chicagotribune--2020-07-17--Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot calls White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany ‘Karen’ in latest ro

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot calls White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany ‘Karen’ in latest round of vitriol

The Republican president and his administration have focused attention on Chicago and other Democrat-led cities in recent weeks and on @ @ @ @ @ announcement on how his administration intends to deal with crime in those places .
In @ @ @ @ @ his ongoing efforts to deal with the MS-13 gang , Trump said he would have @ @ @ @ @ “ with the attorney general , the FBI and others concerning our cities , because @ @ @ @ @ that are running our cities are not doing the job that they ’ re supposed @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s not a very tough job to do if they knew what they @ @ @ @

The war of words between the White House and Chicago City Hall continued as Mayor Lori Lightfoot in a Thursday tweet called President Donald Trump’s press secretary a “Karen” and told her to watch her mouth.
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany set off the new round of vitriol with the Chicago Democrat at her news briefing earlier in the day. McEnany called Lightfoot “the derelict mayor of Chicago” and accused her of not doing enough to resolve the city’s gun violence.
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When asked about Trump’s level of focus on the deadly coronavirus pandemic, McEnany said he is “focusing on a lot” and then invoked Chicago’s ongoing problems with violence.
“But there are other things the President has to focus on: namely, Democrat cities not controlling their streets; namely, the mayor of Chicago — people dying in her — in her — on the streets of her city every weekend. And the President sent her a letter saying, ‘You must secure your city,‘” according to a White House transcript.
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Later in the briefing, McEnany returned to her criticism of Lightfoot.
“I’ve listed for you the names of these kids who have died across this country. It is unacceptable, and under this President, he’ll take action,” McEnany said in response to a question about Trump’s recent statement that more white people are killed by police than Black people. “And the derelict mayor of Chicago should step up and ask for federal help because she’s doing a very poor job at securing her streets.”
Lightfoot replied via tweet: “Hey, Karen. Watch your mouth.”
Hey, Karen. Watch your mouth. pic.twitter.com/zhjRyokKD5 — Mayor Lori Lightfoot (@chicagosmayor) July 16, 2020
Gary Coby, the Trump campaign’s digital director, also weighed in by calling Lightfoot “a total failure at stopping this violence.”
Black people are being murdered at a record rate in Chicago.
The violence and death is out of control...
64 shot & 11 killed just last weekend.
373 have been killed just this year, a 35% increase.
Here is the Mayor, who is a total failure at stopping this violence. https://t.co/2s0nV5OEVX — Text TRUMP to 88022 (@GaryCoby) July 16, 2020
The Republican president and his administration have focused attention on Chicago and other Democrat-led cities in recent weeks and on Wednesday vaguely referenced an upcoming announcement on how his administration intends to deal with crime in those places. In a briefing with reporters about his ongoing efforts to deal with the MS-13 gang, Trump said he would have more to say next week “with the attorney general, the FBI and others concerning our cities, because the left-wing group of people that are running our cities are not doing the job that they’re supposed to be doing, and it’s not a very tough job to do if they knew what they were doing.”
When a reporter asked at the end of the Wednesday event whether he planned to follow through on a recent statement that the federal government might take over cities such as Chicago to deal with crime, Trump didn’t answer directly. But he cited recent issues with protesters in Seattle, Minneapolis and Portland, Oregon, before pointing to violence in Chicago.
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Earlier in the week, Trump likened Chicago to Afghanistan, and Lightfoot sounded a familiar response during a Tuesday appearance on MSNBC, accusing the president of political posturing. Lightfoot said Trump won’t take steps needed to deal with the proliferation of illegal guns that would really help drive down Chicago violence.
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“If you go back over many years, President Trump has said a lot of disparaging things about the city of Chicago. He likes to use us as a political punching bag,” Lightfoot said. “But if the president was really committed to helping us deal with our violence, he would do some easy things. What he would push for is universal background checks, he would push for an assault weapons ban, he would push to make sure that people who are banned from getting on airplanes can’t get guns.”
Last week, McEnany ended her Thursday briefing with a call for “law and order” and police support while invoking the names and faces of six young children killed by Chicago gun violence. The faces of Natalia Wallace, 7, Mekhi James, 3, Vernado Jones Jr., 14, Sincere Gaston, 20 months, Lena Marie Nunez, 10, and Amaria Jones, 13, were cast on the screen as McEnany spoke about keeping the children “close to our hearts.” She misstated Mekhi’s age as 10.
“President (Donald) Trump has taken action calling strongly for law and order and peace in our streets, and he has set the tone at the top for mayors and governors,” McEnany said before reading out the names of eight young gun violence victims, six of whom died in Chicago this summer.


chicagotribune--2020-07-17--Coronavirus in Illinois updates: Here’s what happened July 16 with COVID-19 in the Chicago area

“ I ’ ve lost two family members to COVID , my cousin and my great uncle , so I @ @ @ @ @ who are taking this situation very lightly , because they just don ’ t understand @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ I have asthma , and one of my sons , who ’ @ @ @ @ @ has diabetes .
If we ’ re back in the classroom , I ’ ll @ @ @ @ @ , and could bring COVID home to my own family .
This is not time @ @ @ @ @ together , as having their lives at risk is just not an option .
”

