chicagotribune--2020-07-12--Helen Sinclair celebrates upcoming 100th birthday

Helen Sinclair receives a bouquet of flowers from Anibal Santiago at a gathering to celebrate her upcoming 100th birthday at @ @ @ @ @ '' ) Park , 5001 S. Cottage Grove Ave. , on July 11 , 2020 @ @ @ @ @ was the prison chaplain at Stateville Correctional Center near Joliet .
Santiago met Sinclair in @ @ @ @ @ Stateville and stayed in contact with her .
She was born July 14 , 1920 @ @ @ @ @ of the Rev .
Jessie `` Ma '' Houston , also a prison chaplain and @ @ @ @ @ whom the park is named .

Helen Sinclair receives a bouquet of flowers from Anibal Santiago at a gathering to celebrate her upcoming 100th birthday at Houston (Jessie "Ma") Park, 5001 S. Cottage Grove Ave., on July 11, 2020, in Chicago. Sinclair was the prison chaplain at Stateville Correctional Center near Joliet. Santiago met Sinclair in the 1980s while imprisoned at Stateville and stayed in contact with her. She was born July 14, 1920, and is the daughter of the Rev. Jessie "Ma" Houston, also a prison chaplain and civil rights activist, for whom the park is named. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)


chicagotribune--2020-07-11--Coronavirus in Illinois updates: 1,195 new confirmed COVID-19 cases reported, the third day in a row

Coronavirus in Illinois updates: 1,195 new confirmed COVID-19 cases reported, the third day in a row with more than 1,000 cases

Data from around the world clearly shows that children are far less likely to become seriously ill from the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ are big unanswered questions , including how often children become infected and what role they @ @ @ @ @ .
Some research suggests younger children are less likely to infect other people than teenagers @ @ @ @ @ opening elementary schools less risky than high schools , but the evidence is not conclusive @

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The Fulton Market area of Chicago is no longer the ghost town it was during the depths of the COVID-19 virus pandemic shutdown. As restrictions on restaurants are eased, a worker takes a woman's temperature before she can enter Federales restaurant on Morgan Street on July 1, 2020. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)
Illinois announced 954 new coronavirus cases Sunday, a slight decrease following three straight days of more than 1,000 new cases. Sunday’s announcement brings the number of total cases statewide to 153,916.
There were 20 new COVID-19 deaths reported Sunday, a relatively low number for the state, although it is noted that deaths are an indicator which lags behind cases. The number of total confirmed deaths in Illinois is now 7,187.
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The uptick in case counts in Illinois comes as many states are struggling keeping the virus under control while allowing more businesses and activities to reopening. Illinois loosened its rules, moving to phase four of its plan, on June 26.
On Friday, Chicago said it was tightening hours for any establishments that serve alcohol, requiring them to close at midnight to help slow the spread of the coronavirus, as officials announced 17 businesses have been cited for violating restrictions since June 3.
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The city has restricted alcohol sales in restaurants and bars, requiring them to stop serving at 11 p.m., with stores that sell alcohol for offsite consumption required to end sales at 9 p.m.
[ COVID-19 cases in Illinois by ZIP code: Search for your neighborhood ]
[ Illinois is in phase 4 of its reopening plan. Here’s a guide to what’s allowed. ]
[ 20 questions about assessing your COVID-19 risk at restaurants, gyms, the office and more ]
[ Remembering the lives of those in Illinois who died from coronavirus ]
Here’s what’s happening this weekend regarding COVID-19 in the Chicago area and Illinois:
2:01 p.m.: Illinois reports 954 new coronavirus cases, a slight drop from previous days
Illinois announced 954 new coronavirus cases Sunday, a slight decrease following three straight days of more than 1,000 new cases. Sunday’s announcement brings the number of total cases statewide to 153,916.
There were 20 new COVID-19 deaths reported Sunday, a relatively low number for the state, although it is noted that deaths are an indicator which lags behind cases. The number of total confirmed deaths in Illinois is now 7,187.
The Illinois Department of Public Health also announced 38,849 tests performed Sunday, the highest reported number since the state began collecting data in early March. — Sophie Sherry
12:08 p.m.: Spike in cases in Lake Zurich prompts new testing site
In response to a spike in youth cases of COVID-19 that was traced to a single sports camp in Lake Zurich, a new mobile testing site will be available in the northwest suburb.
The mobile testing site, which will take drive-thru and walk-up patients, will operate until 5 p.m. Sunday and then again next weekend at Lake Zurich High School’s Performing Arts Center, 300 Church Street.
Testing is free and open to all, regardless of symptoms. The testing site will be run and managed by the Illinois Department of Public Health and results are provided by phone in four to seven days. Read more here. — Darcel Rockett
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9:00 a.m.: South suburban schools to start a new school year like no other amid COVID-19 concerns
Monitored bathroom breaks, backpacks instead of lockers, lunch eaten in the classroom instead of the cafeteria.
As south and southwest suburban school districts prep for what will certainly be a dramatically different return to the classroom next month, uncertainties loom over how to accommodate social distancing, and activities such as physical education and music will be altered.
Many districts are surveying families and staff to gauge their comfort level about resuming in-person teaching, and extensive planning sessions aimed at getting schools ready for the first day have been ongoing.
Read more. - Mike Nolan, Daily Southtown
Sunday, 8:30 a.m.: Here’s a look at what several US school districts are planning for fall
With little more than a month before millions of U.S. schoolchildren go back to class, much is still up in the air - and not just because of the surging number of coronavirus cases nationwide.
Last week, President Donald Trump and his administration demanded schools fully reopen right away, calling for new guidance from federal health officials and slamming schools that want to bring students back for only a few days a week.
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At the same time, some states are just now issuing their own directives, and school district leaders say they expect those guidelines to be revised again before the classroom bells ring.
While there's no indication school administrators are changing their plans yet because of the latest word from the White House, they are working on multiple reopening scenarios. Those cover everything from where students will eat lunch to navigating online learning.
Here is a look at what several school districts are planning and discussing.
Saturday, 6:34 p.m.: Doctor walks to Wrigley Field during his journey to hit every MLB ballpark, raising awareness about preventable deaths in health care settings
Wearing a Chicago Cubs cap, T-shirt and shorts, Dr. David Mayer finished a 7.2-mile morning walk from Northwestern University behind a group of supporters holding a “Patient Safety Movement” sign Saturday morning under the Wrigley Field marquee.
Mayer, a Cubs season ticket holder who grew up in Chicago, is more than 1,000 miles since February into a walk to every Major League Baseball park and spring training fields, hoping to raise awareness about preventable deaths that occur in health-care settings.
It’s a cause he has been advocating for two decades, noting preventable medical harm is the third-leading cause of death in the U.S. behind heart disease and cancer. And he’s hoping the healthcare and hospital issues highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic help increase awareness.
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“We’ve got to do better,” Mayer said. “I think the pandemic has brought more of this out and exposed more gaps in the healthcare industry. There’s over 700 nurses, therapists who died because they didn’t have the right equipment and training to fight this pandemic. It’s a shame. We could have done better.”
Read more here. —Shannon Ryan
5:23 p.m.: Trump wears mask in public for first time
President Donald Trump wore a mask during a visit to a military hospital on Saturday, the first time the president has been seen in public with the type of facial covering recommended by health officials as a precaution against spreading or becoming infected by the novel coronavirus.
Trump flew by helicopter to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in suburban Washington to meet wounded servicemembers and health care providers caring for COVID-19 patients. As he left the White House, he told reporters: “When you’re in a hospital, especially ... I think it’s expected to wear a mask.”
President Donald Trump wears a mask during his visit to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., on July 11, 2020. (Patrick Semansky/AP)
Trump was wearing a mask in Walter Reed's hallway as he began his visit. He was not wearing one when he stepped off the helicopter at the facility.
The president was a latecomer to wearing a mask during the pandemic, which has raged across the U.S. since March and infected more than 3.2 million and killed at least 134,000. Most prominent Republicans, including Vice President Mike Pence, endorsed wearing masks as the coronavirus gained ground this summer.
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Trump, however, has declined to wear a mask at news conferences, coronavirus task force updates, rallies and other public events. People close to him have told The Associated Press that the president feared a mask would make him look weak and was concerned that it shifted focus to the public health crisis rather than the economic recovery. They spoke on condition of anonymity to describe private matters.
Read more here. —Associated Press
3:47 p.m.: How to reopen schools: What science and other countries teach us
As school districts across the United States consider whether and how to restart in-person classes, their challenge is complicated by a pair of fundamental uncertainties: No nation has tried to send children back to school with the virus raging at levels like America’s, and the scientific research about transmission in classrooms is limited.
The World Health Organization has now concluded that the virus is airborne in crowded, indoor spaces with poor ventilation, a description that fits many American schools. But there is enormous pressure to bring students back — from parents, from pediatricians and child development specialists, and from President Donald Trump.
“I’m just going to say it: It feels like we’re playing Russian roulette with our kids and our staff,” said Robin Cogan, a nurse at the Yorkship School in Camden, New Jersey, who serves on the state’s committee on reopening schools.
Data from around the world clearly shows that children are far less likely to become seriously ill from the coronavirus than adults. But there are big unanswered questions, including how often children become infected and what role they play in transmitting the virus. Some research suggests younger children are less likely to infect other people than teenagers are, which would make opening elementary schools less risky than high schools, but the evidence is not conclusive.
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The experience abroad has shown that measures such as physical distancing and wearing masks in schools can make a difference. Another important variable is how widespread the virus is in the community overall, because that will affect how many people potentially bring it into a school.
For most districts, the solution won’t be an all-or-nothing approach. Many systems, including the nation’s largest, New York City, are devising hybrids that involve spending some days in classrooms and other days online.
“You have to do a lot more than just waving your hands and say make it so,” said Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, a professor of the practice at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. “First you have to control the community spread and then you have to open schools thoughtfully.”
Read more here. —The New York Times
2:40 p.m.: 1,195 new known COVID-19 cases, 24 additional deaths
Illinois announced 1,195 new cases of COVID-19 Saturday, the third day in a row with more than 1,000 cases. The tally brought the total number of confirmed cases in Illinois to 152,962.
Officials also reported 24 additional fatalities, bringing the death toll since the start of the pandemic to 7,168.
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1:49 p.m.: Coronavirus deaths in US take a long-expected turn for the worse
A long-expected upturn in U.S. coronavirus deaths has begun, driven by fatalities in states in the South and West, according to data on the pandemic.
The number of deaths per day from the virus had been falling for months, and even remained down as states like Florida and Texas saw explosions in cases and hospitalizations — and reported daily U.S. infections broke records several times in recent days.
Scientists warned it wouldn't last. A coronavirus death, when it occurs, typically comes several weeks after a person is first infected. And experts predicted states that saw increases in cases and hospitalizations would, at some point, see deaths rise too. Now that's happening.
“It’s consistently picking up. And it’s picking up at the time you’d expect it to,” said William Hanage, a Harvard University infectious diseases researcher.
According to an Associated Press analysis of data from Johns Hopkins University, the seven-day rolling average for daily reported deaths in the U.S. has increased from 578 two weeks ago to 664 on July 10 — still well below the heights hit in April. Daily reported deaths increased in 27 states over that time period, but the majority of those states are averaging under 15 new deaths per day. A smaller group of states has been driving the nationwide increase in deaths.
California is averaging 91 reported deaths per day while Texas is close behind with 66, but Florida, Arizona, Illinois, New Jersey and South Carolina also saw sizable rises. New Jersey’s recent jump is thought to be partially attributable to its less frequent reporting of probable deaths.
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Read more here. —Associated Press
5 a.m.: 25 years after deadly heat wave, COVID-19 gives Chicago a new summer foe
The summer of 2020 has trapped Chicago between two scourges. In one corner, a deadly virus that can be easily transmitted in crowded indoor settings, especially when cooling systems are just recirculating virus-pocked air. In the other, a heat wave with the potential to kill.
Government officials have learned many lessons since 1995, and with preventive measures now in place, Cook County usually sees just a handful of heat-related deaths each year. But some worry COVID-19 could upset that progress.
The pandemic has forced people to stay home to prevent the spread of the virus, and some experts say fear of contracting the disease could keep them there even as their houses and apartments grow dangerously hot.
Read more here. —Madeline Buckley, Kelli Smith and John Keilman
5 a.m.: To open Chicago Public Schools, teachers union has demands — but does the city have to meet them?
Before they return to classrooms during a rapidly evolving pandemic, Chicago Public Schools educators have a list of demands they want met — from small enough class sizes to a nurse and social worker or counselor in every school every day.
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Most Chicago Teachers Union members who responded to a recent survey said they “should not or might not” return to classrooms in the fall without a detailed plan and certain resources in place, including remote learning options for vulnerable students and staff members; an indoor mask requirement; a student transportation plan that includes Chicago Transit Authority buses and trains; and computers and internet for every pupil.
While it’s not yet certain if in-person classes will resume this fall, the district already has committed to some measures on CTU’s list in the event that they do. That includes mandatory face coverings, providing a limited set to students and staff members, daily temperature checks, making hand sanitizer available throughout buildings, and cleaning and disinfection protocols.
But class size and flexibility for vulnerable students and school employees are especially pressing demands, said Michelle Gunderson, a first grade teacher at Nettelhorst Elementary.
Read more here. —Hannah Leone
Friday: Illinois’ daily new coronavirus case count tops 1,000 for second day in a row; Chicago orders bars and restaurants that sell booze to close by midnight
Two weeks after Illinois reopened a bit more under Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s five-phase plan, the state’s reported tally of newly confirmed coronavirus cases on Friday again climbed to a level not seen since early June.
State officials on Friday announced 1,317 new known cases, and 25 deaths, raising the known case count to 151,767 and the statewide death toll to 7,144 since the pandemic began.
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It was the third consecutive day newly confirmed daily cases stood near or above 1,000. Until Thursday, when 1,018 new cases were reported, the last time new case numbers reached over 1,000 was June 5. The highest case count earlier this week had been 639 on Monday, although the four days prior to that daily new cases hovered between 800 and 900.
Weekend and early weekday numbers are sometimes lower, due to testing result lags over the weekend.
Read more here. —Jamie Munks


