chicagotribune--2020-11-23--Cook County launches legal aid program for those facing eviction, foreclosure or massive debt tied t

Cook County launches legal aid program for those facing eviction, foreclosure or massive debt tied to COVID-19

It could be a matter of legal counsel working with the renter and landlord to set up a payment plan @ @ @ @ @ that ’ s not doable , he said , “ we would expect to see @ @ @ @ @ the tenant .
That is the kind of exit that would give the tenant enough @ @ @ @ @ to embrace housing for him or her , and the family that would not lead @ @ @ @ @ said during the virtual news conference .

Anticipating a “wave” of evictions in the coming months triggered by COVID-19′s ongoing health and economic crises, Cook County officials on Monday announced a free legal services program for those at risk of losing the roof over their heads.
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, Chief Judge Tim Evans and others, along with the charitable arm of the Chicago Bar Association, announced the Early Response Program, part of a new initiative called Cook County Legal Aid for Housing and Debt. The program will provide legal assistance, counseling, pre-court mediation and case management — regardless of income — for residents and landlords dealing with evictions or delinquent property taxes, and creditors and debtors with issues related to consumer debt.
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Looking at national studies showing 30 to 40 million Americans could be at risk of eviction in the coming months, Preckwinkle said during a virtual news conference Monday she knew Cook County would be hit by the “wave,” too, and that she along with elected leaders and community groups “understood that we needed to step in and provide solutions.”
Gov. J.B. Pritzker has placed a temporary moratorium on evictions amid the ongoing pandemic, but officials say that has not staved off the economic hardships the virus is causing now and likely into the future: layoffs that have seen renters fall behind on their rent payments, homeowners fall behind on mortgages and taxes, along with those also facing mounting personal debt to stay afloat. But once this and other moratoriums are lifted, the economic crisis is expected to deepen.
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Comparing what’s unfolding now with the housing crisis of 2008, Preckwinkle said those facing eviction, foreclosure and “unmanageable” amounts of personal debt have disproportionately affected Black and Latino people. The aim of the county’s just-launched Early Response Program is to head off a case before it lands in court, if possible, said Evans, who is chief of the county court system that handles foreclosure and eviction cases.
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It could be a matter of legal counsel working with the renter and landlord to set up a payment plan, Evans said. If that’s not doable, he said, “we would expect to see a negotiated dignified exit by the tenant. That is the kind of exit that would give the tenant enough time to find another place to embrace housing for him or her, and the family that would not lead to homelessness,” Evans said during the virtual news conference.
In some instances, there may be a need to “negotiate sealing of the (court) records” in eviction cases, Evans said, pointing to the difficulty some may have finding another place with that on their record.
The court launched a similar foreclosure mediation program in the wake of the 2008 recession. Based on that, estimated costs in fiscal year 2021 for the new legal aid program ranges from $4 million to $7 million, county officials say.
The county is directing an initial $1 million in seed money from federal coronavirus relief funds to get the program going in suburban Cook County, but Evans cautioned that more money will be needed and that they’ll be looking to the federal government for help. The city of Chicago separately provided federal coronavirus relief funding for the Lawyers Committee for Better Housing to similarly serve city residents.
As a result of that partnership, city and county residents can inquire about services either online or by calling 855-956-5763 to be directed to the appropriate organization.
“We’re proud of these efforts,” Preckwinkle said. “But we’re not naive. This won’t be enough to deal with what’s coming. That’s why ... we’re committed to continuing to support (legal aid) programs, even after the pandemic has passed.”
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Lisa Donovan is the host of The Spin, the Tribune’s politics newsletter. Sign up here to have it delivered to your inbox weekday afternoons.
ldonovan@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @byldonovan


chicagotribune--2020-11-23--Barack Obama surprises Chicago high school students with free copies of new book ‘A Promised Land’ a

Barack Obama surprises Chicago high school students with free copies of new book ‘A Promised Land’ and a virtual visit

His brief remarks talked about his formative years in Chicago .
He said he aimed to share in the book @ @ @ @ @ about as a young man and how I got involved in small ways initially and @ @ @ @ @ time .
And the life of my community — how Chicago taught me about my @ @ @ @ @ power and what I could do to make a difference .
”

Chicago high school seniors received an early holiday surprise Monday when former President Barack Obama personally delivered the news that all high school students in Chicago Public Schools will receive free digital access to his new bestselling memoir, “A Promised Land.”
Obama announced the gift in a virtual assembly with CPS CEO Janice Jackson, who earlier in the day notified high school students and educators that a surprise special guest had “an exciting announcement that is especially for you.”
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After Jackson introduced Obama, calling him a “lifelong proponent of social justice and a believer that normal, everyday people can make a difference,” Obama first talked about the difficulties the students might be facing in coping with remote learning and other effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and said he was proud of them.
“High school I know is challenging because there’s a lot of stuff going on,” Obama said. “To then have to do that with COVID, and some of you probably your families have been economically stressed, stressed from a health perspective ... that’s tough.”
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Then he said “some of you may know” about his new memoir and shared that each senior will receive a free print or digital version of the book.
President Barack Obama's memoir "A Promised Land" at a Barnes & Noble, Nov. 17, 2020, in New York City. ( Jamie McCarthy/Getty)
“I really wrote this book with you in mind,” Obama said. “I want young people to understand ... the ability for you to have an impact in this world.”
His brief remarks talked about his formative years in Chicago. He said he aimed to share in the book “what I was thinking about as a young man and how I got involved in small ways initially and then in larger ways over time. And the life of my community — how Chicago taught me about my own voice and my own power and what I could do to make a difference.”
Obama has deep ties to Chicago, his adopted city where he and 240,000 supporters celebrated his momentous presidential victory as the nation’s first Black president in 2008. It’s the city where he met his wife, Michelle Obama, and launched a political career that landed him in the nation’s top office for eight years.
Recently, he has also been moving forward on plans to develop a sprawling campus in Jackson Park on the South Side for the Obama Presidential Center, where his presidential library and nonprofit foundation would be headquartered.
Obama’s 768-page memoir, published by Crown and released just two weeks after Election Day, documents a close-up view of his first term in the Oval Office, including his maneuvering of issues related to immigration, health care, the war in Afghanistan and the economy.
It sold nearly 890,000 copies in the U.S. and Canada in its first 24 hours and is the first of two volumes the former Democratic president plans to release.
CPS high school students and teachers can access free copies of the book, which are available in English and Spanish in e-book and audiobook formats, through the school system’s online library. It’s a chance for students “to have access to that without having to pay,” Obama said.
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Obama added during the virtual assembly he plans to hold follow-up conversations about his memoir with CPS students, potentially through “a little book club” in the new year where he can answer questions.
“Tell your family, too, that we wish them happy holidays,” Obama said to the high school seniors. “And that 2021 is going to be a better year than 2020.”
kelsmith@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @KelliSmithNews