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Paca Kujtim of Arlington Heights self-administers a COVID-19 test in his car at the Arlington International Racecourse on March 31, 2021 in Arlington Heights. Kujtim was getting testing as a precaution for upcoming travel. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
Gov. J.B. Pritzker warned parents Thursday to prepare for a semester unlike “any other” as Illinois school districts grapple with the need to require masks, social distancing and remote learning options to deal with the coronavirus pandemic.
Pritzker also said his confidence level in leading the state through the pandemic was high after case numbers started dipping in May, but acknowledged he now feels “challenged” due to nationwide spikes and an uptick in Illinois.
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Also on Thursday, Illinois health officials announced 1,257 new known cases of COVID-19 and 25 additional fatalities. Officials also reported 43,006 new tests in the last 24 hours, a new daily record.
On Wednesday, Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot voiced concerns over the increasing number of positive test results among younger people, which could lead to reimposing bans on bars, indoor dining and youth sports activities. Chicago health data shows 29% of confirmed COVID-19 cases since June 15 have been among people ages 18 to 29. That’s a stark change from May, when cases of the virus peaked in the city and overwhelmingly affected older people.
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[ Illinois’ new COVID-19 plan: How the state will manage any outbreaks in 3 charts ]
[ COVID-19 cases in Illinois by ZIP code: Search for your neighborhood ]
[ Schools reopening tracker: What suburban Chicago districts are planning for the fall ]
[ 20 questions about assessing your COVID-19 risk at restaurants, gyms and more ]
Here’s what’s happening Thursday regarding COVID-19 in the Chicago area and Illinois:
7:32 p.m.: Walmart, Target, Kohl’s join retailers making masks mandatory at stores nationwide. But how will it be enforced?
If you want to shop in person, a growing number of the nation’s biggest retailers say you’ll have to wear a mask — whether local rules require it or not.
Walmart, Target, CVS, Kohl’s, Best Buy, Kroger, Costco and Starbucks are all making face coverings mandatory for customers at stores nationwide.
Many retailers began requiring workers wear masks at all stores early in the pandemic, but some were reluctant to make employees confront customers who didn’t want to wear a face covering, especially in cities and states without a mask mandate. While 80% of Target’s stores are in areas that already require masks in stores, only about 65% of Walmart’s stores are.
Though many customers comply with the rules, some see masks as a political issue and they have led to confrontations between employees and customers. A customer at a Home Depot in northwest suburban McHenry was charged with misdemeanor battery following a dispute with another customer over wearing face masks earlier this month.
Videos of similar disputes at other retailers across the U.S. have been shared on social media, and some and have turned violent. In May, a security officer at a Michigan Family Dollar store was fatally shot after telling a customer to wear a mask.
Now, pointing to the rising number of COVID-19 cases nationwide, a growing number of retailers say they want all customers to wear them.
Here’s what to expect. —Lauren Zumbach
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5:35 p.m.: How a struggling company won $1.6 billion to make a coronavirus vaccine
In late February, as the coronavirus spread around the world, Dr. Richard Hatchett, head of an international nonprofit that gives money to vaccine developers, got on an important call to discuss vaccine candidates after his plane touched down at London’s Heathrow Airport.
Executives from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which helped found and finance the nonprofit, were on the line, enthusiastic about Novavax, a small biotech company they thought had the potential to develop a vaccine against the virus — fast.
Although the company, based in Gaithersburg, Maryland, had never brought a vaccine to market in its 33-year history, these experts were optimistic about its technology, which uses moth cells to pump out crucial molecules at a much faster rate than typical vaccines — a major advantage in a pandemic.
Hatchett’s organization, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, would go on to invest $388 million in the company’s coronavirus vaccine. With that powerful backing, Novavax made an aggressive push to the U.S. government. The company’s effort paid off last week when Operation Warp Speed, the Trump administration’s effort to hurry coronavirus vaccines to the market, gave Novavax $1.6 billion, the largest award to date. The company’s stock surged 30%.
It was a dramatic turnaround for a little-known company that, just one year earlier, had been on the verge of collapse. One of its leading vaccine candidates — to prevent a deadly virus in infants — had failed for the second time in three years. The company’s stock was trading so low that it risked being removed from the Nasdaq. Looking for cash, it sold its manufacturing facilities. Word spread around the small world of Maryland biotech that Novavax might be closing soon.
Novavax’s good fortune may appear puzzling, given its track record and the air of secrecy surrounding Operation Warp Speed. But for those in the insular biotech world where connections matter, it is far less surprising. In the face of a deadly pandemic that is devastating the economy, the government is placing huge bets on vaccines and treatments that could enable a return to some semblance of normal life.
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Read more here. —The New York Times
3:31 p.m.: Cook County Board passes resolutions on use of CARES Act funding, moving more of $51 million to disinvested suburbs under ‘equitable’ funding formula
All but one Cook County Board commissioner voted during a special board meeting Thursday in favor of a funding formula aimed at shifting more federal COVID-19 stimulus money to disinvested municipalities throughout the suburbs.
Two resolutions commissioners approved will guide how some of the $429 million allocated to Cook County under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act will be sent to suburban communities as they fight to stay afloat during the coronavirus pandemic.
The first one will use an “equitable funding formula” with a heavy emphasis on economically disinvested areas, distributing $51 million of CARES Act money among Cook County municipalities to reimburse direct costs incurred while responding to the outbreak. The second resolution shifts nearly $82 million from the Coronavirus Relief Fund to the Bureau of Economic Development to support local businesses, assist renters, fund hotels sheltering people experiencing homelessness and more.
“COVID-19 is having a disproportionate impact on Black and brown communities,” County Board president Toni Preckwinkle said of the new funding formula. “This approach is designed to ensure that these dollars are going to communities most impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Allocations to each municipality were determined through an equitable lens.”
Read more here. —Alice Yin
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3:29 p.m.: Concerns were raised multiple times about COVID-19 and Smithfield Foods’ St. Charles plant before the health department shut it down, records show
In the days before the Kane County Health Department ordered Smithfield Foods’ St. Charles meat processing plant to close due to concerns about COVID-19, and before the health department confirmed an employee had died, a call came in to police.
The caller had concerns about Smithfield, a police transcript of the call shows, and told dispatchers their mom was a COVID-19 patient and an employee.
The 911 call is among several complaints raised about Smithfield’s St. Charles plant, a dry sausage-making facility that employs about 325 people, before the county health department ordered it to close April 24, police reports and documents obtained by the Beacon-News through an open records request show.
The health department received at least two reports, and the 911-caller contacted police twice, once days before the closure and once days afterward. Kane County sheriff’s deputies visited the plant twice before the closure at the request of the health department, following up on complaints, police reports and a spokesman indicated.
The documents paint a picture of mounting concern at the facility in the days before it was ordered closed, as meat processing plants across the country faced pressure over social distancing, protective equipment and COVID-19 safety practices. Workers at some plants nationwide became sick and some facilities temporarily closed, including other locations of Smithfield, which bills itself as the world’s largest pork processor.
Read more here. —Sarah Freishtat
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2:57 p.m.: Pritzker warns parents to expect a school year unlike any other; admits feeling ‘challenged’ amid nationwide COVID-19 surge, Illinois uptick
Gov. J.B. Pritzker warned parents Thursday to prepare for a semester unlike “any other” as school districts grapple with the need to require masks, social distancing and remote learning options to deal with the coronavirus pandemic.
Pritzker also said his confidence level in leading the state through the pandemic was high after case numbers started dipping in May, but acknowledged he now feels “challenged” due to nationwide spikes and an uptick in Illinois.
The governor, whose comments came during unrelated news conferences in Rockford, again appealed to bar and restaurant owners to stick to 25% capacity limits on indoor serving or risk an outbreak that could lead to the re-imposition of closure orders.
Pritzker said while school districts will develop their own re-opening plans, and should get parental input, there would be no “compromise on the question of masks and distance. That is the No. 1 thing that slows and even stops the spread of COVID-19. It’s also — without masks, without distance — the No. 1 thing that spreads it.”
”If those rules are followed and if we can maintain and push down the numbers as we watch them in Illinois, then I would say that there can be in-person learning. And again, not for everybody,” he said, specifically pointing to children and families with immunocompromised systems.
”So we have to be very, very careful. This is not going to be a school semester like any other that I’m aware of. Just be prepared for that fact. It’s just really going to be that way, no matter what. Even if we keep our numbers down, this virus has not gone away,” he said.
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Read more here. —Rick Pearson
2:35 p.m.: New daily testing record as 1,257 new COVID-19 cases and 25 more deaths reported
Illinois health officials on Thursday announced 1,257 new known cases of COVID-19 and 25 additional fatalities, bringing the total number of known cases to 157,950 and the statewide death toll to 7,251 since the start of the pandemic.
Officials also reported 43,006 new tests in the last 24 hours, a new daily record. Only three days — four including today’s numbers — have more than 35,000 tests reported.
The seven-day statewide positivity rate is 3.1%.
—Chicago Tribune staff
1:11 p.m.: Cook County health system to help test antibody-based drug
Cook County’s public health system announced Thursday that it is part of a nationwide effort to test the effectiveness of an antibody-based medicine against COVID-19.
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Cook County Health, which operates Stroger Hospital, will help determine if a drug derived from an antibody from one of the first surviving COVID patients in the United States helps people recover more quickly. The study, called BLAZE-1, is sponsored by drug maker Eli Lilly.
”It is important to evaluate therapies that use technology to mirror our own immune system’s ability to disarm potential damaging effects of viral infections to prevent serious complications we’ve seen during this COVID-19 pandemic,” said Dr. Gregory Huhn, an infectious disease physician for Cook County Health and principal site investigator of the BLAZE-1 study. “Our hope is that the antibody drug will reduce COVID symptoms quickly after diagnosis and help to eradicate the virus more quickly.”
A couple dozen medical institutions across the country are taking part in the study. Participants in the research will be given either the drug, called LY-CoV555, or an inert placebo. Evaluators will determine whether those given the drug fare better over the next 12 weeks than those who got the placebo.
—Hal Dardick
12:22 p.m.: Glenview Park District pool closes same day it reopened after three more lifeguards test positive for COVID-19
The Glenview Park District has closed Flick Aquatic Center the same day it reopened after announcing that three more lifeguards have tested positive for COVID-19.
The Wednesday announcement came after the park district closed the swimming facility on July 9 after two high-school-to-college-aged lifeguards tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
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The lifeguards with the most recent COVID-19-positive results were not working at the facility on Wednesday when the pool was open, according to the district.
“We are reporting to IDPH (Illinois Department of Public Health) and following all state guidelines to ensure public safety,” said a July 15 statement by from Glenview Park District announcing the second closure.
The park district announced on its website that the aquatic center would be closed “until further notice.” In the statement, officials said that contact tracing would be undertaken and the facility would undergo “another full cleaning and sanitizing.”
Read more here. —Karie Angell Luc
11:34 a.m.: Cubs weekend night game plan for COVID-19 season advances, heads to full council
Aldermen Thursday advanced a one-season lifting of bans on Friday and Saturday night games at Wrigley Field in light of the “extraordinary circumstances” in Major League Baseball as a 60-game season shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic gets set to start.
Wrigleyville Ald. Tom Tunney, 44th, has long fought to block weekend night games on the grounds the already-crowded neighborhood can’t handle the extra traffic and the added security concerns if notoriously hard-partying Cubs fans spend all day drinking at bars surrounding the historic ballpark.
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But he told the License Committee the change is needed to allow six Friday night games and six Saturday night games among the 30 games set for Wrigley Field starting July 24.
Read more here. —John Byrne
10:56 a.m.: UK, US and Canada accuse Russian government’s ‘Cozy Bear’ of hacking coronavirus vaccine trials
Britain, the United States and Canada accused Russian hackers on Thursday of trying to steal information from researchers seeking a coronavirus vaccine, warning scientists and pharmaceutical companies to be alert for suspicious activity.
Intelligence agencies in the three nations alleged that the hacking group APT29, also known as Cozy Bear and said to be part of the Russian intelligence service, is attacking academic and pharmaceutical research institutions involved in COVID-19 vaccine development.
“It is completely unacceptable that the Russian Intelligence Services are targeting those working to combat the coronavirus pandemic,‘' British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said in a statement, accusing Moscow of pursuing “selfish interests with reckless behavior.”
Read more here. —Associated Press
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10:11 a.m.: Chicago Symphony Orchestra cancels 2020 performances
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association has canceled all its programs scheduled for Sept. 17 through Dec. 23 due to the coronavirus, according to an announcement Thursday morning.
These include CSO concerts, Symphony Center Presents, MusicNOW, Civic Orchestra of Chicago concerts and public programs presented by the Negaunee Music Institute .
“The decision follows careful review of the rapidly evolving conditions related to the COVID-19 pandemic and is in accordance with the State of Illinois and City of Chicago’s multi-phase recovery plans, and in response to the current safety guidelines from public health officials,” said a CSOA statement.
Read more here. —Howard Reich
8:37 a.m.: More than 1.3 million sought unemployment benefits last week, as jobless claims remain high
The number of laid-off workers seeking unemployment benefits remained stuck at 1.3 million last week, a historically high level that indicates many companies are still cutting jobs as the viral outbreak intensifies.
The elevated level of applications for jobless aid is occurring as new confirmed cases of coronavirus are spiking across much of the Sun Belt, threatening to weaken the economic recovery. Case counts are rising in 40 states and 22 states have either paused or reversed their efforts to reopen their economies, according to Bank of America.
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Rising infections paralleled rising applications for aid in some states getting hit right now, and fell in states with declining infections. In Florida claims doubled to 129,000, and in Georgia they rose nearly one-third to 136,000. In California they increased 23,000 to nearly 288,000. Applications also rose in Arizona and South Carolina.
Applications fell in Texas, New Jersey and New York.
Read more here. —Associated Press
8:12 a.m.: Abbott earnings top expectations, with $615M in sales from COVID-19 testing
Abbott Laboratories on Thursday reported second-quarter net income of $537 million.
The company, based in north suburban Abbott Park, said it had profit of 30 cents per share. Earnings, adjusted for one-time gains and costs, came to 57 cents per share.
The results surpassed Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of nine analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 43 cents per share.
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The maker of infant formula, medical devices and drugs posted revenue of $7.33 billion in the period, also topping Street forecasts. Six analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $6.83 billion.
Read more here. —Associated Press
6:50 a.m.: Museum of Science and Industry to reopen August 1 — with food on the front lawn and the front doors open again
Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry will end its more than four-month coronavirus closure on Aug. 1, welcoming the public back with two weeks of free admission and some new features, the museum announced Thursday.
The South Side science museum will have no-cost entry, with a ticket reserved in advance, through Aug. 14, and the front doors on the north side of the building will be open for the first time in 15 years, while the normally overlooked front lawn will feature food and beverage sales under a tent.
Members will be able to partake three days earlier, with the museum ending its COVID-19 closure for them beginning July 29.
A big special exhibition, “Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes,” will be delayed from the planned Oct. 8 opening until March 4 of 2021, and it will reside at the museum through Sept. 6 of that year.
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MSI, like almost all Chicago cultural institutions, closed in mid-March because of the coronavirus pandemic and has remained shuttered while the city and state brought down their infection rates through physical distancing, widespread stoppage of public activities and enforcement of public health common sense. Both Chicago and Illinois are now in Phase 4 of their 5-step reopening plans, although neither will enter the final phase until a COVID-19 vaccine or treatment is widely available.
Read more here. —Steve Johnson
6:45 a.m.: Remote learning must continue in Chicago Public Schools this fall, Chicago Teachers Union says
Saying there is no way to reopen schools safely this fall, the Chicago Teachers Union is calling for virtual learning to continue in Chicago Public Schools when the new year begins after Labor Day.
“We stand for a safe and equitable reopening of the schools, but today COVID-19 cases are soaring instead of dissipating,” CTU President Jesse Sharkey said in a release Wednesday evening. “There is simply no way to guarantee safety for in-school learning during an out-of-control pandemic — and that means we must revert to remote learning until the spread of this virus is contained.”
While CPS officials have already committed to measures like mandatory face masks, temperature checks and sanitizing protocols for when schools do reopen, the teachers union has said more needs to be done to reduce the health risks, including safe transportation plans for students and nurses in every school.
Read more here. —Chicago Tribune staff
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6:30 a.m.: Should you dine out in Chicago? Health experts weigh in on risks, and how to reduce them.
Nevada closed bars in Las Vegas and Reno again on Friday due to an increase in local COVID-19 cases. On Monday Louisiana ceased indoor bar service statewide, while California ordered all restaurants and bars to stop indoor dining. These moves backward in reopening the economy are the latest in recent weeks across the country.
On Tuesday, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said he’s watching bars in the state as potential hot spots while known coronavirus case numbers rise. Wednesday morning Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said sternly in a press conference that she would not just stop the car and turn around, but make those who misbehave get out and walk back.
As restaurants and bars continue to reopen for indoor dining, while struggling to survive, the question for some customers remains: Should you dine out indoors? Guidelines from the city and state have been confusing at best, and conflicting at worst.
We spoke with four experts. —Louisa Chu


