chicagosun-times--2020-05-30--Thousands ignore Minneapolis curfew as U.S. protests spread

MINNEAPOLIS — Thousands of protesters ignored a curfew and vows of a forceful police response to take to the Minneapolis streets for a fourth straight night , as the anger stoked by the police killing of George Floyd spread to more cities across the U.S .
The Pentagon on Saturday ordered the Army to put military police units on alert to head to the city on short notice at President Donald Trump ’ s request , according to three people with direct knowledge of the orders who did not want their names used because they were not authorized to discuss @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the violence spread to other cities : a man shot dead in Detroit , police cars battered in Atlanta and skirmishes with police in New York City .
Criminal charges filed Friday morning against the white officer who held his knee for nearly nine minutes on the neck of Floyd , a black man , did nothing to stem the anger .
Derek Chauvin , 44 , was charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter .
Minneapolis police said shots had been fired at law enforcement officers during the protests but no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dragged on , fires erupted across the city ’ s south side , including at a Japanese restaurant , a Wells Fargo bank and an Office Depot .
Many burned for hours , with firefighters again delayed in reaching them because areas weren ’ t secure .
Shortly before midnight , scores of officers on foot and in vehicles moved in to curb the violence , one day after city and state leaders faced blowback for their handling of the crisis .
On Thursday , protesters had torched a police station soon after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on to burn or vandalize dozens of businesses .
The new round of unrest came despite Gov .
Tim Walz vowing early in the day to show a more forceful response by the state than the one Thursday run by Minneapolis city leaders .
But by early Saturday morning , Walz was acknowledging he didn ’ t have enough manpower , even with some 500 Guard soldiers .
“ We do not have the numbers , ” Walz said .
“ We can not arrest people when we are trying to hold ground.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to mobilize more than 1,000 more Guard members , for a total of 1,700 , and was considering the potential offer of federal military police .
But he warned that even that might not be enough , saying he expected another difficult night Saturday .
The Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association urged Walz to accept any help .
“ You need more resources , ” the group said in a tweet .
“ Law enforcement needs leadership.
” Not all the protests were violent .
Downtown , thousands of demonstrators encircled a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday curfew .
“ Prosecute the police !
” some chanted , and “ Say his name : George Floyd !
” Some protesters sprayed graffiti on buildings .
Ben Hubert , a 26-year-old local resident , said he wasn ’ t surprised people were breaking curfew and setting fires .
“ I ’ m outraged , ” he said of the Floyd case .
“ But I ’ m also sad .
The injustice has been going on for so long .
It ’ s been swelling for years.
” Chauvin was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who expressed concerns about Floyd as he lay handcuffed on the ground , pleading that he could not breathe while Chauvin pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes .
Floyd , who was black , had been arrested on suspicion of using a counterfeit bill at a store .
Chauvin , who was fired along with three other officers who were at the scene , faces more than 12 years in prison if convicted of murder .
An attorney for Floyd ’ s family welcomed the arrest but said he expected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the other officers arrested , too .
Prosecutor Mike Freeman said more charges were possible , but authorities “ felt it appropriate to focus on the most dangerous perpetrator.
” Protests nationwide have been fueled by outrage over Floyd ’ s death and years of police violence against African Americans .
Protesters smashed windows at CNN headquarters in Atlanta , set a police car on fire and struck officers with bottles .
Large demonstrations in New York , Houston , Washington , D.C. , and dozens of other cities ranged from people peacefully @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ You are disgracing our city , ” Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms told protesters .
“ You are disgracing the life of George Floyd and every other person who has been killed in this country.
” Police were trying to put Floyd in a squad car Monday when he stiffened and fell to the ground , saying he was claustrophobic , a criminal complaint said .
Chauvin and Officer Tou Thoa arrived and tried several times to get the struggling Floyd into the car .
Chauvin eventually pulled Floyd out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ went to the ground face down .
Officer J.K. Kueng held Floyd ’ s back and Officer Thomas Lane held his legs while Chauvin put his knee on Floyd ’ s head and neck area , the complaint said .
When Lane asked if Floyd should be rolled onto his side , Chauvin said , “ No , staying put is where we got him.
” Lane said he was “ worried about excited delirium or whatever.
” An autopsy said the combined effects of being restrained , potential intoxicants in Floyd ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including heart disease , likely contributed to his death .
It revealed nothing to support strangulation as the cause of death .
There were no other details about intoxicants , and toxicology results can take weeks .
In the 911 call that drew police , the caller describes the man suspected of paying with counterfeit money as “ awfully drunk and he ’ s not in control of himself.
” After Floyd apparently stopped breathing , Lane again said he wanted to roll Floyd onto his side .
Kueng checked for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one , according to the complaint .
Chauvin ’ s attorney had no comment when reached by The Associated Press .
The prosecutor highlighted the “ extraordinary speed ” in charging the case four days after Floyd ’ s death and defended himself against questions about why it did not happen sooner .
Freeman said his office needed time to gather evidence , including what he called the “ horrible ” video recorded by a bystander .
Trump said Friday that he ’ d spoken to Floyd ’ s family and “ expressed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the arrest “ just a horrible thing to witness and to watch .
It certainly looked like there was no excuse for it.
” Attorney Benjamin Crump , who is representing Floyd ’ s family , asked to take custody of Floyd ’ s body for an independent autopsy .
The doctor who will do the autopsy is Michael Baden , former chief medical examiner of New York City , who was hired to do an autopsy for Eric Garner , a black man who died in 2014 after New York police placed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he could not breathe .
State and federal authorities also are investigating Floyd ’ s death .

MINNEAPOLIS — Thousands of protesters ignored a curfew and vows of a forceful police response to take to the Minneapolis streets for a fourth straight night, as the anger stoked by the police killing of George Floyd spread to more cities across the U.S.
The Pentagon on Saturday ordered the Army to put military police units on alert to head to the city on short notice at President Donald Trump’s request, according to three people with direct knowledge of the orders who did not want their names used because they were not authorized to discuss the preparations. The rare step came as the violence spread to other cities: a man shot dead in Detroit, police cars battered in Atlanta and skirmishes with police in New York City.
Criminal charges filed Friday morning against the white officer who held his knee for nearly nine minutes on the neck of Floyd, a black man, did nothing to stem the anger. Derek Chauvin, 44, was charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
Minneapolis police said shots had been fired at law enforcement officers during the protests but no one was injured.
As the night dragged on, fires erupted across the city’s south side, including at a Japanese restaurant, a Wells Fargo bank and an Office Depot. Many burned for hours, with firefighters again delayed in reaching them because areas weren’t secure.
Shortly before midnight, scores of officers on foot and in vehicles moved in to curb the violence, one day after city and state leaders faced blowback for their handling of the crisis. On Thursday, protesters had torched a police station soon after it was abandoned by police and went on to burn or vandalize dozens of businesses.
The new round of unrest came despite Gov. Tim Walz vowing early in the day to show a more forceful response by the state than the one Thursday run by Minneapolis city leaders. But by early Saturday morning, Walz was acknowledging he didn’t have enough manpower, even with some 500 Guard soldiers.
“We do not have the numbers,” Walz said. “We cannot arrest people when we are trying to hold ground.”
Walz said he was moving quickly to mobilize more than 1,000 more Guard members, for a total of 1,700, and was considering the potential offer of federal military police. But he warned that even that might not be enough, saying he expected another difficult night Saturday.
The Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association urged Walz to accept any help.
“You need more resources,” the group said in a tweet. “Law enforcement needs leadership.”
Not all the protests were violent. Downtown, thousands of demonstrators encircled a barricaded police station after the 8 p.m. Friday curfew. “Prosecute the police!” some chanted, and “Say his name: George Floyd!” Some protesters sprayed graffiti on buildings.
Anger filled the streets of Minneapolis.
Ben Hubert, a 26-year-old local resident, said he wasn’t surprised people were breaking curfew and setting fires.
“I’m outraged,” he said of the Floyd case. “But I’m also sad. The injustice has been going on for so long. It’s been swelling for years.”
Chauvin was also was accused of ignoring another officer who expressed concerns about Floyd as he lay handcuffed on the ground, pleading that he could not breathe while Chauvin pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes. Floyd, who was black, had been arrested on suspicion of using a counterfeit bill at a store.
Chauvin, who was fired along with three other officers who were at the scene, faces more than 12 years in prison if convicted of murder.
An attorney for Floyd’s family welcomed the arrest but said he expected a more serious murder charge and wants the other officers arrested, too.
Prosecutor Mike Freeman said more charges were possible, but authorities “felt it appropriate to focus on the most dangerous perpetrator.”
Protests nationwide have been fueled by outrage over Floyd’s death and years of police violence against African Americans. Protesters smashed windows at CNN headquarters in Atlanta, set a police car on fire and struck officers with bottles. Large demonstrations in New York, Houston, Washington, D.C., and dozens of other cities ranged from people peacefully blocking roads to repeated clashes with police.
“You are disgracing our city,” Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms told protesters. “You are disgracing the life of George Floyd and every other person who has been killed in this country.”
Police were trying to put Floyd in a squad car Monday when he stiffened and fell to the ground, saying he was claustrophobic, a criminal complaint said. Chauvin and Officer Tou Thoa arrived and tried several times to get the struggling Floyd into the car.
Chauvin eventually pulled Floyd out of the car, and the handcuffed Floyd went to the ground face down. Officer J.K. Kueng held Floyd’s back and Officer Thomas Lane held his legs while Chauvin put his knee on Floyd’s head and neck area, the complaint said.
When Lane asked if Floyd should be rolled onto his side, Chauvin said, “No, staying put is where we got him.” Lane said he was “worried about excited delirium or whatever.”
An autopsy said the combined effects of being restrained, potential intoxicants in Floyd’s system and his underlying health issues, including heart disease, likely contributed to his death. It revealed nothing to support strangulation as the cause of death.
There were no other details about intoxicants, and toxicology results can take weeks. In the 911 call that drew police, the caller describes the man suspected of paying with counterfeit money as “awfully drunk and he’s not in control of himself.”
After Floyd apparently stopped breathing, Lane again said he wanted to roll Floyd onto his side. Kueng checked for a pulse and said he could not find one, according to the complaint.
Chauvin’s attorney had no comment when reached by The Associated Press.
The prosecutor highlighted the “extraordinary speed” in charging the case four days after Floyd’s death and defended himself against questions about why it did not happen sooner. Freeman said his office needed time to gather evidence, including what he called the “horrible” video recorded by a bystander.
Trump said Friday that he’d spoken to Floyd’s family and “expressed my sorrow.”
He called video of the arrest “just a horrible thing to witness and to watch. It certainly looked like there was no excuse for it.”
Attorney Benjamin Crump, who is representing Floyd’s family, asked to take custody of Floyd’s body for an independent autopsy.
The doctor who will do the autopsy is Michael Baden, former chief medical examiner of New York City, who was hired to do an autopsy for Eric Garner, a black man who died in 2014 after New York police placed him in a chokehold and he pleaded that he could not breathe.
State and federal authorities also are investigating Floyd’s death.


