chicagotribune--2020-10-21--The Spin: Add Pat Ryan to billionaires fighting Gov. Pritzker’s graduated tax | Lightfoot prepared f

The Spin: Add Pat Ryan to billionaires fighting Gov. Pritzker’s graduated tax | Lightfoot prepared for budget battle | Rhetoric heats up in Casten vs. Ives

The math : The forecast for the city ’ s budget includes a $ 1.9 billion deficit , 65 % @ @ @ @ @ pandemic , according to the city ’ s budget office .
To close it , @ @ @ @ @ million in debt refinancing , nearly $ 200 million in increased funding from , in @ @ @ @ @ gas taxes , as well as taking $ 30 million from reserves .
Also planned @ @ @ @ @ so called “ savings and efficiencies ” that range from up to 350 city worker @ @ @ @ @ a shell game of sorts that politicians like to use — cutting unfilled jobs to @ @ @ @ @ Tribune ’ s Gregory Pratt and John Byrne go deeper here .

Hoping to preempt another battle with the City Council, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot today punctuated an address on her proposed 2021 spending plan, which includes controversial property and gas tax hikes, layoffs and borrowing to close a $1.2 billion deficit, with a plea to aldermen for kindness as the budget debate begins.
The mayor, who has acknowledged she can get sharp with critics, told aldermen in her virtual speech: “We and you may not agree on every issue, but let’s have this City Council budget season be a model for the nation on how, democracy, messy as it always is, can also be filled with efforts to build bridges to each other and continue on our path toward that more perfect union.”
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In her roughly hourlong address the mayor laid out how city arrived at this fiscal cliff — a pandemic-triggered economic shutdown that all but turned off the spigot of sales and other tax revenues. While cuts and tax hikes were necessary, Lightfoot also said socioeconomic inequities revealed by the pandemic and, months later, the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd, can’t be shelved in a time of austerity; to that end she highlighted funding for anti-violence efforts and to prevent homelessness.
The mayor spent a fair amount of time explaining why she wasn’t meeting activists’ demands to “defund the police,” stating firmly that reforms can and will continue but that “police officers are not our enemies.”
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Another billionaire has joined the fight against Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s ballot initiative to end the flat income tax in Illinois and enact a graduated system under which levies rise with salaries. Aon insurance company founder Pat Ryan just wrote a $1 million check to help efforts to defeat the measure, according to the Illinois State Board of Elections. Jennifer Pritzker — the governor’s cousin — along with fellow billionaire Ken Griffin also have donated money to groups working to stop the enactment of the graduated tax.
And the Democratic Party of Illinois led by Speaker Michael Madigan has started pouring money into an effort to keep Illinois Supreme Court Justice Tom Kilbride on the bench, my Tribune colleague Ray Long writes. While Republicans are working to defeat Kilbride, Democratic leaders view his victory as crucial with the party’s 4-3 majority on the state’s high court in the balance.
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House Speaker Michael Madigan, before the start of the budget address by Gov. J.B. Pritzker at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield on Feb. 19, 2020. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
The Democratic Party of Illinois put $550,000 into the Kilbride retention campaign, a signal to some Republicans and one campaign finance expert that the big money being spent to defeat him thus far is having an impact. Tribune investigative reporter Ray Long takes a closer look here.
“Clearly, Kilbride has been compromised” by the donation Madigan dropped into the justice’s campaign, said Peoria-area U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood, whose sprawling 18th Congressional District overlaps with parts of the Kilbride judicial district.
The Democratic Party of Illinois put $550,000 into the Kilbride retention campaign, a signal to some Republicans and one campaign finance expert that the big money being spent to defeat him thus far is having an impact. Tribune investigative reporter Ray Long takes a closer look here.
“Clearly, Kilbride has been compromised” by the donation Madigan dropped into the justice’s campaign, said Peoria-area U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood, whose sprawling 18th Congressional District overlaps with parts of the Kilbride judicial district.
Add another billionaire to the ranks of those fighting Pritzker’s graduated income tax initiative on ballot: Pat Ryan just dropped $1 million into efforts to defeat Gov. Pritkzer’s graduated tax amendment, the top item on the November ballot. And Pritzker’s cousin Jennifer Pritzker has just written a $250,000 check — in addition to an earlier $500,000 contribution — to stop the proposal. Crain’s A.D. Quig was the first to report the latest round of donations here.
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The governor, a billionaire heir to the Hyatt Hotel fortune, has given $56.5 million to the “Vote Yes for Fairness” campaign that’s pushing the amendment.
Cook County state’s attorney Kim Foxx raises more than $350K in last week, but with a $270K haul of his own GOP opponent Patrick O’Brien insists he has the ‘momentum’: My Tribune colleague Alice Yin has the details here.
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Rep. Sean Casten, left, and Jeanne Ives, both shown in 2018, are vying for the Illinois 6th Congressional District seat in Chicago's western and northwest suburbs. (Terrence Antonio James and Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune))
Cranking up the rhetoric in Casten vs. Ives: The campaign for the 6th Congressional District has kicked into a new gear, the Tribune’s Patrick O’Connell writes in a new piece here.
O’Connell notes: “Republican challenger Jeanne Ives is criticizing first-term Democratic U.S. Rep. Sean Casten for an upcoming scheduled online event with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and highlighted the congressman’s absence from a Tuesday night WTTW forum on the ‘Chicago Tonight’ program.
“Casten, in turn, continues to spotlight his messages on climate change and the coronavirus, lambasting Republicans for their stances and saying the party ‘is now being captured by a crazy fringe.’”
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The clear contrasts between first-term Democratic U.S. Lauren Underwood vs. state Sen Jim Oberweis in 14th Congressional District race: O’Connell has that story too.
Late this afternoon, President Donald Trump endorsed Oberweis on Twitter, writing in part that the dairy magnate “will be a terrific Congressman for Illinois! A successful businessman, he will Create Jobs, Lower Taxes, Defend Law & Order, and Protect your Second Amendment from the Radical Left.” O’Connell will have a story shortly here.
.@JimOberweis will be a terrific Congressman for Illinois! A successful businessman, he will Create Jobs, Lower Taxes, Defend Law & Order, and Protect your Second Amendment from the Radical Left. Jim has my Complete and Total Endorsement! #IL14 https://t.co/lb5qk4KaNF — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 21, 2020
Rohingya Americans in Chicago cast their first-ever general election votes: The Tribune’s Kelli Smith has the story here.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot delivers her budget address Oct. 21, 2020, in Council Chambers at City Hall. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
The math: The forecast for the city’s budget includes a $1.9 billion deficit, 65% of it related to the pandemic, according to the city’s budget office. To close it, Lightfoot plans on $500 million in debt refinancing, nearly $200 million in increased funding from, in part, hiking property and gas taxes, as well as taking $30 million from reserves. Also planned: $537 million in so called “savings and efficiencies” that range from up to 350 city worker layoffs. It’s a shell game of sorts that politicians like to use — cutting unfilled jobs to balance the books. The Tribune’s Gregory Pratt and John Byrne go deeper here.
Add it up: Owners of a Chicago home valued at $250,000 would see a $56 increase on their tax bill, the mayor says.
The property tax hike won’t just be a one-time thing: The Sun-Times’ Fran Spielman writes: “Chicago homeowners and business owners struggling to hold on to their property will have to endure not only a $94 million property tax increase, but also an annual property tax hike every year forward tied to the rate of inflation.” Read that story here.
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The mayor proposes delaying layoff notices until spring, in hopes Congress comes up with another stimulus package that sends aids to revenue-ravaged state and local governments. “Congress, do your job. Don’t leave us — cities and town all across this country — high and dry” Lightfoot said, chastising lawmakers for partisan bickering over shared difficulties in cities and states run by Republicans and Democrats alike.
She also said she hopes to work with the General Assembly to boost funding.
Lightfoot says even she will feel some of the pain: Nonunionized workers are being asked to take five unpaid days off under her plan — and she will take part.
Policing and social justice: “Lightfoot also used a chunk of her address to argue strenuously against defunding police,” Pratt and Byrne wrote. “She choked up as she recalled an officer’s unsuccessful attempts to save a 7-year old girl who had been shot in the head, which she cited as an example of public service by city cops.”
“Our police officers are not our enemies. They are someone’s son or daughter, or husband or wife, brother or sister. They are as complicated and imperfect as all of us,” Lightfoot said. “But do remember, they are our neighbors and an important part of who we are as Chicagoans.”
Members of City Council react: While Ald. Anthony Beale 9th, said the refinancing is akin to “kicking the barrel down the road,” Ald. Scott Waguespack, 32nd, chair of the council Finance Committee, said the refinancing plan is a better idea than digging deeper into the city’s reserves, Pratt and Byrne report. City Council takes the final vote on the spending plan.
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Prospects dim for return of Chicago’s convention industry. ‘I would say definitely not 2021.’ — The Tribune’s Abdel Jimenez has the story here.
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle proposes raising Forest Preserves budget next year with rainy day fund: The Tribune’s Alice Yin has the story here.
Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago President Charles Evans said this week “he sees a healthy recovery for the U.S. economy, but added that its vigor still depends on more government aid,” The Wall Street Journal’s Michael S. Derby writes in this piece.
City news: Six years after Laquan McDonald shooting, activists rally for justice for slain teen: The Tribune’s Morgan Greene writes about it here.
City Hall: Federal officials are investigating a complaint from community activists accusing the Lightfoot administration of perpetuating racial segregation and housing discrimination in the nation’s third largest city, the Tribune’s Michael Hawthorne writes. It comes after the city gave a chronic polluter the green light to move from the wealthy, largely white North Side to a low-income, predominantly Latino neighborhood near the Indiana border. Read the story here.
Mayor Lightfoot exchanged emails with lobbyist about O’Hare client as city ethics board declined to enforce lobbying ban, records show: The Tribune’s John Byrne and Gregory Pratt have the details here.
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Gov. J.B. Pritzker keeps his mask on during a COVID-19 news conference Oct., 20, 2020. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)
My Tribune colleagues write: The Illinois Department of Public Health reported 69 deaths of people with COVID-19 over a 24-hour period, bringing the state-reported COVID-19 related death toll to 9,345 people in Illinois since the pandemic began.
The last time the statewide death toll for a single day surpassed 60 was June 24, when the number of deaths reported was 64.
Officials reported 4,342 newly diagnosed cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, resulting from a batch of 66,791 tests conducted during a 24-hour period. The state is reporting a 5.7% test positivity rate for the seven-day period that ended Tuesday. That’s up slightly from yesterday’s 5.5% 7-day rolling positivity rate and a jump from 4.5% a week earlier and 3.5% at the beginning of the month.
100 million COVID-19 tests and counting. Why test-maker Abbott doesn’t expect demand to slow soon: The Tribune’s Lisa Schencker has the details here.
‘Disgusted’ NU president condemns students who burned a school banner and vandalized campus during police protests: Now students are calling for President Morton Schapiro to resign. The Tribune’s Elyssa Cherney and Genevieve Bookwalter have the details here.
COVID-19 relief talks inch forward, but Mitch McConnell is resistant and lame-duck prospects are dim: Read the Associated Press story here.
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Thanks for reading The Spin, the Tribune’s politics newsletter. Sign up here to have it delivered to your inbox weekday afternoons. Have a tip? Email host Lisa Donovan at ldonovan@chicagotribune.com.
Twitter @byldonovan


chicagotribune--2020-10-21--Coronavirus in Illinois updates: 4,342 new known cases and 69 additional fatalities reported as stat

Coronavirus in Illinois updates: 4,342 new known cases and 69 additional fatalities reported as state sees the highest daily death toll since June

“ We want nothing more than to get back to the live performances that we are all craving at the @ @ @ @ @ of you , but the safety of our Lyric family comes first .
We will @ @ @ @ @ and guidelines set by the City of Chicago and the State of Illinois ' five-phase @ @ @ @ @ the meantime , Lyric is still hard at work creating a broad array of special @ @ @ @ @ .
”

We have lifted the paywall on this story. To support essential reporting, please consider becoming a subscriber .
CTU workers direct vehicles lined up for COVID-19 testing outside of the Chicago Teachers Union on Dec. 30, 2021, in Chicago. CPS starts back to school on Monday following their holiday break. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
Illinois on Wednesday recorded its highest daily coronavirus-related death toll since June, as the state continues to see increases in metrics on deaths, daily cases and test positivity rate.
The Illinois Department of Public Health reported 69 deaths of people with COVID-19 over a 24-hour period, bringing the state-reported COVID-19 related death toll to 9,345 people in Illinois since the pandemic began. The last time the statewide death toll for a single day surpassed 60 was June 24, when the number of deaths reported was 64.
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[ Have questions about COVID-19 and the recent surge? Send them to us and we’ll ask the experts ]
Officials also announced 4,342 newly diagnosed cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, resulting from a batch of 66,791 tests conducted during a 24-hour period. The state is reporting a 5.7% test positivity rate for the seven-day period that ended Tuesday.
The new figures came as state officials released an early version of its plan for how a vaccine will be distributed once one is approved and available.
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Here’s what’s happening Wednesday with COVID-19 in the Chicago area and Illinois:
5:30 p.m.: Illinois officials issue plan for vaccine distribution
Illinois on Wednesday recorded its highest daily coronavirus-related death toll since June as state officials released an early version of its plan for how a vaccine will be distributed once one is approved and available.
The plan “is designed to provide an equitable distribution across the state with priority access going to our most vulnerable populations, front-line health care workers and first responders who directly interact with and treat COVID patients, as well as staff and residents in long-term care facilities,” Pritzker said during his daily coronavirus news briefing.
The plan will “evolve as vaccine trials come to a conclusion and the FDA decides which to approve,” Pritzker said, noting that there are a range of unknowns around whether vaccinations will require multiple doses and if they will need cold or room temperature storage.
While President Donald Trump has vowed that a vaccination could be available soon, most experts think it won’t be until next year before that happens, a point backed up on Wednesday by Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike.
“Vaccinations, once they arrive, will take many, many months, at the minimum, to actually get into the arms of the people of Illinois,” Ezike said. “So this will unfold in phases, with initially only a small amount of vaccine available, and as production ramps up, more individuals will be able to avail themselves of this countermeasure.”
Read more here. —Jamie Munks and Dan Petrella
5:20 p.m.: Proviso District 209 teachers file unfair labor practices complaint alleging ‘unsafe’ working conditions
Teachers with Forest Park-based Proviso Township High Schools District 209 on Tuesday filed an unfair labor practices complaint, alleging they were forced to return to “unsafe” schools despite an agreement they say allows them to deliver their remote instruction off-site during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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The complaint to the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board was made following a grievance that was filed Oct. 6 to the school board protesting a request that about 300 teachers return to their classrooms Monday at Proviso East, Proviso West and the Proviso Math and Science Academy, a spokeswoman for the Illinois Federation of Teachers said Wednesday.
Read more here. —Karen Ann Cullotta
3:35 p.m.: As second wave of COVID-19 roils Illinois, here are 5 updated ways doctors say you can stay healthy
In recent days, Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Gov. J.B. Pritzker have issued stark warnings about rising COVID-19 rates, cautioning people to stay on guard and refrain from gathering in large groups as a new wave of the pandemic hits Illinois and much of the country.
Illinois officials Tuesday announced it’s time to revert to earlier lockdown levels in parts of the state. Now, even the most responsible residents who’ve sacrificed all year could face their breaking point as the holidays near and Chicagoans face a long, cold, dreary winter.
The end result for many is complacency, said Dr. Emily Landon, an epidemiologist at the University of Chicago Medical Center. For Illinois alone, this uptick in cases could be considered a second wave. But for the country, this is more like the third wave — first were the urban centers, including Chicago, in spring, and second was the Sun Belt in summer.
“The bottom line is cases are going up and it seems to be looking pretty serious this time,” Landon said.
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A lot of the advice about how to protect yourself against the virus has evolved since the state opened up in the spring — just Wednesday, the CDC updated its guidance on contact tracing and the definition of “close contact” with someone with coronavirus. For those feeling a new urgency about COVID-19, here’s the most recent guidance from Chicago-area doctors and the CDC on how to protect yourself as COVID-19 cases surge.
—Katherine Rosenberg-Douglas and Madeline Buckley
3:25 p.m.: CDC redefines what counts as close contact with a person who has COVID-19, adding some brief encounters
U.S. health officials Wednesday redefined what counts as close contact with someone with COVID-19 to include briefer but repeated encounters.
For months, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said close contact meant spending a solid 15 minutes within 6 feet of someone who tested positive for coronavirus. On Wednesday, the CDC changed it to a total of 15 minutes or more — so shorter but repeated contacts that add up to 15 minutes over a 24-hour period now count.
The CDC advises anyone who has been in close contact with a COVID-19 patient to quarantine for two weeks.
Read more here. —Associated Press
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3:23 p.m.: CTA to offer PPE vending machines at some train stations
In an effort to provide riders with more travel amenities amid the coronavirus pandemic, the CTA announced a plan Wednesday to install vending machines with PPE at some train stations.
“We understand the need for our customers to have a safe experience during their commutes,” CTA President Dorval R. Carter Jr. said in a statement. “The addition of these new vending machines is a reflection of our unwavering commitment to seek out tools and resources to help reassure our customers that we are doing everything we can to keep customers healthy during this ongoing pandemic.”
The first six machines will be placed at the Belmont, Roosevelt and 79th stations on the Red Line, the Midway station on the Orange Line, the Jefferson Park station on the Blue Line and the Kedzie station on the Green Line.
Read more here. —Jessica Villagomez
3:13 p.m.: Online classes, shut-down dorms and few chances to socialize: How college freshmen are coping as the pandemic upends campus life in a pivotal year
During the car parade that served as Delaney Schilt’s high school graduation this spring, the 18-year-old signaled her enthusiasm for new beginnings in what had otherwise become a disappointing string of events.
There was no prom, no signing of yearbooks with classmates and no ceremonious goodbye to her high school in central Wisconsin. Still, the decorations she added to her graduation cap ― sparkly letters that said “Chicago bound” next to a silhouette of the city’s skyline ― helped her remember that things would improve once college started.
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But months into the new school year, Schilt still longs to attend Loyola University Chicago. Her bags were packed and she was preparing for orientation when the university announced Aug. 6 that residence halls would remain closed and most classes would be delivered remotely this fall because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Read more here. —Elyssa Cherney
2:51 p.m.: Band of Bohemia, the nation’s only Michelin-starred brewpub, files for bankruptcy, citing COVID-19
Five-year-old Band of Bohemia, whose pioneering vision of brewing beer and serving creative, ambitious food was ultimately rewarded with a coveted Michelin star, is going out of business after filing for bankruptcy.
Launched in 2015 by two former employees of the renowned Alinea restaurant, Band of Bohemia filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation Friday in the Northern District of Illinois.
In a statement Wednesday, Band of Bohemia founders Michael Carroll and Craig Sindelar blamed the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic for the closure.
Read more here. —Josh Noel
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1:39 p.m.: COVID-19 relief talks inch forward, but Mitch McConnell is resistant
Negotiations on a COVID-19 relief bill have taken a modest step forward, though time is running out and President Donald Trump’s most powerful Senate ally is pressing the White House not to move ahead right now.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told fellow Republicans that he has warned the White House not to divide GOP lawmakers by sealing a $2 trillion relief deal with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., before the Nov. 3 election, even as he publicly said he would schedule any such agreement for a vote.
McConnell made his remarks Tuesday during a private Senate Republican lunch, according to three people familiar with his comments. The three were not authorized to public discuss the closed session and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Read more here. —Associated Press
1:33p.m.: Illinois records its highest daily coronavirus-related death toll since June
Illinois on Wednesday recorded its highest daily coronavirus-related death toll since June, as the state continues to see increases in metrics on deaths, daily cases and test positivity rate.
The Illinois Department of Public Health reported 69 deaths of people with COVID-19 over a 24-hour period, bringing the state-reported COVID-19 related death toll to 9,345 people in Illinois since the pandemic began.
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The last time the statewide death toll for a single day surpassed 60 was June 24, when the number of deaths reported was 64.
The state reported 53 deaths on Thursday, and the seven-day average for deaths rose to 39 as of Wednesday.
Read more here. —Jamie Munks
12:07 p.m.: 4,342 new known COVID-19 cases and 69 additional deaths reported
Illinois health officials on Wednesday announced 4,342 new known cases of COVID-19 and 69 additional fatalities, bringing the total number of known infections in Illinois to 355,217 and the statewide death toll to 9,345 since the start of the pandemic. Officials also reported 66,791 new tests in the last 24 hours. The seven-day statewide positivity rate is 5.7%.
—Chicago Tribune staff
11:30 a.m.: Lyric Opera cancels rest of season due to coronavirus; plans to resume next September
Lyric Opera has canceled the rest of the 2020-21 season due to the pandemic.
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“Having to cancel the remainder of our season is devastating but unavoidable, in order to keep our guests, artists, and company safe,” said Anthony Freud, Lyric’s general director, president and CEO in a statement.
“We want nothing more than to get back to the live performances that we are all craving at the Lyric Opera House with all of you, but the safety of our Lyric family comes first. We will continue to follow the policies and guidelines set by the City of Chicago and the State of Illinois' five-phase plan of reopening. In the meantime, Lyric is still hard at work creating a broad array of special digital offerings for our audiences.”
Read more here. —Howard Reich
10 a.m.: Lightfoot’s budget includes $94M property tax increase, three cent gas tax hike, layoffs for city workers, as she seeks to close $1.2B deficit
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s plan to close a $1.2 billion deficit includes a $94 million property tax increase, a three-cent gas tax hike and layoffs for city workers, setting up a potentially challenging fight to push her budget through the City Council.
Lightfoot’s spending plan also relies on $501 million in refinancing city debt to help close the 2021 budget deficit, officials said.
The mayor is expected to formally announce her budget later this morning at City Hall’s council chambers. Sources previously told the Tribune the potential layoffs include more than 300 city workers.
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The city estimates the property tax increase will be $56 a year for the median home value of $250,000.
Lightfoot also will ask Chicago Public Schools to reimburse the city for $40 million more in school pension contributions the city makes. Lightfoot made a similar move last year and was criticized for what some said was a cost shift onto CPS to balance the city’s budget.
The city will take 1,921 vacant positions off the books, but sources previously said nearly 900 of those are crossing guards that will be shifted to CPS.
In a messages to city employees early Wednesday, Lightfoot said all nonunion city workers will take five unpaid furlough days, including the her.
She also said the city will delay sending out lay-off notices until early 2021, in case federal financial helps arrives.
Read more here. —Gregory Pratt, John Byrne
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9:40 a.m.: The pandemic’s real toll? 300,000, and it’s not just from the coronavirus
The coronavirus pandemic caused nearly 300,000 deaths in the United States through early October, federal researchers said Tuesday.
The new tally includes not only deaths known to have been directly caused by the coronavirus, but also roughly 100,000 fatalities that are indirectly related and would not have occurred if not for the virus.
The study, published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is an attempt to measure “excess deaths” — deaths from all causes that statistically exceed those normally occurring in a certain time period. The total included deaths from COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, that were misclassified or missed altogether.
Many experts believe this measure tracks the pandemic’s impact more accurately than the case fatality rate does, and they warn that the death toll may continue an inexorable climb if policies are not put in effect to contain the spread.
Read more here. —The New York Times
6 a.m.: Facing $1.2 billion deficit, Lightfoot set to detail her budget plan Wednesday
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot is expected to explain Wednesday her plan to close a $1.2 billion budget deficit. She has been considering a $94 million property tax increase, layoffs for more than 300 city workers and a gas tax hike in her coronavirus-fueled budget, sources said.
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Lightfoot also is considering about $500 million in refinancing city debt to help close the deficit, sources said.
Read more here. —Gregory Pratt, John Byrne
Breaking coronavirus news Stay up to date with the latest information on coronavirus with our breaking news alerts.
In case you missed it
Here are five stories from Tuesday related to COVID-19:


chicagotribune--2020-10-21--Proviso District 209 teachers file unfair labor practices complaint alleging ‘unsafe’ working condit

Proviso District 209 teachers file unfair labor practices complaint alleging ‘unsafe’ working conditions

District 209 Superintendent James Henderson , who began his service at the west suburban high school district in August , @ @ @ @ @ at Proviso East , which had been turned off over the summer , was up @ @ @ @ @ that all three of the high school buildings have hot water .

Teachers with Forest Park-based Proviso Township High Schools District 209 on Tuesday filed an unfair labor practices complaint, alleging they were forced to return to “unsafe” schools despite an agreement they say allows them to deliver their remote instruction off-site during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The complaint to the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board was made following a grievance that was filed Oct. 6 to the school board protesting a request that about 300 teachers return to their classrooms Monday at Proviso East, Proviso West and the Proviso Math and Science Academy, a spokeswoman for the Illinois Federation of Teachers said Wednesday.
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“We were shocked ... if it’s not appropriate to have students in the building, how is it safe to bring teachers back?” the Proviso teachers' union president Maggie Riley said Wednesday.
“As of yesterday, there’s no heat in one of the buildings and very little hot water in some of the bathrooms,” Riley added.
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Some of the teachers who returned to the district’s three high schools on Monday also found that their classrooms were not properly cleaned or sanitized prior to their arrival, Riley said.
“With COVID, we also have concerns about the ventilation systems, and at some buildings, teachers found they could not open their windows,” Riley said.
Riley said the District 209 teachers' “forced return” to the classroom is also in violation of an agreement forged in August by the superintendent and the union, which allows teachers to provide instruction from remote locations while students are not in the buildings.
District 209 Superintendent James Henderson, who began his service at the west suburban high school district in August, said Wednesday that all three of the high school buildings have hot water. The boilers are being worked on and is expected to be running next week.
“We take these allegations very seriously, especially given the cleaning protocol we have put together for our custodians," Henderson said. “If you walked through our high schools right now, everything is so clean ... I just don’t understand the complaints.”
Above all, Henderson said the main reason district officials asked teachers to return to their classrooms this week is to take advantage of the district’s new technology, including interactive screens, webcams and expanded bandwith.
“The reason we brought the teachers back in to their classrooms is quite simple — so the teachers can use these brand new, enhanced technologies and have access to professional development," Henderson said. “That was the sole impetus."
Teachers at schools across the country are coming into work to assure students a high-quality education, Henderson said.
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In addition, the district has a slate of COVID-19 health and safety practices in place, including temperature checks for everyone entering school buildings, upgraded cleaning and sanitizing, PPE available for all staff members, social distancing and the use of a daily wellness screening app, Henderson said in a recent video posted on the district’s website.
“We’re watching the science closely,” Henderson said, adding that the district anticipates students returning to the classroom for in-person learning in January.
Henderson’s decision to bring teachers back into school buildings to deliver remote lessons is not usual, with officials at other suburban school districts, including Arlington Heights-based Township High School District 214 and Palatine-based Township High School District 211, bringing educators back into school buildings prior to having students back on campus.
Still, teachers in Cicero District 99 also recently decried a request from administrators that educators begin delivering remote lessons from empty classrooms this month, calling the decision potentially “dangerous” at a time when the city’s COVID-19 positivity rate remained high.
Riley, a career and technology teacher at Proviso West, said she and her fellow teachers, “had no choice but to take action.”
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“Not only has the superintendent violated our agreement allowing remote instruction, when we complied with his illegal directive to work on site, we found that building conditions are not just unsafe, they’re inhumane,” she said.
Both the Proviso East and Proviso West school buildings also had inadequate hot water for hand washing earlier this week, Riley said, and teachers found PPE was not readily available as required when they entered the buildings.
Concerns about ventilation issues at the high schools have also gone unanswered by the district, Riley said, “increasing teachers’ fear for their safety in the midst of the growing pandemic.”
Teachers also remain worried about gathering on campus given the rising COVID-19 rates across Illinois, and current positivity rates in some areas neighboring the district, Riley said.
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kcullotta@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @kcullotta


chicagotribune--2020-10-21--As Illinois reports 69 COVID-19-related deaths, the highest daily toll since June, state issues plan

As Illinois reports 69 COVID-19-related deaths, the highest daily toll since June, state issues plan for vaccine distribution

“ That ’ s always the pattern , ” Ezike said .
“ A certain number of cases will go @ @ @ @ @ a certain number of hospitalizations will go on to be deaths and so the more @ @ @ @ @ get to more deaths .
So the spike in cases that we ’ ve been @ @ @ @ @ weeks , yes , unfortunately it is turning into additional mortality .
”

We have lifted the paywall on this story. To support essential reporting, please consider becoming a subscriber .
CTU workers direct vehicles lined up for COVID-19 testing outside of the Chicago Teachers Union on Dec. 30, 2021, in Chicago. CPS starts back to school on Monday following their holiday break. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
Illinois on Wednesday recorded its highest daily coronavirus-related death toll since June as state officials released an early version of its plan for how a vaccine will be distributed once one is approved and available.
The plan “is designed to provide an equitable distribution across the state with priority access going to our most vulnerable populations, front-line health care workers and first responders who directly interact with and treat COVID patients, as well as staff and residents in long-term care facilities," Pritzker said during his daily coronavirus news briefing.
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The plan will “evolve as vaccine trials come to a conclusion and the FDA decides which to approve,” Pritzker said, noting that there are a range of unknowns around whether vaccinations will require multiple doses and if they will need cold or room temperature storage.
While President Donald Trump has vowed that a vaccination could be available soon, most experts think it won’t be until next year before that happens, a point backed up on Wednesday by Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike.
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[ As second wave of COVID-19 roils Illinois, here are 5 updated ways doctors say you can stay healthy ]
“Vaccinations, once they arrive, will take many, many months, at the minimum, to actually get into the arms of the people of Illinois,” Ezike said. “So this will unfold in phases, with initially only a small amount of vaccine available, and as production ramps up, more individuals will be able to avail themselves of this countermeasure.”
Once a vaccine is available, the state will build off its existing vaccine registry system that tracks immunizations for children, to track the geographic distribution of vaccines. “And that can help us further direct the traffic of future vaccine to come, if we see that a region that has been hardest hit by the virus and they have a lower percentage of people who have gotten immunized," Ezike said.
Chicago would get its own distribution of the vaccine directly from the CDC under the plan.
COVID-19 vaccinations will not be mandated, though officials will also work to address “vaccine hesitancy,” Ezike said, noting “people who may need it most might have the reason to be most hesitant, and so we’re going to have to work with communities to address issues, to notify, to educate, to have their questions answered.”
“Illinois will not distribute a vaccine until we have one that is proven safe and effective," Pritzker said.
The state on Wednesday reported 69 deaths of people with COVID-19 over a 24-hour period on Wednesday, bringing the state-reported death toll to 9,345 people in Illinois since the pandemic began. The last time the statewide death toll for a single day surpassed 60 was June 24, when the number of deaths reported was 64.
The regional trends across the state “are still moving in the wrong direction,” Pritzker said Wednesday.
[ Have questions about COVID-19 and the recent surge? Send them to us and we’ll ask the experts ]
The seven-day average for deaths climbed to 39 as of Wednesday, still far short of the average daily number of deaths being reported for part of the spring, when the state was in the grip of the first surge of the coronavirus pandemic and reported a seven-day average for COVD-19 deaths as high as 118.
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“That’s always the pattern,” Ezike said. “A certain number of cases will go on to be hospitalizations, a certain number of hospitalizations will go on to be deaths and so the more cases, eventually you will get to more deaths. So the spike in cases that we’ve been seeing over the last six weeks, yes, unfortunately it is turning into additional mortality.”
As of Tuesday night, 2,338 people were hospitalized with COVID-19, the highest number of hospitalizations since June 10, when 2,367 people in the state were hospitalized with the illness. Of those patients, 502 were in intensive care units and 194 were on ventilators.
The region that includes Will and Kankakee counties has a roughly 25% intensive care unit bed availability, according to state Department of Public Health data.
Officials reported 4,342 newly diagnosed cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, resulting from a batch of 66,791 tests conducted during a 24-hour period. The state is reporting a 5.7% test positivity rate for the seven-day period that ended Tuesday.
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The statewide seven-day positivity rate has grown by more than a full percentage point in the past week. The rate was 4.6% as of Oct. 14, up from 3.5% on Oct. 1.
[ CDC redefines what counts as close contact with a person who has COVID-19, adding some brief encounters ]
Pritzker on Wednesday also said the state has begun sending shipments of Abbott rapid antigen tests to local health departments around the state. The tests were distributed to states by the federal government, and the federal government and Abbott have indicated that these shipments will continue on a weekly basis through at least the end of 2020, and will total over 3 million for the state of Illinois, Pritzker said.
Pritzker on Wednesday signed a pair of executive orders to scale back reopening in the 20-county southern Illinois region, as defined by his reopening plan, starting Thursday, and in Kane, DuPage, Will and Kankakee counties starting Friday.
Indoor bar service and dining will be ordered shuttered in those affected regions, and gathering limits will be lowered to 25 people or 25% of room capacity, whichever is less. The crackdown comes after the regions surpassed a state-set threshold of a COVID-19 test positivity rate of 8% or higher for three consecutive days.
The northwest region that includes Rockford and Galena has been living under those firmer rules since earlier this month, and has seen its test positivity rate continue to rise. As of Saturday, the positivity rate for that region had climbed to 11.8%, the state reported Wednesday.
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The state also reported that the other seven regions of the state as defined by Pritzker’s reopening plan that aren’t under or coming under the COVID-related crackdown this week, including Chicago, suburban Cook County and Lake and McHenry counties, all now have reached or surpassed test positivity rates of 7%.
The governor’s decision to roll back portions of the reopening across the suburbs continues to face pushback from Republican lawmakers, several of whom are engaged in tough reelection battles.
[ COVID-19 in Illinois by the numbers: Here’s a daily update on cases, positivity rate and hospital data in your area ]
State Rep. Deanne Mazzochi of Elmhurst said during an unrelated news conference Wednesday that the governor’s office has not been fully transparent with the data behind its decisions.
“Once again, he’s taking unilateral action without consulting the legislators who are in that district or even getting the legislature on board with his many plans at all,” Mazzochi said.
In a statement following Tuesday’s announcement, Republican Rep. Mark Batinick of Plainfield also called for Pritzker to better inform the legislature and involve lawmakers in decision-making.
“Going forward, we need to base decisions on a full set of facts, and not just a few data points,” Batinick said. “We need a full understanding of exactly where these outbreaks are occurring.”
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jmunks@chicagotribune.com
dpetrella@chicagotribune.com