chicagotribune--2020-07-18--Friends shocked by the gruesome North Side slaying of a man who was ‘nothing but kindness’

Each day , McCord repeats a piece of wisdom from his friend , who once told him expectations are resentments @ @ @ @ @ said he went to see his own family after Merge encouraged him .

Marcus Merge, center, attends a friend's birthday party Nov. 12, 2018, at Nookies Edgewater in Chicago with Bonnie Candy, left, and Claire Buckley. (William McCord/William McCord)
Sandra Holloway was in a convenience store when she spotted a familiar smile and ditched her social distancing.
It was her friend Marcus Merge, and they hugged and walked out of the store together. “I’m so glad that our last encounter I did embrace him,” she said.
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Weeks later, on July 9, the 58-year-old Merge was found strangled in his condo in the 5700 block of North Sheridan Road in the Edgewater Beach neighborhood. His body was found in the refrigerator, according to Chicago police.
No arrests have been announced, and police have said nothing about their investigation, deepening the mystery of the death of a man friends described as a kind and spiritual soul.
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“It sounds like obviously that day he let the wrong person in his apartment,” said Holloway, 53. “I just have no idea how that happened — why that would happen.”
Another friend William McCord, 34, said he was on a trip when he heard the news. “It was just this weird, surreal, shock feeling,” he said. “He was just always really happy.”
Each day, McCord repeats a piece of wisdom from his friend, who once told him expectations are resentments in the making. McCord said he went to see his own family after Merge encouraged him.
Claire Buckley, 41, said Merge easily befriended people and would include them in group outings. He would ask questions to draw out the quietest people.
“He was really good at meeting people, and then getting them out of their shell,” Buckley said.
Marcus Merge, left, is shown with friend Claire Buckley at Mars Gallery in Fulton Market on Jan. 1, 2017. (Claire Buckley)
On any given day, Merge could be found walking down Bryn Mawr Avenue in Chicago and talking with shop workers, Buckley said.
“He was a talker, oh my God,” Holloway said. “He would just never shut up talking.”
Holloway said Merge was a sponsor in the Alcoholics Anonymous program, helping other men through recovery. He was passionate about “just helping people stay sober.”
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Before his mother’s recent death, Merge would ride trains and buses to visit her in Lake Forest. An interior designer by profession, he would decorate the windows of her senior housing according to the seasons, Buckley said.
“He always made everybody feel very comfortable,” she said. “Marcus to me is nothing but kindness and welcoming, and I don’t know why anybody would want to do that to him.”
Friends are planning to eventually organize a memorial over the video platform Zoom or near the lakefront.
“There’s a sadness,” Holloway said. “People are just … still trying to wrap their hearts around it.”


chicagotribune--2020-07-18--House Speaker Michael Madigan drawn closer to federal corruption probe, but many Democrats take wait

House Speaker Michael Madigan drawn closer to federal corruption probe, but many Democrats take wait-and-see approach — ‘We’ve been on this ride before’

Madigan has worked to ensure loyalty among his Democratic members in part through a vast political operation that runs campaigns @ @ @ @ @ who don ’ t want to engage in the nitty-gritty of raising money or working @ @ @ @ @ exchange , Madigan requires only one vote — for his reelection as speaker — while @ @ @ @ @ as a cudgel to keep members in line on legislation he favors .

