chicagotribune--2020-05-01--Masks at the ready: Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s modified stay-at-home order kicks in Friday amid legal and

Masks at the ready: Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s modified stay-at-home order kicks in Friday amid legal and political pushback

“ We ’ re staying the course here on making sure we ’ re keeping an eye on the health @ @ @ @ @ , wherever they live , whether they live in far southern Illinois in Cairo or @ @ @ @ @ Freeport or Rockford and everywhere in between , ” Pritzker said .
“ And guess @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t live in Chicago or Cook County or the collar counties doesn ’ @ @ @ @ @ not in danger .
”

Dan Petrella, Rick Pearson, Angie Leventis Lourgos, Jamie Munks

Air travelers with and without face masks use a moving walkway toward their gates at Midway International Airport in Chicago on April 19, 2022. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
With his modified stay-at-home order taking effect Friday, Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker is facing multiple legal challenges to the cornerstone of his coronavirus response and political pressure from Republicans in more conservative corners of the state to reopen the economy more quickly.
Pritzker signed a new executive order Thursday that extends his directive for people to remain at home as much as possible through May 29, with changes including a requirement that people older than 2 wear face coverings in public when they can’t maintain a safe distance from others.
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The governor’s new order allows certain state parks to reopen and some elective medical procedures to resume, particularly in areas with fewer cases of the new coronavirus.
The order also requires “essential" businesses, such as grocery stores and pharmacies, to provide face coverings to workers who can’t maintain 6 feet of distance from one another and caps the number of people who can be in an establishment at one time.
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“All these changes represent a shift in our approach to COVID-19, a shift made possible by the millions of Illinoisans who have stepped up by staying home and keeping each other safe,” Pritzker said at his daily news conference.
[ New Illinois rules about wearing a face mask in public start May 1. Here’s everything to know. ]
Despite the governor’s message of unity, partisan and regional divisions have been on full display this week as people across the state prepare for another 30 days at home. It has been largely in rural, conservative areas where residents have chafed under a perception that Pritzker’s regulations are motivated by Chicago’s efforts to control the spread of the virus.
The five Republicans in Illinois’ 18-member congressional delegation, who largely represent downstate areas, on Thursday sent Pritzker a letter urging him to adopt a phased plan to reopen the state’s economy.
Also on Thursday, a church pastor from rural northwest Illinois sued the governor in federal court, alleging that his actions have demonstrated “illegal and discriminatory hostility to religious practice, churches, and people of faith."
Pritzker already was facing two lawsuits from GOP state lawmakers accusing him of exceeding his legal authority by extending the stay-at-home order beyond its initial 30 days.
[ Here are some Chicago-area mask giveaways to prepare for Illinois order that starts Friday ]
On the eve of the third extension of the stay-at-home order, state officials reported 2,563 more known cases of COVID-19 and 141 additional deaths, the second-highest daily totals in each category since the start of the outbreak. That brings the total number of known cases to 52,918 and the death toll to 2,355 statewide, officials said.
Cases of COVID-19 have been detected in all but five of the state’s 102 counties. When the initial stay-at-home order took effect March 21, there were 753 known cases and six deaths across 26 counties.
Pritzker and health officials have attributed the recent rise in cases in part to recently expanded testing capacity and relaxed criteria for who can get a screening.
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The state has massively increased COVID-19 testing over the past week, performing an average of 13,000 to 14,000 tests daily, Pritzker said. Illinois — along with the rest of the nation — had grappled with mass testing for most of March and April.
[ Illinois COVID-19 restrictions will ease Friday for nonessential retailers and animal groomers, but it won’t be business as usual ]
Pritzker called testing for the new virus a “key to our ability to reopen our economy and keep people safe” and said more progress needs to be made before that can happen.
Pritzker publicized the planned opening next week of two new state-run drive-thru testing sites, in Waukegan and East St. Louis. The state already is operating drive-up testing sites in Harwood Heights, Markham, Aurora, Bloomington and Rockford.
The state now has 177 public testing sites, up from 112 locations less than a week ago. This includes 41 sites in Chicago, 22 sites in the southwest suburbs, eight sites in the west suburbs, 11 sites in the northwest suburbs and 11 sites in the north suburbs. This does not include private medical providers also offering testing for their patients.
“We’re staying the course here on making sure we’re keeping an eye on the health and safety of every Illinoisan, wherever they live, whether they live in far southern Illinois in Cairo or in Vienna or live in Freeport or Rockford and everywhere in between,” Pritzker said. “And guess what, just because they don’t live in Chicago or Cook County or the collar counties doesn’t mean that people are not in danger.”
Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 98 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)
In their letter, however, the Republican congressmen wrote that “it is unreasonable and untenable to continue on this course for the duration of the pandemic.”
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“The fact is, communities across the state are desperate for a plan to navigate the reopening of business in a responsible, reasonable manner,” says the letter from Reps. John Shimkus of Collinsville, Adam Kinzinger of Channahon, Rodney Davis of Taylorville, Mike Bost of Murphysboro and Darin LaHood of Peoria.
“There is a strong desire among the people we represent to move forward with a plan focusing on balancing our health and our economy. It should not be an either/or proposition,” the congressmen wrote.
Pritzker said he spoke with the state’s entire congressional delegation Wednesday and didn’t disagree with the Republicans “that different areas of the state require different rules.” He said some of the changes in his new order acknowledged those regional differences.
Statewide, the latest order clarifies that garden centers and nurseries are essential businesses and adds pet groomers to the list. It also allows “nonessential” retailers to reopen to take online and telephone orders for curbside pickup or delivery.
However, the new order also tightens some restrictions.
Retail stores, including grocery stores, will be required to cap occupancy at 50% of store capacity, or at occupancy limits based on store square footage set by the state Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. They’re also required to set up store aisles to be “one-way where practicable to maximize spacing between customers” and to discontinue use of reusable bags.
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Stores must provide face coverings to employees who are not able to maintain 6 feet of distance between themselves. The order also calls for households to limit the number of members going to stores to the “minimum necessary.”
Anyone over the age of 2 who is able to “medically tolerate a face covering,” which could be either a mask or a cloth covering, is required to wear it to cover their nose and mouth when they’re in a public place and unable to maintain 6 feet of distance from other people, according to the order.
Face coverings are required in public indoor spaces, such as stores.
Pritzker on Thursday said he would “suggest having one on hand” even when going out for a walk, run or bike ride around the neighborhood.
“You don’t have to wear it at all times if you’re going running, jogging outside or bicycling,” he said. “But if you encounter a crowd, a public space with a lot of people in it, that’s when you need to, are required to put on a face covering."
dpetrella@chicagotribune.com
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chicagotribune--2020-04-30--Coronavirus in Illinois updates: 2,563 new known COVID-19 cases and 141 fatalities reported — the se

Coronavirus in Illinois updates: 2,563 new known COVID-19 cases and 141 fatalities reported — the second-highest daily totals since start of outbreak

Illinois officials on Thursday announced 2,563 more known cases of COVID-19 and 141 additional deaths , bringing the total case count to 52,918 and the death toll to 2,355 statewide since the start of the outbreak .
The 141 fatalities reported in the previous 24 hours was the second-highest daily death toll , following 144 deaths reported Tuesday .
The 2,563 new known cases were also the second-highest daily total .
The new numbers were reported ahead of Gov .
J.B. Pritzker ’ s extended stay-at-home order taking effect .
Starting Friday , the new directive requires all Illinois residents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mask when they can ’ t maintain a 6-foot social distance in public .
Here ’ s what else you need to know about the new face mask rules .
Following another week where more than 100 south and southwest suburban residents are confirmed to have died from COVID-19 , the Southland has now lost nearly 500 people to the virus , according to a Southtown analysis .
At least 326 people in South Cook County and 153 people in Will County have died of complications from the virus since March 19 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medical examiner ’ s office and Will County public health officials .
About half of the South Cook patients who died were at least 75 years old and more than 80 % were at least 65 years old , according to data from the Cook County medical examiner ’ s office .
Only seven of the 326 people who have died of COVID-19 in South Cook County were under 40 .
Read more here .
—Zak Koeske 5:42 p.m. : Frustration reigns amid efforts to get youths out of Cook County ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m like , what ’ s going on ?
You got me worried , now you ’ re not responding , ” she told the Tribune .
Her son was not sick with COVID-19 , as she had dreaded .
But he had been arrested — picked up on a gun charge and sent to Cook County ’ s Juvenile Temporary Detention Center .
Thanks to expansive preemptive testing and other measures , the virus has not taken hold in the juvenile center as quickly or ferociously as it has at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of adult detainees have fallen ill .
But advocates told the Tribune they have at times encountered roadblocks and confusion in trying to win release for juveniles — and feared that their young clients were being denied a fair chance to go home and shelter during the pandemic .
“ They ’ re children , period .
They ’ re kids , they make mistakes , their brain isn ’ t developed , they don ’ t understand the consequences , ” said Cook County Public Defender Amy Campanelli .
“ The judges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of our kids , but there ’ s more work to do ... everybody should get a shot at a review .
There shouldn ’ t be a technical reason not to do it . ''
On Thursday , after advocates voiced concerns and reporters raised questions , Chief Judge Timothy Evans ’ office announced he would sign an order mandating that all juvenile detention reviews would have a chance to be heard in court .
