chicagotribune--2020-05-28--Illinois stores everywhere but Chicago can start reopening Friday. Here’s what to expect in phase 3.

Certain stores may attract enough shoppers to hit their capacity limit and require a line outside the store , but @ @ @ @ @ stay home , said Gabriella Santaniello , president and founder of A Line Partners , @ @ @ @ @ research firm has seen in places like Texas and Florida .
Some shoppers are likely @ @ @ @ @ others may wait for more stores to reopen .

Fleet Feet's salesperson Kirk Cherep, left, pushes a pair of shoes to Tonya and Solomon Animashaun, of Homewood, inside the Schererville, Indiana, store on May 13, 2020. Customers are allowed inside the store by appointment only. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)
Illinois retailers outside of Chicago that have been closed since mid-March are preparing to let customers back in stores starting Friday.
That doesn’t include stores in Chicago, which will be able to reopen June 3. But the coronavirus pandemic means it won’t be business as usual. Here’s what to expect:
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What will open right away?
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Just because stores can reopen doesn’t mean all will be ready to open their doors Friday. It’s worth checking before making a trip, and even those that are open may start with limited hours.
Crate and Barrel store manager Nick Craynon places a bag in the trunk of a customer as curbside pickup takes place at the North Avenue location on May 5, 2020. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)
Kohl’s opens Illinois stores outside the city Friday. Goodwill opens its Chicago-area stores Friday and those in the city June 3. Several suburban locations of Dick’s Sporting Goods also open Friday.
Crate and Barrel will reopen all six Illinois stores outside the city on Saturday. The Chicago store, in the Ranch Triangle neighborhood, currently offers curbside pickup.
Some retailers are starting with limited hours, including Anderson’s Bookshop’s stores in Naperville, Downers Grove and La Grange, and Notice, which sells apparel and gifts in Evanston and Barrington.
On Notice’s first day, Saturday, the only employees in stores will be the owner and her daughter, Becky Jackson. “We figured we’d take the first day ourselves and see what it entails with the new rules,” she said. “It just felt right.”
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Several major chains that have opened stores in other states have not announced plans for Illinois yet, including Barnes and Noble, Nordstrom, TJ Maxx, Marshalls, HomeGoods, J.C. Penney, Macy’s, Apple, Ulta, American Eagle and Aerie.
What about malls?
Malls can reopen with the same capacity limits as retail stores. Seating at indoor food courts will be off limits, though restaurants can open for carryout or delivery. Some stores within malls may still be closed.
Oakbrook Center, Northbrook Court, Spring Hill Mall in West Dundee and Market Place Shopping Center in Champaign will open Friday. All four malls will be open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday. The reduced hours will allow for additional deep cleaning, said Brookfield Properties spokeswoman Lindsay Kahn.
Hand sanitizer and masks will be available to shoppers and mall security has been told to help enforce social distancing policies if needed. Curbside pickup will be available at Oakbrook Center, Northbrook Court and Market Place. Brookfield has not set an opening date for Water Tower Place in Chicago.
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Hawthorn Mall in Vernon Hills and Fox Valley Mall in Aurora will reopen June 1. Jeff Rutzen, Hawthorn Mall’s general manager, encouraged customers to check with individual stores or visit the mall’s website, which will update stores’ status daily.
Both malls, which are managed by Centennial Real Estate Management Company, initially will limit hours to 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday to allow more time for cleaning.
[ More businesses are opening up in Illinois Friday: Tell us about your plans ]
"Mall ambassadors” at entrances and other busy areas will provide face coverings and hand sanitizer if shoppers request them and answer any questions about new policies in place around sanitation and social distancing. Some stores and restaurants will continue offering curbside pickup.
Yorktown Center in Lombard reopens Saturday with reduced hours, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. It has designated 11 a.m. to noon Mondays and Wednesdays as “golden hour,” the recommended shopping hour for seniors, pregnant women and other vulnerable shoppers.
The mall has installed more than 20 hand sanitizer stations, will provide free face coverings on request and continue offering curbside pickup once stores reopen to customers.
Westfield Old Orchard in Skokie will open June 3 with modified hours, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday. The mall will monitor the number of shoppers in certain areas and customers can text or webchat for updates on store openings or other questions.
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Old Orchard is working with certain retailers to coordinate curbside pickup, setting up designated parking zones where customers can have purchases delivered to their cars.
Other local malls have not announced reopening plans.
What about car dealerships?
Car dealerships have remained open during the pandemic, but sales required an appointment. CarMax will open Illinois stores to walk-in customers Friday, said chief marketing officer Jim Lyski.
Like other stores, it will have capacity limits and customers can still make an appointment if they choose. CarMax will keep offering curbside pickup, which lets customers test drive and purchase a vehicle without having to enter a store.
