chicagotribune--2020-06-03--Moving during the COVID-19 pandemic? Here’s how to prepare for virtual tours and what questions to a

Moving during the COVID-19 pandemic? Here’s how to prepare for virtual tours and what questions to ask.

Details on mailboxes and packages , gym equipment , the location of trash chutes and the number of grills on @ @ @ @ @ popular topics of discussion .
Within the apartment itself , people ask about the view @ @ @ @ @ , and for the agent to show them the insides of kitchen drawers and cabinets @ @ @ @ @ unit ’ s proximity to elevators and building amenities are also frequent question topics .

Nicolette Rassano, account manager with Spaces Real Estate, gives a video tour via FaceTime in an empty one bedroom, 590-square-foot apartment at Edge on Broadway in Chicago on May 28, 2020. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)
Finding a place to live is never easy. Finding a place to live in the midst of a global pandemic might seem almost impossible.
Since the state’s stay-at-home order began, real estate agents have gotten creative by virtually showing properties to prospective buyers and renters, using recorded videos, 3D tours and live video chats to give people as clear a picture as possible without them stepping foot inside a home.
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Knowing the right questions to ask during a tour and inquiring about coronavirus-prompted special terms of a deal can make it easier to come to a decision — and provide peace of mind for the most thorough of home hunters.
Porte, a new West Loop apartment building, launched preleasing in March. Leasing agents have offered virtual tours for prospective renters and found the best questions are about things that would otherwise be clear during an in-person tour, said Ariana Rasansky, head of residential operations for The John Buck Company, Porte’s property management firm.
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Details on mailboxes and packages, gym equipment, the location of trash chutes and the number of grills on the outside amenity deck are popular topics of discussion. Within the apartment itself, people ask about the view, appliances and closet sizes, and for the agent to show them the insides of kitchen drawers and cabinets, Rasansky said. A unit’s proximity to elevators and building amenities are also frequent question topics.
As the stay-at-home order progressed, agents fine-tuned the art of virtual showings, she said. In hopes of lessening the bumpiness of a recorded video, agents use a stabilizer stick to record the layout of the unit. They also add music or other customization.
“The really interesting thing about this tool is that we get notified when someone is viewing a specific apartment,” Rasansky said. “So that notification allows the agent to ask the prospective (renter) what they thought of the unit and any further questions they might have.”
In addition to these videos, Porte offers 3D features that allows people to view the unit at various angles. It also has a measuring tool for a more in-person feel.
Nicolette Rassano, an account manager with Spaces Real Estate, noted that virtual leasing has been an option locally for years, but primarily for people moving to Chicago from a different area. But the concept has become a must-have due to COVID-19.
“In the last few weeks, we’ve definitely seen an increase in virtual leases compared to April,” she said.
Nicolette Rassano, an account manager with Spaces Real Estate, gives a video tour via FaceTime in an empty one-bedroom, 590-square-foot unit at Edge on Broadway in Chicago on May 28, 2020. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)
Currently, Rassano is leasing homes at Edge on Broadway, a 105-apartment building in Edgewater. Leasing kicked off in March, about when the stay-at-home order began. Since then, 90% of leases for that building were done virtually, she said.
Agents with Spaces Real Estate have strived to re-create an in-person experience as best they can, going so far as to discuss neighborhood attributes for out-of-towners — like a college student heading to nearby Loyola University — and map out essential spots.
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“We not only did a FaceTime tour of common areas, lobbies, amenities and units, but we also used Google maps to show her the nearest grocery store,” Rassano said. “We sent pictures of a few restaurants in Edgewater so she could get a feel for the neighborhood and see if that was for her.”
Rassano advises renters to find an agent they trust, because during virtual tours, sight is your only useable sense. If a hallway reeks of cigarettes, for example, clients will want to trust that an agent will point it out.
Ask to see every part of a building, rather than just the apartment in question. Check the lobby for cleanliness and look into common areas to get a more complete picture, she said.
Find out whether the building will require renters to sign a sight unseen waiver, which can absolve a landlord of addressing issues a tenant raises after they’ve moved in. Others, knowing it can be scary to take on a one-year lease without stepping inside a home, are offering rent-free months or move-in guarantees.
“If you move in and don’t like the unit, they’ll transfer you to a different unit, free of charge,” Rassano said. “It’s something that a lot of places are starting to do, and applicants love that, because it makes them feel a lot better about making the decision.”
Rassano stresses the importance of dimensions in tour footage, as the majority of 3D floor plans will have dimensions, but basic floor plans don’t.
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“You can make a unit look a lot bigger than it is in photos, so getting those dimensions is super important,” she said.
There are some benefits to looking for a home virtually, Rassano said. It’s easier to narrow down choices when renters can get a good look at a place online, meaning you spend less time visiting apartments before making a choice.
As for whether virtual leasing will still be an option after the pandemic, Rassano sees many elements sticking around.
“This is going to change the leasing landscape forever,” she said. “That ability to narrow down choices before you see them means you’re wasting less of your time. It’s for the better.”
Ariel Cheung contributed to this article.
hgreenspan@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-06-03--After losing husband and both parents within weeks to COVID-19, suburban woman struggles with the un

After losing husband and both parents within weeks to COVID-19, suburban woman struggles with the unfathomable

“ I had anxiety every time I woke up and we would call to get an update on how their @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ I don ’ t wish that on anyone .
I wanted to @ @ @ @ @ them and help .
Out of everything , that ’ s what hurts the most @ @ @ @ @ them .
”

