Writer, Journalist
於芝城華埠開槍殺害謝煥新(Woom Sing Tse)的23歲兇嫌喬伊納(Alfonso Joyner)，9日在庫克郡法庭過堂，被控一級謀殺等三項重罪，法官裁定喬伊納不准保釋。
被警方逮捕後就行使緘默權，拒絕回答相關犯罪行為的喬伊納，其起訴罪名包括一級謀殺罪、非法使用槍械(Aggravated unlawful use of weapon)、持有已撤銷槍械證件(Revoked Firearm Owner Identification card)。
芝加哥警探長迪尼翰(Brendan Deenihan)說，根據監視畫面顯示，喬伊納從車裡開槍打中謝煥新後，還下車走近已倒在人行道上的謝煥新，再朝他連開多槍，然後駕車逃逸。
第九警分局局長傑洛米(Don Jerome)說，華埠社群有堅實的聯絡網，在事件發生後幾分鐘內，芝城華埠治安互助隊(Chinatown Community Watch)就立刻向他提供了從監視器拍到的兇嫌和車輛牌照號碼，讓警方很快就在傑克森大道靠近甘迺迪高速路附近逮捕了喬伊納。
華埠更好團結聯盟(Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community)執行主任陳本恩8日在芝加哥警局舉行的案情説明會中說，華埠最關切的事情就是治安，社區民眾希望類似悲劇勿再重演。
根據芝加哥警察局資料，負責華埠和橋港區(Bridgeport)部分地區的九分局，今年累計至少發生七件槍擊案，其中兩件涉及搶劫，謝煥新是該警局轄區內今年發生的第一宗謀殺槍擊。該警局記錄去年有五宗槍擊致死案件，為1991年來最高紀錄。
迪尼翰還提到，芝加哥北邊(North Side)警局目前也在調查喬伊納是否涉及2018年在羅傑斯公園(Rogers Park)發生的兩起謀殺事件。
Dear child,
Are you afraid to let go of my hand to allow you freely to ice skate?
I had been holding your hands when you were a beginner.
But now, I let go of your hands for training your muscles to balance.
Likewise, do not fear to let go of yourself but surrender yourself to God.
God is giving you freedom to pray and make decisions for training your muscle of faith and teaching you to discern His voice.
As a result, you will cultivate a closer relationship with the loving God, instead of holding tight on religious rules.
Moreover, even though you do your best but may still stumble, God’s invisible mighty hands are always underneath to lift you up because He has engraved you on the palms of His hands and will never forsake you.
“Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.” Isaiah 49:16 ESV
伊利諾州衛生廳官員說，新冠變種病毒Omicron首度在伊州現蹤，第一位確診的感染者住在芝加哥市，該市民已完全接種新冠疫苗，也打過補強針，但最近接觸了來自外州並確診感染Omicron的訪客。
衛生廳報告指出，該市民在症狀出現後已自我隔離，由於病況不嚴重，因此不須住院並逐漸康復。芝加哥市公共衛生局(Department of Public Health)局長亞瓦迪(Allison Arwady)提醒市民在年底與家人朋友群聚過節時，建議在室內戴口罩並勤洗手以防止傳播新冠與變種病毒。
亞瓦迪說接種新冠疫苗可有效減緩病毒傳播。她呼籲民眾如果出現新冠病毒感染症狀，或曾經和病毒確診者接觸過，要盡快去做病毒篩檢。一旦發現確診，請自行居家隔離。她鼓勵民眾在室內仍要戴口罩、避免去通風不良的場所、保持社交距離與勤洗手來防止傳播病毒。
亞瓦迪說，目前正在追蹤與這名Omicron首例接觸過的幾個民眾。她說芝市有一套保全隱私的聯絡系統，可在伊州、甚至跨州進行追蹤調查。衛生官員也準備在本周於芝市和全州開始進行Omicron的檢測。
芝市府持續鼓勵市民接種新冠疫苗，並且計畫在疫苗供應足夠時，提供民眾在接種莫德納或輝瑞疫苗第二劑的六個月後，或接種嬌生疫苗的兩個月後，能接種補強針。
亞瓦迪說，Omicron的傳染力是delta變種病毒的兩倍，已經在芝加哥和中西部多處多處造成傳染。她說市府目前仍在蒐集各地區的研究資料，來決定是否要求民眾接種補強針來預防Omicron的擴散。
芝市府將繼續宣導民眾接種新冠疫苗。她說芝市可能開始在特定公共場所或活動中要求民眾出示疫苗證明，並增加病毒檢測地點。她鼓勵芝市府員工要打疫苗，生病時要待在家中。
伊州是美國第20個檢測到Omicron的州。中西部第一個出現Omicron感染案例是在明尼蘇達州，該居民最近曾到紐約市旅行。在威斯康辛州感染Omicron的首例最近曾到南非旅行。
Dear child,
Are you complaining about the troubles in your life?
Are you stuck in the hopeless struggle?
If so, are you willing to surrender those difficulties and yourself to God, who has nothing too hard for Him?
God may use the struggle to draw you to seek Him because He cares about you.
God may also use the trouble like weight to train your muscle of faith in Him.
Therefore, you will discover later that His lovingkindness gives temporary bruises of pain a complete makeover, transforming them to glorious badge of honor when the trouble is over.
