chicagotribune--2020-09-24--Kyle Rittenhouse, the Lake County teen charged with killing two in Kenosha, set for court hearing Fr

Kyle Rittenhouse, the Lake County teen charged with killing two in Kenosha, set for court hearing Friday

If he fights extradition , those proceedings would turn on the questions of whether the warrant from Wisconsin is valid @ @ @ @ @ the person accused of the crime , said Stephen Komie , a Chicago lawyer who @ @ @ @ @ Numerous video clips show Rittenhouse at the scene , and one of his attorneys has @ @ @ @ @ but argued he fired in self-defense .

From left, Matt Muchowski, Vance Wyatt, and Donald Blake hold signs outside the Lake County Courthouse in Waukegan on Sept. 25, 2020. Kyle Rittenhouse, accused of killing two protesters days after Jacob Blake was shot by police in Kenosha, Wis., faces a hearing to return him to Wisconsin to face trial on homicide charges that could put him in prison for life. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)
Kyle Rittenhouse’s attorneys are fighting his return to Wisconsin to face a murder charge and other counts alleging he killed two men and wounded a third during protests in Kenosha last month.
Defendants frequently waive their right to challenge extradition, but a lawyer for the 17-year-old from Antioch told Lake County Judge Paul Novak during a brief online hearing Friday morning that he plans to contest the process.
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Attorney John M. Pierce did not detail the legal arguments he plans to make but said the case would involve “issues of some complexity, frankly, that have not arisen in the country for some time.”
Rittenhouse appeared by video, wearing a dark shirt and sitting against a white brick wall wearing a face mask. He said nothing beyond greeting the judge.
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Lawyers who have handled extradition cases said Rittenhouse could face an uphill climb. While it’s unclear what issues Pierce might raise, extradition proceedings typically do not involve a defense against the charges and instead focus on specific questions about the validity of the legal paperwork and whether the person jailed is actually the person charged with the crime, attorneys said.
On the question of identity, numerous video clips show Rittenhouse at the scene and Pierce has acknowledged in a written statement that his client shot the people but argued he fired in self-defense. Chicago attorney Stephen Komie, who has handled numerous extradition matters, said that because the identity question appears to have been resolved, he expects Rittenhouse to be extradited.
Elgin attorney Brian Mirandola, a former Kane County assistant state’s attorney, said defendants rarely beat extradition because the hurdles prosecutors have to clear are low.
“It’s a very small bar to get over, and 99.9% of the time (defendants) are going to lose.”
The judge set the next hearing for Oct. 9.
Rittenhouse has been held without bail in Lake County’s juvenile detention facility since his arrest a month ago. Kenosha County prosecutors have charged him with shooting three men with an AR-15-style rifle Aug. 25 during violent protests over white police Officer Rusten Sheskey’s shooting of 29-year-old Black man Jacob Blake a couple of days earlier.
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Videos show that Rittenhouse — an ardent supporter of police who participated in groups for aspiring officers — was among numerous civilians armed with rifles who interjected themselves into the protests, property destruction and looting that followed Blake’s shooting.
Rittenhouse stands at the center of a heated political debate. Conservatives have cast him as a well-intentioned citizen who exercised his right to self-defense, and gun rights advocates and a foundation with ties to his legal team have raised money for his defense. President Donald Trump has said the teen “probably would have been killed” during the confrontation.
Matt Muchowski of Waukegan, from left, Vance Wyatt of North Chicago and Donald Blake of Waukegan hold signs outside the Lake County Courthouse in Waukegan on Sept. 25, 2020, to remember the two men fatally shot during protests in Kenosha. Kyle Rittenhouse, 17, of Antioch, is charged with the killings. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
Liberal commentators, meanwhile, have argued that he needlessly killed two people after wading into unrest over police violence against African Americans.
Outside the courthouse Friday, a few people gathered for a vigil to remember those who died.
“I helped organize this rally because I was afraid that gun-toting militias are going to become the new normal in intimidating peaceful protests, and in shutting down the discussions we need to have for racial justice in this country,” said Waukegan precinct committeeman and union organizer Matt Muchowski.
Rittenhouse’s lawyers have contended he clearly fired in self-defense. Defense lawyers in Wisconsin have said the success or failure of a courtroom self-defense claim could hinge on questions about the teen’s actions before he fired and details that have yet to emerge.
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If convicted of murder as an adult, Rittenhouse could face a life sentence.
Lake County State’s Attorney Michael Nerheim, center, prepares to hold a news conference Sept. 25, 2020, in downtown Waukegan. (Karie Angell Luc / Pioneer Press)
There is plentiful video footage from the night of the Kenosha shootings, and it forms both the basis of prosecutors’ charges and a statement Pierce released in Rittenhouse’s defense shortly after the teen was charged.
Kenosha County prosecutors wrote that video showed the teen running across a parking lot, trailed by Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, of Kenosha. Video showed Rosenbaum appearing to throw a plastic bag at Rittenhouse and missing him, prosecutors wrote. A witness told police that Rosenbaum, who appeared on video to be unarmed, had tried to grab the gun before he was fatally shot, prosecutors wrote.
In his statement, Pierce wrote that Rittenhouse was justified in shooting “an attacker lunging towards him and reaching for his rifle.”
Rittenhouse then ran before someone knocked off his hat, and he tripped and fell, prosecutors wrote. A man carrying a skateboard and later identified as Anthony Huber, 26, of Silver Lake, approached Rittenhouse as he was still on his back, prosecutors wrote. Huber tried to grab the gun as the skateboard “(made) contact” with Rittenhouse’s shoulder before the gunman fired one shot, and Huber collapsed and died, prosecutors alleged.
Prosecutors wrote that Rittenhouse then shot a man who had approached him, Gaige Grosskreutz, of West Allis. Grosskreutz appeared to be holding a handgun when he was wounded in the arm, prosecutors wrote.
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Pierce’s statement said that Rittenhouse feared he’d be disarmed and killed and “had no choice but to fire multiple rounds towards his immediate attackers.”
Lake County News-Sun freelance reporter Karie Angell Luc contributed.
dhinkel@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-09-24--As flu season arrives, people get flu shots in Highland Park

The dynamic nature of the American economy means jobs come and go with obsolete professions left in the dustbin of @ @ @ @ @ not , technological advances replace the work done by humans .
Stacker looks at 50 @ @ @ @ @ , rendered unnecessary by technological and economic advancement .
For more galleries visit Stacker .

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chicagotribune--2020-09-24--Shedd Aquarium's mapping project of freshwater mussels

The Shedd Aquarium and Forest Preserve are launching a mapping project of freshwater mussels , one of the most endangered @ @ @ @ @ America .
An Elgin creek is one of the few places in Illinois where one @ @ @ @ @ lives at all .
Once a hot spot for mussel diversity , the population in @ @ @ @ @ because of development and invasive species .
Freshwater mussels , vitally important to the health @ @ @ @ @ are the “ livers ” of rivers and lakes .
Their method of filter feeding @ @ @ @ @ , including potentially harmful algae , bacteria and chemical compounds .
Mussels also play a @ @ @ @ @ physical features of streams and reducing the probability of severe erosion .

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 10 Forest Preserve of Cook County team members Carlie Rapp, left, hands wildlife biologist Chuck Rizzo a mussel she found in Poplar Creek on Sept. 23, 2020, in Elgin. According to Shedd researchers, "some of Illinois' most rare mussel species can only be found in this particular creek in Cook County, including the ellipse, which is a mussel species of greatest conservation concern in Illinois." (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
The Shedd Aquarium and Forest Preserve are launching a mapping project of freshwater mussels, one of the most endangered groups of animals in North America. An Elgin creek is one of the few places in Illinois where one species of freshwater mussel still lives at all. Once a hot spot for mussel diversity, the population in the Midwest has dropped drastically because of development and invasive species. Freshwater mussels, vitally important to the health of their aquatic ecosystems, are the “livers” of rivers and lakes. Their method of filter feeding removes material from the water, including potentially harmful algae, bacteria and chemical compounds. Mussels also play a major role in shaping the physical features of streams and reducing the probability of severe erosion.


chicagotribune--2020-09-24--GOP Rep. Darin LaHood introduces plan for federal loans to state, local governments but exempts Illi

GOP Rep. Darin LaHood introduces plan for federal loans to state, local governments but exempts Illinois from getting loan forgiveness

“ For decades , politicians in Springfield have kicked the can down the road on addressing Illinois ' fiscal crisis @ @ @ @ @ s $ 140 billion in unfunded pension liability and piling up these problems on the @ @ @ @ @ Illinois shouldn ’ t get a blank check to bail out decades of failing to @ @ @ @ @ can : spend less than you earn and save for a rainy day , ” @ @ @