chicagotribune--2020-07-11--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--2020-07-11--Illinois coronavirus graphs: 7,168 deaths, 152,962 confirmed cases, 1.94 million tests, 4.06% positi

Illinois coronavirus graphs: 7,168 deaths, 152,962 confirmed cases, 1.94 million tests, 4.06% positivity rate for Chicago area

The state is testing more than 11,000 samples a day this week than it was during the end of May @ @ @ @ @ the number of positive cases divided by the number of total tests , is lower @ @ @ @ @ test results Saturday .

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--2020-07-11--Police execute search warrant at home of St. Louis couple who pulled guns on protesters on private s

Police execute search warrant at home of St. Louis couple who pulled guns on protesters on private street

Joel Schwartz , the couple 's lawyer , said a search warrant was served Friday evening and that the gun @ @ @ @ @ the video was seized .
Schwartz told The Associated Press that arrangements have been made @ @ @ @ @ on Saturday the gun that Patricia McCloskey had been holding , adding that her gun @ @ @ @ @ of the protest and still is .

Mark and Patricia McCloskey, standing in front their house along Portland Place, confront protesters marching to St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson's house in the Central West End of St. Louis on June 28, 2020. The McCloskeys brandished firearms from their property, pointing the barrel of a handgun towards marchers. (Laurie Skrivan/St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
ST. LOUIS — Authorities executed a search warrant at the St. Louis mansion of a white couple whose armed defense of their home during a recent racial injustice protest drew widespread attention, their attorney confirmed Saturday.
Mark and Patricia McCloskey, who are personal injury lawyers, were caught on video brandishing guns as demonstrators walked past their Renaissance palazzo-style home on June 28 while headed to protest outside of the mayor’s home nearby. The video showed Mark McCloskey, 61, wielding a long-barreled gun and Patricia McCloskey, 63 standing next to him waving a handgun.
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Joel Schwartz, the couple's lawyer, said a search warrant was served Friday evening and that the gun Mark McCloskey was holding in the video was seized. Schwartz told The Associated Press that arrangements have been made to turn over to authorities on Saturday the gun that Patricia McCloskey had been holding, adding that her gun was inoperable at the time of the protest and still is.
The couple has not been charged, and Schwartz said charges against them would be “absolutely, positively unmerited.”
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“A search warrant being executed is clear indication of what the circuit attorney’s intentions are. Beyond that, I can’t comment,” Schwartz said.
Circuit Attorney Kimberly Gardner, who is St. Louis’ top prosecutor, issued a statement after the June 28 incident in which she said she was “alarmed” by what happened and that “any attempt to chill (the right to peacefully protest) through intimidation or threat of deadly force will not be tolerated.” Calls to Gardner’s office on Saturday ran unanswered.
Schwartz said that under Missouri law, people who are in reasonable apprehension or fear have the right to take necessary steps to defend themselves.
“In this particular situation, people not only broke the law and trespassed on private property, but they committed property damage,” Schwartz said, adding that a St. Louis business was burned down and a retired police captain was killed in the week leading up to the confrontation.
Meanwhile, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Saturday that public records and interviews show the McCloskeys are almost always in conflict with others, typically over control of private property.
They filed a lawsuit in 1988 to obtain their house, a castle built for Adolphus Busch’s daughter and her husband in the early 20th century. At the McCloskeys’ property in Franklin County, they have sued neighbors for making changes to a gravel road and twice evicted tenants from a modular home on their property.
Mark McCloskey sued a former employer for wrongful termination and his sister, father and his father’s caretaker for defamation.
The McCloskeys and the trustees of Portland Place, the tony private street in a St. Louis historic district where they live, have been involved in a three-year legal dispute over a small piece of land in the neighborhood. The McCloskeys claim they own it, but the trustees say it belongs to the neighborhood.
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Mark McCloskey said in an affidavit that he has defended the patch previously by pointing a gun at a neighbor who tried to cut through it.


chicagotribune--2020-07-11--15-year-old boy among 5 dead, 22 shot in 13 hours from Friday afternoon through early Saturday on Ch

15-year-old boy among 5 dead, 22 shot in 13 hours from Friday afternoon through early Saturday on Chicago’s West, South sides, police say

He was on the street when a light-colored vehicle pulled up and someone opened fire in his direction , hitting @ @ @ @ @ He was taken in critical condition to the University of Chicago Medical Center where he @ @ @ @ @ said .

