chicagotribune--2020-04-30--He was supposed to retire Thursday after 34 years as a surgical tech. Instead, he died Monday after

He was supposed to retire Thursday after 34 years as a surgical tech. Instead, he died Monday after testing positive for coronavirus.

“ We anticipate the needs of pretty much everyone in the room , ” Martinez Jr. said .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ in surgery .
To be honest with you , a great case for a surgical @ @ @ @ @ says absolutely nothing to you , because he knows that you know what you ’ @ @ @ @ @ doesn ’ t need to say anything .
”

Juan Martinez, seen in an undated photo, was also a father of three and a pastor. (Family photo/HANDOUT)
After decades of scrubbing in on surgeries as a surgical technologist, Juan Martinez was looking forward to retirement. He planned to travel with his wife and spend more time with his grandchildren.
His final work day was scheduled for April 30.
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He was so dedicated to his job that he kept working even as the coronavirus crisis coincided with the final weeks before his retirement.
He died days before reaching it.
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Juan Martinez worked at the University of Illinois Hospital in Chicago. (Family photo)
“My dad was a very dedicated man to work,” said his son, Juan Martinez Jr., who was so enthralled by his father’s zest for his work that he, too, chose the same career. “He was so passionate.”
Father and son worked together at the University of Illinois Hospital in Chicago. On Monday, Martinez, 60, died after testing positive for the coronavirus.
“He just didn’t make it,” said Martinez Jr.
[ Remembering the lives of those in Illinois who died from coronavirus ]
He described his father as a man of faith who often spent weekends bringing his family to church services. He traveled to minister and was a leader in the education program of El Shaddai Ministries. He was also a pastor at the Rios de Agua Viva church.
As a young man, Martinez served three years in the Army before enlisting in the Illinois National Guard, where he received multiple awards during his 21 years of service.
Martinez and his wife, Martha, had three children: Juan, Angela and Rebecca. They raised the kids on Chicago’s South Side.
“He just had this charisma and personality,” said Martinez Jr. Within minutes of meeting a stranger, his dad would have found a friend, he said.
Juan Martinez served three years in the Army before enlisting in the Illinois National Guard. (Family photo)
“My dad was such a lovable person. He could just make friends on the spot, just like that.”
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Throughout his childhood, Martinez Jr. recalls, his father was energized by his work as a surgical technologist, which involves tasks ranging from meticulously gathering equipment and preparing trays to assisting with bed positioning.
“We anticipate the needs of pretty much everyone in the room,” Martinez Jr. said. “We’re essentially mind readers in surgery. To be honest with you, a great case for a surgical technologist is if a surgeon says absolutely nothing to you, because he knows that you know what you’re doing, and he doesn’t need to say anything.”
In an email sent to University of Illinois Hospital staffers, CEO Michael Zenn wrote, “It is with heavy hearts that we share UI Health has lost a second staff member due to COVID-19. ... Our thoughts and prayers are with Juan’s family, friends and co-workers during this difficult time.”
[ First UIC nurse dies after testing positive for coronavirus. ‘We were supposed to grow old together ... I just got robbed of it.’ ]
After turning 60 on April 14, Martinez had begun planning for retirement. But after he began to feel ill, his wife took him to get tested for the coronavirus. Martinez Jr. didn’t feel well either.
Both father and son got tested April 17.
Both tests came back positive.
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“We’ve been going through a lot,” said Martinez Jr.
Juan Martinez Jr. stands April 29, 2020, outside his parents' home in Oak Lawn, where they moved in 2001. (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune)
Coronavirus changed what was supposed to be a celebratory time for the family. His children were planning to finance a well-deserved vacation for their dad and mom as a retirement gift.
“That was one of the things that he talked about the most before all of this,” his son said. “He was so excited about retiring. He had worked so, so hard to just get to the point where he could retire.”
[ 12 families, 24 victims: COVID-19 has been especially brutal on these Chicago families ]
Now the family is making funeral arrangements. A fundraiser to support the family features photos of Martinez with his grandchildren and speaking at church.
Before Martinez got sick, he posted on Facebook Live a video his son now considers his father’s own eulogy.
“He was encouraging people to trust in God and believe that we were going to get past this whole pandemic,” Martinez Jr. said. “He was just encouraging people that it’s scary, but to have faith and trust in God that everything’s going to be all right.”
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He said his father added, “If we don’t see each other here anymore, we’ll see you in heaven.”
abowen@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-04-30--Viral video of Chicago house party reveals disconnect between black youth and media during coronavir

Viral video of Chicago house party reveals disconnect between black youth and media during coronavirus. ‘Dialogue needs to happen about what we’re going to do to keep black Americans alive.’

“ He ’ s a good young man ; he just made a bonehead decision , ” Ford said in @ @ @ @ @ Look , if the president of the United States can make the stupid comments about @ @ @ @ @ the vice president can go into a hospital without a mask , but this young @ @ @ @ @ a third of their age and doesn ’ t have the experience that they have @ @ @ @ @ to nail him ?
No .
Absolutely not .
We ’ re going to help @ @ @ @ @ going to be better from it and we ’ re going to connect with the @ @ @ @ @ divide us with them .
”

House parties are meant to be a thing of the past now that COVID-19 has turned into a pandemic.
But on April 25, a viral video showed a gathering of dozens of people in the Northwest Side neighborhood of Galewood at a memorial party for two friends who died of gun violence years ago. The video drew such a level of nationwide vitriol on social media that Mayor Lori Lightfoot blasted the revelers as “foolish and reckless,” and Gov. J.B. Pritzker criticized the partygoers for “putting everyone around you in danger.” (Tribune columnist, Dahleen Glanton, wrote an open letter to the black kids who partied, citing the reality of killing loved ones “without even knowing that you are carrying a weapon.”) Chicago police have subsequently said they cited the homeowner with disorderly conduct Monday.
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A screenshot from the now viral Chicago house party in city's Galewood neighborhood that occurred during the stay at home order. (YouTube)
With so much conversation about the event, The Triibe, a digital media platform that tells stories of black Chicago, sought to find the disconnect between local government officials, black youth and traditional media outlets in conveying the serious nature of the coronavirus. In her article, Veronica Harrison (aka Vee L. Harrison), talks to a young woman at the party. The woman told Harrison she knows COVID-19 is serious, but she’s not letting fear win out over her faith.
The partygoer told Harrison: “I get irritated with these celebrities trying to tell us to stay in the house. Us people that aren’t as rich as them, we don’t have nothing to do in the house. Sometimes this can cause you to go into boredom and depression and you have to get out, you have to get some air.”
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Harrison said her phone has not left her hand since the Triibe story went live Tuesday night.
[ Man apologizes for throwing Chicago house party caught on video that went viral, says he was honoring 2 slain friends and didn’t realize health risks of packed crowd ]
“The story’s momentum, we did not expect, and such vivid conversations and the range of responses between age and socioeconomic categories,” she said. “I believe that we are in a space and time where the generational divide and the poison in that is really plaguing our country, literally killing us. Because we can’t see eye to eye, it’s hard to understand how people are surviving this. ... The boomers want to blame the millennials and the millennials want to blame the folks underneath them. We’re doing a lot of finger-wagging and we’re not coming up with solutions and keeping people alive.”
Illinois State Rep. LaShawn Ford, in an attempt to find solutions, held a Facebook Live conversation on Tuesday with the host of the house party, Janeal Wright, 26. The intervention was seen as a teachable moment, according to Ford. He supports Wright, even though he said it wasn’t a popular move, because supporting him will make sure that he doesn’t do something like it again when social distancing is necessary. It’s all in the vein of “if you know better, you do better.”
“He’s a good young man; he just made a bonehead decision,” Ford said in a phone interview. “Look, if the president of the United States can make the stupid comments about bleach and Lysol injecting and the vice president can go into a hospital without a mask, but this young man who is less than a third of their age and doesn’t have the experience that they have, we’re going to nail him? No. Absolutely not. We’re going to help him and he’s going to be better from it and we’re going to connect with the young population and not further divide us with them.”
West Side House Party Live with the young man that hosted House Party in Chicago. Posted by La Shawn K Ford on Tuesday, April 28, 2020
Ford said he and Wright are working on pointing party attendees to get tested for the coronavirus at Loretto Hospital. Ford said he’s working on creating a video with Wright to get the message out to the young population about the importance of adhering to the stay-at-home order and maintaining social distancing.
During the Facebook Live conversation, Wright told Ford that he, like most young people, doesn’t watch the news because there’s a lot of talk about people of color getting killed. Young people disengaged with the news is one form of the disconnect between black youth and traditional mediums of communication, says Harrison.
Sona Smith, executive director at Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health, says residents in typically under-resourced communities were already in survival mode prior to COVID-19, and the virus just adds another layer that may seem less immediate.
“There is a historical and deep seated distrust that we have with things related to government, the medical system, policing — you name it,” said the Bronzeville resident. “The Lori Lightfoot memes and things like that makes (coronavirus) more relatable and it connects to the younger audience, but there’s so much healing that needs to take place between all the people within those marginalized communities and these systems that now we have to trust; that we have to rely on for our updates and to tell us what to do next.”
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Smith said trust doesn’t come because we are in the middle of a pandemic. “You can get the message out in a million different avenues, but if the people don’t trust the source of that message, it’s not going to resonate.”
Ford saw the Facebook discussion as an opportunity to turn a negative into a positive and to give youth like Wright and his partygoer friends a voice. Harrison said she is brainstorming with people like Ford to build a coalition to give black youth a place to vent their concerns, since what exists now seems to be missing the mark.
Harrison said her article’s goal was to create a conversation.
It did.
“It’s creating this narrative that people were either afraid to approach or people haven’t thought about, and, either way, I’m good with that,” she said. “If we don’t move the needle in how we’re sharing these stories, we’ll continue to lose lives specifically in Chicago, specifically in black communities. I think right now, dialogue needs to happen about what we’re going to do to keep black Americans alive.”
drockett@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-04-29--Second lawsuit from GOP state representative accuses Gov. J.B. Pritzker of creating a ‘police state’

