chicagotribune--2020-06-09--Will there be a second COVID-19 surge in Illinois? These are the stats to watch.

The state has created a dashboard of metrics showing what needs to happen to move from one phase of reopening @ @ @ @ @ as a lasting drop in hospital admissions or a certain percentage of ICU beds available @ @ @ @ @ not set out exact criteria for moving back to a previous phase , other than @ @ @ @ @ in certain indicators .

CTU workers direct vehicles lined up for COVID-19 testing outside of the Chicago Teachers Union on Dec. 30, 2021, in Chicago. CPS starts back to school on Monday following their holiday break. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
After Illinois flattened the COVID-19 curve, the state began to reopen. More people mingled. Then the George Floyd killing in Minnesota spurred widespread protests.
Along the way, health experts have worried how much these developments may help spread the virus, leading to this key question:
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How will we know if — or when — a second COVID-19 wave is occurring?
The state has created a dashboard of metrics showing what needs to happen to move from one phase of reopening to the next, such as a lasting drop in hospital admissions or a certain percentage of ICU beds available. But the state has not set out exact criteria for moving back to a previous phase, other than “sustained” poor performance in certain indicators.
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Doctors, health officials and researchers watching the data say there are no immediate indications of a resurgence. But concerns remain, particularly because it is so hard to predict whether people will continue to wear masks and avoid close contact in coming days.
“Now that we’re in phase three, it’s anybody’s guess what’s going to happen to the way people are doing social distancing,” said Nigel Goldenfeld, a University of Illinois physics professor who is working with university colleague Sergei Maslov to develop COVID-19 case forecasts.
Airica Steed, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Sinai Health System, calls it “a day-by-day situation,” a thought echoed by Dr. Sanjeeb Khatua, who’s overseeing Edward-Elmhurst Health’s COVID-19 response.
“I’m anxious to see what happens over the next 10 to 14 days,” Khatua said Friday.
Here are some metrics to watch:
Number of cases
The number of new confirmed cases reported each day is among the most publicized COVID-19 statistics. This figure has been dropping, and that’s a good sign.
But here’s the problem: Researchers say this statistic is not a very good bench mark.
That’s because Illinois keeps changing the guidelines on who is allowed to get tested for the novel coronavirus. At the beginning of the pandemic, supplies were so scarce that only very sick people could obtain a test.
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Things have changed a lot since then. Just last week, the state began offering testing at the 11 state-run sites to anybody who wants it, at least while supplies are available.
But changes in testing make it hard to know the true number of cases. “As testing increases, the number of people who test positive is going to increase,” Khatua said. “That’s a fact.”
So if the case number starts climbing in coming weeks, you’ll have to wonder: Is it because more people are getting infected? Or because more infected people can finally get tested?
Positivity rate
This metric ignores the number of people testing positive. Instead, it focuses on the odds of a positive test result.
In other words, out of everybody who has been tested, how many results were positive?
A lower rate is better. It’s a figure the state said it’s watching to help decide whether to reopen the state more or — if the rate begins a “sustained” rise — to tighten restrictions.
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For now, rates for all of the state’s regions have been dropping, a good sign.
As with case numbers, though, the availability of testing can complicate the picture.
At the beginning of the pandemic, positivity rates were high, but only because testing was being conducted mainly on people who were likely to have the virus.
“Imagine that there’s so many people who are infected, and you’re testing so little, that every time you pull somebody off the street, you find that they’re positive. It means you have very little idea on what is happening to the epidemic,” Goldenfeld said.
Now, the rates are far lower. In fact, the positivity rate is so low in central Illinois that Goldenfeld said it appears the state is “crushing” the virus there.
Still, the testing issue makes it difficult to use this metric to measure the infection’s trajectory over time. While it’s good that testing has been opened up to more people, the change means that today’s rates can’t be compared with prior ones to assess whether the pandemic is getting better or worse.
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In a perfect world, researchers say, the state could randomly test people periodically as a way to quickly and accurately estimate how many people are infected. Think of it like polling, but for a virus.
But that would be expensive, and testing supplies still aren’t that plentiful. So researchers from the University of Chicago and Northwestern University submitted a draft paper last month to the state suggesting that a couple of key groups be regularly tested: women giving birth, and anyone with COVID-19 symptoms seeking outpatient care.
Some of this is already occurring. Edward-Elmhurst has been testing women giving birth at its two hospitals since April 13. But it’s unclear how many other hospitals are doing the same.
University of Chicago researcher Sarah Cobey, who’s working with Northwestern’s Jaline Gerardin on last month’s proposal, said they’re waiting to hear back from state health officials and the governor’s office.
Daily hospital admissions
This metric measures, each day, the number of people admitted to hospitals because of COVID-19-like symptoms.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker has called it “probably the most solid number that you can track, in terms of: How are we doing at defeating the virus?”
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This statistic looks only at COVID-19 cases serious enough for someone to be admitted to the hospital. But that narrow focus is this metric’s strength.
After all, while the rules have evolved about who can get tested, hospitals’ criteria for admission don’t change much. That consistency means admissions are a particularly good way to track the progression of the pandemic.
Hospitals themselves review this metric. Steed of Sinai Health System, which includes Mount Sinai Hospital and Holy Cross Hospital in Chicago, called it a “good gauge of how the pandemic is tracking.” Earlier this year, Sinai was admitting 30 to 40 probable COVID-19 cases a day; it’s now fewer than 10.
To get a better handle on trends, researchers often look at “rolling” averages instead of day-to-day changes; that helps smooth out the ups and downs of the data. When looking at a seven-day rolling average, Chicago, the suburbs and the rest of the state all have seen drops in admissions.
There are a few caveats. Hospitals may not all have exactly the same rules for admitting patients. And admissions are also what’s called a “lagging indicator.”
It takes roughly five days for an infected person to show symptoms. And it can typically take a week longer for someone to become sick enough to be hospitalized, according to a recent University of Illinois study. So if admissions jump, it means the infections likely jumped at least a week earlier.
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State officials, who are watching for any “sustained” increase in hospital admissions, note publicly whether the figure is rising or falling. But to obtain specific details, the Tribune had to ask for the underlying data.
The R factor
Unless you are a voracious consumer of COVID-19 news, you may not have heard of this metric.
That’s because it’s a calculation generally in the weeds of academic research. But in the midst of a deadly pandemic, it is a key figure, because it focuses on the actual spread of the disease.
The metric: Take one infected person. On average, how many others is that person infecting?
Calculating that estimate involves both math and guesswork.
At the beginning of a pandemic, the factor is called R(0) — pronounced “R naught." It’s the estimated transmission rate when zero people are assumed to be immune. A model created by the University of Illinois helped calculate this number, showing how large it was in the beginning of the pandemic: up to 2.28 for the northeastern part of the state.
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The R value, however, changes, as people get sick and either die or recover and become immune. Researchers estimate that 5% to 8% of Illinois residents fall into the second category.
Researchers must estimate who’s left to get sick, along with some other factors, to calculate something called R(t) or R(e). Both mean the same thing: the emerging transmission rate.
The key is making sure this number stays below 1, to put the virus on a track to dying out. And so far, the model suggests, that’s been the case in Illinois.
But this statistic too has its downsides. There is debate about how best to calculate it, and besides, it’s a lagging indicator, based in part on hospital data. So a sudden infection surge may not be caught in the data for a couple of weeks.
The state isn’t calculating and posting this number, like some European countries do weekly, researchers said.
Goldenfeld and Maslov said they’re working toward producing calculations weekly and double-checking the results with University of Chicago researchers who’ve developed a separate way to estimate it.
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Chicago Tribune’s Lisa Schencker contributed.
This story has been changed to correct the title of Sinai Health System’s Airica Steed.
jmahr@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-06-09--Former Illinois state Sen. Arthur Berman dies at 85

He recalled that as a child , he would accompany his father as he passed out campaign matchbooks while politicking @ @ @ @ @ stop .
Art Berman vowed to run every race as if it were a “ @ @ @ @ @ was expected to win , his son said .

Retired state Sen. Arthur L. Berman fought for schools in Chicago and throughout Illinois for more than three decades in Springfield, including as Senate Education Committee chairman.
The former North Side Democratic lawmaker died of natural causes June 6 at his Chicago residence, according to his family. He was 85.
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On Monday, Senate President Don Harmon hailed Berman for bettering the lives of schoolchildren.
Sen. Arthur Berman in 1997. (Handout)
“Over the course of his public service, Art Berman was a leading voice for education funding reform in Illinois, always fighting for more resources for students and protecting access to vital services,” said Harmon, D-Oak Park. “He was also a genuinely delightful person.”
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Berman served in the Illinois General Assembly from 1969 until stepping down in 2000. He moved from the House to the Senate in 1977, taking on the complex issues of school finance and reform as well as pushing successfully to include the Holocaust in school curricula about World War II.
“My dad never backed away from a cause he believed was worthy and one that could educate others,” said his daughter, Marcy Padorr of Highland Park. “He was known as ‘the education senator’ for the state bills he passed to improve schooling for all Illinois children.”
Chicago Teachers Union President Jesse Sharkey remembered Berman as a “crucial advocate for public schools” whose advocacy laid the groundwork for a more equitable school funding reform in 2017.
Former Democratic Sen. Jeff Schoenberg of Evanston said Berman “was always synonymous with impassioned leadership for public education as well as a fierce defender of civil liberties and the Jewish communities’ interest. … While he had a deft touch politically because he was a product of the Chicago Democratic machine, he was a tremendous champion for more independent policy interests.”
Born May 4, 1935, in Chicago, Berman lived his life in the Rogers Park and Edgewater neighborhoods. He graduated from Senn High School, the University of Illinois and Northwestern University School of Law. He served on the boards of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago, the Anti-Defamation League, the Decalogue Society of Lawyers and the Emanuel Congregation.
“He was very proud of his city,” said his son, Adam Berman of Highland Park. “He was very proud of his community. He valued being a public official, and never took it for granted.”
He recalled that as a child, he would accompany his father as he passed out campaign matchbooks while politicking at an "L" stop. Art Berman vowed to run every race as if it were a “toss-up” even when he was expected to win, his son said.
Along with his two children, Berman is survived by his wife, Barbara, and five grandchildren.
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Graveside service and shiva will be private, according to the Goldman Funeral Group. Contributions may be made to the Jewish United Fund or A Silver Lining Foundation.


