chicagotribune--2020-06-13--Protests in rural Midwest, a 2016 Trump stronghold, test his grip on white America

But the pace of change over racial justice after Floyd 's death last month by police in Minneapolis has quickened @ @ @ @ @ hundreds of communities in every state , on a scale rarely , if ever , @ @ @ @ @ not that Biden will necessarily win rural counties that Trump carried easily , but he @ @ @ @ @ into Trump 's margins enough to bring those states back to the Democratic column .

Protesters march through the streets of Mount Vernon, Ohio, on June 1, 2020. A group of college students organized the event to stand in solidarity with other protests across the nation spurred by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Far from the industrial north’s urban centers, hundreds of protests have cropped up in small cities in rural areas. (Joshua Morrison/Mount Vernon News)
In the lake country 200 miles northwest of Detroit, hundreds danced, prayed and demanded racial justice in Cadillac — a Michigan town that was long home to a neo-Nazi group.
It was not an isolated scene. In eastern Ohio, even more demonstrated in rural Mount Vernon, a town with its own current of racial intolerance, just as others did in Manheim, Pennsylvania, a tiny farming town in Lancaster County, with its small but active Ku Klux Klan presence.
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The protest movement over black injustice has quickly spread deep into predominantly white, small-town America, notably throughout parts of the country that delivered the presidency for Donald Trump. Across Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, more than 200 such demonstrations have taken place, many in cities with fewer than 20,000 residents, according to local media, organizers, participants and the online tracking tool CrowdCount.
“That’s what’s so striking, that these protests are taking place in rural places with a white nationalist presence,” said Lynn Tramonte, who grew up near Mount Vernon and is monitoring the Black Lives Matter demonstrations around Ohio.
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The protests in these Republican-leaning areas offer a test of the president's ability to reassemble his older, white voting bloc. If he cannot replicate that coalition, it would leave Trump with few options, especially since he continues to lose support in suburbs.
“If President Trump cannot hold onto white, working-class voters in rural, small-town Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Ohio, I don’t know how he wins the election," said Terry Madonna, director of the Center for Public Affairs at Franklin & Marshall College, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. “Can you rule out he won’t have that same level of enthusiasm? No, you can’t.”
Trump carried Pennsylvania by about 44,000 votes in 2016, in part with overwhelming support from a patchwork of rural, white counties.
The pattern also played out in Michigan and Wisconsin, where he won by even fewer votes. In Ohio, that coalition propelled him to an easy victory.
Rev. Scott Elliott marches during a protest in Mount Vernon, Ohio, on June 9, 2020. The leader of the First Congregational United Church of Christ led a small contingent from the Main Street church to join others gathered in the public square. The Black Lives Matter protest movement has spread into predominantly white, small-town America. (Joshua Morrison/Mount Vernon News)
Trump's reelection campaign is working chiefly through online outreach to hold onto his largely white base and to identify new voters in rural areas as a defense against inroads by presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden.
Some polls suggest that, while white voters without college degrees are still a strong group for Trump, they could be more open to supporting Biden than they were to supporting Democrat Hillary Clinton four years ago.
Trump campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh did not directly address the protests taking place in counties won by the president, but said more generally in a statement to The Associated Press, "President Trump expressed disgust and shock over what happened to George Floyd and praised the peaceful demonstrations, but also knows that Americans cannot live with riots and lawlessness in cities nationwide.”
[ Midwestern cities continue to lose population. Two of the fastest-shrinking are in Illinois. ]
But the pace of change over racial justice after Floyd's death last month by police in Minneapolis has quickened and has sparked protests in hundreds of communities in every state, on a scale rarely, if ever, seen before. It is not that Biden will necessarily win rural counties that Trump carried easily, but he may be able to cut into Trump's margins enough to bring those states back to the Democratic column.
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In Cadillac, branch home of the National Socialist Movement — among the nation’s prominent neo-Nazi groups as recently as 2007 — black organizers were undeterred in staging their event at a lakeside pavilion even as armed opponents associated with the Michigan Militia parked nearby as a show of force.
Trump won Wexford County, home to Cadillac, with 65% of the vote, similar to neighboring counties in the lightly populated region, where unemployment has run higher than average in Michigan.
[ 'A bunch of jackasses’ or ‘very good people’: Michigan militia’s armed protests grab coronavirus spotlight ]
In neighboring Grand Traverse County, which Trump won by a smaller margin, more than 2,000 packed Traverse City’s Lake Michigan shoreline park to hear protest organizer Courtney Wiggins. The 38-year-old black woman listed demands, including that police in the 95% white town of 14,000 end racial profiling, as armed protesters affiliated with the right-wing Proud Boys dotted the perimeter.
Though similar events popped up in exurban Cedarburg and Grafton, keys to Ozaukee County in the GOP-leaning suburbs of Milwaukee, far more have materialized many miles from the major metropolitan areas in these four pivotal states, according to organizers and advocates who have tracked the protests.
[ Trump deletes incorrect tweet on Michigan absentee ballots, doubles down on threat to withhold funds ]
In Mount Vernon, Ohio, the seat of Knox County where Trump received 66% of the vote, 700 people turned out on June 6 despite threats from opponents, who staged an impromptu rally later that day. It's the same small town where two years ago the local Christian college was vandalized when leaders put on a racial justice program, and where the Ku Klux Klan had been active in the area over the past century.
Dozens of protests have taken place in counties in these four battleground states that Trump flipped from Democrat to Republican. Among them were Macomb County outside Detroit, Portage and Mahoning counties in northeast Ohio, and — perhaps most notably — Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, where voters swung dramatically from President Barack Obama in 2012 to Trump four years later.
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Still, the vast majority have taken place in more than 200 small cities and towns across these four states, like Oconto, Wisconsin, Marietta, Ohio, and Meadville, Pennsylvania, all with populations under 20,000 and in counties Trump carried with at least 60% of the vote.
Black Lives Matter supporters rally on the steps of the Luzerne County Courthouse in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., on June 7, 2020. (Dave Scherbenco/The Citizens' Voice)
And while the battle for the White House will likely be waged most intensely in these states' diversifying suburbs, where Democrats made gains in 2018, even a slight uptick among Democrats or a softening of Trump support in the vast spaces between could be enough to alter the election.
If Biden carries every state Clinton did in 2016 and reclaims Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, he would win a majority of the Electoral College votes.
Of those states, none was as close as Michigan, which Trump won by 10,704 votes out of more than 4.7 million ballots cast.
A little more than 11,000 voters backed Obama in 2008 and either didn't vote or supported Trump in 2016 in Grand Traverse County and the five counties surrounding it, including Cadillac's home in Wexford County, according to state voting records.
“These marginal numbers, a few extra votes here and there, we’re talking, like, a handful of votes per county, and they exist in my six-county region,” said Betsy Coffia, a Democratic Grand Traverse County commissioner. “This can make a difference.”


chicagotribune--2020-06-13--Chicago could further reopen on July 1, allow indoor dining at restaurants, reopen gyms and museums,

Chicago could further reopen on July 1, allow indoor dining at restaurants, reopen gyms and museums, public health commissioner says

“ I want to bring back indoor dining as much as anybody , ” Pritzker said Monday at a news @ @ @ @ @ that there are others who have allowed 50 % or 25 % seating .
That @ @ @ @ @ to get to , there ’ s no doubt .
And we think about it @ @ @ @ @ , I push on the epidemiologists for the right answers here .
”

Gregory Pratt, Jamie Munks, Dan Petrella

The Fulton Market area of Chicago is no longer the ghost town it was during the depths of the COVID-19 virus pandemic shutdown. As restrictions on restaurants are eased, a worker takes a woman's temperature before she can enter Federales restaurant on Morgan Street on July 1, 2020. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)
The city of Chicago is on pace to further reopen its economy on July 1, with restrictions potentially being loosened on indoor restaurant dining, museums and gyms, public health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said.
Arwady made the comments at a Friday afternoon news conference where she unveiled a new coronavirus data portal.
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Despite the potentially good news for restless Chicagoans, Arwady said city officials remain concerned about COVID-19 spikes around the country in other cities and 20 states that reopened before Illinois.
With Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s stay-at-home order lifted and more people getting out, Arwady said, “We are concerned and watching closely.”
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“COVID-19 has not gone away," Arwady said. "We’re not out of this yet.”
[ As US lockdowns roll back, there’s been an alarming rise in coronavirus cases. Here’s what’s driving surges in some states. ]
State officials announced 595 newly confirmed coronavirus cases on Friday, marking the seventh straight day with fewer than 1,000 new cases. It’s the first time that the daily number of new cases has remained below 1,000 for a whole week since March 22-28. There now have been 131,198 known cases of COVID-19 in Illinois since the pandemic began.
With 77 additional fatalities also announced Friday, the statewide death toll stands at 6,260. There have been fewer than 100 deaths each for the past eight days, marking the longest stretch without a triple-digit daily death toll since the state surpassed 100 fatalities in a day on April 16. Officials reported 125 deaths that day.
Despite recent protests over the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd, Arwady said, the city has still not seen an uptick in cases but officially will continue monitoring for at least 28 days.
The earliest any of the four regions of Illinois as defined by Pritzker’s “Restore Illinois” reopening plan can move to the next phase is June 26, and Pritzker said this week that “all regions of the state seem to be moving well toward phase four.”
[ When can Illinois move to phase 4? Here’s where each region stands. ]
Phase four, coined “Revitalization” in Pritzker’s plan, would allow “nonessential” businesses to open more fully, with some restrictions in place meant to curb the spread of the coronavirus. In phase four of Pritzker’s plan, social life would begin to look more normal than it has in months, with limited indoor dining at restaurants, gatherings of up to 50 people allowed to resume, and cinemas and theaters allowed to reopen.
Under Pritzker’s rules, face coverings and social distancing in public would continue to be required.
Each move forward to a new phase comes with a warning, that the regions could regress if there’s a backslide in the metrics used to determine whether a region can advance to the next phase.
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All four regions of the state moved into the current phase of reopening, phase three, on May 29, when salons and barbershops were allowed to reopen. Nonessential manufacturing and retail also were allowed to resume with distancing requirements and other restrictions, and restaurants were allowed to offer outside dining. Chicago followed the rest of the state into its phase three days later.
[ How will Illinois reopen? Three charts breaking down Pritzker’s plan ]
Mayor Lori Lightfoot has the authority to set stricter rules for Chicago than Pritzker’s statewide framework, but she can’t enact looser ones. That has led to tension over restaurants — Lightfoot has urged Pritzker to allow limited indoor restaurant dining, which the governor has refused.
Lightfoot has repeatedly pushed for indoor dining, saying “no restaurant I know of is going to be able to survive dependent upon what the weather is going to be like on a particular day in Chicago.”
But the governor has resisted loosening that restriction ahead of schedule.
“I want to bring back indoor dining as much as anybody,” Pritzker said Monday at a news conference. “I get that there are others who have allowed 50% or 25% seating. That’s something I want to get to, there’s no doubt. And we think about it every day, and again, I push on the epidemiologists for the right answers here.”
Arwady said it’s possible the city could enter phase four at the same time as the rest of the state but more directly pointed to July 1.
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[ COVID-19 cases in Illinois by ZIP code: Search for your neighborhood ]
Dr. Allison Arwady, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health, speaks at a news conference at City Hall on May 8, 2020. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)
Laying out Chicago’s coronavirus data, Arwady said the city’s caseload peaked in early May and has been on a decline since. The city would like to get to fewer than 100 new cases per day, she said.
When the city enters phase four of Lightfoot’s reopening plan, capacity restrictions currently in place also could be lifted, Arwady said. If a type of business is allowed to have 25% capacity now, she said, it may be allowed to expand to 50%. Gyms could reopen with capacity restrictions in phase four.
Other possible changes include the reopening of museums and zoos “in a limited, careful kind of way," Arwady said. And, social gatherings, currently capped at 10 people, could be allowed to have up to five times more guests, she said.
Last month, Lightfoot announced specific rules for the reopening of restaurants, child care facilities and some industries as part of phase three of Chicago’s reemergence from the coronavirus stay-at-home order.
Guidelines at child care facilities included the expectation that parents and employees wear facial coverings at all times with the requirement that children only be expected to do so outside their classrooms.
Restaurants, meanwhile, are called on to limit seating to no more than six people per table, limit gatherings to no more than 10 people and space tables 6 feet apart or take them out of commission if they can’t be moved.
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Correction: A previous version of this story said Friday marked the first week without 100 deaths in a single day since officials reported 125 on April 16. The first seven-day stretch without a single daily death toll of 100 or more ended Thursday.
gpratt@chicagotribune.com
jmunks@chicagotribune.com
dpetrella@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-06-13--1 dead, 10 wounded in South, West side shootings

Around 2:15 a.m. , officers responding to a battery in progress in the 7800 block of South Eggleston Avenue in @ @ @ @ @ a 32-year-old man shot in the buttocks .
He was taken in good condition to @ @ @ @ @ Center but was uncooperative with police .

One person was killed, and at least 10 others were wounded in shootings since 6 p.m. Friday on the South and West sides, Chicago police said.
The fatal shooting happened about 3:45 a.m. Saturday in the West Humboldt Park neighborhood in the 1100 block of North Kildare Avenue. Officers responding to shots fired found a person shot multiple times in the head and body.
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The victim, a male, was taken in critical condition to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The victim’s age and gender were not immediately available.
Around 2:15 a.m., officers responding to a battery in progress in the 7800 block of South Eggleston Avenue in the Winneconna Parkway neighborhood found a 32-year-old man shot in the buttocks. He was taken in good condition to the University of Chicago Medical Center but was uncooperative with police.
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In other shootings:
Shortly before 1:30 a.m., a 25-year-old man was driving in the 7400 block of South Drexel Avenue in the Grand Crossing neighborhood when he heard shots and felt pain. The man drove himself to the University of Chicago Medical Center for a graze wound to the right side of the head. He told police a gunman wearing a fanny pack shot him.
Shortly before midnight, a 29-year-old man was shot in the 200 block of North Pulaski Road in the West Garfield Park neighborhood. The man was standing in an alley with others when he heard shots and felt pain. He got himself to Stroger Hospital with gunshot wounds to the right knee, police said.
Shortly after 9 p.m. Friday, a 35-year-old man was shot in the 3100 block of West Davlin Court in the Logan Square neighborhood. The man was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center with a wound to the right arm. Police believed the man was under the influence and was uncooperative.
About 8:45 p.m., two men were shot in the Little Village neighborhood in the 1800 block of West 21st Street. A 27-year-old man suffered a wound to an arm, and a 23-year-old was shot in the hip. The men drove to Stroger Hospital, where they were listed in good condition. The men told police they were in a garage of a residence when someone opened fire from a vehicle in the alley.
Shortly before 8 p.m., a 37-year-old man was sitting on a porch in the 5500 block of West Kamerling Avenue in the West Side’s North Austin neighborhood when he "heard shots and felt pain,'' police said. He was taken to West Suburban Hospital in Oak Park with a wound to the left hand.
About 6:50 p.m., a 23-year-old man was shot in the 11700 block of South Ada Street in the West Pullman neighborhood. The victim suffered a wound to the buttocks and was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn. Another man, 24, also went to the same hospital for a thigh wound, police said.
Shortly after 6 p.m., a 35-year-old woman was driving in the first block of East 95th Street in the West Chesterfield neighborhood when someone she knows fired shots from another vehicle, hitting her in the leg. She was taken in good condition to the University of Chicago Medical Center, police said.
No one was in custody for any of the shootings.


chicagotribune--2020-06-13--Joyce Kenner leads Whitney Young, but after George Floyd’s killing she faces calls to resign: ‘If I

Joyce Kenner leads Whitney Young, but after George Floyd’s killing she faces calls to resign: ‘If I don’t understand about black people and oppression, nobody else does.’

Kenner said the school was about 60 % black when she took over .
By the turn of the millennium @ @ @ @ @ students were black , 24 % white , 19 % Latino and 16 % Asian @ @ @ @ @ .
The school is still very diverse , but its African American population has shrunk @ @ @ @ @ another 19 % Asian , 28 % white and 29 % Latino students .
Like @ @ @ @ @ s most elite schools , Whitney Young ’ s enrollment is disproportionately white compared with @ @ @ @ @ % of students are white .

Whitney Young Principal Joyce Kenner shown in 2016, has faced calls to resign but said she's dedicated to her school and “nobody is going to push me out." (Nancy Stone / Chicago Tribune)
After Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968, an 11-year-old Joyce Kenner witnessed people take to the streets in her hometown of Dayton, Ohio, “for the same things we are marching for today." She recalls her father writing “black-owned business” across the window of his record store so protesters would spare it from damage.
More than 50 years later, Kenner is now the long-serving principal of Whitney Young, one of Chicago’s most selective high schools, named for a civil rights leader. She is also the mother of a black son who once had to explain to police that he had a baseball bat in his trunk because he played for the Whitney Young team.
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In recent weeks, as protests gripped her adoptive city after the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Kenner has been working and babysitting her granddaughter. But in some ways, she said, the country feels like it did during the civil rights struggle of the ’60s. She asked her son, now 30, if he thought there had been progress.
“His response was, ‘Absolutely,’” Kenner said. “We have a black police chief. We have a black mayor. We have a black CEO of Chicago Public Schools. ... But we still have racism in our society and black men being targeted for no reason at all.”
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Yet Kenner, who previously worked for the Rev. Jesse Jackson’s Rainbow PUSH Coalition, has not been immune to criticism for her response to Floyd’s death and more broadly her leadership at Whitney Young, where she also spent five years as assistant principal.
Now, after 25 years at the helm of Whitney Young, she finds herself the target of an online petition, posted by unnamed “disappointed alumni,” calling for her to resign, claiming she has “silenced student activists speaking against all forms of injustice. Her silence and her enabling of the systematic oppression that her black and low-income students face should be condemned.” So far it’s gained more than 800 signatures.
Whitney Young Magnet High School Principal Joyce Kenner, center, with raised arm, celebrates the 2019 opening of a new athetlic complex named after the school's most famous alum, Michelle Obama. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
Kenner says she’s “never tried to silence a student,” citing her open-door policy as the reason she’s still at Whitney Young. Further, she calls it “nonsense” to say she doesn’t support Black Lives Matter.
“You could go by your experience, and the only thing I've ever tried to do is get our black kids educated so they have the opportunity to be part of this world,” Kenner said.
She said she received dozens of messages from parents and alumni who support her and want her to stay.
“Nobody is going to push me out. I’m not resigning. I still have a lot of work to do for my African American students,” Kenner said.
School reputation over student well-being?
Anyone who runs a high-profile institution for as long as Kenner is bound to have detractors, and she has weathered her share of controversies over the years.
Some who signed the resignation petition cited her history at Whitney Young, claiming she has “worked to sweep the injustices ... under the rug” and “consistently puts the perception of the school by the general public over the well-being of her students.”
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Other critics have focused on more recent events. Several students told the Tribune they were offended by statements Kenner made in a video address about unrest sparked by George Floyd’s killing, in which she asked that if students do protest, they not participate in violence or looting, and said the way to seek change is to get a degree and get a "seat at the table.”
“We can’t have a seat at the table if we’re dead because we were shot by a cop,” one senior said, who added she doesn’t want Kenner to resign but that students deserve a bigger voice.
In a letter to administrators, some members of the senior class wrote they hoped Whitney Young would not be neutral while students demanded justice, voicing frustrations that Kenner initially rejected a video submitted for the school’s virtual graduation in which a student holds up a sign in support of George Floyd while singing the national anthem.
After hearing from her students and trying to understand their concerns, Kenner said she decided to allow the video.
Kenner said she has tried her best to support students and is responsive to other viewpoints.
“If one student was negatively impacted by my statements or my non-actions, then I have to address that,” she said.
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The parent chair of Whitney Young’s Local School Council, Kristin Boeke-Greven, said she believes Kenner has the best interest of students at heart.
“She listens and she reflects and she’s not afraid to admit she’s made a mistake,” said Boeke-Greven.
In another area that has become a major focal point of recent protests — the presence of Chicago police officers in CPS schools — Kenner’s opinion diverges with that of many of her students and other protesters.
Kenner said the 1999 shooting at Columbine High School was one of the defining moments of her life and one reason she believes the school needs police officers.
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“Each and every day, trying to keep our students as safe as possible — that really has been the biggest challenge for me,” she said.
The changing face of Whitney Young
Prior to working for Chicago Public Schools, Kenner was deputy director of PUSH for Excellence, the education arm of renowned civil rights leader Jesse Jackson’s Rainbow PUSH Coalition.
Jackson’s son Jonathan Jackson, national spokesman for PUSH, attended Whitney Young in the 1980s, as did his older sister, who was a classmate of the school’s most famous alum, Michelle Obama. Jonathan Jackson has known Kenner for more than three decades, and he’s thankful she ended up his daughter’s principal.
He believes she’s the right person to lead the school through today’s reckoning around racism, citing her character, courage and experience.
“She’s always sought to advocate for racial integration,” Jackson said of Kenner. “She’s always maintained a level of sensitivity, knowing the social structures that exclude us."
At the same time, Jackson said that since his time at Young, he’s seen more upper-middle-class students move in. He remembers hallways filled with more African-American students than was the case for his daughter, who’s now in college.
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Kenner said the school was about 60% black when she took over. By the turn of the millennium, about 41% of students were black, 24% white, 19% Latino and 16% Asian, according to CPS data. The school is still very diverse, but its African American population has shrunk to 19%, with another 19% Asian, 28% white and 29% Latino students. Like many of the district’s most elite schools, Whitney Young’s enrollment is disproportionately white compared with CPS overall, where 11% of students are white.
Attributing shifting demographics in part to changes in the selective enrollment process, Kenner said she hopes her student body continues to be among the most diverse in the country.
Always the first one in line — starting at birth
The firstborn of a set of triplets, Kenner has always been a natural leader with a love for children, her siblings said. Even their birth, to a 19-year-old mother and 18-year-old father, made headlines.
“I’m not sure when the last triplets were born in Dayton, so it was really big news,” said Janice Allen, another one of the triplets. “We were always in the spotlight.”
The three had to walk 10 city blocks to get to grade school, and Kenner always got there first, said the youngest triplet, James Dorsey.
“She’s always been the first one in line,” he said, “always been aggressive in her mindset in terms of opinion, and she works hard in what she believes in.”
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When King was shot and killed in Memphis in 1968, the triplets were young and, said Allen, “I don’t think we understood the gravity of the moment."
But, she said, “We looked at how sad people were around us, that looked to Dr. Martin Luther King as our hero.”
Dorsey remembers riding his bicycle to Third Street in Dayton and looking at the damage from looting sparked by King’s death, unable to understand why people would tear up their own neighborhoods.
Kenner recalls trying to understand why “this man who had stood for peace and unity was gunned down.” Her mother was from Mississippi, and though the family didn’t talk a lot about race issues, she would relay stories from her own mother and grandmother about their experiences living in the Deep South and about lynchings there.
“Those discussions weren’t necessarily had, but you saw. So now, (after) 50 years, it’s a different environment where now the discussion is had," Allen said. "You don’t have to talk to feel racism, you don’t have to speak it. You feel it as an African American person on a day-to-day basis, but it’s painful to talk about.”
Their early jobs were at their father’s three record stores. Kenner said she rarely speaks about the fact that, later in life, he was imprisoned for a drug conviction.
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He “is still my hero,” she said of her late father. "He had to do what he had to do as a black man to support his family, and he did it well. All of my sisters and brothers were educated.”
She said she’s tired of trying to explain her position in life, and that all she’s been through has made her a better person.
“My father served 11 years in prison. If I don’t understand about black people and oppression, nobody else does,” Kenner said. “Nobody can tell me ... I don’t support the cause or that I don’t understand the cause."
Joyce Kenner, principal Whitney Young Magnet High School, celebrates the 2019 opening of a new athetlic complex named after the school's most famous alum, Michelle Obama. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
Kenner points out that, as far as she knows, she was the first CPS principal to let students kneel during the national anthem.
A high school cheerleader, Kenner never really stopped cheering, now supporting her students at sports games, chess tournaments, debates, wherever they want her to be, she said.
She sees her nearly 2,200 students today as brilliant, passionate, organized and more social media-savvy than their predecessors.
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“I think the issues have impacted them more greatly than they did before, and now they have found a way for their voices to be heard," she said. “Sometimes it’s painful for us as adults in authoritarian positions to accept how our students advocate their positions, but I listen, I reflect, I hurt."
She recognizes that not all students agree with her but said she tries her best “to make sure that every student’s needs are addressed.”
"Have I failed in some things I’ve tried to do? Absolutely. Have I apologized? ... Absolutely. But I try to be the very best person that I can be, and for somebody to call for my resignation I think is narrow-minded.”
hleone@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-06-12--Coronavirus in Illinois updates: Here’s what happened June 11 with COVID-19 in the Chicago area

“ The plaintiff is anxious to move forward and have this matter heard and resolved , as is the defendant @ @ @ @ @ you I ’ d like to have it resolved as well , ” the judge @ @ @ @ @ the only thing I can tell you with any degree of certainty is we ’ @ @ @ @ @ a trial in July .
”

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A person rides the Metra Electric District line, May 11, 2021, in Chicago. With some coronavirus pandemic restrictions lifted, some people may be returning to public transit. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)
State officials announced Thursday there had been 91 additional fatalities related to COVID-19 confirmed, for a statewide death toll of 6,185.
Officials also reported 766 new known cases, pushing the statewide total to 130,603.
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Earlier Thursday, it was announced that about 1.5 million laid-off workers applied for U.S. unemployment benefits last week, evidence that many Americans are still losing their jobs even as the economy appears to be slowly recovering with more businesses partially reopening.
In Illinois, 44,814 people filed initial claims for jobless benefits in the week ended June 6, a slight decline from the 46,385 claims filed the previous week.
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[ When can Illinois move to phase 4? Here's where each region stands. ]
[ How will Illinois reopen? Three charts breaking down Pritzker’s plan ]
[ COVID-19 cases in Illinois by ZIP code: Search for your neighborhood ]
[ As the coronavirus spreads, the Tribune is tracking Illinois cases here ]
Here’s what’s happening Thursday with COVID-19 in the Chicago area and Illinois:
10:50 p.m.: Chicago’s Riverwalk set to reopen on Friday with restrictions
The city of Chicago’s Riverwalk will officially reopen on Friday, with restrictions aimed at limiting activity and crowds, Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s office announced.
Lightfoot ordered the Riverwalk closed in March as part of a broader effort to curb the spread of coronavirus. Now, with the city easing restrictions on the public and allowing more businesses to reopen, the mayor’s office said it will allow people to visit the Riverwalk through limited access points on Lake Street. Read more here. — Gregory Pratt
7:32 p.m.: Lakeview set to be first in the city to test street closures for pilot dining program this weekend
As outdoor dining in Chicago continues into its second weekend, the Lakeview East Chamber of Commerce is taking it a step further through Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s pilot program, with plans to be the first area in the city to shut down a main street for outdoor dining.
Tomorrow, from noon until 10 p.m., Broadway will be open only to pedestrians between Belmont Avenue and Diversey Parkway, and again from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Read more here. — Grace Wong
5:29 p.m.: Trial in Dennis Hastert hush-money lawsuit delayed by coronavirus
The trial over hush-money payments by former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert to a man who accused him of sexual abuse won’t begin this summer after all because of ongoing concerns over the coronavirus.
Kendall County Chief Judge Robert Pilmer, who is presiding over the long-simmering lawsuit, cited social distancing concerns for potential jurors as the reason for the delay during a court hearing Thursday.
Lawyer had been expected to begin jury selection next month.
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“The plaintiff is anxious to move forward and have this matter heard and resolved, as is the defendant, and I can assure you I’d like to have it resolved as well,” the judge said. “But today the only thing I can tell you with any degree of certainty is we’re not going to have a trial in July.”
This is at least the second time the trial has been postponed. Pilmer did not immediately set a new date. He noted continued concerns, such as a second wave of the virus causing further disruptions. The Yorkville courthouse resumed operations June 1, though some restrictions remain in place.
Lawyers in the lawsuit are due back in court Sept. 25, when another trial date may be set. Read more here. — Christy Gutowski
5:28 p.m. (Updated): Advocates call for more permanent housing units for vulnerable homeless Chicagoans as COVID-19 crisis eases: ‘An issue of racial justice’
More rental units are needed to shield vulnerable Chicagoans without a home from the coronavirus pandemic, according to a report released by a coalition of doctors and advocates for homeless people.
The city of Chicago proposed spending a total of almost $40 million in federal funding, combining money from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act and federal block grants. The money would go toward homelessness services including prevention efforts, emergency rental assistance and spacing out of current shelters to maintain social distance measures. The city earmarked $15.7 million for 1,250 “shield housing” units to prevent COVID-19 infection among older or medically vulnerable homeless individuals.
But the proposal falls 500 units short of recommendations by the Chicago Homelessness and Health Response Group for Equity, which includes doctors who work in homeless shelters where people sleep in gymlike dormitories.
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“The ask of 500 additional rapid rehousing units is a drop in the bucket when it comes to the need,” David Ansell, president of Rush University Medical Center’s community health equity, said during a news conference Thursday. “We should not leave the opportunity to house these 500 additional households on the table.” Read more here. — Cecilia Reyes
5:24 p.m.: Woman on the brink of death receives first known double lung transplant due to COVID-19 in US
Doctors at Northwestern Memorial Hospital on Friday performed the first known double lung transplant in the United States for a COVID-19 patient whose lungs were severely damaged by the disease, saving the woman in her 20s from almost certain death.
Speaking outside of the Prentice Women’s Hospital on Thursday, the doctors called the surgery a “milestone" in care for patients who are critically ill from the virus which has killed more than 6,000 people in Illinois. The hospital has already received calls from across the country about the procedure.
At least two other transplants have been performed in Austria and China.
“This is an important development that could help a number of patients who have sustained severe and irreversible lung damage as a result of COVID-19,” said Ankit Bharat , chief of thoracic surgery and surgical director of the Northwestern Medicine Lung Transplant Program. Read more here. — Madeline Buckley
5:23 p.m.: As US lockdowns roll back, there’s been an alarming rise in coronavirus cases. Here’s what’s driving surges in some states.
States are rolling back lockdowns, but the coronavirus isn't done with the U.S.
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Cases are rising in nearly half the states, according to an Associated Press analysis, a worrying trend that could intensify as people return to work and venture out during the summer. Read more here. — Associated Press
4:18 p.m.: Chicago’s farmers markets start to reopen with new safety protocols, beginning in neighborhoods with less access to food
Slowly, and under strict COVID-19 safety protocols, Chicago’s city-run and independent farmers markets are opening.
“It’s happening more slowly than we would have liked it, or would in a normal year, but everybody has to adjust to what they’re doing, and how they’re doing it,” said city markets program director Alisa Baum. “It’s been slow rolling, but we’re getting there.”
A couple of independent markets — in Andersonville and Back of the Yards — have opened this week. Starting Saturday, the city-operated markets will start opening, specifically targeting areas designated as low-income, low-access by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
First up is the West Humboldt Park market (3601 W. Chicago Ave.) on Saturday, followed by the Division Street market (30 W. Division St.) on June 20 and the Pullman Market City market (11100 S. Cottage Grove Ave.) on July 1. Eight more city-run markets will open in the following weeks. Read more here. — Phil Vettel
3:21 p.m.: Cook County to spend $41 million on COVID-19 contact tracing, but won’t be fully staffed until fall
Cook County will spend nearly $41 million to dramatically beef up its contact tracing program in an effort to limit future COVID-19 case surges, but won’t have the program fully staffed until fall, County Board President Toni Preckwinkle announced Thursday.
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The program — which involves identifying people afflicted with the disease, ensuring they can isolate and asking people with whom they recently had significant contact to quarantine themselves — is widely viewed as a key element in limiting future outbreaks of the disease. Read more here. — Hal Dardick
3:11 p.m.: Some south suburban pools are reopening, but you might need a reservation
With new guidelines laid out by state health officials, some south suburban public pools are reopening, but with a bevy of restrictions.
Oak Lawn Park District officials recently reopened the district’s Central Park pool, and Orland Park is opening its indoor pool at its Health & Fitness Center on Friday followed by the outdoor pool at Centennial Park on Monday. Read more here. — Mike Nolan
2:38 p.m.: 766 new known COVID-19 cases, 91 additional deaths
State officials announced Thursday there had been 91 additional fatalities related to COVID-19 confirmed, for a statewide death toll of 6,185.
Officials also reported 766 new known cases, pushing the statewide total to 130,603.
12:23 p.m.: Advocates call for more permanent housing units for vulnerable homeless Chicagoans as COVID-19 crisis eases: ‘An issue of racial justice’
More rental units are needed to shield vulnerable Chicagoans without a home from the pandemic, according to a report released by a coalition of doctors and advocates for the homeless.
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The city of Chicago proposed spending $23.7 million from federal funding for homelessness services, which includes prevention efforts and spacing out of current shelters to maintain social distance measures. The city destined $15.7 million for 1,250 “shield housing” units to prevent COVID-19 infection among older or medically vulnerable homeless individuals.
But the proposal falls 500 units short of recommendations by the Chicago Homelessness and Health Response Group for Equity, which includes doctors who work in homeless shelters where people sleep in gymlike dormitories.
“The ask of 500 additional rapid rehousing units is a drop in the bucket when it comes to the need,” David Ansell, president of Rush Universtity Medical Center’s community health equity, said. “We should not leave the opportunity to house these 500 additional household on the table.” Read more here. —Cecilia Reyes
10:29 a.m.: Musicians, local sports stars fill lineup for Chicago’s citywide virtual graduation
As Chicago prepares to honors its high school graduates with a virtual ceremony, DJ Khaled, Common and a host of other celebrities and sports figures have joined the lineup, with Oprah Winfrey headlining.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced the additional participants Thursday, ahead of the hourlong citywide commencement airing at 1 p.m. Sunday, to be followed by a party with an array of musical performances. Read more here. —Ariel Cheung
9:48 a.m.: Food prices jump in May, led by 40% surge in meat costs, as US wholesale prices rise
U.S. wholesale prices rose 0.4% in May, led by gains in the cost of food and energy.
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The Labor Department said Thursday that its Producer Price Index, which measures inflation pressures before they reach the consumer, showed an increase after three straight months of declines. Those declines had reflected in part the steep drop in demand caused by government-ordered shutdowns to deal with the coronavirus.
The cost of food rose a sharp 6%. Food costs have been rising due to high demand from Americans cooking more at home, but also because of lost production following virus outbreaks at food processing facilities. Energy prices, which had fallen for three straight months, increased 4.5%. Read more here. —Associated Press
7:49 a.m.: 1.5 million new unemployment claims — a high number of layoffs, but 10th straight weekly decline
About 1.5 million laid-off workers applied for U.S. unemployment benefits last week, evidence that many Americans are still losing their jobs even as the economy appears to be slowly recovering with more businesses partially reopening.
The latest figure from the Labor Department marked the 10th straight weekly decline in applications for jobless aid since they peaked in mid-March when the coronavirus hit hard. Still, the pace of layoffs remains historically high.
In Illinois, 44,814 people filed initial claims for jobless benefits in the week ended June 6, a slight decline from the 46,385 claims filed the previous week.
Nationally, the total number of people who are receiving unemployment aid fell slightly, a sign that some people who were laid off when restaurants, retail chains and small businesses suddenly shut down have been recalled to work. Read more here. —Associated Press
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7:02 a.m.: Coronavirus survivor in Chicago receives double lung transplant
Surgeons in Chicago have given a new set of lungs to a young woman with severe lung damage from the coronavirus.
Only a few other COVID-19 survivors, in China and Europe, have received lung transplants.
The patient, who is her 20s, was on a ventilator and heart-lung machine for almost two months before her operation last Friday at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Read more here. —Associated Press
Breaking coronavirus news Stay up to date with the latest information on coronavirus with our breaking news alerts.
Here are five things that happened Wednesday in the Chicago area related to coronavirus:


chicagotribune--2020-06-14--Hundreds of children and parents gather for youth march in Bronzeville as new rounds of George Floyd

Hundreds of children and parents gather for youth march in Bronzeville as new rounds of George Floyd-inspired demonstrations continue in Chicago

Though she wasn ’ t sure whether she ’ d support defunding the police , unlike other organizers of the @ @ @ @ @ did not want her last name used , thinks the courts and jail system does @ @ @ @ @ money .
She said her son did not have his right to a fair and @ @ @ @ @ has not been to court in four months .

Children and their families march against racism in the Bronzeville neighborhood of Chicago on June 13, 2020. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)
Wendy Willis wanted to show her 7-year-old daughter Mikah how to take action during a pivotal moment of change, so she marched with the young girl along with hundreds of other children and adults Saturday morning in Bronzeville.
“It feels like we’re on the verge of change,” Willis said. “I want her to be part of it.”
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The march was one of several that took place throughout the city, with more planned for the rest of the weekend. Most of them were directly sparked by the May 25 death of Floyd, a black man who gasped, “I can’t breathe,” while a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck, or by proposals for police reforms in Chicago.
Crowds of parents and children gathered in Mandrake Park in the South Side neighborhood for the demonstration, geared toward children. They walked down Drexel Boulevard, chanting, “Black Lives Matter” and “No Justice, No Peace.”
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The Chicago chapter of Jack and Jill organized a nonviolent protest against racism for kids and families down Drexel Boulevard in the Bronzeville neighborhood of Chicago on June 13, 2020. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)
The children, some of whom were experiencing their first protest, waved black balloons that said “Black Lives Matter." They chanted and held signs alongside their parents and other family members.
As a black woman, Willis has been followed in stores by clerks who suspected her of stealing, she said. On airplanes, when she travels first class for work, other passengers have asked her how she got there.
Her daughter is among few black children in her north suburban Catholic school, and though they have received support from the school, Willis is teaching her daughter about racism and equality. The recently watched a “Sesame Street” program on racism aired by CNN.
“I think this is history,” Willis said.
Ald. Sophia King, 4th, spoke to the crowd, proclaiming: "There is a bigger virus than COVID-19.”
“It is called racism,” she said. “If we kill this bigger virus, we will be able to breathe.”
Destin Kee, 13, confronted feelings of sadness and disgust after the killing of Floyd, so he came out from the Beverly area to the march with his parents.
“I wanted to support us as black people because of what we’re going through,” he said. “I don’t think it’s right.”
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Samara Willis marched with her two young nephews, 6 and 8, hoping the boys will feel empowered to make a difference. Their male relatives are teaching them about their own experiences with racism, and Willis prays for her nephews’ safety every day.
The two boys stood by her legs and yelled, “Black Lives Matter” as they walked down Drexel.
Later outside the Cook County Jail on the Southwest Side, a rally hosted in part by Black Lives Matter Chicago and the Chicago Torture Justice Center was held to demand the U.S. government divert money from the incarceration system in what they called a growing movement to abolish police and reform criminal justice.
Protesters head south in the 2700 block of South California Avenue during a rally and march against the prison system outside Cook County Jail. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Malik Alim looks down at his 1-year-old son, Ori, while attending a protest against the prison system outside Cook County Jail. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
As of 3:20 p.m., about 150 people gathered on the lawn outside the jail as the demonstration got underway, with a car caravan flanking them on South California Avenue, motorists’ horns blaring. Toward the end of a march around the jail, two people were arrested and charges were pending, according to Chicago police.
Activists discussed the “trauma” they and their loved ones endured from the network of courts, jails and prisons that disproportionately affect black people. The county jail — one of the U.S.’s largest — has drawn additional notoriety as a hot spot for the coronavirus. About 75% of current detainees are black.
Cassandra Greer-Lee’s last words to her husband, Nickolas Lee, before the 42-year-old became one of the first detainees to die of the coronavirus inside Cook County Jail were of hope.
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“Don’t talk; just listen,” Greer-Lee, 43, urged him on April 11 as he struggled to breathe. “Was anyone beating it?” he asked about the novel respiratory illness ravaging his lungs. “Yes, thousands of people were beating it. And you will,” she promised.
The next day, Lee was taken out of the jail in a body bag, Greer-Lee said.
Greer-Lee now protests outside the jail and spoke at Saturday’s rally to bring attention to the conditions her husband died in and call for taxpayer money sent to the jail to be spent on Chicago Public Schools and mental health resources instead.
Cassandra Greer-Lee holds a poster showing her late husband, Nickolas Lee, during a protest against the prison system outside Cook County Jail on June 13, 2020, in Chicago. Lee died from COVID-19 in April while housed in the jail. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
“I’m gonna stand here — you might see the tears because I’m still hurting really bad — but I’m gonna stand here, and I’m gonna fight every day,” Greer-Lee said. “I’m gonna make sure that Cook County Jail is defunded. Why do you need millions when everybody dies anyways?”
After the crowd of more than 200 began chanting, "You are detaining me for nothing. No justice, no peace. Defund the police,'' one of the attendees, Gregory Banks of the Chicago Torture Justice Center, recounted the abuse allegedly inflicted by disgraced and convicted Chicago police Cmdr. Jon Burge decades ago.
Banks demanded that 75% of Chicago police’s budget be directed to schools, mental health facilities, jobs, housing and trauma centers in black and Latino communities.
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“Police cannot effectively be transparent as they are obligated to protect the code of silence, not report acts of terror and murder by other members in the department,” Banks said. “That conduct has been supported by the city of Chicago, Cook County state’s attorney’s office and most judges.”
Longtime activist Mark Clements, who says he was coerced into a confession through torture by Burge, was also on hand.
“When is enough, enough?” Clements asked. “There are people that have literally lost their mother, lost their father, lost their children all while sitting behind the complex of our prison system while our political forces have played political football game with the lives of men and women that were found guilty of crimes and which evidence has shown many of them never even committed.”
Gregory Banks, Chicago torture justice center, recounts the abuse inflicted by discarded CPD cop John Burge.
“We demand that 75% of CPD budget be given to schools, opening mental health facilities, jobs, housing and funding trauma centers in black and brown communities” + CPAC pic.twitter.com/N1YPl3iQkh — Alice Yin (@byaliceyin) June 13, 2020
Clements contended Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx should not be excused in the situation, arguing she has jurisdiction over many of the remaining Burge survivors locked up.
“Kim Foxx cannot get off of the chopping block,” Clements said. “It doesn’t take 20 or 30 goddamn years of continuances before you come out with a form of justice.”
Tiffany, whose 20-year-old son has been detained at the jail for two-and-a-half years, attended the march because she believes it is unjust his case has stalled for so long and that he is now trapped in an incubator for the deadly coronavirus.
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Though she wasn’t sure whether she’d support defunding the police, unlike other organizers of the rally, Tiffany, who did not want her last name used, thinks the courts and jail system does not deserve as much taxpayer money. She said her son did not have his right to a fair and speedy trial, and he has not been to court in four months.
Organizer Ariel Atkins points to fellow activists during a protest against the prison system outside Cook County Jail on June 13, 2020, in Chicago. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
“I want to see that when we walk into court on-site that it’s not different for white people versus black people,” said Tiffany, whose son is black. “The way that we’re treated out here has to change. There’s no reason why somebody, even if they’re criminals, should die with a knee on their neck.”
Another speaker included the great aunt of 17-year-old Pierre Loury, who was shot and killed by Chicago police in 2016. Arewa Karen Winters read about a dozen names of fatal Chicago police shooting victims, including her own great-nephew and Laquan McDonald, the 17-year-old black boy whose death led to the first murder conviction of a Chicago cop in decades.
“This city is one of the most politically corrupt cities in the country,'' Winters said as she urged the crowd to register to vote and “vote out” Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Foxx.
Just after 5 p.m., the marchers looped around the jail and arrived at the footsteps of the maximum-security dormitory. “They can hear us from here,” Black Lives Matter Chicago lead organizer Ariel Atkins yelled. “And they can see us from here.” She led the crowd to chant, “We love you. We, we love you,” as someone banged a drum in unison.
A minute later, detainees banged on the walls to signal they heard the message.
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mabuckley@chicagotribune.com
ayin@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-06-13--Youth march for change in Bronzeville and outside Cook County Jail

Hundreds of children and parents gathered for a youth march in the Bronzeville neighborhood of Chicago as new rounds of @ @ @ @ @ Chicago .
A separate rally and march outside Cook County Jail brought attention to the @ @ @ @

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chicagotribune--2020-06-14--Oprah, Common and more celebrities join Chicago’s virtual celebration of class of 2020: ‘You never g

Oprah, Common and more celebrities join Chicago’s virtual celebration of class of 2020: ‘You never gave up’

“ What impresses me most about the Class of 2020 is that you never gave up , even in these @ @ @ @ @ said Chicago Public School CEO Janice Jackson .
“ You kept up with classes and @ @ @ @ @ that you were going to finish high school strong .
”

Michel Adelien wears his cap and gown before watching the CPS virtual graduation on June 14, 2020, at his Chicago home. Adelien is graduating from Brooks College Prep and will be the first in his family to go to college, attending Cornell University in New York. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)
Dyshawn Pope was really looking forward to walking across the stage at Harlan Community Academy this year and receiving his diploma in front of family and friends.
Instead, Pope and seniors across Chicago tuned in to a virtual graduation ceremony Sunday put on by the city and featuring speeches from Oprah Winfrey and hip-hop artist Common.
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Pope is the second in his family to head off to college, following in the footsteps of his older brother.
“It's still my graduation, (and) I’m proud of myself, but at the same time I wanted my family to be there to see me do it, because it took a lot,” Pope said.
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But Sunday’s ceremony drove home the message that, despite the limitations placed on graduations because of the coronavirus, the Class of 2020 deserved to be celebrated.
“What impresses me most about the Class of 2020 is that you never gave up, even in these very challenging circumstances,” said Chicago Public School CEO Janice Jackson. “You kept up with classes and made up in your minds that you were going to finish high school strong.”
With the teachers strike in the fall and the abrupt end of in-person classes in March, Pope said it was difficult to get settled and stay focused in school. As a football and basketball player, sports were always his motivation, and this year both seasons were cut short.
But Pope was able to stay on track, thanks in large part, he said, to his best friend and classmate Marshai Bradley.
“I really was looking forward to prom and graduation,” Bradley said. “I was looking forward to the ideal senior year.”
Bradley was one of the students featured in Sunday’s virtual ceremony. As seniors discussed their hopes for the future, Bradley told viewers she plans to become president one day.
Next year, Pope and Bradley will attend college together at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.
Miguel Cervantes, star of Chicago’s “Hamilton,” emceed Sunday’s ceremony and “The Voice’s” Katie Kadan performed the national anthem. A number of local celebrities delivered messages to the graduates, including the Chicago Bears’ Charles Leno Jr. and Chicago Blackhawks’ Patrick Kane.
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The event also featured performances from the Dunbar High School marching band, a spoken word piece from a Kenwood Academy senior and a poem recited by ChiArts students celebrating the resiliency of their class.
For Michel Adelien, of Brooks College Prep, adapting to the challenges of this school year have made graduation even more rewarding.
“Everything still worked out OK in the end,” Adelien said.
Michel Adelien watches Mayor Lori Lightfoot speak during the CPS virtual graduation on June 14, 2020, from his Chicago home. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)
This fall, he will be the first in his family to go to college, attending Cornell University in New York on a full ride through a Posse Foundation scholarship.
He is still not sure if he will be on campus this fall but remains optimistic. If anything, he said, this year has made him much stronger and ready for whatever comes next.
“With everything that’s happened, it’s strengthened everyone, I think,” Adelien said. “So I’m really looking forward to the future for everyone.”
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During her speech Sunday, Winfrey told students they are graduating during a watershed moment in the country’s history: amid a pandemic and protests following the police killing of George Floyd.
“At this moment of protest and dissent, whether we choose to march in the streets or not, we are each being called to reckon with our country’s past and determine a more equitable future for black and brown people, for poor and disenfranchised people,” Winfrey said.
For Olivia Dixon, of Von Steuben High School, this was a year she began to commit herself to political activism.
“Things are going to change forever,” Dixon said. “And my generation and the people who are alive at this time are part of such a historical moment.”
Dixon said it’s been challenging to remain positive at times, but she is grateful for her family, who came together the past week to celebrate her graduation from high school.
“It was a moment of peace and celebration,” Dixon said. “And it’s been difficult to find the silver lining in all of this.
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“While this is not what I wanted, this is what I got,” she added. “And I’m so grateful to have a support system that can help me make the most of it.”


chicagotribune--2020-06-14--Coronavirus in Illinois updates: Officials report 19 additional COVID-19 fatalities, the lowest dail

Coronavirus in Illinois updates: Officials report 19 additional COVID-19 fatalities, the lowest daily death toll since April 2

A plant must fulfill your needs , but the conditions of your planting area also need to match the plant @ @ @ @ @ sun or shade you have , the available space , your soil — all those @ @ @ @ @ can grow , ” Janoski said .
Read more here .

We have lifted the paywall on this story. To support essential reporting, please consider becoming a subscriber .
The Fulton Market area of Chicago is no longer the ghost town it was during the depths of the COVID-19 virus pandemic shutdown. As restrictions on restaurants are eased, a worker takes a woman's temperature before she can enter Federales restaurant on Morgan Street on July 1, 2020. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)
Illinois health officials on Sunday reported 19 additional fatalities from COVID-19, the lowest daily death toll since April 2. The new confirmed deaths bring the statewide total to 6,308 since the pandemic began. Officials also announced 672 new known cases of the coronavirus in Illinois on Sunday, pushing the statewide total to 132,543.
Meanwhile, the city of Chicago is on pace to further reopen its economy on July 1, with restrictions potentially being loosened on indoor dining at restaurants, museums and gyms, public health commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said. Arwady made the comments at a Friday afternoon news conference where she unveiled a new coronavirus data portal.
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[ When can Illinois move to phase 4? Here's where each region stands. ]
[ How will Illinois reopen? Three charts breaking down Pritzker’s plan ]
[ COVID-19 cases in Illinois by ZIP code: Search for your neighborhood ]
[ As the coronavirus spreads, the Tribune is tracking Illinois cases here ]
Here’s what’s happening this weekend with COVID-19 in the Chicago area and Illinois:
Sunday, June 14
2:30 p.m. State announces 672 new case of COVID-19 and 19 additional deaths
State officials on Sunday announced 672 new cases of COVID-19, pushing the statewide total to 132,543 since the pandemic began.
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There were also 19 additional confirmed deaths, for a statewide total of 6,308. Most deaths were in Cook County, with one each reported in DuPage, Kane, and Will counties, according to the most recent information put out by the Illinois Department of Public Health.
Nearly all Illinois counties – 101 of 102 – have seen confirmed cases, it said in a statement.The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases Is 3% of all tests between June 7 – 13. —Katherine Rosenberg-Douglas
Saturday, June 13
2:30 p.m.: 673 new known COVID-19 cases, 29 additional deaths
State officials announced Saturday there had been 29 additional fatalities related to COVID-19 confirmed, for a statewide death toll of 6,289.
Officials also reported 673 new known cases, pushing the statewide total to 131,871.
5 a.m.: Beware impulse buys as you head to garden centers amid COVID-19 reopening. Here’s what to consider before shopping.
All those colorful flowers, graceful branches and intoxicating aromas: It’s hard to resist impulse buying when shopping for plants, especially when many haven’t been able to shop for awhile.
“It’s still important to shop carefully and thoughtfully,” said Julie Janoski, manager of the Plant Clinic at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle. Trees, shrubs and perennials, even those purchased impulsively, will be with you for a long time. “Thinking ahead now will increase your chances for success and prevent issues in future years," she said.
A plant must fulfill your needs, but the conditions of your planting area also need to match the plant. “The amount of sun or shade you have, the available space, your soil — all those things limit which plants you can grow,” Janoski said. Read more here.
Friday: Takeout gets a makeover: How COVID-19 is forcing restaurants to improve the to-go experience
Restaurants built around the bustle of communal dining had to pivot to embrace takeout when the COVID-19 pandemic forced them to close their dining rooms. Many of those changes are expected to stick even as restaurants start to welcome customers back to patios and, once phase 4 of reopening begins, to dining rooms with restricted capacity.
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“I think what’s going to come out of this is that takeout is going to be better,” said Kevin Boehm, co-owner of Boka Group, whose slate of acclaimed restaurants include Girl & the Goat and Swift & Sons in the Fulton Market district. “What is the Michelin star version of the way we package our stuff?” Read more here. —Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz


chicagotribune--2020-06-14--Activists protest during virtual graduation to call for Chicago police to be removed from public sch

Activists protest during virtual graduation to call for Chicago police to be removed from public schools

Wilson said he believes schools could use approaches like peaceful mediation between rivals in schools to calm gang tensions .
@ @ @ @ @ lot of preventative things that go into addressing the gang violence , ” Wilson said @ @ @ @ @ that more police has never really resulted in a reduction of crime or fighting .
@ @ @ @ @ arrests .
I think people conflate arrests with , ‘ Oh , they ’ re @ @ @ @ @ ’ t get at the root issue .
”

As a host of dignitaries, including Oprah Winfrey, gave commencement speeches for graduating Chicago high school seniors Sunday afternoon, a group of at least 150 people gathered outside a South Side high school for a protest to send a message to Mayor Lori Lightfoot: Defund police, withdraw officers from public schools and reallocate money to social programs.
Members of several groups, including Black Lives Matter Chicago, the Chicago Teachers Union, Students Strike Back and Southside Together Organizing for Power, met in front of Hyde Park Academy for a peaceful march to the Grand Crossing police station on South Cottage Grove Avenue.
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The protest and march coincided with the mayor’s virtual graduation ceremony. Several recent graduates, wearing caps and gowns, led the marchers, carrying a sign that read, “Fund black futures.”
While protests and demonstrations in the city and across the country were sparked by the police-involved homicide of George Floyd in Minneapolis, activists of late have pushed for police defunding initiatives. Of particular interest to the demonstrators Sunday was the $33 million contract that Chicago Public Schools has with Chicago police to provide school resource officers.
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While the defunding idea has got at least limited traction in other big cities as mayors in New York and Los Angeles vowed to reroute policing money to social programs, Lightfoot has rejected calls to cut police funding.
The afternoon protest, which took place a few blocks south of the proposed Obama Presidential Center, drew a multiethnic group of demonstrators and included politically active recent Hyde Park Academy students.
Lanessa Young, 18, a recent Hyde Park graduate who spoke at the protest and plans to study political science at the University of Illinois at Chicago, said funds that go to police could be better used at schools like hers that lacked guidance counselors and social workers.
“We have a social worker here and she bounces between Corliss (high school) and here,” said Young, who hopes to become a political campaign manager. “We don’t have our own social worker and we have two counselors for 800 students.”
Jonathan Wilson, a teacher at Harper High School, speaks with a crowd of peace marchers outside Hyde Park Academy in Woodlawn. (William Lee / Chicago Tribune)
Several other speakers said they knew the fear and anxiety some students feel seeing police in their schools. Harper High teacher Jonathan Wilson shared a story about having a police officer pull a gun on him as a teenager.
Wilson said he believes schools could use approaches like peaceful mediation between rivals in schools to calm gang tensions. “There’s a lot of preventative things that go into addressing the gang violence,” Wilson said. “I always say that more police has never really resulted in a reduction of crime or fighting. It has resulted in more arrests. I think people conflate arrests with, ‘Oh, they’re fighting crime.’ It doesn’t get at the root issue.”
Among the demonstrators was Rita Arch, a retired psychiatric nurse who has worked with children. She said she felt compelled to come to the protests because she’s seen up close the consequences of young people who fear the police.
“I see what happens to kids if they have negative interactions (with police) early and they’re made to feel like they’re no good and that they feel like they have nowhere to go,” said Arch, 72.
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wlee@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @MidNoirCowboy


chicagotribune--2020-06-14--When can Illinois move to phase 4 of reopening plan? Here’s where each region stands.

With each of the state ’ s four regions in Phase 3 of Gov .
J.B. Pritzker ’ s Restore @ @ @ @ @ starts on moving on to Phase 4 , where more businesses and activities are allowed @ @ @ @ @ Illinois — from restaurants and salons to open space to non-COVID-19 procedures at the hospital @ @ @ @ @ depends on a host of metrics laid out by Pritzker .

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

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


chicagotribune--2020-06-14--COVID-19 cases in Illinois by ZIP code: Search for your neighborhood

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

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


chicagotribune--2020-06-14--Tracking Illinois coronavirus: 6,308 deaths, 132,543 confirmed cases, 1.19 million tests, 7.26% posi

Tracking Illinois coronavirus: 6,308 deaths, 132,543 confirmed cases, 1.19 million tests, 7.26% positivity rate for Northeast region

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

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


chicagotribune--2020-06-14--Chicago police cancel days off, switch to 12-hour shifts

It was during that time that Chicago officers first worked 12-hour shifts and had their days off canceled for several @ @ @ @ @ which officers made more than 2,000 arrests for looting and other civil unrest .
But @ @ @ @ @ the department faced scrutiny for some officers ’ alleged conduct during the demonstrations and subsequent @ @

Chicago police officers stand outside Nini's Deli in Chicago on June 7, 2020, as protesters demonstrate in response to the restaurant's owner recent controversial comments. (Raquel Zaldivar/Chicago Tribune)
Chicago police officers on Sunday were once again ordered to work 12-hour shifts and have their days off canceled amid some protesting that has persisted in parts of the city following George Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police nearly three weeks ago.
A Chicago police spokesman could not say why officers were forced to go back to the extended shifts, but the directive from Police Department brass comes following the shooting death Friday night of a black man by a police officer in Atlanta.
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That shooting, which led to the firing of the officer and the resignation of Atlanta’s police chief, prompted more protests in that city as intense demonstrations calmed down there nearly three weeks after Floyd’s death on Memorial Day.
Until further notice, Chicago officers who are on active duty and not on vacation will have to work the 12-hour shifts — a normal shift is about 8½ hours — and come in on their days off, the Chicago police spokesman, Luis Agostini, said Sunday morning.
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CPD’s brass two weeks ago moved officers to the more demanding schedule following widespread protests downtown and in other parts of the city. In that time, outrage over Floyd’s death also led to looting, violence and other civil unrest across Chicago, causing Mayor Lori Lightfoot to impose a 9 p.m. curfew and call in the National Guard for help.
It was during that time that Chicago officers first worked 12-hour shifts and had their days off canceled for several days, a period in which officers made more than 2,000 arrests for looting and other civil unrest. But at that same time, the department faced scrutiny for some officers’ alleged conduct during the demonstrations and subsequent unrest.
For instance, the Cook County state’s attorney’s office and the FBI began reviewing allegations that Chicago police pulled a woman from a car by her hair and placed a knee on her neck.
Chicago Police Board President Ghian Foreman, who oversees the panel in charge of serious officer discipline, said officers hit him with batons as they clashed with protesters who marched on the South Side over Floyd’s killing.
A Chicago officer was stripped of his police powers over allegations that he was shown on video using a homophobic slur during a confrontation with protesters.
Last week, the conduct of officers raised more eyebrows when Lightfoot and U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush condemned images they said depicted Chicago police officers making popcorn, drinking coffee and sleeping on a couch in the congressman’s campaign office while nearby businesses were being looted amid unrest two weeks ago. The Fraternal Order of Police, CPD’s largest union, has disputed Lightfoot and Rush’s account of the incident, which is under investigation.
On Friday night, 27-year-old Rayshard Brooks was fatally shot by Atlanta police Officer Garrett Rolfe at a Wendy’s drive-thru, a killing that has since drawn outrage and more protests in that city. Rolfe was later fired and a second cop was placed on administrative duty.
The shooting also led to the resignation of Atlanta’s police chief, Erika Shields.
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jgorner@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-06-14--DJ Khaled, Common, Cubs’ Kris Bryant join roster of stars celebrating Chicago graduates during virtu

DJ Khaled, Common, Cubs’ Kris Bryant join roster of stars celebrating Chicago graduates during virtual commencement Sunday

“ This is an incredible opportunity to give the graduates of 2020 the celebration they deserve , ” Lightfoot said @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Completing high school is a momentous occasion , and while this year ’ @ @ @ @ @ be what they expected , this is an opportunity to send our students off in @ @ @

DJ Khaled will be among the celebrities participating in the citywide virtual graduation ceremony Sunday. (Jordan Strauss / Invision)
As Chicago prepares to honor its high school graduates with a virtual ceremony, DJ Khaled, Common and a host of other celebrities and sports figures have joined the lineup.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced the additional participants Thursday, ahead of the hourlong citywide commencement airing at 1 p.m. Sunday.
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Among the new additions is an array of top Chicago athletes, including Cubs players Kris Bryant, Jason Heyward, and Kyle Schwarber; White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson; Blackhawks right wing Patrick Kane; Bulls power forward Daniel Gafford; Bears offensive tackle Charles Leno, Jr.; and Chicago Sky players Diamond DeShields and Cheyenne Parker.
An aftershow will feature performances by hip-hop artist DJ Khaled, singer Ellie King, country artist Thomas Rhett, pop-rock singer Andy Grammer, DJ Louis the Child, rock band X Ambassadors, The Second City and performers from the musical “Jagged Little Pill.”
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Jahmal Cole, founder of My Block, My Hood, My City, will also participate, along with Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Public Schools CEO Janice Jackson.
Oprah Winfrey was previously announced as the keynote speaker, while Chicago “Hamilton” star Miguel Cervantes will emcee. Grammy-winning hip-hop artist Common will deliver an opening dedication, while Chicago-born finalist of “The Voice” Katie Kadan will perform the national anthem.
“This is an incredible opportunity to give the graduates of 2020 the celebration they deserve,” Lightfoot said in a statement released Thursday. “Completing high school is a momentous occasion, and while this year’s graduation ceremony might not be what they expected, this is an opportunity to send our students off in style.”
The ceremony, which will be broadcast on major local television and radio stations and the city’s livestream feeds, will also include student performances by the Dunbar Vocational Career Academy High School drum line; The Chicago High School for the Arts, also known as ChiArts; and Kenwood Academy High School.
The ceremony, co-created and hosted by the city of Chicago and the investment firm Citadel, is open to all Chicago high school seniors, whether they attend Chicago Public Schools, or charter or private schools.
The event will be aired live on ABC-Ch. 7, WGN-Ch. 9, WTTW-Ch. 11, WFLD-Ch.32, WMAQ-Ch-5, WBBM-Ch. 2, WCIU-Ch. 26 and Univision, and will stream live on the ABC Localish network and on WBEZ.org, as well as the mayor’s social media channels. CBS 2 plans to air the ceremony later that evening. Live closed captioning will be provided.
archeung@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-06-14--2 who were shot after allegedly dragging Chicago police officer with stolen car to face charges

Darien Mitchell , 21 , of Maywood , and Cordero Ramey , 20 , of Chicago , each was shot @ @ @ @ @ police , which began with an auto theft investigation about 5:10 p.m. in the 7000 @ @ @ @ @ , a police spokesman has said .
Neither man suffered serious injuries , officials said @

Two men who were shot by Chicago police after allegedly trying to evade authorities and dragging an officer from a reportedly stolen vehicle as they drove off were each ordered held on $50,000 bail Sunday during a bail hearing to answer felony charges, officials said.
Darien Mitchell, 21, of Maywood, and Cordero Ramey, 20, of Chicago, each was shot Friday after the encounter with police, which began with an auto theft investigation about 5:10 p.m. in the 7000 block of South Green Street, a police spokesman has said. Neither man suffered serious injuries, officials said.
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Mitchell faces one felony count of aggravated battery on a police officer and one count of possession of 15 to 200 ecstasy or ecstasy analog pills, and one felony count of receiving or possessing a stolen vehicle.
Ramey faces one felony count of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon for not having a firearm owner’s identification card and one felony count of receiving or possessing a stolen vehicle, officials said.
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Before a judge, prosecutors said the chain of events that led to the shooting began around 7:15 a.m. Friday when Ramey climbed behind the wheel of an unattended 2018 Chevrolet Malibu and drove off while its two occupants urinated in an alley before making a trip to a White Castle restaurant.
About 10 hours later, an officer with the department’s major auto theft investigation unit received information from the OnStar service that the Malibu was in the 7200 block of South Green Street, prosecutors said. That officer drove to the scene and pulled in front of the Malibu, while two officers in a marked police car pulled in behind it, authorities said.
As the theft unit officer approached the driver’s side door, prosecutors said Mitchell “popped up” from a reclining position. The officer drew his weapon and ordered Mitchell to turn off the engine and get out of the car, prosecutors said. But Mitchell instead reversed toward one of the other two officers before driving forward, hitting the auto theft officer as he sped away, prosecutors said.
The officer became caught on the Malibu and was dragged as the vehicle made a U-turn, authorities said. After completing the turn, the officer was freed and fell to the ground, but he quickly had to roll out of the path of the fleeing Malibu, prosecutors said. One of the accompanying officers fired five shots at the vehicle, striking Mitchell and Ramey, who was in the front passenger seat.
Despite having been dragged, the auto theft officer got into his vehicle and continued the pursuit.
The defendants drove for another four blocks before crashing into a fence in the 7100 block of South Emerald Avenue. Police recovered a loaded .40-caliber handgun in the Malibu’s front passenger seat, along with drugs found on both men, prosecutors said.
The dragged officer was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was treated and released for injuries to his right ankle, right elbow and left knee. Mitchell and Ramey were taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center
Judge Susana Ortiz ordered both men held on $50,000 bail, as well as a “no bail” violation of probation for Ramey, who was convicted of a felony gun charge last year. Mitchell also had a prior unlawful use of a weapon conviction, prosecutors said.
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Just after the incident, Chicago police Chief of Patrol Fred Waller described to reporters how the Malibu “came at” and dragged the officer.
Both men will return to court on June 23.
kdouglas@chicagotribune.com
wlee@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @312BreakingNews
Twitter @MidNoirCowboy


chicagotribune--2020-06-14--Man accused of throwing brick at Chicago police station to appear in court Sunday

According to a statement on the arrest sent out by the Police Department , his arrest came soon after “ @ @ @ @ @ brick through the station ’ s windowpane .
”

Chicago police arrested a man on suspicion of throwing a brick through a police district building, and he is expected to appear in bond court Sunday to face a charge of criminal damage to government property.
Benjamin Lott, 23, of Piedmont, Missouri, was arrested about 4:45 p.m. Saturday after allegedly throwing a brick through a window of the Police Department’s Town Hall District building at 850 W. Addison St.
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According to a statement on the arrest sent out by the Police Department, his arrest came soon after “he was observed throwing a brick through the station’s windowpane.”
No injuries were reported.
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Lott faces two felony counts of criminal damage to government property valued between $500 and $10,000. He will be arraigned before a judge Sunday.
kdouglas@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @312BreakingNews


chicagotribune--2020-06-14--Boy, 12, shot twice in Humboldt Park early Sunday; investigators say he is in good condition

The boy had been standing on the sidewalk when he was shot .
It wasn ’ t immediately clear if @ @ @ @ @ or in a vehicle , whether the child was intentionally targeted or an unintended victim @ @ @ @

A 12-year-old boy was shot at least twice early Sunday in Humboldt Park and he suffered injuries that were not considered life-threatening, officials said.
About 12:45 a.m., Chicago police were called to the 2800 block of West Division Street for a report of a person shot. When emergency responders arrived, they located the boy with gunshot wounds to each knee.
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He was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was listed in good condition.
The boy had been standing on the sidewalk when he was shot. It wasn’t immediately clear if the shooter was on foot or in a vehicle, whether the child was intentionally targeted or an unintended victim of gun violence.
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WGN News reported that the child and his family were at a Puerto Rican celebration at the time.
No arrests had been made and detectives continue to investigate.
Check back for updates.
kdouglas@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @312BreakingNews


chicagotribune--2020-06-13--Youth march for change in Bronzeville

Youth march for change in Bronzeville

March organizers Tonya Primus and Alexis Hart McDowell listen to the Rev .
Jesse Jackson as the Chicago chapter of @ @ @ @ @ nonviolent protest against racism for kids and families ending at Operation PUSH National Headquarters on @ @ @ @ @


chicagotribune--2020-06-15--Daywatch: Video shows cops told woman to drop complaint or face arrest, how COVID-19 made carryout c

Daywatch: Video shows cops told woman to drop complaint or face arrest, how COVID-19 made carryout crucial for restaurants and new CTA tool warns of crowded buses

The CTA is launching a color-coded “ ridership information dashboard ” online Monday to let passengers know when buses are @ @ @ @ @ the social distancing recommended to slow the spread of the coronavirus .
The transit agency @ @ @ @ @ 80 % since the stay-at-home order , but the decline have been less severe on @ @ @ @ @ L , ” and sometimes it has been difficult for bus passengers to stay six @ @ @ @ @

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Good morning, Chicago. Here are some of the top stories you need to know to start your day.
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Martesa Lee, a Chicago Transit Authority supervisor, outside of her Chicago home on June 9, 2020. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)
When CTA Supervisor Martesa Lee attempted to lodge a complaint against a Chicago police officer in February, she was given a choice: Drop her grievance against the officer she accused of pushing her out of an unmarked crime scene on a Red Line platform or face possible arrest.
Authorities arrested Lee in front of her co-workers and a platform of CTA riders after she informed the sergeant she would not let the matter go. With her hands cuffed behind her back and tears streaming down her face, she refused additional opportunities to retract her grievance and regain her freedom.
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The incident, captured on police body-camera videos obtained by the Tribune, exemplifies the kind of small, typically undocumented occurrences that can erode community trust in the Chicago Police Department, especially at a time of renewed focus on law-enforcement conduct nationally.
“Defund the police” and other ideas for change may face a greater challenge in Chicago than in other cities. Here’s why.
Chicago police officers stand outside Nini's Deli in Chicago on June 7, 2020. (Raquel Zaldivar/Chicago Tribune)
Chicago police officers on Sunday had once again been ordered to work 12-hour shifts and have their days off canceled amid some protesting that has persisted in parts of the city following George Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police nearly three weeks ago. A police spokesman could not say why officers were forced to go back to the extended shifts, but the directive from top CPD brass comes following the shooting death Friday night of a black man by a police officer in Atlanta.
“Stop fighting!” Here’s how a sobriety test quickly turned into the fatal shooting of Rayshard Brooks by Atlanta police.
German Padilla moves packs of canned beer to the outdoor counter at Bungalow by Middle Brow. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Restaurants built around the bustle of communal dining had to embrace takeout when the COVID-19 pandemic forced them to close their dining rooms. They streamlined menus to focus on dishes that travel well, added little gifts to make meals more memorable, and bundled ingredients together to function more like premium grocery stores. Many of those changes are expected to stick even as restaurants start to welcome customers back.
Chicago is on pace to further reopen its economy on July 1, with restrictions potentially being loosened on museums, gyms and indoor dining at restaurants, health officials said.
Mutasim Odeh is seen fielding telephone calls at his clothing and electronics shop Exclusive 773 on West 87th Street in Chicago on June 11, 2020. The store was hit by looters in the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)
In Chicago and other cities around the country, Arab American business owners have had stores — including convenience, electronic and grocery stores — in black neighborhoods for decades. Sometimes, their relationships with customers have been tense. While Chicago Arab American business owners interviewed recently said they have a good relationship with their black community, some black neighborhood residents pointed to ways stores discourage their presence.
Business is picking up in Chicago, but for some minority-owned shops and restaurants, “it’s still not enough.”
The CTA is launching a color-coded “ridership information dashboard” online Monday to let passengers know when buses are too crowded to allow for social distancing. (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune)
The CTA is launching a color-coded “ridership information dashboard” online Monday to let passengers know when buses are too crowded to allow for the social distancing recommended to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The transit agency has seen ridership drops of 80% since the stay-at-home order, but the decline have been less severe on buses than on the “L,” and sometimes it has been difficult for bus passengers to stay six feet or more apart.


chicagotribune--2020-06-15--CTA launches online tool to let passengers know when buses are too crowded

“ Social distancing is an important component of healthy travel on public transportation , '' said CTA President Dorval Carter @ @ @ @ @ “ And it is my goal is to put as much information as possible into @ @ @ @ @ , so that they can make informed travel decisions that help us all achieve proper @ @ @ @

A person rides the Metra Electric District line, May 11, 2021, in Chicago. With some coronavirus pandemic restrictions lifted, some people may be returning to public transit. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)
The CTA is launching a color-coded “ridership information dashboard” online Monday to let passengers know when buses are too crowded to allow for the social distancing recommended to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
The transit agency has seen ridership drops of 80% since the stay-at-home order, but the decline have been less severe on buses than on the “L,” and sometimes it has been difficult for bus passengers to stay six feet or more apart.
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With the loosening of some restrictions on businesses earlier this month, riders are starting to slowly return to public transit, and the CTA said it wants to make sure it’s as safe as possible.
“Social distancing is an important component of healthy travel on public transportation," said CTA President Dorval Carter, in a statement. “And it is my goal is to put as much information as possible into the hands of our customers, so that they can make informed travel decisions that help us all achieve proper social distancing."
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The dashboard, posted on the CTA’s website, shows each bus route, with times of day marked with green, yellow or orange bars. Green indicates low ridership, yellow means some seats are available, and orange means the bus may be too crowded to safely board.
The CTA, in coordination with the Chicago Department of Public Health, has set capacity limits for buses and trains: 15 passengers on a standard 40-foot bus and 22 passengers on a 60-foot articulated bus and on each rail car. The CTA is encouraging riders to not board crowded buses, and wait for the next one.
The Loop Link bus stop on Washington Street between Clark and Dearborn Streets in Chicago is seen on March 12. 2020. (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune)
The color coding is based on the average ridership in the last two weeks. CTA spokesman Brian Steele said the agency is working on a long-term goal to provide real-time information, along with a similar report for rail. CTA said it is the largest U.S. transit agency to unveil this kind of customer tool.
According to the chart, bus routes that see wide swathes of orange include the #4 Cottage Grove, the #29 State and the #36 Broadway. The crowding periods are during midday, and not at rush hour, which is in contrast to what was seen before the pandemic.
The CTA has been having riders enter from the rear of the bus, which means most rides have been free, since most buses don’t have Ventra card readers at the back. Steele said the agency is trying to determine when it can return to front-door boarding.
The agency also is adding more signs at rail stations, on vehicles, and in elevators, to encourage distancing and remind customers to wear masks or face coverings, Steele said. Decals on platforms show how far apart is six feet.
More information on CTA’s efforts throughout the pandemic is available at transitchicago.com/coronavirus.
mwisniewski@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-06-15--Police try to identify suspect in killing of 15-year-old on Far South Side

They were taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center , where James was pronounced dead at 10:25 p.m. due @ @ @ @ @ the neck , according to the Cook County medical examiner ’ s office .
His @ @ @ @ @ .

Chicago police release images of the suspect in the fatal shooting of a 15-year-old boy. (Chicago Police Department)
Chicago police released images Sunday night of the suspect in the fatal shooting of a 15-year-old boy earlier this month on the Far South Side.
The shooting occurred around 9:45 p.m. June 8 at 13068 S. Ellis Ave. in the Altgeld Gardens neighborhood, police said. The suspect was identified as a man wearing a white or light-colored hoodie with red shoes. He was armed with a handgun.
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When police responded to the scene, Jeremiah James, 15, and a 19-year-old man were found outside with gunshot wounds, police said.
They were taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where James was pronounced dead at 10:25 p.m. due to a gunshot wound of the neck, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. His death was ruled a homicide.
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The 19-year-old man was in fair condition with a gunshot wound to the leg, police said.
Anyone with information on the incident can call Area 2 Detectives at 312-747-8271 to report, police said. Anonymous tips can be submitted to cpdtip.com.
pfry@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @paigexfry