Employees are trained to stay six feet away and customers will test drive vehicles on their own, he said. CarMax said it disinfects frequently touched parts of the vehicle like the door handles, steering wheel, gear shift, seat belts and instrument panel before and after each test.
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Are masks required?
Illinois requires people to wear masks or face coverings in places where social distancing is challenging, like retail stores. Several retailers said they encourage masks even where local regulations say shoppers don’t need them.
Others, including Apple, American Eagle Outfitters and Fleet Feet, said they require customers to cover their faces and will provide free masks if shoppers don’t bring their own. Apple also checks customers’ temperatures at the door.
Will stores be crowded?
Illinois’ guidelines say retailers can operate at half their maximum capacity, or five customers per 1,000 square feet. In Chicago, stores considered nonessential will be limited to 25% of their capacity.
Certain stores may attract enough shoppers to hit their capacity limit and require a line outside the store, but many shoppers will choose to stay home, said Gabriella Santaniello, president and founder of A Line Partners, based on what the retail research firm has seen in places like Texas and Florida. Some shoppers are likely still being cautious, while others may wait for more stores to reopen.
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“It’s strange to be in a mall where only 10% of the stores are open,” she said.
At an outdoor mall in Texas, only one store, Athleta, hit its capacity limit and had a line to enter, according to a report from consulting firm WSL Strategic Retail.
Dan Michael, vice president of retail for Goodwill in Southeast Wisconsin and Chicago, said lines have formed at stores that are already open in Wisconsin, particularly for people trying to drop off donations.
American Eagle Outfitters, parent company of American Eagle and Aerie stores, has an app where customers who don’t want to stand in line can sign up to get a notification when it’s their turn to go inside.
Jo Walsh, left, talks to Best Buy employee Esme Gutierrez about her options for a new phone on May 15, 2020. Customers can now schedule an appointment to shop inside the Best Buy store on North Elston Avenue in Chicago. (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune)
Some stores are offering or require appointments for shopping, including running retailer Fleet Feet, which is reopening three suburban stores Friday. Neiman Marcus has required appointments at stores that have reopened in other states.
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In Highland Park, Pam Hillman said her stores, including Beanstalk Toys, home goods store Harper and Ash and multiple apparel shops, will reserve every Monday for appointments. Stores will be open to walk-in shoppers the rest of the week.
“We feel there are going to be people who want to shop but have not embraced coming into the store yet,” she said.
Are fitting rooms open?
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Illinois’ guidelines say retailers should disinfect surfaces like benches, door handles and hooks between each use or keep fitting rooms closed. The state also advised against letting customers try on bathing suits and undergarments.
In states where stores have reopened, policies vary by retailer. TJ Maxx, Gap, Kohl’s and J.C. Penney aren’t letting shoppers try items on. Gap is also keeping store restrooms closed too.
Others, including Macy’s, Express, Lululemon and Goodwill said some fitting rooms are available.
At Fleet Feet, fitting rooms and restrooms are closed and customers are being told not to touch merchandise on shelves and walls.
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If shoppers can’t try items on, many retailers have extended return policies.
Will everything be on sale?
Many stores still have merchandise left on shelves from when they closed in March. Bazar will open with sales to clear out spring apparel and make room for summer merchandise, said Doug Zylstra, owner of Bazar, an apparel store in Chicago’s Roscoe Village neighborhood. He plans to reopen as soon as the city of Chicago allows.
Still, while stores in other states appear to be offering more discounts than at the same time last year, customers shouldn’t expect a “crazy fire sale,” said Santaniello. Chains may be waiting until more locations open so customers will see consistent prices, she said.
Will stores take cash?
It depends on the store. Anthropologie is not accepting payment by cash or check except where laws prohibit stores from going cashless. Lululemon and Fleet Feet said they will not take cash either. Dick’s Sporting Goods is encouraging shoppers to avoid cash but designates a specific register at each store for cash transactions.
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What about other in-store services?
Macy’s and Lululemon have said reopened stores will not offer alterations. At Macy’s and Aerie, customers won’t be able to get one-on-one bra fittings.
Beauty services are being pared back too. Salons in J.C. Penney stores haven’t reopened even where local regulations would allow it. Ulta is offering hair services at some stores that have reopened in other states but not skincare or makeup, and customers aren’t allowed to touch cosmetics normally left open for testing. Ulta, which offers curbside pickup, is working to reopen Illinois stores but hasn’t set a date, the retailer said.
At Macy’s, the only way to test cosmetics before buying is to ask an employee to apply the product to a piece of paper with an illustration of a woman’s face.
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What happened to curbside pickup?
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Many retailers continue to offer curbside service as stores reopen.
lzumbach@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-05-28--Teenager dies after being shot outside Mundelein pharmacy

