chicagotribune--2020-06-19--Summer air travel: Masks, a new boarding routine and bagged snacks. Here’s what you need to know.

After one United flight landed at O ’ Hare Thursday morning , an employee walked down the aisle using an @ @ @ @ @ like a cross between a power drill and a hair dryer , to spray a @ @ @ @ @ get to hard-to-reach spots .
A similar routine happens before every flight .
At O @ @ @ @ @ similar technology to spray gate waiting areas every couple of days , in addition to @ @ @ @ @ Hanna said .

United Airlines gate agent Emma Watt helps passengers scan their boarding passes for a flight to San Francisco at O'Hare International Airport on June 18, 2020. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
After months of hunkering down at home amid the COVID-19 pandemic, travelers are slowly returning to the skies — some eagerly, some cautiously — and all curious to see how their first flight in months will be different.
On a recent morning at O’Hare International Airport’s Terminal 1, used primarily by hometown carrier United Airlines, the scene was anything but what used to be considered normal. There were few families heading off on vacation and even fewer corporate road warriors killing time in the airport lounge. Employees appeared to outnumber travelers at the check-in area. A couple of workers used a lull between waves of flights to disinfect seats and kiosks.
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Still, there are signs customers are coming back after travel plummeted this spring. Since mid-April, the number of people passing through U.S. airport security checkpoints each day has risen from below 90,000 to 576,514 on Thursday, according to the Transportation Security Administration. A year ago, there were 2,728,786 people, but it’s the busiest that airports have been since late March.
Passengers line up at O'Hare International Airport on Thursday, June 18, 2020, and board by row for a United Airlines flight to San Francisco. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
The gradual return to air travel means flyers are likely to find airports cleaner and less crowded. Much about navigating the airport and boarding a flight remains the same. But from the shuttered airport shops to the hand sanitizer wipe handed to passengers when they board, the changes keep the pandemic front of mind.
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Neither the airplane cabin nor the airport security line were designed for social distancing, and some efforts will depend on passengers’ cooperation. Just this week, major U.S. carriers said they plan to rigorously enforce mask requirements after travelers complained on social media that other passengers weren’t always following the rules.
“The more we do, the more customers will feel comfortable traveling,” said Mike Hanna, who leads United’s operations at O’Hare.
Knowing airlines require passengers as well as crew to wear masks reassured Louis and Lucille Luan, flying home to California Thursday after finishing the semester at the University of Illinois.
Their family encouraged the siblings to stay on campus when classes went virtual since COVID-19 wasn’t spreading as rapidly in Champaign, but their lease ends in July and they decided it was time to head back.
But Lucille, 21, who hadn’t flown since the pandemic started and canceled a spring break trip to Florida, noticed a couple of people with their faces uncovered while she waited in the check-in area.
“It made me a little nervous,” she said.
On the other side of the security checkpoint, near the gates, every traveler appeared to be covering their face, and some added plastic face shields on top of a mask.
Widespread mask wearing and thinner crowds were the most obvious changes at the airport, particularly since consumers have gotten used to sneeze guards at stores, along with floor decals and signs reminding people to spread out in areas where lines form.
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But there are other changes as well.
United lets passengers who have checked in online drop off bags touch-free. Kiosks will automatically print luggage tags when a traveler scans a mobile or printed boarding pass. Every other kiosk has been closed to give people more space.
Airport security is also the one spot travelers may be asked to lower a mask so an employee can check whether their ID is a match. Employees seated behind plastic screens still will take travelers’ IDs but will ask them to scan their own boarding passes.
Despite the usual restrictions on liquids, TSA lets passengers bring a 12-ounce bottle of hand sanitizer, though it must be screened separately. Travelers who don’t pack their own can find it at the airport. The Chicago Department of Aviation said it installed more than 120 hand sanitizer stations, including some wall-mounted dispensers where passengers collect belongings after security and near flight information boards.
The TSA also recommends taking snacks out of carry-on bags in addition to large electronics and liquids, since food can trigger an alert requiring extra screening.
Packing snacks might be smart, since airport dining options are more limited. On Thursday, Wolfgang Express, Jamba Juice and Starbucks were open, but a Duty Free store, Eli’s Cheesecake and Garrett’s Popcorn were temporarily closed.
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Only one of United’s O’Hare lounges is open, and an American lounge at O’Hare is scheduled to reopen Monday.
A worker disinfects United Airlines' check-in terminals at O'Hare International Airport on Thursday, June 18, 2020. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
As one flight prepared to take off Thursday morning, a United employee summoned passengers to board, five rows at a time. Passengers weren’t crowding the gate in hopes of boarding first like they did on pre-pandemic flights.
Instead, most seemed to be giving each other space while waiting to scan their boarding passes.
United and Delta have switched up the boarding order: Now, those in the back rows are the first to board, to keep passengers from walking past people already seated. Southwest lets people pick their seats but calls passengers up in groups of 10.
United said flight attendants reverse the process on landing, calling small groups up to leave starting at the front, unless someone has a particularly tight connection.
Airlines and the airport do their best to remind people to keep their distance with signs at check-in, airport security lines and on the jet bridge.
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Signs tell passengers to spread out on the jetway. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
But for all the efforts to practice social distancing in the airport, it gets tricker once on board. Airlines aren’t offering as many flights as usual so passengers could find more company on planes than they expected.
Delta and Southwest both have pledged to leave every middle seat open through Sept. 30. American is temporarily leaving half its middle seats empty. On all carriers, people traveling together can fill middle seats if they choose.
United is giving passengers on relatively full flights a chance to switch to a later flight for no extra fee or take a travel credit. Few people given the option are switching, said spokesman Luke Punzenberger.
Because of the proximity of passengers to one another, airlines are relying on a range of precautions, including air filtration systems that cycle through air on board every couple of minutes, requiring passengers to wear masks and extra cleaning.
Those cleaning measures vary by airline, but United’s protocol gives a look at steps airlines are taking to limit the chance of transmission on surfaces.
After one United flight landed at O’Hare Thursday morning, an employee walked down the aisle using an electrostatic sprayer, which looks like a cross between a power drill and a hair dryer, to spray a mist of disinfectant designed to get to hard-to-reach spots. A similar routine happens before every flight. At O’Hare, it uses similar technology to spray gate waiting areas every couple of days, in addition to more frequent traditional cleaning, Hanna said.
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Employees also wipe down surfaces including armrests, door handles, lavatories, seatback screens and seat belts — even the jet bridge walls between each flight, Hanna said. A faint smell of disinfectant may greet passengers heading down the walkway to the aircraft, and United said it gives everyone a hand sanitizer wipe when they board.
A worker disinfects a United Airlines plane on Thursday, June 18, 2020, at O'Hare International Airport. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
American and Delta say they disinfect similar surfaces on planes after each flight. Delta also uses electrostatic sprayers after each flight. American uses the sprayers on planes every seven days, the length of time each treatment lasts, spokeswoman Gianna Urgo said.
Certain expected niceties have gone by the wayside to limit hands-on interactions between passengers and crew. Airlines have scaled back food and beverage service — a move that might make some travelers feel safer but left Alicia Davidson, 70, of Portal, Arizona, “just irritated.”
“They’re not feeding the passengers,” she said while stopping in Chicago en route to Europe for a vacation with her husband.
Delta is limiting beverages to bottled water on all but long international flights. United and American aren’t stocking buy-on-board food.
The snacks and cleaning supplies given to each United passenger. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
On United, coach travelers on domestic flights of at least 2 hours and 20 minutes get a plastic bag containing a small bottle of water and prepackaged snacks, including a stroopwafel. First-class passengers on most domestic flights get a snack box. United will only serve beverages in sealed containers and passengers get sanitizing wipes at boarding. In-flight magazines are gone, too.
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Other precautions are strictly behind the scenes. United, for instance, turned an underused baggage claim into a temperature check station for employees. Frontier Airlines checks passengers’ temperatures before flying. Other U.S. airlines don’t require temperature checks, though United and Southwest Airlines require passengers to confirm they are symptom-free when checking in for a flight.
Some of the extra health and safety measures airlines have implemented will get tougher once travel rebounds. Keeping middle seats open is easy when relatively few people are flying, and workers have more time to clean planes when fewer flights leave slack in the schedule.
Passengers walk through the United terminal at O'Hare International Airport on Thursday, June 18, 2020. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)
“If demand returns, it’s going to be much more difficult and airlines are going to have to make conscious decisions. What matters more?” said Henry Harteveldt, travel industry analyst and president of the Atmosphere Research Group.
Still, travel will have to pick up quite a bit before airlines start having trouble keeping up. United, for instance, expects to handle about 260 flights a day at O’Hare in July, roughly 100 more than it does today but down from 600 in a typical summer, Hanna said.
American expects to operate a little more than twice as many flights in July as it did in June.
Reassuring passengers that “every protective measure is being taken” is just part of what it will take to get travelers back, Leff said.
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It’s hard to plan a trip amid uncertainty about potential spikes in cases, and there are still restrictions on international travel. Other cities may be open to visitors, but that doesn’t mean attractions and restaurants are. Consumers affected by layoffs may be delaying travel for financial reasons.
“You have a lot of people sitting on the sidelines who are unable to travel or are afraid to, and I think they’re waiting to see how it goes,” Harteveldt said.
lzumbach@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-06-19--Chicago Tribune changes style to capitalize ‘B’ in Black in reference to people

