chicagotribune--2020-08-08--Column: Four years after he was shot, Tavon Tanner’s family is grateful for his life — and for the t

Column: Four years after he was shot, Tavon Tanner’s family is grateful for his life — and for the two detectives helping him get to high school

Here in the summer of 2020 , Tavon is on the verge of high school , with his mother hoping @ @ @ @ @ she wants for him .
He ’ s 14 , taller than his mom , @ @ @ @ @ skinny black jeans and a “ Never Broke Again ” T-shirt from the clothing line @ @ @ @ @ The shirt covers the long abdominal scar that endures as the exterior record of the @ @ @ @ @ single bullet .
He sometimes shows other kids the scar .
A couple of girls @ @ @ @ @ s pretty .

Tavon Tanner, 14, and his mother, Mellanie Washington, sit on the porch of their home on Chicago's Northwest Side on Aug, 6, 2020. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)
In this violent pandemic summer, Tavon Tanner has spent many days at home with his twin sister and mother watching the Chicago news. Shooting after shooting, death after death, child after child.
A 3-year-old killed. A 7-year-old. A baby who wasn’t quite 2. Children memorialized by the age at which they died. Sitting in front of the TV, watching the parade of grief, Tavon and his family feel both sad and lucky.
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“It’s sad,” says Tavon, “because they ain’t giving those kids a chance to live.”
“The one that really set me off,” says his mother, Mellanie Washington, “was the 9-year-old. That story took me back to when Tavon was shot. That boy was 9, Tavon was 10. That boy was just outside playing and then” — she snaps her fingers —”gone like that. I think about his mother.”
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It’s a bright August morning on the Northwest Side, with the birds chirping and the flowers in bloom, as Tavon and his mother say these things. They’re on folding chairs on the otherwise vacant wooden porch, wearing blue surgical masks as a defense against their biggest current threat, COVID-19.
Four years have passed since the August evening when Tavon was sitting on his West Side porch gazing at the moon and a shooter sprayed the house with bullets. For a day or two afterward, the story of his shooting, and how his twin sister, Taniyah, stood over his bloody body crying, “Twin, don’t leave me!” seized Chicago’s imagination.
But news tends to be like a firecracker. A loud pop, then it vanishes.
That’s why in 2016 my colleague Jason Wambsgans and I began meeting with Tavon and his family. Washington wanted the world to understand how long a shooting really lasts, even if the victim survives, and how far its consequences travel. After our original 2016 story, we’ve followed up with the family every August.
Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 18 Tavon Tanner, 11, shown Oct. 14, 2016, was shot on his West Polk Street porch in August, with his mother and twin sister next to him. He was in the hospital until late September. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)
Here in the summer of 2020, Tavon is on the verge of high school, with his mother hoping she can afford the one she wants for him. He’s 14, taller than his mom, and on this morning wearing skinny black jeans and a “Never Broke Again” T-shirt from the clothing line of rapper NBA YoungBoy. The shirt covers the long abdominal scar that endures as the exterior record of the internal damage done by a single bullet. He sometimes shows other kids the scar. A couple of girls have told him it’s pretty.
The shooting turned Tavon into a quieter child than he once was, and lately, though he’s friendly, he’s even quieter than before.
“It’s like he’s shut down more, now that he’s a teenager,” Washington says. She gives him a fond look. He returns a look that seems to say, “Mom, stop.”
“I just don’t like talking that much,” he says. They laugh.
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Tavon’s back still aches from the bullet that entered near his lower spine then traveled up and ravaged his organs. He still has pain where a hospital IV tube dug into his chest in the weeks when it looked like he might die.
“It’s like somebody stabbing me,” he says. He looks down at his folded arms. “Nothing I can do about it.”
Watching the news of other children who have been shot, however, always reminds Tavon and his family of their good luck.
How lucky that Tavon’s alive. Lucky that with the help of a Denver real estate agent who heard about them on the news, they found this rental house in a peaceful, racially mixed neighborhood, where the new white neighbors have planted “Black Lives Matter” signs on their front lawns.
Lucky that Washington has held on to her job serving food in a nursing home, even though it exposes her to COVID-19, and even though she just spent a few days in the hospital after an asthma attack.
Patrick Munyon, one of the two Chicago police detectives who worked on Tavon Tanner’s case, is helping him get into a Roman Catholic school near the Northwest Side home where the family now lives. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)
And this year, as Tavon prepares for high school, they feel especially lucky that on the night he was shot, they met two Chicago Police Department detectives, Patrick Munyon and Kevin Lynn.
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“That night, I remember it,” Munyon says, thinking back to Aug. 8, 2016. “There was shooting after shooting that day. Detective Lynn and myself were at Mount Sinai Hospital helping out on a murder when one of us got a phone call from our sergeant.”
“There’s a 10-year-old shot,” the sergeant said. “You guys are taking that one.”
“Oh, man,” Munyon remembers thinking. “Here we go.”
In the chaos after the ambulance arrived, the detectives tried to figure out who the boy’s mother was. Would she be angry? Hysterical? Uncooperative?
“You never know,” he says.
When they found Mellanie Washington, they found that, despite her obvious shock, she was calm and eager to help.
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During Tavon’s weeks in the hospital, the detectives often dropped by. Tavon, they learned, was quiet, but also smart, observant and radiant whenever he laughed. They got to know the bevy of relatives who crowded around his bed.
After his release, the detectives stayed in touch, supplying updates on the investigation but also gifts on holidays and birthdays. When Tavon turned 14, they gave him four tickets to a Chicago Bulls game.
“We look past their being police,” Washington says. “They’re like family now.”
Through the years, the detectives have often asked Washington, “Do you need anything?” When Tavon was in seventh grade, they began asking about his plans for high school, a pivotal choice, especially for a boy who in the wrong school might be lured into a gang.
One day last spring, Munyon asked if she’d considered St. Patrick High School, a Roman Catholic school close enough to her home that Tavon could walk. Coincidentally, his son was a student there.
Washington had thought about it. She’s not Catholic, but she went to Catholic schools and valued the discipline.
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“If I had my way,” she says, “all my children would have gone to a Catholic school. I can’t afford that. But Tavon, that’s what he needs after everything he’s been through.”
So Munyon arranged for Washington and Tavon to attend an open house for a tour. After that, Tavon shadowed Munyon’s son for a day. He’d never been in a school so racially diverse, but he liked it. He liked the food and the prospect of a weight room. His mother liked the prospect of structure and safety and the thought that maybe he could learn to play the drums.
The school offered him admission, and recently he attended its summer program. He learned to do schoolwork on an iPad since pens, pencils and notebooks are rarely used.
The school also offered financial aid, but not enough to make it affordable for Washington on her nursing home salary. So now the detectives are looking for ways to help her out. They haven’t figured out how, but they’re hopeful.
“I look at it as fate,” says Munyon. “That my son goes there, that they moved four blocks away, that Detective Lynn and myself just happened to be up for that job that night when Tavon came in.”
Munyon says they’re virtually certain who shot Tavon, and why. The man was arrested but it was determined they didn’t have sufficient evidence to prosecute. Still, he credits Washington and Tavon for communicating with them along the way.
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“So many times, victims tell me, ‘We’re going to proceed with this,’ but a week later they stop answering my calls,” he says. “Mellanie and Tavon have been the best.”
Tavon Tanner and his twin sister, Taniyah, at their Northwest Side home on Thursday, Aug. 6, 2020. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)
While Tavon and his family wait to see whether they’ll be able to afford St. Patrick, they try to trust that fate will again be on their side. If he does wind up at the school, which is all male, his twin sister will be glad for him, though she’ll probably cry. It will be the first time they haven’t gone to school together.
A shooting changes not just its victim, but a family and a community. The shooting has shaped Taniyah’s life, too, and she knows Tavon better than anyone. During this pandemic summer, they’ve spent a lot of time in her bedroom, playing games and talking, and even if they don’t talk about the shooting, she feels its spell.
“It put a lot on him,” she says. “I think he’s still affected by it. He only sees the bad out of it.”
What’s the good out of it?
“Him,” she says. “For him to be here.”
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mschmich@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-08-07--Coronavirus in Illinois updates: Here’s what happened on Aug. 7 with COVID-19 in the Chicago area

“ We believe an improved remote learning model that engages students for the full school day is the right way @ @ @ @ @ year based on both the evolving public health situation and feedback from our families , @ @ @ @ @ and Chief Education Officer LaTanya McDade said in the email .
“ ... We are @ @ @ @ @ with school leaders and labor partners to ensure the plan we finalize for the new @ @ @ @ @ thoughtful , and we will be sharing those guidelines as soon as they are ready @ @

We have lifted the paywall on this story. To support essential reporting, please consider becoming a subscriber .
Paca Kujtim of Arlington Heights self-administers a COVID-19 test in his car at the Arlington International Racecourse on March 31, 2021 in Arlington Heights. Kujtim was getting testing as a precaution for upcoming travel. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
For the first time in more than two months, the statewide count of newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 surpassed 2,000 in Illinois.
Public health officials said Friday 2,084 new cases were logged during the last 24-hour period, and another 21 people with COVID-19 had died. The last time the newly confirmed case number surpassed 2,000 was May 24, when the state reported 2,508 cases. Officials also placed 13 of the state’s 102 counties at coronavirus “warning level.”
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Meanwhile, Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Friday announced his administration is filing new emergency rules to require businesses to enforce mask requirements that include the possibility of fines up to $2,500.
Businesses that don’t comply will be given a written notice warning. If they don’t voluntarily comply, businesses will then be given an order for patrons to leave the property “as needed to comply with public health guidance and reduce risks,” Pritzker’s office said. If businesses still do not comply, they can receive a class A misdemeanor, subject to a fine of $75 to $2,500.
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[ COVID-19 in Illinois by the numbers: A daily update on key metrics in your area ]
[ COVID-19 cases in Illinois by ZIP code: Search for your neighborhood ]
[ Illinois’ new COVID-19 plan: How the state will manage any outbreaks in 3 charts ]
[ Illinois coronavirus graphs: The latest on deaths, confirmed cases, tests and more ]
Here’s what’s happening Friday with COVID-19 in the Chicago area and Illinois:
6:37 p.m.: CPS delays release of remote learning plan but CEO promises more live instruction and accountability
Chicago Public Schools on Friday delayed the release of its plan for remote learning in the fall, days after the district announced it would start the new school year virtually rather than with the hybrid reopening model it first proposed.
The district now plans to issue its final reopening framework “in the days ahead,” according to an email to families Friday.
“We believe an improved remote learning model that engages students for the full school day is the right way to begin the new school year based on both the evolving public health situation and feedback from our families,” CPS CEO Janice Jackson and Chief Education Officer LaTanya McDade said in the email. “... We are taking additional time to work with school leaders and labor partners to ensure the plan we finalize for the new school year is thorough and thoughtful, and we will be sharing those guidelines as soon as they are ready.”
Read more here. —Hannah Leone
6:27 p.m.: While CPS pivots to remote learning, Catholic schools in Chicago and suburbs stand by plans to reopen fully as teachers and parents fret
While Chicago Public Schools has pivoted to a remote learning start for fall, area Catholic schools are moving ahead with plans for a full return to in-person classes five days a week.
Even as city and state officials struggle to contain the spread of COVID-19 and warned in recent days about the upward direction of infection numbers, the Archdiocese of Chicago reiterated its plans to reopen schools later this month. The decision has upset some parents, who are worried and dissatisfied with remote learning alternatives for those who opt out, and some teachers, one of whom is leaving the job rather than return to the classroom.
The Chicago Archdiocesan school system — which educates more than 70,000 students in Cook and Lake counties, a fraction of the size of CPS spread out over a much larger geographic area —announced reopening plans in early July, calling for a full return to in-person learning, paired with proper safety measures. The dioceses of Joliet and Rockford have unveiled similar plans.
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Read more here. —Sophie Sherry
5:45 p.m. (update): Cubs-Cardinals series in St. Louis will be postponed after another positive COVID-19 test
The Chicago Cubs’ three-game series with the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium will be postponed, sources said.
Another positive COVID-19 test from a Cardinals player led to the postponement of the first series between the longtime rivals. Friday’s game was postponed to “allow for additional testing and to complete the contact tracing process,” the league said in a statement.
The Cubs were preparing to fly home to Chicago for four off days before their next scheduled game on Tuesday in Cleveland.
Read more here. —Paul Sullivan
4:55 p.m.: Inside Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s Chicago Public Schools’ fall pivot
In the days and hours before she gave up on in-school learning at Chicago Public Schools this fall, Mayor Lori Lightfoot was getting squeezed from the outside and the inside.
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Coronavirus cases continued their seemingly implacable rise despite her constant entreaties to residents to wear masks and follow social distancing rules.
Her political nemeses in the Chicago Teachers Union repeatedly accused Lightfoot of putting students and teachers at risk, even as the rumblings about an impending strike vote grew louder.
Within her administration, CPS CEO Dr. Janice Jackson desperately was trying to maintain some kind of face-to-face instruction. Thousands of disadvantaged Chicago children count on schools for education, but also for safety, encouragement, structure, meals and “a lot of other things some people take for granted,” Jackson said as the district opted out of having students in classrooms to start the new academic year.
Meanwhile, the city’s coronavirus point person planted her flag publicly on the idea that the hybrid model with kids going in to school two days per week could work despite rising case counts. Public health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady told reporters that “with the appropriate procedures in place, I honestly do not think the risk of spread is significant” inside schools if the virus is under control.
And Lightfoot herself was eager to show Chicago could reopen the right way even as other big cities across the U.S. struggled not to get overwhelmed by the disease.
In the end, with many school districts locally and nationally opting to keep their students at home, Lightfoot said she was “guided by the science” and shelved until at least November the hybrid model that would have sent kids to school two days per week.
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Read more here. —John Byrne and Gregory Pratt
4:23 p.m.: 2 dead at Marion federal prison during COVID-19 surge despite restrictive conditions, say inmates and family members
A second coronavirus-related death following a weekend surge of positive COVID-19 cases at the Marion federal prison has inmates with medical conditions worried about their health in a prison that is not allowing them to distance, family members and inmates told the Tribune.
The Bureau of Prisons, which was reporting 72 positive cases July 31 at Marion in southern Illinois, reported 133 positive cases Monday. On Tuesday, the number went down to 88, with 49 inmates reported recovered, and then to 84, including four prison employees, on Friday. The number of positives reported fluctuates based on new cases being added and resolved cases being removed, federal prisons spokesperson Emery Nelson said in an email.
Federal officials announced Monday that one inmate at Marion had died after testing positive for the coronavirus. Late Wednesday, the mother of a second prisoner who had been hospitalized because of COVID-19 told the Tribune he had died. After the man was listed in the Bureau of Prisons inmate directory as having died Wednesday, officials confirmed late Thursday the man, Taiwan Davis, had died after testing positive for the coronavirus.
Experts who have been studying rates of COVID-19 in prisons say the infection rate, death rate and growth rate are significantly higher in prison than in the general population. Between April and June, the mean daily case growth rate was 8.3% in prisons. In the general population, it was less than half that, according to one study. The age-adjusted rate for COVID-19-related deaths was three times the rate in the general population.
Three inmates the Tribune communicated with complained this week about other decisions the prison administration has made in recent weeks, such as banning the use of phones and email, using isolation rooms for inmates needing to quarantine, and, for several days, keeping those who tested positive all together in a recreation room. Thursday, phones were turned back on, according to inmates.
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And although low-security inmates typically are able to go outside for most of the day, the prison administration has stopped allowing this for weeks.
“What really worries everybody is now that we have (COVID-19 in the prison), once you get it again, it’s going to get worse,” if someone has it and then develops symptoms a second time, said an inmate.
Read more here. —Nausheen Husain
4:07 p.m.: Cook County to provide $20 million in CARES Act money to rental aid for suburban households, but Preckwinkle stresses additional federal funds needed
Cook County government will give out $20 million in federal CARES Act funds to suburban residents struggling to pay rent during the coronavirus pandemic, officials announced Friday while emphasizing the need for a slow-moving Congress to advance a second stimulus package.
Households earning under 80% of the area median income, about $72,000 for a family of four, can apply for grants that will cover overdue or future rent, Rich Monocchio, executive director of the Housing Authority of Cook County, said at a news conference in Oak Park. Up to $4,500 is available per household to pay between one to three months of rent.
”When this pandemic ravaged Cook County and so many working families experienced hardship, we knew that we had to do more,” Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said. “The need remains critical and urgent.”
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Suburban residents can apply at www.cookcountyil.gov/recovery from Aug. 10 to 18. The program is only available to suburban Cook County residents.
Because officials anticipate the demand will exceed their available funds, applicants will be randomly chosen before awards go out to landlords, Monocchio said.
One-quarter of the $20 million will go to places bearing the brunt of the economic devastation from the coronavirus pandemic. Monocchio estimates the maximum number of households benefiting from the program will be about 7,000.
”It only stands to reason that during a period like this, the county would have a program that helps the most vulnerable renters stay in their homes and weather out this pandemic,” Monocchio said.
Read more here. —Alice Yin
Updated 3:45 p.m.: Last-ditch coronavirus relief talks collapse in Washington, no new aid for jobless
A last-ditch effort by Democrats to revive collapsing Capitol Hill talks on vital COVID-19 rescue money ended in disappointment on Friday, making it increasingly likely that Washington gridlock will mean more hardship for millions of people who are losing enhanced jobless benefits and further damage for an economy pummeled by the still-raging coronavirus.
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“It was a disappointing meeting,” declared top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer, saying the White House had rejected an offer by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to curb Democratic demands by about $1 trillion. He urged the White House to “negotiate with Democrats and meet us in the middle. Don’t say it’s your way or no way.”
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said, “Unfortunately we did not make any progress today.”
With the collapse of the talks, he said President Donald Trump was now likely to issue executive orders on home evictions and on student loan debt.
Read more here. —Associated Press
2:05 p.m.: The Paycheck Protection Program ends Saturday, and many small businesses are ‘looking for a Round Two’
Small businesses are in limbo again as the coronavirus outbreak rages and the government’s $659 billion relief program draws to a close.
Companies still struggling with sharply reduced revenue are wondering if Congress will give them a second chance at the Paycheck Protection Program, which ends Saturday after giving out 5.1 million loans worth $523 billion. While the program that began April 3 has gotten mixed reviews, business owners still need help as the virus continues to spread and hamstring the economy.
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“They’ve exhausted their funds and are looking for a Round Two,” says Molly Day, a spokeswoman for the National Small Business Association, an advocacy group.
Read more here. —Associated Press
1:12 p.m.: 13 Illinois counties now at COVID-19 ‘warning level’
The Illinois Department of Public Health placed 13 of the state’s 102 counties at coronavirus “warning level” on Friday, meaning at least two key metrics signal a resurgence of highly contagious COVID-19.
Some of the 13 counties were on the department’s warning list a week earlier, while others were new additions.
Cass, Jackson, Perry, Saline and St. Clair counties all made the warning list for two weeks in a row.
In addition, Coles, Grundy, Iroquois, Monroe, Tazewell, Union, Williamson and Winnebago are considered at warning level.
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Other counties that were on the list last week, when 11 counties were warned, were taken off the list. Those counties are Jo Daviess, Sangamon, Gallatin, Johnson, Randolph and White.
According to the state Department of Public Health, cases and outbreaks in these areas have been traced to businesses, long-term care facilities, large social gatherings and out-of-state travel.
The state is monitoring a range of metrics to determine whether there’s a coronavirus resurgence in a given community, including deaths, hospital admissions, new cases per 100,000 people, weekly test positivity and ICU availability.
—Jamie Munks
12:28 p.m.: Tonight’s Cubs-Cardinals game in St. Louis is postponed after another positive COVID-19 test for the Cardinals
The opener of the Chicago Cubs’ three-game series with the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium Friday has been postponed.
Another positive COVID-19 test from the Cardinals clubhouse led to the postponement, MLB announced. The game was postponed to “allow for additional testing and to complete the contact tracing process,” the league said in a statement.
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Read more here. —Paul Sullivan
12:04 p.m.: 2,084 new known COVID-19 cases reported, the highest number in more than two months
For the first time in more than two months, the statewide count of newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 surpassed 2,000 in Illinois.
Public health officials said Friday 2,084 new cases of coronavirus were logged during the last 24-hour period, and another 21 people with COVID-19 had died.
The last time the newly confirmed case number surpassed 2,000 was May 24, when the state reported 2,508 cases during a 24-hour period.
The new daily tally brings the statewide count of known cases to 190,508. There have been 7,613 deaths of people with COVID-19 in Illinois since the pandemic began earlier this year.
The state reported nearly 2,000 cases on Thursday, when there were 1,953 cases, as the state continues to see consistently higher case numbers than it did through much of June and early July. The seven-day statewide average positivity rate is 4.1%. The rate was 2.5% on July 7.
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The state remains in the fourth phase of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s reopening plan, but Pritzker has repeatedly warned that in regions where there is a resurgence in COVID-19, as evidenced by a range of public health metrics, stricter rules meant to slow the spread could be reimposed.
—Jamie Munks
11:29 a.m.: Postal Service loses $2.2 billion in 3 months as coronavirus woes persist
The U.S. Postal Service says it lost $2.2 billion in the three months that ended in June as the beleaguered agency — hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic — piles up financial losses that officials warn could top $20 billion over two years.
“Our financial position is dire, stemming from substantial declines in mail volume, a broken business model and a management strategy that has not adequately addressed these issues,’' Louis DeJoy, the new postmaster general, said Friday in his first public remarks since taking the job in June.
“Without dramatic change, there is no end in sight,’' DeJoy told the postal board of governors at a meeting Friday.
Read more here. —Associated Press
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9:43 a.m.: Gov. Pritzker issues rule to penalize businesses that don’t enforce mask requirements with fines up to $2,500
Gov. J.B. Pritzker, declaring Illinois is at a “make or break” moment in fighting the coronavirus pandemic, issued new emergency rules to require businesses and schools to enforce his mandatory face mask rules or face the prospect of being fined.
Pritzker said individuals are not subject to penalties for not complying with the mask mandate.
Businesses that don’t comply with the mask mandate will be given a written notice warning. If they don’t voluntarily comply, businesses will then be given an order for patrons to leave the property “as needed to comply with public health guidance and reduce risks,” Pritzker’s office said.
If businesses still do not comply, they can receive a class A misdemeanor, subject to a fine of $75 to $2,500.
Pritzker issued a mask mandate May 1 for most people in most public settings, but enforcement has been an issue.
Read more here. —Jamie Munks and Rick Pearson
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8:47 a.m.: Drug and alcohol use has spiked during pandemic, prompting Chicago’s recovery community to find new ways to reach out
The pandemic has proven to be a difficult time for addicts. With persisting unemployment rates and surging reports of anxiety and depression nationwide, alcohol consumption and opioid use have skyrocketed among users who have found themselves stuck inside day after day.
But support is still available. Over the past few months, recovery groups and treatment centers throughout the Chicago area have learned to adapt their services to the shifting restrictions of the pandemic.
Katie Minarcik, a manager at the Chicago service office of Alcoholics Anonymous, said about 100 socially distanced in-person AA meetings have gradually returned to the Cook County area.
The vast majority of members from their more than 2,900 weekly meetings, though, have adjusted to convening virtually by Zoom or phone call.
Read more here. —Verity Sturm
8:37 a.m.: Chicago Urban League to hand out $100,000 to Black-owned businesses after Ford Fund grant
The Chicago Urban League plans to provide $100,000 to Black small business owners through the Emergency Capital Access Program, a new initiative that plans to help companies through small grants, technical assistance and advisory services.
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The program, announced Thursday, was launched in partnership with Ford Motor Company’s Ford Fund, which planned to provide grants of about $2,000 to $5,000 to about 20 Black-owned small businesses, according to a news release. Company owners can apply to the program through the league’s COVID-19 Community Help Center website beginning Aug. 17.
Chicago Urban League President and CEO Karen Freeman-Wilson said in the release the new initiative will “help us make a difference for more local, Black-owned businesses and the communities they serve.”
”Over the past few months, our Help Center has worked with hundreds of small business owners to assist them in recovering from interruption caused by the pandemic, and the need is still great,” Freeman-Wilson said.
Funding priority would be given to businesses located in areas with greater than 25% Black residency, and qualified applicants would be required to “participate in non-grant counseling services to access short-term needs,” the release said.
Chicago was one of six National Urban League affiliates to receive $100,000 from Ford for the program. Ford created the initiative to “provide a stabilizing influence” for communities hard hit by COVID-19.”
Small businesses are a cornerstone of the African American community and play a vital role in their economic success,” Pamela Alexander, Ford’s director of community development, said in the release. “The impact of the COVID pandemic has created economic uncertainty that necessitates immediate action. Our long-term partnership with the National Urban League allows us to quickly mobilize an initiative such as the Emergency Capital Access Program to get immediate assistance to those businesses in need.”
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—Kelli Smith
6:30 a.m.: Gov. Pritzker to announce new COVID-19 guidelines
Gov. J.B. Pritkzer and “industry leaders” were scheduled to announce new guidelines Friday morning “to help prevent the spread of COVID-19,” according to the governor’s office.
Details of the new policies were expected to be released at a morning news conference.
Check back for updates.
—Chicago Tribune staff
6:15 a.m.: Some lakefront restaurants reopening Friday
After the Chicago Park District announced this week that restaurants and concessions east of Lake Shore Drive are now allowed to reopen, some were scheduled to start service again Friday.
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Beachside establishments must adhere to the same COVID-19 safety guidelines that pertain to other businesses and restaurants in the city. The Park District is working with each concession on its health and safety plans and owners can open as early as this week, with some allowed to open as early as Thursday, according to the Park District.
Chicago beaches are still closed.
—Chicago Tribune staff
6:15 a.m.: Preckwinkle to announce new coronavirus-related rental assistance program
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle was set to announce Friday a new rental assistance program for people who live suburban Cook County who are “experiencing financial insecurity” because of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Preckwinkle’s office.
Preckwinkle and other county elected officials were scheduled to join county housing and economic development officials at an announcement late Friday morning in Oak Park regarding the program.
Check back for updates.
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—Chicago Tribune staff
5 a.m.: ‘Kids do best when they know what’s coming’: How parents can navigate back-to-school anxiety, whether students are in class or learning remotely
The decision of how children will learn this fall is stressful for parents, who have been under enormous stress already — with many trying to work and simultaneously help teach children at home in the spring, and reckoning with an extended period of COVID-19 restrictions.
Now, they must anticipate what school will look like in the fall.
Read more here. —Alison Bowen
5 a.m.: Internet slowing down as mom works, kids learn? Here’s how to speed it up.
Nothing kills work-from-home motivation like slow internet. It’s an issue some in the Chicago area are facing for the first time as the COVID-19 pandemic sent them out of the office and into remote workspaces at home.
With the recent announcement of all-remote learning for students in Chicago Public Schools this fall, and many other districts opting for some degree of e-learning, a torrent of video calls and downloads from multiple family members could test the mettle of even the hardiest internet connections. And for families with limited income, it can seem like high-speed internet is out of reach financially.
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For Chicagoans looking for ways to improve their connection or get their homes hooked up for the first time, here’s some advice.
Read more here. —Milan Polk
Breaking coronavirus news Stay up to date with the latest information on coronavirus with our breaking news alerts.
Here are five things that happened Thursday related to COVID-19:


chicagotribune--2020-08-07--Body of 16-year-old boy found in Lake Michigan near Belmont Harbor, police say

The Cook County medical examiner ’ s office did not release information on the identity of the body found Friday @ @ @ @ @ t be determined if the body found Friday was that of the boy who disappeared @ @ @ @ @

The Chicago Police Marine units search Lake Michigan at Diversey Harbor for a missing swimmer in Chicago on Aug. 6, 2020. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)
The body of a 16-year-old boy was found Friday morning in Lake Michigan near Belmont Harbor, according to police, days after a teenage boy disappeared in the lake less than a mile south.
Authorities were called to near 3100 N. Lake Shore Drive about 5:45 a.m. and the Chicago police marine unit were able to recover a body there, according to preliminary police information, said Karie James, a police spokesperson.
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The Cook County medical examiner’s office did not release information on the identity of the body found Friday, so it couldn’t be determined if the body found Friday was that of the boy who disappeared earlier in the week.
Video from the scene Friday showed a marine unit boat and what appeared to be a Fire Department boat in the lake outside Belmont Harbor before the body was brought on land.
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The marine unit Thursday had continued a search for the body of a DePaul College Prep student who had disappeared in Lake Michigan about 4 p.m. Monday after going into the lake for a swim.
Police would not say if authorities were still searching Friday for body of the boy who disappeared Monday.
lford@chicagotribune.com
kelsmith@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-08-09--15-year-old girl’s face grazed by bullet on South Side, police say

The shooting occurred about 12:45 a.m. in the 100 block of West 66th Street in the Englewood neighborhood , according @ @ @ @ @ group of men broke out into a fight and someone fired shots .
One round @ @ @ @ @ was standing outside .

Someone started shooting after a fight broke out early Sunday on the South Side, which caused a 15-year-old girl to suffer a graze wound to the face, according to police. Investigators believe she was not the intended target.
The shooting occurred about 12:45 a.m. in the 100 block of West 66th Street in the Englewood neighborhood, according to Chicago police. A group of men broke out into a fight and someone fired shots. One round hit the girl, who was standing outside.
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A relative drove the girl to St. Bernard Hospital and Health Care Center, where she is in fair condition, police said.
No arrests have been made.
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pfry@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @paigexfry


chicagotribune--2020-08-09--COVID-19 in Illinois by the numbers: Here’s a daily update on cases, positivity rate and hospital da

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

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

Note: With Chicago and Illinois moving into phase 5, the Tribune is no longer updating this data. If the state moves back into bridge phase, the Tribune we reassess. Daily metrics on COVID-19, like cases, deaths and hospitalizations, can be found here. And Daily metrics on the vaccination effort can be found here. More on where the coronavirus stands nationally and around the world can be found here.
To assess how different parts of Illinois are handling the COVID-19 pandemic, officials look at the state through the 11 regions of Emergency Medical Services. The city of Chicago is one region, for example, and the rest of Cook County is another.
Among the metrics (see below) tracked under guidelines set by Gov. J.B. Pritzker are the percentage of coronavirus tests that return positive, the number of people hospitalized for COVID-19-like illnesses, and the capacity of hospitals to take in new patients.The state will decide how much or how little to restrict activities based on these metrics. (Cases, deaths and tests data is as of Dec. 31).
• Check out the Tribune’s coronavirus coverage.
• Remembering the lives of those in Illinois who died from coronavirus.
• Other Chicago, suburbs and Illinois COVID-19 metrics.
• See how the governor’s plan to manage the regions works.
Source: Illinois Department of Public Health
Created by the Chicago Tribune dataviz team. On Twitter @chitribgraphics


chicagotribune--2020-08-10--Suspect wounded during police-involved shooting in Englewood neighborhood

Police said officers returned fire and wounded the suspect in the 5700 block of South Racine Avenue around 2:30 p.m. @ @ @ @ @ a nearby hospital for observation .

Officers stand near crime scene tape after an argument erupted between police and residents after Latrell Allen was shot three times by CPD officers after he allegedly fired several rounds at two officers near the 5700 block of South Racine Avenue in the Englewood neighborhood on Aug. 9, 2020. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)
Chicago police shot and wounded a suspect Sunday afternoon in the city’s Englewood neighborhood on the South Side, authorities said.
Speaking with reporters near the scene of the shooting Sunday evening, police Deputy Chief Yolanda Talley said officers responding to calls of a male with a gun found a young man who fit the description near Moran Park in the 5700 block of South Racine Avenue around 2:30 p.m., but he fled from officers.
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“During the foot pursuit, the offender turned and fired shots at the officers. The officers returned (fire), discharging their weapons,” she said. The suspect was taken to University of Chicago Medical Center in unknown condition, authorities said.
A weapon was found at the scene, police said.
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More than an hour after the shooting, police and witnesses said a crowd of about 30 people faced off against officers holding a police line near 56th and Aberdeen streets after, according to Talley, someone fed false information to the angry group, including that police shot and wounded a child.
An officer walks past residents toward a crime scene Aug. 9, 2020, after an argument erupted following a police-involved shooting near the intersection of 57th and South Aberdeen streets. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)
The suspect in custody is a man in his late teens or early 20s, police said.
The crowd turned “very hostile. Emotions were running high. They were responding to misinformation,” Talley said. “It happened while we were processing the crime scene. We were holding the line and if there had not been a crime scene there, we would have not been there.”
During a scuffle, one officer was hit with pepper spray and a second officer suffered a minor shoulder injury, Talley said.
Two people were arrested in connection with the standoff with officers. A police vehicle window also was shattered by a brick, she added. A large number of officers cordoned off streets in nearly every direction until the mood of the crowd cooled off.
Talley, who was recently promoted after serving as commander of the Austin police district, asked for residents in such highly charged emotional confrontations to “take a step back” and beware those trying to stoke anger.
Chicago police have been involved in at least four police-involved shootings in the past couple of weeks, including two incidents where officers were hit by gunfire. Some of this activity is believed to be a result of nationwide protests brought on by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
“We’ve been having a lot of protests. Some are legitimate protests; others have not been legitimate. This right here has been a direct response to one agitator being on the scene, getting people all worked up, without having the full story,” Talley said.
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“And the only thing we ask people to do is listen.”
wlee@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @MidNoirCowboy


chicagotribune--2020-08-09--Pritzker urges residents to embrace masks to slow the spread of COVID-19

“ But we ’ re not doing this only because the medical professionals and the experts are telling us it @ @ @ @ @ because it ’ s what the public is demanding , ” Pritzker said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ this for the businesses that are following the rules while their competitors flout them .
@ @ @ @ @ for the people who have to work in the stores , where their bosses won @ @ @ @ @ rules , thereby putting their lives and health at risk .
We ’ re doing @ @ @ @ @ eliminate community spread so that if parents want their kids to go back to school @ @ @ @ @ the best chance of preserving the option of in-person learning this fall .
”

Gov. J.B. Pritzker was joined by several medical experts Sunday afternoon to urge Illinoisans to mask up and help stop the spread of the coronavirus.
At a news conference at Northwestern’s Prentice Hospital, Pritzker called mask requirements and physical distancing during a pandemic “common sense,” noting the majority of Americans support a mask mandate, and that health professionals with whom he has spoken all count masking and distancing among the most effective ways to slow the virus’s spread.
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“In the last few months, research has evolved from the early days of the coronavirus, when it was shown that wearing masks protected others you’re with,” Pritzker said. “Now, study after study after study has shown us that if you wear a mask, it protects you too.”
Pritzker said the new emergency rules issued last week requiring businesses and schools to enforce mandatory face mask rules or face potential fines protects the public and treats businesses fairly.
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“But we’re not doing this only because the medical professionals and the experts are telling us it’s necessary, or because it’s what the public is demanding,” Pritzker said. “We’re also doing this for the businesses that are following the rules while their competitors flout them. We’re doing this for the people who have to work in the stores, where their bosses won’t enforce public health rules, thereby putting their lives and health at risk. We’re doing this to reduce or even eliminate community spread so that if parents want their kids to go back to school, they’ll have the best chance of preserving the option of in-person learning this fall.”
Pritzker issued a mask mandate May 1 for people over the age of 2 in most public settings. The new rules set out a three-step process that gives businesses two chances to comply before they’re hit with a fine. On Sunday, Pritzker called on legislators to support the rule.
“Imagine if employees didn’t wash their hands or cooks could stick their bare fingers into your food and the owner said simply, ‘Hey, no big deal,‘” Pritzker said. “Imagine if someone could walk into a restaurant, light a cigarette, blow smoke in your face, and all the smoker had to say is, ‘Well, it’s my choice.‘”
Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike spoke Sunday about the effectiveness of masks in helping to reduce the spread of the virus, noting the increase in cases across the state.
“We’ve talked for months about masking. Do I wish we knew even earlier? Of course I do,” Ezike said. “Can we know all the properties of a new virus the first time we see it? Most unfortunately, we cannot. But as the saying goes, when you know better, you do better.”
The Illinois Department of Public Health on Sunday reported 1,382 new cases and eight confirmed deaths, bringing the statewide totals to 194,080 cases and 7,636 deaths since the pandemic began. By Sunday, confirmed coronavirus cases in the U.S. hit 5 million, the most of any country.
“Wear your face covering, along with the distancing, along with the hand washing,” Ezike said. “It’s such a small price to pay to get our big prize.”
Dr. Emily Landon, executive medical director of infection prevention and control at University of Chicago Medicine, similarly said wearing a mask is one of the easiest steps toward prevention.
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“This pandemic has presented all kinds of difficulties and challenges,” Landon said. “Life-altering uncertainty has been introduced into our economy, our health, our daily lives. Masks, on the other hand, are not that complicated.”
Landon acknowledged “COVID fatigue” but said wearing masks could help avoid another stay-at-home order.
“We don’t have to choose between a stay-at-home order or giving in to the virus,” Landon said. “Masks and distance should be something we can all agree on. But we all need to do that all the time.”


chicagotribune--2020-08-09--Coronavirus in Illinois updates: 1,382 new confirmed COVID-19 infections, 8 additional deaths report

Coronavirus in Illinois updates: 1,382 new confirmed COVID-19 infections, 8 additional deaths reported

Perhaps most crucially , Trump moved to continue paying a supplemental federal unemployment benefit for millions of Americans out of @ @ @ @ @ However , his order called for up to $ 400 payments , one-third less than @ @ @ @ @ been receiving .
Congress allowed those higher payments to lapse on Aug. 1 , and @ @ @ @ @ been mired in partisan gridlock , with the White House and Democrats miles apart .

We have lifted the paywall on this story. To support essential reporting, please consider becoming a subscriber .
Paca Kujtim of Arlington Heights self-administers a COVID-19 test in his car at the Arlington International Racecourse on March 31, 2021 in Arlington Heights. Kujtim was getting testing as a precaution for upcoming travel. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
Illinois public health officials on Sunday announced 1,382 new confirmed case of COVID-19 and eight additional deaths.
The numbers came after the statewide count surpassed 2,000 in Illinois for two straight days. The state has now reported 194,080 cases overall and 7,636 confirmed deaths.
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On Sunday, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot had fencing put up and police officers posted at entrances to Monroe Harbor, a day after she criticized a large beach party there.
Meanwhile, Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Friday announced his administration is filing new emergency rules to require businesses to enforce mask requirements that include the possibility of fines up to $2,500.
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[ COVID-19 in Illinois by the numbers: A daily update on key metrics in your area ]
[ COVID-19 cases in Illinois by ZIP code: Search for your neighborhood ]
[ Illinois’ new COVID-19 plan: How the state will manage any outbreaks in 3 charts ]
[ Illinois coronavirus graphs: The latest on deaths, confirmed cases, tests and more ]
Here’s what’s happening this weekend with COVID-19 in the Chicago area and Illinois:
Sunday
Pritzker urges public to embrace masks
Gov. J.B. Pritzker was joined by several medical experts Sunday afternoon to urge Illinoisans to mask up and help stop the spread of the coronavirus.
At a news conference at Northwestern’s Prentice Hospital, Pritzker called mask requirements and physical distancing during a pandemic “common sense,” noting the majority of Americans support a mask mandate, and that health professionals with whom he has spoken all count masking and distancing among the most effective ways to slow the virus’ spread.
”In the last few months, research has evolved from the early days of the coronavirus, when it was shown that wearing masks protected others you’re with,” Pritzker said. “Now, study after study after study has shown us that if you wear a mask, it protects you, too.”
Pritzker said the new emergency rules issued last week requiring businesses and schools to enforce mandatory face mask rules or face potential fines protects the public and treats businesses fairly. Read more here. — Morgan Greene
No pajama pants? In Springfield schools, students must adhere to dress code for remote learning.
Students in the capital of Illinois are not allowed to wear hats, bandannas, sunglasses, pajama pants or slippers in school buildings. And that dress code now extends to their bedrooms and kitchen tables.
“We don’t need students in pajamas and all those other things while on their Zoom conferences,” Jason Wind, the district’s director of student support, explained during an online board meeting of Springfield Public Schools this past week.
Along with the clothing requirements, the district’s remote learning guidelines mandate that students be “sitting up out of bed, preferably at a desk or table.”
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A district spokeswoman, Bree Hankins, said in a statement that the remote learning guidelines were developed collaboratively with teachers, administrators and parents, and that the dress code reflected what the students would be wearing when in school. Read more here. —The New York Times
Montrose Harbor blocked by police, fence after Mayor Lori Lightfoot shuts down large beach party
For months, memes have appeared to show Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot watching for crowds and threatening to close parts of the city if residents don’t abide orders and closures during the coronavirus pandemic.
But on Saturday, Lightfoot herself — not just a Photoshopped picture of her, like those used in such memes — apparently had a hand in breaking up a large gathering at Montrose Harbor, according to social media posts by the mayor and crime blog CWB Chicago.
The mayor’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. However, Lightfoot on Saturday posted to Twitter an image of dozens of people engaging in what she called, “reckless behavior on Montrose Beach.”
“It’s called a pandemic, people,” said the mayor’s post, which included a picture of partygoers. “This reckless behavior on Montrose Beach is what will cause us to shut down the parks and lakefront. Don’t make us take steps backwards.”
In a follow-up tweet she confirmed she was there and seemed to suggest she had already ordered new fencing seen Sunday morning: “In case you were wondering, I stopped by to see for myself. It’s being addressed,” she wrote at 7:30 p.m., about 90 minutes after she posted a picture of the party.
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Stoking concerns that the mayor had followed through on threats to close the “parks and lakefront,” were additional images circulating on social media of police cars blocking a Montrose Harbor entrance. The Lakefront Trail also was blocked by police officers at Montrose Avenue and Lake Shore Drive Sunday morning. Read more here. —Katherine Rosenberg-Douglas
US hits 5 million confirmed COVID-19 cases, the highest of any country
With confirmed coronavirus cases in the U.S. hitting 5 million Sunday, by far the highest of any country, the failure of the most powerful nation in the world to contain the scourge has been met with astonishment and alarm in Europe.
Perhaps nowhere outside the U.S. is America’s bungled virus response viewed with more consternation than in Italy, which was ground zero of Europe’s epidemic. Italians were unprepared when the outbreak exploded in February, and the country still has one of the world’s highest official death tolls at 35,000.
But after a strict nationwide, 10-week lockdown, vigilant tracing of new clusters and general acceptance of mask mandates and social distancing, Italy has become a model of virus containment.
“Don’t they care about their health?” a mask-clad Patrizia Antonini asked about people in the United States as she walked with friends along the banks of Lake Bracciano, north of Rome. “They need to take our precautions. ... They need a real lockdown.” Read more here. —Associated Press
Franciscan Health Hammond seeking volunteers for COVID-19 treatment study
Franciscan Health Hammond wants volunteers for a COVID-19 study it hopes could lead to a new treatment.
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The hospital is participating in pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly’s study to test if an engineered antibody drug, called LY-CoV555, could neutralize the virus early in patients that only show mild symptoms, before the condition progresses to hospitalization.
Around 15 volunteers or more are needed at Franciscan in Hammond, Dr. Erica Kaufman West, a hospital infectious disease doctor said. Lilly’s study - called BLAZE-1 - is recruiting 400 volunteers in 24 sites nationwide, including another Franciscan hospital in Indianapolis. So far, about one-third total have signed up, she said. Read more here. —Meredeth Colias-Pete
Saturday
Coronavirus aid updates: Trump signs executive orders for $400-a-week unemployment benefit, deferral of payroll tax and federal student loan payments
Seizing the power of his podium and his pen, President Donald Trump on Saturday bypassed the nation’s lawmakers as he claimed the authority to defer payroll taxes and replace an expired unemployment benefit with a lower amount after negotiations with Congress on a new coronavirus rescue package collapsed.
At his private country club in Bedminster, New Jersey, Trump signed executive orders to act where Congress hasn't. Not only has the pandemic undermined the economy and upended American lives, it has imperiled the president's November reelection.
Perhaps most crucially, Trump moved to continue paying a supplemental federal unemployment benefit for millions of Americans out of work during the outbreak. However, his order called for up to $400 payments, one-third less than the $600 people had been receiving. Congress allowed those higher payments to lapse on Aug. 1, and negotiations to extend them have been mired in partisan gridlock, with the White House and Democrats miles apart.
Trump largely stayed on the sidelines during the administration’s negotiations with congressional leaders, leaving the talks on his side to chief of staff Mark Meadows and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin.
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Trump’s embrace of executive actions to sidestep Congress runs in sharp contrast to his criticism of former President Barack Obama’s use of executive orders on a more limited basis. And the president’s step-back from talks with Congress breaks with his self-assured negotiating skills.
Now, Trump, who has not spoken with Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi since last year, sought to play the role of election-year savior, with the $400 weekly assistance, as well as a deferral of payroll tax and federal student loan payments and the continuation of a freeze on some evictions during the crisis.
Read more here. —Associated Press
2,190 new known COVID-19 cases, 18 additional deaths
For the second time in more than two months — and the second day in a row — the statewide count of newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 surpassed 2,000 in Illinois.
Public health officials said Saturday 2,190 new cases were logged during the last 24-hour period, and another 18 people with COVID-19 had died. Before Friday, when 2,084 new cases were reported, the last time the confirmed case number surpassed 2,000 was May 24, when the state reported 2,508 cases.
The new daily tally brings the statewide count of known cases to 192,698. There have been 7,631 deaths of people with COVID-19 in Illinois since the pandemic began earlier this year.
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—Chicago Tribune staff
Friday
Chicago Public Schools delays release of remote learning plan but CEO promises more live instruction and accountability
Chicago Public Schools on Friday delayed the release of its plan for remote learning in the fall, days after the district announced it would start the new school year virtually rather than with the hybrid reopening model it first proposed.
The district now plans to issue its final reopening framework “in the days ahead,” according to an email to families Friday.
“We believe an improved remote learning model that engages students for the full school day is the right way to begin the new school year based on both the evolving public health situation and feedback from our families,” CPS CEO Janice Jackson and Chief Education Officer LaTanya McDade said in the email. “... We are taking additional time to work with school leaders and labor partners to ensure the plan we finalize for the new school year is thorough and thoughtful, and we will be sharing those guidelines as soon as they are ready.”
Chicago Teachers Union leaders are demanding the district include members as equal partners in improving on how remote learning went in the spring. After the news that CPS would not be releasing its plan Friday, CTU Vice President Stacy Davis Gates tweeted about the tentative agreement on distance learning negotiated between the Los Angeles Unified School District and the United Teachers Los Angeles.
Read more here. —Hannah Leone
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From hybrid model to remote learning: Inside Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s Chicago Public Schools’ fall pivot
In the days and hours before she gave up on in-school learning at Chicago Public Schools this fall, Mayor Lori Lightfoot was getting squeezed from the outside and the inside.
Coronavirus cases continued their seemingly implacable rise despite her constant entreaties to residents to wear masks and follow social distancing rules.
Her political nemeses in the Chicago Teachers Union repeatedly accused Lightfoot of putting students and teachers at risk, even as the rumblings about an impending strike vote grew louder.
Read more here. —John Byrne and Gregory Pratt


