chicagosun-times--2020-05-20--Coming soon: Outdoor dining, drinking,  tennis, golf, state parks – but Pritzker warns ‘We are by no

Coming soon: Outdoor dining, drinking,  tennis, golf, state parks – but Pritzker warns ‘We are by no means out of the woods’ (LIVE UPDATES)

Coming soon : Outdoor dining , drinking , tennis , golf , state parks – but Pritzker warns ‘ We are by no means out of the woods ’ Masked servers , spaced-out tables and a lot of fresh air are all on the menu for Illinois ’ desperately struggling bars and restaurants , who were moved up the waiting list Wednesday by Gov .
J.B. Pritzker to reopen on a limited basis at the end of the month .
Citing improving coronavirus hospitalization numbers , Pritzker announced he ’ s hastening his reopening plan to allow establishments to serve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gardens in smaller numbers when his extended stay-at-home order expires May 29 .
“ The experts believe that these services can open at a risk comparable to other outdoor activities and give our hospitality industry a much needed boost , as they work to keep their businesses on their feet , ” Pritzker said at a Springfield news briefing .
Read the full story by Mitchell Armentrout here .
6:38 p.m. CPS to allow drive-thru and home-visit graduation ceremonies Graduation ceremonies won ’ t look the same as usual this spring , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be on a laptop , either , according to new guidance released Wednesday by Chicago Public Schools .
After previously indicating only virtual ceremonies would be allowed , CPS officials now say drive-through graduations and celebrations featuring staff visits to graduates ’ homes are OK as long as safety precautions are put in place and strictly followed .
CPS officials said they added drive-thru and home-visit ceremonies to the list of acceptable graduations because Illinois is anticipated to move into “ Phase 3 ” of Gov .
J.B. Pritzker ’ s reopening plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Schools planning any non-virtual events will have to follow guidance released earlier this month by the Illinois Department of Public Health and Illinois State Board of Education .
Read the full story by Nader Issa here .
5:17 p.m .
Seven in 10 Latinos worried about keeping up with rent , food , utilities during the pandemic , poll finds Latino households in Illinois and across the country are struggling to make ends meet during the coronavirus pandemic , according to a poll released Wednesday .
Around 60 % of Latinos polled nationwide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had either lost their job , taken a pay cut or were furloughed due to the pandemic .
That loss of income has translated into anxieties about keeping up with the bills : Nearly 70 % of Latinos in the national poll said they soon won ’ t be able to afford basic expenses like rent , food , utilities and mortgage payments .
For Latinos polled in Illinois , it ’ s closer to 80 % .
Almost a third of Latinos said they hadn ’ t received a coronavirus stimulus check @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they found it difficult to access small business loans offered by the federal government .
A quarter of Latinos also reported they or a family member had contracted COVID-19 ; 27 % said they knew someone who presented symptoms of the disease but was unable to get tested .
Read the full story by Carlos Ballesteros here .
As officials scurried to find protective equipment that had become vitally necessary and increasingly hard to find as the COVID-19 virus spread rapidly early last month , a suburban couple was pushing to broker a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stockpile of highly sought-after protective masks .
Though John and Kristi Dunn Kucera had no experience in the industry , they used personal connections to find a dealer claiming to have hundreds of millions of N95 respirator masks and a buyer willing to pay a premium for the gear that ’ s desperately needed by essential workers on the front lines of the fight against the deadly virus .
The Kuceras , of Downers Grove , learned almost immediately why the industry has been compared to the “ wild west ” as they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who continually backed out of deals , only to come back with new offers at higher prices .
As it turns out , the multinational company they thought they were negotiating with was actually a different business with the same name that had no license to operate .
One of the men promising to deliver the masks admitted to the Sun-Times earlier this month that his company at the time hadn ’ t procured a single N95 mask , let alone millions .
Read the full story by Tom Schuba here .
2:45 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pritzker to allow outdoor restaurant seating in next reopening stage Another 2,388 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in Illinois , sending the state ’ s case tally over six figures to 100,418 , state health officials said Wednesday .
Most of those patients have recovered , but in Gov .
J.B. Pritzker ’ s latest pandemic update , officials reported an additional 147 deaths attributed to COVID-19 .
That raises the state ’ s death toll to 4,525 in just over two months since Illinois ’ first COVID-19 fatality was confirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in May alone , as the state weathers what Pritzker has said is likely the peak of the outbreak ’ s impact on Illinois .
Wednesday marked the 20th day with officials reporting 100 or more daily coronavirus deaths .
Still , after saying he ’ s optimistic about the way the state is trending , Pritzker ’ s office announced restaurants will be allowed to reopen with limited outdoor seating and smaller capacities when his extended stay-at-home order expires at the end of the month .
Read the full story by Mitchell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , posturing and precautions as lawmakers meet in Springfield — with faces covered and fingers crossed As lawmakers returned to Springfield on Wednesday to square away a budget in the waning days of an end of month deadline — and amid a pandemic — some were met with protesters .
Just outside the Bank of Springfield Center , where the Illinois House planned to convene on Wednesday , a gaggle of protesters held posters to “ Reopen Illinois.
” Legislators entering the convention center were greeted with chants of “ Open Illinois ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demonstrators waved .
Some said the protests went too far .
Illinois House Republican Leader Jim Durkin , R-Western Springs , confronted a demonstrator who was carrying a sign that said “ J.B .
Hitler must go , ” telling her that it was offensive and didn ’ t help her cause .
“ They should be offended by our governor , ” said Brittany Emel , the protester who Durkin confronted .
2:05 p.m Other countries show us what schools , trains , restaurants look like post-lockdown As nations around the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the return to normal is anything but .
Schools , offices , public transportation , bars and restaurants are now on the front lines of post-lockdown life — back in business , in many cases , but not business as usual .
How each of those key sectors manages social distancing and tamps down expected new outbreaks will determine the shape of daily life for millions as researchers race to develop a vaccine that is still probably months , if not years , away from being available to all .
What a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
For hungry migrant workers in India , it was finally being able to catch trains back to their home villages to farm while city jobs dried up .
For hundreds of cruise ship workers stranded at sea for months , it was finally reaching shore Wednesday in Croatia .
For wealthy shoppers , it was returning to the newly reopened boutiques of America ’ s Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills , California .
The Chicago Teachers Union is suing federal and local education officials over special education regulations the union alleges have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school workers and threaten to interfere with student learning during the coronavirus pandemic .
The union filed a nine-page federal lawsuit Tuesday against the U.S Department of Education , Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and the Chicago Board of Education , claiming its members are being forced to “ conduct a whole scale redrafting ” of students ’ special education plans in the final six weeks of the school year .
“ Aside from being impossible to accomplish , and from threatening to interfere with the provision of the special education services needed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 70,000 plans is highly likely to increase the anxiety and emotional distress of parents or guardians and that will further complicate the revision of these plans , ” the union wrote in its complaint .
Read the full story by Nader Issa here .
NEW YORK — Oprah Winfrey is giving grants to the cities she ’ s called home through her $ 12 million coronavirus relief fund .
She announced Wednesday that her Oprah Winfrey Charitable Foundation will donate money to organizations dedicated to helping underserved communities in Chicago ; Baltimore ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kosciusko , Mississippi , where she was born .
“ The reason I ’ m talking about it is because there is going to be a need for people of means to step up , ” Winfrey said in an interview with The Associated Press .
“ I mean , this thing is not going away .
Even when the virus is gone , the devastation left by people not being able to work for months who were holding on paycheck to paycheck , who have used up their savings — people are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my thing is , look in your own neighborhood , in your own backyard to see how you can serve and where your service is most essential .
That is the real essential work , I think , for people of means.
” After speaking with Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and other leaders , Winfrey decided to give $ 5 million to Live Healthy Chicago , which provides immediate support to seniors and high-risk residents affected by the coronavirus .
12 p.m. City Council poised to rush to the rescue of businesses , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Council was poised Wednesday to rush to the rescue of businesses and individuals whose everyday lives and livelihoods have been crippled by the stay-at-home shutdown triggered by the coronavirus .
At a virtual meeting almost certain to be downright tame , compared to the last foul-mouthed free-for-all , aldermen are expected to approve a parade of relief ordinances that target : • O ’ Hare and Midway Airport concessionaires that have shut down entirely or seen their revenues plummet because of the travel slowdown .
• Workers in danger of being fired , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cut because of absences tied to the coronavirus .
• Businesses struggling to adjust to a landmark ordinance that takes effect July 1 requiring large Chicago employers to give their employees at least two weeks ’ notice of their schedule and compensate them for last-minute changes .
• Businesses whose licenses have expired since March 15 .
The ordinance approved Wednesday will waive fines tied to those expired licenses as well as collection of accessibility fees paid by cabdrivers and ride-hailing companies whose business has slowed to a crawl .
Read more on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approval at Wednesday ’ s virtual meeting .
10:04 a.m. CDC report underscores risk of COVID-19 transmission in groups As some Illinois religious leaders push to reopen churches amid the coronavirus pandemic , a new Center for Disease Control report , released Tuesday , underscores the risk for widespread transmission of the contagious pathogen at group gatherings .
A 57-year-old pastor and his 56-year-old wife attended several church events in Arkansas in early March before the couple experienced symptoms of the coronavirus , including fevers , coughing and shortness of breath , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CDC report .
The pair ultimately became the first two confirmed cases of COVID-19 in their rural county of about 25,000 residents , the report said .
The CDC ultimately found that 35 of the 92 attendees at those early March church events tested positive for the virus .
The outbreak resulted in seven hospitalizations and three deaths , the report said .
Through contract tracing , the Arkansas Department of Health found 26 additional coronavirus cases and another death among community members who reported having contact with the churchgoers , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should work with local health officials to determine how to implement the U.S. Government guidelines for modifying activities during the COVID-19 pandemic to prevent transmission of the virus to their members and their communities , ” the CDC study recommended in the report .
Over the weekend , several Illinois religious institutions flouted the state ’ s stay-at-home order and held services which welcomed dozens of worshippers .
Metro Praise International Church in Belmont Cragin , a neighborhood which has seen a surge in COVID-19 cases , planned to welcome up to 60 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ services , far more than the 10 congregants allowed under Gov .
J.B. Pritzker ’ s revised order .
“ We can gather and spread our hope , our love , our religion without interference from the government .
And so 35 miles right now to Indiana — Hammond , just think of it like an extension of Indiana — this is not illegal , ” pastor Joseph Wyrostek said .
“ This is perfectly fine .
“ Now , people keep saying well that ’ s not the same thing as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doesn ’ t matter .
What is an infection rate , anyway ?
It ’ s people spreading a virus .
A virus will get spread one way or another.
” 8:54 a.m. State-run mental hospitals see smaller toll from COVID-19 , but ‘ the threat has not dissipated ’ While COVID-19 has devastated congregate facilities like nursing homes and developmental centers in Illinois , the story is far different at the state ’ s psychiatric hospitals where just over 1 % of patients and staff have tested positive for the disease .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Human Services reported that 41 of the 4,034 people who live and work at those seven hospitals had contracted the virus , including 13 patients and 28 staffers .
None have died , though five new cases were reported on Tuesday .
There have , however , been nine deaths of patients since late January , according to a department spokesman , who declined to release their causes of death .
In total , 33 of the recorded coronavirus cases were at the two facilities located in Cook County .
Chicago-Read Mental Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Side , has seen the most , with 11 staff members and seven patients testing positive .
That first case was identified on April 8 , a day before Chicago-Read and two other state facilities lifted a hold on new admissions that was put in place on March 14 “ to appropriately respond to COVID-19 in a manner that ensures the safety ” of patients and staff members .
7:12 a.m. Judge dismisses lawsuit against DCFS seeking reinstatement of in-person visitation during coronavirus pandemic Parents of children in protective custody lost a legal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department of Children and Family Services to reinstate in-person visitation during the coronavirus pandemic .
Cook County Circuit Court Judge Caroline Moreland Tuesday dismissed the lawsuit filed by the public defender ’ s office on behalf of four mothers who said their rights to equal protection under the Constitution were being violated by the indefinite suspension of in-person visits with their children .
Moreland pointed in her ruling that all the plaintiffs had pending emergency motions in their individual cases to deal with visitation .
The court also sided with DCFS , saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the right to immediately suspend the visits in the interest of a child ’ s health and well-being .
All four women have pending child abuse cases in the Juvenile Court ’ s Child Protection Division , according to court records .
DCFS , in March , stopped supervised in-person visits to prevent the spread of COVID-19 , so those women and many others have only been allowed to speak with their children by phone or see them on video conferencing calls .
Read the full report from Matthew Hendrickson here .
6:18 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not to wear publicly required face mask DETROIT — Ford Motor Co. has told the White House that it requires everyone in its factories to wear face masks to prevent the coronavirus from spreading , but it ’ s not clear whether President Donald Trump will wear one when he visits a Detroit-area plant Thursday .
Trump , who is scheduled to tour a factory repurposed to make medical breathing machines near Detroit , has habitually refused to wear a mask at the White House and in recent public appearances .
In a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everyone in factories to wear personal protective equipment , including masks , and that policy had been shared with the White House .
When asked if the company would require Trump to wear the equipment , spokeswoman Rachel McCleery said , “ The White House has its own safety and testing policies in place and will make its own determination.
” Trump didn ’ t give a definite answer when questioned at the White House Tuesday , saying it would depend on how close he gets to others .
• Graffiti artist Ralphy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at 38 : ‘ He really had a great heart ’ • COVID-19 cases in Chicago Police Department now at 530 .
• Annie Glenn , the widow of NASA astronaut and Sen. John Glenn , died Tuesday of complications from COVID-19 .
She was 100 .
• A bus operator is the fifth CTA employee to die of COVID-19 , the agency announced Tuesday .
• Chicago police announced Tuesday nine more cases of COVID-19 , bringing the total in the department to 529 .
• Another employee at the Cook County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tested positive for COVID-19 , bringing the overall total to 25 .
• Seven more employees of Cook County ’ s Juvenile Temporary Detention Center have tested positive for COVID-19 .
2 p.m. Easy to say ‘ play ball ’ when it ’ s not your health on the line Sports fans want sports back .
They want bats and balls , wide receivers and one-handed catches , hockey sticks and missing teeth .
But how can the games return safely ?
It ’ s the question that won ’ t go away @ @ @ @ @ @ @ formulate detailed plans to begin play in the face of the pandemic .
The many unknowns of the coronavirus do not allow for a simple answer .
All the mandates proclaimed , all the safeguards put in place , all the best practices followed — and it ’ s still a roll of the dice .
How many major-league baseball players testing positive for COVID-19 per team would it take for the season to be shut down ?
One ?
Two ?
Five ?
How about players who have to be hospitalized ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ enough of a bad look to close up shop for everyone ?
This is the uncomfortable calculus that leagues surely are considering .
6:44 a.m .
I risk COVID-19 to clean downtown offices .
What ’ s Congress doing for people like me ?
COVID-19 has made it clearer than ever that we are closely interconnected .
Only by pulling together and meeting the needs of all workers — black , white , brown , immigrant , native-born — can we all get through this crisis .
Many essential workers are immigrants and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not an option for us to work from home or shelter in place .
I face the fear and head to work every day so that others can work in a clean , sanitized space .
The public is grateful for our sacrifice , but it ’ s time leaders in Congress turn the gratitude for essential workers into tangible support in the next stimulus bill .
We need essential pay , personal protective equipment and payroll protection .
Read the full commentary by Urszula Przybys , a member of SEIU Local 1 @ @ @