chicagotribune--2020-11-23--Lockport woman charged with stealing $9,900 puppy from Naperville pet store

The suspected thief , Alicia Johnson-Medrano , of the 16700 block of Apache Drive , was located by officers outside @ @ @ @ @ was returned to store employees unharmed , police said .

Alicia Johnson-Medrano, of Lockport, was charged with one count each of felony theft and felony retail theft with a dog stolen Nov. 21 from the Petland store in Naperville. (Naperville Police Department)
A 22-year-old Lockport woman was charged with theft after a $9,990 puppy went missing from a Naperville pet store, according to a police report.
Officers were called to the Petland store at 720 S. Route 59 about 7:25 p.m. Saturday after store employees said a customer tucked a female Yorkshire terrier puppy tucked inside her jacket and left.
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The suspected thief, Alicia Johnson-Medrano, of the 16700 block of Apache Drive, was located by officers outside the store. The puppy was returned to store employees unharmed, police said.
Johnson-Medrano was charged with one count each of felony theft and felony retail theft.
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subaker@tribpub.com


chicagotribune--2020-11-23--2 women arrested on suspicion of fighting, breaking pictures in Trump Tower, police say

Around 2:50 a.m. , the women were visiting guests who were staying at the Trump International Hotel & Tower , @ @ @ @ @ the Near North neighborhood , when they started arguing over “ a personal matter ” @ @ @ @ @ said .
While they were leaving , the women started damaging pictures on the 24th @ @

Two women were arrested early Monday after they fought in a room at the Trump Tower and started breaking and throwing pictures that were on a wall, according to Chicago police.
Around 2:50 a.m., the women were visiting guests who were staying at the Trump International Hotel & Tower, 401 N. Wabash Ave. in the Near North neighborhood, when they started arguing over “a personal matter” inside a room, police said. While they were leaving, the women started damaging pictures on the 24th floor.
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Guests called the front desk to report the incident, and the front desk called police, police said.
Officers found the women at Hubbard and State streets and arrested them after identifying them as the people who caused the damage, police said.
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No one was injured, police said. Charges are pending.
pfry@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @paigexfry


chicagotribune--2020-11-23--Aurora man charged with attempted first-degree murder

The man was shot in the head , officials said .
He was in stable condition Monday and is expected @ @ @ @ @ police .

An Aurora man is accused of shooting a man in the head Saturday afternoon on the city’s near East Side, officials said.
Detrick Walton, 43, is accused of firing a gun at a 55-year-old man while they were arguing inside Walton’s car around 1 p.m. Saturday in the 1000 block of East Benton Street, police said in a news release Monday.
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Detrick Walton. (Aurora Police Department / HANDOUT)
The man was shot in the head, officials said. He was in stable condition Monday and is expected to survive, according to police.
Walton has been charged with attempted first-degree murder, armed violence, aggravated battery with a firearm, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful use of a weapon by a felon and possession of a controlled substance, police said.
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He was taken into custody Saturday night by investigators from the department’s Special Operations group.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call the Aurora Police Department’s Investigations Division at 630-256-5500 or Aurora Area Crime Stoppers at 630-892-1000.
mejones@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-11-23--Cafe Marie-Jeanne and The Whale among latest Chicago restaurants closing due to the COVID-19 pandemi

Cafe Marie-Jeanne and The Whale among latest Chicago restaurants closing due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s economic toll. Here’s our running list.

La Sardine , which has been a fixture in the West Loop for nearly 22 years , has closed for good .
“ It ’ s sad , ” said partner and executive chef Oliver Poilevey about closing La Sardine , founded by his parents , along with Le Bouchon in Bucktown .
“ A month , month-and-a-half ago , I thought we were going to make it.
” La Sardine has no outdoor space in which to set up tables , but had eked by with meals-to-go and , eventually , indoor dining with the 25 % capacity limitation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the unthinkable happened : The air conditioning broke down .
Looking at $ 80,000 in repairs , Poilevey knew he could not risk taking on the cost .
“ There ’ s no way we could pay for that , heading into the fall with no rent abatement , ” Poilevey said .
“ Throwing 80K at something and then having to close — that ’ s not a good plan.
” Le Bouchon remains open for pickup and indoor dining , though space inside is limited .
For the full story , @ @ @ @ @ @

Adam Lukach, Grace Wong, Nick Kindelsperger, Josh Noel

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


chicagotribune--2020-11-23--Season’s first significant snow likely in Chicago area Tuesday as forecasters predict as much as 3 i

Season’s first significant snow likely in Chicago area Tuesday as forecasters predict as much as 3 inches

“ It ’ ll probably come down pretty good for a little while there before it changes over to a @ @ @ @ @ 10 a.m. or so , ” he said .
“ Our temperatures will actually be @ @ @ @ @ .
Since we ’ re going to be warming up above freezing , the snow @ @ @ @ @ there should not be any snow left by Thanksgiving .
”

Tuesday’s morning commute may be marred by snowfall, with as much as 3 inches falling in the west and northwest suburbs, meteorologists warned.
Despite the many hours of fat flakes falling — which should produce enough to become the season’s first measurable snow event — the accumulating snow shouldn’t stick around through Thanksgiving, said Mark Ratzer, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
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“We already have had a trace of snow, but what we get (Tuesday) looks like it will be our first measurable snowfall,” Ratzer said. On Oct. 26 and into Oct. 27, a trace amount of snow, which is defined as less than 1/10th of an inch, fell each day, he said.
That trace of snow was right on time, historically speaking. The weather service released a fact sheet on various typical first snow events of winter, which showed the normal date a trace amount of snow first is recorded is Oct. 30. The first measurable snow of the season, or more than 1/10th of an inch, also falls around Nov. 17. Typically, the city doesn’t record an inch or more of snow until Dec. 7.
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The earliest in the season more than an inch fell, according to weather service records dating to 1871, was Oct. 17, 1989; the latest date Chicago has received its first inch or more of snow was Jan. 25, 2013. The latest calendar date Chicago received more than an inch of snow was May 1, 1940.
[ Here’s when Chicago received its first snow of the fall season, going back 135 years ]
The snow is expected to begin falling in the Chicago area between roughly 3 and 4 a.m., Ratzer said. Within city limits, the forecast calls for less than an inch of snow. The near west and northwest suburbs might see 1 to 2 inches, Ratzer said, and far northwest communities closer to Rockford could get 2 to 4 inches.
Cruz Rojas cuts grass in the snow on Oct. 26, 2020, in Bull Valley. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
The snow is expected to fall steadily and at times, heavily, until midmorning.
“It’ll probably come down pretty good for a little while there before it changes over to a rain-snow mix, say by 10 a.m. or so,” he said. “Our temperatures will actually be warming up to the 40s. Since we’re going to be warming up above freezing, the snow will obviously be gone and there should not be any snow left by Thanksgiving.”
Ratzer said roads may be particularly dangerous during the snow portion of the event when it is coming down quickly, coating area roads.
“Probably the most significant thing about this snow is it will be coming down during the morning rush hour tomorrow,” with sharp drops in visibility at times, he said.
And while daytime high temperatures for Thursday, Friday and Saturday should be in the 50s with no precipitation in the forecast, Ratzer expects a slushy, soggy few days before conditions improve.
After the snow turns to rain, that isn’t expected to let up until sometime Wednesday.
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That time of year... ❄
The first accum. snow of the season for at least part of the area will occur Tue A.M. Temporary moderate rates to result in some light accum on roads. Visibility may sharply drop at times, namely in the orange shaded area. Plan for extra time. #ILwx #INwx pic.twitter.com/Z9yc6yd3aQ — NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) November 23, 2020
Precipitation is likely most of Wednesday, too, and it will all be part of the same system that brings Tuesday’s snow.
By Thursday, the temperature will continue trending upward and dry skies will prevail, making for an unseasonably warm Thanksgiving.
Medical experts have advised against traditional holiday gatherings of people aside from family who share a home. Dr. Michelle Prickett, an associate professor at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, has said people who insist on gathering indoors this Thanksgiving with friends or family who live elsewhere should wear a mask indoors when possible, give one another 8 feet of space rather than just 6 feet, and consider dining with the windows open to continuously refresh the air.
Given the relative warmth expected later this week, the option to dine outdoors is much more realistic than it otherwise might have been, though precautions still should be taken.
For more weather news, visit the Tribune’s weather page.
kdouglas@chicagotribune.com
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chicagotribune--2020-11-23--Watch live: Gov. J.B. Pritzker gives a COVID-19 update

Illinois Gov .
J.B. Pritzker will give an update on the state ’ s response to the coronavirus in a @ @ @ @ @ Get the latest updates on COVID-19 here .

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chicagotribune--2020-11-23--Naperville Mayor Steve Chirico, who touted plan for local mask mandate, defends attending large wedd

Naperville Mayor Steve Chirico, who touted plan for local mask mandate, defends attending large wedding in Florida

Steve Chirico said in a virtual town hall meeting with hospital representatives Nov. 16 that he has been considering a @ @ @ @ @ ’ s somewhat heavy handed , I think people would say , and it wouldn @ @ @ @ @ , many critics , ” he said .
“ But if it were successful in @ @ @ @ @ get everybody to comply , then it ’ s something that I think would be @ @ @ @