For decades, the diminutive Michael J. Madigan has stood tall as a political constant in Illinois, displaying equal parts of power, arrogance, defiance and vindictiveness, while holding a singular ability to dictate much of the state’s policy agenda under governors both Democratic and Republican.
The extent of Madigan’s power over Democratic politics was evident from the muted responses of a number of members of his own House majority after federal prosecutors implicated the nation’s longest-serving statehouse leader as the beneficiary of a near-decadelong bribery and influence scheme conducted through Commonwealth Edison.
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A ComEd headquarters building on July 17, 2020 in the 3400 block of North California Avenue in Chicago. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
As federal subpoenas were delivered to Madigan’s large third-floor office at the State Capitol, Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who deferred much of his first-term agenda to the speaker, said Madigan owed the public an explanation and should resign if allegations of wrongdoing are true.
Pritzker’s remark was echoed by Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle, who heads the county Democratic Party, as well as by a few of Madigan’s Democrats in the House.
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State Sen. Melinda Bush of Grayslake was a rare Democratic lawmaker calling outright for Madigan to not only resign his legislative post but also the state Democratic Party chairmanship he has held since 1998.
But other Democrats were silent or called for generic “ethics reform” in response to the federal action, reflecting what some said privately — that until Madigan has truly lost his powerful post, any reaction adverse to the speaker would be met with retribution.
“We’ve been on this ride before,” said one Democrat who asked not to be identified to avoid taking on Madigan, noting that several times in the past the speaker was viewed as being close to losing his vaunted power.
“It’s like, ‘Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?‘” the lawmaker said, echoing the backseat refrain of children. “And yet, we never are.”
Madigan, 78, has served in the legislature since 1971 and as House speaker since 1983 with the exception of two years when Republicans took control of the chamber in the mid-1990s. He was not charged with wrongdoing by the government on Friday as ComEd agreed to pay a $200 million fine and cooperate with prosecutors.
In a statement issued by spokeswoman Maura Possley, Madigan indicated that, as in times past when faced with ethical or political controversy, he wasn’t planning to go anywhere.
“The speaker accepted subpoenas related to his various offices for documents,” Possley said. “He will cooperate and respond to those requests for documents, which he believes will clearly demonstrate that he has done nothing criminal or improper.”
The U.S. attorney’s office said in a statement that ComEd, the state’s largest utility, admitted that it arranged for jobs and vendor subcontracts for Public Official A’s political allies and workers even when those people performed little or no work.
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Unlike the traditional alphabet soup used by federal prosecutors to describe participants in a criminal action, the federal complaint specifically said, “Public Official A was the Speaker of the House of Representatives.”
Prosecutors said the utility took actions to gain favor with Madigan in connection with regulatory rate-making legislation it sought between 2011 and 2019. They said associates of Madigan, a veteran 13th Ward politician on the Southwest Side, received $1.32 million from ComEd.
Prosecutors put a value of at least $150 million on the legislative benefits ComEd received. That included a 2011 bill in which “ComEd was able to more reliably determine rates it could charge customers” and a 2016 renewal of a regulatory law that governs how ComEd does business.
U.S. Attorney John Lausch said the filing “speaks volumes about the nature of the very stubborn public corruption problem we have here in Illinois.”
“The admitted facts detail a nearly decade long corruption scheme involving top management at a large public utility, leaders of state government, consultants and several others inside and outside of government. In two words, it’s not good,” he added.
U.S. Attorney John Lausch announces a major fine against ComEd for bribery involving Illinois politicians during a news conference in the courtyard of the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse on July 17, 2020. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)
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The federal government’s action implicating Madigan threatens to roil the fall election season in Illinois, which has become a reliably blue state. Madigan has used his fundraising power and mapmaking ability to generate veto-proof Democratic majorities in the state House and Senate.
For years, Illinois Republicans, most notably with the funding of wealthy former Gov. Bruce Rauner, have sought to put the blame on Madigan for decades of state ills, but the party has largely been unsuccessful in using that issue to motivate voters.
Rauner and his money are gone from the political scene. But the federal government’s actions provide Republicans with a ready-made script to attack new Democratic legislative officeholders in suburban districts that had previously been held by the GOP.
The federal case also could have implications for Pritzker’s signature item on the Nov. 3 ballot — asking voters to change the state constitution to impose a graduated-rate income tax to replace the mandated flat-rate income tax. Republicans who oppose the change have already adopted the campaign mantra of asking voters if they trusted sending more tax dollars to a Springfield run by Democrats led by Madigan.
In essence, the government’s filing could help fuel efforts by Republicans to try to denationalize the fall election in a state where President Donald Trump is unpopular, and instead turn contests into more localized battles that are a referendum on Madigan. Still, there are questions whether Republicans have the financial resources to pull off such a strategy.
Madigan has worked to ensure loyalty among his Democratic members in part through a vast political operation that runs campaigns as turnkey operations for candidates who don’t want to engage in the nitty-gritty of raising money or working districts for election. In exchange, Madigan requires only one vote — for his reelection as speaker — while also using his fundraising ability as a cudgel to keep members in line on legislation he favors.
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Campaign reports filed with the State Board of Elections last week showed Madigan had $22.6 million in four political funds that he controls at the start of July.
The government filing alleges that ComEd became a source of patronage for Madigan’s political allies and campaign workers. In Springfield, however, ComEd has long been widely known as a source for patronage for other political leaders, including former Senate President Emil Jones Jr., D-Chicago.
Patronage and organization are Madigan’s political pedigree.
His father, Michael Sr., was a Democratic precinct captain and a ward superintendent. He also held a patronage job under Cook County Clerk Mike Flynn, the 13th Ward Democratic committeeman. One of Flynn's employees was Richard J. Daley, the future mayor.
When the younger Madigan, then a law student, approached the mayor about a job, he got one in the city's law department. He went on to serve as a hearing officer for the state commerce commission and as a consultant on public utilities for the city.
Committeeman Michael Madigan, 13th Ward, speaks before the park board on July 28, 1970. (Alton Kaste / Chicago Tribune)
In 1969, the 27-year-old Madigan became the youngest ward boss in the city. Backed by City Hall control over jobs, he used loyalty to turn the 13th Ward area solidly Democratic. Two years later, he was elected to the General Assembly.
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In 2014, the Tribune identified more than 400 then-current or retired employees at all levels of government with political ties to Madigan as well as documented repeated instances where Madigan personally lobbied for jobs, promotions or raises for allies.
In April of that year, a mass transit task force found Madigan sought to place and promote allies at Metra, the suburban commuter rail agency, for decades. A legislative inspector general’s report found Madigan did not violate the state’s ethics act when he sought to arrange a raise for one of his campaign foot soldiers.
In the statement issued on Madigan’s behalf Friday, his spokeswoman said he “has never helped someone find a job with the expectation that the person would not be asked to perform work by their employer, nor did he ever expect to provide anything to a prospective employer if it should choose to hire a person he recommended.”
Madigan also found his standing threatened when the #MeToo movement took hold in the Capitol two years ago. He faced criticism that he had not done enough to deal with complaints of sexual harassment involving members and staff.
Madigan eventually fired his chief of staff, as well as key campaign operatives in an attempt to quell the complaints.
The House speaker also has faced ongoing questions of whether his political power presents a conflict of interest involving his real-estate tax appeal law firm, which profits by representing clients seeking lower assessments and property tax bills.
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Known as the “Velvet Hammer” for how he wields power and also as “The Sphinx” for saying little publicly and having an aversion to speaking to the media, Madigan has few close friends. But one of them, Michael McClain, has emerged as the nexus of the federal investigation into ComEd and Madigan’s operation.
McClain, a trusted adviser to the speaker, is a former lawmaker and Quincy attorney who retired as a high-profile lobbyist from the utility in 2016 but continued collecting six-figure payments from the company.
Federal agents raided McClain’s home in Quincy in May 2019, which turned out to be the same month ComEd said they had stopped paying him. The Tribune exclusively reported in November that authorities secretly recorded McClain’s phone calls.
McClain’s attorney did not respond to requests for comment Friday.
The federal filing did not outline any conversations between McClain and Madigan. Referring to the speaker as Public Official A and McClain as Individual A, prosecutors did allege the two “sought to obtain from ComEd jobs, vendor subcontracts, and monetary payments associated with those jobs and subcontracts for various associates of Public Official A ...”
There were indications that the federal investigation could go well beyond ComEd.
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In Friday’s federal subpoena to Madigan, authorities sought records related to AT&T, Walgreens and Rush University Medical Center, as well as the utility. The subpoena also sought records related to Madigan’s political organization and law firm, as well as former state lawmakers and current or former Chicago aldermen.
Among McClain’s past longtime lobbying clients in addition to ComEd was Walgreens.
[ State agency that regulates ComEd will continue to be run by relative of an alleged player in bribery scheme ]
rap30@aol.com


chicagotribune--2020-07-18--Attempt to topple Christopher Columbus statue in Chicago’s Grant Park prompts standoff with police

By 7:40 p.m. , police reinforcements had arrived at the scene , leading to a standoff in front of the @ @ @ @ @ later by more officers , who soon released an aerosol that stung the eyes of @ @ @ @ @ some coughing in tears .
Police forced out those inside the wall surrounding the statue @ @ @ @ @

The Christopher Columbus statue is transported after being removed in Grant Park in the early hours of July 24, 2020. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)
At least 1,000 people swarmed the Christopher Columbus statue in Grant Park on Friday evening in a failed attempt to topple it after a march turned tense and chaotic when some people began throwing fireworks and cans at the police, who in turn struck members of the crowd with batons.
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Following a rally in support of Black and Indigenous people, hundreds of protesters marched south on Columbus Drive shortly after 7 p.m. Then a person shouted that some Chicago police units, whom they had been trying to separate the crowd from by using bike-wielding citizen “marshals,” had left to protect the statue of the controversial historical figure.
The confrontation resulted in at least 12 arrests, according to the police department. A group of elected officials also released a statement condemning what they said were aggressive tactics used to quell protesters and journalists.
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“We unequivocally condemn Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s decision to send the Chicago police to beat, arrest, and terrorize the demonstrators and journalists gathered in Grant Park tonight,” read the statement, released late Friday.
It was signed by Alderwoman Jeanette Taylor, Alderwoman Rossana Rodriguez Sanchez, Alderman Byron Sigcho Lopez, Alderman Carlos Ramirez Rosa, State Rep. Representative Delia Ramirez, democratic nominee LaKesia Collins and State Sen. Robert Peters.
Dozens of people in the crowd who were clad in all-black clothing rushed the nearby statue, surrounding the short stone wall that circled it. Some began throwing objects, such as cans and fireworks, at the officers. A few people tried to climb over the wall and were met with officers smacking their batons at them.
“This is not the way! ... We don’t want them to shoot us,” a man shouted to the group throwing items. He was told by someone in the crowd to back off.
Soon, the police were pushed back, and dozens of people climbed over the wall, wading through the thinning smoke from earlier fireworks and other incendiary devices. Someone scaled the statue and caught a rope that was tossed up from the crowd, beginning about a half-hour-long attempt to yank down the statue.
At one point, demonstrators held onto two lines of rope attached to the statue as the crowd cheered on, “Columbus was a murderer. Columbus was a thief.”
A person has scaled the top of the statue. Someone is throwing a rope up at them. pic.twitter.com/ZqWfD18W9Q — Alice Yin (@byaliceyin) July 18, 2020
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By 7:40 p.m., police reinforcements had arrived at the scene, leading to a standoff in front of the statue. They were joined later by more officers, who soon released an aerosol that stung the eyes of the crowd and led to some coughing in tears. Police forced out those inside the wall surrounding the statue and circled the perimeter.
As officers moved down the hill, they pushed aside the bike-wielding protesters trying to stop them, sometimes whipping out batons or shoving the bicycles at them. The standoff shifted to north of the statue, as the crowd, still out-numbering the cops, began clapping in unison despite having a few hundred people leave by that point.
A heavy influx of police officers around the area pushed protesters away from the statue by 8:30 p.m., according to a livestream from WBBM-Ch.2.
About 18 officers were injured, some of whom were treated at the scene and others at area hospitals, Chicago police spokesman Thomas Ahern said. About a dozen people were arrested and face pending charges ranging from battery to a police officer to mob action, Ahern said. He said the aerosol used by officers was pepper spray.
“Officers were there to not only protect the property, but they were to ensure the safety of the protestors and their First Amendment right to protest peacefully when the crowd turned on the police, literally ambushed the police with all their projectiles,” Ahern said.
At least five civilians were hospitalized from the area, Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford said.
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This is not the way, a man shouts as someone throws something incendiary at the cops pic.twitter.com/AtOUAqFXAM — Alice Yin (@byaliceyin) July 18, 2020
Protesters launch fireworks and other items at Chicago police officers guarding Columbus statue in Grant Park pic.twitter.com/WCga8c47Ty — WGN TV News (@WGNNews) July 18, 2020
Though the statue remained standing by the time the crowd left, it and the surrounding wall were sheathed in overlapping anti-police graffiti messages.
The Columbus statues in Grant Park and the city’s Little Italy neighborhood have been the source of recent controversy and targets for vandalism. Mayor Lori Lightfoot has said she doesn’t want them taken down, but instead used to help educate people about “the full history” of the U.S.
[ Activists, elected officials urge Lightfoot to take down Columbus statue after confrontations at Grant Park. Mayor says city reviewing ‘public icons.' ]
Madeline Buckley contributed
ayin@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-07-18--State agency that regulates ComEd will continue to be run by relative of an alleged player in briber

State agency that regulates ComEd will continue to be run by relative of an alleged player in bribery scheme

Crawford ’ s statement lauded Zalewski ’ s achievements during her brief tenure , including developing a consumer guide to @ @ @ @ @ , making ICC meetings available to the public via livestream and providing more robust explanations @ @ @ @ @ open session .
In the past year , the ICC also imposed a $ 1 @ @ @ @ @ an alternative retail electric supplier , for failing to comply with amended state marketing and @ @ @ @ @ lower delivery rate increase for Nicor Gas than requested , Crawford said .

