chicagosun-times--2020-05-16--74 more coronavirus deaths announced as protesters rally again for Pritzker to reopen Illinois

State health officials announced Saturday the latest 74 deaths attributed to the coronavirus as several hundred protesters rallied in Chicago and Springfield , calling on Gov .
J.B. Pritzker to roll back his executive stay-at-home order .
The Illinois Department of Public Health also said an additional 2,088 people have tested positive for COVID-19 , raising the statewide case tally to 92,457 .
The death toll stands at 4,129 .
And for the third straight day , the Northeast region of the state met the medical criteria set by Pritzker ’ s administration to advance to the third phase of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the end of the month .
That would mean many non-essential businesses including salons and barbershops could reopen with health precautions in place .
Those Phase 3 reopening requirements include holding the coronavirus testing positivity rate under 20 % for two weeks .
The Northeast region , which includes Chicago and the collar counties , was at 18.8 % Saturday .
The state received 23,047 test results Friday , and more than 561,000 tests have been administered overall .
Pritzker has highlighted testing capacity as another key factor in reopening , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But even as plans are laid to gear the economy into motion , the governor ’ s office has said the peak of the pandemic could extend well into the summer .
The virus has been confirmed in all but two Illinois counties , while Cook County is registering the most confirmed cases of any county in the nation .
More than 1,800 coronavirus deaths have been reported in the state this month alone .
Despite the grim figures , a vocal contingent of demonstrators rallied again outside the Thompson Center in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Springfield demanding Pritzker reopen the state immediately .
With a roster of conservative speakers including radio host Erich “ Mancow ” Muller , people in the crowd chanted “ Right to go to church ” and toted signs declaring “ Jesus is my vaccine , ” a day before a handful of churches planned to hold services in defiance of Pritzker ’ s stay-at-home order , which bars gatherings of more than 10 people .
Other signs declared “ Freedom is essential ” and suggested Pritzker ’ s extended stay-at-home order is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Donald Trump ’ s reelection effort .
“ They said this was all about flattening the curve .
I think we flattened the curve , ” Illinois Republican Party Chairman Tim Schneider said .
“ These are the snarky things he says : ‘ This is all about science ... and the peak isn ’ t going to hit until the middle of June.
’ Why did they take down all the beds in McCormick Place already then ?
“ You know what this is all about .
This is about taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Schneider said .
A concurrent protest was held outside the State Capitol in Springfield .
Connie Unger , one of the several protesters at the downstate rally who carried a “ Fire Pritzker ” sign , said the Democratic governor has “ overstepped his boundaries ” with his stay-at-home orders .
“ He is against our state , he has another motive and I don ’ t believe that he is a true patriot , ” Unger said .
“ His motive is to be the most liberal governor so that he can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both protests , a few signs were spotted comparing Pritzker , who is Jewish , to Adolf Hitler .
A handful of similar anti-Semitic signs were seen at the first major Reopen Illinois rallies held May 1 , drawing condemnation from the Auschwitz‑Birkenau Memorial and State Museum .
Pritzker has said most Illinoisans have been following his guidelines , and has framed the protesters as “ outliers.
” “ Today , as millions of Illinoisans followed the public health guidance in place to keep everyone safe , a loud minority gathered in an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ignorant , anti-Semitic protest against science , ” Pritzker spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh said in an email .
“ We know the majority of Illinoisans who remain vigilant in this fight against COVID-19 are the reason we ’ re flattening the curve and those gathering in defiance of the medical experts have them to thank for their health and safety .
”

State health officials announced Saturday the latest 74 deaths attributed to the coronavirus as several hundred protesters rallied in Chicago and Springfield, calling on Gov. J.B. Pritzker to roll back his executive stay-at-home order.
The Illinois Department of Public Health also said an additional 2,088 people have tested positive for COVID-19, raising the statewide case tally to 92,457. The death toll stands at 4,129.
And for the third straight day, the Northeast region of the state met the medical criteria set by Pritzker’s administration to advance to the third phase of his reopening plan when his stay-at-home expires at the end of the month. That would mean many non-essential businesses including salons and barbershops could reopen with health precautions in place.
Graph not displaying properly? Click here.
Those Phase 3 reopening requirements include holding the coronavirus testing positivity rate under 20% for two weeks. The Northeast region, which includes Chicago and the collar counties, was at 18.8% Saturday.
The state received 23,047 test results Friday, and more than 561,000 tests have been administered overall. Pritzker has highlighted testing capacity as another key factor in reopening, with several new testing sites opening this weekend.
But even as plans are laid to gear the economy into motion, the governor’s office has said the peak of the pandemic could extend well into the summer.
The virus has been confirmed in all but two Illinois counties, while Cook County is registering the most confirmed cases of any county in the nation. More than 1,800 coronavirus deaths have been reported in the state this month alone.
Reopen Illinois protesters rally again
Despite the grim figures, a vocal contingent of demonstrators rallied again outside the Thompson Center in the Loop and the State Capitol Building in Springfield demanding Pritzker reopen the state immediately.
With a roster of conservative speakers including radio host Erich “Mancow” Muller, people in the crowd chanted “Right to go to church” and toted signs declaring “Jesus is my vaccine,” a day before a handful of churches planned to hold services in defiance of Pritzker’s stay-at-home order, which bars gatherings of more than 10 people.
Other signs declared “Freedom is essential” and suggested Pritzker’s extended stay-at-home order is part of a political scheme to subvert President Donald Trump’s reelection effort.
A group of people pose for a photograph with someone dressed as a parody of Gov. J.B. Pritzker outside the Thompson Center Saturday, Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times
“They said this was all about flattening the curve. I think we flattened the curve,” Illinois Republican Party Chairman Tim Schneider said. “These are the snarky things he says: ‘This is all about science... and the peak isn’t going to hit until the middle of June.’ Why did they take down all the beds in McCormick Place already then?
“You know what this is all about. This is about taking down President Trump in November,” Schneider said.
A concurrent protest was held outside the State Capitol in Springfield.
Connie Unger, one of the several protesters at the downstate rally who carried a “Fire Pritzker” sign, said the Democratic governor has “overstepped his boundaries” with his stay-at-home orders.
“He is against our state, he has another motive and I don’t believe that he is a true patriot,” Unger said. “His motive is to be the most liberal governor so that he can run for a higher office.”
Reopen Illinois protesters pictured Saturday in the Loop. Some signs compared Gov. J.B. Pritzker to Adolf Hitler. Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times
At both protests, a few signs were spotted comparing Pritzker, who is Jewish, to Adolf Hitler. A handful of similar anti-Semitic signs were seen at the first major Reopen Illinois rallies held May 1, drawing condemnation from the Auschwitz‑Birkenau Memorial and State Museum.
Pritzker has said most Illinoisans have been following his guidelines, and has framed the protesters as “outliers.”
“Today, as millions of Illinoisans followed the public health guidance in place to keep everyone safe, a loud minority gathered in an attempt to get headlines for their hateful, ignorant, anti-Semitic protest against science,” Pritzker spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh said in an email. “We know the majority of Illinoisans who remain vigilant in this fight against COVID-19 are the reason we’re flattening the curve and those gathering in defiance of the medical experts have them to thank for their health and safety.”
Contributing: Neal Earley


chicagosun-times--2020-05-17--Dear Abby I’m happy now, but people took me more seriously when I wasn’t

DEAR ABBY : I wrote to you 12 years ago as a suicidal teenager .
I ’ m thankful to be writing now from a very different place .
I ’ m 28 , happily married , with one child .
I was born into a hyperconservative cult and home-schooled until I was kicked out at 18 .
I then fell into a predictable pattern of abusive relationships and substance abuse .
I have been sober for six years now , and have been in various kinds of therapy longer than that .
I now self-counsel daily with journaling , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to therapy when my old patterns resurface .
My gripe : I ’ m now a happy , energetic person , so much so that I am routinely mistaken for a teenager and summarily dismissed .
Everyone — employers , friends , even family members who “ conveniently ” missed out on my troubled years — does this .
It never happened when I was miserable , hiding behind makeup and uncomfortable clothing , barely able to function .
How can I again command the respect I did as an angsty teen , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ m an awesome mother and a loving wife , not to mention a healthy person because I ’ ve worked hard FOR YEARS to get this way .
I ’ m proud of what I ’ ve accomplished , and I ’ m tired of my personal satisfaction being misconstrued as naivete , or worse , vanity .
Advice ?
— CAME THROUGH THE OTHER SIDE DEAR CAME THROUGH : You have every right to be proud of what you have accomplished .
Do you act the same way at work as you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family ?
You may need to adjust your behavior according to the situation .
If you have trouble doing this , some sessions with your therapist might make the process easier .
DEAR ABBY : I am angry at the lack of praise given to respiratory therapists who are on the front lines of coronavirus patient care .
Everything is doctor , nurse .
By all means they deserve praise , but who do you think is also a vital part in fighting this RESPIRATORY virus ?
We manage those ventilators many hotspots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ give those breathing treatments that help to calm the airways as this virus takes a toll on the lungs .
All health care workers , as well as individuals who work in hospitals and are considered essential , should receive this praise .
We come to work each day uncertain whether we will be exposed or contract the virus .
Yes , it ’ s a trying time for everyone , but I want the world to be aware of these unsung heroes .
— TAKING A DEEP BREATH DEAR TAKING : So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ am printing your letter .
All of the courageous men and women who put their well-being at risk in service to their patients and their community are heroes as far as I am concerned .
I , as well as my readers , pray for your safety and success in this battle against this novel virus .
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 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ receive a collection of Abby ’ s most memorable — and most frequently requested — poems and essays , send your name and mailing address , plus check or money order for $ 8 ( U.S. funds ) , to : Dear Abby — Keepers Booklet , P.O .
Box 447 , Mount Morris , IL 61054-0447 .
Shipping and handling are included in the price .