chicagosun-times--2020-05-30--Protesters arrested after clashes with Chicago police in Loop

Multiple people were arrested after large crowds of protesters clashed with Chicago police overnight in the Loop .
Late Friday @ @ @ @ @ near Trump Tower before moving down State Street into the Loop about midnight .
Marchers @ @ @ @ @ protest the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody .
Several protesters could be @ @ @ @ @ onto cars and damaging property early Saturday near State and Harrison streets before officers took @ @ @ @ @ Chicago police could not immediately confirm how many arrests were reported at the protest overnight @ @ @ @ @ marchers shut down several downtown streets as protests in response to the killing of Floyd @ @ @ @ @ cities across the nation .

Outrage over the death of George Floyd at the knee of a white Minneapolis police officer hit the streets of Chicago, as hours of protests ended early Saturday with smashed Loop windows, more than 100 arrests, a dozen injured officers and still-simmering anger.
By the wee hours near State and Harrison, several protesters — from among a crowd that at times numbered several hundred people — could be seen throwing bottles, climbing onto cars and damaging property before officers took multiple people into custody.
Damage was also reported to multiple city vehicles, police said, with the last stragglers dispersing by about 5 a.m.
Chicago Police Supt. David Brown said 108 protesters were arrested in the demonstrations that “began peaceful and ended a little bit more aggressive and intense.”
One person was arrested carrying a gun, and another will face aggravated battery charges for allegedly breaking an officer’s wrist during a Loop confrontation, Brown said at a Saturday morning news conference. Other officers suffered minor injuries.
“Some in the crowd began confronting the police, so we had to take swift action so that the violence and property damage wouldn’t escalate,” Brown said. “We think we hit the right tone as it relates to allowing those who want to express their First Amendment right, and crossing the line to property damage and violence — we took swift action.”
Protesters demonstrate outside the Metropolitan Correctional Center Friday. Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times
Brown called the property damage “minimal,” though several storefronts were smashed. It wasn’t clear if anything was taken.
With another demonstration planned for 2 p.m. Saturday at Federal Plaza, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said “we’re not going to tolerate” lawlessness.
“Peaceful protesting is part of who we are as Americans, who we are as a democracy,” Lightfoot said. “But when it crosses the line, we have to take action. Everybody has rights, and it is righteous to be angry and to be frustrated.
“My hope is that if there is an additional protest ... that the vast majority of people will conduct themselves the way the vast majority of people conducted themselves yesterday, which is peaceful,” Lightfoot said.
City officials enacted a large downtown parking ban ahead of Saturday’s protests, barring vehicles from Chicago Avenue south to Congress, and from Lake Shore Drive west to Wells.
Protesters watch as prisoners at the Metropolitan Correctional Center tap the glass and turn their lights on and off in support of the protesters Friday. Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times
Chicago’s latest segment of the unrest that has spread to dozens of cities across the nation started near Millennium Park about 5 p.m. Friday with a crowd toting signs declaring “Justice 4 George” and “Black Lives Matter” as they marched against traffic, south down Michigan Avenue.
“Say his name! George Floyd!” they chanted, also yelling “I can’t breathe!” — what Floyd had said several times during the more than eight minutes now former-officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on Floyd’s neck as he lay face-down on a street earlier in the week. Chauvin has been charged with third-degree murder.
Before the early morning property damage, the Chicago demonstration remained mostly peaceful as protesters marched through the Loop. It eventually splintering into smaller groups including one that gathered near President Donald Trump’s namesake tower about midnight.
Contributing: Manny Ramos, Maudlyne Ihejirika and Madeline Kenney
Hundreds of protesters demanding justice for George Floyd march around in Chicago’s River North neighborhood on Friday. Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times
Protesters and Chicago police officers during a march downtown Friday over the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd. Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times file photo


chicagosun-times--2020-05-30--Father and son reported missing from Matteson found safely

Lightfoot ’ s response to Trump ’ s threat against Minneapolis protesters ‘ begins with F and ends with you @ @ @ @ @ Trump is trying to `` foment violence '' and said she had to `` code @ @ @ @ @ say to Donald Trump . ''

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


chicagosun-times--2020-05-30--‘Medical emergency’ disrupts Green Line service in Oak Park

Green Line service was disrupted for about an hour Saturday because of a “ medical emergency ” in west suburban @ @ @ @ @ halted at 1:13 a.m. because of the medical emergency on the tracks near the Oak @ @ @ @ @ Oak Park Ave. in Oak Park , according to service alerts from the CTA .
@ @ @ @ @ between the Harlem/Lake and Laramie/Lake stations , but trains were running again with residual delays @ @ @ @ @ to the CTA .
Oak Park police did not provide additional details about the incident @ @ @

Green Line service was disrupted for about an hour Saturday because of a “medical emergency” in west suburban Oak Park.
Trains were halted at 1:13 a.m. because of the medical emergency on the tracks near the Oak Park station, 100 S. Oak Park Ave. in Oak Park, according to service alerts from the CTA.
Shuttle buses provided connecting service between the Harlem/Lake and Laramie/Lake stations, but trains were running again with residual delays by 2:15 a.m., according to the CTA.
Oak Park police did not provide additional details about the incident early Saturday.


chicagosun-times--2020-05-30--Coronavirus live blog, May 30, 2020: 61 more deaths raise Illinois coronavirus toll to 5,330