Second lawsuit from GOP state representative accuses Gov. J.B. Pritzker of creating a ‘police state’ with stay-at-home order

“ Once we heard the arguments and that it really only seems to be applying to Bailey , I didn @ @ @ @ @ I wanted it to apply to the rest of the state , ” said Cabello @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s 2016 presidential campaign in Illinois .
“ So we ’ re trying @ @ @ @ @ doing it so that it applies to anyone that wants to do it , not @ @ @ @ @ And make no mistake — this does not force anyone to leave their homes .
@ @ @ @ @ option .
”

Jamie Munks, Antonia Ayres-Brown, Dan Petrella

Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s extension of a statewide stay-at-home order continued to face pushback Wednesday, with a second Republican state lawmaker challenging the order in a lawsuit accusing the governor of creating “a police state.”
The lawsuits, along with calls for more rallies later this week to protest the governor’s order, reflect a growing frustration over the state shutdown in some quarters even as state officials said the number of known COVID-19 cases in Illinois had pushed past 50,000.
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The state on Wednesday began its efforts to fend off a court ruling that exempts downstate Rep. Darren Bailey, a Xenia Republican, from Pritzker’s stay-at-home order, asking the Illinois Supreme Court to take up its appeal directly.
The Clay County court’s narrow ruling only allows Bailey to ignore the directive. Rep. John Cabello, a Machesney Park Republican and a Rockford police officer, said he seeks broader results from the lawsuit he filed Wednesday in Winnebago County.
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Rep. John Cabello appears at a hearing in Chicago in 2017. He's the second representative to file a lawsuit challenging Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s stay-at-home order. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)
“Once we heard the arguments and that it really only seems to be applying to Bailey, I didn’t want that, I wanted it to apply to the rest of the state,” said Cabello, co-chair of President Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign in Illinois. “So we’re trying to find a way of doing it so that it applies to anyone that wants to do it, not to just one person. And make no mistake — this does not force anyone to leave their homes. This would give them the option.”
Illinois has been under a statewide stay-at-home order since March 21. The order was originally set to expire April 7 but Pritzker announced last week that residents would be under a stay-at-home order through May 30, with modifications due to take effect Friday.
The modified order will require people to wear face coverings in stores and other public places but also begins a gradual reopening of state parks and allows activities like golf, with strict social distancing guidelines.
Trump said Wednesday the federal government’s coronavirus social distancing guidelines will be “fading out” when they expire Thursday, with a reliance on states taking charge as they pivot to reopening.
The administration says its cautionary guidance issued 45 days ago has been incorporated into recommendations given to the states on how they can begin gradually easing restrictions and reopening their economies.
Change can’t come quickly enough for some Illinoisans. Small protests over the past two weekends at the state Capitol in Springfield have urged that the state’s economy be reopened, while some downstate leaders have pushed for regional reopening plans. More protests are planned for Friday in Chicago and Springfield.
The Chicago event, scheduled for 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Loop, is being organized by Freedom Movement USA, which on its website describes itself as “a group of like-minded Republican activists.” The organization has held pro-Trump rallies in other parts of the state.
In another sign of partisan discontent, three Republican state lawmakers in a Wednesday video news conference criticized Pritzker for what they contend is exceeding his emergency powers by extending Illinois’ stay-at-home order past 30 days without legislative approval.
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“Whether you agree with the governor or disagree with the governor, we believe that a separate but equal branch of government — the General Assembly — should have input in the direction of the state of Illinois,” said Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer of downstate Jacksonville.
GOP Rep. Dan Ugaste of Geneva said Pritzker was “bucking a system of checks and balances” by acting alone in extending the state’s stay-at-home order.
The Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act grants the governor emergency powers for 30 days following the declaration of a disaster, but “beyond that, the statute is silent,” said Ugaste. “It doesn’t provide for the governor to extend it, but it also doesn’t state how the legislature will be involved.”
Pritzker has said throughout the COVID-19 crisis he would leave decisions about reconvening the General Assembly to legislative leaders, though he said he’s suggested they consult with the state Department of Public Health about how to do so safely. The General Assembly has canceled weeks of session already and no plans for reconvening have been announced.
“It is possible to meet at any time. It doesn’t have to be today or next week, or even next month, it really could be at any time, and again, that’s up to the legislature,” Pritzker said at his Wednesday briefing. “If I started dictating a date for them to meet, I’m sure there would be blowback from legislators, so I have left it to them to make decisions.”
State Rep. Darren Bailey, R-Xenia, works from his district office April 29, 2020, in Louisville, Illinois. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)
Pritzker, who over two days earlier this week harshly criticized Bailey over his lawsuit, called Cabello’s lawsuit “another attempt at grandstanding."
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Both lawsuits argue that Pritzker has gone beyond his legal boundaries in extending the stay-at-home order.
Cabello’s lawsuit accuses Pritzker of distorting the state’s Emergency Management Agency Act to create a “police state” through his stay-at-home orders. The suit contends Pritzker has used police powers reserved for the legislature to enforce his order and that he has usurped powers to limit travel that are reserved for local health departments.
Pritzker has maintained he is using powers granted to him through the Emergency Management Agency Act.
“Even if well-intentioned by Pritzker, his actions as governor have left every citizen of this state completely devoid of any procedural due process rights to protect their liberty afforded them by the United States and Illinois Constitutions, and further guaranteed them by the legislature under IDPH’s own administrative rules,” the lawsuit said.
The state responded to the judge’s ruling in Bailey’s lawsuit on Wednesday with a filing in Illinois 5th District Appellate Court arguing that the representative’s “request — besides being dangerous — is flawed as a matter of law.”
“It rests on an erroneous reading of the act and ignores the governor’s independent authority under the Illinois Constitution to take the actions Bailey challenged,” the brief says. “It also contradicts the longstanding practice by numerous governors of issuing multiple and often successive emergency disaster proclamations that have allowed them to continue exercising emergency powers for the duration of the disaster.”
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The attorney general’s office also seeks to poke holes in Bailey’s argument that approval from the General Assembly is required to extend a disaster declaration beyond 30 days.
Pritzker and his two immediate predecessors, Republican Bruce Rauner and Democrat Pat Quinn, all issued disaster proclamations for flooding and extended them beyond 30 days, according to the filing. When Pritzker did so amid flooding in May 2019, “his efforts were celebrated by Bailey himself," the filing said.
Later Wednesday, the attorney general’s office asked the Illinois Supreme Court to take the matter up directly. If the high court agrees, it would skip over the appeals court.
The legal wrangling came as state officials on Wednesday announced 2,253 new known cases of COVID-19, including 92 additional deaths. The known case count statewide stands at 50,355, while the known death toll is 2,215 since the outbreak began earlier this year.
Pritzker acknowledged Wednesday that the death toll related to the new coronavirus may be higher than the current counts indicate, and that some deaths may have been attributed to pneumonia or some other cause.
“There’s no doubt that we’re going to need to go back through the records,” he said. “That’s probably going to happen in months hence because we have so much to do now … We’re probably going to have to go back and see how many of these probably, based on all the symptoms, were based on COVID-19.”
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Pritzker also said Wednesday that health care workers hired to staff the alternate care facility at McCormick Place who now may not be needed there will be redeployed to different areas, potentially at nursing homes and other health care facilities.
Officials have been scaling back the scale of the McCormick Place facility. When it was announced last month, build-out plans called for the facility to eventually hold beds for up to 3,000 patients.
“So we’ve stood down 1,000 of those beds, and it looks like we’re going to have the ability to stand down much more of that facility,” Pritzker said. “But again, I don’t want to speak too soon because all of these identified alternate care facilities need to be in a state of some kind of readiness.”
Chicago Tribune’s Rick Pearson and John Byrne contributed.
jmunks@chicagotribune.com
aayres-brown@chicagotribune.com
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dpetrella@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-04-29--Coronavirus in Illinois updates: Here’s what happened April 28 with COVID-19 in the Chicago area