We have lifted the paywall on this story. To support essential reporting, please consider becoming a subscriber .
Saul and Mayra Velazquez take a selfie from the front seat of a car in an undated photo. In the back seat are Mayra’s parents, Maria and Francisco Gomez. (Family photo)
A month after his 13th wedding anniversary, Saul Velazquez awoke one morning in early April with a dry cough and aching body.
Three days later, when he developed a fever, his wife, Mayra, drove him to the hospital near their home in the northwest suburbs.
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Due to coronavirus safety precautions, with hospitals locked down, she was not allowed to go in with him. After watching him walk through the emergency room doors that evening, Mayra Velazquez drove off, not realizing it would be the last time she would be with “the love of my life.”
But COVID-19 was not done with the Hanover Park family.
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In the days that followed, Velazquez would be forced to drop off both of her parents outside the hospital. The elderly couple, married 60 years and the heart of their large family, had developed telltale symptoms as well.
Her father, Francisco Gomez, 81, was the first to die on May 2. Her husband, Saul, 39, died May 12. And her mother, Maria Gomez, 78, hung on for nearly two more weeks. The heartbroken family prayed and cheered her on in videoconference calls.
But their hopes were dashed May 23 when she, too, succumbed to the virus.
Saul and Mayra Velazquez in an undated photo. (Family photo)
The disease’s devastating toll on a single family, while heartbreaking, is not unheard of. The Tribune has identified at least two dozen Chicago-area families who suffered the loss of more than one member who was diagnosed with COVID-19.
In a cruel twist, it was the very closeness of some of these families that made them more susceptible to spreading the coronavirus in the first place, survivors have come to realize. For Mayra and Saul Velazquez, it was multigenerational living in the same home as her parents and two siblings that may have opened the door to tragedy.
Urging great care
In her first public comments after an unimaginable loss, Mayra Velazquez, 37, said she hopes it will serve as a cautionary tale for others to heed public safety guidelines, especially as Illinois has begun to slowly reopen.
The virus is tricky, she said, noting her family began wearing masks and sheltering at home as soon as the pandemic struck, but some in her household fell ill anyway.
“I don’t want anyone else to feel this pain,” Velazquez said. “People are so anxious to go out and lead a normal life. ... The only thing I would like is to be in my house with my parents and my husband.”
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Since late March, when Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced a statewide stay-at-home order urging residents to stay indoors except for essential activities, Illinois cases have jumped from fewer than 600 with a handful of deaths, to about 125,000 cases with more than 5,700 fatalities.
With the state now on a downward trend in its count of new cases, the Chicago suburbs last week began reopening, although that process may be hit with delays after widespread disturbances here after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
Officials have been easing restrictions on worship services and allowing outdoor dining, and letting hair salons and nonessential retail shops reopen. The city still is expected to take that step Wednesday, despite protests and looting that rocked the area over the last few days.
An undated photo of Mayra and Saul Velazquez at Disney World. (Family photo)
But as others try to return to some sense of normalcy, Velazquez knows her life will never be the same. Though no one else in the family has showed symptoms, relatives haven’t gathered yet to console each other for fear of losing another loved one.
It is not the norm for this large Mexican family. The youngest of eight children, Velazquez said Sundays were a special time for them. They always came together in her home for a big family meal. Her mother, Maria, often made her famous mole, refried beans, tamales and menudo soup.
“Everyone brings a dessert or a plate to share,” Velazquez said, describing how the family often sat together for hours, laughing, as her parents reminisced about the old days when they were all children.
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“The virus took all that away from us," she said.
A pair of love stories
The thought of her husband and parents being absent when the family does gather again is unfathomable, Velazquez said.
Her parents met while growing up in the same town in Zacatecas, Mexico, northwest of Mexico City.
An undated photo of Francisco Gomez and his wife, Maria, of Hanover Park. (Family photo)
They married in Mexico, then immigrated as a young couple to find better opportunities. Francisco Gomez often worked two jobs to support his large family. Maria worked in the home, raising eight children.
“They taught us to work hard and always be respectful,” Velazquez said. “I don’t remember ever being in need of anything.”
She couldn’t recall ever seeing her parents argue. The couple loved taking long walks together and being with their 11 grandchildren. Her dad, in particular, often picked up his grandchildren from school or took them to the park.
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Velazquez met her husband, Saul, through mutual friends about 23 years ago. They became friends, then began dating three years later. He popped the question during a night out with friends in 2005, and the couple wed before more than 400 guests at a March 2007 ceremony.
“He had the biggest heart,” she said, recalling his humble personality and the way he treated others. “When he made a friend, it was his friend for life."
Mayra Velazquez and her husband Saul at their March 2007 wedding. (Family photo)
She said her husband, a huge Chicago Bears fan, loved music, the outdoors or just “chilling at home” with her. Velazquez, who had only one sibling himself, embraced his wife’s large family.
“He knew what he was getting into,” she said, laughing.
A series of losses
As the pandemic began to spread, Mayra Velazquez said she was concerned, especially because her husband had diabetes and her parents were seniors. They sheltered at home and took precautions, such as wearing masks when they were out and repeatedly washing their hands.
Their efforts proved futile. Saul Velazquez was hospitalized April 7. He tested positive for the virus the next day, his wife said.
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Both of her parents soon exhibited mild symptoms, but, without fevers, their doctor said it was likely they just had colds.
But, as their conditions worsened, Velazquez said she repeated the same heartbreaking routine, driving each to the hospital, two days apart, on April 13 and 15, without being able to go inside and remain at their bedsides.
“That was really hard,” she said. “You go to the hospital and drop them off not knowing if you’ll ever see them again.”
The family does not know who became infected first or where they caught it.
“It kills me,” Velazquez said. “We wore our masks and followed the guidelines since day one. So it’s very frustrating when we see others who are not taking the same precautions. We protected others, but they did not protect us."
For six weeks, with her husband in one hospital and parents together in another facility, she and her siblings began a daily routine of checking in with staff for updates or waiting for their phones to ring.
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“I had anxiety every time I woke up and we would call to get an update on how their night went,” she said. “I don’t wish that on anyone. I wanted to be right there next to them and help. Out of everything, that’s what hurts the most, not being there with them.”
The family prayed and encouraged their loved ones to keep fighting through video and phone calls. They were on ventilators and unable to communicate through most of their hospitalization.
At times, her husband opened his eyes, giving his wife hope that he could hear her.
Her father was the first to die, nearly three weeks after he was hospitalized. The family never told him that his wife was in the same hospital, on the same floor, for fear he would become upset and grow even weaker.
Saul Velazquez died 10 days later. He did not know his father-in-law had died. As the nurse on the other end of the phone told Mayra Velazquez her husband was gone, she said those words were incomprehensible. He had been getting better.
How could she be a widow at 37, and facing that reality after just losing her father?
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Two weeks passed, and the family held out hope for Maria Gomez — the mother who always fed any visitor in her home and who gave the best advice when asked. As with their other sickened family members, they never told her that her husband had died.
She died after five weeks of hospitalization. The family last spoke to her two days before on a video call, letting her know “how much we loved and missed her and to keep fighting. She moved her head. We want to believe she heard us,” Velazquez said.
She said if her mother were here today, she would tell her, “You got this. You’re strong. You can do it.” She always knew how to make her feel better, the daughter said.
Her family’s grief is prolonged because normal rituals such as wakes and funerals are on hold. A friend set up a fundraising campaign to help defray medical and funeral costs. So far, more than 200 donors raised about $15,000.
“Losing the love of my life and the two other most important people to me, it’s definitely going to take me some time to process this, but I’m praying we’ll get through it,” Mayra Velazquez said. "My faith is strong.”
cmgutowski@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-06-03--Ex-firefighter being treated for PTSD completes 80-mile fundraising run to help other first responde

Ex-firefighter being treated for PTSD completes 80-mile fundraising run to help other first responders facing same struggle

“ Honestly , I tried to not think a lot , ” he said .
“ I tried to make @ @ @ @ @ that , to not think about what was coming up , to stay where I @ @ @ @ @ lot .
I feel my spirits were good most of the day .
I was @ @ @ @ @ , but I never felt like I couldn ’ t finish , that it was @ @ @ @

Former Woodstock firefighter Ryan Mains runs with pace runner Leann McMonigan on May 30, 2020, along the Fox River Trail in Elgin. After months of training, he was making an 80-mile run to raise $18,000 to help first responders struggling with PTSD. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
A day after he ran 80 miles to raise money for colleagues struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder, former Woodstock firefighter and paramedic Ryan Mains was sore, tired and thankful.
“I don’t know how I can express my gratitude,” he said from his home in Huntley. “The support we got in the months leading up to it and yesterday was so incredible.”
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Mains’ 21½-hour odyssey Saturday was meant as a tribute to the 130 firefighters and EMS personnel who took their own lives in 2019 — he ran 1 km for each of them — and as a way to bring visibility and funds to a cause with which he has painful personal experience.
Ryan Mains plows through a flooded path at mile 75 on May 30, 2020, in Crystal Lake. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
Mains, 40, an Iraq War veteran and a longtime first responder, left his job with the Woodstock Fire and Rescue District last year to be treated for PTSD, and is still trying to secure disability benefits. Long runs serve as a form of therapy, and he decided to create an event, dubbed “Run for Our Lives,” that would raise money to help others in the same situation.
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He left at midnight from Woodstock Square and followed the Fox River Bike Trail on a journey more than twice as long as the 31-mile run that marked his previous distance record. The path was not in pristine condition after recent rainstorms — the water was knee-deep in one spot — and he had to switch out his socks and shoes every time they got wet.
Nutrition was another problem. He didn’t eat enough in the early hours of his run, and grew nauseous as the day wore on with his diet of applesauce (for the carbohydrates) and pickles (for the sodium). But he persevered, always accompanied by at least one pacer.
“Honestly, I tried to not think a lot,” he said. “I tried to make a point to not do that, to not think about what was coming up, to stay where I was. That helped a lot. I feel my spirits were good most of the day. I was pretty out of it sometimes, but I never felt like I couldn’t finish, that it was too much.”
Finally, he arrived back in Woodstock at 9:30 p.m. to a reception of about 200 people waiting for him in the square. His run had raised $18,000 for the Illinois Firefighter Peer Support Group, an organization that assists first responders in crisis.
Danielle Mains said her husband’s success, achieved despite his own struggles, gave her immense pride.
“Every day he had a training run, he would do it; it didn’t matter if it was raining or cold,” she said. "He could have just sat on the couch and said, ‘Woe is me, I don’t care, I’m upset with the system and what happened to me,’ and he didn’t. He has a lot more perseverance and grit than that.”
Family members and supporters cheer Ryan Mains in Woodstock after he ran 130 kilometers on May 30, 2020. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
Mains’ father, Joel Mains, a retired Downers Grove firefighter who now lives in North Carolina and drove up to assist on the run, said watching his son meet his goal was inspiring.
“I’ve seen people run marathons, but to watch what he did not only physically but mentally to himself yesterday, all trying to make things better for someone else, people he will never meet, it left me overwhelmed,” he said.
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After resting up, Mains plans to tackle another race in June in which he will run 10 miles a day for 10 consecutive days, and then, perhaps, set his sights even higher.
“I want to try more,” he said. “I want to try longer distances. I want to be better. I wanted to finish (the 80-mile run) stronger than I did, but I finished, and at the end of the day, that was my main objective.”
jkeilman@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @JohnKeilman


chicagotribune--2020-06-03--Eighty miles for PTSD

Eighty miles for PTSD

Protests were held throughout the country over the death of George Floyd , a black man who died after being @ @ @ @ @ on May 25 .
Get the latest here .