Here ’ s what happened in Chicago and around the state as the coronavirus pandemic continued .
Health officials on Saturday announced an additional 61 people have died of COVID-19 in Illinois , raising the state ’ s death toll to 5,330 .
The Illinois Department of Public Health also said another 1,462 people tested positive for the coronavirus among the latest batch of more than 25,000 tests administered .
Since the pandemic hit the state , 118,917 people have contracted the virus .
Most have recovered .
COVID-19 has been reported in all but one of Illinois ’ 102 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a day earlier shows more than half the state ’ s fatal cases have originated in nursing homes .
5:21 p.m. Coronavirus cases could rise as protests continue , US city , health officials fear LOS ANGELES — The massive protests sweeping across U.S. cities following the police killing of a handcuffed black man in Minnesota have elevated fears of a new surge in cases of the coronavirus .
Images showing thousands of screaming , unmasked protesters have sent shudders through the health community , which worries its calls for social distancing during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Leaders appealing for calm in places where crowds smashed storefronts and destroyed police cars in recent nights also have been handing out masks and warning protesters they were putting themselves at risk .
Minnesota ’ s governor said Saturday that too many protesters weren ’ t socially distancing or wearing masks after heeding the call earlier in the week .
But many seemed undeterred .
“ It ’ s not OK that in the middle of a pandemic we have to be out here risking our lives , ” Spence Ingram said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state Capitol in Atlanta .
“ But I have to protest for my life and fight for my life all the time.
” Ingram , 25 , who was wearing a mask , said she has asthma and was worried about contracting the virus .
But she said as a black woman , she always felt that her life was under threat from police and she needed to protest that .
3:28 p.m .
Nursing homes account for more than half of coronavirus deaths in Illinois , new data shows Illinois nursing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all coronavirus deaths in Illinois , data released Friday shows .
The Illinois Department of Public Health on Friday reported 2,747 coronavirus deaths in Illinois nursing homes and long-term care facilities , and 17,133 cases .
The data this week again reflects a change in how the numbers were reported from previously .
Last week , Illinois officials said they would no longer be reporting cases and deaths from homes which had not recorded a new case of coronavirus in the past 28 days .
A day later , though , the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which included the cumulative number of cases and deaths since the start of the outbreak .
The state ’ s nursing home data continues to be riddled with inconsistencies , with some homes reporting a decrease in cases and deaths , despite assurances from Illinois officials that the data is cumulative .
The state previously stopped counting “ probable ” nursing home cases and now reports only laboratory-confirmed cases , which had led totals to drop at some homes .
According to the data released on Friday , Illinois has 536 homes which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Sun-Times review of that data found that multiple homes were listed twice both in the data released by the state and on their website .
Read the full report from Caroline Hurley here .
DETROIT — The U.S. auto industry ’ s coronavirus comeback plan was pretty simple : restart factories gradually and push out trucks and other vehicles for waiting buyers in states left largely untouched by the virus outbreak .
Yet the return from a two-month production shutdown hasn ’ t gone quite according to plan .
For some automakers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or it ’ s been herky-jerky , with production lines stopping and starting due to infected workers or parts shortages from Mexico and elsewhere .
“ There ’ s a lot that can go wrong in bringing people back into the plants to try to build very complicated assemblies , ” said Kristin Dziczek , vice president of industry and labor at the Center for Automotive Research , an industry think tank .
Most automakers closed factories in mid-to-late March when workers began to get sick as the novel coronavirus spread .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two shifts in mid-May as state stay-home restrictions eased , with automakers touting safety precautions that include checking workers ’ temperatures , certification by workers that they don ’ t have symptoms , social distancing , time between shifts and plastic barriers where possible to keep workers apart .
Still , some workers got COVID-19 , although it ’ s not known where they were infected .
In some cases they still came to work , forcing companies to close plants temporarily for cleaning .
In at least one case , a worker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus , forcing a shutdown and cutting off parts .
11:27 a.m .
US food prices see historic jump and are likely to stay high DES MOINES , Iowa — As if trips to the grocery store weren ’ t nerve-wracking enough , U.S. shoppers lately have seen the costs of meat , eggs and even potatoes soar as the coronavirus has disrupted processing plants and distribution networks .
Overall , the cost of food bought to eat at home skyrocketed by the most in 46 years , and analysts caution that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as slaughterhouses struggle to maintain production levels while implementing procedures intended to keep workers healthy .
While price spikes for staples such as eggs and flour have eased as consumer demand has leveled off , prices remain volatile for carrots , potatoes and other produce because of transportation issues and the health of workers who pick crops and work in processing plants .
In short , supermarket customers and restaurant owners shouldn ’ t expect prices to drop anytime soon .
“ Our biggest concern is long-term food costs .
I believe they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Julie Kalambokidis , co-owner of Adriano ’ s Brick Oven , a restaurant in Glenwood , Iowa .
10:20 a.m. Prayers and precautions : Pritzker eases religious rules , but most faiths still opting to ‘ err on the side of caution ’ How many worshippers are welcomed into churches , synagogues and mosques across Illinois is now a matter of recommendation , rather than requirement .
Gov .
J.B. Pritzker made the significant change regarding capacity limits at houses of worship in his latest coronavirus disaster proclamation as residents move into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reopening — but that doesn ’ t mean the pews will be packed on Sunday .
Not even at Elim Romanian Pentecostal Church on the Northwest Side .
The Albany Park church ’ s pastor , the Rev .
Cristian Ionescu , had claimed victory over “ tyranny ” after Pritzker issued a relaxed guidance for religious gatherings that rendered moot Elim ’ s legal challenge against the governor ’ s more stringent stay-at-home order .
But Ionescu is now preaching caution , not crowds .
“ We are not giddy with this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to relent , and we are not going to relax , ” Ionescu said in a video message Thursday .
“ We are going to enforce and keep all precautionary measures and restrictions in place , because we care about the health and wellbeing of our members.
” Read the full story from Mitch Armentrout here .
9:09 a.m. Singer John Vincent lifts seniors ’ spirits one ballad at a time via nursing home ‘ concerts ’ While singer John Vincent provides hope and cheer by performing classic hits to senior citizens through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , his heart is heavy .
“ We ’ re in unprecedented times where the unemployment rate is the highest since the Great Depression .
When I ’ m singing , all of this is weighing on my head , ” said Vincent .
“ My mind is constantly spinning , so I ’ ll experience waves of anxiety and happiness and sadness during one song.
” Amid the COVID-19 pandemic , Vincent , a Southwest Side native and the Cubs ’ resident National Anthem singer since 2003 , was approached by a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the shadow of Wrigley Field , about performing nursing home “ concerts ” for residents .
8:32 a.m .
Twilight Zone no more , downtown Highland Park jumped back to life on Friday Most of downtown Highland Park has been frozen in place since mid-March , as if a set for a Twilight Zone episode titled “ The COVID-19 Encounter , ” where all the people in a town suddenly vanish as retail storefronts stuffed with merchandise eerily remained intact .
I don ’ t know how this episode will end , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plot twist .
The coronavirus pandemic shutdown eased in Chicago ’ s suburbs and this North Shore city – as so many suburbs - jumped to life .
Suddenly , retail stores , hair and nail salons , barber shops and restaurants with outdoor dining were open for business .
People were on the street — many , not all , in masks .
The vibe was survival , revival , and in some places , bless them , extreme sanitation .
At 8 a.m. , Highland Park Village Manager Ghida Neukirch was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Road , just off Central Avenue , to convert public space to an area for outdoor diners .
Down the block , Stepan Mikula , owner of “ The Barbers ” was finishing restoring his shop after repainting , restaining the floors and spreading out the chairs .
He will reopen Saturday .
He ’ s been closed since March 14 and the economic impact was “ horrible.
” He ’ s bringing back his five barbers , contractors he was not able to pay these past months .
On Saturday “ all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the full story from Lynn Sweet here .
7:15 a.m. How many students are taking part in remote learning at your school ?
Search our database .
Chicago Public Schools released data this week on remote learning participation that found that fewer than 60 % of all Chicago Public Schools students are engaging with online remote learning three or more days per week .
The report , which includes some of the most detailed metrics in the country , measured 294,000 students at district-run schools and focused on the week of May 11 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of students were successfully contacted by someone at their school at least once during that week , whether to check in for academic reasons or to offer social and emotional support .
But more than 43,000 students , including a quarter of all high schoolers , weren ’ t reached that week .
Since schools closed , 2,200 students haven ’ t been reached a single time .
Reporter Caroline Hurley has all the data and searchable database .
• Chicago police announced Friday four more cases of COVID-19 , bringing the number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• Health officials announced Illinois ’ latest 86 coronavirus deaths on Friday as thousands of businesses across the state geared up for the next phase of Gov .
J.B. Pritzker ’ s reopening plan .
With the COVID-19 death toll raised to 5,270 , the Illinois Department of Public Health also announced an additional 1,622 people have tested positive for the virus out of 21,796 tests administered a day earlier .
• A pair of Cook County judges have tested positive for COVID-19 , marking the first cases of the coronavirus in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced Thursday .
1:01 p.m. University of Illinois football and basketball players — essential workers — head back to campus Some student workers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign will return to campus next week to start preparing for their football and men ’ s basketball seasons .
Did I say workers ?
Yes , that ’ s what they are .
The university calls them student-athletes , and they are that , too .
But please make no mistake .
They are employees at the U. of I .
That they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were moved online because of the pandemic , underscores how valuable they are to the university .
They are not just students or athletes .
They are workers , too .
It looks like they will be treated a lot better than many other workers across America .
They are fortunate in that regard .
In announcing the athletes ’ return , the school said it was coordinating with sports medicine staff , local doctors and the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District .
That ’ s a lot of oversight .
June workouts will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The athletics department has promised to honor financial aid commitments — their pay — even if athletes are no-shows because of concerns over the coronavirus .
But the pressure is on .
Forgoing workouts means you are letting down the team .
That makes it tough to say no to driven , demanding coaches .
7:31 a.m. Gov .
Pritzker walks a fine line between public safety and angry critics in reopening Illinois In the period just before and after Gov .
J.B. Pritzker issued his first stay-at-home order in March , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 13 COVID-19 outbreaks , resulting in 88 cases .
Since then , according to the Illinois Department of Public Health , iIllinois has seen no such outbreaks — until one was revealed last week .
IDPH told me of a very recent church-related outbreak of 39 cases , including the pastor .
That outbreak was acknowledged last Wednesday by the administrator of the Jackson County Health Department .
The administrator told WSIU Radio that the unnamed Southern Illinois church had been holding services in defiance of the governor ’ s stay-at-home order .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ more church-related outbreaks could happen if people aren ’ t careful .
Pritzker told reporters last week that his administration will be posting “ guidance , not mandatory restrictions , for all faith leaders to use in their efforts to ensure the health and safety of their congregants.
” He said the guidance would be “ suggestions ” on capacity limits , indoor gatherings of 10 persons or less , etc .
“ Governor Pritzker has capitulated , and the Thomas More Society is claiming victory in a trio of church lawsuits charging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” a spokesperson for the organization said .
And then Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul filed his office ’ s response , mandated by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh , to an emergency request by two Illinois churches that wanted the governor ’ s restrictions lifted .
In that response , Raoul claimed the two churches ’ filing was basically moot because the governor ’ s executive order would expires the next day .