A ComEd headquarters is shown on July 17, 2020, in the 3400 block of North California Avenue in Chicago. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
Despite unsettling details in the criminal complaint against ComEd, the Illinois Commerce Commission — the agency that regulates the embattled utility company and approves its rate hikes — will continue to be run by the relative of an alleged player in the bribery scheme, the Tribune has learned.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s office confirmed Friday that Carrie Zalewski will retain her position as ICC chairwoman, even as prosecutors said in court documents that an undemanding patronage job was arranged for her father-in-law at the request of House Speaker Michael Madigan’s camp, and that a ComEd executive approved it.
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“The Governor still has confidence in Carrie Zalewski, who is an accomplished regulator,” Pritzker spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh said in an email to the Tribune.
The ICC announced late Friday that it is requesting ComEd appear before the commission to discuss ethics reforms later this month. In touting the agency’s commitment to transparency and accountability, the announcement did not mention its chairwoman’s connection to one of the alleged players cited in the deferred prosecution agreement.
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Carrie Zalewski, an attorney and engineer, has worked for several other state agencies and was a regulator at the Illinois Pollution Control Board before being appointed to a five-year term in March 2019. She is married to State. Rep. Michael J. Zalewski, D-Riverside, who is the son of retired Chicago Ald. Michael R. Zalewski.
House Speaker Michael Madigan, center, congratulates state Rep. Michael J. Zalewski, D-Riverside, after a bill passed in the Illinois House on May 30, 2019. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)
WBEZ reported last month that Carrie Zalewski was among the people Madigan recommended Pritzker hire when he took office last year. Abudayyeh would not say whether the speaker pushed for her hiring, though she previously has said Madigan was “just one person, among many, who recommended candidates for our administration, boards and commissions.”
“Carrie joined the team in early 2019 after personally speaking with members of the transition team and the new administration about ways she could continue her public service along and her qualifications,” Abudayyeh told the Tribune Friday.
An ICC spokeswoman said Zalewski applied for the job, on her own, because it interested her after nine years on the pollution board. She was not named in the criminal case and has not been accused of wrongdoing.
“Carrie Zalewski was appointed Chairman of the Illinois Commerce Commission on her own merits, due to her outstanding qualifications and experience,” spokeswoman Victoria Crawford said. “Any implication to the contrary is simply not true.”
In court documents filed Friday, ComEd officials stipulated to a “years-long bribery scheme” involving jobs, contracts and payments to Madigan’s allies and agreed to pay a $200 million fine. Among those allies was an “Associate 3,” a former Chicago alderman who retired in May 2018.
The Tribune previously reported that FBI agents raided the home of ex-Ald. Michael R. Zalewski — who resigned from the council May 31, 2018 — in connection with the ComEd investigation. Zalewski could not immediately be reached for comment Friday.
The FBI also executed search warrants at the home of former ComEd lobbyist Mike McClain, another Madigan crony, in May 2019. The complaint filed Friday places McClain at the center of the alleged effort to reward the powerful speaker for efforts to help ComEd in the state legislature.
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The court documents allege a member of Madigan’s camp and a ComEd executive arranged for Associate 3 to be paid $5,000 a month indirectly as a subcontractor. Madigan’s associates earned $1.32 million from 2011 to 2019 for doing “little or no work” as part of the patronage scheme, prosecutors said.
Republican lawmakers called for Madigan to step down after the charge became public Friday. Saying he was “deeply troubled” and “furious,” Pritzker said the speaker must resign if the allegations are proved true.
ICC spokeswoman Crawford said the allegations do not involve Carrie Zalewski and should not have any bearing on her position.
“What happened today does not involve Carrie Zalewski,” Crawford said in a statement Friday. “There is no conflict of interest, actual or perceived. Chairman Zalewski remains committed to the important work of the Illinois Commerce Commission.”
Crawford’s statement lauded Zalewski’s achievements during her brief tenure, including developing a consumer guide to help residents navigate the agency, making ICC meetings available to the public via livestream and providing more robust explanations about votes being taken in open session. In the past year, the ICC also imposed a $1 million penalty on LifeEnergy, an alternative retail electric supplier, for failing to comply with amended state marketing and sales rules and approved a lower delivery rate increase for Nicor Gas than requested, Crawford said.
In a case that drew media attention, the ICC also waged an aggressive and unsuccessful battle to shield ComEd from scrutiny in a wrongful death lawsuit. The state agency spent months fighting a court order to turn over documents related to an electrocution that killed a West Chicago man.
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The Tribune detailed those efforts last year in an investigation into the death of Robert Zulauf, a 32-year-old cable line worker who died in November 2016 after an out-of-code guy wire — a metal line that runs diagonally from the pole to the ground to provide support — came loose and made contact with a ComEd wire. His nephew, 23-year-old Jordan Zulauf, suffered severe injuries and had to have both arms amputated.
In addition to refusing to turn over documents, the commission also initially barred its employees from being deposed in the case. ComEd also had an interest in keeping the documents confidential, leading the utility company and the ICC to fight the subpoenas together lockstep in court until a Cook County judge ordered the state agency to comply.
While the judge prohibited those records from being shared with the public, the depositions showed the ICC — the government entity charged with ensuring reliable, efficient and safe utility services to the public — did not conduct its own investigation of Robert Zulauf’s death. Instead, regulators relied on ComEd’s findings, a tightly held report in which the utility cleared itself of wrongdoing.
Critics warn such secondhand oversight makes the ICC ripe for regulatory capture, a scenario that occurs when a government agency created to act in the public’s interest instead advances the interests of the sector it is meant to regulate.
Though the Illinois Commerce Commission maintained that confidentiality is necessary to ensure honest communications between the public utility and its state regulator, the Zulauf family lawyer repeatedly suggested there was a more troubling reason for the secrecy. During a tense proceeding last July, attorney Stephan Blandin told the judge that there was political motivation for the ICC and ComEd to get “in bed together.”
After reading the criminal charge against ComEd, Blandin said federal prosecutors had only strengthened his argument. He called on Pritzer Friday to remove Carrie Zalewski as chairwoman.
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“The whole purpose of Commonwealth Edison bribing state government is to get favorable rates increases and so they don’t face any scrutiny from the ICC,” Blandin said. “What happened to Robert and Jordan is a manifestation of the corruption.”


chicagotribune--2020-07-18--Federal investigators looking at Pritzker tax break, others during Joe Berrios’ time as Cook County

Federal investigators looking at Pritzker tax break, others during Joe Berrios’ time as Cook County assessor

In addition to seeking records on the assessments of Pritzker ’ s side-by-side mansions on Astor Street in the Gold @ @ @ @ @ ’ s office also requested information related to assessments and appeals filed by the Schmidt @ @ @ @ @ firm “ on behalf of entities affiliated with the Pritzkers , including ( the ) @ @ @ @ @ , Astor Street and Pritzker Group , from Jan. 1 , 2016 to present , @ @ @ @ @ to the Tribune through an open records request .

