chicagotribune--2020-09-22--Wisconsin ‘in very poor control when it comes to COVID,’ again added to Chicago’s quarantine list fo

Wisconsin ‘in very poor control when it comes to COVID,’ again added to Chicago’s quarantine list for travelers

“ With the start of the school year , we are now facing near-exponential spread of COVID-19 .
This is @ @ @ @ @ unprecedented number of infections among 18-24 year-olds , which have a case rate five times @ @ @ @ @ group , ” Evers tweeted .
“ Today I declared a new public health emergency @ @ @ @ @ immediately to address the recent surge in cases among young people .
We have to @ @ @ @ @ , and we need everyone to do their part , especially students across our state @ @

For the second time, Chicago on Tuesday added Wisconsin to the list of states on its travel order, meaning travelers returning to the city from there should stay inside their homes for two weeks because of high coronavirus counts.
Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady made the call as part of her weekly update on the states that have earned the designation because of high virus counts. Her move came as Wisconsin’s governor on Tuesday declared “a new public health emergency” because COVID-19 is spiking there.
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“Unfortunately, Wisconsin is currently in very poor control when it comes to COVID,” Arwady said. The Badger State now trails only North Dakota and South Dakota in terms of case rates, she said.
Arwady warned last week that if Wisconsin’s case rate didn’t come down below the 15 cases per 100,000 residents threshold Chicago officials use to determine the self-quarantine list, then she would include it soon.
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[ Wisconsin, 3 other states & Puerto Rico go on Chicago’s travel quarantine list, 2 states removed. Here’s what you need to know to avoid a large fine. ]
Wisconsin is now at 31 cases per 100,000 residents, she said..
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers on Tuesday extended a statewide mask mandate until Nov. 21. The order has been in effect since August, and was scheduled to expire on Monday.
In a series of Tuesday tweets, Evers noted the state’s struggle with COVID-19 and called on residents to help get the disease under control.
“With the start of the school year, we are now facing near-exponential spread of COVID-19. This is driven in part by the unprecedented number of infections among 18-24 year-olds, which have a case rate five times higher than any other age group,” Evers tweeted. “Today I declared a new public health emergency and face covering order effective immediately to address the recent surge in cases among young people. We have to get this virus under control, and we need everyone to do their part, especially students across our state.”
With the start of the school year, we are now facing near-exponential spread of COVID-19. This is driven in part by the unprecedented number of infections among 18-24 year-olds, which have a case rate five times higher than any other age group. — Governor Tony Evers (@GovEvers) September 22, 2020
In addition to Wisconsin, Montana, Idaho, Minnesota and Puerto Rico also have been added to Chicago’s quarantine list. Kentucky and Louisiana are removed, Arwady said. The new quarantine requirements take effect Friday.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration first added Wisconsin to the 14-day quarantine order in late July, only to take it off the list in mid-August when case numbers there dropped.
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It’s tough to tell whether the city taking the step makes much difference, since officials are doing little to determine whether people coming to Chicago from these states are following the two-week stay-at-home order. Arwady said the travel list has served mostly to educate Chicagoans to avoid states that are coronavirus hot spots.
“I hope that when people see this news about Wisconsin, they think twice about going to Wisconsin right now,” Arwady said when asked about enforcement. “This is about risk for someone who’s traveling, and then the risk if they bring it back to Chicago.”
jebyrne@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @_johnbyrne


chicagotribune--2020-09-22--Police: Occupant of Waukegan home fatally shoots two men in burglary attempt

Ivan Martinez , a University of Illinois-Chicago junior who lives with his family a block away from the shooting scene @ @ @ @ @ the middle of an online class when he heard up to four gunshots .
Martinez @ @ @ @ @ he didn ’ t think the noise was caused by gunfire because the neighborhood is @ @ @ @ @

Authorities on the scene where, Waukegan police say, two males were shot dead by a resident of a house they were apparently trying to burglarize Tuesday morning in the 100 block of Frolic Avenue. (Cliff Ward / Lake County News-Sun)
An occupant of a Waukegan house fatally shot two men who were apparently trying to break into the home Tuesday morning, according to police.
A resident called police to report that the men, at least one of whom was armed, were attempting to enter the residence in the 100 block of Frolic Avenue. When police arrived, they found the bodies of the two men in the front yard of the house. They also recovered a handgun by the bodies, Waukegan Police Commander Joe Florip said.
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Police declined to provide many details in the hours after the shooting, as authorities gathered information from witnesses and combed over the scene, a small home in what area residents said is a normally quiet neighborhood.
The identities of the dead men, or those of the occupants of the house, were not disclosed by authorities, who cited the ongoing investigation. Police and the coroner’s office staff remained on the scene for four hours after arriving, and authorities placed a blue, pop-up tent in the yard over the bodies of the dead men.
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The incident happened around 10 a.m. when the two men apparently attempted to enter the house, and an altercation took place between the men and the house occupants, a male and a female, police said. That altercation led to an exchange of gunfire, according to reports.
The neighborhood is northeast of the intersection of Washington Street and Green Bay Road, on the west side of Waukegan.
Ivan Martinez, a University of Illinois-Chicago junior who lives with his family a block away from the shooting scene, said he was in the middle of an online class when he heard up to four gunshots. Martinez said that at first, he didn’t think the noise was caused by gunfire because the neighborhood is usually a peaceful place.
“It’s really quiet around here,” he said.
Tre’Vion Gordon, a 17-year-old Kenosha resident, said he had spent the night at his cousin’s house, a block away, when he was awakened by the gunfire.
“I was pretty confused about what was going on,” Gordon said.
He said he frequently visits the neighborhood, which he also described as quiet.
“I’m really shocked and surprised this happened,” he said. The eruption of violence, he said, wouldn’t change his opinion of the neighborhood.
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“This is a once-in-a-lifetime thing, I feel,” Gordon said.


chicagotribune--2020-09-22--Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s top lawyer says city may not defend Chicago aldermen if demands on minority p

Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s top lawyer says city may not defend Chicago aldermen if demands on minority participation cause vendor to sue

Flessner did not single out any specific aldermen , but the letter follows an incident earlier this month in which @ @ @ @ @ participation numbers in an O ’ Hare International Airport cargo expansion project stalled a plan @ @ @ @ @ in bonds to help pay for the next phase of the work .

Chicago’s top lawyer under Mayor Lori Lightfoot warned aldermen on Tuesday that the city’s Law Department may not represent them if a vendor sues over demands made by City Council members during committee hearings.
In a letter to the City Council, Lightfoot’s hand-picked Law Department head, Mark Flessner, said aldermen cross a line if they demand “the inclusion or exclusion of particular vendors or categories of vendors such as by race or ethnic origin in order to secure their vote.”
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In cases in which a deal is presented to the city where companies “have formed clear contractual plans,” then an alderman demanding changes to the vendors could open the city or the City Council member to a lawsuit.
Flessner also warned against aldermen “unilaterally” trying to amend the terms of deals around minority participation.
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“Let me reemphasize my concern in another way: There is a significant difference between” asking questions and making suggestions, and “insisting that a proposed ordinance be drastically and fundamentally amended through the imposition of compelled concessions unrelated to that ordinance, as a precondition of committee approval.”
If someone does either of those things and the city or aldermen get sued, Lightfoot’s administration may not be able to represent them or cover their costs, Flessner wrote.
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Flessner did not single out any specific aldermen, but the letter follows an incident earlier this month in which aldermen complaining about low minority participation numbers in an O’Hare International Airport cargo expansion project stalled a plan to issue $55.6 million in bonds to help pay for the next phase of the work.
Officials from Aeroterm were grilled by members of the City Council Finance Committee about the company’s failure to meet bench marks for hiring minorities and Chicago residents in the first two phases of the northeast cargo expansion project, leading to a delay on the vote.
Southwest Side Ald. Raymond Lopez, 15th, called the letter an overreach.
“What’s next, are they going to threaten us, if you don’t vote for our settlements, we’re going to hold you responsible if the family sues us?” said Lopez, a frequent Lightfoot critic.
In a written statement, Law Department spokeswoman Kathleen Fieweger said, “As the letter states, some recent events have caused concern. We believe it was an appropriate time for a reminder to City Council members about their fiduciary duties to the City.”
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gpratt@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @royalpratt


chicagotribune--2020-09-22--64-year-old gas station employee shot dead when gunmen jump out of black Lexus on Near West Side

The man , whose name has not been released , was not the target in the shooting about 10:30 a.m. @ @ @ @ @ North Western Avenue , police said .
He was hit once in the chest and @ @ @ @ @ where he was pronounced dead .

A bullet hole is marked at the scene where a 64-year-old man was shot and killed and a 17-year-old boy was wounded in the 100 block of North Western Avenue Sept. 22, 2020, in the West Town neighborhood of Chicago. (Erin Hooley/Chicago Tribune)
A 64-year-old gas station worker was killed when gunmen got out of a black Lexus sedan and opened fire on the Near West Side Tuesday, according to Chicago police.
The man, whose name has not been released, was not the target in the shooting about 10:30 a.m. in the 100 block of North Western Avenue, police said. He was hit once in the chest and taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
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A 17-year-old boy was shot at least once in the arm and made his way to Stroger Hospital, police said. A third person was injured by shattered glass.
Surveillance video shows four people getting out of the Lexus and at least two of them opening fire, police said. Investigators don’t know who they were aiming at.
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A black Lexus was later found abandoned on the West Side, in the Austin police district, and police said they believe it was the one used in the shooting.
No arrests were reported.
jgorner@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-09-22--Avoid ‘traditional trick-or-treating,’ CDC says in guidelines for Halloween 2020

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Monday that it considers “ traditional trick-or-treating ” considered high risk , @ @ @ @ @ commissioner , Dr. Allison Arwady , in public comments so far has not provided details @ @ @ @ @ be allowed in the city , and if so , with what restrictions .
During @ @ @ @ @ she again echoed remarks made Sept. 15 when she said there remains time for the @ @ @ @ @ to decrease before Oct. 31 , but acknowledged that regardless , Halloween will look different @ @ @

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With the pandemic far from under control as families begin to consider traditional fall activities, local and national experts have suggested the spookiest part of Halloween this year may be the threat of infection through activities such as trick-or-treating.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Monday that it considers “traditional trick-or-treating” considered high risk, but Chicago’s health commissioner, Dr. Allison Arwady, in public comments so far has not provided details as to whether it will be allowed in the city, and if so, with what restrictions. During a Tuesday news conference, she again echoed remarks made Sept. 15 when she said there remains time for the city’s infection rate to decrease before Oct. 31, but acknowledged that regardless, Halloween will look different this year.
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Arwady said, “We are not canceling Halloween, but we do expect to see a different type of Halloween celebrations. I’ll be honest with you, I’m more worried about the adults than I am the children.”
The city is aware of the CDCs announcement and is closely following local infection rate data and spread at open area schools, which will drive the decision about what kind of festivities will be allowed heading into the fall and winter seasons, Arwady said. Until she has in hand all the latest numbers, she said she “would not proactively impose additional restrictions.”
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“Halloween is the question of the day today, but just coming after that we’re going to be seeing Thanksgiving and other holidays,” she said. “Right now we’re feeling pretty good heading into our fall season.
“But we will stick to what our local data looks like to make those local decisions.”
She declined to provide details about potential options for families but suggested parents with young children begin speaking to their kids about the possibility that they won’t go trick-or-treating.
In a question-and-answer format online, Dr. Colleen Nash, a pediatric infectious disease expert at Rush University Medical Center, said the idea of trick-or-treating should be downright scary for parents because of all the unknowns with people they may encounter.
"Many of us will need to prepare our kids for a different Halloween celebration this year. Trick-or-treating is a cherished tradition, but having families roam the streets in large groups, knocking on doors and exchanging items is the opposite of social distancing.
“And, can you trust everyone on the street or handing out candy is properly masked and has clean hands? Just as they did for summer holidays, some families will decide to have a party, but that can be just as risky,” Nash wrote.
The CDC issued guidance for Halloween 2020 that ranks activities from low risk to high risk for spreading COVID-19. It explicitly advised anyone who has been exposed to COVID-19 to sit out the festivities this year, which includes not answering the door for visitors.
"Many traditional Halloween activities can be high-risk for spreading viruses. There are several safer, alternative ways to participate in Halloween.
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If you may have COVID-19 or you may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, you should not participate in in-person Halloween festivities and should not give out candy to trick-or-treaters," the CDC says on its website. Organized by threat level, below is the center’s stance on a variety of traditional events.
Activities the CDC considers high risk include:
Participating in traditional trick-or-treating where treats are handed to children who go door to door.
Having trunk-or-treat where treats are handed out from trunks of cars lined up in large parking lots.
Attending crowded costume parties held indoors.
Going to an indoor haunted house where people may be crowded together and screaming.
Going on hayrides or tractor rides with people who are not in your household.
Using alcohol or drugs, which can cloud judgment and increase risky behaviors.
Traveling to a rural fall festival that is not in your community if you live in an area with community spread of COVID-19.
Activities the CDC believes pose a moderate risk of spreading COVID-19 include:
Participating in one-way trick-or-treating in which individually wrapped goody bags are lined up for families to grab and take while continuing to social distance (such as at the end of a driveway or at the edge of a yard). Those preparing the bags should wash their hands with soap and water for 20 seconds before and after preparing the bags.
Having a small group, outdoor, open-air costume parade where people are distanced more than 6 feet apart.
Attending a costume party held outdoors where protective masks are used and people can remain more than 6 feet apart.
A costume mask (such as for Halloween) is not a substitute for a cloth mask. A costume mask should not be used unless it is made of two or more layers of breathable fabric that covers the mouth and nose and doesn’t leave gaps around the face. Do not wear a costume mask over a protective cloth mask because it can be dangerous if the costume mask makes it hard to breathe. Instead, consider using a Halloween-themed cloth mask.
Going to an open-air, one-way, walk-through haunted forest where appropriate mask use is enforced, and people can remain more than 6 feet apart. If screaming will likely occur, greater distancing is advised. The greater the distance, the lower the risk of spreading a respiratory virus.
Visiting pumpkin patches or orchards where people use hand sanitizer before touching pumpkins or picking apples, wearing masks is encouraged or enforced, and people are able to maintain social distancing.
Having an outdoor Halloween movie night with local family friends with people spaced at least 6 feet apart. If screaming will likely occur, greater distancing is advised. The greater the distance, the lower the risk of spreading a respiratory virus.
According to the CDC these activities are at low risk for spreading the virus:
Carving or decorating pumpkins with members of your household and displaying them.
Carving or decorating pumpkins outside, at a safe distance, with neighbors or friends.
Decorating your house, apartment or living space.
Doing a Halloween scavenger hunt where children are given lists of Halloween-themed things to look for while they walk outdoors from house to house admiring Halloween decorations at a distance.
Having a virtual Halloween costume contest.
Having a Halloween movie night with people you live with.
Having a scavenger hunt-style trick-or-treat search with your household members in or around your home rather than going house to house.
kdouglas@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @312BreakingNews


chicagotribune--2020-09-22--Marijuana dispensary applicants drop lawsuit in the wake of 2nd chance for lottery

The 75 new licenses represent the first opportunity for new competitors to enter the recreational weed dispensary market in Illinois @ @ @ @ @ to incorporate social equity consideration , allowing applicants with minority or female ownership , military @ @ @ @ @ in an area disproportionately affected by the war on drugs to score extra points on @ @ @

More than 70 unsuccessful marijuana dispensary applicants dropped a lawsuit against the state Tuesday after Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced a second chance to qualify for a license lottery.
The federal lawsuit, filed earlier this month in Chicago federal court on behalf of Southshore Restore and Heartland Greens, alleged the state’s planned lottery for 75 recreational licenses used a scoring system that excluded the minority applicants it had sought to include.
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Gov. J.B. Pritzker discusses fairness in the conditional adult-use cannabis dispensary licensing process during a press conference at the James R. Thompson Center on Sept. 22, 2020. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)
The lawsuit asked the state to put the lottery on hold and reconsider the process, which had selected only 21 of 700 applicants to participate.
On Monday, Pritzker said all unsuccessful applicants will have the chance to amend their applications before the lottery takes place.
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“We’re dropping the lawsuit,” Jonathan Loevy, a Chicago lawyer representing the marijuana dispensary applicants, said Tuesday. “This is what we were trying to achieve.”
When Illinois legalized recreational marijuana in January, it allowed the 55 existing medical cannabis dispensaries to begin adult use cannabis sales at a second location, provided they passed muster with local zoning rules.
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The 75 new licenses represent the first opportunity for new competitors to enter the recreational weed dispensary market in Illinois. The process was supposed to incorporate social equity consideration, allowing applicants with minority or female ownership, military service and those who live in an area disproportionately affected by the war on drugs to score extra points on the application.
Marquita Hollins, 36, a Lawndale resident and Army veteran, seemed to meet all of the qualifications, but was told by the state her application did not qualify for the lottery. Her startup company, Heartland Greens, is looking to open a recreational dispensary in either the Lawndale or Austin neighborhoods.
Heartland Greens and Southshore Restore filed the lawsuit Sept. 4, asking the state to pause the process and give applicants a second chance to qualify for the lottery.
“We think it was unfair because we didn’t get the chance to do our due diligence and fix our discrepancies, which (the state) said they sent out and we never received,” Hollins said.
Hollins, who raised $2,500 from investors to file for the lottery, said the state’s decision to give would-be weed entrepreneurs a chance to amend their applications is a “great thing,” and she remains hopeful she will make the cut the second time around.
“Hopefully we’ll get a fair shot of being in the lottery,” Hollins said.
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rchannick@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-09-22--Frankfort junior high teacher charged with indecent solicitation of a child

The mother of one Mecher ’ s students reported that her daughter was having an inappropriate sexting relationship with Mecher @ @ @ @ @ ’ s former seventh grade teacher , according to the news release .
The mother @ @ @ @ @ of the relationship Sept. 6 , when her daughter disclosed that Mecher had an inappropriate @ @ @ @ @ classroom .

A teacher at Summit Hill Junior High School in Frankfort is being held on charges of indecent solicitation of a child and grooming.
Jack Mecher, 51, of Frankfort, faces two counts of indecent solicitation of a minor and one count of grooming, according to a news release from the Will County sheriff’s office. Mecher was being held Tuesday on $250,000 bond at the Will County Adult Detention Facility, and is expected to appear in court Wednesday morning.
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The mother of one Mecher’s students reported that her daughter was having an inappropriate sexting relationship with Mecher, who was the girl’s former seventh grade teacher, according to the news release. The mother told detectives she first learned of the relationship Sept. 6, when her daughter disclosed that Mecher had an inappropriate relationship with her in his classroom.
Jack L. Mecher (Will County sheriff's office)
Mecher was taken into custody Tuesday and made statements to detectives that “indicated the outcry made by the victim was a valid complaint,” according to the news release.
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The Summit Hill School District 161 website lists Mecher as an eighth grade math teacher for the 2020-21 school year. Officials from District 161 could not be immediately reached for comment Tuesday.
Alicia Fabbre is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.


chicagotribune--2020-09-22--Candyality shuttering Andersonville location, the latest Chicago food business lost to the COVID-19

Candyality shuttering Andersonville location, the latest Chicago food business lost to the COVID-19 pandemic’s economic toll. Here’s our running list.

La Sardine , which has been a fixture in the West Loop for nearly 22 years , has closed for good .
“ It ’ s sad , ” said partner and executive chef Oliver Poilevey about closing La Sardine , founded by his parents , along with Le Bouchon in Bucktown .
“ A month , month-and-a-half ago , I thought we were going to make it.
” La Sardine has no outdoor space in which to set up tables , but had eked by with meals-to-go and , eventually , indoor dining with the 25 % capacity limitation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the unthinkable happened : The air conditioning broke down .
Looking at $ 80,000 in repairs , Poilevey knew he could not risk taking on the cost .
“ There ’ s no way we could pay for that , heading into the fall with no rent abatement , ” Poilevey said .
“ Throwing 80K at something and then having to close — that ’ s not a good plan.
” Le Bouchon remains open for pickup and indoor dining , though space inside is limited .
For the full story , @ @ @ @ @ @

The statewide shutdown of restaurants and bars for on-premise service took effect March 16. Since then, several restaurants and bars have reopened for dining and drinking, as Chicago and the state have rolled out gradual reopening plans. But not all of them have made it.
This article lists bars and restaurants that have been forced to close due to the financial strain of COVID-19 regulations. Note that these closures are strictly finance-related and are not due to illness among any of the business’ staff.
We will update the list, sorted alphabetically, as needed.
NEW CLOSINGS
Lagunitas taproom likely won’t reopen in 2021
Lagunitas Brewing likely won’t reopen its Chicago taproom until at least 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the brewery’s chief marketing officer said Thursday. The taproom, which opened in 2014, is situated directly above the brewery, in the center of Lagunitas’ South Side building. Lagunitas CMO Paige Guzman said she’d “be surprised” if it reopened this year due to concerns about virus spread. The taproom has been closed since the pandemic took root in the U.S. in March. Lagunitas is among the first Chicago bars or restaurants to acknowledge a 2021 reopening as unlikely. See the full story here.
— Josh Noel
FULL RESTAURANT CLOSINGS LIST
25 Degrees
The downtown restaurant and bar did not mention the pandemic shutdown specifically, but a Facebook post announcing its closure noted that it was “due to our current situation.”
Arlington Cake Box Bakery
Chicagoland residents have been celebrating special occasions with the baking of Arlington Cake Box Bakery for 71 years, but the bakery announced in a Facebook post last week that it closed Sept. 20. “We are so grateful for the level of support you have shown us, not only in these unprecedented last six months, but also in the past 71 years,” read the post. The bakery first opened in 1949 and had been on its third generation as a family business.
Bad Hunter
The dining room at Bad Hunter is reflected in a mirror on the back wall. (Anthony Souffle / Chicago Tribune)
Bad Hunter — known for its vegetable-and-grains-forward menu — and its second-floor event venue, The Herbarium, closed for good because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The West Loop restaurant, which survived a fire and re-opened in 2019, was voted the Chicago restaurant with the best plant-based menu in the Chicago Tribune Readers’ Choice Dining Awards earlier this year. — Grace Wong
Band of Bohemia
Band of Bohemia, which announced in July that it was closing temporarily, first earned a Michelin star in 2016 and had retained it every year since through 2019. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
Five-year-old Band of Bohemia, whose pioneering vision of brewing beer and serving creative, ambitious food was ultimately rewarded with a coveted Michelin star, is going out of business after filing for bankruptcy. The Ravenswood brewpub filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation Oct. 16 in the Northern District of Illinois. According to court records, Band of Bohemia is more than $1 million in debt. But in a statement Oct. 21, Band of Bohemia founders Michael Carroll and Craig Sindelar blamed the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic for the closure. The restaurant has been closed since July, when owners said it would be shuttering temporarily. See the full story here. — Josh Noel
Baobab BBQ
The barbecue spot, which used South African flavors to riff on traditional ‘cue, announced in May on its Facebook page that it would close permanently due to the effects of the shutdown, writing: “When a small business’s revenue is interrupted it is devastating; when it’s a restaurant, earth shattering best describes it.”
Bar Biscay
An array of "pintxos," popular small bites offered at Bar Biscay. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)
Bar Biscay, the restaurant that lit up West Town with coastal-Spain sunshine, has closed, for keeps, after a 2½-year run. Partner Scott Worsham said in a posting on Facebook that, “The time has come to say goodbye to our groovy, Atlantic-coast inspired French-Spanish-Basque funhouse, our Oasis of Joy. He blamed COVID-19 and “factors beyond our control.” See the full story here. — Phil Vettel
Bite Cafe
Noah Sandoval (Oriole, Kumiko/Kikko) will join with friend Bruce Finkelman, managing partner of the 16″ On Center restaurant group (Longman & Eagle, Dusek’s Board & Beer, Revival Food Hall), to create Pizza Friendly Pizza, opening later this summer in the Bite Cafe space. Finkelman said, “Once the quarantine hit, I realized that that type of restaurant wouldn’t be able to exist in the post-COVID culinary scene.” — Phil Vettel
Blackbird
Blackbird restaurant in Chicago on Monday June 29, 2020. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)
The highest-profile Chicago restaurant victim of coronavirus to date has been Blackbird, closing for good after more than 22 years as one of the area’s finest restaurants. “We’ve labored long and hard over this decision,” said partner Paul Kahan. “But in an incredibly small, tight dining room — operating at only 25% capacity for who knows how long — and removing the opportunity to do private dining, it becomes incredibly difficult to manage.” — Phil Vettel
Blue Nose Brewery
Small southwest suburban Blue Nose Brewery has closed due to the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic. Blue Nose co-founder Jordan Isenberg said he made the decision in late October 2020, after the state ordered suburban Cook County bars and restaurants to close for indoor business for a second time to stem the spread of COVID-19. He kept the decision largely to himself while winding down the business, he said. See the rest of the story here. — Josh Noel
Bonci (Wicker Park)
Three different options at Bonci (Arugula, dried tomatoes and bufala mozzarella) (zucchini, ricotta, lemon zest and black pepper) and (prosciutto and fior di latte mozzarella). (Nick Kindelsperger / Chicago Tribune)
The second Chicago location of the world famous pizzeria was located in Wicker Park, but Eater Chicago reported that Bonci’s director of U.S. operations said consolidating to one location (West Loop) was necessary in light of the pandemic.
Bonfire
The no-frills steakhouse in Homer Glen confirmed via Facebook message that it has closed for good due to the effects of the pandemic shutdown.
Bottled Blonde
Bottled Blonde has closed after years of legal drama. (Phil Velasquez / Chicago Tribune)
Bottled Blonde, the River North bar better known for its legal drama than pizza, closed permanently July 27, due to the coronavirus — but COVID-19 violations are not among the complaints against it. The business “surrendered their business licenses, permanently closing the River North bar after a series of serious nuisance conditions dating back to 2017,” according to a statement from the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection. The bar had not received any citations related to COVID-19, wrote the department spokesperson.
The district manager of Bottled Blonde said, “It’s been an uphill battle since we came into this neighborhood. We had fights with the city, fights with the neighborhood. With the COVID thing, you need revenue to keep up those fights. We can’t stay open and operate at limited capacities.” See the full story here. — Louisa Chu
Boulangerie (Belmont Avenue)
La Boulangerie closed its location at 915 W. Belmont Ave. (Nick Kindelsperger / Chicago Tribune)
The French bakery chain La Boulangerie has closed the Lakeview location on Belmont Avenue. The Logan Square and Ravenswood bakeries remain open, but for pickup and delivery only.
Bridgeport Coffee Co. (Loop)
The Chicago coffee roaster closed its Loop location in June, confirming the shuttering as a result of COVID in a blog post. Its other three in Bridgeport, Hyde Park and the South Loop remain open.
Cactus Bar & Grill
The Cactus Bar at 404 S. Wells St. in Chicago. (Phil Velasquez / Chicago Tribune)
The recent closure of Cactus Bar & Grill leaves the South Loop financial district without a 31-year-old standby. Cactus confirmed the closure with a note on its website, writing that they knew in the middle of August that the bar wouldn’t make it: “With few offices in the Loop occupied, and a challenging situation with our land lord, the crisis’s financial devastation became insurmountable.” The bar was a staple for lunches and drinks in the Loop.
Cafe Marie-Jeanne
The announcement that Cafe Marie-Jeanne will close drew lines outside the Humboldt Park restaurant Friday, Nov. 20, 2020. By Saturday, owners had to close early after running out of food. The wait Sunday was four hours. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)
Cafe Marie-Jeanne (1001 N. California Ave.), co-owned by the husband and wife team of Michael Simmons and Val Szafranski, announced Nov. 19 on Instagram that they would close permanently: “The string has run out for CMJ. We hung in as long as we could and it’s time to let go. Everything must end. WE WILL MISS YOU ALL!” Over the following weekend, fans flocked to the Humboldt Park restaurant known for its French-influenced dishes for one last taste. Lines stretched down the block, and Simmons had to shut down early Nov. 20 because he ran out of food. On that Saturday, the wait in line took four hours. The restaurant closed Nov. 23. See the full story here. — Nick Kindelsperger
Candyality
Candyality is known for its collection of retro candies, among hundreds of other confections.
Andersonville has one less spot to sate your sweet tooth, as Candyality has announced in a Facebook post that it will be closing its location in the neighborhood at the end of September. The closing comes “with great sadness” after spending more than 5 years in that space, the post reads. The Chicago-based candy store — which has also had locations in Wicker Park and Water Tower Place during the past several years — is still open at its Lakeview location, 3737 N. Southport Ave., and offers local delivery.
Cafe Cancale
The strawberry sundae with sea salt ice cream at Cafe Cancale. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
The One Off Hospitality property in Wicker Park was another casualty of the pandemic, closing at the same time as Blackbird.
California Clipper and coffee shop C.C. Ferns
Detail of the Vesper at California Clipper in 2017. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)
Both the Clipper and attached cafe C.C. Ferns shuttered permanently due to the COVID shutdown. However, there have been conflicting accounts between Hogsalt Hospitality owner Brendan Sodikoff and landlord Gino Battaglia as to how the fallout was navigated, according to reports from Eater Chicago and Block Club Chicago, respectively.
Chicago House Of ‘Za
The North Center spot for all-vegan pizza shared an Instagram post announcing its permanent closure, citing the financial effects of the pandemic shutdown as part of the reason: “With the current pandemic, as well as the enormous cost of operating a business in Chicago, we are unable to stay open for business any longer.”
City Mouse
City Mouse restaurant in the Ace Hotel opened in 2017. (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune)
City Mouse, the Ace Hotel restaurant operated by the team behind Giant and Chef’s Special, is closing after three years. Sunday, Oct. 18, will be the last day, the restaurant announced Wednesday in a statement. Jason Vincent, one of the partners at Giant and Chef’s Special, declined further comment. Giant and Chef’s Special bar announced just Tuesday it was launching a food truck to get their creative cooking to a larger audience. The space is going to be occupied by the Alinea Group, starting in November; owner Nick Kokonas confirmed that Alinea has leased the space for a three-month residency, but offered no additional details. For more details, see the story here. — Phil Vettel
Conga’s
The Norwood Park restaurant, which also featured music and dancing, announced it would be closing on Facebook. The post read, “I’m deeply saddened to announce Congas Restaurant will not be opening again. Covid-19 made me realize the most important things in life.” Another post teased a return for the Congas name, but as more of a venue-esque space.
Danny’s Tavern
After rumors of a closure had persisted on social media for weeks, Danny’s Tavern has confirmed it closed permanently. The Bucktown dive was well-known for its dance floor and its popular party celebrating The Smiths. The closure comes five years after the bar nearly shuttered once before and ends the bar’s 34-year stay on Dickens Avenue.
Davanti Enoteca
Davanti Enoteca in Little Italy.
The Little Italy location of Davanti Enoteca has closed for good, and, according to a report from the Sun-Times, it appears finances were a factor: “A demand letter dated June 12 from the landlord ... said the establishment was nearly $60,000 behind on rent.” The letter was posted on the window of Francesca’s, a sister restaurant also owned by chef David Harris.
Ditka’s in Chicago
Mike Ditka lookalike Don, center, and his wife Marian Feuling eat during a birthday party dinner at Ditka's restaurant in 2019. (Camille Fine / Chicago Tribune)
The economic effects of the mandated shutdown were a contributing factor in the closure of Mike Ditka’s Chicago restaurant in May. Other locations remain open, including Ditka’s in suburban Oakbrook Terrace and Grill 89 in suburban Westmont.
Eden
People settle in for dinner at the restaurant called Eden, 1748 W. Lake St. in Chicago, on Wednesday, March 15, 2017. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)
Eden, a Cal-Mediterranean restaurant popular with pre- and post-event United Center crowd (among others), closed in mid-July after a run of just over 3½ years. Eden opened on west Lake Street in December 2016 and made friends quickly, both for its pretty, bright-white interiors and Devon Quinn’s skillful cooking. The owners said in a release that “While we recently reopened our doors to an immensely positive response, the larger economic impact resulting from the coronavirus pandemic has made it impossible for us to sustain operations.” Read the full story here. — Phil Vettel
Emerald City Coffee Shop (Sheridan)
The Emerald City Coffee Shop location on Sheridan Road closed permanently Oct. 31, according to a post on the cafe’s Instagram page: “The uncertainty of the pandemic and other financial stressors were too much to bear and we’re so, so bummed to see ECC Sheridan go, but it’s the tough choice we had to make.” Emerald City, which was also known for its breakfast burritos, occupied a noticeable space below the Sheridan Red Line stop for years and was a neighborhood favorite. The Emerald City Coffee in Uptown, at 1224 W. Wilson Ave., remains open.
A Go Fund Me campaign launched earlier to save the Sheridan location has been taken down. But a new Go Fund Me has been launched, this one to help laid-off baristas. “The purpose of this fundraiser is to help cushion the blow that our ECC Sheridan staff will experience in the coming days,” the campaign reads. It seeks $5,000 and by the afternoon of Nov. 4 had raised $2,100. — Adam Lukach
Fahlstrom’s Fresh Fish Market
Owner Glenn Fahlstrom confirmed that he would be closing the Lakeview seafood spot in an online post shared on the restaurant’s website and social media pages. The post, in part, read: “The new restaurant model is asking owners to put employees in harm’s way so that their business can possibly survive. That is an ‘acceptable risk’ I cannot take. The restaurant business as I know it is gone and will not return for years. It was hard enough when the playing field was supposedly level, now it is tilted beyond recognition. So, I am closing Fahlstrom’s Fresh Fish Market.”
Fat Rice / Super Fat Rice Mart
At the beginning of the pandemic shutdown, Fat Rice pivoted to become Super Fat Rice Mart, a market for meal kits and various grocery goods. Later, current and former Fat Rice employees went public with allegations of harassment and mistreatment by owner Abe Conlon, and the location has been closed ever since, with no public mention of a reopening date.
Fat Willy’s Rib Shack
Rib tips at Fat Willy's Rib Shack, 2416 W. Schubert Ave. (Michael Tercha / Chicago Tribune)
The North Side is losing another barbecue spot after Fat Willy’s Rib Shack announced Thursday evening that it will close Sept. 27. The Logan Square restaurant has been in the neighborhood for more than 19 years and has a loyal following of diners who go there for baby back ribs, pulled pork, brisket and mac and cheese. See the full story here. — Grace Wong
Finom Coffee
Cream and sugar station at Finom Coffee in the Old Irving Park neighborhood of Chicago. (Louisa Chu / Chicago Tribune)
Finom Coffee — the popular two-year-old cafe in Old Irving Park known for serving Hungarian small plates, along with coffee, tea and baked goods, out of a snazzy art-deco storefront, has closed. Chef Rafa Esparza posted an upbeat message on Instagram: “It was a beautiful moment in time and the whole crew slayed from day one!” See the full story here. — Adam Lukach
Foodlife
The multi-station food concept located in Water Tower Place confirmed its closing in early June, although owner Lettuce Entertain You declined to comment exactly why. — Nick Kindelsperger
Fountainhead
Guests sit on the popular rooftop patio at Fountainhead in Ravenswood in this 2015 photo. (Lenny Gilmore / RedEye)
For the past 10 years, Fountainhead bar and restaurant has occupied the northeast corner of Damen and Montrose, one of Ravenswood’s essential intersections, bringing an enviable selection of whiskey and barrel-aged spirits to the neighborhood. In late September, the restaurant announced in social media posts that its run will come to an end Nov 14. “The past year has been difficult for everyone but pressures facing our industry at this time make it financially impossible to operate past the roof deck season. We made every effort to make adjustments to operate in this ‘new normal’ but with limitations restricting revenue and without funding to offset this condition it is impossible to continue,” read the post. Fountainhead owners are working with building ownership to find the “right concept” for the prominently situated storefront. Rhe Fountainhead Market — located next door — will remain there. — Adam Lukach
Francesca’s On Taylor
As with Taylor Street’s Davanti Enoteca — the two restaurants share ownership — the Italian restaurant in Little Italy has closed permanently, with reports indicating that rent-payment issues were at least partly to blame.
Gino’s East
The Gino’s East restaurant at 500 N. LaSalle St. has closed, a victim of a decline in business downtown, according to Jordan Himmel, chief information officer for Chicago-based Bravo Restaurants (which owns Gino’s East, Ed Debevic’s, Edwardo’s Pizza and Eduardo’s Enoteca.) The location closed in March, but other Chicago locations remain open.
Guthrie’s Tavern
Ron DeNicolo and his wife, Cynthia, take a photograph outside Guthrie's Tavern, 1300 W. Addison St., on July 21 in Chicago. DeNicolo said he and Cynthia had their first date at the bar 10 years ago. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)
Guthrie’s Tavern, one of Chicago’s oldest and most popular neighborhood bars, announced it would be closing permanently, citing the city’s rollback of phase four rules for bars as a primary cause. Guthrie’s has occupied the corner of Addison Street and Lakewood Avenue for 34 years. It closed July 23. See the complete story here. — Adam Lukach
Habana Libre
Per a post on its website, Habana Libre closed permanently “due to the impact of coronavirus.” The Cuban restaurant had been in West Town since 2007.
Hamburger Mary’s
Hamburger Mary's opened on a key corner in Andersonville in 2006. (Michael Tercha / Chicago Tribune)
Andersonville’s Hamburger Mary’s — the only remaining city location of the nationwide network of independent franchises — announced Sunday on Facebook that it would be closing Nov. 1. Ownership listed the building for sale last year, and the lease ends at the end of December, but the coronavirus pandemic expedited the closing process, according to the post. The burger-focused restaurant, an outlet of the San Francisco-based chain, opened on a high-profile in Andersonville in June 2006, featuring drag shows, karaoke and bingo, along with the burgers. The closing announcement also teased ownership interest in reopening at another location: “We feel it’s best to wait until spring before we look for a possible new space.” The restaurant will host regular business hours until its final day of service Nov. 1. — Adam Lukach
Hot “G” Dog
Duck sausage, topped with lobes of foie gras and sea salt flakes, from Hot "G" Dog (5009 N. Clark St.). (Kevin Pang / Chicago Tribune)
Andersonville lost a hot-dog joint — at least the rest of 2020 — from the former Hot Doug’s chef with the closure of Hot “G” Dog. A Facebook post from the restaurant said its owners hope to return eventually, but the COVID shutdown had made business unsustainable for now.
Imperial Lamian
After more than four and a half years of serving rainbow-colored soup dumplings, roast duck and vegan spring rolls, Imperial Lamian is closing its doors in River North. The Chinese restaurant cited pandemic-related challenges as its reason for closing. Imperial Lamian, which opened in the spring of 2016, was lauded by the Chicago Tribune as having the best xiaolongbao (or XLB for short) in the city. Dozens of people expressed how much they would miss the restaurant in the comments section of the social media posts. See the full story here. — Grace Wong
Income Tax
Income Tax brought a much-needed wine bar to Edgewater, furthering the trend of easy-drinking, non-pretentious wine lists. (Phil Velasquez / Chicago Tribune)
Ownership for the laid-back Edgewater wine bar confirmed via email that the pandemic’s effect on Income Tax’s financials led to its closing. It had been open since 2016.
Jeri’s Grill
The diner on Western Avenue was a monument to greasy spoons of yore, open for 57 years and 24 hours a day, and was cut down by COVID-19, reported Block Club Chicago in May. “If there was no COVID, we’d be open,” owner Frank Di Piero told the publication.
Katana
Katana brought its robatayaki-style restaurant to the River North neighborhood in 2017. (Katana)
A spokesperson for the parent company of the River North sushi restaurant wrote in an email: “Yes, the COVID closure was a devastating financial hit for us and the reason behind our closure … The Chicago location was very special to us, and we were sad to close.”
Kiki’s Bistro
Diners raise a toast during a wine dinner at Kiki’s Bistro, 900 N. Franklin St., May 4, 2006. The restaurant announced it would close permanently at the end of September 2020. (Wes Pope / Chicago Tribune)
Earlier this summer, changes to the OpenTable website for Kiki’s Bistro caused some confusion over whether or not the beloved River North spot had closed for good. The restaurant shared a clarification that, for now, it would be open for business. Sadly, however, Kiki’s website changed late last week, indicating that the restaurant will close permanently after the final day of service Sept. 30. “We appreciate the birthdays, anniversaries, special occasions and everyday meals that you spent dining and laughing with us. Those memories have sustained us through the last few months, as your visits did for those many years,” read the post. It wasn’t all bad news, though, mentioning that a small-time operation remains on the radar for Kiki’s founder Georges “Kiki” Cuisance: “Kiki, 87, is attempting retirement with an open eye for a potential petite Kiki’s — a tiny, cozy reboot with the potential to offer authentic French fare you love on a very intimate scale.” See the full story here. — Adam Lukach
Kroll’s South Loop
One of the South Loop’s signature sports bars, Kroll’s South Loop, announced in a Facebook post that it would be closing its doors at the end of the summer. “We fought hard,” read the announcement. “The burden of operating under the current conditions is too great and, come fall, will be impossible to continue under the current indoor capacity restrictions of 50 patrons. … We do not know whether this closure will last until next spring or forever. Only time will tell.” Kroll’s will remain open for dinner service Thursdays through Sundays until it concludes its 15-year run at the end of summer.
La Buona Vita
La Buona Vita, a Northern Italian restaurant in downtown La Grange closed its doors after a six-year run. In a message posted on the restaurant’s now-defunct website, owner Jim Barron named COVID-19 as the proximate cause of his restaurant’s demise. — Phil Vettel
La Fontanella
The owners of the longtime Italian restaurant had already planned to sell the building and restaurant prior to the pandemic, according to Block Club Chicago.
Lawry’s The Prime Rib
Lawry's, known by generations of Chicagoans for its prime rib, steaks and lush steakhouse trappings inside a former mansion, will close after service Dec. 31, 2020. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)
Lawry’s The Prime Rib, which has been a fixture on Ontario Street (just west of Michigan Avenue) for 46 years, called it quits at the end of 2020. The coronavirus, last summer’s civil unrest and an expiring lease all contributed to the decision, said Ryan Wilson, CEO of Lawry’s Inc. “In a year of incredible turmoil, this is a tough one for sure,” he said. “But with the industry in general in such a state of flux, we felt we had to push the pause button,” he added, leaving room for Lawry’s to reopen. “I think there’s a future for Lawry’s in the Chicago area,” Wilson said. See the full story here. — Phil Vettel
Links Taproom
Links Taproom. (Leigh Loftus / ThinkLeigh Photography)
Michael Quinlan, owner of the Milwaukee Avenue beer bar in Wicker Park, wrote in an email that Links was planning to move out of its storefront at some point in 2020 due to an acrimonious relationship with its landlord. Due the the COVID-19 shutdown, he decided to pull the plug on Links in March. As of late July, Quinlan indicated that ownership is “going to wait until things stabilize until we make our next move.”
Mesa Urbana
The Mexican restaurant will be consolidating operations, closing its Glenview restaurant and moving everything to its location in Portage Park, per a note on its website. The note cited the “situation” from COVID-19 as the impetus for the decision.
Mity Nice Bar & Grill
Along with Foodlife, this Water Tower Place restaurant from Lettuce Entertain You closed in early June. Ownership declined to disclose specific reasons.
Monty Gaels Tavern & Grill
The Irish tavern in Ravenswood closed permanently due to the burden of the pandemic shutdown, ownership confirmed in a Facebook message.
Passerotto
Passerotto in Andersonville in July 2018.
The Andersonville restaurant announced over Labor Day weekend that it would be closing its doors permanently, in part due to the coronavirus pandemic. Passerotto’s last day is Sept. 12. Chef Jennifer Kim said the decision to close was a result of multiple conversations with staff and investors, and ultimately they decided that “operating a restaurant safely in the midst of multiple pandemics was going to negatively affect our community in the long run.” A pop-up project was also teased on the restaurant’s profile. See the full story here. — Grace Wong
Pepper Canister
The casual River North bar announced June 15 via Facebook it would be permanently closing, although it did not specifically reference the costs of shutting down for the pandemic as a reason.
Rainforest Cafe
Rainforest Cafe at the corner of Ohio and Clark Streets in Chicago on Thursday, August, 13, 2020. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)
The Rainforest Cafe in the Near North neighborhood has closed sooner than expected after it shut down during the coronavirus pandemic. The restaurant at 605 N. Clark St. was expected to close within two years, when its lease expired. That timeline was accelerated by the coronavirus pandemic, which has left the Chicago restaurant closed since March, said building owner Sean Conlon. He recently negotiated an early termination of the lease with parent company Landry’s Restaurants. He plans to redevelop the site. See the full story here. — Ryan Ori
Ramen Misoya (Streeterville)
Tonkotsu ramen at Ramen Misoya. (Michael Tercha / Chicago Tribune)
The Loop lost one of its best bets for ramen in August with the closing of Ramen Misoya’s storefront in Streeterville. “Due to a loss in business caused by the Covid-19 shutdown, we can no longer justify continuing operations at this time,” read a post on its Facebook page. On the bright side, the Mount Prospect location of Misoya remains open.
Redmond’s Ale House
Remond’s Ale House has closed due to the financial stress of the COVIID-19 restrictions. The Wrigleyville bar, which had been at the corner of Sheffield and Roscoe for years, was known for offering an abundance of drink deals and for being an area staple for game-watching due to plenty of TVs and good sightlines.
Rickshaw Republic
Owners confirmed via email that the state’s COVID-19 shutdown caused financial losses that required the Indonesian restaurant in Lincoln Park to permanently close.
Ronny’s Steakhouse
Ronny’s, a cafeteria-style “steakhouse” that had occupied two separate downtown corners for years, announced plans to close due to the coronavirus in a Facebook announcement over Labor Day weekend. “We won’t say ‘good bye’ but rather ‘until we meet again,’” read the post. The Loop staple began 63 years ago at the corner of State and Randolph and, in recent years, operated at the corner of Clark and Lake.
La Sardine
La Sardine's terrine de foie gras featured layers of creamy foie gras mixed with thinly sliced black truffle, drizzled with a tart and slightly sweet cherry sauce and crowned with slices of extra buttery brioche. (Nick Kindelsperger/Chicago Tribune)
La Sardine, which has been a fixture in the West Loop for nearly 22 years, has closed for good. “It’s sad,” said partner and executive chef Oliver Poilevey about closing La Sardine, founded by his parents, along with Le Bouchon in Bucktown. “A month, month-and-a-half ago, I thought we were going to make it.” La Sardine has no outdoor space in which to set up tables, but had eked by with meals-to-go and, eventually, indoor dining with the 25% capacity limitation. Then the weather turned warm and the unthinkable happened: The air conditioning broke down. Looking at $80,000 in repairs, Poilevey knew he could not risk taking on the cost. “There’s no way we could pay for that, heading into the fall with no rent abatement,” Poilevey said. “Throwing 80K at something and then having to close — that’s not a good plan.” Le Bouchon remains open for pickup and indoor dining, though space inside is limited. For the full story, go here. — Phil Vettel
Siam Rice
Siam Rice, 117 N. Wells St., has called it quits after 18 years. (Alex Garcia / Chicago Tribune)
Siam Rice (117 N. Wells St.) has closed after 18 years in the Loop, according to a note posted on the Thai restaurant’s window. "Unfortunately, we have come to the decision that it is no longer viable to operate our business during these uncertain times,” the note said. “This was a difficult decision for us, however, recent events and current pandemic conditions have left us concerned for the safety of our customers as well as our staff.” The note ends with an apology to customers and the hope that the restaurant will be able to return in the future. The restaurant’s last day Sept. 15.
Simply It
The Vietnamese restaurant, which had been in Lincoln Park for nearly 14 years, closed permanently in April, reported Block Club Chicago. COVID-19 restrictions and unworkable margins gave owner Tuan Nguyen “no choice” but to close, he told Block Club.
People eat and drink as others pass by Southport Lanes in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood on Sept. 17, 2020. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)
Southport Lanes
Southport Lanes has lasted nearly a century by evolving, at various times serving as a tavern, bowling alley, speak-easy, brothel and illegal off-track horse betting venue. But the Lakeview mainstay, which opened not long after another pandemic, couldn’t survive COVID-19. Read the full story here. — Ryan Ori
Step Down Cafe
The Pilsen coffee shop announced on its Facebook page that it would close permanently due to the effects of the pandemic.
Taco in a Bag
The Big Jim Reeves was a big hit at Taco in a Bag. (Nick Kindelsperger / Chicago Tribune)
Taco in a Bag has closed after five years in Lincoln Square. The shop specialized in playful versions of walking tacos, a dish where components one would normally find on a taco are instead poured into a bag of corn chips. The restaurant announced the closure on Facebook with a surprisingly irreverent, if slightly hopeful video. The owners assured fans that, “we will be back...promise!!!!” Block Club Chicago first reported the closing.
Taqueria Sabor y Sazon
The popular Pilsen taqueria closed permanently in May. The financial difficulties of trying to survive the pandemic’s hospitality restrictions were insurmountable, the owners said.
Tin Fish
The Tin Fish restaurant closed in Tinley Park. (Bob Bong / Daily Southtown)
The coronavirus claimed another high-profile restaurant victim with the permanent closure of Tin Fish, a highly regarded restaurant in south-suburban Tinley Park. A sign on the front door of the seafood restaurant and oyster bar thanked customers “for 18 great years,” and said the decision to close came “with a heavy heart.” “I’m not happy, but it’s something a lot of us are going through,” said partner Curtis Wierbicki, who launched the restaurant in September 2002 with partner Colin Turner. The restaurant closed in July. See the full story here. — Phil Vettel
Tintos & Tapas
Laura Rivera, the owner of the Spanish small plates restaurant, confirmed via email that the closing of Tintos & Tapas was due to the financial strain of the COVID-19 shutdown, as well as its effects on how it operated: “My chef and I cried the last day we were there to clean up,” she wrote. “Carryout is not a model that works for my type of operation at all. Frankly, it is demoralizing to become a fast food.”
Toast Restaurant
Owner Jeanne Roeser confirmed in a Facebook message that she had closed both the Bucktown and Lincoln Park locations of the 24-year-old breakfast favorite: “I couldn’t imagine reopening and surviving with reduced capacity and putting my staff and their families at risk of harm.” Roeser also posted a goodbye note on Facebook, which reads in part: “Nothing lasts forever in this world and it is time to move forward and see what this next phase will bring. I wish you peace and good health, my friends.”
Trattoria No. 10
A goodbye post on the reliable Italian restaurant’s website alluded to the pandemic shutdown as cause for its shuttering, reading, “With no theater and no convention/tourism business for the foreseeable future, there was just no way we could realistically reopen.”
Two Lights Seafood & Oyster
A post on the Old Town restaurant’s Facebook page confirmed that Two Lights has closed, although it did not mention whether or not the shuttering was due to the financial effects of COVID.
U.B. Dogs
U.B. Dogs served classic Chicago hot dog stand fare with serious culinary ambitions. (Nick Kindelsperger / Chicago Tribune)
U.B. Dogs (185 N. Franklin St.), a stellar hot dog joint that served a flawless fully loaded Chicago hot dog, freshly grilled burgers and great fries, has closed. With the coronavirus pandemic forcing countless downtown office workers to telecommute from home, the Loop-based U.B. Dogs decided it was time to close for good. Owner Joe Plonka announced the decision on Facebook: “While it breaks our hearts to announce our permanent closure, we wanted to take the time and properly thank our customers and family for their support over these last 10 years. Unfortunately, it’s time for us to end this chapter.” See the full story here. — Nick Kindelsperger
Unicorn Cafe
Unicorn Cafe had been serving coffee to Evanston for almost 30 years before the coffee shop closed permanently due to the financial effects of COVID-19, reported the Daily Northwestern earlier in September. According to the Daily report, ownership said the cafe was getting only 8-10 customers per day. Aside from being a local staple, Unicorn Cafe was one of only a handful of area coffee shops that offered the highly touted Sparrow Coffee.
Wells St. Market
Wells Street Market, which reopened July 6 after weathering the first three months of the coronavirus shut down (and was the first Chicago food hall to resume service) announced it will close for keeps Sept. 18. “From all of us at the Wells Street Market, it has been an honor and a joy to serve Chicagoans every day,” the company said in a release. The food hall made its debut, at 205 W. Wacker Drive, in June 2018. The food hall format had enjoyed a boom in Chicago in recent years. But most have not reopened since the coronavirus shutdown. Only Time Out Market has reopened. But a new market, Dr. Murphy’s Food Hall, launched in early August in the former Cook County Hospital. — Phil Vettel
The Whale closing indefinitely
The Whale (2427 N. Milwaukee Ave.), the glitzy Logan Square restaurant named for what casinos call an obscenely wealthy gambler, closed indefinitely last week. In a message posted on Facebook, the owners blamed the closing on the tight restrictions the state has imposed on restaurants. “Today we were forced to make the decision to lay off all our team members and close our doors to service. The restrictions that have been put on us by the elected officials are suffocating our industry and leaving us no choice. There has been no plan in place or system for relief.” The Whale opened last year, quickly amassing a strong following, though we found the food to be less than stellar. While it’s unknown how long the restaurant will be closed, the owners promise it will eventually return. “We WILL re-open and come back strong. We look forward to serving you again when that time comes.” — Nick Kindelsperger


