Wisconsin state officials announced Wednesday 528 new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus COVID-19, setting a second state record within seven days. Wisconsin also reported 14 deaths stemming from the novel virus, raising the state's death count to 481. Milwaukee County experienced the majority of the state's 528, reporting 297 new cases of COVID-19. Milwaukee's influx of new contractions comes less than a week after the county experienced a 100% increase in positivity rates among tested...

A private capital group owned by the Pritzker family possesses a stake in a company providing COVID-19 testing, according to the Pritzker Group Private Capital website. According to the company's website, PathGroup, which describes itself as one of the largest "private providers of anatomic pathology and clinical lab services" in the United States, partnered with Pritzker Group Private Capital to recapitalize, or replace debt with stock, in 2016.  An announcement dated Aug. 1, 2016, reads: "Pritzker...

Since Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that Florida would tentatively enter "phase one" of the state's reopening process, Florida state officials reported a slight uptick in COVID-19 cases over a seven-day period. Between April 27 and May 4, the latter date marking the start of phase one, Florida state officials reported 4,759 new cases of the novel coronavirus COVID-19. Between May 10 and May 17, Florida announced 4,992 additional cases of COVID-19, a relative 4.7% increase. The majority of cases...

Update 5/18 3:29 p.m.: Wisconsin state officials reported Monday the state's lowest single-day case total, announcing just 144 new cases of the novel coronavirus COVID-19. The decrease marks a drop of more than 200 relative to Sunday's report of 356. Though Wisconsin recorded its fewest amount of tests in five days, the testing conducted over the past 24 hours remains higher than the average state testing prior to last Wednesday. Wisconsin also reported a record 2.9% positivity rate, a full percentage...

Shelby County, Ill., voted Thursday to include a question on the November ballot examining whether the Land of Lincoln should eject Chicago from Illinois. Shelby County becomes the fourth county to include the question of secession, joining Effingham, Lafayette and Jefferson counties.  As the fissure between the Chicagoland area and the remaining 47,058 square miles of Illinois widens, the longstanding disconnect between the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin Metropolitan Division and the remainder of...

Based on rolling 14-day reporting, each of Illinois' four regions currently satisfies the positivity rate threshold required to advance to stage three of Restore Illinois, according to Illinois Gov. J.B Pritzker. Despite Illinois state officials reporting Friday an additional 2,432 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 atop 130 new deaths, Pritzker says Illinois' statewide positivity rate over the past 24 hours is 9.2%. The current statewide average is 12%, down from the peak statewide...

Northeastern Illinois University’s Communications, Media and Theater (CMT) department announced Wednesday that the deadline to apply for the Brommel-Hanson-McGee Award has been extended to May 25.  The Brommel-Hanson-McGee Award is worth $800 and is recognized for its annual contributions to students enrolled in NEIU’s College of Arts and Sciences. Students can use the awarded funds to cover the costs of tuition, university fees and textbook purchases.  According to an email distributed...

Over the past 24 hours, Illinois state health officials reported 192 deaths and 1, 677 new cases of the novel coronavirus COVID-19. In total, the state of Illinois confirmed 84,698 cases of COVID-19 and 3,792 subsequent deaths as of May 13. According to Illinois Director of Public Health Dr. Ngozi Ezike, all age groups remain susceptible to COVID-19. "It's not a hoax and people need to take it very seriously," said Ezike. "Please continue to stay home. Please maintain physical separation or social...

Through the end of May, Northeastern Illinois University students who enrolled for the 2020 spring semester by Jan. 17, 2020, are eligible to receive funding available through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.  Fund distribution is based on the number of credits taken during the spring semester. Students may receive up to $42 per credit hour while Pell grant recipients receive a $15 increase atop the original amount. A student enrolled in 13 credit hours can receive...

Here at the Independent, we’ve organized a tournament to determine which band ruled the mid-to-late 2000s, otherwise known as the MySpace Era. A generation that gravitated toward rock and its various subgenres, the mid-2000s were defined by the emergence of punk, pop punk and emo, three subgenres that experienced peak commercial success.  While rock and its subgenres no longer monopolize the airwaves, the bands that propelled the genre to the tops of charts possess a resiliency that keeps...

Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) director Dr. Ngozi Ezike addressed rumors that Illinois' coronavirus COVID-19 death toll is artificially inflated. "I know some people have had concerns about the number of COVID-19 deaths that have been reported," said Ezike. "Some are concerned that the numbers are inflated, others think that the numbers reflect an underreporting." According to Ezike, Illinois only reports deaths accompanied by a confirmed laboratory report. However, the Harvard...

MLB owners approved a plan Monday to restart the suspended MLB season by early July. However, concerns surrounding hazardous workplace conditions and unfair compensation models emerged as concerns among MLB players and personnel. On March 26, the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) agreed to a prorated salary model determined by the number of games played during the abbreviated 2020 season. However, restrictions on travel and mass gatherings at the federal, state and local levels...

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced Tuesday a program dedicated to providing $25 million to assist local infrastructure programs over the summer months. According to Pritzker, the funding originates from the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity (DCEO). "These grants are part of a $50 million program through Rebuild Illinois that we're expediting to help cover local projects that may have otherwise been cancelled due to revenue loss related to COVID-19," said Pritzker, speaking...

Here at the Independent, we’ve organized a tournament to determine which band ruled the mid-to-late 2000s, otherwise known as the MySpace Era. A generation that gravitated toward rock and its various subgenres, the mid-2000s were defined by the emergence of punk, pop punk and emo, three subgenres that experienced peak commercial success.  While rock and its subgenres no longer monopolize the airwaves, the bands that propelled the genre to the tops of charts possess a resiliency that keeps them...

Northeastern Illinois University announced via a targeted announcement email that students can submit photos, videos, writing, journal entries, artwork, photos and more to document how they have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.  The Independent spoke to NEIU students and alumni to discover how COVID-19 impacted the lives of the NEIU community. Maria  Flores, NEIU 2020 graduate  Hostess at Lou Malnati's  “I feel like I'm actually making a difference when I am helping  people...

Major League Baseball owners accepted a plan Monday endorsing an abbreviated 82-game regular season beginning around Fourth of July weekend.  Under the plan, spring training would begin in early to mid-June. MLB owners appear content moving forward without fans in attendance, as outlined by the proposal. However, the economic viability of such a structure remains in doubt. Teams and players plan to discuss whether the league can withstand forfeitures of gate earnings, which account for approximately...

Major League Baseball is reportedly considering an abbreviated 80-game season beginning in July, according to Vinnie Duber of NBC Sports Chicago.  Under the proposal, games would be played without fans in attendance. The proposal reportedly includes MLB teams exclusively playing games within their own divisions and against geographically adjacent divisions. For example, the five teams in the American League Central would contest one another and corresponding teams from the National League Central. Major...

Little Richard, one of rock n' roll's founding and most visible fathers, died Saturday of complications stemming from bone cancer. He was 87. Little Richard, born Richard Wayne Penniman, is recognized for his willingness to challenge prevailing narratives while openly interrogating the blanket masculinity of the rock n' roll genre. His exuberant outfits, unconventional movements and soulful yelps became entrenched in rock n' roll lore, encouraging future artists to expand the parameters of the...