Then-Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios faces questions by the Cook County Board on July 18, 2017, about the fairness of property tax assessments. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune)
Federal prosecutors in Chicago are amassing records related to property tax assessments conducted under former Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios, including a tax break given to Gov. J.B. Pritzker after toilets were removed from a Gold Coast mansion he owned.
In all, the U.S. attorney’s office requested records related to more than 100 properties, obtaining the information through emails sent to current Assessor Fritz Kaegi.
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The records indicate that appeals of some of the assessments were handled by law firms led by House Speaker Michael Madigan or 14th Ward Ald. Ed Burke.
Federal investigations are swirling around allies of Madigan, head of the Illinois Democratic Party. On Friday, the U.S. attorney’s office announced ComEd was paying a $200 million criminal fine as part of a federal investigation into a “years-long bribery scheme” involving jobs, contracts and payments to Madigan allies.
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As the former chairman of the Cook County Democratic Party, Berrios was a key ally of Madigan, and Burke held sway over the party’s endorsement of judicial candidates during Berrios’ years as chairman. Burke has been indicted by a federal grand jury on racketeering charges related to alleged abuse of his aldermanic powers and awaits trial.
Calls to Berrios for comment were not returned. A call for comment to Madigan spokesman Steve Brown was also not immediately returned, and Burke did not respond to a message left at his ward office.
A billionaire with vast holdings, Pritzker is an heir to the Hyatt hotel fortune, a global chain of hotels founded by the Pritzker family. His father, Donald, was chief executive and a driving force behind the chain.
In addition to seeking records on the assessments of Pritzker’s side-by-side mansions on Astor Street in the Gold Coast, the U.S. attorney’s office also requested information related to assessments and appeals filed by the Schmidt, Salzman & Moran law firm “on behalf of entities affiliated with the Pritzkers, including (the) Hyatt (hotel chain), Astor Street and Pritzker Group, from Jan. 1, 2016 to present,” according to documents provided to the Tribune through an open records request.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker's two side-by-side mansions on North Astor Street are shown in 2018. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)
Prosecutors also sought all appeals filed by the law firm “for high value residential properties based on vacancy and uninhabitability from Jan. 1, 2014 through Dec. 31, 2016, and the results of those appeals.”
Calls to two of the firm’s named partners for comment were not returned.
Between 2012 and 2014, assessments on one of Pritzker’s neighboring Gold Coast mansions were dramatically lowered after five toilets were removed during a rehabilitation project and the assessor deemed the mansion uninhabitable. At the time, Pritzker and his wife were rehabbing the home while living in the other one.
The breaks, which initially saved Pritzker $330,000 in property taxes, were the subject of a 2018 investigation by Cook County Inspector General Patrick Blanchard in the wake of an earlier Sun-Times story on the mansion’s tax breaks.
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Blanchard found that Pritzker’s wife, M.K. Pritzker, asked a contractor in 2015 to remove the mansion’s toilets to make the home uninhabitable so it could be reassessed at a lower value.
M.K. Pritzker’s brother and her personal assistant later made “false representations” in sworn affidavits to the assessor about the mansion’s condition and when the toilets were removed, Blanchard found.
Blanchard characterized it as a “scheme to defraud” taxpayers.
Pritzker at the time denied doing anything wrong and suggested that the leaking of Blanchard’s document was politically motivated. But he nevertheless paid the county treasurer $330,000, the amount he had saved, as the issue swirled during his successful 2018 campaign against the then-incumbent governor, Bruce Rauner.
“There’s nothing new to tell you,” Pritzker said Friday when asked about the matter at an unrelated news conference. “I learned about this from a reporter. The facts about this matter have been public for some time and extensively have been discussed, as they were in the 2018 election.
“And they’ve been fully aired, and as I’ve always said, any review will show that all the rules were followed,” the governor added. “I’ve not been contacted by federal authorities, nor has my wife.”
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Blanchard sent his findings to both federal and Cook County prosecutors. A federal source with knowledge of Blanchard’s report said it was unlikely to lead to any criminal charges. However, the source cautioned, the federal government has a number of ongoing public corruption investigations, and authorities do not know where all those efforts ultimately could lead.
Tandra Simonton, spokeswoman for the Cook County state’s attorney, said Friday that the office had not yet decided whether to pursue the case.
The monthslong effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago to obtain the records, first reported by the Chicago Sun-Times, appears to have sidestepped the usual practice of issuing subpoenas for the documents. Instead, they were requested through a series of emails sent by prosecutors to Kaegi between Jan. 17 and May 17.
Kaegi in 2018 defeated Berrios during a Democratic primary campaign in which Kaegi accused his predecessor of conflicts for taking campaign contributions from attorneys who file property tax appeals.
Kaegi, allied with the nontraditional reform wing of the city’s Democratic Party, also pledged fairer tax assessments in the wake of a Tribune investigation that found Berrios tended to value high-priced homes too low and lower-priced homes too high, unfairly shifting the tax burden to less affluent people.
hdardick@chicagotribune.com
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tlighty@chicagotribune.om


chicagotribune--2020-07-19--Coronavirus in Illinois updates: 1,276 new known COVID-19 cases as state passes 160K total infection

Coronavirus in Illinois updates: 1,276 new known COVID-19 cases as state passes 160K total infections; suburban Cook County joins Chicago in quarantine requirement

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Paca Kujtim of Arlington Heights self-administers a COVID-19 test in his car at the Arlington International Racecourse on March 31, 2021 in Arlington Heights. Kujtim was getting testing as a precaution for upcoming travel. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
Illinois reported 965 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, bringing the state’s total case number to 161,575.
State health officials also said six more people have died after contracting the virus. So far, 7,295 people have died in Illinois.
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The state also reported 32,113 new COVID-19 tests in a span of 24 hours, a day after setting a record with 46,099 tests.
On Friday, suburban Cook County announced it was joining the city of Chicago in requiring people coming to Illinois from states with high rates of COVID-19 infection to quarantine upon arrival for 14 days.
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That news came after Chicago Public Schools released a much-anticipated blueprint for fall instruction, saying it plans to adopt a hybrid-learning model that will bring most students back for two-consecutive days of in-person learning on a rotating basis if public health officials say it can be done safely.
CPS says it will solicit feedback from parents in five virtual meetings through the end of July, with sessions held in English and Spanish, and parents can also their reactions in a new survey launched by the district. The district will share the final plan in early August.
[ Illinois’ new COVID-19 plan: How the state will manage any outbreaks in 3 charts ]
[ COVID-19 cases in Illinois by ZIP code: Search for your neighborhood ]
[ Schools reopening tracker: What suburban Chicago districts are planning for the fall ]
[ 20 questions about assessing your COVID-19 risk at restaurants, gyms and more ]
Here’s what’s happening this weekend regarding COVID-19 in the Chicago area and Illinois:
1:50 p.m.: Craving some Chicago baseball? Here’s how to watch Cubs and White Sox exhibition games.
After a renewed spring training limited to intrasquad games so far due to the coronavirus, the Cubs and White Sox are scheduled to play exhibition games against each other at 7:05 p.m. Sunday at Wrigley Field and at 7:10 p.m. Monday at Guaranteed Rate Field.
On Wednesday night, the Cubs host the Minnesota Twins at 6:05 and the Sox welcome the Milwaukee Brewers at 7:10 as a prelude to season openers Friday. Here’s how to watch. —Phil Rosenthal
1:45 p.m.: Trump calls Dr. Anthony Fauci an ‘alarmist’ about COVID-19
President Donald Trump, in a wide-ranging interview with Chris Wallace on Fox News, described the nation’s top infectious diseases expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, as a “a little bit of an alarmist” about the coronavirus pandemic.
Trump stuck to what he had said back in February — that the virus is “going to disappear.” On Fox, he said, “I’ll be right eventually.” The United States tops the global death toll list with over 140,000 and confirmed infections, with 3.7 million.
Questioned about the coronavirus, Trump chided Fauci, the National Institutes of Health expert, and repeated false claims that anybody could get a test and that increased testing was the only reason that the U.S. was seeing more cases. When Wallace cited criticism about the lack of a national plan to confront the virus, Trump said, “I take responsibility always for everything because it’s ultimately my job, too,” and claimed, “I supplied everybody.”
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Case are rising because people are infecting each other more than they were when most everyone was hunkered down. The percentage of tests coming back positive for the virus has been on the rise across nearly the entire country. Read more here. —The Associated Press
10:30 a.m.: How will the first COVID-19 vaccine impact women? ‘This leaves a big question mark.’
When it finally arrives, will a COVID-19 vaccine work the same for women as for men? What about for women who are pregnant or going through menopause?
We might not know. And that’s no surprise to Nicole Woitowich, associate director for the Women’s Health Research Institute at Northwestern University. Woitowich recently finished a 10-year review examining whether medical studies included male and female subjects, and if data was analyzed by sex. She found that although more studies included both sexes, there was no improvement on breaking down results among males and females. This matters because without analyzing results by sex, she said, it’s hard to assess whether men and women react differently to treatment.
When Woitowich read about the potentially promising COVID-19 vaccine trial results in the U.S. last week, she saw that men and women took part, but was disappointed that it did not mention if the data was analyzed by sex.
“I was incredibly frustrated,” she said.
Woitowich said that although the study did not show a results breakdown by sex, it doesn’t mean that analysis isn’t happening, but if it is, it’s not mentioned. Even this is concerning, she said, because sex should be a consideration in a vaccine made for everyone.
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“If we are developing a vaccine that is going to be implemented on a global scale, we need to know if that vaccine is going to be safe for both men and women, and effective for both men and women,” she said. “This leaves a big question mark.” Read more here. —Alison Bowen
Saturday
7:35 p.m.: Mistrust of a coronavirus vaccine could imperil widespread immunity
Almost daily, President Donald Trump and leaders worldwide say they are racing to develop a coronavirus vaccine, in perhaps the most urgent mission in the history of medical science. But the repeated assurances of near-miraculous speed are exacerbating a problem that has largely been overlooked and one that public health experts say must be addressed now: persuading people to actually get the shot.
A growing number of polls find so many people saying they would not get a coronavirus vaccine that its potential to shut down the pandemic could be in jeopardy. Distrust of it is particularly pronounced in African American communities, which have been disproportionately devastated by the virus. But even many staunch supporters of immunization say they are wary of this vaccine.
Read more here. —The New York Times
6:25 p.m.: Patients lying in hallways, nurses working extra shifts: As coronavirus surges in some US states, emergency rooms are being swamped
A fast-rising tide of new coronavirus cases is flooding emergency rooms in parts of the United States, with some patients moved into hallways and nurses working extra shifts to keep up with the surge.
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Patients struggling to breathe are being placed on ventilators in emergency wards since intensive care units are full, officials say, and the near-constant care they require is overtaxing workers who also are treating more typical ER cases like chest pains, infections, and fractures.
In Texas, Dr. Alison Haddock of the Baylor College of Medicine said the current situation is worse than after Hurricane Harvey, which swamped Houston with floodwaters in 2017. The state reported a new daily record for virus deaths Friday and more than 10,000 confirmed cases for the fourth consecutive day.
“I’ve never seen anything like this COVID surge,” said Haddock, who has worked in emergency rooms since 2007. “We’re doing our best, but we’re not an ICU.”
Read more here. —Associated Press
6:20 p.m.: Older children spread the coronavirus just as much as adults, study finds
In the heated debate over reopening schools, one burning question has been whether and how efficiently children can spread the virus to others.
A large new study from South Korea offers an answer: Children younger than age 10 transmit to others much less often than adults do, but the risk is not zero. And those between the ages of 10-19 can spread the virus at least as well as adults do.
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The findings suggest that as schools reopen, communities will see clusters of infection take root that include children of all ages, several experts cautioned.
Read more here. —The New York Times
2:35 p.m.: Illinois COVID-19 cases surpass 160,000; state sets one-day record for number of tests
Illinois reported 1,276 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, bringing the state’s total case number to 160,610.
State health officials also said 18 more people have died after contracting the virus. So far, 7,290 people in 102 counties have died in Illinois.
The state also set a record on Saturday for COVID-19 tests reported in a span of 24 hours, with 46,099 tests completed, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. It was the third consecutive day with more than 40,000 tests conducted.
Two male teenagers were among the 18 who died on Saturday, officials said.
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On Friday, the state reported 1,384 new cases and 22 deaths.
—Madeline Buckley
Saturday 10:35 a.m.: Normal life still far away: Coronavirus numbers continue marching up in United States, around the world
South Africa was poised Saturday to join the top five countries most affected by the coronavirus pandemic, while breathtaking infection numbers around the world were a reminder that a return to normal life is still far from sight.
The country’s 337,000 cases make up roughly half of all confirmed infections on the African continent and its struggles are a sign of trouble to come for nations with fewer health care resources. South Africa was on track to join the U.S., Brazil, India and Russia as current trends show it will surpass Peru.
“The simple fact is that many South Africans are sitting ducks because they cannot comply with World Health Organization protocols on improved hygiene and social distancing,” the foundation of former South African archbishop and Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu and his wife, Leah, warned in a statement.
The development comes a day after the World Health Organization reported a single-day record of new infections at over 237,000. Daily death tolls have been reaching new highs in several U.S. states and India’s infections are over 1 million. Experts believe the true numbers around the world are higher because of testing shortages and data collection issues in some nations.
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Read more here. —Associated Press
Friday 7:22 p.m.: As schools weigh whether to reopen in the fall, anxiety is high among parents and teachers
As a longtime teacher in public schools and the mother of four sons, Gladys Marquez was hopeful that all of her kids — her students at Eisenhower High School in Blue Island and her youngest child still under her roof — would be heading back to the classroom this fall.
But Marquez said her early optimism has been replaced with fear and apprehension in recent weeks, as a surge in COVID-19 cases nationwide — especially among young adults — underscores the potential dangers of a premature return to school as “normal” when the virus continues to rage.
“I’ve lost two family members to COVID, my cousin and my great uncle, so I’m frustrated by those who are taking this situation very lightly, because they just don’t understand the risks,” Marquez said. “I have asthma, and one of my sons, who’s also a teacher, has diabetes. If we’re back in the classroom, I’ll be exposed to 1,800 students, and could bring COVID home to my own family. This is not time to be getting students back together, as having their lives at risk is just not an option.”
As Chicago-area school districts begin to unveil their back-to-schools plans — in many cases still tentative — they are under pressure both to reopen their buildings and to keep them closed. And anxiety is running high for parents, teachers and administrators.
Read more here. —Karen Ann Cullotta and Sophie Sherry
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Friday 7:14 p.m.: How does COVID-19 affect kids? Science has answers — and gaps.
What role children play in the coronavirus pandemic is the hot-button question of the summer as kids relish their free time while schools labor over how to resume classes.
The Trump administration says the science “is very clear,” but many doctors who specialize in pediatrics and infectious diseases say much of the evidence is inconclusive.
“There are still a lot of unanswered questions. That is the biggest challenge,” said Dr. Sonja Rasmussen, a pediatrics professor at the University of Florida and former scientist at the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention.
Read more here. —Associated Press