Read more here .
—Megan Crepeau The City of Chicago released data Thursday showing COVID-19 continues to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the city ’ s public health commissioner saying modeling shows the city should be in much better shape to lessen restrictions in a month .
But she said that , with restrictions maintained , she expects a downward trajectory in new cases by the end of May .
She said an Argonne National Laboratory model suggests hospitals would not be overwhelmed if restrictions were loosened June 1 — provided the city employs a plan crafted “ carefully and thoughtfully ” with “ an appropriate level ” of social distancing .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are followed ) … we ’ ll be able to handle any increased infections that we do see in a way that won ’ t make us have to take major steps backward , even if we have to adjust moving forward , ” she said .
The latest projections come amid increased testing , and as part of a broader release of raw data on Chicago ’ s data portal .
Arwady said the goal of the new information was for residents and researchers to have the chance to dig into more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the city says one key measure of a pandemic ’ s trajectory — so-called “ doubling days ” — continues to chart in the right direction .
Doubling days are the number of days it takes a figure – such as new cases or deaths -- to double .
The longer it takes , the better it is .
Arwady acknowledged that — because of the boost in the number of tests — that figure alone could become an unreliable measure of the pandemic ’ s growth .
After all , boosted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ previously went unreported or wouldn ’ t have been caught with earlier , stricter rules on who could be tested .
To help researchers crunch figures , the city is putting out daily updates of case counts , testing figures , deaths , hospital capacity and broader data on those reporting flu-like symptoms to emergency rooms .
Maps are being updated three times a week for case counts , case rates and mortality by zip code , with more precise maps showing deaths by race and ethnicity .
Once a week , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trajectory data , such as measurements of “ doubling days.
” —Joe Mahr The number of inmates at Chicago ’ s high-rise federal jail who are positive for COVID-19 jumped to 48 on Thursday – almost seven times the number reported by prison officials just a day earlier .
The statistics were disclosed Thursday afternoon on the U.S. Bureau of Prisons web site , which has kept a running tally on the spread of coronavirus among the roughly 150,000 people in federal custody across the country .
On Wednesday , there were only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who were listed as having tested positive for the virus , according to the prisons bureau .
In addition to the four dozen inmates who are now positive , the bureau reported that 20 MCC staff members have confirmed infections .
So far there have been no fatalities .
The spike in positive cases was the latest in a series of swings in the prisons bureau numbers that have so far gone unexplained by prisons bureau officials .
The bureau did not respond to multiple requests from the Chicago Tribune this week for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is being tabulated .
One possible explanation for the increase is more testing .
Last week , the prisons bureau announced in a news release that it was expanding testing around its system on asymptomatic inmates , since it ’ s now understood the virus can be quietly spread by an infected person who is not showing symptoms .
The release did not state whether the MCC was among the facilities where the new testing machines would be used .
The lack of information has continued to raise alarms in Chicago ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been trying — mostly in vain — to get clients released due to the disease ’ s presumed ability to spread quickly in the MCC ’ s notoriously cramped quarters .
`` Clearly , the numbers on the BOP web site can not be trusted , ” John Murphy , the executive director of the Federal Defender Program in Chicago , told the Tribune earlier this week .
Nationwide , 33 federal inmates have died as of Thursday due to coronavirus complications , according to the BOP .
Nearly 1,700 inmates have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 426 who have now recovered .
—Jason Meisner 3:55 p.m. : City officials say O ’ Hare ’ s massive $ 8.5 billion expansion project is moving ahead .
But bleak outlook for air travel could force it to scale back .
Chicago ’ s aviation department insists the coronavirus pandemic won ’ t curtail its $ 8.5 billion expansion plan for O ’ Hare International Airport , but there are growing signs the city will have no choice but to reconsider the scope and timing of the project .
With flights canceled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because of the coronavirus , the airlines — which are being counted on to help pay for the expansion — are facing their most severe economic crisis since the Sept. 11 , 2001 , terrorist attacks .
“ Never before has our airline , or our industry , faced such a significant challenge , ” American Airlines Chairman and CEO Doug Parker said in a statement Thursday announcing first quarter earnings .
Other airports have already said they were considering postponing multi-billion dollar expansion plans because of the pandemic , including DFW Airport @ @ @ @ @ @ @ international airport .
And there are signs the architectural firm picked to design the $ 2.2 billion Global Terminal — the project ’ s centerpiece — has encountered turbulence on the project .
“ If the airlines can ’ t afford this and don ’ t need terminals as large as they were , the city has a fiduciary duty to the airlines and to the community not to spend money they don ’ t have , '' said Henry Harteveldt , travel industry analyst and president of the Atmosphere Research Group .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Blair Kamin and Lauren Zumbach 3:36 p.m. : Catholics to pray outside Holy Name Cathedral for reopening of churches A group of Chicago-area Catholics will gather Friday at Holy Name Cathedral to pray for the reopening of churches in the Archdiocese of Chicago .
“ We are desperately in need of spiritual leadership during this pandemic , and that is sorely lacking in the Archdiocese of Chicago , ” Joseph Scheidler , one of the organizers of the prayer gathering and a prominent Catholic anti-abortion activist , said in a news release .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cardinal Blase Cupich announced last month that Mass would be suspended in all churches , the most rigid restrictions for the nation ’ s third-largest archdiocese since the 1918-19 Spanish flu epidemic .
The group , the newly formed St. Charles Borromeo Society , said they asked the archdiocese to ease restrictions so churches could reopen , but Cupich declined .
The group said they would pray at Holy Name at noon every Friday until churches open .
3:25 p.m. : ′It ’ s a blessing they are still together ’ : Married @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dies of COVID-19 , hours apart “ I said to him , ‘ Dad , is there anything you need ?
’ And he just said , ‘ Mama , ’ ” recounted Kaage ’ s eldest son , Irv Kaage III .
“ I said , ‘ I ’ m working on that , Dad .
Give me just a little time.
’ ” Within hours , Irv Kaage Jr. and his wife , Muriel , married for 70 years , were together again , their hospital beds side by side , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
For the next two days , they would remain together , as they had been for all of their adult lives .
Irv Kaage Jr. , 92 , was the first to pass away on April 26 .
Muriel , 90 , followed just 36 hours later , on April 28 .
“ It ’ s a blessing they are still together , ” Kaage III said .
“ If one of them had recovered from this , they would have died from a broken heart.
” The Kaages , longtime residents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and , for the last six years , residents of neighboring Park Ridge , died of complications from COVID-19 , according to the Cook County Medical Examiner ’ s Office .
Read more here .
—Jennifer Johnson Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Thursday said she would only lay off or furlough city workers as a “ last , last , last resort , ” but that she would do so before considering raising property taxes .
Speaking at a news conference about reopening Chicago police detective areas , Lightfoot said she isn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off workers or cutting back their hours or pay .
“ As somebody who worked in city government in days when there were mandatory furlough days and layoffs , that ’ s demoralizing to your workforce , ” Lightfoot said .
But it ’ s too early to say for sure how badly the coronavirus shutdown will hurt the city ’ s bottom line .
“ I can ’ t tell you yet what the full magnitude of the impact is on our 2020 budget , and we don ’ t start our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until , really , the end of May , beginning of June , ” she said .
As for when she might consider such cuts : “ But I view layoffs and furloughs as a last , last , last resort .
Well , last is raising property taxes.
” —John Byrne 2:52 p.m. : Goodbye breakfast buffets and notepads , hello germ-zapping robots .
How hotels are doubling down on hygiene — and what that means for your next stay .
The coronavirus crisis has not only sent the hotel industry reeling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s forcing hotels to ramp up their cleaning protocols and hygiene — things that will be more of a priority for consumers in a post-pandemic world , where safe is the new sexy .
“ What would have been in the back of customers ’ minds is now front and center , ” said Phil Cordell , Hilton ’ s global head of new brand development .
Hilton , Marriott and , as of Wednesday , Chicago-based Hyatt , have all announced plans for updated cleaning standards and other steps aimed at protecting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thousands of properties around the world .
Home-rental companies like Airbnb have made similar moves .
Demand for hotel rooms has tanked during the pandemic .
Among the U.S. hotels that are still open , about three out of four rooms are vacant , according to data released Thursday by the hospitality research company STR .
In Chicago ’ s central business district , the occupancy rate is just shy of 14 % .
When people start staying in hotels again , they ’ ll notice some changes as new hygiene measures get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months .
Expect less furniture to make way for more social distancing in lobbies and other public areas .
Hand sanitizing stations will be highly visible .
So will housekeepers , whose role moves from behind-the-scenes to center stage as they frequently and conspicuously wipe down railings , elevator buttons and door handles with hospital-grade disinfectants .
Read more here .
—Lori Rackl Gov .
J.B. Pritzker said Thursday that the state has met his goal of conducting at least 10,000 tests daily for the new coronavirus each day since first surpassing that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced 2,563 more known cases of COVID-19 and 141 additional deaths , bringing the total case county to 52,918 and the death toll to 2,355 statewide since the start of the outbreak .
The 141 fatalities reported in the previous 24 hours was the second-highest daily death toll , following 144 deaths reported Tuesday .
The 2,563 new known cases were also the second-highest daily total .
Officials have attributed the growth in known cases in part to more robust testing .