Darin LaHood speaks to supporters of the Republican Party during Governor's Day at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield in August 2015. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)
Republican U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood introduced legislation on Thursday backed by the GOP-aligned Illinois Policy Institute that would create a loan program for state and local governments — but it would effectively prevent Illinois from receiving any loan forgiveness because of its massive public employee pension debt.
The legislation has little chance of passage in a Democratic-controlled House and it comes amid continued dispute over federal assistance to state and local governments between the House and GOP-controlled Senate.
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But it did allow LaHood to continue teeing off on Illinois' financial woes.
“This pandemic did not create Illinois' financial mess; however, it emphasized the long-term challenges that Illinois and other states face for failing to implement sound budget policy,” LaHood, of Peoria, said in a statement.
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“For decades, politicians in Springfield have kicked the can down the road on addressing Illinois' fiscal crisis, exploding the state’s $140 billion in unfunded pension liability and piling up these problems on the backs of hardworking taxpayers. Illinois shouldn’t get a blank check to bail out decades of failing to do what most responsible adults can: spend less than you earn and save for a rainy day,” he said.
State and local governments would be able to receive federal loans to cover revenue losses caused directly by the pandemic and could use the money for general operating expenses. The money could not be used for debt service or unfunded pension liability.
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Under the legislation, local governments with populations of 250,000 or less would see any loans automatically forgiven. But states, metropolitan cities and larger counties would be required to have sound pension funds to receive forgiveness and also must have truly balanced budgets and enough rainy-day funds by June 30, 2022, to receive forgiveness.
Loans which are not forgiven would have to be repaid in quarterly payments beginning on June 30, 2022, with interest rates set by the secretary of the treasury based on credit worthiness.
Illinois' current state budget is heavily reliant on the prospect of direct federal assistance to state and local governments for repayment in using $5 billion in borrowing authority from the Federal Reserve.
Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker has said that states run by both Democrats and Republicans are in need of billions of dollars in federal assistance to offset revenue losses caused by business disruption and unemployment due to restrictions imposed to deal with COVID-19.
While state and federal assistance is part of a coronavirus relief agenda from House Democrats, Senate Republicans have shown little interest and want to see existing federal aid — which must only be used for direct costs associated with the pandemic — to be used first.
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chicagotribune--2020-09-24--Brothers killed in Waukegan gunfight forced way into house looking to confront someone, police say

Police said they think the brothers arrived at the house around 10 a.m. to confront someone .
However , the @ @ @ @ @ not know why the brothers would have come to the residence .

Authorities on the scene where, Waukegan police say, two men were shot dead by a resident of a house into which they forced their way Tuesday morning in the 100 block of Frolic Avenue. (Cliff Ward / Lake County News-Sun)
The two men killed in an exchange of gunfire with the occupant of a home have been identified as Waukegan brothers who went to the house to confront someone they thought lived there, police said Thursday.
Authorities identified the brothers as Christian Tenorio, 36, and Jimy Tenorio, 34. They were killed in an altercation Tuesday morning with occupants of a home in the 100 block of Frolic Street on Waukegan’s west side.
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Police said they think the brothers arrived at the house around 10 a.m. to confront someone. However, the occupants told police they did not know why the brothers would have come to the residence.
There was also a toddler at the house when the incident happened, police said.
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The brothers knocked on the door and then forced their way inside after the woman who rents the home answered, police said. Christian Tenorio displayed a loaded revolver, police said.
A male occupant who rents basement space in the home heard the woman crying for help, and came upstairs with a semi-automatic handgun. He confronted the brothers and shot Christian, police said.
Jimy Tenorio then grabbed his brother along with the revolver and began to drag him outside. Meanwhile, The male occupant went back to the basement and returned with an assault-style rifle. There was an exchange of gunfire, and Jimy Tenorio was fatally wounded.
Police said they found the bodies of the brothers in the front yard of the small house.
None of the victims in the house were injured, including the toddler, whom the female resident was babysitting. Another roommate was not home when the incident happened. A small dog ran away from the house during the shooting, but later returned unharmed, police said.
Police are not saying how many shots were fired. A resident living several houses down told reporters Tuesday that he thought he heard three to four shots.
Both the male and female occupants had valid Firearm Owners Identification Cards, police said. Neither Tenorio had a FOID, authorities said.
The Waukegan police Criminal Investigations Division is continuing to look into the incident.


chicagotribune--2020-09-24--Want to vote early in Illinois’ general election? Here’s what you need to know.

The deadline is Oct. 6 if the form is sent by mail and Oct. 18 for online submissions , although @ @ @ @ @ vote at an election authority or early voting site before Election Day and at their @ @ @ @ @ .
To do so , voters must provide two forms of identification , including one @ @ @ @ @ .

Balloting for the Nov. 3 general election kicks off Thursday with the opening of some early-voting polling sites while election officials across the state begin to mail out ballots to some of the more than 1.7 million applicants and brace for an unprecedented surge in both types of voting because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Though election officials will begin sending mail-in ballots to approved Illinois applicants, only some polling places will open Thursday, including a few sites in DuPage, Lake, Kane, Kendall, McHenry and Will counties.
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[ Want to vote by mail in Illinois? Here’s how. ]
Chicago’s in-person early voting operation doesn’t start until Oct. 1 at the Loop Super Site at 191 N. Clark St., before expanding Oct. 14 to locations in each of the city’s 50 wards.
In suburban Cook County, in-person early voting starts Oct. 7 and will expand Oct. 19 to more than 50 sites.
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“We will be hard at work continuing to process mail ballot applications as they come in,” Sally Daly, a spokeswoman for the Cook County clerk’s office, said in an email.
As polling places, mail-in ballots and drop boxes become available to citizens, politicians and voting advocacy organizations have been ramping up fundraising and registration efforts. Election rhetoric also has intensified.
[ Where to securely drop off your mail-in ballot in Chicago and the suburbs ]
The Democratic Party of Illinois unveiled a hotline and webpage last week to help voters navigate how to cast a ballot. Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan issued letters to local election authorities detailing election law changes.
“We know Donald Trump and his Republican enablers are working hard to suppress the vote and even dispute the outcome of the election, so we are working harder to ensure everyone in Illinois can safely cast their ballot,” Madigan said in a Sept. 17 news release.
The Republican Party of Illinois has been encouraging voters to “get out and lock in their votes early with in-person early voting options,” according to Joe Hackler, a state GOP spokesman. “In terms of directly pushing voters to do that, the various campaigns across the state are taking a lead.”
Adding to the difficulty for candidates is how they should allocate resources during the campaign’s closing weeks, said Kent Redfield, emeritus professor of political science at the University of Illinois at Springfield. Candidates previously tended to focus their resources on voters closer to Election Day to make sure harder-to-reach people get to the polls. The expanded voting window adds a different wrinkle to candidates' calculations, Redfield said.
“Election Day you want your supporters to get out there early so you can focus on the stragglers in the afternoon," Redfield said. "And so this takes that dynamic and spreads it out.”
Voters also may have a lot of anxiety associated with ensuring their ballot gets counted this year given publicity about early voting and potential problems with the Postal Service, he added.
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“It’s not going to overwhelm the system but you’re going to have a lot more activity than you normally would,” Redfield said. “There’s no question a huge volume is coming.”
Nevertheless, Redfield predicted “extremely high” voter turnout this year.
“There’s just a lot of energy on both sides,” Redfield said.
Here’s everything you need to know about the start of voting in Illinois:
How do I register to vote?
You need to be registered to vote to cast a ballot in Illinois' general election.
The State Board of Elections has an online voter registration application page you can fill out to register. You also can print and send your form by mail to your local registration office, such as your county clerk, or register in person by going to a clerk or driver’s license facility.
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The deadline is Oct. 6 if the form is sent by mail and Oct. 18 for online submissions, although people can still register to vote at an election authority or early voting site before Election Day and at their home precinct on Nov. 3. To do so, voters must provide two forms of identification, including one that includes their current address.
The state board has a registration lookup site to check if you’re registered in Illinois.
How do I cast my ballot early?
Early voting runs from Thursday until Nov. 2. You don’t need to provide a reason for voting early — any registered voter can cast their ballot early in Illinois.
You have a few early voting options: You can cast your ballot at your local election authority or at designated early polling places, you can send your ballot through the mail or you can drop off your ballot at secured drop box locations in your area.
Remember you can only vote once in an election. Knowingly voting more than once in Illinois is a class 3 felony.
If you decide you’d rather vote in person after applying for a mail-in ballot, you’ll need to bring your mail-in ballot to an early voting site or your election precinct polling place and surrender it to an election judge. The election judge should then give you a standard ballot, which you can fill out to vote in person.
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State officials have an online database for all Illinois election boards, which voters can use to check their polling places. Be sure to check dates and hours to make sure the polling place is open on the day you hope to vote.
When can I cast my mail-in ballot?
If you plan to vote by mail, you have to apply. Election authorities must receive the application for a mail-in ballot by Oct. 29.
The Postal Service recommended that Illinois voters wanting to cast a ballot by mail submit their applications “at least 15 days before Election Day at a minimum, and preferably long before that time.”
Election authorities will start sending mail-in ballots to approved applicants on Thursday. Once you’ve filled out the ballot, you can return it through the Postal Service or licensed couriers, or bring it to the election board that has jurisdiction over your area, such as the Chicago Board of Elections or the Cook County clerk.
The ballot must be received within 14 days after Election Day. They also must be postmarked by Election Day, meaning any ballot sent through the mail after Nov. 3 will not be counted.
Before casting your ballot by mail, make sure you sign your return envelope and ballot wherever indicated.
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Election boards provide various ways for voters to track their ballot. The Chicago Board of Elections will send an email confirming the ballot was received and another when the vote has been counted.
What’s on the ballot?
Candidates for president and vice president of the United States, candidates for U.S. senator and U.S. representative, candidates for state senator and state representative, as well as county state’s attorneys and county court clerks, and judicial candidates. The state board of elections has a rundown of all candidates who have filed.
The ballot also will include a proposed state constitutional amendment on whether to allow a graduated-rate income tax to replace the currently mandated flat-rate tax, retention of judges and, in Chicago there are three referendum questions on expanding internet service, creating a plan for sustainability and the regulation of “assault weapons.”
Could Illinois experience any voting glitches?
Illinois has a robust voting system that is likely to operate in a good way compared with other states in the lead-up to Election Day, Redfield said. Illinois has conducted mail-in and early voting in past elections, which better prepares the state for the likely surge.
Glitches could come in the form of minor delays or discarded ballots if people don’t follow the rules when sending their votes by mail. Chicago election officials said unsigned return envelopes is a common problem.
Illinois has verification processes and controls in place to limit such situations. Any issues with provisional ballots can be resolved during a 14-day period after Election Day.
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Redfield said Illinois should remain “pretty cut and dry” this election, but the pandemic complicates things. There might be problems with staffing polling places and longer lines given COVID-19 restrictions, even with dispersed early voting.
“If we were not having a pandemic, we would say, ‘Boy, Election Day is going to run really smoothly,’ ” Redfield said. “But trying to vote under pandemic conditions means it takes longer.”
Links to election resources
Vote-by-mail secure drop-off locations
Chicago Tribune map of vote-by-mail drop-off locations
Chicago residents
Chicago Board of Election Commissioners
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- Application to vote by mail
- Early voting locations
- Find your polling place
Suburban Cook County residents
Cook County clerk
- Application to vote by mail
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- Early voting and polling place sites
DuPage County residents
DuPage County Election Division
- Application to vote by mail
- Early voting and polling place locations
Kane County residents
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Kane County clerk
- Application to vote by mail
- Vote-by-mail drop box locations
- Early voting locations
- Election Day polling places
Kendall County residents
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County clerk and recorder
- Application to vote by mail
- Vote-by-mail drop box locations
- Early voting locations
- Polling place locations
Lake County residents
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County clerk
- Application to vote by mail
- Early voting locations
- Election Day polling place locations
McHenry County residents
County clerk
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- Application to vote by mail
- Early voting sites and polling locations
Will County residents
County clerk
- Application to vote by mail
- Early voting locations
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- Election Day polling places
Correction: An earlier version of this story stated that election officials would begin sending mail-in ballots to all Illinois residents. Mail-in ballots are only sent to approved Illinois applicants.
kelsmith@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @KelliSmithNews