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Former Woodstock firefighter Ryan Mains runs with pace runner Leann McMonigan on May 30, 2020, along the Fox River Trail in Elgin. After months of training, he was making an 80-mile run to raise $18,000 to help first responders struggling with PTSD. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)


chicagotribune--2020-06-03--‘This is a step back.’ Latino activists speak out about racial tension with black Chicagoans on Sout

‘This is a step back.’ Latino activists speak out about racial tension with black Chicagoans on Southwest Side amid George Floyd fallout

Ramey said both communities must work together to advocate for resources and address the years of disinvestment from governments .
@ @ @ @ @ need this to be a conversation about black and brown unity ; we need to @ @ @ @ @ we still talk about the black and brown as if they were separate and different @ @

A young girl bikes with other protesters as they walk down South Blue Island Avenue during a march to call for unity between black and Latino communities, in Pilsen on June 3, 2020. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)
The organizing efforts of some Latino groups to peacefully protest and help protect their communities from unrest were quickly overshadowed by racial tensions after reports that alleged Latino gang members were profiling and targeting black people in Little Village earlier this week.
“The system is corrupt and they want to see minorities fight against one another to weaken us,” said community activist Montserrat Ayala, who helped organize a peaceful protest in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement over the weekend. “We need to work together to dismantle racism.”
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[ Para leer en Español, haga click aquí ]
When widespread protests broke out across Chicago and the suburbs to demand justice for George Floyd and other black victims of police brutality, Ayala quickly helped to coordinate a caravan of Latinos to condemn racism and spread messages of black and brown unity. Dozens of Chicago residents showed up in Little Village to support the effort.
But Sunday things changed. Looting began to spread to Chicago neighborhoods and Little Village residents rallied together to stand guard in front of neighborhood businesses and on street corners.
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A crowd on 26th Street grew throughout the day after looters attempted to hit some businesses in the heart of the Mexican-American neighborhood. Residents and police intervened and halted the chaos.
Shortly after, leaders of New Life Community Church, who have been working to reduce violence in the area for years, helped to organize residents to guard the streets and to help keep the peace. Elizeth Arguelles, a tamale seller and activist, walked the whole 26th Street corridor to check on street vendors who were shutting down early because they feared violence in the neighborhood.
Alleged gang members joined in the effort to stand guard.
After several social media posts were widely shared showing alleged gang members in Little Village and Cicero attacking black people in those neighborhoods, people began labeling the situation a race war. More posts advised black Chicagoans to avoid “Mexican neighborhoods” because Latinos were profiling and targeting them as looters.
Participants march through the Pilsen neighborhood carrying signs to promote unity between Latinos and black Chicagoans on June 2, 2020. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)
Vanessa Perry-Dereef, lower right, director of training at the Metropolitan Peace Academy, speaks as community leaders assemble at the University of Illinois at Chicago's Curtis Granderson Stadium to talk about creating more unity between Latinos and black Chicagoans. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)
“This is a step back,” said Berto Aguayo, director and co-founder of Increase the Peace, a grassroots organization. Aguayo encouraged his community to remain focused and “remind our black brothers and sisters that we stand with them.”
Anti-blackness is deeply rooted and internalized in the Latino community, said Aguayo, who says he has been working with at-risk youth to create coalitions to tackle racial violence.
In Pilsen, Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez said in a video that he was aware of attacks reported on social media and urged the community to look after its black neighbors.
On Tuesday, Chicago community leaders and elected officials denounced the reports of violence against black Chicagoans by Latinos, saying that it is a “distraction” to the systematic racial issue they intended to fight in Floyd’s name.
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Benjamin Estrada, outreach director of New Life Centers in Little Village, said the reports are fueling fire between black and brown communities but “a lot is false.”
“There’s definitely been incidents and a few people that have acted out of line, but they are not a reflection of the whole neighborhood,” he said.
Pilsen resident Xavier Ramey, CEO of Justice Informed, a social impact consulting firm, said that he had never been afraid to walk around his neighborhood but had to identify a safe house to meet with Sigcho-Lopez.
“It wasn’t safe for African Americans to walk through, to be present in public in areas like Pilsen and Little Village,” Ramey, who is black, said of the last few days. “That is the hardest tragedy for me to understand.”
Ramey said both communities must work together to advocate for resources and address the years of disinvestment from governments. “We don’t need this to be a conversation about black and brown unity; we need to have a conversation about how we still talk about the black and brown as if they were separate and different.”
Despite the incidents reported in Little Village this week, Increase the Peace called for volunteers again Monday afternoon. This time to clean neighborhoods and strategically show presence to keep looters away.
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“Let’s not forget why this is happening,” Aguayo told volunteers.
More than 200 people, some from the suburbs, dispersed in groups throughout Southwest Side neighborhoods, including Gage Park, Back of the Yards, Brighton Park, Pilsen and Little Village on Monday evening with brooms and bags to pick up debris from the looting. A police officer stopped a group near 47th and Western Avenue to ask what the broom was for and once the group answered, he nodded and thanked them.
More than 200 community members gather to help clean up different part of the Southwest Side from looting damage. They’ll guard the streets as they clean. Many of them have been protesting, demanding #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd since & pushing for Black & Brown solidarity since Sat. pic.twitter.com/RBQ2tCsXZD — Laura N. Rodríguez Presa (@LAURA_N_ROD) June 1, 2020
Designated groups of people guarded 18th Street in Pilsen through the night. While some community members dropped off food and water, others drove by and honked their horns in shows of support. A couple yelled, “Thank you for doing this.”
“This is not a statement against the Black Lives Matter movement; we stand with our black brothers, but we need to protect our community to avoid more damage, division and hate within our minority communities,” said Roberto Montaño, a longtime Pilsen resident who helped organize a neighborhood watch Sunday night.
Some of the men who guarded the streets in parts of Pilsen said they are disappointed by the upheaval that was caused by other Latinos who may have profiled innocent black people.
Some of the men guarding the streets of Pilsen tonight say they’re not harassing innocent Black ppl. “We are just targeting ppl that are looting,” one said. “Looting comes in all colors...color doesn’t exist anymore, safety is the color.” pic.twitter.com/kv7v7jF1gX — Laura N. Rodríguez Presa (@LAURA_N_ROD) June 2, 2020
Julian Cervantes is one of the disappointed.
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He spent Sunday and Monday nights sitting on a picnic chair watching over 18th Street. A man next to him was listening to a police scanner. Cervantes said that the Morganized Motorcycle Club helped to coordinate with residents, including some gang members, to work peacefully to protect against looters.
“We’re not going to brick them because they’re black; looters can be anybody, it doesn’t matter what race,” Cervantes said.
Still, some residents are concerned about the way the groups may operate and question their intention as the reports and videos of Latinos, of unknown affiliation, attacking black Chicagoans circulate on social media.
Kristine Mondon, who is black, lives a block away from one of the checkpoints her neighbor in Pilsen set up to keep looters away. She said she “feels scared and overwhelmed,” and urged people of color to stick together.
Anti-racist and peace marches took place Tuesday in Pilsen and Cicero, both predominantly Latino communities. Protesters held signs that read “Brown people for Black power,” and some carried Mexican flags as they marched from Pilsen’s Plaza Tenochtitlán down Cermak Road. A protester said he wanted to show the black community that Latinos stand in solidarity and want to continue to fight against racism and police brutality.
Police blocked the group of protesters in Pilsen as they attempted to march to Little Village.
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Stephaine Villanova displays a sign as people calling for unity between African Americans and Latinos listen to speeches on 26th Street at Pulaski Road in Chicago's Little Village neighborhood, June 3, 2020. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)
About 200 people attended a unity march Wednesday organized by El Foro del Pueblo, a grassroots organization made up of volunteers to promote civic engagement, in Little Village.
Laura Ramirez, one of the organizers, said the purpose of the march was to denounce violence against black people and to emphasize that “the wrongdoings of certain gangs and police don’t define the community as a whole.”
Jai Simpson, who is black, attended the peaceful event.
“Both black and brown communities on the South and West sides of Chicago are affected by environmental racism, racial discrimination, systematic discrimination and centuries of exclusion, so much so that it may be hard for some of us to assimilate the trauma we have endured, which makes it hard for us to determine how much that has slowed down black and Latino social and economic mobility,” he said.
larodriguez@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-06-03--George Floyd fallout: Lightfoot asks Chicago to ‘stand for peace’ in TV address; downtown to reopen

George Floyd fallout: Lightfoot asks Chicago to ‘stand for peace’ in TV address; downtown to reopen Wednesday; thousands march peacefully on South, North sides

Lightfoot ’ s announcement caught some by surprise , since over the weekend she had suggested civic unrest following the @ @ @ @ @ the hands of Minneapolis police could delay the reopening .
The mayor said she made @ @ @ @ @ numerous local business owners , chambers of commerce and aldermen .
Lightfoot said she raised @ @ @ @ @ toured damaged businesses in several neighborhoods on Monday .
Read more here .
-- Gregory @ @ @ @ @ Grace Wong , Morgan Greene and Jessica Villagomez