Here’s what happened in Chicago and around the state as the coronavirus pandemic continued.
News
6:57 p.m. 61 more deaths raise Illinois coronavirus toll to 5,330
A phlebotomist draws blood for a coronavirus antibody test earlier this month in the parking lot of St. Rosalie Catholic Parish in Harwood Heights. Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times
Health officials on Saturday announced an additional 61 people have died of COVID-19 in Illinois, raising the state’s death toll to 5,330.
The Illinois Department of Public Health also said another 1,462 people tested positive for the coronavirus among the latest batch of more than 25,000 tests administered.
Since the pandemic hit the state, 118,917 people have contracted the virus. Most have recovered.
COVID-19 has been reported in all but one of Illinois’ 102 counties. Data released by the state a day earlier shows more than half the state’s fatal cases have originated in nursing homes.
Reporter Mitch Armentrout has the full story.
5:21 p.m. Coronavirus cases could rise as protests continue, US city, health officials fear
LOS ANGELES — The massive protests sweeping across U.S. cities following the police killing of a handcuffed black man in Minnesota have elevated fears of a new surge in cases of the coronavirus.
Images showing thousands of screaming, unmasked protesters have sent shudders through the health community, which worries its calls for social distancing during the demonstrations are unlikely to be heard.
Leaders appealing for calm in places where crowds smashed storefronts and destroyed police cars in recent nights also have been handing out masks and warning protesters they were putting themselves at risk.
Minnesota’s governor said Saturday that too many protesters weren’t socially distancing or wearing masks after heeding the call earlier in the week.
But many seemed undeterred.
“It’s not OK that in the middle of a pandemic we have to be out here risking our lives,” Spence Ingram said Friday after marching with other protesters to the state Capitol in Atlanta. “But I have to protest for my life and fight for my life all the time.”
Ingram, 25, who was wearing a mask, said she has asthma and was worried about contracting the virus. But she said as a black woman, she always felt that her life was under threat from police and she needed to protest that.
Read the full report here.
3:28 p.m. Nursing homes account for more than half of coronavirus deaths in Illinois, new data shows
Despite the state moving to Phase 3 of the governor’s reopening plan on Friday, many nursing homes and long-term care facilities continue to report increases in coronavirus cases and deaths. Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times
Illinois nursing homes now account for 52% of all coronavirus deaths in Illinois, data released Friday shows.
The Illinois Department of Public Health on Friday reported 2,747 coronavirus deaths in Illinois nursing homes and long-term care facilities, and 17,133 cases.
The data this week again reflects a change in how the numbers were reported from previously. Last week, Illinois officials said they would no longer be reporting cases and deaths from homes which had not recorded a new case of coronavirus in the past 28 days. A day later, though, the state quietly reversed course and released updated data which included the cumulative number of cases and deaths since the start of the outbreak.
The state’s nursing home data continues to be riddled with inconsistencies, with some homes reporting a decrease in cases and deaths, despite assurances from Illinois officials that the data is cumulative. The state previously stopped counting “probable” nursing home cases and now reports only laboratory-confirmed cases, which had led totals to drop at some homes.
According to the data released on Friday, Illinois has 536 homes which have had cases of coronavirus. But a Sun-Times review of that data found that multiple homes were listed twice both in the data released by the state and on their website.
Read the full report from Caroline Hurley here.
2:02 p.m. Infected workers, parts shortages slow auto factory restarts
DETROIT — The U.S. auto industry’s coronavirus comeback plan was pretty simple: restart factories gradually and push out trucks and other vehicles for waiting buyers in states left largely untouched by the virus outbreak.
Yet the return from a two-month production shutdown hasn’t gone quite according to plan. For some automakers, full production has been delayed, or it’s been herky-jerky, with production lines stopping and starting due to infected workers or parts shortages from Mexico and elsewhere.
“There’s a lot that can go wrong in bringing people back into the plants to try to build very complicated assemblies,” said Kristin Dziczek, vice president of industry and labor at the Center for Automotive Research, an industry think tank.
Most automakers closed factories in mid-to-late March when workers began to get sick as the novel coronavirus spread. The factories started to reopen on one or two shifts in mid-May as state stay-home restrictions eased, with automakers touting safety precautions that include checking workers’ temperatures, certification by workers that they don’t have symptoms, social distancing, time between shifts and plastic barriers where possible to keep workers apart.
Still, some workers got COVID-19, although it’s not known where they were infected. In some cases they still came to work, forcing companies to close plants temporarily for cleaning. In at least one case, a worker at a seat-making plant near Chicago got the virus, forcing a shutdown and cutting off parts.
Read the full report here.
11:27 a.m. US food prices see historic jump and are likely to stay high
DES MOINES, Iowa — As if trips to the grocery store weren’t nerve-wracking enough, U.S. shoppers lately have seen the costs of meat, eggs and even potatoes soar as the coronavirus has disrupted processing plants and distribution networks.
Overall, the cost of food bought to eat at home skyrocketed by the most in 46 years, and analysts caution that meat prices in particular could remain high as slaughterhouses struggle to maintain production levels while implementing procedures intended to keep workers healthy.
While price spikes for staples such as eggs and flour have eased as consumer demand has leveled off, prices remain volatile for carrots, potatoes and other produce because of transportation issues and the health of workers who pick crops and work in processing plants.
In short, supermarket customers and restaurant owners shouldn’t expect prices to drop anytime soon.
“Our biggest concern is long-term food costs. I believe they will continue to go up,” said Julie Kalambokidis, co-owner of Adriano’s Brick Oven, a restaurant in Glenwood, Iowa.
10:20 a.m. Prayers and precautions: Pritzker eases religious rules, but most faiths still opting to ‘err on the side of caution’
How many worshippers are welcomed into churches, synagogues and mosques across Illinois is now a matter of recommendation, rather than requirement.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker made the significant change regarding capacity limits at houses of worship in his latest coronavirus disaster proclamation as residents move into the next stage of Illinois’ gradual reopening — but that doesn’t mean the pews will be packed on Sunday.
Not even at Elim Romanian Pentecostal Church on the Northwest Side.
The Albany Park church’s pastor, the Rev. Cristian Ionescu, had claimed victory over “tyranny” after Pritzker issued a relaxed guidance for religious gatherings that rendered moot Elim’s legal challenge against the governor’s more stringent stay-at-home order.
But Ionescu is now preaching caution, not crowds.
“We are not giddy with this victory, and we are not going to relent, and we are not going to relax,” Ionescu said in a video message Thursday. “We are going to enforce and keep all precautionary measures and restrictions in place, because we care about the health and wellbeing of our members.”
Read the full story from Mitch Armentrout here.
9:09 a.m. Singer John Vincent lifts seniors’ spirits one ballad at a time via nursing home ‘concerts’
While singer John Vincent provides hope and cheer by performing classic hits to senior citizens through nursing home “concerts” around Chicago, his heart is heavy.
“We’re in unprecedented times where the unemployment rate is the highest since the Great Depression. When I’m singing, all of this is weighing on my head,” said Vincent. “My mind is constantly spinning, so I’ll experience waves of anxiety and happiness and sadness during one song.”
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Vincent, a Southwest Side native and the Cubs’ resident National Anthem singer since 2003, was approached by a Chicago police commander whose district is in the shadow of Wrigley Field, about performing nursing home “concerts” for residents.
Reporter Evan F. Moore has the full story.
8:32 a.m. Twilight Zone no more, downtown Highland Park jumped back to life on Friday
Most of downtown Highland Park has been frozen in place since mid-March, as if a set for a Twilight Zone episode titled “The COVID-19 Encounter,” where all the people in a town suddenly vanish as retail storefronts stuffed with merchandise eerily remained intact.
I don’t know how this episode will end, but Friday there was a welcome, upbeat plot twist. The coronavirus pandemic shutdown eased in Chicago’s suburbs and this North Shore city – as so many suburbs - jumped to life.
Suddenly, retail stores, hair and nail salons, barber shops and restaurants with outdoor dining were open for business. People were on the street — many, not all, in masks. The vibe was survival, revival, and in some places, bless them, extreme sanitation.
At 8 a.m., Highland Park Village Manager Ghida Neukirch was overseeing crews blocking off part of Sheridan Road, just off Central Avenue, to convert public space to an area for outdoor diners.
Down the block, Stepan Mikula, owner of “The Barbers” was finishing restoring his shop after repainting, restaining the floors and spreading out the chairs. He will reopen Saturday.
He’s been closed since March 14 and the economic impact was “horrible.” He’s bringing back his five barbers, contractors he was not able to pay these past months. On Saturday “all four chairs are booked solid.”
Read the full story from Lynn Sweet here.
7:15 a.m. How many students are taking part in remote learning at your school? Search our database.
Chicago Public Schools released data this week on remote learning participation that found that fewer than 60% of all Chicago Public Schools students are engaging with online remote learning three or more days per week.
The report, which includes some of the most detailed metrics in the country, measured 294,000 students at district-run schools and focused on the week of May 11.
The data shows about 85% of students were successfully contacted by someone at their school at least once during that week, whether to check in for academic reasons or to offer social and emotional support. But more than 43,000 students, including a quarter of all high schoolers, weren’t reached that week. Since schools closed, 2,200 students haven’t been reached a single time.
Reporter Caroline Hurley has all the data and searchable database.
New cases
Chicago police announced Friday four more cases of COVID-19, bringing the number of cases in the department to 556.
Health officials announced Illinois’ latest 86 coronavirus deaths on Friday as thousands of businesses across the state geared up for the next phase of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s reopening plan. With the COVID-19 death toll raised to 5,270, the Illinois Department of Public Health also announced an additional 1,622 people have tested positive for the virus out of 21,796 tests administered a day earlier.
A pair of Cook County judges have tested positive for COVID-19, marking the first cases of the coronavirus in judges of the Circuit Court, officials announced Thursday.
Analysis & Commentary
1:01 p.m. University of Illinois football and basketball players — essential workers — head back to campus
Some student workers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign will return to campus next week to start preparing for their football and men’s basketball seasons.
Did I say workers? Yes, that’s what they are. The university calls them student-athletes, and they are that, too.
But please make no mistake. They are employees at the U. of I. That they are going back, though summer classes were moved online because of the pandemic, underscores how valuable they are to the university.
They are not just students or athletes. They are workers, too.
It looks like they will be treated a lot better than many other workers across America. They are fortunate in that regard. In announcing the athletes’ return, the school said it was coordinating with sports medicine staff, local doctors and the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District. That’s a lot of oversight.
June workouts will be voluntary at the U. of I. The athletics department has promised to honor financial aid commitments — their pay — even if athletes are no-shows because of concerns over the coronavirus.
But the pressure is on. Forgoing workouts means you are letting down the team. That makes it tough to say no to driven, demanding coaches.
Read Marlen Garcia’s full column here.
7:31 a.m. Gov. Pritzker walks a fine line between public safety and angry critics in reopening Illinois
In the period just before and after Gov. J.B. Pritzker issued his first stay-at-home order in March, houses of worship in Illinois reportedly experienced 13 COVID-19 outbreaks, resulting in 88 cases.
Since then, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health, iIllinois has seen no such outbreaks — until one was revealed last week. IDPH told me of a very recent church-related outbreak of 39 cases, including the pastor.
That outbreak was acknowledged last Wednesday by the administrator of the Jackson County Health Department. The administrator told WSIU Radio that the unnamed Southern Illinois church had been holding services in defiance of the governor’s stay-at-home order.
And now, you gotta figure more church-related outbreaks could happen if people aren’t careful.
Pritzker told reporters last week that his administration will be posting “guidance, not mandatory restrictions, for all faith leaders to use in their efforts to ensure the health and safety of their congregants.” He said the guidance would be “suggestions” on capacity limits, indoor gatherings of 10 persons or less, etc.
“Governor Pritzker has capitulated, and the Thomas More Society is claiming victory in a trio of church lawsuits charging Illinois’ governor with religious discrimination,” a spokesperson for the organization said.
And then Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul filed his office’s response, mandated by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, to an emergency request by two Illinois churches that wanted the governor’s restrictions lifted. In that response, Raoul claimed the two churches’ filing was basically moot because the governor’s executive order would expires the next day.
Read Rich Miller’s full column here.


chicagosun-times--2020-05-30--Parking banned, CTA buses and trains suspended in Loop during latest George Floyd protest

Chicago officials are restricting parking and shutting down CTA service in most of the downtown area Saturday during a Loop protest taking place in the wake of the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd .
The parking restrictions will extend from Chicago Avenue south to Ida B .
Wells Drive , and from Lake Shore Drive west to Wells Street , according to the Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications .
Cars found in the area will be towed to 1802 S. Lake Shore Drive , officials said .
The CTA suspended Red , Brown , Blue , Orange @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Loop about 6 p.m. , citing protest activity in downtown .
All buses have been shut down between Ashland Avenue and the lakefront and between Division Avenue and 35th Street .
The Orange Line is suspended between the Loop and Halsted , the Brown Line is suspended between the Loop and Chicago and the Pink Line is suspended between the Loop and Ashland , the CTA said .
The Red Line is stopped between Clark/Division and Sox-35th , while the Blue Line is stopped between Division and UIC-Halsted , the CTA said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ashland/Lake and 35th-Bronzeville-IIT .
The second round of protests kicked off about 2 p.m. at Federal Plaza near Adams and Dearborn streets .
Hundreds of people marched downtown from Friday afternoon into early Saturday .
The demonstration was mostly peaceful , but resulted in 108 arrests and about dozen injured Chicago police officers .

