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觀光客不來 芝新建大樓規模縮水一半

由於新冠疫情使芝加哥的觀光人數大減，也影響了過去幾年迅速起飛的新建酒店旅館市場，芝加哥建商麥哲倫開發集團(Magellan Development Group)近日宣布，因應變局，原預定蓋在千禧公園附近的旅館住家大樓的規模，也將大幅縮減一半。

這棟預定蓋在東湖岸區(Lakeshore East)的住商大樓Parcel O，地址為193 N. Columbus Drive，早在2018年就通過芝加哥計畫委員會(Chicago Plan Commission)的審核，當時的規劃為興建包括570個房間的旅館和640個單位公寓的兩棟大樓。

不過，根據42區區長雷利(Brendan Reilly)指出，這項規劃已經做出很大改變，該開發公司提出的新方案，把兩棟建物縮減為一棟，新計畫包括269個房間的旅館和599個單位的公寓，並加上30間附家具的公寓外租，另外其中三層樓會做為辦公空間，以及樓下有約9000平方呎的零售業空間。

整個建築物高度也將減到502呎，比原本設計低了43呎，樓層數則從52減為47層樓。

由bKL建築事務所設計的大樓外觀，也把兩棟並排的旅館改為一棟流線型、鋸齒狀的形式；並刪除原在建築物前的商業用陽台空間。

麥哲倫的新提案已獲芝加哥計畫委員會和市議會核准，目前等候都市規劃局許可，建商希望能在10月以前動工，並在2024年4月前完工。

疫情期間，麥哲倫另一個位於300 N. Michigan Ave的47層旅館公寓大樓，也已開工。

儘管上述新的旅館興建工程陸續啓動，但芝加哥有些因疫情關閉的旅館，直到現在都尚未重開。

其中在環區的帕瑪希爾頓飯店(Palmer House Hilton)，因其擁有者Thor Equities積欠富國銀行3億3800萬元貸款，去年8月被告到庫克郡法院後，已經進入法拍訴訟程序。

Justice and Mercy

Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story—those he redeemed from the hand of the foe, (Psalm 107:2)

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace. (Ephesians 1:7)

God’s righteousness is never in our hands to fight for, but has been fulfilled by Jesus Christ’s blood. May we seek not Christian nationalism of the world, but the Kingdom of God among the peoples.

 

No more pouring flood to destroy the evil,

But through Jesus’ blood, God redeems us from the devil.

Like Noah’s ark, floating in raging sea,

So does Jesus’ blood, flowing out to melt Father God’s righteous fist.

The first covenant Father God vowed to make,

Is still hanging its sign of rainbow up high,

Proving His grace is greater than humans’ falls.

 

Through Jesus Christ’s crucifixtion and resurrection,

Father God’s righteousness has been revealed:

Jesus is the only Justice to expunge our faults.

Jesus is the only Authority to enforce God’s righteousness.

Jesus is the only Power to execute Satan.

 

Do not take Jesus’ patience with sinners as tolerance;

On the contrary, He has been lovingly enduring the mocking of the ignorant and the arrogant.

Do not misunderstand Jesus’ giving sinners over to their lust as abandonment;

But Jesus has been waiting to save the lost without condemnation.

For Jesus’ blood on the cross has shed for the whole world,

To cover our guilt and shame once for all.

When the sinners confess and turn around to His Light,

They shall freely receive His eternal Life.

疫情換房熱 伊州房市價量揚、成交快

新冠疫情改變民眾居家需求，不少人因此換房以便在家上班、上學，房市銷售也一反過去冬季蕭條，根據伊利諾州最新的房市數據顯示，去年11月份該州房屋成交數量比2019年同期增加29%；平均房價為23萬元，比前年同期的20萬元上漲15%；賣房時間則縮短了23%，平均41天賣出。

全州待售房屋數量減少33%以上，2019年11月有5萬4604間房屋上市，去年同期則只有3萬4486間上市出售，此外，房貸利率低，也推升了購房意願，甚至經常看房當天就成交(same-day offer)的情況。

