chicagosun-times--2020-05-26--Illinois set to move to Phase 3 of reopening plan Friday (LIVE UPDATES)

39 more die in Illinois of COVID-19 as all regions of state set to move to Phase 3 on Friday Another 39 people have died of COVID-19 in Illinois — as the four regions in Gov .
J.B. Pritzker ’ s reopening plan are set to see some restrictions loosened come Friday .
Officials , however , said the 39 deaths reported Tuesday could be lower due to a lack of reporting on Memorial Day .
There were also 1,178 new cases reported from 17,230 tests received .
The virus remains in 100 of 102 Illinois counties .
In total @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus in Illinois .
With the new cases reported on Tuesday , there have been 113,195 positive cases and nearly 787,000 total tests performed .
Tuesday marked the fourth consecutive day with fewer than 100 deaths reported .
But more than half of the total COVID-19 deaths have been in May .
Pritzker on Tuesday planned to outline the regional metrics needed to head into the third phase of his reopening plan .
That includes a positivity rate under 20 % and stable or declining hospital metrics .
All regions are set to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s office said .
7:23 p.m. Pritzker ready to toast ‘ cocktails-to-go ’ — but Lightfoot wants a chaser Gov .
J.B. Pritzker on Tuesday said he ’ ll sign legislation that will legalize “ cocktails-to-go ” to aid ailing business owners during the pandemic .
What that will look like in Chicago — a hotspot for COIVD-19 — and when that may happen remains unclear .
While Mayor Lori Lightfoot is supportive of the plan , mayoral aides says they are exploring changes to it .
That ’ s allowed under the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to either opt out or make changes .
The next City Council meeting is scheduled for June 17 , and it ’ s unlikely a meeting would be called earlier to take up the plan .
Under the measure — which passed with bipartisan support in both the Illinois House and Senate on Saturday — restaurants and bars would be able to sell cocktails in sealed , tamperproof containers .
Any alcoholic beverages transported in a vehicle would have to be placed in the trunk or in an area inaccessible to the driver @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sfondeles here .
5:47 p.m. Nurse fired from Norwood Park senior home for pointing out COVID-19 safety issues : lawsuit A nurse claims she was fired from a Norwood Park senior home in retaliation for whistleblowing about COVID-19 safety issues , according to a lawsuit .
Andrea Hinich , a military veteran , alleges she was fired a day after bringing up safety lapses in a safety meeting at her workplace , Norwood Crossing , 6016 N. Nina Ave. , according to a lawsuit filed May 20 in Cook County Circuit Court .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ insubordination ” after refusing to take part in a plan to distribute personal protective equipment , or PPE , to staff without required “ fit testing , ” the suit states .
Fit testing , a federally required safety rule , is the process of testing PPE on someone to determine the person knows the right size PPE they require , and that they know how to wear it properly .
2:35 p.m. CPD Supt .
: Stay-at-home order contributed to most violent Memorial Day weekend since 2015 Chicago Police Supt .
David @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state ’ s stay-at-home order contributed to the most violent Memorial Day weekend Chicago has experienced since 2015 .
A total of 49 people were shot , 10 of whom died .
“ The stay-at-home order did little to prevent violence particularly in parts of the West and South sides , ” Brown said Tuesday .
“ These incidents primarily involved disputes between rival gang factions as well as clashes involving the sale of illegal drugs.
” Police issued about 300 dispersal orders to crowds each day of the holiday weekend , Brown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of virus transmission as well as injury or death should gunfire erupt in a congested area , he said .
“ The effects of the coronavirus also go beyond hospitalizations , people are feeling restless after being cooped up for weeks , ” Brown said .
On May 5 , Gov .
J.B. Pritzker unveiled his five-phase plan to reopen the state , breaking the state into four regions and identifying key metrics each region needs to meet before moving to the next phase .
When the plan was released , each region @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the governor ’ s office cautioned that regions could move backwards if the spread of the coronavirus intensifies .
We ’ re tracking the state ’ s progress along Pritzker ’ s plan to gradually reopen , using data from the Illinois Department of Public Health .
Click here to see our Reopening Illinois data-tracking portal .
1:10 p.m. Chicago moves to create 600-strong army of contact tracers to fight coronavirus Mayor Lori Lightfoot has said she expects a “ whole new class of jobs that didn ’ t exist before ” to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people it ’ s save to gather in public again .
Tuesday , the mayor took a giant step toward creating 600 of those new jobs in impoverished black and Hispanic neighborhoods that have also borne the brunt of the coronavirus .
The Lightfoot administration released a $ 56 million request-for-proposals from organizations interested in coordinating “ contact tracing and resource referral efforts ” across Chicago .
The RFP requires the lead agency to “ sub-grant 85 percent of contract tracing funding to at least 30 neighborhood-based organizations located within or primarily-serving residents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have also been most heavily impacted by coronavirus cases and deaths .
Read the full story by City Hall reporter Fran Spielman here .
12:01 p.m. Preckwinkle vetoes plan to give first responders addresses of COVID-19 positive residents Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle vetoed a resolution Tuesday that would provide the addresses of COVID-19 positive patients to first responders in suburban Cook County .
Preckwinkle said she was “ profoundly disappointed ” by the passage of the controversial resolution Thursday .
The resolution , titled Share Addresses for Emergencies with First Responders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the jurisdiction of the county ’ s Department of Public Health access only to the addresses of those who ’ ve tested positive for the deadly virus .
That area includes 127 municipalities and 2.5 million residents .
Preckwinkle cited conversations with the county ’ s Department of Public Health and its decision to follow guidelines from the Illinois Department of Public Health as part of her reasoning to veto the measure .
Read the full story from Rachel Hinton here .
10:41 a.m. Worry , haste , retail therapy : What have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ glitches and food worries , retail therapy and sheer amnesia , something has happened to shopping during the pandemic that can be summed up thusly : rubber chickens .
Melissa Jean Footlick bought some while sheltering at home in San Diego with her husband and three dogs .
She ’ s a kidney transplant patient so she ’ s been taking extra care .
She ’ s among millions who have helped online retail sales surge as consumer spending fell off rapidly when businesses shut down .
For others , shopping madness has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : 10-pound bags of rice ; 25-pound sacks of flour ; 50 pounds worth of sugar ; pickles and pancake mix for a crowd .
For some , it ’ s impulse shoe purchases , with nowhere to go .
And mistaken multiple pounds of blueberries when a single container was the goal .
9:55 a.m. What casinos look like in a post-pandemic world The Illinois Senate approved a Chicago casino Saturday night 42-14 , a feat decades in the making , now bound for Gov .
J.B. Pritzker ’ s desk .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lori Lightfoot , who achieved what several Chicago mayors couldn ’ t .
Bill sponsor Sen. Bill Cunningham , D-Chicago , said the state ’ s capital programs will get $ 45 million upfront in licensing fees before the casino is even opened .
And the state will receive an additional $ 700 million in a re-worked reconciliation fee .
But what will casinos look like in a post-pandemic world ?
Las Vegas offers a preview as the tentative June 4 reopening date set by Nevada ’ s governor approaches .
Free parking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , blackjack dealers and waiters wearing masks .
Hand sanitizer everywhere .
Yes , dice will roll , cards will be dealt and slot machines will beckon .
But poker rooms ?
Closed .
8:18 a.m. Chicago ’ s new normal : When will tourists come back ?
Chicago has drawn more than 55 million domestic and international visitors annually for the past several years , lured in part by summer offerings like Lollapalooza and Millennium Park concerts , as well as year-round draws like the Art Institute and Navy Pier .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and tourism boom boosted by the strong economy that followed the 2008 Great Recession , with 153,700 jobs tied to Chicago tourism in 2019 .
But that was before the coronavirus pandemic upturned the whole world .
Now , it ’ s clear that Chicago tourism numbers won ’ t reach anywhere close to previous levels until there ’ s a COVID-19 vaccine or effective treatment .
Choose Chicago ’ s new campaign , called “ Tourism & Hospitality Forward , ” encourages hotels , restaurants , museums and other attractions to pledge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and cleanliness measures top of mind for both visitors and employees , and to prominently display that info on websites and other communications .
Read the full story from Stephanie Zimmerman here .
6:52 a.m .
Reopen Illinois protesters rally again , days before Pritzker ’ s next reopening phase Just days before businesses in Illinois will incrementally begin reopening , hundreds of protesters gathered in Grant Park on Memorial Day to hear speakers rail against the statewide stay-at-home order that has brought the economy to a screeching halt in an effort to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demonstrators hoisted signs that promoted conspiracy theories and many chose not to wear face coverings , flouting measures recommended by health experts to contain the deadly disease as they pressed closely together to hear the speakers yell into a megaphone .
The rally , which overshadowed a similar event outside the Thompson Center on Monday , was ultimately shut down by Chicago police officers enforcing Gov .
J.B. Pritzker ’ s order .
For hours , the crowd was whipped into a frenzy by a cast of Republican firebrands that included Darren Bailey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who ’ s locked in a court battle over Pritzker ’ s order ; and Stephen Moore , a writer and television pundit who advised President Donald Trump ’ s 2016 presidential bid .
Read the full story from Tom Schuba here .
• Illinois officials announced 31 additional deaths and 1,713 new cases for coronavirus on Monday .
• Another 67 Illinois residents have died of COVID-19 , state officials announced Sunday , increasing the state ’ s pandemic death toll to 4,856 .
• Saturday , a nother 75 people in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state ’ s pandemic death toll to 4,790 .
• Basketball Hall of Famer , Knicks legend and Georgetown basketball coach Patrick Ewing has tested positive for COVID-19 .
• Hecky Powell , rib king and Evanston icon , has died at 71 after being exposed to the coronavirus .
• Chicago police announced Friday five more cases of COVID-19 , bringing the number of cases in the department to 538 .
6:21 p.m.
Isn ’ t it time everyone had enough ?
One thing Covid-19 has made indisputably clear : in Chicago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ portion of the population has been living all along , in a prosperous nation , without enough .
Not enough nutrition , not enough health care and not enough compensation .
As our national conversation pivots from containing the virus to restoring economic vigor , central to any solution must be the drive to ensure that every citizen has enough .
Ours is not the first generation to see a crisis reveal the incivility of civilization .
In the 14th Century , as in ours , a sudden rise in dazzling wealth for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ poverty for others .
Wise minds bemoaned the disequilibrium .
In one of the most popular works of the day , “ Roman de la Rose , ” the poet Jean de Meun argued for “ soufficiance ” ( enough-ness ) as the dream state of abundance — where no one has too little and no one has too much .
We are not , of course , in the 14th Century .
Life is longer and generally more comfortable .
Scientific discoveries , expansion of education , leaps in transportation , communication @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life expectancy , suggested opportunity and softened pain .
In this context , as Mayor Lightfoot makes clear , the fact that a large segment of our population lives without enough to live without fear is an indictment .
No one doubts we are at a crossroads .
3:27 p.m. As doctors , we are taught ‘ First , do no harm.
’ That becomes harder during a pandemic “ Doc , I honestly can not go to the ER.
” It would be a lie to say I was surprised when my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so bluntly .
It ’ s a refrain I have heard often the past few weeks .
He is a diabetic , at high risk for having a myocardial infarction , and as I pleaded my case , trying to explain what I thought was best for his health , I found the phrases I invoked familiar as well : “ I wouldn ’ t want anything avoidable to happen.
” But these justifications don ’ t carry the weight they once did because COVID-19 has changed the risk profile of emergency rooms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that my recommendation to go to the emergency room is purely benevolent .
Read the full commentary by Dr. Monica Maalouf , a practicing physician in Chicago who teaches Narrative Medicine at Loyola Stritch School of Medicine and serves as Faculty Director of Wellness .
2:55 p.m. Nobody should ever liken a stay-at-home order to Anne Frank ’ s hiding in an attic or a Japanese American internment camp Moments after Gov .
J.B. Pritzker announced his stay-at-home order for Illinois on March 20 , I saw the first meme : “ If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for two years , you can stay home for a few weeks.
” Here it comes , I thought : the latest flood of comparisons between current events and the Holocaust .
These comparisons , including memes and social media posts referring to Anne Frank , labeling political figures as “ Hitler , ” or invoking Nazis as a shorthand description for something distasteful , are on the rise .
Such comparisons are not limited to Holocaust history , however .
This past week , and not for the first time , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stay-at-home order , Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Bradley invoked the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II , implying an equivalency that , at best , shows a gross lack of historical understanding .
Comparisons like these are harmful because they distort the true history and meaning of these events without truly addressing the contemporary issues .
Read the full commentary by Amanda Friedeman , assistant director of education at the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center .
7:30 a.m. What we leave behind and what we welcome as city moves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to re-open its isolation doors next week in the wake of a COVID-19 fatalities decline , expect an eraser to appear .
Expect change .
It ’ s not a stretch to consider new hustle and bustle to eradicate the following : • The sound of birds ALL day .
• The actual noise of wheeled grocery store carts ; the language of muffled “ mask ” speech .
• Wildflowers given a chance to sow before the Spring mow on public property .
• The actual sound of our Windy City ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their OWN dogs .
• The time during the workweek when we actually heard our doorbell ring ; answered our own door ; and had an extended , uninterrupted conversation with a close friend .
• The mea culpa moment , as a Catholic , of attending Sunday mass via TV at home , with a cup of coffee and a great sermon from the top hat , Cardinal Blase Cupich .
• The seismic shift from horizontal to vertical , when elevators in our city ’ s concrete canyon come alive .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a tiny window into life in rural America or small town , USA , where restaurants are rare , elevators are non-existent and no one hires dog walkers .

