chicagotribune--2020-10-15--County Board President Toni Preckwinkle outlines $6.9 billion budget plan: ‘This pandemic has dealt

County Board President Toni Preckwinkle outlines $6.9 billion budget plan: ‘This pandemic has dealt Cook County and its residents a catastrophic blow’

The $ 3.39 billion health fund budget also would be increased by $ 563.4 million from 2020′s total , mostly @ @ @ @ @ in membership for CountyCare as well as more staffing at the jail ’ s hospital @ @ @ @ @ a commitment to dole out an anticipated $ 312 million in uncompensated care .
The @ @ @ @ @ 30 million more in the county ’ s tax allocation to the system , bringing @ @ @ @ @ .

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle outlined her plans Thursday for a $6.9 billion 2021 budget that would plug an overall projected $409 million coronavirus-driven shortfall through layoffs, tapping reserve funds and new revenue from online sales, weed and gambling taxes.
During a Cook County Board of Commissioners special meeting, Preckwinkle presented her tentative budget in a speech driving home her mission to deliver racial equity through government and enunciating the deep pain the pandemic has inflicted on people and businesses both locally and across the country.
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“This was worse than any rainy day we had feared,” Preckwinkle said. “But despite the precipitous drop in revenue, through a decade of tough decisions and strategic management, I can stand here today and say the budget that I present weathers the 2020 storm.”
Cook County government’s general fund is expected to face a $222.2 million deficit, while the health fund, which includes the CountyCare insurance program and Stroger and Provident hospitals, has a projected $187 million shortfall, officials said.
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Preckwinkle’s proposed budget, which is expected to be finalized in a Nov. 24 vote, would be balanced and still increase spending by $700 million from this year, Preckwinkle’s budget director Annette Guzman said on Wednesday. Most of the additional spending would be attributed to CountyCare’s increasing membership, and the budget was modeled on the assumption that no more federal stimulus funds are coming.
Commissioner John Daley, finance committee chairman, said he is grateful the budget proposal doesn’t raise taxes nor shirk the county hospitals' now-routine charity care for patients who cannot pay.
“This is a very good budget — a budget in very difficult times,” Daley said. “During this pandemic, people are hurting. … Anytime a budget is presented with no new taxes, I would assume the taxpayers are happy.”
After stressing how the pandemic, like so many other historic disasters, has aggravated existing inequalities in the county, Preckwinkle warned that the human and financial toll this year cannot repeat itself anytime soon.
“I will not mince words here: This pandemic has dealt Cook County and its residents a catastrophic blow,” Preckwinkle said. “Cook County cannot — cannot — absorb another financial calamity in 2021.”
Among other things, Preckwinkle’s budget proposal calls for a one-time transfer of $76.8 million from the county’s general fund reserve, which is estimated to be a little more than $400 million, to avoid tax increases and more critical cuts as the pandemic hammers local government revenues. Just under $2 million will be generated in increased fees from the medical examiner, building and zoning, and environmental control offices.
In addition, 659 vacant positions, about 300 from the sheriff’s office, would be purged, and some health and hospital system employees would be laid off. The plan also anticipates a revenue jump from Chicago tax increment financing and county sales tax projections as well as $50 million in reimbursements from federal CARES Act money before it expires in December.
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More than 60% of the $1.89 billion general fund budget would go to public safety. But the budget for the Cook County sheriff’s office, which has become a target of numerous advocacy groups who want to defund and reallocate its budget, would drop about 4%, under Preckwinkle’s proposal. Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart wrote in a statement Thursday that the elimination of the positions is “significant” but “necessary.”
Stroger Hospital nurse Consuelo Vargas speaks, with other nurses and supporters, outside the Cook County downtown building after Board President Toni Preckwinkle delivered her 2021 budget plan on Oct. 15, 2020. (Antonio Perez)
The $3.39 billion health fund budget also would be increased by $563.4 million from 2020′s total, mostly to account for an increase in membership for CountyCare as well as more staffing at the jail’s hospital due to social distancing and a commitment to dole out an anticipated $312 million in charity care. The proposal also would inject $40 million more in the county’s tax allocation to the system, bringing it to $122.7 million.
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But the proposed budget, which includes some hospital system downgrades and consolidations in addition to 130 potential layoffs, is already meeting stern opposition from health care workers unions. About a dozen people in a protest organized by National Nurses United gave their own speeches outside the Cook County downtown building Thursday morning, dinging Preckwinkle’s commitment to Black and Latino residents while they chanted, “People over profit.”
“It saddens me to know that these politicians and our Cook County elected officials feels like politics is more important than people,” Tyrone Hawthorne, a Stroger Hospital employee and SEIU Local 73 member, said. “Why would you want to cut these jobs that serve these underprivileged communities? Somebody say, ‘That ain’t right.’”
Despite the proposed cuts, the budget plan reflects some of Preckwinkle’s messaging on fighting inequalities during the pandemic as well, and the county president was sure to center her Thursday speech on those themes.
In Preckwinkle’s budget plan, an additional $20 million would go toward public safety efforts in the next two years such as violence prevention programs, reentry for formerly incarcerated people and restorative justice courts. Another $20 million would bolster small business assistance, workforce development and housing assistance. And more than $350,000 would head to the public defender’s office to establish a unit for immigration help.
Invoking the Black Lives Matter movement that brought out thousands to march against racial injustice in the streets of Chicago this year, Preckwinkle slowly recited the long list of Black people killed by police in America this year before sharing her own personal experience with being called a racial slur growing up.
Preckwinkle said she was not alone in experiencing “that vile, racist, hate-filled word that was hurled my way during my childhood far too often.” And in 2020, after a pandemic often shouldered most by Black and Latino residents, she said her budget plan prioritizes them.
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“We refuse to balance this budget on the backs of the residents and the businesses who need resources the most, especially during a pandemic,” Preckwinkle said.
Correction: An earlier version of this story misstated how much the Cook County sheriff’s office budget would be decreased under Toni Preckwinkle’s plan. It would be decreased by 4%, not 7%, under her proposal.
ayin@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-10-15--Citing a ‘toxic atmosphere,’ a Black admissions employee resigns from Loyola University, prompting a

Citing a ‘toxic atmosphere,’ a Black admissions employee resigns from Loyola University, prompting a discrimination probe and calls for racial justice on campus

“ If we as Black students are not seeing ourselves in these classrooms , in offices , and do not @ @ @ @ @ representation , then there is a message being sent that we do not belong in @ @ @ @ @ not valued even if we are in those spaces , ” Thomas said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ work , and something that Loyola has not admitted .
”

At Loyola University Chicago, where fewer than 6% of undergraduates are Black, Marcus Mason-Vivit’s presence comforted minority students who rarely found someone who looked like them on campus.
A Black man himself, Mason-Vivit led the private Jesuit university’s efforts to increase racial diversity among first-year students in his role at the Undergraduate Admission Office. He was known to send high school seniors handwritten letters encouraging them to attend Loyola and for going out of his way to forge relationships with the Black students he met.
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Marcus Mason-Vivit, shown on Loyola University Chicago's campus, resigned from his job in the admissions office, citing a "toxic atmosphere ... particularly pertaining to people of color." (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
But last month, Mason-Vivit stepped down from his position in multicultural recruitment. In a scathing resignation letter that quickly circulated on social media, he called the admissions office a “toxic atmosphere of hostility, intimidation, fear and manipulation ... especially pertaining to people of color” and described an incident where his boss, the dean of undergraduate admission, allegedly made a racially disparaging remark. His departure has prompted Loyola to initiate an investigation.
Now, students and faculty are rallying behind Mason-Vivit, raising questions about Loyola’s newly stated goal of “becoming a fully inclusive anti-racist institution.”
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“We do not think that this initiative will achieve much credibility until the issues, such as those raised by Marcus Mason, and the school’s handling of such complaints have been thoroughly addressed,” leaders of a Loyola faculty organization wrote in a letter to university President Jo Ann Rooney.
In an interview with the Tribune, Mason-Vivit, 34, said he tried reporting his concerns to the human resources office in July but felt brushed aside, leading eventually to his Aug. 24 resignation.
“I will no longer work in an environment diametrically opposed to my principles and the obligation to respect my existence,” he wrote in his resignation letter.
The dean of undergraduate admission, Erin Moriarty, declined to comment, saying by email that she does “not want to jeopardize the integrity of this investigation in any way by speaking out of turn.”
Loyola spokeswoman Anna Rozenich confirmed the investigation, related to “allegations of discrimination” in the office, is ongoing but would not say who is conducting it. After Loyola’s Office for Equity and Compliance began an internal investigation, the school decided to hire outside experts to lead the probe “due to the charged nature” of the allegations, Rozenich said.
“Out of respect for the rights of all parties, we must maintain that all parties deserve to be heard, and allow the investigation to be thoroughly conducted and conclude while refraining from judgment or condemnation," Rozenich said in an emailed statement.
She said “appropriate action” will be taken at the end of the investigation and emphasized Loyola’s policy prohibiting discrimination.
Mason-Vivit, however, said he could no longer remain silent. His last day as Loyola’s associate director for multicultural recruitment was Sept. 4, and he previously worked in the admission office from 2016 to 2017, he said.
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“I knew that if I didn’t raise this and bring it to light, it would continue to happen and harm would continue to be inflicted on others,” Mason-Vivit said. “I didn’t want to be part of that.”
Black students speak out: ‘We lost an advocate’
As news of Mason-Vivit’s resignation spread, Black students who interacted with him at Loyola expressed their dismay.
During a recent rally hosted by Our Streets LUC, a group devoted to improving Black life at Loyola, several students spoke about how Mason-Vivit’s departure would negatively affect them. They also spotlighted how his decision to leave Loyola reflects a lack of racial diversity — not just among students but for employees as well.
About 6.5% of Loyola’s faculty is Black, with fewer in tenured positions, and about 14% of all staff is Black, according to the school’s 2019 diversity report, which states that Loyola "had a lower percentage of African American undergraduates than peers,” and that its number of Black undergrads increased less than 1% between 2009 and 2018.
Sophomore Kennedy Mallory’s voice wavered as she described her close bond with Mason-Vivit at the Sept. 11 rally, which was posted on Instagram.
Mallory, who is studying film and digital media, said she first corresponded with Mason-Vivit as a high school senior. She recalled receiving a “crisp and neat” handwritten letter from him, and she decided to enroll after they discussed Black student life at Loyola.
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Whenever she needed to vent or talk, the doors of his office were wide open, she said.
“Marcus was more than a Black staff member. He was like an uncle to me." said Mallory, 19, of Plainfield. “My support system is gone. And now there’s only a few staff members that I feel comfortable reaching out to because they know how it feels to be the odd man out.”
Taylor Thomas, a senior majoring in global studies and sociology, said she met Mason-Vivit her first year at Loyola and called him a "hidden light for me.” She said he often hosted events for incoming Black students and their parents to build community and show what Loyola had to offer.
“If he sees a Black student, he says hi ... and makes that connection immediately," said Thomas, 21, from Green Bay, Wisconsin. “A number of Black students who know Marcus personally or know about his work have been so taken aback by the news of him resigning but also why he resigned.”
Junior Maggie Gathumbi, 19, said she’s had trouble processing Mason-Vivit’s resignation. At the same student rally, Gathumbi said she worked with him as a tour guide in the admission office and felt he was looking out for her.
“He is supposed to be a voice for people who feel like they aren’t safe or they’re not comfortable,” said Gathumbi, of suburban Minneapolis. “The fact that we lost an advocate speaks a lot for Jo Ann Rooney ... and the administration as a whole.”
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In another sign of solidarity, Our Streets LUC added new leadership in the admission office to its list of demands for achieving racial justice on campus. Those also include calls to cut ties with the Chicago Police Department and to establish a Black faculty union.
“What’s taking so long if Loyola is so for all these anti-racism initiatives that they keep talking about but not actually putting into action?” said Our Streets LUC leader Dorien Perry-Tillmon a sophomore from the Boston area. “It just shows that it’s all for show.”
According to Loyola’s student paper, dozens of students demonstrated outside of the building that houses the admission office with chants such as “Black Lives Matter” on Sept. 18. Students have chalked the pavement and hung flyers with messages critical of Moriarty.
Can Loyola become anti-racist?
Benjamin Johnson, a history professor and leader of Loyola’s largest faculty organization, said he’s also concerned that Mason-Vivit’s allegations didn’t appear to be investigated as soon as he came forward. In the past, Johnson said, Loyola has dragged its feet looking into claims of discrimination against its employees.
“We don’t presume that we know the truth of what it was like to work in that (admission) office, but I think you have to be concerned when someone who, by all accounts, is a credible person walks away from their job with no employment and makes those allegations‚” said Johnson, president of Loyola’s chapter of the American Association of University Professors.
The AAUP letter also notes high turnover in the admission office. Since the position for associate director of multicultural recruitment was created five years ago, three people, including Mason-Vivit, have left the role, he said.
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Following the police killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, Black people whose deaths galvanized thousands to protest against injustice this summer, Loyola formally launched an “Anti-Racism Initiative” on June 16.
Among some of its goals, the initiative aims to improve the relationship between students and campus police, invest in professional development for Black employees and to update the curriculum.
“Loyola’s Anti-Racism Initiatives bring students, staff, and faculty together to address issues raised by our community," the school’s website says. “These initiatives are organized to address structural racism, and work toward authentic change in our community, in the academy, and in our society.”
Mason-Vivit referenced this effort in his letter of resignation, implying the words rang hollow to him.
“It is egregious,” Mason-Vivit wrote, “that a university standing on and touting its commitment to diversity, inclusion and social justice would decline to investigate claims of racism within the office most crucial to ensuring these values are reflected in the entire campus community."
Thomas, the Loyola senior, also said she has little faith in the new initiative, calling it a “Band-Aid." She cited several examples of her perception that Loyola marginalized Black students, including an incident in 2018 when two students, Black and Latina, were detained by campus police outside a school basketball game.
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“If we as Black students are not seeing ourselves in these classrooms, in offices, and do not have Black staff and faculty representation, then there is a message being sent that we do not belong in these spaces and we are not valued even if we are in those spaces,” Thomas said. “That is white supremacy at work, and something that Loyola has not admitted.”
echerney@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-10-15--County Board President Toni Preckwinkle budget plan

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle outlined her plans for a $ 6.9 billion 2021 budget that would plug an @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus-driven shortfall through layoffs , tapping reserve funds and new revenue from online sales , @ @ @ @ @

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chicagotribune--2020-10-15--City Mouse latest Chicago restaurant closing due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s economic toll. Here’s ou

City Mouse latest Chicago restaurant closing due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s economic toll. Here’s our running list.

Earlier this summer , changes to the OpenTable website for Kiki ’ s Bistro caused some confusion over whether or not the beloved River North spot had closed for good .
The restaurant shared a clarification that , for now , it would be open for business .
Sadly , however , Kiki ’ s website changed late last week , indicating that the restaurant will close permanently after the final day of service Sept. 30 .
“ We appreciate the birthdays , anniversaries , special occasions and everyday meals that you spent dining and laughing with us .
Those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ few months , as your visits did for those many years , ” read the post .
It wasn ’ t all bad news , though , mentioning that a small-time operation remains on the radar for Kiki ’ s founder Georges “ Kiki ” Cuisance : “ Kiki , 87 , is attempting retirement with an open eye for a potential petite Kiki ’ s — a tiny , cozy reboot with the potential to offer authentic French fare you love on a very intimate scale.
” See the full story here @ @ @ @

The statewide shutdown of restaurants and bars for on-premise service took effect March 16. Since then, several restaurants and bars have reopened for dining and drinking, as Chicago and the state have rolled out gradual reopening plans. But not all of them have made it.
This article lists bars and restaurants that have been forced to close due to the financial strain of COVID-19 regulations. Note that these closures are strictly finance-related and are not due to illness among any of the business’ staff.
We will update the list, sorted alphabetically, as needed.
NEW CLOSINGS
Lagunitas taproom likely won’t reopen in 2021
Lagunitas Brewing likely won’t reopen its Chicago taproom until at least 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the brewery’s chief marketing officer said Thursday. The taproom, which opened in 2014, is situated directly above the brewery, in the center of Lagunitas’ South Side building. Lagunitas CMO Paige Guzman said she’d “be surprised” if it reopened this year due to concerns about virus spread. The taproom has been closed since the pandemic took root in the U.S. in March. Lagunitas is among the first Chicago bars or restaurants to acknowledge a 2021 reopening as unlikely. See the full story here.
— Josh Noel
FULL RESTAURANT CLOSINGS LIST
25 Degrees
The downtown restaurant and bar did not mention the pandemic shutdown specifically, but a Facebook post announcing its closure noted that it was “due to our current situation.”
Arlington Cake Box Bakery
Chicagoland residents have been celebrating special occasions with the baking of Arlington Cake Box Bakery for 71 years, but the bakery announced in a Facebook post last week that it closed Sept. 20. “We are so grateful for the level of support you have shown us, not only in these unprecedented last six months, but also in the past 71 years,” read the post. The bakery first opened in 1949 and had been on its third generation as a family business.
Bad Hunter
The dining room at Bad Hunter is reflected in a mirror on the back wall. (Anthony Souffle / Chicago Tribune)
Bad Hunter — known for its vegetable-and-grains-forward menu — and its second-floor event venue, The Herbarium, closed for good because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The West Loop restaurant, which survived a fire and re-opened in 2019, was voted the Chicago restaurant with the best plant-based menu in the Chicago Tribune Readers’ Choice Dining Awards earlier this year. — Grace Wong
Band of Bohemia
Band of Bohemia, which announced in July that it was closing temporarily, first earned a Michelin star in 2016 and had retained it every year since through 2019. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
Five-year-old Band of Bohemia, whose pioneering vision of brewing beer and serving creative, ambitious food was ultimately rewarded with a coveted Michelin star, is going out of business after filing for bankruptcy. The Ravenswood brewpub filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation Oct. 16 in the Northern District of Illinois. According to court records, Band of Bohemia is more than $1 million in debt. But in a statement Oct. 21, Band of Bohemia founders Michael Carroll and Craig Sindelar blamed the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic for the closure. The restaurant has been closed since July, when owners said it would be shuttering temporarily. See the full story here. — Josh Noel
Baobab BBQ
The barbecue spot, which used South African flavors to riff on traditional ‘cue, announced in May on its Facebook page that it would close permanently due to the effects of the shutdown, writing: “When a small business’s revenue is interrupted it is devastating; when it’s a restaurant, earth shattering best describes it.”
Bar Biscay
An array of "pintxos," popular small bites offered at Bar Biscay. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)
Bar Biscay, the restaurant that lit up West Town with coastal-Spain sunshine, has closed, for keeps, after a 2½-year run. Partner Scott Worsham said in a posting on Facebook that, “The time has come to say goodbye to our groovy, Atlantic-coast inspired French-Spanish-Basque funhouse, our Oasis of Joy. He blamed COVID-19 and “factors beyond our control.” See the full story here. — Phil Vettel
Bite Cafe
Noah Sandoval (Oriole, Kumiko/Kikko) will join with friend Bruce Finkelman, managing partner of the 16″ On Center restaurant group (Longman & Eagle, Dusek’s Board & Beer, Revival Food Hall), to create Pizza Friendly Pizza, opening later this summer in the Bite Cafe space. Finkelman said, “Once the quarantine hit, I realized that that type of restaurant wouldn’t be able to exist in the post-COVID culinary scene.” — Phil Vettel
Blackbird
Blackbird restaurant in Chicago on Monday June 29, 2020. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)
The highest-profile Chicago restaurant victim of coronavirus to date has been Blackbird, closing for good after more than 22 years as one of the area’s finest restaurants. “We’ve labored long and hard over this decision,” said partner Paul Kahan. “But in an incredibly small, tight dining room — operating at only 25% capacity for who knows how long — and removing the opportunity to do private dining, it becomes incredibly difficult to manage.” — Phil Vettel
Blue Nose Brewery
Small southwest suburban Blue Nose Brewery has closed due to the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic. Blue Nose co-founder Jordan Isenberg said he made the decision in late October 2020, after the state ordered suburban Cook County bars and restaurants to close for indoor business for a second time to stem the spread of COVID-19. He kept the decision largely to himself while winding down the business, he said. See the rest of the story here. — Josh Noel
Bonci (Wicker Park)
Three different options at Bonci (Arugula, dried tomatoes and bufala mozzarella) (zucchini, ricotta, lemon zest and black pepper) and (prosciutto and fior di latte mozzarella). (Nick Kindelsperger / Chicago Tribune)
The second Chicago location of the world famous pizzeria was located in Wicker Park, but Eater Chicago reported that Bonci’s director of U.S. operations said consolidating to one location (West Loop) was necessary in light of the pandemic.
Bonfire
The no-frills steakhouse in Homer Glen confirmed via Facebook message that it has closed for good due to the effects of the pandemic shutdown.
Bottled Blonde
Bottled Blonde has closed after years of legal drama. (Phil Velasquez / Chicago Tribune)
Bottled Blonde, the River North bar better known for its legal drama than pizza, closed permanently July 27, due to the coronavirus — but COVID-19 violations are not among the complaints against it. The business “surrendered their business licenses, permanently closing the River North bar after a series of serious nuisance conditions dating back to 2017,” according to a statement from the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection. The bar had not received any citations related to COVID-19, wrote the department spokesperson.
The district manager of Bottled Blonde said, “It’s been an uphill battle since we came into this neighborhood. We had fights with the city, fights with the neighborhood. With the COVID thing, you need revenue to keep up those fights. We can’t stay open and operate at limited capacities.” See the full story here. — Louisa Chu
Boulangerie (Belmont Avenue)
La Boulangerie closed its location at 915 W. Belmont Ave. (Nick Kindelsperger / Chicago Tribune)
The French bakery chain La Boulangerie has closed the Lakeview location on Belmont Avenue. The Logan Square and Ravenswood bakeries remain open, but for pickup and delivery only.
Bridgeport Coffee Co. (Loop)
The Chicago coffee roaster closed its Loop location in June, confirming the shuttering as a result of COVID in a blog post. Its other three in Bridgeport, Hyde Park and the South Loop remain open.
Cactus Bar & Grill
The Cactus Bar at 404 S. Wells St. in Chicago. (Phil Velasquez / Chicago Tribune)
The recent closure of Cactus Bar & Grill leaves the South Loop financial district without a 31-year-old standby. Cactus confirmed the closure with a note on its website, writing that they knew in the middle of August that the bar wouldn’t make it: “With few offices in the Loop occupied, and a challenging situation with our land lord, the crisis’s financial devastation became insurmountable.” The bar was a staple for lunches and drinks in the Loop.
Cafe Marie-Jeanne
The announcement that Cafe Marie-Jeanne will close drew lines outside the Humboldt Park restaurant Friday, Nov. 20, 2020. By Saturday, owners had to close early after running out of food. The wait Sunday was four hours. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)
Cafe Marie-Jeanne (1001 N. California Ave.), co-owned by the husband and wife team of Michael Simmons and Val Szafranski, announced Nov. 19 on Instagram that they would close permanently: “The string has run out for CMJ. We hung in as long as we could and it’s time to let go. Everything must end. WE WILL MISS YOU ALL!” Over the following weekend, fans flocked to the Humboldt Park restaurant known for its French-influenced dishes for one last taste. Lines stretched down the block, and Simmons had to shut down early Nov. 20 because he ran out of food. On that Saturday, the wait in line took four hours. The restaurant closed Nov. 23. See the full story here. — Nick Kindelsperger
Candyality
Candyality is known for its collection of retro candies, among hundreds of other confections.
Andersonville has one less spot to sate your sweet tooth, as Candyality has announced in a Facebook post that it will be closing its location in the neighborhood at the end of September. The closing comes “with great sadness” after spending more than 5 years in that space, the post reads. The Chicago-based candy store — which has also had locations in Wicker Park and Water Tower Place during the past several years — is still open at its Lakeview location, 3737 N. Southport Ave., and offers local delivery.
Cafe Cancale
The strawberry sundae with sea salt ice cream at Cafe Cancale. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
The One Off Hospitality property in Wicker Park was another casualty of the pandemic, closing at the same time as Blackbird.
California Clipper and coffee shop C.C. Ferns
Detail of the Vesper at California Clipper in 2017. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)
Both the Clipper and attached cafe C.C. Ferns shuttered permanently due to the COVID shutdown. However, there have been conflicting accounts between Hogsalt Hospitality owner Brendan Sodikoff and landlord Gino Battaglia as to how the fallout was navigated, according to reports from Eater Chicago and Block Club Chicago, respectively.
Chicago House Of ‘Za
The North Center spot for all-vegan pizza shared an Instagram post announcing its permanent closure, citing the financial effects of the pandemic shutdown as part of the reason: “With the current pandemic, as well as the enormous cost of operating a business in Chicago, we are unable to stay open for business any longer.”
City Mouse
City Mouse restaurant in the Ace Hotel opened in 2017. (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune)
City Mouse, the Ace Hotel restaurant operated by the team behind Giant and Chef’s Special, is closing after three years. Sunday, Oct. 18, will be the last day, the restaurant announced Wednesday in a statement. Jason Vincent, one of the partners at Giant and Chef’s Special, declined further comment. Giant and Chef’s Special bar announced just Tuesday it was launching a food truck to get their creative cooking to a larger audience. The space is going to be occupied by the Alinea Group, starting in November; owner Nick Kokonas confirmed that Alinea has leased the space for a three-month residency, but offered no additional details. For more details, see the story here. — Phil Vettel
Conga’s
The Norwood Park restaurant, which also featured music and dancing, announced it would be closing on Facebook. The post read, “I’m deeply saddened to announce Congas Restaurant will not be opening again. Covid-19 made me realize the most important things in life.” Another post teased a return for the Congas name, but as more of a venue-esque space.
Danny’s Tavern
After rumors of a closure had persisted on social media for weeks, Danny’s Tavern has confirmed it closed permanently. The Bucktown dive was well-known for its dance floor and its popular party celebrating The Smiths. The closure comes five years after the bar nearly shuttered once before and ends the bar’s 34-year stay on Dickens Avenue.
Davanti Enoteca
Davanti Enoteca in Little Italy.
The Little Italy location of Davanti Enoteca has closed for good, and, according to a report from the Sun-Times, it appears finances were a factor: “A demand letter dated June 12 from the landlord ... said the establishment was nearly $60,000 behind on rent.” The letter was posted on the window of Francesca’s, a sister restaurant also owned by chef David Harris.
Ditka’s in Chicago
Mike Ditka lookalike Don, center, and his wife Marian Feuling eat during a birthday party dinner at Ditka's restaurant in 2019. (Camille Fine / Chicago Tribune)
The economic effects of the mandated shutdown were a contributing factor in the closure of Mike Ditka’s Chicago restaurant in May. Other locations remain open, including Ditka’s in suburban Oakbrook Terrace and Grill 89 in suburban Westmont.
Eden
People settle in for dinner at the restaurant called Eden, 1748 W. Lake St. in Chicago, on Wednesday, March 15, 2017. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)
Eden, a Cal-Mediterranean restaurant popular with pre- and post-event United Center crowd (among others), closed in mid-July after a run of just over 3½ years. Eden opened on west Lake Street in December 2016 and made friends quickly, both for its pretty, bright-white interiors and Devon Quinn’s skillful cooking. The owners said in a release that “While we recently reopened our doors to an immensely positive response, the larger economic impact resulting from the coronavirus pandemic has made it impossible for us to sustain operations.” Read the full story here. — Phil Vettel
Emerald City Coffee Shop (Sheridan)
The Emerald City Coffee Shop location on Sheridan Road closed permanently Oct. 31, according to a post on the cafe’s Instagram page: “The uncertainty of the pandemic and other financial stressors were too much to bear and we’re so, so bummed to see ECC Sheridan go, but it’s the tough choice we had to make.” Emerald City, which was also known for its breakfast burritos, occupied a noticeable space below the Sheridan Red Line stop for years and was a neighborhood favorite. The Emerald City Coffee in Uptown, at 1224 W. Wilson Ave., remains open.
A Go Fund Me campaign launched earlier to save the Sheridan location has been taken down. But a new Go Fund Me has been launched, this one to help laid-off baristas. “The purpose of this fundraiser is to help cushion the blow that our ECC Sheridan staff will experience in the coming days,” the campaign reads. It seeks $5,000 and by the afternoon of Nov. 4 had raised $2,100. — Adam Lukach
Fahlstrom’s Fresh Fish Market
Owner Glenn Fahlstrom confirmed that he would be closing the Lakeview seafood spot in an online post shared on the restaurant’s website and social media pages. The post, in part, read: “The new restaurant model is asking owners to put employees in harm’s way so that their business can possibly survive. That is an ‘acceptable risk’ I cannot take. The restaurant business as I know it is gone and will not return for years. It was hard enough when the playing field was supposedly level, now it is tilted beyond recognition. So, I am closing Fahlstrom’s Fresh Fish Market.”
Fat Rice / Super Fat Rice Mart
At the beginning of the pandemic shutdown, Fat Rice pivoted to become Super Fat Rice Mart, a market for meal kits and various grocery goods. Later, current and former Fat Rice employees went public with allegations of harassment and mistreatment by owner Abe Conlon, and the location has been closed ever since, with no public mention of a reopening date.
Fat Willy’s Rib Shack
Rib tips at Fat Willy's Rib Shack, 2416 W. Schubert Ave. (Michael Tercha / Chicago Tribune)
The North Side is losing another barbecue spot after Fat Willy’s Rib Shack announced Thursday evening that it will close Sept. 27. The Logan Square restaurant has been in the neighborhood for more than 19 years and has a loyal following of diners who go there for baby back ribs, pulled pork, brisket and mac and cheese. See the full story here. — Grace Wong
Finom Coffee
Cream and sugar station at Finom Coffee in the Old Irving Park neighborhood of Chicago. (Louisa Chu / Chicago Tribune)
Finom Coffee — the popular two-year-old cafe in Old Irving Park known for serving Hungarian small plates, along with coffee, tea and baked goods, out of a snazzy art-deco storefront, has closed. Chef Rafa Esparza posted an upbeat message on Instagram: “It was a beautiful moment in time and the whole crew slayed from day one!” See the full story here. — Adam Lukach
Foodlife
The multi-station food concept located in Water Tower Place confirmed its closing in early June, although owner Lettuce Entertain You declined to comment exactly why. — Nick Kindelsperger
Fountainhead
Guests sit on the popular rooftop patio at Fountainhead in Ravenswood in this 2015 photo. (Lenny Gilmore / RedEye)
For the past 10 years, Fountainhead bar and restaurant has occupied the northeast corner of Damen and Montrose, one of Ravenswood’s essential intersections, bringing an enviable selection of whiskey and barrel-aged spirits to the neighborhood. In late September, the restaurant announced in social media posts that its run will come to an end Nov 14. “The past year has been difficult for everyone but pressures facing our industry at this time make it financially impossible to operate past the roof deck season. We made every effort to make adjustments to operate in this ‘new normal’ but with limitations restricting revenue and without funding to offset this condition it is impossible to continue,” read the post. Fountainhead owners are working with building ownership to find the “right concept” for the prominently situated storefront. Rhe Fountainhead Market — located next door — will remain there. — Adam Lukach
Francesca’s On Taylor
As with Taylor Street’s Davanti Enoteca — the two restaurants share ownership — the Italian restaurant in Little Italy has closed permanently, with reports indicating that rent-payment issues were at least partly to blame.
Gino’s East
The Gino’s East restaurant at 500 N. LaSalle St. has closed, a victim of a decline in business downtown, according to Jordan Himmel, chief information officer for Chicago-based Bravo Restaurants (which owns Gino’s East, Ed Debevic’s, Edwardo’s Pizza and Eduardo’s Enoteca.) The location closed in March, but other Chicago locations remain open.
Guthrie’s Tavern
Ron DeNicolo and his wife, Cynthia, take a photograph outside Guthrie's Tavern, 1300 W. Addison St., on July 21 in Chicago. DeNicolo said he and Cynthia had their first date at the bar 10 years ago. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)
Guthrie’s Tavern, one of Chicago’s oldest and most popular neighborhood bars, announced it would be closing permanently, citing the city’s rollback of phase four rules for bars as a primary cause. Guthrie’s has occupied the corner of Addison Street and Lakewood Avenue for 34 years. It closed July 23. See the complete story here. — Adam Lukach
Habana Libre
Per a post on its website, Habana Libre closed permanently “due to the impact of coronavirus.” The Cuban restaurant had been in West Town since 2007.
Hamburger Mary’s
Hamburger Mary's opened on a key corner in Andersonville in 2006. (Michael Tercha / Chicago Tribune)
Andersonville’s Hamburger Mary’s — the only remaining city location of the nationwide network of independent franchises — announced Sunday on Facebook that it would be closing Nov. 1. Ownership listed the building for sale last year, and the lease ends at the end of December, but the coronavirus pandemic expedited the closing process, according to the post. The burger-focused restaurant, an outlet of the San Francisco-based chain, opened on a high-profile in Andersonville in June 2006, featuring drag shows, karaoke and bingo, along with the burgers. The closing announcement also teased ownership interest in reopening at another location: “We feel it’s best to wait until spring before we look for a possible new space.” The restaurant will host regular business hours until its final day of service Nov. 1. — Adam Lukach
Hot “G” Dog
Duck sausage, topped with lobes of foie gras and sea salt flakes, from Hot "G" Dog (5009 N. Clark St.). (Kevin Pang / Chicago Tribune)
Andersonville lost a hot-dog joint — at least the rest of 2020 — from the former Hot Doug’s chef with the closure of Hot “G” Dog. A Facebook post from the restaurant said its owners hope to return eventually, but the COVID shutdown had made business unsustainable for now.
Imperial Lamian
After more than four and a half years of serving rainbow-colored soup dumplings, roast duck and vegan spring rolls, Imperial Lamian is closing its doors in River North. The Chinese restaurant cited pandemic-related challenges as its reason for closing. Imperial Lamian, which opened in the spring of 2016, was lauded by the Chicago Tribune as having the best xiaolongbao (or XLB for short) in the city. Dozens of people expressed how much they would miss the restaurant in the comments section of the social media posts. See the full story here. — Grace Wong
Income Tax
Income Tax brought a much-needed wine bar to Edgewater, furthering the trend of easy-drinking, non-pretentious wine lists. (Phil Velasquez / Chicago Tribune)
Ownership for the laid-back Edgewater wine bar confirmed via email that the pandemic’s effect on Income Tax’s financials led to its closing. It had been open since 2016.
Jeri’s Grill
The diner on Western Avenue was a monument to greasy spoons of yore, open for 57 years and 24 hours a day, and was cut down by COVID-19, reported Block Club Chicago in May. “If there was no COVID, we’d be open,” owner Frank Di Piero told the publication.
Katana
Katana brought its robatayaki-style restaurant to the River North neighborhood in 2017. (Katana)
A spokesperson for the parent company of the River North sushi restaurant wrote in an email: “Yes, the COVID closure was a devastating financial hit for us and the reason behind our closure … The Chicago location was very special to us, and we were sad to close.”
Kiki’s Bistro
Diners raise a toast during a wine dinner at Kiki’s Bistro, 900 N. Franklin St., May 4, 2006. The restaurant announced it would close permanently at the end of September 2020. (Wes Pope / Chicago Tribune)
Earlier this summer, changes to the OpenTable website for Kiki’s Bistro caused some confusion over whether or not the beloved River North spot had closed for good. The restaurant shared a clarification that, for now, it would be open for business. Sadly, however, Kiki’s website changed late last week, indicating that the restaurant will close permanently after the final day of service Sept. 30. “We appreciate the birthdays, anniversaries, special occasions and everyday meals that you spent dining and laughing with us. Those memories have sustained us through the last few months, as your visits did for those many years,” read the post. It wasn’t all bad news, though, mentioning that a small-time operation remains on the radar for Kiki’s founder Georges “Kiki” Cuisance: “Kiki, 87, is attempting retirement with an open eye for a potential petite Kiki’s — a tiny, cozy reboot with the potential to offer authentic French fare you love on a very intimate scale.” See the full story here. — Adam Lukach
Kroll’s South Loop
One of the South Loop’s signature sports bars, Kroll’s South Loop, announced in a Facebook post that it would be closing its doors at the end of the summer. “We fought hard,” read the announcement. “The burden of operating under the current conditions is too great and, come fall, will be impossible to continue under the current indoor capacity restrictions of 50 patrons. … We do not know whether this closure will last until next spring or forever. Only time will tell.” Kroll’s will remain open for dinner service Thursdays through Sundays until it concludes its 15-year run at the end of summer.
La Buona Vita
La Buona Vita, a Northern Italian restaurant in downtown La Grange closed its doors after a six-year run. In a message posted on the restaurant’s now-defunct website, owner Jim Barron named COVID-19 as the proximate cause of his restaurant’s demise. — Phil Vettel
La Fontanella
The owners of the longtime Italian restaurant had already planned to sell the building and restaurant prior to the pandemic, according to Block Club Chicago.
Lawry’s The Prime Rib
Lawry's, known by generations of Chicagoans for its prime rib, steaks and lush steakhouse trappings inside a former mansion, will close after service Dec. 31, 2020. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)
Lawry’s The Prime Rib, which has been a fixture on Ontario Street (just west of Michigan Avenue) for 46 years, called it quits at the end of 2020. The coronavirus, last summer’s civil unrest and an expiring lease all contributed to the decision, said Ryan Wilson, CEO of Lawry’s Inc. “In a year of incredible turmoil, this is a tough one for sure,” he said. “But with the industry in general in such a state of flux, we felt we had to push the pause button,” he added, leaving room for Lawry’s to reopen. “I think there’s a future for Lawry’s in the Chicago area,” Wilson said. See the full story here. — Phil Vettel
Links Taproom
Links Taproom. (Leigh Loftus / ThinkLeigh Photography)
Michael Quinlan, owner of the Milwaukee Avenue beer bar in Wicker Park, wrote in an email that Links was planning to move out of its storefront at some point in 2020 due to an acrimonious relationship with its landlord. Due the the COVID-19 shutdown, he decided to pull the plug on Links in March. As of late July, Quinlan indicated that ownership is “going to wait until things stabilize until we make our next move.”
Mesa Urbana
The Mexican restaurant will be consolidating operations, closing its Glenview restaurant and moving everything to its location in Portage Park, per a note on its website. The note cited the “situation” from COVID-19 as the impetus for the decision.
Mity Nice Bar & Grill
Along with Foodlife, this Water Tower Place restaurant from Lettuce Entertain You closed in early June. Ownership declined to disclose specific reasons.
Monty Gaels Tavern & Grill
The Irish tavern in Ravenswood closed permanently due to the burden of the pandemic shutdown, ownership confirmed in a Facebook message.
Passerotto
Passerotto in Andersonville in July 2018.
The Andersonville restaurant announced over Labor Day weekend that it would be closing its doors permanently, in part due to the coronavirus pandemic. Passerotto’s last day is Sept. 12. Chef Jennifer Kim said the decision to close was a result of multiple conversations with staff and investors, and ultimately they decided that “operating a restaurant safely in the midst of multiple pandemics was going to negatively affect our community in the long run.” A pop-up project was also teased on the restaurant’s profile. See the full story here. — Grace Wong
Pepper Canister
The casual River North bar announced June 15 via Facebook it would be permanently closing, although it did not specifically reference the costs of shutting down for the pandemic as a reason.
Rainforest Cafe
Rainforest Cafe at the corner of Ohio and Clark Streets in Chicago on Thursday, August, 13, 2020. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)
The Rainforest Cafe in the Near North neighborhood has closed sooner than expected after it shut down during the coronavirus pandemic. The restaurant at 605 N. Clark St. was expected to close within two years, when its lease expired. That timeline was accelerated by the coronavirus pandemic, which has left the Chicago restaurant closed since March, said building owner Sean Conlon. He recently negotiated an early termination of the lease with parent company Landry’s Restaurants. He plans to redevelop the site. See the full story here. — Ryan Ori
Ramen Misoya (Streeterville)
Tonkotsu ramen at Ramen Misoya. (Michael Tercha / Chicago Tribune)
The Loop lost one of its best bets for ramen in August with the closing of Ramen Misoya’s storefront in Streeterville. “Due to a loss in business caused by the Covid-19 shutdown, we can no longer justify continuing operations at this time,” read a post on its Facebook page. On the bright side, the Mount Prospect location of Misoya remains open.
Redmond’s Ale House
Remond’s Ale House has closed due to the financial stress of the COVIID-19 restrictions. The Wrigleyville bar, which had been at the corner of Sheffield and Roscoe for years, was known for offering an abundance of drink deals and for being an area staple for game-watching due to plenty of TVs and good sightlines.
Rickshaw Republic
Owners confirmed via email that the state’s COVID-19 shutdown caused financial losses that required the Indonesian restaurant in Lincoln Park to permanently close.
Ronny’s Steakhouse
Ronny’s, a cafeteria-style “steakhouse” that had occupied two separate downtown corners for years, announced plans to close due to the coronavirus in a Facebook announcement over Labor Day weekend. “We won’t say ‘good bye’ but rather ‘until we meet again,’” read the post. The Loop staple began 63 years ago at the corner of State and Randolph and, in recent years, operated at the corner of Clark and Lake.
La Sardine
La Sardine's terrine de foie gras featured layers of creamy foie gras mixed with thinly sliced black truffle, drizzled with a tart and slightly sweet cherry sauce and crowned with slices of extra buttery brioche. (Nick Kindelsperger/Chicago Tribune)
La Sardine, which has been a fixture in the West Loop for nearly 22 years, has closed for good. “It’s sad,” said partner and executive chef Oliver Poilevey about closing La Sardine, founded by his parents, along with Le Bouchon in Bucktown. “A month, month-and-a-half ago, I thought we were going to make it.” La Sardine has no outdoor space in which to set up tables, but had eked by with meals-to-go and, eventually, indoor dining with the 25% capacity limitation. Then the weather turned warm and the unthinkable happened: The air conditioning broke down. Looking at $80,000 in repairs, Poilevey knew he could not risk taking on the cost. “There’s no way we could pay for that, heading into the fall with no rent abatement,” Poilevey said. “Throwing 80K at something and then having to close — that’s not a good plan.” Le Bouchon remains open for pickup and indoor dining, though space inside is limited. For the full story, go here. — Phil Vettel
Siam Rice
Siam Rice, 117 N. Wells St., has called it quits after 18 years. (Alex Garcia / Chicago Tribune)
Siam Rice (117 N. Wells St.) has closed after 18 years in the Loop, according to a note posted on the Thai restaurant’s window. "Unfortunately, we have come to the decision that it is no longer viable to operate our business during these uncertain times,” the note said. “This was a difficult decision for us, however, recent events and current pandemic conditions have left us concerned for the safety of our customers as well as our staff.” The note ends with an apology to customers and the hope that the restaurant will be able to return in the future. The restaurant’s last day Sept. 15.
Simply It
The Vietnamese restaurant, which had been in Lincoln Park for nearly 14 years, closed permanently in April, reported Block Club Chicago. COVID-19 restrictions and unworkable margins gave owner Tuan Nguyen “no choice” but to close, he told Block Club.
People eat and drink as others pass by Southport Lanes in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood on Sept. 17, 2020. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)
Southport Lanes
Southport Lanes has lasted nearly a century by evolving, at various times serving as a tavern, bowling alley, speak-easy, brothel and illegal off-track horse betting venue. But the Lakeview mainstay, which opened not long after another pandemic, couldn’t survive COVID-19. Read the full story here. — Ryan Ori
Step Down Cafe
The Pilsen coffee shop announced on its Facebook page that it would close permanently due to the effects of the pandemic.
Taco in a Bag
The Big Jim Reeves was a big hit at Taco in a Bag. (Nick Kindelsperger / Chicago Tribune)
Taco in a Bag has closed after five years in Lincoln Square. The shop specialized in playful versions of walking tacos, a dish where components one would normally find on a taco are instead poured into a bag of corn chips. The restaurant announced the closure on Facebook with a surprisingly irreverent, if slightly hopeful video. The owners assured fans that, “we will be back...promise!!!!” Block Club Chicago first reported the closing.
Taqueria Sabor y Sazon
The popular Pilsen taqueria closed permanently in May. The financial difficulties of trying to survive the pandemic’s hospitality restrictions were insurmountable, the owners said.
Tin Fish
The Tin Fish restaurant closed in Tinley Park. (Bob Bong / Daily Southtown)
The coronavirus claimed another high-profile restaurant victim with the permanent closure of Tin Fish, a highly regarded restaurant in south-suburban Tinley Park. A sign on the front door of the seafood restaurant and oyster bar thanked customers “for 18 great years,” and said the decision to close came “with a heavy heart.” “I’m not happy, but it’s something a lot of us are going through,” said partner Curtis Wierbicki, who launched the restaurant in September 2002 with partner Colin Turner. The restaurant closed in July. See the full story here. — Phil Vettel
Tintos & Tapas
Laura Rivera, the owner of the Spanish small plates restaurant, confirmed via email that the closing of Tintos & Tapas was due to the financial strain of the COVID-19 shutdown, as well as its effects on how it operated: “My chef and I cried the last day we were there to clean up,” she wrote. “Carryout is not a model that works for my type of operation at all. Frankly, it is demoralizing to become a fast food.”
Toast Restaurant
Owner Jeanne Roeser confirmed in a Facebook message that she had closed both the Bucktown and Lincoln Park locations of the 24-year-old breakfast favorite: “I couldn’t imagine reopening and surviving with reduced capacity and putting my staff and their families at risk of harm.” Roeser also posted a goodbye note on Facebook, which reads in part: “Nothing lasts forever in this world and it is time to move forward and see what this next phase will bring. I wish you peace and good health, my friends.”
Trattoria No. 10
A goodbye post on the reliable Italian restaurant’s website alluded to the pandemic shutdown as cause for its shuttering, reading, “With no theater and no convention/tourism business for the foreseeable future, there was just no way we could realistically reopen.”
Two Lights Seafood & Oyster
A post on the Old Town restaurant’s Facebook page confirmed that Two Lights has closed, although it did not mention whether or not the shuttering was due to the financial effects of COVID.
U.B. Dogs
U.B. Dogs served classic Chicago hot dog stand fare with serious culinary ambitions. (Nick Kindelsperger / Chicago Tribune)
U.B. Dogs (185 N. Franklin St.), a stellar hot dog joint that served a flawless fully loaded Chicago hot dog, freshly grilled burgers and great fries, has closed. With the coronavirus pandemic forcing countless downtown office workers to telecommute from home, the Loop-based U.B. Dogs decided it was time to close for good. Owner Joe Plonka announced the decision on Facebook: “While it breaks our hearts to announce our permanent closure, we wanted to take the time and properly thank our customers and family for their support over these last 10 years. Unfortunately, it’s time for us to end this chapter.” See the full story here. — Nick Kindelsperger
Unicorn Cafe
Unicorn Cafe had been serving coffee to Evanston for almost 30 years before the coffee shop closed permanently due to the financial effects of COVID-19, reported the Daily Northwestern earlier in September. According to the Daily report, ownership said the cafe was getting only 8-10 customers per day. Aside from being a local staple, Unicorn Cafe was one of only a handful of area coffee shops that offered the highly touted Sparrow Coffee.
Wells St. Market
Wells Street Market, which reopened July 6 after weathering the first three months of the coronavirus shut down (and was the first Chicago food hall to resume service) announced it will close for keeps Sept. 18. “From all of us at the Wells Street Market, it has been an honor and a joy to serve Chicagoans every day,” the company said in a release. The food hall made its debut, at 205 W. Wacker Drive, in June 2018. The food hall format had enjoyed a boom in Chicago in recent years. But most have not reopened since the coronavirus shutdown. Only Time Out Market has reopened. But a new market, Dr. Murphy’s Food Hall, launched in early August in the former Cook County Hospital. — Phil Vettel
The Whale closing indefinitely
The Whale (2427 N. Milwaukee Ave.), the glitzy Logan Square restaurant named for what casinos call an obscenely wealthy gambler, closed indefinitely last week. In a message posted on Facebook, the owners blamed the closing on the tight restrictions the state has imposed on restaurants. “Today we were forced to make the decision to lay off all our team members and close our doors to service. The restrictions that have been put on us by the elected officials are suffocating our industry and leaving us no choice. There has been no plan in place or system for relief.” The Whale opened last year, quickly amassing a strong following, though we found the food to be less than stellar. While it’s unknown how long the restaurant will be closed, the owners promise it will eventually return. “We WILL re-open and come back strong. We look forward to serving you again when that time comes.” — Nick Kindelsperger


chicagotribune--2020-10-15--Illinois records 4,015 new coronavirus cases, a single-day record; 53 deaths is most in a day since

Illinois records 4,015 new coronavirus cases, a single-day record; 53 deaths is most in a day since late June

In figures reported Thursday , each of the 11 regions in Pritzker ’ s phased reopening plan has seen its @ @ @ @ @ the past week .
The biggest increase was in DuPage and Kane counties , which @ @ @ @ @ shoot up more than 2 percentage points , from 4.9 % for the period ending @ @ @ @ @ for the period ending Monday .
Many regions also have been seeing a rise in @ @

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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)
In the latest signs of a COVID-19 resurgence in Illinois, public health officials on Thursday reported the highest number of newly confirmed coronavirus cases in a single day since the pandemic began and the most deaths in a day since late June.
The 4,015 new cases announced Thursday topped the previous high of 4,014 cases on May 12. The state reported 5,368 new cases on Sept. 4, but that was due to a backlog in processing test results.
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Officials also reported 53 more fatalities, the most since 64 deaths were reported June 24. When the coronavirus was first peaking in early to mid-May, Illinois was averaging more than 100 deaths per day, but the average daily death toll had dropped below 20 from mid-July to mid-August.
The seven-day average of new cases has continued to increase throughout this week after reaching a new high Monday. As of Thursday, the seven-day average for new daily cases was 2,989, up from 2,180 a week earlier. Before this week, the highest average was 2,565 daily cases, set May 4 and equaled three days later.
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[ Illinois coronavirus graphs: The latest data on deaths, confirmed cases, tests and more ]
The share of coronavirus tests returning positive results also has been surging in recent days. The seven-day rolling average for the week ending Wednesday was 4.9% statewide, up from 3.7% a week ago.
With the additional infections reported Thursday, the state has now seen 331,620 known cases of COVID-19 since the start of the outbreak. The statewide death toll stands at 9,127. The state received results from 67,086 tests in the previous 24 hours.
Illinois is not alone in seeing the virus make a strong comeback, with neighboring Midwestern states and many European countries also experiencing record levels of new cases.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker warned Wednesday that the data shows that Illinois’ efforts to contain the virus are trending in a “concerned direction.” Pritzker and Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike encouraged the public to rethink plans for celebrating upcoming holidays to avoid accelerating the spread of the virus.
[ COVID-19 in Illinois by the numbers: Here’s a daily update on cases, positivity rate and hospital data in your area ]
In figures reported Thursday, each of the 11 regions in Pritzker’s phased reopening plan has seen its rolling positivity rate jump from the past week. The biggest increase was in DuPage and Kane counties, which saw their combined seven-day average shoot up more than 2 percentage points, from 4.9% for the period ending Oct. 5 to 7% for the period ending Monday. Many regions also have been seeing a rise in hospitalizations.
Statewide, 1,932 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Wednesday night, up from 1,755 a week earlier, a 10% increase. The number of coronavirus patients in intensive care and on ventilators was down slightly from the week before. As of Wednesday, 388 patients were in intensive care, compared with 392 the week before, and 147 were on ventilators, compared with 163 a week earlier.
Despite the recent increases in newly diagnosed cases and the rising statewide positivity rate, only one region remains under stricter rules as part of Pritzker’s reopening plan. The northwest region, which includes Rockford, DeKalb and Galena, has been under tighter rules, including a prohibition on indoor service at restaurants and bars, since Oct. 3.
The Metro East region outside St. Louis, which until Friday had been under tighter restrictions since mid-August, has seen its rolling positivity rate rise over the past week, though it remain below the 8% threshold set by the state. If it reaches that level for three straight days, restrictions would kick in once again.
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[ COVID-19 cases in Illinois by ZIP code: Search for your neighborhood ]
Far southern Illinois hit a seven-day average of 8% on Saturday, but the region’s positivity rate dipped back to 7.5% as of Monday.
Public health officials on Wednesday announced two changes to the way they report data on coronavirus testing.
For the east central Illinois region, the state had previously said it planned to remove results from Champaign County when tracking the regional positivity rate to account for the wide-scale saliva-based testing program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Those tests can account for as much as 20% of statewide testing on a given day.
Instead, officials said, they will remove only the U. of I. tests from the regional measure.
Beginning Thursday, the state also is including the results of antigen tests in its daily count of coronavirus screenings. Antigen tests, which look for certain proteins found on the surface of the virus rather than the virus’s genetic material, previously were not widely available and health officials didn’t have enough information about their accuracy, according to the Department of Public Health.
dpetrella@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-10-15--Column: Happy trails, Open House Chicago! New online tours highlight this year’s architecture festiv

Column: Happy trails, Open House Chicago! New online tours highlight this year’s architecture festival, opening Friday

Instead , Open House , which starts Friday and runs through Oct. 25 , has developed an innovative smartphone app @ @ @ @ @ a guide for tours of more than 20 city and suburban neighborhoods , from Auburn @ @ @ @ @ also can use the app from home , a coffee shop — wherever they happen @ @ @

Necessity, it’s often said, is the mother of invention. So it is with this year’s Open House Chicago.
Normally, the big architecture festival gives architecture buffs free glimpses inside the city’s architectural gems. But not this year, not with the coronavirus forcing Open House’s operator, the Chicago Architecture Center, to dispense with indoor tours.
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Instead, Open House, which started Oct. 16 and has been extended through Nov. 1, has developed an innovative smartphone app. It can serve as a guide for tours of more than 20 city and suburban neighborhoods, from Auburn Gresham to Woodlawn. Participants also can use the app from home, a coffee shop — wherever they happen to be.
The app presents a rich array of color photographs, explanatory text, and, in some cases, a video tour or audio commentary, including remarks on the Logan Square area by its two best-known residents, Mayor Lori Lightfoot and First Lady Amy Eshleman.
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The app’s most alluring feature is a series of self-guided trails that are mostly organized by location, but also by theme, as with one devoted to an array of former taverns and other beer buildings erected by Milwaukee-based Schlitz.
Here are recommendations for what to see, whether it’s from the sidewalk or your favorite couch.
The Hotel Florence is a fixture in the Pullman Historic District. (Nancy Stone, Chicago Tribune)
Video Trail: Pullman and Roseland Today: David Doig, president of Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives, leads an informative online tour of the planned industrial community that once turned out luxurious railroad cars and is experiencing a resurgence after decades of decline.
Featured buildings from the Far South Side neighborhood include the Hotel Florence and new loft housing for artists.
Also on the video, local alderman Anthony Beale (9th), presents his vision for revitalizing the area with a medical district that would create jobs and bring branches of teaching hospitals to what he calls a “health desert.”
A Women’s History of Lincoln Park: Chicago historian and parks expert Julia Bachrach provides the audio commentary for this tour, which highlights the underrecognized role women have played in shaping the popular lakefront park.
Among the featured designs: the arching, honeycomb-like Peoples Gas Education Pavilion and the South Pond boardwalk, by Chicago architect Jeanne Gang and her firm Studio Gang, and a bronze sculpture of a woman holding two young children by sculptor Ida McLelland Stout.
The Arthur B. Heurtley House. (James Caulfield )
Frank Lloyd Wright: Portrait of a Young Architect: Narrated by Adam Rubin, director of interpretation for the Chicago Architecture Center, this trail showcases seven houses Wright designed early in his decadeslong career.
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They include one of the “bootlegged" houses Wright did on the sly while working for architect Louis Sullivan. Other buildings on the tour include the Arthur Heurtley House, a Prairie style masterpiece.
Chicago’s Tied Houses: It’s not quite a pub crawl, but this tour gives participants a chance to sample the city’s architecturally-distinguished “tied houses,” which brewers built to ensure their products would be widely distributed.
There’s less audio commentary on this one, but the text accompanying the photographs is clear and informative.
The “tied houses” range from a former Schlitz tavern on the Far Southeast Side that just received city landmark status to a former tavern that’s now the East-West Asia Center, a North Side education and social services nonprofit.
The Glessner House Museum at 1800 S. Prairie Ave in Chicago (Mieke Zuiderweg / Chicago Tribune)
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Historic Mansions of Prairie Avenue: The Chicago Architecture Center was founded in 1966 during the successful fight to preserve the Henry Hobson Richardson-designed Glessner House on Prairie Avenue. So it’s appropriate that the austere landmark is a highlight of this tour.
Other featured mansions include the palatial home of Marshall Field Jr. and the Kimball House, built for the founder of the Kimball Piano and Organ company. This tour also does not have audio commentary.
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The Open House app also lists more than 20 online programs. The app only works on smartphones. Masks and social distancing are encouraged for outdoor tours. For more information, go to openhousechicago.org.
Update: A previous version of this story said there was no audio commentary on Open House Chicago’s online tied house architectural tour. In fact, two of the nine sites in the presentation offer audio commentary.
Blair Kamin is a Tribune critic.
bkamin@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @BlairKamin


chicagotribune--2020-10-15--Watch live: Chicago health officials provide an update on COVID-19 outreach

Chicago health officials and Chicago Latinx COVID Prevention Task Force are scheduled to provide an update on current COVID-19 outreach @ @ @ @ @ 3:30 p.m .


chicagotribune--2020-10-15--Photojournalists recall '68 DNC riots

Photojournalists recall '68 DNC riots

Democrats came to Chicago for their national convention in August 1968 .
Protests erupted inside and outside the convention , @ @ @ @ @ Chicago .


chicagotribune--2020-10-15--Cook County commissioner is part owner of and worked for a cannabis license applicant, which critics

Cook County commissioner is part owner of and worked for a cannabis license applicant, which critics say she should have disclosed sooner

Degnen insisted that she filled out the statement of economic interest as required and has no conflict because her company @ @ @ @ @ yet .
She said she told the county ethics board about her prior regulatory role @ @ @ @ @ was told she shouldn ’ t vote on taxing the business , so she didn @ @ @ @ @ at the time that it was to avoid any conflict .

A Cook County commissioner who is a former Illinois cannabis regulator said she is part owner of a company that is applying for cannabis licenses and that she was paid to write the applications.
After previously declining to answer questions about the matter, Bridget Degnen confirmed that she has ownership in and wrote applications for AmeriCanna Dream LLC, which was named a finalist for 36 of 75 available licenses after getting perfect scores in regions across the state, though businesses are limited to 10 licenses.
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Commissioner Bridget Degnen, 12th, appears at a Cook County Board meeting in Chicago in January 2020. (Zbigniew Bzdak/Chicago Tribune)
Degnen was deputy director of medical cannabis for the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation from 2013 to the fall of 2017, where, as she wrote on LinkedIn, she screened and selected dispensaries, developed rules for dispensary operations, met with stakeholders and staffed the agency’s team.
"I am proud to have assisted an excellent, majority Black-owned social equity dispensary applicant with its state application,” Degnen wrote in a statement on the issue, as first reported in the Chicago Sun-Times. “I ensured I complied with all applicable laws governing transparency with respect to my involvement with this project, including completing a statement of economic interest form as required by Cook County, and exceeding any applicable state revolving door requirements by several years.”
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The state’s “revolving door” law, meant to keep state workers from immediately switching from regulating an industry to participating in it, prohibits any regulatory worker from accepting compensation from any entity which that person “substantially” regulated, within one year of their state employment.
Effective next year, the law will prohibit any state workers who participated substantially in awarding cannabis licenses from holding ownership in any cannabis license for two years after they leave their state jobs. Degnen said she was out of her state job for two years before she joined AmeriCanna Dream late last year.
Elected to the County Board in 2018, Degnen lives in Chicago’s North Center area and represents the 12th District, which runs from River North to the Northwest Side.
On Degnen’s statement of economic interest, filed in April and meant to identify conflicts of interest, most answers are simply “N/A,” meaning not applicable. Asked to list the nature of professional services rendered for pay of more than $5,000 in the preceding year, Degnen’s form states only, “Other,” and to describe the entity for which she performed services, the form states, “Other—LLC.”
She said that she appropriately filled out the online form as it allowed. In January, when the Cook County Board approved a 3% tax on licensed cannabis sales, Degnen voted present, and told the Tribune she had worked with cannabis investors and didn’t want to vote on the matter for ethical reasons.
When asked about the situation, the former chair of the Cook County Board of Ethics, Margaret “Peggy” Daley, said Degnen should have clearly disclosed who she was working for.
“Answering ‘other’ with no further detail is not adequately filling out the form,” she said. " As someone who has been involved in government service for many years she should be well aware of the need to fully disclose her business associations."
In general, Daley said, “Our public servants should strive to not do just the bare minimum when it comes to ethics. It would benefit everybody if they have robust disclosures that exceed what the ethics require.”
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Susan Garrett, chair of the Center for Illinois Politics and a former state senator, also said the situation doesn’t look good. While the statement of economic interests may ask for scant information, she said, it’s up to elected officials to clearly disclose any potential conflicts of interest.
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“She wasn’t representing the facts and should have made a stronger effort to do that,” she said. “It makes so much sense to be upfront and transparent.”
Degnen, a former Peace Corps volunteer and an attorney, said she joined AmeriCanna Dream in 2019, after the revolving door prohibition ended. She wanted to check with her co-owners at AmeriCanna Dream before disclosing her involvement, she said, noting that the drug remains federally illegal.
Degnen insisted that she filled out the statement of economic interest as required and has no conflict because her company isn’t even licensed yet. She said she told the county ethics board about her prior regulatory role in the industry, and was told she shouldn’t vote on taxing the business, so she didn’t, and said at the time that it was to avoid any conflict.
The form also asks county commissioners to disclose ownership exceeding $5,000 in any entity that filed for any license or zoning with the county in the preceding year — but Degnen said AmeriCanna hasn’t done any of that yet. She said she would be happy to require greater disclosure on the statement of economic interest as part of a package of recently proposed county ethics reforms, which she supports.
“There was nothing I didn’t do that I should have done,” she said. “That’s the first I’ve heard of this in regular discussions with them (the ethics board). I’m happy to disclose anything. But it’s totally unreasonable to say you should do something that’s not in the rules.”
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AmeriCanna Dream’s manager is listed in state records as Adam Saffro, a Highland Park real estate agent and manager at New Era Chicago, where Sammy Dorf, co-founder and president of cannabis giant Verano Holdings, once worked. Saffro also co-owns a former bank building in Logan Square that cannabis company PharmaCann has said it would like to use for a dispensary.
The state was scheduled to issue 75 new licenses for recreational marijuana retail stores on May 1. Gov. J.B. Pritzker has extended that deadline indefinitely, first due to the coronavirus pandemic, and most recently due to lawsuits filed by losing applicants who say the scoring process was unfair. Applicants are now getting a chance to correct their applications and get rescored. Each license potentially is worth millions of dollars.


chicagotribune--2020-10-15--Couple loses everything in Oregon wildfire, returns to Northwest Indiana to start from scratch. ‘Not

Couple loses everything in Oregon wildfire, returns to Northwest Indiana to start from scratch. ‘Nothing was left.’

In our region of the country , we ’ ve watched a nonstop newsreel of the ongoing wildfires in the @ @ @ @ @ difficult for us to grasp the enormity of the devastation .
Not only of the @ @ @ @ @ how these wildfires have scorched human lives , leaving nothing but ashes and heartache .

Homes were leveled by the Almeda Fire line the Bear Lake Estates in Phoenix, Oregon, Sept. 15, 2020. (Noah Berger / AP)
It took a week until Sally Buttshaw realized she no longer owned a comb.
“I was combing my hair with my fingers,” the 77-year-old Northwest Indiana native said. “I guess I was just that overwhelmed by what happened.”
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On Sept. 8, her home was completely destroyed by the Almeda Drive Fire, a human-caused wildfire that torched a wide swath of property in southern Oregon. Buttshaw’s senior living community, Bear Lake Estates mobile home park, was completely incinerated, all 210 homes, in just a few hours.
“It was so shocking. Just one day earlier, we were relaxing in our swimming pool with friends in 98-degree temperatures. And then…” she recalled, her voice trailing off.
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Mobile homes and cars destroyed by the Almeda Fire line the Bear Lake Estates in Phoenix, Ore., Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020. (Noah Berger / AP)
And then the wildfire spread to their quiet neighborhood, fueled by 40-mph winds and random wreckage. Nearly 3,000 structures were lost in its gusty path. Thousands of residents were displaced, most fleeing their homes with nothing but prayers and anything they could grab in the panic.
“You don’t realize what you own in life until you no longer own it,” Buttshaw said.
In our region of the country, we’ve watched a nonstop newsreel of the ongoing wildfires in the West. It’s difficult for us to grasp the enormity of the devastation. Not only of the torched barren landscape, but how these wildfires have scorched human lives, leaving nothing but ashes and heartache.
When Buttshaw and her longtime domestic partner, Ron Sherman, eventually were allowed to return to their mobile home park, they found only smoldering memories of their former life.
“Our whole mobile home park just… melted,” Buttshaw said. “Nothing was left of our home.”
A local newspaper in southern Oregon shares the news of the devastation caused by a wildfire in early September. (Provided by Sue Webster / HANDOUT)
To get a more visceral sense of what the couple returned home to see, view an aerial video of the haunting scene, recorded by The Oregonian newspaper.
“Everything was just… gone,” Buttshaw said.
The couple was forced to live in a hotel near their home, then an Airbnb to help ease their concerns of contracting COVID-19 in a public place. The wildfire destroyed a nearby bank branch but missed a marijuana store where Buttshaw frequented for health reasons. She suffered a stroke seven years ago, and struggles from hip and leg problems.
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“The fire skipped around. It was surreal,” Buttshaw said.
Sally Buttshaw, 77, and Ron Sherman, 82, had to flee their Oregon home last month after a wildfire decimated their entire neighborhood. Earlier this month, the couple returned to her hometown, Michigan City, to restart their lives. (Provided by Sue Webster / HANDOUT)
The canopy over their home melted like candle wax in the 3,000-degree flames.
The couple owned a fireproof filing cabinet to protect all their legal documents, wills and other important paperwork. Nothing inside survived the heat. Everything was obliterated.
“The whole inside was just black,” Buttshaw said.
Somehow, one neighbor’s outdoor gazing-ball decoration survived the fire and heat.
“We have no idea how,” Buttshaw said.
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Somehow, another neighbor found Sherman’s military dog tags in the ruins.
“It’s something,” Buttshaw said.
The couple lost some of their digital passwords which were automatically saved on their home computer. They lost things they never considered losing.
“It’s just been one thing after another,” Buttshaw said.
The couple has kept in touch with only a couple of former neighbors. One of them is living in Portland with a sister and mother, who also lost her home in a wildfire.
“I’m a tough old broad, but I’m so tired from the whole ordeal. We never could have prepared for all this,” Buttshaw said.
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She and Sherman, who’s 82, met in Las Vegas in 1997. A decade later, they relocated to the small city of Phoenix, Oregon, population 4,500 before the wildfire.
“I guess we should have stayed in Vegas,” Buttshaw said with a nervous chuckle. “It’s all hindsight now, isn’t it?”
Sherman is from Los Angles. Buttshaw was born and raised in Michigan City, where her two younger sisters still live. Earlier this month, Sherman and Buttshaw left Oregon to start their new life in Michigan City, a sort of homecoming she never wanted.
For their air flight, they had only one checked luggage and one carry-on bag.
“That was all their possessions,” Buttshaw’s sister, Sue Webster, said.
The couple had to purchase everything new for their unfurnished apartment – two recliners, a bed, table and chairs, bedsheets, kitchen utensils, bathroom toiletries, the basic necessities. Their homeowner’s insurance will be pending for an undetermined amount of time, with no timetable for policy payments due to the enormity of the damage out West.
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Sally Buttshaw, 77, and Ron Sherman, 82, wave from inside their new apartment in Michigan City, where Buttshaw was born and raised. (Provided by Sue Webster / HANDOUT)
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Buttshaw’s sister launched an online fundraiser to help the couple restart their lives from scratch. Only two-thirds of its $15,000 goal has been raised.
The webpage states: “Sally and Ron are safe and unharmed, which matters most and for which we are very grateful! But now the enormous challenge of starting over from scratch is upon them, and we are hoping to help give them a start with our own support and support from caring friends as well.”
Across the parking lot from the couple’s modest new apartment, Buttshaw noticed trees turning scenic colors in the Midwestern autumn season. She instinctively turned to find her trusty binoculars to get a better view.
“Oh, I don’t own binoculars anymore,” she told herself.
“People don’t understand the devastation of these wildfires,” she told me afterward. “They take everything, just everything. It’s so overwhelming.”
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jdavich@post-trib.com


chicagotribune--2020-10-15--Man critically wounded Thursday morning in double shooting on West Side

The younger victim suffered gunshot wounds to both ankles , and was taken in good condition to Mount Sinai Hospital @ @ @ @ @ to the same hospital with wounds to the chest , left thigh , left shoulder @ @ @ @ @ was listed in critical condition , police said .

A 23-year-old man was left in critical condition following a double shooting Thursday morning on the West Side in the city’s East Garfield Park neighborhood, Chicago police said.
Shortly after 8:30 a.m., two men, ages 22 and 23, were walking toward the “L” station in the 300 block of North Central Park Avenue, when a gray vehicle approached with two occupants drove past them. The driver rolled down the window and fired shots, striking them both, police said.
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The younger victim suffered gunshot wounds to both ankles, and was taken in good condition to Mount Sinai Hospital. The other victim went to the same hospital with wounds to the chest, left thigh, left shoulder and lower back. He was listed in critical condition, police said.
No one was in custody, and detectives were investigating.
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dawilliams@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-10-15--Daily Illinois coronavirus graphs: 53 new deaths, 4,015 new confirmed cases and 67,086 new test resu

Daily Illinois coronavirus graphs: 53 new deaths, 4,015 new confirmed cases and 67,086 new test results

Illinois announced 4,015 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 Thursday for a total of 331,620 .
The state also announced 53 @ @ @ @ @ of 9,127 and 67,086 new test results for a total of 6.53 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--2020-10-15--Man with legal handgun shot during Far South Side robbery, misses when firing back at thieves

The first male pointed a loaded weapon at the man while the second male told the 59-year-old to hand over @ @ @ @ @ attacker then took the victim ’ s phone , said Kellie Bartoli , a police @ @ @ @ @ has been arrested , police would not say what kind of phone it was .

A man carrying a legally concealed handgun was robbed Wednesday night on the Far South Side, shot in the thigh and returned gunfire in the thieves' direction as they fled, Chicago police said.
The 59-year-old man was walking in the 8500 block of South Kolin Avenue in the Scottsdale neighborhood about 9:45 p.m. when two males, each about 16 to 20 years old, approached and demanded his property, according to a police media notification. Unbeknownst to the robbers, the man had a legal concealed handgun on him at the time, police said.
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The first male pointed a loaded weapon at the man while the second male told the 59-year-old to hand over his belongings. The second attacker then took the victim’s phone, said Kellie Bartoli, a police spokeswoman. Because no one has been arrested, police would not say what kind of phone it was.
The first male “then shot the victim in the left thigh,” Bartoli said in an email Thursday. He was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was listed in good condition, authorities said.
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It wasn’t clear why the gunman shot the man despite his having complied with the demand for his property. Bartoli, citing the ongoing investigation, declined to say if the man drew his own weapon before he was shot.
As the robbers fled, the man with the concealed weapon shot at least once in their direction, police said.
“The victim ... returned fire but did not strike the (suspects),” a police statement said.
Bartoli would not specify how many rounds he fired or whether there was any damage to nearby property.
A physical description of the attackers and the clothing they last were seen wearing was not released. No arrests have been made.
kdouglas@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @312BreakingNews


chicagotribune--2020-10-15--The Trial of the Chicago Seven: The real story behind the Netflix movie

Beginning as the Chicago Eight Trial , it quickly became the Chicago Seven when Seale , after loudly disrupting the @ @ @ @ @ have the lawyer of his choice , was at first bound and gagged in the @ @ @ @ @ the case for a later trial , which never occurred .
Judge Hoffman , a @ @ @ @ @ was challenged daily by the defendants , especially Abbie Hoffman , who called the judge @ @ @ @ @ entered the courtroom wearing judicial robes , which he threw to the floor and trod @ @

Six of the Chicago 7 defendants appear in 1970. Abbie Hoffman, from left, John Froines, Lee Weiner, Jerry Rubin, Rennie Davis and Tom Hayden were acquitted of conspiracy, but five were convicted of other charges. The guilty verdicts were later overturned. (William Yates / Chicago Tribune)
With Aaron Sorkin’s “The Trial of the Chicago 7” streaming on Netflix, here’s a quick synopsis of how the trial truly went down, with archival photos from the case and the streets.
Everybody knew it would be interesting, the trial of eight people charged with conspiring to incite the riots that erupted during the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
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How could it not be, with a cast of characters that included hippie leaders Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin, Black Panther Party leader Bobby Seale, activist ideologues Tom Hayden and Rennie Davis, old-time liberal David Dellinger, and strict and conservative U.S. District Judge Julius J. Hoffman? But nobody knew as the trial began on this morning that the trial would drag out over 4 1/2 months and disintegrate into a chaotic shambles that came to symbolize the widening gap between generations cleaved by the war in Vietnam.
Beginning as the Chicago Eight Trial, it quickly became the Chicago Seven when Seale, after loudly disrupting the trial when he could not have the lawyer of his choice, was at first bound and gagged in the courtroom and then severed from the case for a later trial, which never occurred. Judge Hoffman, a stickler for courtroom decorum, was challenged daily by the defendants, especially Abbie Hoffman, who called the judge “Julie” and once entered the courtroom wearing judicial robes, which he threw to the floor and trod upon.
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The trial became a three-sided war involving the defendants and their lawyers, William Kunstler and Leonard Weinglass; the prosecutors, Thomas Foran and Richard Schultz; and the judge. That war extended to the streets as well, with almost daily demonstrations gathering in the South Loop. On Oct. 11, a Loop rally turned violent in the notorious Days of Rage riots, when members of the Weatherman faction and other anti-war groups ran amok in the city streets, breaking windows, fighting police and leaving an assistant city corporation counsel, Richard Elrod, partially paralyzed when he tried to seize a demonstrator.
It ended with the jury deciding that five of the defendants-- Rubin, Hoffman, Hayden, Davis and Dellinger--had incited riots but had not conspired to do so. Defendants Lee Weiner and John Froines were acquitted of all charges. But Judge Hoffman sentenced all seven defendants and two defense lawyers to contempt-of-court jail sentences. Eventually, all of the contempt sentences and the riot charges were either dismissed by higher courts or dropped by the government.
At the time, it was the Trial of the Century, but in the end, the Chicago Seven Trial seemed to mean nothing at all.
The original version of this article was published on Sept. 15, 2008.


chicagotribune--2020-10-15--Police arrest 3 men who used rock to break into Near West Side sporting goods store

One man threw a rock and broke the front window of the store , allowing three men to enter and @ @ @ @ @ to police .
An officer arrived at the scene and the men tried to run @ @ @ @ @ able to apprehend three of them .

Officers arrested three men Thursday morning after they broke into a Near West Side sporting goods store.
Several men parked a U-Haul truck in an alley behind the store in the 1100 block of West Madison Street before breaking in about 1:50 a.m., police said in a media notification.
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One man threw a rock and broke the front window of the store, allowing three men to enter and begin stealing merchandise, according to police. An officer arrived at the scene and the men tried to run away, but police were able to apprehend three of them.
Police were investigating and charges were pending against the men, police said.
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Check back for updates.
kelsmith@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @KelliSmithNews


chicagotribune--2020-10-15--Santa Claus mall visits will be different during the pandemic. Here’s how.

Centennial , which owns Fox Valley Mall in Aurora and Hawthorn Mall in Vernon Hills , adapted the 30-minute interactive @ @ @ @ @ visit with Santa it started holding last year to spread out visitors , said Chief @ @ @ @ @ The tours , based on popular holiday books and movies like “ Elf ” and @ @ @ @ @ ” still will offer selfie opportunities , and when it ’ s time for a @ @ @ @ @ will stay at least 6 feet apart , she said .

A family arrives to pose for a photo with Santa Claus, who is on the other side of a plexiglass shield on Nov. 24, 2020, at Bass Pro Shops in Gurnee. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
Santa won’t be quarantining at the North Pole to escape the coronavirus pandemic. But that doesn’t mean he’s ready to let thousands of kids hop on his lap.
Visiting Santa is yet another holiday tradition getting tweaked during what is shaping up to be a COVID Christmas.
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Many Chicago-area malls still plan to hold in-person events where kids can share what’s on their wish list and pose for a photo, but only from a distance. Want more distance? Santa’s also doing virtual visits this year.
Exactly what a contactless visit with Santa looks like will vary.
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At Oakbrook Center, Santa will sit in a vintage sleigh in a heated tent that’s more spacious than his usual Airstream trailer, and kids will sit on presents placed at a safe distance to chat and have their photo taken.
Santa’s lap is also off-limits at Water Tower Place, but families can sit in his sleigh and take a virtual ride, watching sights fly by on a screen, before talking to Santa and having a picture taken from a safe distance. The sleigh will be cleaned after each ride.
“Because Christmas is so important and that visit with Santa is such an important tradition for families, we wanted to make sure we were able to keep that,” said Rocell Viniard, director of portfolio marketing at Brookfield Properties, which owns more than 170 shopping centers and malls, including Water Tower Place and Oakbrook Center.
Centennial, which owns Fox Valley Mall in Aurora and Hawthorn Mall in Vernon Hills, adapted the 30-minute interactive tours leading up to a visit with Santa it started holding last year to spread out visitors, said Chief Operating Officer Whitney Livingston. The tours, based on popular holiday books and movies like “Elf” and “The Polar Express,” still will offer selfie opportunities, and when it’s time for a photo with Santa, everyone will stay at least 6 feet apart, she said.
The sets are designed to make socially distanced poses look natural, Viniard and Livingston said.
Some retailers will put clear plastic between Santa and kids, but photographers can take pictures so the barrier isn’t obvious, said Mitch Allen, owner of HireSanta, a staffing agency that arranges Santa visits at stores, company parties and other events.
“It’s not going to be perfect. You’re not sitting on Santa’s knee this year," he said. “We think it’s a great compromise to have the same tradition without putting the child and Santa’s health in danger.”
Under Illinois' current regulations, both Santa and kids will need to wear masks during in-person visits.
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Families trying to get an in-person visit at the mall will likely have a tougher time getting a slot without booking in advance, with some setting aside more limited time for walk-up visits to keep lines under control.
Brookfield Properties' malls will be promoting virtual visits through JingleRing, an online service.
Seeing Santa on a screen may not replace the thrill of seeing him in person, but JingleRing founder Walt Geer thinks virtual visits can feel more personal since parents can choose the language Santa speaks, his ethnicity, whether they want a “faith-based” visit, one where Santa reads kids a story, or brings Mrs. Claus.
Geer is also the CEO of PictureU, which operates holiday photo programs for Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s. He and his wife, Sarah Blackman, started JingleRing earlier this year, when it was unclear whether face-to-face visits would happen this season.
Mitch Baines brings Wyatt, 4 months, and Hayden, 1, to meet Santa Claus on Dec. 19, 2019 at Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
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Virtual visits also help out Santa.
Santas are in an age group at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19, and many initially weren’t comfortable working in person, HireSanta’s Allen said. Some changed their minds after learning more about planned safety precautions, but it has been harder to find people willing to travel for the job, he said.
As of the end of September, more than 300 had signed up to work with JingleRing.
Still, even experienced Santas need a little extra prep before making the switch — no surprise to anyone who has been part a Zoom meeting or happy hour that fell flat.
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“We have tech support to help with the setup, but to convey the energy and magic of Christmas on a virtual call takes some additional training,” Allen said.
lzumbach@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-10-15--Man killed by speeding hit-and-run driver in East Garfield Park

Bartoli said the man , whose identity had not been released as of Thursday morning , was “ walking on @ @ @ @ @ street ” when he was hit .
He was taken to Stroger Hospital where he @ @ @ @ @ p.m. , according to the Cook County medical examiner ’ s office .

A man was killed while walking along an East Garfield Park street Wednesday night and Chicago police are searching for the driver of an SUV that hit him and drove off.
The 54-year-old man was walking west in the 2600 block of West Van Buren Street about 7:45 p.m. when an SUV, also traveling west on Van Buren, hit the man "from behind and then fled the area,” according to a statement from Chicago police.
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The man was hit so hard his shoes were found scattered in two places near where he was found, according to an accident report.
A witness told authorities that after hitting the man, the SUV “quickly swerved to the right and continued traveling ... without stopping,” heading west on Van Buren, the report said.
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Detectives had not released any surveillance images of the vehicle as of Thursday morning, according to Kellie Bartoli, a police spokeswoman.
“The vehicle is described as a black SUV, possibly a Chevy Blazer,” Bartoli wrote in an email.
Bartoli said the man, whose identity had not been released as of Thursday morning, was “walking on the left side of the street” when he was hit. He was taken to Stroger Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 8:04 p.m., according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
The accident report said the man was carrying his birth certificate on him when he was struck and hospital workers later located it.
The major accidents division was investigating.
kdouglas@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @312BreakingNews