A 15-year-old boy was among five people who were fatally wounded in gun violence during a 13 hour stretch from Friday afternoon to early Saturday morning on the West and South sides, Chicago police said.
The boy, whose identity was not known yet, was shot before 5 p.m. Friday in the 9800 block of South Hoxie Avenue, in the Jeffery Manor neighborhood.
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He was on the street when a light-colored vehicle pulled up and someone opened fire in his direction, hitting him in the back. He was taken in critical condition to the University of Chicago Medical Center where he was pronounced dead, police said.
The latest fatal shooting happened around 1:50 a.m. Saturday in the Austin neighborhood in the 5400 block of West Congress Parkway. Two men, ages 31 and 35, were standing on the sidewalk when shots were fired, striking the younger man in the chest.
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The 31-year-old was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead while the older man suffered a graze wound to the left hand and refused treatment at the scene, police said.
Another man, 41, was fatally shot about 1:30 a.m. in the 300 block of North Ashland Avenue in the city’s West Town neighborhood, police said. He was pronounced dead on the scene.
Shortly after 1 a.m., a 41-year-old man was fatally wounded in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood in the 7000 block of South King Drive, police said.
Officers responded to ShotSpotter technology and found the victim in an alley. He had suffered gunshot wounds to the back and the chest, and was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
Shortly before 7 p.m. Friday, a 21-year-old man was fatally wounded in the 3400 block of South Paulina Street in the McKinley Park neighborhood.
Police said the man was approached by a vehicle when an occupant opened fire, hitting him in the face and back. He was taken in critical condition to Stroger Hospital where he was later pronounced dead, said police.
He was identified as Sergio Cervantes of the 3600 block of South Paulina Street, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
Twenty-two people, including the five homicide victims, were shot from Friday at 4:15 p.m. through Saturday at 5:20 a.m.
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No one was in custody for any of the homicides, and detectives were investigating.


chicagotribune--2020-07-11--Two men wounded in Little Village neighborhood

The man was shot in the right leg , and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in fair condition .
@ @ @ @ @ was discovered with a gunshot wound to the chest .
He was taken to the @ @ @ @ @ , but his condition was stabilized , police said .

Two men were wounded Saturday morning in a shooting on the Southwest Side in the Little Village neighborhood, Chicago police said.
Shortly after 8:45 a.m., a 47-year-old man was driving in the 3500 block of South Kedzie Avenue when a black sedan approached, and someone fired shots.
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The man was shot in the right leg, and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in fair condition. Later, a 19-year-old man was discovered with a gunshot wound to the chest. He was taken to the same hospital in serious condition, but his condition was stabilized, police said.
No one was in custody.


chicagotribune--2020-07-11--To open Chicago Public Schools, teachers union has demands — but does the city have to meet them?

“ Particularly where something is changed , the union can demand to bargain the impacts of that change , and @ @ @ @ @ down with them in good faith ... before the school district can implement any change @ @ @ @ @ “ And it can be a bit of a contest to sort of determine when @ @ @ @ @ as much as they can , ( but then ) the employer does have broad @ @ @ @ @ operations of schools .
”

Before they return to classrooms during a rapidly evolving pandemic, Chicago Public Schools educators have a list of demands they want met — from small enough class sizes to a nurse and social worker or counselor in every school every day.
Most Chicago Teachers Union members who responded to a recent survey said they “should not or might not” return to classrooms in the fall without a detailed plan and certain resources in place, including remote learning options for vulnerable students and staff members; an indoor mask requirement; a student transportation plan that includes Chicago Transit Authority buses and trains; and computers and internet for every pupil.
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While it’s not yet certain if in-person classes will resume this fall, the district already has committed to some measures on CTU’s list in the event that they do. That includes mandatory face coverings, providing a limited set to students and staff members, daily temperature checks, making hand sanitizer available throughout buildings, and cleaning and disinfection protocols.
But class size and flexibility for vulnerable students and school employees are especially pressing demands, said Michelle Gunderson, a first grade teacher at Nettelhorst Elementary.
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A member of the state’s Transition Advisory Workgroup that came up with guidance released last month for returning to classrooms, Gunderson said she was proud of the panel’s work, but also disappointed with some of its final language, such as a call for social distancing “as much as possible.” In her view, it should have been “social distancing, period.”
“It felt watered down in the end,” she said, but noted the difficulty in coming up with guidance for a state where some small counties have recorded few COVID-19 cases while others had thousands. Whenever schools do open, she said, not only will parents have to decide whether to send children, but teachers will have to decide if they feel safe coming to school.
And though she contributed to the state guidance, Gunderson said she’s aware of the remaining challenges. Recently, when she took measurements in her classroom and tried to visualize a school day, it was tough to envision 6- and 7-year-olds controlling themselves in a limited space and wearing masks for a seven-hour-day, which she said CPS has not ruled out.
The state guidance calls for face coverings indoors, gatherings limited to 50 people or fewer, stringent schoolwide cleaning, and symptom screenings and temperature checks for anyone entering a school. It also suggested schools stagger start times or alternate remote learning days with in-person classes for different groups of students.
But the state left it up to each of Illinois’ 852 school districts to settle on its own reopening plans.
“Back when we were working on the state guidance and things were looking good in Illinois, we were (looking at) the possibility of beginning with children so we could form relationships with the understanding that at any minute we may have to shift into remote schooling,” Gunderson said. “I think when we look at the new statistics nationally, the tables might be changing now.”
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has said an announcement on schools would be coming “soon,” as CPS is working on various contingency plans. And Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady on Friday told reporters an announcement about schools would be coming next week, according to published reports.
The discussion comes as President Donald Trump and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos are pushing for schools across the country to reopen this fall.
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CPS announced on Thursday that summer sports programs could resume as soon as Monday under careful conditions, while summer school remains virtual. District leaders also have said that once guidelines are approved, schools will create individual plans, with input from local school councils and parent groups.
As CTU and city officials continue to negotiate, with nearly two months to go before the traditional start of school, parents are growing increasingly anxious to know what to expect for their children in September.
“There’s a lot of anxiety being built up because people have no idea what the district is going to do,” said Troy LaRaviere, president of the Chicago Principals and Administrators Association.
Many principals want more from CPS, including a process for checking people in and out and the staffing to make it work, including nurses, he said. They also want better ventilation in some schools, where he said it can be “hard enough to breathe without a mask.”
On a phone call Friday, the majority of about 40 principals said they thought school should start remotely in the fall, with clear criteria for moving to a hybrid model, LaRaviere said. Even then, many administrators are medically vulnerable, and exposure to hundreds of children plus staff members would put them at great risk, he said.
In a prior CPAA survey, more than half of about 500 school leaders who responded said they have a high-risk condition or live with someone who does.
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University of Illinois labor professor Bob Bruno said the district may have to negotiate with teachers over their demands that involve working conditions because the last academic year ended in remote learning situations, so a return to school would be considered “a change in status quo.”
“Particularly where something is changed, the union can demand to bargain the impacts of that change, and the employer has to sit down with them in good faith ... before the school district can implement any change,” Bruno said. “And it can be a bit of a contest to sort of determine when the parties have bargained issues as much as they can, (but then) the employer does have broad prerogative to make decisions about operations of schools.”
An 11-day Chicago teachers strike in the fall ended bitterly.
Yet, for a while when the coronavirus hit the city, the union and CPS tried to put on a united front. In early March, when a classroom aide at Vaughn Occupational High School became the first known case in the school district and the sixth in the state, they worked together to coordinate a response.
But while the Vaughn community was still in a 14-day period of home quarantine, the two sides were back at odds, with the CTU making public demands for all schools in the district to close as the pandemic continued to spread.
When Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced schools statewide would close starting March 17 if they had not already, just hours after Lightfoot said she had no plans to close schools, union leaders praised the governor’s leadership.
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Conflicts have since surfaced over CPS’ remote learning grading policy, disparities in digital access throughout the city, and conditions for reopening school buildings.
Though the district can set policy for grading pupils, the union has the right to bargain its impact, such as how grades factor into teacher evaluations, Bruno said. Class size is a similar issue.
“I don’t know if we have the legal right to ask for class size, but we have the health and safety right,” Gunderson said, pointing to a “safe and healthy work environment” clause in the union’s contract.
Gunderson said it’s too early to expect the district to have final plans for the fall, but it’s fair to expect it to be inviting CTU to the table more than has happened and to start getting public input on its proposals.
“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with a wait-and-see approach from a teacher standpoint or principal standpoint because acting brashly doesn’t make any sense right now,” Gunderson said. “But I do think it’s time for CTU leadership and CPS leadership to come to the table and start talking about possibilities.”
Rather than reopen the contract, Gunderson suggested an official memorandum of understanding could be a peaceful resolution.
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CPS officials on Friday said they have “been engaged in regular discussions with CTU leadership as we work to develop a draft framework for a potential return to classrooms.” CPS is “committed” to bargaining with CTU on how reopening schools will affect members, but adamant the contract won’t be reopened.
At a news conference in May, when asked about the union wanting to bargain over the impact of COVID-19 and class sizes, Lightfoot cut off the question.
“That’s not gonna happen. That’s not gonna happen,” Lightfoot said. “We’re not reopening the bargaining agreement. Of course, as always, CPS is in regular dialogue with the CTU. ... We’ll be in conversation with them, but we’re not tearing up the collective bargaining agreement that we just forged last fall. There will be plenty of time for discussion, but first and foremost we are going to be guided by what the public health data tells us and hopefully we’ll have a constructive conversation with the CTU leadership.”
To that, CTU Vice President Stacy Davis Gates told the Tribune the union wasn’t trying to reopen contract talks, but to bargain over the pandemic’s impact.
“Going back into a dangerous workspace would quintessentially be something to bargain about. ... We get to bargain over working conditions, we get to bargain over the impact of COVID-19,” Davis Gates said.
While the teachers contract phases in additional nurses and social workers so that every school has them by the time it expires, union members are calling on CPS to speed up that staffing, Davis Gates said.
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Still, Davis Gates said union officials were surprised when Arwady was quoted in news stories on Friday saying that information on the return to school would come next week. Davis Gates said CTU leaders have been meeting with CPS on a weekly basis, but few details and no full proposals had been exchanged.
“This should not be a fight, this should be an opportunity for collaboration. It’s clear to the CTU that the real enemy in this is Donald Trump and his merry band of science deniers. If we can agree that’s our real enemy ... we should be working together.”
The Tribune’s Gregory Pratt contributed.
hleone@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-07-10--Coronavirus in Illinois updates: Here’s what happened July 10 with COVID-19 in the Chicago area