Governor J.B. Pritzker announced that he is loosening restrictions and allowing restaurants to serve customers on outdoor patios when the state moves to Phase 3 of his plan to reopen Illinois. The state is on pace to move to the next phase in nine days when Pritzker’s current order expires on May 29.
Here’s what happened in the fight against the coronavirus in Chicago and around the state.
News
Tony Priolo and Ciro Longobardo said they still have tables that need to be removed from their back patio before they welcome guests back in to their establishment for a socially distanced dining experience. Annie Costabile/Sun-Times
Masked servers, spaced-out tables and a lot of fresh air are all on the menu for Illinois’ desperately struggling bars and restaurants, who were moved up the waiting list Wednesday by Gov. J.B. Pritzker to reopen on a limited basis at the end of the month.
Citing improving coronavirus hospitalization numbers, Pritzker announced he’s hastening his reopening plan to allow establishments to serve customers on outdoor patios and in beer gardens in smaller numbers when his extended stay-at-home order expires May 29.
“The experts believe that these services can open at a risk comparable to other outdoor activities and give our hospitality industry a much needed boost, as they work to keep their businesses on their feet,” Pritzker said at a Springfield news briefing.
Read the full story by Mitchell Armentrout here.
6:38 p.m. CPS to allow drive-thru and home-visit graduation ceremonies
Graduation ceremonies won’t look the same as usual this spring, but they don’t necessarily have to be on a laptop, either, according to new guidance released Wednesday by Chicago Public Schools.
After previously indicating only virtual ceremonies would be allowed, CPS officials now say drive-through graduations and celebrations featuring staff visits to graduates’ homes are OK as long as safety precautions are put in place and strictly followed.
CPS officials said they added drive-thru and home-visit ceremonies to the list of acceptable graduations because Illinois is anticipated to move into “Phase 3” of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s reopening plan by the end of this month. Schools planning any non-virtual events will have to follow guidance released earlier this month by the Illinois Department of Public Health and Illinois State Board of Education.
Read the full story by Nader Issa here.
5:17 p.m. Seven in 10 Latinos worried about keeping up with rent, food, utilities during the pandemic, poll finds
Latino households in Illinois and across the country are struggling to make ends meet during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a poll released Wednesday.
Around 60% of Latinos polled nationwide said they or someone in their household had either lost their job, taken a pay cut or were furloughed due to the pandemic.
That loss of income has translated into anxieties about keeping up with the bills: Nearly 70% of Latinos in the national poll said they soon won’t be able to afford basic expenses like rent, food, utilities and mortgage payments. For Latinos polled in Illinois, it’s closer to 80%.
Almost a third of Latinos said they hadn’t received a coronavirus stimulus check and half of Latino business owners said they found it difficult to access small business loans offered by the federal government.
A quarter of Latinos also reported they or a family member had contracted COVID-19; 27% said they knew someone who presented symptoms of the disease but was unable to get tested.
Read the full story by Carlos Ballesteros here.
3:28 p.m. Unlicensed sellers, federal investigators and a failed $637 million deal: Inside a suburban company’s attempt to sell PPE
As officials scurried to find protective equipment that had become vitally necessary and increasingly hard to find as the COVID-19 virus spread rapidly early last month, a suburban couple was pushing to broker a nearly $640 million deal for a stockpile of highly sought-after protective masks.
Though John and Kristi Dunn Kucera had no experience in the industry, they used personal connections to find a dealer claiming to have hundreds of millions of N95 respirator masks and a buyer willing to pay a premium for the gear that’s desperately needed by essential workers on the front lines of the fight against the deadly virus.
The Kuceras, of Downers Grove, learned almost immediately why the industry has been compared to the “wild west” as they dealt with a variety of shifty players who continually backed out of deals, only to come back with new offers at higher prices.
As it turns out, the multinational company they thought they were negotiating with was actually a different business with the same name that had no license to operate. One of the men promising to deliver the masks admitted to the Sun-Times earlier this month that his company at the time hadn’t procured a single N95 mask, let alone millions.
Read the full story by Tom Schuba here.
2:45 p.m. Illinois tops 100K coronavirus cases; Pritzker to allow outdoor restaurant seating in next reopening stage
Another 2,388 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in Illinois, sending the state’s case tally over six figures to 100,418, state health officials said Wednesday.
Most of those patients have recovered, but in Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s latest pandemic update, officials reported an additional 147 deaths attributed to COVID-19. That raises the state’s death toll to 4,525 in just over two months since Illinois’ first COVID-19 fatality was confirmed.
Almost half those deaths have occurred in May alone, as the state weathers what Pritzker has said is likely the peak of the outbreak’s impact on Illinois. Wednesday marked the 20th day with officials reporting 100 or more daily coronavirus deaths.
Still, after saying he’s optimistic about the way the state is trending, Pritzker’s office announced restaurants will be allowed to reopen with limited outdoor seating and smaller capacities when his extended stay-at-home order expires at the end of the month.
Read the full story by Mitchell Armentrout here.
2:35 p.m. Protests, posturing and precautions as lawmakers meet in Springfield — with faces covered and fingers crossed
The Illinois House of Representatives stand for the opening prayer as they convene their spring legislative session on Wednesday, May 20, 2020. Ted Schurter/The State Journal-Register via AP
As lawmakers returned to Springfield on Wednesday to square away a budget in the waning days of an end of month deadline — and amid a pandemic — some were met with protesters.
Just outside the Bank of Springfield Center, where the Illinois House planned to convene on Wednesday, a gaggle of protesters held posters to “Reopen Illinois.”
Legislators entering the convention center were greeted with chants of “Open Illinois” or cheers if lawmakers sympathetic to the demonstrators waved.
Some said the protests went too far.
Illinois House Republican Leader Jim Durkin, R-Western Springs, confronted a demonstrator who was carrying a sign that said “J.B. Hitler must go,” telling her that it was offensive and didn’t help her cause.
“They should be offended by our governor,” said Brittany Emel, the protester who Durkin confronted.
Read the full story here.
2:05 p.m Other countries show us what schools, trains, restaurants look like post-lockdown
As nations around the world loosen coronavirus restrictions, people are discovering that the return to normal is anything but.
Schools, offices, public transportation, bars and restaurants are now on the front lines of post-lockdown life — back in business, in many cases, but not business as usual.
How each of those key sectors manages social distancing and tamps down expected new outbreaks will determine the shape of daily life for millions as researchers race to develop a vaccine that is still probably months, if not years, away from being available to all.
What a return to normal looks like varies widely. For hungry migrant workers in India, it was finally being able to catch trains back to their home villages to farm while city jobs dried up. For hundreds of cruise ship workers stranded at sea for months, it was finally reaching shore Wednesday in Croatia. For wealthy shoppers, it was returning to the newly reopened boutiques of America’s Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, California.
Read the full story here.
1:15 p.m. CTU sues Betsy DeVos, CPS over coronavirus special education requirements
The Chicago Teachers Union is suing federal and local education officials over special education regulations the union alleges have created an “impossible burden” for school workers and threaten to interfere with student learning during the coronavirus pandemic.
The union filed a nine-page federal lawsuit Tuesday against the U.S Department of Education, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and the Chicago Board of Education, claiming its members are being forced to “conduct a whole scale redrafting” of students’ special education plans in the final six weeks of the school year.
“Aside from being impossible to accomplish, and from threatening to interfere with the provision of the special education services needed by these children, the redrafting of roughly 70,000 plans is highly likely to increase the anxiety and emotional distress of parents or guardians and that will further complicate the revision of these plans,” the union wrote in its complaint.
Read the full story by Nader Issa here.
12:34 p.m. Oprah Winfrey giving grants to ‘home’ cities — including Chicago — during pandemic
NEW YORK — Oprah Winfrey is giving grants to the cities she’s called home through her $12 million coronavirus relief fund.
She announced Wednesday that her Oprah Winfrey Charitable Foundation will donate money to organizations dedicated to helping underserved communities in Chicago; Baltimore; Nashville, Tennessee; Milwaukee; and Kosciusko, Mississippi, where she was born.
“The reason I’m talking about it is because there is going to be a need for people of means to step up,” Winfrey said in an interview with The Associated Press. “I mean, this thing is not going away. Even when the virus is gone, the devastation left by people not being able to work for months who were holding on paycheck to paycheck, who have used up their savings — people are going to be in need. So my thing is, look in your own neighborhood, in your own backyard to see how you can serve and where your service is most essential. That is the real essential work, I think, for people of means.”
After speaking with Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and other leaders, Winfrey decided to give $5 million to Live Healthy Chicago, which provides immediate support to seniors and high-risk residents affected by the coronavirus.
Read the full story here.
12 p.m. City Council poised to rush to the rescue of businesses, employees crippled by COVID-19
The Chicago City Council was poised Wednesday to rush to the rescue of businesses and individuals whose everyday lives and livelihoods have been crippled by the stay-at-home shutdown triggered by the coronavirus.
At a virtual meeting almost certain to be downright tame, compared to the last foul-mouthed free-for-all, aldermen are expected to approve a parade of relief ordinances that target:
O’Hare and Midway Airport concessionaires that have shut down entirely or seen their revenues plummet because of the travel slowdown.
Workers in danger of being fired, suspended, transferred or having their pay cut because of absences tied to the coronavirus.
Businesses struggling to adjust to a landmark ordinance that takes effect July 1 requiring large Chicago employers to give their employees at least two weeks’ notice of their schedule and compensate them for last-minute changes.
Businesses whose licenses have expired since March 15. The ordinance approved Wednesday will waive fines tied to those expired licenses as well as collection of accessibility fees paid by cabdrivers and ride-hailing companies whose business has slowed to a crawl.
Read more on the parade of relief ordinances slated for approval at Wednesday’s virtual meeting.
10:04 a.m. CDC report underscores risk of COVID-19 transmission in groups
As some Illinois religious leaders push to reopen churches amid the coronavirus pandemic, a new Center for Disease Control report, released Tuesday, underscores the risk for widespread transmission of the contagious pathogen at group gatherings.
A 57-year-old pastor and his 56-year-old wife attended several church events in Arkansas in early March before the couple experienced symptoms of the coronavirus, including fevers, coughing and shortness of breath, in the following days, according to the CDC report. The pair ultimately became the first two confirmed cases of COVID-19 in their rural county of about 25,000 residents, the report said.
The CDC ultimately found that 35 of the 92 attendees at those early March church events tested positive for the virus. The outbreak resulted in seven hospitalizations and three deaths, the report said.
Through contract tracing, the Arkansas Department of Health found 26 additional coronavirus cases and another death among community members who reported having contact with the churchgoers, according to the CDC report.
“Faith-based organizations should work with local health officials to determine how to implement the U.S. Government guidelines for modifying activities during the COVID-19 pandemic to prevent transmission of the virus to their members and their communities,” the CDC study recommended in the report.
Over the weekend, several Illinois religious institutions flouted the state’s stay-at-home order and held services which welcomed dozens of worshippers.
Metro Praise International Church in Belmont Cragin, a neighborhood which has seen a surge in COVID-19 cases, planned to welcome up to 60 people to each of its three Sunday services, far more than the 10 congregants allowed under Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s revised order.
“We can gather and spread our hope, our love, our religion without interference from the government. And so 35 miles right now to Indiana — Hammond, just think of it like an extension of Indiana — this is not illegal,” pastor Joseph Wyrostek said. “This is perfectly fine.
“Now, people keep saying well that’s not the same thing as the infection rate, or whatever. It doesn’t matter. What is an infection rate, anyway? It’s people spreading a virus. A virus will get spread one way or another.”
— Madeline Kenney and Tom Schuba
8:54 a.m. State-run mental hospitals see smaller toll from COVID-19, but ‘the threat has not dissipated’
While COVID-19 has devastated congregate facilities like nursing homes and developmental centers in Illinois, the story is far different at the state’s psychiatric hospitals where just over 1% of patients and staff have tested positive for the disease.
On Tuesday, the Illinois Department of Human Services reported that 41 of the 4,034 people who live and work at those seven hospitals had contracted the virus, including 13 patients and 28 staffers. None have died, though five new cases were reported on Tuesday.
There have, however, been nine deaths of patients since late January, according to a department spokesman, who declined to release their causes of death.
In total, 33 of the recorded coronavirus cases were at the two facilities located in Cook County. Chicago-Read Mental Health Center, in Dunning on the Northwest Side, has seen the most, with 11 staff members and seven patients testing positive. That first case was identified on April 8, a day before Chicago-Read and two other state facilities lifted a hold on new admissions that was put in place on March 14 “to appropriately respond to COVID-19 in a manner that ensures the safety” of patients and staff members.
7:12 a.m. Judge dismisses lawsuit against DCFS seeking reinstatement of in-person visitation during coronavirus pandemic
Parents of children in protective custody lost a legal fight that sought to compel the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services to reinstate in-person visitation during the coronavirus pandemic.
Cook County Circuit Court Judge Caroline Moreland Tuesday dismissed the lawsuit filed by the public defender’s office on behalf of four mothers who said their rights to equal protection under the Constitution were being violated by the indefinite suspension of in-person visits with their children.
Moreland pointed in her ruling that all the plaintiffs had pending emergency motions in their individual cases to deal with visitation.
The court also sided with DCFS, saying the Child Protection Act allows state officials the right to immediately suspend the visits in the interest of a child’s health and well-being.
All four women have pending child abuse cases in the Juvenile Court’s Child Protection Division, according to court records.
DCFS, in March, stopped supervised in-person visits to prevent the spread of COVID-19, so those women and many others have only been allowed to speak with their children by phone or see them on video conferencing calls.
Read the full report from Matthew Hendrickson here.
6:18 a.m. Ford tour gives Trump another chance not to wear publicly required face mask
DETROIT — Ford Motor Co. has told the White House that it requires everyone in its factories to wear face masks to prevent the coronavirus from spreading, but it’s not clear whether President Donald Trump will wear one when he visits a Detroit-area plant Thursday.
Trump, who is scheduled to tour a factory repurposed to make medical breathing machines near Detroit, has habitually refused to wear a mask at the White House and in recent public appearances.
In a statement, Ford said its policy requires everyone in factories to wear personal protective equipment, including masks, and that policy had been shared with the White House. When asked if the company would require Trump to wear the equipment, spokeswoman Rachel McCleery said, “The White House has its own safety and testing policies in place and will make its own determination.”
Trump didn’t give a definite answer when questioned at the White House Tuesday, saying it would depend on how close he gets to others.
Read the full report here.
New cases
Analysis & Commentary
7:45 p.m. Lynn Sweet’s rules of the road for social distancing while walking, running and biking
A quiz.
Q. You are walking on one side of a sidewalk. Someone strolling toward you veers within six feet of you. You don’t have any room to move but the other person does. You call out through your mask, “Six feet!”
The correct action for that person is:
a. Pretend not to hear and stay the course.
b. Give you the finger and swerve a little.
c. Create some distance by moving away.
The correct answer is c.
As some of our COVID-19 pandemic lockdown rules in Illinois are easing and the spring weather is bringing us outside more frequently to walk, run and bike, I’ve been navigating the new normal while social distancing. There is no best practices manual for this.
I’m a speed walker. I aim at five miles a day. As I roam around, I’ve made it a point to observe social or physical distancing behavior — who among us tries to observe the six feet; who doesn’t; and whether lapses appear willful or the result of being oblivious. I’ve become a student of the various tactics people are using and developing some of my own.
2 p.m. Easy to say ‘play ball’ when it’s not your health on the line
Sports fans want sports back. They want bats and balls, wide receivers and one-handed catches, hockey sticks and missing teeth.
But how can the games return safely?
It’s the question that won’t go away, even as the major sports leagues formulate detailed plans to begin play in the face of the pandemic.
The many unknowns of the coronavirus do not allow for a simple answer. All the mandates proclaimed, all the safeguards put in place, all the best practices followed — and it’s still a roll of the dice.
How many major-league baseball players testing positive for COVID-19 per team would it take for the season to be shut down? One? Two? Five? How about players who have to be hospitalized? Would one player on a ventilator be enough of a bad look to close up shop for everyone?
This is the uncomfortable calculus that leagues surely are considering.
Read the full commentary by columnist Rick Morrissey.
6:44 a.m. I risk COVID-19 to clean downtown offices. What’s Congress doing for people like me?
COVID-19 has made it clearer than ever that we are closely interconnected. Only by pulling together and meeting the needs of all workers — black, white, brown, immigrant, native-born — can we all get through this crisis.
Many essential workers are immigrants and people of color and it’s not an option for us to work from home or shelter in place. I face the fear and head to work every day so that others can work in a clean, sanitized space.
The public is grateful for our sacrifice, but it’s time leaders in Congress turn the gratitude for essential workers into tangible support in the next stimulus bill. We need essential pay, personal protective equipment and payroll protection.
Read the full commentary by Urszula Przybys, a member of SEIU Local 1, here.


chicagosun-times--2020-05-20--Man shot to death in Austin: police

Man shot to death in Austin: police

A man was killed in a shooting Wednesday in Austin on the West Side .
The 36-year-old suffered a gunshot @ @ @ @ @ the 5300 block of West Chicago Avenue , according to Chicago police .
He was @ @ @ @ @ , police said .
The Cook County medical examiner ’ s office has not release @ @ @ @ @ No one is in custody as Area Four detectives investigate .
Read more on crime @ @ @ @ @ ’ s homicides .

A man was killed in a shooting Wednesday in Austin on the West Side.
The 36-year-old suffered a gunshot wound about 5 p.m. in the 5300 block of West Chicago Avenue, according to Chicago police.
He was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
The Cook County medical examiner’s office identified the man as Johnny Cox. An autopsy ruled his death a homicide.
No one is in custody as Area Four detectives investigate.
Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.


chicagosun-times--2020-05-20--The Mix: A Nathan Lane-Robert Falls chat and more things to check out online May 21-27

“ Live @ Five , ” the Goodman Theatre ’ s new weekly online series curated by artistic director Robert Falls , continues with a conversation with Tony- , Olivier- and Emmy Award-winning actor Nathan Lane , who starred , along with the late Brian Dennehy , in Falls ’ 2012 staging of Eugene O ’ Neill ’ s “ The Iceman Cometh.
” Watch online at 5 p.m. May 22 .
( Also at the Goodman , Jocelyn Bioh ’ s sharp comedy-drama “ School Girls ; Or , the African Mean Girls Play ” streams through May 31 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joseph Yoakum ’ s whimsical landscapes — filled with rolling hills , blue lakes and soaring mountains — are the inspiration for the next edition of Art After Work at 5 p.m. May 21 .
Viewers with help from educator Paula Santos will use materials easily found around the house to create their own imaginative landscape .
For more information on the free online event , offered by the gallery Intuit , go to art.org .
Young performers from the Actors Gymnasium perform “ Isolated ” ( 7:30 p.m. May 23 ) , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an innovative online rehearsal process .
Directed by Kasey Foster and Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi , the piece looks at what it ’ s like to be a teenager during this challenging time .
To watch free , go to facebook.com/actorsgymcircus/ Despite the shutdown , music continues at FitzGerald ’ s with “ Live From Where They Live , ” a streamed series that visits a selection of the club ’ s favorite artists in their homes .
Next up are Linda Gail Lewis ( Jerry Lee ’ s sister ) at 8 p.m. May @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sun-Times writer Dave Hoekstra at 8 p.m. May 22 .
Free , donations appreciated .
Visit fitzgeraldsnightclub.com .
The Shedd Aquarium ’ s free children ’ s video series , “ Sea Curious , ” takes a deep dive into some interesting questions .
Do animals play ?
What animals have superpowers ?
Why are some animals slimy ?
What do animals do at night ?
Each episode answers a question by exploring and having fun at the aquarium .
To watch , go to sheddaquarium.org .
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra streams a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Requiem conducted by music director Riccardo Muti .
The event coincides with the anniversary of the world premiere ( May 22 , 1874 ) of the landmark piece , which is a signature work for Muti and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus .
Stream at 7:30 p.m. May 22-23 and 1:30 p.m. May 24 , on the CSO ’ s social media channels .
Visit cso.org .
England ’ s National Theatre has in recent months been streaming selections from its catalog of plays on its YouTube channel .
Next on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ A Streetcar Named Desire , ” starring Gillian Anderson as Blanche DuBois , Ben Foster as Stanley and Vanessa Kirby as Stella .
Watch at 7 p.m. May 21-28 , free .
Visit nationaltheatre.org.uk .
“ Chicagoland Shorts ” is an annual series featuring work by Chicago film artists .
This year ’ s lineup , Vol .
6 , includes documentary , narrative , experimental , video collage and animated works plus Q & As with the filmmakers .
The eight films explore stories of self-discovery , family , childhood , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ p.m. May 21 , $ 5 .
Visit musicboxtheatre.com

Intriguing conversations
“Live@Five,” the Goodman Theatre’s new weekly online series curated by artistic director Robert Falls, continues with a conversation with Tony-, Olivier- and Emmy Award-winning actor Nathan Lane, who starred, along with the late Brian Dennehy, in Falls’ 2012 staging of Eugene O’Neill’s “The Iceman Cometh.” Watch online at 5 p.m. May 22. (Also at the Goodman, Jocelyn Bioh’s sharp comedy-drama “School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play” streams through May 31.) Visit goodmantheatre.org.
Make some art
Joseph Yoakum’s “Mt. Mourner in Maritine Alps near Diane France by Joseph E. Yoakum” (1968). © John Faier
Outsider artist Joseph Yoakum’s whimsical landscapes — filled with rolling hills, blue lakes and soaring mountains — are the inspiration for the next edition of Art After Work at 5 p.m. May 21. Viewers with help from educator Paula Santos will use materials easily found around the house to create their own imaginative landscape. For more information on the free online event, offered by the gallery Intuit, go to art.org.
Circus arts
“Isolated” by Actors Gymnasium Provided
Young performers from the Actors Gymnasium perform “Isolated” (7:30 p.m. May 23), an original circus theater production devised through an innovative online rehearsal process. Directed by Kasey Foster and Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi, the piece looks at what it’s like to be a teenager during this challenging time. To watch free, go to facebook.com/actorsgymcircus/
Homebound music
Marcia Ball Mary Bruton
Despite the shutdown, music continues at FitzGerald’s with “Live From Where They Live,” a streamed series that visits a selection of the club’s favorite artists in their homes. Next up are Linda Gail Lewis (Jerry Lee’s sister) at 8 p.m. May 21 and Marcia Ball interviewed by former Sun-Times writer Dave Hoekstra at 8 p.m. May 22. Free, donations appreciated. Visit fitzgeraldsnightclub.com.
Finding answers
“Sea Curious” at the Shedd Aquarium Provided
The Shedd Aquarium’s free children’s video series, “Sea Curious,” takes a deep dive into some interesting questions. Do animals play? What animals have superpowers? Why are some animals slimy? What do animals do at night? Each episode answers a question by exploring and having fun at the aquarium. To watch, go to sheddaquarium.org.
Verdi’s masterpiece
Mario Zeffiri sings as Riccardo Muti conducts the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in Verdi’s Requiem in 2013. © Todd Rosenberg Photography
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra streams a 2013 concert performance of Verdi’s Requiem conducted by music director Riccardo Muti. The event coincides with the anniversary of the world premiere (May 22, 1874) of the landmark piece, which is a signature work for Muti and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus. Stream at 7:30 p.m. May 22-23 and 1:30 p.m. May 24, on the CSO’s social media channels. Visit cso.org.
A Tennessee classic
Gillian Anderson in “A Streetcar Named Desire.” Johan Persson
England’s National Theatre has in recent months been streaming selections from its catalog of plays on its YouTube channel. Next on the roster is Tennessee Williams’ classic drama “A Streetcar Named Desire,” starring Gillian Anderson as Blanche DuBois, Ben Foster as Stanley and Vanessa Kirby as Stella. Watch at 7 p.m. May 21-28, free. Visit nationaltheatre.org.uk.
Local filmmakers
“Oh Baby!” by Meghann Artes is one of the films in “Chicagoland Shorts Vol. 6.” Provided
“Chicagoland Shorts” is an annual series featuring work by Chicago film artists. This year’s lineup, Vol. 6, includes documentary, narrative, experimental, video collage and animated works plus Q&As with the filmmakers. The eight films explore stories of self-discovery, family, childhood, sex and death. Stream at 7 p.m. May 21, $5. Visit musicboxtheatre.com
Mary Houlihan is a Chicago freelance writer.


chicagosun-times--2020-05-20--Kayakers missing in Des Plaines River in Riverside found safely

Two kayakers who were the subject of a search effort Wednesday after they went missing in the Des Plaines River in west suburban Riverside have been located safely .
Authorities were called about 11:30 a.m. for reports of two empty kayaks traveling down the river at a high speed near the Forest Avenue Bridge , according to Riverside Police Chief Tom Weitzel .
After hearing the sirens of the police and fire response and search efforts , a resident in the 200 block of Maplewood Road adjacent to the river called police to report seeing the kayakers in the river @ @ @ @ @ @ @ took photos of the male kayakers after telling them to get out of the water because it wasn ’ t safe .
A Chicago police helicopter assisted with the river search between 31st Street and the Barrypoint Bridge , Riverside police said .
Officers searched the shoreline while fire crews and drones searched the water .
The search was called off about 2:15 p.m. , Weitzel said .
The kayaks were last seen “ flying down the river ” with their paddles still attached near the Ogden Avenue Bridge and the current was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the water .
The occupants made it out of the water on their own and walked home , Weitzel said .
One of them contacted police Wednesday afternoon after seeing media coverage about the search .
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources ’ Conservation Police cited both kayakers for boating violations , Weitzel said .
He noted the DNR has closed the Des Plaines River to recreational boating because of unsafe conditions related to recent flooding in what has been the Chicago area ’ s wettest May on record .
In addition to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , submerged tree branches and other debris could cause boats to overturn , Weitzel said .
“ Even experienced boaters are having a difficult time , ” Weitzel said .