DEAR ABBY: I wrote to you 12 years ago as a suicidal teenager. I’m thankful to be writing now from a very different place. I’m 28, happily married, with one child.
I was born into a hyperconservative cult and home-schooled until I was kicked out at 18. I then fell into a predictable pattern of abusive relationships and substance abuse. I have been sober for six years now, and have been in various kinds of therapy longer than that. I now self-counsel daily with journaling, meditation and exercise — and regularly return to therapy when my old patterns resurface.
My gripe: I’m now a happy, energetic person, so much so that I am routinely mistaken for a teenager and summarily dismissed. Everyone — employers, friends, even family members who “conveniently” missed out on my troubled years — does this. It never happened when I was miserable, hiding behind makeup and uncomfortable clothing, barely able to function. How can I again command the respect I did as an angsty teen, but without the angst?
I’m an awesome mother and a loving wife, not to mention a healthy person because I’ve worked hard FOR YEARS to get this way. I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished, and I’m tired of my personal satisfaction being misconstrued as naivete, or worse, vanity. Advice? — CAME THROUGH THE OTHER SIDE
DEAR CAME THROUGH: You have every right to be proud of what you have accomplished. Do you act the same way at work as you do when hanging out with friends or family? You may need to adjust your behavior according to the situation. If you have trouble doing this, some sessions with your therapist might make the process easier.
DEAR ABBY: I am angry at the lack of praise given to respiratory therapists who are on the front lines of coronavirus patient care. Everything is doctor, nurse. By all means they deserve praise, but who do you think is also a vital part in fighting this RESPIRATORY virus? We manage those ventilators many hotspots are in desperate need of. We give those breathing treatments that help to calm the airways as this virus takes a toll on the lungs.
All health care workers, as well as individuals who work in hospitals and are considered essential, should receive this praise. We come to work each day uncertain whether we will be exposed or contract the virus. Yes, it’s a trying time for everyone, but I want the world to be aware of these unsung heroes. — TAKING A DEEP BREATH
DEAR TAKING: So do I, which is why I am printing your letter. All of the courageous men and women who put their well-being at risk in service to their patients and their community are heroes as far as I am concerned. I, as well as my readers, pray for your safety and success in this battle against this novel virus.
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.
To receive a collection of Abby’s most memorable — and most frequently requested — poems and essays, send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $8 (U.S. funds), to: Dear Abby — Keepers Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. Shipping and handling are included in the price.


chicagosun-times--2020-05-17--Woman missing from NW Indiana

Woman missing from NW Indiana

Police are looking for a woman reported missing Saturday after leaving a group home in northwest Indiana .
Dushawna L. @ @ @ @ @ last seen about 6 a.m leaving the home near 35th and Cline avenues in Griffith @ @ @ @ @ person alert from Griffith police .
Glover is about 5 feet tall and 180 pounds @ @ @ @ @ eyes , police said .
She was last seen wearing a white or light-colored top @ @ @ @ @ said she has a mental disability and may need medical attention .
Anyone with information @ @ @ @ @ or contact Griffith Police Detective Al Tharp at 219-924-7503 ext .
252 .

Police are looking for a woman reported missing Saturday after leaving a group home in northwest Indiana.
Dushawna L. Glover, 48, was last seen about 6 a.m leaving the home near 35th and Cline avenues in Griffith, according to a missing person alert from Griffith police.
Glover is about 5 feet tall and 180 pounds with black hair and brown eyes, police said. She was last seen wearing a white or light-colored top and blue jeans.
Police said she has a mental disability and may need medical attention.
Anyone with information is asked to call 911 or contact Griffith Police Detective Al Tharp at 219-924-7503 ext. 252.


chicagosun-times--2020-05-17--Man shot on Eisenhower Expressway in Oak Park

Police are investigating a shooting Saturday on the Eisenhower Expressway in west suburban Oak Park .
A 32-year-old Broadview man @ @ @ @ @ lanes of I-290 about 3:28 p.m. when someone fired shots from another vehicle near Harlem @ @ @ @ @ State Police .
He was hit and went to a hospital with injuries that were @ @ @ @ @ .
His passenger , a 28-year-old Chicago woman , wasn ’ t hurt , state @ @ @ @ @ were closed for about two hours as authorities investigated .
The investigation is ongoing .
@ @ @ @ @ to call 847-294-4400 .
Read more on crime , and track the city ’ s @ @

Police are investigating a shooting Saturday on the Eisenhower Expressway in west suburban Oak Park.
A 32-year-old Broadview man was driving in the eastbound lanes of I-290 about 3:28 p.m. when someone fired shots from another vehicle near Harlem Avenue, according to Illinois State Police. He was hit and went to a hospital with injuries that were not thought to be life-threatening.
His passenger, a 28-year-old Chicago woman, wasn’t hurt, state police said. Eastbound lanes were closed for about two hours as authorities investigated.
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call 847-294-4400.
Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.


chicagosun-times--2020-05-17--Predicting the Bears’ final record — and answering other questions

The Sun-Times ’ Patrick Finley sorts through some of the Bears ’ biggest questions of the offseason : The most notable thing to come out the Bears ’ schedule was … They open against the Lions and then don ’ t play another NFC North opponent until Week 10 .
The Bears play five divisional games in their final seven contests — last year , by comparison , they played three .
The NFC North race won ’ t start until the third Sunday in November .
What will the Bears ’ record be in 2020 ?
Whomever predicted the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was wrong ; they might be 3-0 after opening against the Lions , Giants and Falcons , who combined to win 14 games last season .
But the schedule gets harder from that point on , making 9-7 a likely finish .
Which game would you most hate to see canceled ?
Any game after the league has actually begun play .
Having to pause the season after beginning it would be much more damaging — psychologically and practically — than merely delaying its start .
Who will start more games : Nick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which goes against history .
Of the eight other first-round quarterbacks to ever have their fifth-year options declined , no one still playing for his original team was made the regular starter in Year 5 .
Despite his postseason heroism , though , Foles hasn ’ t proven to be a steady regular-season quarterback .
He ’ s started more than half his team ’ s games in only one of his past six seasons .
At which position do the Bears still need help ?
Quarterback is the biggest organizational concern until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 starter will have to win the job during the preseason and their 2021 starter might not even be on the roster .
Quarterback answers won ’ t be available until March — sorry , Cam Newton fans .
Which non-quarterback is under the most pressure this season ?
Receiver Allen Robinson — unless the Bears pay him soon .
Before the season starts , the Bears will try to negotiate a contract extension to pay Robinson like one of the best eight or so receivers in the game .
If they can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Robinson will enter the last year of his contract with the potential to make himself richer than any Bears player this side of Khalil Mack — or he ’ ll get franchise tagged for 2021 .
The Packers won 13 games and finished as NFC runners-up last year despite having a point differential of only plus-63 .
They ’ ll be a trendy pick to regress , but give me a motivated Aaron Rodgers and a franchise that ’ s won the division six of the past 10 seasons .

The Sun-Times’ Patrick Finley sorts through some of the Bears’ biggest questions of the offseason:
The most notable thing to come out of the Bears’ schedule was …
They open against the Lions and then don’t play another NFC North opponent until Week 10. The Bears play five divisional games in their final seven contests — last year, by comparison, they played three. The NFC North race won’t start until the third Sunday in November.
What will the Bears’ record be in 2020?
Whomever predicted the Bears to win three games all season was wrong; they might be 3-0 after opening against the Lions, Giants and Falcons, who combined to win 14 games last season. But the schedule gets harder from that point on, making 9-7 a likely finish.
Which game would you most hate to see canceled?
Any game after the league has actually begun play. Having to pause the season after beginning it would be much more damaging — psychologically and practically — than merely delaying its start.
Who will start more games: Nick Foles or Mitch Trubisky?
Trubisky — which goes against history. Of the eight other first-round quarterbacks to ever have their fifth-year options declined, no one still playing for his original team was made the regular starter in Year 5. Despite his postseason heroism, though, Foles hasn’t proven to be a steady regular-season quarterback. He’s started more than half his team’s games in only one of his past six seasons.
At which position do the Bears still need help?
Quarterback is the biggest organizational concern until someone proves otherwise. The Bears’ 2020 starter will have to win the job during the preseason and their 2021 starter might not even be on the roster. Quarterback answers won’t be available until March — sorry, Cam Newton fans.
Which non-quarterback is under the most pressure this season?
Receiver Allen Robinson — unless the Bears pay him soon. Before the season starts, the Bears will try to negotiate a contract extension to pay Robinson like one of the best eight or so receivers in the game. If they can’t get it done, though, Robinson will enter the last year of his contract with the potential to make himself richer than any Bears player this side of Khalil Mack — or he’ll get franchise tagged for 2021.
Who wins the NFC North?
The Packers won 13 games and finished as NFC runners-up last year despite having a point differential of only plus-63. They’ll be a trendy pick to regress, but give me a motivated Aaron Rodgers and a franchise that’s won the division six of the past 10 seasons.


chicagosun-times--2020-05-17--Chicago boy, 12, shot to death in NW Indiana

Demetrius Townsel Jr. was pronounced dead at 9:36 p.m. at Methodist Hospital Northlake Campus , 600 Grant St. in Gary @ @ @ @ @ from the Lake County coroner ’ s office .
He lived in the Back of @ @ @ @ @ s South Side .
He had been shot and his death was ruled a homicide @ @ @ @ @ office said .
It was not immediately clear where or when the shooting occurred .
@ @ @ @ @ the Lake County/Gary Metro Homicide Unit are investigating .
Gary police did not provide details @ @ @ @ @ .
Read more on crime , and track the city ’ s homicides .