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The Fulton Market area of Chicago is no longer the ghost town it was during the depths of the COVID-19 virus pandemic shutdown. As restrictions on restaurants are eased, a worker takes a woman's temperature before she can enter Federales restaurant on Morgan Street on July 1, 2020. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)
Illinois announced 1,317 new cases of COVID-19 Friday, the second day in a row with more than 1,000 casts. The tally brought the total number of confirmed cases in Illinois to 151,767.
Officials also reported 25 additional fatalities, bringing the death toll since the start of the pandemic to 7,144.
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Earlier Friday, Chicago said it was tightening hours for any establishments that serve alcohol, requiring them to close at midnight to help slow the spread of the coronavirus, as officials announced 17 businesses have been cited for violating restrictions since June 3.
The city has restricted alcohol sales in restaurants and bars, requiring them to stop serving at 11 p.m., with stores that sell alcohol for offsite consumption required to end sales at 9 p.m.
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[ COVID-19 cases in Illinois by ZIP code: Search for your neighborhood ]
[ Illinois is in phase 4 of its reopening plan. Here’s a guide to what’s allowed. ]
[ How to assess your COVID-19 risk when going out in public: Use this chart ]
[ Remembering the lives of those in Illinois who died from coronavirus ]
Here’s what’s happening Friday regarding COVID-19 in the Chicago area and Illinois:
6:32 p.m.: Naperville Park Board spent $25K on lawsuit against Pritzker to reopen park facilities only to drop the case a month later
The Naperville Park District spent at least $24,499 to sue Gov. J.B. Pritzker in May for authority to reopen park facilities and restart programs on its own schedule, rather than the state’s, amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The lawsuit filed May 19 sought an emergency judicial ruling that would have given the park district board permission to override the governor on the park district reopening decisions rather than abide by the plan put in place by Pritzker to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Commissioners in May voted 4-3 to proceed with the legal action despite receiving dozens of emails from residents urging them not to, according to documents obtained by the Naperville Sun through a public records request.
Board members who favored the lawsuit argued Naperville should not be part of the phased-in reopening that included Chicago and Cook County and that local officials, not the governor, were in a better position to determine when things could safely resume.
After losing the first round in court and with some park facilities being reopened under the governor’s plan, the board voted 4-3 a month later to drop the lawsuit.
Read more here. —Erin Hegarty
6:10 p.m.: COVID-19 pandemic hits Chicago media hard. ‘There’s never been a more challenging time for newsrooms.’
The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on Chicago media.
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From furloughs and layoffs to ceasing operations, economic fallout from COVID-19 has idled hundreds of local journalists, just as more people turn to local TV, radio and newspapers for information about the pandemic.
It also has accelerated financial pressures, forcing Chicago media organizations to find alternative funding sources, refocus their missions and rethink their business models.
“There’s never been a more important time for newsrooms and there’s never been a more challenging time for newsrooms,” said Steve Edwards, 49, chief content officer and interim CEO at Chicago public radio station WBEZ.
Keeping reporters on the streets and the public informed through the health crisis has been job one. Media employees were deemed essential workers by Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s stay-at-home executive order in March, and that has proved out during the pandemic.
Local news outlets are a major source of COVID-19 news for 46% of the public, according to a Pew Research study published in April. That boosted audiences, but with many retail businesses shut down, advertising revenue did not follow.
Read more here. —Robert Channick
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5:13 p.m.: Inundated with unemployment claims, Illinois agency implements callback system to reduce time on hold
The agency charged with handling Illinois unemployment claims this week implemented a new callback system that’s aimed at eliminating with lengthy wait times or the need to call back multiple times to get through.
The Illinois Department of Employment Security, which has struggled to handle a crushing demand for unemployment benefits amid the coronavirus pandemic, on Thursday implemented a system that allows claimants to call to speak with an agent, then places them in a queue to receive a callback when one is available, rather than waiting on hold.
“In addition to doing everything we can to update and improve the process for filing claims, this is a much more equitable way of handling those calls and ensuring people get a call back,” agency spokeswoman Rebecca Cisco said. “The system before was, for lack of a better term, sort of like a lottery, and the queues fill up very quickly.”
Cisco said there was a day earlier this week when 10 minutes after call-in hours began, there were roughly 2,000 in the telephone queue, waiting for their call to be answered.
Read more here. —Jamie Munks
5 p.m.: COVID-19 deaths still falling at Illinois nursing homes, but outbreaks active at 528 facilities
Deaths tied to COVID-19 at long-term care facilities in Illinois continued to drop sharply, according to new state data, and the number of outbreaks lessened as well.
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Friday’s data release links 42 deaths of residents and employees to the new coronavirus in the past week. That’s less than a tenth of the weekly tally at the pandemic’s height nine weeks ago.
The data shows a much smaller drop in the number of facilities considered to have an active outbreak, which is defined as any positive test in the past 28 days.
This week, the state tallied an active outbreak at 528 facilities in 49 counties. That list includes some new facilities, but most were already on the list. Still, six fewer facilities had active outbreaks than last week.
A total of 104 facilities had outbreaks in the past that are now over, according to the state. That number grew this week by 24 facilities.
Health experts caution that death figures are a lagging indicator of infection, because it takes time for an infected person to become sick enough to lose the battle after days or weeks of hospitalization. Trends seen now originated in infections that occurred weeks ago and don’t necessarily indicate how well the virus is being contained today.
The drop in deaths at nursing homes comes amid new fears of a resurgence, as case figures creep up in Illinois and skyrocket in some other states. Advocates for seniors and industry officials have cautioned throughout the pandemic about shortages in staff and gear at nursing homes, as well as the lack of quick, consistent and widespread testing — problems they say have yet to be solved.
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—Joe Mahr
3:36 p.m.: Chicago Catholic parishes got as much as $63 million in federal PPP coronavirus money
Roman Catholic parishes and organizations in the Archdiocese of Chicago received between $24.4 million and $63.6 million in loans through the federal government’s Paycheck Protection Program that was designed to save jobs amid the economic shutdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to federal records.
The money was mostly applied for by individual parishes, so archdiocese officials said they did not immediately know the total of money received here.
The Archdiocese of Chicago itself did not apply for funds because it is a large employer with thousands of employees, many more than the threshold of 500 staff laid out by the PPP program, spokeswoman Paula Waters said.
Since the federal data on who received PPP money was released this week, public scrutiny has mounted on some deep-pocketed corporate interests that received millions from the forgivable loan program.
The Associated Press found that the U.S. Roman Catholic Church used a special and unprecedented exemption from federal rules to amass at least $1.4 billion in taxpayer-backed coronavirus aid, with many millions going to dioceses that have paid huge settlements or sought bankruptcy protection because of clergy sexual abuse cover-ups.
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Some large and relatively prosperous parishes — such as Saints Faith, Hope & Charity in Winnetka and St. Benedict’s on the North Side — received larger loans because the formula for applying was driven by payroll and utility cost size, Waters said.
“Here’s what they applied for: 2½ times your monthly payroll and a set formula for utilities,” she said. “So, some big parishes got a lot of money.”
Read more here. —David Heinzmann
2:35 p.m.: For second day in a row, Illinois’ daily coronavirus counts tops 1,000
For the second day in a row on Friday, Illinois’ reported tally of newly confirmed coronavirus cases climbed back into four-digit territory. State officials on Friday announced 1,317 new known cases, and 25 deaths, raising the statewide death toll to 7,144 since the pandemic began.
The statewide known case count now stands at 151,767.
The daily confirmed statewide coronavirus new case numbers reached over 1,000 on Thursday for the first time since June 5. State officials reported 1,018 new known COVID-19 cases Thursday, following 980 new cases on Wednesday.
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That followed 587 newly confirmed cases on Wednesday, 614 on Tuesday and 639 on Monday. The four days prior to that, the daily new cases hovered between 800 and 900. Weekend day and early weekday numbers are sometimes lower, due to testing result lags over the weekend.
State officials have repeatedly said they’re much more focused on longer-term trends, as opposed to single-day data. The preliminary statewide seven-day positivity rate for cases now stands at 2.9%.
Illinois entered the fourth phase of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s reopening plan on June 26, which allows for gatherings of up to 50 people, and allowed many businesses to reopen further than previous phases, with capacity limits and other precautions in place.
Pritzker has said if Illinois sees a backslide it could return to earlier and stricter phases of his reopening plan, but no plans to clamp back down with stricter rules have been announced.
Several states that reopened earlier, including Arizona and Texas, have seen sharp increases in their coronavirus metrics, forcing them to again impose stricter measures to curb the spread of coronavirus.
—Jamie Munks
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12:12 p.m.: Chicago Catholic schools to require masks, temperature checks when students return this fall
When more than 70,000 students who attend Roman Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Chicago return to in-person classes this fall, they’ll be required to wear masks indoors and get temperature checks before entering their building each day, under plans announced Friday.
Students also must adhere to designated pick-up, drop-off and walking routes, and they will remain in assigned cohorts with the same classmates throughout the day, according to a news release. Catholic schools in the archdiocese, which covers Cook and Lake counties, possibly will have scattered start dates ranging from August through early September, a spokesman said.
Read more here. —Sydney Czyzon
12:01 p.m.: Glenview’s Flick Aquatic Center closes after 2 lifeguards test positive for COVID-19
Flick Outdoor Aquatic Center in Glenview shut down Thursday afternoon after two lifeguards were diagnosed with COVID-19.
The aquatic center, which opened less than two weeks ago, closed at 3 p.m. Thursday, Glenview Park District officials announced later that night. The center will remain closed Friday for deep cleaning and disinfecting. The closure may be extended if needed, according to officials.
The lifeguards who tested positive for the coronavirus worked in separate shifts, each working twice over the span of the last two weeks, officials said.
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Read more here. —Kaitlin Edquist
11:11 a.m.: PPP loans were meant to help small businesses save jobs amid the pandemic. So why does official data show thousands of recipients retained zero jobs?
When Quest Food Management Services was approved for a forgivable federal loan to help it preserve jobs during the pandemic, the Lombard-based company, which supplies meals to schools throughout the Chicago area, was so grateful that it issued a news release celebrating its ability to keep more than 830 people employed.
But data released this week by the Small Business Administration detailing who received loans from the Paycheck Protection Program did not tie any jobs to Quest’s $5.3 million loan. Like tens of thousands of other loan recipients listed in the official government data, the line item for retained jobs at Quest was listed as 0.
In fact, Quest’s loan was one of about 20 $5 to $10 million loans awarded to Illinois companies that listed zero jobs retained.
For a program meant to help small businesses preserve jobs amid government-mandated shutdowns and the general economic upheaval caused by COVID-19, those zeroes can look alarming. In many cases they are also wrong — raising questions about the reliability of the data showing how billions in taxpayer dollars are being used.
Read more here. —Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz
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7:15 a.m.: City tightens bar and restaurant regulations to help prevent COVID-19 spread
Chicago on Friday was tightening hours for any establishments that serve alcohol, requiring them to close at midnight to help slow the spread of the coronavirus, as officials announced 17 businesses have been cited for violating restrictions since June 3.
The city has restricted alcohol sales in restaurants and bars, requiring them to stop serving at 11 p.m., with stores that sell alcohol for offsite consumption required to end sales at 9 p.m.
“While the vast majority of establishments are following regulations and taking important preventative steps, this directive will minimize the spread of COVID-19 by preventing late-night congregating that could occur after the cutoff of alcohol sales,” according to a news release from the mayor’s office.
Restaurants that serve liquor can only do curbside pickup or delivery after midnight and those that don’t serve liquor aren’t held to the same restrictions.
The city also announced that since June 3, when restaurants could reopen for outdoor service, the city has issued 81 warnings and 17 citations to businesses, ordering the immediate closure of one business, after conducting 483 investigations following 1,112 complaints.
Fines for violating reopening regulations can be up to $10,000 and the immediate closing of a business.
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—Chicago Tribune staff
6 a.m.: City expands reopening of Riverwalk, restoring path to full, daylong use
Since it reopened in June, Chicago’s popular downtown Riverwalk has operated under rules that limited when and where people could use the path but let restaurants and bars expand their seating onto the public space.
While the arrangement helped the establishments recover from the economic hit they took after Mayor Lori Lightfoot closed the Riverwalk in March, public space advocates called it an unwarranted takeover that denied joggers, walkers and others full use of the path.
On Friday, however, Lightfoot’s administration was scheduled to restore the Riverwalk’s former hours — 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. — and reopen the path to the public during those hours.
Read more here. —Blair Kamin
5 a.m.: After historic responses to COVID-19 and civil unrest, Illinois National Guard winds down its deployment
The Illinois National Guard was already in the midst of an unprecedented mission, on the ground around the state administering thousands of COVID-19 tests, when there was another urgent call for help.
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Protests over the death of George Floyd had given way to looting, vandalism and violent clashes in parts of Chicago, and Gov. J.B. Pritzker called for the Guard to assist police in quelling the unrest. It was clear even more of their troops would need to be deployed.
“Those folks all packed their bags, put on their uniforms, laced their boots up really tight and were on the street within 10 to 12 hours,” Air Force Brig. Gen. Richard Neely said Thursday while reflecting on the Guard’s historic mission that is now winding down.
With the motto “Always ready, always there,” members of the Guard are used to being called up when disaster strikes at home or overseas. But never in its history has it been put to the test more than this year, Neely said, as members responded to the high-risk coronavirus pandemic and walked a fine line assisting police at protests without overstepping their role.
Read more here. —Christy Gutowski and Stacy St. Clair
Breaking coronavirus news Stay up to date with the latest information on coronavirus with our breaking news alerts.
Here are four things that happened Thursday related to COVID-19 in the Chicago area and Illinois:
The Chicago Public Schools announced student athletes can start summer workouts next week, but with COVID-19 precautions.
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Chicago’s task force on the city’s COVID-19 recovery recommended city government accelerate spending on the South and West sides to address inequities deepened by the coronavirus.
Chef Grant Achatz explained his thinking after a coronavirus-inspired dish at Alinea drew a backlash.
The Illinois Municipal League said a new state rule could deprive some municipalities of federal coronavirus aid.