Two kayakers who were the subject of a search effort Wednesday after they went missing in the Des Plaines River in west suburban Riverside have been located safely.
Authorities were called about 11:30 a.m. for reports of two empty kayaks traveling down the river at a high speed near the Forest Avenue Bridge, according to Riverside Police Chief Tom Weitzel.
After hearing the sirens of the police and fire response and search efforts, a resident in the 200 block of Maplewood Road adjacent to the river called police to report seeing the kayakers in the river earlier, Weitzel said. The witness took photos of the male kayakers after telling them to get out of the water because it wasn’t safe.
A Chicago police helicopter assisted with the river search between 31st Street and the Barrypoint Bridge, Riverside police said. Officers searched the shoreline while fire crews and drones searched the water.
The search was called off about 2:15 p.m., Weitzel said. The kayaks were last seen “flying down the river” with their paddles still attached near the Ogden Avenue Bridge and the current was too swift to safely remove them from the water.
The occupants made it out of the water on their own and walked home, Weitzel said. One of them contacted police Wednesday afternoon after seeing media coverage about the search.
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ Conservation Police cited both kayakers for boating violations, Weitzel said.
He noted the DNR has closed the Des Plaines River to recreational boating because of unsafe conditions related to recent flooding in what has been the Chicago area’s wettest May on record.
In addition to the high water levels and fast currents, submerged tree branches and other debris could cause boats to overturn, Weitzel said.
“Even experienced boaters are having a difficult time,” Weitzel said.
RPD-we have Chicago Police helicopter assisting in river search. Currently searching between 31st Street and the Barrypoint Bridge. pic.twitter.com/Yr7Z6gTv53 — Riverside Police (@PDRiverside) May 20, 2020


chicagosun-times--2020-05-20--CPS to allow drive-thru and home-visit graduation ceremonies

Graduation ceremonies won ’ t look the same as usual this spring , but they don ’ t necessarily have to be on a laptop , either , according to new guidance released Wednesday by Chicago Public Schools .
After previously indicating only virtual ceremonies would be allowed , CPS officials now say drive-through graduations and celebrations featuring staff visits to graduates ’ homes are OK as long as safety precautions are put in place and strictly followed .
CPS officials said they added drive-thru and home-visit ceremonies to the list of acceptable graduations because Illinois is anticipated to move @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
J.B. Pritzker ’ s reopening plan by the end of this month .
Schools planning any non-virtual events will have to follow guidance released earlier this month by the Illinois Department of Public Health and Illinois State Board of Education .
For drive-up celebrations , students can ride with their immediate family living at home , and only the graduates can get out of the car in their cap and gown to have a photo taken as long as social distancing guidelines are followed , then leave immediately after they ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their car — including staff and a limited number of students at one time — has to wear a face mask .
“ These events will require significant planning — including precise scheduling , traffic control , and school safety personnel — and may be appropriate for small to medium-sized graduating classes in less trafficked areas , ” CPS said in its guidance .
“ Principals will need to carefully evaluate this option to determine if it is appropriate for their school community.
” Those ceremonies can be done at drive-in movie theaters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lots or other large parking lot venues , state guidance said .
Schools might have to hold multiple ceremonies if they have a large graduating class .
No restroom access , refreshments or congregating should be allowed , the state said .
“ Students and families without vehicles would need alternative accommodations and transportation that complies with social distancing requirements , ” the state noted in its guidance .
If a drive-thru event isn ’ t a good choice for a school , administrators will also be allowed to visit students ’ homes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ six feet away , to congratulate their students .
Another option will be holding a fall or winter event for the Class of 2020 if state and local health guidelines allow gatherings by that time .
Virtual ceremonies can still be held on Google Meet and Zoom , with high school graduations coming on or after June 6 , and eighth grade and kindergarten ceremonies on or after June 11 .
Advance hand-outs of diplomas , awards , caps and gowns can be done at schools as long as social distancing is followed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the laptop distribution done the past month , the district said .
CPS has 25,000 high school seniors enrolled this year , 26,000 eighth graders and another 24,000 kindergartners .
Mayor Lori Lightfoot also announced last month that Oprah Winfrey would host a virtual graduation for high school seniors in mid-June .
The district and state said they still won ’ t allow regular in-person graduation ceremonies , group photos or small group celebrations where students meet at school or another location .

Graduation ceremonies won’t look the same as usual this spring, but they don’t necessarily have to be on a laptop, either, according to new guidance released Wednesday by Chicago Public Schools.
After previously indicating only virtual ceremonies would be allowed, CPS officials now say drive-through graduations and celebrations featuring staff visits to graduates’ homes are OK as long as safety precautions are put in place and strictly followed.
CPS officials said they added drive-thru and home-visit ceremonies to the list of acceptable graduations because Illinois is anticipated to move into “Phase 3” of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s reopening plan by the end of this month. Schools planning any non-virtual events will have to follow guidance released earlier this month by the Illinois Department of Public Health and Illinois State Board of Education.
For drive-up celebrations, students can ride with their immediate family living at home, and only the graduates can get out of the car in their cap and gown to have a photo taken as long as social distancing guidelines are followed, then leave immediately after they’re honored. Anyone who gets out of their car — including staff and a limited number of students at one time — has to wear a face mask.
“These events will require significant planning — including precise scheduling, traffic control, and school safety personnel — and may be appropriate for small to medium-sized graduating classes in less trafficked areas,” CPS said in its guidance. “Principals will need to carefully evaluate this option to determine if it is appropriate for their school community.”
Those ceremonies can be done at drive-in movie theaters, school parking lots, stadium parking lots or other large parking lot venues, state guidance said. Schools might have to hold multiple ceremonies if they have a large graduating class. No restroom access, refreshments or congregating should be allowed, the state said.
“Students and families without vehicles would need alternative accommodations and transportation that complies with social distancing requirements,” the state noted in its guidance.
If a drive-thru event isn’t a good choice for a school, administrators will also be allowed to visit students’ homes, while remaining outside and at least six feet away, to congratulate their students. Another option will be holding a fall or winter event for the Class of 2020 if state and local health guidelines allow gatherings by that time.
Virtual ceremonies can still be held on Google Meet and Zoom, with high school graduations coming on or after June 6, and eighth grade and kindergarten ceremonies on or after June 11. Advance hand-outs of diplomas, awards, caps and gowns can be done at schools as long as social distancing is followed and masks are worn, similar to the laptop distribution done the past month, the district said.
CPS has 25,000 high school seniors enrolled this year, 26,000 eighth graders and another 24,000 kindergartners.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot also announced last month that Oprah Winfrey would host a virtual graduation for high school seniors in mid-June.
The district and state said they still won’t allow regular in-person graduation ceremonies, group photos or small group celebrations where students meet at school or another location.


chicagosun-times--2020-05-20--Will construction of the Jane Byrne Circle Interchange ever get done?

In uncertain times like these , some constants do remain : death , taxes and the seemingly never-ending reconstruction of the Jane Byrne Circle Interchange .
It ’ s an embarrassment that a project that was begun in 2013 and was supposed to be finished in 2018 won ’ t actually wrap up — if you even believe current projections — until late 2022 .
That ’ s nine years from start to finish .
Chicago built four major expressways — the Ryan , Eisenhower , Stevenson and Kennedy — in roughly the same length of time , from 1956 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reconstruction ’ s original $ 535 million price tag has jumped to just shy of $ 800 million .
We have no gripe with the project itself .
The former Circle Interchange — the concrete knot that ties together the Kennedy , Eisenhower and Ryan — was built in the 1950s and was never upgraded .
Everybody in town agrees it was a mess .
The reconstruction has been designed to increase the interchange ’ s capacity , bringing in additional car lanes , three new flyovers , and reconstructed bridges over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Taylor , Van Buren , Adams and Jackson streets .
The new interchange is a complicated piece of work , which accounts for some of the unexpected delays .
And after construction began , work crews discovered poorer-than-expected soil conditions .
That meant that portions of the exchange , including massive retaining walls , had to be re-engineered to make them significantly stronger , which has driven up the price .
Given the project ’ s ambitious scope , the Illinois Department of Transportation should have done better advance work to create @ @ @ @ @ @ @ smacks too much of the 2006 reconstruction of the Ryan , originally priced at $ 550 million .
Change orders hiked the price to nearly $ 1 billion .
There ’ s more work to come as part of the interchange project .
The roadway and barrier walls on the northbound Dan Ryan , between Roosevelt Road and Madison Street , will be rebuilt , along with the Madison , Washington , Lake and Randolph exit ramps .
The southbound Ryan will include similar work , plus new underground stormwater tanks to help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s delays — and escalating costs — are another harsh reminder that undertaking ambitious road projects to solve traffic congestion is an increasingly expensive and time-consuming endeavor .
A better approach will always put a greater emphasis on mass transit .

