chicagotribune--2020-05-23--Coronavirus in Illinois updates: Lightfoot says Chicago will begin cautiously reopening in early Jun

Coronavirus in Illinois updates: Lightfoot says Chicago will begin cautiously reopening in early June; Pritzker says child care facilities will be allowed to reopen as soon as next week

The city of Chicago is on pace to begin cautiously reopening and ease restrictions on certain activities in early June , with outdoor dining at restaurants , barber shops , non-lakefront park buildings and libraries slated to resume limited business , Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Friday .
If safety measures can be put in place , Lightfoot also said the city could potentially reopen summer programs and allow private camps , religious services , gyms , museums and the lakefront later on in the summer .
Schools , playgrounds , bars , stadiums and music venues will remain closed for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rejected President Donald Trump ’ s call for the reopening of churches across the country , saying he ’ s “ pandering to a base ” while running for re-election .
Later in the afternoon , Gov .
J.B. Pritzker also did not seem inclined to follow Trump ’ s call .
Additionally on Friday , state health officials announced 2,758 new known infections of COVID-19 in Illinois and 110 additional confirmed deaths .
That brings the statewide total to 105,444 cases and the death toll to 4,715 since the beginning of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ providing historical data on COVID-19 in nursing homes , instead disclosing current outbreaks only The state has stopped providing total numbers of novel coronavirus cases and deaths linked to long-term care facilities in Illinois , instead disclosing information only on homes with newer outbreaks .
The Illinois Department of Public Health changed its reporting criteria Friday to highlight nursing homes and other facilities that have had at least one new coronavirus case in the last 28 days .
Information about homes that struggled with an outbreak earlier in the pandemic but haven ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is being published .
For example , the Tribune reported May 15 that , for the first time , a nursing home outside the Chicago area had reported at least 20 deaths .
That was Villa East in Sangamon County , which had 21 workers and residents die of the coronavirus .
But because Villa East had no new cases recently , it was excluded from this week ’ s reporting and those 21 deaths have disappeared from the public-facing data .
The only downstate nursing home listed with 20 deaths now is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ St. Louis .
It had one new COVID-19 case since the last public data release on May 15 .
“ Our priority is to focus on those facilities currently experiencing an outbreak , and also to provide to the public the current status of COVID-19 in Illinois , ” department spokeswoman Melaney Arnold wrote in an email to reporters .
It ’ s at least the second significant change to the way the health department makes COVID-19 data related to long-term care facilities available to the public .
Last Friday , the department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tied to the facilities and counted only cases that had been confirmed in labs .
Read more here .
—Jennifer Smith Richards and Robert McCoppin The Department of Justice intervened Friday in support of a challenge to Illinois ’ stay-at-home coronavirus order , calling for the case to be transferred back to state court .
The U.S. attorney general ’ s office filed a statement of interest in the case of Downstate Republican state Rep. Darren Bailey , writing , “ Plaintiff has set forth a strong case that the Orders exceed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Illinois legislature.
” Bailey had won an initial ruling last month to be freed from Gov .
J.B. Pritzker ’ s executive order shutting down most businesses and churches and requiring people to stay home except under limited circumstances .
When Bailey asked to broaden that ruling to invalidate the order for all citizens statewide , the Illinois attorney general Thursday transferred the case to federal court , citing constitutional issues such as freedom of religion and due process .
The state was expected to have a better shot of protecting its lockdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have ruled in several cases in favor of maintaining such orders in Illinois and elsewhere .
The case should be sent back to state court , the feds argued , because it raises claims only under state law , not the U.S. Constitution .
Read more here .
—Robert McCoppin 5:10 p.m. : Chicago , you ’ re probably not getting that haircut May 29 The coronavirus pandemic has been filled with uncertainty from the get-go .
We didn ’ t know anything about this virus and quickly learned it ’ s safest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three months into the stay-at-home-order , we still don ’ t have all of the answers .
According to phase three of Gov .
J.B Pritzker ’ s plan to reopen the state , which is on track to happen at the end of next week , nonessential businesses , including hair salons , may open with capacity limits .
In a press conference Friday afternoon , however , Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Chicago is on track to carefully reopen in early June .
The city will be providing guidelines early next week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Some salons have booked and rebooked clients throughout the stay-at-home order .
But clients shouldn ’ t assume they will be going to a Chicago salon starting May 29 , even if they have an appointment .
As we ’ ve seen in the past few weeks , policies can rapidly change , and nothing is set in stone in the state until we get closer to May 29 and see how the COVID-19 numbers look .
Read more here .
—Hannah Herrera Greenspan Eight residents of the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials announced Friday .
Six employees of the detention center have tested positive as well , according to a release from the Office of the Chief Judge .
Five of the residents who tested positive live in the same housing pod in the detention center ’ s general population , officials said .
This is the first time positive tests have been reported in that residential group .
The other three residents who tested positive were housed in a 14-day separation area for juveniles who are just arriving for detention at the facility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Control and Prevention guidelines , any juvenile in custody who tests positive is placed in medical isolation for 14 days in the medical unit , officials said .
A total of 21 employees and 14 residents have now tested positive for COVID-19 at the detention center .
Officials have said any employee who tests positive must be medically cleared before returning to work .
With today ’ s announcement , there are a total of 38 employees who have tested positive for COVID-19 who work under the Office of the Chief Judge , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : State unemployment office notifying more than 32,000 gig workers whose personal information was possibly exposed The state ’ s unemployment insurance office said Friday it would start more than 32,000 gig workers whose personal information may have been viewed during a security breach .
The breach in the system built for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance payments was revealed last week , when a claimant reported that she had stumbled upon personal information for thousands of applicants on the state ’ s website , including names , addresses and Social Security numbers .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bryant , a Murphysboro Republican , who reported it to the Illinois Department of Employment Security .
After working with Deloitte Consulting to investigate a glitch in the system , the state will send notices to people whose information may have been “ unintentionally viewed '' by a single individual .
The state had hired Deloitte to help it deal with the large number of unemployment insurance claims — more than a million since the March stay-at-home order closed nonessential businesses and sent people home .
The department said that computer records confirm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ information and there is no sign that any personal information “ was , or will be , improperly used.
” “ Out of an abundance of caution , the Department will notify 32,483 claimants whose information could have been possibly viewed to ensure full transparency , ” the department said .
Claimants who get the notice will have the option to enroll in 12 months of free credit monitoring , a service offered by Deloitte , the state said .
Read more here .
—Mary Wisniewski Another Illinois prisoner has died from a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death statewide and the first fatality outside Stateville Correctional Center , officials confirmed Friday .
An elderly prisoner at Pontiac Correctional Center in downstate Livingston County died late Wednesday at an area hospital .
The name of the man , in his 70s , was not immediately available Friday .
All but one of the 13 deaths were inmates at Stateville , near Joliet , the source of the main outbreak .
The Illinois Department of Corrections has confirmed nonfatal virus cases in about 20 of its nearly four dozen facilities statewide since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stateville is particularly grim .
The vast majority of the 167 staff and 212 inmates who have been infected statewide in Illinois prisons are located there .
All state prisons are under quarantine .
But prison reform advocates have file lawsuits arguing the state has been too slow to respond , putting inmates and staff at further risk .
At Pontiac , seven staff members and two inmates , including the man who died Wednesday , have tested positive .
Aside from him , another inmate in his 20s also is infected but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials said Friday .
—Christy Gutowski 3:32 p.m. : Senate approves expanded voting-by-mail bill for Nov. 3 election , which now heads to the governor The Illinois Senate voted along party lines Friday to approve a measure aimed at expanding voting by mail in November amid ongoing concerns about the coronavirus pandemic .
The measure , which was approved by the House on Thursday , would create an enhanced vote-by-mail plan for the Nov. 3 general election .
The Senate approved the bill on a 37-19 vote , with all Republican members in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gov .
J.B. Pritzker , who has said he ’ ll sign it .
The legislation would have vote-by-mail applications sent to everyone who voted in either the 2018 general election , the 2019 municipal election or this year ’ s March 17 primary , as well as to voters newly registered since the primary or who changed their addresses .
It would also make the day of the election , Nov. 3 , a government and school holiday so schools can be used as polling places without risks to students and teachers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Dan Petrella Chemists at Northwestern University say they are working on a way to make any mask — no matter how simple the fabric — an effective virus-killing shield against the spread of the new coronavirus .
A fabric-treatment technology the university first developed with the Department of Defense to protect soldiers from deadly nerve agents — such as VX and sarin gases — may be useful in catching and killing viral cells when they contact a mask , said Omar Farha , a chemistry professor affiliated with Northwestern ’ s International @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a $ 200,000 rapid response research grant from the National Science Foundation to further develop and test the technology to combat the spread of COVID-19 .
Chemists have used metal-organic frameworks to create “ programmable sponges ” that can screen viral cells while letting air pass through so the wearer can still breathe normally .
The composite material would include an active ingredient to kill the virus , Farha said .
The result could be a dip coating treatment that could be used to make any mask protective against coronavirus or any other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he said .
“ That ’ s the whole idea , ” Farha said .
“ We want to make a material that is not just COVID-sensitive and not just COVID-specific.
” —David Heinzmann 3 p.m. : Pritzker responds to Trump ’ s call for churches to be allowed to reopen Gov .
J.B. Pritzker on Friday did not seem inclined to follow President Donald Trump ’ s call for churches to be allowed to reopen as essential businesses .
“ We ’ re going to continue to operate on the basis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ I ’ m as anxious as anybody to make sure that our churches or mosques or synagogues open back to where they were before COVID-19 came along .
We ’ re gradually moving in that direction , but there ’ s no doubt , the most important thing is we do not want parishioners to get ill. ” —Bill Ruthhart 2:54 p.m. : Pritzker says all child care facilities in Illinois will be allowed to reopen as soon next week Gov .
J.B. Pritzker announced Friday that all child care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reopen as soon next week , when all regions of the state are expected to move into the next phase of reopening businesses .
To date , the state has been operating at roughly 15 % of its child care capacity with 2,500 day care homes and 700 centers allowed open as emergency providers for essential workers .
When the state is expected to move into the next reopening phase next Friday , Pritzker said some 5,500 child care providers that are not currently operating will be asked to reopen .
Operators will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children per classroom .
Smaller home-based day care facilities will be allowed to operate at their standard capacities .
Once day care facilities are able to operate safely for four weeks and get acclimated to new requirements , they will be allowed to expand to larger group sizes but not their full capacities , Pritzker said .
Those new larger groups would be roughly 30 % of capacity for most facilities .