Katherine Rosenberg-Douglas, Suzanne Baker

A relative of Naperville Mayor Steve Chirico took to Twitter to publicly admonish him for attending a wedding party with more than 50 people in Florida only days after he proposed Naperville adopt a rule that would make mask usage mandatory in all public places.
In a written statement, Mayor Steven Chirico defended his decision to attend his daughter’s wedding this weekend in Naples, Florida, from which pictures surfaced and circulated online.
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His niece, a former BuzzFeed personality with nearly 100,000 Twitter followers blasted Chirico online, igniting a spark of hypocrisy since just last week he warned Naperville residents a mask mandate may soon materialize while purportedly not practicing what he’s preaching — claims he contests.
I can't believe I have to say this but if you are HAVING A WEDDING THIS WEEKEND WITH UNMASKED PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE something is wrong with you!!!! — Kristin Chirico (@lolacoaster) November 21, 2020
“My family and I all took COVID tests and tested negative prior to traveling to Florida this weekend for my daughter Jenna’s wedding. It was an outdoor wedding and reception with a total of 53 guests,” read his statement, issued through city spokeswoman Linda LaCloche.
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He declined repeated requests for comment.
Chirico returned to Naperville on Monday and participated via Zoom in a City Council budget workshop meeting in the evening.
His statement additionally said: “Upon my return to Naperville, I will be quarantining and testing again,” but it wasn’t known when he last tested, when he will test again or what he considers quarantining to entail.
In the run-up to the winter holidays, health experts have said while testing does add a layer of protection if people are going to gather for an event, tests only really apply to the day they’re taken, as people can develop symptoms or become contagious the day after a test. So getting tested in the days before a get-together doesn’t guarantee that people at an event don’t have COVID-19.
The kerfuffle began Saturday when, in a post to her 93,000 followers, video host Kristen Chirico first offered a vague description about someone attending a wedding “with unmasked people in attendance,” but didn’t directly talk about her uncle.
Reached Sunday for comment, Kristin Chirico declined to be interviewed, instead referring questions to her public remarks on social media.
Hours after her first tweet, Kristin Chirico named the mayor and said he and his wife and several of his children were attending the wedding.
“I actually don’t need to protect these people, because they don’t think they’ve done anything wrong,” she said in the later tweet.
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This is about my uncle Steve Chirico, the mayor of Naperville, IL, and his wife, and several of his kids that are all at a wedding right now with at least 50 people at it. I actually don't need to protect these people, because they don't think they've done anything wrong. https://t.co/8AJ96sRKxy — Kristin Chirico (@lolacoaster) November 22, 2020
In a text message Monday she added: “This story isn’t really about me — I just know I have a responsibility to fight for people with less power than I.”
The mayor recently made headlines because he said he is considering a mask mandate for Naperville, on top of the statewide mandate that’s already in place.
Steve Chirico said in a virtual town hall meeting with hospital representatives Nov. 16 that he has been considering a mandate, but “It’s somewhat heavy handed, I think people would say, and it wouldn’t be without many, many critics,” he said. “But if it were successful in its goal of trying to get everybody to comply, then it’s something that I think would be worth it.”
Kristin Chirico said that few at the wedding were wearing masks, but the mayor did not answer whether he wore one. Others online located a geotagged photo from Naples taken Saturday that appeared to show Steve Chirico gathered closely with others, none of them wearing masks.
Kristin Chirico also shared the photo and posted an image alongside it that appears to be a screengrab from Steve Chirico’s Facebook page, which said: “We can’t have it both ways; freedom from masks and freedom from shutdowns. I choose to wear a mask.”
Florida does not have a statewide mask mandate, although some municipalities require face masks in public. Collier County, which includes Naples, in October voted to extend a version of its earlier mask mandate through April, according to the Naples Daily News.
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Yup that is them!!!! With that geotag and everything!!! https://t.co/crFqH3AWJb — Kristin Chirico (@lolacoaster) November 22, 2020
The most significant change to the revised order, the paper reported, was allowing exceptions for businesses where social distancing is possible.
LaPlaya Beach and Golf Resort, where a wedding website indicates the mayor’s daughter got married, appears to require masks on the premises. In a tab on its website called “Mask Up!” it says: “Please keep your mouth and nose covered while in public spaces. County regulations require all people in Collier County to wear masks inside or in line for any retail or commercial business.”
A reservations clerk said the hotel requires masks anywhere it is likely or possible to run into another guest, such as the lobby, corridors, or elevators. In outdoor locations, however, such as the beach or spaces used for outdoor wedding receptions, masks are not required and social distancing regulations are in place, he said.
Another of Kristin Chirico’s posts, which included a link to an NBC article about the mayor’s trip, suggested that his statement defending his attendance missed the mark.
“Local Naperville organizers: He’s not sorry, and that’s a tremendous insult to you and your families. He should be held accountable. Demand updates. You belong in this community, too. Your safety matters. YOU matter. I’m rooting for you,” she wrote.
kdouglas@chicagotribune.com
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subaker@tribpub.com
Twitter @312BreakingNews


chicagotribune--2020-11-23--Former top aide to Chicago city Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin said in email she was fired for ref

Former top aide to Chicago city Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin said in email she was fired for refusing to participate in ‘unethical conduct.’ Treasurer says that’s false

“ As we come to the close of this year we are making changes to make the personnel changes to @ @ @ @ @ our agenda and the personnel needed to carry it out , ” Conyears-Ervin said in @ @ @ @ @ four people let go have served us well , with dignity and proficiency and we @ @ @ @ @ said , it is time to move forward .
”

A former top aide to Chicago city Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin alleged in an email to a city ethics official that she was fired after refusing to participate in unspecified “illegal and unethical conduct.”
Conyears-Ervin meanwhile told the Tribune that’s false. Conyears-Ervin’s former chief of staff, Tiffany Harper, was fired Friday along with three colleagues. In a statement over the weekend, Conyears-Ervin said she pushed the workers out as part of an office shake-up designed to move her office in a different direction.
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But in an email to Steve Berlin, executive director of the city’s ethics board, Harper said she believes she and two other officials were let go “without cause or reason.”
“I have no doubt that our terminations are related to our refusal to participate in the illegal and unethical conduct that we discussed with you earlier this fall,” Harper wrote. “As such, I would like to preserve my right to file a whistleblower complaint with the Board of Ethics as well as request steps for filing such a complaint.”
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Harper did not elaborate in her email about her allegations or identify who might be the subject of her complaint. She did not immediately comment to the Tribune when asked about her email.
Conyears-Ervin denied the general allegations in the email and declined to further comment about the matter.
“2020 has been a tough year for many. While I thank these individuals for their service to the treasurer’s office, we are moving in another direction,” Conyears-Ervin said. “Any statement or suggestion of anything further than the office moving in another direction is absolutely false.”
Conyears-Ervin also said it isn’t unusual to make staff changes and defended the moves.
“As the city treasurer, I’m going to always do what I believe is in the best interest of the taxpayers,” she said.
In an email to the Tribune, Berlin said the board’s advisory opinions are confidential but noted city ethics law contains whistleblower protections. Asked specifically about the situation involving Conyears-Ervin and her staff, Berlin said, “any whistleblower proceedings that may be held would be conducted fairly and expeditiously by the Board of Ethics.”
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Over the weekend, a Conyears-Ervin spokeswoman released a statement saying the firings were an attempt at remaking the staff.
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“As we come to the close of this year we are making changes to make the personnel changes to create a better fit between our agenda and the personnel needed to carry it out,” Conyears-Ervin said in the statement. “The four people let go have served us well, with dignity and proficiency and we wish them well. That said, it is time to move forward.”
A former state representative, Conyears-Ervin was elected city treasurer in April 2019. Last year, she clashed with Mayor Lori Lightfoot over the Police Department’s decision to stop providing the treasurer with a police security detail. In a contentious exchange of emails, Lightfoot stood by the decision to strip Conyears-Ervin of her detail.
gpratt@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-11-23--COVID-19 in Illinois by the numbers: Here’s a daily update on cases, positivity rate and hospital da