chicagotribune--2020-07-18--Activists, elected officials urge Lightfoot to take down Columbus statue after confrontations at Gra

Activists, elected officials urge Lightfoot to take down Columbus statue after confrontations at Grant Park. Mayor says city reviewing ‘public icons.'

“ For several weeks , my team has been working to develop a plan to pursue that public conversation , @ @ @ @ @ comprehensive review of our public icons to identify which should change , and where we @ @ @ @ @ to be erected to ensure the full , robust history of our city is told @ @ @ @ @

The Christopher Columbus statue is transported after being removed in Grant Park in the early hours of July 24, 2020. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)
Activists and elected officials on Saturday morning called on Mayor Lori Lightfoot to take down the Christopher Columbus statue in Grant Park, after confrontations Friday night between police and protesters resulted in injuries to officers and protesters, and at least 12 arrests.
The officials also condemned what they said were violent tactics on the part of police officers to quell the protest, including one instance where they said an officer hit an 18-year-old woman, knocking her teeth out.
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Lightfoot responded with a statement on Saturday afternoon, writing that she supports peaceful protest but that “a portion of the protesters turned violent.”
Lightfoot also said there were “several reports of excessive force by the police.” She called them “unacceptable” and said she has spoken to the director of the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, which will investigate the complaints.
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In a statement Saturday afternoon, COPA said it had received “numerous complaints” and had opened “preliminary investigations into the most egregious” ones.
At least 1,000 people gathered around the statue in Grant Park on Friday after a rally in support of Black and Indigenous people, with some trying to topple it.
“That statue has to be taken down,” said Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, 35th, speaking at a news conference Saturday morning in front of the statue. “When you have a statue in a public square, you’re saying that is someone who should be celebrated.”
Lightfoot, who last month said she opposed the removal of Columbus statues in the city, said Saturday her team has been developing a plan for a “comprehensive review of our public icons.”
Chicago police keep watch as Chicago Park District workers fence off the Christopher Columbus statue in Grant Park on July 18, 2020, after protesters tried to take it down the previous night. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)
Columbus has been condemned by activists around the country who point to the Italian explorer’s mistreatment of Indigenous people after he landed in the Americas in 1492.
The protest Friday began peacefully, with hundreds marching south on Columbus Drive. Later, protesters were alerted that some police units had left to protect the statue, and crowds swarmed the area around the statue, resulting in an increasingly chaotic scene.
Dozens rushed at the statue, and some threw fireworks, rocks, frozen bottles and other objects at officers. Someone scaled the statue and caught a rope that was tossed up from the crowd, beginning an unsuccessful attempt to topple the statue.
A person has scaled the top of the statue. Someone is throwing a rope up at them. pic.twitter.com/ZqWfD18W9Q — Alice Yin (@byaliceyin) July 18, 2020
A heavy police presence began pushing the crowd away from the statue, clashing with protesters, sometimes using batons or an aerosol spray.
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A group of city and state officials released a statement late Friday that referenced reports on social media of police using pepper spray and other aggressive actions against protesters and journalists.
“We unequivocally condemn Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s decision to send the Chicago police to beat, arrest, and terrorize the demonstrators and journalists gathered in Grant Park tonight,” read the statement.
It was signed by Ramirez-Rosa, Ald. Jeanette Taylor, Ald. Rossana Rodriguez Sanchez, Ald. Byron Sigcho Lopez, state Rep. Delia Ramirez, Illinois House Democratic nominee Lakesia Collins and state Sen. Robert Peters. Later, more officials added their names, including Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson, state Sen. Celina Villanueva, state Rep. Theresa Mah and Ald. Daniel La Spata.
The officials wrote in the statement that they are ready to “work to defund the Chicago Police Department immediately.”
The ACLU of Illinois also weighed in on Saturday, calling on Lightfoot and the Police d Department to investigate complaints of excessive force and “provide a full, public accounting” about the police action taken on Friday.
“It is most disturbing that police thought violence against protestors, legal observers, and journalists was a measured reaction to protect a statue,” Colleen Connell, executive director of ACLU of Illinois, said in a statement.
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Lightfoot, though, denounced the actions of some of the participants who threw incendiary material and other items at police officers.
“These violent acts are unacceptable and put everyone at risk,” she said in a statement.
Activists and officials criticized the use of pepper spray and said an officer knocked the teeth out of an 18-year-old protester who has been active in working to reduce violence in city neighborhoods.
“They pepper-sprayed until the air was thick with tear gas,” said Amika Tendaji, with Black Lives Matter Chicago.
State Sen. Peters said 18-year-old Miracle Boyd, to whom he had offered an internship last week because of her violence prevention work, was hit in the face by an officer, which knocked some of her teeth out.
An anti-violence organization, GoodKids MadCity, shared a photo of Boyd on social media that shows the teen with a cut lip and missing teeth. The organization also posted a video that appears to show an officer hitting a protester.
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“(She) fights every day for gun violence prevention,” Peters said. “And what does she get? Abuse.”
Police Department spokesman Tom Ahern said Saturday afternoon that the department had begun an investigation of the allegation.
“The Chicago Police Department (CPD) strives to treat all individuals our officers encounter with respect,” Ahern said in the statement. “We do not tolerate misconduct of any kind and if any wrongdoing is discovered, officers will be held accountable.”
The department said in a statement that protesters threw fireworks, rocks, frozen bottles and other objects at officers. About 18 officers were injured, with some taken to area hospitals.
At least five civilians were hospitalized from the area, Chicago Fire Department officials said.
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This is not the way, a man shouts as someone throws something incendiary at the cops pic.twitter.com/AtOUAqFXAM — Alice Yin (@byaliceyin) July 18, 2020
Police arrested 12 people who could face charges of “Battery to a Police Officer, Mob Action, and/or other felonies,” according to the department.
On Saturday morning, the statue remained covered and guarded by a fence, Park District vehicles and at least one police vehicle.
Ramirez-Rosa criticized the city for spending money “protecting this statue.”
La Spata, alderman of the 1st Ward, spoke out Saturday, saying he is part of a new generation of “Italian Americans trying to fight back.”
“I would tear down that statue with my own two hands if I could,” he said.
Lightfoot last month said Columbus statues could be used to help educate people about “the full history” of the U.S.
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In her statement Saturday, Lightfoot said that details for the plan to review public statues will be forthcoming.
“For several weeks, my team has been working to develop a plan to pursue that public conversation, and to engage in a comprehensive review of our public icons to identify which should change, and where we need new monuments and icons to be erected to ensure the full, robust history of our city is told,” she said.
mabuckley@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-07-18--Man, 21, faces murder charge in killing of college student in West Rogers Park, police say

Tinder was shot in the stomach and taken to Amita St. Francis Hospital in Evanston , where he was pronounced @ @ @ @ @ according to the Cook County medical examiner ’ s office .