“The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: ‘Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love. Therefore, with lovingkindness I have drawn you.’” Jeremiah 31:3 NKJV
日前因錯過轉機，而被迫滯留在芝加哥歐海爾(O’Hare)國際機場的美食記者羅比塞莉(Allison Robicelli)，趁機在機場內夜遊，並在推特上介紹機場內的聖誕裝飾與平時因匆忙而忽略的景致。旅行專家也建議民眾，如果航班被取消、延誤，或因新冠疫情必須放棄預定機位時，可依法爭取退款或購買旅行保險彌補損失。
羅比塞莉在探索歐海爾機場時，發現在一號航廈(Terminal 1)，連接B和C兩大廳之間的地下通道裡，有燈光設計師海頓(Michael Hayden)長達744呎、名為「一切都可能」(Sky’s the Limit)的燈飾藝術。海頓在通道的天花板上安裝鏡子與彩虹霓虹燈管，將這塊原本陰暗乏味的空間打造成溫暖的現代藝術，讓旅客站在電動走道經過時，可以來回從不同角度欣賞。
另外，當航班取消或延遲時，根據Scott’s Cheap Flights的旅行專家奧蘭多(Willis Orlando)說，民眾在幾個月前已經預定的機位，可能在最後一刻被取消或更改，原因可能是航空公司為了調整航班時刻表、增加飛行地點，或因應疫情期間的機組人員配置等。
奧蘭多說，如果民眾用航空公司的里程數或點數訂位後，航班有大幅更動或被取消，航空公司必須退還里程數。如果民眾付錢購票，可以在機票被取消、時間更動或增加停站點時，獲得全額退款。
根據美國法律，班機延遲4到12小時、在直飛旅程中增加中途停靠地，或班機被航空公司取消，旅客都可要求全額退款。
如果民眾因感染新冠病毒而自願取消搭機，航空公司則不會退款，但可能會發給現金券(voucher)用於重訂機票，多數航空公司也願意免除更改航班的費用(change fee)。
擔心因疫情取消旅行計畫的民眾，也可以考慮購買旅行保險，記得特別加註因疫情取消而獲得退款的條約。
“But for all who did receive and trust in Him, He gave them the right to be reborn as children of God;” John 1:12 VOICE
伊利諾州第二波租屋補助計畫(Illinois rental assistance program)自即日起到1月9日開放申請，對象是因新冠疫情直接或間接導致財務困難的租屋者和房東，補助金額最高可達2萬5000元以及18個月的緊急用租金(emergency rental payments)。申請者不須是美國公民，此項補助將來也不用償還。
申請者要透過伊利諾住房發展單位(Illinois Housing Development Authority，簡稱IHDA) 的官方網站，自6日起上網填寫資料申請，期限到1月9日截止。
申請者的條件包括：
●目前是住在伊州的租屋者或有房客住在伊州的房東均可申請此項補助。
●房東的家人或房客的家人因新冠疫情直接或間接造成失業，導致財務困難而無法償付租金，並可能面臨無家可歸或房屋遭到拍賣。
●房東或租戶的家庭年收入低於所住郡的標準才能申請，要瞭解自己是否符合申請資格，可上網查閱各郡標準：bit.ly/3GhyyGp。
此項補助由伊利諾租金計畫(Illinois Rental Payment Program，簡稱ILRPP)提供。IHDA在5月開放第一波租屋補助申請，已經核發6萬2000多位申請者，補助金額共計5億6800多萬元。
根據IHDA網站，申請者要以電子郵件帳戶登錄該官方網站上開立申請帳號。租戶申請者須提供身分證明、地址、年收入、積欠房租金額等內容。房東申請者則須提供身分證明、出租的房產證明和租客積欠的房租金額。
欲申請補助者，或尋找提供協助申請或能提供中文解說的代表人，都可上網查閱： illinoishousinghelp.org。
另外，IHDA提醒民眾如果懷疑個資被人冒用來詐領這項租屋補助，可盡快上網站填寫報告，以利IHDA聯絡處理，申報網址：bit.ly/3dnl9jM。
Dear Abba Father God,
How could it be?
You came to call me by name as I buried my head in shame and guilt.
“Sir, how did you know my name?” I asked.
“Child, I see you before the world began, for I created you and everything else.
It’s been long enough that you were trapped in the prison of the devil.
But on that very day, I have paid the ransom for you with My only Son’s precious life.” He points to the Cross.
“It’s too much. I cannot possibly pay Your kindness back.” I trembled.
“You indeed cannot. The only thing you can do is to come to my Palace and enjoy the feast I prepare for you. Would you like to come?” He gently called.
“But I have a lot of failures I cannot overcome.” I agonized.
“Truly you cannot achieve My perfect Law by your efforts in flesh. But Jesus Christ’s blood has broken that curse because He bore the curse for you. He nailed it and brought it to death with Him on the cross.
Therefore, you are no longer the slave to the sins but My beloved child reborn to My Kingdom.
With My divine nature in your new DNA, you have My Ten Commandments as promises to be able to overcome the world because I have justified you in front of your accusers.”
My eyes are opened and see that He opens His arms and welcomes me home.
“But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says, ‘Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine.’” Isaiah 43:1 NLT
Dear saints,
Everything is beautiful in God’s ordained time.
The old has passed away, immediately, as you confess your sins.
The new has come, progressively, as you learn to lean on Jesus Christ alone.
The victory has been commanded, confidently, as you proclaim the truth that has set you free.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away, behold the new has come” 2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV