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news from plainfield Joliet shorewood lockport Crest hill Bolingbrook Romeoville downers grove Westmont Woodridge lisle niles Morton grove park Ridge & more
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Will County
Bolingbrook holds shop with a Cop The Bolingbrook Police teamed up with Meijer store for the 22nd Annual “Shop with a Cop” event on December 15th. The event was sponsored by Meijer store located at 755 E. Boughton Rd., but was hosted at the Village of Bolingbrook Town Center located at 375 W. Briarcliff, by appointment only, due to COVID-19 restrictions. Approximately 100 Bolingbrook students were treated to gift bags, a $60 gift card from Meijer and an additional gift from Santa. Participants were also able to enjoy hot chocolate and view the Winter Walk, which is a path of holiday lights and decorations located behind the Town Center that has been a big attraction for our residents this year. The Winter Walk is new for 2020 and was created by the Bolingbrook Civic and Cultural Affairs Committee. “I have coordinated the Shop with a Cop event since the inception and was proud to lead our employees in this effort to make the holiday season brighter for all,” said Bolingbrook Police Chief Mike Rompa. “This year was a challenge due to social distancing restrictions. Historically it is hosted
at the store and our personnel take each participant shopping. Although drastically different, the event was an amazing success as it was hosted outdoors and separated by appointments. “The traditional event enhances positive relationships between members of the police department, the selected Bolingbrook children and their families. The program has grown each year and the positive interaction is incredible. It gives our officers an opportunity to enhance communication and build a rapport with area students and their families. Everyone involved looks forward to this each holiday season and it truly brings Bolingbrook together. This year was more important than ever to both our personnel and the children. I also invited our Fire Department to participate and they supplied handouts as well.” Rompa cited the importance of the p strong partnership with Meijer and gave a special thanks to Bolingbrook Mayor Mary Alexander-Basta, Meijer Store Director Julie Knous and Administrative Assistant Pam Willis for making this event possible.
Silver Cross Receives an ‘A’ Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade for Fall For the 12th consecutive time, Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox has been awarded an “A” for patient safety from The Leapfrog Group. This national distinction recognizes Silver Cross Hospital’s efforts in protecting patients from harm and providing safer health care. The Leapfrog Group is an independent national watchdog organization committed to health care quality and safety. The Safety Grade assigns an “A,” “B,”, “C,” “D,” or “F” grade to all general hospitals across the country and is updated every six months. It is based on a hospital’s performance in preventing medical errors, injuries, accidents, infections and other harms to patients in their care. “I’m so proud of our entire Silver Cross team who always put patient safety first,” said Ruth Colby, Silver Cross President and Chief Executive Officer. “Speak up for Patient Safety is the first of our Seven Behaviors at Silver Cross, and earning our 12th straight A is a credit to our caregivers and their commitment to provide safe, exceptional care to every patient, every time.”
“Our focus on safety has served us very well during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,” she added. “And now with the arrival of the vaccine for our healthcare workers and in the coming months for the community as a whole, we are filled with hope that 2021 will be a brighter, safer year for all.” “We are extremely grateful to hospital leadership and health care workers who have remained steadfast in prioritizing patient safety as our nation battles COVID-19,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “This ‘A’ is a testament to the care and commitment of those who work for Silver Cross Hospital. With the current pandemic exposing existing flaws within the U.S. health care system, we appreciate you putting patient safety first. Lives depend on it.” Developed under the guidance of a national expert panel, the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses up to 27 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assign grades to more than 2,600 U.S. acute-care hospitals twice per year. The Hospital Safety Grade’s meth-
odology is peer-reviewed and fully transparent, and the results are free to the public.
To see Silver Cross Hospital’s full grade details and access patient tips for staying safe in the hospi-
tal, visit hospitalsafetygrade.org and follow The Leapfrog Group on Twitter and Facebook.
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state
Restaurant asks supreme Court to throw out ban By saRah MansuR Capitol news illinois
Lawyers for a Kane County restaurant are asking the Illinois Supreme Court to overturn an appellate court decision that found the governor’s indoor dining ban was lawfully imposed. FoxFire Tavern is one of dozens of restaurants that sued Gov. JB Pritzker and his administration after he issued an executive order imposing stricter restrictions on businesses, including a ban on indoor dining and bar service, in response to rising COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations throughout the state. The state’s highest court has not yet weighed in on the legal arguments challenging Pritzker’s power to impose the indoor dining ban, or any other restrictions implemented in his numerous executive orders. The 2nd District Appellate Court’s decision last month that upheld Pritzker’s order prohibiting restaurants from allowing indoor dining cannot stand because it “leaves the restaurant industry out in the cold and without legal redress,” Kevin Nelson, one of FoxFire’s attorneys, wrote in the legal brief to the Illinois Supreme Court submitted on Friday.