More than 13,000 tests were conducted in the preceding 24 hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two more state-run drive-thru testing sites , in Waukegan and East St. Louis , that will open next week .
—Dan Petrella Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced Thursday that Oprah Winfrey will be the speaker at the virtual ceremony , which will be held in mid-June .
“ We are thrilled and honored to have the one-and-only Oprah Winfrey joining us for this incredible moment with Chicago ’ s high school seniors , ” said Lightfoot .
“ The times we are living in are historic and stunning , forcing us all to take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a people and our place in the world .
No one knows this better than Oprah , and I join all of Chicago in looking forward to hearing the wisdom she ’ ll be sharing with our incredible young people as they take this unforgettable next step on their life ’ s journey.
” Traditional graduation ceremonies have been canceled because of the school shutdown prompted by the coronavirus .
Schools will remain closed at least through the end of the current school year , which for CPS is June 18 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lori Lightfoot says she has no immediate plans to follow New York City ’ s lead in shutting down public transportation overnight to deep clean it .
“ Public transportation is really , really important , ” Lightfoot said .
Not everyone has the resources to call a cab or rideshare to get to work , she said .
“ I would say that that ’ s something that the mayor of the city of Chicago certainly should lead , ” Pritzker said .
`` We want to make sure that people are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he knows cleaning is taking place but isn ’ t sure of the schedule .
—John Byrne and Dan Petrella The five Republicans in Illinois ’ 18-member U.S. House delegation are asking Democratic Gov .
J.B. Pritzker for a phased plan to reopen the state ’ s economy , saying “ it is unreasonable and untenable to continue on this course for the duration of the pandemic.
” “ The fact is , communities across the state are desperate for a plan to navigate the reopening of business in a responsible , reasonable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a letter to Pritzker on Thursday .
“ There is a strong desire among the people we represent to move forward with a plan focusing on balancing our health and our economy .
It should not be an either/or proposition , ” the congressmen said .
The letter , signed by Reps. John Shimkus of Collinsville , Adam Kinzinger of Channahon , Rodney Davis of Taylorville , Mike Bost of Murphysboro and Darin LaHood of Peoria , appears to have come a day after they spoke to Pritzker by phone .
The letter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yesterday.
” The letter by the five Republicans represents yet another effort within the state ’ s minority political party to push Pritzker into a more widespread opening of Illinois ’ economy than the Democratic governor has indicated he will allow .
Read more here .
—Rick Pearson 1:55 p.m. : New Illinois rules about wearing a face mask in public start May 1 .
Here ’ s everything to know .
Beginning Friday , all Illinois residents over age 2 must wear a face mask when they can ’ t maintain a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show that the coronavirus can spread between people interacting in close proximity , including people who are not showing symptoms .
The Tribune has compiled resources below on what fabrics are best for homemade masks , how to make your own face mask , and who is making and donating them in the Chicago area .
Read more here .
Chicago ’ s famed Steppenwolf Theatre on Halsted Street has canceled productions on its stages further out than most of its peers .
The theater , closed by the pandemic since March , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mid-October for “ Good Night , and Good Luck , '' a new play adapted from the 2005 George Clooney movie .
First preview is planned for Oct. 22 .
Productions planned for this spring and summer will be staged at a later date , the theater announced Thursday .
In their place , Steppenwolf plans the draw on its famous ensemble for some streaming productions .
An upcoming “ virtual reading ” of Yasen Peyankov ’ s adaptation of “ The Seagull '' will feature ensemble members Ian Barford , James Vincent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In mid-June , Austin Pendleton will direct a starry cast of more than 30 ensemble members including John Malkovich , Joan Allen , Laurie Metcalf and William Petersen .
Both will available only to Steppenwolf members , or subscribers .
Read more here .
—Chris Jones 1:18 p.m. : Here are some Chicago-area mask giveaways to prepare for Illinois order that starts Friday Starting Friday , Illinois residents older than age 2 will be required to wear masks or face coverings in public , according to an order from Gov .
J.B. Pritzker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , state residents are encouraged to don fabric masks or homemade face coverings .
Many people have been making and distributing them , and a wide variety of cloth masks are available online , including through some local retailers .
The owners of the Buttermilk restaurants in Naperville and Geneva and a movie theater in Woodridge have filed a federal class action lawsuit charging their insurance company wrongly denied claims for lost income due to the coronavirus pandemic .
Filed in the eastern division of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District @ @ @ @ @ @ @ companies purchased the insurance from Wisconsin-based Society Insurance Inc. to cover their losses and expenses in situations in which their businesses are forced to close , Naperville attorney David Fish said .
Read more here .
—Erin Hegarty Resistance to Gov .
J.B. Pritzker ’ s extension of his statewide stay-at-home order grew Thursday , with a church in northwest Illinois filing a federal lawsuit contending that Pritzker ’ s executive actions have demonstrated “ illegal and discriminatory hostility to religious practice , churches , and people of faith.
” The lawsuit was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a roughly 80-person congregation in the town of Lena , by the Thomas More Society , a conservative public interest law firm in Chicago .
Stephen Cassell , the church ’ s pastor , is listed as a co-plaintiff with the church .
The complaint takes issue with how Pritzker ’ s stay-home order deemed worship spaces nonessential , and alleges that Pritzker and other law enforcement and public health officials have “ intentionally denigrated Illinois churches and pastors and people of faith by relegating them to second-class citizenship.
” Read more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amid an entertainment world shut down by coronavirus , The Hideout is still working to make a human connection Longtime followers of the Hideout know pushing forward is the modus operandi of the venue .
Being first is too .
Whether it was closing down operations well before the state ’ s shelter-in-place order or setting up a GoFundMe for employees , the Hideout has never been afraid of making challenging , progressive decisions in the face of adversity .
I t comes as no surprise then that rather than simply go silent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ IRL bar and performance venue experience online .
Read more here .
—Britt Julious The humans of Chicagoland are lonely and feeling a little hopeless right now , according to a new survey meant to gauge the well-being of Americans during the coronavirus pandemic .
About 36 % of respondents in Chicago ’ s metropolitan area reported that they felt “ hopeless about the future ” at least once in the last week , and 43 % reported that they felt lonely at least one day .
More than a third reported at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ With their lives disrupted by COVID-19 , many are worried about jobs too .
When the surveyors asked how likely respondents felt that it was that they would have a job in 30 days , 42 % in the Chicago area reported that it was “ not too likely ” or “ not likely at all.
” About 23 % of local residents surveyed said that at some time in the past 30 days , they had run out of food and had no money to buy more .
And 29 % of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they didn ’ t have enough food to last before they ’ d have money to spend .
Reports of food insecurity were similar nationally .
Read more here .
—Jennifer Smith Richards As American colleges and churches abruptly closed last month because of the pandemic , seminaries followed suit , forcing aspiring religious leaders attending seminaries to wait before fulfilling their ambitions of becoming priests or pastors .
Chicago historically has had more seminaries than any other metro area in the country , according to the Encyclopedia of Chicago , so the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision to postpone ordinations is up to each individual diocese .
The Joliet Diocese has also delayed its ordinations .
The Diocese of Gary , however , will proceed with a private ordination for its one new priest .
The ordination will comply with all social distancing guidelines , a diocese spokesman said .
Read more here .
—Javonte Anderson 9:53 a.m. : Toilet paper : Why is it still so hard to find ?
When will stores have rolls ?
Paper goods giant Georgia-Pacific is cranking out 1.5 million more rolls of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ago , but George Bugg still can ’ t find it on the shelves of the Decatur , Georgia , stores where he shops .
Bugg wants to know : What gives ?
Nearly two months into new shopping habits brought on by the coronavirus pandemic , why haven ’ t manufacturers caught up to demand for toilet paper and paper towels ?
“ I didn ’ t think we are using much more than usual .
But , in the last month , I haven ’ t been able to find it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Kroger the next day , the paper towel rack was empty .
There were a few off-brand packs of toilet paper , and people were picking up those , ” said Bugg .
It ’ s the same across much of the nation .
In response , manufacturers have restarted idled tissue-making machines , increased efficiency in their 24-hour , seven-day operations , and shipped more paper faster .
But they haven ’ t caught up to panicked consumer buying and societal and business changes that have altered American loo-ology .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when the TP shortage might end .
Read more here .
—The Atlanta Journal-Constitution The report said that the country experienced big declines as “ consumers canceled , restricted or redirected their spending.
” Read more here .
—Associated Press 8:48 a.m. : Mask up : Art Institute lions , Daley Center Picasso get coronavirus face coverings Gov .
J.B. Pritzker required Illinoisans to begin wearing face masks in public beginning Friday .
The Art Institute lions and the Daley Center Picasso jumped the gun .
Crews Thursday morning began to install artisanal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a message to the rest of Chicago — and Illinois — that we can handle a little sacrifice , a little disruption in our public look , for the sake of the common good .
The masks were the idea of Dimension Design , a Glenview firm that works mostly in the now-on-hiatus trade show and live event world .
Co-founder Jeremy Biewer and a friend had the idea of putting masks on Chicago sculptures to get the public health point across .
Designer Kelly Winter at Dimension did some mockups , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nod to Mayor Lori Lightfoot ’ s page — and , boom , a week or so later , workers were up in a cherry picker and on a scissors lift strapping Chicago-flag-emblazoned protective gear onto civically significant artworks .