Because other news organizations that we publish in the Chicago Tribune may have a different style , you may see @ @ @ @ @ b ” is lowercase .
That is especially true over the coming days and weeks @ @ @ @ @ transition to the new style .
But we will work to limit those conflicts as @ @ @ @

Dear readers,
Effective today, Chicago Tribune style will be to capitalize the “B” in black when referring to people.
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We are making this change because “Black,” in this case, means an ethnic identity. The Chicago Tribune recognizes and respects that.
This decision, which applies across all websites and newspapers in the Chicago Tribune Media Group, is the product of many newsroom conversations over many years. Those discussions became more frequent, more focused and more immediate over the last weeks and months.
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The change is also in step with The Associated Press, which made the same style change Friday, and other U.S. news organizations.
Because other news organizations that we publish in the Chicago Tribune may have a different style, you may see some cases where the “b” is lowercase. That is especially true over the coming days and weeks as we and the AP transition to the new style. But we will work to limit those conflicts as much as possible.
While this is an important change as it pertains to our coverage, we recognize that much more work remains regarding diversity and inclusion at Chicago Tribune, across Tribune Publishing, our parent company, and across the news media industry. We welcome your thoughts on these matters at editor@chicagotribune.com
Sincerely,
Colin McMahon, editor-in-chief, Chicago Tribune


chicagotribune--2020-06-19--The Spin: Lightfoot’s test on police reform | Aldermen’s parking ticket spat plays out on Twitter |

The Spin: Lightfoot’s test on police reform | Aldermen’s parking ticket spat plays out on Twitter | Surprise! Indoor dining in Chicago to start June 26, but not everyone’s happy

Timing : “ The mayor is being pressed by activists and some aldermen who want fundamental changes to policing — @ @ @ @ @ — as well as those who want to see technical changes done faster ” particularly @ @ @ @ @ George Floyd killing , Hinkel writes .
He adds : “ Illinois Attorney General Kwame @ @ @ @ @ in the court case over the consent decree , has criticized City Hall and called @ @ @ @ @ fulfilling the requirements .
”

An image of police officers lounging about in the Congressman Rush's office is shown as Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Police superintendent David Brown listen in as Congressman Bobby Rush speaks during a press conference at City Hall, Thursday, June 11, 2020, on how Chicago police officers made popcorn and coffee in U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush's office while nearby businesses were being looted last month. (Antonio Perez/ Chicago Tribune) (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
The hot spotlight is now on Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and whether she will live up to her campaign promises of reforming — nudged on by a federal court order — a police department marred by scandal and data that shows it’s been prone to use excessive force.
Lightfoot and her new top cop, Superintendent David Brown, have discussed reform efforts in recent weeks amid the global outcry for racial justice in law enforcement after the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd in May. But a new watchdog report shows that City Hall missed more than 70% of its deadlines in the first year of the court-ordered overhaul of the Chicago Police Department, the Tribune’s Dan Hinkel writes.
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“The city’s slow progress thus far is in keeping with the long process of bringing court-overseen reform to the department in the wake of the November 2015 release of a video showing white police Officer Jason Van Dyke shooting black teenager Laquan McDonald 16 times,” Hinkel notes in his piece.
To be fair, Lightfoot is a first-time elected leader who inherited the problem. But she also served as head of the Chicago Police Board, the civilian disciplinary arm, that’s been criticized for not doing enough to root out bad cops.
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In the wake of the Floyd case, Lightfoot has been criticized for her response to the protests here, as well as for her record on police accountability issues. Northwestern University students even called on the school to remove her as their commencement speaker at today’s graduation — to no avail.
During today’s address Lightfoot touched on the “challenging times” saying in part: “It is fitting, too, that we are meeting on Juneteenth, the annual celebration marking the end of slavery in America. But more than that, this day stands as a watershed moment in our nation’s long and still incomplete journey toward full equality and justice that we are feeling so vividly in this moment.”
Welcome to The Spin.
Chicago police officers stand outside City Hall on Wednesday, June 17, 2020, watch as protesters demand that Mayor Lori Lightfoot enact the ordinance for an all-elected Civilian Police Accountability Council. (Charles Rex Arbogast/AP)
From the Tribune’s Dan Hinkel: The city of Chicago is still moving slowly on police reforms, missing more than 70% of its deadlines during the first year of the court-overseen process of overhauling the Chicago Police Department, according to a watchdog report released late Thursday.
Timing: “The mayor is being pressed by activists and some aldermen who want fundamental changes to policing — including cutting the police budget — as well as those who want to see technical changes done faster” particularly in the wake of the George Floyd killing, Hinkel writes. He adds: “Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, who is involved in the court case over the consent decree, has criticized City Hall and called for more urgent progress toward fulfilling the requirements.”
Lightfoot and new police Superintendent David Brown touted changes the city has made thus far but acknowledged the city “can do better.” Read more here.
Pastor James Meeks, left, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth, Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton march on Columbus Drive in observance of Juneteenth holiday at Grant Park in Chicago on Friday, June 19, 2020. The rally is part of the Juneteenth commemoration and in the wake of George Floyd's death participants spotlight injustices happening within the Black community. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)
Some of Illinois most prominent elected leaders, including Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, and U.S. Sens. Tammy Duckworth and Dick Durbin joined clergy and hundreds of others in a march through Grant Park today in honor of Juneteenth, which traditionally marks the end of slavery in the United States.
A number of events were held in Chicago to commemorate the day with themes clearly focusing on police reform and equity in black communities amid civil unrest across the country after the George Floyd killing.
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Reminder: Juneteenth celebrates June 19, 1865, the day Union soldiers told enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, that the Civil War was over and they were free. The day has been observed by black Americans for 155 years and is recognized in 47 states, including Illinois, but is not a national holiday. Follow the coverage of events and what people are saying the day means to them in these modern times.
Amid cries of racial unrest and coronavirus, Chicago’s top planner sees opportunity to revive South, West sides: Tribune columnist Blair Kamin has the details here.
Sign up for The Spin to get the top stories in politics delivered to your inbox weekday afternoons.
A screenshot of Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot delivering the keynote speech during Northwestern University's virtual commencement on Friday, June 19, 2020. (Northwestern University )
Mayor Lightfoot, known for her rousing and poignant speeches, hit on some of the familiar themes at Northwestern University’s virtual commencement ceremony today, blending a call for everyone to find a role in social justice and civic engagement — whether that’s running for public office, working for someone who does or serving on a community board — especially in the era of COVID-19 and the police killing of George Floyd. My colleagues Gregory Pratt and Sophie Sherry have the details here.
But she also warned about the ugly polarizing state of politics right now — and encouraged them to help find a solution.
“Being engaged doesn’t mean screaming the loudest, it doesn’t mean issuing a set of demands and then villainizing anyone who doesn’t pledge allegiance to your favorite manifesto,” said Lightfoot, a Democrat, who has described Republican President Donald Trump in those terms but didn’t name names.
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“The public square should be about robust debate, working to muster the facts and arguments to persuade, building coalitions, finding common ground, and of course leaning into what you believe — yes, that’s all part of what makes this continuing, evolving American experiment with Democracy great and enduring. But it is premised upon breaking down barriers that separate us. Democracy will fail — utterly fail — if we do not see the humanity in each other,” she told the graduates.
“Solutions to big, seemingly intractable challenges are not found in 40 characters at a time behind anonymous monikers or some other form of social media, which unfortunately has become the breeding ground for conspiracy theories, targeted misinformation campaigns and, unfortunately, just pure hate. Real life exists ... in your head and your heart.”
Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez, 25th, speaks to workers protesting at an Amazon delivery station in the 2800 block of South Western Avenue in Chicago on April 3, 2020. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)
The Chicago Teachers Union’s meme that Mayor Lightfoot lambasted as “clearly racist” depicting an apparent cartoon version of her tied up, wearing a police uniform and being unmasked by the white characters from the “Scooby-Doo” TV show has been removed from its Twitter feed.
That was sometime late yesterday. Today’s a new day and with it a new social media battle.
My Tribune colleague Gregory Pratt writes: Two Chicago aldermen got into a Twitter fight on Friday after Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez, 25th, said he received two tickets totaling “$300 within 12 minutes” in Ald. Brendan Reilly’s 42nd Ward.
“Sigcho-Lopez, whose ward includes Pilsen, Chinatown and the South Loop, posted a photo of himself holding two city tickets in front of his Toyota, which is adorned with Bernie Sanders stickers and slogans such as “No racist police.” He said he received the tickets “while I’m sitting in my very pro #CPACNow #BlackLivesMatter car waiting for my wife after her doctors appointment.”
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The post drew a response from Reilly, who tweeted: “Here’s a thought: obey the parking & loading regulations on the block and you don’t get a ticket. Simple. Plenty of people roll the dice & make that gamble every day. Sometimes you get away with it, often times you don’t. Personally, I don’t gamble & don’t get tickets.” Read Pratt’s full story here.
If you were unfairly ticketed then you will demonstrate that during the due process afforded to you by Administrative Hearings. If you were in a lawful standing zone, why did you decide to leave, circle the block & return? Loop standing zones usually offer a 15-min accommodation. — Brendan Reilly (@AldReilly) June 19, 2020
Diners at Wilde restaurant, 3130 N. Broadway, Chicago, behind plexiglass for outdoor service on Friday, June 12, 2020. Broadway was the first street to close several blocks to allow extra outdoor dining space for restaurants. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)
Here’s a weird Friday news announcement: Chicago restaurants can open for limited indoor seating with the rest of the state starting June 26, Mayor Lightfoot announced today. It’s a surprise, my Tribune colleagues note in a new story, that will have people dining indoors a week earlier than expected.
“Restaurants will be restricted to 25% capacity, with a maximum of 50 people per room or floor, and tables must be at least 6 feet apart, with 10 people or fewer per table.”
It’s not going over well with everyone, which may explain why it was announced on a Friday when many people aren’t paying attention: “Sam Toia, president and CEO of the Illinois Restaurant Association, said Lightfoot’s plan doesn’t go far enough,” my colleagues Josh Noel, Louisa Chu and Gregory Pratt write.
“Toia said he’d rather see the city and state follow California’s lead in allowing restaurants to open without a capacity limit, so long as tables are spaced 6 feet apart and customers and staff are properly masked,” they note. Read the full story here.
After weeks of no guests, Chicago’s tourism industry is betting on local leisure travel to help it rebound: My Tribune colleague Abdel Jimenez has the details here.
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Illinois unemployment rate dropped to 15.2% in May as businesses began reopening: Read the Tribune story here.
Employers fear gridlock, economic toll if workers shun Metra, ‘L’ over COVID-19 risks: The Tribune’s Ryan Ori has the details here.
Rider alert: CTA, Pace to begin collecting bus fares again: It’s another sign we’re returning to normal, the Tribune’s Mary Wisniewski writes.
It’s now 100 days since a pandemic was declared: We may still be in the early stages of a transformative disaster, Tribune columnist Eric Zorn writes. Read his take here.
State regulators strike deal with ComEd, other utilities to extend help for customers struggling during pandemic: The Tribune’s Dan Petrella has the details here.
DCFS set to resume parental visits after 3-month coronavirus shutdown, but advocates say it’s ‘Much too little too late’: Petrella’s got that story here, too.
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Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart wins partial appeal over COVID-19: The Tribune’s Jason Meisner writes about it here.
Thanks for reading The Spin, the Tribune’s politics newsletter. Sign up here to have it delivered to your inbox weekday afternoons. Have a tip? Email host Lisa Donovan at ldonovan@chicagotribune.com.
Twitter @byldonovan


chicagotribune--2020-06-19--Tracking Illinois coronavirus: 6,580 deaths, 135,470 confirmed cases, 1.31 million tests, 5.39% posi

Tracking Illinois coronavirus: 6,580 deaths, 135,470 confirmed cases, 1.31 million tests, 5.39% positivity rate for northeast region

The coronavirus continues to impact Black people in Illinois at a greater rate than those of other races and ethnicities @ @ @ @ @ in the data as it stands today : While Black people make up 14 % @ @ @ @ @ population , they account for 28 % of those who have died from COVID-19 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--2020-06-19--Thousands gathered for marches and other events throughout Chicago to commemorate Juneteenth. Here’s

Thousands gathered for marches and other events throughout Chicago to commemorate Juneteenth. Here’s how the day unfolded.

For 155 years , black Americans have observed the day with specific cultural foods , parades , and the ever-popular @ @ @ @ @ other activities .
Celebrating the holiday this year has felt imperative for a lot of @ @ @ @ @ deaths of Rayshard Brooks , George Floyd , Ahmaud Arbery , Breonna Taylor , and @ @ @ @ @ with COVID-19 keeping gatherings to 10 or fewer people in Illinois until the next phase @ @ @ @ @ to find alternative ways to honor the day .

Crowds cheer during the One Million Man March rally at Daley Plaza in Chicago on June 19, 2020. (Jose M. Osorio/Chicago Tribune)
Thousands gathered for marches downtown and other events throughout Chicago on Friday to commemorate Juneteenth, traditionally celebrated to mark the end of slavery in the United States.
The events focused on police reform and equity in black communities amid civil unrest across the country after the May 25 killing of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man who died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on Floyd’s neck.
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Juneteenth celebrates June 19, 1865, the day Union soldiers told enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, that the Civil War was over and they were free. The holiday, which has been observed by black Americans for 155 years, is recognized in 47 states, including Illinois, but is not yet a national holiday.
[ Juneteenth honors the end of slavery. Here’s how you can join the celebration. ]
[ Who are the activists behind the protests? Meet the Faces of the Change ]
[ More than 70 black-owned Chicago restaurants celebrate Juneteenth with $6.19 specials ]
Here are the latest developments:
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5:08 p.m.: Dad wants to help kids understand their culture
Elijah Clark, 45, sat on the ground with his three children as they slurped brightly colored snow cones and cooled off, away from the main stage at the Harold Washington Cultural Center event.
Clark, taking advantage of the pleasant weather and a day off from work, said he and the kids were gearing up to hit two other Juneteenth events on the South Side. Prepared for a long day of bouncing around, Clark parked the car nearby so they could drive to the other gatherings and get there more easily.
“My main goal was to let them know when their ancestors actually had their freedom, so it’s something that we discussed quite a bit at home, and I just wanted to help them understand their culture,” said Clark, who works in retail management.
—Elyssa Cherney
5:03 p.m.: ‘Juneteenth hopping’ – Lots of support for the many events around town
Jimalita Tillman, global director at the Harold Washington Cultural Center, said she see has seen significantly more Juneteenth events pop up across the city this year than ever before. While the center has celebrated Juneteenth for more than a decade - typically with indoor performances and educational activities - the coronavirus pandemic required the festivities to be held outside.
“What I love is that people are Juneteenth hopping -- as I call it,” Tillman said. “So we got a whole lot of people coming from the event happening downtown. Some from Englewood and different places. So they are literally going from space to space showing support and we love that.”
Tillman said the holiday brought a welcome sense of positivity and encouragement after protests stemming from George Floyd’s death rocked the nation in recent weeks.
“I think that because of the unrest and a lot of the things that were going on, this was very necessary, so the timing was perfect.”
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—Elyssa Cherney
4:55 p.m.: Juneteenth celebration draws long lines to Black-owned restaurants
Just over a week ago, Jeremy Joyce announced on Instagram his idea for a restaurant event to celebrate Juneteenth and at the same time drive support to Chicago’s Black-owned restaurants. By Wednesday, more than 70 had signed up for the Juneteenth Restaurant Celebration. On Friday, the Juneteenth holiday and the kickoff of the three-day event, crowds showed up in droves for restaurants’ $6.19 specials.
Joyce was out and about Friday visiting several of the featured restaurants, and he said he saw lines out the door everywhere he went.
“Man, it is cracking out here,” said Joyce, who organized the event through Black People Eats, the directory of Black-owned restaurants he founded. “I’ve seen lines out the door everywhere I’ve gone so far.”
Joyce had visited 5 Loaves Eatery, Brown Sugar Bakery, Cleo’s, Lem’s Bar-B-Q, Litehouse Grill, Shawn Michelle’s Homemade Ice Cream and Two Fish Crab Shack, and all locations were packed. Calls to several restaurants rang and rang, with no one answering. At Lem’s, the person answer the phone couldn’t talk because the famed barebecue joint was too busy.
“Oh my goodness the response has been excellent,” said Yahya Muhammad, president at Shawn Michelle’s Homemade Ice Cream in Bronzeville. The shop is offering its peach cobbler made with a butter crust a la mode for $6.19 — the price a reflection of the date of the holiday. “The line is down the street to the next corner, to Michigan Avenue, so that’s about 80 people.” If you wait in line it’s about an hour, said Muhammad. If you order in advance, it’s about 45 minutes right now, he added.
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While you can’t go wrong with the Juneteenth special, which pairs the shop’s top two most popular items, vanilla ice cream and peach cobbler, number three sounds like a winner too. “That’s banana pudding ice cream,” said Muhammad laughing.
At Mikkey’s Stony Island, where the restaurant is offering its grilled chicken sandwich for $6.19, co-owner Clinton Payne said the response has so far been “unbelievable. Just unbelievable.” Compared to business during past Juneteenth holidays, he said this year’s sales have already been much more.
The Juneteenth $6.19 specials campaign lasts throughout this weekend. For a list of all the restaurants participating, go here.
—Adam Lukach and Louisa Chu
3:17 p.m.: ‘Today we shall breathe’: Marchers take a knee to remember George Floyd, rise up with fist in air to honor Laquan McDonald
The march to Grant Park came to a stop at Jackson Drive as people gathered around to sing “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” known as the black national anthem.
Pastor Chris Harris, one of the march organizers, addressed the crowd along with a number of leaders of Christian, Muslim and Jewish faiths. “Today we shall breathe,” Otis Moss III, pastor of Chicago’s Trinity United Church of Christ, told the crowd, which cheered back in response.
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The marchers shared a moment of silence and took a knee on the grass of Grant Park to remember the life of George Floyd. Harris then instructed them to rise up with a fist in the air, to honor Laquan McDonald.
“I know they want us to rush the healing but it still hurts,” said Harris, as he reflected on the 2014 murder of 17-year-old McDonald. “Enough is enough.”
About 2 p.m., the group ended their gathering in prayer.
—Sophie Sherry
2:54 p.m.: At the Washington Cultural Center, ‘an event of joy’
More than one hundred people streamed into the Harold Washington Cultural Center’s parking lot on the South Side for an outdoor celebration organized, in part, by local college students.
Guests were given a squeeze of hand sanitizer and offered masks before entering.
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The event featured a tap dancing performance, activities for kids, lively music and booths manned by anti-racist groups, including Youth for Black Lives.
Iris Haastrup, 20, one of the organizers, said she hopes the Juneteenth event is a celebration for everyone.
”In the news we see a lot of black pain, but this is an event of joy we can carry throughout the year.” —Elyssa Cherney
12:57 p.m.: In Grant Park, marchers remember George Floyd and others — ‘too many'
Faith leaders and a number of government officials, including Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, and U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, led hundreds on a march through Grant Park in honor of Juneteenth.
The group held two large banners with George Floyd’s name and picture across the front.
Organizers played music from a float at the head of the march and chanted the names of black men and woman killed by police officers across the country, to which the group responded — “too many!”
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—Sophie Sherry
Governor J.B Pritzker and Lieutenant Governor Julianna Stratton are here at the front of the march along with Senator Tammy Duckworth pic.twitter.com/nGJaC0PKAC — Sophie Sherry (@SophiePSherry) June 19, 2020
12:40 p.m.: Singing, dancing – ‘an emotional day’
Thousands of people gathered in Daley Plaza, with speakers leading them in chants and songs, including “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”
Dancing occasionally broke out in the crowd, and marchers passed out water as the day grew hotter in the afternoon.
Nicole Hill, 43, planned to come to the march regardless, but was happy that her company made the day a paid holiday.
“This is an emotional day for me,” Hill said.
Some in the crowd wore face masks that said “I can’t breathe.” Other signs proclaimed: “We demand justice now” and “Silence = complicity.”
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—Madeline Buckley
11:47 a.m.: ‘Our day of independence’
A marching band is leading a large crowd north on Dearborn through downtown, while marchers wave signs that say “Black Lives Matter” and sway to the music.
The event is being billed as the One Million Man March. Some vehicles on cross streets beeped their support.
”It’s our day of independence,” said Anthony Williams, who is marching with his mother.
—Madeline Buckley
A man dances to live music at the start of the One Million Man March outside Jones College Prep in Chicago on June 19, 2020. The march to Daley Plaza commemorates Juneteenth. (Jose M. Osorio/Chicago Tribune)
11:08 a.m.: Hundreds gather in South Loop, prepare for march to Daley Plaza
Hundreds of people have gathered in the South Loop near Jones College Prep, preparing signs and handing out water ahead of a march to Daley Plaza.
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Organizers played music as the crowd geared up for the start of the march.
Angel Adams celebrates Juneteenth every year, but feels more connected with it this year.
”What police are doing to the black community isn’t right,” she said.
—Madeline Buckley
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‘Now we have everyone’s eyes and ears:’ Juneteenth march organizers focus on police reform
After weeks of protests across the city against police brutality, this year’s Juneteenth march will focus on police reform and equity in black communities, according to march organizers.
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Ashley Munson, lead organizer of the March for US 2020, said the march scheduled for Friday morning will focus on community organizing around the city.
“This movement started as a result of black people being fundamentally frustrated with how things are,” she said. “You can’t address police reform without addressing the other things that affect black people.”
Munson added some demands include assuring the city provides support to South and West side hospitals and equitable education for students of color.
Read more here. —Jessica Villagomez
Juneteenth honors the end of slavery. Here’s how you can join the celebration.
When the Declaration of Independence was ratified on July 4, 1776, black Americans were still enslaved. For many African Americans, celebrating the Fourth of July as the day Americans became free from British rule feels inapplicable since our ancestors were not free.
Enter Juneteenth, the annual holiday — which has yet to become a national holiday, although it is recognized by many states in some capacity — that honors the end of slavery.
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On June 19, 1865, Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and informed numerous slaves that the Civil War had ended with the Union’s victory, and that they were now free. This news was delivered more than 2½ years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation order.
For 155 years, black Americans have observed the day with specific cultural foods, parades, and the ever-popular family cookout, among many other activities. Celebrating the holiday this year has felt imperative for a lot of African Americans given the recent deaths of Rayshard Brooks, George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and so many more. But with COVID-19 keeping gatherings to 10 or fewer people in Illinois until the next phase, many groups have had to find alternative ways to honor the day.
Here are a few of the celebrations happening throughout the city and surrounding area, and online.
—Christen A. Johnson
More than 70 black-owned Chicago restaurants celebrate Juneteenth with $6.19 specials
Throughout the Juneteenth weekend, black-owned restaurants in the Chicago area — plus other cities where Black People Eats is active — will offer menu items for $6.19, an amount that acknowledges the date of the holiday. The Black People Eats Instagram account Wednesday morning published the list of the participating restaurants, more than 70 in Chicago and the surburbs, and the items they are offering.
See the complete restaurant list here; for information on what deals are offered, go here. For a map of the restaurants, go here.
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—Adam Lukach


chicagotribune--2020-06-19--Chicago restaurants can open for limited indoor dining June 26

“ We absolutely must have this and we need it now , ” Roper said .
“ I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ seating we ’ ll be able to be profitable , but right now if we @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s better than losing more money .
”

Patrons in the outdoor seating area, some on the sidewalk, left, and on the street, of DryHop Brewers, 3155 N Broadway, in Chicago on Friday, June 12, 2020. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)
Chicago restaurants can open for limited indoor seating with the rest of the state starting June 26, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Friday, a surprise announcement that will have people dining indoors a week earlier than expected.
“Like all Chicagoans, I am personally excited to see them take these new, cautious steps toward safely reopening, and commend their collaboration throughout this unprecedented crisis,” Lightfoot said in a news release.
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Restaurants, bars and breweries all can open, but with restrictions, as has been the case with outdoor dining. The move will align with Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s moving the state into phase four of his reopening plan.
Restaurants will be restricted to 25% capacity, with a maximum of 50 people per room or floor, and tables must be at least 6 feet apart, with 10 people or fewer per table.
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Michael Roper, founder of the Hopleaf bar and restaurant in Andersonville, said he will gladly open his dining room on the first day he is able.
“We absolutely must have this and we need it now,” Roper said. “I’m not sure even with additional seating we’ll be able to be profitable, but right now if we can lose less money, it’s better than losing more money.”
Hopleaf began outdoor seating two weeks ago with enhanced safety measures that Roper said include staff wearing masks and gloves and sanitizing bathrooms every 30 minutes. The biggest advantage to indoor seating will be the ability to conduct business no matter the weather, he said.
One afternoon last week, Hopleaf had to shut down because of rain — a painful move for a business struggling to survive.
“People will still prefer sitting outside, I think, but if the weather turns bad, I won’t have to send them all home,” Roper said. “That is a huge advantage.”
Sam Toia, president and CEO of the Illinois Restaurant Association, said Lightfoot’s plan doesn’t go far enough. He said he objects to a limit set at 25% occupancy with a 50-person maximum.
Toia said he’d rather see the city and state follow California’s lead in allowing restaurants to open without a capacity limit, so long as tables are spaced 6 feet apart and customers and staff are properly masked.
“We think 50% obviously is more economically feasible than 25%, with a 50 people maximum,” Toia said. “When the coronavirus hit us over 12 weeks ago, no restaurant business model was ever put in place to go 12 weeks with no sales or 20 to 30% of the sales you’re doing a year ago.”
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Still, Toia called the move a step in the right direction and added, “Every little bit helps.”
Brian Jupiter, chef and owner of Frontier restaurant in Noble Square and Ina Mae Tavern & Packaged Goods in Wicker Park, said operating at 25% capacity “works OK for us — for now.”
“You have to remain open-minded about the whole process and be as adaptable as possible,” Jupiter said. “You have to appreciate what you have a lot more now, based on how fast we lost everything.”
Kelly Cheng, general manager at Sun Wah BBQ, the Chinese restaurant in Uptown founded by her father, which she now runs with her brother and sister, said the restrictions will be difficult for business, but agreed they are necessary.
“For a 200-seat restaurant, to tell me that I can only seat up to 50 people that’s nothing,” Cheng said. “But I am down with it for the safety of the customers. I see the need. I understand.”
For the safety of customers and staff, Cheng will require customers to sign a form declaring they believe themselves to be free of coronavirus. She got the idea from a COVID-19 playbook created by the Hong Kong restaurant group Black Sheep. All dine-in customers will be required to sign, whether sitting inside or out.
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“There will be no exceptions to that rule,” Cheng said. “Name, number, email and signature — that’s it. I don’t want to see your doctor’s note that says you’re ‘COVID clear.’ ”
The timeline for reopening restaurants has led to conflict between Lightfoot and Pritzker. The mayor has repeatedly urged the governor to allow limited indoor restaurant dining alongside al fresco options, saying “no restaurant I know of is going to be able to survive dependent upon what the weather is going to be like on a particular day in Chicago.”
And just this week, she expressed frustration at Pritzker’s refusal, saying, “It’s way past time that we open up indoor dining.”
But the governor has resisted loosening that restriction ahead of his schedule for phase four.
jbnoel@chicagotribune.com
lchu@chicagotribune.com
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gpratt@chicagotribune.com