Mundelein officers were dispatched to the scene at about 1 p.m. Thursday where they found the teenager shot and “ @ @ @ @ @ to the release .
The teenager was taken by ambulance to the hospital where he @ @ @ @ @

Mundelein police and Lake County Major Crime Task Force members on the scene of a fatal shooting near Haley Street and Seymour Avenue in Mundelein on May 28, 2020. (Joe Shuman / Pioneer Press)
An 18-year-old man died after being shot Thursday afternoon in the parking lot of a Mundelein pharmacy, the Mundelein police chief said.
A preliminary investigation indicates that the teenager was “specifically targeted” and was not the victim of “a random act of violence,” according to a Mundelein Police Department news release.
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The identity of the man will not be released until after the autopsy is complete and the family is notified, Lake County Coroner Howard Cooper said. The plan was to conduct the autopsy Friday.
The teenager went to meet someone in the parking lot of a pharmacy in the 300 block of North Lake Street for “some type of exchange,” according to the release. It is thought the suspect and victim were acquainted.
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“The suspect was initially inside of a vehicle before exiting the passenger side and shooting the victim,” according to the release. “After the shooting, the suspect fled on foot and the driver of the vehicle fled in the vehicle.”
The investigation is in its very early stages, Mundelein Police Chief Eric Guenther said.
Mundelein officers were dispatched to the scene at about 1 p.m. Thursday where they found the teenager shot and “gravely wounded,” according to the release. The teenager was taken by ambulance to the hospital where he was subsequently pronounced dead.
The Lake County Major Crime Task Force is assisting the Mundelein Police Department in the investigation, according to the release.
Anyone with information about the shooting is being asked to call investigators at 847-968-4600 or Lake County Crime Stoppers at 847-662-2222.


chicagotribune--2020-05-28--Sexual assault victims fear going to ER during a pandemic. New legislation could allow rape kits at

Sexual assault victims fear going to ER during a pandemic. New legislation could allow rape kits at health clinics instead.

“ We know everybody is not able to adhere to the stay-at-home ( order ) .
They ’ re still @ @ @ @ @ sexually assaulted by somebody and they need care , ” she said .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ more reason why a survivor needs compassionate care from an expert , and why they @ @ @ @ @ hospital and being shamed for the choices they made during the pandemic .
”

It’s never easy to go to an emergency room for evidence collection after a sexual assault.
But now, assault victims face the added fear of COVID-19 infection.
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Legislation that passed both Illinois state houses on May 23 aims to alleviate fears for rape victims who seek help. Advocates say they are hearing from survivors who want a rape kit or other health services, but are hesitant to go to an emergency department.
“People don’t want to go to ERs because they’re scared,” said Sarah Layden, director of programs and public policy at survivor support nonprofit Resilience. “We wanted to make an attempt to remove that.”
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The legislation, which still needs the governor’s signature, would allow evidence collection, the part of a rape kit that includes swabs and photos to help with a potential prosecution, at federally qualified health centers. Right now, if survivors of sexual assault want an exam and evidence collection, they must go to an emergency room. This measure would instead allow centers such as Howard Brown Health to perform a rape kit.
Debbie Perry, director of advocacy and crisis intervention services at the YWCA Metropolitan Chicago, said survivors who call their hotline have been reporting their fears. She said their volunteers have tried to assess and assuage concerns, suggesting, for example, survivors request a separate entrance at a hospital, or to be met by a health care worker and taken directly to a room.
State Rep. Kelly Cassidy, D-Chicago and a sponsor of the bill, noted that Howard Brown has received more calls from people asking if they can go there instead of a hospital. Resilience, which sends advocates to hospitals, is seeing fewer requests from hospitals for advocates.
“We know sexual assaults are not stopping during this time,” Cassidy said in a statement announcing the legislation’s passage. “Survivors should not have the added worry of being exposed to the virus; they deserve better.”
This change would be temporary, existing throughout the city’s disaster proclamation and for 90 days after. Health centers would need to apply to the Illinois Department of Public Health and be approved. Exams would be provided by a medical provider with at least 10 hours of training on evidence collection and forensic exams.
Despite the shelter-in-place order, crimes still occur. Victims of domestic abuse are at an especially high risk if they are stuck at home with an abusive partner. Experts also caution that stress and isolation can exacerbate domestic violence, and the ability to escape to public places is limited.
And not everyone stays home. People have continued to gather. This adds an extra layer, said Megan Rosenfeld, policy director at the Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation, because people might fear going to a hospital if they anticipate blame.
“We know everybody is not able to adhere to the stay-at-home (order). They’re still in situations where they are sexually assaulted by somebody and they need care,” she said. “I think that’s even more reason why a survivor needs compassionate care from an expert, and why they would fear going to the hospital and being shamed for the choices they made during the pandemic.”
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Rosenfeld said that they are still hearing that not all nurses are well trained to do rape kits. Under this legislation, a health center would undergo 10 hours of training.
Layden said Resilience supports evidence collection primarily in emergency rooms, for reasons including the 24/7 care and training nurses should receive. But the coronavirus crisis has changed how ERs are seen.
“Ever since the pandemic, there’s been sort of a national conversation around avoiding emergency rooms, emergency rooms being places where you’re only supposed to go if you can’t breathe, your lips are turning blue,” Layden said.
Typically, when a sexual assault survivor arrives in an emergency room, hospitals call support groups like Resilience, which then send an advocate to explain the process and offer support. But visitor limitations mean advocates can no longer be present, nor can family members or friends.
So advocates are trying to help by phone. But Layden noted the challenges of not being able to communicate face to face and having to count on hospital staff to have a phone or suggest this option.
“Right now, survivors are essentially alone,” Layden said.
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In April, the Illinois Department of Human Services advanced a grant to the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault to support resources like its hotline, counseling and criminal justice support.
“Rape crisis centers have been adapting their services to meet the needs of sexual assault survivors during COVID-19, as most hospitals will not allow (an advocate) to accompany a victim, and courts are functioning at diminished capacity,” IDHS spokeswoman Patti Thompson said.
Layden said they are thinking ahead to long-term needs, such as improving technology for remote services and obtaining sanitizer and masks for many months to come.
“Services are going to look different, and I think they’re going to look different for quite some time,” she said.
abowen@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-05-28--As Chicago moves to next phase of reopening, CTA says it will watch crowds and make announcements to

As Chicago moves to next phase of reopening, CTA says it will watch crowds and make announcements to keep riders apart

The CTA has remained open throughout the stay-at-home order , but overall ridership has been down 80 % to 85 @ @ @ @ @ to agency spokesman Brian Steele .
That ’ s expected to change when the city @ @ @ @ @ 3 and many offices , day care centers , retailers and gyms will be allowed @ @

A person rides the Metra Electric District line, May 11, 2021, in Chicago. With some coronavirus pandemic restrictions lifted, some people may be returning to public transit. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)
As Chicago enters the next phase of reopening during the pandemic, the CTA said it will use cameras to monitor crowds at stations and on trains and make announcements urging people to spread out or wait for the next train.
The agency said it also plans to place decals on station floors “guiding riders on where to stand and how to keep distance."
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The CTA has remained open throughout the stay-at-home order, but overall ridership has been down 80% to 85% each day, according to agency spokesman Brian Steele. That’s expected to change when the city enters phase three on June 3 and many offices, day care centers, retailers and gyms will be allowed open.
Steele said officials are still encouraging riders to use other forms of transportation for nonessential travel. For those who use the CTA, the agency is asking riders to continue taking precautions like social distancing, wearing masks, not boarding crowded trains and buses “and being mindful and respectful of fellow customers.”
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During the stay-at-home order over the last two months, the CTA said it ran longer trains and buses on some routes to help with social distancing and allowed passengers to board buses through the rear doors.
The CTA said it will continue its deep-cleaning measures and will also deploy “electro-sprayers” to more efficiently spread cleaning solutions throughout the cars. It is also adding four-person “CleanTeams” at the ends of the Blue and Red lines.
As the order eases up over the next months, the CTA said it is exploring other measures:


chicagotribune--2020-05-28--Bosses say $600 coronavirus unemployment boost makes reopening harder. Some workers ‘are making more

Bosses say $600 coronavirus unemployment boost makes reopening harder. Some workers ‘are making more money than they’ve ever made by not working right now.’

For businesses hoping PPP loans offer relief , failure to bring workers back on their payrolls could mean a portion @ @ @ @ @ t be forgiven .
That could change if Congress approves a bipartisan proposal to eliminate @ @ @ @ @ of the forgivable loans be used for payroll and extend the window for when businesses @ @ @ @ @ The changes passed the House by a 417-1 vote Thursday .
In the meantime , @ @ @ @ @ Business Administration said employers can avoid reduction of their loan forgiveness by informing the state @ @ @ @ @ an offer to be rehired .
But that puts employers in an awkward position .