In uncertain times like these, some constants do remain: death, taxes and the seemingly never-ending reconstruction of the Jane Byrne Circle Interchange.
It’s an embarrassment that a project that was begun in 2013 and was supposed to be finished in 2018 won’t actually wrap up — if you even believe current projections — until late 2022. That’s nine years from start to finish.
Chicago built four major expressways — the Ryan, Eisenhower, Stevenson and Kennedy — in roughly the same length of time, from 1956 to 1964.
Editorials bug Editorials
Also distressing: The reconstruction’s original $535 million price tag has jumped to just shy of $800 million.
We have no gripe with the project itself. The former Circle Interchange — the concrete knot that ties together the Kennedy, Eisenhower and Ryan — was built in the 1950s and was never upgraded. Everybody in town agrees it was a mess.
The reconstruction has been designed to increase the interchange’s capacity, bringing in additional car lanes, three new flyovers, and reconstructed bridges over the expressway at Harrison, Monroe, Morgan, Taylor, Van Buren, Adams and Jackson streets.
The new interchange is a complicated piece of work, which accounts for some of the unexpected delays. And after construction began, work crews discovered poorer-than-expected soil conditions. That meant that portions of the exchange, including massive retaining walls, had to be re-engineered to make them significantly stronger, which has driven up the price.
Given the project’s ambitious scope, the Illinois Department of Transportation should have done better advance work to create a realistic budget and timetable. This smacks too much of the 2006 reconstruction of the Ryan, originally priced at $550 million. Change orders hiked the price to nearly $1 billion.
There’s more work to come as part of the interchange project. The roadway and barrier walls on the northbound Dan Ryan, between Roosevelt Road and Madison Street, will be rebuilt, along with the Madison, Washington, Lake and Randolph exit ramps.
The southbound Ryan will include similar work, plus new underground stormwater tanks to help alleviate roadway flooding.
The project’s delays — and escalating costs — are another harsh reminder that undertaking ambitious road projects to solve traffic congestion is an increasingly expensive and time-consuming endeavor.
A better approach will always put a greater emphasis on mass transit.
Send letters to letters@suntimes.com.


chicagosun-times--2020-05-20--Man acquitted in murder of toddler suing city

A man who was acquitted in the heinous murder of a toddler whose dismembered body was found in the Garfield Park Lagoon is suing the city of Chicago .
Kamel Harris , 45 , filed the lawsuit Monday in Cook County Circuit Court , accusing the city of a malicious prosecution that led to him being behind bars for more than two years while he awaited trial .
A jury cleared Harris of all charges last year .
Harris said his ties to the case caused him to lose custody of his daughter and son and that he continues to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the accusations against him , according to the suit .
The discovery of 2-year-old Kyrian Knox ’ s feet , hands and head in the lagoon over the 2015 Labor Day weekend shocked the city and made national news .
Because some of Kyrian ’ s other body parts were never found , an exact cause of death was never determined .
It would take more than a year before Harris was charged with the murder .
Harris had been watching Kyrian as well as his 2-year-old grandson in Rockford while their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But Harris said he turned Kyrian over to a man and two women , who said they were there to pick up the child and had him speak to woman on a cellphone who said she was Lanisha Knox , Kyrian ’ s mother .
Harris testified that he was stunned when his daughter called two weeks later , saying she and Knox were coming to pick up the kids .
In this week ’ s court filing , Harris accuses city officials , including then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel and former Chicago Police Supt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an arrest in Kyrian ’ s murder as a public relations victory for the city , which was embroiled in controversy stemming from the murder of Laquan McDonald by Officer Jason Van Dyke .
The detectives in the case , the suit claims , did not fully investigate leads as they sought to pin the blame on Harris .
Those detectives also gave false statements for search warrants , relied on the testimony of unreliable sources in the Winnebago County Jail , where Harris was locked up on an unrelated charge , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statements that implicated Harris in Kyrian ’ s murder , the suit says .
During the eight-day jury trial last May , prosectors showed jurors gruesome images of Kyrian ’ s body parts after they were recovered from the lagoon and largely relied on circumstantial evidence .
Harris is seeking unspecified damages for the loss of his freedom and emotional harm , according to the suit , which requests a jury trial .
A spokeswoman for the city did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday .

A man who was acquitted in the heinous murder of a toddler whose dismembered body was found in the Garfield Park Lagoon is suing the city of Chicago.
Kamel Harris, 45, filed the lawsuit Monday in Cook County Circuit Court, accusing the city of a malicious prosecution that led to him being behind bars for more than two years while he awaited trial.
A jury cleared Harris of all charges last year.
Harris said his ties to the case caused him to lose custody of his daughter and son and that he continues to have a difficult time finding work because of the accusations against him, according to the suit.
Kyrian Knox Sun-Times file photo
The discovery of 2-year-old Kyrian Knox’s feet, hands and head in the lagoon over the 2015 Labor Day weekend shocked the city and made national news. Because some of Kyrian’s other body parts were never found, an exact cause of death was never determined.
It would take more than a year before Harris was charged with the murder. Harris had been watching Kyrian as well as his 2-year-old grandson in Rockford while their mothers looked for work in Iowa. But Harris said he turned Kyrian over to a man and two women, who said they were there to pick up the child and had him speak to a woman on a cellphone who said she was Lanisha Knox, Kyrian’s mother. Harris testified that he was stunned when his daughter called two weeks later, saying she and Knox were coming to pick up the kids.
In this week’s court filing, Harris accuses city officials, including then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel and former Chicago Police Supt. Eddie Johnson of seeking to use an arrest in Kyrian’s murder as a public relations victory for the city, which was embroiled in controversy stemming from the murder of Laquan McDonald by Officer Jason Van Dyke.
The detectives in the case, the suit claims, did not fully investigate leads as they sought to pin the blame on Harris. Those detectives also gave false statements for search warrants, relied on the testimony of unreliable sources in the Winnebago County Jail, where Harris was locked up on an unrelated charge, and coerced Harris’ live-in girlfriend to give statements that implicated Harris in Kyrian’s murder, the suit says.
Kamel Harris Courtesy CBS 2
During the eight-day jury trial last May, prosecutors showed jurors gruesome images of Kyrian’s body parts after they were recovered from the lagoon and largely relied on circumstantial evidence.
Harris is seeking unspecified damages for the loss of his freedom and emotional harm, according to the suit, which requests a jury trial.
A spokeswoman for the city did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.


chicagosun-times--2020-05-20--How our Legislature this week can make elections safer and more democratic

Illinois can take a big step this week toward ensuring smooth and pandemic-safe elections this fall , even as President Donald Trump tries to throw voting into chaos in two other states .
The Illinois Legislature should pass a bill , up for a hearing on Thursday , that would make it easier to vote in three different ways — by mail , early in person and on Election Day in person .
On Wednesday , Trump threatened to withhold federal funds from Michigan and Nevada because officials there are working to expand access to mail-in ballots so as to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ falsely accused the two states of sending “ illegal ” vote-by-mail ballots to every voter .
In truth , Michigan is sending applications for absentee ballots to all registered voters , not ballots themselves .
And Nevada is sending absentee ballots to all registered voters .
Trump previously has made it clear he dreads an expansion of mail-in voting , convinced it would work against his reelection .
In Illinois , lawmakers should ignore Trump ’ s blatant attempt to exploit federal funding to tilt the Nov. 3 vote in his direction .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make it easier for residents to vote without risking exposure to the coronavirus .
The heavy in-person voting we usually see at polling places almost certainly would pose a health threat this time around to both voters and election workers .
The bill pending in Springfield would do the following : • An application for a mail-in ballot would be sent to everyone who voted by mail or requested a mail-in ballot in the past three elections .
• Early-voting hours would be extended in the 15 days before the election .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ state holiday , which means schools would be closed , making it easier for them to be used as polling places .
School officials are reluctant to have voters and students in their buildings at the same time because of the pandemic .
Janitors also would have more time to disinfect schools before students return .
• A statewide website would be set up to allow citizens to request mail-in ballots .
Chicago and Cook County already have such websites , but many counties don ’ t .
As the bill ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ D-Chicago , said , “ Our goal is to ensure the greatest possibility of access for citizens to be able to go and cast votes in November in the pandemic.
” Illinois already has a comparatively voter-friendly system of elections .
Mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day are counted even if they arrive two week later .
No witness signature is needed to vote by mail .
And unlike with absentee ballots , no one has to provide an excuse for voting by mail , such as an illness .
Illinois can do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elections this fall .

Illinois can take a big step this week toward ensuring smooth and pandemic-safe elections this fall, even as President Donald Trump tries to throw voting into chaos in two other states.
The Illinois Legislature should pass a bill, up for a hearing on Thursday, that would make it easier to vote in three different ways — by mail, early in person and on Election Day in person.
Editorials bug Editorials
On Wednesday, Trump threatened to withhold federal funds from Michigan and Nevada because officials there are working to expand access to mail-in ballots so as to reduce health risks to voters. Trump falsely accused the two states of sending “illegal” vote-by-mail ballots to every voter.
In truth, Michigan is sending applications for absentee ballots to all registered voters, not ballots themselves. And Nevada is sending absentee ballots to all registered voters.
Trump previously has made it clear he dreads an expansion of mail-in voting, convinced it would work against his reelection.
In Illinois, lawmakers should ignore Trump’s blatant attempt to exploit federal funding to tilt the Nov. 3 vote in his direction. Instead, they should do everything possible to make it easier for residents to vote without risking exposure to the coronavirus.
The heavy in-person voting we usually see at polling places almost certainly would pose a health threat this time around to both voters and election workers.
The bill pending in Springfield would do the following:
An application for a mail-in ballot would be sent to everyone who voted by mail or requested a mail-in ballot in the past three elections.
Early-voting hours would be extended in the 15 days before the election.
Election Day would be declared a state holiday, which means schools would be closed, making it easier for them to be used as polling places. School officials are reluctant to have voters and students in their buildings at the same time because of the pandemic. Janitors also would have more time to disinfect schools before students return.
A statewide website would be set up to allow citizens to request mail-in ballots. Chicago and Cook County already have such websites, but many counties don’t.
As the bill’s House sponsor, Rep. Greg Harris, D-Chicago, said, “Our goal is to ensure the greatest possibility of access for citizens to be able to go and cast votes in November in the pandemic.”
Illinois already has a comparatively voter-friendly system of elections. Mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day are counted even if they arrive two week later. No witness signature is needed to vote by mail. And unlike with absentee ballots, no one has to provide an excuse for voting by mail, such as an illness.
Illinois can do even better to ensure full and fair elections this fall.
Send letters to letters@suntimes.com.


chicagosun-times--2020-05-20--Man wanted for Texas child sexual assault arrested in Lake County

A man wanted for sexually assaulting a child in Texas was arrested Tuesday in the north suburbs .
Patrick H. @ @ @ @ @ arrested at a home on Old Oak Drive in an unincorporated area near Mundelein , @ @ @ @ @ the Lake County sheriff ’ s office .
Tillman was wanted on a warrant for @ @ @ @ @ child under 14 in Houston , Texas , the sheriff ’ s office said .
@ @ @ @ @ the investigation and traveled to Hawaii and New York before ending up in Illinois .
@ @ @ @ @ was issued April 7 and the victim ’ s mother contacted Lake Zurich police after @ @ @ @ @ with extended family in the Lake Zurich area , authorities said .
Investigators eventually located @ @ @ @ @ Mundelein , where he was living with his wife , the sheriff ’ s office @ @ @ @ @ into custody and brought to the Lake County Jail , where he remains in custody @ @ @ @ @ , and track the city ’ s homicides .