Scientists will note that neither Picasso ’ s sculpture nor those inanimate lions are likely to sneeze or cough or in any way spread the virus that has turned 2020 into a landmark year .
But that ’ s not the point .
“ Being able to promote safety and reduce the stigma @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s important , ” Biewer said .
“ Wearing the masks is going to save lives .
If we can get Chicago to mask up , it helps reduce the transmission of all of this.
” Read more here .
—Steve Johnson 7:50 a.m. : Another 3.8 million US workers file for unemployment ; coronavirus has put 30 million out of work More than 3.8 million laid-off workers applied for unemployment benefits last week as the U.S. economy slid further into a crisis that is becoming the most devastating since the 1930s .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for jobless aid in the six weeks since the coronavirus outbreak began forcing millions of employers to close their doors and slash their workforces .
That is more people than live in the New York and Chicago metropolitan areas combined , and it ’ s by far the worst string of layoffs on record .
It adds up to more than 1 in 6 American workers .
In Illinois , another 81,245 people filed initial claims for benefits in the week that ended April 18 , a drop of 21,691 from the previous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Since mid-March , almost 819,000 Illinois residents have applied for unemployment insurance benefits .
With more employers cutting payrolls to save money , economists have forecast that the unemployment rate for April could go as high as 20 % .
That would be the highest rate since it reached 25 % during the Great Depression .
Read more here .
—Associated Press 7:10 a.m. : Complaints about businesses violating stay-home order drop ; Chicago offering webinars for businesses under modified stay-at-home order Chicago has received more than 2,700 complaints about businesses violating the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the number of complaints has gone down in the last two weeks , according to the city .
At the beginning of April , the city was fielding almost 100 complaints a day , dropping to about 60 a day in the last two weeks , according to a news release from the mayor ’ s office .
As of Wednesday , the city ’ s Business Affairs and Consumer Protection Department had issued citations to 69 businesses , made 1,262 in-person checks on businesses and called more than 11,000 businesses about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Fines can run up to $ 10,000 .
As the state ’ s order changes effective Friday , the city of also is hosting webinars , including one Thursday afternoon , “ to help businesses navigate ” the modified stay-at-home order , which lets a few types of business reopen entirely and others start offering online and pickup service , according to the release .
Chicago ’ s Business Affairs and Consumer Protection Department ’ s online seminars will help guide business owners through the state ’ s new regulations , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how non-essential businesses can reopen and requirements to protect workers and customers , according a news release .
The city also is offering webinars for businesses regarding the city ’ s Microbusiness Recovery Grants , which will provide grants for businesses with four or fewer people in lower-income neighborhoods .
More information is available at the city ’ s website .
—Chicago Tribune staff On the eve of new Illinois requirements to wear face masks in public Friday , nonprofit Masks4Chi aims to distribute 350,000 free , reusable cloth masks throughout Chicago .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ raise awareness about mask use in an effort to help flatten the coronavirus curve .
From Thursday to May 3 , Masks4Chi will start the first stage of distribution with 25,000 masks .
The organization was started by Anand Sheth , owner of Mon Ami Jewelry and Mon Ami Realty , after a conversation with a friend , cardiologist Dr. Saumil Oza , who had started a similar organization in Jacksonville , Florida , Masks4Jax .
Sheth shared the idea with his team members , Emily Jodlowski and Stephanie Garcia Ochoa , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Masks4Chi had partnered with a running list of local Chicago restaurants to give out the first 25,000 masks .
The first 25,000 masks are being distributed through local restaurants and the food delivery app Chowbus , according to Sheth .
Two free , individually wrapped masks will be included in orders from participating restaurants , as will a flyer explaining Masks4Chi ’ s mission and initiative .
The nonprofit says there is no minimum purchase required to receive free masks .
6 a.m. : How the coronavirus school shutdown has changed PE class @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teacher at Winston Campus Junior High in Palatine , Emmie Galan used to lead spirited volleyball matches and handball games in the school gym .
Now she ’ s hosting Instagram Live workout sessions for students from her living room .
While joining in the Instagram Live workouts is encouraged , Galan said they ’ re not mandatory , and her primary goal is to encourage her students to stay active and healthy during the sudden halting of their daily PE classes at the Palatine school .
Teachers and other experts agree that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ active and embrace a healthy lifestyle is more important than ever during this uncertain and anxious time in their lives .
A provision of the Illinois School Code that mandates fitness assessments for students was recently suspended because of the COVID-19 school closures .
But given Illinois ’ reputation as a national leader in PE and health instruction , teachers say even during school closures , the classes remain a priority .
Read more here .
—Karen Ann Cullotta Here are five things that happened Wednesday that you need to know : Here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you need to know : Here are five things that happened Monday that you need to know :

We have lifted the paywall on this story. To support essential reporting, please consider becoming a subscriber .
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)
Illinois officials on Thursday announced 2,563 more known cases of COVID-19 and 141 additional deaths, bringing the total case count to 52,918 and the death toll to 2,355 statewide since the start of the outbreak.
The 141 fatalities reported in the previous 24 hours was the second-highest daily death toll, following 144 deaths reported Tuesday. The 2,563 new known cases were also the second-highest daily total.
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The new numbers were reported ahead of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s extended stay-at-home order taking effect. Starting Friday, the new directive requires all Illinois residents over age 2 to wear a face mask when they can’t maintain a 6-foot social distance in public. Here’s what else you need to know about the new face mask rules.
[ COVID-19 cases in Illinois by ZIP code: Search for your neighborhood ]
[ As the coronavirus spreads, the Tribune is tracking Illinois cases here ]
[ From closing schools to stay-at-home order, here's how Illinois' coronavirus response compares with other states ]
Here’s what’s happening Thursday with COVID-19 in the Chicago area and Illinois:
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7:36 p.m.: Branded masks turn coronavirus protection into commercial message: ‘It’s a face billboard.’
The requirement that Illinois residents wear facial coverings in public to prevent the spread of coronavirus has given rise to a new advertising vehicle — branded face masks promoting everything from fast food restaurants to sports teams.
All major sports leagues have begun producing officially-licensed team logo masks. Universal Music Group is making masks featuring artists from Willie Nelson to Justin Bieber. Warners Bros. has licensed a mask with the cast from the 1990s TV show, “Beverly Hills, 90210.”
Many of the proceeds of branded mask sales, at least initially, are helping to fund COVID-19 relief efforts. But turning personal protective equipment into an ad for a real estate agent may raise eyebrows, even in the new normal of a worldwide health crisis. Read more here. — Robert Channick
6:25 p.m.: Nearly 500 Southland residents have died of COVID-19
Following another week where more than 100 south and southwest suburban residents are confirmed to have died from COVID-19, the Southland has now lost nearly 500 people to the virus, according to a Southtown analysis.
At least 326 people in South Cook County and 153 people in Will County have died of complications from the virus since March 19, according to data from the Cook County medical examiner’s office and Will County public health officials.
The South Cook County patients who died — 170 men and 156 women — hailed from 48 different communities and range in age from a 19-year-old Riverdale man to a 108-year-old Evergreen Park nursing home resident.
The vast majority were elderly and many were residents of long-term care facilities.
About half of the South Cook patients who died were at least 75 years old and more than 80% were at least 65 years old, according to data from the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
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Only seven of the 326 people who have died of COVID-19 in South Cook County were under 40. Read more here. —Zak Koeske
5:42 p.m.: Frustration reigns amid efforts to get youths out of Cook County’s juvenile detention center before virus hits
Three weeks ago, McKisha Davis’ 17-year-old son sent her a text. “It feel like I have a short breath,” he wrote.
Davis, fearing the worst, asked where he was. “Are you feeling better?”
No response.
“I’m like, what’s going on? You got me worried, now you’re not responding,” she told the Tribune.
Her son was not sick with COVID-19, as she had dreaded. But he had been arrested — picked up on a gun charge and sent to Cook County’s Juvenile Temporary Detention Center.
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Thanks to expansive preemptive testing and other measures, the virus has not taken hold in the juvenile center as quickly or ferociously as it has at the Cook County Jail, where hundreds of adult detainees have fallen ill.
But advocates told the Tribune they have at times encountered roadblocks and confusion in trying to win release for juveniles — and feared that their young clients were being denied a fair chance to go home and shelter during the pandemic.
“They’re children, period. They’re kids, they make mistakes, their brain isn’t developed, they don’t understand the consequences,” said Cook County Public Defender Amy Campanelli. “The judges at juvenile court have released a lot of our kids, but there’s more work to do ... everybody should get a shot at a review. There shouldn’t be a technical reason not to do it."
On Thursday, after advocates voiced concerns and reporters raised questions, Chief Judge Timothy Evans’ office announced he would sign an order mandating that all juvenile detention reviews would have a chance to be heard in court. Read more here. —Megan Crepeau
5:38 p.m.: New Chicago data shows coronavirus continue to spread more slowly
The City of Chicago released data Thursday showing COVID-19 continues to spread more slowly through city residents, with the city’s public health commissioner saying modeling shows the city should be in much better shape to lessen restrictions in a month.
The commissioner, Dr. Allison Arwady, told reporters in a conference call Thursday that if restrictions had been lifted Friday, modeling forecasted an overwhelmed health care system within weeks.
