chicagotribune--2020-05-11--Coronavirus in Illinois updates: Pritzker says state’s predicted COVID-19 peak is now expanded from

Coronavirus in Illinois updates: Pritzker says state’s predicted COVID-19 peak is now expanded from mid-May into mid-June

Gov .
J.B. Pritzker said Monday that the projected peak in the COVID-19 pandemic in Illinois is continuing to be pushed back further , extending from mid-May into mid-June .
Last month , Pritzker said models were predicting the state would peak between late April and early May , and earlier models showed the state would peak sometime in April .
“ That timeframe of plateauing near a peak has been expanded from mid-May into mid-June , Pritzker said .
“ In many ways , this news is disheartening.
” Pritzker said that pushing out the estimated peak is “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” State officials on Monday reported 54 additional deaths , for a total of 3,459 deaths statewide since the pandemic began earlier this year .
There were 1,266 new known cases of COVID-19 reported Monday , pushing the statewide known case total to 79,007 .
Pritzker was forced to work from home Monday , after his office announced an unidentified senior staff member has tested positive for COVID-19 .
Separately , the city of Chicago will open six new testing sites aimed at addressing disparities among black and brown residents and try to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ahead of a potential reopening with help from a charity founded by actor Sean Penn , officials said Monday .
5:46 p.m. : Church leaders push back on Lightfoot and Pritzker stay-at-home orders : ‘ We have to stand up for ourselves at some point ’ Two Chicago church leaders vowed to continue holding religious services despite anti-coronavirus social distancing requirements and criticized Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Illinois Gov .
J.B. Pritzker for not consulting them about shutting down houses of worship .
Lightfoot , meanwhile , criticized one of the churches for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said she would continue education efforts about the importance of stay-at-home orders to combat the COVID-19 pandemic .
The dispute kicked off after Metro Praise International Church on the Northwest Side opened its doors for in-person services in an act church officials described as “ passive resistance ” to Pritzker ’ s ongoing stay-at-home order .
That defiance led Lightfoot to tweet Monday morning , “ It doesn ’ t matter who you are or what you ’ re doing .
When you gather like this , you are putting yourself and your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Monday afternoon news conference , Lightfoot said she spoke with the pastor of Elim Romanian and had a “ very pleasant ” talk with him .
She said she hoped to do more outreach but expressed reluctance to take harsher action .
“ We ’ re not going to send in the police to arrest parishioners , ” Lightfoot said .
Read more here .
—Gregory Pratt , Javonte Anders , Dan Petrella 4:02 p.m. : Chicago restaurants get a big gift on Mother ’ s Day with strong takeout and delivery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many , many times , restaurants are struggling right now .
And with the possible opening of dining rooms pushed back to at least June 26 , it ’ s not clear when things will ever get back to normal .
But there was a rare bright spot over the weekend , as a number of restaurants reported strong sales thanks to Mother ’ s Day .
Last weekend was the first time Bang Bang Pie & Biscuits ( 2051 N. California Ave. ) had opened in about eight weeks .
But owner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ great opening weekend .
“ We were very fortunate to have extraordinary support from our guests for Mother ’ s Day , ” wrote Ciapciak in an email .
“ We took pre-orders only and were open for contactless pickup in our pie garden in Logan Square.
” He says the restaurant prepared over 500 orders .
Read more here .
—Nick Kindelsperger Self-employed workers like piano teachers and web designers started applying for newly available unemployment benefits on Monday through a new state application portal , but there ’ s a catch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get rejected , for regular unemployment benefits .
The extra step provided a fresh source of frustration for self-employed workers , who had previously been told they needed to wait to apply for benefits under the $ 2.2 trillion Coronavirus Aid , Relief and Economic Security Act .
The Illinois Department of Employment Security said on its web site last Wednesday that workers who believe they are eligible for the new federal benefits under the “ Pandemic Unemployment Act ” must apply for regular unemployment insurance as a “ mandatory first step.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 0 , they can then appeal that decision by providing proof of wages earned , or submit a claim through the new “ PUA ” portal , the state said .
Read more here .
—Mary Wisniewski 3:36 p.m. : Illinois Supreme Court denies Pritzker ’ s request to rule he was within his rights in extending disaster proclamation The Illinois Supreme Court dealt a setback to Gov .
J.B. Pritzker on Monday , denying his request for a ruling that he acted within his authority when he extended his disaster proclamation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 30 days .
The governor and the Illinois attorney general ’ s office asked the state ’ s highest court to take up the matter after a southern Illinois judge ruled late last month that Pritzker had exceeded his legal authority under the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act .
The ruling in Clay County Circuit Court came in a lawsuit brought by state Rep. Darren Bailey , a Republican from Xenia .
The circuit judge issued a temporary restraining order exempting Bailey from the stay-at-home order , but the lawmaker later asked an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he could refile his lawsuit with new information .
“ The Supreme Court is not saying they ’ re not going to rule on this ever , ” Pritzker said at his daily news briefing .
“ They ’ re just saying that that don ’ t want to skip over the appellate court , is my understanding.
” —Dan Petrella 3:31 p.m. : Wisconsin GOP lawmakers urge Washington to reject any ‘ bailout ’ money for Illinois : ‘ Our neighbors to the south have spent decades spending and borrowing recklessly ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ majority are asking the state ’ s congressional delegation to oppose using any federal coronavirus relief package money to help bail out Illinois and other states with a history of “ reckless budgeting.
” The letter , sent Friday by 43 GOP lawmakers to Wisconsin ’ s two U.S. senators and seven House members , acknowledged states and the nation are facing “ unprecedented challenges ” dealing with COVID-19 .
“ These responses to the disease have led to drastic changes in budget projections for states around the country : sales tax collections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been extended , unemployment rates are at historic levels and more businesses are permanently closing every day , ” the letter said .
“ That being said , Wisconsin has spent eight years making the tough choices to get our fiscal house in order , ” the letter said .
“ We do know that our neighbors to the south have spent decades spending and borrowing recklessly.
” Read more here .
—Rick Pearson Parts of Pritzker ’ s phased reopening plan continued to face pushback Monday , as Republican legislative leaders and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ letters asking for adjustments , including a smaller window of time it takes each region of the state to move from one phase to another .
Pritzker at his Monday briefing continued to defend his plan and the timelines and benchmarks included that the different regions must hit in order from advance from one phase to the next .
Illinois Municipal League Executive Director Brad Cole wrote a letter to Pritzker Monday asking for more regions than the current four the state is divided into as part of the “ Restore Illinois ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week .
Cole , who has appeared alongside Pritzker at previous daily briefings , in his letter also called for decreasing from 28 days to 14 days the necessary period of time a region needs to see stability or a decline in COVID-19 like hospitalizations in order to move to the next phase and loosen restrictions that are aimed at curtailing the spread of the virus .
Republican legislative leaders Bill Brady and Jim Durkin also wrote a joint letter to Pritzker Monday echoing those suggestions made in the Municipal League letter and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ session of the Illinois General Assembly “ so that we can further discuss and develop the necessary adjustments to your plan that protects the public ’ s health while at the same time moves our economy forward more quickly.
” —Jamie Munks 2:35 p.m. : Pritzker says predicted coronavirus peak is now expanded from mid-May into mid-June Gov .
J.B. Pritzker said Monday that Illinois projected peak in the COVID-19 pandemic is continuing to be pushed back further , extending from mid-May into mid-June .
Last month , Pritzker said models were predicting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and early May , and earlier models showed the state would peak sometime in April .
“ That timeframe of plateauing near a peak has been expanded from mid-May into mid-June , Pritzker said .
“ In many ways , this news is disheartening.
” Pritzker said that pushing out the estimated peak is “ a natural consequence of flattening the curve.
” State officials on Monday reported 54 additional deaths , for a total of 3,459 deaths statewide since the pandemic began earlier this year .
There were 1,266 new known cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statewide known case total to 79,007 .
Pritzker was forced to work from home Monday , after his office announced an unidentified senior staff member has tested positive for COVID-19 .
—Jamie Munks 2:18 p.m. : 2.3 million more Illinois jobs at risk : The devastating economic toll of the virus in 6 charts Illinois is facing an unemployment crisis unlike any seen since the Great Depression , as the new coronavirus ravages the economy and puts people out of work .
In Illinois , 37 % of jobs are at risk of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sharp reductions in hours or pay because of the COVID-19 outbreak , according to a recent analysis from McKinsey Global Institute .
But some positions are more endangered than others .
Vulnerable jobs are concentrated among low-income workers and people of color , who already have been hit harder by the pandemic than white people .
The percentage of vulnerable jobs is slightly higher in Illinois than nationally , but overall , the trends in the state mirror what is going on around the country .
Up to one-third — or 57 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inactivity caused by the pandemic , according to the analysis .
Read more here .
—Jonathon Berlin and Ally Marotti Mayor Lori Lightfoot is moving to delay a key part of the city ’ s landmark Fair Workweek ordinance until next year , stopping workers from suing their bosses for violating rules requiring large Chicago businesses to give at least two weeks ’ advance notice of their schedules .
City Business Affairs Commissioner Rosa Escareno said deferring that clause in the ordinance until Jan. 1 is important as companies struggle to navigate the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sectors of Chicago ’ s economy .
“ We understand that all businesses are struggling due to the COVID outbreak , which is why we are coming forward with today ’ s proposal to postpone implementation of the private cause of action section of the ordinance until Jan. 1st of 2021 , ” Escareno said .
“ This will allow businesses to implement Fair Workweek policies without fear of lawsuits during the first six months of the regulations.
” The ordinance passed the council in July after being painstakingly crafted over many months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ labor groups on opposite sides of the issue .
It entitles employees working for bigger companies in the areas of building services , health care , hotels , manufacturing , restaurants , retail and warehouse services to two weeks heads-up on their schedules .
The rest of the rules will take effect July 1 as planned , and city inspectors will investigate complaints that businesses aren ’ t giving their employees proper notice about when they are scheduled to work .
Employees simply won ’ t be able to act on the results @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cook County Circuit Court till next year , Escareno said .
Read more here .
—John Byrne 1:26 p.m. : MLB owners approve a plan to start the season — without fans — in July Major League Baseball owners gave the go-ahead Monday to making a proposal to the players ’ union that could lead to the coronavirus-delayed season starting around the Fourth of July weekend in ballparks without fans , a plan that envisioned expanding the designated hitter to the National League for 2020 .
Spring training would start in early to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision told The Associated Press .
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because details of the plan were not announced .
Read more here .
—Associated Press 1:10 p.m. Wisconsin Gov .
Tony Evers allows nearly all nonessential businesses to reopen with limits Gov .
Tony Evers on Monday allowed nearly all nonessential businesses to reopen as long as they serve no more than five customers at a time , partially lifting the restriction that has kept them closed for weeks to slow the spread of the coronavirus .
The latest order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criticism from smaller businesses and Republican lawmakers that it was unfair to allow essential businesses such as grocery stores to remain open while nonessential businesses such as flower shops had to close under Evers ' “ safer at home ” order , which runs until May 26 .
The latest order applies to all standalone stores and those in strip malls that have entrances to the outside , but not to stores in large indoor shopping malls .
The order , issued by Department of Health Services Secretary Andrea Palm at Evers ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ store workers to wear masks , but does not require it .
Everyone in the store must maintain a 6-foot distance from one another .
Evers also allowed drive-in movie theaters to reopen .
Read more here .
—Associated Press 1 p.m. : Chicago to open six more testing sites in neighborhoods , will try to reach 10,000 tests per day goal The city of Chicago will open six new testing sites aimed at addressing disparities among black and brown residents and try to ramp up the city ’ s capacity ahead of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charity founded by actor Sean Penn , officials said Monday .
Chicago officials will work with Community Organized Relief Effort and Curative-Korva to run the sites .
They also will work with community groups to help with registration for tests .
One of the sites will open in the parking lot at the White Sox ’ s Guaranteed Rate Field in Bridgeport for asymptomatic first responders and healthcare and other essential workers , the city said .
The others largely will be aimed at the city ’ s black and Latino communities , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Village , Dr. Jorge Prieto Math and Science Academies in Hanson Park , Kennedy-King College in Englewood , Senka Park in Gage Park and Gately Park in Pullman .
Locations have been chosen because they ’ re near public transportation , easily accessible by vehicle and have large spaces for proper social distancing , city officials said .
Chicago officials will work with Community Organized Relief Effort and Curative-Korva to run the sites .
They also will work with community groups to help with registration for tests .
Ultimately , Lightfoot ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10,000 tests per day , though the city ’ s goal for potentially beginning to ease stay-at-home restrictions is 4,500 .
Read more here .
—Gregory Pratt As part of its “ America Strong ” campaign to thank medical professionals , emergency responders , and essential workers , the Blue Angels will do a flyover of Chicago on Tuesday , according to the flight demonstration squad .
The Blue Angels , an elite flight squad specializing in aerobatics , along with the Thunderbirds , the Air Force demonstration squad , have been conducting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the end of April , according to a Department of Defense news release that called the effort a show of `` national solidarity.
” Chicago is on the list for Tuesday , along with Detroit and Indianapolis , according to social media posts from Blue Angels .
The approximately 15-minute flyover will be conducted in the Chicago area starting around 11:45 a.m. , ending along the lakefront around noon .
Read more here .
—Katherine Rosenberg-Douglas Northwestern University on Monday announced a series of new cost-saving steps spurred by the coronavirus pandemic that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contributions to employee retirement plans and spending more of its endowment .
The school ’ s president , interim provost and a senior vice president will also take pay cuts of at least 20 % .
The additional cost-saving measures come as the school expects a $ 90 million deficit this year , with a “ significant shortfall ” likely next year too , leaders said .
Read more here .
—Elyssa Cherney 11:44 a.m. : Abbott Labs prepares to ship antibody tests after obtaining emergency use approval from FDA Abbott Labs announced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distribute tens of millions of antibody tests monthly to help determine what percentage of the population has contracted COVID-19 .
Abbott said it planned to ship 30 million of the tests , also known as serology tests , this month and 60 million by next month , for use in the United States , Europe and India .
“ Having more options of highly reliable tests across our platforms will help health care workers and health officials as they conduct broad-scale testing for COVID-19 , ” said Robert B. Ford , president and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
One of the tests the company will distribute has a less than half of 1 percent chance of producing a false positive result — meaning a person is incorrectly found to have been infected — and little to no chance of producing a false negative , the company stated in a news release .
That would make it more reliable than some of the other tests on the market .
It also is counting distribution of an earlier antibody test developed by Abbott .
The antibody tests determine if someone has developed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may provide some level of immunity , but that ’ s not certain .
Medical experts say the tests are more useful for gauging the extent of the epidemic than determining whether some may be immune .
And they could help determine whether people need a certain level of antibodies to be immune to the disease .
Both tests have received emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration , but the federal government has not yet given either full approval .
There has been some consternation in both the medical community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had been allowing allegedly unreliable antibody tests to go to market without obtaining emergency use authorization .
The FDA a week ago tightened its policy on antibody tests .
U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi , D-Illinois , chairman of the House Oversight Economic and Consumer Policy Subcommittee , launched an investigation of the old policy .
—Hal Dardick 10:17 a.m. : Gov .
J.B. Pritzker and Chicago staff working from home after colleague tests positive for COVID-19 Gov .
J.B. Pritzker and his Chicago office staff will be working from home after a senior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office tested positive for the new coronavirus , Pritzker ’ s office announced Monday .
Pritzker was tested Sunday , and the results were negative , according to the governor ’ s office .
The rest of the governor ’ s staff who have been reporting to the office also tested negative .
The governor ’ s office says about 20 staff members have been working from the James R. Thompson Center , following Illinois Department of Public Health guidelines and social distancing measures .
Mayor Lori Lightfoot criticized a Chicago church for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tweeting : “ It doesn ’ t matter who you are or what you ’ re doing .
When you gather like this , you are putting yourself and your loved ones in serious danger.
” The church , Metro Praise International Church on the city ’ s Northwest Side , opened its doors for in-person services in an act church officials described as “ passive resistance ” to Gov .
J.B. Pritzker ’ s stay-at-home order .
Lightfoot expressed her concern in a tweet Monday morning , though it wasn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ action in response .
Read more here .
—Gregory Pratt 7:23 a.m. : A majority of Americans disapprove of protests against state coronavirus restrictions , though support for closures dips , poll shows A majority of Americans disapprove of protests against restrictions aimed at preventing the spread the coronavirus , according to a new poll that also finds the still-expansive support for such limits — including restaurant closures and stay-at-home orders — has dipped in recent weeks .
The new survey from the University of Chicago Divinity School and The Associated Press-NORC Center @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Americans disapprove of the protests that have popped up in some states as some Americans begin chafing at public health measures that have decimated the global economy .
Thirty-one percent approve of the demonstrations .
Read more here .
—Associated Press Jones joined the sheriff ’ s office in July of 2002 .
He lived on Chicago ’ s South Side with his wife and five adult children .
Officer Jones was diagnosed with COVID-19 in late March .
The office said it considers Jones ’ death to be in the line @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advocating that his family receive all the benefits that designation affords.
” Jones is the second correctional officer to die of complications from the coronavirus , the office said .
A third worker in the sheriff ’ s office also died from the disease .
Seven detainees who tested positive for COVID-19 at the jail have died .
There are at least 236 detainees who are positive for the virus , with six being treated at hospitals .
—Chicago Tribune staff 6 a.m. : How and when Chicago-area schools will reopen remains unclear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plan School officials in Chicago and the suburbs are worried about the uncertainty of how Illinois Gov .
J.B. Pritzker ’ s plan for reopening the state amid the coronavirus pandemic might affect millions of children in Illinois when school resumes in some form in the fall .
Restore Illinois , a five-phase approach Pritzker unveiled last week , indicates the earliest the state ’ s schools could reopen is during phase four , at which point gatherings of 50 people or fewer will be allowed and schools may reopen with social distancing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department of Public Health .
When the Chicago region will reach phase four , and whether that will be by the traditional start of the school year , will depend on a continual decline in the positivity rate among those tested and in the number of patients admitted to the hospital .
Even with loosened restrictions , face coverings and social distancing are still expected to remain the norm , officials said .
The phased-in approach to reopening is tied to how COVID-19 has affected a particular region of the state , meaning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including Chicago , suburban Cook County and the rest of the Chicago area , could see their school buildings reopen later than rural areas in Illinois that have seen fewer cases .
For Chicago Public Schools , reaching phase four won ’ t be the only bench mark needed to reopen .
Chicago Teachers Union leaders said they intend to bargain over how schools reopen , prioritizing safety .
Class sizes will have to be smaller , and more supports like hand-washing stations will be needed , they said .
Read more here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 6 a.m. : Swanky Gold Coast hotel has become a haven for people living on the street and others at risk .
'Housing is health care.
’ In mid-April , Joeal Hamlin , who was staying in a West Side shelter , was offered a ninth-story room inside the pricey Hotel One Sixty-Six Magnificent Mile , where the Lawndale Christian Health Center oversees a makeshift isolation facility for people who are homeless .
“ I actually was leading to a depression , anxiety , ” Hamlin said .
“ I felt I could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ couldn ’ t do it by myself .
With the help of Lawndale Christian Health , I ’ m not by myself anymore.
” Hamlin ’ s new living quarters are part of the city ’ s effort to shelter those who have nowhere to go as the death toll from COVID-19 in Illinois tops 3,000 .
The city has rented nearly 400 rooms in two downtown hotels to isolate people considered to be at high-risk during the pandemic .
To date , 251 people experiencing homelessness have stayed in the isolation and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with 152 guests still in the hotel .
It ’ s an evolving experiment that Thomas Huggett — lead doctor of the Lawndale Christian Health Center ’ s medical team at Hotel One Sixty-Six — hopes will transform how society cares for such people .
“ There are stay-at-home orders , ” Huggett said .
“ What does that actually mean for people who don ’ t have a home ?
From our angle , housing is health care .
If we can really learn through these liminal times , then perhaps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changes.
” Read more here .
—Alice Yin and Cecilia Reyes 6 a.m. : Food , iPads , care packages part of groundswell of donations to Roseland hospital following Tribune story In the past few weeks , Tribune readers have donated staff meals , gift bags for nurses , care packages for patients , personal protective equipment and technology to Roseland Community Hospital , which serves underprivileged neighborhoods on the Far South Side , in response to a story about the hospital ’ s plight in the battle against coronavirus .
Roseland President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ morale among a hospital staff where one member previously described efforts to treat the virus as “ fighting with one arm tied behind our backs.
” “ We ’ re still outgunned , outmanned and underfunded , but boy , have we gotten a lot of aid to our front lines , '' Egan said .
`` It ’ s truly stunning.
” Read more here .
—Stacy St. Clair 6 a.m. : Legal aid organizations strained by increase in pandemic-related cases , including domestic violence , unemployment claims Since the COVID-19 pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work to the poor say they have seen a significant rise in people seeking assistance with domestic violence and unemployment benefits .
With demand for free legal help expected to further rise after Cook County courts reopen , lawyers say the public health crisis will intensify preexisting legal inequities .
While the pandemic has led to an increase in pro bono volunteers from the city ’ s law firms , the surge in cases figures to exacerbate the strain on the already limited resources of Legal Aid Chicago , a roughly 150-person organization @ @ @ @ @ @ @ living in poverty , said Executive Director John Gallo .
Read more here .
—Antonia Ayres-Brown Here are four things that happened this weekend that you need to know :

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Paca Kujtim of Arlington Heights self-administers a COVID-19 test in his car at the Arlington International Racecourse on March 31, 2021 in Arlington Heights. Kujtim was getting testing as a precaution for upcoming travel. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Monday that the projected peak in the COVID-19 pandemic in Illinois is continuing to be pushed back further, extending from mid-May into mid-June. Last month, Pritzker said models were predicting the state would peak between late April and early May, and earlier models showed the state would peak sometime in April.
“That timeframe of plateauing near a peak has been expanded from mid-May into mid-June, Pritzker said. “In many ways, this news is disheartening.”Pritzker said that pushing out the estimated peak is “a natural consequence of flattening the curve.”
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State officials on Monday reported 54 additional deaths, for a total of 3,459 deaths statewide since the pandemic began earlier this year. There were 1,266 new known cases of COVID-19 reported Monday, pushing the statewide known case total to 79,007.
Pritzker was forced to work from home Monday, after his office announced an unidentified senior staff member has tested positive for COVID-19.
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Separately, the city of Chicago will open six new testing sites aimed at addressing disparities among black and brown residents and try to ramp up the city’s capacity ahead of a potential reopening with help from a charity founded by actor Sean Penn, officials said Monday.
[ COVID-19 cases in Illinois by ZIP code: Search for your neighborhood ]
[ How will Illinois reopen? Three charts breaking down Pritzker’s plan ]
[ As the coronavirus spreads, the Tribune is tracking Illinois cases here ]
Here’s what happened May 11 with COVID-19 in the Chicago area and Illinois:
5:46 p.m.: Church leaders push back on Lightfoot and Pritzker stay-at-home orders: ‘We have to stand up for ourselves at some point’
Two Chicago church leaders vowed to continue holding religious services despite anti-coronavirus social distancing requirements and criticized Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker for not consulting them about shutting down houses of worship.
Lightfoot, meanwhile, criticized one of the churches for reopening its doors over the weekend but said she would continue education efforts about the importance of stay-at-home orders to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
The dispute kicked off after Metro Praise International Church on the Northwest Side opened its doors for in-person services in an act church officials described as “passive resistance” to Pritzker’s ongoing stay-at-home order.
That defiance led Lightfoot to tweet Monday morning, “It doesn’t matter who you are or what you’re doing. When you gather like this, you are putting yourself and your loved ones in serious danger.”
Another church, Elim Romanian Pentecostal Church, also hosted Sunday services in Albany Park despite the stay-at-home order.
At a Monday afternoon news conference, Lightfoot said she spoke with the pastor of Elim Romanian and had a “very pleasant” talk with him. She said she hoped to do more outreach but expressed reluctance to take harsher action.
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“We’re not going to send in the police to arrest parishioners,” Lightfoot said. Read more here. —Gregory Pratt, Javonte Anders, Dan Petrella
4:02 p.m.: Chicago restaurants get a big gift on Mother’s Day with strong takeout and delivery sales
As we’ve written about many, many times, restaurants are struggling right now. And with the possible opening of dining rooms pushed back to at least June 26, it’s not clear when things will ever get back to normal.
But there was a rare bright spot over the weekend, as a number of restaurants reported strong sales thanks to Mother’s Day.
Last weekend was the first time Bang Bang Pie & Biscuits (2051 N. California Ave.) had opened in about eight weeks. But owner Michael Ciapciak says that it was a great opening weekend. “We were very fortunate to have extraordinary support from our guests for Mother’s Day,” wrote Ciapciak in an email. “We took pre-orders only and were open for contactless pickup in our pie garden in Logan Square.” He says the restaurant prepared over 500 orders. Read more here. —Nick Kindelsperger
3:59 p.m.: Self-employed started applying for unemployment benefits Monday, but there’s a catch
Self-employed workers like piano teachers and web designers started applying for newly available unemployment benefits on Monday through a new state application portal, but there’s a catch — first they must apply, and get rejected, for regular unemployment benefits.
The extra step provided a fresh source of frustration for self-employed workers, who had previously been told they needed to wait to apply for benefits under the $2.2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.
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The Illinois Department of Employment Security said on its web site last Wednesday that workers who believe they are eligible for the new federal benefits under the “Pandemic Unemployment Act” must apply for regular unemployment insurance as a “mandatory first step.” If applicants get an eligibility finding of $0, they can then appeal that decision by providing proof of wages earned, or submit a claim through the new “PUA” portal, the state said. Read more here. —Mary Wisniewski
3:36 p.m.: Illinois Supreme Court denies Pritzker’s request to rule he was within his rights in extending disaster proclamation
The Illinois Supreme Court dealt a setback to Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Monday, denying his request for a ruling that he acted within his authority when he extended his disaster proclamation for the coronavirus pandemic beyond the initial 30 days.
The governor and the Illinois attorney general’s office asked the state’s highest court to take up the matter after a southern Illinois judge ruled late last month that Pritzker had exceeded his legal authority under the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act.
The ruling in Clay County Circuit Court came in a lawsuit brought by state Rep. Darren Bailey, a Republican from Xenia. The circuit judge issued a temporary restraining order exempting Bailey from the stay-at-home order, but the lawmaker later asked an appeals court to withdraw the order so he could refile his lawsuit with new information.
“The Supreme Court is not saying they’re not going to rule on this ever,” Pritzker said at his daily news briefing. “They’re just saying that that don’t want to skip over the appellate court, is my understanding.” —Dan Petrella
3:31 p.m.: Wisconsin GOP lawmakers urge Washington to reject any ‘bailout’ money for Illinois: ‘Our neighbors to the south have spent decades spending and borrowing recklessly’
Members of Wisconsin’s Republican legislative majority are asking the state’s congressional delegation to oppose using any federal coronavirus relief package money to help bail out Illinois and other states with a history of “reckless budgeting.”
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The letter, sent Friday by 43 GOP lawmakers to Wisconsin’s two U.S. senators and seven House members, acknowledged states and the nation are facing “unprecedented challenges” dealing with COVID-19.
“These responses to the disease have led to drastic changes in budget projections for states around the country: sales tax collections are down, income tax deadlines have been extended, unemployment rates are at historic levels and more businesses are permanently closing every day,” the letter said.
“That being said, Wisconsin has spent eight years making the tough choices to get our fiscal house in order,” the letter said. “We do know that our neighbors to the south have spent decades spending and borrowing recklessly.” Read more here. —Rick Pearson
3:07 p.m.: Pritzker’s phased reopening plan continues to face pushback
Parts of Pritzker’s phased reopening plan continued to face pushback Monday, as Republican legislative leaders and the Illinois Municipal League wrote the governor letters asking for adjustments, including a smaller window of time it takes each region of the state to move from one phase to another.
Pritzker at his Monday briefing continued to defend his plan and the timelines and benchmarks included that the different regions must hit in order from advance from one phase to the next.
Illinois Municipal League Executive Director Brad Cole wrote a letter to Pritzker Monday asking for more regions than the current four the state is divided into as part of the “Restore Illinois” reopening plan the governor laid out last week. Cole, who has appeared alongside Pritzker at previous daily briefings, in his letter also called for decreasing from 28 days to 14 days the necessary period of time a region needs to see stability or a decline in COVID-19 like hospitalizations in order to move to the next phase and loosen restrictions that are aimed at curtailing the spread of the virus.
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Republican legislative leaders Bill Brady and Jim Durkin also wrote a joint letter to Pritzker Monday echoing those suggestions made in the Municipal League letter and asking the governor to call a special session of the Illinois General Assembly “so that we can further discuss and develop the necessary adjustments to your plan that protects the public’s health while at the same time moves our economy forward more quickly.” —Jamie Munks
2:35 p.m.: Pritzker says predicted coronavirus peak is now expanded from mid-May into mid-June
Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Monday that Illinois projected peak in the COVID-19 pandemic is continuing to be pushed back further, extending from mid-May into mid-June.
Last month, Pritzker said models were predicting the state would peak between late April and early May, and earlier models showed the state would peak sometime in April.
“That timeframe of plateauing near a peak has been expanded from mid-May into mid-June, Pritzker said. “In many ways, this news is disheartening.”Pritzker said that pushing out the estimated peak is “a natural consequence of flattening the curve.”
State officials on Monday reported 54 additional deaths, for a total of 3,459 deaths statewide since the pandemic began earlier this year. There were 1,266 new known cases of COVID-19 reported Monday, pushing the statewide known case total to 79,007.
Pritzker was forced to work from home Monday, after his office announced an unidentified senior staff member has tested positive for COVID-19. —Jamie Munks
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2:18 p.m.: 2.3 million more Illinois jobs at risk: The devastating economic toll of the virus in 6 charts
Illinois is facing an unemployment crisis unlike any seen since the Great Depression, as the new coronavirus ravages the economy and puts people out of work.
The situation may get worse.
In Illinois, 37% of jobs are at risk of ending in furloughs, layoffs, or sharp reductions in hours or pay because of the COVID-19 outbreak, according to a recent analysis from McKinsey Global Institute. But some positions are more endangered than others.
Vulnerable jobs are concentrated among low-income workers and people of color, who already have been hit harder by the pandemic than white people.
The percentage of vulnerable jobs is slightly higher in Illinois than nationally, but overall, the trends in the state mirror what is going on around the country. Up to one-third — or 57 million — U.S. jobs are vulnerable to economic inactivity caused by the pandemic, according to the analysis. Read more here. —Jonathon Berlin and Ally Marotti
2:17 p.m.: Lightfoot advances plan to delay part of worker scheduling protection rules due to virus outbreak
Mayor Lori Lightfoot is moving to delay a key part of the city’s landmark Fair Workweek ordinance until next year, stopping workers from suing their bosses for violating rules requiring large Chicago businesses to give at least two weeks’ advance notice of their schedules.
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City Business Affairs Commissioner Rosa Escareno said deferring that clause in the ordinance until Jan. 1 is important as companies struggle to navigate the coronavirus pandemic and attempts to re-open different sectors of Chicago’s economy.
“We understand that all businesses are struggling due to the COVID outbreak, which is why we are coming forward with today’s proposal to postpone implementation of the private cause of action section of the ordinance until Jan. 1st of 2021,” Escareno said. “This will allow businesses to implement Fair Workweek policies without fear of lawsuits during the first six months of the regulations.”
The ordinance passed the council in July after being painstakingly crafted over many months to try to appease influential business and labor groups on opposite sides of the issue. It entitles employees working for bigger companies in the areas of building services, health care, hotels, manufacturing, restaurants, retail and warehouse services to two weeks heads-up on their schedules.
The rest of the rules will take effect July 1 as planned, and city inspectors will investigate complaints that businesses aren’t giving their employees proper notice about when they are scheduled to work. Employees simply won’t be able to act on the results of those investigations by filing suits in Cook County Circuit Court till next year, Escareno said. Read more here. —John Byrne
1:26 p.m.: MLB owners approve a plan to start the season — without fans — in July
Major League Baseball owners gave the go-ahead Monday to making a proposal to the players’ union that could lead to the coronavirus-delayed season starting around the Fourth of July weekend in ballparks without fans, a plan that envisioned expanding the designated hitter to the National League for 2020.
Spring training would start in early to mid-June, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because details of the plan were not announced. Read more here. —Associated Press
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1:10 p.m. Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers allows nearly all nonessential businesses to reopen with limits
Gov. Tony Evers on Monday allowed nearly all nonessential businesses to reopen as long as they serve no more than five customers at a time, partially lifting the restriction that has kept them closed for weeks to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
The latest order, which took effect immediately, addresses criticism from smaller businesses and Republican lawmakers that it was unfair to allow essential businesses such as grocery stores to remain open while nonessential businesses such as flower shops had to close under Evers' “safer at home” order, which runs until May 26. The latest order applies to all standalone stores and those in strip malls that have entrances to the outside, but not to stores in large indoor shopping malls.
The order, issued by Department of Health Services Secretary Andrea Palm at Evers’ direction, strongly encourages all shoppers and store workers to wear masks, but does not require it. Everyone in the store must maintain a 6-foot distance from one another. Evers also allowed drive-in movie theaters to reopen. Read more here. —Associated Press
1 p.m.: Chicago to open six more testing sites in neighborhoods, will try to reach 10,000 tests per day goal
The city of Chicago will open six new testing sites aimed at addressing disparities among black and brown residents and try to ramp up the city’s capacity ahead of a potential reopening with help from a charity founded by actor Sean Penn, officials said Monday.
Chicago officials will work with Community Organized Relief Effort and Curative-Korva to run the sites. They also will work with community groups to help with registration for tests.
CORE is a charity founded by Penn, Lightfoot said.
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One of the sites will open in the parking lot at the White Sox’s Guaranteed Rate Field in Bridgeport for asymptomatic first responders and healthcare and other essential workers, the city said.
The others largely will be aimed at the city’s black and Latino communities, including Maria Saucedo Scholastic Academy in Little Village, Dr. Jorge Prieto Math and Science Academies in Hanson Park, Kennedy-King College in Englewood, Senka Park in Gage Park and Gately Park in Pullman. Locations have been chosen because they’re near public transportation, easily accessible by vehicle and have large spaces for proper social distancing, city officials said.
Chicago officials will work with Community Organized Relief Effort and Curative-Korva to run the sites. They also will work with community groups to help with registration for tests.
Ultimately, Lightfoot’s administration wants to be able to perform 10,000 tests per day, though the city’s goal for potentially beginning to ease stay-at-home restrictions is 4,500. Read more here. —Gregory Pratt
12:39 p.m.: Navy’s Blue Angels confirm times, route for Tuesday flyover of Chicago
As part of its “America Strong” campaign to thank medical professionals, emergency responders, and essential workers, the Blue Angels will do a flyover of Chicago on Tuesday, according to the flight demonstration squad.
The Blue Angels, an elite flight squad specializing in aerobatics, along with the Thunderbirds, the Air Force demonstration squad, have been conducting flyovers in cities across the country since the end of April, according to a Department of Defense news release that called the effort a show of "national solidarity.”
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Chicago is on the list for Tuesday, along with Detroit and Indianapolis, according to social media posts from Blue Angels. The approximately 15-minute flyover will be conducted in the Chicago area starting around 11:45 a.m., ending along the lakefront around noon. Read more here. —Katherine Rosenberg-Douglas
12:28 p.m.: Northwestern University furloughs staff, cuts leaders’ pay to address financial fallout of pandemic
Northwestern University on Monday announced a series of new cost-saving steps spurred by the coronavirus pandemic that include furloughing about 250 workers, suspending contributions to employee retirement plans and spending more of its endowment.
The school’s president, interim provost and a senior vice president will also take pay cuts of at least 20%.
The additional cost-saving measures come as the school expects a $90 million deficit this year, with a “significant shortfall” likely next year too, leaders said. Read more here. —Elyssa Cherney
11:44 a.m.: Abbott Labs prepares to ship antibody tests after obtaining emergency use approval from FDA
Abbott Labs announced Monday that it is getting ready to distribute tens of millions of antibody tests monthly to help determine what percentage of the population has contracted COVID-19.
Abbott said it planned to ship 30 million of the tests, also known as serology tests, this month and 60 million by next month, for use in the United States, Europe and India.
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“Having more options of highly reliable tests across our platforms will help health care workers and health officials as they conduct broad-scale testing for COVID-19,” said Robert B. Ford, president and chief executive officer of the Libertville-based company.
One of the tests the company will distribute has a less than half of 1 percent chance of producing a false positive result — meaning a person is incorrectly found to have been infected — and little to no chance of producing a false negative, the company stated in a news release. That would make it more reliable than some of the other tests on the market.
It also is counting distribution of an earlier antibody test developed by Abbott. The antibody tests determine if someone has developed antibodies to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which may provide some level of immunity, but that’s not certain.
Medical experts say the tests are more useful for gauging the extent of the epidemic than determining whether some may be immune. And they could help determine whether people need a certain level of antibodies to be immune to the disease.
Both tests have received emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration, but the federal government has not yet given either full approval.
There has been some consternation in both the medical community and Congress about the way the FDA had been allowing allegedly unreliable antibody tests to go to market without obtaining emergency use authorization.
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The FDA a week ago tightened its policy on antibody tests. U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Illinois, chairman of the House Oversight Economic and Consumer Policy Subcommittee, launched an investigation of the old policy. —Hal Dardick
10:17 a.m.: Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Chicago staff working from home after colleague tests positive for COVID-19
Gov. J.B. Pritzker and his Chicago office staff will be working from home after a senior staff member in the governor’s office tested positive for the new coronavirus, Pritzker’s office announced Monday.
Pritzker was tested Sunday, and the results were negative, according to the governor’s office. The rest of the governor’s staff who have been reporting to the office also tested negative.
The governor’s office says about 20 staff members have been working from the James R. Thompson Center, following Illinois Department of Public Health guidelines and social distancing measures.
Pritzker will continue to hold weekdays news briefings. —Dan Petrella
9:22 a.m.: Lightfoot criticizes Northwest Side church for holding in-person Sunday services
Mayor Lori Lightfoot criticized a Chicago church for reopening its doors over the weekend, tweeting: “It doesn’t matter who you are or what you’re doing. When you gather like this, you are putting yourself and your loved ones in serious danger.”
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The church, Metro Praise International Church on the city’s Northwest Side, opened its doors for in-person services in an act church officials described as “passive resistance” to Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s stay-at-home order.
Lightfoot expressed her concern in a tweet Monday morning, though it wasn’t immediately clear if the city would take action in response. Read more here. —Gregory Pratt
7:23 a.m.: A majority of Americans disapprove of protests against state coronavirus restrictions, though support for closures dips, poll shows
A majority of Americans disapprove of protests against restrictions aimed at preventing the spread the coronavirus, according to a new poll that also finds the still-expansive support for such limits — including restaurant closures and stay-at-home orders — has dipped in recent weeks.
The new survey from the University of Chicago Divinity School and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds 55% of Americans disapprove of the protests that have popped up in some states as some Americans begin chafing at public health measures that have decimated the global economy. Thirty-one percent approve of the demonstrations. Read more here. —Associated Press
6:45 a.m.: Cook County correctional officer dies after being diagnosed with COVID-19
A Cook Cook correctional officer has died of apparent complications from COVID-19, according to the sheriff’s office, the third worker in the office to die from the disease.
Officer Antoine Jones, 51, died Sunday after he was diagnosed with COVID-19 in late March. The sheriff’s office said the official cause was pending an autopsy.
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Jones joined the sheriff’s office in July of 2002. He lived on Chicago’s South Side with his wife and five adult children. Officer Jones was diagnosed with COVID-19 in late March. The office said it considers Jones’ death to be in the line of duty and will be “strongly advocating that his family receive all the benefits that designation affords.”
Jones is the second correctional officer to die of complications from the coronavirus, the office said. A third worker in the sheriff’s office also died from the disease. Seven detainees who tested positive for COVID-19 at the jail have died. There are at least 236 detainees who are positive for the virus, with six being treated at hospitals. —Chicago Tribune staff
6 a.m.: How and when Chicago-area schools will reopen remains unclear, despite ‘Restore Illinois’ phase-in plan
School officials in Chicago and the suburbs are worried about the uncertainty of how Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s plan for reopening the state amid the coronavirus pandemic might affect millions of children in Illinois when school resumes in some form in the fall.
Restore Illinois, a five-phase approach Pritzker unveiled last week, indicates the earliest the state’s schools could reopen is during phase four, at which point gatherings of 50 people or fewer will be allowed and schools may reopen with social distancing policies and safety guidance from the Illinois Department of Public Health.
When the Chicago region will reach phase four, and whether that will be by the traditional start of the school year, will depend on a continual decline in the positivity rate among those tested and in the number of patients admitted to the hospital. Even with loosened restrictions, face coverings and social distancing are still expected to remain the norm, officials said.
The phased-in approach to reopening is tied to how COVID-19 has affected a particular region of the state, meaning areas hit hardest by the virus, including Chicago, suburban Cook County and the rest of the Chicago area, could see their school buildings reopen later than rural areas in Illinois that have seen fewer cases.
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For Chicago Public Schools, reaching phase four won’t be the only bench mark needed to reopen. Chicago Teachers Union leaders said they intend to bargain over how schools reopen, prioritizing safety. Class sizes will have to be smaller, and more supports like hand-washing stations will be needed, they said. Read more here. —Karen Ann Cullotta and Hannah Leone
6 a.m.: Swanky Gold Coast hotel has become a haven for people living on the street and others at risk. 'Housing is health care.’
In mid-April, Joeal Hamlin, who was staying in a West Side shelter, was offered a ninth-story room inside the pricey Hotel One Sixty-Six Magnificent Mile, where the Lawndale Christian Health Center oversees a makeshift isolation facility for people who are homeless.
“I actually was leading to a depression, anxiety,” Hamlin said. “I felt I could do better for myself, but I couldn’t do it by myself. With the help of Lawndale Christian Health, I’m not by myself anymore.”
Hamlin’s new living quarters are part of the city’s effort to shelter those who have nowhere to go as the death toll from COVID-19 in Illinois tops 3,000. The city has rented nearly 400 rooms in two downtown hotels to isolate people considered to be at high-risk during the pandemic.
To date, 251 people experiencing homelessness have stayed in the isolation and quarantine hotel rooms and given free meals, with 152 guests still in the hotel. It’s an evolving experiment that Thomas Huggett — lead doctor of the Lawndale Christian Health Center’s medical team at Hotel One Sixty-Six — hopes will transform how society cares for such people.
“There are stay-at-home orders,” Huggett said. “What does that actually mean for people who don’t have a home? From our angle, housing is health care. If we can really learn through these liminal times, then perhaps we can make some long-lasting, positive changes.” Read more here. —Alice Yin and Cecilia Reyes
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6 a.m.: Food, iPads, care packages part of groundswell of donations to Roseland hospital following Tribune story
In the past few weeks, Tribune readers have donated staff meals, gift bags for nurses, care packages for patients, personal protective equipment and technology to Roseland Community Hospital, which serves underprivileged neighborhoods on the Far South Side, in response to a story about the hospital’s plight in the battle against coronavirus.
Roseland President Tim Egan said the outpouring has boosted morale among a hospital staff where one member previously described efforts to treat the virus as “fighting with one arm tied behind our backs.”
“We’re still outgunned, outmanned and underfunded, but boy, have we gotten a lot of aid to our front lines," Egan said. "It’s truly stunning.” Read more here. —Stacy St. Clair
6 a.m.: Legal aid organizations strained by increase in pandemic-related cases, including domestic violence, unemployment claims
Since the COVID-19 pandemic struck Chicago, attorneys who offer legal work to the poor say they have seen a significant rise in people seeking assistance with domestic violence and unemployment benefits.
With demand for free legal help expected to further rise after Cook County courts reopen, lawyers say the public health crisis will intensify preexisting legal inequities.
While the pandemic has led to an increase in pro bono volunteers from the city’s law firms, the surge in cases figures to exacerbate the strain on the already limited resources of Legal Aid Chicago, a roughly 150-person organization that provides legal services to city residents living in poverty, said Executive Director John Gallo. Read more here. —Antonia Ayres-Brown
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May 9-10
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chicagotribune--2020-05-11--Northwestern University furloughs staff, cuts executive pay and taps endowment as it eyes ‘significa

Northwestern University furloughs staff, cuts executive pay and taps endowment as it eyes ‘significant shortfall’ due to coronavirus pandemic

“ Even if we resume on-campus activity in the fall , as we hope to do by phases , we @ @ @ @ @ significant shortfall in the 2021 fiscal year as well , perhaps as great as or @ @ @ @ @ experiencing this year , ” said the message , which was signed by President Morton @ @

Northwestern University' is taking additional measures to deal with the financial fallout of the pandemic. (Chris Walker/Chicago Tribune)
In another indication of the financial pressures the coronavirus pandemic is placing on colleges, Northwestern University on Monday announced a series of new cost-saving steps that include furloughing about 250 workers, suspending contributions to employee retirement plans and digging deeper into its endowment.
In a message to the campus community, Northwestern leaders outlined the additional “painful” measures and projected a $90 million budget shortfall this year.
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“Even if we resume on-campus activity in the fall, as we hope to do by phases, we are likely to see a significant shortfall in the 2021 fiscal year as well, perhaps as great as or greater than what we are experiencing this year,” said the message, which was signed by President Morton Schapiro.
Northwestern isn’t the only school worried about its bottom line during the public health emergency. Colleges nationwide spent millions to refund room and board for students who left campus early, purchased return flights for those studying abroad and invested in new technology to transition to online classes.
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In a financial update last week, Loyola University Chicago said it expected a $50 million budget gap and was bracing for “some isolated staff furloughs within the next few weeks,” President Jo Ann Rooney wrote. University leadership were also taking pay cuts up to 15%.
At the University of Chicago, President Robert Zimmer said last week that he expects a $220 million loss this year — excluding expenses from the Medical Center, which has lost revenue during the stay-at-home order. The school has already announced plans for a salary freeze, slowing academic hiring and other spending cuts.
Though the U.S. Department of Education has awarded stimulus money to universities struggling during the pandemic, NU turned down an allocated $8.5 million, following the lead of other wealthy private schools such as Harvard and Yale. The University of Chicago, which has an endowment of $8.2 billion, has not decided whether to apply for the $6.2 million it was allocated, a spokesman confirmed Monday.
As part of the new measures shared Monday, NU said it will cut leadership pay between 10% and 20% and use more of its endowment, valued at $10.8 billion before the pandemic. NU will also suspend 5% automatic contributions and 5% matched contributions to retirement plans for faculty and staff and furlough staff who can’t complete their work remotely.
Schapiro said he will take a pay cut of at least 20%, along with the interim provost and the vice president for business and finance. Deans are seeing pay slashed by 10%, while other university leaders and senior staff members in Schapiro’s office are also choosing to take reductions.
“We expect to see repercussions from the pandemic for some time,” according to the message. “Most of our work involves bringing large numbers of people together — in classrooms, dormitories, hospitals, libraries, laboratories, meeting rooms, concert halls and athletic arenas. As such, a pandemic places extreme pressure on all our major functions and on associated revenue streams.”
The school’s athletics department is also included in the cuts, according to spokesman Paul Kennedy. The director of athletics and recreation is reducing his salary by 10%, head coaches are participating in the voluntary cuts and some athletics staff will be part of the furloughs.
Monday’s announcement comes after NU enacted a first round of cuts. That included a hiring and salary freeze, reductions in discretionary spending and the delay of nonessential construction projects.
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NU did not specify how much more of the school’s endowment will be tapped during the pandemic, but in 2019, its payout rate was 5.25%.
University contributions to retirement plans will stop in June and might not be reinstated until at least 2021, according to the announcement. As NU works to determine when the matches can be reinstated, employees can continue putting their own wages toward the funds. “We expect this action alone will save the university tens of millions of dollars and considerably reduce the possibility of further cuts,” the message said.
As for the furloughs, which are expected to continue through the summer, NU said it will begin notifying affected staff members Monday and will try to recall workers as soon as possible. Employees whose workloads have been significantly reduced by the pandemic and those who can’t perform duties remotely could be subject to the furloughs, said university spokesman Jon Yates.
“This is across many of our schools and units,” Yates said in an email. “There is no certain type of job or role that’s impacted.”
echerney@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-05-11--40-year-old man fatally shot in Harvey

40-year-old man fatally shot in Harvey

Harvey police did not respond to a request for comment on the shooting , which is the city ’ s @ @ @ @ @ two weeks and fifth this year , according to county records .

A 40-year-old Chicago man died early Friday morning after being shot in Harvey.
The man, identified as Calvin Edwards, was shot in the abdomen around 6:30 p.m. Thursday in the area of 155th Street and Ashland Avenue, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
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He was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he died just after midnight.
The medical examiner’s office ruled Edwards’ death a homicide.
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Harvey police did not respond to a request for comment on the shooting, which is the city’s fourth homicide in just over two weeks and fifth this year, according to county records.
Harvey recorded 25 homicides last year, nearly twice as many as any suburban Cook County municipality has had since at least 2012, records show.
zkoeske@tribpub.com
Twitter @ZakKoeske


chicagotribune--2020-05-11--Fox Lake woman killed after suspected attack by at least one of her dogs

A dog is determined “ vicious ” under the law if it has been found to be a “ dangerous @ @ @ @ @ .
It is illegal for anyone to keep a “ vicious ” dog unless that @ @ @ @ @ enclosure the vast majority of the time , except for veterinary care and other specific @ @

A Fox Lake woman was found dead on her back deck after what appears to be a vicious attack by at least one of her dogs, police said.
An autopsy will confirm the cause of death for Lisa Urso, 52, of 622 Knollwood Road, but the initial investigation indicates that she was attacked by at least one of her three dogs, Fox Lake Police Chief Jimmy Lee said Monday.
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An autopsy will be scheduled once the results come back on a novel coronavirus test Tuesday morning, Lake County Coroner Howard Cooper said. The COVID-19 test is being done to determine what precautions, if any, the Coroner’s Office, the local funeral home and family need to take moving forward, he said.
Urso was found on her back porch Saturday, Lee said. It appeared she escaped the house after being attacked, but her injuries were extensive.
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Urso’s home has an Ingleside mailing address, but sits within the municipal boundaries of Fox Lake.
Lee described the scene as “gruesome” and said while all three dogs had blood on them, one is known to have bitten people before.
That dog bit the owner’s boyfriend twice in April -- once on April 13 and then again on April 21 -- which resulted in the dog being taken and housed temporarily by Lake County Animal Care and Control, Lee said.
Urso requested her dog back from Animal Control, which turned out to be her “fatal mistake,” he said.
“The lady wanted her dog back and it attacked her viciously and killed her,” Lee said.
A spokeswoman for Lake County Animal Control said she could confirm there was an April bite incident and the owner complied with rabies observation requirements.
“The Animal Control Act regulates animal quarantine requirements, and disposition requirements, once it’s been determined an animal can be released,” spokeswoman Hannah Goering said. She said the department was unable to comment further because of the ongoing investigation.
Under state law, a dog can be determined “dangerous” through an investigation by an animal control agency, after which the owner is required to pay a $50 public safety fine and have the dog microchipped as well as spayed or neutered.
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A dog is determined “vicious” under the law if it has been found to be a “dangerous dog” on three occasions. It is illegal for anyone to keep a “vicious” dog unless that dog is kept in an enclosure the vast majority of the time, except for veterinary care and other specific reasons.


chicagotribune--2020-05-11--Two wounded in early morning home invasion attempt in Oak Park

According to police , a 58-year-old father and his 20-year-old son said they were awakened shortly before 2 a.m. to @ @ @ @ @ smashing a window ” in the door of their home in the 200 block of @ @ @

Oak Park police are looking for a gunman after two residents were shot during an attempted home invasion during the early morning hours of May 11. ( Steve Schering/Pioneer Press )
Two residents sustained non-life-threatening gunshot wounds during what Oak Park police are calling an “attempted home invasion” that took place in the village early Monday morning.
According to police, a 58-year-old father and his 20-year-old son said they were awakened shortly before 2 a.m. to the sound of someone “smashing a window” in the door of their home in the 200 block of Clinton Avenue.
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One of the residents then called out that he was calling 911, police said. Someone then fired several shots through the broken door window, police said.
According to police, one of the residents was struck in the shoulder, while the other was struck in the buttocks.
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Both men were taken to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the Oak Park Police Department at 708-386-3800. Crime tips may also be provided anonymously at 708-434-1636 or online at www.oak-park.us/crimetip.
sschering@pioneerlocal.com
Twitter: @steveschering


chicagotribune--2020-05-11--Projected peak for coronavirus in Illinois now mid-June, says Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who’s now confined

Projected peak for coronavirus in Illinois now mid-June, says Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who’s now confined to his home after senior staffer tests positive for COVID-19

All four regions have seen decreases in hospitalization rates this month so far , with a nearly 19 % drop @ @ @ @ @ The other parts of the state saw their hospitalization rates decrease even more since May @ @ @ @ @ 36 % decrease in the north-central region , more than 44 % in central Illinois @ @ @ @ @ in southern Illinois .

The Chicago region is not on track to move to the next phase of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s reopening plan later this month, and models now indicate the state isn’t expected to start coming down from the peak of the coronavirus pandemic until mid-June, Pritzker said Monday.
Delivering the news from his Gold Coast home, where he is isolating after one of his senior staff members tested positive for the disease, Pritzker said the “timeline of plateauing near a peak has been expanded from mid-May into mid-June.”
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“In many ways, this news is disheartening," he acknowledged.
In addition, the governor said northeastern Illinois is not yet on pace to move to the next phase of his plan due to the high rate of positive tests for the virus. That could keep the city and suburbs under the present restrictions of Pritzker’s stay-at-home order for a longer period than the other three regions of Illinois.
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The positivity rate cap is measured over a 14-day period, so it is still possible the northeast region could meet that requirement by the end of the month.
[ How will Illinois reopen? Three charts breaking down Pritzker’s plan ]
Last month, models predicted the state would reach its peak in the pandemic between late April and early May. Daily death and hospital capacity data from the last 2½ weeks led to the change in predictions, according to the governor’s office.
“Flattening the curve,” or curbing the spread of the virus so the spike in new cases isn’t as high, generally leads to a “peak” more like a plateau, so it takes longer for the numbers to begin a sustained drop.
The positive news, Pritzker said, is that the slower rate of infections over a longer period of time alleviates strain on the health care system and allows researchers more time to develop treatments or a vaccine.
While state data has been showing “more stability,” there have still not been “significant declines in key metrics like hospitalization,” Pritzker said.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker delivers his daily briefing remotely, as seen on screens inside the Channel 2 TV studio in Chicago on May 11, 2020. A member of Pritzker's staff tested positive for COVID-19. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
State officials on Monday reported 54 additional deaths, for a total of 3,459 deaths statewide since the pandemic began earlier this year. There were 1,266 new known cases of COVID-19 reported Monday, pushing the statewide known case total to 79,007.
All four of the regions defined in Pritzker’s phased state reopening plan are meeting “many of the key metrics” deemed necessary to move from one phase to the next.
But the northeast region that includes Chicago, Cook County and the collar counties continues to have a positivity rate for people tested over the 20% cap Pritzker’s plan requires before a region can move to the next phase.
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As of late last week, the northeast region’s positivity rate stood at more than 22%, while north-central was at 9%, the central region at 6% and southern Illinois was just under 11%.
The state has been in the plan’s second phase since May 1, when a number of restrictions in the governor’s stay-at-home order were loosened and new face covering rules went into effect. The earliest a region could move into the third phase is May 29.
The north-central, central and southern regions appear poised to move to the third phase of the plan after the initial 28-day period that began May 1.
[ As the coronavirus spreads, the Tribune is tracking Illinois cases here ]
All four regions have seen decreases in hospitalization rates this month so far, with a nearly 19% drop in the northeast region. The other parts of the state saw their hospitalization rates decrease even more since May 1, with a nearly 36% decrease in the north-central region, more than 44% in central Illinois and more than 54% in southern Illinois.
As of late last week, all four regions met the requirement of available “surge capacity” of at least 14% for intensive care unit beds, medical and surgical beds and ventilators.
Pritzker who rolled out the five-phase approach last week, continues to face criticism that the bench marks for moving from one phase to the next are too strict.
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Pritzker said Monday that models show if all restrictions were lifted at the end of May, it would mean a new surge of COVID-19 across the state.
Aspects of Pritzker’s reopening plan that continue to face pushback include the requirement that a region either shows stability or a decrease in hospital admissions for COVID-19-like illness for a 28-day period before it can move into the next phase.
Republican legislative leaders and the Illinois Municipal League wrote the governor letters Monday asking for adjustments, including halving the time it takes each region to move from one phase to another to 14 days.
Pritzker at his briefing continued to defend his plan, and the timelines and bench marks included that the different regions must hit in order to advance from one phase to the next.
[ COVID-19 cases in Illinois by ZIP code: Search for your neighborhood ]
In the third phase, manufacturing, offices, retail stores, and barbers and salons would be able to reopen to the public with capacity limits and other precautions. Gatherings of no more than 10 people would be allowed, though wearing face coverings in public and social distancing would continue to be urged.
Not until a region reaches the fourth phase of the governor’s plan would people be able to gather in groups of up to 50, and restaurants and bars, child care and schools could reopen under guidance from the state Department of Public Health.
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Illinois Municipal League Executive Director Brad Cole wrote a letter to Pritzker on Monday asking for the state to be divided into 11 regions rather than the current four delineated in Pritzker’s “Restore Illinois” plan.
Cole, who has appeared alongside Pritzker at previous coronavirus briefings, also called for decreasing from 28 days to 14 days the necessary period of time a region needs to see stability or a decline in COVID-19-like hospitalizations in order to move to the next phase.
Republican legislative leaders Bill Brady and Jim Durkin also wrote a joint letter to Pritzker on Monday echoing the suggestions made by the Illinois Municipal League and asking the governor to call a special session of the Illinois General Assembly so that “we can further discuss and develop the necessary adjustments to your plan that protects the public’s health while at the same time moves our economy forward more quickly.”
After a senior staff member tested positive for COVID-19, Pritzker was tested on Sunday, and the results were negative, his office said. Other staff members also tested negative. All will be working from home until they are cleared to return to their offices in the Thompson Center, which is being deep-cleaned, by the state health department.
Pritzker would not identify the staff member Monday, citing privacy concerns.
[ Chicago to open six more testing sites in neighborhoods, will work with actor Sean Penn’s charity to try reaching goal of 10,000 tests per day ]
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Among those now working from home is Department of Public Health Director Ngozi Ezike, who is leading the state’s response to COVID-19, Pritzker spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh said.
The staff member who tested positive late last week was not showing symptoms and had been in close contact with the governor and other staff.
“I don’t have regular, everyday contact with that person directly, although that person would sometimes, would everyday, sit in a large meeting room where we were all socially distancing,” Pritzker said.
Pritzker is not the first governor to take measures after coming into contact with some who tested positive.
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Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz went into 14-day isolation on March 24. In neighboring Iowa, Gov. Kim Reynolds announced Monday that she would follow a “modified quarantine plan” after a White House visit last week at which Vice President Mike Pence’s press secretary, who has tested positive for the virus, was present. However, Reynolds said she would continue coming into work but will be tested for the virus daily, among other precautions.
In April, another member of Pritzker’s Chicago office staff tested positive for the coronavirus. The employee started to feel unwell on March 26 and immediately went home, Pritzker said at the time.
Pritzker and Ezike said at an April 7 news briefing that they hadn’t been tested for COVID-19 because they hadn’t exhibited symptoms.
The state also announced it has received its first shipment of the antiviral drug remdesivir, to be used as a treatment for hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
[ Wisconsin GOP lawmakers urge Washington to reject any ‘bailout’ money for Illinois: ‘Our neighbors to the south have spent decades spending and borrowing recklessly’ ]
Illinois received 140 cases of the medication over the weekend that have been shipped to 14 hospitals around the state. Each case includes enough to treat around five patients, and the state used hospitalization and intensive care unit data to determine which hospitals received a share of the first shipment, Ezike said Monday.
Those that did “have seen the most critically ill COVID-19 patients,” Ezike said. “We also included safety net hospitals and hospitals treating large communities of color to address the equity aspects.”
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Also on Monday, the Illinois Supreme Court denied the Pritzker administration’s request for a ruling that the governor acted within his authority when he extended his disaster proclamation for the coronavirus pandemic beyond the initial 30 days.
The governor and the Illinois attorney general’s office asked the court to take up the matter after a southern Illinois judge ruled late last month that Pritzker had exceeded his legal authority under the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act.
The ruling came in a lawsuit brought by state Rep. Darren Bailey, a Republican from Xenia. The circuit judge issued a temporary restraining order exempting Bailey from the stay-at-home order, but the lawmaker later asked an appeals court to withdraw the order so he could refile his lawsuit with new information.
“The Supreme Court is not saying they’re not going to rule on this, ever,” Pritzker said at his daily news briefing. “They’re just saying that they don’t want to skip over the appellate court, is my understanding.”
jmunks@chicagotribune.com
dpetrella@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-05-11--Cook County Jail escapee held without bond Monday after more than a week on the run

In that case , a juvenile court judge ordered Scott taken into custody , and he began to attack three @ @ @ @ @ were trying to take him into lockup , authorities said .
When a court clerk @ @ @ @ @ pushed her in the chest several times .
All four went to the hospital , @ @ @ @ @ .

A 21-year-old parolee who allegedly swapped identities with another detainee to slip out of Cook County Jail last weekend was held without bond Monday after being captured over the weekend.
Judge David Navarro said that Jahquez Scott’s alleged offense “cuts directly to the integrity of the judicial system."
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Scott had been a wanted man since early this month, when he allegedly persuaded fellow detainee Quintin Henderson to use his name to walk out of jail.
Scott was on the lam for about a week before Cook County Sheriff’s officials, with an assist from the FBI, found him in the bedroom of a residence in the Humboldt Park neighborhood, according to the sheriff’s office. He was arrested about 8 a.m. Saturday.
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After his arrest, Scott pointed the finger at Henderson -- saying the whole scheme was his idea, prosecutors said Monday.
Scott was facing jail, having just been ordered held for a gun case, for violating bail bond on a pending drug case, and for violating parole on an aggravated battery to a peace officer conviction.
Henderson had been ordered released on his own recognizance. He later told authorities that Scott offered him $1000 in exchange for using his identity to leave jail, according to prosecutors.
But Scott said post-arrest that the amount was just $500 -- and that Henderson was the one to approach Scott with the deal, according to Assistant State’s Attorney Kevin DeBoni.
After his arrest Sunday, Scott told authorities that he approached jail staffers when Henderson’s name was called, and participated in Henderson’s exit interview, DeBoni said.
Henderson, 28, of the 3900 block of West Gladys Avenue, was later charged with aiding and betting an escape, a class 2 felony.
A surveillance camera captured the men’s May 2 interaction in a receiving tunnel at Cook County Jail where criminal defendants are processed into the jail or released from custody, authorities said.
Henderson handed over his personal information. Prosecutors initially said the two swapped hooded sweatshirts, but on Sunday clarified that Scott actually switched hoodies with a third unidentified detainee.
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When a jail guard called out Henderson’s name, Scott stepped forward, identifying himself as Henderson, while the real Henderson stayed put, prosecutors have said. Scott allegedly used the real Henderson’s inmate number and signed release documents as Henderson, and after retrieving the real Henderson’s personal property, he walked freely out of Cook County Jail.
In a recent booking photo, Scott has distinctive tattoos on both sides of his face. But he was wearing a mask when he used Henderson’s name to get out, according to the sheriff’s office.
The 21-year-old has a felony conviction on his record dating from 2017, when he pleaded to four counts of aggravated battery.
In that case, a juvenile court judge ordered Scott taken into custody, and he began to attack three sheriff’s deputies who were trying to take him into lockup, authorities said. When a court clerk tried to assist, Scott pushed her in the chest several times. All four went to the hospital, and were treated and released.
He was sentenced to two years of probation, records show — but soon violated that probation and was sent to prison instead. Then late last year, he picked up a charge for allegedly dealing heroin, and last weekend picked up the additional gun charge.
That brought him back to Cook County court, and to his encounter with Henderson.
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The FBI later offered a $2,000 reward for information leading to Scott’s arrest and conviction.
Scott’s attorney, Assistant Public Defender Caitlin Patterson, said Scott has lived in Chicago all his life and was working in “an animal care capacity” before his arrest earlier this month. He has a 5-year-old son, she stated.
But the mere fact that Scott was out of custody for a week is enough to show the strength of the prosecution’s case, Navarro said, and there was no way to ensure his further appearances in court besides holding him in custody without bail.
“(We) have an individual who is alleged (to have) attempted to circumvent parole orders, court orders, in every way," Navarro said. “Attempted to, and succeeded, at least for the moment, in buying his way out of jail."
mcrepeau@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-05-11--Chicago restaurants get a big gift on Mother’s Day with strong takeout and delivery sales

According to Nick Kokonas , co-owner of the Alinea Group , Mother ’ s Day was “ very strong , @ @ @ @ @ the business done around Easter .
He reports that Sunday Alinea sold over 1,325 meals @ @ @ @ @ and Next did 713 .
The restaurants are doing so well , Kokonas writes in @ @ @ @ @ s “ offered employment to all of our team as of May 1.
” Right @ @ @ @ @ back at work .
( He points out that some “ can not come back @ @ @ @ @ state or are caring for young children or elderly at risk parents .
” )

As we’ve written about many, many times, restaurants are struggling right now. And with the possible opening of dining rooms pushed back to at least June 26, it’s not clear when things will ever get back to normal.
But there was a rare bright spot over the weekend, as a number of restaurants reported strong sales thanks to Mother’s Day.
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Last weekend was the first time Bang Bang Pie & Biscuits (2051 N. California Ave.) had opened in about eight weeks. But owner Michael Ciapciak says that it was a great opening weekend. “We were very fortunate to have extraordinary support from our guests for Mother’s Day,” wrote Ciapciak in an email. “We took pre-orders only and were open for contactless pickup in our pie garden in Logan Square.” He says the restaurant prepared over 500 orders.
Brian Enyart, the chef and co-owner of Dos Urban Cantina (2829 W. Armitage Ave.) says that holidays in general have been very helpful to the restaurant. “Obviously business was way down from last year,” says Enyart, “but thanks to Cinco de Mayo and Mother’s Day, it’s been a nice two week span for us.”
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One Off Hospitality, which includes Avec and Big Star, also reported a strong weekend. Kim Leali, director of culinary operations for the restaurant group, says that even though One Off just reopened several of its restaurants last week, “We had a really great Mother’s Day.” She admits that the company had a few issues at Big Star during Cinco de Mayo. “It was pretty hectic,” says Leali of reports of issues with some delivery orders. “We learned a lot from that.”
In particular, they discovered how to best control the flood of online orders, so that no restaurant received too many orders at once. “By last weekend, we had good practices in place for getting the food to the drivers quickly, efficiently, and safely,” says Leali.
She says that One Off Hospitality is already planning new seasonal offerings and crafting some larger format dinners for families looking to do something special for events like graduations. “People still want to celebrate with their family,” says Leali. She’s also happy to report that The Publican plans to reopen and offer pickup later this week.
According to Nick Kokonas, co-owner of the Alinea Group, Mother’s Day was “very strong,” comparing it favorably to the business done around Easter. He reports that Sunday Alinea sold over 1,325 meals, while Roister did 956 and Next did 713. The restaurants are doing so well, Kokonas writes in an email that he’s “offered employment to all of our team as of May 1.” Right now, 95% are back at work. (He points out that some “cannot come back because they are out of state or are caring for young children or elderly at risk parents.”)
Kokonas is also the CEO of Tock, which originated as an online reservation system, but has transitioned quickly into a delivery and pickup system called Tock to Go. He says that a surprisingly large number of restaurants have been able to thrive during this time. He adds that restaurants that have created “curated To Go experiences that are elevated ... are totally busy right now.” His team is adding 50 to 60 restaurants to the system every day. “We are working 24/7 to get them up and running,” writes Kokonas. “And we see demand continuing to increase overall.”


chicagotribune--2020-05-11--Self-employed started applying for unemployment benefits Monday, but there’s a catch

On its website Wednesday , the Illinois Department of Employment Security said workers who believe they are eligible for the @ @ @ @ @ “ Pandemic Unemployment Act ” must apply for regular unemployment insurance as a “ mandatory @ @ @ @ @ get an eligibility finding of $ 0 , they can appeal that decision by providing @ @ @ @ @ or submit a claim through the new “ PUA ” portal , the state said @

Self-employed workers like piano teachers and web designers started applying for newly available unemployment benefits on Monday through a new state application portal, but there’s a catch.
To qualify, first they had to apply — and get rejected — for regular unemployment benefits.
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The extra step provided a fresh source of frustration for self-employed workers, who had to wait to apply for benefits under the $2.2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.
On its website Wednesday, the Illinois Department of Employment Security said workers who believe they are eligible for the new federal benefits under the “Pandemic Unemployment Act” must apply for regular unemployment insurance as a “mandatory first step.” If applicants get an eligibility finding of $0, they can appeal that decision by providing proof of wages earned, or submit a claim through the new “PUA” portal, the state said.
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“This is so confusing and frustrating,” said Nancy Minard, 55, of Wood Dale, an independent meeting planner. She said the state’s website had been telling the self-employed throughout April not to apply for benefits, but then changed its guidance last week. She applied on Sunday.
Employment lawyer Jeremy Glenn said it has been complicated for states to set up systems for awarding assistance to the self-employed.
“It’s a product of the complexity of the system, and the number of people who would apply,” said Glenn, managing partner in the Chicago office of Cozen O’Connor. “Nothing like this existed before.”
The federal coronavirus relief act was signed into law March 27. It took the federal government another week to provide guidance to states on assistance for the self-employed, and states then had to determine how to evaluate claims.
State agencies ordinarily evaluate unemployment insurance claims using the W-2 tax form filed by companies to report wages, tips, and other compensation paid to employees. But the self-employed receive a different tax form, a 1099-MISC, and may also have to present past income tax returns and other records.
Under the stimulus law, benefits for the self-employed will be calculated based on previous income. Like other jobless workers, they also will be eligible for an additional $600 weekly payment.
About 18% of the state’s workforce is part of the so-called gig economy, according to a report from the ADP Research Institute.
Uber driver Kelly Pacheco in Chicago's Austin neighborhood on April 7, 2020. She is now advising other ride-share drivers on doing their unemployment applications, consulting for the law firm LegalRideshare, which specializes in the ride-hailing business. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
The Illinois Department of Employment Security has been swamped with regular claims for unemployment insurance benefit claims. The department said it has processed more than a million initial unemployment claims from March 1 through May 2, nearly 12 times the number it processed over the same period in 2019.
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There’s an extra layer of confusion for ride-share drivers, according to Chicago Rideshare Advocates, which represents drivers. The group said it did not learn until last month that the state does not consider Uber and Lyft drivers to be independent contractors, so they can apply for regular benefits instead of self-employment benefits.
The advocacy group has been trying to get the word out to the tens of thousands of drivers, said driver and group co-founder Eli Martin.
Asked about unemployment benefits for Uber and Lyft drivers, Illinois Department of Employment Security spokeswoman Rebecca Cisco said in an email that the department cannot discuss individual employers.
“We encourage anyone who thinks they may be eligible to file for regular unemployment benefits,” Cisco said. “In the event they are denied regular benefit, they should submit a PUA application.”
Kelly Pacheco, 40, of Chicago’s Austin neighborhood, a ride-share driver who has not been able to work because of the pandemic, said the state did a poor job of communicating.
“I kind of assumed it was best to go ahead and apply for regular unemployment first and I’m glad I did that,” said Pacheco, who has been receiving unemployment benefits.
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She is advising other ride-share drivers on their applications, consulting for the law firm LegalRideshare, which specializes in the ride-hailing business.
The question of whether a gig worker is an independent contractor for purposes of unemployment insurance and other protections has become an issue in other states.
For example, California last week sued Uber and Lyft, alleging they incorrectly classified their drivers as independent contractors under the state’s new labor law. On the other side of the country, the New York State Court of Appeals has ruled that workers for the food delivery app Postmates are considered employees for purposes of unemployment benefits.
mwisniewski@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-05-11--Wisconsin GOP lawmakers urge Washington to reject any ‘bailout’ money for Illinois: ‘Our neighbors t

Wisconsin GOP lawmakers urge Washington to reject any ‘bailout’ money for Illinois: ‘Our neighbors to the south have spent decades spending and borrowing recklessly’

Pelosi has said she is weighing requests of about $ 1 trillion in aid while the National Governors Association has @ @ @ @ @ But the White House and Republicans who control the Senate have sought a pause on @ @ @ @ @ aid funds make their way through the pipeline .

Members of Wisconsin’s Republican legislative majority are asking the state’s congressional delegation to oppose using any federal coronavirus relief package money to help bail out Illinois and other states with a history of “reckless budgeting.”
The letter, sent Friday by 43 GOP lawmakers to Wisconsin’s two U.S. senators and seven House members, acknowledged states and the nation are facing “unprecedented challenges” dealing with COVID-19.
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“These responses to the disease have led to drastic changes in budget projections for states around the country: sales tax collections are down, income tax deadlines have been extended, unemployment rates are at historic levels and more businesses are permanently closing every day,” the letter said.
“That being said, Wisconsin has spent eight years making the tough choices to get our fiscal house in order,” the letter said. “We do know that our neighbors to the south have spent decades spending and borrowing recklessly.”
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The letter comes as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi prepares a Democratic version of a new coronavirus relief package to be considered as early as Friday. She has said any new package must include funding for state and local governments to support first-responder payrolls and deal with revenue shortfalls as a result of the pandemic.
Pelosi has said she is weighing requests of about $1 trillion in aid while the National Governors Association has sought $500 billion. But the White House and Republicans who control the Senate have sought a pause on new relief until currently authorized aid funds make their way through the pipeline.
The letter from Wisconsin Republicans, first reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, references Illinois’ worst in the nation $138 billion public employee pension debt as well as a recent letter Illinois Senate President Don Harmon of Oak Park sent to the state’s congressional delegation seeking at least $41 billion in federal aid, including $10 billion to help stabilize the pension system.
“After years of failing to fund their overly generous pension system, Illinois is already asking for the federal government to bail them out of these series of poor financial decisions,” the letter said.
“Wisconsin taxpayers should not be responsible for funding bailouts for irresponsible states across the country like Illinois, New York and California. Please stand with Wisconsin taxpayers and reject the multi-trillion dollar bailouts being considered by Congress,” it said.
Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker of Illinois has distanced himself from Harmon’s request and said federal funding he is seeking would be tied to the effects of the coronavirus and support to deal with it.
The 43 lawmakers who signed the letter are among the 82 Republican lawmakers who serve in the Wisconsin state Senate and Assembly.
Wisconsin’s Department of Health Services previously issued guidance for Illinois residents and others who have a seasonal or second home in the state, urging them not to travel or face 14 days of self-quarantine. “You should bring your own groceries and essentials as self-quarantine does not permit shopping at local stores for supplies,” the agency said.
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chicagotribune--2020-05-11--COVID-19 cases in Illinois by ZIP code: Search for your neighborhood

Search below by street address , ZIP code or city , then click on the map to see the number @ @ @ @ @ state is not providing data for any ZIP code with five cases or fewer .

Note: With Chicago and Illinois moving into phase 5, the Tribune is no longer updating this data. If the state moves back into bridge phase, the Tribune we reassess. Daily metrics on COVID-19, like cases, deaths and hospitalizations, can be found here. And Daily metrics on the vaccination effort can be found here. More on where the coronavirus stands nationally and around the world can be found here.
Illinois releases the number of positive COVID-19 cases by ZIP code daily. The map below shows the cumulative cases for each area as well as other analysis of the data.
• Check out the Tribune’s coronavirus coverage.
• Tracking daily Illinois coronavirus deaths, cases and tests.
Search below by street address, ZIP code or city, then click on the map to see the number of confirmed and probable cases. The state is not providing data for any ZIP code with five cases or fewer.
Data as of June 10.
The map search tool above works best in Chrome or Firefox and may not perform consistently in Internet Explorer.
Note: Because of a coding error this map was displaying the incorrect rates for new cases in the last 7 days per 100,000 people — the issue should now be resolved.. The Tribune adjusted the data shown on the map below to focus on new cases, those the state tracked in the last 7 seven days. The totals for the entire pandemic are still available, but in the pop-up after tapping or clicking on a ZIP.


chicagotribune--2020-05-11--Tracking Illinois coronavirus: 3,459 deaths, 79,007 confirmed cases, 442,425 tests, 25% ICU beds and

Tracking Illinois coronavirus: 3,459 deaths, 79,007 confirmed cases, 442,425 tests, 25% ICU beds and 60% ventilators open

As the coronavirus spreads and local , state and national governments work to contain and mitigate the outbreak , the @ @ @ @ @ .

Johns Hopkins University & Medicine tracked coronavirus cases, deaths and test totals from Jan. 22, 2020 through March 10, 2023, but is no longer providing this data. These charts will no longer be updated.
Check the Illinois Department of Public Health for the most up-to-date data for Illinois.
[ Remembering the lives of those in Illinois who died from coronavirus ]
Can’t see these charts? Go here.