chicagotribune--2020-07-12--In 4th consecutive weekend of children fatally shot, boy, 15, is among 9 dead, at least 30 wounded a

In 4th consecutive weekend of children fatally shot, boy, 15, is among 9 dead, at least 30 wounded as Chicago gun violence surges

Terrance ’ s death marks the fourth weekend in a row a child has been fatally shot in the city @ @ @ @ @ Natalia Wallace , 7 , was shot while playing on the parkway with several young @ @ @ @ @ grandparents ’ home .
On June 27 , Sincere Gaston , 1 , was shot @ @ @ @ @ drove home from a laundromat and Lena Nunez , 10 , was hit by a @ @ @ @ @ Logan Square home and on June 20 , Mekhi James , 3 , was killed @ @ @ @ @ seat of a vehicle with his father the day before Father ’ s Day .

For the fourth weekend in a row, a child has been fatally shot in Chicago.
This time, it was 15-year-old Terrance Malden, who was among nine people killed and at least others 30 wounded from Thursday afternoon into Saturday evening as violence surged during another chaotic weekend.
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Most of the names of the dead in the grim tally were not available and Chicago police said no arrests have been made.
Terrance was in the 9800 block of South Hoxie Avenue in the Jeffery Manor neighborhood on the Far South Side when an assailant in light-colored car shot him about 4:50 p.m. Friday.
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The teenager, who was hit in the chest, was rushed to University of Chicago Medical Center in critical condition but was pronounced dead at 5:37 p.m., according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
Terrance’s death marks the fourth weekend in a row a child has been fatally shot in the city. On July 4, Natalia Wallace, 7, was shot while playing on the parkway with several young children in front of her grandparents’ home. On June 27, Sincere Gaston, 1, was shot with his mother as they drove home from a laundromat and Lena Nunez, 10, was hit by a stray bullet while inside her Logan Square home and on June 20, Mekhi James, 3, was killed while riding in the back seat of a vehicle with his father the day before Father’s Day.
Eight other homicides from gun violence took place, mainly on the West and South Sides.
Shortly before 7 p.m. Friday, 21-year-old Sergio Cervantes was fatally wounded in the 3400 block of South Paulina Street in the McKinley Park neighborhood.
Someone inside a vehicle that pulled up opened fire, hitting Cervantes in the face and back. Cervantes, of the 3600 block of South Paulina Street, was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to the medical examiner’s office.
On the West Side about 1:50 a.m. Saturday in the Austin neighborhood in the 5400 block of West Congress Parkway, two men, 31 and 35, were standing on the sidewalk when shots were fired, striking the younger man in the chest. The 31-year-old was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead while the older man suffered a graze wound to the left hand.
In the West Town neighborhood about 1:30 a.m. Saturday, an unidentified 41-year-old man was shot dead in the 300 block of North Ashland Avenue in the West Town neighborhood.
Another 41-year-old man was slain about a half-hour later, at 1 a.m. in the 7000 block of South King Drive in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood, police said. Officers responded to ShotSpotter technology and found the victim in an alley. He had suffered gunshot wounds to the back and the chest, and was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
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Early Friday, about 12:10 a.m. on the Far South Side, a 28-year-old man became embroiled in an argument with another man at a gas station at 111th and State streets. The other man, in a gray SUV, followed the 28-year-old who drove away in another vehicle with a 26-year-old woman. Suddenly, at 11100 South Michigan Avenue, the man in the SUV pulled up alongside them and shot them both.
The man suffered a graze wound to the head but the woman, shot in the head, was pronounced dead at the U. of C. Medical Center, the medical examiner’s office said.
Friday about 5:45 a.m., Konrad Hudyka, 19, was shot dead in the 5400 block of South Talman Avenue, in the Gage Park neighborhood. Hudyka was in the home of a friend when a gunman, also in the home, shot the him in the head, police said. He died of a gunshot wound to the face, according to the medical examiner.
Later Friday, shortly before 11 a.m., two men, 30 and about 25, were shot in the 4000 block of West Potomac Avenue in the Humboldt Park neighborhood when an assailant ran up, shot them, and ran away, police said. The younger man was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead and the other man, shot in the hip, was taken to Stroger Hospital.
Thursday, about 3:40 p.m. in the 400 block of South Laramie Avenue, in the South Austin neighborhood, a man was standing outside a convenience store when a man he didn’t know confronted him, shooting him in the head and chest, police said. The unidentified man was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was he was pronounced dead.
rsobol@chicagotribune.com
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dawilliams@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-07-12--4 questioned about vehicle theft after CPD car crashes in Lawndale

Three officers were hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries , and four people of interest nearby were taken in for questioning @ @ @ @ @ a vehicle theft , police said .

Four people were taken into custody in connection with a stolen vehicle after Chicago police officers were hospitalized from a crash Saturday night in Lawndale on the West Side.
About 5:50 p.m., an unmarked Chicago police vehicle going south in the 1300 block of South Homan Avenue crashed into a building, according to police.
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Three officers were hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries, and four people of interest nearby were taken in for questioning by detectives in connection with a vehicle theft, police said.
A female driver left her keys in a vehicle, and at least one alleged thief entered the vehicle and drove off, police said.
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Chicago police declined to comment on whether the two incidents were related.


chicagotribune--2020-07-12--Names for Montrose Harbor’s three new piping plover chicks inspired by environmental justice, Native

Names for Montrose Harbor’s three new piping plover chicks inspired by environmental justice, Native Americans and hope

The next name , Esperanza , was submitted by Gustavo Ustariz “ as a reminder , that in a year @ @ @ @ @ pain , uncertainty and sorrow , there is still hope , ” according to the @ @ @ @ @ other people also suggested the name Esperanza , to reflect the Hispanic culture in Chicago @ @ @ @ @ for this moment .

Imani, a piping plover, stands in the water in the Montrose Beach Dunes Natural Area on July 27, 2023. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune)
Welcome to the world Hazel, Esperanza and Nish.
The Illinois Ornithological Society, Chicago Ornithological Society and Chicago Audubon Society this weekend unveiled the names of Monty and Rose’s three fledged piping plover chicks.
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This marks the second year in a row Monty and Rose have successfully nested at Montrose Beach. The pair have now fledged five piping plover chicks in that time, doing their part to ensure the survival of the species.
After wintering apart, the federally endangered plovers reunited on the Montrose Beach Dunes in May. Within days, the two were already spotted “engaging in courtship behaviors,” and on June 18, four piping plover chicks hatched in the favored nesting spot.
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Unfortunately, one young plover did not survive, but 23 days later the Great Lakes Piping Plover Conservation Team announced the remaining three chicks are considered to have fledged, or developed enough wing feathers to be able to fly.
The three birding organizations held a naming contest for the plovers and received more than 300 submissions before deciding on Hazel, Esperanza and Nish.
A piping plover chick at Montrose Beach in Chicago on June 24, 2020. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)
“These piping plovers have united thousands of people across the Chicagoland area and become strong ambassadors for birds and their conservation,” Tamima Itani, of the Illinois Ornithological Society, said in a statement.
Jeff Bilsky submitted the name Hazel in honor of Hazel M Johnson, an environmental activist from Chicago’s South Side. During the 1970s and ’80s, Johnson, a resident of Chicago’s Altgeld Gardens public housing development, documented the environmental injustices faced by her community and founded the group People for Community Recovery. Johnson was known as the mother of the environmental justice movement.
The next name, Esperanza, was submitted by Gustavo Ustariz “as a reminder, that in a year and time so filled with pain, uncertainty and sorrow, there is still hope,” according to the birding news release. Two other people also suggested the name Esperanza, to reflect the Hispanic culture in Chicago and the hope and expectation for this moment.
“(It’s) something that is needed during the pandemic, and the LBGTQ and Black Lives Matter movement happening now. Hope for the future of the plovers,” Sue Klemens wrote in her submission.
Nish, the name of the third plover, was submitted by Amy Lardner to honor the region’s Potawatomi heritage.
“Nish was selected to highlight the direct relationship and contributions of The Council of Three Fires (Potawatomi, Ojibwa and Odawa) to what is now modern-day Chicago,” the release said.
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Just like last summer, protective measures were put in place as soon as Monty and Rose laid their eggs. An Illinois Department of Natural Resources biologist placed a cage over their nest to protect the eggs from predators and the U.S. Department of Agriculture set up a camera for monitoring.
This year, each chick was banded, allowing the birding organizations to keep a close eye on them as they migrate.
Area birders were beyond excited when Monty and Rose returned to the North Side beach this year. Rose wintered in Florida, but it was unclear where Monty went, according to Itani.
Two piping plover chicks, left, rush to an adult piping plover as a heavy rain comes down at Montrose Beach in Chicago on June 24, 2020. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)
“Yet somehow they managed to be back at Montrose within a 48-hour window of each other,” Itani told the Tribune in May. “It’s really a big sense of relief.”
Last season, there were 71 pairs of nesting Great Lakes plovers, almost halfway to the goal of 150.
Monty and Rose found their way to Montrose Harbor last summer, creating some controversy between environmentalists and backers of a beachside music festival. The festival was eventually canceled. Despite some disturbances, the pair fledged two chicks by the end of August, the first plovers known to nest successfully in Chicago in decades. Three chicks flying south this summer would be above average survival for the piping plovers.
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Chicago Tribune’s Morgan Greene contributed.


chicagotribune--2020-07-12--New coronavirus cases remain high as Illinois breaks testing record

With 20 deaths in Illinois announced Sunday , numbers remain relatively low .
But , a growing number of positive @ @ @ @ @ concern , as deaths typically come several weeks after a person is infected .
Experts @ @ @ @ @ cases and hospitalizations would at some point result in an increase in deaths .

CTU workers direct vehicles lined up for COVID-19 testing outside of the Chicago Teachers Union on Dec. 30, 2021, in Chicago. CPS starts back to school on Monday following their holiday break. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
Illinois announced 954 new coronavirus cases Sunday, following three straight days with numbers in the 1,000s. This comes as the number of cases across the country continues to surge.
In a tweet Sunday, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said he was concerned by the rising number of cases in Illinois, as this past week recorded the highest seven-day average since June 5.
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“Now more than ever, we must rely on what the science is telling us. Wearing a face covering is an effective tool in the fight against #covid19.” tweeted Pritzker.
This weekend, Pritzker urged Illinoisans to pay attention to states like Florida, which set a national record Sunday for a single-day increase in cases, with more than 15,000. The previous record was 11,694 cases, set Wednesday in California.
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There has also been a nationwide increase in deaths, driven largely by just a small number of states in the South and the West.
With 20 deaths in Illinois announced Sunday, numbers remain relatively low. But, a growing number of positive cases can be cause for concern, as deaths typically come several weeks after a person is infected. Experts have predicted that increases in cases and hospitalizations would at some point result in an increase in deaths.
Last week, there were three straight days with more than 1,000 cases in Illinois. The last time the state totaled numbers that high for three days in a row was the end of May.
Illinois also announced a record number of test results Sunday, with 38,894. It is likely the state will pass 2 million tests in the next few days.
From when the first test results were announced on March 11, it took 86 days to reach 1 million tests. Now with added testing capacity, if the state passes 2 million tests on Monday, it will have taken 39 days to go from 1 million tests to 2 million.


chicagotribune--2020-07-12--Where does Illinois stand on the reopening plan? Here are the charts

With each of the state ’ s four regions in Phase 3 of Gov .
J.B. Pritzker ’ s Restore @ @ @ @ @ starts on moving on to Phase 4 , where more businesses and activities are allowed @ @ @ @ @ Illinois — from restaurants and salons to open space to non-COVID-19 procedures at the hospital @ @ @ @ @ depends on a host of metrics laid out by Pritzker .