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But she said that, with restrictions maintained, she expects a downward trajectory in new cases by the end of May. She said an Argonne National Laboratory model suggests hospitals would not be overwhelmed if restrictions were loosened June 1 — provided the city employs a plan crafted “carefully and thoughtfully” with “an appropriate level” of social distancing.
“We feel confident that (if such steps are followed) … we’ll be able to handle any increased infections that we do see in a way that won’t make us have to take major steps backward, even if we have to adjust moving forward,” she said.
The latest projections come amid increased testing, and as part of a broader release of raw data on Chicago’s data portal. Arwady said the goal of the new information was for residents and researchers to have the chance to dig into more data themselves.
In its latest analysis, the city says one key measure of a pandemic’s trajectory — so-called “doubling days” — continues to chart in the right direction. Doubling days are the number of days it takes a figure – such as new cases or deaths -- to double. The longer it takes, the better it is.
The latest calculations show new cases doubling every 15 days, compared to the 12-day calculation the city released two weeks ago.
Arwady acknowledged that — because of the boost in the number of tests — that figure alone could become an unreliable measure of the pandemic’s growth. After all, boosted testing is likely flagging more cases that previously went unreported or wouldn’t have been caught with earlier, stricter rules on who could be tested.
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But the city points to another “’doubling” metric — COVID-related deaths doubling every 16 days — as confirmation the trajectory remains similar.
To help researchers crunch figures, the city is putting out daily updates of case counts, testing figures, deaths, hospital capacity and broader data on those reporting flu-like symptoms to emergency rooms.
Maps are being updated three times a week for case counts, case rates and mortality by zip code, with more precise maps showing deaths by race and ethnicity. Once a week, the city said it plans to release epidemiological trajectory data, such as measurements of “doubling days.” —Joe Mahr
4:45 p.m.: Number of inmates at Chicago’s high-rise federal jail infected with COVID-19 jumps to 48
The number of inmates at Chicago’s high-rise federal jail who are positive for COVID-19 jumped to 48 on Thursday – almost seven times the number reported by prison officials just a day earlier.
The statistics were disclosed Thursday afternoon on the U.S. Bureau of Prisons web site, which has kept a running tally on the spread of coronavirus among the roughly 150,000 people in federal custody across the country. On Wednesday, there were only seven inmates at the Metropolitan Correctional Center who were listed as having tested positive for the virus, according to the prisons bureau.
In addition to the four dozen inmates who are now positive, the bureau reported that 20 MCC staff members have confirmed infections. So far there have been no fatalities.
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The spike in positive cases was the latest in a series of swings in the prisons bureau numbers that have so far gone unexplained by prisons bureau officials. The bureau did not respond to multiple requests from the Chicago Tribune this week for an explanation of how its coronavirus data is being tabulated.
One possible explanation for the increase is more testing. Last week, the prisons bureau announced in a news release that it was expanding testing around its system on asymptomatic inmates, since it’s now understood the virus can be quietly spread by an infected person who is not showing symptoms. The release did not state whether the MCC was among the facilities where the new testing machines would be used.
The lack of information has continued to raise alarms in Chicago’s legal community, where criminal defense attorneys have been trying — mostly in vain — to get clients released due to the disease’s presumed ability to spread quickly in the MCC’s notoriously cramped quarters.
"Clearly, the numbers on the BOP web site cannot be trusted,” John Murphy, the executive director of the Federal Defender Program in Chicago, told the Tribune earlier this week.
Nationwide, 33 federal inmates have died as of Thursday due to coronavirus complications, according to the BOP. Nearly 1,700 inmates have tested positive for the virus, including 426 who have now recovered. —Jason Meisner
3:55 p.m.: City officials say O’Hare’s massive $8.5 billion expansion project is moving ahead. But bleak outlook for air travel could force it to scale back.
Chicago’s aviation department insists the coronavirus pandemic won’t curtail its $8.5 billion expansion plan for O’Hare International Airport, but there are growing signs the city will have no choice but to reconsider the scope and timing of the project.
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With flights canceled, jets grounded and passenger traffic plummeting because of the coronavirus, the airlines — which are being counted on to help pay for the expansion — are facing their most severe economic crisis since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
“Never before has our airline, or our industry, faced such a significant challenge,” American Airlines Chairman and CEO Doug Parker said in a statement Thursday announcing first quarter earnings.
Other airports have already said they were considering postponing multi-billion dollar expansion plans because of the pandemic, including DFW Airport in Texas and San Diego’s international airport. And there are signs the architectural firm picked to design the $2.2 billion Global Terminal — the project’s centerpiece — has encountered turbulence on the project.
“If the airlines can’t afford this and don’t need terminals as large as they were, the city has a fiduciary duty to the airlines and to the community not to spend money they don’t have," said Henry Harteveldt, travel industry analyst and president of the Atmosphere Research Group. Read more here. —Mary Wisniewski, Blair Kamin and Lauren Zumbach
3:36 p.m.: Catholics to pray outside Holy Name Cathedral for reopening of churches
A group of Chicago-area Catholics will gather Friday at Holy Name Cathedral to pray for the reopening of churches in the Archdiocese of Chicago.
“We are desperately in need of spiritual leadership during this pandemic, and that is sorely lacking in the Archdiocese of Chicago,” Joseph Scheidler, one of the organizers of the prayer gathering and a prominent Catholic anti-abortion activist, said in a news release.
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In response to the coronavirus pandemic, Cardinal Blase Cupich announced last month that Mass would be suspended in all churches, the most rigid restrictions for the nation’s third-largest archdiocese since the 1918-19 Spanish flu epidemic.
The group, the newly formed St. Charles Borromeo Society, said they asked the archdiocese to ease restrictions so churches could reopen, but Cupich declined. The group said they would pray at Holy Name at noon every Friday until churches open.
A similar group in the Diocese of Joliet will hold a candlelight vigil at 7 p.m. Friday at St. Raymond Cathedral, according to the release. —Javonte Anderson
3:25 p.m.: ′It’s a blessing they are still together’: Married 70 years, couple behind popular newsstand dies of COVID-19, hours apart
As he struggled to breathe in a hospital room, Irv Kaage Jr. had one request.
“I said to him, ‘Dad, is there anything you need?’ And he just said, ‘Mama,’” recounted Kaage’s eldest son, Irv Kaage III. “I said, ‘I’m working on that, Dad. Give me just a little time.’”
Within hours, Irv Kaage Jr. and his wife, Muriel, married for 70 years, were together again, their hospital beds side by side, close enough so they could hold hands.
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For the next two days, they would remain together, as they had been for all of their adult lives.
Irv Kaage Jr., 92, was the first to pass away on April 26. Muriel, 90, followed just 36 hours later, on April 28.
“It’s a blessing they are still together,” Kaage III said. “If one of them had recovered from this, they would have died from a broken heart.”
The Kaages, longtime residents of Chicago’s Edison Park neighborhood and, for the last six years, residents of neighboring Park Ridge, died of complications from COVID-19, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office. Read more here. —Jennifer Johnson
3:02 p.m.: Lightfoot says city government worker layoffs a last resort, but preferable to a property tax hike
Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Thursday said she would only lay off or furlough city workers as a “last, last, last resort,” but that she would do so before considering raising property taxes.
Speaking at a news conference about reopening Chicago police detective areas, Lightfoot said she isn’t now considering following other cities in laying off workers or cutting back their hours or pay.
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“As somebody who worked in city government in days when there were mandatory furlough days and layoffs, that’s demoralizing to your workforce,” Lightfoot said.
But it’s too early to say for sure how badly the coronavirus shutdown will hurt the city’s bottom line.
“I can’t tell you yet what the full magnitude of the impact is on our 2020 budget, and we don’t start our formal process of looking ahead to 2021 until, really, the end of May, beginning of June,” she said.
As for when she might consider such cuts: “But I view layoffs and furloughs as a last, last, last resort. Well, last is raising property taxes.” —John Byrne
2:52 p.m.: Goodbye breakfast buffets and notepads, hello germ-zapping robots. How hotels are doubling down on hygiene — and what that means for your next stay.
The coronavirus crisis has not only sent the hotel industry reeling by cratering occupancy rates. It’s forcing hotels to ramp up their cleaning protocols and hygiene — things that will be more of a priority for consumers in a post-pandemic world, where safe is the new sexy.
“What would have been in the back of customers’ minds is now front and center,” said Phil Cordell, Hilton’s global head of new brand development.
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Hilton, Marriott and, as of Wednesday, Chicago-based Hyatt, have all announced plans for updated cleaning standards and other steps aimed at protecting the health of guests and staff at thousands of properties around the world. Home-rental companies like Airbnb have made similar moves.
Demand for hotel rooms has tanked during the pandemic. Among the U.S. hotels that are still open, about three out of four rooms are vacant, according to data released Thursday by the hospitality research company STR. In Chicago’s central business district, the occupancy rate is just shy of 14%.
When people start staying in hotels again, they’ll notice some changes as new hygiene measures get rolled out in the coming weeks and months.
Expect less furniture to make way for more social distancing in lobbies and other public areas. Hand sanitizing stations will be highly visible. So will housekeepers, whose role moves from behind-the-scenes to center stage as they frequently and conspicuously wipe down railings, elevator buttons and door handles with hospital-grade disinfectants. Read more here. —Lori Rackl
2:40 p.m.: 141 fatalities reported in previous 24 hours is second-highest daily death toll
Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Thursday that the state has met his goal of conducting at least 10,000 tests daily for the new coronavirus each day since first surpassing that benchmark last week.