A 12-year-old Chicago boy was killed in a shooting Saturday in Gary, Indiana.
Demetrius Townsel Jr. was shot near 26th Avenue and Pierce Street in Gary, according to the Lake County coroner’s office. He was pronounced dead at 9:36 p.m. at Methodist Hospital Northlake Campus in Gary.
Chicago anti-violence activist Andrew Holmes said the boy’s twin brother tried to save his life by putting pressure on the wound.
Demetrius lived in the Back of the Yards on Chicago’s South Side, the coroner’s office said. His death was ruled a homicide.
His family will hold a press conference in Gary on Monday afternoon to announce a reward for information in the case and call for the shooter to turn themselves in, Holmes said.
The Gary Police Department and the Lake County/Gary Metro Homicide Unit are investigating. Gary police did not respond to requests for details on the shooting Sunday.
Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.


chicagosun-times--2020-05-17--Video shows woman run over by GrubHub delivery driver during argument outside Lake View restaurant

A person of interest turned themselves in after a GrubHub delivery driver allegedly ran over a woman during an argument outside a Lake View East restaurant .
The woman , 24-year-old Bijan Choya Early , suffered multiple broken bones and will have to undergo a nine-hour surgery to treat her injuries , according to her mother , Angenita Tanner , who owns Ms. T ’ s Southern Fried Chicken .
Shortly after 6 p.m. Friday , police were called to the restaurant at 3343 N. Broadway St. after the delivery driver kicked the restaurant ’ s front door when he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order , according to Tanner , who said she was trying to enforce social distancing guidelines .
Early and Tanner were attempting to prevent the driver from leaving before police arrived and were standing in front of his car when the driver suddenly hit the gas and drove over Early .
In videos that were shared with the Sun-Times by Tanner , both women can be seen standing near the car and talking with the man .
Tanner , while talking to the driver , accuses him of threatening to run her over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the driver as they tell him the police have been called .
“ You just kicked our door , ” Early says in the video .
“ This is too much disrespect that we get on a day-to-day .
We ’ re just trying to be essential workers and feed people .
This is ridiculous.
” As Tanner tells the driver again that police have been called , he suddenly accelerates and Early can be seen being carried on top of the car ’ s hood before she falls under the wheels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the driver continued driving on Broadway and did not stop after striking Early .
A person turned themselves into police regarding the incident , police said Sunday morning .
Charges are pending .
Tanner said they were attempting to take a photo of the car ’ s license plate number so they could report him to GrubHub when he struck Early , causing her to suffer broken arms and legs and a broken pelvis .
Early was taken to Illinois Masonic Medical Center for treatment , authorities said , where her condition was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sedated and hooked up to a machine to help her breath .
At her restaurant Saturday , Tanner said she has not been able to see her daughter because of visitor restrictions at the hospital due to the COVID-19 pandemic .
“ I ’ m trying to keep busy , but it ’ s driving me nuts at the same time , ” Tanner said .
“ I hope that GrubHub understands the situation because they do have some issues with their drivers ... For that person to have that kind of anger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on his car , then run her over — something is wrong somewhere.
” In a statement , GrubHub said they are “ shocked and appalled ” by the incident and have terminated the driver ’ s contract with the company and revoked his access to the platform .
GrubHub said they ’ ve given the driver ’ s information to the Chicago Police Department and are cooperating with the investigation .

A person of interest turned themselves in after a GrubHub delivery driver allegedly ran over a woman during an argument outside a Lake View East restaurant.
The woman, 24-year-old Bijan Choya Early, suffered multiple broken bones and will have to undergo a nine-hour surgery to treat her injuries, according to her mother, Angenita Tanner, who owns Ms. T’s Southern Fried Chicken.
Shortly after 6 p.m. Friday, police were called to the restaurant at 3343 N. Broadway St. after the delivery driver kicked the restaurant’s front door when he was asked to wait outside for his order, according to Tanner, who said she was trying to enforce social distancing guidelines.
Early and Tanner were attempting to prevent the driver from leaving before police arrived and were standing in front of his car when the driver suddenly hit the gas and drove over Early.
In videos that were shared with the Sun-Times by Tanner, both women can be seen standing near the car and talking with the man.
Tanner, while talking to the driver, accuses him of threatening to run her over, leading to an exchange of words with the driver as they tell him the police have been called.
“You just kicked our door,” Early says in the video. “This is too much disrespect that we get on a day-to-day. We’re just trying to be essential workers and feed people. This is ridiculous.”
As Tanner tells the driver again that police have been called, he suddenly accelerates and Early can be seen being carried on top of the car’s hood before she falls under the wheels and is run over.
Police said the driver continued driving on Broadway and did not stop after striking Early.
A person turned themselves into police regarding the incident, police said Sunday morning. Charges are pending.
Tanner said they were attempting to take a photo of the car’s license plate number so they could report him to GrubHub when he struck Early, causing her to suffer broken arms and legs and a broken pelvis.
Early was taken to Illinois Masonic Medical Center for treatment, authorities said, where her condition was stabilized.
Tanner said her daughter remains sedated and hooked up to a machine to help her breath.
At her restaurant Saturday, Tanner said she has not been able to see her daughter because of visitor restrictions at the hospital due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I’m trying to keep busy, but it’s driving me nuts at the same time,” Tanner said. “I hope that GrubHub understands the situation because they do have some issues with their drivers... For that person to have that kind of anger — to hit her, carry her on his car, then run her over — something is wrong somewhere.”
In a statement, GrubHub said they are “shocked and appalled” by the incident and have terminated the driver’s contract with the company and revoked his access to the platform.
GrubHub said they’ve given the driver’s information to the Chicago Police Department and are cooperating with the investigation.


chicagosun-times--2020-05-16--Fire, explosion in Los Angeles injures 11 firefighters

LOS ANGELES — An explosion Saturday at a hash oil manufacturer in downtown Los Angeles injured 11 firefighters who had gone inside the building after an initial report of a fire .
Los Angeles Fire Department Capt .
Erik Scott said “ one significant explosion ” shook the neighborhood around 6:30 p.m. , and as first responders arrived they saw firefighters emerge from the building with burns and other injuries .
He did not provide conditions on the injured .
He described the business as a maker of “ butane honey oil.
” Butane is an odorless gas that easily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ oil involves extracting the high-inducing chemical THC from cannabis plants to create a highly potent concentrate also known as hash oil .
The oil can be used in vape pens , edibles , waxes and other products .
Firefighters were initially called to 327 East Boyd St. in the city ’ s Toy District for a report of a fire at a one-story commercial building .
Firefighters entered the building , and there was nothing unusual until the explosion occurred .
More than 200 firefighters rushed to the scene and dozens of engines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ streets .
The fire spread to several nearby buildings , but firefighters were able to douse it in about an hour .

LOS ANGELES — An explosion Saturday at a hash oil manufacturer in downtown Los Angeles injured 11 firefighters who had gone inside the building after an initial report of a fire.
Los Angeles Fire Department Capt. Erik Scott said “one significant explosion” shook the neighborhood around 6:30 p.m., and as first responders arrived they saw firefighters emerge from the building with burns and other injuries. He did not provide conditions on the injured.
He described the business as a maker of “butane honey oil.” Butane is an odorless gas that easily ignites.
The process of making the oil involves extracting the high-inducing chemical THC from cannabis plants to create a highly potent concentrate also known as hash oil. The oil can be used in vape pens, edibles, waxes and other products.
Firefighters were initially called to 327 East Boyd St. in the city’s Toy District for a report of a fire at a one-story commercial building. Firefighters entered the building, and there was nothing unusual until the explosion occurred.
More than 200 firefighters rushed to the scene and dozens of engines, trucks and rescue vehicles clogged the streets. The fire spread to several nearby buildings, but firefighters were able to douse it in about an hour.


chicagosun-times--2020-05-16--Horoscope for Sunday, May 17, 2020

Horoscope for Sunday, May 17, 2020

Avoid shopping or important decisions from 2:45 to 9 a.m. Chicago time After that , the Moon moves from Pisces into Aries .
There ’ s bad days and there ’ s good days , and this is a good day !
The moon is in your sign and the sun is dancing with moneybags Jupiter .
Ask the universe for a favor because the answer just might be yes .
After the moon alert is over , this is a strong day for financial matters .
This is an excellent day because the sun is still in your sign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lucky , moneybags Jupiter .
Trust your optimism and positive take on things .
Look for ways to expand your world , perhaps even internationally .
You will still prefer to take a backseat ; nevertheless , this is a feel-good day and you are happy !
Interaction with a female friend might be important .
Even though you are pulling strings from behind the scenes , your ambition is strong .
Because you are upbeat and enthusiastic , you will attract the attention of others .
You might take a leadership role @ @ @ @ @ @ @ person .
You might also encourage others to pursue positive goals .
This is a powerful day for you !
You look fabulous in the eyes of others , which is why people will praise you or ask for your advice .
In particular , your relations with people in authority are excellent .
Whatever you do might bring you profits or expand your career in an excellent way .
This is a wonderful day to explore opportunities in publishing , the media , medicine , the law or anything to do with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will enjoy studying anything that expands your horizons .
If you can ’ t physically travel , then discover the world in other ways .
Discussions with others might enrich your coffers because something might attract wealth to you .
You might hear news of an inheritance or money or wealth might come to your partner ?
( Be cooperative with others because the moon is opposite your sign . )
Relations with partners and close friends are super positive today !
This is a good day to enjoy the company of others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ something bigger than yourself .
Reach out to good friends and partners , either in person or online .
Meetings whether virtual or in reality that are work-related will be positive because people will enjoy the company of each other .
Furthermore , it ’ s a great day to make plans because everyone is thinking about the future in positive terms !
This is a fun-loving day !
Enjoy socializing with others in any way that you can .
Likewise , enjoy playful activities with kids .
You will also welcome any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nevertheless , the placement of the moon will make you happy to cocoon at home as well . )
If it is possible for you to entertain family at home , this will bring you great joy .
This might be in person or it might be a Zoom party !
Not only are you happy to talk to family members , with the placement of today ’ s moon , you have an emotional need to reach out to someone .
Enthusiasm is contagious and you are enthusiastic !
This is why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or online .
Reach out and make contact with others .
This is also a great day to write because you are keen to communicate !
If Your Birthday Is Today Musician Taj Mahal ( 1942 ) shares your birthday .
You have a sharp mind , excellent business savvy and wonderful self-discipline .
The good news for you is that this is your time of harvest !
Yay !
Now you will begin to reap the benefits of your efforts in the last decade .
You deserve this time of success .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ leadership in your relationships .
Yes !