Chicago officials are restricting parking and shutting down CTA service in most of the downtown area Saturday during a Loop protest taking place in the wake of the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd.
The parking restrictions will extend from Chicago Avenue south to Ida B. Wells Drive, and from Lake Shore Drive west to Wells Street, according to the Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications.
Cars found in the area will be towed to 1802 S. Lake Shore Drive, officials said.
Notify Chicago: Due to protests, parking is restricted from Chicago to Ida B Wells & LSD to Wells. Towed vehicles to be relocated to 1802 S. LSD or call 3-1-1. — Chicago OEMC (@ChicagoOEMC) May 30, 2020
The CTA suspended Red, Brown, Blue, Orange, Green and Pink Line service in the Loop about 6 p.m., citing protest activity downtown. All buses have been shut down from Ashland Avenue east to the lakefront and from Division Street south to 35th Street.
The Orange Line is suspended between the Loop and Halsted, the Brown Line is suspended between the Loop and Chicago, and the Pink Line is suspended between the Loop and Ashland, the CTA said.
The Red Line is stopped between Clark/Division and Sox-35th, while the Blue Line is stopped between Division and UIC-Halsted, the CTA said. The Green Line is suspended between Ashland/Lake and 35th-Bronzeville-IIT.
The second round of protests kicked off about 2 p.m. at Federal Plaza near Adams and Dearborn streets.
Hundreds of people marched downtown from Friday afternoon into early Saturday. The demonstration was mostly peaceful but turned more violent around midnight, resulting in 108 arrests and about dozen injured Chicago police officers.


chicagosun-times--2020-05-30--Coronavirus cases could rise as protests continue, US city, health officials fear

LOS ANGELES — The massive protests sweeping across U.S. cities following the police killing of a handcuffed black man in Minnesota have elevated fears of a new surge in cases of the coronavirus .
Images showing thousands of screaming , unmasked protesters have sent shudders through the health community , which worries its calls for social distancing during the demonstrations are unlikely to be heard .
Leaders appealing for calm in places where crowds smashed storefronts and destroyed police cars in recent nights also have been handing out masks and warning protesters they were putting themselves at risk .
Minnesota @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many protesters weren ’ t socially distancing or wearing masks after heeding the call earlier in the week .
But many seemed undeterred .
“ It ’ s not OK that in the middle of a pandemic we have to be out here risking our lives , ” Spence Ingram said Friday after marching with other protesters to the state Capitol in Atlanta .
“ But I have to protest for my life and fight for my life all the time.
” Ingram , 25 , who was wearing a mask , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contracting the virus .
But she said as a black woman , she always felt that her life was under threat from police and she needed to protest that .
The demonstrations over the killing of George Floyd , a black man who died after a white Minneapolis officer pressed a knee into his neck , are coming at a time when many cities were beginning to relax stay-at-home orders .
That ’ s especially worrisome for health experts who fear that silent carriers of the virus who have no symptoms could unwittingly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cheek to jowl and cheering and jeering without masks .
“ Whether they ’ re fired up or not that doesn ’ t prevent them from getting the virus , ” said Bradley Pollock , chairman of the Department of Public Health Sciences at the University of California , Davis .
Images from many demonstrations show most protesters have been wearing masks , but that doesn ’ t guarantee protection from the coronavirus .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends cloth masks because they can make it more difficult for infected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are not designed to protect the person wearing the mask from getting the virus .
The U.S. has been worst hit by the coronavirus outbreak , with more than 1.7 million cases and over 103,000 deaths , according to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University .
In New York City , where more than 21,000 people have died during the pandemic , a large crowd in Brooklyn tossed water bottles at officers and torched a police van Friday outside the Barclays Center .
Minnesota Gov .
Tim Walz said after another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protesters wearing masks were simply trying to hide their identities and “ cause confusion and take advantage of this situation.
” “ I will continue to stress , because it seems like a lifetime ago : We are still in the middle of a pandemic and passed 1,000 deaths yesterday .
We still have hospitals on the verge of being overrun with COVID-19 , ” he said .
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey echoed those concerns .
“ We have two crises that are sandwiched on top of one other , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had warned just days earlier that the massive protests were almost certain to fuel new cases of the virus .
Minnesota reported 35 deaths on Thursday , a single-day high since the start of the outbreak , and 29 more on Friday .
But it wasn ’ t just protesters at risk .
Images showed unmasked officers standing alongside demonstrators .
In Atlanta , police Chief Erika Shields waded into a crowd without a mask Friday while she listened to people air frustrations .
When Los Angeles officials announced earlier in the week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and reopening stores , they also said political protests could resume but with a cap of 100 people .
Several hundred people showed up for a protest organized by Black Lives Matter-LA and later shut down a freeway .
Most wore masks , but many did not observe a buffer zone .
Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said Friday that was an ongoing concern .
“ Show respect for each other by putting on that face covering so that your respiratory droplets aren ’ t unintentionally getting into somebody else @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” she said .
Meanwhile , the European Union on Saturday urged President Donald Trump to rethink his decision to terminate the U.S. relationship with the World Health Organization as spiking infection rates in India and elsewhere reinforced that the pandemic is far from contained .
Trump on Friday charged that the WHO didn ’ t respond adequately to the pandemic and accused the U.N. agency of being under China ’ s “ total control.
” The U.S. is the largest source of financial support for the WHO , and its exit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The head of the EU ’ s executive arm urged Trump to reconsider .
“ The WHO needs to continue being able to lead the international response to pandemics , current and future , ” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said .
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told Germany ’ s Funke media group that Trump ’ s decision was the “ wrong signal at the wrong time.
” In China , where the virus outbreak began , only four new confirmed cases were reported Saturday , all brought from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus infections have been reported worldwide , with more than 366,000 deaths and almost 2.5 million recoveries , according to the Johns Hopkins tally .
The true death toll is widely believed to be significantly higher , with experts saying many victims died of the virus without ever being tested for it .
Elite sporting events will be allowed to resume in England starting Monday , but without spectators , paving the way for the planned June 17 return of the Premier League , the world ’ s richest soccer competition .
England @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Van-Tam warned that the situation overall remained precarious .
“ I believe this is also a very dangerous moment , ” he said .
“ We have to get this right.
” India registered another record single-day jump of 7,964 cases and 265 deaths .
The government had been expected to end a 2-month-old nationwide lockdown but instead extended measures in areas due to coronavirus outbreaks .