芝加哥的房仲業者因應快速成交步調而採行新策略，房地產仲介普蒂(Gina Purdy)說，她會請買家在看房前備妥需要文件，如看到合適的房子就立即出手。

她建議，首次購屋者，可先查看想住地區房價，假使過高就應考慮附近房子，事先設定買房最高出價，也可提高成交機會。

房仲業者還建議，買家應瞭解自己購屋要求，像是戶外庭院、陽台或室內辦公室，都最好列出，並想好非必要可放棄的條件，例如沒有孩子就不必執著學區。

此外，下手時可評估賣家的動機，一般價格較好的物件，多半是賣家想快點脫手，買家此時就不要猶豫；但對上市超過90天價格不變的房子，就可慢慢議價。

房仲說，買家可向貸款銀行先拿到房貸預先核准信(mortgage preapproval letter)，以事先掌握可負擔房價範圍。

一般雙方協定好價格後，買家需先繳交房價的1%到2%當保證金(earnest money)，買家要有心理準備或許這筆錢會暫時拿不回來。

部分房仲業者說，買房是人生一大重要決定，民眾如果這次沒買到不用太沮喪，下次還是會有適合的房子出現。

大自然解壓 疫情期「觀鳥」破紀錄

雖然新冠疫情迫使人們不得不宅居避疫，但是擋不住愛鳥人士「觀鳥」熱情，其中高伯格(Nathan Goldberg)在疫情期間參加「觀鳥大年」(Big year)辨識鳥種競賽，打破伊利諾州歷年觀鳥數目紀錄，而且也藉著走入大自然，有效協助他熬過艱苦抗疫的壓力。

「觀鳥大年」(Big year)為非正式的觀鳥競賽，比賽者需於一年之內，在特定區域，以目視或聽聲音的方式辨識鳥種，高伯格去年在伊州全境記錄了多達341種鳥類，刷新伊州歷史記錄。

根據伊利諾鳥類協會(Illinois Ornithological Society)檔案，伊州的「觀鳥大年」在2009年曾記錄到330種鳥類，2011年則有334種，而新紀錄為葛伯格的341種。

24歲的高伯格在芝加哥出生長大，他從康乃爾大學鳥類學系畢業後，去年報名挑戰「觀鳥大年」，葛伯格說，過去365天，他開車到處尋找鳥類蹤跡，有時碰到稀有鳥種，就興奮得像中了大自然發行的彩券一樣。

這當中包括看到能一邊飛行一邊睡覺的軍艦鳥(magnificent frigatebird)，還有通常在德州北邊等熱帶地區才看得到的大食蠅霸鹟(great kiskadee)，卻出現在芝加哥西南邊的Channahon地區。

另外，有民眾覺得居家避疫時，感覺鳥叫聲比以往更大，英國曼徹斯特都會大學(Manchester Metropolitan University)的鳥類學專家羅琳格(Sue Anne Zollinger)對此解釋，鳥類在疫情期間因環境噪音較小時，所以顯得鳥叫聲變大，但其實鳥類聲音大小沒有變化。

田納西大學諾克斯維爾(UT Knoxville) 校區的生態演進系副教授、研究鳥聲超過20年的戴瑞貝瑞(Elizabeth Derryberry)則說，由於居家避疫時，車輛造成的空氣污染減少，因此鳥聲傳得更遠並聽得更清楚，她推論鳥聲傳得遠能吸引更多同伴，她春天計畫研究今年是否有更多鳥寶寶誕生。

Fight against lies with Truth

After US election in 2020, some Christians may struggle with the result and possibly hear the lies of the devil.

In the midst of chaos, the safest way to protect yourself is to stick to the Biblical truth and let all-knowing God handle the things you are not 100% sure so that you won’t be confused by the surroundings.

The truth is based on the Bible: 

  • God never abandons the saints who fear Him and love Him with all their hearts. 

    The Lord favors those who fear Him,
    Those who wait for His lovingkindness. (Psalm 147:11)

  • God is sovereign over the nations. 

    For the kingdom is the Lord’s
    And He rules over the nations. (Psalm 22:28)

  • God avenges the righteous in Jesus Christ and will cut off evil men so that we don’t need to fret in the unknown situations but wait for the Lord in hope.

Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil. For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land. (Psalms 37:8-9)

Here are some lies of devil if you hear:

  1. I need to stop the evil by angry violence to defend God’s righteousness. 
  2. God’s name might be ridiculed if the result is not what I prayed for.
  3. God has abandoned me because He rejected my prayer for what I want. 

If you hear something like this, then ask God to show the sins you may need to confess so that you don’t leave a foothold to Satan. And ask God to show you the truth from the Bible so that you can defend.

Here are some fighting strategy for each lie:

  1. Confess the sin of self-righteousness. Then proclaim: God’s righteousness has been revealed through Jesus Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection.

     “Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord, “When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch;  And He will reign as king and act wisely. And do justice and righteousness in the land. (Jeremiah 23:5)                          
  2. Confess the sin of lacking faith in Jesus. Then proclaim: God is the solid Rock and no one can shake Him not even a little.

For who is God, but the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God, (Psalm 18:31) 

3. Confess the sin of self-pity. Then proclaim: Jesus Christ has died for my sins and bore all the curse and rejection on behalf of me. And God has adopted me and will never abandon me through my faith in the power of Jesus Christ’s blood.

 For the LORD will not forsake His people; He will never abandon His heritage. (Psalm 94:14) 

or

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you or forsake you. (Deuteronomy 31:6)

Rising Sun

1/6—Jesus is Rising Sun

Praise:  Luke 1:78-79: …because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.

Praise God for being merciful to all sinners through Jesus Christ, the rising sun from heaven, shining on those who in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet back to the path of peace by His truth and righteousness.

Intercession from Malachi 4:2-3: But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves. Then you will trample on the wicked; they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I act, says the Lord Almighty.

May God enable you (or beloved ____) to revere the Sun of righteousness, who will rise with healing in its rays, so that you (or ____) will go out and frolic like a well-fed calf. In Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.

 

1/6—主耶穌是清晨的日光

讚美主：路加福音1: 78-79: 「因我們神憐憫的心腸，叫清晨的日光從高天臨到我們，要照亮坐在黑暗中死蔭裡的人，把我們的腳引到平安的路上。」

讚美上帝因憐憫一切罪人，賜下主耶穌如清晨的日光，從天上照耀，照亮那些坐在黑暗中、行在死蔭幽谷的人，以真理引導我們走回到平安公義的路上，直到神的國度。

代禱：瑪垃基書4:2-3: 「但向你們敬畏我名的人，必有公義的日頭出現，其光線有醫治之能。你們必出來，跳躍如圈裡的肥犢。你們必踐踏惡人，在我所定的日子，他們必如灰塵在你們腳掌之下。這是萬軍之耶和華說的。」

願上帝使你（或___）敬畏公義的主耶穌，要看見祂的光如日頭出現，在你（他/她）裡面有醫治的大能，使你（或___）如吃飽的小牛，自由與喜樂地出圈跳躍。奉主耶穌基督的名求。阿門。

大麻除罪 伊州清除50萬非重罪逮捕紀錄

由於伊利諾州去年元旦已將娛樂用大麻合法化，因此州長普立茲克日前先行將9129名因持有大麻而被判輕刑(low level conviction)者赦免除罪，州警接著也把49萬2192名因大麻而遭判決「非重罪」(non felony)的逮捕記錄全部清除。

這些赦免持大麻罪犯的權限，是屬於州級的範圍，全州還有102個郡都會各自刪除地方層級的大麻相關逮捕記錄，州府規定，各郡最晚要在2025年元旦完成清除，目前則已有DuPage、Kane、Knox、McHenry、 McLean、Peoria、Rock Island、Will和Winnebago等郡，完成刪除地方層級的大麻相關逮捕記錄。

州府大麻管控的資深顧問哈群森(Toi Hutchinson)說，全美通過娛樂用大麻合法化的其他11個州當中，只有伊州立法清除因大麻相關案件被判輕刑和非重罪的逮捕記錄。

全州目前還有7萬1000名過去因持有500克以上大麻者，不符合自動除罪資格，這些人必須個別到法院提出申請除罪。

庫克郡伊州檢察官辦公室發言人西諾維克(Sarah Sinovic)說，除罪的目的是把濫用大麻者視為需要協助的人，而不是當成罪犯來處罰。

由於許多人不清楚如何申請除罪而仍因大麻相關逮捕受處罰或坐牢，因此由伊州線上法律援助組織(Illinois Legal Aid Online)主導的新葉(New Leaf)機構，聯合20個非營利組織共同公開協助民眾申請除罪的步驟。

首先申請者必須取得警察逮捕的影本，以及法院從警察和書記官方面提供的紀錄，並繳交指紋驗證和申請費，然後才能提出，詳細內容可參考網站：https://reurl.cc/3L8WaX。

KING OF KINGS

1/5—Jesus is KING OF KINGS

Praise:  Revelation 19:13-16: He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: “king of kings and lord of lords.”