“ All of Illinois appears to be on track to move into phase three of ‘ Restore Illinois ’ next Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to go back to work in the industries that are eligible to reopen in the weeks ahead .
But we can ’ t have a conversation about going back to work without talking about child care , ” Pritzker said .
“ If we don ’ t have childcare , a large portion of the work force , especially women who too often bear a disproportionate burden , will be without any way to move forward without caring for their child themselves.
” —Bill Ruthhart At a news conference announcing the city ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its reopening plan early next month , Lightfoot said the city lakefront will eventually reopen but wouldn ’ t give a date .
She also laid out specific industries that will be allowed to open next month , including outdoor dining at restaurants and barbershops .
State health officials announced on Friday 2,758 new known infections of COVID-19 in Illinois and 110 additional confirmed deaths .
That brings the statewide total to 105,444 cases and the death toll to 4,715 since the beginning of the outbreak .
2:23 p.m. : Sam Toia of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guy who gets Chicago things done .
Is he pushing too hard on reopening ?
Sam Toia , based on appearances alone , looks more Lex Luthor than Superman .
The guy is bald , bald , bald , rarely the tallest one in the room , though also baldly persistent , and full of charisma , able to leap tall bureaucracies in a relatively short period of time .
But not without stumbles , of course .
Toia is president and CEO of the Illinois Restaurant Association , and this week , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ J.B. Pritzker was mishandling restaurant reopening , dooming the state ’ s largest private-sector employer , Toia stood on a podium beside his old friend and glumly pointed to “ a glimmer of light.
” He ’ s not the type to hide dissatisfaction , to maintain a plastered smile .
To slow the coronavirus , the governor wants our restaurants to reopen slowly , to offer just outdoor seating at first ; a day later , Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot paused even that baby step .
Those who know and have worked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who likely first came to the attention of many Chicagoans during the governor ’ s daily update on Wednesday and a press conference with Lightfoot May 8 — as the ball of energy , the consummate fixer , tirelessly tenacious , politically connected .
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Friday rejected President Donald Trump ’ s call for the reopening of churches across the country , saying he ’ s “ pandering to a base ” while running for re-election .
Lightfoot ’ s comments came a day after Trump said he considered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Control and Prevention would be issuing guidance Friday for church openings .
“ I think we have to realize that virtually everything he says has a political undertone and basis for it , ” Lightfoot said .
“ Look , we are working with our faith community , just like we ’ re working with businesses to set up very specific guidelines to help them to be able to reopen safely.
” The mayor noted Trump has had to “ walk back ” various proclamations he has made during the coronavirus crisis .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and foolish things .
Add this to the list , ” Lightfoot added .
Lightfoot in recent days has toughened her stance against churches in Chicago that are flouting Gov .
J.B. Pritzker ’ s COVID-19 stay-at-home order , which prohibits in-person worshiping at this point .
The city fined three Chicago houses of worship $ 500 each this week after they held services last weekend .
Read more here .
—John Byrne 2:06 p.m. : Legislators OK bill that gives ‘ essential ’ workers stricken with COVID-19 better access to worker ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at helping workers who become infected with COVID-19 , the Illinois House on Friday overwhelmingly approved a measure that would increase access to worker ’ s compensation benefits .
The House voted 113-2 in favor of the legislation , which reflects a deal agreed to by organized labor and business groups .
The bill workers considered “ essential ” under Gov .
J.B. Pritzker ’ s statewide stay-at-home order who contract the new coronavirus to qualify for worker ’ s compensation benefits with the assumption that the virus was contracted on the job @ @ @ @ @ @ @ showing evidence an employee contracted the virus somewhere other than the workplace or that the employer was following state and federal public health guidelines .
“ If you ’ re doing the right thing , that presumption would be rebutted , ” Democratic Rep. Jay Hoffman said Friday of the presumption the virus was contracted on the job .
The Senate approved the bill Thursday , and it now goes to Pritzker .
Read more here .
—Jamie Munks The city of Chicago will be making an announcement about Lollapalooza next week , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ again was asked about the popular summer festival during a news conference on Friday and said a decision would be announced sometime next week .
Last month , Lightfoot said it ’ s too soon to talk about July and August events .
But she has canceled Gospel Fest and Memorial Day events set for May and June .
Lollapalooza is scheduled for July 30-Aug. 2 .
The coronavirus pandemic has upended most plans for the foreseeable future , though officials are starting to ease up rules/ Read more here .
—Gregory Pratt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has deemed churches and other houses of worship “ essential '' and called on governors to allow them to reopen this weekend despite the threat of the coronavirus .
“ Today I ’ m identifying houses of worship — churches , synagogues and mosques — as essential places that provide essential services , '' Trump said during a hastily arranged press conference Friday .
He said if governors don ’ t abide by his request , he will “ override '' them , though it ’ s unclear what authority he has to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ —Associated Press 1 p.m. : Chicago will cautiously reopen in early June , begin easing restrictions on some businesses and activities , Lightfoot says The city of Chicago is on pace to begin cautiously reopening and ease restrictions on certain activities in early June , with outdoor dining at restaurants , barber shops , non-lakefront park buildings and libraries slated to resume limited business , Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Friday .
If safety measures can be put in place , Lightfoot also said the city could potentially reopen summer programs and allow private @ @ @ @ @ @ @ museums and the lakefront later on in the summer .
Though the city announced a general timeline , officials said they will be releasing more information next week about industry-specific rules and regulations for reopening .
Still , the news is likely to be a welcome relief for restive residents and business owners who want to return to some degree of normalcy , even with restrictions .
Under Lightfoot ’ s reopening timeline , childcare centers , park facilities outside of the lakefront , libraries , office-based jobs , professional and real estate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some boating and non-lakefront golf courses will be allowed to open , the city said .
Social gatherings will still be limited to fewer than 10 people , however , and the city still encourages residents to stay 6 feet apart and wear a face covering .
On Thursday , Lightfoot said restaurants won ’ t be allowed to reopen as soon as next week but she expects it to have outdoor seating .
Lightfoot also wants restaurants to have indoor dining options , which she acknowledged would need approval from the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is going to be able to survive dependent upon what the weather is going to be like on a particular day in Chicago , ” Lightfoot said .
“ I think having the opportunity to do it and dine alfresco on a larger scale , which is what we certainly are talking about , is important , but they also need to be able to be inside as well , or economically I don ’ t think the numbers work.
” Read more here .
—Gregory Pratt “ Each year , Chicago Park @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the winter to plant in gardens throughout the city , ” the park district said on the alliance ’ s website .
“ In 2020 , due to the COVID-19 pandemic , we are unable to hire the seasonal staff and contractors that would normally plant and care for these flowers in the summer.
” The sale was scheduled to go through Wednesday , with scheduled in-person pickup of flowers from Thursday through May 31 , according to the park district.Information about the sale is on the nonprofit ’ s website .
—Chicago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to deaths , heart risks in COVID study Antimalaria drugs that President Donald Trump has touted for treatment of COVID-19 were linked to an increased risk of death and heart ailments in a study .
Hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine didn ’ t benefit patients with the coronavirus , either alone or in combination with an antibiotic , according to the study published Friday by The Lancet medical journal .
Researchers are searching through available options to treat the coronavirus , which has killed more than 330,000 people , including drugs like the antimalarials that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and rheumatoid arthritis .
Trump ’ s endorsement has led many people to take the medications without scientific proof of their benefit .
The study looked at the records of 15,000 people who had been treated with the antimalarials and one of two antibiotics that have sometimes been paired with them .
Treatment with any combination of the four drugs was associated with a higher risk of death than seen in 81,000 patients who didn ’ t receive them .
Read more here .
—Bloomberg News 9:10 a.m. : How to make a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic ?
More hours , less pay and a good internet connection .
Like a lot of people in these months of quarantine , E.B .
Cotenord is having a tough time making ends meet .
COVID-19 has made it too risky to pursue her profession as she normally does , so she ’ s working from home , putting in crazy hours and making a fraction of her former earnings .
What ’ s different about Cotenord is her job .
She is a full-service sex worker , otherwise known as an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 500 an hour .
She stopped seeing clients shortly after Gov .
J.B. Pritzker announced the first stay-at-home order in March , switching her business model almost overnight to subscription video and phone sex .
Read more here .
—John Keilman 6:55 a.m. : Chicago officials to release updated information on ‘ reopening framework ’ for city Mayor Lori Lightfoot and city Health Commissioner Dr Allison Arwady were scheduled to release an update on Chicago ’ s “ reopening framework ” Friday afternoon , according to the mayor ’ s office .
State @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Illinois carved out under Gov .
J.B. Pritzker ’ s stay-at-home order is on track to move to the next phase of reopening at the end of next week , Phase 3 , under which nonessential retail businesses can reopen with capacity limits .
But until Pritzker announced a softening of restrictions on restaurants that would allow them to reopen for outdoor dining , restaurants weren ’ t included in that phase of the plan .
And , with the state law allowing cities to restrict reopening further , Lightfoot said Thursday that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as early as establishments in the rest of the state .
Details of the updated Chicago plan were expected to be released in a news conference Friday afternoon .
—Chicago Tribune staff 5 a.m. : ‘ Our residents are in crisis ’ : In state-run homes for adults with disabilities , COVID-19 spread quickly While much of the attention related to COVID-19 ’ s impact on vulnerable populations has focused on deaths at nursing homes , infection rates are remarkably high in another kind of residential setting : state-operated centers for adults with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday , more than 1 in 5 people living in these developmental centers had tested positive for the novel coronavirus , state data shows .
That ’ s more than double the infection rate seen in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities , where confirmed cases account for about 7 % of residents , according to the Illinois Department of Public Health .
Of about 1,650 people who live in the seven developmental centers , which are scattered throughout the state , at least 355 have tested positive , or 21.5 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have four workers .
Read the full story , a collaboration between the Chicago Tribune and ProPublica Illinois , here .
—Jennifer Smith Richards and Jodi S. Cohen 5 a.m. : Salons , gyms desperate to reopen navigate complexities of Pritzker ’ s Illinois stay-at-home order Depending on whom you ask , salons that offer hair extensions can open in Illinois despite Gov .
J.B. Pritzker ’ s stay-at-home order .
Those that don ’ t , can ’ t .
Similarly , gyms in hotels can open , while independent ones aren @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least five already have .
Tom DeVore , a downstate lawyer who has filed several lawsuits against the governor over the stay-at-home order , advised the owner of a Springfield hair salon to reopen despite what he calls intimidation tactics by the state .
Although the executive order provides broad strokes about what ’ s essential , what businesses may open often is determined by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity .
A spokeswoman for Pritzker said hair salons should not reopen until phase three of the reopening plan , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to meet in just over a week , ” but a department spokeswoman clarified that hair restoration and extension providers may open .
Read more here .
—Katherine Rosenberg-Douglas Here are five things that happened Thursday that you need to know : Here are five things that happened Wednesday that you need to know : Here are five things that happened Tuesday that you need to know : Here are five things that happened Monday that you need to know :