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chicagotribune--2020-10-21--Tweet about 102-year-old woman voting goes viral, and Obama says ’102 never looked better!'

“ At 102 years old , my great aunt , born the year of our last great # pandemic , @ @ @ @ @ ballot box to cast her # vote , ” Youmans said in his tweet .
@ @ @ @ @ it , you can too !
”

A tweet showing a 102-year-old woman moments after casting her vote for the upcoming election went viral Wednesday morning after it caught the attention of several celebrities, including former President Barack Obama.
The tweet from Dr. Quentin Youmans, a physician at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, shows two photos of his 102-year-old great-aunt sitting in a car after voting, wearing a small “I voted” sticker on her lapel and holding an empty ballot sleeve that reads “every vote matters.”
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“At 102 years old, my great aunt, born the year of our last great #pandemic, made her way to the ballot box to cast her #vote,” Youmans said in his tweet. “If she can do it, you can too!”
At 102 years old, my great aunt, born the year of our last great #pandemic, made her way to the ballot box to cast her #vote. If she can do it, you can too! #Vote #VoteEarly #Election2020 pic.twitter.com/3nFCB3c4Ei — Quentin Youmans (@QuentinYoumans) October 21, 2020
Ora Smith voted in South Carolina earlier this week, Youmans said.
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“She says she realizes how important it is for her voice to be heard,” Youmans said of his great-aunt.
When Smith was born, neither women nor African American could legally vote, so she understands it is a privilege to be able to exercise her right to vote.
“She recognizes the sacrifices she and her contemporaries made in making this possible,” Youmans said in a phone interview.
Youmans said he “never imagined” the tweet of his great-aunt would explode the way it has.
“I think people are yearning for some good news,” he said. “And Aunt Ora having the courage to cast her ballot during this pandemic and everything she has overcome ... she is so uniquely American.”
By Wednesday afternoon, the tweet had circulated like wildfire, receiving more than 60,000 likes and nearly 10,000 retweets.
“102 never looked better!” Obama said on Twitter, retweeting Youman’s tweet. “Grateful for all the folks like your great aunt who continue to show up and vote in this important election.”
102 never looked better! Grateful for all the folks like your great aunt who continue to show up and vote in this important election. https://t.co/Y5DTGUInkC — Barack Obama (@BarackObama) October 21, 2020
Youmans said his “Aunt Ora” appreciated the outpouring of support she received from the internet after he posted her photo.
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“I just shared with Aunt Ora all the love that you all have shared. She said THANK YOU SO MUCH!” Youmans said on Twitter hours after posting the initial tweet.


chicagotribune--2020-10-21--Detective links Valparaiso teen’s steps on phone app with movement after killings of Lake County pai

Detective links Valparaiso teen’s steps on phone app with movement after killings of Lake County pair; defense objection denied

Out of the presence of the jury , defense attorney Mark Thiros argued that the phone data , from the @ @ @ @ @ up and down stairs and how far someone walks , violated Kerner ’ s Fifth @ @ @ @ @ was hearsay because it did not come from data from a cell phone provider .