Police officers guarding the Trump International Hotel & Tower hold back protesters in the Loop on May 30, 2020, during a rally and march to remember the May 25 killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
In a televised speech aimed at calming a city rocked by widespread looting, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced a $10 million grant fund for looted businesses and promised to implement a series of long-stalled police reforms.
“If there is to be an uprising, let it be for peace. I call on all people of goodwill, young, old, black, brown, white, Asian, from all faith traditions, to rise up with me for peace,” Lightfoot said from her City Hall office. “Stand for peace.”
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The mayor’s address came after an earlier announcement that Chicago will move ahead with looser coronavirus restrictions as planned on Wednesday despite widespread looting and heightened public health concerns brought on by thousands of people protesting in tight groups across the city. But Lightfoot said she hasn’t yet determined when full access to the city’s downtown will be restored to the public.
[ Tribune photographers capture the protests and unrest in Chicago in response to the killing of George Floyd ]
[ How the weekend unfolded: Timeline of Chicago protests, looting and unrest ]
[ Get breaking news as it happens with email alerts from the Tribune ]
Here are the latest developments:
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9:39 p.m.: Downtown begins to reopen on Wednesday, after day of shutdowns and reduced transit service
After days of road closures and reduced transit service because of incidents of looting and violence, access to downtown Chicago will start to reopen on Wednesday, in time for loosened restrictions on businesses.
Metra, which has been out of service since Monday morning, planned to resume a modified schedule on most lines on Wednesday. The CTA planned to restart bus and rail service to downtown at 5 a.m. on Wednesday, though some train stops located within or near downtown will remain closed, according to the city.
Pace suburban bus service also said it plans to resume normal service on Wednesday, including I-55 express service and ADA paratransit service to downtown Chicago. Both CTA and Pace had canceled overnight service on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.
Divvy bikes, out of service since Sunday afternoon, will reopen on Wednesday morning at 6 a.m. and will be available until 8 p.m., the city said.
Lake Shore Drive will reopen, but with exits at Michigan, Chicago and Grand Avenues, Lower Wacker Drive and Randolph Street remaining closed. Also reopening are entrance and exit ramps on Interstate 290 and I-90/94, the city said.
Bridges in the central business district, which had been raised to discourage looting and vandalism, will be lowered over the Chicago River on Clark, Dearborn, Lake, Randolph, Wells and Washington Streets, the city said.
The citywide curfew for all residents and visitors, effective from until 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. will remain in effect until further notice. Read more here. —Mary Wisniewski
8:58 p.m.: Fighting for those ‘whose stories don’t get told’
As the march kept on toward 51st, one woman wearing a mask clapped along to the booming music repeating “Black Lives Matter” in the shade of a bus stop. Marchers guzzled down water and cleared out in front of the banners leading the crowd so George Floyd’s name could be clearly seen.
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Cece Carlson, 28, of Bronzeville, said she came to the march to stand in solidarity and march with her sister.
“First and foremost, I’m a black woman so that in itself, my identity, is what brought me out,” Carlson said. “This is my neighborhood.”
Carlson said she’s tired of police brutality and those who get away with it “over and over again.”
“And I’m here fighting for the lives whose names don’t get remembered, whose stories don’t get told,” Carlson said. “Like Breonna Taylor, and countless others.”
Carlson said she hopes people are “thinking about not just the actions they’re taking in the present but the actions they’re taking for the rest of their lives” to support black lives.
“And I want to call action to white people,” Carlson said. “What are you white people going to do about it?”
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Xavier Vance, 29, of Englewood, said he came to the Bronzeville march for “justice for Floyd, justice for every person that was black, wrongfully killed and wrongfully convicted.”
Vance said he has been marching “every day, all weekend.”
“Sometimes I will just get out of my car and see a protest and join a march, just to support the cause and make sure my voice is heard,” Vance said.
“I’m hoping people understand the pain that we go through, seeing our loved ones being murdered by the hands of people that are supposed to protect us,” Vance added.
He hopes to keep attending events until there is justice for Floyd and his family, Vance said.
“I have twin brothers that I’m concerned about growing up and being a man in this dangerous world that’s built to not protect them,” Vance said. “Mainly I’m just hoping that we can get through to those, get through to police officers, and that we can make some change by being out here during the pandemic. And that we can just make some change in the world in general. It’s not right that we have to do this during the pandemic. It’s not right seeing our people killed for decades.” —Morgan Greene
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8:07 p.m.: ‘The side of Chicago that somebody needs to see’
Protesters, numbering in the thousands, paused every few blocks for short speeches on unity, police brutality and seeking justice for George Floyd from faith leaders including pastors, imams and rabbis. Residents along the drive looked out from windows and held up their phones to film. Signs with messages like “Time 4 Change” and “Jesus Loves Justice” went up as the sun started to set.
Nakelia Franklin, 27, of Bronzeville, said she came to the march because, as a social worker, she wants justice for everyone.
“I’m a young African American so this just hits home,” Franklin said. “If we don’t stand for it then no one else will.
“I think people just need to realize that this is real,” Franklin added. “This is real life. This isn’t something that happens once a year. It happens every day.”
Courtney Kimble, also a Bronzeville resident, set up a chair on the grass to support marchers as they headed south. She said anyone trying to justify the recent tragic events “just ripped my heart out of my chest.”
“This is the least I can do,” Kimble said. “We couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day. Every one of these people is beautiful.
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“This is the side of Chicago that somebody needs to see,” Kimble said. “I hear people chanting about Bronzeville strong and solidarity. This is awesome.” —Morgan Greene
7:43 p.m.: Surprise demonstration in Elmhurst a peaceful affair Tuesday evening
Roughly 200 demonstrators covered all four corners of North Avenue and North York Street in Elmhurst Tuesday afternoon as they chanted and waved placards demanding racial justice.
It was a peaceful gathering, but one that caught the DuPage County city by surprise. Officials announced Monday that organizers had agreed to push back a march and vigil planned for Tuesday by one week “in hopes that the broader criminal behavior that we are alerted to has subsided.”
But when they learned people were coming anyway, they sent another alert Tuesday afternoon saying the city had restricted vehicle access to the retail strip along York Street and asked businesses to close by 3 p.m.
By 6 p.m., with the demonstration going strong, about half the businesses on York had boarded up their windows. Robert Fonzino, owner of the Bilancio salon and day spa, was still waiting for his carpenter to arrive, regretting that he had lost an afternoon of business on his first day open in 10 weeks.
“I don’t know what the cause is,” he said. “I think the protesters are fine. I think their hearts are in the right place. I don’t think that’s the problem. I think it’s the thugs that follow. I don’t think they have any idea what they’re doing other than to be destructive.”
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But as the evening began, nothing belligerent was happening back at the intersection. Elmhurst resident Yeena Yoo, holding a sign that read “It is better to protest than to accept injustice,” brought her two young kids to the demonstration, saying she had no safety concerns and felt it was important to participate.
“I am appalled by the racial injustices that are happening all over our country, so I’m here with my children because I feel it’s really important to have peaceful protest, just like Martin Luther King did,” she said.
Police from Elmhurst and Bensenville hung back from the gathering, which garnered many honks of support from passing cars.
“It’s peaceful; there’s no rioting or anything like that,” said Andre Sorrell, a Chicago native who has lived in Elmhurst for about a year and a half. “It’s been a long time coming … I have an interracial family so this movement means a lot to me. Anything that can make the future better for my kids, I’m all for it.” —John Keilman
7:06 p.m.: Lightfoot asks Chicago to ‘stand for peace’ and announces $10 million grant fund to help looted businesses
In a televised speech aimed at calming a city rocked by widespread looting, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Tuesday evening announced a $10 million grant fund for looted businesses and promised to implement a series of long-stalled police reforms.
Lightfoot also laid out a series of measures she has ordered new Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown to implement within 90 days as part of a broader effort at reforming the long-troubled department, some of which have been languishing for years.
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“If there is to be an uprising, let it be for peace. I call on all people of good will, young, old, black, brown, white, Asian, from all faith traditions, to rise up with me for peace,” Lightfoot said from her City Hall office. “Stand for peace.”
The police reform measures Lightfoot wants to implement include teaching Chicago cops about "the history of neighborhoods taught from the perspective of community members, inspired by youth-led neighborhood tours done by My Block, My Hood, My City.
The city also will implement an officer wellness program and complete an officer support program that supports cops in crisis, mandate crisis intervention and procedural justice training for all officers, and establish a new recruit program on police-community relations and community policing with views from the community about what works, she said.
Referring to damaged businesses around the city, Lightfoot said, “We will clean up these broken windows, but we can’t stop there. We must also clean up and repair our broken systems.”
Lightfoot said the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd is linked to a history of racism in America and police misconduct exemplified by Laquan McDonald’s murder and infamous city cop Jon Burge. She said “four shameful Mineapolis police officers who took his life."
But Lightfoot took a strong stand against looting, saying the city can’t allow its pain to “spill over into violence and destruction against our communities."
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“I will never stand for stealing the dreams and livelihoods of our neighbors. I will never stand for abandoning our values and our love of this city,” Lightfoot said. “My heart is broken over what has happened here in the city that I love.” —Gregory Pratt
6:44 p.m.: Marching for peace and justice in Bronzeville
On a sweltering Tuesday evening, dozens of faith and community leaders gathered in Bronzeville to lead a peaceful march in memory of George Floyd.
Shortly after 6 p.m., leaders of various faiths led the crowd in prayers. On the count of three, the marchers joined together in “Black Lives Matter” and started walking to music. The crowd pumped their fists as voices in the song cried, “Hands up, don’t shoot.” Those at the front of the march held banners saying “George Floyd” and “Black Lives Matter.”
Organizers said they planned the march for South Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive as a symbolic gesture, to represent its peaceful nature.
Some nearby residents placed bottles of water on the sidewalk for those marching. Others held signs with messages like “Peace and Justice.”
The crowd headed south toward East 51st Street and the protest was expected to end at Washington Park. —Morgan Greene
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Marchers heading south on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive on this sweltering evening, pausing for short speeches along the way from leaders of various faiths pic.twitter.com/FOw0oNTOK2 — Morgan Greene (@MorGreene) June 2, 2020
Ryleigh, 4, holds a sign while attending a rally in the Bronzeville neighborhood in Chicago. pic.twitter.com/QdyxvgFoQC — armando l sanchez (@mandophotos) June 3, 2020
6:36 p.m.: McDonald’s, Walgreens and the Cubs among companies condemning racism in wake of George Floyd’s death
While small businesses tend to broken store windows and damaged merchandise amid fallout from George Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police, brands such as Nike and Amazon are busy weighing in on systemic racism in America.
McDonald’s, Walgreens and the Chicago Cubs are among the Chicago-area companies that have posted social media messages, sent letters to employees and held town halls in recent days denouncing discrimination, and pledging commitments to diversity and inclusiveness.
“When any member of our McFamily hurts, we all hurt,” Joe Erlinger, president of McDonald’s USA, said in a public LinkedIn post Saturday.
It is not clear if the messages will resonate with customers, employees and a nation reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic and more than a week of widespread social unrest, but brands are nonetheless racing to position themselves as champions of social justice. Read more here. —Robert Channick
6:02 p.m.: Nearly a dozen state-run COVID-19 testing sites shut down due to George Floyd fallout will reopen
State officials announced Tuesday evening that nearly a dozen state-run COVID-19 testing sites that had been shut down due to the fallout from the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis would reopen Wednesday and Thursday.
Testing sites in Harwood Heights, Aurora, Rockford, East St. Louis, Bloomington, South Holland, the Chatham community area, Champaign, Rolling Meadows and Peoria would reopen Wednesday. The Waukegan site will reopen Thursday in a new location to accommodate the return of vehicle emissions testing at the previous location.
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Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Monday that some of the testing sites had to be shut down because local law enforcement weren’t able to provide protection for Illinois National Guard members staffing them during the unrest.
“It’s one of the unfortunate consequences of what’s happened is we can’t have Guardsman out there unprotected providing the testing,” Pritzker said. —Dan Petrella
5:47 p.m.: National Guard set to deploy to suburbs Tuesday night
More than 200 Illinois National Guard members are in final preparations for deploying to the Chicago suburbs Tuesday night, according to Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s office.
Their mission, in terms of location, will be flexible so troops can respond to situations as they evolve. The guard will only provide assistance when requested by local law enforcement, Pritzker spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh said.
The guard’s availability comes as local law-enforcement officials are monitoring potential unrest in Downers Grove, Elmhurst, Joliet and Oak Brook Tuesday night.
The governor activated 250 additional guard members this week to help quell violence and vandalism in the metropolitan area. He also has deployed 375 soldiers and airmen to Chicago to assist with street closures.
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The soldiers and airmen have been given explicit orders not to interfere with protesters who are exercising their First Amendment rights, the governor said. In the suburbs, troops will be deployed to communities in platoons of 30 to 40 members.
“We are doing — and will do — everything we can to protect private property,” Pritzker said Monday. “We’ll continue to deploy as needed.”
A day before the activation, the Illinois National Guard provided aerial support during unrest in downtown Aurora Sunday night.
In addition the guard units, the governor ordered the Illinois State Police to provide an additional 300 troopers to support local municipalities. He also issued emergency proclamations for nine counties in Illinois to expedite the use of state resources, personnel and equipment to restore order. —Stacy St. Clair
5:45 p.m.: Joliet mayor says he was acting in self-defense when he grabbed and shoved a protester in skirmish caught on video
Joliet Mayor Bob O’Dekirk released a statement Tuesday saying he was acting in self-defense during a skirmish with a protester Sunday evening.
A video of the scuffle, which emerged Tuesday, shows a chaotic scene of police dispersing a crowd of people Sunday evening who had gathered in protest of the alleged murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police.
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The video appears to show O’Dekirk grabbing a man by his collar and forcibly walking him toward a police car several yards away when a second person attacks the mayor from behind. O’Dekirk and the first man appear to fall to the ground and are quickly surrounded by several other officers.
It’s unclear from the video what prompted O’Dekirk, a former Joliet police officer, to place his hands on the first man.
O’Dekirk said he acted in self-defense after he was “confronted by a rioter and then attacked,” adding later the unidentified man tried to shove him. Read more here. —Alicia Fabre
4:54 p.m.: Divvy bikes suspended in wake of mass looting; activists decry cutbacks to public transit
Divvy bikes haven’t been available since Sunday afternoon because of mass looting and clashes with police downtown and in other areas.
On Tuesday, a local advocacy group for biking and transit launched a petition to bring back Divvy, as well as full CTA service. But Mayor Lori Lightfoot said both the CTA and Divvy bikes have been used to commit crimes, and she could not turn a “blind eye” to the issue.
The Active Transportation Alliance said in a blog entry that while it appreciated the position faced by Chicago leaders, “we need reliable transportation options more than ever.”
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Metra has been out of service since Monday morning, and both CTA and Pace suburban bus service shut down service on Sunday and Monday nights. CTA has limited service during the day to avoid wide areas of the city, including downtown. Pace also has not been coming into downtown Chicago, though it plans to resume normal service on Wednesday. Read more here. —Mary Wisniewski
4:30 p.m.: Lightfoot to give televised address this evening
Amid ongoing civil unrest following the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot will give a televised address this evening that’s largely expected to encourage the public to stay calm.
Lightfoot will speak at 6:30 p.m. from her ceremonial office, and “deliver a State of the City Address to Chicago’s residents from her ceremonial office to contextualize events that have happened in recent days,” her office said. You can watch Lightfoot’s address live here.
The mayor has spent the past several days pleading for peace as protesters marched and traveling mobs of citizens pillaged stores in the neighborhoods. The city has blocked off downtown roads to keep non-residents or workers out – a decision that’s been criticized as prioritizing the Loop over neighborhoods, though Lightfoot defended the decision by saying it allowed officials to put police in neighborhoods. —Gregory Pratt
4:20 p.m.: Insurance should help businesses damaged during unrest, but merchants question whether it will be enough
The looters who on Sunday ransacked Z Smoke Shop, which has been selling glass pipes and vaping products in Logan Square for eight years, left behind not only major damage but also empty shelves that could take weeks to fill.
“We will be closed for a good while,” said manager Kyle Korab. “There isn’t one piece of glass that isn’t broke.”
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The business called its insurance company immediately. Now it’s waiting, nervously, to see if its claim is approved.
“We’re not 100% sure,” Korab said. “They might find a reason to not cover it.” Read the story here. —Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz
4 p.m.: Protesters march from Wrigley Field to Old Town
A large group of protesters moved south down Clark Street from Wrigley Field around 2 p.m., trailed by several cars and even a van toting water to keep marchers hydrated.
Bryan Cho said he has been volunteering his car as a caravan and supply van for three days now.
“Water guys, take as many as you need,” he said.
More than 20 cars appeared to be following along with the group, handing out water.
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At the corner of Clark and Drummond Place, Laura Janota took a break from watering her garden to pour water onto exhausted marchers.
“I was watering my garden and I heard them coming, so I brought my watering can out to provide some relief,” she said.
Laura Janota from Lincoln Park stands at the corner of Clark and Drummond Place pouring water onto exhausted marchers. “I was watering my garden and I heard them coming, so I brought my watering can out to provide some relief,” she said. pic.twitter.com/6dkerzIsyP — Jessica Villagomez (@JessicaVillag) June 2, 2020
Crowds of predominantly young people streamed down sidewalks southbound on Clark clutching bottles of water and makeshift signs. Many chanted “Black Lives Matter” as police on bike guided the crowd. Part of the crowd stopped at Clark and Menomonee Street where a few hundred conducted a sit in.
After marching to the north end of Old Town a little after 3 p.m., and making briefly for Lake Shore Drive, much of the group headed back north on Clark Street, although some split off and headed west. —Jessica Villagomez
3:22 p.m.: Grocery delivery could be tougher to come by as George Floyd fallout continues
Delivery services like Amazon, Instacart and Shipt say they have scaled back services in cities including Chicago amid ongoing unrest and looting.
Fallout from the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd sparked protests and civil unrest in cities across the country, including Chicago. A 9 p.m. curfew is in place in the city, where some damaged stores remain closed and others have reduced their hours.
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That could make grocery delivery tougher to come by at a time when consumers, concerned about the COVID-19 pandemic, have been relying on the services to avoid unnecessary trips to the store.
Shipt, which delivers products from stores including Target and CVS, has temporarily suspended service in the downtown Chicago area. Outside downtown and in the suburbs, it adjusted hours to comply with local curfews or earlier closing times at stores offering the service, the company said in an email.
Amazon, which owns Whole Foods, said it adjusted routes or scaled back delivery options to ensure workers’ safety in a handful of cities, including Chicago. Read more here. —Lauren Zumbach
3:20 p.m.: Pritzker, Preckwinkle turn to religious and community leaders in urging protesters to channel anger toward criminal justice reform, economic development
After four days of civil unrest, Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle on Tuesday turned to religious and community leaders to urge protesters to channel anger over the death of George Floyd toward efforts for criminal justice reform and economic development in minority communities.
“What’s very important to me is that we establish an agenda — an agenda that’s led, in part, by the very peaceful protesters that are out on the streets, that were there protesting last night, the night before and the night before, the folks who there with legitimate grievance,” Pritzker said.
Preckwinkle encouraged those angered by the “racist, preventable death” of Floyd, who was African American, at the hands of a white police officer in Minneapolis to “seize this moment and try to bring freedom and justice to every American.”
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“We cannot do this by destroying our communities,” said Preckwinkle, a Hyde Park resident. “We cannot do this by decimating what makes our black and brown communities so strong, so close-knit, even in the face of decades, generations of racist government policies and disinvestment.” Read more here. —Dan Petrella
3:10 p.m.: Top cop says National Guard troops patrolling neighborhoods would be ‘wrought with failure’
Chicago police Superintendent David Brown on Tuesday explained his opposition to having National Guard troops patrol the city’s neighborhoods to quell protests, looting, and other unrest that has flared since the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd.
“Let’s revisit how we got here: We got here for an inappropriate use of force in Minneapolis,” Brown said at an unrelated news conference Tuesday. “We got here through police officers not following their training in positionally asphyxiating a person until they died — caught on tape, and we’ve seen it over and over again to all of our embarrassment.
“And now you want to call in the National Guard who are not suited to use force in the ways all of our residents expect? All the hard work that our profession has ... trained ... I want to turn over to a National Guard that’s not trained, has no connection to our neighborhoods, have not been engaged, who have not built trust, to bring us back to the place we started?” Brown said. “We’re not considering that.”
Brown also noted that National Guard troops don’t have the training in de-escalation as police officers do, and asking them to step in is “wrought with failure.”
“What is the likely outcome when rocks are thrown at the National Guard? When shovels and other (objects), hammers, when shots are fired from a crowd at the National Guard?” said Brown. “Likely not the restraint, the patience that our officers have utilized.
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“They don’t have the training in any of those areas or the experience, and to ask them to come into our neighborhoods and be faced with those critical split-second decisions without the training is obviously asking for more of the same,” he continued.
Brown also addressed the “looters’ tactics,” and their connection to protests and the challenges police face.
“They peacefully protest and then they end the protest, while all at the same time factions of peaceful (protesters) are in the crowd ready to loot as soon as peaceful protests end ...,” Brown said. “And then our officers have to both navigate First Amendment-sacred rights, but at the same no tolerance for looting.”
He also urged the public to help businesses board up their windows and rebuild the city. He said he needs the public’s help with pushing back against rumors on social media “that fuel some of the divisiveness” in the city. Such rumors about the civil unrest has caused anxiety among the public, he said. —Jeremy Gorner
2:19 p.m.: Tinley Park imposes curfew ahead of scheduled protest
Mayor Jacob Vandenberg of suburban Tinley Park said a temporary curfew has been reinstated for Tuesday night, starting at 8 p.m. Tuesday and ending at 6 a.m. Wednesday. He cited a protest expected to take place this evening at the Oak Park Avenue Metra station.
The village is requesting that businesses along Oak Park Avenue close at 3 p.m. Tuesday.
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“The Village is taking these measures to ensure the safety and security of residents and businesses. We appreciate your cooperation and understanding,” the mayor said in a released statement. —Chicago Tribune staff
2:15 p.m.: Lightfoot says she’ll see Trump in court if he tries to send in military: ‘This is a man who likes to bluster’
Mayor Lori Lightfoot dismissed President Donald Trump’s threat to send the military into city streets across the country to quell protests as “bluster,” but promised to fight such a move in court if tries it in Chicago.
“That’s not gonna happen,” Lightfoot said Tuesday. “I will see him in court.”
Referring to a 2017 incident where Trump tweeted, “Send in the feds!” about city violence, Lightfoot said, "Keep in mind, this is a man who likes to bluster. Let’s not overreact.”
Late Monday, Trump held a Rose Garden news conference to threaten he would mobilize the U.S. military to end “riots and lawlessness” in states that have erupted since the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd. It was unclear what form such an action might take.
Trump then walked across Pennsylvania Avenue to St. John’s Church, where he held a Bible for a photo-op, after federal officers had used tear gas, flash bangs and rubber bullets to clear peaceful protesters to make way for the president. Gov. J.B. Pritzker appeared on CNN as the scene unfolded and condemned Trump’s actions.
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Lightfoot’s comments Tuesday marked the latest exchange between Chicago’s mayor and Trump. Lightfoot last week responded to Trump tweeting a message that included, “When the looting starts, the shooting starts” in reply to rioting in Minneapolis and elsewhere following Floyd’s death. Lightfoot said the president cannot be allowed to divide and destabilize the country. Read more here. —Gregory Pratt
2:05 p.m.: Protesters gather Tuesday afternoon outside Wrigley Field for North Side protest march
On the North side where marchers were set to gather at Wrigley Field at 2 p.m, and head south on Clark Street, the Town Hall District Station is just two blocks away. Police have taped off the station.
By a little before 2 p.m., a sizeable crowd had gathered in front of Wrigley. Many people were hauling packs of bottled water and first aid supplies as temperatures push 90 degrees.
“This is not a riot!,” the crowd chanted.
Sizeable crowd gathered in front of #wrigleyfield. Many people are hauling packs of bottled water and first aid supplies as temps push 90 degrees. “This is not a riot!,” the crowd chants. pic.twitter.com/46xTG0ovXE — Jessica Villagomez (@JessicaVillag) June 2, 2020
2:03 p.m.: Naperville businesses, residents get down to the business of cleaning up after looting
Naperville residents awoke to a shattered downtown Tuesday, as a previous night of unrest led to looting and vandalism in the city’s main shopping and eating district. And then they got to work.
Sonya Mingo-Williams and her two children left their Naperville home with brooms and trash bags at 6 a.m., just as a citywide curfew lifted. They arrived to find hundreds of like-minded Naperville residents ready to clean shattered glass from the sidewalks and scrub vandalized buildings.
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People smashed stores windows along several blocks Monday, including the local library, Starbucks and Chico’s clothing store. In addition to being vandalized, the Pandora jewelry store was entirely ransacked.
“This is our town, and we were so disappointed by what happened last night,” she said. “We wanted to come down and help as soon as we could.”
Mingo-Williams watched the violence unfold via social media Monday and was disheartened by the crimes she saw. She had attended a peaceful protest earlier in Naperville earlier in the day with her two children and it troubled her to watch the positive messages sent during that nonviolent gathering overshadowed by the destruction.
“As a black family, we have talked to our children and it’s hard to see what’s going on in this country,” she said. “We tell them that they can help bring about change. Our message is strong and our message is important. And in this moment, people have tried to exploit it.”
An estimated 300 people marched through the downtown Monday night, as police officers in riot gear watched. At least one person reported being stabbed, but police had not yet determined whether he had been injured by broken glass or a knife.
A police officer was injured by a fireworks, officials said. His condition was unknown.
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As he surveyed the damage Tuesday morning, Mayor Steve Chirico said police had photographed license plates of cars parked in public garages and lots to determine where the participants live. The analysis has not been completed, but he said early indications are between 80 to 90% did not live in Naperville.
Chirico met with protestors earlier in the day, urging them to get involved in their communities by volunteering and supporting political candidates who believe in social justice. The nonviolent protest’s message is now obscured by the nighttime unrest, he said.
“I think it is lost,” Chirico said as his voice choked with emotion. “And that’s unfortunate because people tried to do something good.”
There were still signed of goodness in Naperville that morning, as estimated 700 people helped with clean up efforts. The group had most it cleaned up by 7:45 a.m., as local businesses showed the gratitude by plying the volunteers with free food and drinks.
“I wasn’t here to help with the (peaceful) protests yesterday and I felt like I needed to help,” said Lisle resident Catt Eicher as she swept to up tiny shards of glass along Jackson Avenue. “It’s better than looking at Twitter and feel sad (or) angry.”
The town’s response heartened Councilman Benny White, who marched in the nonviolent protest earlier Monday.
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“The great thing, for me, is seeing the resilience of our community,” said White, the city council’s only African-American member. "People are down here lending a hand and making it happen. I’m extremely proud of our community.” —Stacy St. Clair
1:22 p.m.: Evanston police take 12 people into custody following Best Buy looting incidents
Twelve people were taken into custody following two looting incidents at a Best Buy in Evanston, according to police.
Evanston police responded to a report of looting at the Best Buy store on Howard Street Monday afternoon around 2:30 p.m., said Evanston police Commander Brian Henry.
“We had people right around the corner,” Henry said, so police responded right away after receiving the call.
Police took a total of five people into custody following that “organized” incident Monday.
That follows a similar incident at the same store Sunday evening in which seven people were taken into custody, Henry said.
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None of the 12 people taken into custody over the two days were from Evanston, Henry said. Police said they do not believe the incidents were connected to what was a peaceful protest Sunday afternoon.
Charges were pending as of Tuesday morning. —Genevieve Bookwalter
12:57 p.m.: Feds charge 2 more people in connection to weekend looting in Chicago
Two more people face federal charges following looting in Chicago over the weekend.
Brandon Pegues and Amber L. Peltzer, both 28 and from the south suburbs, were charged Monday with illegal possession of a firearm. This follows federal charges against Matthew Rupert, 28, of Galesburg, for allegedly driving to Chicago and Minnesota to loot and riot.
Early Sunday, around 12:40 a.m., Chicago police officers responded to crowds near 801 South Financial Place, authorities said. The officers saw four men running south, some carrying hammers, according to court filings.
Pegues looked at the police, adjusted the right side of his waistband and fled south on South Financial Place, according to the complaint. As officers chased him, he fell and a loaded 9 mm pistol dropped on the ground. Pegues pushed it under a car, where police recovered it, the complaint said.
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Around the same time, officers approached Peltzer sitting in a car in front of a bar at 16th Street and Michigan Avenue after noticing the glass front door of the business was shattered, according to the complaint. An officer saw Peltzer reach toward the front seat and the officers saw a loaded handgun lying there, authorities said.
Peltzer was convicted of aggravated robbery in Will County in 2014, according to the federal filings. He is from Lansing.
Pegues has a 2010 felony conviction for residential burglary in Cook County. On those charges, he was sentenced to 30 months’ probation. He is from Riverdale. —Sophie Sherry
11:50 a.m.: 6 Atlanta officers charged after dramatic video of arrest of college student from Chicago
Six Atlanta police officers have been charged after a dramatic video showed authorities pulling two young people, including a college student from Chicago, from a car during protests over the death of George Floyd, a prosecutor said Tuesday.
Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard announced the charges during a news conference.
“I feel a little safer now that these monsters are off the street and no longer able to terrorize anyone else,” said Messiah Young, who was dragged from the vehicle along with his girlfriend, Taniyah Pilgrim, while they were caught in traffic.
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Young, 22, of Chicago, is a senior at Morehouse, where he’s studying business management. Pilgrim, 20 — from San Antonio, Texas — is a psychology major at Spelman College. Both schools are historically black colleges near downtown Atlanta. Read more here. —Associated Press
11 a.m.: Naperville cleans up downtown after peaceful marches gave way to violence
Naperville at 10 a.m. Tuesday was the idyllic picture that draws people to the city: kayakers paddling down the DuPage River, mothers pushing strollers along the Riverwalk, families riding their bicycles along the streets in downtown Naperville.I
t was a vastly different image from what the central business district looked 12 hours earlier, when unruly, raging groups of people broke windows, looted businesses and pelted police with rocks, bricks and water bottles.
Not willing to accept Monday night, Naperville volunteers showed up early Tuesday morning to clean up the damage done during hours of looting that occurred after peaceful protests occurred throughout the afternoon and evening. Read more here. — Erin Hegarty, Suzanne Baker
10:50 a.m.: Chicago will still loosen restrictions on Wednesday as planned, despite widespread looting and coronavirus concerns, Mayor Lori Lightfoot says
Despite widespread looting and heightened public health concerns brought on by thousands of people protesting in tight groups across the city, Chicago will move ahead with looser coronavirus restrictions as planned on Wednesday, Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced.
Lightfoot previously said restaurants, hotels and many more businesses would get to start opening June 3 with reduced capacities and tight rules in place designed to stop COVID-19 cases from spiking. That timeline seemed imperiled in recent days as fallout from the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd led to nationwide protests and civil unrest, but Lightfoot said the city will move forward with its plan as scheduled.
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“I want to tell the city now after a lot of consultation and, yes, a lot of prayer, we will reopen tomorrow and take this important next step as planned,” Lightfoot said at a morning new conference.
The decision to reopen took some by surprise. Over the weekend, Lightfoot suggested that protests could delay a reopening. Read more here. — Gregory Pratt
9:35 a.m.: Police release video of fatal shooting at North Riverside mall
North Riverside Police have released video of a fatal shooting during Sunday’s looting outside the town’s mall.
The 12-second clip shows a gunman in pursuit of another man, who falls to the sidewalk behind Olive Garden Restaurant at North Riverside Park Mall. The gunman, with both hands gripping a weapon, fires multiple times at close range into the fallen man’s body. The gunman turns, runs and gets into a waiting car that then drives off. Read more here. —Todd Lighty
9:25 a.m.: 4 police officers shot in night of violence in St. Louis
Four police officers were shot in downtown St. Louis early Tuesday, as a day of peaceful protests turned into a violent and destructive night in the city.
Early in the day, hundreds of people gathered across the St. Louis region again Monday to protest the Memorial Day death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
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But tensions rose after the sun fell in downtown St. Louis.
Just after midnight, four officers, all men, were shot near 16th and Olive streets. All four are conscious, and their injuries are considered non-life-threatening. Read more here. —St. Louis Post-Dispatch
8 a.m.: Lombard man charged with attempted terrorism after police say he approached squad cars with Molotov cocktail
A Lombard man has been charged with attempted terrorism after police say he approached squad cars with a Molotov cocktail, lighters and a bat.
Christian Frazee, 25 of the 900 Block of South Lombard Avenue in the western suburb, has been ordered held on $1 million bond.
Police said Frazee was dressed in black, wearing a face covering and latex gloves, when he headed toward the Village of Lombard municipal campus around 12:30 a.m. Monday.
Frazee was seen walking toward squad cars and employee vehicles with a lighter and Molotov cocktail, according to a statement from DuPage County’s state’s attorney’s office. Frazee also had a butane torch, seven additional lighters and a bat.
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Frazee was charged with one count of possession of an incendiary device and one count of attempted terrorism, both felonies. —Sophie Sherry
7:45 a.m.: Two shot dead and 60 arrested in Cicero, town blames ‘outside agitators’
Police in riot gear patrolled the streets of Cicero Monday night after two people were shot dead and two others were wounded following a day of unrest that the western suburb blamed on “outside agitators.”
At least 60 people were arrested as the town deployed more than 100 officers in addition to more than 100 sheriff’s officers and state troopers.
“Outside agitators shot at least two people near 50th Street and Cermak Road,” Cicero spokesman Ray Hanania said. “But police apprehended the three suspects involved in the shooting. These were outside agitators who were driving through Cicero seeking to cause trouble.” Read more here. —Jessica Villagomez
6:15 a.m.: Chicago police and city leaders defend handling of protests and looting as questions swirl over response some found lacking
For some three hours on Sunday, the officers stood in a long row on Pulaski Road, a line of blue visible from blocks away.
They wore face shields, many flipped up to reveal expressionless faces. The lights of idling police vehicles flickered at their backs.
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And right in front of them on Madison Street, the West Garfield Park neighborhood’s main business artery, liquor stores, wig shops and dollar stores were suffering sustained looting, as people packed shopping carts and shoved large plastic storage bins full of items down the street. They carried liquor bottles and mannequin heads, crawling through broken windows to find items.
All the while, the officers did not intervene. Read more here. – Annie Sweeney, Gregory Pratt and Jeremy Gorner
6 a.m.: Sparked by death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, protests in Chicago fueled by decades of Police Department problems
George Floyd’s death at the hands of police 400 miles away catalyzed days of street protests in Chicago, but the demonstrations here are rooted in anger over decades of abuse of African Americans by the city’s officers, activists said.
The protests continued a tradition of Chicago activists crowding streets to complain about bias in enforcement, a lack of accountability for officers and police killing black people.
The motivating forces driving the protests also extend beyond policing to unemployment and an often-ineffective health care system at a moment when a coronavirus pandemic has disproportionately hurt minorities, said Aislinn Pulley, a co-founder of Black Lives Matter: Chicago. Read more here. —Dan Hinkel
5:50 a.m.: Federal authorities accuse Galesburg man of traveling to Chicago for protests with homemade bombs, charge him with inciting a riot
An Illinois man arrested in Chicago over the weekend had homemade bombs in his car and had been seen on videos posted on the internet participating in the looting and rioting in Minneapolis and Chicago, according to federal charges filed Monday.
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Matthew Rupert, 28, of Galesburg, was charged in U.S. District Court in Minnesota with inciting a riot and possession of an explosive device, court records show. Read more here. —Jason Meisner


chicagotribune--2020-06-03--Downtown begins to reopen on Wednesday, after days of shutdowns and reduced transit service

Metra , which has been out of service since Monday morning , planned to resume a modified schedule Wednesday on @ @ @ @ @ planned to restart bus and rail service to downtown at 5 a.m. , though some @ @ @ @ @ near downtown will remain closed , according to the city .

A protester has his face mostly covered while riding a Divvy bicycle in the Loop on May 29, 2020, during a march to bring attention to the May 25 murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)
After days of road closures and reduced transit service because of incidents of looting and violence, access to downtown Chicago will start to reopen today, , in time for loosened restrictions on businesses.
Metra, which has been out of service since Monday morning, resumed a modified schedule today on most lines. The CTA restarted bus and rail service to downtown at 5 a.m., though some train stops located within or near downtown will remain closed, according to the city.
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Pace suburban bus service also resumed normal service, including I-55 express service and ADA paratransit service to downtown Chicago. Both CTA and Pace had canceled overnight service on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.
Divvy bikes, out of service since Sunday afternoon, reopened at 6 a.m, and will be available until 8 p.m., the city said.
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Lake Shore Drive reopened, but with exits at Michigan, Chicago and Grand avenues, Lower Wacker Drive and Randolph Street remain closed. Also reopened are entrance and exit ramps on Interstate 290 and I-90/94, the city said.
Bridges in the central business district, which had been raised to discourage looting and vandalism, were lowered over the Chicago River on Clark, Dearborn, Lake, Randolph, Wells and Washington streets, the city said.
The citywide curfew for all residents and visitors, effective from until 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. remains in effect until further notice.
A limited number of businesses will reopen today, after months of closures due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The transit and road shutdown was in response to fallout from protests against racial injustice and the killing of an African American man, George Floyd, while he was in police custody in Minneapolis.
The closures caused some residents problems getting to and from work.
On Tuesday the Active Transportation Alliance, a local advocacy group for biking and transit, launched a petition to bring back Divvy and transit service. Mayor Lori Lightfoot responded that both the CTA and Divvy bikes have been used to commit crimes, and she could not turn a “blind eye” to the issue.
“We’ve seen people trying to commandeer buses, threatening bus drivers,” Lightfoot said during a news conference Tuesday. She said city officials also saw people committing criminal acts while riding around on Divvy bikes.
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Metra spokeswoman Meg Thomas-Reile said there will be no service on the SouthWest Service, Heritage Corridor or North Central Service lines, and Metra could adjust schedules daily depending on circumstances. Due to curfews throughout the region, the last inbound and outbound trains in the late evening will not run.
Thomas-Reile said that the modified schedule will run through Sunday, and that riders should check metrarail.com for the latest updates.
CTA riders are encouraged to check the agency’s website for updates.
mwisniewski@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-06-04--Northwest suburban school district denounces racist slurs by former students on video from several y