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Paca Kujtim of Arlington Heights self-administers a COVID-19 test in his car at the Arlington International Racecourse on March 31, 2021 in Arlington Heights. Kujtim was getting testing as a precaution for upcoming travel. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
The city of Chicago is on pace to begin cautiously reopening and ease restrictions on certain activities in early June, with outdoor dining at restaurants, barber shops, non-lakefront park buildings and libraries slated to resume limited business, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Friday.
If safety measures can be put in place, Lightfoot also said the city could potentially reopen summer programs and allow private camps, religious services, gyms, museums and the lakefront later on in the summer. Schools, playgrounds, bars, stadiums and music venues will remain closed for now, she said.
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Lightfoot also rejected President Donald Trump’s call for the reopening of churches across the country, saying he’s “pandering to a base” while running for re-election. Later in the afternoon, Gov. J.B. Pritzker also did not seem inclined to follow Trump’s call.
Additionally on Friday, state health officials announced 2,758 new known infections of COVID-19 in Illinois and 110 additional confirmed deaths. That brings the statewide total to 105,444 cases and the death toll to 4,715 since the beginning of the outbreak.
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[ When can Illinois reopen? Check our daily charts on where each region stands. ]
[ How will Illinois reopen? Three charts breaking down Pritzker’s plan ]
[ COVID-19 cases in Illinois by ZIP code: Search for your neighborhood ]
[ As the coronavirus spreads, the Tribune is tracking Illinois cases here ]
Here’s what’s happening Friday with COVID-19 in the Chicago area and Illinois:
8 p.m.: Illinois stops providing historical data on COVID-19 in nursing homes, instead disclosing current outbreaks only
The state has stopped providing total numbers of novel coronavirus cases and deaths linked to long-term care facilities in Illinois, instead disclosing information only on homes with newer outbreaks.
The Illinois Department of Public Health changed its reporting criteria Friday to highlight nursing homes and other facilities that have had at least one new coronavirus case in the last 28 days. Information about homes that struggled with an outbreak earlier in the pandemic but haven’t had recent new cases no longer is being published.
For example, the Tribune reported May 15 that, for the first time, a nursing home outside the Chicago area had reported at least 20 deaths. That was Villa East in Sangamon County, which had 21 workers and residents die of the coronavirus.
But because Villa East had no new cases recently, it was excluded from this week’s reporting and those 21 deaths have disappeared from the public-facing data. The only downstate nursing home listed with 20 deaths now is Edwardsville Care Center in Madison County near St. Louis. It had one new COVID-19 case since the last public data release on May 15.
“Our priority is to focus on those facilities currently experiencing an outbreak, and also to provide to the public the current status of COVID-19 in Illinois,” department spokeswoman Melaney Arnold wrote in an email to reporters.
It’s at least the second significant change to the way the health department makes COVID-19 data related to long-term care facilities available to the public. Last Friday, the department stopped publicly reporting probable cases of COVID-19 tied to the facilities and counted only cases that had been confirmed in labs. Read more here. —Jennifer Smith Richards and Robert McCoppin
7:48 p.m.: Department of Justice declares its support of lawsuit challenging Pritzker’s stay-at-home order
The Department of Justice intervened Friday in support of a challenge to Illinois’ stay-at-home coronavirus order, calling for the case to be transferred back to state court.
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The U.S. attorney general’s office filed a statement of interest in the case of Downstate Republican state Rep. Darren Bailey, writing, “Plaintiff has set forth a strong case that the Orders exceed the authority granted to the Governor by the Illinois legislature.”
Bailey had won an initial ruling last month to be freed from Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s executive order shutting down most businesses and churches and requiring people to stay home except under limited circumstances. When Bailey asked to broaden that ruling to invalidate the order for all citizens statewide, the Illinois attorney general Thursday transferred the case to federal court, citing constitutional issues such as freedom of religion and due process.
The state was expected to have a better shot of protecting its lockdown order in federal court, where judges have ruled in several cases in favor of maintaining such orders in Illinois and elsewhere.
The case should be sent back to state court, the feds argued, because it raises claims only under state law, not the U.S. Constitution. Read more here. —Robert McCoppin
5:10 p.m.: Chicago, you’re probably not getting that haircut May 29
The coronavirus pandemic has been filled with uncertainty from the get-go. We didn’t know anything about this virus and quickly learned it’s safest to just stay at home. Almost three months into the stay-at-home-order, we still don’t have all of the answers.
According to phase three of Gov. J.B Pritzker’s plan to reopen the state, which is on track to happen at the end of next week, nonessential businesses, including hair salons, may open with capacity limits.
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In a press conference Friday afternoon, however, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Chicago is on track to carefully reopen in early June. The city will be providing guidelines early next week for businesses reopening, Lightfoot said.
Some salons have booked and rebooked clients throughout the stay-at-home order. But clients shouldn’t assume they will be going to a Chicago salon starting May 29, even if they have an appointment.
As we’ve seen in the past few weeks, policies can rapidly change, and nothing is set in stone in the state until we get closer to May 29 and see how the COVID-19 numbers look. Read more here. —Hannah Herrera Greenspan
5:05 p.m.: 8 residents, 6 employees of Juvenile Temporary Detention Center test positive for COVID-19, officials say
Eight residents of the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center have tested positive this week for COVID-19, officials announced Friday. Six employees of the detention center have tested positive as well, according to a release from the Office of the Chief Judge.
Five of the residents who tested positive live in the same housing pod in the detention center’s general population, officials said. This is the first time positive tests have been reported in that residential group.
The other three residents who tested positive were housed in a 14-day separation area for juveniles who are just arriving for detention at the facility.
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Consistent with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, any juvenile in custody who tests positive is placed in medical isolation for 14 days in the medical unit, officials said.
A total of 21 employees and 14 residents have now tested positive for COVID-19 at the detention center. Officials have said any employee who tests positive must be medically cleared before returning to work.
With today’s announcement, there are a total of 38 employees who have tested positive for COVID-19 who work under the Office of the Chief Judge, according to the release.
4:15 p.m.: State unemployment office notifying more than 32,000 gig workers whose personal information was possibly exposed
The state’s unemployment insurance office said Friday it would start more than 32,000 gig workers whose personal information may have been viewed during a security breach.
The breach in the system built for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance payments was revealed last week, when a claimant reported that she had stumbled upon personal information for thousands of applicants on the state’s website, including names, addresses and Social Security numbers. The claimant told her state representative, Terri Bryant, a Murphysboro Republican, who reported it to the Illinois Department of Employment Security.
After working with Deloitte Consulting to investigate a glitch in the system, the state will send notices to people whose information may have been “unintentionally viewed" by a single individual. The state had hired Deloitte to help it deal with the large number of unemployment insurance claims — more than a million since the March stay-at-home order closed nonessential businesses and sent people home.
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The department said that computer records confirm that no one else viewed the personal information and there is no sign that any personal information “was, or will be, improperly used.”
“Out of an abundance of caution, the Department will notify 32,483 claimants whose information could have been possibly viewed to ensure full transparency,” the department said.
Claimants who get the notice will have the option to enroll in 12 months of free credit monitoring, a service offered by Deloitte, the state said. Read more here. —Mary Wisniewski
3:44 p.m.: Another Illinois prisoner has died from a COVID-19-related illness
Another Illinois prisoner has died from a COVID-19-related illness, marking the 13th inmate death statewide and the first fatality outside Stateville Correctional Center, officials confirmed Friday.
An elderly prisoner at Pontiac Correctional Center in downstate Livingston County died late Wednesday at an area hospital. The name of the man, in his 70s, was not immediately available Friday.
All but one of the 13 deaths were inmates at Stateville, near Joliet, the source of the main outbreak.
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The Illinois Department of Corrections has confirmed nonfatal virus cases in about 20 of its nearly four dozen facilities statewide since the pandemic began.
The problem at Stateville is particularly grim. The vast majority of the 167 staff and 212 inmates who have been infected statewide in Illinois prisons are located there.
All state prisons are under quarantine. But prison reform advocates have file lawsuits arguing the state has been too slow to respond, putting inmates and staff at further risk.
At Pontiac, seven staff members and two inmates, including the man who died Wednesday, have tested positive. Aside from him, another inmate in his 20s also is infected but his symptoms have not required hospitalization, officials said Friday. —Christy Gutowski
3:32 p.m.: Senate approves expanded voting-by-mail bill for Nov. 3 election, which now heads to the governor
The Illinois Senate voted along party lines Friday to approve a measure aimed at expanding voting by mail in November amid ongoing concerns about the coronavirus pandemic.
The measure, which was approved by the House on Thursday, would create an enhanced vote-by-mail plan for the Nov. 3 general election. The Senate approved the bill on a 37-19 vote, with all Republican members in opposition.
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It is now headed to Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who has said he’ll sign it.
The legislation would have vote-by-mail applications sent to everyone who voted in either the 2018 general election, the 2019 municipal election or this year’s March 17 primary, as well as to voters newly registered since the primary or who changed their addresses.
It would also make the day of the election, Nov. 3, a government and school holiday so schools can be used as polling places without risks to students and teachers. Read more here. —Jamie Munks and Dan Petrella
3:30 p.m.: Northwestern chemists working on antiviral treatment for face masks
Chemists at Northwestern University say they are working on a way to make any mask — no matter how simple the fabric — an effective virus-killing shield against the spread of the new coronavirus.
A fabric-treatment technology the university first developed with the Department of Defense to protect soldiers from deadly nerve agents — such as VX and sarin gases — may be useful in catching and killing viral cells when they contact a mask, said Omar Farha, a chemistry professor affiliated with Northwestern’s International Institute for Nanotechnology.
The university received a $200,000 rapid response research grant from the National Science Foundation to further develop and test the technology to combat the spread of COVID-19.
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Chemists have used metal-organic frameworks to create “programmable sponges” that can screen viral cells while letting air pass through so the wearer can still breathe normally. The composite material would include an active ingredient to kill the virus, Farha said.
The result could be a dip coating treatment that could be used to make any mask protective against coronavirus or any other virus that may emerge in the future, he said. “That’s the whole idea,” Farha said. “We want to make a material that is not just COVID-sensitive and not just COVID-specific.” —David Heinzmann
3 p.m.: Pritzker responds to Trump’s call for churches to be allowed to reopen
Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Friday did not seem inclined to follow President Donald Trump’s call for churches to be allowed to reopen as essential businesses.
“We’re going to continue to operate on the basis of science and data,” Pritzker said. “I’m as anxious as anybody to make sure that our churches or mosques or synagogues open back to where they were before COVID-19 came along. We’re gradually moving in that direction, but there’s no doubt, the most important thing is we do not want parishioners to get ill.” —Bill Ruthhart
2:54 p.m.: Pritzker says all child care facilities in Illinois will be allowed to reopen as soon next week
Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced Friday that all child care facilities in Illinois will be allowed to reopen as soon next week, when all regions of the state are expected to move into the next phase of reopening businesses.
To date, the state has been operating at roughly 15% of its child care capacity with 2,500 day care homes and 700 centers allowed open as emergency providers for essential workers.
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When the state is expected to move into the next reopening phase next Friday, Pritzker said some 5,500 child care providers that are not currently operating will be asked to reopen.
Operators will be limited to no more than 10 children per classroom. Smaller home-based day care facilities will be allowed to operate at their standard capacities.
Once day care facilities are able to operate safely for four weeks and get acclimated to new requirements, they will be allowed to expand to larger group sizes but not their full capacities, Pritzker said. Those new larger groups would be roughly 30% of capacity for most facilities.
“All of Illinois appears to be on track to move into phase three of ‘Restore Illinois’ next Friday, allowing hundreds of thousands of Illinoisans to go back to work in the industries that are eligible to reopen in the weeks ahead. But we can’t have a conversation about going back to work without talking about child care,” Pritzker said. “If we don’t have childcare, a large portion of the work force, especially women who too often bear a disproportionate burden, will be without any way to move forward without caring for their child themselves.” —Bill Ruthhart