Chad Yoder, Nausheen Husain, Jennifer Smith Richards, Jonathon Berlin

With each of the state’s four regions in Phase 3 of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s Restore Illinois plan, the clock starts on moving on to Phase 4, where more businesses and activities are allowed. The plan to reopen Illinois — from restaurants and salons to open space to non-COVID-19 procedures at the hospital to concerts and festivals — depends on a host of metrics laid out by Pritzker.
The metrics focus on a rolling average of positive coronavirus cases and hospitalizations to keep track of the direction of the outbreak as well as availability of hospital beds and ventilators that would be needed to handle a possible surge. There are also benchmarks for testing and tracing positive tests.
[ COVID-19 cases in Illinois by ZIP code: Search for your neighborhood ]
A key element of the plan is that a region can move both forward and backward, where more parts of society can open and shut depending on the seriousness of the outbreak.
Here is a breakdown of where each region stands.


chicagotribune--2020-07-12--COVID-19 cases in Illinois by ZIP code: Search for your neighborhood


chicagotribune--2020-07-12--Illinois coronavirus graphs: 7,187 deaths, 153,916 confirmed cases, 1.98 million tests, 4.1% positiv

Illinois coronavirus graphs: 7,187 deaths, 153,916 confirmed cases, 1.98 million tests, 4.1% positivity rate for Chicago area

• When can Illinois reopen ?
Check our daily charts on where each region stands on positivity rate and other @ @ @ @ @


chicagotribune--2020-07-12--Coronavirus in Illinois updates: State reports 954 new COVID-19 cases, a slight decrease following t

Coronavirus in Illinois updates: State reports 954 new COVID-19 cases, a slight decrease following three straight days of more than 1,000 cases


chicagotribune--2020-07-12--5 shot in Humboldt Park after argument, physical fight and another child, 14, was among 23 people sh

5 shot in Humboldt Park after argument, physical fight and another child, 14, was among 23 people shot in Chicago overnight

The 14-year-old had been standing in an alley near the 6500 block of South Francisco Avenue in Marquette Park on @ @ @ @ @ rang out just before 3 a.m. , police said .
He was struck in his @ @ @ @ @ Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn , where he had been listed in fair @ @ @ @ @ No one was in custody and the shooting remained under investigation .

William Lee, Katherine Rosenberg-Douglas

Chicago police canvass the 1100 block of North Lawndale Avenue on July 12, 2020, after an overnight shooting injured five people, killing one, in Humboldt Park. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
A 14-year-old boy was among at least 23 shot in Chicago in the 12 hours from 8 p.m. Saturday to 8 a.m. Sunday, according to Chicago police, who in that time also responded to one shooting in which five people were hit, one fatally.
Among the nearly two dozen people shot, at least two have died, prompting homicide investigations, officials said.
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Saturday’s spate of shootings comes amid an already deadly weekend that includes the fatal shooting of 15-year-old Terrance Malden on Friday in the Jeffery Manor neighborhood on the Far South Side. At least 30 others had been wounded from Thursday to Saturday, for a total of at least 53 people shot since Thursday, officials said.
About 12:45 a.m., officers were called to the 1100 block of North Lawndale Avenue in Humboldt Park on the city’s West Side. Five men were shot following a verbal argument and physical fight. One of the men, a 52-year-old, was shot in the neck and was pronounced dead at the scene.
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Police said the men had been standing in the street when several other men opened fire after words were exchanged. A 23-year-old man and a 33-year-old man were taken to Stroger Hospital in critical condition, each with multiple gunshot wounds. A 32-year-old man was shot in the head and was taken to Norwegian Hospital, where his condition was stabilized, and a 34-year-old man was shot in the arm and also was stabilized at Norwegian, officials said.
No arrests had been made.
Chicago police canvass the 1100 block of North Lawndale Avenue on July 12, 2020, after an overnight shooting injured five people, killing one, in Humboldt Park. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
Three women also were shot — one of them fatally — in the 8000 block of South Woodlawn Avenue at a large gathering around 9:40 p.m., according to police.
But by early Sunday afternoon, relatives for the woman killed had already erected a small memorial.
“Rest In Heaven Kearra,” read the handwritten poster board, surrounded by small plush toys and candles near the spot where the women were struck.
The sister of one of the wounded women said people were starting to gather to commemorate the two-year anniversary of the death of Lorenzo Williams, 26, who had been fatally shot a few blocks away, according to the woman, who did not want to be named. That’s when a gunman walked to the corner of 81st Street and opened fire.
The woman said she was standing beside her sister when she heard shots ring out. She wasn’t hit, but she looked toward the wooden front porch and saw her sister, who had taken cover underneath but who was wounded nonetheless. The other women ran across the street, one of them collapsing, she said.
The woman who died had at least one child, she said.
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It wasn’t immediately clear who the intended target was.
“Who would shoot at women?” asked the woman, as family members cleaned up debris from the party. “I’m lucky my baby wasn’t out here.”
No arrests had been made.
The 14-year-old had been standing in an alley near the 6500 block of South Francisco Avenue in Marquette Park on the South Side when shots rang out just before 3 a.m., police said. He was struck in his abdomen and was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he had been listed in fair condition, officials said. No one was in custody and the shooting remained under investigation.
He was the latest child shot in a weekend that already claimed the life of 15-year-old Malden, which makes this the fourth consecutive weekend a child was shot and killed in the city.
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Malden was shot Friday in the 9800 block of South Hoxie Avenue and no arrests have been made, officials said.
On July 4, Natalia Wallace, 7, was shot while playing on the parkway with several young children in front of her grandparents’ home. On June 27, Sincere Gaston, 20 month, was shot with his mother as they drove home from a laundromat and Lena Nunez, 10, was hit by a stray bullet while inside her Logan Square home and on June 20, Mekhi James, 3, was killed while riding in the back seat of a vehicle with his father the day before Father’s Day.
Check back for updates.
kdouglas@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @312BreakingNews


chicagotribune--2020-07-12--COVID-19 mobile testing site in Lake Zurich this week following spike in youth cases

Testing is free and open to all , regardless of symptoms .
You do not need to be a student @ @ @ @ @ family member of anyone associated with the school to be tested .
A phone number @ @ @ @ @ order to receive testing results .
The site accommodates walk-up individuals and those doing drive-thru @

While the state tries to balance reopening with steadying the number of coronavirus cases, the Lake County Health Department is seeing an uptick of cases among its younger residents.
The result: a mobile COVID-19 testing site stationed at Lake Zurich High School’s Performing Arts Center parking lot at 300 Church St. Sunday until 5 p.m. and again on July 19 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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“Time is of the essence. We are recommending that any Lake Zurich community members who may have been exposed, regardless of age, get tested,” Dr. Sana Ahmed, medical epidemiologist at the Lake County Health Department, said in a statement.
The Lake County Health Department reported a rise in new COVID-19 cases since June 25 among Lake County residents under age 30, while cases in the general population have remained steady. Citing multiple cases of COVID-19 identified among participants attending the first day of sports camp at Lake Zurich High School and other recent social gatherings, public health officials recommended camp participants self-quarantine for 14 days and the school suspend athletic camps until further notice.
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The testing site will be run and managed by the Illinois Department of Public Health, and results are provided by phone in four to seven days. The county Health Department also is working with Vernon Hills High School after an individual participating in athletic activities tested positive for COVID-19.
Testing is free and open to all, regardless of symptoms. You do not need to be a student, faculty, staff or family member of anyone associated with the school to be tested. A phone number and name are required in order to receive testing results. The site accommodates walk-up individuals and those doing drive-thru.
“Youth are just as likely as adults to get and spread this virus,” Ahmed said. “We ask that everyone continue to take these risks seriously and contact the Health Department if you think you have been exposed.”
The Lake County Health Department reported Lake County’s first COVID-19 case on March 11. As of July 9, 10,185 Lake County residents have tested positive for the disease, including 408 deaths.
drockett@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-07-12--People get tested for COVID-19 in Rogers Park

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chicagotribune--2020-07-12--Chicago police release picture of car tied to fatal shooting of Amaria Jones, 13

Amaria Jones , 13 , was one of three teenagers shot about 8:30 p.m. June 20 at a home in @ @ @ @ @ LeClaire Avenue .
Jones was showing her mother a dance move in the living room @ @ @ @ @ when the home was shot up , also injuring two boys , 15- and 16-years-old @ @ @ @ @ the front porch of the West Side home .

