State Journal-Register
In recent months, Aaron Curtis didn’t always wear a mask in public, and he went with his wife to Springfield-area restaurants where people at nearby tables also weren’t wearing masks.
“He didn’t think it would happen to him,” Aaron’s wife, Dia Curtis, told The State Journal-Register.
Aaron, 46, a throat-cancer survivor, now struggles to find the strength to walk to the bathroom in his Waverly home. He s recovering from damaged lungs caused by a bout with COVID-19.
Aaron’s view of the virus changed after he spent almost three weeks last month in an intensive-care unit at Springfield’s HSHS St. John’s Hospital.
It s Christmas Eve, and I know what you re thinking. Too late. Santa s departed, the post office is closed, Victoria s Secret has left the building and you re out of Amazon points. But always remember: It s the thought that counts. And so here are some gift ideas for those who matter most.
The Springfield Park District: Praise. More than ever, parks have been sanctuaries, and they ve looked immaculate despite everything.
The Springfield City Council: Ambien. Long meetings were bad enough before pandemic forced folks to breathe on each other while listening to the usual.
City Water, Light and Power: A lump of coal to keep lights on.
3 months ago in Local dlappen Photo: Saga Communications
The Sangamon County Department of Public Health has announced three more coronavirus deaths since Friday’s report. They are two men in their nineties and one in his seventies.
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 4,699 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 98 additional deaths.
– Bureau County: 1 male 90s
– Champaign County: 1 female 80s
– Cook County: 1 male 30s, 2 males 40s, 2 females 50s, 3 males 50s, 5 females 60s, 7 males 60s, 8 females 70s, 8 males 70s, 13 females 80s, 13 males 80s, 5 females 90s, 2 males 90s, 1 female over 100
– DuPage County: 1 male 70s, 2 males 90s
Police chief Kenny Winslow Mayor Jim Langfelder says that police chief Kenny Winslow is in line for a second raise next year in addition to a 5% bump this year. The mayor this month offered Winslow a 5% raise, the maximum allowable without city council approval, to keep the chief in Springfield after Winslow accepted a lower-paying job in Tennessee. The chief subsequently announced that he ll stay in Springfield. After Tuesday s city council meeting, Langfelder, whose current term ends in the spring of 2022, acknowledged that he s spoken with Winslow about both raises this year and next, including a 10-percent raise over two years if he remains chief.
Mentoring and meeting needs Michael Phelon started The Outlet mentoring program in 2004. It s located on South 12th Street, though this year, the 30 mentors are mostly connecting with youth remotely. The program serves 48 youth from in and around Springfield with a focus on boys and young men from fatherless households. This year, Phelon has seen an enormous amount of personal loss. His mother and uncle died, as did his mentor, Dr. Clarice Ford, and his right-hand man at The Outlet, Marcus Butler Sr. It s been rough for us. Most of the young guys that I work with, they are already coming from hard situations, said Phelon.