2:44 p.m.: Lightfoot says Lake Michigan’s ‘The Playpen’ not opening this summer
Chicago’s infamous Lake Michigan party spot “The Playpen” will not be opening this summer, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said.
At a news conference announcing the city’s likely move into phase 3 of its reopening plan early next month, Lightfoot said the city lakefront will eventually reopen but wouldn’t give a date. She also laid out specific industries that will be allowed to open next month, including outdoor dining at restaurants and barbershops.
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But she cast doubt on a big party spot.
“Sorry folks the playpen will not be open this summer,” Lightfoot said. —Gregory Pratt
2:32 p.m.: 2,758 new known COVID-19 infections and 110 additional deaths
State health officials announced on Friday 2,758 new known infections of COVID-19 in Illinois and 110 additional confirmed deaths. That brings the statewide total to 105,444 cases and the death toll to 4,715 since the beginning of the outbreak.
2:23 p.m.: Sam Toia of the Illinois Restaurant Association is a Chicago guy who gets Chicago things done. Is he pushing too hard on reopening?
Sam Toia, based on appearances alone, looks more Lex Luthor than Superman. The guy is bald, bald, bald, rarely the tallest one in the room, though also baldly persistent, and full of charisma, able to leap tall bureaucracies in a relatively short period of time. But not without stumbles, of course. Toia is president and CEO of the Illinois Restaurant Association, and this week, after weeks of arguing that Gov. J.B. Pritzker was mishandling restaurant reopening, dooming the state’s largest private-sector employer, Toia stood on a podium beside his old friend and glumly pointed to “a glimmer of light.”
He’s not the type to hide dissatisfaction, to maintain a plastered smile. To slow the coronavirus, the governor wants our restaurants to reopen slowly, to offer just outdoor seating at first; a day later, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot paused even that baby step.
Toia wants to move faster.
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Too fast, some say.
Those who know and have worked with him, describe Sam Toia — who likely first came to the attention of many Chicagoans during the governor’s daily update on Wednesday and a press conference with Lightfoot May 8 — as the ball of energy, the consummate fixer, tirelessly tenacious, politically connected.
In other words, a classic Chicago character. Read more here. —Chris Borrelli
2:16 p.m.: Lightfoot rejects President Trump’s call to open churches
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Friday rejected President Donald Trump’s call for the reopening of churches across the country, saying he’s “pandering to a base” while running for re-election.
Lightfoot’s comments came a day after Trump said he considered churches essential and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would be issuing guidance Friday for church openings.
“I think we have to realize that virtually everything he says has a political undertone and basis for it,” Lightfoot said. “Look, we are working with our faith community, just like we’re working with businesses to set up very specific guidelines to help them to be able to reopen safely.”
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The mayor noted Trump has had to “walk back” various proclamations he has made during the coronavirus crisis.
“He has said so many dangerous and foolish things. Add this to the list,” Lightfoot added.
Lightfoot in recent days has toughened her stance against churches in Chicago that are flouting Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s COVID-19 stay-at-home order, which prohibits in-person worshiping at this point. The city fined three Chicago houses of worship $500 each this week after they held services last weekend. Read more here. —John Byrne
2:06 p.m.: Legislators OK bill that gives ‘essential’ workers stricken with COVID-19 better access to worker’s compensation
In a bipartisan effort aimed at helping workers who become infected with COVID-19, the Illinois House on Friday overwhelmingly approved a measure that would increase access to worker’s compensation benefits.
The House voted 113-2 in favor of the legislation, which reflects a deal agreed to by organized labor and business groups. The bill workers considered “essential” under Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s statewide stay-at-home order who contract the new coronavirus to qualify for worker’s compensation benefits with the assumption that the virus was contracted on the job.
Employers could contest the claims by showing evidence an employee contracted the virus somewhere other than the workplace or that the employer was following state and federal public health guidelines.
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“If you’re doing the right thing, that presumption would be rebutted,” Democratic Rep. Jay Hoffman said Friday of the presumption the virus was contracted on the job.
The Senate approved the bill Thursday, and it now goes to Pritzker. Read more here. —Jamie Munks
1:41 p.m.: Lightfoot says decision on Lollapalooza music festival expected next week
The city of Chicago will be making an announcement about Lollapalooza next week, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said.
The mayor again was asked about the popular summer festival during a news conference on Friday and said a decision would be announced sometime next week.
Last month, Lightfoot said it’s too soon to talk about July and August events. But she has canceled Gospel Fest and Memorial Day events set for May and June. Lollapalooza is scheduled for July 30-Aug. 2.
The coronavirus pandemic has upended most plans for the foreseeable future, though officials are starting to ease up rules/ Read more here. —Gregory Pratt
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1:15 p.m.: President Trump calls on governors to reopen churches, declares them essential services
President Donald Trump on Friday said he has deemed churches and other houses of worship “essential" and called on governors to allow them to reopen this weekend despite the threat of the coronavirus.
“Today I’m identifying houses of worship — churches, synagogues and mosques — as essential places that provide essential services," Trump said during a hastily arranged press conference Friday. He said if governors don’t abide by his request, he will “override" them, though it’s unclear what authority he has to do so. Read more here. —Associated Press
1 p.m.: Chicago will cautiously reopen in early June, begin easing restrictions on some businesses and activities, Lightfoot says
The city of Chicago is on pace to begin cautiously reopening and ease restrictions on certain activities in early June, with outdoor dining at restaurants, barber shops, non-lakefront park buildings and libraries slated to resume limited business, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Friday.
If safety measures can be put in place, Lightfoot also said the city could potentially reopen summer programs and allow private camps, religious services, gyms, museums and the lakefront later on in the summer.
Schools, playgrounds, bars, stadiums and music venues will remain closed for now, she said.
Though the city announced a general timeline, officials said they will be releasing more information next week about industry-specific rules and regulations for reopening.
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Still, the news is likely to be a welcome relief for restive residents and business owners who want to return to some degree of normalcy, even with restrictions.
Under Lightfoot’s reopening timeline, childcare centers, park facilities outside of the lakefront, libraries, office-based jobs, professional and real estate services, hotels and outdoor attractions including some boating and non-lakefront golf courses will be allowed to open, the city said.
Non-essential retail stores, hair salons, barbershops and tattoo parlors also will be able to open.
Social gatherings will still be limited to fewer than 10 people, however, and the city still encourages residents to stay 6 feet apart and wear a face covering.
On Thursday, Lightfoot said restaurants won’t be allowed to reopen as soon as next week but she expects it to have outdoor seating. Lightfoot also wants restaurants to have indoor dining options, which she acknowledged would need approval from the state.
“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,” Lightfoot said. “I think having the opportunity to do it and dine alfresco on a larger scale, which is what we certainly are talking about, is important, but they also need to be able to be inside as well, or economically I don’t think the numbers work.” Read more here. —Gregory Pratt
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11:37 a.m.: With Park District planting hampered by COVID-19, nonprofit supporting Garfield Park Conservatory sells surplus flowers in fundraiser
The Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance was selling flowers this week originally meant to be planted in Chicago parks that couldn’t be used because of a lack of seasonal employees due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Five days before the online sale was supposed to end, most individual flowers were already sold out, according to the website for the alliance, a nonprofit that supports the conservatory.
“Each year, Chicago Park District staff and contractors grow flowers over the winter to plant in gardens throughout the city,” the park district said on the alliance’s website. “In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are unable to hire the seasonal staff and contractors that would normally plant and care for these flowers in the summer.”
The sale was scheduled to go through Wednesday, with scheduled in-person pickup of flowers from Thursday through May 31, according to the park district.Information about the sale is on the nonprofit’s website. —Chicago Tribune staff
9:40 a.m.: Hydroxychloroquine linked to deaths, heart risks in COVID study
Antimalaria drugs that President Donald Trump has touted for treatment of COVID-19 were linked to an increased risk of death and heart ailments in a study.
Hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine didn’t benefit patients with the coronavirus, either alone or in combination with an antibiotic, according to the study published Friday by The Lancet medical journal.
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Researchers are searching through available options to treat the coronavirus, which has killed more than 330,000 people, including drugs like the antimalarials that are also already approved to treat lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. Trump’s endorsement has led many people to take the medications without scientific proof of their benefit.
The study looked at the records of 15,000 people who had been treated with the antimalarials and one of two antibiotics that have sometimes been paired with them. Treatment with any combination of the four drugs was associated with a higher risk of death than seen in 81,000 patients who didn’t receive them. Read more here. —Bloomberg News
9:10 a.m.: How to make a living in Chicago sex work amid a pandemic? More hours, less pay and a good internet connection.
Like a lot of people in these months of quarantine, E.B. Cotenord is having a tough time making ends meet. COVID-19 has made it too risky to pursue her profession as she normally does, so she’s working from home, putting in crazy hours and making a fraction of her former earnings.
What’s different about Cotenord is her job.
She is a full-service sex worker, otherwise known as an escort, whose services normally command $500 an hour. She stopped seeing clients shortly after Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced the first stay-at-home order in March, switching her business model almost overnight to subscription video and phone sex. Read more here. —John Keilman
6:55 a.m.: Chicago officials to release updated information on ‘reopening framework’ for city
Mayor Lori Lightfoot and city Health Commissioner Dr Allison Arwady were scheduled to release an update on Chicago’s “reopening framework” Friday afternoon, according to the mayor’s office.
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State officials have said that every region of Illinois carved out under Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s stay-at-home order is on track to move to the next phase of reopening at the end of next week, Phase 3, under which nonessential retail businesses can reopen with capacity limits. But until Pritzker announced a softening of restrictions on restaurants that would allow them to reopen for outdoor dining, restaurants weren’t included in that phase of the plan.
And, with the state law allowing cities to restrict reopening further, Lightfoot said Thursday that Chicago restaurants won’t be reopening as early as establishments in the rest of the state.
Details of the updated Chicago plan were expected to be released in a news conference Friday afternoon. —Chicago Tribune staff
5 a.m.: ‘Our residents are in crisis’: In state-run homes for adults with disabilities, COVID-19 spread quickly
While much of the attention related to COVID-19’s impact on vulnerable populations has focused on deaths at nursing homes, infection rates are remarkably high in another kind of residential setting: state-operated centers for adults with cognitive or behavioral disabilities.
As of Thursday, more than 1 in 5 people living in these developmental centers had tested positive for the novel coronavirus, state data shows. That’s more than double the infection rate seen in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities, where confirmed cases account for about 7% of residents, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.
Of about 1,650 people who live in the seven developmental centers, which are scattered throughout the state, at least 355 have tested positive, or 21.5%. Eight residents have died, as have four workers. Read the full story, a collaboration between the Chicago Tribune and ProPublica Illinois, here. —Jennifer Smith Richards and Jodi S. Cohen
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5 a.m.: Salons, gyms desperate to reopen navigate complexities of Pritzker’s Illinois stay-at-home order
Depending on whom you ask, salons that offer hair extensions can open in Illinois despite Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s stay-at-home order. Those that don’t, can’t. Similarly, gyms in hotels can open, while independent ones aren’t supposed to yet, although at least five already have.
Tom DeVore, a downstate lawyer who has filed several lawsuits against the governor over the stay-at-home order, advised the owner of a Springfield hair salon to reopen despite what he calls intimidation tactics by the state. Although the executive order provides broad strokes about what’s essential, what businesses may open often is determined by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.
A spokeswoman for Pritzker said hair salons should not reopen until phase three of the reopening plan, “which all of Illinois is on track to meet in just over a week,” but a department spokeswoman clarified that hair restoration and extension providers may open. Read more here. —Katherine Rosenberg-Douglas
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chicagotribune--2020-05-23--Illinois stops providing historical data on COVID-19 in nursing homes, instead disclosing current ou