Illinois ’ coronavirus death toll surpassed 2,000 on Tuesday as state officials reported 144 more fatalities , the highest number in a single day since the outbreak began .
The total number of deaths in state now stands at 2,125 .
Officials also announced 2,219 new known cases of COVID-19 — the fifth time in the past seven days that the number of new cases has topped 2,000 .
There have been 48,102 known cases in 96 of Illinois ’ 102 counties .
Meanwhile , a day after a southern Illinois judge issued an order exempting a Republican state representative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statewide stay-at-home directive , Pritzker called the lawsuit a “ cheap political stunt ” and decried the ruling as “ absurd.
” The Illinois attorney general ’ s office is expected to file its appeal of the ruling on Wednesday .
9:09 p.m. : Mondelez International , maker of Triscuits and Oreos , says first-quarter sales jumped because consumers were hunkered in at home snacking Oreo-maker Mondelez International reported a rise in first-quarter sales and “ unprecedented ” market share gains as consumers under lockdown reached for its cookies and crackers .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 pandemic weighed on the company ’ s profits .
The company ’ s brands , which include Triscuits , Cadbury and Philadelphia cream cheese , offer consumers comfort and a “ sense of normalcy ” they are craving during this stressful time , Dirk Van de Put , CEO of the Chicago-based food giant , said Tuesday during an earnings call with investors .
Revenues of $ 6.7 billion for the quarter ended March 31 represented a 2.6 % increase from the same period last year , with big jumps in developed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ declines in emerging markets including Asia , where some lockdowns prevented workers from getting to factories .
In North America , organic net sales rose 13.4 % , driven by its biscuits category consisting of brands such as Oreos , Wheat Thins , Belvita and Triscuits .
Chocolate sales also were up , though gum was flat .
“ There is more grazing , more continuous eating and snacking takes up a much bigger role , ” he said .
“ Sharing a snack with your kids as everyone is cooped up in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ normalcy and togetherness.
” Read more here .
— Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz While there were never specific details about the product or timing for its launch , the automakers were planning to build the new vehicle using startup electric truck manufacturer Rivian ’ s platform .
“ Given the current environment , Lincoln and Rivian have decided not to pursue the development of a fully electric vehicle based on Rivian ’ s skateboard platform , ” Lincoln said in a statement Tuesday .
“ Ford Motor Company ’ s strategic commitment to Lincoln , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s future plans will include an all-electric vehicle.
” Ford , which last year invested $ 500 million in Rivian , said Tuesday the partnership “ remains strong , ” and that the automakers continue to work together on an alternative vehicle based on Rivian ’ s platform .
The electric truck startup , which is building its own SUV and truck at a plant in Normal , has already pushed its production launch date back to 2021 .
Read more here .
—Robert Channick 7:44 p.m. : NU turns down millions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of other colleges with large endowments Northwestern University says it will not apply for or accept the $ 8.5 million that has allocated to the school in the federal coronavirus relief package .
7:20 p.m. : First UIC nurse dies after testing positive for coronavirus .
‘ We were supposed to grow old together ...
I just got robbed of it.
’ When Lawrence Le Blanc met his future wife , Joyce , on a beach in St. Thomas — he was visiting from nearby British Virgin Islands , she from Illinois — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her saying a word .
Joyce Pacubas-Le Blanc , 53 , died April 23 , 13 days after testing for COVID-19 .
She was a nurse for more than 30 years , most recently in the neuroscience intensive care unit at UIC .
Pacubas-Le Blanc is one of at least eight known health care workers in Illinois who have died after having the coronavirus .
According to the Illinois Nurses Association , which created a fundraiser to support her family , she was the first nurse at the hospital to die after testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bowen The person is the youngest of the 145 people in Will County who have died of the disease caused by the coronavirus so far , according to Steve Brandy , spokesman for the Will County Health Department .
The county reported nine additional deaths on Tuesday .
Brandy did not have the young victim ’ s exact age available .
Officials reported the death on Tuesday , but Brandy did not know what day she died .
In addition to that death , one man in his 20s and a man and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Will County , according to health department data .
Most of the county ’ s deaths were among people in their 70s and 80s .
Read more here .
—Madeline Buckley The COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions on travel meant to contain it have brought passenger travel to a near-standstill .
Still , airlines that took financial assistance from the federal government need to maintain minimum levels of service to cities where they currently fly unless the Transportation Department grants an exemption .
JetBlue has already gone from six flights a day to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ airline said in its request with the Transportation Department on Tuesday .
There still aren ’ t enough people on its flights connecting Chicago to Boston , New York and Fort Lauderdale to make them sustainable , JetBlue said .
Read more here .
—Lauren Zumbach The town of Cicero surpassed Des Plaines this week in confirmed COVID-19 cases , but Des Plaines maintained the highest number of deaths related to the virus among suburban Cook County communities , according the county ’ s department of public health .
As of April 28 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 in west suburban Cicero — more than double the number reported a week earlier — and 21 deaths , data from the Cook County Department of Public Health showed .
Read more here .
—Jennifer Johnson 6:25 p.m. : Workers at United Scrap Metal in Cicero walk out , asking for more coronavirus safety measures after a colleague dies Dozens of United Scrap Metal Inc. employees walked out Tuesday morning , asking the company to close the metal recycling plant for two weeks after one of their colleagues died from COVID-19 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ facility to deep clean and sanitize the building .
They also want to be paid for the two weeks of the plant shutdown , and they want protective gear to be supplied .
Over 60 workers took part in the walk-out that started at 9 a.m. and continued through the day , said Ramon Gonzalez , 19 , an employee at the Cicero-based firm .
The number of workers standing outside varied as shifts changed and after supervisors asked some workers to talk about the issue inside the facility , Gonzales said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ At this point , we can not confirm the details , but our hearts go out to his family members .
All of us at United Scrap Metal ( USM ) are grieving the loss of our colleague , friend , and valued member of our team.
” Read more here .
—Abdel Jimenez and Laura Rodríguez Presa The district hasn ’ t identified where all the money is coming from , and the funds are being distributed during a time of great uncertainty about the impact of the coronavirus on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ —Hannah Leone Fat Rice , the critically acclaimed restaurant in Logan Square inspired by the cuisine of Macau , has closed for the foreseeable future .
Co-owners Abe Conlon and Adrienne Lo will re-open the space as Super Fat Rice Mart with meal kits and grocery goods on Wednesday .
After Gov .
J.B. Pritzker closed dining rooms statewide on March 16 , Conlon and Lo created take home food kits before shutting down the restaurant , bar and bakery completely .
The news was first reported by the New York Times .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Tuesday , Cicero officials announced that at least 163 residents at City View Multicare Center , 5825 W. Cermak Road , had tested positive for COVID-19 following mandated testing at the facility by the Illinois Department of Public Health .
In total , there are 320 residents living at City View , meaning the disease has spread to more than half of the population , said Ray Hanania , a spokesman for the town .
In addition , 41 workers have also tested positive , though that number could rise as more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still waiting to get results back for 39 other workers .
The facility has 250 workers , Hanania said .
Read more here .
—Elvia Malagón 4:30 p.m. : Restrictions will ease Friday for nonessential retailers and animal groomers , but it won ’ t be business as usual Thousands of vegetables , herb and house plants died after Adams & Son Gardens closed more than five weeks ago to help stop the spread of the new coronavirus .
But since Gov J.B. Pritzker revised the state ’ s stay-at-home order , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t have to close but chose to , is again receiving truckloads of plants to sell to people who are staying close to home and eager to start gardening .
The changes to the stay-at-home order , which take effect Friday , are expected to generate some sales at cash-crunched businesses while providing Illinois residents with more ways to help a battered economy .
But merchants and many service providers , most of which had been branded nonessential , will operate under conditions still considered far from business as usual , especially amid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to COVID-19 .
Read more here .
—Lauren Zumbach and Ally Marotti Hoping to find a kidney donor , Cubs fan Bridgett Kolls of Lombard went very public with her quest when she took a handmade poster to a baseball game last May .
Her sign was caught on camera , and by the end of the game , the 23-year-old ’ s phone was blowing up with messages .
Strangers who saw the poster on television and the team ’ s social media accounts reached out to volunteer their kidney to Kolls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transplant after lupus ravaged her own .
Kolls ’ transplant was one of hundreds of organ transplants postponed across the country .
The Chicago area in particular has seen an almost complete stoppage of certain types of transplants since mid-March when the COVID-19 crisis prompted state leaders to issue a stay-at-home order , transplant experts said .
Doctors say the move is an effort to protect patients — especially organ recipients , who will become immunocompromised — from possible infection .
They also point to a need to preserve hospital resources like ventilators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high .
That has forced area residents to wait , and hope , that their anticipated surgeries will soon be rescheduled .
Read more here .
—Genevieve Bookwalter '' This ruling only applies to one person because it was only ever about one person , ” Pritzker said , accusing Bailey of seeking to grab headlines while putting public health at risk .
“ This was a cheap political stunt designed so that the representative can see his name in headlines , and unfortunately , he has briefly been successful in that , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this ruling , any resident can petition to be exempted from aspects of the orders that rely on collective action to keep us all safe , ” he said .
Officials also reported 2,219 new known cases of COVID-19 — the fifth time in the past seven days that the number of new cases has topped 2,000 .
There have been 48,102 known cases in 96 of Illinois ’ 102 counties .
—Dan Petrella 2:05 p.m. : Smartphone location data can tell if people stay home during the pandemic .
Experts worry users @ @ @ @ @ @ @ companies are using location data to track how much people are staying at home during the pandemic .
Often , the findings are made available to government officials , including in Chicago , to help them determine how well containment efforts are working .
The data , which is compiled using GPS coordinates on phones , is being used to track everything from how far people are straying from home to how those patterns stack up to pre-pandemic travel .
Foot traffic at bus stops and parks can be tracked .
Some of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state or county level , or by city block .
The City of Chicago is using location data to help inform its decision-making during the pandemic , said Peter Ruestow , senior epidemiologist at the Chicago Public Health Department ’ s Communicable Disease Program .
The city works with a tech company called BlueDot , which aggregates geolocation data to show how many devices stayed at home each week in each of the city ’ s 77 community areas .
By the time the city gets the data , it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is anonymous , Ruestow said .
If the data shows devices tended to move farther from home , that might indicate that people who live there are traveling farther for work or services .
Read more here .
—Ally Marotti Gov .
