chicagotribune--2020-09-14--Wells St. Market and U.B. Dogs are among the latest Chicago restaurants to close permanently due to

Wells St. Market and U.B. Dogs are among the latest Chicago restaurants to close permanently due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s economic toll. Here’s our running list.

Wells Street Market , which reopened July 6 after weathering the first three months of the coronavirus shut down ( @ @ @ @ @ food hall to resume service ) announced it will close for keeps Sept. 18 .
@ @ @ @ @ at the Wells Street Market , it has been an honor and a joy to @ @ @ @ @ ” the company said in a release .
The food hall made its debut , @ @ @ @ @ , in June 2018 .
The food hall format had enjoyed a boom in Chicago @ @ @ @ @ most have not reopened since the coronavirus shutdown .
Only Time Out Market has reopened @ @ @ @ @ , Dr. Murphy ’ s Food Hall , launched in early August in the former @ @ @ @ @ Phil Vettel

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


chicagotribune--2020-09-14--Column: Downtown Chicago is down, but don’t count it out

That shortsighted perspective came to mind Sunday as my inbox filled with emails reacting to a news story I ’ @ @ @ @ @ , “ Six months into the pandemic , downtown Chicago is a humbled giant .
@ @ @ @ @ its feet ?
” The most common response : The story spent too much time @ @ @ @ @ little on the looting that stunned the city in May and August .

So dismal were downtown Chicago’s economic prospects in 1940, 11 years after the onset of the Great Depression, that a speaker to a building industry group titled his talk: “Should We Give the Loop Back to the Indians?”
That shortsighted perspective came to mind Sunday as my inbox filled with emails reacting to a news story I’d written with two colleagues, “Six months into the pandemic, downtown Chicago is a humbled giant. Can it get back on its feet?” The most common response: The story spent too much time on the pandemic and too little on the looting that stunned the city in May and August.
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This view pins blame on Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who one reader dubbed “Lawless Lori.” It sees Chicago going the way of Detroit.
I don’t buy it, and not just because I’ve seen firsthand the revival of downtown Detroit.
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The pandemic, not the looting, is the fundamental cause of downtown’s woes.￼ Work-from-home mandates are why offices and Metra trains are virtually empty, and why restaurants and shops that rely on business from office workers are hurting or closed. The looting gave people another reason, beyond protecting themselves from COVID-19, to stay away from downtown.
Another response to downtown’s plight is to ring alarm bells and expect City Hall to fix things, as if City Hall alone possessed that power.
Pedestrians cross the Adams Street bridge near Union Station during the afternoon commute period Sept. 10, 2020. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)
Yes, City Hall can deploy battalions of cops to prevent more looting and keep restrictions tight enough to slow further spread of the virus but loose enough to allow normal business activity to resume.
But until we get a vaccine, the best the city probably can do is minimize the damage and preserve as many lives and businesses as possible. It also can seed future growth by planning and approving new projects.
A third prediction, overly optimistic in my view, notes that what’s happening to downtown Chicago is happening to all American cities. The downtowns will revive by next year at this time, these experts say. The present crisis, in this view, is a mere hiccup.
This Olympian perspective, while admirably farsighted, ignores the long-term legacy that short-term crises leave. Anybody who’s passed through turnstile security in an office building or a TSA screening machine knows that.
To be sure, more hard times are probably ahead, especially as winter puts a crimp on outdoor ￼dining and other outdoor activities. But in the long haul, as Ald. Brendan Reilly, 42nd, predicted in our story, downtown’s prospects are still bright.
Human beings, by nature, are social animals who prefer congregation to isolation, the unpredictable vitality of the marketplace to the predictable routines of home. Zoom is a nice tool for online meetings, but it’s no replacement for real gatherings.
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Think of how downtown Chicago transformed itself after 9/11, with new public spaces like Millennium Park and the Riverwalk, and so many new apartment buildings that more people now live downtown than in Illinois' second-largest city, Aurora.
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And think of what we’ve learned since the pandemic began: The high population density associated with downtowns is not a death sentence.
Density may lead to crowding that spreads the coronavirus, but dangerous crowding has occurred in nonurban settings too, from meatpacking plants to packed bars that cater to college students. With the proper protocols in place, dense urban areas can be reasonably safe. New York City’s dramatic recovery from the early days of the pandemic, when it was the U.S. epicenter of COVID-19, proves it.
Capitalism rewards those who don’t panic. If real estate investors had heeded the dire warnings of that 1940 speaker who raised the possibility of giving the Loop back to the Indians, they would be very poor indeed.
It’s a good thing for all of us that they ignored the prophets of doom, stood their ground and built a greater Chicago. Resilient cities can take a hit and still thrive.
Blair Kamin is a Tribune critic.
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bkamin@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @BlairKamin


chicagotribune--2020-09-14--Valparaiso man, 76, dies from injuries after being hit by golf cart: police