Illinois stops providing historical data on COVID-19 in nursing homes, instead disclosing current outbreaks only

But because Villa East had no new cases recently , it was excluded from this week ’ s reporting and @ @ @ @ @ from the public-facing data .
The only downstate nursing home listed with 20 deaths now @ @ @ @ @ Madison County near St. Louis .
It had one new COVID-19 case since the last @ @ @ @ @ 15 .

Jennifer Smith Richards, Robert McCoppin

Elevate Care Chicago North on May 21, 2020, in Chicago. More than two dozen residents at the nursing home, located in West Rogers Park, have died in recent weeks from COVID-19-related illnesses. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
A day after limiting its report on COVID-19 cases and deaths in Illinois nursing homes to facilities with “active” outbreaks, the state on Saturday reversed course and disclosed the total numbers.
State data now shows that 14,882 workers and residents of long-term care centers have tested positive and more than 2,400 have died. That’s an additional 1,800 cases and 250 deaths that were not part of Friday’s data.
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The Illinois Department of Public Health has been releasing public information weekly about COVID-19 in nursing homes but changed its reporting criteria Friday to highlight facilities that have had at least one new coronavirus case in the last 28 days. Information about homes that struggled with an outbreak earlier in the pandemic but haven’t had recent new cases was removed.
The Tribune reported the change Friday evening, soon after the state made the data public.
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Disclosing information only on long-term care facilities with current outbreaks meant that some homes where people already had died of COVID-19 no longer were included in the data. For example, the Tribune reported May 15 that, for the first time, a nursing home outside the Chicago area had reported at least 20 deaths. That was Villas East in Sangamon County, which had 21 workers and residents die of the coronavirus.
But because Villa East had identified no new cases recently, it was excluded from Friday’s report, and those 21 deaths disappeared from the public-facing data. The only downstate nursing home listed with 20 deaths was Edwardsville Care Center in Madison County near St. Louis. It had one new COVID-19 case since the last public data release on May 15.
Now that Villa East’s historical data has been provided, the public can see that someone else has died there of COVID-19 over the past week, bringing the total deaths to 22.
“IDPH’s priority is to focus on those facilities currently experiencing an outbreak. However, all long-term care outbreaks are again being reported on the IDPH website, including those that are not currently experiencing an outbreak,” department spokeswoman Melaney Arnold wrote in an email to reporters on Saturday.
The switch was at least the second significant change to the way the health department makes COVID-19 data related to long-term care facilities available to the public. On May 15, the department stopped publicly reporting probable cases of COVID-19 tied to the facilities and counted only cases that had been confirmed in labs.
The change seen Friday would have made it impossible for the public to know how many people in the facilities have been infected — and have died — over time.
There are 438 facilities with current outbreaks, according to the department’s data. Now that the historical data has also been restored, information for 505 homes is listed.
Long-term care facilities include nursing homes, assisted-living facilities and larger residential settings for adults with developmental disabilities.
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AARP Illinois State Director Bob Gallo said people researching long-term care facilities need complete information to make a decision.
The change was troubling, Gallo said Friday, “because it keeps viewers from seeing historical data on people who have contracted the virus. This information is crucial, especially for those who are in the already difficult position of seeking a facility they can trust.”
On Thursday, Arnold told reporters from the Tribune and ProPublica Illinois that there had been 7,291 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 2,034 deaths among residents of long-term care facilities. The weekly counts include both residents and workers.
The newest figures show some homes continue to struggle. There are 31 facilities across Illinois that have had more than 100 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 329 where someone has died. Friday’s data listed 286 homes with active outbreaks where someone has died, leaving out more than 40 facilities with coronavirus-related deaths.
About two dozen facilities have experienced larger-scale outbreaks in which at least 4 of 10 sickened residents died. For example, at Norridge Gardens in Cook County, 53 people have tested positive for COVID-19 and 27 of them have died, according to the state data.
And at Artis Senior Living of Elmhurst in DuPage County, there have been 42 cases and 19 deaths, meaning about 45% of people who tested positive died. A spokeswoman for the facility, which serves exclusively people with memory impairment, said the home’s isolation units have designated staff and are being disinfected, sanitized and treated with ultraviolet light machines regularly.
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Of the 42 cases total, 32 have been residents, according to spokeswoman Amy Beth DePreker. She said 20 residents now have died of the virus.
The previous shift in the data reporting, which limited the counts to lab-confirmed cases, meant the number of cases reported on May 15 actually dropped from the previous week.
Responding to emailed questions, Arnold wrote: “We began reporting this way because testing was scarce and we needed to get an idea of the size and scope of the outbreak. Since laboratory testing is more readily available, we have switched to laboratory confirmed cases only."
It’s a more accurate way to view the size of an outbreak, she said.
The data changes that obscured the scale of the problem in Illinois’ long-term care facilities came as the federal government announced it was sending nearly $279 million to Illinois providers to help combat COVID-19.
Eligible skilled nursing providers will receive a fixed distribution of $50,000, plus a distribution of $2,500 per bed, to counter the economic effects of the pandemic, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
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jrichards@chicagotribune.com
rmccoppin@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-05-22--Illinois lawmakers push special session into fourth day as recipe for pandemic budget proves elusive