Police work the scene where a person was fatally shot on the 6200 block of North Troy Street in the West Rogers Park neighborhood Sunday June 21, 2020 in Chicago.(Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune) (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)
A 21-year-old man is facing one count of first-degree murder in the fatal shooting of a college student in West Rogers Park last month, according to Chicago police.
Jahrod Jean, of the Calumet Heights neighborhood, was arrested around 1:50 p.m. Friday in the 700 block of North Michigan Avenue in the Near North neighborhood, police said.
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Police identified Jean as the suspect wanted for the killing of Gary Tinder, 20, in the 6200 block of North Troy Street on the North Side, police said.
At 7:20 p.m. June 21, Tinder was walking north on Troy when someone approached him from behind and fired shots, police said.
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Tinder was shot in the stomach and taken to Amita St. Francis Hospital in Evanston, where he was pronounced dead at 8:12 p.m., according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
pfry@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @paigexfry


chicagotribune--2020-07-18--14-year-old boy among 4 wounded in shootings Saturday afternoon in Chicago

The man was in the 4100 block of West 24th Street in the backyard of a residence when someone pulled @ @ @ @ @ shots .
The victim was struck in the hip and was taken to Mount Sinai @ @ @ @ @ listed in good condition , police said .

A 14-year-old boy was among four people wounded Saturday afternoon on the Southwest and South sides, Chicago police said.
The latest shooting happened shortly after 3:30 p.m. in the Lawndale neighborhood in the 1500 block of South Sawyer Avenue, and left two teenage boys wounded.
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A 14-year-old suffered wounds to the buttocks, and the second victim, 17, was shot in the groin, police said. Both victims were taken in good condition to Mount Sinai Hospital, police said.
The youth were playing dice on the street when an occupant in a vehicle pulled up and fired shots, police said.
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About 1:30 p.m., a 35-year-old woman and a 35-year-old man were shot in separate incidents in the West Chatham and Little Village neighborhoods, police said.
The man was in the 4100 block of West 24th Street in the backyard of a residence when someone pulled out a gun and fired shots. The victim was struck in the hip and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was listed in good condition, police said.
The woman was shot in the 7900 block of South Lafayette Avenue. Police said she heard shots and felt pain in her leg. She was taken in an unknown condition to the University of Chicago Medical Center, police said.
No one was in custody, and police were investigating..


chicagotribune--2020-07-18--Mag Mile store looted Friday night after large group smashes windows, police say

The group broke the front display windows and took merchandise , according to police .
No one was in custody @

According to police, a the Gucci store, seen on July 18, 2020, in the 900 block of N. Michigan Ave., was looted late Friday when a large group of people broke windows and stole items. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)
A Magnificent Mile store was looted late Friday when a large group of people broke windows and stole items, according to Chicago police.
About 50 to 80 people broke into the store in the 900 block of North Michigan Avenue around 11:50 p.m., police said.
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The group broke the front display windows and took merchandise, according to police. No one was in custody.
WGN reported that the store broken into was the Salvatore Ferragamo shop.


chicagotribune--2020-07-18--How will Illinois reopen? Three charts breaking down Pritzker’s plan

The forward progress still could be derailed by a surge in positive tests for the coronavirus , or if hospitals @ @ @ @ @ overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients .
To move forward the share of people testing positive for @ @ @ @ @ or under 20 % and increase no more than 10 percentage points over a 14-day @ @

Nausheen Husain, Chad Yoder, Jonathon Berlin

In need of a haircut or a shopping trip?
There are glimmers of hope that much of the state could move from phase 2 to phase 3 of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s plan to reopen Illinois on May 29 if current trends hold.
[ When can Illinois reopen? Check our daily charts on where each region stands. ]
[ COVID-19 cases in Illinois by ZIP code: Search for your neighborhood ]
The plan, as detailed below, is dependent on rates of infection, hospital capacity, capacity to test and systems for tracing infections.
The forward progress still could be derailed by a surge in positive tests for the coronavirus, or if hospitals or intensive care units become overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients. To move forward the share of people testing positive for the coronavirus must be at or under 20% and increase no more than 10 percentage points over a 14-day period.
Right now, according to the plan, every region of Illinois has reached the second phase, “Flattening,” to some extent. In this phase, the rate of infections is still increasing but at a slower rate, and Illinoisians can resume outdoor activities, while maintaining social distancing guidelines and wearing face masks.
Here is how the plan works.


chicagotribune--2020-07-18--COVID-19 cases in Illinois by ZIP code: Search for your neighborhood

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

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


chicagotribune--2020-07-18--Illinois coronavirus graphs: 7,290 deaths, 160,610 confirmed cases and 2.21 million tests

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

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


chicagotribune--2020-07-18--Heat advisory in effect till 10 p.m. Officials urge area residents to drink plenty of water, keep co

Heat advisory in effect till 10 p.m. Officials urge area residents to drink plenty of water, keep cool and check on elderly.

Officials warned area residents to use fans and air conditioning to keep cool if possible , to drink plenty of @ @ @ @ @ during exerting activities .
When possible , people should reschedule strenuous activities to the evening @ @ @ @ @ officials said .

The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory for all of northern Illinois and northwest Indiana in effect until 10 p.m. Saturday.
The temperature hit 90 early afternoon at O’Hare International Airport, and the forecast called for it to reach 95 later in the day. Officials said the heat index may reach 105 degrees with high humidity, creating conditions that could lead to heat stroke.
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Officials warned area residents to use fans and air conditioning to keep cool if possible, to drink plenty of water and to take breaks during exerting activities. When possible, people should reschedule strenuous activities to the evening to avoid heat illness, officials said.
Officials also warned against leaving children or pets inside of vehicles, and to check on people who are elderly or disabled.
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They also urged using social distancing rules, including at lakes and pools where people are going to escape the heat.
Forecasters said there is a chance for thunderstorms in DeKalb County with possible winds up to 65 mph.


chicagotribune--2020-07-18--6 dead, at least 25 wounded in gun violence Friday night into Saturday morning in Chicago

A 25-year-old man was hit in the chest .
He was was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital , where he @ @ @ @ @ others suffered gunshot wounds .
A man was shot in the right leg , a @ @ @ @ @ the left leg , a 32-year-old man suffered a wound to the right arm and @ @ @ @ @ the right leg .
All four of those victims also were taken to Mount Sinai @ @ @ @ @ listed in good condition , police said .

Family members gather in prayer July 19, 2020, after a shooting injured three family members, including two boys, in the 8200 block of South Ada Street. A 10-year-old boy was wounded in the ankle and calf, and an 11-year-old boy was struck in the arm, police said. They were taken to Comer Children’s Hospital in good condition, according to police. A 27-year-old, struck in the leg and arm, was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in good condition. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
Six people were killed, and at least 25 people were wounded in shootings from 7:30 p.m. Friday into early Saturday morning, Chicago police said. The shooting victims range in age from 14 to 67.
The latest fatal shooting happened about 6:30 a.m. Saturday in the 3400 block of West Ohio Street in the East Garfield Park neighborhood on the West Side. Police said a 26-year-old man was found with multiple gunshot wounds throughout his body. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
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Hours before the East Garfield Park homicide, five people were shot, one fatally, in the Lawndale neighborhood in the 1600 block of South Keeler Avenue. Shortly before 3:15 a.m., the victims were standing on the sidewalk when two gunmen fired shots in their direction.
A 25-year-old man was hit in the chest. He was was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Four others suffered gunshot wounds. A man was shot in the right leg, a 36-year-old woman was hit in the left leg, a 32-year-old man suffered a wound to the right arm and another man was shot in the right leg. All four of those victims also were taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where they were listed in good condition, police said.
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Another person was fatally wounded shortly before 3:30 a.m. in the Little Village neighborhood in the 2600 block of West 24th Street.
Police said an 18-year-old man was driving south on Washtenaw Avenue when someone opened fire, causing him to crash into a tree. The man was shot in the right armpit area and was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
Shortly before 12:30 a.m., a 67-year-old man was walking in the 4900 block of West Hubbard Street in the Austin neighborhood when a gunman in a vacant lot opened fire, striking him in the neck. He was taken in critical condition to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said.
Another victim was fatally wounded in the Chatham neighborhood in the 8000 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue.
About 10:30 p.m. Friday, three people were inside a vehicle when someone opened fire from a red SUV. A 20-year-old man was struck in the chest and was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. A 30-year-old man and a 19-year-old woman also were wounded and were taken to the same hospital for treatment, police said.
Shortly before 10 p.m., a 60-year-old man was fatally wounded on the same block where three people, including a 14-year-old boy, were shot hours earlier.
Police said the victims were inside a first-floor apartment in the 8200 block of South Drexel Avenue when someone kicked in the door and fired shots. One victim was shot in the neck and was pronounced dead at the scene. A 23-year-old man was shot in the arm and was taken in fair condition to the University of Chicago Medical Center, police said.
In other shootings: