chicagotribune--2020-08-06--Coronavirus in Illinois updates: Here’s what happened on Aug. 5 with COVID-19 in the Chicago area

After weeks of defending a proposal to reopen Chicago Public Schools this fall , Mayor Lori Lightfoot and CPS CEO Janice Jackson announced Wednesday that the new school year will begin with remote learning instead .
They said the decision was based on public health guidelines and feedback from parents , and that the district will aim to move to a hybrid model , with schools reopened , in the second quarter .
The switch to an all-remote learning plan comes as teachers union leaders were planning to convene the organization ’ s House of Delegates next week and consider @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a strike if CPS didn ’ t agree to start the school year with full remote learning , sources said Tuesday .
Meanwhile , Illinois health officials Wednesday reported 1,759 new known cases and 30 additional fatalities .
The total number of known infections in Illinois now stands at 186,471 and the statewide confirmed death toll is 7,573 .
After more than a week ’ s worth of meetings , at least some clarity is emerging in the bipartisan Washington talks on a huge COVID-19 response bill .
Negotiators are still stuck , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday involving top Capitol Hill Democrats and the postmaster general and a souring tone from both sides indicate that a long slog remains , and White House chief of staff Mark Meadows threatened afterward that President Donald Trump is exploring options to use executive authority to extend a partial eviction ban and address unemployment benefits .
After some movement Tuesday in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ’ s direction on aid to states and local governments and unemployment insurance benefits , Wednesday ’ s session offered no breakthroughs or major progress , participants said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a compromise on these big issues , I think everything else will fall into place .
If we can ’ t reach an agreement on these big issues then I don ’ t see us coming to an overall deal , ” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said after the two-hour meeting .
“ And then we ’ ll have to look at the president taking actions under his executive authority.
” Davis , 50 , a four-term congressman from Taylorville , said he had been having his temperature checked twice daily .
After @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he said he and his wife Shannon took coronavirus tests .
He tested positive and his wife did not , he said .
“ Other than a higher-than-normal temperature , I am showing no symptoms at this time and feel fine , ” Davis said .
He said that staff members he worked with this week received negative tests and that his office is contacting people with whom he met during the previous 48 hours , according to Centers for Disease Control guidelines .
“ My wife is a nurse and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an at-risk category like so many Americans , ” he said in a statement .
“ My office and I have always followed and will continue to follow CDC guidelines , use social distancing , and wear masks or face coverings when social distancing can not be maintained.
” Davis said he would quarantine at home and canceled public events until he receives a negative test .
District offices , he said , would remain open to serve constituents .
Democratic Gov .
J.B. Pritzker warned Wednesday that the state faces “ extraordinarily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government fails to provide states with relief funding to make up for tax revenue shortfalls caused by efforts to deal with the coronavirus pandemic .
Illinois ’ budget for the year that began July 1 is heavily dependent upon federal aid , which would be used to pay back borrowing of up to $ 5 billion under a special program through the Federal Reserve .
In addition , the shift of the state ’ s income tax deadline to July 15 , which was in line with federal action , caused a revenue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which ended June 30 .
But the issue of federal relief to state and local governments has been caught in a political stalemate in Washington between House Democrats , Senate Republicans and the White House amid negotiations that also include the extension of special unemployment benefits that ended in July .
Joining hundreds of protests by unionized nurses across the country , nurses marched at two Chicago hospitals Wednesday to demand full personal protective equipment in their facilities and action from the federal government .
In Chicago , nurses represented by National Nurses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Center and by the University of Chicago Medical Center .
They said they wanted to see full personal protective equipment in their hospitals , including respirators , eye protection , hair and shoe coverings , and gloves and gowns .
The criticism from the Chicago Teachers Union was to be expected , since its leaders came out against reopening schools even before the district proposed it .
But parents around the city , though more split on whether they wanted in-person classes to begin again , also emerged as a significant bloc of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helping push Chicago Public Schools to start the year remotely instead .
In announcing their switch to an all-remote plan for the start of school , CPS officials cited parent hesitation to reopening as a key motivator , along with the recent uptick in the number of new daily COVID-19 cases in the city .
Parent frustrations seem to reach a tipping point when CPS initially asked families to indicate by the end of this week whether their children would opt into the hybrid proposal , which would have rotated smaller groups of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Some parents said they felt constrained to pick the hybrid option because of the lack of details on remote learning .
Dissatisfied with the amount of information from official CPS sources , parents resorted to digging for details themselves as an influx of new members join a CPS parents Facebook group .
As concerns mounted , there were a dozen posts a day trying to piece together information — on issues ranging from how CPS would control viral transmission on public transportation to supports for children in special education programs .
Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ start for the new school year renders that decision moot , for now — leaving some parents relieved but exhausted , if not even more confused on how officials plan for the fall .
Kane and DuPage county officials are warning residents about “ concerning increases ” in COVID-19 activity and said they could take action to limit the spread of the virus , including reinstating limits on some business and social activities .
Officials from the two counties said Wednesday they are meeting most of the COVID-19 targets the state has set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what the state considers a warning level for the number of new cases per 100,000 people — DuPage is reporting 73 new cases per 100,000 residents and Kane is reporting 66 , while the state ’ s target is 50 — and health department officials are concerned about recent upticks in COVID-19 metrics , they said in a statement .
They are “ proactively ” evaluating future action , which could include restricting the size of social gatherings , reducing capacity at businesses , or scaling back operations such as indoor dining , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which pose a higher risk of transmission , they said .
5:19 p.m. : ‘ I am feeling that this is the end of my career.
’ Millions of US jobs are gone for good .
Stark evidence of the damage the resurgent viral outbreak has caused the U.S. economy could come Friday when the government is expected to report that the pace of hiring has slowed significantly after a brief rebound in the spring .
As the coronavirus continues to transform a vast swath of the economy , it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the prospect of a permanent job loss that will force some to seek work with new industries or in new occupations .
If so , that would lead to a slower recovery in the job market than if restaurants , hotels , bars and retail shops were able to fully reopen and recall all their laid-off employees .
Few expect that to happen .
4:46 p.m. : Alternative school options see surge of interest as COVID-19 prompts districts , including CPS , to go remote Laura Reber , founder and CEO of Chicago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from nervous parents around the clock in recent weeks , as uncertainty over fall schooling sent many searching for alternative options .
Reber , whose firm of 100 tutors has served Chicagoland students for eight years , said she understands parents ’ frustrations .
Her reassurances to them focus on the fact that , while it might not be an ideal year for education , their students — and their peers across the country — will get through it .
“ The whole nation is going to be in the same boat , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ’ s a huge comfort , but if you move to a private school or another district , there ’ s really no guarantee that they ’ re not going to change their plan.
” “ The whole nation is going to be in the same boat , ” she said .
“ Not that that ’ s a huge comfort , but if you move to a private school or another district , there ’ s really no guarantee that they ’ re not going to change their plan.
” With @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new school year will begin with remote learning instead of a hybrid plan in Chicago , parents are figuring out how to move forward with the option that best fits their individual , and incredibly varied , needs .
4:35 p.m. : Pritzker warns he could order Illinois schools closed to in-person learning if COVID-19 cases continue on upward trajectory Democratic Gov .
J.B. Pritzker said the Chicago Public School ’ s decision to start the year with all remote learning was a local one and in line with the state ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how to deal with the coronavirus pandemic with public health guidance from the state .
But he warned that if cases and positivity rates continued on an upward trajectory in the state , it was possible he would order schools closed to in-person learning statewide as he did on April 17 .
“ You ’ ve seen me travel the state encouraging everybody to wear a mask , encouraging local city councils and mayors to impose mitigations locally so that we can bring down the infection rate , bring down the positivity rate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go to those statewide , more extreme measures , ” he said .
“ If it continues to rise and if we don ’ t keep our positivity rate down , we obviously would have to consider more serious mitigations.
” 3:53 p.m. : New U. of C. center will collect thousands of X-rays , CT scans to aid with COVID-19 research University of Chicago Medicine will be home to a new , massive database of medical images from COVID-19 patients that researchers can use to better understand and fight the illness , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal grant .
The images — such as X-rays and CT scans — will be collected at the University of Chicago and be open source , meaning they ’ ll be available to researchers around the world .
The mainly virtual center created under the contract with the National Institutes of Health expects to collect more than 10,000 images in its first three months .
The database will speed up the sharing of research on COVID-19 and could help answer questions about how COVID-19 presents in the lungs as well as potential resurgences @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a professor of radiology and medical physics at University of Chicago .
“ We want to make available as much data as possible in the quickest amount of time , ” Giger said .
“ Nothing like this exists yet.
” 3:28 p.m. : From child care stipends to flexible schedules , companies aim to help parents juggle remote learning and work again this fall Overnight , the COVID-19 pandemic turned her Park Ridge home into an office and a school as she and her husband juggled their careers and the care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ collided , work shifted to all hours of the day and night , and somehow , they made it to the summer , exhausted and fully employed .
For working parents like LaMonica , the pending start of the school year , which brings the anxiety of new teachers , schedules and courses under even the best of circumstances , is looming as a major source of stress .
A growing list of companies are pushing office reopenings to 2021 and many school districts , including Chicago Public Schools , are nixing even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ portending an ongoing work-life family mashup that threatens to derail both career and childhood development .
“ It is not sustainable to monitor their schooling at the same time that you ’ re working full time , ” said Cornelia Grumman , education director at the McCormick Foundation , which focuses on funding support for early childhood development programs .
With most child care centers closed during the pandemic — some perhaps permanently — companies are offering everything from nanny stipends to online activity clubs to keep employees ’ kids engaged and parents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the new norm , as parents shift between their caregiver , math helper and rainmaker roles throughout the extended day .
A teenager from Cook County was added Tuesday to the statewide total number of deaths reported by the Department of Public Health , suggesting he was one of more than 4,900 Cook County residents who have died from coronavirus since the start of the pandemic .
But the teen didn ’ t die from COVID-19 .
He was added to the list erroneously , representatives of both state and local agencies said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of deaths that at first were wrongfully attributed to the coronavirus , then removed from state data after further review , according to officials .
Natalia Derevyanny , a spokeswoman for the Cook County medical examiner ’ s office , said that five months into the global pandemic , this is the first time she ’ s had to phone Melaney Arnold , a spokeswoman for the state department of public health , about a death being mistakenly added to the running total .
As of Wednesday , Cook County has had 4,904 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ start of the pandemic , including 2,793 in Chicago .
As of Wednesday , the state has confirmed 7,573 people have died from the coronavirus statewide .
2:15 p.m. : ‘ I am feeling that this is the end of my career.
’ Millions of US jobs are gone for good .
Stark evidence of the damage the resurgent viral outbreak has caused the U.S. economy could come Friday when the government is expected to report that the pace of hiring has slowed significantly after a brief rebound in the spring .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ swath of the economy , it ’ s becoming evident that millions of Americans face the prospect of a permanent job loss that will force some to seek work with new industries or in new occupations .
If so , that would lead to a slower recovery in the job market than if restaurants , hotels , bars and retail shops were able to fully reopen and recall all their laid-off employees .
Few expect that to happen .
1:52 p.m. : What we know now about remote learning in Chicago Public Schools @ @ @ @ @ @ @ start of the school year , Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Chicago Public Schools CEO Janice Jackson announced Wednesday that all schools across CPS will begin the year with remote learning .
The decision , which they said was based on public health guidelines and feedback from parents , poises the district to aim toward a hybrid model in the second quarter .
12:57 p.m. : Second stimulus check updates : Where things stand in high-level Washington talks on the huge coronavirus response bill After more than a week ’ s worth of meetings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the bipartisan Washington talks on a huge COVID-19 response bill .
An exchange of offers Tuesday and a meeting devoted to the U.S .
Postal Service on Wednesday indicates a long slog remains , but the White House is offering some movement in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ’ s direction on aid to states and local governments and unemployment insurance benefits .
Multiple issues remain , but some areas of likely agreement are coming into focus .
12:55 p.m. : Touchless entry , ionizing HVAC : In the time of COVID-19 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sure they ’ re outfitted for pandemic life .
It was a happy accident that Parkline Chicago , a forthcoming 26-story complex in the Loop , will feature a “ touchless experience ” for residents upon entry .
As they walk through the front doors , onto the elevator and into their apartment or condo , they won ’ t touch a thing .
It ’ s one of the features that Parkline and two other new luxury residential developments in Chicago might have planned as a neat detail prior to 2020 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a world grappling with COVID-19 .
Co-working space , rooftop gardens teeming with produce and other amenities are increasingly considered essential for people who are spending more time at home for social distancing reasons .
In the cases of Parkline Chicago , Porte and The Orchard , COVID-19 actually sped up project completion , because most construction was considered essential during the stay-at-home order , developers said .
Now or soon to be on the market , these apartments , condos and town homes are a glimpse at what new developments might @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center in Skokie announced Wednesday it plans to host its annual soiree virtually this year because of the coronavirus pandemic .
The event is free and scheduled for Sept. 2 , according to a news release .
The museum ’ s Women ’ s Leadership Committee plans to stream it live from a studio and feature a musical performance by Katie Kadan , a Chicago native who was a 2019 finalist on NBC ’ s The Voice , among others .
” While we are sad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this year , we are excited to take the event virtual and feel it is the best way to continue raising funds to support the museum ’ s important work , ” the committee ’ s president , Juliet Gray , said in the release .
The benefit is the museum ’ s signature event and aims to raise funds “ to combat hatred , prejudice , and indifference , ” and to inspire others to “ speak out for what ’ s right — turning powerful lessons of history into positive actions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The museum recommends donations of $ 200 at the soiree .
Illinois health officials Wednesday reported 1,759 new known cases and 30 additional fatalities .
The total number of known infections in Illinois now stands at 186,471 and the statewide confirmed death toll is 7,573 .
Within the past 24 hours , officials report 46,668 tests completed .
University of Chicago Medicine plans to create a massive database of medical images of COVID-19 patients — such as X-rays and CT scans — that researchers can use to help them better understand and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a $ 20 million federal grant .
The images will be collected at a new center at the University of Chicago and be open source , meaning the material will be available to researchers around the world .
The center expects to collect more than 10,000 images in its first three months .
” This will speed up the sharing of new research on COVID-19 , answering questions about COVID-19 presentation in the lungs , the efficacy of therapies , associations between COVID-19 and other co-morbidities , and monitoring for potential resurgence of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a professor of radiology at University of Chicago , said in a news release .
Giger will lead the center along with leaders from the American College of Radiology , the Radiological Society of North America and the American Association of Physicists in Medicine .
Health experts once thought 2020 might be the worst year yet for a rare paralyzing disease that has been hitting U.S. children for the past decade .
But they now say the coronavirus pandemic could disrupt the pattern for the mysterious illnesses , which spike every other year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s possible that mask wearing , school closures and others measures designed to stop spread of the coronavirus may also hamper spread of the virus suspected of causing the paralyzing disease .
`` We just simply do n't know right now , '' said Kimberlin , who is co-leader of a national study to gather specimens from children who develop the paralyzing condition .
The pandemic is dominating public health work right now , but officials are trying to draw attention to the polio-like condition they call acute flaccid myelitis , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday made a public call for parents and doctors to watch for it , and act .
10:55 a.m. : Joe Biden won ’ t travel to Milwaukee for 2020 Democratic National Convention because of concerns over the coronavirus That 's according to a Democrat with knowledge of the decision who spoke to The Associated Press on Wednesday on condition of anonymity to discuss planning .
The move is the latest example of the pandemic ’ s sweeping effects on the 2020 presidential election and the latest blow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have marked the start of fall general election campaigns .
10:45 a.m. : Northwestern football workouts still on hold after a player tests positive for COVID-19 , while Illinois will start camp Thursday As a result of its own strict protocols , Northwestern officials used contact tracing to determine that more than two dozen players needed to be quarantined .
They will need to test negative to be released and cleared for workouts .
They said the decision was based on public health guidelines and feedback from parents , and that the district @ @ @ @ @ @ @ model , with schools reopened , in the second quarter .
“ The decision to begin the 2020-2021 CPS school year remotely during the first quarter is rooted in public health data and the invaluable feedback we ’ ve received from parents and families , ” Lightfoot said in a release .
“ As we build out this remote learning model and seek to establish a hybrid learning model in the second quarter , we will continue to support and collaborate with parents and school leaders to create safe , sustainable learning environments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Will movie theaters survive ?
Cinemark lost $ 170 million last quarter , but it ’ s optimistic .
The third largest movie theater company in the world has taken a nearly $ 230 million hit this year amid the coronavirus pandemic , but leadership at Cinemark and analysts are optimistic about the prospects of reopening theaters .
Plano , Texas-based Cinemark posted a loss of $ 170 million for the three-month period that ended June 30 , telling investors Tuesday that it 's `` been working diligently to prepare for reopening our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' The company ’ s second quarter results reveal just how deeply the coronavirus pandemic has threatened the movie theater industry .
8:30 a.m. : US companies pulled back on hiring in July , ADP payroll report says U.S. businesses sharply reduced hiring last month , suggesting that resurgent COVID-19 infections slowed the economic recovery as many states closed parts of their economies again and consumers remained cautious about spending .
U.S. firms added just 167,000 jobs in July , payroll processor ADP said Wednesday , far below June ’ s gain of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 3.3 million .
July ’ s limited hiring means that according to ADP the economy still has 13 million fewer jobs than it did in February , before the viral outbreak intensified .
ADP ’ s figures suggest that the job market ’ s recovery is stalling and will likely fuel concerns that the government ’ s jobs report , to be released Friday , will show a similar slowdown .
7:27 a.m. : Virgin Atlantic , 49 % owned by Delta , files for US bankruptcy protection Virgin Atlantic , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , filed Tuesday for protection in U.S. bankruptcy court as it tries to survive the virus pandemic that is hammering the airline industry .
The airline made the Chapter 15 filing in U.S. federal bankruptcy court in New York after a proceeding in the United Kingdom .
A spokeswoman for Virgin Atlantic said the bankruptcy filing is part of a court process in the United Kingdom to carry out a restructuring plan that the airline announced last month .
The process is supported by a majority of the airline 's creditors , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ process in September , she said .
A Virgin Atlantic lawyer said in a court filing that the company needs an order from a U.S. court to make terms of the restructuring apply in the U.S. 6:35 a.m. : Lightfoot , schools and health officials expected to make announcement on public schools Mayor Lori Lightfoot , Chicago Public Schools chief Janice Jackson and city Health Commissioner Allison Arwady were scheduled to make an announcement Wednesday morning regarding the 2020-2021 school year , according to the mayor ’ s office .
The Tribune reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soon as Wednesday that the school district would start the school year with all-remote learning .
The move comes as the Chicago Teachers Union planned to hold a meeting of its House of Delegates next week , in preparation for a possible strike if the Chicago Board of Education were to go through with a plan to begin school in-person , while allowing parents to opt for remote learning .
6 a.m. : As COVID-19 keeps university fall plans in doubt , community colleges see boost as affordable option closer to home In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ equipped to weather the coronavirus pandemic than traditional four-year universities .
Unlike larger institutions , community colleges don ’ t rely on revenue from residence halls — which will plummet if students don ’ t return to campus for fear of getting sick .
And local two-year colleges could become more appealing to families who don ’ t want to pay top-dollar tuition for virtual instruction .
Very few universities are discounting the cost of attendance despite offering most classes online .
Over the summer , several community colleges in Illinois — including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Palatine and College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn — reported upticks in enrollment .
Now , the colleges are watching to see if that trend continues for fall .
Madeleine Rhyneer , vice president and dean of enrollment at the education research firm EAB , said the numbers will likely fluctuate until classes start next month and students are forced to make final decisions .
“ If a bunch of students who are committed to four-year schools in the next three weeks say , ‘ You know what ?
I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ m going to defer for a year ... or I ’ m going to withdraw and reapply a year from now or six months from now , ’ then I think we definitely could see a bump in community college enrollments , ” Rhyneer said .
Here are five stories about COVID-19 from Tuesday .

We have lifted the paywall on this story. To support essential reporting, please consider becoming a subscriber .
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)
After weeks of defending a proposal to reopen Chicago Public Schools this fall, Mayor Lori Lightfoot and CPS CEO Janice Jackson announced Wednesday that the new school year will begin with remote learning instead.
They said the decision was based on public health guidelines and feedback from parents, and that the district will aim to move to a hybrid model, with schools reopened, in the second quarter.
Advertisement
The switch to an all-remote learning plan comes as teachers union leaders were planning to convene the organization’s House of Delegates next week and consider a process that eventually could lead to a strike if CPS didn’t agree to start the school year with full remote learning, sources said Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Illinois health officials Wednesday reported 1,759 new known cases and 30 additional fatalities. The total number of known infections in Illinois now stands at 186,471 and the statewide confirmed death toll is 7,573.
Advertisement
[ What we know now about remote learning in Chicago Public Schools this fall ]
[ COVID-19 cases in Illinois by ZIP code: Search for your neighborhood ]
[ Illinois’ new COVID-19 plan: How the state will manage any outbreaks in 3 charts ]
[ Illinois coronavirus graphs: Here's the latest data on deaths, confirmed cases, tests and more ]
Here’s what’s happening Wednesday with COVID-19 in the Chicago area and Illinois:
8:22 p.m.: Where things stand in high-level Washington talks on the huge coronavirus response bill
After more than a week’s worth of meetings, at least some clarity is emerging in the bipartisan Washington talks on a huge COVID-19 response bill. Negotiators are still stuck, but still trying.
A combative meeting Wednesday involving top Capitol Hill Democrats and the postmaster general and a souring tone from both sides indicate that a long slog remains, and White House chief of staff Mark Meadows threatened afterward that President Donald Trump is exploring options to use executive authority to extend a partial eviction ban and address unemployment benefits.
After some movement Tuesday in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s direction on aid to states and local governments and unemployment insurance benefits, Wednesday’s session offered no breakthroughs or major progress, participants said afterward.
“If we can reach a compromise on these big issues, I think everything else will fall into place. If we can’t reach an agreement on these big issues then I don’t see us coming to an overall deal,” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said after the two-hour meeting. “And then we’ll have to look at the president taking actions under his executive authority.”
Multiple issues remain, but some areas of likely agreement are coming into focus.
Read more here. —The Associated Press
7:36 p.m.: Central Illinois Republican US Rep. Rodney Davis says he’s tested positive for COVID-19
U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis, a central Illinois Republican locked in a tough battle for re-election, said he tested positive Wednesday for COVID-19 after holding recent in-district constituent events.
Advertisement
Davis, 50, a four-term congressman from Taylorville, said he had been having his temperature checked twice daily. After his temperature was recorded at 99 degrees, he said he and his wife Shannon took coronavirus tests. He tested positive and his wife did not, he said.
“Other than a higher-than-normal temperature, I am showing no symptoms at this time and feel fine,” Davis said. He said that staff members he worked with this week received negative tests and that his office is contacting people with whom he met during the previous 48 hours, according to Centers for Disease Control guidelines.
“My wife is a nurse and a cancer survivor, which puts her in an at-risk category like so many Americans,” he said in a statement. “My office and I have always followed and will continue to follow CDC guidelines, use social distancing, and wear masks or face coverings when social distancing cannot be maintained.”
Davis said he would quarantine at home and canceled public events until he receives a negative test. District offices, he said, would remain open to serve constituents.
Read more here. —Rick Pearson
6:20 p.m.: Pritzker warns of ‘extraordinarily painful’ cuts, job losses if Washington doesn’t provide pandemic relief funding to states
Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker warned Wednesday that the state faces “extraordinarily painful” budget cuts if the federal government fails to provide states with relief funding to make up for tax revenue shortfalls caused by efforts to deal with the coronavirus pandemic.
Advertisement
Illinois’ budget for the year that began July 1 is heavily dependent upon federal aid, which would be used to pay back borrowing of up to $5 billion under a special program through the Federal Reserve. In addition, the shift of the state’s income tax deadline to July 15, which was in line with federal action, caused a revenue deficit for the previous budget year, which ended June 30.
But the issue of federal relief to state and local governments has been caught in a political stalemate in Washington between House Democrats, Senate Republicans and the White House amid negotiations that also include the extension of special unemployment benefits that ended in July.
Read more here. —Rick Pearson and Jamie Munks
6:13 p.m.: Chicago nurses join national day of action over PPE, federal assistance
Joining hundreds of protests by unionized nurses across the country, nurses marched at two Chicago hospitals Wednesday to demand full personal protective equipment in their facilities and action from the federal government.
In Chicago, nurses represented by National Nurses United marched at Jesse Brown VA Medical Center and by the University of Chicago Medical Center. They said they wanted to see full personal protective equipment in their hospitals, including respirators, eye protection, hair and shoe coverings, and gloves and gowns.
Read more here. —Lisa Schencker
Advertisement
5:56 p.m. Parent opposition helps tip CPS towards an all-remote start
The criticism from the Chicago Teachers Union was to be expected, since its leaders came out against reopening schools even before the district proposed it.
But parents around the city, though more split on whether they wanted in-person classes to begin again, also emerged as a significant bloc of opposition in the last week — ultimately helping push Chicago Public Schools to start the year remotely instead.
In announcing their switch to an all-remote plan for the start of school, CPS officials cited parent hesitation to reopening as a key motivator, along with the recent uptick in the number of new daily COVID-19 cases in the city.
Parent frustrations seem to reach a tipping point when CPS initially asked families to indicate by the end of this week whether their children would opt into the hybrid proposal, which would have rotated smaller groups of children into schools two days per week. Some parents said they felt constrained to pick the hybrid option because of the lack of details on remote learning.
Dissatisfied with the amount of information from official CPS sources, parents resorted to digging for details themselves as an influx of new members join a CPS parents Facebook group. As concerns mounted, there were a dozen posts a day trying to piece together information — on issues ranging from how CPS would control viral transmission on public transportation to supports for children in special education programs.
Wednesday’s sudden pivot to an all-remote start for the new school year renders that decision moot, for now — leaving some parents relieved but exhausted, if not even more confused on how officials plan for the fall.
Advertisement
Read more here. —Claire Hao
5:32 p.m.: Kane, DuPage counties warn of increase in COVID-19, caution they could reinstate restrictions
Kane and DuPage county officials are warning residents about “concerning increases” in COVID-19 activity and said they could take action to limit the spread of the virus, including reinstating limits on some business and social activities.
Officials from the two counties said Wednesday they are meeting most of the COVID-19 targets the state has set. However, both counties are at what the state considers a warning level for the number of new cases per 100,000 people — DuPage is reporting 73 new cases per 100,000 residents and Kane is reporting 66, while the state’s target is 50 — and health department officials are concerned about recent upticks in COVID-19 metrics, they said in a statement.
They are “proactively” evaluating future action, which could include restricting the size of social gatherings, reducing capacity at businesses, or scaling back operations such as indoor dining, bars, salons and personal care services, which pose a higher risk of transmission, they said.
Read more here. —Sarah Freishtat
5:19 p.m.: ‘I am feeling that this is the end of my career.’ Millions of US jobs are gone for good.
Stark evidence of the damage the resurgent viral outbreak has caused the U.S. economy could come Friday when the government is expected to report that the pace of hiring has slowed significantly after a brief rebound in the spring.
Advertisement
As the coronavirus continues to transform a vast swath of the economy, it’s becoming evident that millions of Americans face the prospect of a permanent job loss that will force some to seek work with new industries or in new occupations. If so, that would lead to a slower recovery in the job market than if restaurants, hotels, bars and retail shops were able to fully reopen and recall all their laid-off employees. Few expect that to happen.
Read more here. —The Associated Press
4:46 p.m.: Alternative school options see surge of interest as COVID-19 prompts districts, including CPS, to go remote
Laura Reber, founder and CEO of Chicago Home Tutors, has been fielding calls from nervous parents around the clock in recent weeks, as uncertainty over fall schooling sent many searching for alternative options.
Reber, whose firm of 100 tutors has served Chicagoland students for eight years, said she understands parents’ frustrations. Her reassurances to them focus on the fact that, while it might not be an ideal year for education, their students — and their peers across the country — will get through it.
“The whole nation is going to be in the same boat,” she said. “Not that that’s a huge comfort, but if you move to a private school or another district, there’s really no guarantee that they’re not going to change their plan.”
“The whole nation is going to be in the same boat,” she said. “Not that that’s a huge comfort, but if you move to a private school or another district, there’s really no guarantee that they’re not going to change their plan.”
Advertisement
With Mayor Lori Lightfoot announcing Wednesday that the new school year will begin with remote learning instead of a hybrid plan in Chicago, parents are figuring out how to move forward with the option that best fits their individual, and incredibly varied, needs.
Reber’s tutoring business isn’t alone in experiencing a spike of interest. Amid a turbulent time in their students’ education, parents across the region are pondering a variety of alternative schooling options.
Read more here. —Darcel Rockett
4:35 p.m.: Pritzker warns he could order Illinois schools closed to in-person learning if COVID-19 cases continue on upward trajectory
Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker said the Chicago Public School’s decision to start the year with all remote learning was a local one and in line with the state’s policy of letting school districts control over how to deal with the coronavirus pandemic with public health guidance from the state.
But he warned that if cases and positivity rates continued on an upward trajectory in the state, it was possible he would order schools closed to in-person learning statewide as he did on April 17.
“That could happen, yes. I don’t want it to happen,” Pritzker said during an afternoon news conference in Chicago.
Advertisement
“You’ve seen me travel the state encouraging everybody to wear a mask, encouraging local city councils and mayors to impose mitigations locally so that we can bring down the infection rate, bring down the positivity rate because I don’t want to go to those statewide, more extreme measures,” he said. “If it continues to rise and if we don’t keep our positivity rate down, we obviously would have to consider more serious mitigations.”
—Rick Pearson
3:53 p.m.: New U. of C. center will collect thousands of X-rays, CT scans to aid with COVID-19 research
University of Chicago Medicine will be home to a new, massive database of medical images from COVID-19 patients that researchers can use to better understand and fight the illness, with support from a $20 million federal grant.
The images — such as X-rays and CT scans — will be collected at the University of Chicago and be open source, meaning they’ll be available to researchers around the world. The mainly virtual center created under the contract with the National Institutes of Health expects to collect more than 10,000 images in its first three months.
The database will speed up the sharing of research on COVID-19 and could help answer questions about how COVID-19 presents in the lungs as well as potential resurgences of the illness, said Maryellen Giger, a professor of radiology and medical physics at University of Chicago.
“We want to make available as much data as possible in the quickest amount of time,” Giger said. “Nothing like this exists yet.”
Advertisement
Read more here. —Lisa Schencker
3:28 p.m.: From child care stipends to flexible schedules, companies aim to help parents juggle remote learning and work again this fall
When the state issued its stay-at-home order in March, Gina LaMonica, 39, a partner with Chicago law firm Perkins Coie, had just returned from a work trip.
Overnight, the COVID-19 pandemic turned her Park Ridge home into an office and a school as she and her husband juggled their careers and the care of their two young daughters. Worlds collided, work shifted to all hours of the day and night, and somehow, they made it to the summer, exhausted and fully employed.
“It was very difficult,” LaMonica said. “Those were long days.”
For working parents like LaMonica, the pending start of the school year, which brings the anxiety of new teachers, schedules and courses under even the best of circumstances, is looming as a major source of stress.
A growing list of companies are pushing office reopenings to 2021 and many school districts, including Chicago Public Schools, are nixing even a part-time return to the classroom, portending an ongoing work-life family mashup that threatens to derail both career and childhood development.
Advertisement
“It is not sustainable to monitor their schooling at the same time that you’re working full time,” said Cornelia Grumman, education director at the McCormick Foundation, which focuses on funding support for early childhood development programs.
With most child care centers closed during the pandemic — some perhaps permanently — companies are offering everything from nanny stipends to online activity clubs to keep employees’ kids engaged and parents productive. Flexible work schedules have become the new norm, as parents shift between their caregiver, math helper and rainmaker roles throughout the extended day.
Read more here. —Robert Channick
2:22 p.m.: Cook County teen added, then removed from statewide COVID-19 death toll, highlighting corrections in daily data release
A teenager from Cook County was added Tuesday to the statewide total number of deaths reported by the Department of Public Health, suggesting he was one of more than 4,900 Cook County residents who have died from coronavirus since the start of the pandemic.
But the teen didn’t die from COVID-19. He was added to the list erroneously, representatives of both state and local agencies said Wednesday, one of about 100 instances of deaths that at first were wrongfully attributed to the coronavirus, then removed from state data after further review, according to officials.
Natalia Derevyanny, a spokeswoman for the Cook County medical examiner’s office, said that five months into the global pandemic, this is the first time she’s had to phone Melaney Arnold, a spokeswoman for the state department of public health, about a death being mistakenly added to the running total.
Advertisement
“This is the first time it’s happened,” Derevyanny said.
As of Wednesday, Cook County has had 4,904, deaths attributable to coronavirus since the start of the pandemic, including 2,793 in Chicago. As of Wednesday, the state has confirmed 7,573 people have died from the coronavirus statewide.
Read more here. —Katherine Rosenberg-Douglas
2:15 p.m.: ‘I am feeling that this is the end of my career.’ Millions of US jobs are gone for good.
Stark evidence of the damage the resurgent viral outbreak has caused the U.S. economy could come Friday when the government is expected to report that the pace of hiring has slowed significantly after a brief rebound in the spring.
As the coronavirus continues to transform a vast swath of the economy, it’s becoming evident that millions of Americans face the prospect of a permanent job loss that will force some to seek work with new industries or in new occupations. If so, that would lead to a slower recovery in the job market than if restaurants, hotels, bars and retail shops were able to fully reopen and recall all their laid-off employees. Few expect that to happen.
Read more here. —Associated Press
Advertisement
1:52 p.m.: What we know now about remote learning in Chicago Public Schools this fall
With only weeks before the start of the school year, Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Chicago Public Schools CEO Janice Jackson announced Wednesday that all schools across CPS will begin the year with remote learning. The decision, which they said was based on public health guidelines and feedback from parents, poises the district to aim toward a hybrid model in the second quarter.
CPS said it’s also setting out “enhanced standards” for remote learning.
Here is what we know so far. —Jessica Villagomez
12:57 p.m.: Second stimulus check updates: Where things stand in high-level Washington talks on the huge coronavirus response bill
After more than a week’s worth of meetings, at least some clarity is emerging in the bipartisan Washington talks on a huge COVID-19 response bill.
An exchange of offers Tuesday and a meeting devoted to the U.S. Postal Service on Wednesday indicates a long slog remains, but the White House is offering some movement in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s direction on aid to states and local governments and unemployment insurance benefits. Multiple issues remain, but some areas of likely agreement are coming into focus.
Here’s a look where things stand based on public and private statements by key players and their staff.
Advertisement
—Associated Press
12:55 p.m.: Touchless entry, ionizing HVAC: In the time of COVID-19, these 3 new luxury residences are making sure they’re outfitted for pandemic life.
It was a happy accident that Parkline Chicago, a forthcoming 26-story complex in the Loop, will feature a “touchless experience” for residents upon entry. As they walk through the front doors, onto the elevator and into their apartment or condo, they won’t touch a thing.
It’s one of the features that Parkline and two other new luxury residential developments in Chicago might have planned as a neat detail prior to 2020, but find to be much more vital in a world grappling with COVID-19. Co-working space, rooftop gardens teeming with produce and other amenities are increasingly considered essential for people who are spending more time at home for social distancing reasons.
In the cases of Parkline Chicago, Porte and The Orchard, COVID-19 actually sped up project completion, because most construction was considered essential during the stay-at-home order, developers said. Now or soon to be on the market, these apartments, condos and town homes are a glimpse at what new developments might look like in the time of COVID-19.
Read more here. —Lauren Leazenby
12:24 p.m.: Illinois Holocaust Museum to hold annual fundraiser online this fall because of COVID-19
The Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center in Skokie announced Wednesday it plans to host its annual soiree virtually this year because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Advertisement
The event is free and scheduled for Sept. 2, according to a news release. The museum’s Women’s Leadership Committee plans to stream it live from a studio and feature a musical performance by Katie Kadan, a Chicago native who was a 2019 finalist on NBC’s The Voice, among others.
”While we are sad that we cannot gather in person this year, we are excited to take the event virtual and feel it is the best way to continue raising funds to support the museum’s important work,” the committee’s president, Juliet Gray, said in the release.
The benefit is the museum’s signature event and aims to raise funds “to combat hatred, prejudice, and indifference,” and to inspire others to “speak out for what’s right — turning powerful lessons of history into positive actions today,” according to the release. The museum recommends donations of $200 at the soiree.
Read more here. —Kelli Smith
12:05 p.m.: 1,759 new known COVID-19 cases, 30 additional deaths
Illinois health officials Wednesday reported 1,759 new known cases and 30 additional fatalities. The total number of known infections in Illinois now stands at 186,471 and the statewide confirmed death toll is 7,573. Within the past 24 hours, officials report 46,668 tests completed.
—Chicago Tribune staff
Advertisement
11:01 a.m.: New University of Chicago imaging center will aid COVID-19 research
University of Chicago Medicine plans to create a massive database of medical images of COVID-19 patients — such as X-rays and CT scans — that researchers can use to help them better understand and fight the illness, with support from a $20 million federal grant.
The images will be collected at a new center at the University of Chicago and be open source, meaning the material will be available to researchers around the world. The center expects to collect more than 10,000 images in its first three months.
”This will speed up the sharing of new research on COVID-19, answering questions about COVID-19 presentation in the lungs, the efficacy of therapies, associations between COVID-19 and other co-morbidities, and monitoring for potential resurgence of the virus,” Maryellen Giger, a professor of radiology at University of Chicago, said in a news release.
Giger will lead the center along with leaders from the American College of Radiology, the Radiological Society of North America and the American Association of Physicists in Medicine.
—Lisa Schencker
11 a.m.: CDC warns coronavirus measures could disrupt detection of rare, paralyzing polio-like disease in children
Health experts once thought 2020 might be the worst year yet for a rare paralyzing disease that has been hitting U.S. children for the past decade.
Advertisement
But they now say the coronavirus pandemic could disrupt the pattern for the mysterious illnesses, which spike every other year starting in late summer.
Scientists say it’s possible that mask wearing, school closures and others measures designed to stop spread of the coronavirus may also hamper spread of the virus suspected of causing the paralyzing disease.
Dr. David Kimberlin, a researcher at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, called it “the million-dollar question.”
"We just simply don't know right now," said Kimberlin, who is co-leader of a national study to gather specimens from children who develop the paralyzing condition.
The pandemic is dominating public health work right now, but officials are trying to draw attention to the polio-like condition they call acute flaccid myelitis, or AFM. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday made a public call for parents and doctors to watch for it, and act.
Read more here. —The Associated Press
Advertisement
10:55 a.m.: Joe Biden won’t travel to Milwaukee for 2020 Democratic National Convention because of concerns over the coronavirus
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden will not travel to Milwaukee to accept his party’s White House nomination because of concerns over the coronavirus.
That's according to a Democrat with knowledge of the decision who spoke to The Associated Press on Wednesday on condition of anonymity to discuss planning.
The move is the latest example of the pandemic’s sweeping effects on the 2020 presidential election and the latest blow to traditional party nominating conventions that historically have marked the start of fall general election campaigns.
—The Associated Press
10:45 a.m.: Northwestern football workouts still on hold after a player tests positive for COVID-19, while Illinois will start camp Thursday
Northwestern football remains in pause stemming from a player’s positive COVID-19 test late last week, a school official told the Tribune on Wednesday.
As a result of its own strict protocols, Northwestern officials used contact tracing to determine that more than two dozen players needed to be quarantined. They will need to test negative to be released and cleared for workouts.
Advertisement
The Wildcats hope to return to the field by Friday, which is the allowable start date for a contact practice per NCAA rules.
NU is one of six Big Ten schools that has paused its football workouts, joining Ohio State, Maryland, Rutgers, Indiana and Michigan State.
Read more here. —Teddy Greenstein
9 a.m.: Chicago Public Schools shelves hybrid reopening plan, as officials announce remote learning plan for new school year
After weeks of defending a proposal to reopen Chicago Public Schools this fall, Mayor Lori Lightfoot and CPS CEO Janice Jackson announced Wednesday that the new school year will begin with remote learning instead.
They said the decision was based on public health guidelines and feedback from parents, and that the district will aim to move to a hybrid model, with schools reopened, in the second quarter.
“The decision to begin the 2020-2021 CPS school year remotely during the first quarter is rooted in public health data and the invaluable feedback we’ve received from parents and families,” Lightfoot said in a release. “As we build out this remote learning model and seek to establish a hybrid learning model in the second quarter, we will continue to support and collaborate with parents and school leaders to create safe, sustainable learning environments for our students.”
Advertisement
Read more here. —Hannah Leone
8:57 a.m.: Will movie theaters survive? Cinemark lost $170 million last quarter, but it’s optimistic.
The third largest movie theater company in the world has taken a nearly $230 million hit this year amid the coronavirus pandemic, but leadership at Cinemark and analysts are optimistic about the prospects of reopening theaters.
Plano, Texas-based Cinemark posted a loss of $170 million for the three-month period that ended June 30, telling investors Tuesday that it's "been working diligently to prepare for reopening our theatres within this new operating environment."
The company’s second quarter results reveal just how deeply the coronavirus pandemic has threatened the movie theater industry.
Read more here. —The Dallas Morning News
8:30 a.m.: US companies pulled back on hiring in July, ADP payroll report says
U.S. businesses sharply reduced hiring last month, suggesting that resurgent COVID-19 infections slowed the economic recovery as many states closed parts of their economies again and consumers remained cautious about spending.
Advertisement
U.S. firms added just 167,000 jobs in July, payroll processor ADP said Wednesday, far below June’s gain of 4.3 million and May’s increase of 3.3 million. July’s limited hiring means that according to ADP the economy still has 13 million fewer jobs than it did in February, before the viral outbreak intensified.
ADP’s figures suggest that the job market’s recovery is stalling and will likely fuel concerns that the government’s jobs report, to be released Friday, will show a similar slowdown.
Read more here. —Associated Press
7:27 a.m.: Virgin Atlantic, 49% owned by Delta, files for US bankruptcy protection
Virgin Atlantic, the airline founded by British businessman Richard Branson, filed Tuesday for protection in U.S. bankruptcy court as it tries to survive the virus pandemic that is hammering the airline industry.
The airline made the Chapter 15 filing in U.S. federal bankruptcy court in New York after a proceeding in the United Kingdom.
A spokeswoman for Virgin Atlantic said the bankruptcy filing is part of a court process in the United Kingdom to carry out a restructuring plan that the airline announced last month. The process is supported by a majority of the airline's creditors, and the company hopes to emerge from the process in September, she said.
Advertisement
A Virgin Atlantic lawyer said in a court filing that the company needs an order from a U.S. court to make terms of the restructuring apply in the U.S.
Read more here. —Associated Press
6:35 a.m.: Lightfoot, schools and health officials expected to make announcement on public schools
Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Chicago Public Schools chief Janice Jackson and city Health Commissioner Allison Arwady were scheduled to make an announcement Wednesday morning regarding the 2020-2021 school year, according to the mayor’s office.
The Tribune reported Tuesday that CPS planned to announce as soon as Wednesday that the school district would start the school year with all-remote learning. The move comes as the Chicago Teachers Union planned to hold a meeting of its House of Delegates next week, in preparation for a possible strike if the Chicago Board of Education were to go through with a plan to begin school in-person, while allowing parents to opt for remote learning.
—Chicago Tribune staff
6 a.m.: As COVID-19 keeps university fall plans in doubt, community colleges see boost as affordable option closer to home
In some ways, community colleges are better equipped to weather the coronavirus pandemic than traditional four-year universities. Unlike larger institutions, community colleges don’t rely on revenue from residence halls — which will plummet if students don’t return to campus for fear of getting sick.
Advertisement
And local two-year colleges could become more appealing to families who don’t want to pay top-dollar tuition for virtual instruction. Very few universities are discounting the cost of attendance despite offering most classes online.
Over the summer, several community colleges in Illinois — including College of Lake County, Harper College in Palatine and College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn — reported upticks in enrollment. Now, the colleges are watching to see if that trend continues for fall.
Madeleine Rhyneer, vice president and dean of enrollment at the education research firm EAB, said the numbers will likely fluctuate until classes start next month and students are forced to make final decisions.
“If a bunch of students who are committed to four-year schools in the next three weeks say, ‘You know what? I’m just not doing that. I’m going to defer for a year ... or I’m going to withdraw and reapply a year from now or six months from now,’ then I think we definitely could see a bump in community college enrollments,” Rhyneer said.
Read more here. —Elyssa Cherney
Breaking coronavirus news Stay up to date with the latest information on coronavirus with our breaking news alerts.
Here are five stories about COVID-19 from Tuesday.


chicagotribune--2020-08-08--Coronavirus in Illinois updates: Statewide count of confirmed COVID-19 cases surpasses 2,000 for the

Coronavirus in Illinois updates: Statewide count of confirmed COVID-19 cases surpasses 2,000 for the second day in a row

“ We believe an improved remote learning model that engages students for the full school day is the right way @ @ @ @ @ year based on both the evolving public health situation and feedback from our families , @ @ @ @ @ and Chief Education Officer LaTanya McDade said in the email .
“ ... We are @ @ @ @ @ with school leaders and labor partners to ensure the plan we finalize for the new @ @ @ @ @ thoughtful , and we will be sharing those guidelines as soon as they are ready @ @

We have lifted the paywall on this story. To support essential reporting, please consider becoming a subscriber .
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 public health officials on Sunday announced 1,382 new confirmed case of COVID-19 and eight additional deaths.
The numbers came after the statewide count surpassed 2,000 in Illinois for two straight days. The state has now reported 194,080 cases overall and 7,636 confirmed deaths.
Advertisement
On Sunday, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot had fencing put up and police officers posted at entrances to Monroe Harbor, a day after she criticized a large beach party there.
Meanwhile, Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Friday announced his administration is filing new emergency rules to require businesses to enforce mask requirements that include the possibility of fines up to $2,500.
Advertisement
[ COVID-19 in Illinois by the numbers: A daily update on key metrics in your area ]
[ COVID-19 cases in Illinois by ZIP code: Search for your neighborhood ]
[ Illinois’ new COVID-19 plan: How the state will manage any outbreaks in 3 charts ]
[ Illinois coronavirus graphs: The latest on deaths, confirmed cases, tests and more ]
Here’s what’s happening this weekend with COVID-19 in the Chicago area and Illinois:
Sunday
Pritzker urges public to embrace masks
Gov. J.B. Pritzker was joined by several medical experts Sunday afternoon to urge Illinoisans to mask up and help stop the spread of the coronavirus.
At a news conference at Northwestern’s Prentice Hospital, Pritzker called mask requirements and physical distancing during a pandemic “common sense,” noting the majority of Americans support a mask mandate, and that health professionals with whom he has spoken all count masking and distancing among the most effective ways to slow the virus’ spread.
”In the last few months, research has evolved from the early days of the coronavirus, when it was shown that wearing masks protected others you’re with,” Pritzker said. “Now, study after study after study has shown us that if you wear a mask, it protects you, too.”
Pritzker said the new emergency rules issued last week requiring businesses and schools to enforce mandatory face mask rules or face potential fines protects the public and treats businesses fairly. Read more here. — Morgan Greene
No pajama pants? In Springfield schools, students must adhere to dress code for remote learning.
Students in the capital of Illinois are not allowed to wear hats, bandannas, sunglasses, pajama pants or slippers in school buildings. And that dress code now extends to their bedrooms and kitchen tables.
“We don’t need students in pajamas and all those other things while on their Zoom conferences,” Jason Wind, the district’s director of student support, explained during an online board meeting of Springfield Public Schools this past week.
Along with the clothing requirements, the district’s remote learning guidelines mandate that students be “sitting up out of bed, preferably at a desk or table.”
Advertisement
A district spokeswoman, Bree Hankins, said in a statement that the remote learning guidelines were developed collaboratively with teachers, administrators and parents, and that the dress code reflected what the students would be wearing when in school. Read more here. —The New York Times
Montrose Harbor blocked by police, fence after Mayor Lori Lightfoot shuts down large beach party
For months, memes have appeared to show Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot watching for crowds and threatening to close parts of the city if residents don’t abide orders and closures during the coronavirus pandemic.
But on Saturday, Lightfoot herself — not just a Photoshopped picture of her, like those used in such memes — apparently had a hand in breaking up a large gathering at Montrose Harbor, according to social media posts by the mayor and crime blog CWB Chicago.
The mayor’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. However, Lightfoot on Saturday posted to Twitter an image of dozens of people engaging in what she called, “reckless behavior on Montrose Beach.”
“It’s called a pandemic, people,” said the mayor’s post, which included a picture of partygoers. “This reckless behavior on Montrose Beach is what will cause us to shut down the parks and lakefront. Don’t make us take steps backwards.”
In a follow-up tweet she confirmed she was there and seemed to suggest she had already ordered new fencing seen Sunday morning: “In case you were wondering, I stopped by to see for myself. It’s being addressed,” she wrote at 7:30 p.m., about 90 minutes after she posted a picture of the party.
Advertisement
Stoking concerns that the mayor had followed through on threats to close the “parks and lakefront,” were additional images circulating on social media of police cars blocking a Montrose Harbor entrance. The Lakefront Trail also was blocked by police officers at Montrose Avenue and Lake Shore Drive Sunday morning. Read more here. —Katherine Rosenberg-Douglas
US hits 5 million confirmed COVID-19 cases, the highest of any country
With confirmed coronavirus cases in the U.S. hitting 5 million Sunday, by far the highest of any country, the failure of the most powerful nation in the world to contain the scourge has been met with astonishment and alarm in Europe.
Perhaps nowhere outside the U.S. is America’s bungled virus response viewed with more consternation than in Italy, which was ground zero of Europe’s epidemic. Italians were unprepared when the outbreak exploded in February, and the country still has one of the world’s highest official death tolls at 35,000.
But after a strict nationwide, 10-week lockdown, vigilant tracing of new clusters and general acceptance of mask mandates and social distancing, Italy has become a model of virus containment.
“Don’t they care about their health?” a mask-clad Patrizia Antonini asked about people in the United States as she walked with friends along the banks of Lake Bracciano, north of Rome. “They need to take our precautions. ... They need a real lockdown.” Read more here. —Associated Press
Franciscan Health Hammond seeking volunteers for COVID-19 treatment study
Franciscan Health Hammond wants volunteers for a COVID-19 study it hopes could lead to a new treatment.
Advertisement
The hospital is participating in pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly’s study to test if an engineered antibody drug, called LY-CoV555, could neutralize the virus early in patients that only show mild symptoms, before the condition progresses to hospitalization.
Around 15 volunteers or more are needed at Franciscan in Hammond, Dr. Erica Kaufman West, a hospital infectious disease doctor said. Lilly’s study - called BLAZE-1 - is recruiting 400 volunteers in 24 sites nationwide, including another Franciscan hospital in Indianapolis. So far, about one-third total have signed up, she said. Read more here. —Meredeth Colias-Pete
Saturday
Coronavirus aid updates: Trump signs executive orders for $400-a-week unemployment benefit, deferral of payroll tax and federal student loan payments
Seizing the power of his podium and his pen, President Donald Trump on Saturday bypassed the nation’s lawmakers as he claimed the authority to defer payroll taxes and replace an expired unemployment benefit with a lower amount after negotiations with Congress on a new coronavirus rescue package collapsed.
At his private country club in Bedminster, New Jersey, Trump signed executive orders to act where Congress hasn't. Not only has the pandemic undermined the economy and upended American lives, it has imperiled the president's November reelection.
Perhaps most crucially, Trump moved to continue paying a supplemental federal unemployment benefit for millions of Americans out of work during the outbreak. However, his order called for up to $400 payments, one-third less than the $600 people had been receiving. Congress allowed those higher payments to lapse on Aug. 1, and negotiations to extend them have been mired in partisan gridlock, with the White House and Democrats miles apart.
Trump largely stayed on the sidelines during the administration’s negotiations with congressional leaders, leaving the talks on his side to chief of staff Mark Meadows and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin.
Advertisement
Trump’s embrace of executive actions to sidestep Congress runs in sharp contrast to his criticism of former President Barack Obama’s use of executive orders on a more limited basis. And the president’s step-back from talks with Congress breaks with his self-assured negotiating skills.
Now, Trump, who has not spoken with Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi since last year, sought to play the role of election-year savior, with the $400 weekly assistance, as well as a deferral of payroll tax and federal student loan payments and the continuation of a freeze on some evictions during the crisis.
Read more here. —Associated Press
2,190 new known COVID-19 cases, 18 additional deaths
For the second time in more than two months — and the second day in a row — the statewide count of newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 surpassed 2,000 in Illinois.
Public health officials said Saturday 2,190 new cases were logged during the last 24-hour period, and another 18 people with COVID-19 had died. Before Friday, when 2,084 new cases were reported, the last time the confirmed case number surpassed 2,000 was May 24, when the state reported 2,508 cases.
The new daily tally brings the statewide count of known cases to 192,698. There have been 7,631 deaths of people with COVID-19 in Illinois since the pandemic began earlier this year.
Advertisement
—Chicago Tribune staff
Friday
Chicago Public Schools delays release of remote learning plan but CEO promises more live instruction and accountability
Chicago Public Schools on Friday delayed the release of its plan for remote learning in the fall, days after the district announced it would start the new school year virtually rather than with the hybrid reopening model it first proposed.
The district now plans to issue its final reopening framework “in the days ahead,” according to an email to families Friday.
“We believe an improved remote learning model that engages students for the full school day is the right way to begin the new school year based on both the evolving public health situation and feedback from our families,” CPS CEO Janice Jackson and Chief Education Officer LaTanya McDade said in the email. “... We are taking additional time to work with school leaders and labor partners to ensure the plan we finalize for the new school year is thorough and thoughtful, and we will be sharing those guidelines as soon as they are ready.”
Chicago Teachers Union leaders are demanding the district include members as equal partners in improving on how remote learning went in the spring. After the news that CPS would not be releasing its plan Friday, CTU Vice President Stacy Davis Gates tweeted about the tentative agreement on distance learning negotiated between the Los Angeles Unified School District and the United Teachers Los Angeles.
Read more here. —Hannah Leone
Advertisement
From hybrid model to remote learning: Inside Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s Chicago Public Schools’ fall pivot
In the days and hours before she gave up on in-school learning at Chicago Public Schools this fall, Mayor Lori Lightfoot was getting squeezed from the outside and the inside.
Coronavirus cases continued their seemingly implacable rise despite her constant entreaties to residents to wear masks and follow social distancing rules.
Her political nemeses in the Chicago Teachers Union repeatedly accused Lightfoot of putting students and teachers at risk, even as the rumblings about an impending strike vote grew louder.
Read more here. —John Byrne and Gregory Pratt


chicagotribune--2020-08-08--Founder of Medusa’s, legendary all-ages Chicago nightclub, has died: He ‘allowed people to be themse

Founder of Medusa’s, legendary all-ages Chicago nightclub, has died: He ‘allowed people to be themselves ... without judgment'

“ Just when you thought 2020 couldn ’ t get any worse ... it took away one of the kindest @ @ @ @ @ ever exist in the nightclub world and in the world in general , ” read @ @ @ @ @ the Dave Medusa Facebook page on Friday .
“ Dave Medusa has sadly passed away @ @ @ @ @ of natural causes and we are just announcing this tonight as we wanted the family @ @ @ @ @ ”

Dave Shelton, founder of Medusa’s, the legendary Chicago nightclub that attracted a “melting pot” of teens and young adults from across the Chicago area for cutting edge music, dancing and art, died this week, according to a relative and a post on his personal Facebook page.
“Just when you thought 2020 couldn’t get any worse ... it took away one of the kindest, most generous people to ever exist in the nightclub world and in the world in general,” read the post, added to the Dave Medusa Facebook page on Friday. “Dave Medusa has sadly passed away. He passed this week of natural causes and we are just announcing this tonight as we wanted the family to be notified first.”
Advertisement
The Facebook page drew hundreds of remembrances from friends, colleagues and former Medusa patrons throughout the day on Saturday.
A relative reached by the Tribune on Saturday confirmed the death.
Advertisement
Shelton was in his 20s when he opened the North Side no-alcohol club in 1983 at 3257 N. Sheffield Ave., attracting crowds of city and suburban young people who danced into the early hours of the morning.
“We’ve always drawn a real melting pot of people,” Shelton told the Tribune in 1992, the year Medusa’s closed following a decadelong run in Lakeview, where the club sometimes struggled to coexist peacefully with local residents.
Shelton, who grew up in Elgin, later opened another Medusa in his hometown that still stands. He was drawn to the Chicago nightlife scene at an early age and, at 15, began going to any Chicago nightclub that would let him in, sometimes dressing in drag for fun, according to a 1990 Tribune article.
Medusa in downtown Elgin. (Mike Danahey/The Courier-News)
At one point, Shelton asked a friend to perm his long hair, according to the article. That’s how he got the nickname “Medusa,” for the mythical monster with snakes for hair.
The club showcased art, and had DJs and live music, including acts that went on to greater fame, including the Red Hot Chili Peppers and the Violent Femmes, according to a 2017 oral history by Chicago magazine to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the closing of the original club, calling it “Chicago’s most famous all-ages nightclub.”
Howard Bailey, who began working security at Medusa in the late 1980s when he was around 16, remembers Shelton as a “magical” person, always laughing.
“He showed everybody a different side of themselves and allowed people to be themselves and whatever they wanted to be without judgment,” Bailey said.
Medusa was like a haven for all different kinds of people, he said. It was a safe place for LGBTQ youth, and attracted teens of all races from the suburbs and city.
Advertisement
“It was mystical,” Bailey said of Medusa. “As segregated as Chicago is and can be, you’d walk into Medusa’s and you’d seen everything from punk rock to gothic to skinheads to white kids from the suburbs to black kids from the inner city.”
Known as a “juice bar” because it was an all-ages club that didn’t serve alcohol, Medusa’s countercultural vibe drew ire from some city officials, including the ward’s alderman at the time who pushed through an ordinance that curtailed the club’s opening hours, according to Tribune archives.
Bernard Hansen, then alderman of the 44th Ward, was described in a 1991 Tribune article as “waging a personal war against Medusa.” The article reported that Hansen “received assurances” from Medusa’s landlord that the lease would not be renewed.
“I’ve been called a lot of things for trying to stop these places, but it doesn’t bother me,” Hansen said. “These places aren’t just bad for the young people in my ward, but they draw teenagers from all over the city and the suburbs, and the problems they bring into my ward are a lot bigger than the benefits they provide kids looking for something to do.”
In the Chicago magazine piece, former employees called out what they saw as the hypocrisy of officials who did not seem to object to rowdy Cubs fans drinking and sometimes causing disturbances in the area not far from Medusa’s.
But in 1992, after nearly 10 years, Medusa’s landlord did not renew its lease, according to Tribune archives. Shelton opened another club in Logan Square, which remained operational for less than two years.
Advertisement
Information about services for Shelton was not immediately available.
mabuckley@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-08-08--Man seriously wounded in shooting on West Side

About 12:45 p.m. , the victim was on the sidewalk in the 500 block of North Lawndale Avenue when he @ @ @ @ @ pulled out a firearm and shot him , police said .
He was struck in @ @ @ @ @ , and was taken in serious condition to Mount Sinai Hospital , police said .

A 24-year-old man was in serious condition Saturday afternoon following a shooting in the East Garfield Park neighborhood, Chicago police said.
About 12:45 p.m., the victim was on the sidewalk in the 500 block of North Lawndale Avenue when he was approached by someone who pulled out a firearm and shot him, police said. He was struck in the upper body and back, and was taken in serious condition to Mount Sinai Hospital, police said.
Advertisement
No one was in custody, and detectives were investigating.
.


chicagotribune--2020-08-08--Watch live: President Trump holds news conference

President Trump is holding a news conference and is expected to sign executive orders over coronavirus aid after talks collapsed @ @ @ @ @ latest updates here .

This website stores data such as cookies to enable essential site functionality, as well as marketing, personalization, and analytics. By remaining on this website, you indicate your consent.


chicagotribune--2020-08-08--‘My son had dreams’: Mothers rally against police brutality in Chicago

On the stage , Beatrice Roberson held a large photograph of her son , Jemel Roberson , who was shot @ @ @ @ @ police officer while working security outside a Robbins bar in 2018 .
Nearly two years @ @ @ @ @ been filed in connection with her son ’ s death , which happened as he @ @ @ @ @ the bar .

Jayla Howell raises her hands in the air during a rally for mothers who have lost children to police brutality, on Aug. 8, 2020, in Daley Plaza in Chicago. (Erin Hooley/Chicago Tribune)
More than 100 people rallied Saturday morning at Chicago’s Daley Plaza, demanding police reform, asking people to make sure they vote in November and decrying instances of alleged police violence in the city and suburbs.
The crowd carried signs with photographs of their loved ones and sang together as participants played drums and shouted, “No justice, no peace.”
Advertisement
Bertha Rosiles’ hand shook slightly as she cried and called for justice for her son, Abel Rosiles Jr., 21, who died June 18 after an encounter with police officers eight days earlier at a Round Lake Beach gas station in Lake County. Bertha Rosiles said her son was arrested at the gas station under unclear circumstances and later was admitted to a hospital.
Round Lake Beach police have said Abel Rosiles swallowed a plastic baggie of apparent cocaine, but the family does not believe the police department and has demanded answers. Rosiles said her son appeared physically injured at the hospital.
Advertisement
“My son had dreams. He had goals,” Rosiles said in Spanish, translated by her daughter.
LaToya Howell, the mother of Justus Howell, who was shot and killed by a Zion police officer in 2015, stood behind Rosiles and rubbed her back as she spoke about her son.
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., spoke at the rally and noted the Justice in Policing Act of 2020, a police reform bill he has co-sponsored. Among other measures, the bill would ban chokeholds and no-knock warrants for federal agencies and limit the transfer of military-grade equipment to local departments.
Durbin said the bill has little chance of passing while President Donald Trump is in office.
On the stage, Beatrice Roberson held a large photograph of her son, Jemel Roberson, who was shot and killed by a Midlothian police officer while working security outside a Robbins bar in 2018. Nearly two years later, no charges have been filed in connection with her son’s death, which happened as he subdued a shooting suspect outside the bar.
“I still haven’t been able to rest,” she said. “Jemel, mommy is fighting for you.”
mabuckley@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-08-08--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--2020-08-08--Illinois coronavirus graphs: 7,631 deaths, 192,698 confirmed cases and 3 million tests

• How are Illinois regions doing ?
Check our daily charts on where each region stands on positivity rate and @ @ @ @ @ .

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--2020-08-08--‘Old gambling debt’ blamed for fatal shooting of man, 72, by 79-year-old used-car dealer on Chicago’

‘Old gambling debt’ blamed for fatal shooting of man, 72, by 79-year-old used-car dealer on Chicago’s South Side, prosecutors say

Dunmore called 911 , saying a person had been shot , the shooter was still on the scene but didn @ @ @ @ @ the shooter .
When police got there , Dunmore told them the two had struggled @ @ @ @ @ gun , which was not found immediately , went off accidentally , prosecutors said .

A dispute stemming from an “old gambling debt” left a 72-year-old man dead and a 79-year-old auto dealership owner who has known him for 40 years charged with his murder in Chicago’s Grand Crossing neighborhood, Cook County prosecutors said in court on Saturday.
James Kelley, 72, died of a gunshot wound to the back after being shot Wednesday about 3:25 p.m. while at Dunmore’s Auto Sales, 7320 S. Stony Island Ave., according to police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
Advertisement
Willie Dunmore, of the 7400 block of South Stony Island Avenue, was charged with first-degree murder.
During Dunmore’s bond hearing that was broadcast live on YouTube, prosecutors said the men had known each other for about 40 years and Kelley had repeatedly gone to the used-auto business to “collect on an old gambling debt.‘'
Advertisement
A friend of the victim drove Kelley there again on Wednesday and waited while Kelley went into the office of the small dealership.
The friend, who has also known Dunmore for several years, then saw the defendant’s son leave the business, “holding his stomach as if he were holding a gun” and he “placed an item inside a vehicle,” before quickly driving away.
“I shot the mother------. It’s over now, and he is dead on the floor,’' Dunmore said after walking outside and encountering the friend, according to prosecutors.
Dunmore called 911, saying a person had been shot, the shooter was still on the scene but didn’t identify himself as the shooter. When police got there, Dunmore told them the two had struggled in the office and the gun, which was not found immediately, went off accidentally, prosecutors said.
Kelley, who was found lying on the floor of the office, told paramedics and detectives at the hospital that Dunmore shot him and identified him in a photo array, prosecutors said, adding that Dunmore tested positive for gunshot residue.
“I thought I was looking at the script for a Hollywood movie,’' said Dunmore’s attorney, Steve Greenberg, after looking into the facts of the case, he told the judge.
Kelley ”obviously had some old score he wanted to settle” from years ago, said Greenberg, who argued that Kelley “day after day threatened Mr. Dunmore” and the two definitely had a disagreement on that day.
But Greenberg said Dunmore was “truthful” with the police, called 911 and stayed on the scene.
Advertisement
“His whole family is here, and he is not a flight risk,” Greenberg added.
Before holding Dunmore on a $200,000-D bond, the judge told Dunmore, who is hard of hearing, that a factor that works against him is that the gun used in Kelley’s shooting “was removed,” from the scene.
Dunmore was expected to return to court on Monday.
rsobol@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-08-08--COVID-19 in Illinois by the numbers: Here’s a daily update on cases, positivity rate and hospital da

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

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

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


chicagotribune--2020-08-08--2 dead, 14 wounded in shootings since Friday evening, police say

Two other men , ages 20 and 21 , suffered wounds to the shoulder , and to the groin area @ @ @ @ @ those victims were taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center , where one was @ @ @ @ @ the other was in critical condition , police said .

Two people were fatally wounded and at least 14 others were injured since 5:30 p.m. Friday through early Saturday morning in shootings, Chicago police said.
The latest fatal shooting happened shortly before 4 a.m. in the 1300 block of West 64th Street in the Englewood neighborhood. Police said three people were shot after a verbal altercation, including a 29-year-old man who died from his wounds at St. Bernard Hospital.
Advertisement
Two other men, ages 20 and 21, suffered wounds to the shoulder, and to the groin area and leg. Both of those victims were taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where one was listed in good condition and the other was in critical condition, police said.
Shortly after 2:15 a.m., a 20-year-old man was discovered lying unresponsive on the sidewalk in the Belmont Central neighborhood in the 2100 block of North Parkside Avenue, police said.
Advertisement
The man was shot in the head and lower backside, and was taken to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, where he was pronounced dead.
In other shootings overnight:


chicagotribune--2020-08-08--Former city official signals he will plead guilty in bribery case as federal corruption probe widens

In an unrelated announcement Friday , federal prosecutors revealed the latest bribery-related charges in the red-light camera scandal .
In @ @ @ @ @ involve Helm , prosecutors charged Lou Presta , the mayor of south-suburban Crestwood , with @ @ @ @ @ use of the cameras in his town .
Federal authorities said they have a video @ @ @ @ @ envelope containing $ 5,000 in cash from a SafeSpeed official in March 2018 .
Presta @ @ @ @ @ and authorities said he told them there was no money in the envelope .

A longtime Chicago political operative who was charged in March with bribing a state lawmaker in the ongoing federal probe of Illinois political corruption signaled late Friday that he may make a plea deal in the case, according to papers filed in U.S. District Court.
Prosecutors have alleged that William Helm, a former deputy commissioner of the Chicago Department of Aviation, paid at least $5,000 to former state Sen. Martin Sandoval in 2018 to influence the development of a northwest suburban road project near land owned by a construction company who employed him as a lobbyist.
Advertisement
At the time, Sandoval was head of the Senate Transportation Committee and held significant influence over the approval of state road projects and the Illinois Department of Transportation.
In an unrelated case, Sandoval in late January admitted taking more than a combined quarter of a million dollars in bribes in exchange for his political influence or official action, including at least $70,000 in government-supplied cash from a SafeSpeed representative who was working with authorities in return for Sandoval acting as its “protector” in the state Senate.
Advertisement
In a status report filed Friday, prosecutors and Helm’s lawyer entered a joint statement saying “the parties anticipate that this case will be resolved without a trial, and the parties request a status hearing on or after September 30, 2020. Defendant agrees to the exclusion of time until the next hearing to allow the defense to review discovery and to negotiate a plea agreement.”
According to prosecutors, Helm was hired in 2018 by a construction company that the Tribune has identified as a business controlled by Joseph Palumbo, a convicted felon who was imprisoned two decades ago along with his father and brother in a massive road-building fraud scheme prosecuted by federal authorities.
The current charges involved the Terra Business Park along Route 72 and Christina Drive in East Dundee, a mixed-use development that includes an office building, trucking service bays and a planned Speedway gas station.
Helm offered the bribe to Sandoval as his client sought signalization and a road construction project near the development, according to the indictment.
Business and land records show Palumbo controls two firms involved in the project. Palumbo Management LLC oversees the development while PAL LLC owns the land.
Palumbo, 68, has not been accused of wrongdoing.
Helm, a long time operative of the 47th Ward organization, also previously worked for IDOT. He was forced out of his public payroll jobs after being accused of pressuring airport truck drivers to do political work. He denied the allegation.
Helm also has surfaced in other tentacles of the government’s sprawling probe. His name was listed in the 2019 search warrant seeking records from village hall files in southwest suburban McCook, where now-former Cook County Commissioner Jeff Tobolski was mayor. SafeSpeed records were also on the list of records sought.
Advertisement
The Tribune has reported previously that Helm was among a list of clouted political players working as sales agents for SafeSpeed, the company that has been at the center of multiple cases brought by prosecutors in the investigation.
In an unrelated announcement Friday, federal prosecutors revealed the latest bribery-related charges in the red-light camera scandal. In a case that does not involve Helm, prosecutors charged Lou Presta, the mayor of south-suburban Crestwood, with taking money to promote the use of the cameras in his town. Federal authorities said they have a video recording of Presta accepting an envelope containing $5,000 in cash from a SafeSpeed official in March 2018. Presta has denied any wrongdoing, and authorities said he told them there was no money in the envelope.