The latest
Gulls occupy the 31st Street Beach in Chicago on Monday, May 25, 2020, where on a typical Memorial Day thousands would flock. Charles Rex Arbogast/AP Photo
Another 39 people have died of COVID-19 in Illinois — as the four regions in Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s reopening plan are set to see some restrictions loosened come Friday.
Officials, however, said the 39 deaths reported Tuesday could be lower due to a lack of reporting on Memorial Day. There were also 1,178 new cases reported from 17,230 tests received. The virus remains in 100 of 102 Illinois counties.
In total, 4,923 people have died of the coronavirus in Illinois. With the new cases reported on Tuesday, there have been 113,195 positive cases and nearly 787,000 total tests performed.
Tuesday marked the fourth consecutive day with fewer than 100 deaths reported. But more than half of the total COVID-19 deaths have been in May.
Pritzker on Tuesday planned to outline the regional metrics needed to head into the third phase of his reopening plan. That includes a positivity rate under 20% and stable or declining hospital metrics. All regions are set to move forward on Friday, Pritzker’s office said.
Read the full story here.
News
9:04 p.m. Total Recall? GOP quartet seeks to oust Pritzker, insisting ‘it’s going to be difficult’ but not ‘impossible’
SPRINGFIELD — Suburban Republican Allen Skillicorn insists he would really rather Gov. J.B. Pritzker finish out his term than be booted from office.
“Frankly I just hope the governor fixes the unemployment system, so people can get their unemployment and we should move on from this,” the state representative said. “I mean, I would much prefer that.”
Whether the governor is able to solve the unemployment problems that have arisen during the coronavirus crisis remains to be seen, but Skillicorn isn’t waiting to find out.
The East Dundee Republican launched a recall effort to remove the Chicago Democrat from office — an uphill battle that would require bipartisan support from legislators and hundreds of thousands of signatures from voters to get on the ballot.
Skillicorn said troubles with the Illinois Department of Employment Security website was the last straw.
He said he would “happily” take his recall petition “off the table,” if the governor fixes the problem. But it might not matter what Skillicorn leaves on the table, given the high threshold for a successful recall petition.
Read the full report from Neal Earley here.
7:59 p.m. Radiologists scrap fall event at McCormick Place
The annual radiologists’ gathering at McCormick Place, a late-in-the-year mainstay on the convention hall’s calendar, is being canceled this year but will continue in a virtual format.
The Radiological Society of North America announced the decision Tuesday to scrap the McCormick Place meeting scheduled Nov. 29-Dec. 4, citing concerns about the coronavirus.
The decision could prompt other organizations to change plans for conventions or meetings scheduled during an ordinarily busy fall season at McCormick Place. Organizers of most such events are taking a wait-and-see approach, with some posting notices on their web sites that they are awaiting further guidance from state and local officials about holding large assemblies.
The radiologists’ meeting is especially prized in Chicago tourism because it is among the largest shows, bringing more than 50,000 people to town, many of them free-spending medical professionals.
Read the full report from David Roeder here.
7:23 p.m. Pritzker ready to toast ‘cocktails-to-go’ — but Lightfoot wants a chaser
Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Tuesday said he’ll sign legislation that will legalize “cocktails-to-go” to aid ailing business owners during the pandemic.
What that will look like in Chicago — a hotspot for COIVD-19 — and when that may happen remains unclear.
While Mayor Lori Lightfoot is supportive of the plan, mayoral aides says they are exploring changes to it. That’s allowed under the legislation, which gives municipalities local control to either opt out or make changes.
The next City Council meeting is scheduled for June 17, and it’s unlikely a meeting would be called earlier to take up the plan.
Under the measure — which passed with bipartisan support in both the Illinois House and Senate on Saturday — restaurants and bars would be able to sell cocktails in sealed, tamperproof containers. Any alcoholic beverages transported in a vehicle would have to be placed in the trunk or in an area inaccessible to the driver.
Read the full report from Tina Sfondeles here.
5:47 p.m. Nurse fired from Norwood Park senior home for pointing out COVID-19 safety issues: lawsuit
A nurse claims she was fired from a Norwood Park senior home in retaliation for whistleblowing about COVID-19 safety issues, according to a lawsuit.
Andrea Hinich, a military veteran, alleges she was fired a day after bringing up safety lapses in a safety meeting at her workplace, Norwood Crossing, 6016 N. Nina Ave., according to a lawsuit filed May 20 in Cook County Circuit Court.
She was fired April 22 for “insubordination” after refusing to take part in a plan to distribute personal protective equipment, or PPE, to staff without required “fit testing,” the suit states. Fit testing, a federally required safety rule, is the process of testing PPE on someone to determine the person knows the right size PPE they require, and that they know how to wear it properly.
Read the full story here.
2:35 p.m. CPD Supt.: Stay-at-home order contributed to most violent Memorial Day weekend since 2015
Chicago Police Supt. David Brown said cabin fever stemming from the state’s stay-at-home order contributed to the most violent Memorial Day weekend Chicago has experienced since 2015.
A total of 49 people were shot, 10 of whom died.
“The stay-at-home order did little to prevent violence particularly in parts of the West and South sides,” Brown said Tuesday. “These incidents primarily involved disputes between rival gang factions as well as clashes involving the sale of illegal drugs.”
Police issued about 300 dispersal orders to crowds each day of the holiday weekend, Brown said.
The crowding brings increased risk of virus transmission as well as injury or death should gunfire erupt in a congested area, he said.
“The effects of the coronavirus also go beyond hospitalizations, people are feeling restless after being cooped up for weeks,” Brown said.
Read the full story here.
1:45 p.m. When will Illinois reopen?
On May 5, Gov. J.B. Pritzker unveiled his five-phase plan to reopen the state, breaking the state into four regions and identifying key metrics each region needs to meet before moving to the next phase.
When the plan was released, each region was already in Phase 2, but the governor’s office cautioned that regions could move backwards if the spread of the coronavirus intensifies.
We’re tracking the state’s progress along Pritzker’s plan to gradually reopen, using data from the Illinois Department of Public Health.
Click here to see our Reopening Illinois data-tracking portal.
1:10 p.m. Chicago moves to create 600-strong army of contact tracers to fight coronavirus
Mayor Lori Lightfoot has said she expects a “whole new class of jobs that didn’t exist before” to be created by the need to reassure people it’s save to gather in public again.
Tuesday, the mayor took a giant step toward creating 600 of those new jobs in impoverished black and Hispanic neighborhoods that have also borne the brunt of the coronavirus.
The Lightfoot administration released a $56 million request-for-proposals from organizations interested in coordinating “contact tracing and resource referral efforts” across Chicago.
The RFP requires the lead agency to “sub-grant 85 percent of contract tracing funding to at least 30 neighborhood-based organizations located within or primarily-serving residents of communities of economic hardship” that have also been most heavily impacted by coronavirus cases and deaths.
Read the full story by City Hall reporter Fran Spielman here.
12:01 p.m. Preckwinkle vetoes plan to give first responders addresses of COVID-19 positive residents
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle vetoed a resolution Tuesday that would provide the addresses of COVID-19 positive patients to first responders in suburban Cook County.
Preckwinkle said she was “profoundly disappointed” by the passage of the controversial resolution Thursday.
The resolution, titled Share Addresses for Emergencies with First Responders, would have provided first responders in the jurisdiction of the county’s Department of Public Health access only to the addresses of those who’ve tested positive for the deadly virus. That area includes 127 municipalities and 2.5 million residents.
Preckwinkle cited conversations with the county’s Department of Public Health and its decision to follow guidelines from the Illinois Department of Public Health as part of her reasoning to veto the measure.
Read the full story from Rachel Hinton here.
10:41 a.m. Worry, haste, retail therapy: What have we bought and why?
Between technical glitches and food worries, retail therapy and sheer amnesia, something has happened to shopping during the pandemic that can be summed up thusly: rubber chickens.
Melissa Jean Footlick bought some while sheltering at home in San Diego with her husband and three dogs. She’s a kidney transplant patient so she’s been taking extra care. She’s among millions who have helped online retail sales surge as consumer spending fell off rapidly when businesses shut down.
For others, shopping madness has been about the essentials, only super-sized: 10-pound bags of rice; 25-pound sacks of flour; 50 pounds worth of sugar; pickles and pancake mix for a crowd.
For some, it’s impulse shoe purchases, with nowhere to go. And mistaken multiple pounds of blueberries when a single container was the goal.
Read the full story here.