Northwest suburban school district denounces racist slurs by former students on video from several years ago

In reply to the Twitter account that posted the video , the Delta Chi fraternity at the University of Wisconsin @ @ @ @ @ We do not support racism and the controversy that has circulated is completely against our @ @ @ @ @ The member who has been involved has been put up for expulsion and will have @ @ @ @ @ ”

Former Hampshire High School students chanting a racial slur are “disgraceful” and do not reflect their far northwest suburban school, an official said Wednesday.
Community Unit School District 300 Superintendent Fred Heid took to Twitter to call the behavior “appalling and disgraceful,” and said it was “NOT reflective of our core values and beliefs.”
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“However,” he added, “it is clear that we have work to do as an organization and community if we are going to truly address the issues of economic, cultural, racial, gender, and religious bias.”
The video appears to show up to six students who appear to be white, at least four from Hampshire High, apparently at a party and repeatedly chanting a phrase that included the racial slur.
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The video was apparently originally posted to Snapchat at least four years ago, Heid said, but was reposted to Twitter on Tuesday by another unknown student, who apparently meant to show racism during heightened concern over the issue following the death of George Floyd in police custody.
The known students have graduated, and officials were trying to identify the other two participants, Heid said. Officials have talked to the families of some of those involved.
Some of the students went on social media to apologize publicly. Some have said they are willing to return to school to talk about the damage that racial slurs and social media can do, Heid said.
Comments on social media have ripped the former students, and thanked the superintendent for addressing the issue.
District 300, headquartered in Algonquin, is the sixth largest district in the state, with about 20,000 students at 27 schools. The district is also relatively diverse, with a student body that is 38% Hispanic, 48% white and 5% African American.
The uproar resulted in repercussions.
In reply to the Twitter account that posted the video, the Delta Chi fraternity at the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater tweeted, “We do not support racism and the controversy that has circulated is completely against our character and educational process. The member who has been involved has been put up for expulsion and will have consequences for his actions.”
Elgin Community College also tweeted that it has verified that the students named are not current ECC students.


chicagotribune--2020-06-04--Family alleges brutal police restraint with knee on neck in Chicago arrest caught on video

Ephraim Eddy , a spokesman for COPA , said in an email that the agency had “ received a complaint @ @ @ @ @ opened an investigation to determine the if the actions of involved officers are within Department @ @ @ @ @ with information to contact our office at 312-746-3609 or visit our website at ChicagoCOPA.org .
@

Tnika Tate, 39, said she was parking near a looted mall Sunday when Chicago police surrounded the vehicle, broke the windows and searched Tate and a group of four friends and relatives in the car with her.
Tate said an officer restrained her cousin Mia Wright, 25, by placing a knee on Wright’s neck while she was prone on the ground. Wright was charged with disorderly conduct and released Monday, according to police and the family.
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A video of part of the incident was taken by family friend James Smith, 40, who was driving in a second car. A copy of the video was first published by the nonprofit digital news organization Block Club Chicago, and Smith provided the Tribune with a copy later Wednesday.
“She never resisted. It could have been something deadly,” Tate told the Tribune on Wednesday.
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Mia Wright, center, stands next to her cousin Tnika Tate with Wright's mother, Kim Woods, in the background on June 3, 2020. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
Wright declined to comment. The use of kneeling to restrain someone in police custody has been under scrutiny nationwide since George Floyd died after being held down by an officer in Minneapolis who used his knee to restrain Floyd.
Police spokeswoman Kellie Bartoli said Wright was placed into custody and charged with disorderly conduct after she was observed by responding officers “assembled with three or more persons for the purpose of using force or violence to disturb the peace.”
In a statement, police added: “The Chicago Police Department strives to treat all individuals our officers encounter with respect. Anyone who feels they have been mistreated by a CPD officer is encouraged to call 311 and file a complaint with the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, who will investigate allegations of misconduct. Misconduct on the part of our officers will not be tolerated.”
Ephraim Eddy, a spokesman for COPA, said in an email that the agency had “received a complaint regarding this incident and has opened an investigation to determine the if the actions of involved officers are within Department policy. We encourage anyone with information to contact our office at 312-746-3609 or visit our website at ChicagoCOPA.org.”
Tate, a manager at a South Side funeral parlor, said she was driving three relatives and a friend to the Brickyard Mall when they discovered that the mall had been closed because of looting. Smith was with them in a second car.
Tate said she pulled over, and her car was suddenly surrounded by police. Officers broke at least three of the car’s windows with batons, according to Take and the video, and pulled some occupants out of the vehicle.
Tate and other relatives said police handcuffed Wright, then took her to a clinic to remove glass debris from her eye.
Wright’s mother, Kim Woods, a longtime secretary at Dett Elementary School on the Near West Side, was one of the passengers in the car. She said police did not release Wright from the Grand Central Police District station until 10:45 the following Monday morning.
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“Her eye was swollen. It has been traumatizing,” Woods said.
Chicago Tribune’s Jessica Villagomez contributed.
dyjackson@chicagotribune.com