Prosecutors wrapped up their case in Connor Kerner’s murder trial Wednesday with details about his movement culled from an app on his phone during the alleged crimes, as well as testimony about a solo trip to Walmart to purchase flammables and cleaning supplies.
Jurors are expected to receive the case after closing arguments Thursday morning before Porter Superior Court Judge Roger Bradford. Defense attorneys did not call any witnesses. This week marked the third week of the trial.
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Out of the presence of the jury, defense attorney Mark Thiros argued that the phone data, from the iHealth app that tracks movement up and down stairs and how far someone walks, violated Kerner’s Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination and was hearsay because it did not come from data from a cell phone provider.
“We can’t cross-examine this app,” Thiros said.
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Bradford overruled the objection but said it would be noted during the testimony of Porter County Sheriff’s Department Det. Sgt. Brian Dziedzinski regarding data from Kerner’s phone but not that of his co-defendant.
Kerner, 19, of the 100 block of Kinsale, has pleaded not guilty and remains in Porter County Jail without bond, held on two counts of murder and additional felony counts of intimidation, arson, murder in the perpetration of a robbery and attempted robbery.
Kerner was 17 when he allegedly killed Molley Lanham, 19, of St. John, and Thomas Grill, 18, of Cedar Lake, on Feb. 25, 2019, at his grandparents' Hebron-area home after a drug deal went bad, then loaded their bodies into the Honda Civic they arrived in and set fire to the vehicle in a wooded area a couple miles away.
Dziedzinski testified that co-defendant John Silva II, 20, of Hamlet, exchanged multiple phone calls with Kerner on Feb. 25, 2019, but not with any of the other witnesses in the case with whom Kerner had frequent contact.
“They were deleted by the user. They were not present on the handset anymore but they were present in the extraction,” Dziedzinski said, adding that after the murders, Silva’s phone did not return to the address in Hebron where the alleged crimes took place.
In opening statements, Kerner’s defense attorneys pinned the crimes on Sliva as “the individual who should be and will be on trial in one of these courtrooms.”
Silva, who has pleaded not guilty to two felony counts of murder in the perpetration of a robbery, remains in Porter County Jail without bond. Silva was charged May 22 with the alleged crimes and is awaiting the scheduling of a trial date.
According to the iHealth app on Kerner’s phone, which also marks data with a time and date stamp, Dziedzinski said Kerner traveled eight floors of stairs between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., around the time when the alleged murders took place.
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The app, Dziedzinski said, also tracked that Kerner traveled 1.7 miles between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. on Feb. 26, 2019.
“This would be on foot,” he said, adding Kerner walked another 1.5 miles an hour later.
The distance between the Dye home and the wooded area where the burned-out car was found was 2.5 miles on local roads, he said.
Silva’s iHealth app showed he went up and down two floors of stairs between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Feb. 25, 2019, Dziedzinski said, and showed no mileage or travel on foot between midnight and 6 a.m. the following day.
Dziedzinski also went over surveillance video from the Valparaiso Walmart recorded from around 12:15 a.m. to 12:35 a.m. on Feb. 26, 2019, from the time Kerner appeared to pull into the parking lot in his mother’s Jeep until he left.
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Kerner is reportedly seen going through the aisles collecting items in a shopping cart that included containers of tiki torch fluid; a water seal masonry fluid; numerous packages of towels; propane cylinders; cleaning gloves; spackle; barbecue grill cleaner; bathroom cleaner; and all-purpose cleaner.
Amy Lavalley is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.


chicagotribune--2020-10-21--CHA and Operation Warm team-up to give winter coats to kids

About 7,500 children in Chicago public housing will be gifted a free winter coat this week at the Credit Union @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Near West Side as part of the Chicago Housing Authority ’ s partnership @ @ @ @ @ national non-profit that distributes new coats to children in need .

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 5 Volunteer Jimmy Stewart helps an attendee select the color of winter coats during the "Operation Warm" event hosted by the Chicago Housing Authority at Credit Union 1 Arena in Chicago on Oct. 21, 2020. "I think it's important that they have choices, as long as supply is there. It's empowering that they get what they want versus what we chose to give them," Stewart said. (Youngrae Kim / Chicago Tribune)
About 7,500 children in Chicago public housing will be gifted a free winter coat this week at the Credit Union 1 Arena on the city’s Near West Side as part of the Chicago Housing Authority’s partnership with Operation Warm, a national non-profit that distributes new coats to children in need.


chicagotribune--2020-10-21--Band of Bohemia is the latest Chicago restaurant closing due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s economic tol

Band of Bohemia is the latest Chicago restaurant closing due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s economic toll. Here’s our running list.

Earlier this summer , changes to the OpenTable website for Kiki ’ s Bistro caused some confusion over whether or not the beloved River North spot had closed for good .
The restaurant shared a clarification that , for now , it would be open for business .
Sadly , however , Kiki ’ s website changed late last week , indicating that the restaurant will close permanently after the final day of service Sept. 30 .
“ We appreciate the birthdays , anniversaries , special occasions and everyday meals that you spent dining and laughing with us .
Those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ few months , as your visits did for those many years , ” read the post .
It wasn ’ t all bad news , though , mentioning that a small-time operation remains on the radar for Kiki ’ s founder Georges “ Kiki ” Cuisance : “ Kiki , 87 , is attempting retirement with an open eye for a potential petite Kiki ’ s — a tiny , cozy reboot with the potential to offer authentic French fare you love on a very intimate scale.
” See the full story here @ @ @ @

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