LOS ANGELES — The massive protests sweeping across U.S. cities following the police killing of a handcuffed black man in Minnesota have elevated fears of a new surge in cases of the coronavirus.
Images showing thousands of screaming, unmasked protesters have sent shudders through the health community, which worries its calls for social distancing during the demonstrations are unlikely to be heard.
Leaders appealing for calm in places where crowds smashed storefronts and destroyed police cars in recent nights also have been handing out masks and warning protesters they were putting themselves at risk.
Minnesota’s governor said Saturday that too many protesters weren’t socially distancing or wearing masks after heeding the call earlier in the week.
But many seemed undeterred.
“It’s not OK that in the middle of a pandemic we have to be out here risking our lives,” Spence Ingram said Friday after marching with other protesters to the state Capitol in Atlanta. “But I have to protest for my life and fight for my life all the time.”
Ingram, 25, who was wearing a mask, said she has asthma and was worried about contracting the virus. But she said as a black woman, she always felt that her life was under threat from police and she needed to protest that.
The demonstrations over the killing of George Floyd, a black man who died after a white Minneapolis officer pressed a knee into his neck, are coming at a time when many cities were beginning to relax stay-at-home orders.
That’s especially worrisome for health experts who fear that silent carriers of the virus who have no symptoms could unwittingly infect others at gatherings with people packed cheek to jowl and cheering and jeering without masks.
“Whether they’re fired up or not that doesn’t prevent them from getting the virus,” said Bradley Pollock, chairman of the Department of Public Health Sciences at the University of California, Davis.
Images from many demonstrations show most protesters have been wearing masks, but that doesn’t guarantee protection from the coronavirus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends cloth masks because they can make it more difficult for infected people to spread the virus — but they are not designed to protect the person wearing the mask from getting the virus.
The U.S. has been worst hit by the coronavirus outbreak, with more than 1.7 million cases and over 103,000 deaths, according to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University.
In New York City, where more than 21,000 people have died during the pandemic, a large crowd in Brooklyn tossed water bottles at officers and torched a police van Friday outside the Barclays Center.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said after another night of unrest in Minneapolis that many protesters wearing masks were simply trying to hide their identities and “cause confusion and take advantage of this situation.”
“I will continue to stress, because it seems like a lifetime ago: We are still in the middle of a pandemic and passed 1,000 deaths yesterday. We still have hospitals on the verge of being overrun with COVID-19,” he said.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey echoed those concerns. “We have two crises that are sandwiched on top of one other,” he said.
The state’s health commissioner had warned just days earlier that the massive protests were almost certain to fuel new cases of the virus. Minnesota reported 35 deaths on Thursday, a single-day high since the start of the outbreak, and 29 more on Friday.
But it wasn’t just protesters at risk. Images showed unmasked officers standing alongside demonstrators. In Atlanta, police Chief Erika Shields waded into a crowd without a mask Friday while she listened to people air frustrations.
When Los Angeles officials announced earlier in the week that the city was relaxing stay-at-home orders and reopening stores, they also said political protests could resume but with a cap of 100 people.
Several hundred people showed up for a protest organized by Black Lives Matter-LA and later shut down a freeway. Most wore masks, but many did not observe a buffer zone.
Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said Friday that was an ongoing concern.
“Show respect for each other by putting on that face covering so that your respiratory droplets aren’t unintentionally getting into somebody else’s mouth, nose or eyes,” she said.
Meanwhile, the European Union on Saturday urged President Donald Trump to rethink his decision to terminate the U.S. relationship with the World Health Organization as spiking infection rates in India and elsewhere reinforced that the pandemic is far from contained.
Trump on Friday charged that the WHO didn’t respond adequately to the pandemic and accused the U.N. agency of being under China’s “total control.” The U.S. is the largest source of financial support for the WHO, and its exit is expected to significantly weaken the organization.
The head of the EU’s executive arm urged Trump to reconsider. “The WHO needs to continue being able to lead the international response to pandemics, current and future,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told Germany’s Funke media group that Trump’s decision was the “wrong signal at the wrong time.”
In China, where the virus outbreak began, only four new confirmed cases were reported Saturday, all brought from outside the country.
Nearly 6 million coronavirus infections have been reported worldwide, with more than 366,000 deaths and almost 2.5 million recoveries, according to the Johns Hopkins tally. The true death toll is widely believed to be significantly higher, with experts saying many victims died of the virus without ever being tested for it.
Elite sporting events will be allowed to resume in England starting Monday, but without spectators, paving the way for the planned June 17 return of the Premier League, the world’s richest soccer competition.
England’s deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van-Tam warned that the situation overall remained precarious. “I believe this is also a very dangerous moment,” he said. “We have to get this right.”
India registered another record single-day jump of 7,964 cases and 265 deaths. The government had been expected to end a 2-month-old nationwide lockdown but instead extended measures in areas due to coronavirus outbreaks.


chicagosun-times--2020-05-30--Police SUV flipped in violent clashes with police during George Floyd protest near Trump Tower

Protesters and police clashed violently Saturday evening as crowds returned to downtown Chicago for a second day of protests as outrage continues to pulse across the United States in the wake of the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd .
A Chicago Police SUV was tipped onto its side and others had their windows broken or were set on fire .
Some protesters threw bottles or fireworks at police .
And several officers were seen raising their batons and striking protesters during confrontations .
The protest started 2 p.m. Saturday as hundreds of people began gathering at Federal Plaza , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ George.
” Soon , the crowd swelled into the thousands and spilled onto streets throughout the Loop , splintering into different groups .
Protesters surrounded police near the Daley Center and eventually posted up near Trump Tower while another group shut down Lake Shore Drive .
About 5:30 p.m. , a police line began pushing protesters south across the Chicago River .
Several bridges spanning the river were raised , and police issued a warning to protesters in Spanish and English about the potential use of chemical agents , noise and less-than-lethal munitions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officers were not seen wearing equipment to protect themselves from tear gas .
Clashes with police soon followed in the area around Trump Tower , with protesters throwing bottles at police and lighting off fireworks .
Officers were seen taking protesters into custody , but arrest figures were not immediately available .
Crowds could be seen in arial footage pulling officers off protesters as they were being taken into custody and officers swinging at protesters with batons .
A police SUV could be seen rolled on its side after protesters broke out its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protesters were peaceful at the onset of the demonstration , carrying thousands of signs declaring “ No justice , no peace , ” and bearing the names of African Americans and others who have died at the hands police officers in Chicago and elsewhere .
Tensions quickly mounted in various pockets of the sprawling march , with numerous scuffles between protesters and police .
Some people could be seen spray-painting CTA buses and police vehicles , while others hurled eggs and water bottles at officers who scrambled to contain the crowd .
Tires @ @ @ @ @ @ @ City officials had braced for a sizable showing , enacting a sweeping downtown parking ban that restricted vehicles from Chicago Avenue south to Congress and from Lake Shore Drive west to Wells .
The CTA canceled most Loop service for a portion of the afternoon and again in the evening .
The crowds on Saturday dwarfed protests on Friday that stretched into early Saturday .
Chicago Police Supt .
David Brown said those was mostly peaceful , though a series of tense confrontations led to 108 arrests and about a dozen injured officers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrist .
Several Loop storefronts were smashed .
“ We ’ re going to give people space to express themselves , ” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said hours before the latest protest .
“ That ’ s what we do in Chicago , but we won ’ t tolerate lawlessness .
“ If you think about what happened yesterday , the vast majority of people that were out there were doing exactly what we would expect : expressing themselves passionately but doing so peacefully .
And that ’ s our expectation for today , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the vast majority of people that are out there are going to do so in a way that is constructive and productive and passionate — but peaceful , ” Lightfoot said .
Unrest has filled cities across the nation since Floyd ’ s death Monday in Minneapolis at the knee of a white police officer , who has been charged with third-degree murder .
Follow Chicago Sun-Times reporter Ben Pope and photographer Tyler LaRiviere for live coverage of the protest .

Four people were shot in downtown Chicago Saturday, one fatally, after Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced a curfew following violent clashes between protesters and police in the wake of the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd.
On the second day of protests, rioters shattered windows of police cars, tipped one Chicago Police SUV onto its side and set several on fire. Some protesters threw bottles of urine or fireworks at police. And several officers were seen striking back at protesters with batons during confrontations.
Rioters smashed multiple storefront windows and carried off goods inside. Along the Magnificent Mile, shops were stripped. Macy’s in the historic Marshall Field’s building was hit hard. Looters jumped through shattered windows and swept up items at a Starbucks and and 7-Eleven near Lake and Dearborn. Thieves also hit the Thompson Center.
A 26-year-old man was shot to death in River North and at least three other people were wounded in separate shootings in the Loop Saturday night in the wake of the protests.
Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times
During a Saturday night news conference, Lightfoot praised the “patience” of officers who endured projectiles thrown at them and said they had done their best to uphold their oath to protect the city.
“I want to express my disappointment and really my total disgust at the number of others who came to today’s protest armed for all-out battle,” Lightfoot said. “You don’t come to a peaceful protest with bowling ball, or a hammer, or a shovel or a baseball bat. You don’t come to a peaceful protest with bottles of urine to throw at police officers.”
Lightfoot said giving protesters about 35 minutes notice of a curfew before being arrested was “ample.” The curfew, which runs from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m., will last until further notice.
“The situation has clearly devolved, and we’ve stepped in to make the necessary arrests… We’re going to be aggressive in arresting the people who want to engage in criminal acts.”
A protester breaks a window in downtown Chicago Saturday as other protesters looted stores. Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times
As protests over the Floyd killing gained momentum, Chicago joined other major cities on Saturday setting curfews, including Los Angeles, Atlanta, Miami and Philadelphia. A white police officer, since fired, has been charged with third-degree murder in the slaying.
Chicago Police Supt. David Brown said multiple officers had been injured by nightfall Saturday, including one who suffered broken bones, injuries considered “pretty serious,” — one night after dozens of officers were injured during protests Friday. Police did not provide numbers of how many people were arrested Saturday.
Lightfoot said she understood the pain and “righteous anger” of the protesters who gathered downtown but said their anger needed to be expressed peacefully.
“I’ve been engaged for the last six-plus hours watching a tragedy unfold in our city,” the mayor said. “What started out as a peaceful protest has now devolved into criminal conduct.”
Gov. J.B. Pritzker offered “any resources” the city might need, but Lightfoot said she hadn’t considered asking for Illinois National Guard support.
A Chicago police SUV burns outside AMC Theaters Saturday during clashes between protesters and police in River North. Ben Pope/Sun-Times
Protests begin peacefully
The protest began peacefully at 2 p.m. Saturday as hundreds gathered at Federal Plaza, chanting and demanding “Justice for George” and bearing the names of African Americans and others who have died at the hands of police officers in Chicago and other cities.
Soon, the crowd swelled into the thousands and spilled throughout the Loop, splintering into groups. Tensions quickly mounted in various pockets of the sprawling march, with numerous scuffles between protesters and police. Some people spray-painted CTA buses and police vehicles, while others hurled eggs and water bottles at officers who scrambled to contain the crowd. Rioters slashed tires on several police SUVs.
Protesters surrounded police near the Daley Center and eventually made their way to Trump Tower while another group shut down Lake Shore Drive.
State police were called in to assist Chicago officers.
About 5:30 p.m., a police line began pushing protesters from Trump Tower south across the Chicago River. Several bridges spanning the river were raised, and police issued a warning to protesters in Spanish and English about the potential use of chemical agents, noise and less-than-lethal munitions to control the crowd.
Cops and protesters clashed soon after. When officers tried to make arrests, they at times were attacked by the crowd, who forced the release of some protesters. Officers responded by swinging at protesters with batons and striking some.
A protester’s eyes are flushed out as police and protesters clash Saturday. Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times
A police SUV was rolled on its side after protesters broke out its windows with clubs and skateboards. Soon other police vehicles were lit on fire and left to burn. By 8 p.m., looting was underway at multiple downtown buildings.
In a standoff with police near Grand and Dearborn, protesters hurled rocks from a distance at officers, who responded by unleashing streams of pepper spray into the air and chasing the protesters west. At Grand and LaSalle, where about 50 protesters congregated as firefighters arrived to put out blazes in three dumpsters that were blocking the street.
“I don’t really know what the right way of doing this is, but who cares as long as someone is listening,” said Odiom Okojie, who was protesting near Grand and LaSalle. “For too long, our cries have gone unheard.”
As the melee stretched late into the night, police and protesters repeatedly played a game of cat and mouse as officers tried to protect buildings and quell the mayhem, with repeated calls for police backup needed at Trump Tower and Water Tower Place.
“What’s going on right now is a reflection of a lack of accountability by our government,” Chelsea Sloan, a South Loop resident, said as she watched a group walk out of a looted currency exchange. “People of color and impoverished people bear the brunt of it, and they don’t have any other way to articulate how they’re feeling, because we’ve tried peacefully protesting, and this is the last straw. We’re at our wits end.”
More than 100 arrested in protests Friday
City officials had braced for a sizable showing, enacting a sweeping downtown parking ban that restricted vehicles from Chicago Avenue south to Congress and from Lake Shore Drive west to Wells. The CTA canceled most Loop service for a portion of the afternoon and again in the evening.
The crowds on Saturday dwarfed protests on Friday that stretched into early Saturday. Brown had said those was mostly peaceful, though a series of tense confrontations led to 108 arrests and about a dozen injured officers, including one who suffered a broken wrist. Several Loop storefronts were smashed.
“We’re going to give people space to express themselves,” Lightfoot said hours before the latest protest. “That’s what we do in Chicago, but we won’t tolerate lawlessness.
A rioter loots a cell phone store at the Thompson Center Saturday night. Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times