chicagotribune--2020-06-09--Bail denied for suspect in deadly high-speed chase days after he was given $1 million bail

In court Monday , prosecutors recounted details of the chase first revealed during the weekend hearing : that the pursuit @ @ @ @ @ 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee that was tied to a shooting in the Roseland neighborhood last @ @ @ @ @ was triggered two days later when officers spotted the Jeep in a McDonald ’ s @ @ @ @ @ Jeep was leading officers onto the northbound Dan Ryan Expressway at 87th Street and continuing @ @ @ @ @ O ’ Hare International Airport , then going south on the Kennedy , prosecutors said @

A Cook County judge on Monday denied bail for the suspect in a deadly televised miles-long vehicle chase and carjacking days after another judge gave him a $1 million bail.
Marcel Oliver was still hospitalized Saturday when Judge Arthur Wesley Willis ordered the high bail based on the seriousness of the prosecution’s allegations. But wearing a hospital arm sling during his first court appearance Monday, Oliver said little, though he winced several times in apparent pain from his injuries, or reacted with surprise during the hearing.
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Oliver, 22, faces charges of first-degree murder, as well as vehicular hijacking, possession of a stolen vehicle and aggravated fleeing, for the pursuit that spanned the Far South Side and the Northwest Side.
The high-speed pursuit, Oliver’s foot chase with several officers and his eventual capture by barbed wire was caught on a helicopter-mounted camera and broadcast live on WGN-TV.
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Marcel Oliver, 22, was charged with first-degree murder, vehicular hijacking, possession of a stolen vehicle and aggravated fleeing. (HANDOUT)
In court Monday, prosecutors recounted details of the chase first revealed during the weekend hearing: that the pursuit was linked to a stolen 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee that was tied to a shooting in the Roseland neighborhood last Monday. The police pursuit was triggered two days later when officers spotted the Jeep in a McDonald’s parking lot. Soon the Jeep was leading officers onto the northbound Dan Ryan Expressway at 87th Street and continuing on the Kennedy Expressway toward O’Hare International Airport, then going south on the Kennedy, prosecutors said.
The pursuit reached speeds of 100 miles per hour, Assistant State’s Attorney James Murphy told the court.
As the pursuit stretched into the Lakeview neighborhood, Oliver ran through a red light at the intersection of Irving Park Road and Ashland Avenue at a high speed, according to prosecutors. A marked CPD squad car with two officers inside was directly behind Oliver, also traveling at a high rate of speed.
The squad car crashed into a Ford Explorer traveling northbound on Ashland. The driver, 37-year-old Guadalupe Francisco-Martinez, was transported to Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead.
The two officers injured in the crash remained hospitalized as of Monday, prosecutors said.
“This defendant basically disregarded the lives of countless hundreds of people (during) this crash,” the judge said in denying bail. “He’s the poster child for flight. He was fleeing from over 100 police officers in this city, with utter disregard. I’m at a loss for words and I’m rarely at a loss for words.”
The judge rejected the argument by Oliver’s attorney that police were responsible for the crash that killed Francisco-Martinez because they violated the department’s pursuit policy. The judge called that a civil argument irrelevant to the criminal case. Lyke also rejected an argument that bails cannot be denied via closed-circuit television.
Oliver will return to court later this month.


chicagotribune--2020-06-09--George Floyd response: Crowds rally for black, Latino unity; public defenders march in solidarity ar

George Floyd response: Crowds rally for black, Latino unity; public defenders march in solidarity around Cook County Jail

“ Early last week , after listening to the voices of the artists , staff and others in the artistic @ @ @ @ @ growing outrage with decisions by the Board after Chay Yew resigned , I had decided @ @ @ @ @ role , '' Daniels said in a prepared statement .
`` Unfortunately , the vitriol @ @ @ @ @ days , which included many hurtful and personal accusations and misstatements about me .
I @ @ @ @ @ Gardens and its mission to let this continue , and therefore I have decided to @ @ @ @ @ have always been committed to the mission and values of Victory Gardens and leave here @ @ @ @ @ work that Chay and I did together.
” Read more here .
— Chris Jones

A crowd gathered in the Pilsen neighborhood Monday evening outside Lincoln United Methodist Church to share in good food, beautiful weather, live music and a collective call for unity.
A throng of Cook County public defenders demonstrated outside Cook County’s main criminal courthouse on Monday in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, and for many, it was personal. Some 200 people, including public defenders, their family members and some private defense attorneys, turned out for a rally outside the Leighton Criminal Court Building and a march around the massive county jail complex.
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Also on Monday, Gov. J.B. Pritzker called the rallying cry to defund the police “a poor use of words to describe what many people really want.”
The Democratic governor suggested a reframing of the concept to better connect with the public.
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After days of tensions and disturbances, Chicagoans saw a weekend of peaceful marches and greet the week with no more curfews and CTA buses and trains running through downtown again.
[ Tribune photographers capture the protests and unrest in Chicago ]
[ Who are the activists behind the protests? Meet the Faces of the Change ]
[ Get breaking news as it happens with email alerts from the Tribune ]
Here are the latest developments:
7:10 p.m. (Updated 8:39 p.m.) : Crowds rally for black, Latino unity and ‘the power of community’
A crowd gathered in the Pilsen neighborhood Monday evening outside Lincoln United Methodist Church to share in good food, beautiful weather, live music and a collective call for unity.
Attendees filled the intersection near South Damen Avenue and West 22nd Place for the Together We Rise Black & Brown Rally, hosted by activists Tanya Lozano and Bella Bahhs.
Some finished marking up their signs with messages like “Defund the Police” and “White Silence Is Violence” on patches of grass while volunteers walked around with snacks like roasted ham, lamb tacos and chocolate chip cookies.
A few artists added finishing touches to table-size tableaus along the fence as smoke billowed up from grills. What organizers called “music of resistance” started from a stage and continued as the crowd grew, stretching back toward West Cermak Road.
Speakers, including the Rev. Jesse Jackson, U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García, U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush, Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez, 25th, Ald. Walter Burnett, 27th, and the Lozano family, urged unity in the wake of the killing of George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis on May 25. Read more here. — Morgan Greene
6:32 p.m.: Public defenders march around Cook County Jail in solidarity with colleagues, Black Lives Matter
A throng of Cook County public defenders demonstrated outside Cook County’s main criminal courthouse on Monday in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, and for many, it was personal.
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“It is a different life being a black public defender, because these are our people every day who are ushered through those doors,” Assistant Public Defender Ashley Shambley told the assembled crowd.
"Those are our people ... you see the terrified and depressed looks on their faces when they enter that building, knowing they do not have a fair shake the moment they had those cuffs put upon them, for no other reason than the color of their skin.”
Some 200 people, including public defenders, their family members and some private defense attorneys, turned out for a rally outside the Leighton Criminal Court Building and a march around the massive county jail complex. Read more here. — Megan Crepeau
5:25 p.m.: Judge refuses to release man accused of torching Chicago cop car while wearing Joker mask, saying he’s skipped other cases
A man accused of setting fire to a Chicago police car while wearing a Joker mask will remain in federal custody, though the judge overseeing the case asked that prison officials continue physical and mental health treatment during the detention.
At a hearing Monday, U.S. District Magistrate Judge Gabriel A. Fuentes approved prosecutors’ request to keep Timothy O’Donnell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center pending trial, based on a criminal record that includes nine instances of bond forfeiture and failure to appear in five states, including Illinois. Read more here. — William Lee
5:10 p.m.: Following protests, Erica Daniels to exit Victory Gardens Theater
Erica Daniels, the executive director of Chicago’s Victory Gardens Theater, said Monday that she was leaving the theater, the site of protests in recent days over a decision to board up the theater during the fallout from the George Floyd killing and the choice not to hold a national search to replace the departing artistic director, Chay Yew. Daniels had been appointed to a combined job giving her both artistic and executive directorships.
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“Early last week, after listening to the voices of the artists, staff and others in the artistic community who expressed disagreement and growing outrage with decisions by the Board after Chay Yew resigned, I had decided to cede the Artistic Director role," Daniels said in a prepared statement. "Unfortunately, the vitriol has really escalated in recent days, which included many hurtful and personal accusations and misstatements about me. I care too much about Victory Gardens and its mission to let this continue, and therefore I have decided to leave the Theater. I have always been committed to the mission and values of Victory Gardens and leave here very proud of the outstanding work that Chay and I did together.” Read more here. — Chris Jones
5:09 p.m.: Gov. J.B. Pritzker suggests ‘defund the police’ is a messaging obstacle to get police reforms
Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Monday called the rallying cry to defund the police “a poor use of words to describe what many people really want.”
President Donald Trump has seized on the phrase protesters are using in the wake of George Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police. The Democratic governor suggested a reframing of the concept to better connect with the public.
“It’s change,” Pritzker said. “They want fundamental change in the way that police operate.”
The governor also said his office is “looking hard” at the possibility of state licensing for police officers, an idea that Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul suggested in an interview last week with WBEZ-FM 91.5.
“You have to think about, what are the methods by which people can be disciplined if they’re not going to get disciplined by their own police departments, if the investigations are taking place by a police department that may not want to hold some of their officers accountable for the kind of behavior that I think we would all find reprehensible?” said Pritzker at a news conference to announce steps the Illinois Department of Insurance is taking to assist businesses filing claims over damaged sustained amid the fallout over Floyd’s death. Read more here. — Dan Petrella
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4:19 p.m.: Protest in Naperville draws 150-200 people as march stops at police station and continues throughout the city
A group of 150 to 200 protesters marched west on Aurora Avenue toward the Naperville police station from the city’s downtown area Monday afternoon.
“A large protest has formed and is currently marching on Aurora Avenue in downtown Naperville. Their final destination is not known at this time," a notification from the city said. “For the safety of all participants and motorists in and near the area, please use extreme caution was traveling near downtown during this time.”
There were no road closures in effect as of about 3 p.m., but protesters continued walking throughout the city and occasionally taking a knee in the roadways, Naperville police Cmdr. Mike Son said.
The Monday afternoon action follows more than a week of largely peaceful protests led mostly by younger people to protest the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis and to call for an end to racism and police brutality. One held June 1 in Naperville ended with violence, destruction and looting. Read more here. — Erin Hegarty
11:42 a.m.: Congressional Democrats unveil sweeping police reform legislation, take a knee at the Capitol for 8 minutes and 46 seconds
Democrats proposed a sweeping overhaul of police oversight and procedures Monday, an ambitious legislative response to the mass protests denouncing the deaths of black Americans at the hands of law enforcement.
Before unveiling the package, House and Senate Democrats held a moment of silence at the Capitol’s Emancipation Hall, reading the names of George Floyd and others killed during police interactions. They knelt for 8 minutes and 46 seconds — now a symbol of police brutality and violence — the length of time prosecutors say Floyd was pinned under a white police officer’s knee before he died.
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“We cannot settle for anything less than transformative structural change,” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, drawing on the nation’s history of slavery. Read more here. —Associated Press
6:30 a.m.: The criminal charges that have emerged in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death have run the gamut
The situation in downtown Chicago was rapidly devolving last Saturday afternoon when a young man in a grinning “Joker” mask allegedly walked up to a police SUV, set it ablaze, then sat down on the curb to roll himself a cigarette.
Hours later, a downstate man was arrested in the Loop allegedly with homemade explosives in his car after police said he posted videos of himself on Facebook looting stores and saying he’d come to the city to riot.
On Monday, a 19-year-old father of two was captured running from a looted video game store on the city’s Southwest Side with a loaded .357 Magnum. He allegedly told police he was on his way to loot another store when he decided to hit up the GameStop and get some toys for his children.
The three were among hundreds arrested amid the citywide chaos that gripped Chicago for days, along with otherwise peaceful marches against police brutality sparked by George Floyd’s death in Minnesota. Read more here. —Jason Meisner, William Lee and Megan Crepeau
6:15 a.m.: Once again, Madison Street struggles to recover from unrest. ‘I am worried. Hell yeah, I’m worried.’
Ronelle Mustin walked up to African Food & Liquor on West Madison Street, nodded hello to the owner’s son and peered through a window grate that had been bent back into an angry snarl by looters the day before.
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The vandals had yanked out the corner shop’s shelves and left the floor carpeted with food boxes and bottles. Electronic equipment was tipped over and destroyed.
“It feels like rage,” said Mustin, 72, a longtime political and social justice advocate known as the “Cake Man" because he delivers snacks to this stretch of Madison. “A misplaced rage. I think a lot of it is, when you lose hope, nothing matters. You know what I mean?” Read more here. —Annie Sweeney and Jeremy Gorner
6 a.m.: Two black women denounce Black Lives Matter protests in unusual confrontation in West Town
The crowd outside Nini’s Deli was starting to thin Sunday afternoon as Justin Starns watched his friend add more spray paint to the plywood boarding up the restaurant: “BLM,” in all caps, in baby blue.
He was taken by surprise, he said, when a black woman walked up and demanded to know: “Oh, is that for me? Does my life matter?”
She and another woman “said I’m getting paid by (liberal hedge fund billionaire) George Soros, I’m a house Negro,” said Starns, who is black.
On a day when Mayor Lori Lightfoot lifted Chicago’s curfew and several peaceful protests were held, an unusual confrontation took place in West Town: Two black women, who only identified themselves as Bevelyn and Edmee, denounced the Black Lives Matter movement as demonic and fraudulent before a group of mostly white and Latino demonstrators. Read more here. —Megan Crepeau, William Lee and Kaitlin Edquist