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

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

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


chicagotribune--2020-11-23--COVID-19 cases in Illinois by ZIP code: Search for your neighborhood

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

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


chicagotribune--2020-11-23--Daily Illinois coronavirus graphs: 47 new deaths, 8,322 new confirmed and probable cases and 91,562

Daily Illinois coronavirus graphs: 47 new deaths, 8,322 new confirmed and probable cases and 91,562 new test results

Illinois announced 8,322 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 Monday for a total of 664,620 .
The state also @ @ @ @ @ a total of 11,552 and 91,562 new test results for a total of 9.9 million @

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


chicagotribune--2020-11-23--Wisconsin recount has shown very few changes in vote totals as Trump team focuses on legal challenge

Wisconsin recount has shown very few changes in vote totals as Trump team focuses on legal challenge to toss ballots

Dane County Clerk Scott McDonell said Monday that the recount was nearly 25 % done in that county , with @ @ @ @ @ more than 345,000 cast having been recounted .
Those recounted so far in both counties @ @ @ @ @ handful of votes from what was reported on election night .

MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin’s partial presidential recount entered its fourth day Monday, with very few changes in vote totals as President Donald Trump’s attorneys appeared to be focused on a legal challenge seeking to toss tens of thousands of ballots, including the one cast by an attorney for the campaign.
Democrat Joe Biden won the state by about 20,600 votes and his margin in Milwaukee and Dane counties was about 2-to-1. Those are the only counties where Trump paid to have a recount.
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Trump’s attorneys have objected to counting any absentee ballots where voters identified themselves as “indefinitely confined;” where information on the certification envelope is in two different ink colors, indicating a poll worker may have helped complete it; and where there is not a separate written record for it having been requested, including all in-person absentee ballots.
All of those ballots were being counted during the recount, but could be targeted as part of a Trump legal challenge.
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[ Michigan, Pennsylvania expected to certify results today: Track progress in key battleground states. ]
Attorneys representing the presidential campaigns of Donald Trump and Joe Biden converse during a meeting with Dane County elections officials on Nov. 20, 2020. (John Hart / Wisconsin State Journal)
Discarding ballots as requested by Trump’s campaign would result in Trump’s Wisconsin attorney, Jim Troupis, having his ballot not count, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. Troupis, a former Dane County judge, voted early using the state’s in-person absentee option along with his wife. They were both listed on exhibits Troupis presented to the Dane County Board of Canvassers on Sunday that the Trump campaign argued had voted illegally.
Troupis did not immediately respond to a text message Monday seeking comment.
Dane County Clerk Scott McDonell said Monday that the recount was nearly 25% done in that county, with nearly 83,000 ballots out of more than 345,000 cast having been recounted. Those recounted so far in both counties showed changes of only a handful of votes from what was reported on election night.
“It seems to be picking up,” McDonell said of the recount. “We’re a little bit behind scheduled but not a lot behind schedule.”
Milwaukee County had hoped to be done by Wednesday, but due to delays caused by objections raised by Trump supporters the work is expected to go closer to the Dec. 1 deadline for completion.
[ Wisconsin election officials say Trump observers obstructing recount, some ‘clearly don’t know what they are doing’ ]


chicagotribune--2020-11-23--Thanksgiving weather in Chicago: What to expect Thursday and the warmest, coldest, snowiest and wett

Thanksgiving weather in Chicago: What to expect Thursday and the warmest, coldest, snowiest and wettest since 1872

If you need to make some last-minute preparations for the holiday , however , then you might want to make @ @ @ @ @ with you Tuesday night into Wednesday .

Since Thanksgiving doesn’t occur on the same date each year, the temperature and precipitation values can vary dramatically.
Here’s a look back at the warmest, coldest, wettest and snowiest Thanksgiving holidays in Chicago, going back to 1872. Data is from the National Weather Service and was measured at the city’s official recording site, which has been O’Hare International Airport since Jan. 17, 1980. For almost a century prior to that, sites around downtown Chicago, the University of Chicago and Midway International Airport were used to gather definitive weather data.
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Warmest
Chicago experienced its warmest Thanksgiving on Nov. 24, 1966, when it was 69 degrees.
In 2022, the high was 54 degrees.
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Coldest
Chicago experienced its lowest low Thanksgiving temperature on Nov. 23, 1950, when it was -1 degrees.
In 2022, the low was 35 degrees.
Photos and story about the -1 degree low temperature on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 23, 1950. As published in the Nov. 24, 1950, edition of the Chicago Tribune. (Chicago Tribune Archives)
Wettest
Rain accumulating in more than 1 inch of precipitation has occurred once since 1872, according to the National Weather Service.
But at least a little bit of rain tends to fall on Thanksgiving — precipitation ranging from a trace to more than an inch has fallen in more than half of the almost 150 years on record.
Snowiest
Since 1872, snowfall of more than a trace has been recorded just 17 times on Thanksgiving.
A record snowfall of 3 inches fell at O’Hare airport on Nov. 27, 1980.
Chicago Tribune, Nov. 28, 1980. (Chicago Tribune Archives)
Sources: National Weather Service Chicago; Tribune archives and reporting


chicagotribune--2020-11-23--Nursing homes workers strike

Nursing homes workers strike

It took almost a year , but a new owner paid $ 1.585 million in 2012 for the right to @ @ @ @ @ of the red-brick Winnetka Georgian immortalized in `` Home Alone . ''
Almost 30 years @ @ @ @ @ the movie changed the neighborhood — but they ’ re OK with it .
Read @ @ @


chicagotribune--2020-11-23--Feds want up to 3½ years in prison for former Ald. Edward Vrdolyak in tobacco settlement scheme

Meanwhile , evidence uncovered in the probe showed that efforts to keep the deal under wraps became frayed over time @ @ @ @ @ emailed both Berman and Vrdolyak to vent his frustration that Vrdolyak had been withholding money @ @ @ @ @ also threatened to sue Vrdolyak , warning that the legal action would make “ front @ @ @ @ @ open a can of worms that I would rather stay closed , ” according to @ @ @ @ @ quoted in Bhachu ’ s sentencing filing .