The brief asks the court to accept the case and reverse the appellate court’s ruling on the governor’s executive order. However, since the court is not obligated to hear the case, the justices could reject that request and decline to rule on it. The restaurant won an early victory after suing Pritzker in October when a Kane County judge granted the restaurant’s request for a temporary restraining order that allowed FoxFire to ignore the new indoor dining restrictions contained in the executive order. The 2nd District Appellate Court’s decision last month overruled the Kane County judge’s decision. The appellate court rejected the arguments from FoxFire’s legal team that Pritzker is limited, under state law, to issue one 30-day disaster proclamation, and also does not have the power to order businesses closed. Instead, the appellate court found that state law empowers the governor to issue multiple disaster declarations. The appellate court also ruled that Pritzker’s executive order did not amount to a “closure” for businesses, and therefore, Illinois Department of Public Health Act regulations governing business closures did not apply in
this case. Since that appellate court decision, the FoxFire case has been consolidated in Sangamon County court with 18 other cases filed by businesses operating as restaurants that are challenging the indoor dining ban. The consolidated cases in Sangamon County are ongoing, and no final decision has been issued. FoxFire’s appeal to the Illinois Supreme Court is known as an “interlocutory appeal” because it asks a higher court to review a decision while the case is pending in a lower court. The governor, IDPH and the Kane County Health Department, which are named in FoxFire’s appeal, have 21 days from Friday, Dec. 18, to file a response but they are not required to do so. A spokesperson for the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, which represents the governor and state agencies, said its lawyers are reviewing the legal filing. FoxFire, a steak and seafood restaurant in Geneva, continues to allow seating indoors, in defiance of the governor’s executive order, as its legal case remains pending. KC Gulbro, co-owner of the restaurant, did not respond to requests for comment Monday. A
dupage County
Lisle urges drivers to obey the law With one of the busiest travel times of the year just around the corner, the Lisle Police Department is reminding motorists to buckle up and drive sober to ensure that everyone gets to celebrate the holidays safely. “On regular days and holidays alike, law enforcement too often see the results of driving impaired and not wearing a seat belt,” said Chief Wilke. “They are both tragic and preventable. Whether you’re driving cross-country or across the street, please remember to wear your seat
belt and make a plan for a sober ride home.” Throughout the year, many traffic deaths and injuries could be prevented with the click of a seat belt or the choice to designate a sober driver. More than 30% of motor vehicle crash fatalities in Illinois involve an alcohol-impaired driver, and data shows drug-involved driving is on the rise. To combat these trends, Lisle Police Department is joining the Illinois Department of Transportation, the Illinois State Police and local law
enforcement agencies in a statewide effort to save lives by stepping up enforcement of seat belt and impaired driving laws. Motorists will see this increase in safety patrols from Dec. 20 over the holiday week through the early morning hours of Jan. 4. The holiday enforcement effort is made possible by federal traffic safety funds administered by IDOT as part of the statewide Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over and Click It or Ticket campaigns.
call to the restaurant Monday confirmed it is still serving customers indoors. Pritzker has said his administration is relying on county health departments and local law enforcement to issue citations and fines to restaurants and bars that violate the ban on indoor dining
and bar service. A misdemeanor citation and fine are a last resort only after attempts to ensure voluntary compliance are unsuccessful. A Kane County Health Department spokesperson declined to comment, citing pending litigation.
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dupage County
Health Department delivers COVID-19 vaccine to hospitals DuPage County Health Department (DCHD) staff securely transported and delivered the first allotments of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to all DuPage County hospitals on Thursday, December 17, 2020. These initial vaccine shipments will serve to vaccinate and protect healthcare personnel in DuPage County. “Throughout this pandemic, our healthcare workers have selflessly put their health and wellbeing on the line every day to care for their patients. We are grateful for their commitment and dedication to helping our residents. This vaccine now offers us a way to give back to them, by providing them with additional protection as we move forward,” said Karen Ayala, Executive Director of DuPage County Health Department. Following receipt of vaccine, hospital-based frontline health care workers were the first to rollup their sleeves to receive their first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in DuPage County. The vaccine is given in two doses, three weeks apart, and offers up to 95% protection against COVID-19. On day one, about 23% of the vaccine allocations were administered by the DuPage County health system partners. All of the hospital systems plan to administer their full allotment of vaccine by Monday, Dec. 21, 2020. DCHD anticipates it will take several weeks to reach the estimated 43,000 health care personnel throughout the county. Long-term care facilities will receive vaccinations through a Federal program, called the Pharmacy Partnership Program. Additional vaccine is expected to arrive weekly, in the weeks and months ahead. DCHD is prepared to receive and distribute allocations to the local health systems. Additionally, plans are being finalized for DCHD to provide vaccination to healthcare personnel not affiliated with health systems and to other individuals in priority groups when more vaccine becomes available. “As we begin the largest vaccination effort in our history, we are appreciative of our successful collaboration with local health care partners. Together, we are working to find innovative ways to engage and educate the public about the safety and importance of this vaccine. We know this vaccine can help save lives and eliminate this virus, but we must bring people on
board,” said Ayala. Timeline estimates to reach the various priority groups in Phase 1 are expected to change as additional quantities and other types of vaccine are made available. In the meantime, people have the opportunity to sign-up to receive weekly updates on vaccine planning in DuPage County at www.dupagehealth.org/covid19vaccine. This will allow the Health Department to reach back out to individuals/ organizations when it is time for their vaccinations to be provided. Importantly, residents are urged to continue to do their part in preventing the spread of COVID-19 by: • Wearing a mask whenever outside your home or with anyone not from your household; • Watching your distance, staying at least 6 feet from people outside of your immediate household and avoiding in-person gatherings; • Washing your hands often; and • Staying home if you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or if you have been in close contact with a person infected with COVID-19, and contacting your healthcare provider for appropriate evaluation, testing, and care.
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