Moon Alert
Avoid shopping or important decisions from 2:45 to 9 a.m. Chicago time After that, the Moon moves from Pisces into Aries.
Aries (March 21-April 19)
There’s bad days and there’s good days, and this is a good day! The moon is in your sign and the sun is dancing with moneybags Jupiter. Ask the universe for a favor because the answer just might be yes. After the moon alert is over, this is a strong day for financial matters.
Taurus (April 20-May 20)
This is an excellent day because the sun is still in your sign and today it’s dancing with lucky, moneybags Jupiter. Trust your optimism and positive take on things. Look for ways to expand your world, perhaps even internationally.
Gemini (May 21-June 20)
You will still prefer to take a backseat; nevertheless, this is a feel-good day and you are happy! Interaction with a female friend might be important. Even though you are pulling strings from behind the scenes, your ambition is strong.
Cancer (June 21-July 22)
Because you are upbeat and enthusiastic, you will attract the attention of others. You might take a leadership role in a group whether online or in person. You might also encourage others to pursue positive goals. This is a powerful day for you!
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)
You look fabulous in the eyes of others, which is why people will praise you or ask for your advice. In particular, your relations with people in authority are excellent. Whatever you do might bring you profits or expand your career in an excellent way.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
This is a wonderful day to explore opportunities in publishing, the media, medicine, the law or anything to do with higher education. For example, you will enjoy studying anything that expands your horizons. If you can’t physically travel, then discover the world in other ways.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
Discussions with others might enrich your coffers because something might attract wealth to you. You might hear news of an inheritance or money or wealth might come to your partner? (Be cooperative with others because the moon is opposite your sign.)
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
Relations with partners and close friends are super positive today! This is a good day to enjoy the company of others because you want to be included in something bigger than yourself. Reach out to good friends and partners, either in person or online.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
Meetings whether virtual or in reality that are work-related will be positive because people will enjoy the company of each other. Furthermore, it’s a great day to make plans because everyone is thinking about the future in positive terms!
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
This is a fun-loving day! Enjoy socializing with others in any way that you can. Likewise, enjoy playful activities with kids. You will also welcome any opportunity to express your creativity. (Nevertheless, the placement of the moon will make you happy to cocoon at home as well.)
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
If it is possible for you to entertain family at home, this will bring you great joy. This might be in person or it might be a Zoom party! Not only are you happy to talk to family members, with the placement of today’s moon, you have an emotional need to reach out to someone.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)
Enthusiasm is contagious and you are enthusiastic! This is why others will enjoy your company in person or online. Reach out and make contact with others. This is also a great day to write because you are keen to communicate!
If Your Birthday Is Today
Musician Taj Mahal (1942) shares your birthday. You have a sharp mind, excellent business savvy and wonderful self-discipline. The good news for you is that this is your time of harvest! Yay! Now you will begin to reap the benefits of your efforts in the last decade. You deserve this time of success. Expect to enjoy an increased influence and leadership in your relationships. Yes!


chicagosun-times--2020-05-16--Search ended for woman swept into DuPage River while walking dogs in Winfield

Search efforts were called off Saturday night for a woman who was swept into the DuPage River while walking her dogs Friday in west suburban Winfield .
The 18-year-old woman was walking two dogs when she tried to cross a flooded-out bridge about 6 p.m. at the Winfield Mounds Forest Preserve , according to a statement from the DuPage Forest Preserve District .
A witness riding a bicycle nearby saw her get swept away by the current while walking through waist-high water on the bridge , officials said .
He tried to assist her until she was pulled into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he lost sight of her .
Emergency responders used boats , divers , drones , thermal imaging and helicopters to search for the woman Friday night , the forest preserve district said .
They found one of the dogs but did not locate the woman .
Authorities resumed their search Saturday at 6:30 a.m. and ended at 9 p.m. without finding her , the forest preserve district said .
Recovery efforts will be scheduled once water levels subside .
“ Our hearts go out to the family at this tragic time , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ David Pederson in a statement .
“ We are very appreciative of all the help we have received from the numerous agencies and volunteers who assisted in this exhaustive search.
” Record-setting rainfall from Thursday to Friday caused flash flooding throughout northern Illinois .

Search efforts were called off Saturday night for a woman swept into the DuPage River Friday while walking her dogs in west suburban Winfield.
The 18-year-old woman was walking two dogs when she tried to cross a flooded-out bridge about 6 p.m. at the Winfield Mounds Forest Preserve, according to a statement from the DuPage Forest Preserve District.
A witness riding a bicycle nearby saw her get swept away by the current while walking through waist-high water on the bridge, officials said. He tried to assist her until she was pulled into the West Branch of the DuPage River and he lost sight of her.
Emergency responders used boats, divers, drones, thermal imaging and helicopters to search for the woman Friday night, the forest preserve district said. They found one of the dogs but did not locate the woman.
Authorities resumed their search Saturday at 6:30 a.m. and ended at 9 p.m. without finding her, the forest preserve district said. Recovery efforts will be scheduled once water levels subside.
“Our hearts go out to the family at this tragic time,” said DuPage Forest Preserve District Police Chief David Pederson in a statement. “We are very appreciative of all the help we have received from the numerous agencies and volunteers who assisted in this exhaustive search.”
Record-setting rainfall from Thursday to Friday caused flash flooding throughout northern Illinois.


chicagosun-times--2020-05-16--Heavy rains expected Sunday, flash flooding possible

A fresh batch of showers and thunderstorms Sunday could lead to flash floods across the Chicago area , according to @ @ @ @ @ A flash flood watch is in effect from 4 a.m. Sunday until the end of @ @ @ @ @ rains could bring up to two inches of rain to northern Illinois and northwest Indiana @ @ @ @ @ .
Sunday ’ s expected storms come on the heels of record-setting rainfall that drenched @ @ @ @ @ Friday and left roadways flooded across northern Illinois .
The temperature will top out at @ @ @ @ @ before dropping to a low of 49 degrees , the weather service said .
The @ @ @ @ @ , the weather service said , before the skies clear for the next several days @

A fresh batch of showers and thunderstorms Sunday could lead to flash floods across the Chicago area, according to the National Weather Service.
A flash flood watch is in effect from 4 a.m. Sunday until the end of the day, as heavy rains could bring up to two inches of rain to northern Illinois and northwest Indiana, the weather service said.
Sunday’s expected storms come on the heels of record-setting rainfall that drenched the Chicago area Thursday and Friday and left roadways flooded across northern Illinois.
The temperature will top out at about 64 degrees Sunday, before dropping to a low of 49 degrees, the weather service said.
The rain will continue into Monday, the weather service said, before the skies clear for the next several days.


chicagosun-times--2020-05-18--Illinois reports 3rd straight day with fewer than 100 COVID-19 deaths (LIVE UPDATES)

