May 17 Evening Edition

ABC7
— Coronavirus Illinois: COVID-19 cases top 94K with over 4K deaths; some Chicago churches reopen, defying governor’s order
https://abc7chicago.com/illinois-coronavirus-how-many-new-cases-of-in-by-day-update/6191308/
— Illinois stay at home order: Businesses that defy could to face misdemeanor punishable by fine up to $2,500 – AP
https://abc7chicago.com/businesses-that-defy-stay-at-home-order-to-face-misdemeanor-fine/6191401/


NBC5
— Trump Calls Out Pritzker’s Handling of Coronavirus Response Efforts President Trump and the Illinois governor have previously traded attacks on how their respective governments have handled the pandemic – Becca Wood
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/trump-calls-out-pritzkers-handling-of-coronavirus-response-efforts/2273582/
— Illinois Reports 1,734 Additional Coronavirus Cases, 51 Deaths Related to Virus The state also reported conducting more than 20,000 tests over the last 24 hours
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/coronavirus/illinois-reports-1734-additional-coronavirus-cases-51-deaths-related-to-virus/2273503/
— Pritzker Order Reportedly Authorizes New Punishment for Businesses Violating Restrictions Business owners could face misdemeanor charges if they open in violation of the order
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/coronavirus/pritzker-order-reportedly-authorizes-new-punishment-for-businesses-violating-restrictions/2273474/

— Illinois Coronavirus Updates: State Looks to New Ways to Enforce Stay-at-Home Order
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/coronavirus/illinois-coronavirus-updates-state-looks-to-new-ways-to-enforce-stay-at-home-order/2273489/

CBS2
— Neighbors Protest Metro Praise International Church For Holding Services During Pandemic – Vi Nguyen
https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2020/05/17/stay-at-home-order-pandemic-protest-metro-praise-international-church/

— Coronavirus In Illinois: 1,734 New COVID-19 Cases, 51 Additional Deaths
https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2020/05/17/coronavirus-in-illinois-1734-new-covid-19-cases-51-additional-deaths/

FOX NEWS CHICAGO
— Illinois daily COVID-19 death toll drops to lows not seen in a couple weeks
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/illinois-daily-covid-19-death-toll-drops-to-lows-not-seen-in-a-couple-weeks
— Adler Planetarium lays off 120 employees due to pandemic
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/adler-planetarium-lays-off-120-employees-due-to-pandemic
— Office Depot closing stores, laying off 13,000 workers – Audrey Conklin
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/office-depot-closing-stores-laying-off-13000-workers

WGN TV
— Officials report 1,734 new cases of coronavirus disease, 51 related deaths in Illinois – AP
https://wgntv.com/chicago-news/officials-report-1734-new-cases-of-coronavirus-disease-51-related-deaths-in-illinois/

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Fifty-one more coronavirus deaths announced in Illinois, with positive tests continuing to come in below 20% The positivity rate in the northeast part of the state was 18.3% Sunday, the fourth straight day below 20%. In Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s reopening plan, a region could move to the third phase after 14 consecutive days of hitting that mark. – Ben Pope
https://chicago.suntimes.com/coronavirus/2020/5/17/21261686/illinois-coronavirus-pritzker-cases-deaths-testing-may-17-deaths
— Illinois’ latest 1-day statewide COVID-19 positivity rate dips below 9%
https://chicago.suntimes.com/essential-coronavirus-news/2020/5/17/21261282/latest-coronavirus-news-live-updates-chicago-illinois-2020
— Keeping it safe for legislators and democracy in Springfield this week Every protester should leave their guns at home. And any lawmaker who can’t be bothered to wear a face mask should stay out of town. – Editorial
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2020/5/17/21260565/coronavirus-covid-guns-legislature-michigan-domestic-terrorism-illinois-general-assembly-springfield
— How to crack down on COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes The first step is to evacuate coronavirus-infected residents from the lowest-rated facilities until the virus is contained or they recover. – Brandon Johnson, Cook County Commissioner
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2020/5/17/21260205/covid-nursing-home-deaths-personal-liberties-illinois-lockdown-first-amendment-letters-s-e-cupp
— While state remains shut down, Illinois residents head to neighboring states to shop, eat out In the first weekend that bordering states Indiana and Wisconsin largely were open for business, Illinoisans traveled across state lines, confident they won’t get sick. – Bob Chiarito
https://chicago.suntimes.com/coronavirus/2020/5/17/21261537/illinois-wisconsin-indiana-stay-at-home-order-open-coronavirus-covid-19
— Prognosis for COVID-19’s hit on Cook County finances plagued by ‘unknown unknowns’ “It’s worse than a hurricane, it’s worse than 9/11, it’s worse than the 2008 economic … downturn because this is a comprehensive stopping of the economy, a threat to public safety that forces total disruption of most traditional, economic activities,” said Laurence Msall, president of the Civic Federation. – Rachel Hinton
https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/2020/5/17/21256486/cook-county-budget-shortfall-covid-19-finances-millions-coronavirus-revenues-hole

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Illinois officials report 51 more fatalities from coronavirus, the lowest number of daily deaths in nearly two weeks
https://www.chicagotribune.com/coronavirus/ct-coronavirus-pandemic-chicago-illinois-news-20200516-ildqrn4e4bhorexpljpc7dur7u-story.html
— We can’t wait for a COVID-19 vaccine to reopen, Britain, Italy tell citizens – AP
https://www.chicagotribune.com/coronavirus/ct-nw-coronavirus-world-updates-20200517-sckhmqobaveb7otzv6h7m6xdza-story.html
— Federal judge moves up petitions deadline for third-party and independent candidates but rejects call to require more signatures – RICK PEARSON
https://www.chicagotribune.com/politics/ct-third-party-candidates-ruling-20200517-2aunxlybungvlhqlpwvwa3ydcq-story.html
— Dozens defy stay-at-home order to attend Belmont-Cragin church while protesters warn of endangering the community – LAURA RODRÍGUEZ PRESA and JESSICA VILLAGOMEZ
https://www.chicagotribune.com/coronavirus/ct-coronavirus-illinois-churches-20200517-hawt4sd76jcmdorqquwytpqvx4-story.html

DAILY HERALD
— State reports 1,734 new COVID-19 cases, 51 additional deaths – Steve Zalusky
https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20200517/state-reports-1734-new-covid-19-cases-51-additional-deaths

CHAMPAIGN/URBANA NEWS GAZETTE
— Out of the virus frying pan, into the financial fire – Sheila A. Weinberg
https://www.news-gazette.com/opinion/guest-commentary/guest-commentary-out-of-the-virus-frying-pan-into-the-financial-fire/article_c034dce3-7516-53f7-b5f5-f306fc13a4a3.html

FOX ILLINOIS
— Biden’s VP search puts spotlight on how long he’ll serve – AP
https://foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/bidens-vp-search-puts-spotlight-on-how-long-hell-serve

CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— Trump says back to normal in golf means big crowds, no masks – AP
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/sports/trump-says-back-to-normal-in-golf-means-big-crowds-no-masks/

BURR RIDGE PATCH
— Burr Ridge Mayor Updates Residents On Flattening Coronavirus Curve “Burr Ridge continues to do its part to bring the curve down.”
https://patch.com/illinois/burrridge/burr-ridge-mayor-updates-residents-flattening-coronavirus-curve

ILLINOIS ACTION
— Illinois – URGENT call to action! – KIRK ALLEN
https://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/2020/05/illinois-urgent-call-to-action/

THE HILL
— Biden hits Trump, Pence on LGBTQ+ rights – JUSTINE COLEMAN (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, Democrats, Libertarians, Greens, and RINOs get rid of you if you do not promote LGBTQ+ activity.)
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/498197-biden-hits-trump-pence-on-lgbtq-rights

ABC NEWS
— How apps could change the workplace after coronavirus crisis Several apps could hold the future to a safe office after reopening. – Leighton Schneider and Michael Dobuski
https://abcnews.go.com/Health/apps-change-workplace-coronavirus-crisis/story?id=70726355

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
— Trump adviser Peter Navarro says stay-at-home measures kill more people ‘indirectly’ than coronavirus – DAVE GOLDINER
https://www.nydailynews.com/coronavirus/ny-coronavirus-peter-navarro-indirectly-20200517-wy45r77utjh2xc35bxwfmcgom4-story.html

DENVER POST
— Dealing with discrimination in the workplace – Iris Halpern and Ellen K. Giarratana (DIERSEN: How strongly will employers use coronavirus to get rid of their employees who are older, who are obese, who have diabetes, etc.?)
https://www.denverpost.com/2020/05/17/workers-rights-qa-dealing-with-discrimination-in-the-workplace/

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Why Stadiums Are Incubators for Coronavirus Spread Sports fans are longing to return to the stands, but health experts say stadiums are one of the highest-risk areas for coronavirus transmission. Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease specialist, walks us through how easily the virus could spread among the crowd.
https://www.wsj.com/video/why-stadiums-are-incubators-for-coronavirus-spread/16EEBD9D-DCF5-40D9-9628-7E8351E414D8.html

FORTUNE
— The class of 2020 is getting a crash course in job market uncertainty New grads are unsure and anxious about their professional prospects in a labor market ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic. – MCKENNA MOORE (DIERSEN: GAO hired me in 1980 because it could not find a qualified Democrat, minority, female, younger person, or veteran who would take the job. IRS hired me in 1971 because it could not find a qualified Democrat, minority, female, or veteran who would take the job. The Post Office hired me in 1966 because it could not find a qualified Democrat, minority, female, or veteran who would take the job.)
https://fortune.com/longform/coronavirus-job-market-class-of-2020-entry-level-hiring-covid-19/

Author: David Diersen

The opinions that I express in GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails are based on experience that I have gained doing many things since 1948. I base my opinions on what I learned a) working for the federal government for almost 30 years -- Post Office 1966-1969, IRS 1971-1980, and GAO 1980-1997, serving on the Executive Committee of the Association of Government Accountants Chicago Chapter 1983-1996, and being a union member while I worked for the Post Office and IRS; b) earning an MBA from Loyola in 1976, a masters degree in accounting from DePaul in 1980, and a masters degree in financial markets and trading from IIT in 1997; c) passing the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979 and passing the Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt in 1981; c) serving as a Republican Precinct Committeeman since 1999, the GOPUSA Illinois Editor since 2000, the TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois Chairman 2005-2012, a member of the 2008 Illinois Republican Party (IRP) Platform and Resolutions Committee, a Wheaton Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee member 2003-2011, the Milton Township Republican Central Committee webmaster 2008-2010 and 2000-2004, an Illinois Center Right Coalition Steering Committee member 2003-2007, and an American Association of Political Consultants Midwest Chapter board member 2001-2004; d) attending the 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016 IRP State Conventions as a delegate; e) being the subject of a nasty 4-page article in the February 1978 issue of Money Magazine; f) pursing litigation including Diersen v. GAO and Diersen v. Chicago Car Exchange; g) being married since 1978; h) living in Crete 1948-1972, in University Park 1972-1976, in Chicago 1976-1978, and in DuPage County, Milton Township, and Wheaton since 1978; and i) being baptized, raised, and confirmed as a Missouri Synod Lutheran.