“ We ’ re trying to pick the best of a bunch of bad options to propose , and on @ @ @ @ @ have the uncertainty right now that many , many of the items and many of @ @ @ @ @ really do thorough budget-making and effective budget-making , we will not know enough , and @ @ @ @ @ by the time our new fiscal year begins , ” Harris said .

Illinois state Sen. Julie Morrison, D-Deerfield, listens to questions from the Republican side of the aisle during debate on SB1863, a bill dealing with vote by mail and other changes for the 2020 election, on the floor of the Illinois Senate during session at the Illinois State Capitol on May 22, 2020, in Springfield. (Justin L. Fowler / AP)
Illinois lawmakers late Friday decided they needed more than the special legislative session’s originally allotted three days to reach an agreement on a budget that’s been blown apart by the coronavirus-induced economic downturn.
The decision to reconvene Saturday and push budget negotiations past a deadline returned a small semblance of normalcy to late May in Springfield during a special session when the Illinois House is meeting on the floor of a downtown convention center and lawmakers are debating legislation through masks.
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“When committing ourselves to this session, we acknowledged that the work before us would take at least three days," House Speaker Michael Madigan said in a statement Friday evening. "We must continue our work to provide relief and support to all Illinois communities and the people of Illinois affected by this unprecedented crisis.”
The Senate also will resume its session on Saturday.
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In another hallmark of late May in Springfield, an eleventh-hour proposal emerged Friday, this time for a bill that would help a long-discussed Chicago casino become a reality. The legislation encapsulates several changes that Mayor Lori Lightfoot has been pushing, but it was unclear whether lawmakers would take up the measure before they leave Springfield.
Both the House and the Senate on Friday approved a measure allowing the state to borrow up to $5 billion from the federal government to offset state revenue losses as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The 71-45 House vote cut largely along partisan lines. The Senate also voted along party line, 37-19, with all Republicans opposed.
The proposed borrowing is a key component of efforts to address a hole in the budget that Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s office has estimated is at least $6.2 billion. Funds borrowed from the U.S. Federal Reserve would be deposited into a new special emergency fund in the state treasury.
The state expects to repay the borrowing through anticipated direct federal aid to the states, though there’s no certainty when, if or how much could be coming from a politically polarized Washington.
Earlier Friday, a House committee voted to send a budget plan to the House floor that would keep spending essentially flat from the current budget year, and give Pritzker increased leeway to manage the budget as the state continues to grapple with the financial toll of the coronavirus pandemic.
That spending proposal was created with the knowledge that any future coronavirus-related aid from Washington “will come in long after we have left here,” House Democratic leader Greg Harris said during a House Executive Committee hearing on Friday.
“We’re trying to pick the best of a bunch of bad options to propose, and on top of that, we have the uncertainty right now that many, many of the items and many of the facts we need to really do thorough budget-making and effective budget-making, we will not know enough, and we will not know it by the time our new fiscal year begins,” Harris said.
Deputy GOP leader Tom Demmer of Dixon raised concern over “delegating very broad and emergency rule authority over hundreds of millions or billions of dollars.”
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“I would encourage the body to really consider, is it appropriate to, with no other legislative guidance or intent or parameters, allow for emergency rule to control the appropriation of what will be a very, very significant sum of money in the upcoming year?” Demmer said.
Despite going into extra time, lawmakers did accomplish several items on their agenda in the first three days.
Earlier Friday, the Senate voted along party lines to approve a measure aimed at expanding voting by mail in November amid ongoing concerns about the coronavirus pandemic.
The measure, which was approved by the House on Thursday, would create an enhanced vote-by-mail plan for the Nov. 3 general election. The Senate approved the bill on a 37-19 vote, with all Republican members in opposition. It is now headed to Pritzker, who has said he’ll sign it.
The legislation would have vote-by-mail applications sent to everyone who voted in either the 2018 general election, the 2019 municipal election or this year’s March 17 primary, as well as to voters newly registered since the primary or who changed their addresses.
It would also make the day of the election, Nov. 3, a government and school holiday so schools can be used as polling places without risks to students and teachers.
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The measure’s Senate sponsor, Democratic state Sen. Julie Morrison of Lake Forest, said the bill is an example of the state fulfilling its responsibility to plan and prepare during the pandemic, something that wasn’t possible ahead of the March primary.
In response to criticism from Senate Republicans in a committee hearing a day earlier, Morrison introduced a companion bill that would require ballot drop boxes set up by election authorities to be secure, and would make it easier for a three-person panel of election judges to reject mail-in ballots that lack signatures.
The changes weren’t enough to win support from any GOP senators, all of whom voted against the companion bill, which also was approved 37-19. The House also approved the changes Friday.
Voting by mail in the coronavirus era has been a point of partisan tension nationally, with President Donald Trump going so far as to threaten to withhold federal aid to Michigan for expanding vote-by-mail applications. Trump submitted a mail-in vote to cast his ballot in the March Florida primary from the White House.
In Illinois, Republicans have opposed an expansion of the state’s already liberal vote-by-mail laws. They have contended existing law is sufficient for anyone who wants to vote by mail to get a mail-in ballot.
Sen. Steve McClure, a Springfield Republican, described the bill as “the voter fraud legalization act.”
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“After this, ‘vote early and vote often’ won’t be a joke anymore because it’ll be codified into our law,” McClure said.
But Democrats countered that the legislation will ensure people are able to vote in November without fear of contracting the coronavirus.
“What’s a fraud is that people that I represent and people that you represent couldn’t vote in the primary because they felt like they would be exposed to a disease,” said Sen. Andy Manar, a Democrat from Bunker Hill.
While partisan tensions flared at times, Republicans and Democrats came together on several issues, including an effort aimed at helping workers who get sick with COVID-19.
The House voted 113-2 in favor of the legislation, which reflects a deal agreed to by organized labor and business groups. Under the bill, workers considered “essential” in Pritzker’s statewide stay-at-home order can qualify for worker’s compensation benefits with the assumption that the virus was contracted on the job.
Employers could contest the claims by showing evidence an employee contracted the virus somewhere other than the workplace or that the employer was following state and federal public health guidelines.
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The Senate approved the bill Thursday, and it now goes to Pritzker.
jmunks@chicagotribune.com
dpetrella@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-05-24--Lawmakers’ historic pandemic-driven special session focuses on new budget and Chicago casino

“ We still don ’ t know what that looks like , when they ’ ll be able to reopen @ @ @ @ @ able to reopen — whether it be able to fill a blackjack table with six @ @ @ @ @ social distancing .
So they ’ re going to have some changes in how they @ @ @

Illinois Senate Republican Leader Bill Brady, R-Bloomington, stands with Senate Republicans during a news conference on May 22, 2020, outside the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield, as they called for a longer session to deal with more issues. (Justin L. Fowler/The State Journal-Register)
The Illinois legislature’s historic pandemic-driven special session ended in overtime early Sunday morning after lawmakers approved a maintenance-level $40 billion state budget that depends heavily on federal funds and made another effort to get a Chicago casino off the ground.
Both the House and the Senate on Saturday passed a bill that would revamp the tax structure for a Chicago casino, a step toward overcoming what has been seen as a key obstacle to getting one built. Mayor Lori Lightfoot has long pushed for tax changes, and the House vote was the furthest her proposal has gotten in the General Assembly.
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The measure now goes to Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who has pledged to sign it when it reaches his desk.
A Chicago casino is seen as key to the $45 billion capital bill the legislature passed last year.
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“This is good for everyone for jobs and development — having a Chicago casino be real," Blue Island Democratic Rep. Bob Rita, the bill’s sponsor, said.
[ Illinois legislators pass bill sought by Mayor Lori Lightfoot that could bring Chicago casino closer to reality ]
The Senate early Sunday joined with the House to pass a budget plan that would maintain funding for many parts of state government from the current budget, except for health care agencies significantly impacted by the pandemic, despite Republican complaints that it ceded too much legislative authority to the state’s Democratic chief executive.
“The budget the General Assembly has sent to my desk today recognizes that massive economic disruption leads to difficult decisions,” Pritzker said in a statement. “This budget begins to address the financial upheaval we are facing, but more hard choices about how to spend and save these dollars wisely remain to be made.
House Majority Leader Greg Harris, a Chicago Democrat, characterized the budget as representative of “a series of tough choices” that resulted in a combination of “working with the Federal Reserve and setting ourselves on a path to a slow, sustainable return to some fiscal normalcy.”
“Our state has been ravaged by the pandemic, just like our nation,” Harris said. “People are struggling, families are struggling, local governments are struggling, our schools are struggling. And yes, we as the state are struggling too.”
The 68-44 House vote was largely along party lines.
In the Senate, the budget passed by a 37-19 vote and was opposed by all Republicans, who objected to a small increase in state spending at a time full of fiscal uncertainty.
[ Illinois lawmakers send Gov. J.B. Pritzker $40 billion maintenance budget that relies heavily on federal funding ]
Sen. Dale Righter of Mattoon said he appreciated that the budget doesn’t count on any revenue from the proposed graduated-rate income tax, which voters will have their say on in November. But he noted outstanding questions about what other revenues will look like in the coming months and called it "an enormous gamble as we stand here on May 23.”
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Democratic Sen. Andy Manar of Bunker Hill, a lead budget negotiator, said it was the wrong time to make cuts.
“We made a choice not to present a budget to this chamber that slashes the state budget at a time when we’re dealing with a global pandemic,” Manar said shortly before the vote was taken. “That was our choice. That was a simple choice for me because the last thing we need to be doing is cutting public health programs, cutting health care programs, cutting school funding, cutting programs for small businesses, or cutting pensions or laying off state employees.”
The proposal would give Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker sweeping authority to move agency operating funds around and to put a hold on some spending as a contingency.
The plan counts on up to $5 billion in loans from the Federal Reserve that would be repaid with anticipated but still uncertain direct federal aid from Washington. The state also is hoping to get flexibility on how it spends $3.5 billion in federal coronavirus relief funding it has already received.
Harris called the borrowing a “line of credit” until Congress overcomes differences between Democrats and Republicans and approves a new coronavirus relief bill to assist states and local governments.
“We don’t know when or if discussions (in Washington) will come to fruition. We don’t know when or how much, if they do come to fruition, will come to Illinois. And we don’t know when that happens if we would be physically able to return to Springfield to reappropriate monies if we decided to take no further action today,” Harris said of the dependence on borrowing.
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But Rep. Tom Demmer of Dixon, the Republican’s budget spokesman, said the Democratic-led spending plan wrongly relied upon hopes from Washington.
“What we’ve heard today is a budget that is balanced only on a wing and a prayer. It relies on $5 billion in borrowing or magical revenue that comes from the federal government with no strings attached,” Demmer said. “We also see unprecedented levels of authority over Illinois taxpayer dollars being granted to one person, being ceded from the legislature to the governor through emergency rule, through appropriations that well exceed the amount of money that’s been currently received.”
The budget appropriation for the General Assembly would not fund previously scheduled cost-of-living pay increases for legislators, Democrats said.
The spending plan also would not provide local school districts with the $350 million increase in state aid that was promised as part of a major rewrite of the formula used to distribute state aid in 2018. Districts would instead receive the same amount they got this year. Universities also would be funded at the current level.
Agencies dealing with public health and welfare, particularly affected by trying to deal with the pandemic, would receive funding increases.
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The Department of Human Services would get $683 million, a 6% increase, to allow for hiring 300 new caseworkers to process Medicaid eligibility claims. The state estimates that due to large unemployment, anywhere from 200,000 to 1 million new people could become eligible for the state-federal taxpayer subsidized health care.
The Illinois Department of Public Health would see an overall budget of $1.6 billion, up 144% primarily due to federal coronavirus funding. The figure includes $416 million in federal funds for increased testing for the coronavirus and related services.
The Department of Children and Family Services would get a 20% increase in state funding, bringing its overall state-funds budget to more than $1 billion. The funds include hiring 123 more investigators and to provide rate increases to providers. Funding for foster care would increase by $80 million due to an expected increase in caseload.
The spending plan would make the state’s statutory required contribution to Illinois’ massively underfunded public employee pension systems at a cost of more than $9 billion. The amount includes $266.8 million as a state share to the Chicago Teachers’ Pension Fund.
After lawmakers last year approved a massive gambling expansion that authorized six new casinos across the state and legalized sports wagering, a study found that the tax structure for the Chicago casino, which is higher than for the other casinos in the state, could make it difficult to attract investors.
In addition to a new tax structure for the casino, the legislation passed by both chambers would extend from two to six years the amount of time casino owners would have to make a reconciliation payment, another change Lightfoot has pushed.
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The legislation also delays by a year, until July 1, 2021, the time by which gaming applicants must pay license fees.
The coronavirus pandemic is driving that change, which is intended to help existing casinos in the state that have been closed and “would be very helpful for them in terms of how they’re going to reopen,” Rita said.
“We still don’t know what that looks like, when they’ll be able to reopen and how they will be able to reopen — whether it be able to fill a blackjack table with six players or three or with social distancing. So they’re going to have some changes in how they operate.”
Springfield Republican Rep. Tim Butler called the Chicago casino “tremendously important” for the whole state because of its role in funding part of a massive statewide construction plan lawmakers approved last year.
The changes for the city casino would send an estimated $500 million in annual revenue to the state for the statewide infrastructure program, Rita said.
Revenue from the casino allocated to building projects under the state’s “Rebuild Illinois” infrastructure plan was one of the sticking points for lawmakers last fall. Along with concerns the legislation amounted to a “special deal” for Chicago, the revenue issue kept the legislation Lightfoot wanted from passing.
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The city’s share of the casino revenue would be dedicated to underfunded police and fire pensions
The legislation also includes technical changes for the casino in Danville in relation to gambling on the state fairgrounds in both Springfield and Du Quoin.
Late Saturday, legislators overwhelmingly approved a measure aimed at helping bars and restaurants who’ve been forced to close for dine-in service during the pandemic.
The bill would allow establishments to sell cocktails for pickup and delivery in sealed containers. Third-party services like Grubhub and DoorDash would be prohibited from making cocktail deliveries.
The measure, which was approved unanimously in the Senate and by a 104-6 margin in the House, also extends liquor licenses for 120 days and delays license fees for six months after restaurants and bars are allowed to reopen to the public. It would take effect immediately upon the governor’s signature and expire in one year.
“This will allow people to maintain jobs, and it’s a lifeline to the bars and restaurants, our beloved bars and restaurants,” said Rep. Lindsey LaPointe, a Chicago Democrat.
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Lawmakers also approved a measure that would create a “Restore Illinois Collaborative Commission,” a panel of eight Democrats and six Republicans, to provide “input on plans to revive the state’s economy” with an initial report due in July.
Republicans had pushed for more oversight over Pritzker’s phased-in plans to reopen the state’s economy, including an up-or-down vote, and deemed the commission idea as too weak for a co-equal branch of government.
Republican Sen. Jason Barickman of Bloomington said the more than two dozen executive orders Pritzker has issued since his coronavirus disaster proclamation have touched on every aspect of life for Illinois residents without sufficient input from the legislature.
The oversight commission created in the legislation approved Saturday “falls wildly short of those expectations that my constituents have for this body,” Barickman said.
“Let’s demand that this governor work with us as a body, demonstrating mutual respect for the two co-equal branches of government, so that we can work together with him to solve the many problems that face our communities and our people in our state,” he said.
The bill’s sponsor, Democratic Sen. Elgie Sims of Chicago, encouraged Barickman to seek one of his party’s appointments to the panel
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chicagotribune--2020-05-23--On Friday, Illinois stopped providing historical data on COVID-19 in nursing homes. A day later, the

On Friday, Illinois stopped providing historical data on COVID-19 in nursing homes. A day later, the full numbers are back.

Disclosing information only on long-term care facilities with current outbreaks meant that some homes where people already had died of @ @ @ @ @ in the data .
For example , the Tribune reported May 15 that , for @ @ @ @ @ nursing home outside the Chicago area had reported at least 20 deaths .
That was @ @ @ @ @ , which had 21 workers and residents die of the coronavirus .


chicagotribune--2020-05-23--Cluster of strong thunderstorms continue for Chicago holiday weekend, as tornado watches remain in e

Cluster of strong thunderstorms continue for Chicago holiday weekend, as tornado watches remain in effect after ‘punishing’ weather hits Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin

It caused downed power lines in Will County near Crest Hill and Shorewood , and multiple outages throughout the county @ @ @ @ @ service and ComEd , which by just before 7 p.m. had about 20,000 customers without @ @ @ @ @ 18,000 in the Joliet area , which also reported down trees .