Officials on Thursday announced 2,563 more known cases of COVID-19 and 141 additional deaths, bringing the total case county to 52,918 and the death toll to 2,355 statewide since the start of the outbreak.
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The 141 fatalities reported in the previous 24 hours was the second-highest daily death toll, following 144 deaths reported Tuesday. The 2,563 new known cases were also the second-highest daily total.
Officials have attributed the growth in known cases in part to more robust testing. More than 13,000 tests were conducted in the preceding 24 hours.
Pritzker also publicized the opening of two more state-run drive-thru testing sites, in Waukegan and East St. Louis, that will open next week. —Dan Petrella
2:34 p.m.: Oprah Winfrey will give commencement address at Chicago Public Schools’ virtual graduation ceremony
For the first time, Chicago Public Schools will host a virtual, citywide graduation ceremony — and one of Chicago’s all-time biggest names will give the commencement address.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced Thursday that Oprah Winfrey will be the speaker at the virtual ceremony, which will be held in mid-June.
“We are thrilled and honored to have the one-and-only Oprah Winfrey joining us for this incredible moment with Chicago’s high school seniors,” said Lightfoot. “The times we are living in are historic and stunning, forcing us all to take a deep look at who we are as a people and our place in the world. No one knows this better than Oprah, and I join all of Chicago in looking forward to hearing the wisdom she’ll be sharing with our incredible young people as they take this unforgettable next step on their life’s journey.”
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Traditional graduation ceremonies have been canceled because of the school shutdown prompted by the coronavirus. Schools will remain closed at least through the end of the current school year, which for CPS is June 18. Read more here. —Hannah Leone
2:23 p.m.: Lightfoot: No immediate plans to follow NYC in overnight public transportation shutdown
Mayor Lori Lightfoot says she has no immediate plans to follow New York City’s lead in shutting down public transportation overnight to deep clean it.
“Public transportation is really, really important,” Lightfoot said. Not everyone has the resources to call a cab or rideshare to get to work, she said.
Later, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said he thought a CTA scrub was “a good idea.”
“I would say that that’s something that the mayor of the city of Chicago certainly should lead,” Pritzker said. "We want to make sure that people are safe taking mass transit.”
He said he knows cleaning is taking place but isn’t sure of the schedule. —John Byrne and Dan Petrella
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2:09 p.m.: Illinois GOP congressmen ask Pritzker to begin reopening state’s economy
The five Republicans in Illinois’ 18-member U.S. House delegation are asking Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker for a phased plan to reopen the state’s economy, saying “it is unreasonable and untenable to continue on this course for the duration of the pandemic.”
“The fact is, communities across the state are desperate for a plan to navigate the reopening of business in a responsible, reasonable manner,” the congressmen wrote in a letter to Pritzker on Thursday.
“There is a strong desire among the people we represent to move forward with a plan focusing on balancing our health and our economy. It should not be an either/or proposition,” the congressmen said.
The letter, signed by Reps. John Shimkus of Collinsville, Adam Kinzinger of Channahon, Rodney Davis of Taylorville, Mike Bost of Murphysboro and Darin LaHood of Peoria, appears to have come a day after they spoke to Pritzker by phone. The letter references matters “discussed on the call yesterday.”
The letter by the five Republicans represents yet another effort within the state’s minority political party to push Pritzker into a more widespread opening of Illinois’ economy than the Democratic governor has indicated he will allow. Read more here. —Rick Pearson
1:55 p.m.: New Illinois rules about wearing a face mask in public start May 1. Here’s everything to know.
Beginning Friday, 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.
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The Tribune has compiled resources below on what fabrics are best for homemade masks, how to make your own face mask, and who is making and donating them in the Chicago area. Read more here.
1:53 p.m.: Steppenwolf Theatre cancels live shows until October, taps its famed ensemble for online productions
Chicago’s famed Steppenwolf Theatre on Halsted Street has canceled productions on its stages further out than most of its peers. The theater, closed by the pandemic since March, now will stay dark until at least mid-October for “Good Night, and Good Luck," a new play adapted from the 2005 George Clooney movie. First preview is planned for Oct. 22.
Productions planned for this spring and summer will be staged at a later date, the theater announced Thursday. In their place, Steppenwolf plans the draw on its famous ensemble for some streaming productions. An upcoming “virtual reading” of Yasen Peyankov’s adaptation of “The Seagull" will feature ensemble members Ian Barford, James Vincent Meredith, Amy Morton and others. In mid-June, Austin Pendleton will direct a starry cast of more than 30 ensemble members including John Malkovich, Joan Allen, Laurie Metcalf and William Petersen. Both will available only to Steppenwolf members, or subscribers. Read more here. —Chris Jones
1:24 p.m.: 4th CTA employee dies from coronavirus
Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced Thursday that a fourth Chicago Transit Authority employee died from complications due to coronavirus on Wednesday. —John Byrne
1:18 p.m.: Here are some Chicago-area mask giveaways to prepare for Illinois order that starts Friday
Starting Friday, Illinois residents older than age 2 will be required to wear masks or face coverings in public, according to an order from Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
The directive requires facial coverings when social distancing is not possible, such as in grocery stores.
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With surgical masks in short supply, state residents are encouraged to don fabric masks or homemade face coverings. Many people have been making and distributing them, and a wide variety of cloth masks are available online, including through some local retailers.
As Chicago-area residents prepare for the order, here are some places to pick up a free mask.
1 p.m.: Buttermilk restaurants, movie theater file class-action suit against insurance company that denied COVID-19 claims
The owners of the Buttermilk restaurants in Naperville and Geneva and a movie theater in Woodridge have filed a federal class action lawsuit charging their insurance company wrongly denied claims for lost income due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Filed in the eastern division of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, the suit says the companies purchased the insurance from Wisconsin-based Society Insurance Inc. to cover their losses and expenses in situations in which their businesses are forced to close, Naperville attorney David Fish said. Read more here. —Erin Hegarty
12:27 p.m.: Rural Illinois church files lawsuit accusing Gov. J.B. Pritzker of relegating people of faith to ‘second-class citizenship’ by shuttering churches
Resistance to Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s extension of his statewide stay-at-home order grew Thursday, with a church in northwest Illinois filing a federal lawsuit contending that Pritzker’s executive actions have demonstrated “illegal and discriminatory hostility to religious practice, churches, and people of faith.”
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of the Beloved Church, a roughly 80-person congregation in the town of Lena, by the Thomas More Society, a conservative public interest law firm in Chicago. Stephen Cassell, the church’s pastor, is listed as a co-plaintiff with the church.
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The complaint takes issue with how Pritzker’s stay-home order deemed worship spaces nonessential, and alleges that Pritzker and other law enforcement and public health officials have “intentionally denigrated Illinois churches and pastors and people of faith by relegating them to second-class citizenship.” Read more here. —Antonia Ayres-Brown
12:23 p.m.: Amid an entertainment world shut down by coronavirus, The Hideout is still working to make a human connection
Longtime followers of the Hideout know pushing forward is the modus operandi of the venue. Being first is too. Whether it was closing down operations well before the state’s shelter-in-place order or setting up a GoFundMe for employees, the Hideout has never been afraid of making challenging, progressive decisions in the face of adversity. I
t comes as no surprise then that rather than simply go silent, the Hideout has taken its beloved IRL bar and performance venue experience online. Read more here. —Britt Julious
Noon: Feeling hopeless? Worried? Chicago-area pandemic survey shows you’re not alone
The humans of Chicagoland are lonely and feeling a little hopeless right now, according to a new survey meant to gauge the well-being of Americans during the coronavirus pandemic.
About 36% of respondents in Chicago’s metropolitan area reported that they felt “hopeless about the future” at least once in the last week, and 43% reported that they felt lonely at least one day. More than a third reported at least one day of feeling depressed.
With their lives disrupted by COVID-19, many are worried about jobs too. When the surveyors asked how likely respondents felt that it was that they would have a job in 30 days, 42% in the Chicago area reported that it was “not too likely” or “not likely at all.”
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About 23% of local residents surveyed said that at some time in the past 30 days, they had run out of food and had no money to buy more. And 29% of Chicago-area residents reported that they worried that they didn’t have enough food to last before they’d have money to spend. Reports of food insecurity were similar nationally. Read more here. —Jennifer Smith Richards
11:34 a.m.: Coronavirus pandemic leaves Chicago-area seminarians waiting to fulfill dream of becoming priests, ministers
As American colleges and churches abruptly closed last month because of the pandemic, seminaries followed suit, forcing aspiring religious leaders attending seminaries to wait before fulfilling their ambitions of becoming priests or pastors. Chicago historically has had more seminaries than any other metro area in the country, according to the Encyclopedia of Chicago, so the shutdowns have hit hard here.
In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Mundelein Seminary has indefinitely postponed the ordination for priesthood candidates from the archdiocese.
The decision to postpone ordinations is up to each individual diocese. The Joliet Diocese has also delayed its ordinations. The Diocese of Gary, however, will proceed with a private ordination for its one new priest. The ordination will comply with all social distancing guidelines, a diocese spokesman said. Read more here. —Javonte Anderson
9:53 a.m.: Toilet paper: Why is it still so hard to find? When will stores have rolls?