chicagosun-times--2020-05-30--Curie’s Ramean Hinton commits to Western Illinois

Curie senior Ramean Hinton , one of the state ’ s top talents in the Class of 2020 , gave @ @ @ @ @ Illinois on Saturday .
He ’ s likely the best recruit in Leathernecks history .
@ @ @ @ @ All-City and All-State selection , averaged 17 points and eight rebounds for the Condors , @ @ @ @ @ the Pontiac Holiday Tournament .
The 6-4 wing won the prestigious AC Williamson sportsmanship/MVP award @ @ @ @ @ Curie to 26-2 regular season and the top ranking in the Super 25 for the @ @ @ @ @ Hinton signed in the fall with Southeast Missouri State , but head coach Rick Ray @ @ @ @ @ let go following a 7-24 season .
It was a major surprise when Hinton picked @ @ @ @ @ heading to Western Illinois is a total shock .
New Leathernecks coach Rob Jeter hired @ @ @ @ @ Irvin as an assistant coach two weeks ago and it appears that move has immediately @ @ @

Curie senior Ramean Hinton, one of the state’s top talents in the Class of 2020, gave an oral commitment to Western Illinois on Saturday. He’s likely the best recruit in Leathernecks history.
Hinton, an all-area, all-city and all-state selection, averaged 17 points and eight rebounds for the Condors, champions of the Red-South/Central and the Pontiac Holiday Tournament.
The 6-4 wing won the prestigious AC Williamson sportsmanship/MVP award at Pontiac. He led Curie to 26-2 regular season and the top ranking in the Super 25 for the majority of the season.
Hinton signed in the fall with Southeast Missouri State, but coach Rick Ray and the coaching staff were let go after a 7-24 season. It was a major surprise when Hinton picked SEMO, so the star heading to Western Illinois is a total shock.
I just really want to say how appropriated I am 💯 pic.twitter.com/9nCWDZyCkC — Ramean Hinton (@HRamean) May 30, 2020
New Leathernecks coach Rob Jeter hired former Morgan Park coach Nick Irvin as an assistant coach two weeks ago, and it appears that move has immediately paid off.


chicagosun-times--2020-05-30--61 more deaths raise Illinois coronavirus toll to 5,330

Health officials on Saturday announced an additional 61 people have died of COVID-19 in Illinois , raising the state ’ s death toll to 5,330 .
The Illinois Department of Public Health also said another 1,462 people tested positive for the coronavirus among the latest batch of more than 25,000 tests administered .
Since the pandemic hit the state , 118,917 people have contracted the virus .
Most have recovered .
COVID-19 has been reported in all but one of Illinois ’ 102 counties .
Data released by the state a day earlier shows more than half the state ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homes .
Gov .
J.B. Pritzker has said he ’ s optimistic the state is on a downward trend from its coronavirus peak .
Illinois ’ overall testing rate stood at 7 % over the last week .
The latest numbers come as thousands of businesses gear back into operation entering the next phase of Pritzker ’ s reopening plan .
Most retail stores and restaurants with outdoor seating were allowed to reopen Friday with health precautions in place , though Mayor Lori Lightfoot has delayed Chicago ’ s Phase 3 reopening until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ improvement in infection , testing and hospitalization rates to enter the fourth phase of reopening under Pritzker ’ s plan , which would allow for gatherings of up to 50 people .
The earliest that can happen is June 26 .
Illinois Public Health Director Ngozi Ezike has urged residents to remain vigilant as the state gradually reopens by wearing face coverings , maintaining 6 feet of social distance and washing hands regularly .

Health officials on Saturday announced an additional 61 people have died of COVID-19 in Illinois, raising the state’s death toll to 5,330.
The Illinois Department of Public Health also said another 1,462 people tested positive for the coronavirus among the latest batch of more than 25,000 tests administered.
Since the pandemic hit the state, 118,917 people have contracted the virus. Most have recovered.
COVID-19 has been reported in all but one of Illinois’ 102 counties. Data released by the state a day earlier shows more than half the state’s fatal cases have originated in nursing homes.
Graph not displaying properly? Click here.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker has said he’s optimistic the state is on a downward trend from its coronavirus peak. Illinois’ overall testing rate stood at 7% over the last week.
The latest numbers come as thousands of businesses gear back into operation entering the next phase of Pritzker’s reopening plan. Most retail stores and restaurants with outdoor seating were allowed to reopen Friday with health precautions in place, though Mayor Lori Lightfoot has delayed Chicago’s Phase 3 reopening until Wednesday.
The state must continue showing improvement in infection, testing and hospitalization rates to enter the fourth phase of reopening under Pritzker’s plan, which would allow for gatherings of up to 50 people. The earliest that can happen is June 26.
Illinois Public Health Director Ngozi Ezike has urged residents to remain vigilant as the state gradually reopens by wearing face coverings, maintaining 6 feet of social distance and washing hands regularly.


chicagosun-times--2020-05-30--SpaceX rocket ship lifts off with 2 Americans

CAPE CANAVERAL , Fla. — A rocket ship built by Elon Musk ’ s SpaceX company thundered away from Earth with two Americans on Saturday , ushering in a new era in commercial space travel and putting the United States back in the business of launching astronauts into orbit from U.S. soil for the first time in nearly a decade .
NASA ’ s Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken rode skyward aboard a sleek , white-and-black , bullet-shaped Dragon capsule on top of a Falcon 9 rocket , lifting off at 3:22 p.m. from the same launch pad used to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a half-century ago .
Minutes later , they safely slipped into orbit .
“ Let ’ s light this candle , ” Hurley said just before ignition , borrowing the words used by Alan Shepard on America ’ s first human spaceflight , in 1961 .
The two men are scheduled to arrive at the International Space Station on Sunday for a stay of up to four months , after which they will return to Earth in a Right Stuff-style splashdown at sea .
The mission unfolded amid the gloom of the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans , and racial unrest across the U.S. over the death of George Floyd , a handcuffed black man , at the hands of Minneapolis police .
NASA officials and others held out hope the flight would would be a morale-booster .
“ Maybe there ’ s an opportunity here for America to maybe pause and look up and see a bright , shining moment of hope at what the future looks like , that the United States of America can do extraordinary things even in difficult times , ” NASA Administrator Jim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on-time liftoff , SpaceX , founded by Musk , the Tesla electric-car visionary , became the first private company to launch people into orbit , a feat achieved previously by only three governments : the U.S. , Russia and China .
The flight also ended a nine-year launch drought for NASA , the longest such hiatus in its history .
Ever since it retired the space shuttle in 2011 , NASA has relied on Russian spaceships launched from Kazakhstan to take U.S. astronauts to and from the space station .
In the intervening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ designing and building its next generation of spaceships to SpaceX and Boeing , awarding them $ 7 billion in contracts in a public-private partnership aimed at driving down costs and spurring innovation .
Boeing ’ s spaceship , the Starliner capsule , is not expected to fly astronauts until early 2021 .
Musk said earlier in the week that the project is aimed at “ reigniting the dream of space and getting people fired up about the future.
” Ultimately , NASA hopes to rely in part on its commercial partners as it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moon in the next few years , and on to Mars in the 2030s .
Before setting out for the launch pad in a gull-wing Tesla SUV — another Musk product — Behnken pantomimed a hug of his 6-year-old son , Theo , and said : “ Are you going to listen to Mommy and make her life easy ?
” Hurley blew kisses to his 10-year-old son and wife .
A launch attempt on Wednesday was called off with less than 17 minutes to go in the countdown because of lightning .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ threatened another postponement for most of the day , but then the skies began to clear in the afternoon just in time .
Nine minutes after liftoff , the 260-foot rocket ’ s first-stage booster landed , as designed , on a barge a few hundred miles off the Florida coast , to be reused on another flight .
“ Thanks for the great ride to space , ” Hurley told SpaceX ground control .
He and his crewmate batted around a sparkly purple toy , demonstrating that they had reached zero gravity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amazing day.
” SpaceX controllers at Hawthorne , California , cheered and applauded wildly .
President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence flew in for the launch attempt for the second time in four days .
“ I ’ m so proud of the people at NASA , all the people that worked together , public and private .
When you see a sight like that it ’ s incredible , ” Trump said after liftoff .
Inside Kennedy Space Center , attendance was strictly limited because of the coronavirus , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a shadow of what it would have been without the threat of COVID-19 .
By NASA ’ s count , over 3 million viewers tuned in online .
Despite NASA ’ s insistence that the public stay safe by staying home , spectators gathered along beaches and roads hours in advance .
Among them was Neil Wight , a machinist from Buffalo , New York , who staked out a view of the launch pad from a park in Titusville .
“ It ’ s pretty historically significant in my book , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s books .
With everything that ’ s going on in this country right now , it ’ s important that we do things extraordinary in life , ” Wight said .
“ We ’ ve been bombarded with doom and gloom for the last six , eight weeks , whatever it is , and this is awesome .
It brings a lot of people together.
” Because of the coronavirus , the astronauts were kept in quasi-quarantine for more than two months before liftoff .
The SpaceX technicians who helped them get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that made them look like black-clad ninjas .
And at the launch center , the SpaceX controllers were seated far apart .
Hurley , a 53-year-old retired Marine , and Behnken , 49 , an Air Force colonel , are veterans of two space shuttle flights each .
Hurley piloted the space shuttle on the last launch of astronauts from Kennedy , on July 8 , 2011 .
In keeping with Musk ’ s penchant for futuristic flash , the astronauts wore angular white uniforms with black trim .
Instead of the usual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Dragon capsule has three large touchscreens .
SpaceX has been launching cargo capsules to the space station since 2012 .
In preparation for Wednesday ’ s flight , SpaceX sent up a Dragon capsule with only a test dummy aboard last year , and it docked smoothly at the orbiting outpost on autopilot , then returned to Earth in a splashdown .
During the Mercury , Gemini , Apollo and shuttle programs , NASA relied on aerospace contractors to build spacecraft according to the agency ’ s designs .
NASA owned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new , 21st-century partnership , aerospace companies design , build , own and operate the spaceships , and NASA is essentially a paying customer on a list that could eventually include non-government researchers , artists and tourists .
( Tom Cruise has already expressed interest . )
“ What Elon Musk has done for the American space program is he has brought vision and inspiration that we hadn ’ t had ” since the shuttle ’ s retirement , Bridenstine said .
The mission is technically considered by SpaceX and NASA to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voyage to the space station , set for the end of August , will have a full , four-person crew : three Americans and one Japanese .
Wednesday ’ s first human flight was originally targeted for around 2015 .
But NASA ’ s commercial crew program encountered bureaucratic delays and technical setbacks .
A SpaceX capsule exploded on the test stand last year .
Boeing ’ s first Starliner capsule ended up in the wrong orbit during an crew-less test flight in December and was nearly destroyed at the mission ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such things as the landing parachutes .