chicagotribune--2020-06-09--Crowds rally for black, Latino unity and ‘the power  of community’

“ It feels like a way for younger people to get engaged , ” Gu said .
“ I hope @ @ @ @ @ have occurred many times in the past and nothing super concrete has happened .
But @ @ @ @ @ there ’ s always a hope it will reach more of a visible platform , @ @ @ @ @ with this .
”

People demonstrate during a black and Latino unity rally called Together We Rise on Monday, June 8, 2020, in the 2200 block of South Damen Avenue in the Pilsen neighborhood. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)
A crowd gathered in the Pilsen neighborhood Monday evening outside Lincoln United Methodist Church to share in good food, beautiful weather, live music and a collective call for unity.
Attendees filled the intersection near South Damen Avenue and West 22nd Place for the Together We Rise Black & Brown Rally, hosted by activists Tanya Lozano and Bella Bahhs.
Advertisement
Some finished marking up their signs with messages like “Defund the Police” and “White Silence Is Violence” on patches of grass while volunteers walked around with snacks like roasted ham, lamb tacos and chocolate chip cookies.
A few artists added finishing touches to table-size tableaus along the fence as smoke billowed up from grills. What organizers called “music of resistance” started from a stage and continued as the crowd grew, stretching back toward West Cermak Road.
Advertisement
Shalena Taylor, 21, cheers during a black and Latino unity rally called Together We Rise on Monday, June 8, 2020, in the 2200 block of South Damen Avenue in the Pilsen neighborhood. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)
Speakers, including the Rev. Jesse Jackson, U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García, U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush, Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez, 25th, Ald. Walter Burnett, 27th, and the Lozano family, urged unity in the wake of the killing of George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis on May 25.
Sigcho spoke of honoring the legacy of the community organizer Rudy Lozano, who was killed on this day in 1983 and is Tanya Lozano’s uncle.
“We ought to be honoring that legacy with policies,” Sigcho said — referring to the Civilian Police Accountability Council and the $33 million police contract with Chicago Public Schools that has sparked protests in recent days and calls for its cancellation.
The crowd joined in cheers of “Black Lives Matter” and “Sí, se puede.”
Steven Villarreal, 30, born and raised in Pilsen, said he wanted to come out to the rally to support the neighborhood where he grew up and the Black Lives Matter movement. He held a sign that said, “I understand that I will never understand. However I stand.”
“I’m trying to spread unity and the power of community,” Villarreal said. “Staying silent is not a very good option.”
Eric Gu, 25, traveled from the Loop for the rally. Gu said he hopes defunding police is on people’s minds.
Navid Morales, 30, center, stands on a light pole during during a black and Latino unity rally called Together We Rise on Monday, June 8, 2020, in the 2200 block of South Damen Avenue in the Pilsen neighborhood. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)
“It feels like a way for younger people to get engaged,” Gu said. “I hope people remember protests like this have occurred many times in the past and nothing super concrete has happened. But with each protest I guess there’s always a hope it will reach more of a visible platform, which I think has happened with this.”
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Julia Xiong, 25, said she has noticed more of her friends speaking out and becoming more socially engaged.
“It’s not small if it’s something that you do over time,” Xiong said, about building acts of activism. “Every week you commit to doing one more thing and educating one more person and donating to one more place if you can.”
Selam Algawerash, 24, said she came to Chicago from the northwest suburbs to “create change.”
“I’m here because this is a unity rally, and I think it’s really powerful when two minority groups come together,” Algawerash said.
Algawerash said she hopes to see police defunded and more money put toward community and youth programs and Chicago Public Schools.
“I feel like we’ve been using the police to solve all our problems with education,” Algawerash said, “but that’s just helping with the school-to-prison pipeline.
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“We just need more resources, we don’t need more police,” Algawerash said.
Algawerash said she hopes that “black and brown people and all minority groups can come together and see each other as equal.”
“And I hope that white people can acknowledge that they do have privilege and that it is their job to educate themselves and to do the work of being anti-racist, actively,” Algawerash added. “They have to do the work because it is their problem too.”
mgreene@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-06-07--Coronavirus in Illinois updates: Here’s what happened June 6-7 with COVID-19 in the Chicago area

Saturday ’ s layoffs will include filled and unfilled positions and are an effort “ to scale back operations to @ @ @ @ @ guidance , ” according to a statement from the zoo .
Earlier this week , @ @ @ @ @ city ’ s North side , announced it would cut 18 workers , equal to @ @ @ @ @ .
The park management said it anticipates a budget shortfall this fiscal year of $ @ @ @ @ @ million “ minimally.
” —Sophie Sherry