The driver of a golf cart , a 76-year-old man from Portage , told police he attempted to pass Rozinski @ @ @ @ @ the left , since the golf cart was parked on the right side of the @ @ @ @ @ the front of the parked golf cart and stepped into the path of the other @ @ @ @ @ The driver told police that he tried to push the brake but due to panic @ @ @ @ @ accelerator instead .

A Valparaiso man died afer suffering injuries suffered in a golf cart accident on Sept. 10, officials said.
Harold Rozinski, 76, of the 100 block of Woodview Drive, died at 11:44 p.m. Sept. 10 at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Illinois, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office. The manner of death was an accident and the cause was multiple injuries due to a golf cart accident.
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Deputies with the Porter County Sheriff’s Department were called around 2:55 p.m. Sept. 10 to the clubhouse at the Course At Aberdeen, 245 W. Tower Road, for a man injured after being struck by a golf cart, according to a report.
The driver of a golf cart, a 76-year-old man from Portage, told police he attempted to pass Rozinski’s golf cart on the left, since the golf cart was parked on the right side of the path. Rozinski came from the front of the parked golf cart and stepped into the path of the other man’s cart. The driver told police that he tried to push the brake but due to panic, believed he hit the accelerator instead.
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The driver lost control of the cart and went into vegetation on the left side of the path, causing lacerations to his right arm and face, police said.
Police said the accident occurred on a steep incline, below a flat spot from another steep incline. The view down the path to where Rozinski’s cart was parked was obstructed, police said.
The driver of the other cart consented to a breath test, which produced a 0% reading for blood alcohol content.
Rozinski was transported by helicopter for treatment, during which time medics said he was alert but not answering questions.
Deputies determined that no criminal elements were present.
Amy Lavalley is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.


chicagotribune--2020-09-14--86-year-old man killed in domestic-related shooting. Police arrest 85-year-old man.

The Cook County medical examiner ’ s office said he lived on the block where the shooting occurred .
Police @ @ @ @ @ but had no details .
It apparently occurred between 2 p.m. Friday and Sunday .

An 85-year-old man is in custody after Chicago police say he shot and killed an 86-year-old man on the Far South Side during a domestic dispute.
A relative found Herbert Davis about 6 p.m. Sunday in a home in the 11900 block of South Lafayette Avenue in the West Pullman neighborhood, police said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
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The Cook County medical examiner’s office said he lived on the block where the shooting occurred. Police said the incident was domestic-related but had no details. It apparently occurred between 2 p.m. Friday and Sunday.
An 85-year-old man was taken into custody at the scene and a handgun was recovered, police said. Charges were pending.
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pfry@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @paigexfry


chicagotribune--2020-09-14--COVID-19 in Illinois by the numbers: Here’s a daily update on cases, positivity rate and hospital da

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

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

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


chicagotribune--2020-09-14--COVID-19 cases in Illinois by ZIP code: Search for your neighborhood

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

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


chicagotribune--2020-09-14--Daily Illinois coronavirus graphs: 5 new deaths, 1,373 new confirmed cases and 35,930 new test resul

Daily Illinois coronavirus graphs: 5 new deaths, 1,373 new confirmed cases and 35,930 new test results

Illinois announced 1,373 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 Monday for a total of 262,744 .
The state also announced 5 @ @ @ @ @ of 8,314 and 35,930 new test results for a total of 4.77 million .

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


chicagotribune--2020-09-14--Cook County Democratic Party says it won’t endorse judge who appointed special prosecutor in Jussie

Cook County Democratic Party says it won’t endorse judge who appointed special prosecutor in Jussie Smollett case

“ My review focused on Judge Toomin ’ s role as the presiding judge of the juvenile courts , a @ @ @ @ @ for the last 10 years , ” Eamon Kelly , chair of the judge retention @ @ @ @ @ virtual meeting .
“ It is incumbent on us to review him based on the @ @ @ @ @ presently intends to continue to observe .
”

