year as a result of the moratorium.

Meanwhile the national mortgage delinquency rate continues to be our best indicator of what problems may lie ahead and it’s hovering around 6% after declining for several months. The graph below comes from Black Knight’s February Mortgage Monitor Report.

The nation’s mortgage delinquency rate continues to slowly improve, though it remains higher than it was 7 years ago.

Chicago Shadow Inventory

The number of homes sitting in the foreclosure pipeline spiked up again, rising once again above 2000. There’s been a lot of noise in this data over time so it’s hard to tell what’s real or not. February dropped by almost 900 units but now March rose by close to 600 units. The important point is that the overall trend is down.

The number of homes in foreclosure in Chicago continues to decline during the pandemic.

#Foreclosures #ChicagoForeclosures

Gary Lucido is the President of Lucid Realty, the Chicago area’s full service real estate brokerage that offers home buyer rebates and discount commissions. If you want to keep up to date on the Chicago real estate market or get an insider’s view of the seamy underbelly of the real estate industry you can Subscribe to Getting Real by Email using the form below. Please be sure to verify your email address when you receive the verification notice.

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Authorities said Friday they had not yet identified a gunman who stormed a FedEx facility near the Indianapolis airport, killing eight people and wounding several others before taking his own life.

INDIANAPOLIS — Authorities said Friday they had not yet identified a gunman who stormed a FedEx facility near the Indianapolis airport, killing eight people and wounding several others before taking his own life.

Deputy Chief Craig McCartt of the Indianapolis police said the gunman started randomly shooting at people in the parking lot and then went into the building, where he shot himself shortly before police entered.

McCartt said the shooting took just a couple of minutes. Five people were hospitalized, according to police. Another two people were treated and released at the scene.

“It did not last very long,” he said. McCartt said police do not yet know the motive for the shooting.

It was the latest in a recent string of mass shootings across the U.S. Last month, eight people were fatally shot at massage businesses across the Atlanta area, and 10 died in gunfire at a supermarket in Boulder, Colorado.

It was at least the third mass shooting this year in Indianapolis alone. Five people, including a pregnant woman, were shot and killed in January, and a man was accused of killing three adults and a child before abducting his daughter during at argument at a home in March.

A witness said that he was working inside the building when he heard several gunshots in rapid succession.

“I see a man come out with a rifle in his hand and he starts firing and he starts yelling stuff that I could not understand,” Levi Miller told WTHR-TV. “What I ended up doing was ducking down to make sure he did not see me because I thought he would see me and he would shoot me.”

Gov. Eric Holcomb ordered flags to be flown at half-staff until April 20, and he and others decried the shooting, with some noting how frequent such attacks are.

“We wake up once more to news of a mass shooting, this time in Indiana. No country should accept this now-routine horror. It’s long past time to act,” Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, who is from Indiana, tweeted.

Family members gathered at a nearby hotel to await word on loved ones — and some employees were bused there for tearful reunions. But some people said they still had no information about their relatives hours later. Most employees aren’t allowed to carry cellphones inside the FedEx building, making contact with them difficult.

“When you see notifications on your phone, but you’re not getting a text back from your kid and you’re not getting information and you still don’t know where they are … what are you supposed to do?” said Mindy Carson, holding back tears. Her daughter, Jessica, works in the facility and she had not heard from her.

Chris Bavender, a spokesperson for the FBI’s Indianapolis office, said that they are helping the police with the investigation.

Attorney General Merrick Garland was briefed on the shooting, and the White House said President Joe Biden would be. Biden’s advisors have been in touch with the city’s mayor and law enforcement officials.

A man told WTTV that his niece was sitting in the driver’s seat of her car when the gunfire erupted, and she was wounded.

“She got shot on her left arm,” said Parminder Singh. “She’s fine, she’s in the hospital now.”

He said his niece did not know the shooter.

___

Casey Smith is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

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A look at the best high school football games this week.

No. 25 Phillips at No. 1 Loyola, 4:45 p.m. Friday

It’s the fifth consecutive ranked opponent for the Ramblers (4-0), and the second straight game scheduled on the fly because of COVID-19 disruptions. These teams last met in a memorable 2017 game at Gately Stadium, when Phillips held on for the biggest regular-season win by a Public League team in years. The Wildcats (2-0) have a talented young quarterback in junior Tyler Turner and a pair of Division I defensive backs: Deavion Pierce (Miami, Ohio) and Willie Jones (Bowling Green). Vaughn Pemberton’s running and a lockdown defense have been an unbeatable combination for Loyola.

No. 16 Prospect at Buffalo Grove, 7 p.m. Friday

The Mid-Suburban East title is on the line, with both teams coming in 4-0 overall and in league play. Prospect has been dominant, averaging 46 points a game. Senior quarterback Gary Moeller, who announced Wednesday on Twitter he’ll be a preferred walk-on at Wisconsin, accounted for six touchdowns last week vs, Hersey (four passing, one rushing, one interception return). Cornell recruit Ayden Anderson has been a spark for Buffalo Grove’s offense.

No. 11 Glenbard West at No. 9 Hinsdale Central, 7 p.m. Friday

Glenbard West (2-0, 1-0 West Suburban Silver) returns to action for the first time since week two in one of the most anticipated games of the season in the west suburbs. As usual, the Hilltoppers like to spread the ball around among a variety of backs running behind a line anchored by Syracuse-bound guard Wes Hoeh. Quarterback Michael Brescia, a Colgate recruit, paces a potent offense for Hinsdale Central (4-0, 3-0), which averages 41 points a game.

New Trier at No. 8 Maine South, 7 p.m. Friday

The Central Suburban South title goes to the winner with both teams coming in 4-0 overall and in the conference. Maine South has one of the state’s premier tight ends in 6-5 junior Chris Petrucci, a three-star prospect who committed to Northwestern on Wednesday. Hawks quarterback Luke Leongas, who returned home after playing last fall at North Fort Myers (Florida), is sidelined after re-injuring his right knee against Glenbrook South last week. Brody Roth has been a difference maker on both sides of the ball for New Trier.

Kenwood vs. No. 23 Simeon, 3 p.m. Saturday at Gately

Simeon (2-0, 2-0 Illini Red Bird) has the Public League’s best lineman: 6-8, 300-pound offensive tackle Cameron James, a Minnesota recruit. Three-star senior wide receiver/defensive back George Gumbs and sophomore receiver Malik Elzy, who has a Michigan offer, are two more to watch for the Wolverines. Kenwood (1-1, 1-1) also has a pair of receivers to keep an eye on: Jalil Martin, the Public League’s top junior prospect, and sophomore Logan Lester.

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