Praise God for granting Jesus Christ the victorious Name, “King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.”. There is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved. Praise Jesus Christ for ruling the nations with an iron scepter and trampling on the devil, so do the armies of heaven and all saints who follow Him.

Intercession from Psalm 136:3: Give thanks to the Lord of lords: His love endures forever.

May you (or beloved____) give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his lovingkindness is everlasting. May you (or ___) give Him all the glory because He is the only One worthy of your worship. In Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.

 

1/5—主耶穌是萬王之王

讚美主：啟示錄19:16: 在他衣服和大腿上有名寫著說：「萬王之王，萬主之主。」

讚美上帝賜給主耶穌得勝的名，就是「萬王之王，萬主之主」，除這個名以外，天下沒有任何其他的名可以使人靠著得拯救。讚美主耶穌以鐵杖統管列國並踐踏魔鬼，所有跟隨祂的天軍和聖徒也是如此行。

代禱：詩篇136:3: 「你們要稱謝萬主之主，因他的慈愛永遠長存！」

願你（或___）稱謝萬主之主，因為祂的慈愛永遠長存。願你（或___）將榮耀歸給主耶穌，因祂是唯一配得你敬拜的萬王之王。奉主耶穌基督的名求。阿門。

ALMIGHTY GOD

1/4—Jesus is ALMIGHTY GOD

Praise: Jeremiah 32:17  Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you. 

Praise Almighty God, who created and rules over the world by His great power and outstretched arm. Praise Almighty God, that nothing is too hard for you; all things impossible with men are possible with God.

Intercession from Psalm 80:19: Restore us, Lord God Almighty; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved.

May God Almighty restore you (or beloved____) and make His face shine on you (or ____)  that you (he/she) may be saved. In Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.

 

1/4—主耶穌是大能的神

讚美主：耶利米書32:17: 「主耶和華啊，你曾用大能和伸出來的膀臂創造天地，在你沒有難成的事。」

讚美大能的上帝，以祂的大能和伸出的膀臂創造世界，並統管宇宙。讚美大能的神，在你沒有難成的事；在人看為不可能的事，在神凡事都能。

代禱：詩篇80:19: 「耶和華萬軍之神啊，求你使我們回轉；使你的臉發光，我們便要得救！」

願大能的上帝使你（或___）回轉並復興你（或___）的靈命，願祂臉上的光明照亮你（或___）心中任何黑暗，使你（他/她）因認識神蒙拯救。奉主耶穌基督的名求。阿門。

TEACHER

1/3—Jesus is TEACHER

Praise:  Isaiah 54:13: All your children will be taught by the Lord, and great will be their peace.

Praise God for building and establishing all who believe in Jesus Christ through His teaching. Praise God for being the omniscient, the omnipotent, and omnipresent Teacher in our lives so that we shall be trained to be His victorious disciples.

Intercession from Psalm 32:8: I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.

May God instruct you (or beloved ____) and teach you (him/her) in the way which you (he/she) should go; may God counsel you (or____) with His eye upon you (him/her) to be more than conqueror. In Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.

 

1/3—主耶穌是師傅

讚美主：以賽亞書54:13：「你的兒女都要受耶和華的教訓，你的兒女必大享平安。」

讚美上帝是全知、全能和無所不在的師傅，祂要隨時隨地建造堅固所有相信主耶穌基督的聖徒，成為祂得勝的門徒。

代禱：詩篇32:8：「我要教導你，指示你當行的路，我要定睛在你身上勸誡你。」

願上帝指示和教導你（或___），使你（他/她）走在當行的路上；願上帝定睛在你（或___）身上勸誡你（他/她），使你（他/她）得勝有餘。奉主耶穌基督的名求。阿門。