Sabine Beechum adjusts a balloon as she celebrates her 6th birthday with friends and family driving past her Hyde Park home in Chicago on Memorial Day, May 25, 2020. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)
Tornado watches and a flash flood alert remain in effect into the evening, after heavy storms moved through the area causing power outages, downed trees and a report of a tornado touching down near Kendall County, weather forecasters said.
The tornado watch lasts until 9 p.m. Saturday in north and central Illinois and northwest Indiana, but another round of storms that include “some rotation’’ are also brewing in northeast DeKalb County, moving into southern McHenry County, which has prompted an additional tornado warning that includes Huntley and Union that will expire about 7 p.m., according to the National Weather Service.
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This rotating storm near the border point of DeKalb/Kane/McHenry Counties has strengthened and is rotating strongly as it crosses I-90. A Tornado Warning is in effect, including Huntley through 7 p.m. #ILwx https://t.co/bqAIZMvQT1 — NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) May 23, 2020
Still, forecasters say if we can make it through Saturday, the worst of the holiday weather appears to be behind us, with storms halting around 9 p.m., though a flash flood warning remains in effect until 10:45 p.m. for southeastern Cook and northern Lake counties.
The storms will be scattered and moving a little quicker than storm systems that hit the area earlier this week, but the risk of flooding isn’t expected to be as bad.
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“It's not as elevated of a flooding threat as it was last weekend,” NWS meteorologist Matt Friedlein said.
Meanwhile, Sunday was expected to be sunny, warm, and humid, forecasters said, with temperatures reaching the upper 80s.
Saturday’s humidity will linger throughout the holiday weekend, with temperatures reaching mid-80s on Sunday and Monday.
Earlier, tornadoes may have touched down briefly in Kendall County and near I-39 in eastern Woodford County, according to the weather service, which said storms produced “multiple funnel clouds’’ with “weak rotation’’ from Rochelle to Rockford.
The intense weather began around 2:30 p.m., when severe thunderstorms had developed west of Chicago in Ogle County and began moving northeast around 30 mph, according to the NWS.
It caused downed power lines in Will County near Crest Hill and Shorewood, and multiple outages throughout the county, according to the weather service and ComEd, which by just before 7 p.m. had about 20,000 customers without power, including more than 18,000 in the Joliet area, which also reported down trees.
Earlier, a tornado warning for south-central Cook and northwest Will counties expired at 3:45 p.m., as a severe thunderstorm initially capable of producing a tornado weakened as it moved through the south suburbs and into Indiana, triggering a severe thunderstorm warning for parts of the south suburbs. Another tornado warning was declared in Winnebago County, west of Rockford, until 4:15 p.m.
Other warnings were expected Saturday afternoon and evening around Chicagoland into the late evening hours.
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Check the Tribune’s weather page for updates.


chicagotribune--2020-05-23--Illinois House passes legislation sought by Mayor Lori Lightfoot in her effort to land a casino in C

Illinois House passes legislation sought by Mayor Lori Lightfoot in her effort to land a casino in Chicago

Illinois State Rep. Tim Butler, R-Springfield, left, and Illinois House Republican Leader Jim Durkin, R-Western Springs, talk with a colleague during an extended session of the Illinois House of Representatives at the Bank of Springfield Center on May 23, 2020, in Springfield. (Justin L. Fowler/The State Journal-Register/AP)
Legislators on Saturday approved change the tax structure for a Chicago casino that Mayor Lori Lightfoot has been pushing for the past year.
After the House passed the bill earlier, the Senate approved the casino changes late Saturday by a 42-14 vote, sending the measure to Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who has pledged to sign it when it reaches his desk.
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Mayor Lori Lightfoot praised the legislature’s action late Saturday as making “the possibility of a financially viable Chicago casino a reality.”
“This moment is decades in the making and represents a critical step toward shoring up our city’s pension obligations, as well as driving huge levels of infrastructure funding and fueling thousands of new jobs for all of Illinois,” Lightfoot said in a statement.
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Revenue from a Chicago casino is considered a key to the $45 billion capital bill passed last year. Pritzker has said he was eager to sign the gaming legislation, as it “provides a reliable funding stream” to the statewide construction plan and in a statement late Saturday credited Lightfoot and legislators from both parties for bringing it to fruition.
The changes lawmakers approved Saturday will mean “hundreds of millions of dollars annually to repair our schools, hospitals and higher education buildings across the entire state of Illinois,” Pritzker said.
After lawmakers last year approved a massive gambling expansion that authorized six new casinos across the state and legalized sports wagering, a study found that the tax structure for the Chicago casino, which is higher than for the other casinos in the state, could make it difficult to attract investors.
In addition to changes to the tax structure, the legislation approved on Saturday would extend from two to six years the amount of time casino’s owners would have to make a reconciliation payment, another change Lightfoot has pushed.
The legislation also delays by a year, until July 1, 2021, the time by which gaming applicants must pay license fees.
The coronavirus pandemic is driving that change, which is intended to help existing casinos in the state that have been closed and “would be very helpful for them in terms of how they’re going to reopen,” said sponsoring Rep. Bob Rita, a Blue Island Democrat.
“We still don’t know what that looks like, when they’ll be able to reopen and how they will be able to reopen — whether it be able to fill a blackjack table with six players or three or with social distancing. So they’re going to have some changes in how they operate.”
"The idea is to make this work for Chicago so we can fund the vertical capital, put people to work, not only for Chicago but for everywhere in the state of Illinois,” Rita said. “This is good for everyone for jobs and development — having a Chicago casino be real.”
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Springfield Republican Rep. Tim Butler called the Chicago casino “tremendously important” for the whole state because of its role in funding part of a massive statewide construction plan lawmakers approved last year.
The changes for the city casino would send an estimated $500 million in annual revenue to the state for the statewide infrastructure program, Rita said.
Sen. Bill Cunningham, a Chicago Democrat who sponsored the bill in the Senate, gave a lower revenue projection than his House counterpart, estimating the city’s casino would generate “more than an additional $200 million every year” for the capital program.
That’s on top of $145 million in licensing fees upfront and $700 million in reconciliation payment over a six-year period.
The legislation the House approved Saturday also includes technical changes for the casino in Danville in relation to gambling on the state fairgrounds in both Springfield and Du Quoin.
Tribune reporter Gregory Pratt contributed.
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chicagotribune--2020-05-23--Chicago faith leaders divided on whether to reopen for in-person service as state adds more than 2,3

Chicago faith leaders divided on whether to reopen for in-person service as state adds more than 2,300 new COVID-19 cases

Mayor Lori Lightfoot called the president ’ s declaration “ dangerous and foolish '' and said the president has no @ @ @ @ @ , which still ban such gatherings .
Gov .
J.B. Pritzker said the state will @ @ @ @ @ the basis of science and data .
”

A group of Chicago-area church leaders Saturday slammed President Donald Trump’s call to governors to allow churches to reopen for in-person services, even as other pastors said their churches would open their doors Sunday, despite local restrictions still in place.
The battle over church services marks the latest division in public opinion regarding when and how Illinois should reopen, even as the state Saturday added 2,352 new known cases of COVID-19 in Illinois, including 75 additional deaths.
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The new cases brought the statewide total to 107,796, including 4,790 deaths, across 100 counties.
The Rev. Jesse Jackson was joined by about a dozen pastors and other faith leaders in calling for local churches to remain closed until doctors and scientists deem it safe to gather in large numbers again.
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“People are dying,” Jackson said during the afternoon webinar.
At a news conference Friday, Trump said state governors need to “do the right thing” and open houses of worship. Later, the CDC posted nonbinding guidance for faith institutions considering reopening, including use of masks and limiting the size of gatherings.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot called the president’s declaration “dangerous and foolish" and said the president has no power to override local restrictions, which still ban such gatherings. Gov. J.B. Pritzker said the state will continue to “operate on the basis of science and data.”
The coalition of pastors noted that COVID-19 has disproportionately harmed Chicago’s black community and emphasized that their churches are still performing essential services — just not in person.
“There is victory in the virtual service,” said Ozzie Smith, senior pastor at Covenant United Church of Christ in South Holland.
Bishop Sally Dyck of the United Methodist Church added that the church “has been opened this whole time,” just not in the building.
Still, the faith leaders cited challenges in communicating this to their congregations, especially as the issue has become increasingly politicized.
The Rev. James T. Meeks of Salem Baptist Church of Church said congregants have asked him why it’s safe to go out to grocery stores and other businesses deemed essential but not attend church.
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“Ain’t nobody shouting at Walmart. Ain’t nobody singing at Walmart,” he said. “It is not the same kind of gathering.”
St. James AME Church in Chicago has had empty pews during the COVID-19 shutdown, May 7, 2020. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
But earlier Saturday, in response to Trump’s statement the day before, two black community leaders urged Lightfoot to reopen churches for in-person services.
“We just want her to recognize our institution as being essential,” said Pervis Thomas, pastor of New Canaan Land Missionary Baptist Church in Englewood.
Thomas plans to hold services Sunday at his church, despite a risk of local citations. Chicago police fined three houses of worship $500 each after they held services last weekend.
Thomas said he knows of other churches that are also planning on holding services Sunday.
"We just want to have a freedom of choice," Thomas said. "We just feel the mayor is (overstepping)."
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Thomas held in-person service last Sunday for the first time since the stay-at-home order was implemented in March. About 10 people attended.
Thomas said his church will have hand sanitizer available, make use of masks and gloves, and encourage the elderly and people with preexisting conditions to stay home. There also will not be a choir.
Jimmy Lee Tillman, president of the Martin Luther King Republicans, echoed Thomas’s call for in-person service.
“We’re calling on the governor and the mayor to adhere to the president’s ... guidelines,” Tillman said. “We feel we are breaking no laws.”
This conflict over in-person religious services comes as local officials still urge caution while the stay-at-home order remains in place.
“Even though we are making progress, we really do continue to see many, many hundreds of cases,” said Dr. Allison Arwady, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health, during a social media question-and-answer session.
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