Workers make face masks April 21. 2020, at the Hart Schaffner & Marx factory in Des Plaines. The company may start producing men’s clothing again by the end of June. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
About a month after suit-maker Hart Schaffner & Marx furloughed its nearly 250 factory employees, the Des Plaines-based company called them all back to work, marshaling their talents to cut and sew face masks suddenly in high demand to protect against COVID-19.
But there was an unanticipated hurdle: Many employees were making more money on unemployment insurance than they did working. While unemployment benefits usually pay a fraction of a person’s regular wages — 47% in Illinois, up to a cap — people laid off or furloughed amid government-mandated shutdowns are getting an additional $600 per week through July.
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Three-quarters of the factory workers, whose jobs on average pay above $15 an hour, voiced concerns about letting go of the extra cash, said Ken Ragland, chief operating officer at W Diamond Group, which manufactures the Hart Schaffner & Marx brand. In a difficult conversation, he told their union that those who didn’t return to work within 72 hours would lose their jobs — and also lose their unemployment benefits — unless they had a legitimate reason to stay home, such as child care constraints.
Hllida Gigov carries bundles of finished PPE masks at the Hart Schaffner & Marx factory in Des Plaines. W Diamond Group, who owns the suit company, called nearly 250 union workers back to work after they converted their 130-year-old suit-making company into making PPE masks and other goods. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
“I hated having to convey that message, but the union concurred,” said Ragland, whose overall workforce has shrunk to 260 from 292 pre-pandemic, as some workers remain furloughed and others lost their jobs for failure to return. “Them not coming back to work would have meant that the company would have been in much worse shape.”
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As Illinois enters phase three of its reopening plan and more businesses resume operations, some employers worry they won’t be able to staff up if people are making more money staying home than they would returning to work. University of Chicago economists estimate that nationwide, about 68% of jobless workers can get more in unemployment benefits than they make while working.
That could hamper reopening efforts and slow an economic recovery. Some business owners also worry they’ll pile on debt if they can’t get loan forgiveness through the federal Paycheck Protection Program, which requires them to keep employees on payroll.
The concerns have reached Washington, where a proposal has surfaced to use federal dollars to pay people a bonus if they return to their jobs.
By law, people are disqualified from receiving unemployment benefits if they refuse to return to work when called back or decline an offer of a suitable job, and employers are encouraged to report such situations to the state. But many employers are reluctant to put their workers in that position.
Danya Williams opens a door for dogs on their way to an outdoor play area May 27, 2020, at Canine Crews, a dog day care and boarding facility in Chicago. Canine Crews recently reopened after being closed for several weeks. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)
“I can’t force them to come back. I’m not going to create a hostile environment,” said Catherine Crews, owner of Canine Crews, a dog day care and boarding facility with locations in Humboldt Park and River West.
Crews, who laid off 27 workers in March, called back five who were willing to return when she started to reopen this month.
“The majority of my employees are making more money than they’ve ever made by not working right now,” said Crews, who pays her hourly staff $14 to $17 an hour. “That’s the reality of it.”
The enhanced unemployment benefits, part of the $2.2 trillion relief package passed by Congress in late March, were intended to replace the full wages of people who lost their jobs as governments mandated business closures and urged people to stay home to slow the spread of the coronavirus. When it was determined old computer systems at state offices couldn’t handle calculating individual replacement pay, Congress agreed to a flat weekly $600 payment on top of state benefits. The figure was based on what it would take to fully replace the wages of the average unemployment recipient.
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But the $600 bump more than made up for the lost wages of many workers, with 1 in 5 receiving twice as much in unemployment as they normally make, according to the U. of C. analysis.
In Illinois, a typical middle-income person who made $723 per week in gross wages while working receives $940 weekly in unemployment with the enhanced benefits, or 130% of his or her regular pay, according to the analysis. A low-income worker earning $438 per week when employed gets $806 weekly, or 184%, on unemployment. Meanwhile, higher earners are subject to a cap of $484 a week in state benefits, so someone who makes $1,287 weekly when employed would receive $1,084 when unemployed, or 88% of regular pay.
The extra $600 per week benefit is set to expire July 31. But with the economic fallout from the coronavirus continuing to drive mass unemployment, House Democrats this month voted to extend the additional payments through January 2021 as part of a $3 trillion rescue package. The extension faces an uphill battle in the Republican-controlled Senate.
Some Republican lawmakers instead want to offer a back-to-work bonus to incentivize people to take jobs as the economy reopens, with one proposal from Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, suggesting workers get a temporary $450-per-week bonus on top of regular wages through July.
Despite worries that generous unemployment will discourage laid-off workers from getting back to work, some economists say the added benefits have been good for the economy by getting more money into the pockets of low- and moderate-wage workers.
“Without generous relief, these workers and their families would have had to run down meager savings and go into debt just to survive during the lockdown period,” wrote economists Josh Bivens and Heidi Shierholz of the left-leaning Economic Policy Institute. “Besides causing avoidable human misery, this would severely hamper spending — and, by extension, the overall economic recovery — when the public health all-clear is eventually sounded.”
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A worker passes by racks of men's suits waiting to be finished April 21, 2020, at the Hart Schaffner Marx factory in Des Plaines. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
Erik Hurst, an economics professor at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business, doubts people would risk losing their jobs long-term to earn the extra unemployment benefits, and in cases where that does happen he thinks businesses will have an easy time finding new workers.
The additional weekly payments have been particularly helpful to laid off and furloughed workers who have to pick up the cost of health insurance premiums, said Lynne Fox, international president of Workers United, a union affiliated with the Service Employees International Union that represents some 80,000 workers in food service, retail, distribution centers, commercial laundries and the garment industry, including the Hart Schaffner & Marx employees.
She’s found most people want their jobs, which offer a sense of purpose as well as health coverage and retirement contributions, more than unemployment benefits, she said. Those who would rather stay home, be it for pay or safety concerns, should consider the risks, she said.
“They may not have a job to go back to,” said Fox, not only because someone else might fill it but because their employer could go out of business.
Sam Shalaby, a 62-year-old technician who repairs machines at Hart Schaffner & Marx, was eager to return to work after a month on furlough because he was bored with the repetitive routine of working in the garage, cleaning the house and watching the news.
His unemployment benefits paid about the same amount as his usual paycheck, but he makes less now that he’s back at work because there are fewer opportunities for overtime.
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Shalaby said he doesn’t blame the company for threatening to fire people if they didn’t return to work, as he wants the business to survive. The mission of making masks to help businesses protect their employees also is motivating to him.
“I am so happy for what I’m doing to help people, actually,” said Shalaby, who has worked at the company for 42 years.
The company is making washable triple-ply cloth masks that it sells in bulk at cost to customers including Uber, Union Pacific railroad and the Cook County sheriff’s office. It also started selling them directly to consumers.
Ragland says he hopes to start producing men’s clothing again by the end of June, but he expects to keep making masks with the unused factory capacity.
For businesses hoping PPP loans offer relief, failure to bring workers back on their payrolls could mean a portion of their loan won’t be forgiven. That could change if Congress approves a bipartisan proposal to eliminate a requirement that 75% of the forgivable loans be used for payroll and extend the window for when businesses must spend the money. The changes passed the House by a 417-1 vote Thursday. In the meantime, recent guidance from the Small Business Administration said employers can avoid reduction of their loan forgiveness by informing the state that a worker has rejected an offer to be rehired. But that puts employers in an awkward position.
Tom Jednorowicz, who owns a restaurant in Lincolnwood and three others downstate, said he doesn’t want to insist laid-off employees return to work to earn significantly less than they do on unemployment during a period there is nothing for them to do anyway.
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“This isn’t their fault,” said Jednorowicz. “They work hard for their money and given the opportunity to provide extra money and extra savings, who am I to say that for the betterment of me I am going to force you to take my money right now?”
Jednorowicz was approved for $200,000 in PPP loans for each of his restaurants, but calculates only $60,000 will be forgivable because of staffing issues related not only to the higher unemployment benefits but also the timing of the loan requirements. Restaurants can’t open their dining rooms until late June at the earliest, and even then at diminished capacity because of social distancing requirements.
“There will be no problem finding employees when all of this is said and done because there will be so many closed businesses,” Jednorowicz said. “What I’m worried about is I’m not going to be able to afford them.”
Johnny Hernandez pets a husky at Canine Crews on May 27, 2020, in Chicago. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)
Crews, the dog day care owner, said she received a PPP loan early this month and is “fairly certain I won’t have 100% forgiveness because I can’t get my employees back.”
She has opened one location for a limited number of dogs for day care, for which there is there demand because many clients are first responders still heading to work or people juggling both child care and jobs at home. But her dog walking and dog boarding sales have tanked, and she expects to lose $500,000 in annual revenue, or 46% of her total, as a result.
As part of the PPP process, she offered all of her employees their jobs back along with a letter detailing the risks and a questionnaire asking if they wished to return.
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Among the five employees who agreed to come back immediately, three were not receiving unemployment benefits, one missed the dogs and another was a longtime employee who was moving into a leadership role. Just one worker had found a different job. Most people said they wanted to come back but not yet because of child care or safety concerns.
Crews feels the process is setting small-business owners up to fail.
“There are days you want to go into a primal scream,” she said.
aelejalderuiz@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-05-28--When can Illinois reopen? Check our daily charts on where each region stands.

The metrics focus on a rolling average of positive coronavirus cases and hospitalizations to keep track of the direction of @ @ @ @ @ availability of hospital beds and ventilators that would be needed to handle a possible surge @ @ @ @ @ for testing and tracing positive tests .

Chad Yoder, Nausheen Husain, Jennifer Smith Richards, Jonathon Berlin

With each of the state’s four regions in Phase 3 of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s Restore Illinois plan, the clock starts on moving on to Phase 4, where more businesses and activities are allowed. The plan to reopen Illinois — from restaurants and salons to open space to non-COVID-19 procedures at the hospital to concerts and festivals — depends on a host of metrics laid out by Pritzker.
The metrics focus on a rolling average of positive coronavirus cases and hospitalizations to keep track of the direction of the outbreak as well as availability of hospital beds and ventilators that would be needed to handle a possible surge. There are also benchmarks for testing and tracing positive tests.
[ COVID-19 cases in Illinois by ZIP code: Search for your neighborhood ]
A key element of the plan is that a region can move both forward and backward, where more parts of society can open and shut depending on the seriousness of the outbreak.
Here is a breakdown of where each region stands.


chicagotribune--2020-05-28--COVID-19 cases in Illinois by ZIP code: Search for your neighborhood

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

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


chicagotribune--2020-05-28--Tracking Illinois coronavirus: 5,186 deaths, 115,833 confirmed cases, 829,966 tests,  14.2% positivi

Tracking Illinois coronavirus: 5,186 deaths, 115,833 confirmed cases, 829,966 tests,  14.2% positivity rate for Northeast region

As the coronavirus spreads and local , state and national governments work to contain and mitigate the outbreak , the @ @ @ @ @ .

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--2020-05-28--37 suburban Chicago restaurants reopening for outdoor dining beginning Friday

All guests and restaurants are expected to abide by the regulations issued by Gov .
J.B. Pritzker .
Guests are @ @ @ @ @ times , only removing them while they ’ re at a table .
Parties are @ @ @ @ @ fewer ; tables are mandated to be 6 feet apart , ideally separated by barriers @ @ @ @ @ adhere to safety and sanitations rules , such as disinfecting tables and chairs between every @ @ @ @ @ going above and beyond to ensure customer safety , like only using disposable flatware .