Judge Michael Toomin speaks following the swearing in of former U.S. Attorney Dan Webb during a status hearing concerning actor Jussie Smollett at the Leighton Criminal Court Building on Aug. 23, 2019. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
As the Jussie Smollett case boiled over last year, Judge Michael Toomin appointed a special prosecutor to look at how Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx and her office handled the controversial case, saying it had been botched.
On Monday, the Cook County Democratic Party, which is chaired by Foxx ally Toni Preckwinkle, took the relatively rare step of voting not to endorse Toomin for retention on the Nov. 3 ballot.
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The move set off a political firestorm. Toomin called it “retaliation.” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said it sure looked like payback. But the Democratic leaders who dumped Toomin pointed to what they said was his outdated approach to juvenile justice, finding him “imperial” and “obstructionist” as they declared it was time for him to retire.
Adding another layer of intrigue to the proceedings was the revelation that last month, someone may have posed as Toomin and tried to withdraw him from the retention ballot without his knowledge, Toomin and state officials said.
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Toomin, who is asking voters throughout the county to vote for retaining him, presided over an effort to name a special prosecutor in the case of the actor accused of staging a hate crime against himself in Chicago, where he used to live. Toomin said he believes the effort to bounce him from the bench stems from his decision to appoint Dan Webb to look into why the state’s attorney’s office dropped all 16 felony charges against Smollett last year.
“What this appears to be is retaliation for some perceived failing of my service as a presiding judge, and retaliation means in this case a blatant rejection of the overruling conflict of judicial independence,” Toomin said. “It just seems like it was preordained, that this was the way it was supposed to be, and they arrived with the result that they wanted to. And that’s wrong.”
The Cook County Democratic Party automatically had endorsed all judges for retention up until 2018, when the judicial retention committee was formed. Cook County judges are typically retained by voters, but Monday was the first time the party publicly rejected a retention bid from Toomin, who was last up for election in 2014 and assumed his current post in 2010.
Lightfoot, a political rival of Preckwinkle who has supported Foxx, said at an unrelated news conference on Monday that she thinks it’s important to have good “independent judges.” The situation with Toomin has her “deeply concerned,” she said, and “the optics of this are terrible.”
“It looks like retaliation,” Lightfoot said.
The committee also voted to not endorse the retention bid of Judge Mauricio Araujo due to multiple sexual harassment allegations. The Democrats, however, did pass a motion to recommend the retention of 60 other judges, including Judge Jackie Portman-Brown, who was disciplined after video showed her holding onto a young girl and marching her into lockup this year.
Two Chicago aldermen, Brendan Reilly and Tom Tunney, voted against not endorsing Toomin.
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Eamon Kelly, chair of the party’s judicial retention committee, however, said during Monday’s virtual meeting that the investigation was spurred by a bar association finding that Toomin was “unqualified” to lead the Juvenile Justice Division and entailed interviewing attorneys, child advocates, Toomin and Chief Judge Timothy Evans.
“(Advocates) universally opposed Judge Toomin’s retention as presiding judge on the grounds that he lacked the appropriate temperament to lead the juvenile justice courts, is obstructing efforts at reforming the juvenile justice courts and pursues an outdated approach to juvenile justice,” Kelly said.
In 2018, Toomin faced backlash from Preckwinkle, who also is the Cook County Board president, and others after declining to follow a county ordinance that barred youths 12 and younger from being sent to juvenile detention. Two 12-year-old boys with gun charges on their records had been placed on electronic monitoring, but were ordered to detention after they repeatedly damaged their monitors and ran away.
Toomin ruled that the boys would remain confined there, saying they were a threat to society and to themselves, and the county law provided no “viable alternative” to their incarceration. State law, which allows children as young as 10 to be locked up, trumps the county ordinance, he ruled. A state appellate court agreed with him last year, drawing disappointment from Preckwinkle because the confinement of young children can lead to mental health problems, she said at the time.
“I am hopeful that we can work to secure further alternative programming and services for children to lessen the impact of detention, further lower its use, and help prevent further system involvement for ones so young,” Preckwinkle said at the time.
Kelly said that based on Toomin’s leadership over the Juvenile Justice Division, the committee determined it was time for him to retire.
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“My review focused on Judge Toomin’s role as the presiding judge of the juvenile courts, a role which he has played for the last 10 years,” Kelly said. “It is incumbent on us to review him based on the assignment he currently occupies and presently intends to continue to observe.”
Toomin had written last year that Foxx botched the Smollett case, which suffered “unprecedented irregularities,” by handing the reins to her top deputy after recusing herself due to contact with a member of Smollett’s family.
Webb has since concluded that Foxx and her subordinates abused their discretion and misled the public but did not commit crimes, but Toomin recently ruled that Webb’s full report cannot be publicly released. Meanwhile, Webb’s special grand jury charged Smollett again with six counts of disorderly conduct. The criminal case is pending before Judge James Linn.
