chicagotribune--2020-05-21--Ahead of Memorial Day weekend, sun and sand are calling. But when will the beaches open?

Residents say they are being kept in the dark about COVID-19 as nearly 90 deaths are recorded at low-income housing @ @ @ @ @ is dangerous . '
Residents say they are being kept in the dark about COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ recorded at low-income housing in Chicago .
‘ This is dangerous ’

Amy Ortega, left, enjoys the beach with sons Ben, 8, and Harvey, 6, at the Indiana Dunes State Park in Chesterton, Indiana, on May 15, 2020. They made a special trip from Chicago to spend a day on Lake Michigan. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)
It’s almost beach season along Lake Michigan, a saving grace of cities known for polar vortexes and frost in May, but this summer, the shoreline will look a little different.
Some beaches will be entirely empty, aside from a federally endangered bird or two attempting to fledge chicks. Some might have joggers and bikers moving along but no stationary picnics or sunbathers taking prolonged breaks. Some have been all but washed away because of near-record high lake levels and worsening erosion.
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In Chicago, Memorial Day usually signals the opening of the city’s beaches along 26 miles of lakefront. This year, the week may only bring more monotony because the beaches are closed.
Across the country, Los Angeles County planned to open beaches with a number of restrictions, like prohibiting group sports and requiring face coverings for those on the sand. On the East Coast, beaches will be allowed to open at 50% capacity for Memorial Day weekend in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Delaware.
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But for dozens of communities along Lake Michigan, the rules are a patchwork — much like the national response to the pandemic.
Visitors walk along the beach May 15, 2020, at the Indiana Dunes State Park in Chesterton, Indiana. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)
On the heels of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s five-phase plan to reopen the state, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Friday the lakefront will eventually reopen. The Chicago Park District said it will follow guidance from public health officials to determine its eventual reopening plan.
State beaches under the Illinois Department of Natural Resources are also closed. IDNR is continuing to work with state officials “to review, on an ongoing basis, the possibility of opening additional parks and expanding the recreational offerings at our sites currently open to the public,” IDNR’s deputy director, Rachel Torbert, said in a statement.
Alison Anastasio, a steward at Rainbow Beach dunes, said she has missed being able to spend time at the natural areas along the lakefront and wondered how the dunes were doing after recent storms.
“One of the best things about living in the city during the summertime is the lakefront,” Anastasio said.
But she’s not pushing for reopening anytime soon and advocates following public health experts.
“I fully recognize the importance of being outside and being in nature. That’s my calling,” Anastasio said. “I’m lucky in that I just go to another park and spend my time elsewhere, not on the lakefront.”
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North Shore
Along the North Shore, some communities are hoping for beach access but waiting for additional state guidance. Others have already announced closures.
The Lake County Forest Preserves announced its swimming beach at Independence Grove in Libertyville will not open for the season.
In Evanston, officials are hoping to open the beaches, but there’s no set date, said Lawrence Hemingway, director of Parks, Recreation and Community Services. The city is trying to estimate what maximum capacity could be for the accessible beaches, Hemingway said, while taking into account social distancing best practices and waiting for state guidelines. Greenwood Street Beach will remain closed due to high water levels and erosion.
In Highland Park, home of Rosewood Beach, parks and beaches are open for walking, biking and jogging but not congregating, said Brian Romes, executive director of the city’s Park District.
“Our motto right now is to keep moving,” Romes said. “On the beaches, there’s no laying on a blanket or playing Frisbee or anything like that.”
Romes said the district is formally evaluating everything every two weeks.
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“We know people want to get out and enjoy the beach,” Romes said. “We don’t want to take steps backward. We want to open at the right time, in the right way, and make sure we can do it safely.”
Parking lots are closed, meaning beach use is ideally for those who live nearby. The district is considering opening the lower parking lot for Memorial Day and increasing staffing to ensure visitors are complying with the “come to the beach but don’t stay at the beach mentality,” Romes said. The district hopes that limited parking, one area for residents only, also keeps visitor numbers at bay.
Eventually, there may be lifeguards again, and swimming. But that’s not expected until at least June or early July, Romes said, and the district is “not setting anything in stone.”
“It’s nice today and it’ll be nice next week,” Romes said, on a balmy Wednesday, but “I don’t think anybody’s ready to jump into Lake Michigan yet.”
Indiana
In recent weeks at Indiana Dunes National Park, even if they weren’t jumping into the water, visitors crowded the Porter Beach area and strayed far enough from social distancing that the park closed the beach and its parking lots. The park anticipates the area, just west of the state park, will be open later this month.
“It was like the Fourth of July,” Superintendent Paul Labovitz said. “The place was overrun with people. And with restrooms closed and no people picking up trash, we got some interesting reports about human behavior.”
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Visitors walk along the beach May 15, 2020, at the Indiana Dunes State Park in Chesterton, Indiana. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)
The park is hoping to have restrooms running again and trash pickup in place for Memorial Day weekend, Labovitz said.
Beach access is closed at the Portage Lakefront, where the park is working with the Army Corps of Engineers on beach nourishment after severe erosion. The Central Avenue Beach is inaccessible because there’s “essentially a cliff where a ramp of sand used to be,” Labovitz said. But Indiana Dunes’ trails and most other beaches have remained open.
Now the park is looking to state guidelines and working to get the public more information about safe park behavior, Labovitz said. “Leave no trace” signs have gone up at trash cans. There are discussions about one-way trails and hiking only as far as your bathroom needs will allow, Labovitz said.
“You can find times where you can be fairly alone for most of your time here,” he said. “There’s hiking and birding and looking at some beautiful nature.”
Labovitz said he’s tuned in to briefings from both the Illinois and Indiana governors, and “there’s a notion that people need to respect each other and really take this thing seriously.”
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“There’s a fraction of people out there who are not doing that, and that’s a problem,” he said.
Michigan
Ron Olson, chief of parks and recreation for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, said they’re taking it week by week. Bathrooms are still closed. Group activities like competitive events or large picnics are prohibited.
Normally, by Memorial Day weekend, designated swimming areas are marked off. But with limited staffing at many parks, Olson said, that hasn’t happened yet.
The department is also encouraging those itching to travel to stick closer to home.
“We have a lot of people from the Chicago area that go to some of the dune parks,” Olson said. “And we’re urging people to, if they’re going to do that, recreate close to home and not go long distances.”
For those who do visit, be prepared with sanitizer and a mask, demonstrate social distancing and be patient to avoid crowds, Olson said.
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People should “be prepared that when they come out, everything isn’t going to be the way it was last year,” he said.
Other alternatives
In Chicago, some advocates have floated opening streets like other cities as a way to offer more public space.
Juanita Irizarry, of Friends of the Parks, said members of the advocacy organization feel the loss of access to some parks and beaches, like many Chicagoans, but also understand the health realities behind needing to shut them down.
But, said Irizarry, not all parks get the same use and she questioned shutting down the entire lakefront, when an area like Steelworkers Park in South Chicago is underutilized.
“We’re hopeful that the mayor will move forward with some thoughtful plans to create more safe space for social distancing,” Irizarry said. “There are models coming out of other cities of opening some streets to create more space, there are models of reopening parks and having ambassadors that help people manage their social distancing. We think those are all worth studying and figuring out what would make the most sense for Chicago.”
Lightfoot has hinted at changes for streets and sidewalks on Twitter.
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Anastasio, the Rainbow Beach dunes steward, hopes there can be an alternative to the all-or-nothing approach.
Being outside in a public space, especially on the South Side where the density of people on beaches can be less, seems like it could be a good thing, she said.
“Packed shoulder-to-shoulder beaches at Oak Street or North Avenue, I think, is a different thing entirely.”
mgreene@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-05-21--When can Illinois reopen? Check our daily charts on where each region stands.

The metrics focus on a rolling average of positive coronavirus cases and hospitalizations to keep track of the direction of @ @ @ @ @ availability of hospital beds and ventilators that would be needed to handle a possible surge @ @ @ @ @ for testing and tracing positive tests .

Chad Yoder, Nausheen Husain, Jennifer Smith Richards, Jonathon Berlin

With each of the state’s four regions in Phase 3 of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s Restore Illinois plan, the clock starts on moving on to Phase 4, where more businesses and activities are allowed. The plan to reopen Illinois — from restaurants and salons to open space to non-COVID-19 procedures at the hospital to concerts and festivals — depends on a host of metrics laid out by Pritzker.
The metrics focus on a rolling average of positive coronavirus cases and hospitalizations to keep track of the direction of the outbreak as well as availability of hospital beds and ventilators that would be needed to handle a possible surge. There are also benchmarks for testing and tracing positive tests.
[ COVID-19 cases in Illinois by ZIP code: Search for your neighborhood ]
A key element of the plan is that a region can move both forward and backward, where more parts of society can open and shut depending on the seriousness of the outbreak.
Here is a breakdown of where each region stands.


chicagotribune--2020-05-21--Chicago police fine 3 churches for violating stay-at-home order; businessman Willie Wilson says he’l

Chicago police fine 3 churches for violating stay-at-home order; businessman Willie Wilson says he’ll pay

“ The Chicago Police Department has been working to ensure full compliance with the ( stay-at-home ) order , ” @ @ @ @ @ As part of this effort , we continue to ask everyone to help slow the @ @ @ @ @ staying home and practicing social distancing so that once we have begun to recover and @ @ @ @ @ to their religious services in a safe manner .
”