J.B. Pritzker said he spoke with White House officials Tuesday morning and was promised the federal government would provide 20,000 testing swabs per day in May , a boost that will help the governor determine when it ’ s safe to begin lifting his statewide stay-at-home order aimed at curbing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House announced a testing “ blueprint ” — released Monday night — with testing targets that would ensure states had enough COVID-19 tests available to sample at least 2.6 % of their populations monthly .
During a Tuesday morning appearance on the “ Today ” show , Pritzker said he was grateful for the help but couldn ’ t resist perpetuating his ongoing battle with President Donald Trump .
Pritzker complained the federal government hasn ’ t done enough to address the crisis .
Trump has maintained that it ’ s up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We ’ ve done a good job in Illinois of acquiring our own supplies , but now the White House is getting engaged and they ’ re promising to deliver to us for the month of May about 20,000 swabs per day , which is very important , ” he said during the interview , noting that those will be on top of the 12,000 tests per day already being done statewide .
The governor was asked about the president ’ s aim to make sure roughly 2 % of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ we ’ re aiming to do much more than that .
We ’ re currently among the top 10 states in terms of how many tests we ’ re doing on a per-day basis and we want to vault ourselves near the top.
” Ramping up testing is “ very important when you think in terms of reopening ” the economy , '' Pritzker said , but added that a system of contact tracing — mapping out how a person contracted the virus to understand its spread — is needed .
—Lisa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report 1:05 p.m. : Open the economy or save lives ?
It ’ s not that simple .
From the experts , 7 ways to talk politics in the COVID-19 era .
You ’ re scrolling through Facebook when you stumble upon a post from a cousin .
He ’ s touting a COVID-19 conspiracy theory as justification to reopen the economy .
You normally ignore his politically charged posts but this one gives you pause .
You wonder : Does he really believe COVID-19 is no worse than the flu ?
Is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Grandma ?
Partisan politics have divided us as a nation now for years , and if a friend or family member is on the other side of the cultural divide , chances are we ’ ve learned to shut out their political opinions .
But this moment feels different .
Coping with the pandemic can ’ t just be a question of politics .
Experts have some tips on how to have a constructive conversation in an era when nearly everyone , regardless of ideology , has thrown their hands up and asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these people ?
No.1 : Don ’ t be reductive .
For starters , stop thinking of them as “ these people.
” Acknowledge that our current moment is complex .
“ We ’ ve made this very strange false dichotomy : You either support the economy or you support human life , ” says Alexandra Solomon , a psychologist and professor at Northwestern University .
“ That ’ s false.
” Read more here .
—Jen Day 1 p.m. : Chicago to give $ 5,000 grants to small businesses with four or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Chicago will give $ 5,000 grants to small businesses with four or fewer employees as part of a program to help businesses hurt by the coronavirus , Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced on Tuesday .
The city will give up to 1,000 businesses $ 5,000 as part of its Microbusiness Recovery Grant Program , Lightfoot said .
Interested businesses can apply through the city ’ s website until May 4 , and the administration plans to make awards May 11 .
Lightfoot said the money is meant for businesses in low and moderate-income @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be able to get financing through the federal government or other means .
In addition to having four or fewer employees , the businesses must have less than $ 250,000 in annual revenue and have lost 25 % of revenue due to COVID-19 , the city said .
Money for the grants is coming from the Chicago Community Trust and The One Chicago Fund , and will be distributed via lottery , Lightfoot said .
—Gregory Pratt The Network , a group of advocates against domestic violence , will coordinate placement for callers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Network will pay for the rooms using state funds .
Airbnb is making its HotelTonight app available to find rooms .
The number of Chicago calls to the state ’ s domestic violence hotline increased by 6 % during March , according to Lisa Morrison Butler , commissioner of the Chicago Department of Family and Support Services .
Morrison Butler discussed the changes during a Q & A session with Chicago Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady .
“ On March 30 , we had 104 Chicago calls into the DV hotline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of calls in a day in the history of the hotline , ” Morrison Butler added .
Mayor Lori Lightfoot laid out a plan to aldermen to distribute disposable masks around the city as businessman Willie Wilson on Tuesday held an event across the street from City Hall to donate masks himself to City Council members to give to residents .
The question of how to make sure Chicagoans have enough masks has become more urgent as Gov .
J.B. Pritzker ’ s order is set to take effect Friday requiring people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while inside stores and other places where they can ’ t maintain safe social distancing .
On Monday , Cicero officials announced that at least 163 residents at City View Multicare Center , 5825 W. Cermak Road , had tested positive for COVID-19 following mandated testing at the facility by the Illinois Department of Public Health .
In addition , 31 workers have also tested positive , though that number could rise as more results come back .
At least five residents have died from coronavirus at the facility as of April 24 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health department .
The Cook County medical examiner ’ s office is reporting a sixth death of a person who lived there .
Those who have died have ranged in age from 59 to 80 ; the first confirmed death was April 4 and the latest confirmed death was April 19 , according to the medical examiner ’ and Tribune analysis of the office ’ s data .
Read more here .
–Elvia Malagón 10:30 a.m. : Humboldt Park hospital starts screening and testing for COVID-19 Testing and screening for COVID-19 for Humboldt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Norwegian American Hospital starting at 2 p.m. Tuesday .
The hospital , on the city ’ s West Side near California Avenue and Augusta Boulevard , is partnering with Rincon Famly Services and the Puerto Rican Cultural Center to launch the new testing capability , according to a news release .
The hospital also is working with Rincon and the Vida/SIDA program from the cultural center to provide screening for the novel coronavirus at the hospital for those over age 18 , starting Tuesday afternoon , according to the release .
Humboldt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where household income is $ 10,000 less than city average , according to a statement from the hospital .
More than a third of the community ’ s residents live below the federal poverty level .
–Chicago Tribune staff 10:10 a.m. : Hormel furloughs 150 employees at its Fontanini Foods ’ Italian sausage plant in McCook Fontanini Foods , which makes Italian meats and sausages for restaurants , sports arenas and other venues , is furloughing 150 employees at its southwest suburban McCook plant due to a “ dramatic decline ” in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Roughly 30 % of the plant ’ s 500 workers will be off as of Saturday , with affected employees receiving health benefits but not pay during the temporarily furlough.
“ There is no timeline for return as that will depend on when restaurants , sports venues and other food service operations restart , ” John Kempen , Fontanini ’ s plant manager , said in an email Tuesday .
Kempen said the decision will affect a “ wide variety of positions ” from across the company , but did not specify @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on furlough .
About 1 in 6 American workers have lost their jobs during the coronavirus pandemic , with stay-at-home orders closing many businesses .
More than 26 million people have filed for unemployment benefits across the U.S. since mid-March , including 737,472 in Illinois .
Read more here .
– Robert Channick 9:45 a.m. : Kerry Washington and ‘ Scandal ’ colleagues sponsor meals for workers at Roseland Community Hospital When a kitchen employee at Roseland Community Hospital on Chicago ’ s South Side started experiencing COVID-19 symptoms , the food service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ When they reopened , they were only opening back up to make meals for patients , ” said Maya-Camille Broussard , the chef and owner of the bakery Justice of the Pies .
“ A doctor who works at the hospital is a family friend and she mentioned that she saw some of the doctors having to leave to get lunch and they were just so dejected because they didn ’ t want to leave , but they couldn ’ t get anything from the cafeteria .
And you ’ re talking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s not as if there ’ s a bevy of options.
” On Monday evening , Broussard cooked and delivered food for 100 medical personnel working at the hospital .
The meals were paid for by actor Kerry Washington and some of her “ Scandal ” colleagues , including Bellamy Young and Highland Park native Jeff Perry , through a national grassroots organization called Frontline Foods .
The group raises money that is funneled to restaurants and caterers , who then use those funds to prepare meals for people working on the front @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more here .
–Nina Metz 6 a.m. : Expect changes if college campuses reopen in the fall : ‘ All of this is in uncharted waters ’ While some Illinois colleges say they hope to make a determination in June or July about whether to reopen in the fall , the outcome will largely hinge on how public health experts evaluate the threat of the coronavirus .
The decision will also depend on when Gov .
J.B. Pritzker lifts the state ’ s stay-at-home order .
On Thursday , he extended the order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ won ’ t expire until at least the end of May .
“ All of this is in uncharted waters , and so we ’ re doing our best to try to plan for an uncertain fall semester , ” said Larry Dietz , president of Illinois State University .
“ For fall , we ’ re looking at several scenarios .
...
I think all of us know that ( campus ) is probably not going to be as open as it was in the fall of 2019 , before we even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measures are also being floated for residence halls , where about 6,000 students typically live during the school year , Dietz said .
To reduce potential crowding , the school is considering capping the number of students approved for the dorms , which make up the bulk of its housing stock , and trying to place more in apartments , some of which are university owned .
Colleges and universities nationwide are grappling with how to approach the fall semester , while also worrying that fewer students will want to attend and pay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ online .
Read more here .
— Elyssa Cherney 6 a.m. : Donors come to rescue of Illinois school district struggling with digital divide Since the March shutdown of schools across Illinois , teachers at one rural southwestern district have been stuffing 800 envelopes with learning packets and mailing them to students ’ homes because many families in the area don ’ t have computers or high-speed internet .
Trico District 176 ’ s remote learning challenges were highlighted in a Tribune-ProPublica Illinois story last month that exposed a digital divide across Illinois @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the COVID-19 pandemic .
State agencies later released a map touting publicly accessible Wi-Fi hot spots at about 250 locations ; none are in the 250 square miles that make up the Trico district .
That ’ s about to change .
A local internet provider is installing Wi-Fi service to connect families to the district network .
An anonymous donor pledged to donate a dozen hot spots .
And a school district in Chicago ’ s suburbs said it would ship about 250 used Chromebooks to Trico when the computers are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more here .
— Jodi S. Cohen , ProPublica , Jennifer Smith Richards , Chicago Tribune 6 a.m. : You can learn math and English online , but how about baking or pottery ?
Hands-on education challenged after COVID-19 closes schools .
As students and teachers across Illinois continue to adjust to the long-distance education prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic , the learning curve has been steepest for those in hands-on courses , like baking or drivers ed , where classroom conditions are impossible to simulate via email or video chats .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ become more resourceful and innovative , though in some cases , there is no substitute for what was left behind when their schools closed .
“ They can read about it , but to be in a kitchen with a professional chef showing them what can go wrong , other ways to make their pastry or desserts , that part of it is missing , ” said College of Lake County baking and pastry instructor Teresa Novinska .
“ More of them are making more mistakes that I probably could have caught.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Here are five things that happened Monday that you need to know :