Chicago police this weekend released a picture of a car that detectives believe was used in connection with the fatal June shooting of a 13-year-old girl killed in her home during the exceptionally violent Father’s Day weekend.
Amaria Jones, 13, was one of three teenagers shot about 8:30 p.m. June 20 at a home in the 1000 block of North LeClaire Avenue. Jones was showing her mother a dance move in the living room of their South Austin home when the home was shot up, also injuring two boys, 15- and 16-years-old, who had been on the front porch of the West Side home.
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Detectives working the case identified a vehicle they believe was used during the shooting, according to a statement from police. It’s a silver two-door Infiniti G35 or G37, with no front plate and tinted windows, officials said. Authorities said the shooter sped off in that Infiniti, from the west alley of LeClaire Avenue toward Thomas Street.
Jones was killed during one of the most violent weekends in years as more than 100 people were shot, 14 fatally.
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Her death also came amid four consecutive weekends in which a child was killed by gunfire in Chicago. She was shot about two hours and just five blocks from where 3-year-old Mekhi James was killed.
Anyone with information about the shooting or the vehicle can contact detectives at 312-746-8252.
kdouglas@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @312BreakingNews


chicagotribune--2020-07-12--South suburban schools to start a new school year like no other amid COVID-19 concerns

He said that it would be “ educated guessing at this point ” to what spending might look like due @ @ @ @ @ is little wiggle room in trying to squeeze savings elsewhere , as about 75 % @ @ @ @ @ in for employee salaries and benefits .

Students will need to wear masks while riding school buses and have temperatures checked before boarding in many south suburban school districts, including Orland Elementary District 135. (Mike Nolan / Daily Southtown)
Monitored bathroom breaks, backpacks instead of lockers, lunch eaten in the classroom instead of the cafeteria.
As south and southwest suburban school districts prep for what will certainly be a dramatically different return to the classroom next month, uncertainties loom over how to accommodate social distancing, and activities such as physical education and music will be altered.
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Many districts are surveying families and staff to gauge their comfort level about resuming in-person teaching, and extensive planning sessions aimed at getting schools ready for the first day have been ongoing.
Guidelines provided last month by the Illinois State Board of Education are helping guide districts, which are being told to plan for the possible return to remote learning should COVID-19 cases show a resurgence.
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Some schools, to help keep students spread far enough apart, are looking at having an alternating schedule, with a mix of in-class learning and remote learning.
ISBE is asking schools to prioritize education for special ed students, English language learners and those students who had difficulty learning remotely.
Districts around the state scrambled to get remote learning up and running after Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s order that closed public and private schools March 17.
But student participation and attendance, while encouraged, wasn’t required, and doling out grades, in the traditional sense, presented many obstacles.
Remote, or e-learning, was a challenge for many students who lack access to a laptop or other device and may not have reliable internet access.
ISBE is saying districts can continue remote learning for “medically fragile students at a higher risk of severe illness and students who live with individuals at higher risk of severe illness.”
‘Masks are not negotiable’
Districts such as Kirby Elementary District 140, serving students in areas of Tinley Park, Orland Hills and Orland Park, expect to continue having remote learning as an option, if for no other reason than some families might decide it’s too risky to send their child back to school.
Superintendent Shawn Olson said some parents at a recent meeting said they won’t send their children back if they are required to wear a mask. The district serves about 3,500 students in kindergarten through eighth grade.
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Based on the Illinois Department of Public Health advice, ISBE is telling schools that students, faculty and anybody else wear a mask while inside school buildings and maintain a 6-foot separation where possible.
The Illinois Emergency Management Agency is distributing 2.5 million cloth masks to schools around the state, according to ISBE.
While the state board is leaving the particulars of reopening up to individual districts, Olson said that the wearing of face coverings in the district’s seven schools will be required.
“Masks are not negotiable,” he said. “That’s something we don’t have a choice on.”
The meeting was held in the gymnasium of Grissom Middle School, with about 100 people taking part via Zoom along with a smattering of residents who physically attended.
While the blended model that mixes in-person classroom time with remote learning is an option, the state board’s “main goal is to get us back into school, back into the building,” Olson said.
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He said the district sent out surveys to all families, with 1,232 responding, and 93% of those saying they were likely, or somewhat likely, to send their children back to school, and 7% saying they would keep their children at home.
District 140 teachers and staff were surveyed, and of the 630 employees, 455 responded, with 89% saying they were comfortable or somewhat comfortable returning to school.
The abrupt shift to remote learning was a burden early on in the pandemic for parents who were working, and ISBE notes that, statewide, 700,000 school-age children, 12 and under, live in households where parents work and need child care.
Homewood-Flossmoor High School District 233 officials also point out that many of the school’s teachers have school-age children, and that if the districts where the children go to school use a mix of remote and in-person education that could affect H-F’s staffing levels.
Getting students to and from school, let alone social distancing while they’re inside the building, presents another set of challenges.
At Orland Elementary District 135, which serves more than 5,000 students at 10 schools, students will undergo symptom and temperature checks before getting on the bus in the morning, and buses will be limited to a capacity of no more than 50 students, according to Jerry Hughes, the district’s director of risk management and safety.
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Students will need to wear masks on school buses unless there is a medical reason they cannot, and buses will be cleaned after each route and regularly disinfected, said Hughes, former deputy police chief in Orland Park. The bus companies that serve the district will also require drivers to don a mask and certify they’re symptom-free.
Rather than kids piling off the bus, districts also need to keep separation in mind as students are being dropped off and accommodate students arriving by bus as well as kids being dropped off by car or walking to school.
And on that first day back, despite the temptation to do so, the state is highly recommending that teachers and students “should abstain from physical contact such as handshakes, high fives and hugs.”
Lunchtime to have a new look
District 135 said that its foodservice vendor is revamping student lunches, based on ISBE guidelines, eliminating self-serve options in the cafeteria such as salad and fresh fruit bars and adding more grab-and-go meal options, although there will still be a hot meal option each day.
The state recommends that students be served all cafeteria items rather than helping themselves, and suggests that meals be delivered to classrooms, or students eat outside if possible.
If meals are eaten in a classroom, the state board suggests the room be disinfected before class resumes.
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Passing periods between classes are another issue, with the state suggesting hall monitors to limit how many people are in a hallway at a given time, and even washroom monitors to limit how many people are in the bathroom.
ISBE’s recommendations include implementing a homeroom system where students stay put while teachers in different subjects rotate in an out of the room, or hold classroom activities outside whenever possible.
Similar changes are being implemented at Archdiocese of Chicago schools, where children over the age of 2 and school employees will have to wear masks. Students will also be assigned to groups corresponding to their homeroom class, and stay with those students throughout the day, though remaining physically distant.
Schools will put in place new drop-off and pickup procedures for students, as well as altered walking routes within buildings.
ISBE also recommends suspending the use of lockers, and Olson said his district will require students to rely on backpacks.
“We don’t have enough lockers” to socially distance, Olson said at the meeting.
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Physical education is another area of daily school life that will be upended, with locker rooms and showers being off-limits, and students taking part in adapted, socially distant activities that don’t require changing out of street clothes.
For choir and music, the state board recommends students continue to wear face coverings while singing, and that musicians can “remove their masks during the time they are playing, but only if necessary.” Conductors are encouraged to wear glasses or goggles or install a clear shield while remaining at least 10 feet away from the first row of singers or musicians, according to the guidelines.
Leaders of the state’s teachers unions said they were concerned about schools having enough protective equipment and whether social distancing could be maintained.
Dan Montgomery, president of the Illinois Federation of Teachers, and Illinois Education Association President Kathi Griffin said anxiety remains high over class sizes and the lack of school nurses and other health and safety resources.
Area high school districts, including Bremen 228, which has schools in Country Club Hills, Midlothian, Oak Forest and Tinley Park, are working on plans that incorporate recommended safeguards.
Community colleges such as Prairie State in Chicago Heights and South Suburban in South Holland will use a blended system of mostly online classes, although some courses that require lab work will have students in the school.
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Separately, Governors State University in University Park is looking at various options including face-to-face, remote learning and a mix of both.
Through federal stimulus funds there is the promise of reimbursement to schools for costs incurred maintaining safe environments, with daily disinfecting of virtually everything in a school building certain to add to maintenance costs.
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Districts 135 and 140, for instance, are investing in portable devices that dispense a fine mist of hospital-grade disinfectant to clean classrooms and other areas.
District 135 Superintendent John Bryk said there will be a budget presentation for the school board at its meeting next month, but that the district is already facing a $4 million budget deficit, which will mean tapping into a reserve account.
He said that it would be “educated guessing at this point” to what spending might look like due to COVID-19, and there is little wiggle room in trying to squeeze savings elsewhere, as about 75% of the budget is locked in for employee salaries and benefits.
For the school year that just ended, total spending had been budgeted at $83 million.
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Bryk said that finances could be further constrained as it’s likely the district, and perhaps other districts, could be faced with property tax appeals that could impact revenue.
The south and southwest suburbs were being reassessed this year, and the Cook County assessor’s office has said that reassessments for townships including Bloom, Bremen, Orland, Rich, Thornton and Worth will reflect an estimate of how property values were affected by the coronavirus. Adjustments would affect second installments for the 2020 tax year payable in the summer of 2021.
mnolan@tribpub.com