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The Fulton Market area of Chicago is no longer the ghost town it was during the depths of the COVID-19 virus pandemic shutdown. As restrictions on restaurants are eased, a worker takes a woman's temperature before she can enter Federales restaurant on Morgan Street on July 1, 2020. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)
Illinois health officials on Sunday reported 867 new known cases of coronavirus, along with 40 additional fatalities. The statewide known case count is now 126,890, with a death toll of 5,904 total deaths since the pandemic began.
On Friday, the state reached a milestone of more than 1 million tests for COVID-19 conducted in Illinois since the outbreak began.
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Also on Friday, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Chicago expects to reopen the city’s Lakefront Trail “soon.” The mayor said she’s hoping to announce reopening the lakefront “relatively soon” with a plan meant to minimize crowding and having designated times for activities on the lakefront.
[ When can Illinois move to phase 4? Here's where each region stands. ]
[ How will Illinois reopen? Three charts breaking down Pritzker’s plan ]
[ COVID-19 cases in Illinois by ZIP code: Search for your neighborhood ]
[ As the coronavirus spreads, the Tribune is tracking Illinois cases here ]
Here’s what happened June 6-78 with COVID-19 in the Chicago area and Illinois:
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2:43 p.m., Sunday: Illinois officials report 867 new known coronavirus cases, 40 additional deaths
Illinois health officials on Sunday reported 867 new known cases of coronavirus, along with 40 additional fatalities.
The statewide known case count is now 126,890, with a death toll of 5,904 total deaths since the pandemic began. — Chicago Tribune staff
2:44 p.m.: 975 new known COVID-19 cases, 72 additional deaths
Health officials on Saturday reported 975 new known cases of coronavirus.
The statewide known case count is now 126,890. State officials also announced 72 additional deaths, raising the statewide death toll to 5,864 total deaths.
10:53 a.m.: Closed by coronavius for almost three months, Brookfield Zoo cuts 56 jobs
Brookfield Zoo will eliminate 56 full-time positions, as all facilities remain closed amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The zoo in placed nearly a third of its staff on furlough in April and now joins a number of cultural institutions forced to begin permanent layoffs in response to the pandemic.
Brookfield Zoo closed down March 19 and has had practically no revenue since according to an earlier news release from the zoo’s operator, Chicago Zoological Society. No announcement has been made yet on when the zoo will reopen.
Saturday’s layoffs will include filled and unfilled positions and are an effort “to scale back operations to better align with state reopening guidance,” according to a statement from the zoo. Earlier this week, Lincoln Park Zoo on the city’s North side, announced it would cut 18 workers, equal to 7% of their staff. The park management said it anticipates a budget shortfall this fiscal year of $2.5 million to $5 million “minimally.” —Sophie Sherry
7:16 p.m. Friday: Chicago churches can meet up to 25% capacity or up to 50 people, Mayor Lori Lightfoot says
Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Chicago churches can hold services with no more than 50 people, so long as they wear masks and maintain social distance.
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The city will allow churches to have 25% capacity or a maximum of 50 people, she said, as Chicago continues easing its stay-at-home restrictions put in place for the coronavirus pandemic. Chicago entered its latest phase of reopening earlier this week.
“We’re going to start there, we’re going to give churches the ability to see how that goes and then we’ll be in constant (contact) to see if we need to make some modifications or adjustments along the way,” she said. Read more here. —Gregory Pratt


chicagotribune--2020-06-10--Cristobal’s remnants to bring strong winds to Chicago as severe thunderstorm watch in effect

Meteorologist Rafal Ogorek said isolated thunderstorms also loom , with the potential for bands that are capable of dropping about @ @ @ @ @ some areas .
The first remnants of Cristobal started moving into the Chicago area between @ @ @ @ @ The rain wasn ’ t expected to lead to widespread flooding , but if more @ @ @ @ @ one area , that could cause some isolated flash floods or ponding , he said @

Pedestrians cross the street while rain falls in the River North neighborhood on June 9, 2020, in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)
Large portions of waterlogged northern Illinois could again be drenched by isolated thunderstorms as the last vestiges of what once was Tropical Storm Cristobal blow through the area in the afternoon Tuesday, forecasters said.
The strongest wind gusts are expected between 1 and 10 p.m. and sustained wind speeds of about 40 to 45 mph are expected, with the threat of gusts more than 50 mph, according to the National Weather Service.
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A tornado warning that included southeast Cook County was issued through 8:30 p.m. but canceled early as the storm moved out.
Tornado Warning including Hammond IN, Calumet City IL, East Chicago IN until 8:30 PM CDT pic.twitter.com/BHR0MnqPQS — NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) June 10, 2020
A severe thunderstorm warning that included the Chicago area was also issued through 8:30 p.m., with wind gusts up to 60 mph and hail the size of a penny.
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A wind advisory has been issued for much of the area, mainly including the city and southern suburbs, until 10 p.m., with beach hazard statements for the Lake Michigan shoreline.
With the high likelihood of strong winds occurring today, a wind advisory is in effect for much of the area until 10 PM this evening. Winds may result in loose objects and tents being blown around outdoors and cause hazardous travel for high profile vehicles. #ilwx #inwx pic.twitter.com/YRLvyWPsCW — NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) June 9, 2020
Meteorologist Rafal Ogorek said isolated thunderstorms also loom, with the potential for bands that are capable of dropping about an inch of rain in some areas. The first remnants of Cristobal started moving into the Chicago area between 1 and 2 p.m. The rain wasn’t expected to lead to widespread flooding, but if more than one band hits any one area, that could cause some isolated flash floods or ponding, he said.
“The highest concentration of rainfall should be concentrated more north and west of I-57, at least for the north-central part of the state,” Ogorek said, noting eastern Iowa could be harder hit. “It’s just difficult to pinpoint an exact location where the heavy rainfall may set up.”
Pedestrians sit inside and walk around a CTA "L" train at the Belmont station while heavy rain falls in the area on June 9, 2020, in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)
Illinois is about as far northwest as an Atlantic Basin tropical storm can travel, and it has happened at least 16 times since 1886, Ogorek said. Most recently, the area was hit in 2018 by Tropical Storm Alberto, and before that, the last time Illinois was affected by an Atlantic Basin storm was Tropical Storm Issac in 2012.
“It’s relatively rare,” he said. “We typically don’t get any tropical remnants from the Atlantic Ocean, but it has happened 16 times.”
The Milwaukee-area office of the weather service said Cristobal is expected to be only the fourth Atlantic tropical cyclone remnant to move over Wisconsin in its more than 100 years of records. It also said if Cristobal is still technically a tropical depression after it hits the state line, Wisconsin would notch its first tropical depression in the state’s history.
Only 3 tropical systems have tracked across Wisconsin since records began. The remnants of Cristobal will be the fourth. #swiwx pic.twitter.com/ke3cRadX8V — NWS Milwaukee (@NWSMKX) June 8, 2020
Ogorek said even though Cristobal will have passed by Wednesday, another system moving in behind it will keep the area windy.
“Not as strong as today. Today there could be gusts in the 45- or even 50-mph range. Tomorrow probably won’t be as bad, more so in the 30- to 40-mph range. So, still pretty gusty but not as strong as we’ve had here lately,” Ogorek said.
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Check back for updates and visit the Tribune’s weather page for more.
kdouglas@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @312BreakingNews


chicagotribune--2020-06-09--‘I felt my personhood was threatened,’ says Joliet mayor, again defending actions in skirmish caught

‘I felt my personhood was threatened,’ says Joliet mayor, again defending actions in skirmish caught on video during protest

O ’ Dekirk last week said he felt compelled to go out with police to assist however he could .
@ @ @ @ @ he was not there to enforce the law but to help defuse the situation and @ @ @ @ @ said some people he encountered recognized him as the mayor , but others did not @

As he called for unity in the city, Joliet Mayor Robert O’Dekirk on Tuesday continued to defend his actions in a May 31 skirmish, caught on video, involving two demonstrators.
At a news conference at Joliet City Hall, O’Dekirk surrounded himself with supporters — including members of the Joliet Black Police Officers Association — who backed his claims that he was acting in self-defense in the altercation. Meanwhile, protesters outside City Hall held signs calling for the mayor’s resignation.
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“I only acted to defend myself because I felt my personhood was threatened,” O’Dekirk, a former Joliet police officer, read from a statement.
A video that surfaced last week depicts a chaotic scene in which police are dispersing a crowd of demonstrators who had gathered along Jefferson Street in Joliet to protest the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police.
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O’Dekirk, who is white, appears to grab 23-year-old Victor Williams Jr. of Lockport, who is African American, by the collar and forcibly walk him backward to a police vehicle. Williams’ brother, Jamal Smith, 28, of Crest Hill, then appears to jump on O’Dekirk from behind, and all three fall to the ground and are quickly surrounded by police.
It remains unclear what words were exchanged between O’Dekirk and Williams or what prompted O’Dekirk to grab Williams by the collar. Attorneys for Williams say the attack was unprovoked, and Williams’ sister, Jasmine Godfrey, on Tuesday said Williams was trying to tell O’Dekirk that he was making his way to his sister.
O’Dekirk maintains he was acting in self-defense and that Williams engaged him first. He also noted that police on that evening had endured insults and had objects, including frozen water bottles and asphalt, thrown at them.
“It’s a miracle no one was killed,” O’Dekirk said. “In my 10 years as a police officer, I never saw anything like that.”
The mayor’s supporters at the news conference pointed to O’Dekirk’s history of working with the community, his support of minority-owned businesses and his commitment to a diverse workforce in the city.
O’Dekirk last week said he felt compelled to go out with police to assist however he could. On Tuesday, he said he was not there to enforce the law but to help defuse the situation and keep the peace. He said some people he encountered recognized him as the mayor, but others did not.
The video shows O’Dekirk dressed in plain clothes wearing a baseball cap, later identified as a Joliet police cap by Joliet police Chief Al Roechner. Roechner has said that O’Dekirk did not inform him ahead of time that he would be out with police. Roechner has declined further comment on the incident, which has been referred to the Illinois State Police for review.
Godfrey, who attended Tuesday’s protest outside City Hall with one of her brothers and friends who were with them on May 31, described O’Dekirk as the aggressor and said that she and others she was with were peacefully protesting.
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“He was looking for people to pick up,” said Steven Newell, who was with Godfrey and her brothers that evening, said of the mayor.
A woman who says she witnessed the altercation, however, shared a different story at Tuesday’s news conference, saying that the crowd of demonstrators had grown unruly and that the mayor was attacked first.
“What I saw Sunday night was horrific,” said Mady Perez.
During the news conference, O’Dekirk also called into question recently released records showing that he had been suspended 49 days over seven different occasions while he was a police officer.
He said reporters were given “bad information” about his suspensions. When pressed on the matter, he said he could not recall exactly how many days’ suspension he had served, but did note he believed he was suspended once for missing a court date, once for parking a police vehicle improperly and once for writing on a desk.
O’Dekirk said he was proud of his 10 years as a police officer.
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Records obtained by the Tribune included notices that were posted of O’Dekirk’s suspensions. According to the notices, O’Dekirk’s suspensions included: one day in 1995, three days in 1997, one day in 1998, 30 days at the end of 1998 but to be served in 1999, one day in 1999, three days in 2001 and 10 days in 2002. O’Dekirk resigned from his position in 2003 when he became an attorney.
The records, called personnel orders, do not indicate if the suspensions were ever reversed. The Tribune has requested further documentation of O’Dekirk’s suspensions and personnel records. O’Dekirk said he welcomed a review of his file.
Alicia Fabbre is a freelance reporter.