chicagotribune--2020-08-09--Montrose Harbor blocked by police, fence after Mayor Lori Lightfoot shuts down large beach party: ‘I

Montrose Harbor blocked by police, fence after Mayor Lori Lightfoot shuts down large beach party: ‘It’s being addressed’

The Tribune verified about 50 yards of fencing along the edge of the lakefront , north of the boat dock @ @ @ @ @ that go down to the water ’ s edge and the fence is parallel to @ @ @ @ @ grass side of the approach .
The fence doesn ’ t go the entire length @ @ @ @ @ though , so one need only approach from either end where the fence stops and @ @ @ @ @ the water .

Katherine Rosenberg-Douglas, Jessica Villagomez

A small section of new fencing partially blocks the lakefront near Montrose Harbor while people sit near the water Aug. 9, 2020, after Mayor Lori Lightfoot criticized crowds for gathering in the area the previous day. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
For months, memes have appeared to show Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot watching for crowds and threatening to close parts of the city if residents don’t abide by orders and closures during the coronavirus pandemic.
But on Saturday, Lightfoot herself — not just an edited photo of her, like those used in such memes — apparently had a hand in breaking up a large gathering at Montrose Harbor, according to social media posts by the mayor and crime blog CWB Chicago.
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And within hours of the mayor’s appearance, fencing started going up where the party had been held, according to Michele Lemons, a Park District spokeswoman.
“The Chicago Park District installed fencing at Montrose Beach to deter large gatherings like those observed (Saturday). While the lakefront trail is open, Chicago’s beaches and parkland east of Lake Shore Drive remain closed under the Chicago Department of Public Health’s executive order,” Lemons wrote in an email.
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Lightfoot had on Saturday posted to Twitter an image of dozens of people engaging in what she called, “reckless behavior.”
“It’s called a pandemic, people,” said the mayor’s post, which included a picture of partygoers, most of whom didn’t appear to be wearing masks. “This reckless behavior on Montrose Beach is what will cause us to shut down the parks and lakefront. Don’t make us take steps backwards.”
The mayor just last week announced that lakefront concessions and restaurants with patios could reopen under strict guidelines that include proper social distancing and no congregating.
In case you were wondering, I stopped by to see for myself. It’s being addressed. — Mayor Lori Lightfoot (@chicagosmayor) August 9, 2020
In a follow-up tweet, Lightfoot confirmed she was at Montrose Beach in person and seemed to suggest she had already ordered new fencing seen Sunday morning: “In case you were wondering, I stopped by to see for myself. It’s being addressed,” she wrote about 7:30 p.m., about 90 minutes after she posted a picture of the party.
Stoking concerns that the mayor had followed through on threats to close the “parks and lakefront” were additional images circulating on social media of police cars blocking a Montrose Harbor entrance. The trail also was blocked by police officers at Montrose Avenue and Lake Shore Drive on Sunday morning.
Authorities confirmed that as of Sunday morning, police officers were detailed to entrances for Montrose Harbor, according to Anthony Spicuzza, a Chicago police spokesman. However, Spicuzza said officers frequently have been detailed to lakefront access points throughout the pandemic, so the presence of officers Sunday did not necessarily indicate any changes had been made.
“Foot access is available, but you’re not supposed to park there,” Spicuzza said. “The 19th District has bike teams available to patrol that area as well, but they aren’t specifically detailed there like the squad cars are.”
On CWBs Twitter post, one person responded with a poorly lit video that appears to show a fence being erected in the same area as the party.
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The Tribune verified about 50 yards of fencing along the edge of the lakefront, north of the boat dock. There are concrete steps that go down to the water’s edge and the fence is parallel to the water, on the grass side of the approach. The fence doesn’t go the entire length of the concrete path, though, so one need only approach from either end where the fence stops and walk down the stairs to the water.
About 10:30 a.m., crews were working on putting up additional fencing down the lakefront path. The fencing, which looks to be made of wood and wire, did not deter passersby, including those on foot and bicyclists, most of whom sped by, ignoring the fence. A single can of mango White Claw and a disposable face mask lay on the ground near the fence.
Lemons did not say how large the fence would be when complete but that there are no plans to take it down anytime soon.
“The fencing will remain in place indefinitely to remind the public of the restrictions implemented as part of the City’s ongoing COVID response plan,” she said.
Many online drew comparisons to recent protests that have been held in Chicago and which individually almost surely drew more people than likely were at the beach party. Sunday afternoon, the hashtag “Lori” was trending on Twitter with some of the 18,000 tweets saying the mayor went too far, and others defending her commitment to mask safety. Some brought up the city’s violence, asserting the mayor should be more concerned about that than a party.
Others said the mayor didn’t shut down protests over a lack of masks and called her a hypocrite or mockingly saying the party looked like a “peaceful protest.”
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A representative of the mayor’s office did not immediately respond to questions about the beach party being shut down, including how the mayor learned about the gathering, whether more changes are coming and why she focused on this party but not the protests.
After the state began to move through phases of the reopening plan, Lightfoot and Gov. J.B. Pritzker have lately harped on an uptick in numbers, with Lightfoot in early July introducing an executive travel order that requires some Chicagoans to self-quarantine for 14 days if they visit one of 23 states and territories that have an average of more than 15 new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people during a rolling seven-day period.
Chicago Tribune photojournalist Brian Cassella contributed.
kdouglas@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @312BreakingNews


chicagotribune--2020-08-09--Watch live: Gov. J.B. Pritzker gives a COVID-19 update

Illinois Gov .
J.B. Pritzker joins health experts to discuss the state ’ s coronavirus response in a news briefing @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Hospital in a briefing scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Get the latest updates here @

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chicagotribune--2020-08-09--COVID-19 cases in Illinois by ZIP code: Search for your neighborhood

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

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


chicagotribune--2020-08-09--Illinois coronavirus graphs: 7,636 deaths, 194,080 confirmed cases and 3.07 million tests

• How are Illinois regions doing ?
Check our daily charts on where each region stands on positivity rate and @ @ @ @ @ .

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--2020-08-09--Elgin man charged in animal cruelty case in which dog was beaten and burned

Gonzalo Villagomez , 27 , of the 200 block of Villa Street , was caring for the female 2-year-old Rottweiler @ @ @ @ @ 10 on behalf of its owner when the alleged abuse occurred , a state ’ @ @ @ @ @ news release said .
The owner returned to find the dog not moving and bleeding @ @ @ @ @ , the release said .

Gonzalo Villagomez, of Elgin, has been charged by the Kane County State's Attorney's Office with felony animal torture and aggravated cruelty to animals in connection with a July 9-10 incident in which a dog was allegedly beaten and burned. (Kane County Sheriffs Office / HANDOUT)
An Elgin man has been charged with animal torture and cruelty after he allegedly beat and burned a dog so severely it had to be euthanized, the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office said.
Gonzalo Villagomez, 27, of the 200 block of Villa Street, was caring for the female 2-year-old Rottweiler mix on July 9 and 10 on behalf of its owner when the alleged abuse occurred, a state’s attorney’s office news release said. The owner returned to find the dog not moving and bleeding from its mouth and ears, the release said.
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Elgin police took the animal to a veterinarian clinic, where it was put to sleep to “prevent further suffering,” the release said.
“A necropsy revealed that the dog suffered injuries to its abdomen, throat and head, had a lacerated liver and fluid in its lungs consistent with blunt force trauma, and had burns over 25 percent of her body,” the release said.
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Villagomez was charged with animal torture, a class 3 felony, and aggravated cruelty to animals, a class 4 felony.
Bail was set Friday at $200,000. Villagomez is being held at the Kane County jail; his next court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 14.


chicagotribune--2020-08-10--Watch live: Mayor Lightfoot, Superintendent David Brown discuss downtown looting

Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown and Mayor Lori Lightfoot will discuss the looting overnight in the downtown area in a @ @ @ @ @ Get the latest updates here .


chicagotribune--2020-08-10--Chicago police return fire as looters hit Mag Mile, smashing windows and confronting officers

The officers , responding to reports of a young with a gun , spotted someone who fit the description near @ @ @ @ @ block of South Racine Avenue around 2:30 p.m .
He ran away and , while @ @ @ @ @ turned around and fired at them , authorities said .
He was taken to University @ @ @ @ @ his condition was not known .

Hundreds of people swept through the Magnificent Mile and other parts of downtown Chicago early Monday, smashing windows, looting stores and confronting police after officers shot a suspect in Englewood hours earlier.
The mayhem marked the second time since late May that the city’s upscale shopping district has been targeted by looters amid unrest, reigniting the debate over policing as city leaders continued to point fingers and downtown again was shut down overnight heading to Tuesday.
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As businesses owners boarded up shops and braced for the possibility of additional looting, some cautioned against simplifying the situation or blaming any single issue.
“It’s not just people looting,” said Patsy Mullins, whose Gold Coast store, Accessorize, was completely emptied. “Let’s dig to the root of the problem, let’s not look at the surface. ... We need to get to the bottom of this. Otherwise, well, this problem will never be solved and it will continue again and again.”
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City officials said the seeds for the crime spree were sown on social media Sunday afternoon, after officers shot and wounded a 20-year-old man who allegedly had fled and fired shots at them.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Monday decried “a false rumor on social media” that police officers killed a 15-year-old boy. That led residents to clash with police officers in Englewood and prompted calls to head toward downtown.
A Chicago police officer walks past Macy's on North Michigan Avenue in Chicago after the store and others in the area were looted early on Aug. 10, 2020. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)
The looting began around midnight, with people streaming in and out of high-end stores. Some could be seen throwing merchandise into a rental truck and other large vehicles before driving away.
“This was not an organized protest,” Chicago police Superintendent David Brown said. “Rather, this was an incident of pure criminality. This was an act of violence against our police officers and against our city.”
Black Lives Matter Chicago, which protested outside a Near South Side police precinct Monday night, blasted Lightfoot for accepting the police version of events and not doing more to institute reforms. The organization suggested the man was right to flee authorities, given the department’s history of racism and abusive tactics.
“In a predictable and unfortunate move, she did not take this time to criticize her officers for shooting yet another Black man,” the organization’s statement read. “Lightfoot instead spent her time attacking ‘looters.’ The mayor clearly has not learned anything since May, and she would be wise to understand that the people will keep rising up until the CPD is abolished and our Black communities are fully invested in.”
Workers clean up merchandise boxes outside the Best Buy store on North Avenue in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood following looting on Aug. 10, 2020. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
More than 100 people have been arrested so far, according to Chicago police. At least three appeared in bond court Monday, including a 25-year-old Joliet man who police say threw a brick at them while trying to break into the Burberry store on North Michigan Avenue.
Thirteen officers were injured during the mayhem, authorities said. A civilian and private security guard were shot and wounded.
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In the wake of the unrest, shattered glass, broken mannequins, toiletries and shoe boxes littered the city’s toniest streets. Many store owners worried how they would survive the latest turmoil amid the pandemic and with insurance claims still unpaid from the previous looting spree.
“I just don’t know what the next move is going to be,” said Mullins, the accessory store owner. “I’m out of work. They’ve destroyed everything, they’ve taken all the merchandise that I have to sell. This requires an investment of money to rebuild and replenish.”
It took police officers roughly four hours to get downtown under control, leading to a political blame game and calls for the Illinois National Guard to once again help quell unrest in the country’s third-largest city.
Downtown Ald. Brian Hopkins, who said he was on Michigan Avenue from midnight to 4 a.m., described a scene in which officers were overwhelmed by looters and apparently did not have much of a plan for restoring order. He criticized Lightfoot for failing to develop an effective strategy following looting incidents in May and June.
“The real question today is, where was the strategy? What was the decision making at the highest levels?” said Hopkins, 2nd. “That means the police superintendent and the mayor, who’s a very hands-on mayor when it comes to these kinds of decisions.”
Chicago police keep watch outside a looted and damaged Apple Store at North and Clybourn avenues following early morning looting and violence Aug. 10, 2020. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
The Black Lives Matter movement released a statement suggesting Lightfoot should not be surprised by the Magnificent Mile being targeted, given Chicago politicians have long valued protecting the high-rent area while poorer neighborhoods have suffered from disinvestment and neglect.
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“Over the past few months, too many people — disproportionately Black and Brown — have lost their jobs, lost their income, lost their homes, and lost their lives as the city has done nothing and the Chicago elite have profited,” the organization’s statement read. “When protesters attack high-end retail stores that are owned by the wealthy and service the wealthy, that is not ‘our’ city and has never been meant for us.”
Police shooting unfolds
The violent stretch began Sunday afternoon, when the Police Department’s newly created community safety team responded to a call about man with a gun in the Englewood neighborhood, authorities said. Officers found a man walking east on 57th Street and Racine Avenue matching the physical description and attempted to stop him, police said.
The man, later identified as 20-year-old Latrell Allen of Chicago, fled, leading to a foot chase by officers. Authorities said Allen shot at the officers during the chase and two officers returned fire.
Allen, who was taken to University of Chicago Medical Center, has been charged with two counts of attempted murder and unlawful use of a weapon, authorities said.
Chicago police investigate shootings that occurred in the early morning of Aug. 10, 2020, as sporadic looting occurred in Downtown Chicago. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)
Outside Allen’s Aberdeen Street home, his mother, Latricsa, received a rundown from a neighbor of the prior day’s events that ended with her son shot five times.
The mother’s voice raised as neighbor Tenisha Caldwell cast doubt on much of the police version of events. Caldwell said she watched from her front porch as an officer fired gunshots at the fleeing man. She also told Latricsa Allen that her son tried to give up before shots were fired.
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Allen expressed relief that her eldest son was expected to survive his five bullet wounds, each bullet having missed a vital organ.
“He said, ‘Mama, I’m all right,’” she recounted. “He said, ‘Mama I love you.’ I said, ‘I love you, too.’ He said, ‘Mama, they shot me. They shot me five times.’”
Allen said her son denied having a gun, though police posted a photo of a gun they said they found at the scene.
The community safety team officers were not wearing body cameras, meaning there may not be video to either support or challenge the department’s account. When pressed by the Tribune to explain the lack of video, a Police Department spokesman said those officers don’t wear cameras despite the team’s stated mission of intervening in Chicago’s most violent areas.
The Civilian Office Police Accountability, the city agency that investigates officer-involved shootings, said surveillance cameras showed “the pursuit of a man matching the description of the person (believed) to be in possession of a firearm.” Those recordings were not released. COPA also issued a public plea Monday for anyone with video or information about the shooting to come forward.
The lack of immediate, independent corroboration drew skepticism from several community groups, including Black Lives Matter Chicago.
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More than an hour after the Sunday shooting, police and witnesses said a crowd of about 30 people faced off against officers holding a police line near 56th and Aberdeen. Police said a man among the crowd stoked the group’s anger by passing along misinformation, including that police shot a teenage boy. During a scuffle, one officer was hit with pepper spray and a second officer suffered a minor shoulder injury.
A large number of officers cordoned off streets in nearly every direction until the mood of the crowd cooled off. But by that time, Brown said, messages began appearing on social media encouraging people to head downtown.
The officers had stopped several people on Lake Street near Michigan Avenue when shots were fired from a passing car around 4:30 a.m., nearly five hours into the widespread vandalism, police spokesman Tom Ahern said. No officers were shot, but a squad car was hit, he said. It was not known if anyone in the gunman’s car was shot.
Shortly after midnight, the looting began as people darted through broken store windows and doors along Michigan Avenue carrying shopping bags full of merchandise. Cars dropped off more people as the crowd grew.
One woman with shopping bags in her hands fell on the sidewalk as an officer was chasing her. Another woman appeared to have been pepper-sprayed. A rock was thrown at a squad car.
Brad Stein, center, hands Jason Knudsen, general manager of Binny's, expensive bottles of Champagne and wine they are removing from the store in River North in case of additional looting. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
Blame game begins
The scene was reminiscent of the looting that occurred more than two months ago amid the response to the killing of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police. On Monday, both Lightfoot and Brown implicitly criticized Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, saying there weren’t consequences for looters earlier this summer.
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Lightfoot, who endorsed Foxx for reelection, became angry when asked follow-up questions about Foxx’s handling of cases and told a reporter not to bait her.
“What we’re saying is, as a result of what happened last night, there have to be consequences,” Lightfoot said. “We’ve got teams of people that are aggressively out there identifying the people responsible, looking at the plates, and we’re going to bring them to justice.
“But when we do make those arrests, our expectation is that this is going to be treated with the level of seriousness it should be. Period,” she said. “Don’t try to bait us, mischaracterize, pit one against the other, we’re not playing that. We’re in a serious situation here and we need a serious response. That’s what we’re saying.”
Foxx pushed back with her own news conference a few hours later, insisting the cause of the unrest cannot be conflated with her office’s response to protests earlier this year. She encouraged prosecutors to dismiss misdemeanor charges — and felony charges, in certain cases — related to the protests, but said her office approved charges for the vast majority of looting-related felony arrests in the unrest earlier this summer.
Those cases are making their way through the courts, slowed by both the pandemic and typical pace of the Cook County justice system.
In denouncing the looting and promising to be tough on those responsible, Foxx said the situation also must be viewed amid the backdrop of a global health crisis, record unemployment and nationwide protests against systemic racism.
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“The reality is that as we seek to figure out what is happening in what is truly an unprecedented summer, it requires us to ask tough questions, to do deep deliberation and to put all hands on deck. All hands on deck means that rather than standing and pointing fingers, we work together.”
The idea that a lax criminal justice system alone paved the way for the looting oversimplifies the situation, said David Stovall, a professor of African American studies and criminology, law and justice at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
If the Sunday police shooting did touch off the reaction, then the decades of a strained relationship between police and the community has to be considered too.
Stovall said those who engaged in the looting are potentially reacting to that history and demonstrating their lack of trust in law enforcement. It’s not surprising that they questioned those official facts and then decided to “strike back,” he said.
“If we’re going to get hit, then we are going to strike back at the spaces that hurt you the most,” Stovall said, describing the mindset.
The looting seemed to be centered in Streeterville and on North Michigan Avenue, but some was reported on State Street in the Loop and on the Near North Side. Police appeared to be getting things under control by 4 a.m., though some vandalism continued into the daylight hours.
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The CTA suspended train and bus service into downtown during the morning rush, while Illinois State Police blocked off ramps from expressways. Bridges across the Chicago River were raised, except for the one on LaSalle Street for emergency vehicles. City officials said they will restrict access to the downtown from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. for the time being.
Illinois House Republican leader Jim Durkin called for the National Guard to be brought in. The Guard was used to help enforce street closures during looting in early June, marking the first time in more than a half century that a Chicago mayor had asked for the Guard’s help in quelling unrest.
“Once again, Illinois government has failed to protect its residents and businesses,” said Durkin, a Western Springs legislator. “It is time to bring in the National Guard and accept any and all federal assistance to stop the chaos that is destroying our state. No more excuses. No more failures.”
The Illinois National Guard has not received any requests for support at this time.
Lightfoot, who has fought President Donald Trump’s insistence that federal troops are the best way to restore order in troubled American cities, said she will not seek military assistance.
“No, we do not need federal troops in Chicago, period, full stop,” Lightfoot said. “I’m sure the president will have his way with this incident, but I’m calling upon him to do the things that we do need (such as gun control).”