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Paca Kujtim of Arlington Heights self-administers a COVID-19 test in his car at the Arlington International Racecourse on March 31, 2021 in Arlington Heights. Kujtim was getting testing as a precaution for upcoming travel. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
Illinois’ coronavirus death toll surpassed 2,000 on Tuesday as state officials reported 144 more fatalities, the highest number in a single day since the outbreak began. The total number of deaths in state now stands at 2,125.
Officials also announced 2,219 new known cases of COVID-19 — the fifth time in the past seven days that the number of new cases has topped 2,000. There have been 48,102 known cases in 96 of Illinois’ 102 counties.
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Meanwhile, a day after a southern Illinois judge issued an order exempting a Republican state representative from Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s statewide stay-at-home directive, Pritzker called the lawsuit a “cheap political stunt” and decried the ruling as “absurd.” The Illinois attorney general’s office is expected to file its appeal of the ruling on Wednesday.
[ COVID-19 cases in Illinois by ZIP code: Search for your neighborhood ]
[ As the coronavirus spreads, the Tribune is tracking Illinois cases here ]
[ From closing schools to stay-at-home order, here's how Illinois' coronavirus response compares with other states ]
Here’s a recap of what happened on April 28 with COVID-19 in the Chicago area and Illinois:
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9:09 p.m.: Mondelez International, maker of Triscuits and Oreos, says first-quarter sales jumped because consumers were hunkered in at home snacking
Oreo-maker Mondelez International reported a rise in first-quarter sales and “unprecedented” market share gains as consumers under lockdown reached for its cookies and crackers. But higher costs to keep operating during the COVID-19 pandemic weighed on the company’s profits.
The company’s brands, which include Triscuits, Cadbury and Philadelphia cream cheese, offer consumers comfort and a “sense of normalcy” they are craving during this stressful time, Dirk Van de Put, CEO of the Chicago-based food giant, said Tuesday during an earnings call with investors.
Revenues of $6.7 billion for the quarter ended March 31 represented a 2.6% increase from the same period last year, with big jumps in developed markets like Europe and North America offsetting declines in emerging markets including Asia, where some lockdowns prevented workers from getting to factories.
In North America, organic net sales rose 13.4%, driven by its biscuits category consisting of brands such as Oreos, Wheat Thins, Belvita and Triscuits. Chocolate sales also were up, though gum was flat.
While the initial sales spike from pantry-loading subsided as March wore on, sales remained elevated into April, Van de Put said.
“There is more grazing, more continuous eating and snacking takes up a much bigger role,” he said. “Sharing a snack with your kids as everyone is cooped up in their house brings back a feeling of normalcy and togetherness.” Read more here. — Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz
7:56 p.m.: Rivian, Ford cancel plans to build Lincoln-branded electric vehicle
A joint project between Rivian and Ford to build a Lincoln-branded electric vehicle has been canceled as the auto industry struggles to navigate the coronavirus pandemic.
While there were never specific details about the product or timing for its launch, the automakers were planning to build the new vehicle using startup electric truck manufacturer Rivian’s platform.
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“Given the current environment, Lincoln and Rivian have decided not to pursue the development of a fully electric vehicle based on Rivian’s skateboard platform,” Lincoln said in a statement Tuesday. “Ford Motor Company’s strategic commitment to Lincoln, Rivian and electrification remains unchanged and Lincoln’s future plans will include an all-electric vehicle.”
Ford, which last year invested $500 million in Rivian, said Tuesday the partnership “remains strong,” and that the automakers continue to work together on an alternative vehicle based on Rivian’s platform.
The electric truck startup, which is building its own SUV and truck at a plant in Normal, has already pushed its production launch date back to 2021. Read more here. —Robert Channick
7:44 p.m.: NU turns down millions in federal stimulus money, following lead of other colleges with large endowments
Northwestern University says it will not apply for or accept the $8.5 million that has allocated to the school in the federal coronavirus relief package.
NU said it “determined we are unable to accept the requirements” attached to CARES Act money authorized by Congress.
The move follows that of other private universities with large endowments, like Harvard, Yale and Stanford. Read more here. —Elyssa Cherney
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7:20 p.m.: First UIC nurse dies after testing positive for coronavirus. ‘We were supposed to grow old together ... I just got robbed of it.’
It was a love story that began with her smile.
When Lawrence Le Blanc met his future wife, Joyce, on a beach in St. Thomas — he was visiting from nearby British Virgin Islands, she from Illinois — he fell in love with her without her saying a word.
“She smiled one time," he said. "Ever since then, I’ve been in love with that smile.”
It’s a smile anyone around her knew well, especially her colleagues at the University of Illinois Hospital in Chicago.
Joyce Pacubas-Le Blanc, 53, died April 23, 13 days after testing for COVID-19. She was a nurse for more than 30 years, most recently in the neuroscience intensive care unit at UIC. Pacubas-Le Blanc is one of at least eight known health care workers in Illinois who have died after having the coronavirus. According to the Illinois Nurses Association, which created a fundraiser to support her family, she was the first nurse at the hospital to die after testing positive. Read more here. —Alison Bowen
6:54 p.m.: Female teen dies after contracting COVID-19, Will County health officials say
A female teenager has died after contracting COVID-19, Will County health officials said Tuesday.
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The person is the youngest of the 145 people in Will County who have died of the disease caused by the coronavirus so far, according to Steve Brandy, spokesman for the Will County Health Department. The county reported nine additional deaths on Tuesday.
Brandy did not have the young victim’s exact age available. Officials reported the death on Tuesday, but Brandy did not know what day she died.
In addition to that death, one man in his 20s and a man and a woman in their 30s have died in Will County, according to health department data. Most of the county’s deaths were among people in their 70s and 80s. Read more here. —Madeline Buckley
6:48 p.m.: JetBlue looks to suspend Chicago flights temporarily as demand plummets amid COVID-19
JetBlue asked the U.S. Transportation Department for permission to suspend flights to 16 airports, including O’Hare International Airport, amid “near-zero demand for air travel.”
The COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions on travel meant to contain it have brought passenger travel to a near-standstill. Still, airlines that took financial assistance from the federal government need to maintain minimum levels of service to cities where they currently fly unless the Transportation Department grants an exemption.
Earlier this month, JetBlue said it expects to receive about $935.8 million in grants and loans through the federal coronavirus relief package.
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JetBlue has already gone from six flights a day to four per week in Chicago, the airline said in its request with the Transportation Department on Tuesday.
There still aren’t enough people on its flights connecting Chicago to Boston, New York and Fort Lauderdale to make them sustainable, JetBlue said. Read more here. —Lauren Zumbach
6:30 p.m.: Cicero overtakes Des Plaines as Cook County suburb with highest number of COVID-19 cases
The town of Cicero surpassed Des Plaines this week in confirmed COVID-19 cases, but Des Plaines maintained the highest number of deaths related to the virus among suburban Cook County communities, according the county’s department of public health.
As of April 28, there were 899 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in west suburban Cicero — more than double the number reported a week earlier — and 21 deaths, data from the Cook County Department of Public Health showed. Read more here. —Jennifer Johnson
6:25 p.m.: Workers at United Scrap Metal in Cicero walk out, asking for more coronavirus safety measures after a colleague dies
Dozens of United Scrap Metal Inc. employees walked out Tuesday morning, asking the company to close the metal recycling plant for two weeks after one of their colleagues died from COVID-19.
Workers want the company to close the facility to deep clean and sanitize the building. They also want to be paid for the two weeks of the plant shutdown, and they want protective gear to be supplied.
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Over 60 workers took part in the walk-out that started at 9 a.m. and continued through the day, said Ramon Gonzalez, 19, an employee at the Cicero-based firm.
The number of workers standing outside varied as shifts changed and after supervisors asked some workers to talk about the issue inside the facility, Gonzales said.
United Scrap Metal said in a statement, “At this point, we cannot confirm the details, but our hearts go out to his family members. All of us at United Scrap Metal (USM) are grieving the loss of our colleague, friend, and valued member of our team.” Read more here. —Abdel Jimenez and Laura Rodríguez Presa
5:55 p.m.: CPS boosts spending for neediest schools amid uncertain financial impact of shutdown
Chicago Public Schools is providing an extra $125 million to individual schools, including $44 million in so-called equity grants to buildings with the greatest needs.
The district hasn’t identified where all the money is coming from, and the funds are being distributed during a time of great uncertainty about the impact of the coronavirus on school finances. Read more here. —Hannah Leone
5:20 p.m.: Fat Rice closes, reopening as Super Fat Rice Mart with meal kits
Fat Rice, the critically acclaimed restaurant in Logan Square inspired by the cuisine of Macau, has closed for the foreseeable future. Co-owners Abe Conlon and Adrienne Lo will re-open the space as Super Fat Rice Mart with meal kits and grocery goods on Wednesday.
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After Gov. J.B. Pritzker closed dining rooms statewide on March 16, Conlon and Lo created take home food kits before shutting down the restaurant, bar and bakery completely. The news was first reported by the New York Times. Read more here. —Louisa Chu
5:15 p.m.: Death toll at Cicero nursing home climbs to 9; more than 200 infected
The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases at a Cicero nursing home continued to climb Tuesday with officials now reporting eight residents and one worker have died from coronavirus-related conditions.
As of Tuesday, Cicero officials announced that at least 163 residents at City View Multicare Center, 5825 W. Cermak Road, had tested positive for COVID-19 following mandated testing at the facility by the Illinois Department of Public Health. In total, there are 320 residents living at City View, meaning the disease has spread to more than half of the population, said Ray Hanania, a spokesman for the town.
In addition, 41 workers have also tested positive, though that number could rise as more results come back. The facility was still waiting to get results back for 39 other workers. The facility has 250 workers, Hanania said. Read more here. —Elvia Malagón
4:30 p.m.: Restrictions will ease Friday for nonessential retailers and animal groomers, but it won’t be business as usual
Thousands of vegetables, herb and house plants died after Adams & Son Gardens closed more than five weeks ago to help stop the spread of the new coronavirus.
But since Gov J.B. Pritzker revised the state’s stay-at-home order, the Humboldt Park shop, which didn’t have to close but chose to, is again receiving truckloads of plants to sell to people who are staying close to home and eager to start gardening.
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The changes to the stay-at-home order, which take effect Friday, are expected to generate some sales at cash-crunched businesses while providing Illinois residents with more ways to help a battered economy.
But merchants and many service providers, most of which had been branded nonessential, will operate under conditions still considered far from business as usual, especially amid ongoing concerns about the risk of exposure to COVID-19. Read more here. —Lauren Zumbach and Ally Marotti
3:56 p.m.: Live donor transplants at virtual standstill due to COVID-19
Hoping to find a kidney donor, Cubs fan Bridgett Kolls of Lombard went very public with her quest when she took a handmade poster to a baseball game last May.
Her sign was caught on camera, and by the end of the game, the 23-year-old’s phone was blowing up with messages. Strangers who saw the poster on television and the team’s social media accounts reached out to volunteer their kidney to Kolls, who was in need of a transplant after lupus ravaged her own.
A Chicago man, who previously was a complete stranger, ended up being a match.
The surgery was set for March 26 at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn.
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But her storybook ending has proved elusive.
“It all happened so fast,” Kolls recalls. “Everything was going fine in February, in March the transplant was set up.”
Suddenly, “things are closing, the kidney transplant is canceled,” Kolls said. “That’s why we’re going day-by-day here.”
Kolls’ transplant was one of hundreds of organ transplants postponed across the country. The Chicago area in particular has seen an almost complete stoppage of certain types of transplants since mid-March when the COVID-19 crisis prompted state leaders to issue a stay-at-home order, transplant experts said.
Doctors say the move is an effort to protect patients — especially organ recipients, who will become immunocompromised — from possible infection. They also point to a need to preserve hospital resources like ventilators as the number of coronavirus-related hospitalizations remains high. That has forced area residents to wait, and hope, that their anticipated surgeries will soon be rescheduled. Read more here. —Genevieve Bookwalter
3 p.m. (updated at 3:45 p.m.): Pritzker calls lawsuit over stay-at-home order a ‘cheap political stunt,’ decries ruling as ‘absurd’
A day after a southern Illinois judge issued a temporary order exempting a Republican state representative from Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s statewide stay-at-home directive, Pritzker reiterated that restrictions remain in place for the more than 12 million other residents of the state.
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Monday’s ruling by Clay County Circuit Court Judge Michael McHaney came in a lawsuit filed by Rep. Darren Bailey that challenged Pritzker’s authority to extend his stay-at-home order beyond the initial 30 days under the state’s Emergency Management Act.
While the judge’s temporary restraining order was limited, Pritzker’s reaction was again outsized as he fired another broadside at Bailey, of Xenia, Ill.
"This ruling only applies to one person because it was only ever about one person,” Pritzker said, accusing Bailey of seeking to grab headlines while putting public health at risk.
“This was a cheap political stunt designed so that the representative can see his name in headlines, and unfortunately, he has briefly been successful in that,” Pritzker said.
Calling the court order “absurd,” Pritzker said that “the court set a dangerous precedent.”
“Because of this ruling, any resident can petition to be exempted from aspects of the orders that rely on collective action to keep us all safe,” he said.
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The Illinois attorney general’s office is expected to file its formal appeal of the ruling on Wednesday. Read more here. —Dan Petrella
2:40 p.m.: Officials report 144 more deaths and 2,219 new known COVID-19 cases
The state reported 144 more coronavirus deaths on Tuesday, the highest number in a single day since the outbreak began. The statewide death toll now stands at 2,125.
Officials also reported 2,219 new known cases of COVID-19 — the fifth time in the past seven days that the number of new cases has topped 2,000. There have been 48,102 known cases in 96 of Illinois’ 102 counties. —Dan Petrella
2:05 p.m.: Smartphone location data can tell if people stay home during the pandemic. Experts worry users are sacrificing privacy for safety.