A man wanted for sexually assaulting a child in Texas was arrested Tuesday in the north suburbs.
Patrick H. Tillman, 30, was arrested at a home on Old Oak Drive in an unincorporated area near Mundelein, according to a statement from the Lake County sheriff’s office.
Tillman was wanted on a warrant for aggravated sexual assault of a child under 14 in Houston, Texas, the sheriff’s office said. He allegedly fled Texas during the investigation and traveled to Hawaii and New York before ending up in Illinois.
The warrant for his arrest was issued April 7 and the victim’s mother contacted Lake Zurich police after learning Tillman might be staying with extended family in the Lake Zurich area, authorities said.
Investigators eventually located Tillman at the home near Mundelein, where he was living with his wife, the sheriff’s office said. He was taken into custody and brought to the Lake County Jail, where he remains in custody.
Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.


chicagosun-times--2020-05-21--Dear Abby: Husband called me disgusting, urged me to kill myself

DEAR ABBY : A few weeks ago , my husband and I had what I thought was a minor conflict , from which I walked away to avoid escalation .
I could hear him continuing to rant , so I pulled up the security camera on my phone and watched and listened as he continued to say horrible things for an hour or more .
He called me a disgusting blob , said there is nothing appealing about me , and I should go out in the yard and kill myself just like my father did .
The words were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ uncontrollably and screamed in anguish .
He never came to console me .
In fact , he told me to “ shut up.
” I ’ m not a crier , typically , so his blatant disregard for the effect his words had on me raises another level of concern .
We have since discussed the event , and his first defense was to say he didn ’ t know I could hear him .
Meanwhile , I have to live with the fact that I ’ m married to a man who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he thinks I should kill myself .
I have no family , and I ’ m hesitant to upend a life that is finally stable after a chaotic childhood and early adulthood .
My husband isn ’ t typically abusive , but this incident has me questioning everything .
We have been together for 22 years and married for nearly 16 with no children .
What are your thoughts ?
— THROWN INTO TURMOIL DEAR THROWN : My first thought is that you and your husband need to find a healthier way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than your walking out on him , and him saying nasty things into a camera knowing full well he might be heard .
If your definition of stability is tolerating further verbal abuse , then you are — and will be — paying a high price for it .
I sincerely hope the two of you will try to iron out your differences with the help of a licensed marriage and family therapist .
After all the years you have invested in each other , it ’ s worth a shot .
DEAR @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20 years ago .
He never proposed ; he just came home one day from boot camp and said , “ We need to get married tomorrow so that I can get paid more , ” and we did .
I regret that day .
It wasn ’ t what I wanted , and it meant nothing to me .
Since then , so much has happened .
He cheated on me while he was in the service , and had PTSD to the point where he tried to kill himself , among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a happy place and have two awesome kids .
I would like to redo our wedding day and for him to propose to me .
The problem is , he isn ’ t ready .
He said he hasn ’ t done it because we have had more lows than highs .
He said he will eventually , when he feels the time is right .
My feelings are hurt , and now I ’ m questioning why I am still here .
I have stuck by his side for 20 years , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that and much more .
I ’ m not asking for anything over the top .
Do you think I ’ m overreacting , or should I finally move on ?
— TIRED OF WAITING IN TEXAS DEAR TIRED : I don ’ t think you are overreacting ; I think you are over-orchestrating .
You say you and your husband are in a happy place now after years of struggle , plus you have two awesome kids .
Now is not the time to upset the apple cart .
More important than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is devoting some time to working on communicating more effectively with each other .
Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren , also known as Jeanne Phillips , and was founded by her mother , Pauline Phillips .
Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O .
Box 69440 , Los Angeles , CA 90069 .
What teens need to know about sex , drugs , AIDS and getting along with peers and parents is in “ What Every Teen Should Know.
” Send your name and mailing address , plus check or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ funds ) to : Dear Abby , Teen Booklet , P.O .
Box 447 , Mount Morris , IL 61054-0447 .
( Shipping and handling are included in the price . )

DEAR ABBY: A few weeks ago, my husband and I had what I thought was a minor conflict, from which I walked away to avoid escalation. I could hear him continuing to rant, so I pulled up the security camera on my phone and watched and listened as he continued to say horrible things for an hour or more. He called me a disgusting blob, said there is nothing appealing about me, and I should go out in the yard and kill myself just like my father did.
The words were so painful that I began to sob uncontrollably and screamed in anguish. He never came to console me. In fact, he told me to “shut up.” I’m not a crier, typically, so his blatant disregard for the effect his words had on me raises another level of concern.
We have since discussed the event, and his first defense was to say he didn’t know I could hear him. Meanwhile, I have to live with the fact that I’m married to a man who has such a low opinion of me that he thinks I should kill myself.
I have no family, and I’m hesitant to upend a life that is finally stable after a chaotic childhood and early adulthood. My husband isn’t typically abusive, but this incident has me questioning everything. We have been together for 22 years and married for nearly 16 with no children. What are your thoughts? — THROWN INTO TURMOIL
DEAR THROWN: My first thought is that you and your husband need to find a healthier way to deal with your “conflicts” than your walking out on him, and him saying nasty things into a camera knowing full well he might be heard. If your definition of stability is tolerating further verbal abuse, then you are — and will be — paying a high price for it.
I sincerely hope the two of you will try to iron out your differences with the help of a licensed marriage and family therapist. After all the years you have invested in each other, it’s worth a shot.
DEAR ABBY: My husband and I married 20 years ago. He never proposed; he just came home one day from boot camp and said, “We need to get married tomorrow so that I can get paid more,” and we did. I regret that day. It wasn’t what I wanted, and it meant nothing to me.
Since then, so much has happened. He cheated on me while he was in the service, and had PTSD to the point where he tried to kill himself, among other things.
We are now in a happy place and have two awesome kids. I would like to redo our wedding day and for him to propose to me. The problem is, he isn’t ready. He said he hasn’t done it because we have had more lows than highs. He said he will eventually, when he feels the time is right.
My feelings are hurt, and now I’m questioning why I am still here. I have stuck by his side for 20 years, through thick and thin. I deserve that and much more. I’m not asking for anything over the top. Do you think I’m overreacting, or should I finally move on? — TIRED OF WAITING IN TEXAS
DEAR TIRED: I don’t think you are overreacting; I think you are over-orchestrating. You say you and your husband are in a happy place now after years of struggle, plus you have two awesome kids. Now is not the time to upset the apple cart. More important than redoing his proposal and your wedding day is devoting some time to working on communicating more effectively with each other.
Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.
What teens need to know about sex, drugs, AIDS and getting along with peers and parents is in “What Every Teen Should Know.” Send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $8 (U.S. funds) to: Dear Abby, Teen Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. (Shipping and handling are included in the price.)


chicagosun-times--2020-05-21--A big muskie: Another personal-best muskie from the Chain O’Lakes earns Fish of the Week

Rich Frye caught an extra sweet muskie about 3 p.m. Friday in very shallow “ chocolate milk ” on the @ @ @ @ @ The 48.25-inch muskie , estimated at 34-35 pounds , came on a beautifully gaudy 1.25-ounce @ @ @ @ @ he makes for Fryebaits .
“ I was straight retrieving from some laydowns when she @ @ @ @ @ the boat , ” he emailed .
“ She was netted and released with a @ @ @ @ @ minutes time .
Yeah , she is a beauty , especially with our mutt strain @ @ @ @ @ My personal best and an awesome experience , especially on my own bait.
” FOTW @ @ @ @ @ fish and their stories ( the stories matter ) around Chicago fishing , runs Wednesdays @ @ @ @ @ nominations by message on Facebook ( Dale Bowman ) , on Twitter ( @ BowmanOutside @ @ @ @ @ BowmanOutside ) or email ( BowmanOutside @ gmail.com ) .

Rich Frye caught an extra sweet muskie about 3 p.m. Friday in very shallow “chocolate milk” on the Chain O’Lakes.
The 48.25-inch muskie, estimated at 34-35 pounds, came on a beautifully gaudy 1.25-ounce Osage orange hand-crafted lipless crankbait he makes for Fryebaits.
The Fryebait that Rich Frye caught his personal-best muskie on. Provided
“I was straight retrieving from some laydowns when she hit about 35 feet from the boat,” he emailed. “She was netted and released with a few pics in a few minutes time. Yeah, she is a beauty, especially with our mutt strain here on the Chain. My personal best and an awesome experience, especially on my own bait.”
FOTW, the celebration of big fish and their stories (the stories matter) around Chicago fishing, runs Wednesdays in the Sun-Times. Submit nominations by message on Facebook (Dale Bowman), on Twitter (@BowmanOutside) and Instagram (@BowmanOutside) or email (BowmanOutside@gmail.com).


chicagosun-times--2020-05-21--Man, 35, missing from Jefferson Park

Man, 35, missing from Jefferson Park

A 35-year-old man has been reported missing from Jefferson Park on the Northwest Side .
Mark Metzger was last seen @ @ @ @ @ the 4700 block of North Central Avenue , according to a missing persons alert from @ @ @ @ @ who is a military veteran , is 5-foot-9 , 190 pounds , with blue eyes @ @ @ @ @ a fair complexion , police said .
He may be driving a white Nissan rental @ @ @ @ @ Anyone with information is asked to contact Chicago police at 312-746-6554 .