chicagotribune--2020-06-09--George Floyd response: As protests continue, debate grows over police reforms. License cops like bar

George Floyd response: As protests continue, debate grows over police reforms. License cops like barbers and nurses?

Some finished marking up their signs with messages like “ Defund the Police ” and “ White Silence Is Violence @ @ @ @ @ while volunteers walked around with snacks like roasted ham , lamb tacos and chocolate chip @ @ @ @ @ added finishing touches to table-size tableaus along the fence as smoke billowed up from grills @ @ @ @ @ music of resistance ” started from a stage and continued as the crowd grew , @ @ @ @ @ Road .
Read more here .
-- Morgan Greene

As mass protests continue, debate is growing in Illinois and across the country about what reforms should be enacted after the police killing of George Floyd in Mineapolis. The rallying cry at many of the demonstrations has been to defund the police, but what exactly does that mean?
On Monday, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said his office is “looking hard” at the possibility of state licensing for police officers, much like barbers or nurses, to increase accountability.
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[ Tribune photographers capture the protests and unrest in Chicago ]
[ Who are the activists behind the protests? Meet the Faces of the Change ]
[ Get breaking news as it happens with email alerts from the Tribune ]
Here are the latest developments:
5:47 p.m.: Pull Chicago police from CPS schools and use that $33 million on mental health, activists and elected leaders say
As calls grow for an end to in-school police officers, young organizers and some elected officials say the money should be reallocated to mental health resources for Chicago Public School students.
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Following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, CPS students have held large-scale protests demanding the district end its $33 million one-year contract with the Chicago Police Department and remove school resource officers from their buildings.
At a press conference outside of CPS headquarters Tuesday, leaders with Voices of Youth in Chicago Education carried on the rallying cry, heard at other local protests in the last week: “Get CPD out of CPS.” Read more here. – Sophie Sherry
5:20 p.m.: While other cities pledge funding cuts to police forces, Chicago more hesitant
Calls to cut funding to police departments have picked up nationally in the wake of heated protests over George Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police, but the idea has not caught on with Chicago’s top leaders.
In fact, the city is now the largest in the U.S. where leaders have not promised reductions, after mayors in both New York City and Los Angeles vowed budget cuts to their police forces. Thus far, Mayor Lori Lightfoot has not embraced the idea of “defunding” — reducing the law enforcement budget to boost social programs. Read more here. — Dan Hinkel
4:47 p.m.: Drag queens will protest George Floyd’s death at a Sunday march that’s drawing interest from thousands
Walking south from her home in Edgewater, drag performer Joe Lewis reached the Trump Tower at 6:30 p.m. May 31, determined to join the chanting, sign-waving crowds that had converged on the Loop to protest the death of George Floyd.
But the bridges over the Chicago River were raised, cutting off Lewis from allies just a few blocks away.
“I felt very alone, as you often do as a victim of racism and a person of color,” said Lewis, 34.
“And I thought about George Floyd and how he (lay) there on the ground suffocating, and how alone he must have felt, so alone that he called out for his dead mother, and it moved me to the point that I knew I had to take action.”
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Lewis, known in the Chicago drag scene as Jo MaMa, started organizing a Black Lives Matter march led by drag performers. The hope was to draw maybe 100 people, but as protests grew and spread, so did support for the Drag March for Change. Scheduled for Sunday in Boystown, it has drawn interest from 5,000 people on Facebook, with more than 1,000 saying they definitely plan to attend. Read more here. — Nara Schoenberg
3:17 p.m.: 'It’s an overdue conversation’: Hundreds march in Northbrook to protest racial injustice
Silence washed over a small corner of Northbrook Monday afternoon as hundreds of protesters took a collective knee to protest racial injustice.
They knelt in silence for eight minutes and 46 seconds — the length of time a white Minneapolis police officer pinned his knee into George Floyd’s neck, killing him.
“Whose knee hurts from kneeling?” Amira McBeath, 18, asked the crowd after getting up. “Now imagine that knee on your neck.”
Floyd’s death last month has sparked national and global outrage and widespread protests against police brutality and racism. That outrage reached Northbrook Monday as a few hundred people gathered behind Village Hall to chant, raise their “Black Lives Matter” signs and listen to black speakers share their own stories of injustice. Read more here. — Kaitlin Edquist
2:25 p.m.: Vandalism to vehicle with a Black Lives Matter message being called a possible hate crime by Elgin cops
The defacement of a vehicle featuring a Black Lives Matter message is being investigated as a possible hate crime, Elgin police spokeswoman Kristie Hilton said.
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Authorities responded to a call Monday morning about the car being spray painted with undisclosed words while it was parked in the first block of North Commonwealth Avenue, Hilton said. Read more here. —Rafael Guerrero
10:37 a.m.: Top cop strips officer of police powers, moves him to administrative tasks following obscene gesture at protesters
A Chicago police officer who was called out by Mayor Lori Lightfoot after being photographed making an obscene gesture at protesters last week has been stripped of his police powers and moved to administrative tasks, according to the agency.
The image was taken by a photojournalist during a protest that started Thursday in Lincoln Park and posted on social media and on Block Club Chicago. In a Friday news conference, Lightfoot said she wanted the officer to be fired, although the decision rested with police Superintendent David Brown. An emailed statement from Kellie Bartoli, a Chicago police spokeswoman, said Brown chose to relieve the officer “of his police powers for conduct unbecoming” of a sworn department employee.
“The officer used a vulgar, offensive gesture directed at a member of the public while on duty and in uniform. The member will be limited to administrative duties,” it said.
Soon after the photograph was taken and posted to Twitter, a response came from a verified Chicago police Twitter account saying the department had launched an investigation into the matter.
“We do not tolerate misconduct of any kind,” it said.
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The officer’s fate will be decided by the nine-member Chicago Police Board — the city panel, once headed by Lightfoot, that decides punishment in the most serious allegations of officer misconduct. But before the board hears such cases, an investigation must be completed by the Police Department’s bureau of internal affairs or the city’s Civilian Office of Police Accountability.
A representative of COPA did not immediately return a request seeking comment. It was not clear whether the investigation was complete or whether Brown made the choice to strip the officer of his powers prior to its completion. Read more here. —Katherine Rosenberg-Douglas
7 a.m.: Gov. Pritzker marches with hundreds in Matteson, demanding racial equality
Gov. J.B. Pritzker marched Monday with hundreds of people in Matteson who called for peace and racial harmony in response to the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
Organized by Victory Apostolic Church in that suburb, the event drew more than 400 people and included speeches by black elected leaders including Matteson Mayor Sheila Chalmers-Currin, U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx.
Before leading marchers to Matteson’s Unity Bridge that crosses Interstate 57, Pritzker told the audience that leaders “have to repair the damage that’s been done to black communities around the state” through reinvestment.
Pritzker said too many communities of color had “seen nothing or very little over the years” in terms of investment in health care and education.
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Pritzker said “long-standing systems don’t shift on their own,” and he realizes “my duty is to be a force for justice, a force for change.”
From a stage set up in the parking lot of the church, the governor shouted “Black Lives Matter” several times, with the audience applauding and cheering him.
Andrew Singleton, senior pastor of Victory Apostolic Church, said the death of Floyd while being arrested “has brought us together in protest, in grief, in anger, in pain and in unity.” A Minneapolis police officer was fired and charged with second-degree murder in Floyd’s death, and three other officers were fired and charged with aiding and abetting. Read more here. — Mike Nolan
6:45 a.m.: Teen activism in Chicago spurred by police killing of George Floyd: ‘We are fed up and this is the last straw’
Young Chicagoans like Shayla Turner say they have seen too many black people killed by police or had friends shot dead in cases that go unsolved.
“It’s not just George Floyd. It’s Laquan McDonald. It’s Breonna Taylor. I feel like we are fed up and this is the last straw,” Turner said after nearly a week of local protests sparked by the Minneapolis police killing of Floyd. “I don’t loot or destruct, but I don’t judge anybody that does, because we are angry. ... We need justice for everybody."
Students such as Turner, 18, a senior at Chicago’s Sarah Goode STEM Academy, have been on the front lines of protests and cleanup efforts in neighborhoods devastated by looting and destruction. Young activists in Chicago have long advocated for more resources and fewer police officers in their schools, and many say Floyd’s death compelled them to take to the streets and make their voices heard. Read more here. -- Hannah Leone
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6:40 a.m.: Calls are renewed to ‘defund the police,’ but what does that mean?
For those not closely following efforts to reform the Chicago Police Department, a call to “defund the police” might sound surprising or even alarming.
But the concept has been widely discussed here for several years, brought forward by activists and reformers, who question the dedication of tax dollars in the wake of numerous scandals in the Chicago Police Department.
Tax dollars would be better spent on community programming or efforts that can more adequately address some of the deep-rooted social problems, such as drug addiction or mental health concerns, that officers are often called to respond to, activists have said. Read more here. -- Annie Sweeney
6:30 a.m.: Crowds rally for black, Latino unity and ‘the power of community’
A crowd gathered in the Pilsen neighborhood Monday evening outside Lincoln United Methodist Church to share in good food, beautiful weather, live music and a collective call for unity.
People filled the intersection near South Damen Avenue and West 22nd Place for the Together We Rise Black & Brown Rally, hosted by activists Tanya Lozano and Bella Bahhs.
Some finished marking up their signs with messages like “Defund the Police” and “White Silence Is Violence” on patches of grass while volunteers walked around with snacks like roasted ham, lamb tacos and chocolate chip cookies. A few artists added finishing touches to table-size tableaus along the fence as smoke billowed up from grills. What organizers called “music of resistance” started from a stage and continued as the crowd grew, stretching back toward West Cermak Road. Read more here. -- Morgan Greene