Preckwinkle chimed in after the vote to acknowledge the “tough” decision made by the committee.
“Let me just tell you: This is not going to be easy,” Preckwinkle said. “We’re in a battle here. But I think, as someone said earlier, it’s important to do the right thing. And we’re trying hard.”
Betsy Clarke, president of the Juvenile Justice Initiative, said she believes Foxx’s reelection bid had nothing to do with Monday’s vote. As a longtime juvenile justice advocate, Clarke said Toomin demonstrated where he stands on the issue when he decided to lock up the two 12-year-old boys.
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“It’s important that justice be tempered with mercy and compassion and consistently. He has shown more of a propensity for punishment,” Clarke said. “I would urge the electors to look at this recommendation that is based upon the juvenile justice advocacy community and follow it.”
Pat O’Brien, Foxx’s Republican opponent in the November general election, was quick to attack the Democrats' motives.
“I’m quite surprised that the Democratic Party would single him out to not give him their support,” O’Brien said in a phone interview. “This seems — because I can’t think of a reason which would be legitimate — to be punishment for having appointed Dan Webb to investigate Kim Foxx, who is the protege of the head of the county party, Toni Preckwinkle.”
Foxx’s election campaign spokeswoman Alex Sims declined to comment.
Toomin, who maintains he oversees a court that pushes for keeping children out of jail when possible, said he is not fazed by the abrupt shunning.
“Without it, it’s not going to deter me,” Toomin said about the endorsement. “You’d like all the support and help that you can get when you’re running for office, but I’m not going to be persuaded to change my outlook. And I feel that I can succeed.”
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Toomin on Monday also elaborated on emails provided by the Illinois secretary of state’s office showing that a state employee sent withdrawal paperwork to someone she believed to be the judge.
That person, who used a Comcast email address, emailed back Aug. 31 and asked her to “Kindly confirm receipt of my Withdrawal of Declaration of Candidacy.”
The Comcast email address is not Toomin’s, the judge told the Tribune on Monday.
“I never did (withdraw), and then this thing came up where now I’m involved in some grand intrigue,” he said. “Either a great plan or just somebody playing a joke. It wouldn’t have been a joke if whoever did this was successful and I end up not knowing until I’m already off the ballot.”
The secretary of state employee called Toomin after receiving that email, asking him if it was legitimate.
“She called me and she said, ‘Did you decide to withdraw and did you send me this email?’ I said, ‘no not at all.’”
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Toomin said that earlier this year he did consider withdrawing his name from the retention ballot, and received the paperwork from the secretary of state’s office via a physical letter. But he ultimately decided to stay in the race.
The Secretary of State Police are looking into the matter, according to a spokesman.
Toomin’s judicial career stretches back to 1980, and he has had an influential role in several marquee Cook County cases.
He appointed a special prosecutor to investigate whether clout played a role in the investigation of the death of a young man killed in a drunken confrontation involving a nephew of former Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley.
He presided over the county trial of Black P Stones and El Rukn leader Jeff Fort, ultimately sentencing him to 75 years behind bars. And he oversaw the unprecedented second trial of infamous mob hit man Harry “The Hook” Aleman, whose first acquittal was voided after its judge was found to be on the take.
In addition, Toomin served on the state appellate court, and chaired a committee tasked with revamping the way death penalty cases were handled in Illinois.
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In his years presiding over adult felony cases at Cook County’s criminal courthouse, he earned the affectionate nickname “The Toominator,” and had a reputation as a careful, conscientious and somewhat conservative jurist.
In 2010, he was named presiding judge of the juvenile division, which he described as “one of the jewels of the circuit court.”
“I think we recognize that these young kids have potential and they can be saved and become productive citizens,” he told the Tribune at the time.
Toomin since came under criticism from some juvenile advocates, and this year insiders at juvenile court grumbled that he was slow to adapt to the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Tribune first reported in May that Toomin made himself the sole arbiter of whether a juvenile had a chance at arguing for release from the detention center, where the virus could potentially gain a fierce foothold.
Only Toomin decided whether a case could be placed on the docket for a hearing; the cases at first were accepted or rejected with little apparent logic and sometimes without any explanation in writing, defense attorneys said.
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After reporters raised questions, Chief Judge Timothy Evans' office announced he would sign an order mandating that all juvenile detention reviews would have a chance to be heard in court.
Toomin was tasked with deciding whether to appoint a special prosecutor in the Smollett case only after Criminal Division Presiding Judge LeRoy Martin Jr. stepped aside last year. The former appellate judge who requested the special prosecutor argued that Martin could not make a fair ruling since his son, LeRoy III, is a rank-and-file county prosecutor. Martin rejected that assertion outright, but transferred the matter to Toomin to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest.
ayin@chicagotribune.com
mcrepeau@chicagotribune.com
gpratt@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-09-14--Column: The Chicago Bears win was big. The players’ diverse protests during the national anthem were

Column: The Chicago Bears win was big. The players’ diverse protests during the national anthem were bigger.

Head coach Matt Nagy put it this way : “ I always talk about ‘ Be you.
’ And that @ @ @ @ @ of them and all of us feel good is that you can be yourself .
@ @ @ @ @ our own opinion as to what ’ s going on right now .
And what @ @ @ @ @ right now is that we understand that we all respect what somebody else is going @ @ @ @ @ to do .
”

Chicago Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky (10), head coach Matt Nagy, defensive tackle Akiem Hicks (96) and cornerback Kyle Fuller (23) during the national anthem at Ford Field in Detroit on Sept. 13, 2020. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)
The Chicago Bears won the season opener, a stunning fourth-quarter comeback over the Detroit Lions.
But the victory was only No. 2 on the list of “Important Things the Bears Accomplished Sunday.” At top was the way the team’s players and coaches chose to find their own ways to protest or show solidarity during the pregame national anthem at Ford Field.
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More than 20 Bears players stayed off the field as the anthem played. Of the players who took the field, some knelt. Some stood with hands on the shoulders of kneeling teammates. Some stood arm-in-arm. Some stood with a fist raised high.
This diverse response to the vital issues of police brutality and racial injustice demonstrated a collective support for each player’s right of expression. It showed something we see far too little of these days: mutual respect.
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Head coach Matt Nagy put it this way: “I always talk about ‘Be you.’ And that was what really makes all of them and all of us feel good is that you can be yourself. Every one of us have our own opinion as to what’s going on right now. And what’s important to us right now is that we understand that we all respect what somebody else is going through and what they want to do.”
Those words atomize the narrow-minded, defensive reactions we’ve seen to the slogan “Black Lives Matter,” or to a player’s decision to kneel during the national anthem. Those words transcend sports and tap into basic rules of decency we were taught as kids, augmenting those rules in a way that forces us, as adults, to think deeper about what life looks like through someone else’s eyes.
Those words, refreshingly, make sense: Respect what somebody else is going through and what they want to do.
Across the country Sunday, and in the first NFL game of the season on Thursday night in Kansas City, teams showed their responses to the months of protests that followed the killing of George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis and other police violence against Black men and women.
The Green Bay Packers, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins and several other teams simply stayed off the field while “The Star-Spangled Banner” played.
Indianapolis Colts head coach Frank Reich kneeled with some of his players during the anthem, and players from the Baltimore Ravens, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings and other teams took knees as well.
In Atlanta, all the players on the field took a knee following the kickoff by the Seattle Seahawks.
During the 2016 season, Colin Kaepernick, then quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, kneeled during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racial inequality. He was pilloried by many and wound up out of the league and effectively blackballed.
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Sunday, in stadiums coast to coast, we saw Kaepernick’s decision to express his righteous outrage validated. The players showed it. The coaches showed it.
No team or player or coach was cowed by the chorus of opportunists howling “Just play football!” and threatening, out one side of their mouths, to boycott the NFL while wailing about “cancel culture” out the other.
The Kansas City Chiefs and Houston Texans players and coaches weren’t cowed by people in the stadium who booed Thursday night as the teams stood together in a show of unity.
And the Bears opted to be themselves, for each member of the organization to choose the right form of self-expression.
“What’s important right now is to make sure that we talk about it, we discuss it, which we’re doing and have done,” Nagy said. “And then in the end, we understand what we have in each other and why we’re doing what we’re doing.”
Imagine that.
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You don’t have to like the predominantly peaceful protests that have erupted throughout the country this year. You don’t have to approve of civil unrest.
But you should, at the very least, consider trying to understand why someone might march, why someone might feel the need to chant “Black Lives Matter!” and why some high-profile athletes might feel it’s their responsibility and right as Americans to take a knee during the national anthem to draw attention to injustice.
That’s better than using outbreaks of looting or property destruction to dismiss the issue being protested. It’s better than dodging difficult discussions by complaining a player taking a knee ruins your game-watching experience.
One path is easy, one takes work.
The Chicago Bears, as a team, showed us Sunday that working through an issue can bring people together. The team showed that some can stand while others kneel, some can be absent while others are front and center, fists raised, and everyone can have an opinion while respecting and trying to understand the opinions of others.
The team showed a lot in beating the Lions. But it showed quite a bit more before the game had even begun.
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rhuppke@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-09-14--‘You’re very lucky. Very lucky,’ cop tells Uber driver after car is shot up and passenger killed