Adam Lukach, Grace Wong, Laura Rodríguez Presa, Holly Baumbach

Allegory restaurant chef-owner Chris Mason makes picnic tables on May 27, 2020, behind his Naperville restaurant. He's building five tables to accommodate outdoor diners starting Friday. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)
Though Chicago restaurants won’t be able to open for outdoor dining until June 3 or later, dozens of suburban restaurants began reopening their patios and rooftops May 29, the first time they have been allowed since the pandemic shutdown.
All guests and restaurants are expected to abide by the regulations issued by Gov. J.B. Pritzker. Guests are to wear masks at all times, only removing them while they’re at a table. Parties are limited to six people or fewer; tables are mandated to be 6 feet apart, ideally separated by barriers. Restaurants are expected to adhere to safety and sanitations rules, such as disinfecting tables and chairs between every party, and some are going above and beyond to ensure customer safety, like only using disposable flatware.
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Here is a running list of suburban restaurants that have reopened for outdoor dining, plus some beginning this week. We will continue to update the list. If you own or manage a restaurant that is not included here, please let us know at food@chicagotribune.com.
[ For more details on dining outside this weekend, check out our FAQ here. ]
Arlington Heights
Passero Enjoy brunch outside on one of two patios, which seats a total of 56 people. Guests are encouraged to wear PPE, like the staff, and will used disposable flatware. 3 S. Evergreen Ave., Arlington Heights, 224-857-8900, eatpassero.com
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Berwyn
Buona About five tables of four will be available. Though the restaurant will continue to focus on pick-up and delivery, it will open the patio for those who wish to use it. 6801 W. Roosevelt Road, Berwyn, 708-749-2555, buona.com
Fill Up Station The neighborhood bar will open its patio with tables featuring cleaning wipes and hand sanitizers so that guests can enjoy the beer garden safely. 2627 Ridgeland Ave., Berwyn, 708-795-6744, fillupstationbar.com
Lavergne’s Tavern Patio is open daily for outdoor dining. First come, first served. 6546 Windsor Ave., Berwyn, 708-956-7405, lavergnes.com
Burr Ridge
Topaz Cafe You can have dinner and cocktails on the patio, where tables are placed six feet apart. You’ll enter and exit through separate areas to minimize contact and you’ll be greeted with hand sanitizer when you arrive. 780 Village Center Dr, Burr Ridge, 630-654-1616, topazcafe.com
Countryside
7 Gates Restaurant The restaurant built out a side patio that it hopes will be able to accommodate up to five four-person tables. 7 Gates had not yet decided at publication time if it will take reservations this weekend. 10050 55th St., Countryside, 708-582-6800, 7gatesrestaurant.com
Elmwood Park
Jim and Pete’s Last year the restaurant added a new “spacious and safe” patio which will be put to use this Friday. The restaurant will also convert its parking lot into an outdoor dining area that will open for lunch and dinner. 7806 W. North Ave., Elmwood Park, 708-453-5204, jimandpetes.com
Massa Cafe Italiano Guests can dine at the sidewalk patio with eight tables available overlooking Elmwood’s “Restaurant Road.” First come, first served. 7434 W. North Ave., Elmwood Park, 708-583-1111, massacafe.com
Trattoria Peppino Up to 60 people on the patio, masks will be available. First come, first served. 7440 W. North Ave., Elmwood Park, 708-453-2155, peppinotrattoria.com
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Evanston
Good to Go Jamaican Cuisine owner Lenice Levy sets up additional outdoor space on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant Thursday, May 28, 2020, in Evanston. Starting Friday, the patio will be open to dine-in customers as well as some tables near the open garage door and additional sidewalk space. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)
The Barn Steakhouse Full outside dining service at one of six tables in the garden patio. 1016 Church St. Rear, Evanston, 847-868-8041, thebarnsteakhouse.com
Good to Go Jamaican Cuisine The patio will be open Friday, plus additional space near the open garage door and additional sidewalk space, providing potentially enough seats for 40 people. 711 Howard St., Evanston, 847-868-8226, .goodtogorestaurant.com
Glen Ellyn
Ellyn’s Tap & Grill Bar food and craft beer. Seating is first come, first served. 940 Roosevelt Road, Glen Ellyn, 630-942-0940, ellyns.com
Highland Park
Max’s Deli Once you’ve finished your meal of corned beef sandwiches, lox platters or fresh bagels, you can even pick up a Max’s Deli face mask. The patio will seat 25 people. 191 Skokie Valley Road, Highland Park, 847-831-0600, maxs-deli.com
Michael’s Grill & Salad Bar Guests are encouraged to order online and their food will be brought out to you. All of the regular menu items will be available, like char burgers, hot dogs, wraps, salads, grilled chicken sandwiches, baked potatoes, milkshakes and Kosher items. The sidewalk patio has nine tables and can seat a total of 54 people. 1879 2nd St., Highland Park, 847-432-3338, eatmichaels.online
Hinsdale
Egg Harbor Cafe Guests are encouraged to add their name to a virtual waiting list online, so they can get a better estimate of potential waiting times. The breakfast cafe’s front patio should seat about 40 people in groups of four. 777 N. York Road, Hinsdale, 630-920-1344, eggharborcafe.com/location/hinsdale
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Il Poggiolo Ristorante The italian restaurant will extend its outdoor seating area in the front, with up to 14 tables, a mix of six-tops and four-tops. Walk-ins only. 8 E. 1st St., Hinsdale, 630-734-9400, ilpoggiolohinsdale.com
Kildeer
