chicagotribune--2020-05-05--Parolee released from Cook County Jail after switching paperwork with another inmate

After being arrested and read his rights , Henderson told investigators that he met the man on the way to @ @ @ @ @ the man said he needed to get out of jail and promised him $ 1,000 @ @ @ @ @ a favor , ” Murphy said .
The parolee would be released on Henderson ’ @ @ @ @ @ paid the money at a later meeting .

Authorities are searching for Jahquez Scott, left, who was assisted in his escape from the Cook County Jail by Quintin Henderson, right. Henderson was charged with aiding and betting an escape, a class 2 felony. (Cook County Sheriff's Office)
Having received a personal recognizance I-bond for a felony drug charge from a judge on Saturday, Quintin Henderson was set to head home that evening — that is, until a fellow defendant posed a proposition, according to Cook County prosecutors.
The other man, 21-year-old parolee Jahquez Scott, was facing jail, having just been ordered held for a gun case and for violating bail bond on a pending drug case. Henderson would later tell authorities that the man offered him $1,000 if he allowed the man to use his identity to leave jail, authorities told a judge Tuesday during a bail hearing at the Leighton Criminal Court Building that was broadcast on YouTube.
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An arrest warrant was issued Monday for Scott, charging him with obstructing identification.
The same day, a message apparently was posted on Scott’s Facebook page: “Don’t Let NOBODY Know How You About To Come, Just Come With EXTRA Pressure‼”
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Henderson, 28, of the 3900 block of West Gladys Avenue, was later charged with aiding and betting an escape, a class 2 felony.
A surveillance camera captured the men’s interaction in a receiving tunnel at Cook County Jail on Saturday evening where criminal defendants are processed into the jail or released from custody, authorities said. Henderson handed over his personal information, and the two also swapped hooded sweatshirts, according to Assistant State’s Attorney James Murphy.
When a jail guard called out Henderson’s name, the parolee stepped forward, identifying himself as Henderson, while the real Henderson stayed put, Murphy said. Scott allegedly used the real Henderson’s inmate number and signed release documents as Henderson, and after retrieving the real Henderson’s personal property, he walked freely out of Cook County Jail.
In a recent booking photo, Scott has distinctive tattoos on both sides of his face. But he was wearing a mask when he used Henderson’s name to get out, according to the sheriff’s office.
Things soon began to fall apart when the real Henderson finally approached a jail guard, claiming that he’d fallen asleep and wondered when his name and number would be called, Murphy said. Authorities quickly realized what occurred and sought an emergency arrest warrant for Scott.
Scott remained at large Wednesday and was classified an “absconder” by the Illinois Department of Corrections.
The U.S. Marshals Service is assisting the sheriff’s office in searching for Scott, according to a spokeswoman.
After being arrested and read his rights, Henderson told investigators that he met the man alleged to be Scott on the way to the bail hearing who said he needed to get out of jail and promised him $1,000 if he did him “a favor,” Murphy said. The parolee would be released on Henderson’s I-bond, but be paid the money at a later meeting.
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In court, Judge Mary C. Marubio explained to Henderson, who appeared via a Zoom meeting application, that he helped not only a defendant escape, but a violent felon who has a conviction for aggravated battery to a police officer.
“The nature of the offense isn’t just aiding and abetting. It’s who you aided and abetted — a violent person, and a dangerous person on parole — and that’s weighing heavily against you” Marubio said, ordering Henderson held on $25,000 bail, as well as a no-bond hold for violation of bail bond on his original narcotics case.
In a statement, Cook County sheriff’s officials said an internal investigation was being conducted, and a search was underway. The sheriff’s office called Saturday’s incident “extremely rare” and that officials didn’t anticipate a similar occurrence happening in the future.
Henderson is expected to return to court on May 20.
Chicago Tribune’s Jason Meisner contributed.
wlee@chicagotribune.com
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chicagotribune--2020-05-05--Aurora man accused of series of attacks on women

The first attack he is accused of occurred around 10 a.m. April 17 in the 400 block of North Titsworth @ @ @ @ @ A woman in her late 40s said she was walking home when she noticed a @ @ @ @ @ After a short time , the man approached her and grabbed her buttocks with both @ @ @ @ @ she struck him with an umbrella , police said .

An 18-year-old Aurora man is accused of at least four attacks on different women in Aurora over the past few weeks, officials said.
Zion Banks, of the 200 block of T Street, has been charged with three counts of felony aggravated battery, one count of felony attempted criminal sexual assault and one count of felony unlawful restraint, Aurora police officials said in a news release.
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The first attack he is accused of occurred around 10 a.m. April 17 in the 400 block of North Titsworth Avenue, police said. A woman in her late 40s said she was walking home when she noticed a man was following her. After a short time, the man approached her and grabbed her buttocks with both hands, then fled when she struck him with an umbrella, police said.
Six days later, a woman in her 50s told officers that around 11 p.m. April 23 in the 500 block of East Benton Street, a man followed her into a backyard. He allegedly grabbed the back of her neck, forced her to the ground and attempted to sexually assault her, police said.
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The woman struggled and was able to break free, and the man ran away, according to police.
On April 30, a woman in her 20s said that a man approached her from behind and grabbed her waist with both hands near Kensington Place and Elmwood Avenue, according to police.
The woman lunged forward and the man ran away, police said.
Police also received a report from a woman in her late teens who said she was walking in the 500 block of Second Avenue on May 3 when a man approached her from behind and grabbed her buttocks with both hands and then ran away.
Officers patrolling the area spotted a man matching the description given to them of the offender and detained the man. The woman was able to identify the man who assaulted her as Banks, according to police.
Detectives linked all four incidents to Banks after they interviewed each woman involved, spoke to potential witnesses and collected physical evidence and video from the area of the incidents, police said.
mejones@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-05-05--Judge asks state health department to inspect Cicero nursing home where 9 residents have died

“ It seems obvious to me that an inspection needs to happen to see the actual conditions , and it @ @ @ @ @ given the type of outbreak we ’ re in and the numbers that we ’ @ @ @ @ @ Judge Alison Conlon said during a hearing for a temporary restraining order that would compel @ @ @ @ @ provide some form of assistance .

City View Multicare Center is shown March 12, 2021, in Cicero. Workers and residents haven't received COVID-19 vaccinations and the nursing home is dealing with an outbreak. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
A Cook County judge Tuesday asked the state department of health to inspect a Cicero nursing home that has endured a severe COVID-19 outbreak that led to the deaths of at least 10 people.
An inspection is set to take place by close of business Thursday. The town of Cicero filed a lawsuit Friday against City View Multi-Care Center, the state of Illinois, the state health department and Gov. J.B. Pritzker, alleging the facility and state officials failed to respond appropriately to the coronavirus pandemic.
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“It seems obvious to me that an inspection needs to happen to see the actual conditions, and it needs to happen very quickly given the type of outbreak we’re in and the numbers that we’ve already seen,” Judge Alison Conlon said during a hearing for a temporary restraining order that would compel the state to intervene and provide some form of assistance.
On Tuesday, Cicero’s lawyers alleged that City View nursing home, 5825 W. Cermak Road, was still not complying with regulations recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and rules mandated by the town.
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During Tuesday’s hearing, Conlon noted there was a “practical emergency” dimension to the case and said she interpreted the town of Cicero’s request for a temporary restraining order as a plea for help.
“I don’t read this one as a finger-pointing (temporary restraining order). I read this as a municipality saying: We’re really concerned about these numbers,” she said.
Calling many of the allegations levied against the nursing home “off-base,” City View’s attorney, Jason Lundy, argued the town has no authority to regulate nursing homes or even to seek an injunction against a nursing home.
Tanya Bouley, an attorney representing the Illinois Department of Public Health, agreed.
"It's important that the state and the department of public health be able to continue to exercise discretion in determining how to allocate state resources to best address the current public health crisis," she said.
Conley asked that the Illinois Department of Health inspection team report findings, with a remote meeting between the parties to follow and another hearing scheduled for noon Friday.
Town officials have said that of 320 people living at City View, more than half have contracted the disease. The lawsuit said the 216 positive cases represented nearly one-fifth of the known COVID-19 infections in Cicero at the time the lawsuit was filed. The 10 deaths include one staff member.
There had been 41 staff members diagnosed with the novel coronavirus, but 39 staffers were waiting for their test results as of the lawsuit’s filing, according to officials.
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Chicago Tribune’s Morgan Greene contributed.


chicagotribune--2020-05-05--GOP congressmen ask Pritzker to seek federal aid for pork producers to help dispose of euthanized ho

GOP congressmen ask Pritzker to seek federal aid for pork producers to help dispose of euthanized hog carcasses

The Republicans said money from Washington is available through the Federal Emergency Management Agency , but only if a governor @ @ @ @ @ said the funds would support a “ critical infrastructure industry ” and “ ensure those @ @ @ @ @ manner that protects the public health and safety , and ensures that financial assistance is @ @ @ @ @ disposal costs .
”

Piglets in one of the two barns at Leman Farms in Eureka, Illinois, on April 24, 2020. Farmer Chad Leman has seen a 75% drop in demand for his hogs since meat processing plants have started to close because of worker COVID-19 illnesses. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)
Illinois’ five Republican congressmen asked Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Tuesday to seek federal emergency funds for a state pork production industry in “crisis mode” due to the coronavirus.
The money would go in part to pay for the safe disposal of hundreds of thousands of euthanized hog carcasses.
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“More than 750,000 hogs are produced a week and many have no market as restaurants and schools remain closed due to statewide closures mandated by your administration,” the letter said.
“Combined with temporary processing facility closures, this will result in producers euthanizing many hundreds of thousands of market-ready hogs. The financial impact of these decisions on hog producers, many of which are small, family-owned business, will be devastating for years to come.”
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The letter added that “if not conducted properly, the disposal of so many animal carcasses presents a potential danger to public health and safety.”
The letter was sent by U.S. Reps. John Shimkus of Collinsville, Rodney Davis of Taylorville, Mike Bost of Murphysboro, Darin LaHood of Peoria and Adam Kinzinger of Channahon. The other 13 members of Illinois’ House delegation are Democrats
The Republicans said money from Washington is available through the Federal Emergency Management Agency, but only if a governor makes a request. They said the funds would support a “critical infrastructure industry” and “ensure those carcasses are disposed in a manner that protects the public health and safety, and ensures that financial assistance is provided to producers in covering disposal costs.”
The governor’s office said that while the state and pork industry are taking steps to prepare for the need to euthanize hogs, “federal resources to put plans into action are absent.”
Pritzker spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh said the state has received no formal guidance from FEMA on potential funding. And she said the U.S. Department of Agriculture has said it doesn’t have the authority to “provide indemnity, financial resources or boots-on-the-ground assistance because animals are nondiseased,” though the state made such a request earlier this month.
“What is needed is a thoughtful and coordinated federal response to provide the guidance and pathway to receive emergency financial resources to address this crisis,” she said.
rap30@aol.com


chicagotribune--2020-05-05--Union files lawsuit to halt United’s plan to reduce 15,000 airport workers’ hours as coronavirus cos

Union files lawsuit to halt United’s plan to reduce 15,000 airport workers’ hours as coronavirus cost cuts continue

“ For United to obtain federal funds under the false pretense that it would protect its workers through September and @ @ @ @ @ this to their most loyal workforce struggling to survive during this pandemic is unconscionable , @ @ @ @ @ of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers District Lodge 141 , said in @ @ @ @

United Airlines plans to slash 15,000 airport workers’ hours to part-time, the latest cost-cutting move for the airline amid a dramatic decline in travel during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Full-time baggage handlers, customer service agents and reservations agents will work 30 hours a week, rather than 40 hours a week, as of May 24, said Greg Hart, United’s executive vice president and chief operations officer, in a letter to employees Friday.
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On Tuesday, the union representing those workers filed a lawsuit asking a New York federal court to halt the airline’s move, saying it believes the reduction violates the terms of an agreement with the federal government giving United $5 billion in financial assistance to keep workers on the payroll.
“For United to obtain federal funds under the false pretense that it would protect its workers through September and then turn around and do this to their most loyal workforce struggling to survive during this pandemic is unconscionable,“ Mike Klemm, president of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers District Lodge 141, said in a news release.
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The union represents about 27,000 United employees. Delta Air Lines and JetBlue also reduced work hours, according to the union.
United said the lawsuit is “meritless.”
Although the federal funding, part of the $2.2 trillion coronavirus relief package, was meant to keep workers on the payroll through Sept. 30, it prohibits involuntary layoffs and reductions in employees’ pay rate, not the number of hours worked, according to the airline.
“We continue to employ 100% of our workforce and continue to pay the contractually required pay rates. This action is the latest proactive, cost-cutting measure we have taken to offset an unprecedented drop in travel demand. Our overall goal remains to preserve as much financial flexibility now so we can not only survive this crisis, but thrive once it is behind us,” the airline said in a statement.
In the letter to employees, Hart said the union’s contract would have allowed the airline to cut employees to 20 hours per week and that the airline made the decision after failing to negotiate “a consensual, more favorable agreement” with the union’s leadership.
“This was a very difficult decision and one we didn’t take lightly,” he said.
United employees aren’t the only airline workers facing fewer hours and reduced pay.Passenger numbers at U.S. airports are down roughly 95% from the same period last year, according to the Transportation Security Administration. United has slashed about 90% of its flying capacity in May and expects to operate a similar schedule in June.
With so few people flying, “tens of thousands” of employees are facing reductions in hours and, therefore, take-home pay, United president Scott Kirby said during a call with analysts Friday.
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Hart’s letter said the airline was making similar changes for management employees, and more than 20,000 workers already have taken voluntary unpaid leave or separation options. Kirby and CEO Oscar Munoz won’t receive their base salary through at least June 30 and corporate officers’ base salaries have been cut by half.
The $5 billion aid package gives United time to see whether demand for travel starts to recover by fall, but if it doesn’t, layoffs could follow in October, executives said.
United’s stock fell 5.1% Monday after billionaire investor Warren Buffett said he sold all of Berkshire Hathaway’s stock in United, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines in April. The shares were worth roughly $6.5 billion.
Buffett, speaking at Berkshire Hathaway’s online annual meeting on Saturday, said he had made a mistake in how he valued airlines.
The other three major U.S. airlines saw shares fall between 5.7% and 7.7%.
The New York Times reported that Buffett said because of the coronavirus, “the airline business — and I may be wrong, and I hope I’m wrong — but I think it, it changed in a very major way.”
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Associated Press contributed.
lzumbach@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-05-05--A Chicago woman temporarily shut down her Edgewater bakery to go back to nursing amid the coronaviru

A Chicago woman temporarily shut down her Edgewater bakery to go back to nursing amid the coronavirus pandemic: ‘There’s a lot of death. A lot of loneliness. I wish that for nobody.’

“ It ’ s crazy how the body is reacting .
It ’ s not reacting the way it normally @ @ @ @ @ might have somebody who is fine one minute , and an hour later it ’ @ @ @ @ @ You just talked to their family 20 minutes ago .
You ’ re like , @ @ @ @ @ know what happened.
’ Usually you see a trend .

As the coronavirus spread, Kate Merrill felt a responsibility to shutter her Edgewater bakery temporarily.
She was pained to lay off workers. Utilities and rent still required payments for Edge of Sweetness, which she opened in 2017.
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But after spending two decades in nursing, Merrill couldn’t risk it.
“I was feeling sick to my stomach,” she said. “If something got spread through our facility, I don’t know how I could handle that. I made the decision to close shop.”
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Shortly after, Merrill chatted on the phone with a former nursing colleague. She asked Merrill, “Would you be willing to come back?”
Her answer was immediate: “Of course. If you need me, I’ll be there.”
Merrill, 47, is back at Mount Sinai Hospital, where she helps treat coronavirus patients as a member of the surgical intensive care unit. She is one of many former health care workers who have returned to their trained profession during the pandemic.
Whether baking cookies or working in a trauma center, Merrill said at her core, “I’m a helper.”
Yet witnessing the virus’s impact has been a surreal experience for the Rogers Park native.
“I’ve worked with a lot of sadness and tragedy,” she said. “It’s a life changer for anyone working in ICU with patients. You see a whole different beast.”
Her 12-hour shifts begin with the first of countless hand-washings. She wears personal protective equipment and a respirator mask her husband gave her. The hospital, she said, provides adequate gear.
Kate Merrill wears a respirator mask while working as a nurse at Mount Sinai Hospital on the West Side. (Courtesy of David Merrill)
Even during her previous stint in nursing, Merrill said she spoke to sedated patients, hoping they could hear her. She does her best now to comfort coronavirus patients who are in isolation besides contact with the hospital caregivers.
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“They must be terrified,” Merrill said. “I don’t know what they’re going through. I don’t know what their families are going through.
“It’s crazy how the body is reacting. It’s not reacting the way it normally reacts to illness. You might have somebody who is fine one minute, and an hour later it’s a complete 180. You just talked to their family 20 minutes ago. You’re like, ‘I don’t know what happened.’ Usually you see a trend.
“There’s a lot of death. A lot of loneliness. I wish that for nobody.”
Merrill recently received a small-business loan that allowed her to reopen Edge of Sweetness — reconfigured to fit the age of social distancing and a shelter-in-place order from the state government.
She brought back eight employees, who mostly work in shifts to keep colleagues at a distance.
Her business often supplied corporate events as well as individuals who enjoyed sitting in the cafe eating her oatmeal raisin and chocolate chip cookies or her ooey-gooey butter cake.
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Now she’s offering stock orders to be picked up on Fridays — bagged and packaged products can be brought out to drivers — or the bakery can ship orders to customers.
“I’ve always felt being a nurse, you work with a lot of different people,” Merrill said. “I really want to make people feel like normal people. When I started the bakery, that’s what I wanted to be — that welcoming face. We put personal messages on things. Why do you love it? Someone said, ‘It feels like home.’ ”
Kate Merrill temporarily closed her bakery in Edgewater to return to nursing at Mount Sinai Hospital on the West Side during the coronavirus pandemic. (Morgan Anderson Photography)
Merrill left nursing in 2019 somewhat reluctantly, but the toll of running a business, long shifts at the hospital and raising three children was impossible. Her partner had left the business the year before, and she said she was working as many as 100 hours per week.
She recalled advice from her coach at Loyola, where she competed in track and cross-country while studying nursing until her graduation in 1995.
“My coach said, ‘Your life is a pie, and there’s only so many pieces in the pie,’ ” she said.
It was an apt analogy she has continued to apply — in some ways literally.
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Beginning with making cookies with her great-grandmother as a child, Merrill took an interest in baking. She often experimented with her own recipes.
She would bring oatmeal and chocolate chip cookies to her co-workers at Mount Sinai. They were such a popular treat, a co-worker suggested Merrill start charging — an idea she initially resisted until she began small sales and eventually opened her bakery.
She notices a touch on the shoulder can comfort a patient. But she said her bakery “has a greater reach.”
Her return to nursing is temporary, she said. She refers to her work as “relieving people in the trenches” for now.
Like others, Merrill looks forward to a return to normalcy.
“Everything will open back up if people stay home,” she said.


chicagotribune--2020-05-05--The Spin: Gov. Pritzker’s bi-partisan plan to reopen state comes with a huge caveat | Illinois sees

The Spin: Gov. Pritzker’s bi-partisan plan to reopen state comes with a huge caveat | Illinois sees single-day high in COVID-19 deaths | Pot demand sky high amid pandemic

Proving he understands the art of family politics , Dr. Emanuel said only : “ My mother , as she @ @ @ @ @ hates us all equally .
One of the great things about my mother is that @ @ @ @ @ , and sometimes that can be pretty minimal and sometimes it can be just smothering @ @ @ @ @ wonderful .
( But ) when Rahm was in the White House , it was @ @ @ @ @ '' he said , apparently referring to Rahm Emanuel ’ s stints in the Obama @ @ @ @

Illinois saw a single-day high of 176 COVID-19 deaths in the past 24 hours as Gov. J.B. Pritzker rolled out a five-phase regional plan for reopening the state.
The Democratic governor said his “Restore Illinois” blueprint considered advice from members of both parties across Illinois. Some Downstate elected officials have bristled at the governor’s restrictions, arguing that while they may be necessary in the metro areas they may not be in rural areas. The governor also said he conferred with lawmakers representing African American and Latino communities disproportionately affected by the virus.
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Prtizker said the plan is based on a scientific approach, and cautioned, “Here’s the truth, and I don’t like it any more than you do, until we have a vaccine or an effective treatment or enough widespread immunity that new cases fail to materialize, the option of returning to normalcy doesn’t exist. That means we have to learn to live with COVID-19 until it can be vanquished.”
Welcome to The Spin.
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Gov. J.B. Pritzker arrives in a mask to speak April 19, 2020, at the Thompson Center during the coronavirus pandemic. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune/TNS)
From the Tribune’s Jamie Munks and Dan Petrella: The governor today laid out a regional, five-phase plan to reopen the state based on public health data and health care availability in different parts of the state.
They note: The plan divides the state into four regions, which could enter different phases of reopening at different times. The fifth and final phase — “Illinois restored” — won’t come until a vaccine or highly effective treatment becomes widely available. Festivals, conventions, and all businesses and schools would reopen.
“To varying degrees, the entire state is already in Phase 2 of the plan, labeled ‘flattening,’ which allows for nonessential retail businesses to reopen for curbside pickup and delivery and for additional outdoor activities like golf and boating to resume under social distancing guidelines. These new rules took effect Friday,” Munks and Petrella write.
The earliest a region can move to the third phase is May 29, Pritzker said. Read their story here.
Tracking Illinois coronavirus: 2,838 deaths, 65,962 confirmed cases, 346,286 tests, 24% ICU beds, 68% ventilators open: Click here for the latest from my Tribune colleagues.
The drug remdesivir got emergency use clearance from the FDA. What will that mean for treating COVID-19? The Tribune’s Hal Dardick has the details here.
Lately, it’s been Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel — not his younger brother, former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel — making the media rounds: As the former health policy adviser to President Barack Obama, Zeke - as he’s known - has been weighing in on how the government should respond to the COVID-19 outbreak. (A reminder that Rahm Emanuel at one point served as Obama’s chief of staff.)
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Dr. Emanuel, vice provost of global initiatives and a professor at the University of Pennsylvania, is a regular on MSNBC and turns up in the pages of the New York Times, where he recently wrote an opinion piece about how the nation could restart the economy beginning in June.
But during an interview on cable news last night, the conversation turned to family matters and the competitive streak that runs through the three high-achieving brothers - Zeke and Rahm’s younger brother Ari Emanuel is a Hollywood super-agent. So MSNBC host Ari Melber asked Dr. Emanuel which of her sons - all three Chicago-born and Wilmette raised - their mother favored, drawing laughs when Melber added, “I’m guessing it’s you, the doctor."
Proving he understands the art of family politics, Dr. Emanuel said only: “My mother, as she likes to say, she hates us all equally. One of the great things about my mother is that she loves us all equally, and sometimes that can be pretty minimal and sometimes it can be just smothering — it’s so wonderful. (But) when Rahm was in the White House, it was Rahm all the time," he said, apparently referring to Rahm Emanuel’s stints in the Obama and Clinton administrations.
On the second day of legal recreational cannabis sales, people wait outside the Midway Dispensary store in Chicago on Jan. 2, 2020, to purchase their legal or medical cannabis. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune)
Ah, the April high: Illinois’ first full month of legal recreational weed sales during the coronavirus lockdown totaled more than $37 million, second only to January’s blockbuster month when pot prohibition ended in the state, my Tribune colleague Ally Marotti writes.
Dispensaries have been allowed to stay open during Pritzker’s stay-at-home order, which kicked in March 21 and has been extended till month’s end, Marotti notes.
This is no easy feat. And, she notes, “Keeping sales up isn’t the only challenge the industry faces during the ongoing health crisis. The state delayed awarding licenses for 75 new recreational marijuana dispensaries last week, due to the pandemic.”
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The dispensary licenses marked the first chance for new cannabis entrepreneurs to break into the industry, and the delay means existing operators will continue to control the state’s marijuana market. Read her story here.
Pritzker’s budget estimated the state would collect $28 million in cannabis tax revenue before June 30, Marotti reported in January, the first month recreational weed was legal in the state. Read more here.
A United Airlines plane takes off at Chicago O'Hare International Airport on Jan. 28, 2019, in Chicago. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
Despite the $5 billion in federal coronavirus aid doled out to Chicago-based United Airlines, the company announced it’s cutting 3,400 management jobs, my Tribune colleague Lauren Zumbach is reporting. It comes a week after some 15,000 of the airline’s airport workers saw their hours slashed to part-time, amid COVID-19 stay-at-home orders that have grounded flights across the globe.
The federal financial assistance was aimed at keeping workers on the payroll through Sept. 30, Zumbach notes.
But the funds, part of the $2.2 trillion coronavirus relief package, won’t fully cover its payroll costs. Zumbach notes, “there are so few people flying that the airline expects to spend billions of dollars more than it earns for the next several months.” Read the full story here.
Then-candidate for governor Ron Gidwitz greets supporters Tuesday evening at the Bloomingdale Township Republican Party in 2006. (Candice C. Cusic / Chicago Tribune)
The White House has named Ron Gidwitz, a Chicago-area businessman and the Illinois finance chair of Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential bid, to serve as “acting” ambassador to the European Union, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced yesterday. The Hill newspaper has the story here.
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He succeeds Gordon Sondland, who got the ax after providing key testimony in the U.S. House impeachment inquiry of the president.
In 2018, Trump tapped Gidwitz — who locked in Senate approval — to serve as U.S. ambassador to Belgium.
In a Tribune story at the time, Rick Pearson wrote: “The nomination came two years after Gidwitz served as Illinois’ campaign chair for Trump as well as writing more than $700,000 in checks to candidates for the U.S. House and Senate, national GOP organizations as well as to Trump and a supportive political action committee, records show.”
Pearson also noted: “It was Gidwitz who helped broker a secret meeting between Trump and wealthy Republican donors at Chicago’s Trump Tower on the Halloween before the 2016 election.”
Gidwitz ran Helene Curtis Industries until 1996, when it was sold to Unilever NV. His sole bid for elected office was a losing GOP primary bid for governor in 2006, during which he spent more than $5.2 million of his own money. Read that story here.
Pleased to announce the President has designated @USAmbBelgium Ronald J. Gidwitz as U.S. Acting Representative to the #EU. I'm confident Ambassador Gidwitz will lead @US2EU in advancing strong U.S.-EU cooperation while he continues to strengthen our partnership with Belgium. — Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) May 4, 2020
This image released by Netflix shows former first lady Michelle Obama in a scene from "Becoming." (Isaac Palmisano/AP)
A newly formed PAC, ostensibly formed to draft former first lady Michelle Obama into raising her hand to become presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden’s running mate, is looking to do more than just that.
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The Committee to Draft Michelle Obama — which is separate from the Biden or Obama campaigns — is raising money to air digital ads as early as this week to encourage her to think about running, Clyde Lederman, a spokesman for the committee, told ABC News. She’s waved away the suggestion even as Biden has said he’d pick her as a running mate “in a heartbeat."
But he also told the network that the PAC, formed late last month, according to Federal Election Commission records, is about nudging the former first couple to jump with both feet into the campaign spotlight for Biden, Obama’s former VP, Lederman said. Read the full story here.
Barack Obama to headline June 6 televised prime-time commencement: The former president will give an address during an hourlong event honoring the class of 2020.; many of them have seen their graduations canceled because of the coronavirus. Also in the lineup: LeBron James, Malala Yousafzai and Ben Platt, among others. The AP has the details here.
Thanks for reading The Spin, the Tribune’s politics newsletter. Sign up here to have it delivered to your inbox weekday afternoons. Have a tip? Email host Lisa Donovan at ldonovan@chicagotribune.com.
Twitter @byldonovan


chicagotribune--2020-05-05--At the meat counter, Chicago shoppers face buying limits, higher prices, fewer choices as coronaviru

At the meat counter, Chicago shoppers face buying limits, higher prices, fewer choices as coronavirus stresses supply

Analysts have estimated beef production is down 25 % , which has affected the availability of burgers at some Wendy @ @ @ @ @ of the fast-food chain ’ s online menus found that 18 % of its restaurants @ @ @ @ @ of stock , though the shortage varies by state , according to an analyst from @ @ @ @ @

Chicagoans looking to fire up their grills should prepare for higher meat prices and restrictions on how many chops, steaks or burgers they can buy.
COVID-19 outbreaks at meat processing plants across the country continue to disrupt how much product is making its way to grocery stores and butcher shops, despite large facilities beginning to resume operations on a presidential order to stay open during the pandemic.
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Some stores said they are limiting the number of meat products customers can buy or raising prices as they struggle to get their usual selection.
Mariano’s is limiting customers to one fresh pork product. Costco has set a three-product limit on fresh beef, poultry and pork.
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[ 11 vegetarian recipes to try during the grocery store meat shortage, from crispy fried rice to mushroom pizza ]
Pete’s Fresh Market is putting limits on some cuts that are on sale. City customers are restricted to 5 pounds of skirt steak, for example, and suburban store customers to four T-bones or porterhouse steaks.
Otto Demke, owner of Gepperth’s Meat Market, shows his depleted pork supply May 5, 2020. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)
At Gepperth’s Meat Market on North Halsted Street in Chicago, the trays in the pork section are nearly bare on May 5, 2020. They are normally full with various cuts of meat. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)
At Gepperth’s Meat Market in Lincoln Park, owner Otto Demke hasn’t set buying limits yet but may have to in the coming days if it continues to be difficult to procure product. He hasn’t been able to find pork shoulder for three days.
The shortage comes as people plan for Mother’s Day without the usual trip to restaurants, so they will have to be open-minded when devising a celebratory meal at home, Demke said.
“What does Mom want? A nice steak? Some lamb racks?” Demke said. “Those things are going to be pretty scarce.”
Jewel-Osco, the Chicago area’s largest supermarket chain, has not placed buying limits on meat but said it is evaluating supply daily.
Others are raising prices as their costs go up amid strained supply. Paulina Market, a butcher in Lakeview, said the price for boneless chuck used to make ground beef has increased by $3 to $4 per pound.
“Our ground beef was $6.95 and now it’s $9.95, and we’re still not making a ton of money," said owner Bill Begale. “It’s going up and up and up.”
Outbreaks of COVID-19 have affected the meat supply as some plants closed to test workers, deep clean their facilities and impose additional safeguards. Others are operating at reduced capacity as they create distancing on production lines or as workers call in sick.
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Pork processing is down nearly 50%, Tyson Foods CEO Noel White told investors during the company’s second-quarter earnings call Monday. That has affected not only consumers but also farmers who have limited markets for their livestock.
Analysts have estimated beef production is down 25%, which has affected the availability of burgers at some Wendy’s. A study of the fast-food chain’s online menus found that 18% of its restaurants listed beef items as out of stock, though the shortage varies by state, according to an analyst from financial services firm Stephens.
McDonald’s, the world’slargest burger chain, said it has experienced no breaks in its supply chain, though it is monitoring the meat situation “literally hour by hour,” CEO Chris Kempczinski told CNBC late last week. “Right now, we feel like we are in a good position, but there is concern there.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week reported 4,913 COVID-19 cases, and 20 deaths, at 115 meat and poultry processing facilities in 19 states, which the agency said is likely an undercount due to testing limitations.
Meat plants are vulnerable to spreading the highly contagious coronavirus because workers are often elbow to elbow on production lines, making it difficult to impose 6-foot social distancing, and some plants reported challenges implementing disinfecting protocols, the CDC said. In addition, bonuses that incentivize attendance may be driving some workers to continue to work despite feeling sick, the agency’s report said.
President Donald Trump last week signed an executive order invoking the Defense Production Act to keep meat plants open, raising concerns among unions and labor groups that worker safety may be compromised. Some shuttered plants have started to resume operations.
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In Illinois, a Smithfield pork processing plant in Monmouth, which employs 1,700 people, reopened Saturday after a weeklong closure. Smithfield, the world’s largest pork producer, also partially reopened its huge plant in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, on Monday after a two-week closure. JBS is set to partially reopen its large plant in Worthington, Minnesota, on Wednesday, according to a news release from the union representing the plant workers. Tyson announced plans to reopen its Logansport, Indiana, pork processing facility with limited production this week.
Under Trump’s order, the U.S. Department of Agriculture “is directed to ensure America’s meat and poultry processors are able to continue to operate uninterrupted to the maximum extent possible,” an agency spokesperson said in an email.
That means plants are to operate in accordance with guidance put out by the CDC and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which includes installing partitions between workers on production lines and staggering break times to avoid large groups. Plants must provide written documentation of mitigation plans to the USDA, which will work with state and local authorities to resume or ensure continued plant operations, the spokesperson said.
Some plants have closed at the direction of local health authorities. A Smithfield plant in St. Charles ordered shut by the Kane County Health Department remains closed after the health department said a worker there died of COVID-19. In Rochelle, the Ogle County Health Department ordered a Hormel food production facility to close. That facility, which makes bacon and deli meat as well as microwaveable meals and cancer nutrition products, reopened Monday after implementing additional safety procedures.
Despite the disruption to meat cases at the store, retailers say there is no need for shoppers to stockpile. Demke, of Gepperths, said consumers just have to be flexible.
“So you don’t have steak today or tomorrow,” he said. “What’s the big deal? Maybe you’ll have it the day after. Or get something else.”
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Paulina Market’s Begale said his shop, which has been open only for pickup or delivery, isn’t having shortages because he taps multiple suppliers, but there are some product delays.
Customers have been buying voraciously for weeks as it is — the two weeks leading up to Easter were like Christmas, he said. “I’m thinking in a month or so things will calm down,” he said.


chicagotribune--2020-05-05--We’ve lowered the paywall on this essential coronavirus coverage

As the scope of this pandemic came into focus , I started thinking about people living in assisted-living facilities and @ @ @ @ @ bound to experience .
I ’ ve spoken several times at assisted-living facilities around Chicago @ @ @ @ @ aspects of life for residents is the social interaction and the activities and entertainment the @ @ @ @ @ s largely gone now .
Worse yet , many facilities have had to limit or @ @ @ @ @ seniors stuck alone in their rooms or apartments .
So maybe there ’ s a @ @ @ @ @ at least that aspect of this crisis .
I tossed an idea out on Twitter @ @ @ @ @ the hashtag # PandemicPals , asking for thoughts and advice on how to network with @ @ @ @ @ where there might be seniors facing isolation .
Read more .

As a public service to our readers and community, we have lowered the paywall on some of our most critical stories so everyone can access this important information. We rely on the support of our subscribers to fund our journalism. If you’re not already signed up, we hope you will consider subscribing.
We are updating a daily live blog with the latest developments on the reopening of Chicago and Illinois. This is where you’ll find updates on the number of COVID-19 cases in our area, as well as the most up-to-date recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Public Health, Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Mayor Lori Lightfoot.
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As summer nears, Chicagoans are desperate to get out and about — to have a summer picnic with family, to get back to work, to get a haircut. Here’s how and when you might be able to do those things.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced Tuesday a five-phase plan to get Illinois reopened as the COVID-19 pandemic slows its toll on health care providers. The plan, from “Rapid Spread” to “Illinois Restored,” splits the state up into regions and allows each region to open a different phase should the impact of the pandemic be different throughout the state. The plan also emphasizes that a region can move backward if the health metrics indicate enough risk. Read more.
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Testing for COVID-19 has greatly expanded in Illinois, with the state announcing more than 10,000 test results a day since April 24. The expansion has allowed the state to open up its guidance for who should be able to get a coronavirus test. The Illinois Department of Public Health is saying that testing is available without a doctor’s order to anyone with coronavirus symptoms or an underlying risk factor. Tests are also provided to people on the front lines of the pandemic, such as medical workers, first responders and employees of prisons or nursing homes. Search the map for coronavirus testing site near you.
All Illinois residents over age 2 must wear a face mask when they can’t maintain a 6-foot social distance in public. Studies show that the coronavirus can spread between people interacting in close proximity, including people who are not showing symptoms. Here’s where you can find them, what kind to get and how to make your own.
Americans are brainstorming with neighbors, posting questions on social media, and googling for tips and advice. The question at the center of all the hand wringing and head scratching: How do you thank the essential workers who remain out in the world, exposing themselves to greater risk of contracting the novel coronavirus, so that we can buy our groceries, receive our mail, travel by public transportation, and get health care if we need it? Here are some creative ideas to inspire you.
Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 68 (Chicago Tribune)
They were mothers and fathers, daughters and sons. Many were proud grandparents. Two were sisters from a tight-knit South Side family. All were loved, relatives say, and will be forever missed. As the number of deaths attributable to the coronavirus ticks upward, the Tribune is working to chronicle those who have lost their lives in the Chicago area or who have connections to our region. These are some of those victims.
Hundreds of Chicago restaurants have pivoted their operations to delivery, takeout or curbside pickup after Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced that all bars and restaurants in Illinois are closed for dining-in service through April 30. We’re collecting information on restaurants across the area that are still open for delivery or take out. Find a restaurant near you.
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A sign in the windows of Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, seen on March 11, 2020, reminds people to wash their hands. (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune)
You wake up with a sore, scratchy throat, and begin coughing and sneezing. It’s probably a run-of-the-mill cold, or it could be the beginning of a bout of seasonal flu. But with dozens of cases of the novel coronavirus surfacing in Illinois, some people are bound to wonder: Could this be the coronavirus? Here’s what experts advise for Illinoisans who fear they are showing signs of coronavirus.
The spread of the coronavirus pandemic has placed an extra burden on Chicagoland nonprofit organizations. Here is an evolving list of where you can make donations to organizations helping those in need.


chicagotribune--2020-05-05--How fast are Midwest states reopening economies amid the coronavirus pandemic? Here’s a breakdown

The fourth phase would allow gatherings of up to 50 people and restaurants and bars could reopen .
To reach @ @ @ @ @ must continue to meet the testing and hospitalization levels in addition to having the ability @ @ @ @ @ of symptoms and be able to contact trace 90 % of all positive cases within @ @ @ @ @ phase would be a full reopening of the economy , which would only occur with @ @ @ @ @ treatment .
Only at that point would festivals , conventions and large events be permitted @

Across the nation, governors are continuing to balance how best to protect citizens from the coronavirus pandemic with reopening sectors of their economy amid record job losses.
In the Midwest, a wide range of strategies have emerged. Some governors never issued stay-at-home orders and many businesses have been allowed to reopen. Some are taking a more gradual approach. And in states where COVID-19 cases remain high, most businesses are still closed.
[ Time for states to reopen their economies? Political divisions emerge as Midwest governors weigh coronavirus cases vs. unemployment. ]
Here’s a breakdown of the policies implemented by the Midwest’s 12 governors as of May 1:
Major business reopenings:
INDIANA
Governor: Eric Holcomb, Republican. (Since 2017)
Stay-at-home order: Enacted March 24, extended until May 23.
Business openings: In late April, elective medical procedures and dental visits were allowed to resume, as were curbside retail pickup and deliveries. Effective May 4, all manufacturing resumed while retail, commercial businesses, malls, restaurants and bars could reopen at 50% capacity. Gatherings of up to 25 people are allowed. Church services can resume with social distancing. Local communities can have stronger requirements, and the state restrictions won’t be lifted until May 11 in Indianapolis and Lake County in Northwest Indiana, and until May 18 in Cass County.
Restrictions: Nail salons, barber shops, massage studios and tattoo parlors to remain closed until May 11. Playgrounds, basketball courts, pools and fitness centers closed until May 24. Movie theaters and other large venues remain closed. Bar seating is banned. Gatherings limited to 25 people, but could be expanded to 100 on May 24. Those over the age of 65 or with underlying medical conditions should remain at home except for essential trips. Schools remain closed. Visits to senior centers and nursing homes are restricted.
IOWA
Governor: Kim Reynolds, Republican. (Since 2017)
Stay-at-home order: None.
Business openings: Effective May 1, retail stores, gyms, malls and restaurants could reopen in 77 of the state’s 99 counties at 50% capacity and with 6-foot spacing for social distancing. Church services in all 99 counties will be allowed to resume.
Restrictions: Many businesses in the other 22 counties with higher case levels remain closed. Schools remain closed, and other businesses in all counties, including bars, barbershops and salons, are closed. Gatherings of 10 or more people remain banned. Visits to senior housing facilities and nursing homes are banned.
KANSAS
Governor: Laura Kelly, Democrat. (Since 2019)
Stay-at-home order: Enacted March 30, expires May 4.
Business openings: Kelly has announced a three-phase plan to reopen the state’s economy. Effective May 1, many businesses including restaurants, retail stores, offices and many other employers will be allowed to open with no occupancy limits, but are asked to implement social distancing guidelines and prevent 10 or more people from congregating in lobbies and break rooms.
Restrictions: Gatherings of more than 10 people are currently banned. Bars, non-tribal casinos, theaters, gyms, nail salons, barbershops and tattoo parlors are to remain closed, but could open under a second phase starting May 18, when gatherings of up to 30 people would be allowed. Community centers, entertainment venues, festivals, parades, sports, graduations and summer camps remained banned, but could be allowed by the plan’s third phase on June 1, when gatherings would be limited to 90 people or fewer. Schools remain closed. Visits to senior centers and nursing homes are restricted.
MISSOURI
Governor: Mike Parson, Republican. (Since 2018).
Stay-at-home order: Enacted April 6 and expires May 4.
Business openings: Effective May 4, Parson’s “Show Me Strong Recovery Plan” allowed all businesses to reopen statewide under social distancing requirements. Restaurants, factories, gyms, hair salons, barbershops, massage studios and churches are allowed open. Restaurants are limited to 50% occupancy, small retail shops are limited to 25% occupancy and large retail shops are limited to 10% occupancy. Sporting events and social gatherings can resume with social distancing. Local governments can have stricter requirements.
Restrictions: Visits to senior housing facilities and nursing homes remain banned. Schools remain closed. Stay-at-home orders in St. Louis and Kansas City remain in place.
NEBRASKA
Governor: Pete Ricketts, Republican. (Since 2015).
Stay-at-home order: None.
Business openings: Some businesses were never required to close but have had to follow social distancing guidelines. Effective May 4, restaurant dining rooms, tattoo parlors, hair salons and massage studios were allowed to reopen with social distancing in 59 of the state’s 93 counties with lower coronavirus case levels. Restaurants are limited to 50% occupancy and parties of six or fewer. In those counties, child care facilities can allow 15 children per room. Statewide, religious services, weddings and funerals are allowed with 6 feet of separation between families.
Restrictions: In 34 counties with higher case levels, restrictions requiring businesses to remain closed or limited to curbside/carryout remain in place. Bans on religious services also apply in these areas. Statewide, a ban on gatherings of 10 or more people remains in place through May 31. Bars and movie theaters remain closed through May 31. Visits to senior housing facilities and nursing homes are banned.
NORTH DAKOTA
Governor: Doug Burgum, Republican. (Since 2016).
Stay-at-home order: None.
Business openings: Effective May 1, the “North Dakota Smart Restart” plan allowed all businesses to reopen, including bars, restaurants, salons, barbershops, movie theaters, casinos and gyms with social distancing guidelines. Restaurants are limited to 50% occupancy.
Restrictions: Schools remain closed. Visits to senior housing facilities and nursing homes are banned.
SOUTH DAKOTA
Governor: Kristi Noem, Republican. (Since 2019).
Stay-at-home order: None.
Business openings: Most businesses have been allowed to stay open throughout the pandemic. Under Noem’s “Back to Normal Plan,” "enclosed retail businesses that promote public gatherings” should resume operations while allowing for social distancing and considering a reduction in occupancy. Employers are encouraged to transition workers from telework back to the office. Schools should consider in-person learning as a “check-in” before the end of the school year.
Restrictions: Visits to senior centers and nursing homes are banned.
Gradual business reopenings:
MINNESOTA
Governor: Tim Walz, Democratic-Farmer-Labor. (Since 2019)
Stay-at-home order: Enacted March 27, extended until May 18.
Business openings: In late April, Walz allowed 100,000 workers at some 20,000 industrial, manufacturing and offices that don’t interact with the public to return to work under social distancing guidelines. Effective May 4, retail stores could open up for curbside pickup and delivery.
Restrictions: Most businesses remain closed, including dine-in at restaurants, bars, barbershops, gyms and massage studios. Gatherings of more than 10 people are restricted. Schools and churches remain closed. Visits to senior centers and nursing homes are banned.
OHIO
Governor: Mike DeWine, Republican. (Since 2019)
Stay-at-home order: Enacted March 23, extended until May 1 and likely longer.
Business openings: DeWine has announced a plan to phase in portions of the state’s economy. Effective May 1, elective surgeries and health procedures that do not require an overnight stay resumed along with dentist and veterinarian offices. Effective May 4, general office spaces, distribution centers, manufacturing and industrial businesses and construction could open under social distancing guidelines. Effective May 12, retail stores can reopen with customers and employees wearing masks and under social distancing guidelines.
Restrictions: Hands-on services, including nail salons, barber shops, tattoo parlors and massage studios remain closed. Dining-in at bars and restaurants remains banned. Gatherings of 10 or more people remain banned. Schools and churches remain closed. Visits to senior centers and nursing homes remain restricted.
Businesses mostly closed:
ILLINOIS
Governor: J.B. Pritzker, Democrat. (Since 2019)
Stay-at-home order: Enacted March 21, extended until May 31.
Business openings: Construction and some manufacturing has been allowed, with social distancing and face coverings required. In late April, elective medical procedures could resume. Effective May 1, state parks reopened, golf resumed under social distancing, garden centers were categorized as essential services and retail stores began to offer curbside pickups and delivery. On May 5, Pritzker announced a five-phase “Restore Illinois” reopening program that breaks the states into four regions: Northeast Illinois, North Central Illinois, Central Illinois and Southern Illinois.
The state largely is in the second phase, and Pritzker announced the earliest a state could enter the third phase — when manufacturing, offices, retail, barbershops and salons reopen — is May 29. Any gathering of up to 10 people also would be allowed at this point. For a region to reach that phase, testing for health care workers, patients and at-risk individuals must be available, positive test rates and hospitalizations must be steady or declining and contact tracing within 24 hours must be underway.
The fourth phase would allow gatherings of up to 50 people and restaurants and bars could reopen. To reach this phase, a region must continue to meet the testing and hospitalization levels in addition to having the ability to test all residents regardless of symptoms and be able to contact trace 90% of all positive cases within 24 hours. The fifth phase would be a full reopening of the economy, which would only occur with a vaccine or highly effective treatment. Only at that point would festivals, conventions and large events be permitted.
Restrictions: Those shopping in close spaces are required to wear face coverings. Most nonessential businesses remain closed. In-person shopping at stores and dining at bars and restaurants remain banned. Schools and churches are closed. Gatherings of 10 or more people are banned. Visits to senior centers and nursing homes are restricted.
MICHIGAN
Governor: Gretchen Whitmer, Democrat. (Since 2019)
Stay-at-home order: Enacted March 24, extended until May 15.
Business openings: Whitmer’s order has been among the strictest in the nation. When she extended it until May 15, she permitted several practices already allowed in other states. Effective May 1, plant nurseries and bicycle shops were allowed to reopen under social distancing; motorized boating and golf were allowed to resume with social distancing; large, essential retailers were allowed to open garden and paint sections; landscaping businesses resumed work with social distancing; and retail stores are allowed curbside pickup and deliveries. Effective May 7, construction and real estate work resumes in the state.
Restrictions: Those shopping in close spaces are required to wear face coverings. Most nonessential businesses remain closed. In-person shopping at stores and dining at bars and restaurants remain banned. Schools and churches are closed. Gatherings of 10 or more people are banned. Visits to senior centers and nursing homes are restricted.
WISCONSIN
Governor: Tony Evers, Democrat. (Since 2019)
Stay-at-home order: Enacted March 25, extended until May 26.
Business openings: In late April, Evers allowed elective surgeries to resume. Effective April 29, some curbside pickup was allowed for no-contact businesses including dog groomers, repair shops, upholstery businesses, self-serve car washes and outdoor recreational rentals. Effective May 1, the state’s 34 state parks reopened, but not their bathrooms.
Restrictions: Most nonessential businesses remain closed. In-person shopping at stores and dining at bars and restaurants remain banned. Schools and churches are closed. Gatherings of 10 or more people are banned. Visits to senior centers and nursing homes are restricted.


chicagotribune--2020-05-05--Coronavirus testing sites in Illinois: Search our map for one near you

The Illinois Department of Public Health is saying that testing is available without a doctor ’ s order to anyone @ @ @ @ @ underlying risk factor .
Tests are also provided to people on the front lines of @ @ @ @ @ medical workers , first responders and employees of prisons or nursing homes .

Testing for COVID-19 has greatly expanded in Illinois.
The state’s information on testing sites changes frequently. This map will be updated periodically. More from the Illinois Department of Public Health here.
There are many sites that are not on the state’s list. Some have asked not to be named. Others may be added at a later date.
Sites as of Dec. 1


Corrections and clarifications

Publishing information quickly and accurately is a central part of the Chicago Tribune ’ s news responsibility and a value @ @ @ @ @ .
Our editorial code of principles governs professional behavior and journalism standards .
Everyone in @ @ @ @ @ live up to this code of conduct .
Download the file .

· A story Monday about late Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley misidentified the law firm at which he worked. Shepley worked at Swanson, Martin & Bell, LLP.
The Tribune regrets the error.
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Publishing information quickly and accurately is a central part of the Chicago Tribune’s news responsibility and a value shared in all our publications. Our editorial code of principles governs professional behavior and journalism standards. Everyone in our newsroom must agree to live up to this code of conduct. Download the file.
To report an error, fill out this form.


chicagotribune--2020-05-05--You may soon be able to carryout from a Chicago bar as cocktails to-go gains legislative traction in

You may soon be able to carryout from a Chicago bar as cocktails to-go gains legislative traction in Illinois

“ I can ’ t tell you how many people have reached out to me about cocktails to go .
@ @ @ @ @ many people want to make these purchases , ” she said .
“ A lot @ @ @ @ @ still working ) , and they come in after work to pick up .
They @ @ @ @ @ they ’ re exhausted , and they don ’ t want to mess with making @ @ @ @

You may soon be able to order an artisan, bartender-mixed cocktail for carryout from a Chicago bar, instead of just bottles of spirits. An initiative pushing for Illinois to allow mixed drinks to-go has been gaining legislative traction after a nearly two-month push.
Julia Momose, the award-winning mixologist of Bar Kumiko and public face of the initiative — dubbed Cocktails for Hope — said talks with Illinois state representatives and the Illinois Liquor Control Commission have been encouraging.
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“It’s nice to know that you’re not just screaming into empty air — that there are people there hearing the message,” Momose said.
Pre-packaged drink options from Bar Kumiko, including alcoholic and spirit-free options. Mixologist Juila Momose is pushing Illinois to allow bars to offer such options as a way to provide relief for bars during the COVID-19 shutdown. (Julia Momose)
Momose began the initiative in March in response to how the pandemic shutdown is affecting bars. Although restaurants have been permitted to offer food to go, and breweries to fill growlers and make deliveries, bars were left in the lurch, Momose said.
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“We can't compete with retail stores like Binny’s on pricing for full bottles, but Binny's can't compete with us on cocktails,” she said. “And we're trying to play to our strengths.”
If bars sell a cocktail kit, even with a mixer, Momose said profit maxes out at about $30 — math she worked out herself, in analyzing available take-home kit offerings during COVID-19. Alternatively, if bars package standard-portioned cocktails, they could achieve more than five-times that in profit.
“It’s a staggering amount,” she said. Momose has spoken with hospitality colleagues in New York, where the State Liquor Association has taken measures to allow mixed cocktails as a way to provide relief to bars, provided it comes with a food item.
“I’ve spoken with bar owners in New York, and they all kind of say the same thing: This is something that is helping to keep them afloat,” she said. “It’s not the only thing ... but this is a huge factor in bringing in much-needed funds.”
Momose added that bars aren’t the only ones longing for such an option — customers are too.
“I can’t tell you how many people have reached out to me about cocktails to go. It’s staggering how many people want to make these purchases,” she said. “A lot of my regulars (are still working), and they come in after work to pick up. They’re tired, and they’re exhausted, and they don’t want to mess with making something themselves.”
Momose began Cocktails for Hope with friend Ian Beacraft, who works for an advertising firm and is handling communications for the organization. Recently, they’re welcomed the guidance of Sean O’Leary, a liquor lawyer who is helping the group navigate the legal side of things.
Last Wednesday, Momose fielded a pair of phone calls with government officials including state representatives and the Illinois Liquor Control Commission. Both conversations — among the initiative’s first meaningful contact with lawmakers — were encouraging, Momose said.
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Momose is scheduled to speak with both the state reps and the ILCC again this week, and she’s grateful to be finding some traction after nearly two months of organizing efforts.
Cocktails for Hope aims to score an endorsement from one of the legislators on the call. An ILCC spokesperson confirmed the conversation between Momose and the executive director of the ILCC Chima Enyia, writing that Momose “was assured that the ILCC will meet and hear her organization’s position, as they have done with the Illinois Restaurant Association, Illinois Licensed Beverage Association, Chicago Hospitality Association, and others.”
Since nationwide shutdowns began to take effect, states like New York and Pennsylvania have implemented changes that allow mixed drinks to be purchased to go. However, Illinois faces legislative obstacles in order to take similar measures, according to the ILCC.
Most significant among those is a need to relax enforcement of Illinois vehicle code with regard to alcohol possession. Momose said the packages for mixed cocktails would be essentially the same as growlers and wine, but the ILCC noted that exceptions for those vessels were done through legislation.
The ILCC email also highlighted other measures the state has issued “to assist” bars and restaurants, including the temporary delivery of liquor. None of them “potentially endanger the public and cause enforcement challenges in the way that mixed drinks to go may,” read the email.
Momose said she considers these rationales to be excuses — especially the comparison of sealed, packaged cocktails as different than tap-fill growlers — for which the CFH initiative has accounted. She’s optimistic about speaking with legislators to make this possible.
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“They seem to be willing to find a way to make this legal, and they want to know every single idea that we’ve had, so we can decide which are viable options at this time,” Momose said.
As the Cocktails for Hope effort continues, Momose is encouraging supporters to speak out in support of the initiative. She said this has helped their mission more than anything, based on her conversations with elected officials.
The petition had acquired nearly 10,000 signatures as of publication.


chicagotribune--2020-05-05--Police launch death investigation after human bones discovered in Riverwoods

Riverwoods police and the Lake County Coroner ’ s Office both confirmed the bones appeared to be of human origin @ @ @ @ @ .
Authorities said they don ’ t know how long the bones were in the @ @ @ @ @ appeared to be there for an extended period .

An investigation is underway after public works employees discovered what appeared to be human bones near a wooded area in Riverwoods on Tuesday morning, authorities said.
Employees with the Lake County Public Works department immediately called Riverwoods police after spotting bones during a routine maintenance check around 8:20 a.m. in the 1800 block of Robinwood Lane, according to a statement from the Riverwoods Police Department.
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Riverwoods police and the Lake County Coroner’s Office both confirmed the bones appeared to be of human origin after responding to the scene. Authorities said they don’t know how long the bones were in the woods, but added they appeared to be there for an extended period.
Details about the remains, including the age, gender and cause of death of the person, also remain unknown, police said. The coroner’s office will begin a full examination Wednesday to try and identify additional information, according to Lake County Coroner Howard Cooper.
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“At this point, there isn’t (an update),” Cooper said. “Once we do the examination, we’ll have a much better idea of what exactly is going on.”
Riverwoods police said there is no threat to the broader community. The department will continue to investigate the incident with the assistance of the coroner’s office and the Lake County Major Crimes Task Force, police said.
jnorman@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-05-05--Owners accused of starving 2 dogs, dumping one in Naperville drainage ditch

Both deceased dogs were sent to the University of Illinois Veterinary School for a necropsy where it was determined the @ @ @ @ @ died from canine parvovirus , starvation and rat poisoning , according to the release .
@ @ @ @ @ pounds , died of severe starvation , officials said .

The body of a dog dumped in a drainage ditch in Naperville led to the arrest of two Hoffman Estates residents who are accused of starving two of their pets to death.
Sarah Gorski, 19, and Andre Norris, 27, each were charged with four felony counts of aggravated cruelty to animals and two misdemeanor counts of unlawful disposal of an animal, according to a press release from DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin.
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The release said Naperville officers and Naperville Animal Control personnel were called a trail area March 2 where they found a dead German shepherd wrapped in a bed sheet in a storage container in a wooded area near a drainage ditch.
Officials said the dog weighed about 20 pounds, though German shepherds should weigh close to 70 pounds.
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An investigation led authorities to Gorski and Norris as the alleged owners of the German shepherd and at least two other dogs, the release said.
Officials said during a March 12 search of the defendants’ home, investigators found a German shepherd/hound mix in a rusted dog crate filled with animal feces, urine and blood.
Investigators reported the emaciated, 20-pound dog was unable to walk and had massive sores.
A third dog, a corgi, allegedly died in the first week of March and was found in a field wrapped in a sheet, officials said.
Both deceased dogs were sent to the University of Illinois Veterinary School for a necropsy where it was determined the German Shepherd found in Naperville died from canine parvovirus, starvation and rat poisoning, according to the release. The corgi, weighing 4 pounds, died of severe starvation, officials said.
“To say the charges against Sarah Gorski and Andre Norris are disturbing would be a gross understatement,” Berlin said in a statement.
Naperville Police Chief Robert Marshall said the investigation by the city’s animal control officers and detectives into the cruelty of the dogs was taken seriously.
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“I am appalled by the alleged abuse perpetrated on these defenseless animals,” Marshall said.
In addition to the animal-related counts, Norris and Gorski were charged with one felony count of forgery. Naperville police allege the pair forged paystubs from Norris’ former employer, Petland.
Their next court appearance is scheduled for June 1.
subaker@tribpub.com


chicagotribune--2020-05-05--Tracking Illinois coronavirus: 2,838 deaths, 65,962 confirmed cases, 346,286 tests, 24% ICU beds, 68

Tracking Illinois coronavirus: 2,838 deaths, 65,962 confirmed cases, 346,286 tests, 24% ICU beds, 68% ventilators open

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

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


chicagotribune--2020-05-05--Gov. J.B. Pritzker lays out five-phase, regional plan for reopening Illinois

To move forward from the current phase that took effect Friday , the share of people testing positive for the @ @ @ @ @ at or under 20 % and increase no more than 10 percentage points over a @ @ @ @ @ have to be no overall increase in hospital admissions for COVID-19-like illness for 28 days @ @ @ @ @ capacity to handle a 14 % surge .

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)
For weeks, Gov. J.B. Pritzker has been under mounting pressure to reopen the state he shut down in an effort to curb the spread of the new coronavirus, insisting all along he would be guided only by science and data in lifting restrictions.
The regional, five-phase road map for reopening that the governor laid out Tuesday was replete with metrics that set a high bar for advancing each step of the way — and made it clear life will be different for some time.
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The final phase of Pritzker’s plan, when conventions, festivals and sporting events resume, won’t kick in until there’s a vaccine, treatment or widespread immunity to COVID-19.
Until then, “the option of returning to normalcy doesn’t exist,” Pritzker said at his daily briefing Tuesday.
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“That means we have to figure out how to live with COVID-19 until it can be vanquished. And to do so in a way that best supports our residents’ health and our health care systems, and saves the most lives," he said.
[ How will Illinois reopen? Three charts breaking down Pritzker’s plan ]
The plan divides the state into four regions: northeast Illinois, north central Illinois, central Illinois and southern Illinois, each of which could enter different phases of reopening at different times under the plan.
The state is currently in the second phase of the plan, labeled “flattening,” which relaxed some restrictions that had been in place since March. The earliest a region can move from the second phase to a third “recovery" phase is May 29, Pritzker said.
Each move forward to another phase comes with a caveat — a backslide in data will result in a return to the previous phase’s restrictions.
“Moving backward is honestly the last thing that anyone wants to do,” Pritzker said. “But if the virus begins to attack more people or the health care systems are heading toward becoming overwhelmed in any region, swift action will need to be taken.”
[ COVID-19 cases in Illinois by ZIP code: Search for your neighborhood ]
Gov. J.B. Pritzker speaks during his daily coronavirus press briefing, May 3, 2020 in Chicago. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)
Pritzker laid out the long road to recovery as state officials reported the highest number of COVID-19 fatalities in a 24-hour period, announcing 176 deaths on Tuesday. The statewide death toll now stands at 2,838. Officials also announced 2,122 new known cases, bringing the total number of known infections in Illinois to 65,962 since the pandemic began.
In order to move into the third phase of Pritzker’s plan, labeled “recovery,” the share of people testing positive for the coronavirus would have to be at or under 20% and increase no more than 10 percentage points over a 14-day period. There would have to be no overall increase in hospital admissions for COVID-19-like illness for 28 days — and surge capacity of at least 14% of ICU beds, ventilators and surgical beds would have to be available.
May 1 is the first day for the 14- and 28-day measurement periods to begin, and the assessment period begins anew when each phase begins, Pritzker said.
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Data on available medical and surgical beds, by region, was not immediately available Tuesday. But as of Sunday night, the state’s northeast region had 18.6% of its ICU beds available and 64% of its ventilators available. The northeast region includes Cook, Lake, DuPage, Will, McHenry, Kane, Kendall, Grundy and Kankakee counties.
The third phase allows a much wider range of businesses and activities to reopen, under certain restrictions, and gatherings of 10 or fewer people for any reason could resume.
[ As the coronavirus spreads, the Tribune is tracking Illinois cases here ]
Manufacturing, offices, retailers, and barbershops and salons could reopen, with capacity limits and other restrictions. Face coverings would still be required. Fitness and health clubs would also be able to offer one-on-one training and outdoor classes, while limited child care and summer programs could operate. Teleworking will continue to be “strongly encouraged" during that phase, Pritzker said.
Schools would continue to conduct remote learning, retailers would have to follow capacity limits set by health officials, and face coverings would still be required in public.
One of the biggest obstacles to moving from this phase to the next likely will be the requirement for widespread tracing and monitoring of those who’ve come into contact with a COVID-19 patient.
Pritzker’s plan uses the same bench marks on the rate of positive tests, hospital admissions and hospital capacity for Phases 2, 3 and 4. What changes with each phase are the requirements for coronavirus testing and contact tracing of new cases.
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On testing, to move from the current Phase 2 to Phase 3, a region must have testing available for all patients, health care workers, first responders, people with underlying conditions, and residents and employees in nursing homes and long-term care facilities. To move to Phase 4, a region must have virus testing available to anyone regardless of symptoms or risk factors.
[ Coronavirus testing sites in Illinois: Search our map for one near you ]
As for contact tracing, moving from Phase 2 to Phase 3 will require the region to have a program in place that can begin tracing and monitoring some cases within 24 hours. To move to Phase 4, a region must begin contact tracing within 24 hours of diagnosis for more than 90% of cases.
The state has been able to increase the availability of virus tests in recent weeks, but an expansion of contact tracing efforts is just getting underway.
In the fourth phase — “revitalization” — “nonessential” businesses would reopen more fully, though still adhering to new safety precautions. As in the previous phases, employers would be encouraged to provide accommodations for workers who are especially vulnerable to the virus.
Social life would begin to look a little more like normal, with dine-in service permitted once again at restaurant and bars, and cinemas and theaters allowed to reopen, all with new capacity limits. Gatherings of up to 50 people would be allowed to resume.
Child care centers and schools would reopen under guidance from state public health officials. Face coverings would still be required, as would social distancing measures. Reaching this phase would require a continued decline in the rate of new infections and hospitalizations.
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[ How fast are Midwest states reopening economies amid the coronavirus pandemic? Here’s a breakdown ]
The requirements would be the same for a wider range of businesses to open under Phase 4 of the plan. But moving to that stage also would require widespread testing to be available, regardless of symptoms or risk factors.
The state has been able to increase the availability of virus tests in recent weeks, but an expansion of contact tracing efforts is just getting underway.
The state has said it would need 3,800 contact tracers, but the public health departments that would undertake that work have for the most part not even started to increase staffing in that area. Pritzker has said announcements about those recruiting efforts would be coming soon.
The fifth and final phase — “Illinois restored” — would be a full reopening of the state’s economy. Festivals, conventions and other large events will be on hold until that phase. Only when the final phase is reached would all businesses, schools and recreational activities resume, though unspecified new safety guidelines would remain.
The state advanced from the first phase of the plan, called “rapid infection,” into the second phase last week when a modified stay-at-home order took effect Friday. The current “flattening” phase allowed nonessential retail businesses to reopen for curbside pickup and delivery and for additional outdoor activities like golf and boating to resume under social distancing guidelines.
The metrics that the state Department of Public Health will be using to track each of the four regions, which mirror state Department of Public Health emergency medical regions, will be available online so the public can see them, Pritzker said.
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Pritzker’s stay-at-home order extension has faced legal challenges, growing anger from conservatives and rural parts of the state, and several protest rallies. A number of Downstate elected officials have pushed Pritzker to release regional reopening plans that take into account differences in infection rates between the Chicago area and Downstate.
House Republican leader Jim Durkin of Western Springs and Senate GOP leader Bill Brady of Bloomington have both urged Pritzker to allow portions of the state’s economy to reopen on a regional basis.
Brady said that "while it is important to have a plan that gives us hope, we need to look at it in greater detail.”
In particular, Brady questioned the requirement that hospitals show no overall increase in admissions for COVID-19-like illness for 28 days before a region can move from one phase to the next, rather than the 14-day windows recommended in federal guidelines.
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A spokesperson for Durkin said he was still reviewing the plan and had no immediate comment.
Senate President Don Harmon praised Pritzker for offering a “forward-looking” plan to reopen the economy.
“It offers hope during economic dark days while reminding everyone of how dangerous and deadly this virus remains,” the Oak Park Democrat said in a statement.
A spokesman for House Speaker Michael Madigan, a Chicago Democrat, did not respond immediately to a request for comment.
In a statement, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s office commended Pritzker for “articulating an approach to reopening Illinois premised on data and science driven decision-making that continues to prioritize the health and safety of our residents.”
The city will soon be releasing its own “Chicago-specific plan that complements the state plan,” the statement said.
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“With the health of our residents at its center, the Chicago plan will take into consideration the unique circumstances and considerations for Chicago,” the statement said.
The state reopening plan largely relies on residents to police themselves, but Pritzker said local law enforcement agencies across the state will be asked to monitor for violations and “consider taking actions when necessary.” Pritzker also left open the possibility that the plan may be subject to future modifications.
“I’m not afraid to redesign the playbook if the rules change,” he said.
Chicago Tribune reporters Gregory Pratt, Hal Dardick, Rick Pearson and Joe Mahr contributed.
jmunks@chicagotribune.com
dpetrella@chicagotribune.com
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lschencker@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-05-05--60-year-old man shot to death in Harvey

60-year-old man shot to death in Harvey

Collins said police have identified a suspect in the shooting and are in the process of searching for him to @ @ @ @ @ Hartzol and the suspect were previously acquainted , he said .