Third consecutive day of less than 100 COVID-19 deaths , as hospital metrics improve Officials on Monday reported another 59 COVID-19 deaths , although the state has seen less than 100 deaths for three consecutive days and hospital metrics continue to improve in the Chicago area .
There have been 4,234 coronavirus deaths in the state since the pandemic began , according to the Illinois Department of Public Health .
The state also reported 2,294 cases , bringing the total positive count to 96,485 .
The state received 21,290 tests back on Sunday .
Illinois has seen three consecutive days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ died .
On Saturday , 74 deaths were reported , and on Sunday , there were 51 deaths .
Gov .
J.B. Pritzker ’ s administration last week released death projections that predicted a range of 50 to 150 deaths into June or July .
One research institution predicted a range of between 50 and 300 deaths .
There are 4,120 in the state ’ s hospitals with a COVID-19 diagnosis , according to Dr. Ngozi Ezike , the head of the Illinois Dept .
of Public Health .
Of those , 1,096 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those patients are on ventilators .
Those numbers are an improvement from late Thursday , when there were 4,367 people in hospitals with COVID-19 , 1,129 in the ICU and 675 on ventilators .
The CEO of Uber Technologies detailed a second wave of layoffs Monday at the ride-hailing and food delivery company , bringing its cuts this year to 25 % of its workforce , along with plans to close or consolidate 45 offices globally .
In an email to employees , CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said the company will focus on core @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , such as job recruiting app Uber Works and Uber Freight , which deals in truck deliveries .
Uber was a chronic money-loser before the pandemic , but COVID-19 in April caused an 80 % drop in revenue for its principal income producer , the ride-hailing division , compared with the same month last year .
In Chicago , the news raised questions about the fate of Uber ’ s lease of 463,000 square feet at the Old Post Office , a market-defining deal announced in September .
Since then , Uber has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and offered about 15 % of the space for sublease .
It was intended as a home for Uber Freight .
The company did not respond to questions about its Chicago plans .
But a source familiar with the agreement said Uber still will occupy the space .
Read the full report from David Roeder here .
The smokeout ’ s been snuffed out , thanks to COVID-19 .
The Windy City Smokeout is officially postponed until 2021 , according to a statement on the festival organization ’ s website .
The smokeout @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 2021 , the statement said .
Headliners Darius Rucker , Dierks Bentley and Jon Pardi are still slated to play at the 2021 festival .
“ We love nothing more than enjoying a weekend of country music & BBQ with you , but the health and safety of you , our beloved artists , pitmasters & employees has always been our top priority , ” the statement said .
” While this decision wasn ’ t easy , it is necessary to keep everyone safe.
” Tickets and festival passes already purchased @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with additional perks , the statement said .
General admission tickets will receive a $ 10 per day food-and-beverage credit for single-day and three-day tickets .
All VIP holders will receive a $ 30 per day credit for single-day tickets and a $ 100 credit on three-day tickets .
If they prefer , however , ticket holders can request a refund until June 17 , the statement said .
For every pass kept , the festival organizers will make a donation to Feed Chicago .
Want to see what other summer festivals have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our list here .
3:55 p.m. County forest preserves to close more parking lots for Memorial Day weekend : ‘ Enjoy the natural world in your backyard ’ The Cook County Forest Preserves officials announced Monday that they plan to close additional parking lots for the Memorial Day weekend in an effort to curb crowding .
Dan Ryan Woods and Schiller Woods will join a list of six sites that have already seen their parking lots closed over the weeends due to concerns about social distancing and other public health guidelines .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — Busse Woods , Maple Lake , Saganashkee Slough , Catherine Chevalier Woods , LaBagh Woods and Bunker Hill — were already closed Fridays through Sundays in March or April and will remain closed on Memorial Day itself , a statement from the county agency said .
3:25 p.m. City looks at fines against churches that defied stay-home order Though no enforcement action was taken on Sunday , Mayor Lori Lightfoot said fines are being considered against a number of Chicago churches that held in-person services in defiance of her stay-at-home order .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in excess of the allowable number and we will be taking action as to those individuals and those churches , ” Lightfoot said .
Asked whether that enforcement action would be in the form of fines , she replied : “ Certainly , that ’ s where we ’ ll start.
” Police vehicles were near some churches on Sunday , but only to prevent clashes between worshippers and protesters , Lightfoot said .
Academy Award-winning actor and humanitarian Sean Penn on Monday had a chilling warning for those pushing Gov .
J @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to loosen the reins and more quickly re-open the Chicago economy .
“ When it comes to opening economies , slow is smooth .
Smooth is fast .
And blood is slippery .
We don ’ t want to get our finger slipping on a hot trigger , ” Penn said after touring the COVID-19 testing site in hard-hit Belmont-Cragin , one of six his humanitarian organization is opening in Chicago .
“ We all just have to be very , very deliberate.
” Penn repeated those same chilling words when asked to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CORE has responded to around the world .
“ One of the things that I ’ m always telling our staff is that slow is smooth .
Smooth is fast .
And blood is slippery , ” he said .
The Chicago Loop Alliance ’ s “ Clean Team ” that has been charged with sanitizing high-touch areas in the ( usually crowded ) Loop have added a new tool to their arsenal , according to a release from the Alliance , the service provider for the downtown Special Service Area .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ racks , garbage cans , door handles and other surfaces in the Loop , some cleaning staff will now be armed with backpack sprayers that mist a fast-drying cleaning solution .
“ Under normal circumstances , our Clean Team would be focusing on things like sweeping , disposing trash , removing graffiti and things of that nature .
But our efforts have shifted almost completely to disinfecting , ” Michael Edwards , President and CEO of Chicago Loop Alliance , said in a release .
“ The agency has also been organizing weekly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sanitize street-level surfaces .
Earlier this month , the Chicago Loop Alliance installed two portable toilets downtown to offset bathroom inaccessibility after most non-essential businesses in the neighborhood remained closed during the stay-at-home order .
The stage appears to be set for a downstate judge who has already said “ the Bill of Rights is being shredded ” under Gov .
J.B. Pritzker ’ s stay-at-home order to try to knock it down at a hearing set for Friday afternoon .
The potential showdown comes as the governor faces rising pushback against his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so far survived tests in federal court , Clay County Judge Michael McHaney has made his opposition to it clear .
“ This issue needs resolved , ” McHaney said at a court hearing last week , according to a transcript obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times .
“ It begs to be resolved .
It ’ s got to be resolved in this court , and it ’ s going to be and it ’ s going to be resolved Friday.
” Any attempt to undo the stay-at-home order would surely be met @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Attorney General Kwame Raoul .
Read the full story from Jon Seidel here .
An experimental vaccine against the coronavirus showed encouraging results in very early testing , triggering hoped-for immune responses in eight healthy , middle-aged volunteers , its maker announced Monday .
The vaccine by Cambridge , Massachusetts-based Moderna Inc. , generated antibodies similar to those seen in people who have recovered from COVID-19 in study volunteers who were given either a low or medium dose .
In the next phase of the study , led by the U.S. National @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to determine which dose is best for a definitive experiment that they aim to start in July .
The vaccine seems safe so far , the company said .
A high dose version is being dropped after spurring some short-term side effects .
11:01 a.m. Oprah Winfrey is latest celeb to host virtual story time for Chicago kids Oprah Winfrey read “ The Boy , The Mole , The Fox and the Horse ” to kids across Chicago Monday — virtually , of course .
The video posted Monday morning is the latest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ collection , which also includes story time with musician and Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy , actress Jane Lynch , Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Cardinal Blase Cupich .
A video of the Obamas reading “ The Word Collector ” posted Thursday morning .
Library officials behind the “ Live From the Library ” project began posting videos in April .
The collection includes nearly 20 videos — with dozens more to come — featuring both celebrities and Chicago librarians reading stories .
A new video is being posted each weekday .
“ It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to bring the love of stories and books to families , ” said Chicago Library Commissioner Andrea Telli .
Telli said it was a testament to the city that so many former Chicagoans chose to participate .
“ They feel the way we feel about Chicago .
I think it says a lot about roots and the way the city stays with you , ” Telli said .
Read the full story from Mitch Dudek here .
The Illinois Department of Public Health announced Sunday that it processed 20,295 tests Saturday and identified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state ’ s total case count — although many have since recovered — to 94,191 .
Sunday ’ s numbers include several encouraging signs .
The 8.5 % statewide positivity rate Sunday falls well below the 15 % positivity rate recorded over the past seven days , reflecting both increased testing availability and a possible flattening of the curve .
The northeast region had an 18.3 % positivity rate Sunday , marking the fourth consecutive day that region , which includes Chicago and its suburbs , has hit an important benchmark .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plan , each region of the state must have a positivity rate below 20 % for 14 consecutive days to advance to the third phase .
That phase would permit some non-essential businesses , like salons and barbershops , to reopen with precautions .
Hospital admissions of coronavirus patients have also fallen 29.7 % since May 1 in the northeast region .
6:51 a.m. Work-from-home Congress : House OKs proxy voting for first time Neither Civil War nor Great Depression nor any other national crisis has pushed the House to allow lawmakers to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ present , ” as the Constitution requires .
That ’ s about to change during the coronavirus pandemic .
The House approved Friday a package of historic rules changes so Congress can keep functioning even while it ’ s partly closed .
The shift will dramatically change the look , if not the operation , of the legislative branch — launching a 21st century WFH House , like others , “ working from home.
” “ This House must continue legislating , ” Rep. Jim McGovern , the chairman of the House Rules @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ahead of the vote .
“ And we have to do so in a way that is safe for all those around us.
” Debate over the changes has been fierce .
As President Donald Trump encourages Americans back to work , the 435-member House has stayed away due to health risks while the smaller Senate has resumed operations .
Democrats argue the House can rely on technology for remote work as the pandemic drags on .
But Republicans objected to what they see as a power grab during the crisis .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criticizes U.S. leaders ’ virus response in online graduation speech Former President Barack Obama on Saturday criticized U.S. leaders overseeing the nation ’ s response to the coronavirus , telling college graduates in an online commencement address that the pandemic shows many officials “ aren ’ t even pretending to be in charge.
” Obama spoke on “ Show Me Your Walk , HBCU Edition , ” a two-hour event for students graduating from historically black colleges and universities broadcast on YouTube , Facebook and Twitter .
His remarks were unexpectedly political , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ current events beyond the virus and its social and economic impacts .
“ More than anything , this pandemic has fully , finally torn back the curtain on the idea that so many of the folks in charge know what they ’ re doing , ” Obama said .
“ A lot them aren ’ t even pretending to be in charge.
” Read the full story by The Associated Press here .
5:55 a.m .
Bittersweet e-ceremony for UIC grad : ‘ I didn ’ t really get to say goodbye ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from her college experience , read a Spanish quote she handpicked to thank her family and listened to a speech delivered by her college dean Saturday .
But the 2020 graduate from the University of Illinois at Chicago did so from the backyard of her family ’ s Berwyn home , not on campus with the momentous ceremony she ’ d always imagined .
“ It was a little bit strange — maybe , in some ways , disappointing , ” said Mendez , a first-generation college grad .
“ Just because I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the stage.
” She joined more than 5,000 UIC students — and tens of thousands more at other Illinois schools — left with no choice but to celebrate their graduation with an online ceremony in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic .
UIC still plans to hold an in-person commencement for their 2020 class sometime later this year , but with the state ’ s stay-at-home order banning large gatherings , the virtual stand-in will have to do for now .
Read the full story by Ben Pope here .
• Illinois health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to coronavirus , bringing the state ’ s pandemic death toll to 4,177 .
• As of Thursday , Cook County assumed the ominous moniker of having the most COVID-19 cases of any county in the United States .
• Chicago police announced Monday six more cases of COVID-19 , bringing the total number in the department to 520 .
• Seven more employees of Cook County ’ s Juvenile Temporary Detention Center have tested positive for COVID-19 .
1 p.m .
Closing streets for outdoor dining with safe social distancing ?
Sounds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do it safely , respecting the rules of social distancing .
We ’ re going to avoid crowds and keep a healthy six feet or more from anybody we ’ re not living with , including friends .
We ’ re not going to share food or forks or beverages if we have a picnic .
But we ’ re going outdoors — a whole lot more than we have been .
There ’ s a growing consensus among the experts that the risks of contracting or spreading the coronavirus are acceptably @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken .
It ’ s safer than going back to the office or walking in a mall , and it ’ s a great deal safer than crowding into bars like people are doing in Wisconsin .
The challenge for government is to find creative ways to support our safe , socially distanced emergence from the cocoons of our homes .
Along those lines , we ’ re intrigued by Mayor Lori Lightfoot ’ s apparent plan to close streets so that restaurants can spread out .
7:12 a.m. COVID-19 scales back youth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for many kids My heart will break for older teens if they don ’ t get to play sports in Illinois this summer , or maybe this fall , because of the coronavirus .
Most are nearing the end of their competitive sports days , and you hate to see them robbed .
For younger kids , I see a silver lining .
It ’ s a chance for them to do more bike riding .
They can learn to rollerblade or skateboard .
Maybe they can join their parents for runs or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ break from an over-scheduled life , especially when it comes to sports .
Or , maybe not .
In Missouri , a 40-team youth baseball tournament was held last weekend by GameTime Tournaments .
You won ’ t see this in Illinois right now because of the stay-at-home order to curb the spread of the virus .
But , at least one Illinois team , the Black Sox from central Illinois , made the trip , the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported .
GameTime instituted social distancing guidelines , including no high-fives , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things can ’ t be helped in baseball : The catcher always will be positioned behind the batter .
Players bump into each other on some plays .
Out of habit , coaches are bound to get close to players to give instruction .
After being at home for weeks , the games had to be a relief for the players and parents who watched .
But 40 teams ?
That ’ s downright irresponsible , even if permissible by Missouri ’ s looser restrictions related to the virus .
Fewer games , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could be a very good thing for kids .
Read the full column from Marlen Garcia here .