The Rev. Joseph Wyrostek, 43, talks with police across the street from the Metro Praise International Church on May 17, 2020, in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)
Following through with Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s promise to take action against churches that violate social distancing rules, the Chicago Police Department issued $500 fines to three separate houses of worship that held services over the weekend, city officials said.
Police cited Elim Romanian Pentecostal Church, Philadelphia Romanian Church of God and Metro Praise International for their services.
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Police also acknowledged temporarily banning parking near churches “as a precaution to prevent planned large gatherings from taking place.”
“The Chicago Police Department has been working to ensure full compliance with the (stay-at-home) order,” the department said. “As part of this effort, we continue to ask everyone to help slow the spread of the virus by staying home and practicing social distancing so that once we have begun to recover and reopen, residents can return to their religious services in a safe manner.”
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At an unrelated news conference on Thursday, Lightfoot said the issue is "about how do we come together in our various faith traditions during this very difficult time.”
There are lots of ways people can express their faith without putting themselves and others at risk, Lightfoot said.
The city’s trying to figure out ways to ensure people can be safe in a number of scenarios, from passing the collection plate to taking communion and singing hymns.
Lightfoot wants to come up with guidance “that will allow people to come back safely, in groups of 10, and be able to perform things like weddings and funerals and baptisms and bar mitzvahs," she said.
“No one wants to do a call to service, if you will, and put people at risk,” Lightfoot said.
Gospel singer and businessman Willie Wilson, meanwhile, released a statement saying he would pay the fines. Wilson ran for mayor in 2019 and won several African American wards in the election’s first round, then endorsed Lightfoot against Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle.
Their relationship frayed last year, however, and he’s been an outspoken critic of Lightfoot and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s handling of the stay-at-home order for churches.
“The governor and mayor continue to trample on our constitutional rights while hiding behind a stay-at-home order that treats the church as non-essential,” he said in a statement.
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On Monday, Lightfoot said the city would be fining churches that had more people than allowed under the statewide stay-at-home order during the weekend.
Lightfoot spent last week asking churches to abide by social distancing rules and warning that she would take action against churches that refused.
But on Sunday, hundreds of people defied Pritzker’s stay-at-home order to attend church anyway, and the mayor’s office warned that violators may be cited after review.
The dispute kicked off a week ago after Metro Praise International Church on the Northwest Side opened its doors for in-person services in an act that church officials described as “passive resistance” to Pritzker’s ongoing stay-at-home order.
That defiance led Lightfoot to tweet, “It doesn’t matter who you are or what you’re doing. When you gather like this, you are putting yourself and your loved ones in serious danger.”
Wilson spoke at Philadelphia Romanian Church of God over the weekend.
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“I tell everybody this year, wherever I go, practice your social distancing, do what the signs say, do what the laws say, but don’t ever put the law before God,” Wilson said during the services.
gpratt@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @royalpratt


chicagotribune--2020-05-21--Daywatch: Restaurants can soon open outdoor seating, low-income housing residents told little about

Daywatch: Restaurants can soon open outdoor seating, low-income housing residents told little about virus risk and Three Floyds closes brewpub indefinitely

Northwest Indiana ’ s legendary Three Floyds Brewing has shuttered its brewpub indefinitely due to safety concerns during the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ allows businesses to reopen , brewery founder Nick Floyd said he chose to furlough staff @ @ @ @ @ which has become one of the nation ’ s quintessential brewpubs .

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Good morning, Chicago. Here’s the coronavirus news and other top stories you need to know to start your day.
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Illinois officials on Wednesday announced 2,388 new known cases of the coronavirus and 147 additional deaths, bringing the state totals to 100,418 known cases and 4,525 deaths
In the U.S., more than 1.5 million infections have been recorded and over 93,000 people have died, Johns Hopkins University reported on Wednesday
About 5 million people worldwide have been confirmed infected, and over 328,000 deaths have been recorded as of Wednesday, according to Johns Hopkins University
Breaking coronavirus news Stay up to date with the latest information on coronavirus with our breaking news alerts.
The exterior of Maria's Packaged Goods & Community Bar located at 960 W 31st Street in Chicago's Bridgeport neighborhood on May 10, 2017. (Alyssa Pointer/Chicago Tribune)
Illinois restaurants and bars will be allowed to reopen with limited outdoor seating as soon as next week, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced Wednesday amid mounting pressure from thousands of establishments that have suffered severe economic losses during the state’s two-month shutdown.
With all regions of the state on track to move to the next phase of Pritzker’s “Restore Illinois” reopening plan next Friday, bars and restaurants were at risk of being left behind.
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When can Illinois reopen? Check our daily charts on where each region stands.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot says Chicago reopening ‘on the horizon’ but warned against ignoring stay-at-home order
Illinois state Rep. Darren Bailey, R-Xexnia, stands to leave the Bank of Springfield Center in Springfield where the Illinois House of Representatives voted 81-27 to remove him from the House floor for not wearing a mask on May 20, 2020. Some GOP members voted for his removal. (Ted Schurter/The State Journal-Register )
The Illinois House voted Wednesday to remove Republican state Rep. Darren Bailey from the legislative session at the Bank of Springfield center Wednesday afternoon after he refused to wear a face covering as required in newly adopted House rules.
First day of legislature’s special pandemic session a mix of political drama and showmanship
Ramonita Masas, 66, looks out from a common balcony in her Chicago Housing Authority apartment building on the Near North Side, May 8, 2020. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)
A Tribune investigation found that residents at subsidized housing across Chicago have been told little, if anything, about COVID-19 cases where they live, even though they are generally older and in poorer health and therefore at higher risk.
Aerial views of the proposed site for the Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park in Chicago on May 13, 2020. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)
The Obama Presidential Center was originally slated to be completed in 2021, but after years of legal challenges, design changes and federal review, there’s still no date to even put a shovel in the ground.
One of those issues will come to a head on Thursday when a federal appeals court hears arguments in a lawsuit over the planned South Side site of the $500 million, four-building campus in Jackson Park.
The bar area at Three Floyds Brewing Co. & Brewpub, in Munster, Ind., in October 2013. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
Northwest Indiana’s legendary Three Floyds Brewing has shuttered its brewpub indefinitely due to safety concerns during the coronavirus pandemic. Even as Indiana allows businesses to reopen, brewery founder Nick Floyd said he chose to furlough staff at his Munster pub, which has become one of the nation’s quintessential brewpubs.


chicagotribune--2020-05-21--Column: If Donald Trump’s followers want to take hydroxychloroquine, who are we to stop them?

As soon as Donald Trump announced that he is taking hydroxychloroquine to ward off the coronavirus , it is likely @ @ @ @ @ America immediately began trying to figure out how they could get their hands on some @

Hydroxychloroquine sits on a shelf at Rock Canyon Pharmacy in Provo, Utah, on May 20, 2020. President Donald Trump announced May 18 he has been taking hydroxychloroquine for almost two weeks as a preventive measure against COVID-19. (George Frey/AFP/Getty Images/AFP via Getty Images)
As soon as Donald Trump announced that he is taking hydroxychloroquine to ward off the coronavirus, it is likely that somebody, somewhere in America immediately began trying to figure out how they could get their hands on some.
They clung to his every word as he spoke to reporters on Monday, convinced that their president is the smartest man on Earth and that he would never lead them down a dangerous path.
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“Many are taking it. I happen to be taking it,” Trump told reporters. “I think it’s good. I’ve heard a lot of good stories and if it’s not good, I’ll tell you right. You’re not going to get hurt by it.”
It didn’t matter to these people that medical experts and Trump’s own U.S. Food and Drug Administration have warned about the drug’s dangerous side effects, including serious heart problems. They dismissed studies showing that hydroxychloroquine doesn’t even work against COVID-19.
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They couldn’t care less that taking the drug might kill them. As far as they are concerned, what’s good enough for Trump is definitely good enough for them.
So some started scrolling through their phone contacts. Could anybody they know already have a prescription for the antimalarial drug? Did anyone have an extra packet of pills in their medicine cabinet that they might be willing to share?
Unsuccessful with that, they decided to call their doctor. Most doctors wouldn’t even consider approving such a ridiculous request. But maybe one person was lucky enough to have a doctor who, like Trump, decided, “What do you have to lose?”
The person who got a prescription went straight to the pharmacy. When they returned home, they took a tablet or two and maybe washed it down with a glass of Lysol. Then they waited for the miracle to happen.
I am no longer concerned about that person. If anyone wants to take hydroxychloroquine, who am I to say they shouldn’t?
I’m done trying to figure out how anyone could believe anything Trump says, much less take his medical advice. I’m tired of Trump’s followers and the flunkies in his administration making excuses for his dumb remarks and actions.
None of us should spend a moment worrying about what these grown people do. There are better ways to expend our emotional energy than on people who eagerly follow Trump, even if he leads them to their grave.
This is still America, right? Everyone has freedom of choice, and if they choose to legally obtain a drug that could end up hurting them, who are we to stop them?
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That job should be left to Fox News.
The television network was complicit for weeks in helping Trump promote the false narrative that hydroxychloroquine was a legitimate preventive measure against COVID-19. Only recently did the network stop the irresponsible promotion.
Shortly after Trump’s announcement Monday, anchor Neil Cavuto pleaded with his viewers, particularly those in high-risk groups, not to follow Trump’s lead.
“It will kill you,” Cavuto said. “I cannot stress enough. This will kill you.”
Good for Cavuto for standing up for what most people, including many of Trump’s die-hard followers, already know is true: Hydroxychloroquine is not a miracle cure for getting the economy on track in time for the November election.
Trump’s blatant promotion of a drug that violates the government’s own safety standards is an indication of his reckless disregard for the well-being of the American people and of his die-hard supporters, in particular.
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If the drug is taken by the masses within his base, that means there will be fewer of his supporters around to cast a ballot.
While it is questionable whether Trump even understands everything he says, or whether he is even telling the truth about having taken the drug for two weeks, he fully understands the power of his voice.
He knows that when he speaks, lots of people listen. Even when he suggested last month that ingesting disinfectant could treat the virus, poison control centers in several states noted a spike in reports of people drinking cleaning chemicals.
Trump’s motive for announcing that he is taking hydroxychloroquine isn’t clear. Maybe he thinks people who take the drug will feel safe enough to go back out and get the economy going again.
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Maybe it was a distraction from reports that the State Department inspector general he fired on Friday had been looking into whether the Trump administration tried by go behind Congress’ back and sell weapons to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Or maybe, he’s just a scared little man who took drastic measures to protect himself after learning that his personal valet had tested positive for the coronavirus two weeks ago.
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But most likely, it’s just another lie.
Anyone who has paid the slightest attention to the pandemic knows there is no medication that can fight this virus quickly and safely. The only way to protect yourself is to stay home like most mayors and governors have ordered and wear a mask when you absolutely have to go outside.
If there were a magic pill, everyone would be lining up to get it, regardless of how they feel about Trump.
dglanton@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @dahleeng


chicagotribune--2020-05-21--Residents say they are being kept in the dark about COVID-19 as nearly 90 deaths are recorded at low