9:55 a.m. What casinos look like in a post-pandemic world
The Illinois Senate approved a Chicago casino Saturday night 42-14, a feat decades in the making, now bound for Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s desk. It marked a huge feat for Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who achieved what several Chicago mayors couldn’t.
Bill sponsor Sen. Bill Cunningham, D-Chicago, said the state’s capital programs will get $45 million upfront in licensing fees before the casino is even opened. And the state will receive an additional $700 million in a re-worked reconciliation fee.
But what will casinos look like in a post-pandemic world? Las Vegas offers a preview as the tentative June 4 reopening date set by Nevada’s governor approaches.
Free parking, but no valet service. Bartenders, blackjack dealers and waiters wearing masks. Hand sanitizer everywhere.
Yes, dice will roll, cards will be dealt and slot machines will beckon. But poker rooms? Closed.
Read the full story here.
8:18 a.m. Chicago’s new normal: When will tourists come back?
Chicago has drawn more than 55 million domestic and international visitors annually for the past several years, lured in part by summer offerings like Lollapalooza and Millennium Park concerts, as well as year-round draws like the Art Institute and Navy Pier.
The city also has benefited from a travel and tourism boom boosted by the strong economy that followed the 2008 Great Recession, with 153,700 jobs tied to Chicago tourism in 2019.
But that was before the coronavirus pandemic upturned the whole world. Now, it’s clear that Chicago tourism numbers won’t reach anywhere close to previous levels until there’s a COVID-19 vaccine or effective treatment.
Choose Chicago’s new campaign, called “Tourism & Hospitality Forward,” encourages hotels, restaurants, museums and other attractions to pledge to keep “socially responsible” health and cleanliness measures top of mind for both visitors and employees, and to prominently display that info on websites and other communications.
Read the full story from Stephanie Zimmerman here.
6:52 a.m. Reopen Illinois protesters rally again, days before Pritzker’s next reopening phase
Just days before businesses in Illinois will incrementally begin reopening, hundreds of protesters gathered in Grant Park on Memorial Day to hear speakers rail against the statewide stay-at-home order that has brought the economy to a screeching halt in an effort to stem the spread of COVID-19.
Some demonstrators hoisted signs that promoted conspiracy theories and many chose not to wear face coverings, flouting measures recommended by health experts to contain the deadly disease as they pressed closely together to hear the speakers yell into a megaphone.
The rally, which overshadowed a similar event outside the Thompson Center on Monday, was ultimately shut down by Chicago police officers enforcing Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s order.
For hours, the crowd was whipped into a frenzy by a cast of Republican firebrands that included Darren Bailey, a state representative from downstate Xenia who’s locked in a court battle over Pritzker’s order; and Stephen Moore, a writer and television pundit who advised President Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential bid.
Read the full story from Tom Schuba here.
New cases
Analysis & Commentary
8:30 p.m. Temperature checks on deck: Reopening guidelines usher in new normal
You’re familiar, perhaps, with those signs in restaurants and bars: “No shoes. No shirt. No service.” Add this one for the COVID-19 pandemic era as Illinois and Chicago start to phase in reopening plans: A fever keeps you out, too.
Temperature checks, staggered operating hours and eliminating many amenities taken for granted — from water fountains to dropping in anytime at the health club — are what Illinoisans could be dealing with in the coming days. Could be, because so far, the state does not have an enforcement mechanism in place.
For at least 10 industries in Illinois, guidelines for the “new normal” arrived Sunday when the state released a series of detailed reopening procedures to kick in as soon as Friday.
Whether employers and customers will adapt and whether businesses can be profitable under the new rules will be key to the revival of the Illinois economy.
Gov. J. B. Pritzker at his Tuesday briefing called the provisions “minimum expectations moving forward.” Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Tuesday issued guidelines tailored to Chicago and aligned with the state.
Maintaining six feet of social distancing at all times, using face coverings, frequent hand washing or sanitizing remain key to curbing the pandemic. To do this in a workplace will require extensive — and perhaps expensive — reconfiguring.
6:21 p.m. Isn’t it time everyone had enough?
One thing Covid-19 has made indisputably clear: in Chicago as in the nation, a significant portion of the population has been living all along, in a prosperous nation, without enough.
Not enough nutrition, not enough health care and not enough compensation.
As our national conversation pivots from containing the virus to restoring economic vigor, central to any solution must be the drive to ensure that every citizen has enough.
Ours is not the first generation to see a crisis reveal the incivility of civilization. In the 14th Century, as in ours, a sudden rise in dazzling wealth for some coincided with a precipitous fall into poverty for others. Wise minds bemoaned the disequilibrium. In one of the most popular works of the day, “Roman de la Rose,” the poet Jean de Meun argued for “soufficiance” (enough-ness) as the dream state of abundance — where no one has too little and no one has too much.
We are not, of course, in the 14th Century. Life is longer and generally more comfortable. Scientific discoveries, expansion of education, leaps in transportation, communication and improved modes of governance have extended life expectancy, suggested opportunity and softened pain.
In this context, as Mayor Lightfoot makes clear, the fact that a large segment of our population lives without enough to live without fear is an indictment.
No one doubts we are at a crossroads.
Read the full column here.
3:27 p.m. As doctors, we are taught ‘First, do no harm.’ That becomes harder during a pandemic
“Doc, I honestly cannot go to the ER.”
It would be a lie to say I was surprised when my patient with chest pains answered my recommendation so bluntly. It’s a refrain I have heard often the past few weeks.
He is a diabetic, at high risk for having a myocardial infarction, and as I pleaded my case, trying to explain what I thought was best for his health, I found the phrases I invoked familiar as well:
“I am worried about you.”
“I wouldn’t want anything avoidable to happen.”
“Better safe than sorry.”
But these justifications don’t carry the weight they once did because COVID-19 has changed the risk profile of emergency rooms, and I can no longer guarantee that my recommendation to go to the emergency room is purely benevolent.
Read the full commentary by Dr. Monica Maalouf, a practicing physician in Chicago who teaches Narrative Medicine at Loyola Stritch School of Medicine and serves as Faculty Director of Wellness.
2:55 p.m. Nobody should ever liken a stay-at-home order to Anne Frank’s hiding in an attic or a Japanese American internment camp
Moments after Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced his stay-at-home order for Illinois on March 20, I saw the first meme: “If Anne Frank could hide in an attic for two years, you can stay home for a few weeks.”
Here it comes, I thought: the latest flood of comparisons between current events and the Holocaust.
These comparisons, including memes and social media posts referring to Anne Frank, labeling political figures as “Hitler,” or invoking Nazis as a shorthand description for something distasteful, are on the rise. Such comparisons are not limited to Holocaust history, however.
This past week, and not for the first time, in arguments related to overturning Wisconsin’s stay-at-home order, Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Bradley invoked the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II, implying an equivalency that, at best, shows a gross lack of historical understanding.
Comparisons like these are harmful because they distort the true history and meaning of these events without truly addressing the contemporary issues.
Read the full commentary by Amanda Friedeman, assistant director of education at the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center.
7:30 a.m. What we leave behind and what we welcome as city moves toward reopening
As the city moves cautiously to re-open its isolation doors next week in the wake of a COVID-19 fatalities decline, expect an eraser to appear. Expect change.
It’s not a stretch to consider new hustle and bustle to eradicate the following:
A very quiet morning.
The sound of birds ALL day.
The actual noise of wheeled grocery store carts; the language of muffled “mask” speech.
Wildflowers given a chance to sow before the Spring mow on public property.
The actual sound of our Windy City’s wind.
Silence beyond six feet.
Big-time family time.
People actually walking their OWN dogs.
The friendly street “nod” from muffled masked strangers.
The time during the workweek when we actually heard our doorbell ring; answered our own door; and had an extended, uninterrupted conversation with a close friend.
The mea culpa moment, as a Catholic, of attending Sunday mass via TV at home, with a cup of coffee and a great sermon from the top hat, Cardinal Blase Cupich.
The seismic shift from horizontal to vertical, when elevators in our city’s concrete canyon come alive.
And the gift during our isolation of a tiny window into life in rural America or small town, USA, where restaurants are rare, elevators are non-existent and no one hires dog walkers.
Read Michael Sneed’s full column here.