Former Chicago Ald. Edward Vrdolyak, center, walks with attorney Michael Monico, far right, as they exit the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse in Chicago on Nov. 22, 2016. Vrdolyak was arraigned in federal court on charges he improperly shared in millions of dollars from the $9 billion tobacco settlement in Illinois with a lawyer who failed to pay taxes on his cut. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)
Of all the deals that former Chicago Ald. Edward “Fast Eddie” Vrdolyak has cut in a lifetime as a lawyer and politician, the windfall he received from the state’s historic tobacco litigation may have been his slickest.
Over the past two decades, Vrdolyak’s been paid at least $12 million in fees stemming from the $9.3 billion settlement struck in the late 1990s even though prosecutors say he did no legal work on the case and hid his involvement from the Illinois attorney general.
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The cash kept rolling in year after year even as Vrdolyak went to prison for an unrelated real estate fraud scheme and faded from the Chicago political scene, prosecutors say.
Now, prosecutors are asking a federal judge to sentence the 83-year-old Vrdolyak to up to 3½ years behind bars, saying his decision to play games with the IRS and hide portions of the tobacco income was just the latest in a long string of ethical and legal lapses by someone who should have known better.
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“Vrdolyak came from a privileged background. He was well educated, served as an elected official, and had a thriving legal practice,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Amarjeet Bhachu wrote in a sentencing memo filed late Friday. “Despite all these advantages in life, he has chosen time and again to be a schemer, and to break the law.”
Vrdolyak’s lawyers, meanwhile, asked U.S. District Judge Robert Dow for a term of home confinement, saying Vrdolyak’s money from the tobacco deal was a legitimately earned “consulting” fee and that any proceeds he received were paid out of the pockets of other law firms involved in the litigation, not Illinois taxpayers.
They also said that to throw the octogenarian — whose recent health troubles include a heart attack and brain tumor — in prison in the middle of an ongoing pandemic could amount to a death sentence.
“Since the pandemic struck, he lives in near isolation with his wife, heeding his doctor’s advice to avoid crowds at all costs,” Vrdolyak attorney Catharine O’Daniel wrote. “If sentenced to imprisonment, he will no longer be able to distance himself from others or protect himself from the deadly COVID-19 virus.”
Bhachu said prosecutors would support delaying Vrdoyak’s prison term until a coronavirus vaccine had been distributed to the federal inmate population.
Dow is scheduled to sentence Vrdolyak on Dec. 4.
Long known as “Fast Eddie” for his knack for backroom negotiations, Vrdolyak pleaded guilty in March 2019 to a tax charge alleging he obstructed IRS investigation into the tobacco deal by hiding payments to and from his friend and associate, attorney Daniel Soso.
The plea marked Vrdolyak’s second felony conviction in a little more than a decade. In 2008, Vrdolyak pleaded guilty to fraud for his role in a kickback scheme in which a Gold Coast real estate deal was rigged so he could secretly split a $1.5 million finder’s fee with corrupt insider Stuart Levine, a close friend who had secretly worn a wire on Vrdolyak. He was ultimately sentenced in that case to 10 months in prison.
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Bhachu referenced the previous conviction in his sentencing filing Friday, noting Vrdolyak had been captured on an FBI wiretap telling Levine, “If two (expletive) schemers like you and I can’t figure this out, then we got a problem.”
After he was sentenced in that case, Vrdolyak wrote off the $6,000 fine from the judge as a “legal and professional services expense” on his taxes, Bhachu said.
According to court records, Vrdolyak’s role in the tobacco settlement came after then-Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan negotiated a contingency arrangement promising 10% of the payout to four law firms that handled the litigation. That figure was dramatically reduced after years of court arbitration, but in the end, several law firms were to share in a total of $188.5 million.
One of those firms was Seattle-based Hagens Berman, which was headed by attorney Steve Berman. Identified only as Individual B in the indictment, Berman entered into a secret agreement in 1996 to pay Vrdolyak and Soso fees from the settlement and hide the payments from the attorney general and tobacco companies, the charges alleged.
Berman was not charged with wrongdoing. Vrdolyak’s lawyers have argued in court filings that not only was Vrdolyak’s cut of the settlement aboveboard but it also was blessed by key players, including Ryan.
But prosecutors said Vrdolyak’s name was purposefully left off the settlement paperwork because he was a controversial figure.
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“Indeed, it is easy to include that news that a political insider like Edward Vrdolyak and his associate were going to pocket $65.4 million would have raised all sorts of red flags,” Bhachu wrote in a previous court filing.
Meanwhile, evidence uncovered in the probe showed that efforts to keep the deal under wraps became frayed over time. In 2014, Soso emailed both Berman and Vrdolyak to vent his frustration that Vrdolyak had been withholding money he was owed. He also threatened to sue Vrdolyak, warning that the legal action would make “front page news and most definitely open a can of worms that I would rather stay closed,” according to a copy of the email quoted in Bhachu’s sentencing filing.
Ryan was issued a “non-target letter” by prosecutors and interviewed several times about his recollection of the tobacco settlement, though his memory by that time was diminished by health issues.
He told prosecutors that if Vrdolyak was involved in the tobacco litigation, it was behind his back,” Bhachu said. After “questions arose” about Vrdolyak’s possible involvement, Ryan said he instructed his then-chief of staff to investigate, but no record of any deal was uncovered, Bhachu said.
“Ryan further stated that if he had found out Vrdolyak had received money from the litigation, Ryan would have tried to get the money returned,” Bhachu said.
Soso, 68, pleaded guilty in 2019 to one count of income tax evasion for failing to report more than $3 million in income in the deal. He was sentenced in March to two years in prison.
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jmeisner@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-11-23--Wisconsin US Rep. Bryan Steil tests positive for coronavirus

Steil was first elected in 2018 and held on to his seat in November for Wisconsin ’ s 1st congressional @ @ @ @ @ and Racine counties and portions of Milwaukee , Rock , Walworth and Waukesha counties .