Residents say they are being kept in the dark about COVID-19 as nearly 90 deaths are recorded at low-income housing in Chicago. ‘This is dangerous.'

At least three people have died from COVID-19 in the senior citizens’ high-rise where Laura Brownlee lives, including a close friend she visited often.
But the landlord has said nothing about them to residents, who are more vulnerable to the disease and might want to take extra precautions, like following the advice of city health experts and moving out of such housing when there’s a heightened risk.
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“These are senior suites up in here, seems like someone should be coming in and testing everybody," Brownlee said by phone. “I’m already afraid it’s all over. And I don’t wanna go out like that.”
Lutheran Social Services of Illinois, which runs Kingston Place on the South Side, would not comment on the three deaths reported there by the Cook County medical examiner’s office as of May 19. “In order to respect the privacy of the tenants of the building, we do not release information regarding deaths or those who choose to be tested and are confirmed positive.”
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A Tribune investigation found that residents at subsidized housing across Chicago have been told little, if anything, about COVID-19 cases where they live, even though they are generally older and in poorer health and therefore at higher risk.
Ramonita Masas, 66, looks out from a common balcony in her Chicago Housing Authority apartment building on the Near North Side on May 8, 2020. She said the pandemic has meant she hasn’t had a chance to talk to her neighbors or knock on their doors like she usually would. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)
So far, 89 people in low-income housing in the city have died from complications linked to the novel coronavirus. Half of them were older than 76, an analysis of data shows.
They include seniors in at least 19 buildings managed by the Chicago Housing Authority, and residents in 51 buildings where apartments are subsidized by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development or the city of Chicago.
About 70% of the people who died were black and had underlying conditions such as diabetes, kidney disease and hypertension.
The numbers parallel broader city data that shows black residents of Chicago are dying of COVID-19 complications at much higher rates than whites, while cases in communities that are largely Latino are surging past other areas. Of the nearly 13,600 people who live in CHA public housing, 73% are black and 12% are Latino.
Advocates say residents in public housing are often just as vulnerable as people in nursing homes, where the death rates have garnered more attention. Some residents told the Tribune that little information about potential exposure has trickled down to them. Others said they feel like they’ve been left to fend for themselves.
“You would think some of the community leaders would make sure we had groceries and masks and gloves or something,” said Luana Bell, 74, who lives in senior housing in the South Deering area on the Far South Side.
Bell walks to a nearby store to buy groceries or catches a ride with a friend. She worries about neighbors who aren’t as mobile, particularly those who use wheelchairs. “Nobody has done anything.”
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‘You need good transparency’
Last month, Chicago Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady acknowledged the increased risk of living in senior housing. She told an online forum that families should reconsider their loved ones’ living arrangements if they don’t require additional care.
“If there is the possibility to remove folks from these higher-risk settings, that’s a good thing," Arwady said. “We know that it’s not possible for the great majority of families.”
Both HUD and CHA need to do much more to protect those people, according to Rosanna Márquez, president of AARP Illinois.
HUD could require landlords to implement an emergency plan during the pandemic, including providing more information to residents about cases and possible exposure, she said.
Márquez, who has worked for HUD, said the agency has the authority to intervene because it provides funding. "HUD has the leverage to step in as a regulator,” she said.
HUD, in an email response, said the agency had contacted the owners of 123 out of 124 retirement buildings in Cook County. The agency found 47 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and at least nine fatalities at the buildings.
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The federal agency said it is allowing building owners to use operating funds to cover staff overtime, hire additional security and buy cleaning supplies during the pandemic. Tenants are still expected to pay rent, but landlords can’t file evictions for nonpayment during the health crisis.
HUD said it hadn’t received requests from any buildings in Cook County for more funding or gotten reports of evictions.
The CHA, in a statement last week, said it knows of 59 confirmed cases of COVID-19 among residents of its housing, based “largely” on self-reporting. It added that the agency “is not required to track or verify cases and, due to privacy issues, (does) not inquire about the health status of residents.”
After a confirmed case is reported, common areas are sanitized and the agency works with the Chicago Department of Public Health, according to the statement. The CHA also provides every resident with a surgical-style mask, and sends updates on public health guidelines and testing protocols.
But Márquez said the CHA should directly provide residents with information about cases and take measures to prevent exposure. “They have more of an affirmative duty to check on their residents,” she said.
Márquez said she supports an ordinance by Ald. Maria Hadden, 49th, that calls for nurses to conduct well-being checks at CHA housing, along with mandatory screening of visitors and more protective equipment to complexes.
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Advocates worry that if the ordinance doesn’t advance quickly, it may not be implemented until July as the city begins to reopen.
Contact tracing could stop the spread in low-income buildings, Márquez said, but agencies need to turn to state or city health departments to do it. And just like nursing homes, affordable buildings for seniors should provide timely information to residents and families about COVID-19 cases and outbreaks.
“You need good transparency,” Márquez said. “They need to have the best information about what’s going on so they can make the best informed decision to stay where they are, bring them home or move them elsewhere."
A spokeswoman for the city’s public health department said it has been working closely with congregate living facilities and requires buildings to report clusters, defined as two or more cases occurring within 14 days.
Across the nation, only a few states and cities have focused on curbing the novel coronavirus in public housing.
On Wednesday, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo expanded free testing at 40 public housing locations after saying earlier that such housing “is one of the greatest places of concentration and it’s one of the greatest places of health disparities in the first place.”
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Ramonita Masas, 66, in her CHA studio apartment on the Near North Side. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)
Ramonita Masas with a picture of herself at age 26 atop a dresser in her CHA apartment. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)
‘This is dangerous’
Carmen Betances, 68, lives at Elizabeth Woods Apartments, a CHA senior complex in Lincoln Park. In mid-March, as the pandemic spread rapidly, residents took it upon themselves to clean elevator buttons and common areas. She doesn't think her building’s management takes precautions seriously.
“Eventually people will have contact,” Betances said. “We’re gonna have a massive grave.”
Elena El-Alwan, 69, lives in the same building as Betances. She's nervous because she still sees people congregating in common areas.
“It’s very depressing because I don’t wanna get sick,” El-Alwan said. Her sister is in a nursing home and has been quarantined after another resident contracted the virus. “This is dangerous. … I don’t need people coming in and out of my building.”
Ramonita Masas, 66, a resident at a CHA building on the Near North Side, had surgery on her spine in early March, just before the stay-at-home order. She hopes she’ll be able to see a doctor in person by June. She’s in pain but she’s trying to manage it by herself at home.
“I don’t want to go to no doctor right now,” Masas said by phone. “In my condition, my sugar is going up high. If I go to a clinic or a hospital with all these things going around? I might be able to catch it, and I’m afraid of it.”
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creyes@chicagotribune.com
emalagon@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-05-21--Obama Presidential Center site remains quiet as appeals court prepares to hear arguments in lawsuit

Obama Presidential Center site remains quiet as appeals court prepares to hear arguments in lawsuit over use of Jackson Park

It is that location on park land that is at the heart of the legal fight .
The community group @ @ @ @ @ the suit that the city illegally handed over the 19.3-acre slice of Jackson Park to @ @ @ @ @ , among other issues , violated the public-trust doctrine governing use of public land for @ @ @ @ @ .

Supporters gather as a construction crew breaks ground on the Obama Presidential Center site at Jackson Park on Aug. 16, 2021. (Vashon Jordan Jr. / Chicago Tribune)
The Obama Presidential Center was originally slated to be completed in 2021, but after nearly four years of legal challenges, design changes and federal review, there’s still no date to even put a shovel in the ground.
One of those issues came to a head on Thursday, when a federal appeals court heard arguments in a lawsuit over the planned South Side site of the $500 million, four-building campus in Jackson Park.
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It is that location on parkland that is at the heart of the legal fight. The community group Protect Our Parks contend in the suit that the city illegally handed over the 19.3-acre slice of Jackson Park to the Obama Foundation, which, among other issues, violated the public-trust doctrine governing use of public land for the greater good of citizens.
In dismissing the suit last year, however, U.S. District Judge Robert Blakey ruled that the center would provide “a multitude of benefits to the public,” including “a range of cultural, artistic, and recreational opportunities” and increased access to other areas of Jackson Park and nearby Museum of Science and Industry.
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The arguments Thursday before a three-judge panel of the 7th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals — conducted by telephone conference due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis — centered on whether Blakey erred in ruling the center will serve a public function, instead of what the plaintiffs allege was a land and money grab by the city’s political elite.
“Throughout this entire process, the city’s primary, indeed sole, loyalty was to the former president personally and his foundation,” lawyers for Protect Our Parks wrote in its appellate brief, which noted that one of the center’s top cheerleaders, then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel, had served as Obama’s White House chief of staff.
During his 20-minute argument before the 7th Circuit, Richard Epstein, the lead attorney for Protect Our Parks, balked at the city’s insistence that only a small percentage of the roughly 500-acre park would be affected by the project.
Almost half of the park already is a lagoon or marshland, Epstein said. Factor in the destruction of trees and ripping up of roads that would come with the center’s construction, “and you’re essentially taking away 80 to 90%” of the park’s usable territory, Epstein said.
“What we have is land worth $200 million ... given away for $10,” Epstein said, citing the amount listed on the 99-year land-use deal inked by the City Council. “This is a massive transfer.”
The attorney representing the city, Benna Ruth Solomon, argued that the state legislature specifically addressed any legal concerns when it updated the Museum Act in 2016 to include presidential centers in the list of entities that could be built on park land.
Solomon also said the district court was correct in ruling that the deal entered into by the city with the Obama Foundation was not a lease, as characterized by the plaintiffs, but a “use agreement” that has a “very, very public purpose.”
“We’re not taking parkland and giving it a nonpark use,” Solomon said. “We’re taking parkland that used to be used simply as a park with grass and trees … and we will now have a park with other park purposes,” including the cultural benefits of a museum, she said.
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Among the questions posed by the three-judge panel, made up of Judge Amy Barrett, Judge Daniel Manion and Judge Michael Brennan, was whether the litigation even belonged in federal court.
At one point, Barrett interrupted Epstein’s argument and asked him to address why the lawsuit wasn’t brought in state court, where land-use disputes typically are settled.
“It seems like we’re sitting as a zoning board,” Barrett said.
A written ruling will come at a later date.
Herb Caplan, president and co-founder of Protect Our Parks, told the Chicago Tribune in an interview this week that he’s optimistic about their chances on appeal.
“We’re obviously being outspent and outpowered by both the city of Chicago and the University of Chicago and the Obama Foundation,” Caplan said. “But we believe in the rule of law. … I’m confident that the court will do the right thing."
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A spokesperson for the Obama Foundation said Wednesday the district court ruled decisively that the center will “offer considerable public benefits to the City of Chicago and the State of Illinois.”
"We appreciate the outpouring of support we’ve received for the (project) across Chicago and remain eager to deliver the benefits that will come from building a global destination on Chicago’s South Side,” the spokesperson said.
A spokeswoman for Mayor Lori Lightfoot said the city believes Blakey’s ruling was correct and looks "forward to the 7th Circuit’s decision.”
The Obama Presidential Center is expected to be a sprawling campus that will house the Obama Foundation offices and include spaces for large gatherings, an athletic center and a public library branch. In addition, the campus will have outdoor recreation areas including a sledding hill and walking paths.
Both the city and advocates have touted the project as a jobs creator that has the potential to transform parts of the struggling South Side by attracting tourists and possible investors to long-overlooked communities.
But after winning approval from City Council, the project has been mired in fits of stops and starts.
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In addition to the legal issues raised in the 2018 lawsuit by Protect Our Parks, the project has had to undergo a lengthy federal review because Jackson Park is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and the development involves closing and expanding major streets.
There have been public meetings as part of the review process, and a report examining how the development will impact the park was released in July 2019. But that was followed by months of public silence from planners and deadlines that came and went without any action.
The process is currently expected to be completed some time this year, when a final evaluation and memorandum of agreement are due, according to the city. The Obama Foundation has said it hopes to break ground once the review is complete.
While Protect Our Parks claims it’s fighting for the rights of the public, plenty of other activists are eager to see construction begin.
Erin Adams, president of the grassroots group South Side Neighbors for Hope, said this week that she considers the center a boon for the South Side. The whole experience has been a “roller coaster ride,” she said, year after year of delays that amount to a “treasure that’s just dangled in front of us and then flicked away.”
“I'm a little bit exasperated that it's gone this far,” Adams said. “The judge really bent over backwards to make sure that you know everything was listened to very carefully. … This has really been a waste of a lot of people's time and certainly resources for the city.”
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During recent ventures to Jackson Park with her 4-year-old son, Adams, who lives in nearby Jackson Park Highlands, said she noticed the existing running track area where the center is to rise was in slipshod condition, and that trash was strewn around a small hill where people picnic and grill.
Her concerns were echoed by Louise McCurry, president of the Jackson Park Advisory Council and a Jackson Park resident since 1969.
McCurry said she supports the Obama Presidential Center’s proposed location because she thinks the park has been dogged by accessibility issues as well as erosion from floods.
“South Side parks have always been the last ones to get funding for any improvements,” McCurry said. “People aren’t lined up to give us money.”
And of course, like almost all aspects of life, the coronavirus pandemic has reshaped how the public is thinking about parks and other gathering places.
Caplan said his hopes of winning the appeal have been buoyed by observations that Chicagoans have shown pent-up demand for public space since the COVID-19 outbreak began in March.
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Over the past two months, Lightfoot has had to shut down the city’s lakefront, The 606 trail and numerous public parks after admonishing throngs of walkers and joggers seen at those locations to stay home.
“Perversely, this whole thing with the coronavirus has increased attention on how valuable the public parks are,” Caplan said. “Suddenly people are realizing that there’s a need to have what has historically been described as open, clear and free public parks.”
Caplan now lives in Lakeview after two decades in Hyde Park, but to him preserving the Jackson Park he and others are fond of is worth the legal fight.
“I hate to say this, but while (Emanuel) was in office, he thought the lakefront public parks were just a great piece of land waiting to turn over to celebrities,” Caplan said. "... I figured somebody had to do something about it.”
For Adams, the pandemic has only strengthened her resolve to see the presidential center in her neighborhood. In a time of physical separation, Adams said she looks forward to the promise of a unifying force to uplift her community.
“People are scared, and people feel isolated,” Adams said. “The presidential center is this beacon of hope for the South Side.”
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McCurry, the Jackson Park Advisory Council president, has been pushing for a revitalization of the park for about 15 years. Now, she is eager for the Protect Our Parks lawsuit to get “closer to the end.”
“Patience is a virtue," she said, "and we’re very patient.”
jmeisner@chicagotribune.com
ayin@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-05-21--Coronavirus in Illinois updates: State surpasses 100,000 total COVID-19 cases; restaurant outdoor se

Coronavirus in Illinois updates: State surpasses 100,000 total COVID-19 cases; restaurant outdoor seating allowed in next phase of reopening plan

“ One of the things that business owners who are foaming at the mouth trying to get their businesses reopened @ @ @ @ @ can do that are asking for us , their representatives , to be their voice @ @ @ @ @ , a Republican from Bloomington , said .
“ And that ’ s simply understood @ @ @ @ @ you do that is to have input on plans , on the Restore Illinois plan.
@ @ @ @ @ Petrella

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Paca Kujtim of Arlington Heights self-administers a COVID-19 test in his car at the Arlington International Racecourse on March 31, 2021 in Arlington Heights. Kujtim was getting testing as a precaution for upcoming travel. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
Health officials on Wednesday announced 2,388 new known cases of the coronavirus. There were also 147 additional deaths confirmed, bringing the death toll to 4,525 since the pandemic began. Statewide, there have been 100,418 confirmed cases of COVID-19.
As lawmakers returned to Springfield on Wednesday, Republicans continued their offensive against Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s reopening plans even as the governor withdrew his emergency rule that allowed businesses violating his stay-at-home order to be charged with a misdemeanor.
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Sen. Bill Cunningham, D-Chicago, co-chairman of the legislature’s Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, said legislative leaders and the governor’s office have agreed to work on a bill this week that would address how to enforce Pritzker’s order.
[ COVID-19 cases in Illinois by ZIP code: Search for your neighborhood ]
[ How will Illinois reopen? Three charts breaking down Pritzker’s plan ]
[ As the coronavirus spreads, the Tribune is tracking Illinois cases here ]
Here’s what’s happening Wednesday with COVID-19 in the Chicago area and Illinois:
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9:23 p.m.: Chicago Police fine three churches for violating stay-at-home order; businessman Willie Wilson says he’ll pay
Following through with Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s promise to take action against churches that violate social distancing rules, the Chicago Police Department issued $500 fines to three separate houses of worship that held services over the weekend, city officials said.
Police cited Elim Romanian Pentecostal Church, Philadelphia Romanian Church of God and Metro Praise International for their services.
Police also acknowledged temporarily banning parking near churches “as a precaution to prevent planned large gatherings from taking place.” Read more here. —Gregory Pratt
8:26 p.m.: Court hearing Friday is latest round in battle over legality of Illinois stay-at-home order
A downstate court is expected to rule Friday on a request to invalidate the stay-at-home order in Illinois, part of a legal process that could determine the fate of measures meant to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
Clay County Judge Michael McHaney said he plans to resolve the case of Rep. Darren Bailey, a Republican, who challenged Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s executive order that closed most businesses and churches, and kept people at home with some exceptions.
McHaney previously ruled that Bailey was not bound by the order, but now Bailey ― who was removed from the General Assembly meeting Wednesday for refusing to wear a mask — is seeking to eliminate the governor’s order for all citizens of the state.
The legal battle is playing out even as Pritzker moves to relax some restrictions May 29 as part of a phased reopening plan. Read more here. — Robert McCoppin
7:30 p.m.: 530 Chicago police staffers stricken with COVID-19
Chicago Police confirm 530 of its approximately 13,000 members have tested positive for COVID-19, according to a statement from its media affairs department on Wednesday evening.
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Of the 530, 27 are civilian staffers and 503 are sworn members. All have had their diagnosis’ confirmed through the medical section of the department. – Rosemary Sobol
6:20 p.m.: Illinois restaurants and bars can go al fresco as soon as next Friday as Gov. J.B. Pritzker nods to reopening pressure
Illinois restaurants and bars will be allowed to reopen with limited outdoor seating as soon as next week, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced Wednesday amid mounting pressure from thousands of establishments that have suffered severe economic losses during the state’s two-month shutdown.
With all regions of the state on track to move to the next phase of Pritzker’s “Restore Illinois” reopening plan next Friday, bars and restaurants were at risk of being left behind.
The governor’s program had banned any dining-in or drinking at restaurants and bars until phase four, which would arrive no earlier than late June. The Illinois Restaurant Association wanted to bump that up to May 29, the likely start of phase three.
The al fresco dining option represents a slight softening of the plan for Pritzker as many neighboring states have moved much faster to allow restaurants to reopen. Read more here. — Bill Ruthhart, Louisa Chu and Nick Kindelsperger
5:59 p.m.: Family remembers 12-year-old boy who died from COVID-19. ‘Absolutely heartbroken, we are trying to stay strong’
Standing 6 feet apart and wearing face masks, Ernesto Guzman’s teachers bid him farewell with white roses Wednesday as his family drove past his elementary school on their way to the cemetery.
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Ernesto is the youngest person in Cook County to die from COVID-19. He was 12.
"Our hearts remain broken for Ernesto and his family. Acero Marquez teachers, scholars, staff and families continue to mourn with Ernesto’s family. We are thankful for the opportunity to be a part of Ernesto’s remembrance. His spirit fills us with love and only fuels our commitment to service. He is our light now,” an Acero Marquez Elementary School statement said.
Nearly 20 teachers and school staff members waited for the procession that briefly stopped in front of the school. As part of a symbolic goodbye, a funeral home worker placed a cross with white flowers by the sidewalk. Read more here. — Laura Rodríguez Presa
5:45 p.m: Good news for Illinois golfers: Phase 3 would allow foursomes, single-rider carts and 10 minutes between tee times
Gov. J.B. Pritzker has said all four regions of Illinois are on track to move to phase three of his reopening plan May 29, and that would bring significant changes to the state’s golf courses.
Pritzker spokeswomen Charity Greene confirmed that the following, all currently restricted, would be allowed:
Threesomes and foursomes.
Single-rider carts, with members of the same family allowed to share a ride.
Outdoor dining.
Forecaddies.
A 10-minute spread between tee times.
All of that would be a welcome change for golf course management businesses that have taken a financial hit because of Pritzker’s “strict safety guidelines,” which since May 1 have called for twosomes spread 15 minutes apart.
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Now there’s the potential to sell 24 green fees an hour, rather than eight. And cart revenue will increase because players will not have to prove they have a “physical limitation.”
Single-rider carts are considered safer than dual-rider ones because of social distancing.
Forecaddies service a group by finding stray shots, reading greens, raking bunkers and cleaning golf balls — though the latter figures to be discouraged if not banned. And as of now, in this time of “touchless” golf, bunkers don’t have rakes.
A spokeswoman for Mayor Lori Lightfoot did not immediately reply to a question regarding policies in Chicago. Courses such as Harborside International and Cook County Forest Preserve courses Indian Boundary, Billy Caldwell and Edgebrook were shuttered May 8 with no specific explanation.
Chicago Park District courses such as Jackson Park and Robert A. Black have remained closed all along, as has the Diversey Driving Range. Read more here. — Teddy Greenstein
4:19 p.m.: Struggling with severely reduced ridership, Metra offers a new $10 daily pass
Struggling with severely reduced ridership because of the coronavirus pandemic, Metra hopes to draw in more passengers with a $10 daily pass.
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Metra is encouraging riders to buy the pass using the Ventra app, so they can show their phones to rail conductors instead of handing them a ticket. Metra has in the past only offered daily pass bargains during special events, such as Lollapalooza. It already offers a $10 weekend pass.
Metra’s ridership has fallen by 97% compared to pre-pandemic levels due to commuters working from home, or losing their jobs. The system projects it will lose $535.5 million in ticket and sales tax revenues over the next two years.
“If you are ready to come back to Metra, we are ready for you,” Metra CEO/Executive Director Jim Derwinski said in a statement. Read more here. — Mary Wisniewski
4:00 p.m.: Republican state Rep. Darren Bailey removed from House session for refusing to wear a face covering
The Illinois House voted Wednesday to remove Republican state Rep. Darren Bailey from the legislative session a the Bank of Springfield center Wednesday afternoon after he refused to wear a face covering as required in newly adopted House rules.
In a bipartisan vote, the Illinois House adopted rules on Wednesday that include a requirement for members, staff members and visitors to the special session to wear a face-covering over their nose and mouth, if they are medically able to do so.
Bailey was asked to come into compliance with the requirement and replied, “I will not.” Democratic Rep. Emanuel “Chris” Welch made a motion to remove Bailey from the House proceedings.
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The House voted 81-27 in favor of Bailey’s removal.
Bailey, of downstate Xenia, has been an outspoken critic of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s stay-at-home order, which includes requirements for face coverings in many social settings. Read more here. — Jamie Munks
3:16 p.m.: When can Illinois reopen? Check our daily charts on where each region stands.
The plan to reopen Illinois — from restaurants and salons to open space to non-COVID-19 procedures at the hospital to concerts and festivals — depends on a host of metrics laid out by Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
The metrics focus on a rolling average of positive coronavirus cases and hospitalizations to keep track of the direction of the outbreak as well as availability of hospital beds and ventilators that would be needed to handle a possible surge. There are also benchmarks for testing and tracing positive tests.
A key element of the plan is that a region can move both forward and backward, where more parts of society can open and shut depending on the seriousness of the outbreak.
Here is a breakdown of where each region stands. —Chad Yoder, Nausheen Husain, Jennifer Smith Richards and Jonathon Berlin
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3:11 p.m.: Lightfoot says Chicago reopening ‘on the horizon,’ but warned against ignoring stay-at-home order
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said a gradual reopening of the city is “on the horizon” but could be jeopardized if residents stop abiding by the stay-at-home order.
With the weather warming, Lightfoot said she hopes the city doesn’t have a setback due to increased socializing.
“If we retreat from that and throw all caution to the wind, we’re going to see a setback and that means we’re going to delay a gradual reopening that I think is on the horizon,” Lightfoot said.
Lightfoot also said the city is looking to identify a range of businesses that can reopen safely. The city’s coronavirus recovery task force is also looking at specific guidelines “focused on protecting employees and protecting patrons,” Lightfoot said.
Lightfoot didn’t directly say whether the city will be ready to move to phase three on May 29, as Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has hinted. Read more here. —Gregory Pratt
2:58 p.m.: Outdoor seating at bars, restaurants to be allowed in next phase of state’s reopening plan
Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Wednesday announced he would allow bars and restaurants to open for outdoor seating on May 29 when the state is expected to enter its next phase for reopening businesses.
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Pritzker’s gradual reopening plan previously did not allow bars and restaurants to open to dine-in service until phase four, which regions of the state would not hit until late June. However, the governor announced he’s reconsidered that stance after consulting with individuals in the bar and restaurant industry and will allow those establishments to hold outdoor dining only in phase three, which all regions of the state are expected to meet next week.
“We have to put public health first, and that means the safety of consumers and employees alike, but the epidemiologists now believe that summer offers us an opportunity,” Pritzker said. “Today, I’m announcing an additional option for bars and restaurants interested in resuming operations early, opening for outdoor seating when phase three begins likely for everyone just nine days from now.”
Pritzker also announced that in phase three camping and boating in groups of 10 or less would be allowed as well as at indoor and outdoor tennis centers. The governor also said concession stands would be allowed to reopen under state guidelines and that foursomes once again would be allowed at golf courses and golf carts would be permitted with a limit of one golfer per cart. —Bill Ruthhart
2:36 p.m.: Illinois passes 100,000 total COVID-19 cases
As the state topped the grim milestone of 100,000 COVID-19 cases, Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike reported “good news” on hospitalizations.
“We are seeing a decrease in the numbers of people hospitalized in the numbers of people in the (intensive care unit) and the numbers of individuals on a ventilator associated with COVID-19,” Ezike reported during Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s daily press briefing.
As of Tuesday night, the state reported 3,914 individuals hospitalized with coronavirus, with 1,005 of those individuals in intensive care and 554 of them on a ventilator. Ezike said it was “the lowest number since we were capturing these numbers that we have for COVID patients in the hospital.”
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State health officials announced 2,388 new known cases of the coronavirus on Wednesday and 147 additional deaths confirmed, bringing the death toll to 4,525 since the pandemic began. Statewide, there have been 100,418 confirmed cases of COVID-19. —Bill Ruthhart
1:52 p.m.: Pritzker pulls back on rule that threatened a misdemeanor for businesses that reopen in violation of his order
As lawmakers returned to Springfield on Wednesday, Republicans continued their offensive against Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s reopening plans even as the governor withdrew his emergency rule that allowed businesses violating his stay-at-home order to be charged with a misdemeanor.
Sen. Bill Cunningham, D-Chicago, co-chairman of the legislature’s Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, said legislative leaders and the governor’s office have agreed to work on a bill this week that would address how to enforce Pritzker’s order. Read more here. —Jamie Munks and Dan Petrella
12:18 p.m.: Protesters chant ‘Open Illinois’ outside Springfield convention center where state House will meet
Protesters gathered outside the Bank of Springfield Center Wednesday chanting “Open Illinois,” waving Trump 2020 flags and holding signs that read “Pritzker the real virus,” “Don’t let the mask become a muzzle” and “J.B get your foot off my throat.”
Few of the 150 or so demonstrators wore masks, a requirement of a modified statewide stay-at-home order that took effect May 1 for people who aren’t able to maintain six feet of distance from others in public.
The state House is set to meet at 1 p.m. in the downtown convention center, an accommodation for social distancing because of the coronavirus pandemic.
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The gathering was smaller than some previous Springfield protests on weekends that brought hundreds of protesters out to the Capitol steps and lawn.
The protesters cheered and chanted “Thank you” when Republican state Rep. Darren Bailey of Xenia walked through the crowd to enter the convention center through the public access point. Bailey has said he would not wear a mask for session, and he entered the building not wearing one.
Bailey has filed one of several lawsuits over Pritzker’s stay-at-home order. —Jamie Munks
10:53 a.m.: Republicans take aim at Pritzker’s reopening plan as legislators set to reconvene in Springfield
As lawmakers return to session in Springfield on Wednesday, Republicans continued their offensive against Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s reopening plans and an emergency rule that allows businesses violating his stay-at-home order to be charged with a misdemeanor.
House and Senate Republicans issued a joint statement Wednesday contending the measure will “criminalize individuals trying to protect their livelihoods and support their families,” the Republicans said, calling it “a vast government overreach at a time when business owners are doing everything they can to stay afloat.”
“We believe these emergency rules are also in direct contradiction to the governor’s own ‘Restore Illinois’ plan by potentially keeping businesses deemed as non-essential closed for up to an additional five months,” the statement says. “We should not punish those who are the backbone of our state’s economy for trying to survive.”
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The GOP called on the legislature’s bipartisan Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, scheduled to meet Wednesday morning, to block Pritzker’s emergency rule. The would take votes from eight members of the 12-member panel, made up of an equal number of Democrats and Republicans from the House and Senate.
Four House Republicans held a Zoom news conference Wednesday morning calling for a vote on Pritzker’s phased-in plan to reopen the state, all the while acknowledging that they don’t expect such a vote to be called in the Democratic-controlled General Assembly during this week’s three-day special session.
“I don’t think that the Democrats will agree with us on this, I think that’s the whole point is the fact that the governor has enacted this massive government program, really, under Restore Illinois without any input from the legislature,” said Rep. Tim Butler, a Springfield Republican.
Republican lawmakers have criticized Pritzker’s five-phase reopening plan as too strict, and have called extensions of his statewide stay-at-home order and the emergency rule for businesses that flout his restrictions “overreach.”
Pritzker’s reopening plan divides the state into four regions, a continued stay-at-home order with modified restrictions that took effect May 1. All four regions are currently on track to advance to the third phase of reopening on May 29.
Pritzker has repeatedly deflected criticism of the reopening plan, including calls for him to amend it to divide the state into more than four regions, and has said he has acted within the powers given to the governor under the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act.
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“One of the things that business owners who are foaming at the mouth trying to get their businesses reopened in a safe manner and can do that are asking for us, their representatives, to be their voice,” Rep. Dan Brady, a Republican from Bloomington, said. “And that’s simply understood. One of the ways you do that is to have input on plans, on the Restore Illinois plan.” —Jamie Munks and Dan Petrella
10:52 a.m.: Lightfoot introduces new tenant eviction rules, advocates say they don’t do enough to protect Chicago renters
Mayor Lori Lightfoot is moving ahead with an ordinance to require more notice and in some cases payments to renters from landlords who are evicting them, despite some progressive aldermen saying the measure doesn’t go nearly as far as the tenant protections housing advocates have been trying to negotiate with the administration.
The package Lightfoot introduced to the City Council Wednesday increases to 90 days from 30 days the amount of heads-up landlords would have to give renters before evicting them.
And it requires owners of buildings bigger than six units who are removing tenants in order “to substantially rehabilitate or demolish such dwelling unit” to make a one-time $2,500 payment to tenants they evict.
Lightfoot brought forward her plan after months of talks with tenants’ groups and their aldermanic allies failed to produce a compromise plan the two sides deemed workable.
Northwest Side Ald. Daniel La Spata, 1st, said housing advocates were pressing for much stronger pro-tenant rules, including $10,600 payments to those evicted for a considerably broader range of reasons than the ones covered in the mayor’s proposal.
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La Spata noted the “Just Cause” ordinance backed by tenants’ rights groups would have required the landlords to pay tenants before evicting them, while Lightfoot’s allows the payment to be made a week later.
“That defeats the purpose of the payment,” La Spata said. “Tenants need that money to help them find new homes, not after they’ve already relocated.”
And he said the Lightfoot plan relies far too much on landlords self-reporting their reasons for evicting people.
“The mayor is basically proposing new rules on notice, and that’s not what we need right now in Chicago to protect tenants,” La Spata added. Read more here. —John Byrne and Gregory Pratt
10:16 a.m.: Ford temporarily closed its Chicago Assembly Plant after two employees contracted the coronavirus a day after reopening
A day after resuming operations at Ford’s Chicago Assembly Plant on the city’s Southeast Side, the U.S. automaker temporarily closed its facility Tuesday for disinfection because two employees tested positive for COVID-19.
The Torrence Avenue plant, which makes the new 2020 Ford Explorer, Lincoln Aviator and Police Interceptor SUVs, is open again with two shifts, Ford spokeswoman Kelli Felker said Wednesday.
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The Dearborn, Michigan-based automaker said it notified workers known to have been in close contact with the infected individuals and asked them to self-quarantine for 14 days.
“It is important to note that due to incubation time, we know these employees did not contract COVID-19 while at work. Our protocols are in place to help stop the spread of the virus,” Felker said in a statement. Read more here. —Abdel Jimenez
8:20 a.m.: Oprah Winfrey provides $5 million to start COVID-19 relief network in ‘home city’ of Chicago
Calling Chicago one of her “home cities,” Oprah Winfrey Wednesday launched a major relief effort aimed at fighting food insecurity and providing medical aid in African American and Latinx communities that face increased risk of severe COVID-19 consequences.
The $5 million donation starts Live Healthy Chicago, a consortium of food, religious, medical and other community organizations. It is part of a larger, $12 million relief effort from the Oprah Winfrey Charitable Foundation, she said, aimed at helping the places where she lived on her way to fame and fortune.
“I wanted to not try to serve the world but go back to the places that have given to me,” she said. In addition to Chicago, the cities where organizations are receiving grants are Nashville and Baltimore, where she had early broadcast jobs, and Milwaukee and Kosciusko, Miss., where she grew up.
“If this had been the pandemic when I was a kid, what would have happened to me? I would have gone hungry,” she said, becoming emotional on the Zoom call from her home in Santa Barbara, Calif., where she moved after ending her eponymous talk show made in Chicago in 2011, following 25 years in national syndication.
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“My mother wouldn’t have been able to get on that bus to go to the suburbs to clean white people’s houses, and I would have gone hungry. So I am trying to do for those kids who would have been me... what I would have wanted somebody to step up and do.” Read more here. —Steve Johnson and Darcel Rockett
8:16 a.m.: Three Floyds closes legendary brewpub indefinitely due to coronavirus, even as Indiana moves to reopen businesses
Northwest Indiana’s legendary Three Floyds Brewing has shuttered its brewpub indefinitely due to safety concerns during the coronavirus pandemic, brewery founder Nick Floyd said late Tuesday.
Even as Indiana allows businesses to reopen, Floyd said he chose to furlough staff at his Munster pub, which has become one of the nation’s quintessential brewpubs.
“I can’t put people in danger; no one should die over a beer," Floyd said by text message. "I would die for beer and probably will, but I’m not going to make people endanger themselves.”
He is concerned for both customers and staff, he said. Read more here. —Josh Noel
8:13 a.m.: How the falsehood-filled ‘Plandemic’ movie spread widely online on YouTube, Facebook
There have been plenty of jaw-dropping digital moments during the coronavirus pandemic.
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There was the time this month when Taylor Swift announced she would air her “City of Lover” concert on television. The time that the cast of “The Office” reunited for an 18-minute-long Zoom wedding. And the time last month that the Pentagon posted three videos that showed unexplained “aerial phenomena.”
Yet none of those went as viral as a 26-minute video called “Plandemic,” a slickly produced narration that wrongly claimed a shadowy cabal of elites was using the virus and a potential vaccine to profit and gain power. The video featured a discredited scientist, Judy Mikovits, who said her research about the harm from vaccines had been buried.
“Plandemic” went online May 4 when its maker, Mikki Willis, a little-known film producer, posted it to Facebook, YouTube, Vimeo and a separate website set up to share the video. For three days, it gathered steam in Facebook pages dedicated to conspiracy theories and the anti-vaccine movement, most of which linked to the video hosted on YouTube. Then it tipped into the mainstream and exploded.
Just over a week after “Plandemic” was released, it had been viewed more than 8 million times on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and had generated countless other posts. Read more here. —The New York Times
7:47 a.m.: Chicago Teachers Union sues Trump administration and CPS over special education
The Chicago Teachers Union is unhappy with how U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos and Chicago Public Schools are handling special education during the coronavirus crisis.
And now Trump’s education chief and CPS are the targets of a federal lawsuit by CTU that seeks an emergency halt to federal and local policies that they say are creating an “impossible burden” on special education teachers and families in CPS.
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Specifically, the union is taking aim at what they say is a directive from CPS to rewrite about 70,000 individual lesson plans for special education students before the school year ends on June 18. Read more here. —Diana Wallace
7:02 a.m.: Fifth CTA employee dies from COVID-19, agency announces
The CTA has confirmed the death of a fifth employee from COVID-19.
The bus driver, whose name, age and sex were not released, was a bus operator who started working for the Chicago Transit Authority in 2012, according to a statement from the CTA.
“It is with great sadness that CTA announces the passing of a fifth member of the CTA family from COVID-19,” according to the emailed statement, which did not say when the driver died.
The agency announced its first employee death from the coronavirus on April 11. In less than six weeks, four other employees would die as a result of COVID-19, including the worker who died most recently.
“The entire CTA family extends its heartfelt sympathies to the family, friends, loved ones and colleagues of this dedicated bus operator,” the statement quotes CTA President Dorval R. Carter Jr. as saying. “We will collectively remember and honor this employee’s service and commitment to Chicagoans and our city.”
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It wasn’t immediately clear how many of the CTA’s some 11,000 staffers have contracted the virus. By April 19, that number was less than 100, according to the CTA. —Katherine Rosenberg-Douglas
6 a.m.: Illinois General Assembly returns to Springfield as pandemic drives partisan politics and rocks budget plans
The Illinois General Assembly returns to Springfield on Wednesday for the first time in nearly 11 weeks, meeting in a special session that figures to be driven by pandemic-heightened divides between Democrats and Republicans, and urban and rural splits over how to move the state forward in the new world of the coronavirus.
Lawmakers are scheduled to meet for just three days to try to put together a spending plan for the budget year that begins July 1. And they also will have on their plates a coronavirus response package that covers employment, education, health care and the courts, an enhanced vote-by-mail program for November, and a program to provide funding for safety-net hospitals that care for the poor.
But the pandemic has created plenty of unknowns, not the least of which is how far work on a budget can progress without a clear picture of how much relief will be coming from Washington to counter plummeting tax receipts — even as demands for dealing with the state’s most vulnerable residents grows.
The reconvening of the legislature also holds the potential for creating a forum for Republicans eager to challenge Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s stay-at-home orders and plans to reopen Illinois’ economy.
The first item up for consideration in the newly reconvened House provides potential for partisan pandemic pandemonium.
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With a few Downstate Republican lawmakers declaring they will not wear face masks — as recommended by Illinois Department of Public Health guidelines — to show their defiance to Pritzker’s orders, Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan is proposing a change to the chamber’s rules to require masks, daily temperature checks and physical distancing.
“After the motion passes, any member in violation of this rule change will face discipline, including potentially being removed from the chamber by a vote of the House,” Madigan said in a statement. Read more here. —Rick Pearson, Jamie Munks, Dan Petrella
6 a.m.: As pandemic upends 2020 census, group turns to StreetWise vendors to reach undercounted community
StreetWise magazine vendors are shifting to census outreach work among the homeless in Chicago. They will be paid by the YWCA Metropolitan Chicago, which is among organizations getting state money to communities that risk being undercounted.
Census organizers are hoping workers can help them overcome challenges presented by the pandemic.
Many of the StreetWise vendors live in SROs, are homeless or frequent social services where they come across others they can talk to about the census, according to Julie Youngquist, executive director of StreetWise.
“Those are communities and areas that they are accessing anyways as part of their daily existence,” she said.
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The COVID-19 outbreak and stay-at-home orders caused the U.S. Census Bureau to push back its timeline for the decennial count. The agency had planned to finish collecting data on the country’s population by July 31, but that date has been pushed back to Oct. 31.
The agency was going to work with local service organizations to count the homeless during a three-day operation in late March. It’s now uncertain when that will happen in Chicago. Read more here. —Elvia Malagón
Breaking coronavirus news Stay up to date with the latest information on coronavirus with our breaking news alerts.
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chicagotribune--2020-05-21--Court hearing Friday is latest round in battle over legality of Illinois stay-at-home order

State Rep. Darren Bailey, left, talks to a protester calling for the government to reopen Illinois on May 20, 2020, after being removed from the General Assembly meeting Wednesday for refusing to wear a mask. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)
A downstate court is expected to rule Friday on a request to invalidate the stay-at-home order in Illinois, part of a legal process that could determine the fate of measures meant to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
Clay County Judge Michael McHaney said he plans to resolve the case of Rep. Darren Bailey, a Republican, who challenged Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s executive order that closed most businesses and churches, and kept people at home with some exceptions.
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McHaney previously ruled that Bailey was not bound by the order, but now Bailey ― who was removed from the General Assembly meeting Wednesday for refusing to wear a mask — is seeking to eliminate the governor’s order for all citizens of the state.
The legal battle is playing out even as Pritzker moves to relax some restrictions May 29 as part of a phased reopening plan.
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Gov. J.B. Pritzker speaks during his daily coronavirus pandemic briefing at the Illinois State Capitol on May 20, 2020, in Springfield. (Erin Hooley/Chicago Tribune)
A recent legal opinion from the Illinois state’s attorney appellate prosecutor’s office and a 2001 opinion from a previous Illinois attorney general both raised questions about the legality of governors’ orders. They have been cited by opponents of the order, including sheriffs and prosecutors who say they won’t enforce the directive.
But a federal court has ruled against the prior attorney general opinion and rejected two churches’ attempt to reopen as “selfish.” And the current attorney general’s office argues that well-established precedent allows the order as a way to protect the health of the public during an emergency.
Ultimately, as in Wisconsin, the state Supreme Court may decide the issue. Top Republican lawmakers there challenged the stay-at-home order of Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, arguing that he could not extend his order indefinitely without legislative approval.
A 4-3 majority of conservative justices ruled last week that the state’s health director overstepped authority by ordering people to stay in their homes, forbidding travel and closing businesses. Despite calls to maintain social distancing, people filled some bars elbow to elbow within hours.
Local orders remained in place in some counties, such as in Milwaukee and Madison, reflecting a blue/red split with more support for the restrictions in urban areas where the disease is most common and more opposition in rural areas.
Illinois has a majority of Democratic justices on its top court, which legal scholars concede might be more inclined to agree with a Democratic governor. The decision may turn on arguments citing two legal opinions by state lawyers.
Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 13 Jack Montemagni, 88, laughs with a fellow bar patron after the two shared a hug at Papa's Blue Spruce Resort pub, May 14, 2020 in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)
One opinion was written by David Robinson, chief deputy director for the Illinois appellate prosecutor. In a memo he wrote in April to guide prosecutors, he concluded that stay-at-home recommendations and social distancing should be practiced, but that he was “less than confident” a court would uphold the order.
“From a strict enforcement standpoint,” he wrote, “although well-intentioned on an emergency basis, the EO is very broad and does appear to meet strict scrutiny …” He added that the order appeared to be beyond the 30-day limit of the state Emergency Management Agency Act.
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An advisory opinion by former Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan’s office in 2001 also found that the statute restricted emergency orders to 30 days.
But Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s office argued that those opinions carry no legal weight and are contradicted by court rulings.
The attorney general’s filing in the Bailey case cited multiple federal court rulings and a Cook County court ruling, both this year, that found that though the governor’s emergency order is limited to 30 days, he may reissue the order repeatedly as long as the emergency exists.
It also cited precedent for repeated emergency declaration by prior governors for flooding and other issues, which the General Assembly took no action to block. During a pandemic, the attorney general’s office argued, only government actions that are “arbitrary” or “unreasonable” are unconstitutional.
It seems pretty clear under the law that the governor has the power to renew his order after 30 days, in the view of Steven Schwinn, professor of law at the University of Illinois at Chicago John Marshall Law School.
For claims that the order interferes with individual rights, such as the right to freedom of religion, Schwinn said the courts will weigh whether the order matches the needs of the emergency. The fact that the order has a foreseeable end May 30 with a phased reopening may operate in Pritzker’s favor.
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Judges may also find a middle ground, for instance, allowing churches to reopen while taking precautions such as making worshippers wear masks and stay separated.
“By and large,” Schwinn said, “the courts will tolerate a mild intrusion on rights in the name of the greater good.”
It remains early in the legal process, and appellate courts will ultimately decide such cases, said Jason Mazzone, professor of law at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
They will likely delay any lower court rulings that invalidate the law and will be “very reluctant” to significantly disrupt the order.
“Most lawsuits, particularly those making a wholesale attack on public health measures, are going to fail,” Mazzone wrote in an email. “The lawsuits that do ultimately succeed will likely involve plaintiffs presenting exceptional circumstances and asking for a narrow and individualized exemption from the rules.”
If the judge rules in Bailey’s favor, his attorney Tom DeVore said, it could invalidate the stay-at-home order statewide. That’s what happened Monday in Oregon when a circuit judge ended that state’s stay-at-home order, but the Oregon Supreme Court kept the coronavirus restrictions intact while it considers the issue.
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The attorney general’s office would not comment about the potential impact of the ruling Friday, but spokesperson Annie Thompson said, “We will continue to defend the governor’s statutory and constitutional authority to protect the health and safety of Illinois residents, and we are evaluating our options.”


chicagotribune--2020-05-22--Preckwinkle ‘profoundly disappointed’ after Cook County Board OKs sharing COVID-19-positive addresse

Preckwinkle ‘profoundly disappointed’ after Cook County Board OKs sharing COVID-19-positive addresses with first responders

“ We all know from the incident that happened in Georgia that you can be hunted down by two racists @ @ @ @ @ murdered , and no one does anything for two months , ” Britton said .
@ @ @ @ @ that there ’ s never a risk of overreach by the government or failure to @ @ @ @ @ .
But I can tell you because of the limits of this resolution , that @ @ @ @ @ here .
”

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle leaves the podium after she answers questions from media members submitted via text, email and phone following a virtual address at the City Club of Chicago about Cook County's response to the COVID-19 crisis. (Jose M. Osorio/Chicago Tribune)
Cook County Board members narrowly approved a resolution Thursday to share addresses of COVID-19 patients with first responders, following an emotional debate about the measure’s intention to safeguard front-line workers versus fears it would violate individuals’ privacy and civil rights.
Commissioners voted 9-7 with one member abstaining from the resolution, which would direct the Cook County Department of Public Health to disclose locations of those testing positive for the coronavirus with 911 dispatchers in suburban Cook County every day for two months.
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While the measure by Commissioner Scott Britton, D-Glenview, is only a recommendation, department of public health spokesman Kim Junius said the Cook County Department of Public Health will follow the address-sharing practice because of the board’s instructions. That’s in spite of public health co-administrator Rachel Rubin’s warning before the vote that the practice was inadequate and dangerous for both citizens and first responders.
County Board President Toni Preckwinkle agreed with Rubin, saying it’s guaranteed the address-sharing plan would contribute to the systemic racism that black and Latino communities suffer.
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“I'm profoundly disappointed,” Preckwinkle said after the measure passed.
Earlier in the meeting, Preckwinkle warned, “I don't see how anyone who understands the endemic nature of racism in this country, and the discrimination that black and brown people have experienced, will assume that this resolution is somehow going to be immune from that discrimination.”
While commissioners in favor of the resolution acknowledged the long-standing mistrust between black and brown communities and law enforcement, they said the dearth of personal protective equipment has backed them into a wall when it comes to thinking up solutions to protect first responders.
Britton invoked the killing of Ahmaud Arbery, the black jogger who was shot to death by two white men in Georgia, as a nod to his understanding of the racism that people of color face every day. But he said the limits of the resolution, which expires in 60 days and only shares addresses, not names, will ensure there will be no government overreach.
“We all know from the incident that happened in Georgia that you can be hunted down by two racists in a pickup truck and murdered, and no one does anything for two months,” Britton said. “Can I tell you that there’s never a risk of overreach by the government or failure to act? Of course not. But I can tell you because of the limits of this resolution, that is not going to happen here.”
Britton held up a picture of a Niles Fire Department responder during his comment to highlight the extent of PPE required to respond to a place exposed to the new coronavirus. A man stood with gloves, a full-face shield and a silver body gown covering his entire body. Much of the PPE is not recyclable, Britton said.
“All I'm trying to do is to try to give a little more information to those first responders, the people who enter the burning buildings, the people who respond to the active shooters, to give them some more information so they can protect themselves a little bit more,” Britton said.
But Rubin said the resolution could backfire, as there are scores of residents who may have not sought testing because they are asymptomatic. Every individual that law enforcement comes into contact with should be treated as a COVID-19-positive case, Rubin said. Her position was supported by the Illinois Department of Public Health.
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“This is not good public health practice,” Rubin said. “Pushing out addresses to first responders does not help to maintain the safety of the first responders or of the individuals that they're trying to respond to for aid.”
The measure comes after a legal challenge to instate address-sharing was shot down. Earlier this month, a northwest suburban 911 dispatch system failed in its bid to force Cook County to share addresses of coronavirus patients on Friday after a judge denied its temporary restraining order, sharing similar concerns as Preckwinkle and Rubin. But the judge did grant the village of Lincolnwood’s motion to intervene and set another hearing for early June.
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul had advised that address-sharing is permissible due to a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) exception, but he did not go so far as to recommend the practice.
Much of the Thursday board meeting’s public comment section was centered around Britton’s resolution, with suburban villages, police departments and fire departments urging the need for address-sharing amid PPE shortages, and dozens of individuals and civil rights groups, including the Illinois chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, saying it would lead to harm.
“Police Officers respond to assignments ‘on the fly’, and based upon the nature of the assignment, often times DO NOT have adequate time to don PPE before entering a scene,” Des Plaines police Chief William Kushner wrote. “Unnecessary delays (to don PPE) can mean the difference between life and death for innocent victims, and the officers themselves. Withholding address information of COVID-19 positive persons from first responders borders on criminal negligence.”
Chris Wade, a Peoria resident, implored the board to vote “no” out of fear it would worsen existing racial disparities amid the pandemic. In Chicago, black and Latino residents are disproportionately dying from the coronavirus.
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“I am a black male living in society today who knows first hand about disease policing and criminalization,” Wade wrote. “We have seen the deadly effects of first responders acting out of fear — especially in Black communities. Passing this Resolution invites a new metric of fear and will augment the harm that Black and Latinx communities experience.”
Preckwinkle and commissioners also took the opportunity to censure President Donald Trump’s administration for what they described as a failure to deliver enough PPE for first responders that they said led them to the controversial address-sharing proposal.
“Until the federal government sends proper protective equipment and stops standing in the way of progress, we are at a wit’s end with our hands being tied with being able to provide the protection to first-line workers,” Commissioner Stanley Moore, D-Chicago, said.
Commissioners Frank Aguilar, Alma Anaya, Dennis Deer, Bridget Degnen, Bridget Gainer, Brandon Johnson and Kevin Morrison voted against the COVID-19 address-sharing resolution, while commissioner Bill Lowry voted present.
ayin@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-05-22--Obama Presidential Center site remains quiet as appeals court hears arguments in lawsuit over use of

Obama Presidential Center site remains quiet as appeals court hears arguments in lawsuit over use of Jackson Park

It is that location on parkland that is at the heart of the legal fight .
The community group Protect @ @ @ @ @ suit that the city illegally handed over the 19.3-acre slice of Jackson Park to the @ @ @ @ @ among other issues , violated the public-trust doctrine governing use of public land for the @ @ @ @ @


chicagotribune--2020-05-22--Uptown man accused of smothering wife who had bad trip on magic mushrooms

But authorities and the judge hearing the details of the case during a bail hearing Thursday were troubled by a @ @ @ @ @ that Brian D. Rosin — who they said had also ingested a psychotropic drug — @ @ @ @ @ Isabel ’ s phone during the April 28 incident inside their apartment in the 1200 @ @ @ @ @ .

Attorneys for an Uptown neighborhood man accused of smothering his wife with a pillow argued the man was merely trying to restrain an emotionally disturbed woman in the throes of a violent trip on so-called magic mushrooms mixed with antidepressant medication.
But authorities and the judge hearing the details of the case during a bail hearing Thursday were troubled by a series of emotional text messages that Brian D. Rosin — who they said had also ingested a psychotropic drug — allegedly sent to his wife Isabel’s phone during the April 28 incident inside their apartment in the 1200 block of West Carmen Avenue.
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In the roughly one-hour span of texts Rosin sent to his wife, prosecutors said he expressed anger for her insistence on taking the drugs. “I hope you’re happy,” he texted his wife. His last text to his wife was, “I am sorry.”
Rosin, 34, is charged with first-degree murder in his wife’s death, which the Cook County medical examiner’s office ruled as a homicide from smothering and asphyxia.
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Brian D. Rosin, 35, is charged with first-degree murder. (Chicago police / HANDOUT)
Circuit Judge Arthur Wesley Willis set bail at $100,000 for Rosin and ordered him to go on electronic monitoring if released.
During the hearing at the Leighton Criminal Court Building broadcast on YouTube, prosecutors said the incident began with the married couple of three years ingesting the drugs inside their home sometime before 2:45 p.m.
Isabel Rosin, 26, who had previously been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, according to prosecutors, quickly became violent and at one point shoved her husband into a living room table, injuring his back.
As the incident worsened, Rosin began sending texts to his wife’s phone that prosecutors said narrated the events of their struggle and her physical attacks on him.
“The defendant describes the victim’s changing mood from being violent, screaming, laughing, singing … and crying hysterically,” said Assistant State’s Attorney James Murphy. During the episode, Rosin had at least twice tried to physically restrain his wife, including wrapping his legs around hers to keep her from stripping out of her clothing, authorities said.
Prosecutors claimed that Rosin became upset that his wife’s screaming would convince neighbors that he was physically abusing her. He became angrier as her screams continued, prompting Rosin to put a second pillow on her face until she stopped breathing, Murphy said.
Rosin called 911 and she was rushed to an area hospital but never regained consciousness, dying the next day. A toxicology test found no illicit substances, but tests looking for psychoactive drugs are pending, authorities said.
Rosin’s attorney, Mark Kusatzky, argued that the evidence suggested a “sudden intense tragedy” rather than murder and that the couple did not have a history of violence and had a loving relationship.
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Isabel Rosin, Kusatzky said, suffered from schizoaffective disorder as well as bipolar disorder and her death was the result of her husband being forced to try and restrain his violently “out of control” wife, he said.
“This is a tragedy that I think from the proffer of the state at this point does not show a lot of intent to do harm, or needed for the act of murder.” Isabel Rosin financially supported her husband who had studied to become a phlebotomist, according to Kuzatzky.
The judge agreed that the details of the case suggested an accident and cited Rosin’s lack of a criminal background in issuing bail.
Rosin is scheduled to return to court June 10.