Smartphone location data can tell if people stay home during the pandemic. Experts worry users are sacrificing privacy for safety.
The coronavirus outbreak has sparked a new use for data smartphones collect about users’ locations.
Technology companies are using location data to track how much people are staying at home during the pandemic. Often, the findings are made available to government officials, including in Chicago, to help them determine how well containment efforts are working.
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The data, which is compiled using GPS coordinates on phones, is being used to track everything from how far people are straying from home to how those patterns stack up to pre-pandemic travel. Foot traffic at bus stops and parks can be tracked. Some of the data can be broken down to the state or county level, or by city block.
The City of Chicago is using location data to help inform its decision-making during the pandemic, said Peter Ruestow, senior epidemiologist at the Chicago Public Health Department’s Communicable Disease Program.
The city works with a tech company called BlueDot, which aggregates geolocation data to show how many devices stayed at home each week in each of the city’s 77 community areas.
By the time the city gets the data, it’s in the form of trends, and is anonymous, Ruestow said. If the data shows devices tended to move farther from home, that might indicate that people who live there are traveling farther for work or services. Read more here. —Ally Marotti
1:23 p.m.: Pritzker says White House has promised to help get Illinois COVID-19 testing swabs
Gov. J.B. Pritzker said he spoke with White House officials Tuesday morning and was promised the federal government would provide 20,000 testing swabs per day in May, a boost that will help the governor determine when it’s safe to begin lifting his statewide stay-at-home order aimed at curbing the COVID-19 outbreak.
It comes after the White House announced a testing “blueprint” — released Monday night — with testing targets that would ensure states had enough COVID-19 tests available to sample at least 2.6% of their populations monthly.
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During a Tuesday morning appearance on the “Today” show, Pritzker said he was grateful for the help but couldn’t resist perpetuating his ongoing battle with President Donald Trump. Pritzker complained the federal government hasn’t done enough to address the crisis. Trump has maintained that it’s up to the states to meet testing goals.
“We’ve done a good job in Illinois of acquiring our own supplies, but now the White House is getting engaged and they’re promising to deliver to us for the month of May about 20,000 swabs per day, which is very important,” he said during the interview, noting that those will be on top of the 12,000 tests per day already being done statewide.
The governor was asked about the president’s aim to make sure roughly 2% of the population is tested, and Pritzker said “we’re aiming to do much more than that. We’re currently among the top 10 states in terms of how many tests we’re doing on a per-day basis and we want to vault ourselves near the top.”
Ramping up testing is “very important when you think in terms of reopening” the economy," Pritzker said, but added that a system of contact tracing — mapping out how a person contracted the virus to understand its spread — is needed. —Lisa Donovan; Associated Press contributed to this report
1:05 p.m.: Open the economy or save lives? It’s not that simple. From the experts, 7 ways to talk politics in the COVID-19 era.
You’re scrolling through Facebook when you stumble upon a post from a cousin. He’s touting a COVID-19 conspiracy theory as justification to reopen the economy. You normally ignore his politically charged posts but this one gives you pause. You wonder: Does he really believe COVID-19 is no worse than the flu? Is he social distancing? Is he infecting Grandma?
Partisan politics have divided us as a nation now for years, and if a friend or family member is on the other side of the cultural divide, chances are we’ve learned to shut out their political opinions. But this moment feels different. Coping with the pandemic can’t just be a question of politics. Experts have some tips on how to have a constructive conversation in an era when nearly everyone, regardless of ideology, has thrown their hands up and asked themselves, How do you talk to these people?
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No.1: Don’t be reductive. For starters, stop thinking of them as “these people.” Acknowledge that our current moment is complex. “We’ve made this very strange false dichotomy: You either support the economy or you support human life,” says Alexandra Solomon, a psychologist and professor at Northwestern University. “That’s false.” Read more here. —Jen Day
1 p.m.: Chicago to give $5,000 grants to small businesses with four or fewer employees in lower-income neighborhoods
The city of Chicago will give $5,000 grants to small businesses with four or fewer employees as part of a program to help businesses hurt by the coronavirus, Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced on Tuesday.
The city will give up to 1,000 businesses $5,000 as part of its Microbusiness Recovery Grant Program, Lightfoot said. Interested businesses can apply through the city’s website until May 4, and the administration plans to make awards May 11.
Lightfoot said the money is meant for businesses in low and moderate-income neighborhoods hurt by COVID-19 who may not be able to get financing through the federal government or other means.
Most of the eligible areas are on the South and West Sides, according to a city map.
In addition to having four or fewer employees, the businesses must have less than $250,000 in annual revenue and have lost 25% of revenue due to COVID-19, the city said.
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Money for the grants is coming from the Chicago Community Trust and The One Chicago Fund, and will be distributed via lottery, Lightfoot said. —Gregory Pratt
12:15 p.m.: As domestic violence calls rise, free hotel rooms are being offered to victims
Victims of domestic violence will have free access to hotel rooms through a partnership between the city of Chicago and Airbnb.
The Network, a group of advocates against domestic violence, will coordinate placement for callers to the Illinois Domestic Violence hotline. The Network will pay for the rooms using state funds. Airbnb is making its HotelTonight app available to find rooms.
The number of Chicago calls to the state’s domestic violence hotline increased by 6% during March, according to Lisa Morrison Butler, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Family and Support Services. Morrison Butler discussed the changes during a Q&A session with Chicago Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady.
“On March 30, we had 104 Chicago calls into the DV hotline, and that was the single highest number of calls in a day in the history of the hotline,” Morrison Butler added.
City officials said the Chicago Police Department has seen a 12% increase in domestic violence-related calls from January to mid-April, compared to the same period in 2019.
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The Illinois Domestic Violence hotline is available 24/7 at 877-863-6338 (TTY 877-863-6339).
12:14 p.m.: As Illinois facial covering requirement nears, Lightfoot and opponents put forward dueling plans to distribute masks in Chicago
Mayor Lori Lightfoot laid out a plan to aldermen to distribute disposable masks around the city as businessman Willie Wilson on Tuesday held an event across the street from City Hall to donate masks himself to City Council members to give to residents.
The question of how to make sure Chicagoans have enough masks has become more urgent as Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s order is set to take effect Friday requiring people over age 2 to wear a mask while inside stores and other places where they can’t maintain safe social distancing.
Wilson, a former mayoral candidate who had a falling out with Lightfoot after she took office, has been putting forward his own proposals to directly distribute disposable masks through his medical supply company.
Last week, Far South Side Ald. Anthony Beale, 9th, a mayoral critic, asked the Lightfoot administration to let aldermen convert local ward funds usually reserved for infrastructure projects to instead use the money to buy masks from Wilson. The Lightfoot administration hasn’t yet responded to that idea, Beale said. Read more here. —John Byrne
11:20 a.m.: Nearly 200 residents, staff at Cicero nursing home test positive for COVID-19 as at least 5 deaths reported at facility
More than 160 residents at a Cicero nursing home have tested positive for COVID-19 while 31 staff members have also been diagnosed with coronavirus at the facility, which has seen at least five confirmed deaths, according to officials.
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On Monday, Cicero officials announced that at least 163 residents at City View Multicare Center, 5825 W. Cermak Road, had tested positive for COVID-19 following mandated testing at the facility by the Illinois Department of Public Health. In addition, 31 workers have also tested positive, though that number could rise as more results come back.
At least five residents have died from coronavirus at the facility as of April 24, according to data from the state health department. The Cook County medical examiner’s office is reporting a sixth death of a person who lived there. Those who have died have ranged in age from 59 to 80; the first confirmed death was April 4 and the latest confirmed death was April 19, according to the medical examiner’ and Tribune analysis of the office’s data. Read more here. –Elvia Malagón
10:30 a.m.: Humboldt Park hospital starts screening and testing for COVID-19
Testing and screening for COVID-19 for Humboldt Park residents will be available by appointment at Norwegian American Hospital starting at 2 p.m. Tuesday. The hospital, on the city’s West Side near California Avenue and Augusta Boulevard, is partnering with Rincon Famly Services and the Puerto Rican Cultural Center to launch the new testing capability, according to a news release.
The hospital also is working with Rincon and the Vida/SIDA program from the cultural center to provide screening for the novel coronavirus at the hospital for those over age 18, starting Tuesday afternoon, according to the release.
Humboldt Park is 92 percent black or Latino, where household income is $10,000 less than city average, according to a statement from the hospital. More than a third of the community’s residents live below the federal poverty level. –Chicago Tribune staff
10:10 a.m.: Hormel furloughs 150 employees at its Fontanini Foods’ Italian sausage plant in McCook
Fontanini Foods, which makes Italian meats and sausages for restaurants, sports arenas and other venues, is furloughing 150 employees at its southwest suburban McCook plant due to a “dramatic decline” in food service business during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Roughly 30% of the plant’s 500 workers will be off as of Saturday, with affected employees receiving health benefits but not pay during the temporarily furlough.“
There is no timeline for return as that will depend on when restaurants, sports venues and other food service operations restart,” John Kempen, Fontanini’s plant manager, said in an email Tuesday.
Kempen said the decision will affect a “wide variety of positions” from across the company, but did not specify the salary range of the 150 employees on furlough.
About 1 in 6 American workers have lost their jobs during the coronavirus pandemic, with stay-at-home orders closing many businesses. More than 26 million people have filed for unemployment benefits across the U.S. since mid-March, including 737,472 in Illinois. Read more here. – Robert Channick
9:45 a.m.: Kerry Washington and ‘Scandal’ colleagues sponsor meals for workers at Roseland Community Hospital
When a kitchen employee at Roseland Community Hospital on Chicago’s South Side started experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, the food service operation had to be shut down.
“When they reopened, they were only opening back up to make meals for patients,” said Maya-Camille Broussard, the chef and owner of the bakery Justice of the Pies. “A doctor who works at the hospital is a family friend and she mentioned that she saw some of the doctors having to leave to get lunch and they were just so dejected because they didn’t want to leave, but they couldn’t get anything from the cafeteria. And you’re talking about 111th St., so it’s not as if there’s a bevy of options.”
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On Monday evening, Broussard cooked and delivered food for 100 medical personnel working at the hospital. The meals were paid for by actor Kerry Washington and some of her “Scandal” colleagues, including Bellamy Young and Highland Park native Jeff Perry, through a national grassroots organization called Frontline Foods. The group raises money that is funneled to restaurants and caterers, who then use those funds to prepare meals for people working on the front lines during the coronavirus pandemic. Read more here. –Nina Metz
6 a.m.: Expect changes if college campuses reopen in the fall: ‘All of this is in uncharted waters’
While some Illinois colleges say they hope to make a determination in June or July about whether to reopen in the fall, the outcome will largely hinge on how public health experts evaluate the threat of the coronavirus. The decision will also depend on when Gov. J.B. Pritzker lifts the state’s stay-at-home order. On Thursday, he extended the order for a second time, so it won’t expire until at least the end of May.
“All of this is in uncharted waters, and so we’re doing our best to try to plan for an uncertain fall semester,” said Larry Dietz, president of Illinois State University. “For fall, we’re looking at several scenarios. ... I think all of us know that (campus) is probably not going to be as open as it was in the fall of 2019, before we even knew the term coronavirus.”
Social distancing measures are also being floated for residence halls, where about 6,000 students typically live during the school year, Dietz said. To reduce potential crowding, the school is considering capping the number of students approved for the dorms, which make up the bulk of its housing stock, and trying to place more in apartments, some of which are university owned.
Colleges and universities nationwide are grappling with how to approach the fall semester, while also worrying that fewer students will want to attend and pay for tuition if classes need to remain online. Read more here. — Elyssa Cherney
6 a.m.: Donors come to rescue of Illinois school district struggling with digital divide
Since the March shutdown of schools across Illinois, teachers at one rural southwestern district have been stuffing 800 envelopes with learning packets and mailing them to students’ homes because many families in the area don’t have computers or high-speed internet.
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Trico District 176’s remote learning challenges were highlighted in a Tribune-ProPublica Illinois story last month that exposed a digital divide across Illinois as schools shifted to remote learning because of the COVID-19 pandemic. State agencies later released a map touting publicly accessible Wi-Fi hot spots at about 250 locations; none are in the 250 square miles that make up the Trico district.
That’s about to change. A local internet provider is installing Wi-Fi service to connect families to the district network. An anonymous donor pledged to donate a dozen hot spots. And a school district in Chicago’s suburbs said it would ship about 250 used Chromebooks to Trico when the computers are replaced after this school year. Read more here. — Jodi S. Cohen, ProPublica, Jennifer Smith Richards, Chicago Tribune
6 a.m.: You can learn math and English online, but how about baking or pottery? Hands-on education challenged after COVID-19 closes schools.
As students and teachers across Illinois continue to adjust to the long-distance education prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the learning curve has been steepest for those in hands-on courses, like baking or drivers ed, where classroom conditions are impossible to simulate via email or video chats.
That has forced educators and learners alike to become more resourceful and innovative, though in some cases, there is no substitute for what was left behind when their schools closed.
“They can read about it, but to be in a kitchen with a professional chef showing them what can go wrong, other ways to make their pastry or desserts, that part of it is missing,” said College of Lake County baking and pastry instructor Teresa Novinska. “More of them are making more mistakes that I probably could have caught.” Read more here. — John Keilman
Breaking coronavirus news Stay up to date with the latest information on coronavirus with our breaking news alerts.
April 27
Here are five things that happened Monday that you need to know:


chicagotribune--2020-05-01--Branded masks turn coronavirus protection into commercial message: “It’s a face billboard.”

The company has been inundated with commercial orders , employing a staff of about 18 in split shifts to produce @ @ @ @ @ per day .
The custom masks sell for $ 15 each , in lots generally @ @ @ @ @ masks per design .
Clients include a Dow Chemical plant in Midland , Michigan , @ @ @ @ @ crews from Southwest Airlines .

The requirement that Illinois residents wear facial coverings in public to prevent the spread of coronavirus has given rise to a new advertising vehicle — branded face masks promoting everything from fast food restaurants to sports teams.
All major sports leagues have begun producing officially licensed team logo masks. Universal Music Group is making masks featuring artists from Willie Nelson to Justin Bieber. Warners Bros. has licensed a mask with the cast from the 1990s TV show, “Beverly Hills, 90210.”
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Many of the proceeds of branded mask sales, at least initially, are helping to fund COVID-19 relief efforts. But turning personal protective equipment into an ad for a real estate agent may raise eyebrows, even in the new normal of a worldwide health crisis.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot wears a mask as she prepares to speak about the coronavirus economic recovery plan on April 23, 2020 at the Historic Water Tower. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
New York-based branding strategist Peter Shankman said branded face masks, if "done the right way,” will generally be perceived in a positive light.
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“Wearable brands have become a part of our culture,” Shankman said.
Fanatics, which operates an officially licensed e-commerce merchandise business for major sports leagues, sells team masks for the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLS and WNBA, at prices ranging from $15 to $25 each.
The Blackhawks are the second best-selling NHL team and the Bulls rank fifth among NBA teams for mask sales, Fanatics spokesman Brandon Williams said Thursday.
In Chicago, Mayor Lori Lightfoot may be the top salesperson for branded masks after donning one featuring the city logo and her COVID-19 prevention mantra, #StayHome.
The mask was made by Pride Masks, which converted its small Chicago factory from a marching band uniform supplier and flag maker to a branded face mask company last month.
“Once the mayor started wearing the mask, it’s blown up," said Alan Spaeth, 55, co-founder of the company formerly known as R&S Marching Arts.
The company has been inundated with commercial orders, employing a staff of about 18 in split shifts to produce about 700 to 800 masks per day. The masks sell for $15 each, in lots generally ranging from 20 to 500 masks per design. Clients include a Dow Chemical plant in Midland, Michigan, local Sonic restaurants and flight crews from Southwest Airlines.
Spaeth turned down an order for a half million face masks from a pharmaceutical company because it would have overwhelmed production and squeezed out smaller business customers.
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Companies are buying the branded masks to meet state health requirements and provide "corporate wear,” Spaeth said.
One client in particular said it was concerned about potentially inappropriate personal messaging on masks worn by employees.
“It’s a way to keep everything uniform, and if you’re representing a company, keep it on message,” Spaeth said. “It’s a face billboard.”
rchannick@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-05-01--Off-duty firefighter shot on Far South Side