chicagosun-times--2020-05-26--Run-of-the-mill rom-com helps kick off HBO Max

Remember that scene in “ Pulp Fiction ” where John Travolta ’ s Vincent explains the marijuana laws in Amsterdam to Samuel L. Jackson ’ s Jules ?
“ It ’ s legal to buy it , it ’ s legal to own it and if you ’ re the proprietor of a hash bar , it ’ s legal to sell it .
It ’ s legal to carry it , but that doesn ’ t matter , cause get a load of this .
If you get stopped by a cop in Amsterdam , it ’ s illegal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need Vincent to explain the difference between HBO NOW , HBO Go and the new HBO Max streaming service .
Here ’ s how HBO breaks it down on its website : HBO GO is a streaming service offered by HBO that is included free with your HBO subscription ... and offers original content from HBO , including series , documentaries , specials and more , plus a large selection of movies .
HBO NOW is a standalone streaming service offered by HBO that does not require cable or satellite TV and offers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a platform offered by WarnerMedia that features 10,000 hours of premium content bundling all of HBO together with even more movies , shows and Max Originals for the whole family .
Ah , OK , got it .
I think .
Launching Wednesday , HBO Max is $ 14.99 a month .
Among the initial offerings : a reboot of the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes featuring the likes of Bugs Bunny , Porky Pig , Daffy Duck and Wile E. Coyote & Roadrunner in new stories rendered in the style as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actors doing spot-on voice-work , to the animation team for capturing the distinct visuals and slapstick spirit of the classic “ Tunes ” cartoons — and to the writers for creating timeless stories with no winking references to modern times .
Doesn ’ t look like we ’ re going to see Tweety tweeting or Bugs making a crack about millennials , and that ’ s a good thing .
The first HBO Max scripted series is “ Love Life , ” an underwhelming romantic comedy/drama starring Anna Kendrick as a twentysomething single @ @ @ @ @ @ @ City .
It ’ s “ Sex and the City ” Lite , with none of the sparkle and of-the-moment zeitgeist of that HBO hit , which believe it or not debuted 20 years ago .
The conceit here is each episode is named after a love interest for Kendrick ’ s Darby , from one-night hookups to substantial relationships that last around a year before the wheels come off and our heroine Darby has to pick herself up and get back in the race , cuz that ’ s life .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a “ How I Met Your Mother ” vibe in that the narrator is telling these stories ( which begin in 2012 ) with omniscient hindsight , reassuring us Darby “ doesn ’ t know it yet , but her person is out there .
… They are alive in this city , and they are looking for her too .
It will all happen for her — just not the way she thinks it will.
” But it ’ s not Darby doing the voiceover , it ’ s a fairy godmother-sounding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as John McEnroe is as the narrator for the otherwise fantastic Netflix series “ Never Have I Ever , ” the off-screen presence of the British narrator is unnecessary and distracting .
Kendrick is in her comfort zone playing the smart and plucky Darby , who lives with her friends Sara ( Zoe Chao ) and Mallory ( Sasha Compere ) in the obligatory out-of-their-price-range apartment .
They ’ d need at least a couple more friends ( or should we say “ Friends ” ) to make the rent on this place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ roommates or her latest love interest , they all have an irritating habit of laughing uproariously at their own cleverness , which makes them come across as smug and condescending instead of likable and funny .
Come on , when Harry met Sally , they didn ’ t start congratulating each other on being funny .
The best comedic characters don ’ t even know they ’ re funny .
In the series premiere , we meet Augie ( Jin Ha , fresh off his stellar work in Hulu ’ s “ Devs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and caring and wonderful and tells Darby after their initial meeting he won ’ t need her phone number : “ I ’ m gon na leave it up to chance , have you seen [ the movie ] ‘ Serendipity ’ ?
” To which Darby replies , “ Wow , that ’ s a solid reference , man , ” and does anybody really have exchanges like that ?
In subsequent episodes , Darby has a one-night stand with a goofy charmer she meets at a rooftop cocktail party , falls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like THE ONE until maybe he ’ s not the one after all and reunites with an old high school crush .
Late in the series , there ’ s a drastic shift in tone when one of Darby ’ s friends is in real trouble .
It ’ s arguably the best episode of the bunch , because we get some relief from the mostly uninteresting parade of boyfriends , and the constant barrage of one-liners and characters laughing at one-liners .
Probably not a good thing , though , when the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the main overall tone and vibe of the show .

Remember that scene in “Pulp Fiction” where John Travolta’s Vincent explains the marijuana laws in Amsterdam to Samuel L. Jackson’s Jules?
“It’s legal to buy it, it’s legal to own it and if you’re the proprietor of a hash bar, it’s legal to sell it. It’s legal to carry it, but that doesn’t matter, cause get a load of this. If you get stopped by a cop in Amsterdam, it’s illegal for them to search you.”
We need Vincent to explain the difference between HBO NOW, HBO Go and the new HBO Max streaming service. Here’s how HBO breaks it down on its website:
HBO GO is a streaming service offered by HBO that is included free with your HBO subscription ... and offers original content from HBO, including series, documentaries, specials and more, plus a large selection of movies.
HBO NOW is a standalone streaming service offered by HBO that does not require cable or satellite TV and offers original content from HBO.
HBO Max is a platform offered by WarnerMedia that features 10,000 hours of premium content bundling all of HBO together with even more movies, shows and Max Originals for the whole family.
Ah, OK, got it. I think.
Yosemite Sam and Bugs Bunny in one of HBO Max’s new Looney Tunes. HBO Max
Launching Wednesday, HBO Max is $14.99 a month. Among the initial offerings: a reboot of the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes featuring the likes of Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, Daffy Duck and Wile E. Coyote & Roadrunner in new stories rendered in the style as the originals. Kudos and ★★★ to the actors doing spot-on voice-work, to the animation team for capturing the distinct visuals and slapstick spirit of the classic “Tunes” cartoons — and to the writers for creating timeless stories with no winking references to modern times. Doesn’t look like we’re going to see Tweety tweeting or Bugs making a crack about millennials, and that’s a good thing.
The first HBO Max scripted series is “Love Life,” an underwhelming romantic comedy/drama starring Anna Kendrick as a twentysomething single woman looking for love in New York City. It’s “Sex and the City” Lite, with none of the sparkle and of-the-moment zeitgeist of that HBO hit, which believe it or not debuted 20 years ago. The conceit here is each episode is named after a love interest for Kendrick’s Darby, from one-night hookups to substantial relationships that last around a year before the wheels come off and our heroine Darby has to pick herself up and get back in the race, cuz that’s life.
‘Love Life’
Untitled Streaming on HBO Max, a new service premiering Wednesday
“Love Life” has a bit of a “How I Met Your Mother” vibe in that the narrator is telling these stories (which begin in 2012) with omniscient hindsight, reassuring us Darby “doesn’t know it yet, but her person is out there. … They are alive in this city, and they are looking for her too. It will all happen for her — just not the way she thinks it will.” But it’s not Darby doing the voiceover, it’s a fairy godmother-sounding Brit (Lesley Manville). Just as John McEnroe is as the narrator for the otherwise fantastic Netflix series “Never Have I Ever,” the off-screen presence of the British narrator is unnecessary and distracting.
Kendrick is in her comfort zone playing the smart and plucky Darby, who lives with her friends Sara (Zoe Chao) and Mallory (Sasha Compere) in the obligatory out-of-their-price-range apartment. They’d need at least a couple more friends (or should we say “Friends”) to make the rent on this place. Whether Darby is bantering with her roommates or her latest love interest, they all have an irritating habit of laughing uproariously at their own cleverness, which makes them come across as smug and condescending instead of likable and funny. Come on, when Harry met Sally, they didn’t start congratulating each other on being funny. The best comedic characters don’t even know they’re funny.
In the series premiere, we meet Augie (Jin Ha, fresh off his stellar work in Hulu’s “Devs”), who’s dashing and caring and wonderful and tells Darby after their initial meeting he won’t need her phone number: “I’m gonna leave it up to chance, have you seen [the movie] ‘Serendipity’?” To which Darby replies, “Wow, that’s a solid reference, man,” and does anybody really have exchanges like that?
In subsequent episodes, Darby has a one-night stand with a goofy charmer she meets at a rooftop cocktail party, falls in love with a chef who seems like THE ONE until maybe he’s not the one after all and reunites with an old high school crush. Late in the series, there’s a drastic shift in tone when one of Darby’s friends is in real trouble. It’s arguably the best episode of the bunch, because we get some relief from the mostly uninteresting parade of boyfriends, and the constant barrage of one-liners and characters laughing at one-liners. Probably not a good thing, though, when the standout episode of a series is different from the main overall tone and vibe of the show.