The latest
The plan must include the number of tests needed each month, including diagnostic, serological and other tests; month-by-month estimates of laboratory and testing capacities, including details on workforce, supplies and available tests; and a description of how the resources will be utilized for testing. Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Chicago Sun-Times
Federal officials announced Monday that over $10 billion in new funding is now being delivered to states, territories and localities to bolster coronavirus testing efforts and conduct contact tracing, including over $286 million for Illinois.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is doling out the $10.25 billion drawn from the Paycheck Protection Program and Healthcare Enhancement Act, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Another $750 million will be provided to tribal and urban Indian health programs through the Indian Health Service.
The influx of funding “will provide critical support to develop, purchase, administer, process, and analyze COVID-19 tests, conduct surveillance, trace contacts and related activities,” the HHS said.
In receiving Illinois’ $286,317,362 in new funding, Gov. J.B. Pritzker must submit a testing plan to HHS that includes goals for the remainder of the year.
Read the full report from Tom Schuba here.
News
9:26 p.m. Trump taking anti-malaria drug in case he catches coronavirus
President Donald Trump said Monday that he is taking a malaria drug to lessen symptoms should he get the new coronavirus, even though the drug is unproven for fighting COVID-19.
Trump told reporters he has been taking the drug, hydroxychloroquine, and a zinc supplement daily “for about a week and a half now.” Trump spent weeks pushing the drug as a potential cure for COVID-19 against the cautionary advice of many of his administration’s top medical professionals. The drug has the potential to cause significant side effects in some patients and has not been shown to combat the new coronavirus.
Trump said his doctor did not recommend the drug to him, but he requested it from the White House physician.
“I started taking it, because I think it’s good,” Trump said. “I’ve heard a lot of good stories.”
He dismissed reports of side effects, saying, “All I can tell you is, so far I seem to be OK.”
Read the full report here.
8:28 p.m. Rep. Garcia urges Gov. J.B. Pritzker to ensure Illinois Hispanics are hired as contact tracers
Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, D-Ill., on Monday pressed Gov. J. B. Pritzker to make sure Hispanics who know their communities are part of the army of COVID-19 contact tracers the governor wants to recruit.
Garcia discussed the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the Illinois Hispanic population in a conversation on Facebook live conducted in English.
The infections have hit a disproportionate share of Hispanics, and Pritzker highlighted that there are 66 testing sites in Illinois established in areas with a large number of Hispanic residents.
Garcia, the only Hispanic congressman in Illinois, has been scrambling to find state and federal resources to help battle the pandemic with a special focus on immigrants, no matter their legal status.
Read the full column from Lynn Sweet here.
6:18 p.m. Uber cuts more employees, closes offices
The CEO of Uber Technologies detailed a second wave of layoffs Monday at the ride-hailing and food delivery company, bringing its cuts this year to 25% of its workforce, along with plans to close or consolidate 45 offices globally.
In an email to employees, CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said the company will focus on core operations and consider options for other divisions, such as job recruiting app Uber Works and Uber Freight, which deals in truck deliveries. Uber was a chronic money-loser before the pandemic, but COVID-19 in April caused an 80% drop in revenue for its principal income producer, the ride-hailing division, compared with the same month last year.
In Chicago, the news raised questions about the fate of Uber’s lease of 463,000 square feet at the Old Post Office, a market-defining deal announced in September. Since then, Uber has delayed its move-in date to next year and offered about 15% of the space for sublease. It was intended as a home for Uber Freight.
The company did not respond to questions about its Chicago plans. But a source familiar with the agreement said Uber still will occupy the space.
Read the full report from David Roeder here.
5:11 p.m. Windy City Smokeout postponed to 2021 due to coronavirus
The smokeout’s been snuffed out, thanks to COVID-19.
The Windy City Smokeout is officially postponed until 2021, according to a statement on the festival organization’s website.
The smokeout has been pushed back to July 9-11, 2021, the statement said. Headliners Darius Rucker, Dierks Bentley and Jon Pardi are still slated to play at the 2021 festival.
“We love nothing more than enjoying a weekend of country music & BBQ with you, but the health and safety of you, our beloved artists, pitmasters & employees has always been our top priority,” the statement said. ”While this decision wasn’t easy, it is necessary to keep everyone safe.”
Tickets and festival passes already purchased will be honored at the 2021 festival with additional perks, the statement said. General admission tickets will receive a $10 per day food-and-beverage credit for single-day and three-day tickets. All VIP holders will receive a $30 per day credit for single-day tickets and a $100 credit on three-day tickets.
If they prefer, however, ticket holders can request a refund until June 17, the statement said. For every pass kept, the festival organizers will make a donation to Feed Chicago.
Want to see what other summer festivals have been postponed or canceled? Check out our list here.
— Alison Martin
3:55 p.m. County forest preserves to close more parking lots for Memorial Day weekend: ‘Enjoy the natural world in your backyard’
The Cook County Forest Preserves officials announced Monday that they plan to close additional parking lots for the Memorial Day weekend in an effort to curb crowding.
Dan Ryan Woods and Schiller Woods will join a list of six sites that have already seen their parking lots closed over the weeends due to concerns about social distancing and other public health guidelines.
The parking lots at the other six preserves — Busse Woods, Maple Lake, Saganashkee Slough, Catherine Chevalier Woods, LaBagh Woods and Bunker Hill — were already closed Fridays through Sundays in March or April and will remain closed on Memorial Day itself, a statement from the county agency said.
Read the full story here.
3:25 p.m. City looks at fines against churches that defied stay-home order
Though no enforcement action was taken on Sunday, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said fines are being considered against a number of Chicago churches that held in-person services in defiance of her stay-at-home order.
“There were some churches that congregated in excess of the allowable number and we will be taking action as to those individuals and those churches,” Lightfoot said.
Asked whether that enforcement action would be in the form of fines, she replied: “Certainly, that’s where we’ll start.”
Police vehicles were near some churches on Sunday, but only to prevent clashes between worshippers and protesters, Lightfoot said.
Read the full story here.
3 p.m. Actor, humanitarian Sean Penn cautions Chicago to reopen slowly and safely
Academy Award-winning actor and humanitarian Sean Penn on Monday had a chilling warning for those pushing Gov. J. B. Pritzker and Mayor Lori Lightfoot to loosen the reins and more quickly re-open the Chicago economy.
“When it comes to opening economies, slow is smooth. Smooth is fast. And blood is slippery. We don’t want to get our finger slipping on a hot trigger,” Penn said after touring the COVID-19 testing site in hard-hit Belmont-Cragin, one of six his humanitarian organization is opening in Chicago.
“We all just have to be very, very deliberate.”
Penn repeated those same chilling words when asked to compare the coronavirus to the natural disasters CORE has responded to around the world.
“One of the things that I’m always telling our staff is that slow is smooth. Smooth is fast. And blood is slippery,” he said.
Read the full story from City Hall reporter Fran Spielman.
2:30 p.m. Third consecutive day of less than 100 COVID-19 deaths, as hospital metrics improve
A spring day along the Rock River Recreation Path during the coronavirus pandemic on Saturday, May 16, 2020, in Rockford, Ill. Scott P. Yates/Rockford Register Star via AP
Officials on Monday reported another 59 COVID-19 deaths, although the state has seen less than 100 deaths for three consecutive days and hospital metrics continue to improve in the Chicago area.
There have been 4,234 coronavirus deaths in the state since the pandemic began, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. The state also reported 2,294 cases, bringing the total positive count to 96,485. The state received 21,290 tests back on Sunday.
Illinois has seen three consecutive days in which fewer than 100 people have died. On Saturday, 74 deaths were reported, and on Sunday, there were 51 deaths. Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s administration last week released death projections that predicted a range of 50 to 150 deaths into June or July. One research institution predicted a range of between 50 and 300 deaths.
There are 4,120 in the state’s hospitals with a COVID-19 diagnosis, according to Dr. Ngozi Ezike, the head of the Illinois Dept. of Public Health. Of those, 1,096 were in the ICU and 636 of those patients are on ventilators. Those numbers are an improvement from late Thursday, when there were 4,367 people in hospitals with COVID-19, 1,129 in the ICU and 675 on ventilators.
Read the full story here.
2:35 p.m. Loop group deploys cleaning crew with ‘disinfectant backpack sprayers’ downtown
Chicago Loop Alliance “clean team” workers disinfect high-touch areas downtown during the stay-at-home order.
The Chicago Loop Alliance’s “Clean Team” that has been charged with sanitizing high-touch areas in the (usually crowded) Loop have added a new tool to their arsenal, according to a release from the Alliance, the service provider for the downtown Special Service Area.
In addition to spraying and wiping down bike racks, garbage cans, door handles and other surfaces in the Loop, some cleaning staff will now be armed with backpack sprayers that mist a fast-drying cleaning solution.
“Under normal circumstances, our Clean Team would be focusing on things like sweeping, disposing trash, removing graffiti and things of that nature. But our efforts have shifted almost completely to disinfecting,” Michael Edwards, President and CEO of Chicago Loop Alliance, said in a release. “
The agency has also been organizing weekly pressure washing sweeps with a virucide to sanitize street-level surfaces.
Earlier this month, the Chicago Loop Alliance installed two portable toilets downtown to offset bathroom inaccessibility after most non-essential businesses in the neighborhood remained closed during the stay-at-home order.
— Lizzie Schiffman Tufano
1:46 p.m. Showdown looming over Pritzker’s stay-at-home order before skeptical downstate judge
The stage appears to be set for a downstate judge who has already said “the Bill of Rights is being shredded” under Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s stay-at-home order to try to knock it down at a hearing set for Friday afternoon.
The potential showdown comes as the governor faces rising pushback against his edicts. Though his stay-at-home order has so far survived tests in federal court, Clay County Judge Michael McHaney has made his opposition to it clear.
“This issue needs resolved,” McHaney said at a court hearing last week, according to a transcript obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times. “It begs to be resolved. It’s got to be resolved in this court, and it’s going to be and it’s going to be resolved Friday.”
Any attempt to undo the stay-at-home order would surely be met with attempts at quick appeals by Pritzker and Attorney General Kwame Raoul.
Read the full story from Jon Seidel here.
12:53 p.m. Early testing of COVID-19 vaccine shows promise in healthy volunteers
An experimental vaccine against the coronavirus showed encouraging results in very early testing, triggering hoped-for immune responses in eight healthy, middle-aged volunteers, its maker announced Monday.
The vaccine by Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Moderna Inc., generated antibodies similar to those seen in people who have recovered from COVID-19 in study volunteers who were given either a low or medium dose.
In the next phase of the study, led by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, researchers will try to determine which dose is best for a definitive experiment that they aim to start in July.
The vaccine seems safe so far, the company said. A high dose version is being dropped after spurring some short-term side effects.
Read the full report here.
11:01 a.m. Oprah Winfrey is latest celeb to host virtual story time for Chicago kids
Oprah Winfrey read “The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and the Horse” to kids across Chicago Monday — virtually, of course.
The video posted Monday morning is the latest additions to Chicago Public Library’s collection, which also includes story time with musician and Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy, actress Jane Lynch, Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Cardinal Blase Cupich. A video of the Obamas reading “The Word Collector” posted Thursday morning.
Library officials behind the “Live From the Library” project began posting videos in April. The collection includes nearly 20 videos — with dozens more to come — featuring both celebrities and Chicago librarians reading stories. A new video is being posted each weekday.
“It’s a way to reach people, to bring the love of stories and books to families,” said Chicago Library Commissioner Andrea Telli.
Telli said it was a testament to the city that so many former Chicagoans chose to participate.
“They feel the way we feel about Chicago. I think it says a lot about roots and the way the city stays with you,” Telli said.
Read the full story from Mitch Dudek here.
8:18 a.m. Latest COVID-19 stats for Chicago region suggest curve flattening
The Illinois Department of Public Health announced Sunday that it processed 20,295 tests Saturday and identified 1,734 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the state’s total case count — although many have since recovered — to 94,191.
Sunday’s numbers include several encouraging signs. The 8.5% statewide positivity rate Sunday falls well below the 15% positivity rate recorded over the past seven days, reflecting both increased testing availability and a possible flattening of the curve.
The northeast region had an 18.3% positivity rate Sunday, marking the fourth consecutive day that region, which includes Chicago and its suburbs, has hit an important benchmark.
In Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s reopening plan, each region of the state must have a positivity rate below 20% for 14 consecutive days to advance to the third phase. That phase would permit some non-essential businesses, like salons and barbershops, to reopen with precautions.
Hospital admissions of coronavirus patients have also fallen 29.7% since May 1 in the northeast region.
Read the full story here.
6:51 a.m. Work-from-home Congress: House OKs proxy voting for first time
Neither Civil War nor Great Depression nor any other national crisis has pushed the House to allow lawmakers to vote by proxy — without being “present,” as the Constitution requires. That’s about to change during the coronavirus pandemic.
The House approved Friday a package of historic rules changes so Congress can keep functioning even while it’s partly closed. The shift will dramatically change the look, if not the operation, of the legislative branch — launching a 21st century WFH House, like others, “working from home.”
“This House must continue legislating,” Rep. Jim McGovern, the chairman of the House Rules Committee, said during a lengthy session ahead of the vote. “And we have to do so in a way that is safe for all those around us.”
Debate over the changes has been fierce. As President Donald Trump encourages Americans back to work, the 435-member House has stayed away due to health risks while the smaller Senate has resumed operations.
Democrats argue the House can rely on technology for remote work as the pandemic drags on. But Republicans objected to what they see as a power grab during the crisis. The vote was 217-189.
6:20 a.m. Obama criticizes U.S. leaders’ virus response in online graduation speech
Former President Barack Obama on Saturday criticized U.S. leaders overseeing the nation’s response to the coronavirus, telling college graduates in an online commencement address that the pandemic shows many officials “aren’t even pretending to be in charge.”
Obama spoke on “Show Me Your Walk, HBCU Edition,” a two-hour event for students graduating from historically black colleges and universities broadcast on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. His remarks were unexpectedly political, given the venue, and touched on current events beyond the virus and its social and economic impacts.
“More than anything, this pandemic has fully, finally torn back the curtain on the idea that so many of the folks in charge know what they’re doing,” Obama said. “A lot them aren’t even pretending to be in charge.”
Read the full story by The Associated Press here.
5:55 a.m. Bittersweet e-ceremony for UIC grad: ‘I didn’t really get to say goodbye’
Edith Mendez watched a slideshow of photos from her college experience, read a Spanish quote she handpicked to thank her family and listened to a speech delivered by her college dean Saturday.
But the 2020 graduate from the University of Illinois at Chicago did so from the backyard of her family’s Berwyn home, not on campus with the momentous ceremony she’d always imagined.
“It was a little bit strange — maybe, in some ways, disappointing,” said Mendez, a first-generation college grad. “Just because I didn’t get to walk across the stage.”
She joined more than 5,000 UIC students — and tens of thousands more at other Illinois schools — left with no choice but to celebrate their graduation with an online ceremony in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
UIC still plans to hold an in-person commencement for their 2020 class sometime later this year, but with the state’s stay-at-home order banning large gatherings, the virtual stand-in will have to do for now.
Read the full story by Ben Pope here.
New cases
Analysis & Commentary
1 p.m. Closing streets for outdoor dining with safe social distancing? Sounds like a plan
We’re going outdoors.
We’re going to do it safely, respecting the rules of social distancing.
We’re going to avoid crowds and keep a healthy six feet or more from anybody we’re not living with, including friends. We’re not going to share food or forks or beverages if we have a picnic.
But we’re going outdoors — a whole lot more than we have been.
There’s a growing consensus among the experts that the risks of contracting or spreading the coronavirus are acceptably low outdoors if the proper precautions are taken. It’s safer than going back to the office or walking in a mall, and it’s a great deal safer than crowding into bars like people are doing in Wisconsin.
The challenge for government is to find creative ways to support our safe, socially distanced emergence from the cocoons of our homes. Along those lines, we’re intrigued by Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s apparent plan to close streets so that restaurants can spread out.
Read the Sun-Times’ full editorial here.
7:12 a.m. COVID-19 scales back youth sports. That’s a win for many kids
My heart will break for older teens if they don’t get to play sports in Illinois this summer, or maybe this fall, because of the coronavirus. Most are nearing the end of their competitive sports days, and you hate to see them robbed.
For younger kids, I see a silver lining. It’s a chance for them to do more bike riding. They can learn to rollerblade or skateboard. Maybe they can join their parents for runs or walks.
They could get a much-needed break from an over-scheduled life, especially when it comes to sports.
Or, maybe not. In Missouri, a 40-team youth baseball tournament was held last weekend by GameTime Tournaments. You won’t see this in Illinois right now because of the stay-at-home order to curb the spread of the virus. But, at least one Illinois team, the Black Sox from central Illinois, made the trip, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.
GameTime instituted social distancing guidelines, including no high-fives, and sanitized the ball often. But some things can’t be helped in baseball: The catcher always will be positioned behind the batter. Players bump into each other on some plays. Out of habit, coaches are bound to get close to players to give instruction.
After being at home for weeks, the games had to be a relief for the players and parents who watched. But 40 teams? That’s downright irresponsible, even if permissible by Missouri’s looser restrictions related to the virus.
Fewer games, or no games for a year, could be a very good thing for kids.
Read the full column from Marlen Garcia here.