chicagotribune--2020-09-22--Column: 200,000 US coronavirus deaths will be Trump’s legacy, and his cynical lies should be his end

Romelia Navarro , right , is comforted by nurse Michele Younkin as she weeps at the bedside of her dying @ @ @ @ @ St. Jude Medical Center 's COVID-19 unit in Fullerton , Calif. , on July 31 @ @ @ @ @ death toll from the coronavirus topped 200,000 Tuesday , Sept. 22 , a figure unimaginable @ @ @ @ @ scourge first reached the world 's richest nation with its sparkling laboratories , top-flight scientists @ @ @ @ @ and emergency supplies .

Romelia Navarro, right, is comforted by nurse Michele Younkin as she weeps at the bedside of her dying husband, Antonio, in St. Jude Medical Center's COVID-19 unit in Fullerton, Calif., on July 31, 2020. The U.S. death toll from the coronavirus topped 200,000 Tuesday, Sept. 22, a figure unimaginable eight months ago when the scourge first reached the world's richest nation with its sparkling laboratories, top-flight scientists and towering stockpiles of medicines and emergency supplies. (Jae C. Hong / AP)
The U.S. death toll from the coronavirus reached 200,000 Tuesday.
That staggeringly grim count came less than a day after President Donald Trump, rambling like a clueless loon before a crowd of largely maskless Ohioans, said the coronavirus “affects virtually nobody” under 18.
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It was more deceptive, idiotic nonsense from the man who is supposed to be leading our nation through one of the worst public health crises in history, a crisis that has claimed more American lives than World War I and the Vietnam War combined.
The deaths already are nearly 70 times the number of lives lost in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. It’s as if the entire population of a city the size of Aurora, Illinois, was wiped out in eight months, and more are dying each day.
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America has less than 5% of the world’s population and more than 20% of the reported deaths from COVID-19. Only five countries — Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Spain and Brazil — have higher deaths per capita from this virus.
And our president continues to lie to the American people about the virus and downplay its seriousness. Saying the coronavirus “affects virtually nobody” under 18 is a dangerous deception.
A woman passes a fence outside Brooklyn's Green-Wood Cemetery adorned with tributes to victims of COVID-19 in New York on May 28, 2020. (Mark Lennihan / AP)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention flagged a steady increase of coronavirus cases among children younger than 18 from March to July.
Last month, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, said young people who get the virus often “have residual symptoms for weeks and sometimes month.” And he said follow-up checkups of those young people show they “have a substantially high proportion of cardiovascular abnormalities, evidence of myocarditis by MRI and PET scans, evidence of emerging cardiomyopathies.”
Perhaps most importantly, we know that Trump knows the virus affects young people because he told Bob Woodward, in recorded interviews in March, that the virus affects “plenty of young people.”
“Now it’s turning out it’s not just old people, Bob,” Trump said. “But just today, and yesterday, some startling facts came out. It’s not just old, older.”
But Trump’s own words, along with facts, evidence, illness and death, mean nothing to him. He has lied about this pandemic — it will “miraculously” be gone by April “once the weather warms up” — from the jump, and pushed fake cure-alls from hydroxychloroquine to convalescent plasma while raising doubts about proven safety practices like wearing masks.
The 200,000-death milestone should hang around Trump’s electoral neck like a millstone. It will be his legacy, those lost lives haunting him and Republicans for years to come, reminding people of the Faustian bargain conservatives struck to gain three Supreme Court justices.
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Activists from the COVID Memorial Project mark the deaths of 200,000 lives lost in the U.S. to COVID-19 after placing thousands of small American flags on the grounds of the National Mall in Washington on Sept. 22. (J. Scott Applewhite / AP)
Sadly, this is far from the end. We’re still losing more than 700 lives a day to the virus, and the University of Washington’s widely respected coronavirus pandemic model estimates the death toll will double to 400,000 by the end of the year.
A vaccine won’t likely be widely available until later next year.
Jennifer Nuzzo, a Johns Hopkins University public health researcher, told The Associated Press on Tuesday: “It is completely unfathomable that we’ve reached this point.”
I suppose. Although given the leader of this country, a recklessly dishonest, self-absorbed con artist, I’d argue it’s completely fathomable.
The virus isn’t Trump’s fault, but he has led America’s weak-kneed response to the virus. He has failed, miserably, and 200,000 Americans are now dead.
You can’t downplay that many human lives. If they happen on a president’s watch they will stick. As they should.
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Trump’s legacy is 200,000 deaths. And counting.
rhuppke@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-09-22--10-year-old girl among 3 shot in West Side attack

Early Tuesday afternoon , two detectives and an evidence technician searched near the corner of Maple and Homan avenues for @ @ @ @ @ sidewalk , parkway and an area of the street next to the curb .

Police work the scene where three people were shot, including a 10-year-old girl, on the 3300 block of West Van Buren Street on Sept. 21, 2020. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)
A 10-year-old girl was among three people wounded in a shooting Monday night on the West Side, according to Chicago police.
The girl was in a car and two adults were standing on the street in the 3300 block of West Van Buren Street around 8:30 p.m. when they heard shots, police said.
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The girl was hit in the knee and taken to Stroger Hospital in good condition, police said.
A 25-year-old woman was hit in the back and leg and taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in good condition, police said. A 31-year-old was hit in the face and taken to Stroger in good condition.
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Police did not release more details on the shooting, which occurred in the Fifth City neighborhood.
Early Tuesday afternoon, two detectives and an evidence technician searched near the corner of Maple and Homan avenues for evidence, looking over the sidewalk, parkway and an area of the street next to the curb.
The evidence technician took photos as a single Harrison District beat car sat near the scene.
The block runs from Spaulding Avenue to Homan, paralleling the street right next to the Eisenhower Expressway. It’s a mix of three flats and greystone buildings.
No arrests have been made.
Chicago Tribune’s Peter Nickeas contributed.
pfry@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @paigexfry


chicagotribune--2020-09-22--Watch live: Chicago health officials discuss COVID-19 travel order and quarantine list

Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady is expected to deliver an update on the city ’ s @ @ @ @ @ .

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chicagotribune--2020-09-22--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--2020-09-22--Daily Illinois coronavirus graphs: 30 new deaths, 1,531 new confirmed cases and 41,829 new test resu

Daily Illinois coronavirus graphs: 30 new deaths, 1,531 new confirmed cases and 41,829 new test results

Illinois announced 1,531 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 Tuesday for a total of 277,266 .
The state also announced 30 @ @ @ @ @ of 8,486 and 41,829 new test results for a total of 5.19 million .

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.


chicagotribune--2020-09-22--From tabletop air purifiers to ultraviolet wands for sterilizing glassware, restaurants are investin

From tabletop air purifiers to ultraviolet wands for sterilizing glassware, restaurants are investing in safety. But will diners come inside during a pandemic?

The best way to flush COVID-19 out of the air is to bring in more fresh air through the ventilation @ @ @ @ @ get more difficult as the weather gets cold and it can ’ t heat up @ @ @ @ @ , whose construction consulting firm helps build restaurants and other commercial properties .
Better air @ @ @ @ @ installation can be tricky if restaurants don ’ t own the building , he said @

A portable ionic air purifier is seen Sept. 17, 2020, on a table at Formento's, an Italian restaurant in Chicago's West Town neighborhood. Recently, Formento's installed an array of air filtration and ventilation devices to help diners feel safe eating inside the restaurant. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)
The host greeting diners at Formento’s, an Italian restaurant in the West Town neighborhood, now offers guests something new alongside the menu and wine list: a portable air purifier for their table.
The tabletop devices are among a series of air quality upgrades the restaurant introduced this month to assure customers they can breathe easy dining inside.
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Diners can also expect to see bussers using ultraviolet wands to sterilize glassware and utensils, and little air-sucking robots in various corners of the restaurant that use heat to kill microorganisms. Unseen are new air filters installed in the HVAC system meant to trap virus particles.
The changes were costly for a restaurant that continues to lose money due to COVID-19. But Phillip Walters, whose B. Hospitality Co. owns Formento’s as well as its sister sandwich restaurant Nonna’s, and The Bristol in the Bucktown neighborhood, said it’s a necessary investment if the businesses are going to survive.
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“We have to convince people that restaurants are safe,” Walters said.
Restaurants hoping to see the other side of the pandemic are pouring money into air quality upgrades and other safety features even as business remains devastated by COVID-19. As they burn through cash, they are counting on customers taking comfort in the changes and filling seats.
AF3000 "autoclave" filters are placed in the bar and dining room at Formento's in Chicago. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)
It’s a gamble for customers as well as restaurants. Some indoor air quality experts question the effectiveness of products that claim to halt airborne transmission of the coronavirus but haven’t been rigorously tested.
But as winter approaches, and restaurants brace for the loss of patio seating that’s been a lifeline during the warm months, instilling confidence in indoor air quality has become a pressing issue.
“I’m doing anything I can for my customers to feel safe to eat at my restaurants,” said Scott Harris, founder of Francesca’s Restaurant Group, which owns Mia Francesca in Lakeview and 25 other establishments.
Francesca’s is spending about $100,000 to outfit the HVAC units in all of its restaurants with bipolar ionization technology, which kills viruses through a chemical reaction. Menus will have a blurb explaining the technology and servers will be trained to describe it to customers, Harris said.
The added expense comes as revenues remain down 80% in Francesca’s city restaurants and 30% in the suburbs, and overall costs have increased due to masks, hand sanitizer and many boxes of gloves for its 2,700 employees. Management is discussing raising prices a bit, by 50 cents here and there, to help absorb it.
“It’s hitting our bottom line big time,” said Harris, who expects money from the federal Paycheck Protection Program will sustain his restaurants through December. He is contemplating closing his three city restaurants for fear demand, hurt by both the coronavirus and the social unrest, won’t bounce back.
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Lettuce Entertain You, Chicago’s largest restaurant group, expects to make a seven-figure investment to install air purification technologies at all 120-plus restaurants across the country by the end of October, said R.J. Melman, president of the company.
Though Chicago has encouraged creative solutions to keep outdoor dining alive when temperatures plunge, and on Monday released guidelines for erecting and heating tents and geodesic domes, “at the end of the day, for most restaurants in Chicago survival depends on indoor dining,” Melman said.
Convincing people to come inside will be a challenge. Nearly 60% of people say they feel uncomfortable dining indoors, according to a new study from market research firm Mintel.
Melman thinks diners are willing to eat indoors where they feel safe doing so.
“People want to get out,” he said.
For Walters, of Formento’s, the decision to invest in indoor air quality came as he reached a crossroads on how to survive winter.
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He explored installing a system of heated tents, but it was complicated and expensive, with bids suggesting a $50,000 to $100,000 price tag.
So he took a different path, consulting HVAC specialists to devise a five-layered air purification system to make indoor dining more appealing. The cost was about $13,000 for Formento’s, which is 13,000 square feet, and $3,000 at the much smaller Bristol.
High-performance MERV-13 air filters are installed in all HVAC units at Formento's in Chicago's West Town neighborhood. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)
Walters followed guidance from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers to install higher-density filters in all of the HVAC units, opting for MERV-13 filters that are effective at blocking most particles the size of the novel coronavirus.
To convince the public, however, “we had to go above and beyond.”
In addition to the tabletop ionic air purifiers, which are optional for guests, he bought multiple UV-C germicidal sterilizing wands for cleaning between customers, and supplied after-hours cleaning crews with sterilizing foggers. Floor purifiers that suck in air and kill viruses in 400-degree ceramic chambers, before cooling and releasing the air back into the environment, are placed every 500 feet.
Walters is lobbying the city to increase capacity limits from 25% to 50% for restaurants that have taken extensive measures to improve air quality. He is also sharing what he’s learned so other restaurants can adopt similar technologies, which he said don’t have to break the bank.
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He worries that if customer traffic doesn’t improve small operators will close and corporate chains with bigger pockets will be the only ones standing when the smoke clears. Formento’s revenues are down 60% and The Bristol’s are down 70% compared with a year ago.
“This industry will whittle away to nothing. To zero,” he said. “People need to get out and eat.”
Hosts, bussers and others use UV-C sterilizing wands to clean tables, utensils and glassware between uses at Formento's. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)
For people debating whether to risk dining out, the central question may be whether the air quality enhancements make a difference in preventing transmission of COVID-19.
The Environmental Protection Agency says “there is growing evidence that the novel coronavirus remains airborne in indoor environments for hours, potentially increasing in concentration over time,” and has recommended increasing building ventilation and air filtration as a part of a larger strategy that includes social distancing, wearing masks, hand-washing and disinfecting.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in guidance to office building employers, advises bringing in more outside air, installing better central air filters and using portable high-efficiency particulate air fans to help clean the air. HEPA filters are nearly 100% effective in capturing airborne particles associated with COVID-19.
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But the pandemic has opened the floodgates to a slew of other products and technologies that purport to destroy the novel coronavirus, and some experts are warning it’s buyers beware.
Brent Stephens, professor and chair in the Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering at the Illinois Institute of Technology, said inadequate test standards and misleading claims have made for a Wild West of air cleaning technologies.
He worries some ionization systems have not been adequately tested to ensure they don’t unintentionally create byproducts that are harmful to health. Other products may offer a false sense of security.
“There is a lot of theater out there,” he said. “I would not recommend restaurants going in on these exotic technologies.”
The best way to flush COVID-19 out of the air is to bring in more fresh air through the ventilation system, but that will get more difficult as the weather gets cold and it can’t heat up enough, said Roger Peck, whose construction consulting firm helps build restaurants and other commercial properties. Better air filters also help, though installation can be tricky if restaurants don’t own the building, he said.
More worrisome to Peck is the prospect of winter dining in tents with drop-down panels and no air circulation.
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“To me that’s a toxic soup,” he said. “I would choose dining indoors in a heartbeat.”
Some restaurants are forgoing the headache of air quality investments and tent cities altogether and plan to ride out winter by focusing on carryout and delivery, said Doug Roth, president of restaurant consultancy Playground Hospitality.
Still, he applauds businesses that are investing in air quality upgrades to ease patrons' concerns.
“They’re not 100% foolproof, but I think it’s a better option than having nothing at all,” Roth said.
Gibsons Restaurant Group, which owns the iconic Gold Coast steakhouse as well as Hugo’s Frog Bar and other restaurants, is working on a promotional video to highlight the safety steps it is taking, which it plans to push out on social media and send to customers, said Chairman Steve Lombardo III. They include positive air pressure that pushes air out rather than recirculating it, the installation of MERV-11 air filters in the HVAC units and mobile plexiglass barriers that can be rolled around to different tables.
The safety upgrades cost about $10,000 per restaurant, mostly for the plexiglass, plus about $1,500 monthly to change the HVAC filters, he said. It’s a financial pinch given that sales the past three months have on average been down 35% compared with last year, and the restaurants are losing money, but Gibsons, which is well-capitalized and has little debt, can afford it, Lombardo said.
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Businesses that can’t may be at a disadvantage as customers weigh where to eat. But some mom-and-pops are finding ways to make air purification a priority.
Prairie Grass Cafe in Northbrook this month spent $5,000 to outfit its HVAC units with the Sterile-Aire system, which uses ultraviolet energy to inactivate bacteria and viruses. Chef/co-owner Sarah Stegner said she plans to ask the landlord to pay for half or let her take it out of the rent.
People dine inside at Prairie Grass Cafe on Sept. 22, 2020, in Northbrook. The restaurant invested in ultraviolet air purification technology in its HVAC units for colder months when indoor dining is the only option. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)
Stegner several years ago installed the system in her home, because her husband and daughter have sports-induced asthma and the family has a cat, and found it reduced their congestion. She can’t guarantee it will be a magic bullet against COVID-19, but she wants to do all she can to offer more protection.
“The priority is keeping my staff safe, keeping the guests safe, working in a positive environment where we have a margin of control,” said Stegner, a former Ritz Carlton chef and founding member of Green City Market who opened Prairie Grass 16 years ago.
The cafe is notifying guests of the air filtration system with flyers on the tables and in carryout bags. The feedback has been “incredibly positive,” Stegner said.
The cafe, which normally has 180 seats, has been operating with 50 plus an outside patio. After a scary month when it was $11,000 in the red, it managed to break even in August even though its revenues are half of what they were last year. Stegner credits a smaller staff, her landlord giving her a break on rent, a grant and a series of small cost savings.
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“We looked at everything,” Stegner said, from the phone system to the energy bill to pricing and portion sizes.
She also has found new ways to generate revenue, selling raw fish direct to consumers once a week and hosting Zoom cooking classes, which are free to view but people can buy a package of prepped ingredients to follow along. Promotions have also helped, including Women’s Restaurant Week and an exchange with another restaurant in which it sold Stegner’s pot pies and she sold its desserts.
Though it’s been challenging, the pandemic has forced a creativity that Stegner hopes continues long-term. It has also instilled a sense of urgency to not sit on any ideas that could help her business stay afloat.
“If you’re going to do something, do it right away,” Stegner said. “Don’t hesitate, because you might not get a second chance.”
aelejalderuiz@chicgotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-09-22--Fall long-term forecast for Chicago area calls for warmer-than-usual temps

The normal average temperature for the season , which goes from the autumnal equinox to the winter solstice on Dec. @ @ @ @ @ of all temperatures recorded ( overnight lows to daytime highs and everything in between ) @ @ @ @ @ When the climate prediction center determines a seasonal forecast , there is about a one-third @ @ @ @ @ consider above normal , below normal or normal temperatures .
Again this year , instead @ @ @ @ @ probability of warmer temperatures , the center says there is a 40 % chance of @ @ @

As the hay bale decor and gourd displays cropping up on front porches suggest, Tuesday, the autumnal equinox, marks the first day of fall: The three-month period ending in late December that in Chicago means the ushering in of declining temperatures.
But this year, long-range forecasters suggest, the season won’t be quite as cold as usual.
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There is a slight indication the swath of northern Illinois that includes the Chicago metro area will feel just a little warmer than a typical year, said Matthew Rosencrans, a meteorologist with the Washington D.C.-based Climate Prediction Center. Since it’s the same conclusion as last year’s seasonal outlook, however, residents with short memories may just conclude it feels the same as 2019.
“Nobody would notice a half-degree difference on any given day but when you take it over a whole autumn, it means there’s just a handful more slightly warmer days than in an average year,” he said. “You’re not going to say, ‘Wow, it was a really warm autumn,’ but for things like utilities, energy consumption, even agriculture, it may make a slight difference.”
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The normal average temperature for the season, which goes from the autumnal equinox to the winter solstice on Dec. 21 and is an average of all temperatures recorded (overnight lows to daytime highs and everything in between), is 37.6 degrees. When the climate prediction center determines a seasonal forecast, there is about a one-third probability of having what forecasters consider above normal, below normal or normal temperatures. Again this year, instead of the typical 33% probability of warmer temperatures, the center says there is a 40% chance of warmer temperatures.
That doesn’t mean every day or even a portion of each day will be warmer than usual. Rather, on the whole, the 37.6-degree average may be bumped up by about half of one degree, for an average of about 38.1 degrees, Rosencrans said.
The center is predicting “equal chances” of above normal, below normal, or normal precipitation for October, November and December, he said. Rosencrans said there was not a strong signal that would push the odds in any direction.
Anthony Artusa, another meteorologist at the climate prediction center, previously has explained that “equal chances” should not be mistaken as meaning precipitation is expected to remain on par with averages for that period.
“Equal chances means it doesn’t tilt the odds in any direction, we essentially can’t tell if any of those three categories outdoes the other. It’s an educated way of saying, ‘I don’t know,’ because we want to work off the data rather than take a guess,” he said.
Some areas can expect moderate drought conditions, Rosecrans said. The climate prediction center also last week released a map of forecast drought conditions that shows the area around Chicago shaded to represent a locale where “drought persists.”
The easiest way to explain where drought conditions are possible are locations that were not hard-hit by the summer’s heavy rains, said weather service meteorologist Brian Leatherwood.
“Overall, it’s looking to be an average fall according to the climate center,” Leatherwood said.
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Looking specifically to November and December, Rosencrans said there emerges a slight tilt toward more precipitation than usual, which at that point in the year could fall as either rain or snow.
“There’s a slight tilt toward wet conditions,” he said. “As it relates to drought, snow, if it doesn’t melt until spring, won’t relieve the drought conditions immediately.”
The precipitation outlook for winter months is not yet complete, Rosencrans said, but early indications for the Chicago area suggest more snow than usual.
“Right now our precip outlook starting in December and January … does have an above normal outlook for the core winter months. We are actively researching to do a seasonal snow outlook,” he said. “Stay tuned.”
kdouglas@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @312BreakingNews


chicagotribune--2020-09-22--‘Dreadhead Cowboy’ arrested after galloping down Dan Ryan

Adam Hollingsworth rides his horse on the Dan Ryan Expressway with motorcycles and motorists to support Kids Lives Matter .
@ @ @ @ @ vashon_photo )


chicagotribune--2020-09-22--Watch live: Gov. Pritzker to discuss conditional cannabis dispensary licenses

Business owners hoping to open recreational marijuana shops in Illinois will get a second chance at qualifying for a license @ @ @ @ @ Pritzker Monday announced a procedure to let applicants correct their applications or get rescored .
@ @ @ @


chicagotribune--2020-09-22--Students are getting too much screen time while remote learning in Chicago Public Schools, but in-pe

Students are getting too much screen time while remote learning in Chicago Public Schools, but in-person services still pose COVID-19 risk, CTU says

“ I ’ m watching kids have struggles to stay focused , one , and two , to stay awake @ @ @ @ @ “ I see my kids and I know that we can do better by them @ @ @ @ @ schedules can be tailored to make our kids be more successful and feel more successful @ @ @ @ @ kids struggle , but I know that if our voices in the schools were part @ @ @ @ @ learning it would not be so , at least not to this extent .
”

A group of educators, clinicians, clerks and Chicago Teachers Union brass on Monday shared what they think is and isn’t working with remote learning, including the concern that students are spending too much time in front of screens.
The district, however, countered many claims made by union officers and rank-and-file members, asserting that critical screening services for students with special needs — such as hearing and vision tests as well as special education evaluations and occupational and physical therapy — should be conducted in-person.
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As Chicago Public Schools began its third week of remote classes, one teacher said she believes students, particularly the youngest ones, are having trouble staying alert because of the demands of sitting in front of a computer for so many hours of the school day, sedentary and isolated.
“I think it requires us to really take a look … and refocus so that these schedules are more humane,” said Lori Torres, a Spanish teacher at Monroe Elementary. “I’m thinking that if we can make schedules that make more sense, time-wise, for our children, we can produce better outcomes when we see our kids face-to-face.”
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Torres’ students span first to eighth grade, and she meets her youngest students after lunch.
“I’m watching kids have struggles to stay focused, one, and two, to stay awake,” she said. “I see my kids and I know that we can do better by them. I know that these schedules can be tailored to make our kids be more successful and feel more successful. I’m seeing kids struggle, but I know that if our voices in the schools were part of creating schedules for remote learning it would not be so, at least not to this extent.”
Also present on Monday’s CTU-hosted Zoom call, which was made available to members of the media, was a CPS clerk who said she and others in that job should have greater flexibility to work remotely — which is the subject of a current CTU labor complaint.
The district countered that it has in place stricter guidelines than public health guidance demands, including mandatory mask-wearing as outlined by state and local regulations. Health measures include temperature checks, symptom screeners, use of electric spray disinfectant misters, and readily-available sanitizer. Masks are being provided and are required, and sneeze guards were installed at every school.
While principals or a designated administrator, security guards, custodians, engineers, warehouse staff, food service employees and other workers report in-person to schools, as they have throughout the the school closures, any employee can apply for an accommodation, including the option to work from home or may apply for leave of absence, according to CPS.
Another speaker on the union call, Sharon Gunn, a districtwide clinician, said one silver lining of remote learning is that occupational and physical therapists in CPS “have connected with parents in a way we never had the opportunity before” because of increased, if virtual, interaction.
She added that CPS has begun looking into providing such services in person.
“My major concern is that we are placing high-risk students in a potentially compromising situation due to COVID. For these students to safely return to school, many adjustments would need to be made,” Gunn said.
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Emily Bolton, a spokeswoman for Chicago Public Schools, said it is imperative students are able to receive in-person services that are essential to their growth and development.
“The district’s highest priority is health and safety and CPS strongly believes that specific types of student services — including hearing and vision tests and physical therapy — can be delivered in-person safely and must be delivered in-person for our most vulnerable students to benefit," Bolton wrote in an email. "It is deeply concerning that the CTU is yet again standing in the way of ensuring our most vulnerable students can safely access the critical in-person services they need.”
Jesse Sharkey, president of the teachers union, which threatened to go on strike if CPS didn’t back off its plans to reopen schools for in-person classes this fall, called Monday’s discussion “a progress report. It’s not a final grade yet.”
“… This is not normal. This is us getting through a dire health emergency,” he said.
Sharkey also said district officials have been “imposing their ideas on how remote learning works and they need to listen. If we do it together, it’ll work better.”
After they announced the switch to an all-remote learning model for the fall quarter, CPS officials released a lengthy plan for remote learning that they said was based in part on, and provided additional avenues for, feedback from teachers and staff.
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Lucille Thompson, a clerk at Carl Schurz High School, said she and other clerks have been required to be at the schools in case parents come to ask questions. But she thinks it’s putting she and her co-workers at a heightened risk to catch COVID-19.
Sharkey seconded that, saying clerks should be allowed to do certain activities, such as checking email, remotely.
Gunn said she thinks parents for the first time understand just how hectic the workload is for clinicians, who often have 50 or 60 students each. She also said the clinicians generally think they’re getting to know parents better now than they have in the past, despite doing more group sessions with students than in previous years.
kdouglas@chicagotribune.com
@312BreakingNews