chicagosun-times--2020-05-26--Pritzker ready to toast ‘cocktails-to-go’ — but Lightfoot wants a chaser

Gov .
J.B. Pritzker on Tuesday said he ’ ll sign legislation that will legalize “ cocktails-to-go ” to aid ailing business owners during the pandemic .
What that will look like in Chicago — a hotspot for COIVD-19 — and when that may happen remains unclear .
While Mayor Lori Lightfoot is supportive of the plan , mayoral aides says they are exploring changes to it .
That ’ s allowed under the legislation , which gives municipalities local control to either opt out or make changes .
The next City Council meeting is scheduled for June 17 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be called earlier to take up the plan .
Under the measure — which passed with bipartisan support in both the Illinois House and Senate on Saturday — restaurants and bars would be able to sell cocktails in sealed , tamperproof containers .
Any alcoholic beverages transported in a vehicle would have to be placed in the trunk or in an area inaccessible to the driver .
Those picking up the alcohol would also be carded .
The measure changes the Illinois Liquor Control Act to allow bars and restaurants to sell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many hope that will be extended .
The governor said he is eager to sign it into law .
“ I ’ m so glad that that passed , ” Pritzker said during his daily briefing .
“ And I ’ ll sign it as soon as it comes to my desk.
” It ’ s a direct effort to try to help the more than 300,000 people who are unemployed in the hospitality industry right now .
Under Pritzker ’ s reopening plan , bars and restaurants won ’ t be able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The state is set to enter the third phase of reopening on Friday .
That leaves little options for restaurants and bars to make money during the summer when most establishments experience peak business .
“ The City is exploring local legislative amendments to the Municipal Code to permit the sales of mixed cocktails to-go for delivery and takeout in Chicago , ” Lightfoot spokeswoman Anel Ruiz said in a statement .
“ We look forward to working with aldermen , industry leaders and other stakeholders in this latest effort to provide a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hundreds of bars , breweries and restaurants across Chicago who have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.
” Bill sponsor State Rep. Mike Zalewski , D-Riverside , said he believes Lightfoot could clear up some concerns with a simple ordinance that would limit the number of cocktails-to-go and ensure the beverages won ’ t be consumed in the public way .
Zalewski said any follow-up issues could also be cleared up during the November veto session .
State Sen. Sara Feigenholtz , D-Chicago , who sponsored the measure in the Senate , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ working on folding cocktails-to-go into their plan for sidewalk cafe service .
It would be offered up as an option since bars will not reopen immediately .
The city has jurisdiction over “ walk-ups , ” she said .
The measure is for bars , taverns and restaurants , but not for brew pubs and craft distilleries .
That was intended to not blur the lines of three tier-system of producers , wholesalers and retailers .
There are some specifications for the actual mixed drink as well .
“ It ’ s a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rigid container .
It can ’ t have foam in it .
It has to be protected .
It can ’ t be tampered with in transport to the house , ” Zalewski said during the House debate .
The measure had bipartisan support in both chambers .
State Rep. Grant Wehrli , R-Naperville , noted a local chamber of commerce survey found 40 % of restaurants in his area “ are in the verge of collapse.
” “ This is one small step that we can do to help them keep their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There was even a push for the legislation to become law for longer than a year .
“ As long as the packaging is safe , I ’ m hoping that this body will extend this past the year , ” State Rep. Allen Skillikorn , R-Crystal Lake , said .
“ That seems to be a common sense idea that could really help our restaurants , especially right now .
“

Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Tuesday said he’ll sign legislation that will legalize “cocktails-to-go” to aid ailing business owners during the pandemic.
What that will look like in Chicago — a hotspot for COIVD-19 — and when that may happen remains unclear.
While Mayor Lori Lightfoot is supportive of the plan, mayoral aides says they are exploring changes to it. That’s allowed under the legislation, which gives municipalities local control to either opt out or make changes.
The next City Council meeting is scheduled for June 17, and it’s unlikely a meeting would be called earlier to take up the plan.
Under the measure — which passed with bipartisan support in both the Illinois House and Senate on Saturday — restaurants and bars would be able to sell cocktails in sealed, tamperproof containers. Any alcoholic beverages transported in a vehicle would have to be placed in the trunk or in an area inaccessible to the driver.
A to-go dinner and cocktail at SpeakEasy Bar & Grill in Newport, Rhode Island, earlier this month. Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
Those picking up the alcohol would also be carded. The measure changes the Illinois Liquor Control Act to allow bars and restaurants to sell the cocktails for one year. But many hope that will be extended.
The governor said he is eager to sign it into law.
“I’m so glad that that passed,” Pritzker said during his daily briefing. “And I’ll sign it as soon as it comes to my desk.”
It’s a direct effort to try to help the more than 300,000 people who are unemployed in the hospitality industry right now. Under Pritzker’s reopening plan, bars and restaurants won’t be able to reopen until the fourth phase. The state is set to enter the third phase of reopening on Friday.
That leaves little options for restaurants and bars to make money during the summer when most establishments experience peak business.
“The City is exploring local legislative amendments to the Municipal Code to permit the sales of mixed cocktails to-go for delivery and takeout in Chicago,” Lightfoot spokeswoman Anel Ruiz said in a statement. “We look forward to working with aldermen, industry leaders and other stakeholders in this latest effort to provide a new stream of much-needed revenue for the hundreds of bars, breweries and restaurants across Chicago who have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.”
Bill sponsor State Rep. Mike Zalewski, D-Riverside, said he believes Lightfoot could clear up some concerns with a simple ordinance that would limit the number of cocktails-to-go and ensure the beverages won’t be consumed in the public way.
Zalewski said any follow-up issues could also be cleared up during the November veto session.
State Sen. Sara Feigenholtz, D-Chicago, who sponsored the measure in the Senate, said the mayor and her team are working on folding cocktails-to-go into their plan for sidewalk cafe service. It would be offered up as an option since bars will not reopen immediately.
The city has jurisdiction over “walk-ups,” she said.
The measure is for bars, taverns and restaurants, but not for brew pubs and craft distilleries. That was intended to not blur the lines of three tier-system of producers, wholesalers and retailers.
There are some specifications for the actual mixed drink as well.
“It’s a commercialized standard of pre-packaged, in a rigid container. It can’t have foam in it. It has to be protected. It can’t be tampered with in transport to the house,” Zalewski said during the House debate.
The measure had bipartisan support in both chambers. State Rep. Grant Wehrli, R-Naperville, noted a local chamber of commerce survey found 40% of restaurants in his area “are in the verge of collapse.”
“This is one small step that we can do to help them keep their businesses going,” Wehrli said.
There was even a push for the legislation to become law for longer than a year.
“As long as the packaging is safe, I’m hoping that this body will extend this past the year,” State Rep. Allen Skillikorn, R-Crystal Lake, said. “That seems to be a common sense idea that could really help our restaurants, especially right now. “


chicagosun-times--2020-05-26--Teen grazed in Lawndale shooting

Teen grazed in Lawndale shooting

A 17-year-old girl was hurt in a shooting Tuesday in Lawndale on the West Side .
About 5:45 p.m. , @ @ @ @ @ Avenue when someone opened fire , Chicago police said .
The teen was grazed in @ @ @ @ @ attention , police said .
Read more on crime , and track the city ’ @ @ @

A 17-year-old girl was hurt in a shooting Tuesday in Lawndale on the West Side.
About 5:45 p.m., she was on South Drake Avenue when someone opened fire, Chicago police said.
The teen was grazed in the leg and refused medical attention, police said.
Area Four detectives are investigating.
Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.


chicagosun-times--2020-05-26--Jimmy Fallon apologizes for wearing blackface in 2000 ‘SNL’ video

Jimmy Fallon has issued an apology after Twitter users circulated a video of the late-night host performing in blackface on @ @ @ @ @ two decades ago .
In the clip , which made the rounds Monday on Twitter @ @ @ @ @ face paint while impersonating comedian Chris Rock .
“ In 2000 , while on SNL @ @ @ @ @ decision to do an impersonation of Chris Rock while in blackface , ” the comedian @ @ @ @ @ on Twitter .
” There is no excuse for this .
I am very sorry @ @ @ @ @ decision and thank all of you for holding me accountable.
” Using the hashtag # @ @ @ @ @ called to cancel the comedian .

NEW YORK — NBC “Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon has apologized for wearing blackface during an impersonation of fellow comic Chris Rock on a 2000 episode of “Saturday Night Live.”
Fallon tweeted on Tuesday that “there is no excuse for this.”
Discussion of Fallon’s 20-year-old skit surfaced this week after a video of it was posted online. According to Variety, it was first posted on Twitter by a user named “chefboyohdear,” and showed Fallon, as Rock, appearing on a talk show.
Fallon’s statement on Twitter said it was a terrible decision to darken his face while playing Rock, also a former “Saturday Night Live” cast member.
“I am very sorry for making this unquestionably offensive decision and thank all of you for holding me accountable,” the late-night star wrote.
The Twitter user who posted the clip mentioned Megyn Kelly, who was taken off the “Today” show and eventually left NBC News after suggesting in 2018 that it was OK for children to wear blackface in Halloween costumes. She apologized for her remark.


chicagosun-times--2020-05-26--Chicago casino should be just one piece of a much larger entertainment complex, mayor says

Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Tuesday she envisions a Chicago casino as a piece of a much larger entertainment complex , but shed no new light on where it would go or when it would happen .
“ I see this as a large entertainment district — not just the box of a casino .
In order for us to maximize this once-in-a-generation opportunity that the General Assembly has given us and to maximize the opportunity for revenue , for jobs , for long-term economic viability of the city and , of course , to address our pension debt , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intentional about what we ’ re designing so it ’ s something that attracts people from all over the world , ” Lightfoot said .
“ That ’ s what I see .
Chicago is a global city .
We need a world-class entertainment district , of which a casino is a part , but not the entirety .
So there ’ s a lot of work that needs to be done between now and then and we ’ re anxious to get started.
” Before adjourning its extraordinary pandemic session , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ desperately needed to make a Chicago casino economically viable and attractive to a developer .
Lightfoot burned the phone lines to make it happen .
She hailed the victory as “ decades in the making ” and called it a “ critical step toward shoring up ” Chicago ’ s grossly-underfunded police and fire pension funds and generating the revenue needed to bankroll infrastructure projects in Gov .
J.B. Pritzker ’ s $ 45 billion construction plan .
On Tuesday , the mayor was asked what ’ s next for the elusive Chicago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Illinois remain closed and may not be attracting their normal crowds until there is a vaccine for the coronavirus .
Where might it go ?
How soon could it be up and running ?
“ I ’ m never gon na talk about ‘ where.
’ I ’ ve been very clear about that .
I ’ m not gon na speculate about that and I ’ m not gon na fuel the speculation , ” the mayor said .
Lightfoot said the next step is for Pritzker , who needs the Chicago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does , to sign the bill .
After that , City Hall will start looking at results of “ focus groups , studies and surveys ” on where Chicagoans want the casino to go and what amenities they ’ d like to see there .
Last summer , City Hall puts it cards on the table by asking a consultant for the Illinois Gaming Board to study five sites on the South and West sides for their ability to attract financing .
The five sites were : Harborside Golf Course side at 111th @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the former Michael Reese hospital at 31st Street and Cottage Grove Avenue ; Pershing Road and State Street ; Roosevelt Road and Kostner Avenue ; and the former U.S. Steel parcel at 80th Street and Lake Shore Drive .
At the time , Lightfoot cautioned Chicagoans not to get “ fixated ” on those five sites because the list was “ not definitive.
” She has acknowledged a downtown site like McCormick Place East , Navy Pier or the Thompson Center was not “ off the boards , ” but said those sites @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opposition from the convention and tourism industries .
“ There ’ s some concern about whether or not having a downtown site will detract from tourism .
There are some tour operators and conventions that don ’ t want a downtown site because they feel like their conventioneers will go to the casino and not actually participate in the conventions , ” she said then .
“ Rather than deal with that noise now it ’ ll have to be dealt with down the road we just took other sites , ” primarily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ famously concluded the tax and fee structure for a Chicago casino was so “ onerous , ” it could not attract an investor .
But Union Gaming also concluded “ only a centrally-located casino that is in close proximity to high-quality hotels and other notable tourist attractions ” would be able to “ meaningfully penetrate the robust tourism trends ” the city of Chicago enjoys .
“ Tourists generally will not patronize a casino in an area that is inconvenient relative to where they are staying or perceived as unsafe .
Nor will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a casino ’ s hotel if there are no other easily accessible attractions nearby , ” the consultant said .
The study concluded that the former Michael Reese Hospital location at 31st and Cottage Grove would be the most profitable of the five sites pinpointed for study by the mayor , raking in an estimated $ 806 million .
But , that site is now off the boards in favor of a $ 3.5 billion mixed use development anchored by a 500,000 square-foot research and innovation center run by Israel ’ s @ @ @ @

Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Tuesday she envisions a Chicago casino as a piece of a much larger entertainment complex, but shed no new light on where it would go or when it would happen.
“I see this as a large entertainment district — not just the box of a casino. In order for us to maximize this once-in-a-generation opportunity that the General Assembly has given us and to maximize the opportunity for revenue, for jobs, for long-term economic viability of the city and, of course, to address our pension debt, we‘ve got to be thoughtful and intentional about what we’re designing so it’s something that attracts people from all over the world,” Lightfoot said.
“That’s what I see. Chicago is a global city. We need a world-class entertainment district, of which a casino is a part, but not the entirety. So there’s a lot of work that needs to be done between now and then and we’re anxious to get started.”
Before adjourning its extraordinary pandemic session, the Illinois General Assembly authorized the tax-and-fee fix desperately needed to make a Chicago casino economically viable and attractive to a developer.
Lightfoot burned the phone lines to make it happen.
She hailed the victory as “decades in the making” and called it a “critical step toward shoring up” Chicago’s grossly-underfunded police and fire pension funds and generating the revenue needed to bankroll infrastructure projects in Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s $45 billion construction plan.
On Tuesday, the mayor was asked what’s next for the elusive Chicago casino at a time when casinos across Illinois remain closed and may not be attracting their normal crowds until there is a vaccine for the coronavirus.
Where might it go? How soon could it be up and running?
“I’m never gonna talk about ‘where.’ I’ve been very clear about that. I’m not gonna speculate about that and I’m not gonna fuel the speculation,” the mayor said.
Lightfoot said the next step is for Pritzker, who needs the Chicago casino almost as much as the mayor does, to sign the bill.
After that, City Hall will start looking at results of “focus groups, studies and surveys” on where Chicagoans want the casino to go and what amenities they’d like to see there.
Last summer, City Hall put its cards on the table by asking a consultant for the Illinois Gaming Board to study five sites on the South and West sides for their ability to attract financing.
The five sites were: Harborside Golf Course side at 111th Street and the Bishop Ford Freeway; the former Michael Reese hospital at 31st Street and Cottage Grove Avenue; Pershing Road and State Street; Roosevelt Road and Kostner Avenue; and the former U.S. Steel parcel at 80th Street and Lake Shore Drive.
At the time, Lightfoot cautioned Chicagoans not to get “fixated” on those five sites because the list was “not definitive.”
She has acknowledged a downtown site like McCormick Place East, Navy Pier or the Thompson Center was not “off the boards,” but said those sites were excluded from the study because of opposition from the convention and tourism industries.
“There’s some concern about whether or not having a downtown site will detract from tourism. There are some tour operators and conventions that don’t want a downtown site because they feel like their conventioneers will go to the casino and not actually participate in the conventions,” she said then.
“Rather than deal with that noise now it’ll have to be dealt with down the road we just took other sites,” primarily city controlled.
The Gaming Board study famously concluded the tax and fee structure for a Chicago casino was so “onerous,” it could not attract an investor.
But Union Gaming also concluded “only a centrally-located casino that is in close proximity to high-quality hotels and other notable tourist attractions” would be able to “meaningfully penetrate the robust tourism trends” the city of Chicago enjoys.
“Tourists generally will not patronize a casino in an area that is inconvenient relative to where they are staying or perceived as unsafe. Nor will tourists be eager to book a room at a casino’s hotel if there are no other easily accessible attractions nearby,” the consultant said.
The study concluded that the former Michael Reese Hospital location at 31st and Cottage Grove would be the most profitable of the five sites pinpointed for study by the mayor, raking in an estimated $806 million.
But, that site is now off the boards in favor of a $3.5 billion mixed use development anchored by a 500,000 square-foot research and innovation center run by Israel’s Sheba Medical Center.


chicagosun-times--2020-05-26--Chief federal judge slowly trying to get court moving again, but no jury trials until August

Two months after the coronavirus largely brought the work of the federal courts to a halt , Chicago ’ s chief federal judge has begun this week to publicly chart a path forward , with hopes of possibly resuming jury trials as soon as August .
But U.S. District Chief Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer also said the court is carefully studying how that can be done safely .
And in a general order filed Tuesday , she gave the court more time to research the issue while it slowly tries to get back to business .
“ We ’ re starting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the process works , ” Pallmeyer said in a telephone interview with the Chicago Sun-Times .
Much of the court ’ s business has been on hold since the start of the pandemic .
That doesn ’ t mean there hasn ’ t been plenty of work to do .
Pallmeyer released a video message to the local bar Monday , in which she said more than 7,000 motions have been filed and more than 34,000 orders have been entered since mid-March .
But Pallmeyer ’ s new order Tuesday also allows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trials and settlement conferences in civil cases to be conducted remotely .
It says that in-court hearings “ are limited to urgent matters that can not be conducted remotely.
” That means a change in culture for Chicago ’ s federal court .
Specifically , the chief judge said there will be less “ face time ” between attorneys and judges , and more court business done on paper .
Pallmeyer told the Sun-Times , “ we want to keep the building empty to the extent possible , ” so social distancing is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I ’ m very much hoping that this is a temporary change , ” said Pallmeyer , who became chief judge of Chicago ’ s federal court last summer .
Pallmeyer said she is following guidance from the city and the state and she has appointed a task force to plan for the safe resumption of operations at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse .
The task force is headed by U.S. District Judge Matthew Kennelly , according to a court spokeswoman .
Pallmeyer said the court ’ s goal is to resume @ @ @ @ @ @ @ progress continues against the coronavirus .
But she said that could come with new rules , like limits on the number of people who can stand in a line or get on an elevator .
“ We know that , no matter what we do , it ’ s not going to be perfect , ” Pallmeyer said .
“ And we ’ re doing our best to be , if not perfect , then at least very , very committed to getting it right and doing what we can to afford justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
”

Two months after the coronavirus largely brought the work of the federal courts to a halt, Chicago’s chief federal judge has begun this week to publicly chart a path forward, with hopes of possibly resuming jury trials as soon as August.
But U.S. District Chief Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer also said the court is carefully studying how that can be done safely. And in a general order filed Tuesday, she gave the court more time to research the issue while it slowly tries to get back to business.
“We’re starting slow because we want to make sure that the process works,” Pallmeyer said in a telephone interview with the Chicago Sun-Times.
Much of the court’s business has been on hold since the start of the pandemic. That doesn’t mean there hasn’t been plenty of work to do. Pallmeyer released a video message to the local bar Monday, in which she said more than 7,000 motions have been filed and more than 34,000 orders have been entered since mid-March.
But Pallmeyer’s new order Tuesday also allows for the scheduling of hearings, bench trials and settlement conferences in civil cases to be conducted remotely. It says that in-court hearings “are limited to urgent matters that cannot be conducted remotely.”
That means a change in culture for Chicago’s federal court. Specifically, the chief judge said there will be less “face time” between attorneys and judges, and more court business done on paper. Pallmeyer told the Sun-Times, “we want to keep the building empty to the extent possible,” so social distancing is possible for the people who are there.
“I’m very much hoping that this is a temporary change,” said Pallmeyer, who became chief judge of Chicago’s federal court last summer.
Pallmeyer said she is following guidance from the city and the state and she has appointed a task force to plan for the safe resumption of operations at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse. The task force is headed by U.S. District Judge Matthew Kennelly, according to a court spokeswoman.
Pallmeyer said the court’s goal is to resume jury trials after August 3, assuming progress continues against the coronavirus. But she said that could come with new rules, like limits on the number of people who can stand in a line or get on an elevator.
“We know that, no matter what we do, it’s not going to be perfect,” Pallmeyer said. “And we’re doing our best to be, if not perfect, then at least very, very committed to getting it right and doing what we can to afford justice to the people of the northern district.”


chicagosun-times--2020-05-26--With no state help forthcoming, 4 South Side hospitals call off merger, predict service cuts

Four money-losing hospitals serving a largely poor patient population on Chicago ’ s South Side called off their proposed merger Tuesday , saying that the transaction can ’ t go forward without funding from the Illinois General Assembly , which recently wrapped up a shortened session without committing the money .
Advocate Trinity Hospital , Mercy Hospital and Medical Center , South Shore Hospital and St. Bernard Hospital also predicted that health care services for residents will likely be cut .
In January , executives at the four institutions announced that they would join together and replace “ outmoded , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state of the art ” hospital , expand services and add community health centers , estimating a total cost of $ 1.1 billion .
The planned union of the four hospitals would expand health care options in African American neighborhoods on the South Side and avoid closures among the four institutions , which collectively lost $ 76 million last year , the proponents said .
The hospitals were seeking $ 520 million in state funding over the next five years to offset additional losses as they set up the new health care system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have determined that we see no path forward for our project that would transform health care on the South Side and help address disparities in health for the patients we serve , ” hospital executives said in a letter to Theresa Eagleson , director of the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services .
“ The recent COVID-19 outbreak should make clear to all why this legislative development is so misguided , ” the letter added .
“ This pandemic has disproportionately affected our city ’ s African Americans.
” The hospitals said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in collaboration ” with Gov .
J.B. Pritzker ’ s administration to accomplish the merger .
“ We have grave concerns about this development and we believe this action will force hospital closures , cause further service cuts and push access to care even further out of reach for the families we serve , ” the letter said .
The hospital executives — Tim Caveny of South Shore , Charles Holland of St. Bernard , Rashard Johnson of Advocate Trinity and Carol Schneider of Mercy — said they reached out to more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Shore , Englewood , South Chicago , Chatham , Calumet Heights , Bronzeville , Chinatown , Auburn Gresham and Washington Heights to engage them on the proposal .
“ It has been an intensive and exhilarating process , grounded in one succinct belief : the status quo is not working for South Side residents , who deserve an integrated health care delivery system , ” the executives said .
A spokeswoman for the hospitals said the executives would not comment beyond the contents of the letter to the Pritzker administration .
“ Working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ able to provide sustained , quality care on the South Side , given the difficult economic circumstances we ’ re managing , ” Holland told the Sun-Times in January .
Brett Chase ’ s reporting on the environment and public health is made possible by a grant from The Chicago Community Trust .

Four money-losing hospitals serving a largely poor patient population on Chicago’s South Side called off their proposed merger Tuesday, saying that the transaction can’t go forward without funding from the Illinois General Assembly, which recently wrapped up a shortened session without committing the money.
Advocate Trinity Hospital, Mercy Hospital and Medical Center, South Shore Hospital and St. Bernard Hospital also predicted that health care services for residents will likely be cut. In January, executives at the four institutions announced that they would join together and replace “outmoded, aging facilities” with a new “state of the art” hospital, expand services and add community health centers, estimating a total cost of $1.1 billion.
The planned union of the four hospitals would expand health care options in African American neighborhoods on the South Side and avoid closures among the four institutions, which collectively lost $76 million last year, the proponents said. The hospitals were seeking $520 million in state funding over the next five years to offset additional losses as they set up the new health care system.
Without the legislation, “we have determined that we see no path forward for our project that would transform health care on the South Side and help address disparities in health for the patients we serve,” hospital executives said in a letter to Theresa Eagleson, director of the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services.
“The recent COVID-19 outbreak should make clear to all why this legislative development is so misguided,” the letter added. “This pandemic has disproportionately affected our city’s African Americans.”
The hospitals said they’ve been “working tirelessly in collaboration” with Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s administration to accomplish the merger.
“We have grave concerns about this development and we believe this action will force hospital closures, cause further service cuts and push access to care even further out of reach for the families we serve,” the letter said.
The hospital executives — Tim Caveny of South Shore, Charles Holland of St. Bernard, Rashard Johnson of Advocate Trinity and Carol Schneider of Mercy — said they reached out to more than 700 residents and community leaders in South Shore, Englewood, South Chicago, Chatham, Calumet Heights, Bronzeville, Chinatown, Auburn Gresham and Washington Heights to engage them on the proposal.
“It has been an intensive and exhilarating process, grounded in one succinct belief: the status quo is not working for South Side residents, who deserve an integrated health care delivery system,” the executives said.
A spokeswoman for the hospitals said the executives would not comment beyond the contents of the letter to the Pritzker administration.
“Working individually, our hospitals will not be able to provide sustained, quality care on the South Side, given the difficult economic circumstances we’re managing,” Holland told the Sun-Times in January.
Pritzker spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Brett Chase’s reporting on the environment and public health is made possible by a grant from The Chicago Community Trust.


chicagosun-times--2020-05-26--The U to rebroadcast 6 Sky games

The U to rebroadcast 6 Sky games

For Sky fans going through withdrawals , The U has you covered .
The U will be filling the void left by the postponed WNBA season by rebroadcasting six old Sky games , starting Sunday , the network announced Tuesday .
The U , which is the Sky ’ s broadcasting partner , will air the Sky ’ s July 7 , 2018 game against the Wings at 1 p.m. , which will be followed by the Sky-Sparks game from Aug. 16 , 2019 .
The other four games will air in pairs June 6 and June 13 .
Check @ @ @ @ @ @ @ WNBA postponed its season April 3 over COVID-19 concerns and has been weighing its options since .
With the help of public health experts , the league has started to lay out the blueprints of what a 2020 season might look like .
Two possible scenarios under consideration include having the season played at one neutral site or in areas that have had limited exposure to the coronavirus , commissioner Cathy Engelbert said last month .
It ’ s expected that when the season starts , games will be played without fans .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ The U ’ s decision to re-air games is welcomed .
All matchups will be available on The U , Channels 48.1 and 26.2 , XFINITY 230 and 360 , Dish 48 , RCN 610 , WOW 170 , Spectrum Charter 191 and U-Verse 24 .

For Sky fans going through withdrawals, The U has you covered.
The U will be filling the void left by the postponed WNBA season by rebroadcasting six old Sky games, starting Sunday, the network announced Tuesday.
The U, which is the Sky’s broadcasting partner, will air the Sky’s July 7, 2018 game against the Wings at 1 p.m., which will be followed by the Sky-Sparks game from Aug. 16, 2019. The other four games will air in pairs June 6 and June 13.
Related Kiah Gillespie decides to sit out 2020 season as Sky trim roster to 11 by deadline
Check out the full schedule below:
The WNBA postponed its season April 3 over COVID-19 concerns and has been weighing its options since. With the help of public health experts, the league has started to lay out the blueprints of what a 2020 season might look like.
Two possible scenarios under consideration include having the season played at one neutral site or in areas that have had limited exposure to the coronavirus, commissioner Cathy Engelbert said last month. It’s expected that when the season starts, games will be played without fans.
With the season on hold indefinitely, The U’s decision to re-air games is welcomed. All matchups will be available on The U, Channels 48.1 and 26.2, XFINITY 230 and 360, Dish 48, RCN 610, WOW 170, Spectrum Charter 191 and U-Verse 24.


chicagosun-times--2020-05-27--Dear Abby: Man in poor health refuses help from his wife of 40 years

DEAR ABBY : I married my husband 40 years ago .
A few years later , he was diagnosed with diabetes .
He refused to take care of himself and ended up with double leg amputations 13 years ago .
He had prosthetics but wouldn ’ t use them .
I stood by him and was his advocate , but he blamed me !
He has major health issues now , but I ’ m not too concerned .
According to him , it ’ s “ none of my business.
” Family doesn ’ t care because he doesn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me , but she doesn ’ t bother to have much contact with her father .
I have had enough of trying to help a man who doesn ’ t want help .
This is a loveless marriage and has been for years .
He ’ s also addicted to computer porn .
He stays at a computer for hours , even when people are around .
He doesn ’ t care who ’ s around .
He broke his computer recently , and I have refused to allow him on mine , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that too .
For most of our marriage I have worked outside the home .
I still do .
I would rather be out of the house than here with a husband who doesn ’ t care if I ’ m around or not .
Please advise me what I can do .
— REACHED THE LIMIT DEAR REACHED : What you can do depends upon what you WANT to do .
There must be a reason why you have remained in this loveless marriage as long as you have .
Since you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of advice .
Help your husband to get another computer .
If you do , it may lessen some of the hostility that is ruling your household .
He will be occupied , and you can do whatever you need to do to keep yourself sane .
DEAR ABBY : My husband and I are dealing with a terminal health condition , and many folks have offered to help , particularly in the area of providing meals , which we really appreciate .
Recently , a family from our church brought us over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , dessert , bread and breakfast pastries , all homemade .
We enjoyed the entree , but quickly lost our appetites after opening the dessert to find a hair of unknown origin in it .
We were , unfortunately , unable to enjoy the rest of the food because of this .
My dilemma is how to handle this with the family .
I ’ m sure we will see them at church , and they have already reached out asking when they can bring us another meal .
I don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do I think I can consume another one from them .
For what it ’ s worth , we have someone who comes in weekly who prepares meals for us ( whom we pay ) .
This has been a huge help because it alleviates the time and effort required to shop , cook and clean up for most of the work week because I work full time as well as care for my husband .
How can I tactfully decline this family ’ s kind offers without coming right out and saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ food ?
— GROSSED OUT IN THE WEST DEAR GROSSED OUT : It should not embarrass those nice people if you thank them for offering to send you more food , and tell them you no longer need food because you have hired someone who comes in and cooks for you .
It ’ s short , sweet and it ’ s the truth .
Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren , also known as Jeanne Phillips , and was founded by her mother , Pauline Phillips .
Contact Dear Abby @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Los Angeles , CA 90069 .
For everything you need to know about wedding planning , order “ How to Have a Lovely Wedding.
” Send your name and mailing address , plus check or money order for $ 8 ( U.S. funds ) , to : Dear Abby , Wedding Booklet , P.O .
Box 447 , Mount Morris , IL 61054-0447 .
( Shipping and handling are included in the price . )

DEAR ABBY: I married my husband 40 years ago. A few years later, he was diagnosed with diabetes. He refused to take care of himself and ended up with double leg amputations 13 years ago. He had prosthetics but wouldn’t use them. I stood by him and was his advocate, but he blamed me!
He has major health issues now, but I’m not too concerned. According to him, it’s “none of my business.” Family doesn’t care because he doesn’t care. My daughter blames me, but she doesn’t bother to have much contact with her father.
I have had enough of trying to help a man who doesn’t want help. This is a loveless marriage and has been for years. He’s also addicted to computer porn. He stays at a computer for hours, even when people are around. He doesn’t care who’s around. He broke his computer recently, and I have refused to allow him on mine, so he is angry at me for that too.
For most of our marriage I have worked outside the home. I still do. I would rather be out of the house than here with a husband who doesn’t care if I’m around or not. Please advise me what I can do. — REACHED THE LIMIT
DEAR REACHED: What you can do depends upon what you WANT to do. There must be a reason why you have remained in this loveless marriage as long as you have.
Since you asked, I do have a word of advice. Help your husband to get another computer. If you do, it may lessen some of the hostility that is ruling your household. He will be occupied, and you can do whatever you need to do to keep yourself sane.
DEAR ABBY: My husband and I are dealing with a terminal health condition, and many folks have offered to help, particularly in the area of providing meals, which we really appreciate. Recently, a family from our church brought us over a meal that included a nice entree, dessert, bread and breakfast pastries, all homemade. We enjoyed the entree, but quickly lost our appetites after opening the dessert to find a hair of unknown origin in it. We were, unfortunately, unable to enjoy the rest of the food because of this.
My dilemma is how to handle this with the family. I’m sure we will see them at church, and they have already reached out asking when they can bring us another meal. I don’t want to embarrass anyone, but neither do I think I can consume another one from them.
For what it’s worth, we have someone who comes in weekly who prepares meals for us (whom we pay). This has been a huge help because it alleviates the time and effort required to shop, cook and clean up for most of the work week because I work full time as well as care for my husband. How can I tactfully decline this family’s kind offers without coming right out and saying why we don’t want their food? — GROSSED OUT IN THE WEST
DEAR GROSSED OUT: It should not embarrass those nice people if you thank them for offering to send you more food, and tell them you no longer need food because you have hired someone who comes in and cooks for you. It’s short, sweet and it’s the truth.
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.
For everything you need to know about wedding planning, order “How to Have a Lovely Wedding.” Send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $8 (U.S. funds), to: Dear Abby, Wedding Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. (Shipping and handling are included in the price.)


chicagosun-times--2020-05-27--Charter fishing: The impacts of Illinois’ and Chicago’s restrictions

“ Tough state we are living in , pal , ” Capt .
Bob Poteshman opened .
Illinois charter boat fishing begins , legally , on Friday .
Well , outside of Chicago , where harbors remain closed .
“ We have to plan our business in advance , ” Poteshman said .
“ [ Mayor Lori Lightfoot ] is just expecting us to go .
But how do you plan charters in advance [ if you don ’ t know the opening date ? ]
That is not how the business works.
” In the winter months , serious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , call old customers and make social media splashes .
Poteshman , one of the last full-time charter captains in Chicago , had thoughts Saturday .
“ It is unbelievable , the charter business is just devastated in Illinois , ” Poteshman said .
“ Other states have more opportunities.
” The belated return of charter fishing is part of the reopening of Illinois .
Also on Friday , all Illinois Department of Natural Resources sites ( with the exception of a few historical site buildings ) reopen and capacity restriction on boats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four adults , six total ) ; 26-36 feet ( six , eight ) ; and longer than 36 feet ( eight , 10 ) .
To say Poteshman was pissed would be sugarcoating .
But with context .
“ I would definitely like to be fishing out of Chicago , ” he said .
“ Chicago is the main thrust of my business.
” On the practical side , there ’ s good coho fishing off Chicago now .
Poteshman suggested that boat fees could be used for a security guard to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chicago harbors .
“ They could let us use the harbors , ” Poteshman said .
“ There ’ s nothing coronavirus about the harbors , unless there are big parties.
” “ I am a realist , I know there is some sanity [ in the restrictions ] too , but enough is enough , ” Poteshman said .
“ You can ’ t just stay inside forever.
” Last week he began charters out of East Chicago , Indiana .
Poteshman doesn ’ t know what to expect from corporate groups @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Then you have people who are scared to death to walk out of their houses , ” he said .
“ And there are past [ customers ] who just don ’ t have the money.
” He will start his usual chartering out of North Point Marina and hope for a return soon to Montrose Harbor .
“ I don ’ t want to beg , ” Poteshman said .
“ I just want to work .
I want to work like normal people.
” I ’ m not sure if more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are home and seeing more .
Apparently attitudes toward death are like those to common carp ; depends on your point of view .

“Tough state we are living in, pal,” Capt. Bob Poteshman opened.
Illinois charter boat fishing begins, legally, on Friday. Well, outside of Chicago, where harbors remain closed.
“We have to plan our business in advance,” Poteshman said. “[Mayor Lori Lightfoot] is just expecting us to go. But how do you plan charters in advance [if you don’t know the opening date?] That is not how the business works.”
In the winter months, serious captains attend shows, do email blasts, call old customers and make social media splashes.
Poteshman, one of the last full-time charter captains in Chicago, had thoughts Saturday.
“It is unbelievable, the charter business is just devastated in Illinois,” Poteshman said. “Other states have more opportunities.”
The belated return of charter fishing is part of the reopening of Illinois. Also on Friday, all Illinois Department of Natural Resources sites (with the exception of a few historical site buildings) reopen and capacity restriction on boats climb: less than 26 feet (four adults, six total); 26-36 feet (six, eight); and longer than 36 feet (eight, 10).
To say Poteshman was pissed would be sugarcoating. But with context.
“I would definitely like to be fishing out of Chicago,” he said. “Chicago is the main thrust of my business.”
On the practical side, there’s good coho fishing off Chicago now.
Poteshman suggested that boat fees could be used for a security guard to allow only permitted people access to the Chicago harbors.
“They could let us use the harbors,” Poteshman said. “There’s nothing coronavirus about the harbors, unless there are big parties.”
Boat partying (a point driven home last Memorial Day) is a sticking point.
“I am a realist, I know there is some sanity [in the restrictions] too, but enough is enough,” Poteshman said. “You can’t just stay inside forever.”
Last week he began charters out of East Chicago, Indiana.
Poteshman doesn’t know what to expect from corporate groups. Will they do trips?
“Then you have people who are scared to death to walk out of their houses,” he said. “And there are past [customers] who just don’t have the money.”
He will start his usual chartering out of North Point Marina and hope for a return soon to Montrose Harbor.
“I don’t want to beg,” Poteshman said. “I just want to work. I want to work like normal people.”
Wild things
I’m not sure if more Baltimore orioles are around Chicago or people are home and seeing more.
Stray Cast
Apparently attitudes toward death are like those to common carp; depends on your point of view.