The man got into the back seat of his car .
Aqeel did his usual routine of asking for the @ @ @ @ @ confirm he had the right person .
When everything checked out , he slid his @ @ @ @ @ his foot off the brake .
Then he heard gunshots .

A 27-year-old man was shot and killed Sept. 14, 2020, after he got into an Uber in the 1200 block of West Leland Avenue in the Sheridan Park neighborhood on the North Side, police said. The Uber driver was not injured during the shooting. (Paige Fry/Chicago Tribune)
Jazib Aqeel couldn’t stop his hands from shaking as he touched the bullet hole in his car, just above the driver’s seat.
Two more bullets went through the back windshield. More than 15 through the back driver-side window. Blood covered the black back seat coverings.
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“You’re very lucky. Very lucky,” a detective said to him.
About four hours earlier, around 12:45 a.m. Monday, Aqeel drove to the 1200 block of West Leland Avenue in the Sheridan Park neighborhood to pick up his last passenger of the night.
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Aqeel, 32, has been a full-time Uber driver since September after working part time since 2017. His silver Toyota sedan has Uber and Lyft stickers on the front. It still has a Louisiana license plate; Aqeel said he moved to the Chicago area not too long ago.
The passenger gave him a call that he was on his way. Aqeel told him to take his time. He chose the ride because the man’s final destination was in his home suburb.
The man got into the back seat of his car. Aqeel did his usual routine of asking for the man’s name to confirm he had the right person. When everything checked out, he slid his car into drive and let his foot off the brake. Then he heard gunshots.
“I didn’t know what was happening,” Aqeel said.
He thought of his 4-year-old son and pregnant wife at home. “I bent down,” he said. “And I just thought that was time for me to go.”
The gunshots stopped and he rushed out of his car and ran down an alley. He saw a car down the block and was afraid the shooter would come back, so he hid by a trash bin and called 911.
He didn’t know if his passenger was alive. He heard the man scream and saw gunshot wounds to his chest.
The 27-year-old man, who has not yet been identified, died at the scene, according to Chicago police. They did not have a description of the gunman, just that the shooter was inside a dark-colored vehicle. No arrests have been made.
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Aqeel said he didn’t see who was shooting, but it must have started behind them. Someone may have been following and waiting for his passenger, he thought. Officers didn’t give him any explanation or motive.
The man was one of at least 57 people who were shot over the weekend, according to data kept by the Tribune. At least 13 of them died.
It was more deadly than the recent Labor Day weekend, when at least 51 were shot, nine fatally.
[ Chicago violence: 51 shot, 9 fatally, most over Labor Day weekend since 2016 ]
Police put up crime scene tape around Aqeel’s car in the middle of the street. About 20 evidence markers sat under and around a squad car inside the scene. Five more markers surrounded the Toyota.
A detective took note of nearby surveillance cameras on the brick apartment buildings that enclosed the tight two-way street. As evidence technicians finished, they had an officer drive the squad car forward and found another shell casing underneath and marked it as evidence No. 26.
“I’m very lucky I did not get shot. ... I was not expecting anything here,” Aqeel said. “I’m just worried about my car because that’s what I depend on.”
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Aqeel launched a GoFundMe to help pay for expenses while he can’t work due to his car’s damages.
Homicide scene here in the Sheridan Park neighborhood in the 1200 block of West Leland Avenue. Police say a M/27 had just gotten inside the passenger side of a vehicle around 12:45 a.m. when someone inside another vehicle fired shots. He died at the scene. #ChicagoScanner pic.twitter.com/4bEgqcaF31 — Paige Fry (@paigexfry) September 14, 2020
Another homicide occurred on the same Sheridan Park block almost three years ago. Around 6 p.m. Nov. 13, 2017, someone in a silver car fired shots and hit Deshawn Johnson, 18, in the chest while he was standing with a group of people. He was pronounced dead less than 40 minutes later at Illinois Masonic Medical Center.
pfry@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @paigexfry