ABC7
— Illinois COVID-19 Update: IL reports 7,123 cases, 146 coronavirus deaths. Fewer Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines shipping than originally anticipated in upcoming weeks, Gov. Pritzker says.
https://abc7chicago.com/health/il-reports-7123-covid-19-cases-146-deaths/8822730/
WGN TV
— Lightfoot announces $11M in grants to nearly 1,100 bars, restaurants and performance venues
https://wgntv.com/news/coronavirus/lightfoot-announces-11m-in-grants-to-nearly-1100-bars-restaurants-and-performance-venues/
WGN RADIO
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Hate-filled Trump-hating Trump haters say “Senate hearing elevates baseless claims of election fraud.”
https://wgnradio.com/news/political-news/senate-hearing-elevates-baseless-claims-of-election-fraud/
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Pritzker makes needed budget cuts, but why blame the voters? – Editorial
https://www.chicagotribune.com/opinion/editorials/ct-edit-pritzker-tax-coronavirus-budget-cuts-20201216-uf5icz3ojzd2ndmsckwg3vu26e-story.html
— Lightfoot introduces plan to close loopholes allowing Chicago police to cooperate with immigration agents – JOHN BYRNE and GREGORY PRATT (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, Democrats promote illegal immigration. Democrats see illegals as being their soldiers in their army to destroy Republicans.)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/politics/ct-chicago-city-council-december-2020-meeting-20201216-2lrtvybjpzeedlvzmymfemwewy-story.html
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: A hate-filled Trump-hating Trump-hater says “Trump insists his followers join him in an alternate universe.”
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2020/12/16/22179091/donald-trump-alternate-universe-election
DAILY HERALD
— Naperville council narrowly approves new campaign donation disclosure rule – Lauren Rohr
https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20201216/naperville-council-narrowly-approves-new-campaign-donation-disclosure-rule
— Schaumburg GOP’s Toys for Tots drive has record year
https://www.dailyherald.com/submitted/20201216/schaumburg-gops-toys-for-tots-drive-has-record-year
HINSDALE PATCH
— Hinsdale Settles Age Discrimination Lawsuit. Retired firefighter says he was the victim of bias in his effort to get a promotion. – David Giuliani (DIERSEN: The GAO manager who hired me in 1980 when I was 31 years old got me assigned to audits of IRS in 1986 and got me promoted to GS-13 (currently $101,176/year) in 1986. He would not have been able to do the aforesaid if I had not a) passed the Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt and became a licensed CPA in 1981, b) earned a master’s degree in accounting from DePaul in 1980, c) worked for IRS for almost 9 years, the last 5 1/2 years at the GS-12 Step 1-5 levels (currently $85,084-$96,431/year), d) passed the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979, e) earned an MBA from Loyola in 1976, and f) earned a bachelor’s degree in management from NIU in 1970. But in 1987, the Democrats who ran GAO succeeded in forcing him to retire. I remember applying for a promotion to GS-14 later that year and a) being admonished for doing that and b) being warned that I should never apply for a promotion again.)
https://patch.com/illinois/hinsdale/hinsdale-settles-age-discrimination-lawsuit
ILLINOIS REVIEW
— AFL-CIO UPSET ABOUT PRITZKER’S PROPOSED BUDGET CUTS
https://www.illinoisreview.com/illinoisreview/2020/12/afl-cio-upset-about-pritzkers-proposed-budget-cuts-.html
— MIDWEST GOVERNORS FROM BOTH PARTIES WARN RESIDENTS TO AVOID CHRISTMAS GATHERINGS
https://www.illinoisreview.com/illinoisreview/2020/12/midwest-governors-from-both-parties-warn-residents-to-avoid-christmas-gatherings-.html
— ILLINOIS SURPASSES 12 MILLION COVID TESTS
https://www.illinoisreview.com/illinoisreview/2020/12/illinois-surpasses-12-million-covid-tests-.html
CAPITOL FAX
— Madigan on Pritzker budget announcement: “We cannot ask our most vulnerable residents to bear the burden of this global pandemic” – Plans review of proposal’s impact on “various constituencies”
https://capitolfax.com/2020/12/16/madigan-on-pritzker-budget-announcement-we-cannot-ask-our-most-vulnerable-residents-to-bear-the-burden-of-this-global-pandemic-plans-review-of-proposals-impact-on-various-constituencies/
— COVID-19 roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2020/12/16/covid-19-roundup-68/
— 7,123 new confirmed and probable cases; 146 additional deaths; 4,793 hospitalized; 1,045 in the ICU; 8.5 percent case positivity rate; 10.3 percent test positivity rate
https://capitolfax.com/2020/12/16/7123-new-confirmed-and-probable-cases-146-additional-deaths-4793-hospitalized-1045-in-the-icu-85-percent-case-positivity-rate-103-percent-test-positivity-rate/
BLAZE
— Franklin Graham viral Facebook post celebrates President Trump’s accomplishments, proclaims he ‘will go down in history as one of the great presidents’ ‘I am grateful to God’ for the last four years of Trump’s presidency – Sarah Taylor
https://www.theblaze.com/news/franklin-graham-celebrates-trump-accomplishments
EPOCH TIMES
— Multiple Witnesses Testify on Election Irregularities at Senate Hearing – BOWEN XIAO
https://www.theepochtimes.com/multiple-witnesses-testify-on-election-irregularities-at-senate-hearing_3621177.html
— Money From Facebook’s Zuckerberg Used to Undermine Election, Violate Law – ZACHARY STIEBER
https://www.theepochtimes.com/money-from-facebooks-zuckerberg-used-to-undermine-election-violate-law-report_3621192.html
WASHINGTON POST
— America’s biggest companies are flourishing during the pandemic and putting thousands of people out of work. A Post analysis found 45 of the 50 biggest U.S. companies turned a profit since March. The majority of firms cut staff and gave the bulk of profits to shareholders. – Douglas MacMillan, Peter Whoriskey and Jonathan O’Connell
https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/business/50-biggest-companies-coronavirus-layoffs/
USA TODAY
— ‘I lost everything’: LGBTQ people are bearing a bigger brunt of the pandemic, report shows – Susan Miller
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2020/12/16/covid-lgbtq-people-feeling-disproportionate-impacts-pandemic/3889397001/
NEWSWEEK
— Franklin Graham Says Trump ‘Will Go Down in History As One of the Great Presidents’ – REBECCA SPEARE-COLE
https://www.newsweek.com/franklin-graham-election-donald-trump-great-president-1555090