chicagotribune--2020-08-10--Daywatch: Looting in downtown Chicago, the mad rush to take college tests and marijuana sales soar d

Daywatch: Looting in downtown Chicago, the mad rush to take college tests and marijuana sales soar during pandemic

The pandemic has sent people searching for ways to cope with the anxiety of a global health crisis and economic @ @ @ @ @ only became widely legal in Illinois Jan. 1 — has emerged as the coping mechanism @ @ @ @ @ Stores selling it were deemed essential businesses by the state , new dispensaries have opened @ @ @ @ @ People are taking the money they would have spent on restaurant meals and nights out @ @ @ @ @ weed .

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Good morning, Chicago. Here’s the coronavirus news and other top stories you need to know to start your day.
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Illinois public health officials on Sunday announced 1,382 new confirmed case of COVID-19 and eight additional deaths. The numbers followed a statewide count over 2,000 for two straight days.
To assess how different parts of Illinois are handling the COVID-19 pandemic, officials look at the state through 11 regions. Here’s a daily update on cases, positivity rate and hospital data in your area.
Want to know how many COVID-19 infections have been confirmed in your neighborhood? Search our database by ZIP code.
Chicago police are gathered at Wabash and Grand Avenues after looting occurred in the Gold Coast area of the city early in the morning of Aug. 10, 2020. (Jose M. Osorio/Chicago Tribune)
Hundreds of people swept through the Magnificent Mile and other parts of downtown Chicago early Monday, smashing windows, looting stores, clashing with police and at one point exchanging gunfire with officers, authorities said.
Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx greets U.S. Rep. Danny Davis on June 4, 2020 during an event in the Austin neighborhood. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx is dropping felony cases involving charges of murder and other serious offenses at a higher rate than her predecessor, according to a Tribune analysis that comes amid a growing debate over criminal justice reform.
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During Foxx’s first three years as the county’s top prosecutor, her office dropped charges against 29.9% of felony defendants, a dramatic increase over her predecessor, the Tribune found. For the last three years of Anita Alvarez’s tenure, the rate was 19.4%.
Kim Foxx’s record on dropped felony cases as Cook County state’s attorney, charted
A small section of new fencing partially blocks the lakefront near Montrose Harbor while people sit near the water on Aug. 9, 2020 after Mayor Lori Lightfoot criticized crowds for gathering in the area Saturday. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
For months, memes have appeared to show Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot watching for crowds and threatening to close parts of the city if residents don’t abide by orders and closures during the coronavirus pandemic.
But on Saturday, Lightfoot herself — not just an edited photo of her, like those used in such memes — apparently had a hand in breaking up a large gathering at Montrose Harbor, according to social media posts by the mayor and crime blog CWB Chicago.
Josie Hansen, seen outside her home in Evanston Aug. 7, 2020, has had her ACT test cancelled twice and was offered a makeup date in Michigan. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)
When it has come to getting a standardized test score during the onslaught of COVID-19, fate has been cruel to Illinois’ rising high school seniors. They were unable to take the SAT at their schools in April, and many ACT sittings were canceled over the spring and summer after test sites, mostly schools, closed their doors.
That led to a mad dash last week as aspiring test-takers swamped ACT’s website trying to reserve a spot this fall. The bedlam is happening even as colleges seek to assure applicants that standardized test scores will be optional this year. But parents and students interviewed by the Tribune don’t buy it. They’re still convinced the lack of a good score will be a disadvantage at a competitive school.
People check in before entering the newly opened Sunnyside marijuana dispensary in Schaumburg on Aug. 6, 2020. The Schaumburg location is the state's largest dispensary. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)
The pandemic has sent people searching for ways to cope with the anxiety of a global health crisis and economic downturn. Marijuana — which only became widely legal in Illinois Jan. 1 — has emerged as the coping mechanism of choice for many. Stores selling it were deemed essential businesses by the state, new dispensaries have opened and product introductions continue. People are taking the money they would have spent on restaurant meals and nights out and using it to buy weed.


chicagotribune--2020-08-10--Kim Foxx’s record on dropped felony cases as Cook County state’s attorney, charted

The Cook County state ’ s attorney ’ s office dropped all charges against 29.9 % of felony defendants during @ @ @ @ @ Kim Foxx ’ s tenure , much higher than the 19.4 % dropped during Anita @ @ @ @ @ years in office , according to a Tribune analysis of about 287,000 defendants ’ criminal @ @

The Cook County state’s attorney’s office dropped all charges against 29.9% of felony defendants during the first three years of Kim Foxx’s tenure, much higher than the 19.4% dropped during Anita Alvarez’s last three years in office, according to a Tribune analysis of about 287,000 defendants’ criminal cases.
• Read the story: Kim Foxx drops more felony cases as Cook County state’s attorney than her predecessor, Tribune analysis shows
• Read about the analysis: How we analyzed Foxx’s record on dropped cases
Below is a more detailed breakdown by category of criminal offense.
Percentage of dropped cases by category of offense