chicagosun-times--2020-05-18--Recipe Swap: These dishes will inspire your quarantine cooking

Share All sharing options for : Recipe Swap : These dishes will inspire your quarantine cooking Home life — working , taking care of the kids , figuring out the spring garden , getting to all those DIY projects we ’ ve put off for years , binge-watching into the wee hours , coming home from an essential frontline job .
The coronavirus stay-at-home mandate , through May 30 for Illinois , has upended our lives on so many levels .
And then we ’ re confronted daily with those dreaded words : What ’ s for dinner ?
What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s for lunch ?
So we ’ re heading back to our kitchens , cooking like mad .
It ’ s a joyous exercise for many , a total drag for some , and “ I have carry-out on speed-dial ” for others .
For the adventurous or the die-hard home cook , what better time to take a deep dive into a favorite cookbook or old family recipe ?
And what ’ s better than a good old-fashioned recipe swap to share our favorite dishes — from appetizers to desserts ?
Sun-Times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ running this week .
Enjoy !
My parents loved Sears .
Perhaps , it ’ s because they arrived in the United States at the height of the department store ’ s popularity or our family ’ s go-to Six Corners shop was the most convenient .
My older sister and I got our first pair of jeans — Toughskins — from Sears .
Our first bike and swing-set , Sears .
Naturally , most of our family ’ s first appliances were from the Sears-based Kenmore line .
Our Sears blender ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my mom tried , improvising by adding onions , garlic , herbs and crushed pepper to the ground beef .
Sometimes , she would chop Serrano peppers and place it inside and on top of a portion of the lasagna to make it extra spicy for my dad .
My family still plays around with different herbs and spices when we cook the ground beef to give the dish a little kick .
— Rummana Hussain , Assistant Metro Editor , Chicago Sun-Times 1 pound ground beef ( soy crumbles can be substituted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lasagna noodles , al dente , approximately 7 to 8 minutes .
Drain and set aside .
3 .
Heat oil in a medium-sized saucepan over low heat .
Add the onions and garlic .
Cook , stirring occasionally until tender .
Turn up the heat to medium and add ground beef or soy meat and cook for 5 to 8 minutes , until browned .
Add the basil , oregano , crushed red pepper , cumin and salt and pepper .
Cook for 5 to 6 minutes .
Add the spaghetti sauce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for 10 minutes .
Remove from heat .
4 .
Slowly mix half of the sour cream and half of the cottage cheese in a blender .
Add the remaining sour cream and cottage cheese and blend until creamy .
Slowly add in 1/4 cup of the mozzarella cheese and 1/4 teaspoon salt and blend for 2 to t3 minutes .
5 .
Layer 3 of the lasagna noodles in a 9 X 12 greased pan , and overlap if necessary .
Spoon half of the meat sauce mix on top of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sour cream and cottage cheese mixture on top of the meat .
Add another layer of 3 lasagna noodles and repeat with remainder meat sauce and sour cream/cottage cheese mix .
Layer the last 3 lasagna noodles on top .
Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese , Parmesan cheese and parsley flakes .
6 .
Bake in oven , uncovered for 45 minutes to 1 hour until the top of the lasagna is golden brown .
Let stand for at least 10 to 15 minutes before serving .
This is my husband ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from one he learned from his Grandma .
We make big batches and have it for lunch all week .
You can conveniently store it in mason jars in the fridge .
— Akiko Spencer , Sports Design Editor , Chicago Sun-Times Makes 12 servings ( recipe can be cut in half ) In a large pan begin heating 2 cups of chicken broth and add all of the chicken .
Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat and then reduce to a simmer for 45 minutes , covered .
Flip Chicken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
( If using frozen chicken , add 10 extra minutes ) .
Once chicken is cooked through and able to shred with a fork , remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes .
Once chicken is cooled , shred with a fork and set aside .
Put 24 cups of broth in a large pot and bring to a boil .
Add the pasta and cook for half of the required cooking time .
Add the shredded chicken , carrots , celery and onions .
Cook for an additional 5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Remover from heat .
Add Italian parsley and salt and pepper to taste .
Store in mason jars in the fridge for easy lunches and snacks .
I ’ ve been smoking pulled pork this way since about 2013 .
My dad and I attended a dinner/BBQ class and learned how to make pulled pork , brisket and ribs , and I ’ ve spent the time since then adjusting and perfecting my recipe .
I also spend a lot of time reading about different BBQing techniques , which I use to up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because it ’ s pretty basic , but makes a moist , smoky pulled pork with a nice bark , and it makes lots of leftovers .
— Zach Kalmus , Manager | Prepress Ops + Adservice , Chicago Sun-Times 8+ lb .
pork shoulder ( I typically try and use 10-12 lb .
pork shoulders ) Step 1 : Bring your grill/smoker up to 275° Step 2 : While your smoker is heating up .
Put the pork shoulder in a pan and inject the marinade into the pork shoulder using multiple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Step 3 : Drizzle the rub on the outside of the pork shoulder , until it is generously covered .
Step 4 : Place the pork shoulder in your smoker .
Add several chunks of wood to the coals .
I use hickory , cherry or apple .
Step 5 : I use a leave-in meat thermometer , placed in the center of the pork shoulder , near the bone .
Smoke the pork shoulder for 8 hours , or until the internal temp reaches 190°-205° — the longer the better , especially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the cut of meat .
Step 6 : Once desired temp is reached , pull meat off the smoker and wrap in foil .
Let rest for an hour .
After the hour is up , unwrap the pork and shred using two forks , or shredding claws , if you have a set .
Put the shredded pork on a bun and douse it in your favorite sauce and enjoy !

Home life — working, taking care of the kids, figuring out the spring garden, getting to all those DIY projects we’ve put off for years, binge-watching into the wee hours, coming home from an essential frontline job.
The coronavirus stay-at-home mandate, through May 30 for Illinois, has upended our lives on so many levels.
And then we’re confronted daily with those dreaded words: What’s for dinner? What’s for breakfast? What’s for lunch?
So we’re heading back to our kitchens, cooking like mad. It’s a joyous exercise for many, a total drag for some, and “I have carry-out on speed-dial” for others.
Recipe Sidebar Got a family recipe to share? While we’re all becoming more acquainted with our kitchens, we’re sharing recipes submitted by Sun-Times readers, staff and more. Do you have a favorite family recipe to share? Email us at audience@suntimes.com with your name, city, ingredients, instructions, a photo of the dish (or even the recipe card) and a brief explanation of why you love this dish, for a chance to be featured here and Wednesdays in our Taste section.
For the adventurous or the die-hard home cook, what better time to take a deep dive into a favorite cookbook or old family recipe? And what’s better than a good old-fashioned recipe swap to share our favorite dishes — from appetizers to desserts?
Sun-Times staffers get our recipe swap off and running this week. Enjoy!
Spicier Sears Lasagna
My parents loved Sears. Perhaps, it’s because they arrived in the United States at the height of the department store’s popularity or our family’s go-to Six Corners shop was the most convenient. My older sister and I got our first pair of jeans — Toughskins — from Sears. Our first bike and swing-set, Sears. Naturally, most of our family’s first appliances were from the Sears-based Kenmore line. Our Sears blender’s instructions came with a lasagna recipe my mom tried, improvising by adding onions, garlic, herbs and crushed pepper to the ground beef. Sometimes, she would chop Serrano peppers and place it inside and on top of a portion of the lasagna to make it extra spicy for my dad. My family still plays around with different herbs and spices when we cook the ground beef to give the dish a little kick. — Rummana Hussain, Assistant Metro Editor, Chicago Sun-Times
Spicier ‘Sears’ Lasagna
Makes 6-8 servings
Preparation time: 1 hour
Cooking time: 45 minutes to 1 hour
Ingredients:
9 lasagna noodles
1 pound ground beef (soy crumbles can be substituted for vegetarians)
1 medium to large onion, chopped
16 oz. sour cream
16 oz. cottage cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 oz. plus 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
24 oz. can of spaghetti sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 to 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
½ tablespoon oregano
½ tablespoon basil
1 to 2 teaspoons cumin
1 tablespoon fresh or dried parsle
Olive oil for frying
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Boil the lasagna noodles, al dente, approximately 7 to 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
3. Heat oil in a medium-sized saucepan over low heat. Add the onions and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally until tender. Turn up the heat to medium and add ground beef or soy meat and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, until browned. Add the basil, oregano, crushed red pepper, cumin and salt and pepper. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Add the spaghetti sauce, lower the heat and let simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Slowly mix half of the sour cream and half of the cottage cheese in a blender. Add the remaining sour cream and cottage cheese and blend until creamy. Slowly add in 1/4 cup of the mozzarella cheese and 1/4 teaspoon salt and blend for 2 to t3 minutes.
5. Layer 3 of the lasagna noodles in a 9 X 12 greased pan, and overlap if necessary. Spoon half of the meat sauce mix on top of the noodles. Ladle or spoon half of the sour cream and cottage cheese mixture on top of the meat. Add another layer of 3 lasagna noodles and repeat with remainder meat sauce and sour cream/cottage cheese mix. Layer the last 3 lasagna noodles on top. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese and parsley flakes.
6. Bake in oven, uncovered for 45 minutes to 1 hour until the top of the lasagna is golden brown. Let stand for at least 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
Chicken Noodle Soup
This is my husband’s chicken noodle soup recipe he modified from one he learned from his Grandma. We make big batches and have it for lunch all week. You can conveniently store it in mason jars in the fridge. — Akiko Spencer, Sports Design Editor, Chicago Sun-Times
Chicken noodle soup is a classic comfort food. David Spencer
Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients:
Makes 12 servings (recipe can be cut in half)
5 - 6 (depending on size) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
26 cups of chicken broth
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1 medium white onion, chopped
1 lb of pasta (fusilli or similar)
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
For the Chicken:
In a large pan begin heating 2 cups of chicken broth and add all of the chicken. Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat and then reduce to a simmer for 45 minutes, covered. Flip Chicken frequently and add additional broth as needed. (If using frozen chicken, add 10 extra minutes). Once chicken is cooked through and able to shred with a fork, remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes. Once chicken is cooled, shred with a fork and set aside.
For the Soup:
Put 24 cups of broth in a large pot and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for half of the required cooking time. Add the shredded chicken, carrots, celery and onions. Cook for an additional 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Remover from heat. Add Italian parsley and salt and pepper to taste.
Store in mason jars in the fridge for easy lunches and snacks.
David Spencer’s homemade chicken noodle soup can be conveniently stored in mason jars for future meals or to share with family and friends. David Spencer
Zach’s Famous Pulled Pork
I’ve been smoking pulled pork this way since about 2013. My dad and I attended a dinner/BBQ class and learned how to make pulled pork, brisket and ribs, and I’ve spent the time since then adjusting and perfecting my recipe. I also spend a lot of time reading about different BBQing techniques, which I use to up my game. I like this recipe because it’s pretty basic, but makes a moist, smoky pulled pork with a nice bark, and it makes lots of leftovers. — Zach Kalmus, Manager | Prepress Ops + Adservice, Chicago Sun-Times
Ingredients:
8+ lb. pork shoulder (I typically try and use 10-12 lb. pork shoulders)
FOR THE RUB:
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup paprika
3 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
Injection Marinade:
1 cup apple juice/apple cider
½ cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup orange juice
¼ cup of your favorite BBQ sauce
Place the pork shoulder in your smoker. Add several chunks of wood to the coals. I use hickory, cherry or apple. Zach Kalmus
Directions
Step 1: Bring your grill/smoker up to 275°
Step 2: While your smoker is heating up. Put the pork shoulder in a pan and inject the marinade into the pork shoulder using multiple injections points and in all directions.
Step 3: Drizzle the rub on the outside of the pork shoulder, until it is generously covered.
Step 4: Place the pork shoulder in your smoker. Add several chunks of wood to the coals. I use hickory, cherry or apple.
Step 5: I use a leave-in meat thermometer, placed in the center of the pork shoulder, near the bone. Smoke the pork shoulder for 8 hours, or until the internal temp reaches 190°-205° — the longer the better, especially if there is a lot of fat on the cut of meat.
Step 6: Once desired temp is reached, pull meat off the smoker and wrap in foil. Let rest for an hour. After the hour is up, unwrap the pork and shred using two forks, or shredding claws, if you have a set.
Put the shredded pork on a bun and douse it in your favorite sauce and enjoy!