chicagotribune--2020-09-24--‘Nobody knew how to handle this situation’: How COVID-19 decimated Illinois nursing homes, exposed g

‘Nobody knew how to handle this situation’: How COVID-19 decimated Illinois nursing homes, exposed government flaws and left families in frustrating limbo

The 81-year-old Korean immigrant had come to the nursing home less than a year earlier , her son said .
@ @ @ @ @ with three others .
She was hoping to move out , and he was trying @ @ @ @ @ he got the phone call , on Mother ’ s Day , that she was @ @ @ @ @ She died eight days later .

At a two-story nursing home in Willowbrook, close to the front entrance, is a resident’s room where crystal ornaments of birds and butterflies adorn the window.
It’s where 93-year-old Joan Keith nearly died gasping for air — and later tested positive for COVID-19.
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It’s where she watched ambulances evacuate dying neighbors from Chateau Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.
And it’s where the former beautician has been largely confined since then, feeling a mix of emotions: missing her family, grateful to be alive, yet leery of venturing beyond her door frame.
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“If I go in the hall, there’s people — they have the mask on and everything — but I don’t know if they’re carrying anything,” she said, “and I don’t want to be ill again.”
That uneasiness is felt in long-term care facilities across the state, places where COVID-19 has taken a particularly staggering toll with no clear end in sight.
Six months into the pandemic, the new virus has infected more than 28,000 Illinois long-term care residents and killed more than 4,000. It’s also fueled debate over the Illinois Department of Public Health’s oversight of a mostly for-profit industry. That includes how the agency cut back inspections, at times breaking state law, as the virus raced through facilities.
Although far fewer residents are testing positive now than in the spring, no radical medical breakthroughs are yet in sight. The arrival of fall brings fear of a deadly virus resurgence, continued struggles over testing and protective gear, and restrictions that — in an effort to protect residents — rob them of life’s small joys, from hugging relatives to sharing a meal.
Some families are left with heartbreak.
Ann Obregon’s family made the 81-year-old a plaque with her grandchildren’s names. But they couldn’t deliver it to her Niles nursing home before she became one of nearly 50 residents and workers there to die of the coronavirus.
Even now, two months after her death, her son, Jose Obregon, struggles to understand what happened.
“It was new to them,” he said. "It was new to us.”
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A storm builds
On March 9, Gov. J.B. Pritzker led a packed Loop news conference held to announce Illinois had become the 14th state to issue a coronavirus disaster proclamation.
By then, it had been eight weeks since Illinois’ first-known COVID-19 case. State officials stressed that they thought the spread had been limited but they were taking proactive steps. One step was to ask nursing homes to begin limiting visitors and screening workers for symptoms.
Pritzker’s public health director, Dr. Ngozi Ezike, said they wanted to “make sure that we are not walking in viruses into a setting — a very tight and close setting — with a very, very vulnerable population.”
But in a nursing homes 20 miles southwest, the virus had already arrived.
That same day of the news conference, at Chateau in Willowbrook, a 67-year-old resident began to have a fever and cough. Breathing poorly, she was taken to the hospital, where a coronavirus test came back positive on March 13. Within days, five of her neighbors in the 127-resident nursing home also tested positive in the hospital.
Joan Keith, 93, is a resident of Chateau Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Willowbrook, the region's first long-term care facility to have a resident test positive for the coronavirus. Keith contracted the virus and was sick in February. (Family photo)
Researchers would later conclude the virus had likely been spread “well before” the first case was identified. And that may be showcased by Keith’s experience. She and her daughter, Terry Campbell, said Keith was sick in February with a fever and trouble breathing, and tested negative for the flu. She had nearly recovered by mid-March when the facility tested every resident for COVID-19 and hers came back positive.
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In the worst of her sickness, Keith recalled wanting to die: “I’ve had many illnesses, many surgeries, everything else, and nothing like this.”
COVID-19′s emergence in an Illinois nursing home was something collectively feared for months.
Advocates for seniors had long complained that nursing homes were too often short-staffed and scrimped on critical care while regulators did little to stop it. The industry had long countered that care was adequate despite overregulation and meager government funding.
In the middle were public health officials. For decades they’d seen facilities evolve from “old folks homes” to ones giving more complex health care to increasingly younger and more frail residents. And they saw those facilities struggle at times to contain less-publicized infections.
In that context, federal, state and local officials descended on Chateau’s two-story, winged building.
Officials tried to reassure the public, saying they were prepared. Privately, emails released later to the Tribune revealed an early bureaucratic struggle as county and state officials debated whose job it was to find enough nonquarantined workers to run Chateau.
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Another sign of confusion: Who should wear masks? This was well before experts had concluded everyone should wear them if possible. The man who oversees Chateau’s management, Ron Nunziato, said his staff wore masks anyway — including to a meeting, until they were told otherwise.
"Various people from different departments of government came in and said, ‘Why are you people wearing masks? Are you sick?’” Nunziato recalled, adding: “We were told to take them off.”
But for all the early confusion, public health officials took a bold step, sending in a 12-person team to test nearly all residents and many staffers at Chateau. The team quickly discovered what’s now become common knowledge: Many people carried the virus without showing any symptoms.
Of the 27 additional residents who tested positive, roughly half showed no symptoms, according to a study later published. That was also true of staffers testing positive.
The results showed that screening based on symptoms alone wouldn’t catch many cases. So widespread testing was key.
But it would be among the many goals that — to this day — have yet to be fully realized amid a climbing death toll.
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Early confusion
Soon after Chateau’s outbreak, news of others began to emerge, as did key issues about how to fight the pandemic.
The state complained the federal government had failed to secure testing supplies and protective gear, forcing a mad scramble among bidders for what little was left to buy.
Pritzker announced an ambitious plan to test all workers at least once, but the effort didn’t reach many facilities. Later, some states ordered all their facilities to begin regular testing, but Pritzker didn’t, instead telling facilities to come up with their own plans.
In the meantime, the virus tore through places such as Symphony of Joliet, where more than 20 people had died by mid-April. The facility said one was a maintenance worker who, before showing symptoms, set up dining tables in many residents’ rooms, likely becoming a “super spreader” before the virus killed him.
A prominent workers union began complaining that its members were stuck on the front lines without adequate protective equipment — forcing some workers to find or make their own gear, as best they could.
On her last shift at a Bolingbrook nursing home before falling ill, nurse Krist Angielen Guzman posted a photo April 23, 2020, on Facebook that showed her in protective gear. She wrote, “These are the days of our lives” and included hashtags that said “proud nurse” and “praying for my patients.” Guzman, a 35-year-old mother of three from Bolingbrook, died days later of COVID-19. (Krist Angielen Guzman)
One was Krist Angielen Guzman. Her family told the Tribune that the mother of three at times made her own masks and bought her own goggles for her job at a Bolingbrook facility. She died of COVID-19 nine days after her last shift, at age 35.
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Public health officials scrambled to update directives as more was learned about the virus. Gear shortages forced new rules on how to use equipment longer. And there was the sheer challenge of regularly contacting nursing homes to push advice and assess conditions.
“With 200 of them (in Cook County), it gets overwhelming very quickly,” said Dr. Demian Christiansen, who heads Cook County’s Communicable Disease Prevention and Control unit.
The number of facilities inspected dropped from roughly 100 or more a week to less than a dozen, according to a Tribune analysis of available state and federal data. When reviews picked up in mid-April, for weeks they were mostly phone calls to facilities, not on-site visits where problems could be spotted.
As the crisis flared, some relatives of nursing home residents pulled them out, including Doreen Hall, who moved her 81-year-old mother, Phyllis Wade, from Chateau to Hall’s Bolingbrook home. Hall said nursing home workers “did the best they can as quickly as they could” but seemed to be scrambling, unable to give out enough information or ensure proper care.
Phyllis Wade, 81, is cared for by her daughter Doreen Hall and great-granddaughter Deaje Hall, left, at their home in Bolingbrook on Sept. 10, 2020. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)
Workers and families began complaining that some facilities kept outbreaks quiet, making only the legally required reports to state and county health officials.
Then those officials, for weeks, contended that a law forbade them from alerting the public to long-term care facilities with outbreaks. Amid an outcry, the Pritzker administration reversed course and began releasing names of homes, along with figures.
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The numbers showed a massive spread.
Spread of COVID-19 at Illinois long-term care facilities As the coronavirus spread across the state, the heavily populated Chicago area saw the earliest and highest numbers of cases and deaths. But the impact was much more widespread when computing rates of cases and deaths per 100,000 residents. Source: Tribune analysis of IDPH data
The explosion
By April 19, roughly a month into the pandemic, the state was reporting 1,860 cases tied to residents and workers at 186 facilities, with 286 deaths.
Within two weeks, cases and deaths roughly quadrupled, to 7,542 cases, with 1,082 deaths.
The virus had inundated facilities in dense urban neighborhoods, such as Elevate Care Chicago North in West Rogers Park, as well as the Chicago region’s farthest edges, such as Bria of Geneva in Kane County.
There, the virus killed nearly a fourth of the residents in less than a month. Resident Debbie Jacobs described what happened to the Aurora Beacon-News as quick and overwhelming.
“I don’t understand how anything could have went through a building as fast as this COVID-19 did.”
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As the death toll mounted, groups with often starkly different agendas — the nursing home industry, consumer advocates and suburban officials — began openly questioning whether enough was being done for nursing homes by the Illinois Department of Public Health.
This was still early in the pandemic, when much of the fear focused on whether hospitals would overflow. But IDPH said it also had taken aggressive action to guide nursing homes, increase testing there and procure gear for them. Still, officials also said their job wasn’t to bail out a mostly for-profit industry paid to keep their residents safe.
But, to some advocates, the Pritzker administration missed opportunities to hold homes accountable.
* Pritzker issued a temporary order April 1 that made it harder for people to sue nursing homes alleging improper care during the pandemic. The industry argued it was needed to stop frivolous lawsuits. Advocates argued it lessened accountability.
* Pritzker on May 1 also temporarily stopped some state inspections of nursing homes. The order didn’t stop inspections by the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (known as CMS). Regardless, government data shows state and federal reviews had largely been stopped by then and did not return to pre-pandemic levels until June.
* Ezike and her top aides forced out two IDPH administrators after learning July 8 that their unit — against state law — stopped investigating abuse and neglect complaints, according to IDPH.
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IDPH has hired outsiders to review what happened and suggest improvements. But in a statement, the agency said it never stopped monitoring facilities, including the one that would eventually become the state’s deadliest so far — Niles Nursing & Rehabilitation Center.
One place: 49 deaths
The facility — rated above average by CMS — sits between a subdivision and high-voltage electric lines. It’s relatively unique in catering to mostly Korean immigrants. But like many of Illinois’ long-term care facilities, it’s run by a for-profit firm and been cited for disturbing incidents.
That included the facility failing to monitor water quality until a 2018 outbreak of Legionella bacteria killed a resident, and a 2019 fatal fall of another resident left unattended despite a history of falls. Both state citations were spurred from complaint investigations.
Records show CMS inspectors were the first to visit the Niles facility, on April 22.
An SEIU Healthcare steward there, Marie Gongora, recalled to the Tribune that by then workers were short on masks and gowns. Some workers quit, leaving shifts even thinner, while many remaining felt untrained to contain COVID-19.
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Gongora, a 27-year certified nursing assistant, said that when the pandemic struck, it seemed like “nobody knew how to handle this situation.”
The facility did not respond to phone calls from the Tribune. In reports sent since mid-May to CMS, the nursing home reported it continually had at least a week’s supply of critical supplies but routinely struggled with low staffing.
Any complaints about low staff, training or gear were not mentioned in CMS’ April inspection report, which noted only one issue: The facility washed and folded clothes in a way that could spread infection, which the facility management said it fixed.
The state said it was monitoring the facility at the time as well. But records show it struggled to even measure the outbreak. Federal officials recorded 31 cases there on April 22. Two days later, the state said it knew of just 12. Such inconsistencies were not unusual, which the state blamed on an overwhelmed system with delayed data.
In a statement, IDPH said it called the Niles home May 4 as part of calls it made to facilities across the state asking about cases, supplies and efforts.
In those days of the pandemic, Gongora, the longtime staffer, recalled workers struggled at times even with the basics — keeping residents clean and dry.
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When time allowed, Gongora said, she’d sit and pray with some residents. Every day seemed to reveal more sickness.
“It was a scary thing. … You’d have a patient that’s walking and, the next thing you know, they can’t,” she said. “All of a sudden, their strength is gone, and there’s the COVID.”
Among the dead was Ann Obregon.
Antonio, 16, from left, Mateo, 9, Joey, 13, and their father, Jose Obregon, hold a plaque they made for Jose's mother, Ann, inscribed with each boys' name and "Halmeoni," the Korean word for grandmother, on Sept. 16, 2020, outside their home in Burbank. Ann Obregon died in a hospital after she contracted COVID-19 at Niles Nursing & Rehabilitation Center. The family was unable to visit her to give her the Mother's Day present. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)
The 81-year-old Korean immigrant had come to the nursing home less than a year earlier, her son said. She lived in a room with three others. She was hoping to move out, and he was trying to help her, when he got the phone call, on Mother’s Day, that she was sent to the hospital. She died eight days later.
By May 23, the state knew of 135 cases and 24 deaths tied to the facility. Its outbreak was among the top 15 of 1,400 places the state regulates. On that day, the state said, it sent in a team to help test and guide staff, but not do a formal inspection.
On July 7, after the facility’s outbreak had grown to be among the most deadly, IDPH sent inspectors, whose one-paragraph report said they found no problems. But those inspectors apparently missed a problem the facility later acknowledged: not screening workers twice a day for symptoms.
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That problem wasn’t uncovered until IDPH inspectors came back July 28. The inspection also found residents and a staffer either without masks or wearing them wrong.
The state said it reviewed documents the facility sent to it and determined Aug. 27 that the problems were fixed, although CMS said it still planned to fine the facility.
By then, the facility had 49 deaths from 210 cases.
State ‘flaws’
Records show on-site inspections occurred well after major outbreaks elsewhere, including:
* The Villa at Windsor Park. The first recorded state interaction was calling the home a month into the pandemic, after 40 cases had emerged. An on-site inspection occurred 7½ weeks later, after 121 more cases had emerged, when inspectors said they found staff and residents not properly wearing masks. The latest toll: 167 cases, with 48 deaths.
* Norridge Gardens. The state first recorded making calls there May 5, after 25 cases had emerged. Inspectors showed up on-site May 28 — after another 41 cases emerged — and found workers not swapping out or cleaning gear as required, and residents not in masks. The latest toll: 167 cases, with 45 deaths.
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When asked about the outbreak’s size, a facility spokeswoman said 67 cases and 10 deaths were of people already COVID-19-positive who were accepted into a COVID-19 wing it created to help out hospitals and other nursing homes. She said the facility also is larger, serves sicker people and is in a harder-hit area, likely explaining the bigger numbers.
IDPH, which by law regulates nursing homes, told the Tribune that it limited inspections during the pandemic’s peak to keep inspectors from catching and spreading the virus as they traveled from place to place.
Even when inspections were limited, the agency said it actively engaged facilities as part of a broader effort to provide “ongoing and significant support.” The state said testing has more than tripled since May, with new weekly COVID-19 cases in August at times just a tenth of what they were during the pandemic’s peak.
“The State of Illinois has worked diligently to protect residents and staff in long-term care facilities providing guidance, recommendations, technical assistance, testing, and other support,” according to the statement.
And some advocates agree, saying overworked and underfunded IDPH officials have done the best they could to oversee nursing homes while also assuming the herculean task of being the state’s lead pandemic agency.
“This administration and this department have been extremely committed to protecting the well-being of residents,” said David Olsen, a former state representative who now lobbies for the Alzheimer’s Association.
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Others, however, question the state’s efforts. AARP Illinois said the state repeatedly failed to protect residents, be open with the public or accept advocates’ input. The group wants state lawmakers to hold public hearings on what it called “alarming” actions.
“The state has lost its sense of prioritization and responsibility and accountability,” said AARP Illinois’ state director, Bob Gallo. “It sounds like the wagons have been circled, and the drawbridge has been drawn up, and the torch has been blown out of the castle, and let’s pretend they don’t know we’re here.”
Even an industry trade group leader, Pat Comstock, complains the state has seemed to boldly announce initiatives only for efforts to quietly fizzle, which she said was part of a broader failing to better prioritize help for nursing homes.
“There definitely were some flaws in that process,” said Comstock, with the Health Care Council of Illinois. “It’s not too much of a stretch to imagine that some people might just want to blame nursing homes and walk away.”
Unease
For the estimated 100,000-plus residents in Illinois long-term care, there remains an uneasy limbo.
Collectively, the weekly case numbers stubbornly linger around 400 to 700 new cases across the state.
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And all the tools needed for the COVID-19 fight remain elusive:
* A new federal rule requires nursing home workers be tested regularly. But labs still can take days to process traditional tests. Facilities say they’ve gotten “rapid testing” devices, but they don’t work fast enough to mass-test workers. Quick, effective saliva tests — like the kind used at the University of Illinois — aren’t expected to be ready for nursing homes for months.
* While more plentiful than in the spring, protective gear remains in short supply at times. While CMS does survey facilities weekly, there remains no state effort to better direct supplies to facilities in need.
* Short-staffing and low pay remain universal complaints. While reasons are debated, experts say the problem makes it harder to ensure residents get safe care. In a move praised by the industry, the state for now is allowing facilities to fill holes with new hires with far less training than normally required.
Other issues remain, particularly how to provide the best quality of life in settings that — even before the pandemic — struggled to keep residents active and engaged.
Instead of communal gatherings in dining halls for meals, bingo, crafts or movies, residents have basically been in what can feel like solitary confinement for half a year, family and advocates say.
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For Joan Keith, she tries to stay positive.
She compliments Chateau’s food, cleanliness and staff. She said she has plenty of puzzle books to keep her busy, and TV to watch — even if she can’t get the Cubs games this year.
She often calls her daughter twice a day, but she said her biggest loss of the pandemic is seeing family in person. They’ve had three visits, the last one Sept. 1.
Campbell, her daughter, sat outside, facing windows that partially opened in. Keith sat on the other side, in her wheelchair, also in a mask.
They could see each other, although sometimes Keith said she had to crane her neck. Ears were cocked. Phrases were repeated. But at least they were near each other.
At one point, Keith told her daughter: “I just want to hold your hand.”
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Campbell’s response: “One of these days, Mom, it’s all going to be better.”
jmahr@chicagotribune.com
rmccoppin@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-09-24--Ex-child welfare worker and county board member pleads not guilty to child endangerment in death of

Ex-child welfare worker and county board member pleads not guilty to child endangerment in death of 5-year-old AJ Freund

The charges stem from the a 2018 DCFS investigation of a large bruise on AJ ’ s hip , one @ @ @ @ @ possible child abuse .
When a doctor asked the boy about it , AJ said @ @ @ @ @ ’ t mean to hurt me , ” and “ Maybe someone hit me with @ @ @ @ @ show .
Four months later , after being reported missing , the boy was found @ @ @ @ @ remote area .

JoAnn Cunningham, 37, reacts as a sentence of 35 years is announced, July 17, 2020, for the murder of son, AJ Freund. (John Starks/Daily Herald)
A former child welfare worker who sits on the McHenry County board pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges of child endangerment in the death of 5-year-old AJ Freund of Crystal Lake.
Carlos Acosta, a former employee of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, was indicted by a grand jury on felony charges of reckless conduct and endangering the life or health of child.
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The charges stem from the a 2018 DCFS investigation of a large bruise on AJ’s hip, one of several reported incidents of possible child abuse. When a doctor asked the boy about it, AJ said, “Maybe Mommy didn’t mean to hurt me,” and “Maybe someone hit me with a belt,” records show. Four months later, after being reported missing, the boy was found dead and buried in a remote area.
The boy’s mother, JoAnn Cunningham, 37, pleaded guilty to his murder and was sentenced to 35 years in prison. The father, Andrew Freund Sr., 61, pleaded guilty to aggravated battery of a child, involuntary manslaughter, and concealment of a homicidal death. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison, but could serve as few as 18 years.
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Acosta, 54, of Woodstock, appeared in court with his attorney, Rebecca Lee.
McHenry County Board member and former DCFS employee Carlos Acosta in court with attorney Rebecca Lee, left, inside Judge Robert Wilbrandt's courtroom at the Sullivan Judicial Center on Sept. 24, 2020, in Woodstock. (Matthew Apgar/Shaw Media)
Before the plea, McHenry County Judge Robert Wilbrandt noted that he had been associated with a local group that later named Acosta its president. Before Wilbrandt became a judge in 2006, the law firm where he and his brother worked represented the McHenry County Latino Coalition. Acosta became president of the coalition and left the organization in 2009.
During his time in private practice, Wilbrandt said, he never personally represented Acosta. The judge added that both he and 22nd Judicial Circuit Chief Judge James Cowlin agreed no conflict of interest would arise if Wilbrandt continued to preside over the case.
Acosta’s attorney and Assistant State’s Attorney Randi Freese agreed in open court that Wilbrandt did not need to recuse himself from the case. The next status hearing was set for Nov. 5.
Acosta’s former DCFS supervisor, Andrew Polovin, was also charged with reckless conduct and endangering the life of health of a child. Both were arrested Sept. 10, then freed on bond. Polvin also pleaded not guilty. Both were fired from DCFS in December.
This story was written with information from a pool report by the Northwest Herald.


chicagotribune--2020-09-24--‘There’s not balance:’ Single parents struggle with being the sole decider, caregiver and teacher

All parents are facing challenges right now , but single parents have to be the sole decider — should my @ @ @ @ @ grandparents ?
have playdates ?
— and caregiver and teacher , without the benefit of @ @ @ @ @ and logistical work .
Now that many children are remote schooling , single parents also @ @ @ @ @ s online schooling with working themselves .

Lesa Donaghy was barely managing to juggle it all — a job, her college coursework and caring for her 3-year-old son.
And that was before this spring.
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Then the pandemic happened.
The hits came like dominoes. She lost her work-study job. Her son’s day care closed. His therapy sessions went remote, which meant she had to work through her toddler’s treatment via video. Her son has autism.
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All parents are facing challenges right now, but single parents have to be the sole decider — should my child attend school? see grandparents? have playdates? — and caregiver and teacher, without the benefit of someone to share the emotional and logistical work. Now that many children are remote schooling, single parents also shoulder juggling their children’s online schooling with working themselves.
For months, Donaghy, 29, kept up with her schoolwork, often staying up until 2 a.m. working on homework after her son’s bedtime.
“Trying to focus on homework during the day with him, it’s pretty impossible,” she said. “It’s possible, but it’s not easy.”
Lesa Donaghy swings with her 3-year-old son at Raymond Park on Aug. 6, 2020, in Evanston. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
Her father has helped; she and her son moved temporarily from their Lincoln Square apartment, where she discovered black mold, to his house in Milwaukee. She is grateful for his help with her toddler, a happy boy who loves collecting sticks and watching videos of trains.
“They say mothers can never take a sick day, and it’s even more true for single mothers,” Donaghy said. “Even when you are, you have to be like come on, push through.”
Even before the pandemic, solo parents were experiencing challenges, said Juliana Horowitz, an associate director of research at Pew Research Center. She noted that Pew’s research shows a quarter of solo parents living in poverty; that number was even higher, 30 percent, for single moms.
Pew has no data yet on COVID-19 and single parenting, but Horowitz noted that many jobs lost have been in industries where women tend to work, and single parents without a college degree now face a difficult job market and the problems of managing child care.
“I think a lot of people might not realize what was happening even before COVID, so I do think that it is important context for understanding as we continue to look at how things evolve,” she said.
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For Victoria Dietrich, the hardest time was this spring, when she was hospitalized with COVID-19. For two weeks, she was in the hospital, away from her 16-year-old daughter, who stayed home, alone. It wasn’t an ideal solution, but it was the only one she could see.
The entire situation made her worry about what parents with younger children do if they are diagnosed with the coronavirus.
“What are other single parents doing if they get the virus?” she said. “I didn’t have anybody who stepped up and said, ‘I’ll take your daughter.’”
And she feels even more alone in a situation friends do not share.
“I don’t know anybody else that might have to deal with this issue,” she said.
Facing fears of coronavirus exposure at schools, she also wrestled alone with the decision of whether to send her daughter back to in-person classes. It was a reminder that every decision, every financial obligation, is on her.
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“There’s not balance; it is all-consuming,” she said.
Silver linings exist, like increased connection during time spent at home. Skokie single dad Steven Newman said the months at home together forged new bonds between him and his two daughters, ages 25 and 20. The three enjoyed cooking and “each other’s undistracted attention,” he said.
One daughter set up a pet grooming salon; another studied for medical board exams.
“Without COVID,” he said, the three of them “probably never would have developed a close working relationship in addition to our familial one.”
Lesa Donaghy kisses her 3-year-old son Aug. 6, 2020, in Evanston. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
This summer, Donaghy graduated from her program at MacCormac College with a degree in paralegal studies. In her honor, the college announced a new program that offers single parents free tuition.
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She plans to move ahead with a bachelor’s degree and perhaps law school. She wants to find a job this fall, before continuing school in the spring.
“I want to do things on my own,” she said. “I don’t want to depend on people.”
abowen@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-09-24--COVID-19 in Illinois by the numbers: Here’s a daily update on cases, positivity rate and hospital da

COVID-19 in Illinois by the numbers: Here’s a daily update on cases, positivity rate and hospital data in your area

Among the metrics ( see below ) tracked under guidelines set by Gov .
J.B. Pritzker are the percentage of @ @ @ @ @ , the number of people hospitalized for COVID-19-like illnesses , and the capacity of hospitals @ @ @ @ @ state will decide how much or how little to restrict activities based on these metrics @

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.
To assess how different parts of Illinois are handling the COVID-19 pandemic, officials look at the state through the 11 regions of Emergency Medical Services. The city of Chicago is one region, for example, and the rest of Cook County is another.
Among the metrics (see below) tracked under guidelines set by Gov. J.B. Pritzker are the percentage of coronavirus tests that return positive, the number of people hospitalized for COVID-19-like illnesses, and the capacity of hospitals to take in new patients.The state will decide how much or how little to restrict activities based on these metrics. (Cases, deaths and tests data is as of Dec. 31).
• Check out the Tribune’s coronavirus coverage.
• Remembering the lives of those in Illinois who died from coronavirus.
• Other Chicago, suburbs and Illinois COVID-19 metrics.
• See how the governor’s plan to manage the regions works.
Source: Illinois Department of Public Health
Created by the Chicago Tribune dataviz team. On Twitter @chitribgraphics


chicagotribune--2020-09-24--COVID-19 cases in Illinois by ZIP code: Search for your neighborhood

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

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


chicagotribune--2020-09-24--Daily Illinois coronavirus graphs: 30 new deaths, 2,257 new confirmed cases and 62,071 new test resu

Daily Illinois coronavirus graphs: 30 new deaths, 2,257 new confirmed cases and 62,071 new test results

Illinois announced 2,257 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 Thursday for a total of 281,371 .
The state also announced 30 @ @ @ @ @ of 8,538 and 62,071 new test results for a total of 5.29 million .

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


chicagotribune--2020-09-24--Campaign trail tracker: Where Trump, Biden and their running mates have traveled in presidential rac

Campaign trail tracker: Where Trump, Biden and their running mates have traveled in presidential race’s final weeks

In the final sprint ahead of the Nov. 3 election , both President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden @ @ @ @ @ travel despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic .
Starting in September , Biden abandoned his monthslong @ @ @ @ @ in Delaware while Trump has accelerated his travel and is once again welcoming crowds at @ @ @

In the final sprint ahead of the Nov. 3 election, both President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden have ramped up their campaign travel despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Starting in September, Biden abandoned his monthslong virtual campaign from his basement in Delaware while Trump has accelerated his travel and is once again welcoming crowds at some events.
Sign up for The Spin to get the top stories in politics delivered to your inbox weekday afternoons.
Here’s a look at the campaign trail stops made by Trump, Biden and running mates since Sept. 1.
Campaign trail tracker
Tap or click on a dot to see details of the stop.
Don’t see the map? Some mobile browsers disable it. Try this link.


chicagotribune--2020-09-24--‘Dreadhead Cowboy’ hit with charges he abused horse, which may be put down after Dan Ryan protest ri

‘Dreadhead Cowboy’ hit with charges he abused horse, which may be put down after Dan Ryan protest ride

Hollingsworth has said the ride was meant to shut down the Dan Ryan and bring attention to violence against children @ @ @ @ @ he met with authorities about staging a protest on the expressway , according to Illinois @ @ @ @ @ was denied because officials thought it would dangerous as well as illegal .

The Dreadhead Cowboy, aka Adam Hollingsworth, stands on his horse Prince on June 23, 2020, in the Woodlawn neighborhood of Chicago. (Erin Hooley/Chicago Tribune)
A lone cowboy rode out from obscurity this summer and into local fame, an oddball bright spot in a bleak year.
The Dreadhead Cowboy — born Adam Hollingsworth — became a social media sensation, “our Batman,” a mainstay at Black Lives Matter protests, the mayor’s census ambassador, a friend to children across the city.
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But his gallop down the Dan Ryan Expressway this week ended in ugly allegations that he criminally mistreated his horse, which may now need to be euthanized, Cook County prosecutors said.
Hollingsworth was ordered held on $25,000 bond at a hearing Wednesday; he posted the bail and walked out of jail about 5:30 p.m., with a sorrowful look on his face. He declined to speak with reporters. Hollingsworth faces a felony aggravated animal cruelty charge, along with misdemeanor counts of trespassing and reckless conduct.
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Hollingsworth’s attorney strongly disputed that he would ever do anything to harm the horse, calling him a dedicated community activist who was riding down the Dan Ryan as part of a planned protest.
Adam Hollingsworth exits Cook County Jail after posting bail on Sept. 23, 2020, in Chicago. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
“He loves his horses, he’s passionate about horseback riding, there’s no indication my client would ever do anything … harming his horse,” said Assistant Public Defender Emily Bock.
But Judge David Navarro called the alleged treatment “terrible.”
“The horse doesn’t know it’s a part of a protest. The horse only knows how it’s been treated,” he said. “It would appear from (prosecutors) its treatment was criminal.”
Assistant State’s Attorney Kevin DeBoni said Hollingsworth kicked and whipped the horse to force the animal on a 7.5-mile trip down the expressway Monday. By the time it collapsed on the pavement near 95th Street, it was in critical condition, DeBoni said.
The animal was extremely dehydrated, its heart rate had doubled, it had cuts to its front legs and its eyes were “dilated to the point where they looked like cartoon eyes,” DeBoni said. “If medical attention was not rendered immediately, the animal would have succumbed to injuries sustained.”
Bock, Hollingsworth’s attorney, disputed that the horse had been mistreated, saying the animal is well-fed and up to date on its vaccines.
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Hollingsworth was stopped by state troopers at 95th Street after he rode his brown and white horse south on the expressway, escorted by several supporters on motorcycles and jamming rush-hour traffic. “I shut down the Dan Ryan, Kids’ Lives Matter,” he streamed on Facebook Live.
Hollingsworth was placed under arrest and the horse was taken to Chicago’s Animal Care and Control, then transported to an animal rescue shelter for medical evaluation, according to state police.
Adam Hollingsworth exits Cook County Jail after posting bail on Sept. 23, 2020, in Chicago. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Hollingsworth has said the ride was meant to shut down the Dan Ryan and bring attention to violence against children. Earlier this month, he met with authorities about staging a protest on the expressway, according to Illinois State Police. His request was denied because officials thought it would dangerous as well as illegal.
Earlier this summer, Hollingsworth partnered with Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s office to encourage people to fill out their census forms. The mayor dubbed him the “Census Cowboy.”
But late Monday, the mayor criticized Hollingsworth’s actions.
“What is clear is that this stunt not only seriously endangered the horse, but also the rider and all travelers on the expressway,” Lightfoot said in a statement. “There is a right way and a wrong way to call attention to issues of great importance, and this stunt was decidedly the very wrong way.”
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rsobol@chicagotribune.com
mcrepeau@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-09-24--Historic Chicago dive bar Old Town Ale House reopens despite tavern restrictions — by selling frozen

Historic Chicago dive bar Old Town Ale House reopens despite tavern restrictions — by selling frozen pizza

“ We might set out a table or two , ” said Polk .
“ Right before we got shut @ @ @ @ @ of the time it was pretty quiet , but on that last night , there @ @ @ @ @ we couldn ’ t let any more in , because we were already at our @ @ @

Patrons enjoy a drink at the Old Town Ale House, 219 W. North Ave., in January 2004. The tavern reopened Sept. 23, 2020, after being closed due to coronavirus restrictions since July 24. (Erik Unger / Chicago Tribune)
Old Town Ale House, the historic dive bar that the late film critic Roger Ebert once called “the best bar in the world that I know about,” quietly reopened Wednesday night on the North Side of Chicago.
“GOOD NEWS! THE OLD TOWN ALE HOUSE IS PLANNING ON REOPENING TONIGHT!!!!” wrote artist and self-described mascot-in-residence Bruce Elliott publicly on his personal Facebook page Wednesday morning. Elliott painted the infamous political wall art behind the bar. The series debuted with a naked Sarah Palin holding an assault rifle, progressed to a portrait of Mitt Romney wearing what the artist calls “Magic Mormon Underwear,” as well as a work titled “Cavity Search” featuring convicted former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich.
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Open since 1958, the bar has been closed since July 24 at 12:01 a.m., when city COVID-19 orders went into effect shuttering all taverns without outdoor seating. By Chicago licensing rules, taverns sell drinks, but no prepared food. Packaged foods, including chips and other staple dive bar sustenance, did not count. So how could Old Town Ale House open? Thank frozen pizza.
The bar obtained a retail food license from the city, which allowed it to sell the pizza.
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“My boss drove down to the City Clerk (office) and got a copy that they said we could post and be legal,” said Tim Polk, bartender and manager of 20 or so years. Tobin Mitchell owns the bar, and is Elliott’s ex-wife.
“We just found out we could open at noon,” said Polk.
“It’s by Eastside Cafe,” said Polk. The frozen pizza manufacturer is based in Warrenville. “I know a couple of other folks at other bars were serving them. That’s just something we can pop in the oven, because if we don’t have that, we can’t be open, but if we can serve a frozen pizza then we’re OK. It’s crazy.”
There’s no outdoor seating yet, but they’ve ordered movie theater-style line ropes.
“We might set out a table or two,” said Polk. “Right before we got shut down in July, most of the time it was pretty quiet, but on that last night, there were enough people already that we couldn’t let any more in, because we were already at our capacity.”
Bars and restaurants in the city are still required to restrict capacity to 25% and maintain 6 feet of social distancing.
Pre-pandemic, Old Town Ale House was open until 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. Now the bar plans to open weekdays at 5 p.m., weekends at 1 p.m., but their hours may change, said Polk. Per city rules, all in-house alcohol sales must end at 11 p.m.
Bruce Elliott poses in June 2018 at the Old Town Ale House with a portrait he painted of former Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin. Elliott used to visit the bar five days a week, but has not been going during the pandemic. (Kuni Takahashi, Chicago Tribune)
Mascot and artist Elliott has not yet returned to the bar. “I’m 80 so I’m careful now about how much time I spend in indoor spaces,” he said. “I used to go down to the bar five days week.”
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“These restrictions are going to be a death blow to a lot of neighborhood bars,” he added. “Bars don’t make money selling food. Though somebody did call me to say the pizzas are delicious.”
Although Elliott may not spend as much time at the bar in person, he’s there in spirit, through his paintings.
“My latest one is Trump in a straight jacket with naked Melania and Ivanka,” he said.
219 W. North Ave., 312-944-7020, theoldtownalehouse.com


chicagotribune--2020-09-24--Six months into the COVID-19 pandemic, here’s how the virus has changed our lives

So it makes sense that during one of the most tumultuous years for restaurants in recent history , Kokonas was @ @ @ @ @ adapt .
In late February and early March , not only was he one of @ @ @ @ @ talking about how the coronavirus pandemic could seriously challenge the restaurant industry , he was @ @ @ @ @ with ways to survive .
Here ’ s more about his entrepreneurial efforts .
— @ @

For six months, the world has changed in ways few of us could have imagined at the start of 2020.
As COVID-19 took hold on so many facets of our lives, from our health to our livelihoods, our schools and our cultural institutions, the Chicago Tribune has sought to follow each development with insight into how the pandemic impacts us all.
Now, six months after the World Health Organization declared the new coronavirus’ spread had become a pandemic, we reflect on how the pandemic is shaping our world — and how we’re getting through it together.
The first COVID-19 patients in Illinois faced stigma, bigotry. But experts say their contributions to science taught the US much about the virus.
Monica Gomez, a staff nurse at Amita St. Alexius Medical Center in Hoffman Estates, exits a patient's room on Sept. 10, 2020. Gomez is the nurse who treated the first diagnosed coronavirus patients in Illinois, the earliest known person-to-person transmission of the new virus in the United States. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
She was known as Patient 1.
The Chicago woman in her 60s had traveled on Christmas Day to Wuhan, China, where she cared for her elderly father who had fallen ill to a mysterious, undiagnosed respiratory sickness.
After returning to Chicago in mid-January, her own symptoms emerged: fever, cough and fatigue, followed by nausea and dizziness.
While hospitalized for pneumonia, she became the first patient in Illinois and the second in the nation to test positive for the novel coronavirus, a new and little-understood illness that would soon burgeon into a pandemic.
Her husband, who had not gone to China, also tested positive days later, marking the first documented case of person-to-person transmission in the United States.
What medical experts learned from that local couple helped shape much of the nation’s earliest knowledge of the virus, which would later be called COVID-19. — Angie Leventis Lourgos
Silent spreaders and long haulers: 10 things science has learned about COVID-19 in less than a year.
Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 113 CTU workers direct vehicles lined up for COVID-19 testing outside of the Chicago Teachers Union on Dec. 30, 2021, in Chicago. CPS starts back to school on Monday following their holiday break. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
It’s been only nine months since the world learned of a new coronavirus that would trigger a pandemic declaration in March and ultimately disrupt billions of lives.
That’s little more than a blink of the eye when it comes to understanding a novel disease, and the advice from scientists and doctors is still evolving as they accumulate experience with COVID-19.
Here are a few things that science has learned — so far — about the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus and the disease it causes. — Hal Dardick
Chicago-area renters are still being pushed out of their homes, despite COVID-19 eviction moratorium
Jaime Espinoza shows the eviction notice he received, outside his apartment in Hillside on Sept. 4, 2020. Six months into the pandemic, residents like Espinosa, a DJ, are receiving eviction notices despite the ongoing extensions of the moratorium on evictions. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
Before the pandemic, Jaime Espinoza, 28, was making ends meet with DJ and security jobs. The Hillside resident went from clearing almost $50,000 in 2019 to, this year, hosting $5 open mic showcases in Melrose Park to cover his $850 monthly rent, car payment and groceries.
After informing his landlord that he would have trouble paying rent in April, Espinoza started receiving notices on his door saying he had days to come current. He still owes thousands of dollars in back rent.
His experience is all too familiar for some Illinois renters. And despite the statewide eviction moratorium, some people continue to receive warnings of evictions that can seem like the real thing.
Here’s how some of them say they’re still being pushed out of their homes — and what landlords have to say about how they’re struggling, too. — Darcel Rockett and Hannah Herrera-Greenspan
Chicago’s Billy Goat Tavern owner Sam Sianis won’t retire, no matter the challenges of the pandemic era
Sam Sianis poses for a photograph at the Billy Goat Tavern on Lower Michigan Avenue on Sept. 6, 2020. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)
When you descend to the depths of Lower Michigan Avenue now, the neon signs of the Billy Goat Tavern seem gone. The lights still glow behind blue painted boards. The owner beams too, sometimes.
“When I’m at the Billy Goat, I feel better!” said Sam Sianis, owner of perhaps the most iconic restaurant and bar in Chicago.
Sianis, 85, is just one of the thousands of restaurant owners in the Chicago area who’ve devoted their lives to the family business. Just one of the many faces we came to expect behind the counter, who knew our orders by heart. Just one of those who may never go back to work again at the place that made them and us and our city.
Will he retire now? “I never retire!” Sianis said. “I can’t retire because my mind goes inside the Billy Goat! Day and night, my brain is at the Billy Goat!”
Here’s more of what Sianis had to say — and how the Billy Goat is weathering the COVID-19 storm. — Louisa Chu
The bubble athlete. The beer vendor. The cheerleader. The tailgaters. A snapshot of life in sports during 6 months of COVID-19.
White Sox starting pitcher Gio Gonzalez pitches during the first inning against the Tigers at Guaranteed Rate Field on Aug. 17, 2020. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)
When the NBA suspended its season March 11, it created a ripple effect that quickly shut down the rest of the sports world, perhaps the first clear hint in the U.S. that the coronavirus was about to upend nearly every way of life.
America never fully grasped control of the pandemic, and six months later it remains unchecked in many parts of the country. Yet sports are nearly back in full swing, offering at once a sense of comfort and familiarity while representing a clear picture of how life has been altered as we knew it.
The stands are empty, athletes are separated from their families in bubbles or traveling around the country in isolation, no beer vendors are needed and the NFL season began without tailgating and some college conferences opened their seasons while most others postponed theirs with safety in mind.
Here are 10 snapshots of life in sports during the pandemic. — Shannon Ryan and Jamal Collier
They’re still working. They’re still healthy. But they’re still scared. What the past 6 months have been like for Chicago’s essential workers.
Mariano's supermarket employee Luke Magana fulfills online orders at the Oak Lawn location on Sept. 11, 2020. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)
When the streets emptied of people six months ago, a new class of heroes emerged.
They were the drivers, grocery clerks, janitors and others who braved the early unease of the pandemic to show up for work, exempt from the state’s stay-at-home order because they were deemed too important.
The Tribune profiled five essential workers in March just as the state’s shutdown set in. Six months later, all remain at their jobs, with perspectives to share about experiencing the pandemic outside the safety of their homes. — Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz
Pritzker, Ezike and Arwady talk about the COVID-19 pandemic at 6 months, and look ahead to what might be next
Gov. J.B. Pritzker speaks at a news conference at the James R. Thompson Center on Sept. 22, 2020. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)
Six months after he first issued a disaster proclamation tied to the coronavirus pandemic, followed quickly by a stay-at-home order that shut down businesses and kept people inside for months, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said in an interview with the Tribune earlier this month that he wouldn’t hesitate to act in similar fashion if COVID-19 cases bloom exponentially this fall.
Looking back, the first-term Democratic governor remains angry over the federal government’s response to the pandemic, while the top state and city of Chicago public health officials say they were surprised early on that there was so much pushback on measures such as mandates to wear masks in public.
Looking forward, those same health officials are worried about how the seasonal flu could further complicate the ongoing pandemic. Here’s what they had to say. — Jamie Munks and Gregory Pratt
From 79,000 jobs lost to 48,000 cups of milk tea delivered, the numbers show coronavirus pandemic has affected Chicago dining six months in
Katie Klein, a hostess at Wilde restaurant in Lakeview, stands behind plexiglass for outdoor service on Friday, June 12, 2020. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)
Six months ago, all Illinois restaurants and bars were shut down for on-premise dining or drinking. Since then, a gradual reopening has allowed some business to return to the struggling establishments.
As the entire city held its breath during the stay-at-home order this spring, summer offered a solution for many with the approval of serving at outdoor spaces. Then, tentatively, food and beverage establishments were allowed to open indoor spaces with limited capacity. But as coronavirus cases waxed and waned, restrictions changed, and the city walked back on its allowance for bars to host patrons inside. As winter approaches, these businesses now grapple with how to operate when the weather shifts.
Looking back at the past six months and to what the future holds, it’s helpful to consider some of the numbers that help tell the story of what restaurant owners, chefs, bartenders and servers have endured. — Grace Wong, Kori Rumore and Jonathon Berlin
As they focused on others with COVID-19 and refused to walk away, Illinois health care workers bore the brunt of pandemic’s fury
Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 7 Photographs on display show moments in the life of ICU nurse Neuman Kiamco as fellow health care workers from MacNeal Hospital in Berwyn remember the 48-year-old, who died Aug. 30 after a two-month battle with COVID-19. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)
More than 100 lives of professionals working in the health care field have been lost in Illinois over the past six months since COVID-19 began its deadly march through the state.
At last count, at least 115 health care workers had died and nearly 15,600 had contracted the virus as of Sept. 18, according to state public health officials, who said the exact figure is unknown and likely higher. Four more deaths and nearly 400 infections were listed in a separate category for first responders, not including law enforcement.
The Tribune has identified and interviewed the families of nearly 50 deceased health care workers in Illinois to chronicle the devastating loss of life and acts of heroism.
They include nurses, doctors, medical assistants, technicians, therapists and other support staff who clean rooms, serve food and provide security. Here are their stories. — Christy Gutowski
6 months into a pandemic and dreaming about sitting at a bar again
With restrictions on capacity in place at Chicago restaurants, the bar areas at Hopleaf, 5148 N. Clark St. in Andersonville, are empty on Sept. 11, 2020. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)
Tribune dining reporter Adam Lukach writes:
“I don’t remember the last time I went to a bar. I don’t remember the last time I pulled out a barstool or leaned over a counter to order a beer. That’s the nature of going to a bar, I guess — fuzzy memories and all that. But it’s also the nature of habit, of the things we get used to and that become easily forgotten.
“Before the COVID-19 shutdown, we had plenty of those things, and all it took was a worldwide pandemic to turn routine into longing. Which is all to say: after six months of staying away, I really miss going to the bar. In particular, I miss solo sessions at a well-worn wooden bar-top, nursing a pull or two from the tap and feeling vaguely pensive while watching the bartenders work their magic.
“At the right bar, a strange kind of peace can be found in solitude among all the life happening there. Soaking in the communion of booze, the sound of strangers — not coronavirus — hanging in the air and reminding us that we’re all here, now, together, even if you are physically alone.”
Young adults, people of color and unpaid caregivers face increased mental health risks 6 months into pandemic
Findings released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that Americans are facing increased symptoms of anxiety and depression. (Luis Alvarez / Getty Images)
As many Americans know, the coronavirus brought with it many additional stressors. Job insecurity. Child care crises. School closings. Health fears and constant second-guessing of tasks that used to feel routine, which can contribute to a feeling of decision fatigue.
The stress is beginning to show. Findings released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in August show that Americans are facing increased symptoms of anxiety and depression. Nearly half — 41 percent — reported at least one adverse mental or behavioral health condition, including a trauma- and stressor-related disorder or substance use.
When people feel something is temporary or short-term, said Shannon Gritzenbach, a psychiatrist at Advocate Medical Group, coping can be easier. But the uncertainty within the COVID-19 disruption creates challenges. — Alison Bowen
Empty roads, trains, buses and airports: How COVID-19 and staying at home changed how Chicago gets around
Unusually light and fast-moving early morning rush-hour traffic continued April 9, 2020, on area expressways, including Interstate Highway 290 at Austin Avenue, partially due to the coronavirus and stay-at-home orders in Chicago. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
Chicago’s roads and airports were among some of the busiest in the United States before COVID-19 entered our lexicon. Public transportation by bus and rail, too, carried thousands of people between the city and suburbs each weekday.
Yet, six months ago, movement around the Chicago metro area halted. People stayed home in an effort to socially distance themselves from others and, as work and school have become largely home-based, continued to adjust their travel habits accordingly.
Here is the latest available data by type of transportation. — Kori Rumore
How restaurant tenants and landlords are finding common ground in the fight to survive the coronavirus challenge
Nonnina restaurant in Chicago adapts to the coronavirus challenge with the help of its landlord, adding a tented outdoor space called Casa Nonnina, among other changes. (Shawn Balluyot / HANDOUT)
Restaurants, their receipts less than a third of what they customarily would take in, are unable to pay rent. Landlords, with mortgages and property-tax bills due, can’t survive without income.
Since the coronavirus pandemic hit, resulting in the forced closure six months ago of restaurants and bars throughout the state, Chicago-area restaurateurs and landlords have been forced into an uneasy dance, as both camps fight for economic survival.
It’s a give-and-take struggle that will last months more, maybe into next summer. Here’s how it has gone so far. — Phil Vettel and Ryan Ori
By the numbers: A snapshot of Chicago’s economy 6 months into the pandemic
Asia Brown, front, and co-worker Lekia Wilson grab bottles of bleach as they shop at Pete's Fresh Market in Oak Park on March 19, 2020. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
The coronavirus pandemic quickly inflicted damage on Chicago’s economy as government shutdowns and social distancing restrictions forced business slowdowns and closures.
During a six-month period, hundreds of thousands of area jobs were lost, consumer spending dropped 43%, and more than half of temporary business closures became permanent.
Despite hopes to “get back to normal,” the recovery has been slow, and it’s unclear what any long-lasting changes are, said Jose J. Vazquez-Cognet, an economics professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Here is a snapshot of the economic impact of the virus on the Chicago area over the past six months. — Katie Surma and Jonathon Berlin
COVID-19 is forcing small stores across Chicago to try online retail, but ‘we’re not Amazon’
AlleyCat Comics owner Selene Idell stands at the cash register Sept. 15, 2020, in Chicago. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the store has a new online ordering system for some products. (Erin Hooley/Chicago Tribune/TNS)
Small neighborhood retailers used to compete with Amazon by catering to local shoppers who enjoy browsing in person. That’s still true — but in the six months since the pandemic began, a growing number are venturing onto Amazon’s turf.
“The old world doesn’t exist anymore. … We’re training people now how easy it is to shop online. There are people who are not comfortable with that, but there are a lot of people with busy lives finding out it’s a good alternative,” said Esther Fishman, owner of Art Effect. “I think it’s only going to grow.”
Most say online sales are a long way from making up for sluggish in-store sales, and some struggled to shift businesses built for in-person shoppers online. Others say it’s a service they can no longer afford to avoid, especially if a surge in cases forces stores to shut down again. — Lauren Zumbach
Young women reflect on how COVID-19 has impacted the start of their careers
Alison Cruz of Valparaiso is a new special education teacher who has decided to sit out this school year instead of beginning her career during the pandemic. She is currently a manager at Ricochet Tacos. (Michael Gard / Post-Tribune)
Since the 1970s, women have consistently increased their presence in the labor force. Then COVID-19 hit, and many of the jobs women hold disappeared, research has found.
Between February and May, nearly 11 million jobs held by women have disappeared — eliminating a decade of job gains by women. By June, women regained 2.9 million positions, but mostly in the hospitality field, which remains insecure amid the pandemic, according to the Economic Policy Institute.
Starting a career amid a pandemic prompted three local women to reconsider how the next 40 years or so will look, from strategically picking clients to work with, to rolling with the punches and finding a job after their career path hit a roadblock — and creating a firm plan on how to return to their career. Here are their stories. — Alexandra Kukulka and Amy Lavalley
As homes become offices, gyms and more, COVID-19 has upended how we think our living spaces should work
Mitch Steffens uses weights in one of the fitness areas in the residential rental building called Optima Signature, at 220 E. Illinois St. in Chicago, on Sept. 8, 2020. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)
Your home is working overtime during the pandemic. For many, what was once just a dwelling has become classroom, office, restaurant, gym, movie theater and more. COVID-19 has not only kept most of us confined to our quarters for the past six months — it has also altered the very definition of home.
As homebuyers increasingly seek out pandemic-friendly features like home offices and expansive outdoor space, Chicago-area real estate developers, designers and agents are helping them find the features they need to live in this new normal. — Lauren Leazenby
How Nick Kokonas pivoted hard at the onset of the pandemic, launching Tock to Go and other innovations
Nick Kokonas, co-owner of the Alinea Group and CEO of Tock. (Tock)
Nick Kokonas is not afraid of bluntly questioning restaurant conventions. Along with helping to create a series of successful projects with chef Grant Achatz as co-owner of the Alinea Group (Alinea, The Aviary, Next and Roister), he’s also the CEO of Tock, a online reservation system that has helped restaurateurs around the world manage guest bookings.
So it makes sense that during one of the most tumultuous years for restaurants in recent history, Kokonas was one of the first to adapt. In late February and early March, not only was he one of the few restaurateurs in Chicago talking about how the coronavirus pandemic could seriously challenge the restaurant industry, he was also attempting to come up with ways to survive. Here’s more about his entrepreneurial efforts. — Nick Kindelsberger