chicagotribune--2020-06-09--Republicans rip Pritzker as social distancing hypocrite as he joins protests; he hits back on Trump

Republicans rip Pritzker as social distancing hypocrite as he joins protests; he hits back on Trump conspiracy tweet

“ Especially at this moment , it ’ s important to express ourselves .
It ’ s important to stand @ @ @ @ @ First Amendment rights , and I ’ m talking about the peaceful protesters across the @ @ @ @ @ .
“ It ’ s important to have the governor stand with them on issues @ @ @ @ @ state and progress that we need to make .
”

Gov. J.B. Pritzker takes part in a march in Matteson on June 8, 2020, where hundreds demanded an end to racial inequality. (Mike Nolan / Daily Southtown)
Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker defended himself Tuesday against Republican criticism that he was a social distancing hypocrite for appearing side by side with protesters at recent demonstrations.
"I’m not going to run away” from taking a stand at a historic inflection point involving race and law enforcement, the governor said.
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Seeking to turn the political tables, Pritzker said the state’s five GOP congressmen “should leave office” for refusing to call out President Donald Trump over a tweet that falsely contended a 75-year-old protester in Buffalo, New York, pushed to the ground by police could be an anti-fascist “ANTIFA provocateur” trying to interfere with law enforcement communications.
Pritzker’s comments came as the number of deaths statewide from COVID-19 topped 6,000, public health officials said.
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Officials reported 797 newly confirmed cases of the coronavirus, bringing the total number of known cases to 129,212 since the pandemic began. It was the fourth straight day — and the sixth in the past seven days — when the number of new cases was below 1,000. With 95 additional fatalities, the state’s death toll stood at 6,018, officials said.
Earlier Tuesday, the Illinois Republican Party used social media and news releases to rip Pritzker for appearing at protests in gatherings that exceeded the 10-person limit of the current phase of the governor’s reopening plan.
“The governor flaunting his disregard for his own rules is a slap in the face to every Illinoisan who has been diligently following them,” state GOP spokesman Joe Hackler said in a statement.
“If the governor wants to show solidarity with protesters, his time is better spent on the phone with legislators trying to build a coalition for change. He could be calling an immediate special session. Instead, he poses for a photo-op while undermining whatever credibility he had left on his coronavirus restrictions,” Hackler said.
Republican state Rep. Grant Wehrli of Naperville took to Twitter to criticize Pritzker as a “two-faced politician” who wants “you to do as they say but do not take their own advice” and “flout the very laws they put in place.”
Appearing at a news conference in Decatur, Pritzker acknowledged that “people should still be social distancing” and expressed concerns that there could be a resurgence of the coronavirus as a result of mass protests over the death of George Floyd while in Minneapolis police custody. Four officers have been charged, including one with murder.
But Pritzker defended his appearances at the protests, saying that he and many demonstrators wore masks to try to avoid any spread of the coronavirus. The governor added that the cause was of great importance in seeking to address “systemic racism that existed for generations.”
“I go places, and it’s very difficult to get socially distant when an awful lot of people show up, and I’m not going to run away,” the governor said.
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“Especially at this moment, it’s important to express ourselves. It’s important to stand up for people’s First Amendment rights, and I’m talking about the peaceful protesters across the state,” he said. “It’s important to have the governor stand with them on issues that are important to the state and progress that we need to make.”
Pritzker said he has a “long list of considerations” for possible recommendations to lawmakers on how to deal not only with changes in law enforcement but also to address communities that have seen economic disinvestment. That includes Chicago neighborhoods but also Downstate.
“I think this is a unique moment where people’s voices are being heard, and they’re not just black voices, I might add,” Pritzker said.
“Black lives matter. But look at how many people were standing with Black Lives Matter protesters who were Black Lives Matter protesters who were not black. And I was one of them and am one of them,” he said.
In response to a reporter’s question, Pritzker fired back at the state’s GOP congressional delegation in Washington over Trump’s tweet about Martin Gugino, a 75-year-old protester hospitalized with head injuries after he was shoved to the ground by Buffalo police last week. The altercation was seen in a widely viewed video, and two officers have been charged with felony assault.
“Buffalo protester shoved by Police could be an ANTIFA provocateur,” Trump tweeted. “75 year old Martin Gugino was pushed away after appearing to scan police communications in order to black out the equipment. @OANN I watched, he fell harder than was pushed. Was aiming scanner. Could be a set up?”
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OANN is the One America News Network, a conservative outlet that previously has pushed unsubstantiated conspiracy theories and has gained the president’s favor over Fox News lately.
Said Pritzker, an outspoken Trump critic: “If you can’t see that this president is offensive to most Americans, that he stands for policies that are attacking many Americans, that he’s a divisive force in this country.
“Anybody watching that video knows he was pushed. He’s just making things up. He does that all the time. And if the Republican representatives from the state of Illinois can’t talk about that, call it out when they see it, they shouldn’t be holding public office,” the governor said.
Chicago Tribune’s Dan Petrella contributed.


chicagotribune--2020-06-09--Pull Chicago police from CPS schools and use that $33 million on mental health services instead, act

Pull Chicago police from CPS schools and use that $33 million on mental health services instead, activists and elected leaders say

Reed said during the news conference that he left to use the bathroom at halftime and when he returned an @ @ @ @ @ , which he did not have .
Reed walked away but said another school resource @ @ @ @ @ that he was placed under arrest and detained in a cell for six hours .

Protesters dance and play music outside Chicago Board of Education President Miguel del Valle's home as a virtual school board meeting takes place on June 24, 2020. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
As calls grow for an end to in-school police officers, young organizers and some elected officials say the money should be reallocated to mental health resources for Chicago Public School students.
Following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, CPS students have held large-scale protests demanding the district end its $33 million one-year contract with the Chicago Police Department and remove school resource officers from their buildings.
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At a news conference outside of CPS headquarters Tuesday, leaders with Voices of Youth in Chicago Education carried on the rallying cry, heard at other local protests in the last week: “Get CPD out of CPS.”
Caleb Reed, a VOYCE leader and a junior at Mather High School, shared his experience of being arrested for not having an ID at a school basketball game.
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Reed said during the news conference that he left to use the bathroom at halftime and when he returned an officer asked for his ID, which he did not have. Reed walked away but said another school resource officer was called in and that he was placed under arrest and detained in a cell for six hours.
“While I was sitting in that cell I felt angry and confused, but I remained calm because I knew the situation could have escalated real quick,” Reed said. “The situation was wrong because I did nothing wrong. I would have wanted the officer to ask me to leave, but that didn’t happen that day.”
Since Floyd’s death, other urban school systems, including those in Minneapolis and in Portland, Oregon, have announced plans to discontinue the use of local officers in schools.
Chicago Ald. Roderick Sawyer, 6th,stood with VOYCE leaders Tuesday and said police are not protecting students from the outside but rather criminalizing the students on the inside.
“Schools do not need police involvement,” Sawyer said.
Dexter Leggin, a member of Community Organizing and Family Issues and parent of two black men, said that when entering school, the first person his children saw every morning was a police officer.
“We are raising kids to go to jail,” Leggin said. “If a kid’s having a problem in school, they need someone to talk to, not to arrest them.”
VOYCE and other organizers demand money spent on officers instead go towards hiring counselors, social workers and other mental and behavioral health professionals, properly trained in trauma-informed care.
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“I live in Englewood where young people face overwhelming challenges,” said Daniel Davenport of Southwest Organizing Project and GoodKids MadCity. “Many schools in my community don’t even have the resources to help students deal with those problems.”
Mayor Lori Lightfoot has rejected the idea of defunding police in schools, saying in a news conference Friday, “Yeah, we’re not going to do that.”
In an updated statement, Lightfoot said that CPS has begun hiring a social worker and nurse for every school — something the Chicago Teachers Union pushed for and won during its October strike — and that she stands by the steps CPS has taken.
CPS has noted that, in August, Local School Councils were granted authority to choose whether to place school resource officers in their buildings.
At Tuesday’s news conference, state Rep. LaShawn Ford, D-Chicago, recognized the uphill battle faced in getting police officers out of schools but said he will work to make sure the young organizers’ message is heard by city leaders.
“We’re going to help the mayor make the right decision,” Ford said.
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ssherry@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-06-09--Coronavirus in Illinois updates: State surpasses 6,000 total COVID-19 deaths; Lightfoot says Chicago

Coronavirus in Illinois updates: State surpasses 6,000 total COVID-19 deaths; Lightfoot says Chicago’s budget shortfall at least $700 million; city cancels Lollapalooza and other summer festivals

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CTU workers direct vehicles lined up for COVID-19 testing outside of the Chicago Teachers Union on Dec. 30, 2021, in Chicago. CPS starts back to school on Monday following their holiday break. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
Coronavirus deaths in Illinois surpassed 6,000 on Tuesday. State officials announced 95 additional fatalities, for a statewide death toll that now stands at 6,018, along with another 148 suspected deaths. Officials also reported 797 new known cases, pushing the statewide total to 129,212.
Earlier Tuesday, Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced Chicago’s 2020 budget shortfall will be close to $700 million because of the coronavirus’s effect on revenue. Lightfoot said all options, including property tax hikes and staff layoffs, will remain on the table.
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The city also said Tuesday that it is canceling all of its large public events through Labor Day, including Lollapalooza, Taste of Chicago, the Air and Water Show and the Chicago Jazz Festival to slow the spread of COVID-19. Lollapalooza typically draws 100,000 music fans to Grant Park for each of its four days, and it was said to be the highest revenue-generating event for the Chicago Park District last year.
[ When can Illinois move to phase 4? Here's where each region stands. ]
[ How will Illinois reopen? Three charts breaking down Pritzker’s plan ]
[ COVID-19 cases in Illinois by ZIP code: Search for your neighborhood ]
[ As the coronavirus spreads, the Tribune is tracking Illinois cases here ]
Here’s what’s happening Tuesday with COVID-19 in the Chicago area and Illinois:
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5:27 p.m.: Republicans rip Pritzker as social distancing hypocrite as he joins protests; he hits back on Trump conspiracy tweet
Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker defended himself Tuesday against Republican criticism that he was a social-distancing hypocrite for appearing side-by-side with protesters at recent demonstrations.
"I’m not going to run away” from taking a stand at a historic inflection point involving race and law enforcement, the governor said.
Seeking to turn the political tables, Pritzker said the state’s five GOP congressmen “should leave office” for refusing to call out President Donald Trump over a tweet that falsely contended a 75-year-old protester in Buffalo pushed to the ground by police could be an anti-fascist “ANTIFA provocateur” trying to interfere with law enforcement communications. Read more here. — Rick Pearson
3:03 p.m.: US employers laid off 7.7 million workers in April
U.S. employers laid off 7.7 million workers in April — a deep economic hole that was created by the closure of thousands of offices, restaurants, stores and schools during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Labor Department also said in a Tuesday report that job openings plummeted and hiring all but disappeared in April. The number of available jobs fell 16% from March, to 5 million. Hires declined 31% to 3.5 million. Read more here. — Associated Press
2:35 p.m.: Illinois surpasses 6,000 total coronavirus deaths
Illinois officials on Tuesday announced 797 new known cases of COVID-19 and 95 additional fatalities, bringing the total number of known cases to 129,212 and the death toll to 6,018 statewide since the start of the pandemic. Officials also reported 20,309 new tests in the last 24 hours.
1:20 p.m.: Lightfoot says Chicago’s coronavirus budget shortfall at least $700 million
Chicago’s 2020 budget shortfall will be close to $700 million due to the coronavirus’s effect on revenue, Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced on Tuesday.
“That’s a sobering number, and it presents a sobering challenge, any way you look at it,” she said.
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For months, the Lightfoot administration had declined to detail the specific impact on the city budget. City Hall has lost millions in tax revenue since March, when conventioneers started canceling events at McCormick Place, while sales tax collections also have been hurt.
Lightfoot said all options, including property tax hikes and staff layoffs, will remain on the table. Read more here. —Gregory Pratt and John Byrne
1 p.m.: Seniors, already at risk from COVID-19, face problems getting groceries and prescriptions
When she wants a break from being cooped up at home, Donna Langel, 80, drives through a Culver’s near her home in Grayslake, gets takeout and eats lunch by the lake.
“I can watch people from my car,” she said. “It’s not that I’m just in four walls.”
For months, she has stayed home. She has health issues her doctor said required a strict quarantine to stay safe from COVID-19.
And now, just as Illinois takes steps toward reopening, the recent looting means she and other senior citizens are staying home for a whole new reason.
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“It’s very scary,” Langel said.
Even before Chicago was rocked by looting and destruction, senior citizens were struggling. Many have been isolated for months during the coronavirus crisis. Few people, if any, were able to visit. Routines were disrupted. No more shopping, lunches with friends or grandchild visits.
Now, in addition to isolation, they face a lack of access to necessities like prescriptions and groceries after businesses were looted or burned. Read more here. —Alison Bowen
11:32 a.m.: Lollapalooza, Taste of Chicago, other summer festivals canceled by city
Lollapalooza — Chicago’s largest music festival — won’t be held this summer because of concerns about the spread of the novel coronavirus, the city announced Tuesday.
The festival’s 170-plus acts typically draw 100,000 music fans to Grant Park for each of its four days, and it was said to be the highest revenue-generating event for the Chicago Park District last year. Festival promoter C3 Presents had not announced a lineup for the July 30-Aug. 2 event, and tickets were not for sale.
“We wish we could bring Lollapalooza to Grant Park again this year, but we understand why things can’t move forward as planned,” said festival organizers in a statement. “The health and safety of our fans, artists, partners, staff and community is always our highest priority.”
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In place of the annual event, which will mark its 30th anniversary in 2021, Lollapalooza will be working with the city to offer a weekend-long livestream event that will cover the same dates as the festival. More information will come next month about what form that offereing will take, but Lollapalooza’s statement promises “performances from around the city and beyond.”
The city also announced it is canceling all of its events through Labor Day, including Taste of Chicago, the Air and Water Show and the Chicago Jazz Festival to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. The city had already announced the cancellation of its summer festivals devoted to gospel, blues and house music. Read more here. — Tracy Swartz
11:46 a.m.: Chicago is losing out on $1.4 billion in spending as trade shows keep canceling because of coronavirus
The International Manufacturing Technology Show, the city’s largest trade show at McCormick Place drawing tens of thousands of attendees, has been canceled amid the coronavirus health crisis.
The show, which was scheduled to take place at McCormick Place Sept. 14-19, had more than 129,000 people signed up to attend, and was expected to account for more than 99,300 hotel room nights, McCormick Place spokeswoman Cynthia McCafferty said.
The nearly 100 events scheduled for McCormick Place that have now been scrapped were expected to generate more than $1.4 billion, including spending at hotels, restaurants, entertainment and transportation, McCafferty said. Read more here. —Abdel Jimenez
11 a.m.: Cupich says Catholic school students in Archdiocese of Chicago expected to return to classrooms in fall
Students in Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Chicago, who have been at home since mid-March because of the coronavirus outbreak, will return to classrooms this fall, Cardinal Blase Cupich announced in a video released late Monday.
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The school system, which had about 71,000 students enrolled this year, announced March 13 it was closing because of the coronavirus and switching to online instruction.
Most Catholic schools in the archdiocese, which covers Cook and Lake counties, already have finished their school year, having never resumed in-person classes.“
Have no doubt that we will employ measures that keep the safety of your children the priority,” Cardinal said in the video.
School officials will regularly clean and disinfect high contact areas, use of plexiglass barriers in common spaces, supply sanitizer and personal protection equipment, and conduct temperature checks on anyone exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms.“Our decision to aggressively plan for reopening our schools this year is based on the value we place on face-to-face instruction and the community learning environment that has distinguished catholic school education over the years,” Cupich said.
Remote learning also will be available for students who prefer to stay at home.Further details beyond what Cupich said in the video weren’t immediately released.
Chicago’s Catholic school system has received more Blue Ribbon Awards, a distinction given by the U.S. Department of Education to schools for academic excellence than any other school system in the country.
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The Archdiocese of Chicago’s total enrollment has dropped from more than 95,000 eight years ago. Despite its shrinking size, a trend that has played out in Catholic schools nationwide, the system remains one of the largest private school systems in the country. — Javonte Anderson
7 a.m.: Mayor Lori Lightfoot to detail budget impact of coronavirus, spending of federal funds
Mayor Lori Lightfoot was scheduled to hold a news conference Tuesday afternoon to further detail the impact of the coronavirus on Chicago’s budget and how the city expects to spend $1.1 billion in federal relief funding.
In a conference call with reporters Monday, Lightfoot reiterated her reluctance to lay off city workers, which she has called a last resort along with property tax hikes. Administration officials also said that the city doesn’t have “imminent” borrowing plans and that the shortfall for 2021 could be more than $1 billion. — Chicago Tribune staff
5 a.m.: Will there be a second COVID-19 surge in Illinois? These are the stats to watch.
After Illinois flattened the COVID-19 curve, the state began to reopen. More people mingled. Then the George Floyd killing in Minnesota spurred widespread protests.
Along the way, health experts have worried how much these developments may help spread the virus, leading to this key question:
How will we know if — or when — a second COVID-19 wave is occurring?
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The state has created a dashboard of metrics showing what needs to happen to move from one phase of reopening to the next, such as a lasting drop in hospital admissions or a certain percentage of ICU beds available. But the state has not set out exact criteria for moving back to a previous phase, other than “sustained” poor performance in certain indicators.
Doctors, health officials and researchers watching the data say there are no immediate indications of a resurgence. But concerns remain, particularly because it is so hard to predict whether people will continue to wear masks and avoid close contact in coming days.
Read the full story here. — Joe Mahr
Breaking coronavirus news Stay up to date with the latest information on coronavirus with our breaking news alerts.
Here are five things that happened Monday related to coronavirus in Illinois and the Chicago area:


chicagotribune--2020-06-09--While other cities pledge funding cuts to police forces, Chicago more hesitant

There are factors in Chicago , however , that aren ’ t present in the other big U.S. cities that @ @ @ @ @ police forces .
Perhaps most importantly , swaths of Chicago ’ s West and South @ @ @ @ @ gun violence , and the city ’ s homicide tallies are higher than those of @ @ @ @ @ .
In the middle of a violent 2016 , then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced a push @ @ @ @ @

Calls to cut funding to police departments have picked up nationally in the wake of heated protests over George Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police, but the idea has not caught on with Chicago’s top leaders.
In fact, the city is now the largest in the U.S. where leaders have not promised reductions, after mayors in both New York City and Los Angeles vowed budget cuts to their police forces. Thus far, Mayor Lori Lightfoot has not embraced the idea of “defunding” — reducing the law enforcement budget to boost social programs.
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City Hall cutting police funding here would call for a 180-degree turn away from the path the city has taken recently while battling intractable violent crime. For years, Chicago’s main approach to fighting the problem has been to add more police, and aldermen have clamored for more officers and responded with outrage when they felt their neighborhoods were being deprived of cops.
Lightfoot, however, has softened her responses to ongoing questions about reducing the police budget to pay for other services, an idea she had flatly rejected as recently last week as “irresponsible.” During a question-and-answer session Tuesday, she acknowledged that Chicagoans in struggling parts of the city need aid well beyond policing, and she vowed “critical investments in neighborhoods.”
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She also defended police reforms already underway as having the potential to be “utterly transformative" and promised to work for more changes. She neither ruled out nor embraced any shift in police funding.
“We absolutely have to have reform and accountability of our police department. But equally imperative and urgent is the absolute necessity of investing in communities,” she said.
Activists have pressed the idea of cutting police funding as a way to reduce police violence against African Americans and invest in programs to help minority communities plagued by ills such as unemployment, poor schools and limited access to health care.
As Minneapolis has struggled with the Floyd aftermath, city council members have promised the more sweeping change of dismantling the police force and replacing it with a new public safety system they’ve yet to detail.
There are factors in Chicago, however, that aren’t present in the other big U.S. cities that are pledging funding cuts to police forces. Perhaps most importantly, swaths of Chicago’s West and South sides are chronically plagued by gun violence, and the city’s homicide tallies are higher than those of Los Angeles and New York. In the middle of a violent 2016, then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced a push to add 1,000 cops.
The idea of cutting back on police to support other services has yet to be broadly enacted in a major city, making it difficult to know how crime numbers would change. One study found that major crimes dropped in New York City as police ratcheted back enforcement of low-level crimes.
Despite resistance so far from the top, six Chicago aldermen, all democratic socialists, are pressing for the city to cut the police budget — about $1.8 billion in 2020 — to bolster public programs they say could help reduce crime in the long run.
Ald. Rossana Rodriguez Sanchez, 33rd, cited mental heath, child care and substance abuse treatment programs as she said the city has reached “a moment of reckoning” with policing.
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“I think right now we have an opportunity to start funding the things that are going to better the lives of people and then look at what that does,” she said.


chicagotribune--2020-06-09--Column: Don’t let right-wingers like Candace Owens dictate how we feel about George Floyd

They want us to return to our old ways , when not too long ago we allowed our perceptions about @ @ @ @ @ .
They are hoping that we will remember how angry and frightened we were of @ @ @ @ @ that Floyd , with his disturbing criminal history , was more like them than like @ @

When he encountered police on a Minneapolis street, George Floyd was just another flawed human being. To some, he was even less than that because he was black.
Nothing about him — not the way he looked or the way he carried himself — offered a clue that he could become one of the biggest social justice symbols of our time. Few would have noticed this large black man, wearing a black sleeveless T-shirt and sweatpants, walking toward them and decided that he was worthy of knowing.
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In fact, some would have crossed the street to get away from him.
But his death transcended his faulty life. This flawed man became a martyr.
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Memorial services were held in three cities, drawing celebrities, politicians and civil rights leaders. People of all races lined the streets of Houston on Tuesday to get a glimpse of his final journey to the cemetery in a horse-drawn carriage.
Some say he did not deserve it.
Far-right conservatives, in their desperate quest to thwart the social justice movement sweeping our country, want to remind us of who we were before we heard of Floyd.
They want us to remember how we used to feel about flawed black men like him and that, in life, Floyd was far from the image we have created of him in death.
They want us to return to our old ways, when not too long ago we allowed our perceptions about people to become our reality. They are hoping that we will remember how angry and frightened we were of the looters, and recognize that Floyd, with his disturbing criminal history, was more like them than like us.
Candace Owens, shown here speaking at the White House in 2019, said it "sickens" her that George Floyd "has been held up as a martyr." (Carolyn Kaster / AP)
The messenger is Candace Owens, the black woman they anointed as their right-wing darling because of her willingness to demean her own race the way most white people never would have the guts to do.
In an interview last week with conservative commentator Glenn Beck, Owens said that Floyd was not a good person. She pointed to his criminal record and the autopsy report showing that he had drugs in his system.
“The fact that he has been held up as a martyr sickens me,” Owens said. “Was he really going to change things around? It’s just not true,” she concluded.
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In other words, Floyd was unworthy of being the catalyst for such a massive social justice movement because he was imperfect.
President Donald Trump retweeted the video. Vice President Mike Pence invited Owens and other black conservatives to the White House to help the Trump administration get a handle on this unusual national display of unity.
Owens doesn’t have a clue about what African Americans want. She should not be speaking on our behalf. But the Trump administration loves her because she reaffirms its preconceived notions about black people by saying exactly what they want to hear.
Owens likes to quote great writers and orators, but clearly she has no real sense of history. If she did, perhaps she would quote the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s most famous words, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
King did not say injustice to any “perfect” person anywhere, because he knew that the most flawed among us often are the most vulnerable to social injustices.
He understood that perfection is illusive. He knew that those who opposed equality would use it as a standard for determining who is worthy of equal rights and who is not. King was certain that black people would always be held to a higher standard than whites, and that in the end, they always would be deemed undeserving.
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Owens misses the point of the marches that have drawn millions across the country into the streets to demand change. She doesn’t seem to understand that movements are never about a single person. This one certainly is not.
Yes, Floyd is the face of the movement. But the movement itself is about the collective understanding that any black man or woman’s face could be painted on a mural on any street any America where police killed an unarmed black person.
This movement is about changing an imbalanced system that too often allows police to kill imperfect people like Floyd on a whim. And it is about ensuring that it does not continue to happen.
Owens is trying to sidetrack us with minutia. She pointed out every bad thing Floyd ever did in his life as a reason for us to marginalize his death.
She seems to think that black people are idiots and white people have been duped. We are not fooled by Floyd’s reality, and Owens does not fool us either.
We know exactly who Floyd was, and we chose to accept him as a human being who did not deserve to die for an infraction so minor as passing a fake $20 bill.
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If we are to condemn Floyd for having fentanyl and other drugs in his system, we must also condemn every white kid who overdoses after shooting up and has to be brought back to consciousness with Narcan. If Floyd didn’t deserve a second chance, then they don’t either.
If we are to continue looking down on Floyd long after he paid his debt to society for committing a crime, we must do the same for Malcolm X, Martha Stewart and legendary NASCAR driver Junior Johnson.
If anything, Floyd reminds African Americans of our fragility in this nation. He had tested positive for COVID-19. He was laid off as a restaurant bouncer because of the pandemic. With his criminal record, his prospects of finding a new job were slim.
Yes, we embraced Floyd in spite of his flaws and maybe even because of them. We lifted this ordinary man to a status he never could have achieved on his own because he forced us to open our eyes.
We made him a martyr because social justice reform is all about giving flawed people an opportunity to turn their lives around.
dglanton@chicagotribune.com
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Twitter @dahleeng


Corrections and clarifications

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Our editorial code of principles governs professional behavior and journalism standards .
Everyone in @ @ @ @ @ live up to this code of conduct .
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· A front-page story Tuesday erroneously identified Airica Steed as CEO of Sinai Health System. Steed is executive vice president and chief operating officer for the health system.
· A June 8 editorial misstated who would be mailed absentee ballot applications under legislation approved by the General Assembly. They would be sent to anyone who voted in the 2018 election or later, recent registrants and voters who have recently changed their addresses.
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The Tribune regrets the errors.
Publishing information quickly and accurately is a central part of the Chicago Tribune’s news responsibility and a value shared in all our publications. Our editorial code of principles governs professional behavior and journalism standards. Everyone in our newsroom must agree to live up to this code of conduct. Download the file.
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chicagotribune--2020-06-09--15-year-old Sauk Village girl fatally shot by relative, police say

Jazzlyn Robinson was shot in the head shortly before 9 p.m. June 4 at her home in the 2000 block @ @ @ @ @ Friday afternoon at Comer Children ’ s Hospital in Chicago , according to the Cook @ @ @ @ @ office .

A 15-year-old girl was fatally shot inside her Sauk Village home last week by a male relative, police said.
Jazzlyn Robinson was shot in the head shortly before 9 p.m. June 4 at her home in the 2000 block of 218th Street and died Friday afternoon at Comer Children’s Hospital in Chicago, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
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Sauk Village police Chief Malcolm White said the suspect left before officers arrived.
He said police were seeking a warrant for the man’s arrest, but wouldn’t share any more information about the shooting or the suspect.
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Police are in the process of interviewing several people who witnessed the shooting, White said.
zkoeske@tribpub.com
Twitter @ZakKoeske