Paper goods giant Georgia-Pacific is cranking out 1.5 million more rolls of toilet paper a day than two months ago, but George Bugg still can’t find it on the shelves of the Decatur, Georgia, stores where he shops.
Bugg wants to know: What gives? Nearly two months into new shopping habits brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, why haven’t manufacturers caught up to demand for toilet paper and paper towels?
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“I didn’t think we are using much more than usual. But, in the last month, I haven’t been able to find it at Sam’s. I went to Kroger the next day, the paper towel rack was empty. There were a few off-brand packs of toilet paper, and people were picking up those,” said Bugg.
It’s the same across much of the nation. In response, manufacturers have restarted idled tissue-making machines, increased efficiency in their 24-hour, seven-day operations, and shipped more paper faster. But they haven’t caught up to panicked consumer buying and societal and business changes that have altered American loo-ology. The situation leaves business marketeers unable to predict when the TP shortage might end. Read more here. —The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
9:24 a.m.: ‘A severe toll’: Coronavirus pushes US consumer spending down 7.5%, the sharpest drop on record
U.S. consumer spending plunged 7.5% in March, reflecting the growing impact of the coronavirus pandemic as Americans complied with stay-at-home orders.
The Commerce Department said that the spending decline was the sharpest monthly drop on records that go back to 1959, exceeding the previous record, a decline of 2.1% in January 1987.
Personal incomes also fell sharply last month, declining by 2% with wages and salaries, the largest part of incomes, falling by 3.1% as millions of Americans started getting lay-off notices.
The report said that the country experienced big declines as “consumers canceled, restricted or redirected their spending.” Read more here. —Associated Press
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8:48 a.m.: Mask up: Art Institute lions, Daley Center Picasso get coronavirus face coverings
Gov. J.B. Pritzker required Illinoisans to begin wearing face masks in public beginning Friday. The Art Institute lions and the Daley Center Picasso jumped the gun.
Crews Thursday morning began to install artisanal masks onto the downtown Chicago icons, a message to the rest of Chicago — and Illinois — that we can handle a little sacrifice, a little disruption in our public look, for the sake of the common good.
The masks were the idea of Dimension Design, a Glenview firm that works mostly in the now-on-hiatus trade show and live event world.
Co-founder Jeremy Biewer and a friend had the idea of putting masks on Chicago sculptures to get the public health point across. Designer Kelly Winter at Dimension did some mockups, the firm posted them to Facebook with a nod to Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s page — and, boom, a week or so later, workers were up in a cherry picker and on a scissors lift strapping Chicago-flag-emblazoned protective gear onto civically significant artworks.
Scientists will note that neither Picasso’s sculpture nor those inanimate lions are likely to sneeze or cough or in any way spread the virus that has turned 2020 into a landmark year. But that’s not the point.
“Being able to promote safety and reduce the stigma of wearing these masks, it’s important,” Biewer said. “Wearing the masks is going to save lives. If we can get Chicago to mask up, it helps reduce the transmission of all of this.” Read more here. —Steve Johnson
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7:50 a.m.: Another 3.8 million US workers file for unemployment; coronavirus has put 30 million out of work
More than 3.8 million laid-off workers applied for unemployment benefits last week as the U.S. economy slid further into a crisis that is becoming the most devastating since the 1930s.
Roughly 30.3 million people have now filed for jobless aid in the six weeks since the coronavirus outbreak began forcing millions of employers to close their doors and slash their workforces. That is more people than live in the New York and Chicago metropolitan areas combined, and it’s by far the worst string of layoffs on record. It adds up to more than 1 in 6 American workers.
In Illinois, another 81,245 people filed initial claims for benefits in the week that ended April 18, a drop of 21,691 from the previous week, the Labor Department said. Since mid-March, almost 819,000 Illinois residents have applied for unemployment insurance benefits.
With more employers cutting payrolls to save money, economists have forecast that the unemployment rate for April could go as high as 20%. That would be the highest rate since it reached 25% during the Great Depression. Read more here. —Associated Press
7:10 a.m.: Complaints about businesses violating stay-home order drop; Chicago offering webinars for businesses under modified stay-at-home order
Chicago has received more than 2,700 complaints about businesses violating the state’s stay-at-home order, but the number of complaints has gone down in the last two weeks, according to the city.
At the beginning of April, the city was fielding almost 100 complaints a day, dropping to about 60 a day in the last two weeks, according to a news release from the mayor’s office. As of Wednesday, the city’s Business Affairs and Consumer Protection Department had issued citations to 69 businesses, made 1,262 in-person checks on businesses and called more than 11,000 businesses about the stay-at-home order, according to the city. Fines can run up to $10,000.
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As the state’s order changes effective Friday, the city of also is hosting webinars, including one Thursday afternoon, “to help businesses navigate” the modified stay-at-home order, which lets a few types of business reopen entirely and others start offering online and pickup service, according to the release.
Chicago’s Business Affairs and Consumer Protection Department’s online seminars will help guide business owners through the state’s new regulations, including which businesses are now considered essential, how non-essential businesses can reopen and requirements to protect workers and customers, according a news release.
The city also is offering webinars for businesses regarding the city’s Microbusiness Recovery Grants, which will provide grants for businesses with four or fewer people in lower-income neighborhoods.
More information is available at the city’s website. —Chicago Tribune staff
6:30 a.m.: Nonprofit’s goal: 350,000 free masks for Chicagoans
On the eve of new Illinois requirements to wear face masks in public Friday, nonprofit Masks4Chi aims to distribute 350,000 free, reusable cloth masks throughout Chicago.
The nonprofit’s goal is to raise awareness about mask use in an effort to help flatten the coronavirus curve. From Thursday to May 3, Masks4Chi will start the first stage of distribution with 25,000 masks.
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The organization was started by Anand Sheth, owner of Mon Ami Jewelry and Mon Ami Realty, after a conversation with a friend, cardiologist Dr. Saumil Oza, who had started a similar organization in Jacksonville, Florida, Masks4Jax. Sheth shared the idea with his team members, Emily Jodlowski and Stephanie Garcia Ochoa, who supported it.
In two weeks, Masks4Chi had partnered with a running list of local Chicago restaurants to give out the first 25,000 masks.
The first 25,000 masks are being distributed through local restaurants and the food delivery app Chowbus, according to Sheth.
Two free, individually wrapped masks will be included in orders from participating restaurants, as will a flyer explaining Masks4Chi’s mission and initiative. The nonprofit says there is no minimum purchase required to receive free masks.
Read more here. —Hannah Herrera Greenspan
6 a.m.: How the coronavirus school shutdown has changed PE class for Chicago-area students
As a physical education teacher at Winston Campus Junior High in Palatine, Emmie Galan used to lead spirited volleyball matches and handball games in the school gym. Now she’s hosting Instagram Live workout sessions for students from her living room.
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While joining in the Instagram Live workouts is encouraged, Galan said they’re not mandatory, and her primary goal is to encourage her students to stay active and healthy during the sudden halting of their daily PE classes at the Palatine school.
Teachers and other experts agree that ensuring students of all ages stay physically active and embrace a healthy lifestyle is more important than ever during this uncertain and anxious time in their lives.
A provision of the Illinois School Code that mandates fitness assessments for students was recently suspended because of the COVID-19 school closures. But given Illinois’ reputation as a national leader in PE and health instruction, teachers say even during school closures, the classes remain a priority. Read more here. —Karen Ann Cullotta
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chicagotribune--2020-04-30--The Spin:  Signs of normalcy? Partisan divide over Gov. Pritzker’s stay-home order | Duckworth’s ‘in

The Spin:  Signs of normalcy? Partisan divide over Gov. Pritzker’s stay-home order | Duckworth’s ‘in the mix’ to be Joe Biden’s VP? | Mayor Lightfoot has some coaching advice for Matt Nagy

Mayor : No immediate plans to follow NYC in overnight public transit shutdown - “ Public transportation is really , @ @ @ @ @ said .
Not everyone has the resources to call a cab or rideshare to get @ @ @ @ @ .
( John Byrne ) You can read more about the shutdown here .
Asked @ @ @ @ @ news conference , Gov .
Pritzker called New York ’ s idea “ a good @ @ @ @ @ said the mayor would take the lead on such an effort , “ I would @ @ @ @ @ to look at that because as we open things up more and more people are @ @ @ @ @ ... ( and ) they need to know when they ’ re taking it they @ @ @ @ @

Gov. J.B. Pritzker arrives in a mask to speak Sunday, April 19, 2020 at the Thompson Center during the coronavirus pandemic. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
If you’re searching for signs that things are returning to some kind of normal, look no further than the partisan divide flaring up over Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s stay-at-home order aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19.
Republican congressmen are leaning on the governor, a Democrat, to reopen the state’s economy. And a new lawsuit has been filed challenging the order, this time by a church in the northwestern part of the state.
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Another sign? Oprah Winfrey’s return. Sort of. She’ll give the commencement speech for Chicago Public Schools’ virtual graduation in June, my colleague Hannah Leone reports.
And even as the Art Institute’s lions and Daley Plaza Picasso sculpture mask up, a nod to the governor’s new order to wear face coverings in public starting tomorrow, we are beginning to see the rituals of life that defy pandemics and shutdown orders: the season’s first sightings of the piping plovers on beaches of Lake Michigan.