Pvt. Travis King entered the North while on a civilian tour of a Korean border village July 18, becoming the first American detained in the North in nearly five years.


chicagosun-times--2020-05-21--New Bears CB Jaylon Johnson ‘in good company’ alongside Eric Weddle

Kyle Whittingham had long ago decided that his freshman cornerback had what it takes to play in the NFL .
But it took him a couple weeks after Jaylon Johnson set foot on the Utah campus to figure out which player he reminded him of .
“ Eric Weddle , ” the head coach said .
“ Eric Weddle was in our program and he was all-business , just had a great focus and determination about him .
There ’ s a lot of personality traits that Jaylon and Eric share .
… They ’ re very , very similar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Utes defensive coordinator , Whittingham recruited Weddle , who became a two-time Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the year .
Like Johnson , Weddle became a second-round draft pick .
The safety retired in February after six Pro Bowls in 13 seasons — nine with the Chargers , three with the Ravens and last year with the Rams — and almost $ 70 million in career earnings .
He might be the greatest defender in modern Utah history .
Whittingham , Utah ’ s head coach for the last 15 years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But he swears that he saw an NFL future in Johnson when he sat in his family ’ s Fresno , Calif. , living room on a recruiting visit .
Johnson laid out his career arc to Whittingham : he ’ d play three seasons before leaving early for the draft , and would participate in summer school so he ’ d graduate in two-and-a-half years .
“ Those NFL guys have a certain look to them , a certain way they carry themselves , ” said Whittingham , whose father coached @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ He had it .
It was very apparent to us that we had a great one when we signed him .
“ He lived up to every expectation .
He came into our program , had a tremendous work ethic , was intense , focused .
Obviously , the physical talent was there .
He was a great student.
” Everything went according to plan , Whittingham said , except for the shoulder problems .
After unwittingly playing with a torn labrum in his right shoulder last year , Johnson had surgery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He ’ s expected to be ready to practice in early August .
“ My shoulder is fixed and I ’ m ready to go , ” Johnson , who had two surgeries on his left shoulder earlier in his career , said last month .
Were it not for the right shoulder surgery , the Bears might not have had a chance to get anywhere near Johnson with the No .
50 pick of the draft .
“ I ’ m confident there ’ s going to be no hindrance at all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NFL guys , they always worry about certainties and those types of things .
So I guess there ’ s justification in where he got taken .
The Bears envision the 6-foot , 193-pound Johnson as a physical press cornerback who ’ ll start across from two-time Pro Bowl player Kyle Fuller .
He merely has to beat out Kevin Toliver , who has two career starts ; former CFL player Tre Roberson ; and former Steelers first-round pick Artie Burns , who played only 66 defensive snaps in 2019 .
“ He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to re-route receivers , ” general manager Ryan Pace said of Johnson last month .
“ Jaylon us a really intelligent player , plays the game with excellent instincts and awareness , you can see it in the way he plays .
… “ This is a guy who is driven and passionate .
[ There are ] a lot of stories about his work ethic and just his professional approach to the game.
” Those come from Whittingham — who uses the words “ meticulous , ” “ organized ” and “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I just know what type of guy succeeds in that league , ” Whittingham said .
“ And Jaylon is that guy .
”

Coach Kyle Whittingham long ago had decided that his freshman cornerback had what it takes to play in the NFL. But it took him a couple of weeks after Jaylon Johnson set foot on the Utah campus to figure out which player he reminded him of.
“Eric Weddle,” Whittingham said. “Eric Weddle was in our program, and he was all-business, just had a great focus and determination about him. There are a lot of personality traits that Jaylon and Eric share. . . . They’re very, very similar in how they approach things.”
As the Utes’ defensive coordinator, Whittingham recruited Weddle, who became a two-time Mountain West Conference defensive player of the year. Like Johnson, Weddle was a second-round pick. The safety retired in February after six Pro Bowls in 13 seasons — nine with the Chargers, three with the Ravens and last year with the Rams — and almost $70 million in career earnings.
Weddle might be the greatest defender in modern Utah history.
That’s high praise for Johnson, then.
“Oh, yeah, absolutely,” Whittingham said. “He’s in good company.”
Whittingham, Utah’s head coach for the last 15 years, doesn’t deal in hyperbole. But he swears that he saw an NFL future in Johnson when he sat in his family’s Fresno, California, living room on a recruiting visit.
Johnson laid out his goals to Whittingham: He’d play three seasons before leaving early for the draft and would participate in summer school so he’d graduate in 2½ years.
“Those NFL guys have a certain look to them, a certain way they carry themselves,” said Whittingham, whose father, Fred, coached in the NFL for 15 years. “He had it. It was very apparent to us that we had a great one when we signed him.
“He lived up to every expectation. He came into our program, had a tremendous work ethic, was intense, focused. Obviously, the physical talent was there. He was
a great student.”
Everything went according to plan, Whittingham said, except for the shoulder problems. After unwittingly playing with a torn labrum in his right shoulder last year, Johnson had surgery shortly after the NFL Scouting Combine. He’s expected to be ready to practice in early August.
“My shoulder is fixed, and I’m ready to go,” Johnson, who had two surgeries on his left shoulder earlier in his career, said last month.
Were it not for the surgery on his right shoulder, the Bears might not have had a chance to get anywhere near Johnson with the 50th pick in the draft.
“I’m confident there’s going to be no hindrance at all,” Whittingham said. “The NFL guys, they always worry about certainties and those types of things. So I guess there’s justification in where he got taken.
“But he’s definitely a first-round talent.”
The Bears envision the 6-foot, 193-pound Johnson as a physical press cornerback who’ll start across from two-time Pro Bowl player Kyle Fuller. He merely has to beat out Kevin Toliver, who has two career starts; former CFL player Tre Roberson; and Steelers 2016 first-round pick Artie Burns, who played only 66 defensive snaps in 2019.
“He uses his strength to his advantage, to reroute receivers,” general manager Ryan Pace said last month. “Jaylon is a really intelligent player, plays the game with excellent instincts and awareness. You can see it in the way he plays. . . .
“This is a guy who is driven and passionate. [There are] a lot of stories about his work ethic and just his professional approach to the game.”
Those come from Whittingham, who uses the words “meticulous,” “organized” and “structured” to describe Johnson.
“I just know what type of guy succeeds in that league,” Whittingham said. “And Jaylon is that guy.”


chicagosun-times--2020-05-21--6 shot, 1 killed Wednesday in Chicago

6 shot, 1 killed Wednesday in Chicago

Six people were shot , one fatally , Wednesday in Chicago .
A 36-year-old man was killed in a shooting in Austin on the West Side .
He suffered a gunshot wound about 5 p.m. in the 5300 block of West Chicago Avenue , according to Chicago police .
He was pronounced dead at the scene .
In non-fatal shootings , two men were wounded inside a home in Roseland on the South Side .
About 11:30 p.m. , one of the men , 22 , arrived at the home in the first block of East 102nd Place with two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relative let the trio in but , once inside , the two other males opened fire .
The shooters fled the scene and drove off in a silver sedan , firing more shots at the house in the process , police said .
The 22-year-old was struck in the chest and another man , 79 , was struck in the arm , police said .
The younger man was taken to Roseland Hospital in critical condition .
The older man was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn , where he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Two men were shot near the University of Chicago campus in Woodlawn on the South Side .
The pair were standing near a red light about 7:40 p.m. in the 6100 block of South Kimbark Avenue when someone fired shots , police said .
One man , 22 , was struck in the back of the head , while the other man , 23 , was shot in the buttocks .
Both were taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center , police said , where the younger man was in serious condition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ condition .
The day ’ s first shooting wounded a man in Roseland on the South Side .
The 30-year-old walked out of a home at 11:33 a.m. in the first block of East 102nd Street when a vehicle pulled up and someone inside fired 11 shots , according to police .
He was hit in the right buttock and taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn in good condition , police said .
There may have been a male driver and female passenger in the vehicle , but it was unclear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Read more on crime , and track the city ’ s homicides .

Six people were shot, one fatally, Wednesday in Chicago.
A 36-year-old man was killed in a shooting in Austin on the West Side.
He suffered a gunshot wound about 5 p.m. in the 5300 block of West Chicago Avenue, according to Chicago police. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
In non-fatal shootings, two men were wounded inside a home in Roseland on the South Side.
About 11:30 p.m., one of the men, 22, arrived at the home in the first block of East 102nd Place with two other males, police said. A relative let the trio in but, once inside, the two other males opened fire.
The shooters fled the scene and drove off in a silver sedan, firing more shots at the house in the process, police said.
The 22-year-old was struck in the chest and another man, 79, was struck in the arm, police said. The younger man was taken to Roseland Hospital in critical condition.
The older man was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was in fair condition, police said.
Two men were shot near the University of Chicago campus in Woodlawn on the South Side.
The pair were standing near a red light about 7:40 p.m. in the 6100 block of South Kimbark Avenue when someone fired shots, police said. One man, 22, was struck in the back of the head, while the other man, 23, was shot in the buttocks.
Both were taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, police said, where the younger man was in serious condition and the older man was in good condition.
The day’s first shooting wounded a man in Roseland on the South Side.
The 30-year-old walked out of a home at 11:33 a.m. in the first block of East 102nd Street when a vehicle pulled up and someone inside fired 11 shots, according to police.
He was hit in the right buttock and taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn in good condition, police said.
There may have been a male driver and female passenger in the vehicle, but it was unclear who fired the shots, police said.
One person was shot Tuesday.
Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.