The man was in the 9900 block of South Yale Avenue when he was shot , Langford said , adding @ @ @ @ @ Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn .

Chicago police process a crime scene in the 9900 block of S. Yale Avenue in Chicago where there was a reported shooting on April 30, 2020. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)
An off-duty Chicago firefighter who was shot several times while chatting with friends and cutting the lawn on the Far South Side Thursday night fired back at the assailant in self-defense, officials said.
The firefighter, 54, was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was stabilized and where his family was gathered at his bedside Thursday night, according to Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford.
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“He had multiple gunshot wounds to his lower extremities," Langford said.
About 6:45 p.m. an assailant ran past the fireman and several of his friends who about talking near an alley or gangway and fired thirteen times at them near the 9900 block of South Yale Avenue in the Fernwood neighborhood, Langford and police said.
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After bullets ripped through the fireman’s ankle, buttocks and right leg, he returned fire in self-defense, but didn’t hit anyone, police said. He was not the intended target.
Patrol officers from the 22nd District who rushed to the scene spotted a suspect and gave chase on foot, eventually taking a 25-year-old man into custody.
Officers retrieved the alleged gunman’s coat and gun in a garbage can near the shooting scene.
The fireman, who holds a valid concealed and carry license, had been cutting the grass around the time of the shooting, Langford said.
He been with the department since 1994 and is assigned to a South Side firehouse, Langford said.
Police have not announced charges as of Friday afternoon.
rsobol@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-05-01--DuPage reports 19 new COVID deaths. Long-term care facilities account for nearly 3/4 of overall tota

DuPage reports 19 new COVID deaths. Long-term care facilities account for nearly 3/4 of overall total of 164. Number of known cases tops 3,000.

Of the 164 people who have died , 121 have been residents of long-term care facilities .
There have been @ @ @ @ @ facilities .
The county does not provide a breakdown of the homes , except for @ @ @ @ @ Center in Willowbrook , which had the largest outbreak at the beginning of the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ 58 known cases , including 19 staff members .
There have been 11 deaths .

Nineteen new COVID-19 deaths were reported Thursday in DuPage County, including those of 15 residents of long-term care facilities, which now account for nearly three-quarters of the county’s deaths associated with the virus, according to health officials.
It was the largest single-day death total since the county began releasing data on the virus.
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The county also has topped 3,000 known cases, with 195 new cases bringing the total to 3,093, according to a news release from the DuPage County Health Department.
Of the 164 people who have died, 121 have been residents of long-term care facilities. There have been 547 known cases in 49 facilities. The county does not provide a breakdown of the homes, except for the Chateau Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Willowbrook, which had the largest outbreak at the beginning of the pandemic. The Chateau has had 58 known cases, including 19 staff members. There have been 11 deaths.
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The Illinois Department of Health recently began providing a weekly update of cases and deaths in long-term care facilities, which it lists by name.
The 15 most recent care facility deaths in DuPage, according to the county health department, were from Bloomingdale (5), Westmont (3), Elmhurst (2), Naperville (2), Downers Grove (1), Lombard (1) and Wheaton (1). The age range was from the 60s to the 90s. Eleven were men.
The other four deaths were of people listed as having been “living in the community,” and no towns were given. One person was a man in his 40s. The other three — two women and one man — were in their 80s.
All of the 19 who died had underlying medical conditions, officials said.


chicagotribune--2020-05-01--In neighborhoods where it fights violence, GoodKids MadCity is raising money for those struggling du

In neighborhoods where it fights violence, GoodKids MadCity is raising money for those struggling during the pandemic. ‘We have to take care of each other’

“ We already see ourselves left out of a lot of help that 's going around , ” Kamil said @ @ @ @ @ that if nobody is going to do it for us , ( then ) we @ @ @ @ @ us .
”

At 19, Alycia Kamil is a leader of GoodKids MadCity, a group of young people dedicated to fighting violence where they live in Chicago.
It’s only natural, she said, that they also help their neighborhoods deal with the coronavirus outbreak.
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“We already see ourselves left out of a lot of help that's going around,” Kamil said. “We always say that if nobody is going to do it for us, (then) we have to do it for us.”
Every Friday, the group puts $50 into the hands of nearly two dozen young people of color. So far, the group has reached 100 people between the ages of 18 and 24.
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GoodKids MadCity typically focuses on violence prevention, but as the virus began to spread through the city, the organization’s adult mentor, Kofi Ademola, urged members to think of ways to help.
“We already know how hypersegregated Chicago is, how concentrated the poverty is,” Ademola said. “And because of those disparities, because of that inequity, we knew before the numbers came out that the black community and the Latino community was going to get hit the hardest by COVID.”
Kamil came up with the idea of a grocery delivery service in the same neighborhoods the group does anti-violence work: North Lawndale, Austin, Englewood, South Shore and Woodlawn.
Members of the organization GoodKids MadCity buy groceries for community members in need. (Alycia Kamil/HANDOUT)
She sent around two forms on social media, one for people in need of groceries and another for people to donate money to the cause.
The group aimed to raise about $300, but within just a few days Kamil said it collected $3,000. Kamil and others were able to buy and deliver groceries for 32 families and still had money left over.
Ademola suggested they use the money to help their own demographic, high school- and college-age kids who are either out of a job or must work on the front line.
“A lot of young people that are back home from school or are just home, they’re in households where they may be the sole provider,” Ademola said. “Or they may be supporting the income of their parents, or taking care of their siblings, so any little amount can help.”
“It isn't just about GoodKids MadCity but it's this bigger movement that's saying we have to take care of each other but also hold the government accountable,” he added.
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Kamil helped launch another form on social media, this one for people of color ages 18 to 24 in the area. Every week, she and other members of GoodKids MadCity take 20 people from that list and electronically send them $50 from the collection.
While overseeing the fund, Kamil says she uses the opportunity to educate people about the disproportionate impact of COVID-19.
Black Chicagoans are dying of the virus at rates much higher than any other racial group, according to public records. And neighborhoods on the South and West sides, where GoodKids MadCity concentrates its efforts, have seen some of the largest numbers of cases.
“We’re trying to really tie everything in with the work that we do with intersectional violence by giving out the money,” Kamil said. “But that same day one of us will make a thread explaining why there are testing centers in Lakeview and Wicker Park but not Chatham or South Shore.”
Ademola argues that the coronavirus is exacerbating inequities in the city. As Chicago aims to flatten the curve, government leaders are scrambling to clear out jails and juvenile detention centers and find housing for the homeless.
But according to Ademola, the city should have been working on these issues long ago.
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“Community organizing and activism has always been a tool for people to build power, to build movements,” Ademola said. “Now, because we're in this time of social distancing and having tools like social media and the internet, it's a perfect way to mobilize and galvanize people to come together to help each other.”
Kamil hopes young people will continue to organize after the pandemic has passed.
“I think this has really opened a lot of people’s eyes to see how messed up the system is,” she said. “I really hope that this pandemic is showing the work that organizing can do to make things happen.”
ssherry@chicagotribune.com