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While Mayor Lori Lightfoot has shut down the beaches to bolster social-distancing orders, the endangered shorebirds are flaunting their natural exemption.
Meanwhile, Lightfoot put the Chicago Bears and head coach Matt Nagy on notice, and it has nothing to do with social distancing, my colleague Phil Rosenthal writes. The mayor said during a cable sports channel’s coronavirus telethon that she wants to see some big improvement from Nagy’s offense after last season’s dud, Rosenthal wrote.
And U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth has been name-dropped as a possible running mate to Joe Biden on the Democratic presidential ticket this fall; now that he’s named his vetting committee we’ll see what’s next.
Welcome to The Spin.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker speaks April 19, 2020, at the Thompson Center during the coronavirus pandemic. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
The five Republicans in Illinois’ 18-member U.S. House delegation are asking Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker for a phased plan to reopen the state’s economy, saying “it is unreasonable and untenable to continue on this course for the duration of the pandemic.”
The Republicans largely represent Downstate areas. In many of Illinois’ rural, conservative areas, residents have chafed under a perception that Pritzker’s regulations are motivated by Chicago’s efforts to control the spread of the virus. With infections reported in 97 of the 102 counties, Pritzker has maintained that the virus has no regard for geography and can spread anywhere.
The letter by the five Republicans represents yet another effort within the state’s minority political party to push Pritzker into a more widespread opening of Illinois’ economy than the Democratic governor has indicated he will allow. Read the full story here.
At a news conference today, Pritzker said he talked with three of the five GOP congressmen and said that he didn’t disagree on the point "that different areas of the sate require different rules.” He pointed to modifications to the stay-home order that kick in tomorrow including reopening state parks, which aren’t in Cook County or Chicago, as well as allowing more widespread elective surgeries beyond the city and collar counties.
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Resistance to Pritzker’s extension of his statewide stay-at-home order grew today, with a church in northwest Illinois filing a federal lawsuit contending that Pritzker’s executive actions have demonstrated “illegal and discriminatory hostility to religious practice, churches, and people of faith.” The Thomas More Society, a conservative public interest law firm in Chicago. filed the lawsuit on behalf of the Lena, Illinois church. The Tribune’s Antonia Ayres-Brown has the story here.
Planning to resume church services: On March 31, Lena police Chief Craig Beintema, who is one of the co-defendants with Pritzker, delivered the church’s pastor a cease-and-desist order insisting on the church’s compliance with the stay-at-home order, according to the lawsuit. The church says it hopes to resume public worship on Sunday without fear of arrest.
The governor was asked during a news briefing how the stay-home order will be enforced: “Nobody’s going to, you know, run in and break up a gathering of churchgoers at the moment, but I will tell you that there are consequences. Of course the state has the ability to enforce orders, but we’ve been looking to people to do the right thing," Pritzker said.
The church’s lawsuit arrives on the tails of two other legal challenges to Pritzker’s stay-at-home order filed recently by Republican state representatives, Ayres-Brown notes.
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Mayor Lori Lightfoot speaks to the media during the announcement of the opening of two new CPD operation centers at a press conference in Chicago Police Department Area 4, in Chicago, Thursday, April 30, 2020. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune) (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune)
Mayor Lightfoot today said she would only lay off or furlough city workers as a “last, last, last resort,” but that she would do so before considering raising property taxes.
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Speaking at a news conference about reopening Chicago police detective areas, Lightfoot said she isn’t now considering following other cities in laying off workers or cutting back their hours or pay.
“As somebody who worked in city government in days when there were mandatory furlough days and layoffs, that’s demoralizing to your workforce,” Lightfoot said.
But it’s too early to say for sure how badly the coronavirus shutdown will hurt the city’s bottom line.
“I can’t tell you yet what the full magnitude of the impact is on our 2020 budget, and we don’t start our formal process of looking ahead to 2021 until, really, the end of May, beginning of June,” she said.
As for when she might consider such cuts: “But I view layoffs and furloughs as a last, last, last resort. Well, last is raising property taxes.” (John Byrne)
City officials say O’Hare’s massive $8.5 billion expansion project is moving ahead. But bleak outlook for air travel could force it to scale back: The Tribune’s Mary Wisniewski and Blair Kamin have the details here.
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Mayor: No immediate plans to follow NYC in overnight public transit shutdown - “Public transportation is really, really important,” Lightfoot said. Not everyone has the resources to call a cab or rideshare to get to work, she said. (John Byrne) You can read more about the shutdown here. Asked about it during a separate news conference, Gov. Pritzker called New York’s idea “a good one” and while he said the mayor would take the lead on such an effort, “I would encourage (the city) to look at that because as we open things up more and more people are going to take mass transit ... (and) they need to know when they’re taking it they’re safe.”
President Donald Trump’s Justice Department can’t withhold federal grants from sanctuary cities such as Chicago that extend protections to undocumented immigrants, a federal appeals court ruled today. Mayor Lightfoot not only cheered the decision but even praised predecessor Rahm Emanuel whose administration initially took up the fight, the Tribune’s John Byrne reports. The battle started in 2017, when Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the federal government would require sanctuary cities that want federal public safety funding to give notice when immigrants in the country illegally are about to be released from custody and allow immigration agents access to local jails.
Chicago party shut down by cops was held in townhome owned by Fire Department commander: The gathering, which authorities said violated COVID-19 social distancing orders, went viral — it was captured on Facebook Live and drew nationwide condemnation. Now the Sun-Times’ Fran Spielman reports the residence is owned by a CFD boss. Read her story here.
The host of the party said he threw the gathering in honor of two friends who had been slain, but has since apologized, saying he didn’t realize health risks. The Tribune’s Alice Yin has the story here.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot, right, attends pregame ceremonies before a game between the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field on Sept. 29, 2019, in Chicago. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)
This week the mayor described herself to reporters as a “ridiculous sports fan” as she talked about closely monitoring whether the Chicago Cubs and White Sox — the latter her team of choice — will play ball this summer.
But as that question hangs in the air, last night she was playing Bears analyst during an NBC Sports Chicago telethon to benefit the Chicago Community COVID-19 Response Fund. She didn’t shy away from venting her frustration toward the coach, saying at one point, “I’d like to see Nagy’s play-calling be a little less predictable and pedestrian. Running up the gut every time? Yeah, that’s not working so well.”
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Of course, Nagy was criticized last season for not running the ball enough — famously saying in October, “I know we need to run the ball more. I’m not an idiot.”
Rosenthal also notes the University of Michigan alumna weighed in on the football rivalry with Notre Dame, how she misses live sports and that she’s been watching ESPN’s “The Last Dance,” the 10-part documentary chronicling Michael Jordan and his time with the Chicago Bulls. Read the full piece here.
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin. (Nancy Stone, Chicago Tribune)
We learned today that more than 3.8 million laid-off workers in the U.S. applied for unemployment benefits last week, bringing COVID-19′s toll on the jobs front in this country to more than 30 million.
In Illinois, just over 81,00 people filed initial claims for benefits in the week that ended April 18, a drop of 21,691 from the previous week, the Labor Department said. Since mid-March, almost 819,000 Illinois residents have applied for unemployment insurance benefits.
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin was asked during an interview on MSNBC this morning whether he thinks Congress will pass more legislation to boost unemployment benefits amid the pandemic. The federal government already has approved bailout programs that tack another $600 on to weekly unemployment checks between March and July.
Durbin didn’t weigh in on the odds of a new relief package, but he did say this: “We anticipated four months of unemployment benefits, I hope that’s enough, but I have to tell you honestly I don’t think it is.”
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U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., participates in a reenacted swearing-in with U.S. Vice President Joe Biden in the Old Senate Chamber at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 3, 2017, in Washington, D.C. Earlier in the day, Biden swore in the newly elected and returning members on the Senate floor. (Aaron P. Bernstein / Getty Images)
The Daily Herald’s Marni Pike talked with Illinois’ junior U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth about the possibility of being Joe Biden’s running mate on the Democratic presidential ticket this fall.
As Pike notes, Biden hasn’t trotted out a shortlist of his picks, but he’s said it will be a woman and Duckworth’s name has turned up on all manner of media lists as a contender. Duckworth tells Pike she’s happy to “be in the mix.” Read Pike’s column here.
This morning Biden, who has said he’ll pick a woman to be his running mate, just announced a team of people who will advise him on the decision. You can read about it here.
Opinion: Duckworth is Biden’s safest — and smartest — vice presidential pick: Washington Post political columnist David Byler is examining who might be the former veep’s running mate. He writes of Duckworth: “She served in the House for four years and has been in the Senate since 2017, giving her more congressional experience than Donald Trump or Barack Obama had when they were inaugurated. As a 52-year-old religiously unaffiliated Asian American, she would balance the ticket demographically.” And as a U.S. Army combat veteran, “she’s plausible as commander in chief. ... And, like Biden, she’s neither too liberal nor too moderate — data-driven measures place her right in the middle of the Senate Democratic Caucus,” Byler notes. Read the column here.
Biden assault allegation prompts GOP attacks, Dem worries: The former vice president’s campaign has denied the allegation as Republicans seize on it, the Associated Press is reporting.
Associated Press contributed.
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