A 60-year-old man was fatally shot Sunday night during an argument with another man outside a home in Harvey, police said.
The argument began on the front porch of a home in the 14400 block of Des Plaines Street between 8:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. and escalated when one of the men shot the other in the chest, police Chief Robert Collins said.
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The man who was shot was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was pronounced dead at 9:40 p.m., according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
He was identified as Charles Hartzol, of Riverdale, and his death has been ruled a homicide.
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Collins said police have identified a suspect in the shooting and are in the process of searching for him to take him into custody. Hartzol and the suspect were previously acquainted, he said.
zkoeske@tribpub.com
Twitter @ZakKoeske


chicagotribune--2020-05-05--Chance the Rapper to surprise Chicago teachers with cash gifts during new awards show

“ The Twilight Awards ” will broadcast live on Instagram for three nights in a row , beginning Wednesday .
@ @ @ @ @ Public Schools teachers on the first night — and three to four teachers on each @ @ @ @ @ with supplies and donations and a total of $ 300,000 in cash donations to teachers @ @ @ @ @ his partner , Box Tops for Education , a General Mills initiative that raises money @ @ @

Chance the Rapper will give out $300,000 to schools and teachers during his new "Twilight Awards" on Instagram Live. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)
Chance the Rapper will launch a new awards show this week celebrating educators across the country and in Chicago and donating $300,000 to teachers and schools in need.
“The Twilight Awards” will broadcast live on Instagram for three nights in a row, beginning Wednesday. Chance will surprise four Chicago Public Schools teachers on the first night — and three to four teachers on each of the following nights — with supplies and donations and a total of $300,000 in cash donations to teachers and school on behalf of his partner, Box Tops for Education, a General Mills initiative that raises money for schools.
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Chance and his nonprofit SocialWorks announced plans for a teacher award show back in 2017, to recognize “teachers for showing dedication, originality and creativity in helping their students thrive.” The awards are being handed out during Teacher Appreciation Week.
“Even though schools look a little different right now, teachers are still at the heart of how our children learn,” Lilly Moeding, brand experience manager for Box Tops for Education, said in a statement.
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While this year’s awards will be announced virtually because of the coronavirus pandemic, Chance hopes for a much larger in-person celebration at some later time.
This is not the first time Chance has used his fortune to give back to the school system.
In 2017, he donated $1 million to Chicago Public Schools and helped to create the New Chance: Arts & Literature Fund. That year, Chance also announced a series of $10,000 donations to 10 individual city schools.
It was during his time working with Chicago schools when Chance, a Chicago native, came up with the idea for the Twilight Awards, as a way to honor educators.
Viewers can watch the awards live on Chance’s Instagram account, @ChancetheRapper, at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
ssherry@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-05-05--Watch live: Gov. J.B. Pritzker and health officials give a coronavirus update

Illinois Gov .
J.B. Pritzker and state health officials are scheduled to provide an update at 2:30 p.m. CDT .
@ @ @ @ @ here .

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chicagotribune--2020-05-05--Indiana officials: Lake County hits grim milestone topping 100 COVID-19 deaths; almost 2,200 cases

“ COVID-19 poses an unprecedented threat to Hoosiers , especially the individuals who call nursing homes and assisted-living facilities home @ @ @ @ @ , D-Indianapolis , said in a release .
`` At a time when the free @ @ @ @ @ families save lives , Governor Holcomb is hiding behind privacy laws intended to protect individuals @ @ @ @ @ regulators .
No one is asking that the state divulge potentially identifying information as to @ @ @ @ @ asking to know what is happening inside of these facilities .

Maria Jenkins wipes down a display counter in Pandora inside of the Greenwood Park Mall, May 4, 2020, in Greenwood, Ind (Darron Cummings/AP)
Lake County hit a grim milestone Tuesday with over 100 deaths reported from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Six more deaths brought the county’s total to 103, according to the Indiana State Department of Health. Statewide, Indiana reported 1,213 official deaths from the pandemic. Another 113 deaths were suspected, but not diagnosed. It reported 62 new deaths Tuesday.
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The Porter County Health Department reported eight deaths to date, with 285 positive cases. Of those, 14 were hospitalized and 170 recovered.
Since the first case was reported in Indiana on March 6, about 18% of those tested were positive, state figures show. To date, more than 21,000 Hoosiers have tested positive for the virus and the state reports more than 115,000 people have been tested. According to census.gov, the state’s 2019 population was 6.7 million.
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The new state statistics show that at least 1,004 people died during April with COVID-19 infections — an average of nearly 33.5 people a day. That one-month death toll far exceeds Indiana’s average of about 150 flu deaths over a seven-month period in recent years.
Elsewhere to date, LaPorte County and rural Newton County both reported eight COVID-19 deaths. At the Westville Correctional Facility, 157 prisoners have tested positive while 144 recovered, according to the Indiana Department of Corrections statistics posted online. Three prisoners have died to date, it said. Just over 300 prisoners are isolated, while 17 are quarantined. There, 51 staff tested positive for COVID-19, while 47 recovered.
In Lake County so far, 2,161 out of 10,141 people have tested positive, according to the state. In Porter County, the state is reporting more than 2,000 residents have been tested.
Marion County, which includes Indianapolis, leads the state with more than 6,400 positive cases and 374 deaths, according to the state. Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett extended the city’s stay-at-home order Thursday until May 15.
The Gary Health Department on Monday said it has reached 440 positive cases in the city along with 15 deaths. East Chicago reported six deaths and 134 positive cases to date.
Starting Tuesday, Lake County residents who have COVID-19 symptoms can get tested at Opus Inspection Inc.'s vehicle emissions testing facility in Hammond, according to a press release from the Lake County Board of Commissioners.
Testing will be available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., through Saturday at 1231 E. Gostlin St., Hammond, according to the press release. Up to 100 tests will be conducted each day, according to the release.
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Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb announced Friday a relaxing of business restrictions imposed to slow the coronavirus spread for much of the state.
However, the restrictions for Lake and Marion counties remain until May 11. Cass County, home of a Tyson Foods plant where half of the employees have tested positive for COVID-19, will keep restrictions in place until May 18.
Some of Indiana’s Bureau of Motor Vehicles license branches will re-open with an appointment-only service format beginning Monday.
Nursing homes
Since Indiana reported 420 COVID-19 deaths in 105 nursing homes and longterm care facilities so far Monday, with over 2,300 confirmed cases in 173 facilities. Since last week, Indiana has seen 900 more cases and 160 additional deaths.
About one-third of Indiana deaths have occurred in nursing homes, officials said. Indiana is alone in surrounding states with its refusal as Illinois, Michigan, Kentucky and Ohio are publicly disclosing per facility COVID-19 cases and deaths.
At least 48 of 97 reported COVID-19 deaths in Lake County Friday were nursing home residents, Health Officer Chandana Vavilala said Friday.
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Meanwhile an Indianapolis Democrat called for more transparency.
“COVID-19 poses an unprecedented threat to Hoosiers, especially the individuals who call nursing homes and assisted-living facilities home,” Rep. Ed DeLaney, D-Indianapolis, said in a release. "At a time when the free flow of information could help families save lives, Governor Holcomb is hiding behind privacy laws intended to protect individuals, not nursing homes or regulators. No one is asking that the state divulge potentially identifying information as to individuals, we’re asking to know what is happening inside of these facilities.
"Without good, real-time data about the successes and failures of these facilities, it is impossible to make the informed decisions required during a pandemic. Hoosiers need facility-level data to make decisions about placement for themselves and their loved ones,” he said. “At the same time, the state legislature needs facility-level data to make decisions about matters of safety and funding."
A recent Indianapolis Star report, which found over 90% of Indiana nursing homes were owned by a county hospital, i.e. a public entity, and highly dependent on billions from Medicare and Medicaid.
“We are in the business of protecting people, not facilities,” DeLaney said."The information we need will bring joy to no one and may well set some facilities or regulators back. This is the price of democracy and the path to correcting problems. The Governor must release this information."
The Associated Press contributed.


chicagotribune--2020-05-05--Remembering the lives of those in Illinois who died from coronavirus

As the number of deaths attributable to COVID-19 ticks upward , the Tribune is working to chronicle those who have @ @ @ @ @ Chicago area or who have connections to our region .
These are some of those @ @

They were mothers and fathers, daughters and sons. Many were proud grandparents. Two were sisters from a tight-knit South Side family. All were loved, relatives say, and will be forever missed.
As the number of deaths attributable to COVID-19 ticks upward, the Tribune is working to chronicle those who have lost their lives in the Chicago area or who have connections to our region. These are some of those victims.
If you know of someone or would like to offer a remembrance of someone please share your information here. To file a death notice, go here.
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