JANESVILLE, Wis. — U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday, according to a statement from the Republican lawmaker, who represents Wisconsin’s 1st congressional district.
The congressman said he began experiencing mild symptoms over the weekend and contacted his health care provider while at home in Janesville, Wisconsin.
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Steil said he spent all of last week working in Washington, D.C.
“Following CDC guidelines, I am immediately quarantining and will continue serving the people of Southeast Wisconsin from my home in Janesville,” he said.
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Steil was first elected in 2018 and held on to his seat in November for Wisconsin’s 1st congressional district, which includes Kenosha and Racine counties and portions of Milwaukee, Rock, Walworth and Waukesha counties.


chicagotribune--2020-11-22--Coronavirus in Illinois updates: Here’s what happened Nov. 21-22

The messaging , in the case of the pandemic , should be about minimizing risk , Ernst and other harm @ @ @ @ @ people will gather no matter what , they said , so government officials should talk @ @ @ @ @ it in the safest possible manner .

We have lifted the paywall on this story. To support essential reporting, please consider becoming a subscriber .
CTU workers direct vehicles lined up for COVID-19 testing outside of the Chicago Teachers Union on Dec. 30, 2021, in Chicago. CPS starts back to school on Monday following their holiday break. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
Illinois health officials Sunday announced 10,012 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 76 additional fatalities, bringing the total number of known infections in Illinois to 656,298 and the statewide death toll to 11,506 since the start of the pandemic.
Meanwhile, the state moved back into more strict coronavirus restrictions Friday, entering Tier 3 mitigation levels designed to slow the spread of COVID-19.
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The measures close most businesses and public places designed for people to congregate, such as theaters, museums and banquet halls, as well as banning indoor dining and closing bars except for outdoor service. The rules limit at-home gatherings to household members, decrease legal capacity at retail stores, personal care service businesses like salons and health and fitness centers.
The crackdown comes as the state continues to see an explosion in COVID-19 cases and a return to high numbers of deaths, coming close to numbers seen in the spring.
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Here’s what’s happening Friday with COVID-19 in the Chicago area and Illinois:
Sunday
10,012 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19, 76 deaths reported
Illinois health officials Sunday announced 10,012 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 76 additional fatalities, bringing the total number of known infections in Illinois to 656,298 and the statewide death toll to 11,506 since the start of the pandemic.
There were 92,437 tests reported in the previous 24 hours. The seven-day statewide positivity rate stands at 13% and the statewide positivity rate for cases as a percent of total test is 11.3%.
First COVID-19 vaccines could begin on Dec. 12, says US official
The head of the U.S. effort to produce a coronavirus vaccine says the first immunizations could happen on Dec. 12.
A Food and Drug Administration advisory committee is set to meet Dec. 10 to discuss Pfizer Inc.’s request for an emergency use authorization for its developing COVID-19 vaccine.
Dr. Moncef Slaoui, head of the Operation Warp Speed, the coronavirus vaccine program, says plans are to ship vaccines to states within 24 hours of expected FDA approval.
Slaoui told CNN he expects vaccinations would begin on the second day after approval, Dec. 12.
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Read more here. —Associated Press
Saturday
FDA grants emergency authorization of experimental antibody treatment given to Trump after COVID-19 diagnosis
The Food and Drug Administration has granted emergency authorization for the experimental antibody treatment given to President Donald Trump shortly after he was diagnosed with COVID-19, giving doctors another option to treat COVID-19 patients as cases across the country continue to rise.
The treatment, made by the biotech company Regeneron, is a cocktail of two powerful antibodies that have shown promise in early studies at keeping the infection in check, reducing medical visits in patients who get the drug early in the course of their disease. A similar treatment, made by Eli Lilly, was given emergency approval earlier this month.
Read more here. —The New York Times
What 635 epidemiologists are doing for Thanksgiving
The family of one epidemiologist plans to celebrate Thanksgiving in a garage, with tables 10 feet apart and the doors rolled up. Another epidemiologist’s family is forgoing a traditional meal for an outdoor hot cider toast with neighbors. A third is dining in an outdoor tent, with a heater, humidifier and air purifier running.
And, according to an informal survey of 635 epidemiologists by The New York Times, the large majority are not celebrating with people outside their household. Public health experts from a range of backgrounds answered our questionnaire. Not all of them study COVID-19, but all have professional training about how to think about disease spread and risk.
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Read more here. —The New York Times
In-person entrance exams for Chicago’s selective high schools bring high anxiety about COVID-19 risk
To have a shot at getting into their favorite Chicago public high school, many eighth graders need to take a three-hour test, a process causing even more anxiety than usual amid an uncontrolled pandemic and after COVID-19 cases were tied to college admissions testing earlier this fall.
Some parents worry that proceeding with in-person testing for Chicago’s 11 selective-enrollment high schools may benefit families willing to take an unnecessary risk, even with all the health and safety measures available.
Read more here. —Hannah Leone
Midwestern governors urge residents to wear masks during Thanksgiving, shrink gathering sizes: ‘We know what will happen’
Coronavirus infections are ravaging South Dakota, where more than half of tests have come back positive for weeks.
Republican Gov. Kristi Noem won’t issue a mask mandate but suggests smaller gatherings “may be smarter this year.”
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Some governors who for months echoed President Donald Trump’s criticism of measures to control the coronavirus are now relenting, including North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, who recently ordered the use of masks statewide.
Republican and Democratic governors from several Midwestern states issued a joint video urging people to say home for Thanksgiving and wear masks to slow the spread of the virus until a vaccine is widely available.
Hospitals in many states are running out of beds and are short on nurses, including in the states where governors are reluctant to act.
“We know what will happen. We know that three to four weeks from Thanksgiving, we will see an exacerbation of the outbreaks,” said Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association.
CDC scientists believe about 40% of infected people don’t have obvious symptoms but can still spread the virus.
The U.S. leads the world with 11.9 million cases and more than 254,000 deaths.
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—Associated Press
11,891 new confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases and 127 additional deaths reported
Illinois health officials on Saturday announced 11,891 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 127 additional fatalities, bringing the total number of known infections in Illinois to 646,286 and the statewide death toll to 11,430 since the start of the pandemic. Officials also reported 120,284 new tests in the last 24 hours.
The seven-day statewide rolling positivity rate for cases as a share of total tests was 11.5% for the period ending Friday, up from 8% on Nov. 1.
—Chicago Tribune staff
Can harm reduction, the philosophy that stems HIV transmission and heroin overdoses, help curb a Thanksgiving COVID-19 meltdown?
Millions of Americans appear set to defy government guidance to stay home this Thanksgiving, disregarding the growing peril of COVID-19 to gather with distant loved ones. To Erica Ernst, it is a familiar scenario.
She is president of the Chicago Recovery Alliance, a group that tries to minimize the odds of HIV transmission and drug overdose through harm reduction, which aims to minimize the danger of risky behavior rather than try to stop it altogether.
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Ernst said this phase of the pandemic reminds her of the early days of the HIV crisis, when people lapsed into denial, fatalism or exhaustion instead of taking simple steps to protect themselves.
“A lot of people died,” she said. “Older folks in harm reduction or older gay men can tell you they lost their whole social group. We forget these things. We push them aside. But the messaging just needs to keep going out and keep getting pushed.”
The messaging, in the case of the pandemic, should be about minimizing risk, Ernst and other harm reduction experts said. Some people will gather no matter what, they said, so government officials should talk more about how to do it in the safest possible manner.
Read more here. —John Keilman
Breaking coronavirus news Stay up to date with the latest information on coronavirus with our breaking news alerts.
In case you missed it
Here are some recent stories related to COVID-19.


chicagotribune--2020-11-24--Daywatch: Illinois hospitals could run out of beds, Biden transition to begin and virtual sex is tre

Daywatch: Illinois hospitals could run out of beds, Biden transition to begin and virtual sex is trending

Brandon McGhee , 23 , was walking near that wall in June , after a hot summer day spent visiting @ @ @ @ @ was shot and killed in one of the most violent weekends Chicago has seen in @ @ @ @ @ to the same grammar school as Jones ’ kids .
McGhee ’ s mother , @ @ @ @ @ old family friend .

Good morning, Chicago. On Monday, Illinois officials announced 8,322 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 — the lowest daily total since Nov. 4— as well as 47 additional fatalities. Over the past week, the state has averaged 11,339 new cases per day, which is down from a week earlier, when cases were averaging was 12,384 day.
Meanwhile, Cafe Marie-Jeanne and The Whale are among the latest Chicago restaurants closing due to COVID-19. Here’s our running list.
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Here’s more coronavirus news and other top stories you need to know to start your day.
Listen to the Tribune | 2020 Election results | Experts answer your COVID questions | More newsletters | Puzzles & Games
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Dr. Michael Gottlieb, left, and Dr. Keya Patel work Nov. 23, 2020, in the lobby of Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, which had been transformed into a triage area for less seriously ill patients with COVID-19-like symptoms. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)
As COVID-19 hospitalizations have risen to unprecedented levels in Illinois and other states, the same questions from the spring surge are reemerging: Will Illinois hospitals run out of beds? And if they do, where and when?
Pritzker sees ‘glimmer of hope’ in declining coronavirus cases and positivity rate, but officials warn not to let guard down ahead of Thanksgiving
President-elect Joe Biden speaks during a meeting at The Queen theater on Nov. 23, 2020, in Wilmington, Del. (Carolyn Kaster/AP)
The General Services Administration ascertained Monday that President-elect Joe Biden is the “apparent winner” of the Nov. 3 election, clearing the way for the start of the transition from President Donald Trump’s administration and allowing Biden to coordinate with federal agencies on plans for taking over on Jan. 20.
Durbin seeks top Democratic spot on Senate Judiciary Committee
Mark Goldman, president of Micro Tech Systems, who was the victim of a fraudulent unemployment claim, is shown at his office Nov. 17, 2020, in Northbrook. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
Fraudulent claims for unemployment benefits are on the rise as record numbers of Illinois residents file for benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic, causing victims like Goldman and Dolan to worry their personal information has been exposed.
More than 212,000 fraudulent claims for unemployment benefits have been filed with the state since March 1, according to the Illinois Department of Employment Security.
A mural for Brandon McGhee, who was fatally shot earlier this year, is seen next to a memorial near the CTA Western Blue Line station in Chicago, Nov. 20, 2020. (Youngrae Kim / Chicago Tribune)
A golden frame filled with the cosmos went up on a brick building near the Western Blue Line. Its creator, speckled in paint, finished off glints of light on the stars. In a few clean lines, he wrote, “memorial mural in progress.” For longtime Chicago artist Tyrue “Slang” Jones, the project was personal.
Brandon McGhee, 23, was walking near that wall in June, after a hot summer day spent visiting his mom, when he was shot and killed in one of the most violent weekends Chicago has seen in recent years. McGhee went to the same grammar school as Jones’ kids. McGhee’s mother, LaDonna Lane, was an old family friend.
Virtual sex was defined as “any kind of sexual expression through a phone or computer.” (ESB Professional // Shutterstock)
With video dating keeping cuffing season alive this fall and winter, it’s not surprising that virtual sex would accompany it.
According to a recent survey of 2,000 unmarried millennials and Gen Z folks — all under 35 years old — six in 10 have engaged in virtual sex at some point since the pandemic started. Nearly 75% of that subgroup had virtual sex for the first time, the study found.