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A rocket ship built by Elon Musk’s SpaceX company thundered away from Earth with two Americans on Saturday, ushering in a new era in commercial space travel and putting the United States back in the business of launching astronauts into orbit from U.S. soil for the first time in nearly a decade.
NASA’s Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken rode skyward aboard a sleek, white-and-black, bullet-shaped Dragon capsule on top of a Falcon 9 rocket, lifting off at 3:22 p.m. from the same launch pad used to send the Apollo astronauts to the moon a half-century ago. Minutes later, they safely slipped into orbit.
“Let’s light this candle,” Hurley said just before ignition, borrowing the words used by Alan Shepard on America’s first human spaceflight, in 1961.
The two men are scheduled to arrive at the International Space Station on Sunday for a stay of up to four months, after which they will return to Earth in a Right Stuff-style splashdown at sea.
The mission unfolded amid the gloom of the coronavirus outbreak, which has killed over 100,000 Americans, and racial unrest across the U.S. over the death of George Floyd, a handcuffed black man, at the hands of Minneapolis police. NASA officials and others held out hope the flight would would be a morale-booster.
“Maybe there’s an opportunity here for America to maybe pause and look up and see a bright, shining moment of hope at what the future looks like, that the United States of America can do extraordinary things even in difficult times,” NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said before launch.
With the on-time liftoff, SpaceX, founded by Musk, the Tesla electric-car visionary, became the first private company to launch people into orbit, a feat achieved previously by only three governments: the U.S., Russia and China.
The flight also ended a nine-year launch drought for NASA, the longest such hiatus in its history. Ever since it retired the space shuttle in 2011, NASA has relied on Russian spaceships launched from Kazakhstan to take U.S. astronauts to and from the space station.
In the intervening years, NASA outsourced the job of designing and building its next generation of spaceships to SpaceX and Boeing, awarding them $7 billion in contracts in a public-private partnership aimed at driving down costs and spurring innovation. Boeing’s spaceship, the Starliner capsule, is not expected to fly astronauts until early 2021.
Musk said earlier in the week that the project is aimed at “reigniting the dream of space and getting people fired up about the future.”
Ultimately, NASA hopes to rely in part on its commercial partners as it works to send astronauts back to the moon in the next few years, and on to Mars in the 2030s.
Before setting out for the launch pad in a gull-wing Tesla SUV — another Musk product — Behnken pantomimed a hug of his 6-year-old son, Theo, and said: “Are you going to listen to Mommy and make her life easy?” Hurley blew kisses to his 10-year-old son and wife.
A launch attempt on Wednesday was called off with less than 17 minutes to go in the countdown because of lightning. On Saturday, stormy weather in Florida threatened another postponement for most of the day, but then the skies began to clear in the afternoon just in time.
Nine minutes after liftoff, the 260-foot rocket’s first-stage booster landed, as designed, on a barge a few hundred miles off the Florida coast, to be reused on another flight.
“Thanks for the great ride to space,” Hurley told SpaceX ground control. He and his crewmate batted around a sparkly purple toy, demonstrating that they had reached zero gravity.
Bridenstine pronounced it “just an amazing day.” SpaceX controllers at Hawthorne, California, cheered and applauded wildly.
President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence flew in for the launch attempt for the second time in four days.
“I’m so proud of the people at NASA, all the people that worked together, public and private. When you see a sight like that it’s incredible,” Trump said after liftoff.
Inside Kennedy Space Center, attendance was strictly limited because of the coronavirus, and the small crowd of a few thousand was a shadow of what it would have been without the threat of COVID-19. By NASA’s count, over 3 million viewers tuned in online.
Despite NASA’s insistence that the public stay safe by staying home, spectators gathered along beaches and roads hours in advance.
Among them was Neil Wight, a machinist from Buffalo, New York, who staked out a view of the launch pad from a park in Titusville.
“It’s pretty historically significant in my book, and a lot of other people’s books. With everything that’s going on in this country right now, it’s important that we do things extraordinary in life,” Wight said. “We’ve been bombarded with doom and gloom for the last six, eight weeks, whatever it is, and this is awesome. It brings a lot of people together.”
Because of the coronavirus, the astronauts were kept in quasi-quarantine for more than two months before liftoff. The SpaceX technicians who helped them get into their spacesuits wore masks and gloves that made them look like black-clad ninjas. And at the launch center, the SpaceX controllers were seated far apart.
Hurley, a 53-year-old retired Marine, and Behnken, 49, an Air Force colonel, are veterans of two space shuttle flights each. Hurley piloted the space shuttle on the last launch of astronauts from Kennedy, on July 8, 2011.
In keeping with Musk’s penchant for futuristic flash, the astronauts wore angular white uniforms with black trim. Instead of the usual multitude of dials, knobs and switches, the Dragon capsule has three large touchscreens.
SpaceX has been launching cargo capsules to the space station since 2012. In preparation for Wednesday’s flight, SpaceX sent up a Dragon capsule with only a test dummy aboard last year, and it docked smoothly at the orbiting outpost on autopilot, then returned to Earth in a splashdown.
During the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo and shuttle programs, NASA relied on aerospace contractors to build spacecraft according to the agency’s designs. NASA owned and operated the ships.
Under the new, 21st-century partnership, aerospace companies design, build, own and operate the spaceships, and NASA is essentially a paying customer on a list that could eventually include non-government researchers, artists and tourists. (Tom Cruise has already expressed interest.)
“What Elon Musk has done for the American space program is he has brought vision and inspiration that we hadn’t had” since the shuttle’s retirement, Bridenstine said.
The mission is technically considered by SpaceX and NASA to be a test flight. The next SpaceX voyage to the space station, set for the end of August, will have a full, four-person crew: three Americans and one Japanese.
Wednesday’s first human flight was originally targeted for around 2015. But NASA’s commercial crew program encountered bureaucratic delays and technical setbacks.
A SpaceX capsule exploded on the test stand last year. Boeing’s first Starliner capsule ended up in the wrong orbit during an crew-less test flight in December and was nearly destroyed at the mission’s end. Both companies had trouble with such things as the landing parachutes.


chicagosun-times--2020-05-30--Armed robberies reported in Gresham, Morgan Park: police

Chicago police are warning residents of a string of armed robberies reported in May in Gresham on the South Side @ @ @ @ @ someone approached the drive-thru window of the business , pulled out a handgun and demanded @ @ @ @ @ community alert from Chicago police .
• About 9:45 p.m. May 27 in the 7600 @ @ @ @ @ ; • About 12:05 a.m. May 28 in the 9500 block of South Halsted Street @ @ @ @ @ 30 in the 8300 block of South Ashland Avenue ; and • About 12:35 a.m. @ @ @ @ @ block of South Halsted Street .
Anyone with information is asked to contact Chicago police @ @ @ @ @ on crime , and track the city ’ s homicides .

Chicago police are warning residents of a string of armed robberies reported in May in Gresham on the South Side.
In each incident, someone approached the drive-thru window of the business, pulled out a handgun and demanded money, according to a community alert from Chicago police.
The robberies happened:
About 9:45 p.m. May 27 in the 7600 block of South Vincennes Avenue;
About 12:05 a.m. May 28 in the 9500 block of South Halsted Street;
About 12:05 May 30 in the 8300 block of South Ashland Avenue; and
About 12:35 a.m. May 30 in the 11000 block of South Halsted Street.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Chicago police at 312-747-8273.
Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.