Fresh Stack Burger During peak hours, a walk-up menu board will greet guests, who will give orders to a “Covid Concierge.” Diners will be seated at outdoor dining tables where they will be notified when their orders are ready to be picked up at the counter inside the restaurant, with the concierge ensuring compliance with safety regulations. Staff will manage guest flow and capacities. During non-peak hours, orders will be taken at the counter. 20413 N. Rand Road, Kildeer, 847-847-7223, freshstackburger.com
La Grange
1416 Restaurant Reservations required, and the restaurant is already booked out for the May 29 weekend. 1416 will be seating guests in three areas: an indoor/outdoor space with open garage door, patio and rooftop. 14 W. Calendar Ave., La Grange, 708-469-7896, 1416lagrange.com
Balkan Bakery Patio seating opens for burek, desserts and more. 541 S. LaGrange Road, La Grange, 708-588-1899, facebook.com/BalkanBakery
Barrel House Social The beer garden will seat approximately 40 guests, with some additional seating in front. Availability will be half reservations, half walk-ins. Food menu will be limited. 100 W. Burlington Ave., La Grange, 708-469-7529, bhsociallagrange.com
Casa Margarita The Mexican restaurant will have about 16 tables on a front patio, plus a small side-lot expansion. Reservataions recommended. 32 S. LaGrange Road, LaGrange, 708-354-2272, casamargarita.com
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The Elm The rooftop will seat up to 70 people and is reservation only. The restaurant will serve sandwiches and salads. 23 W Harris Ave., La Grange, 708-639-4068, theelmlagrange.com
Kama Bistro The Indian restaurant will operate at approximately 25% capacity, with up to 15 tables in the front and back, as well as a section with large open windows. Reservations recommended. 9 S. La Grange Road, La Grange, 708-352-3300, kamabistro.com
Little Joe’s The burger joint with a small sidewalk patio is planning for up to six tables. 20 E. Plainfield Road, La Grange, 708-352-9696, littlejoesbeef.net
MAK’S House The casual American fare spot hopes for up to five four-peron tables on its sidewalk patio. Walk-ins only. 46 S. La Grange Road., La Grange, 708-469-7264, makshouse.com
Palmer Place Restaurant and Biergarten The large, three-level outdoor space includes a patio and rooftop. No reservations, and Palmer Place will encourage considerate table turnover times, with up to six guests per table. 56 S. La Grange Road, La Grange, 708-482-7127, palmerslagrange.com
Posto 31 A true backyard patio will seat about 80 guests. Reservations required. 1017 E. 31st St.,, La Grange, 708-469-7233, posto31.com
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Q-BBQ The patio will be open with an outdoor host stand to greet guests. Walk-ins only. 70 S. La Grange Rd., La Grange, 708-482-8700, q-bbq.com
Santiago’s Up to eight four-person tables will be set up along Santiago’s sidewalk and its parking lot in back. Walk-ins only. 24 Calendar Court, La Grange, 708-354-0700, santiagosatlagrange.com
Steak + Vine The steakhouse is planning for eight four-person tables at its sidewalk cafe. Reservations recommended. 37 S. La Grange Road, La Grange, 708-579-0520, steakandvine.com
Libertyville
Cafe Pomigliano Tables for outdoor dining open Friday. Reservations required. 160 E. Cook Ave., Libertyville, 847-247-2208, cafepomigliano.com
Casa Bonita Mexican Restaurant Reservations are highly encouraged as only one to two tables are available for walk-in customers. Seating is limited to 75-minutes for brunch/lunch and 90-minutes for dinner. 633 N. Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville, 847-362-4400, casabonitalibertyville.com
Dos Amigos Mexican Restaurant In the quaint outdoor dining area, the tables have been spaced at a safe distance and sanitation protocols are in place. 101 W. Rockland Road, Libertyville, 224-206-7282, dosamigosmexrestaurant.com
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Milwalky Taco Outdoor seating through reservations only. All reservations last 1 ½ hours at tables that have been safely spaced apart. 605 N. Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville, 224-513-5766, milwalkytaco.com
O’Tooles of Libertyville Outdoor seating has been reconfigured to meet social distancing guidelines. Floor decals have been placed throughout public areas to maintain distance protocols. 90-minute maximum at tables to allow every guest the opportunity to dine out. 412 N. Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville, 847-984-2599, timothyotooles.com/libertyville
Lincolnwood
L. Woods It’s first come, first served at this barbecue restaurant, which seats up to 28 people outside. 7110 N. Lincoln Ave., Lincolnwood, 847-677-3350, lwoodsrestaurant.com
Stefani Prime Tables will be spread 6 feet apart and the restaurant will serve its regular menu of steak, seafood and Italian dishes and daily specials. The capacity is about 52 seats. 6755 N. Cicero Ave., Lincolnwood, 847-696-6755, stefaniprime.com
Naperville
Allegory With picnic tables just built by the chef and owner, diners can enjoy farm-to-table fare outside and in the parking lot. 224 S. Main Street, Naperville, 630-536-8862, allegorynaperville.com
Empire Burgers & Brew You won’t be able to bring in large bags to this burger restaurant, but you should keep your phone with you to look at the menu online. The bar is closed to guests, but you’ll still be able to sit on the spacious patio overlooking the river. The restaurant can seat a maximum of 140 people, and hopes to add tables outside the front on the street. 48 W. Chicago Ave., Naperville, 630-355-9000, empireburgerbar.com
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Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar When you arrive at the restaurant, you’ll be asked for your information and asked to sit in your car or at one of the socially distant waiting areas before being seated. The patio, opening June 1, has 10 tables and you can figure out what to eat by getting a single-use menu or reading the menu on your phone. You can also make a reservation. 436 S. Illinois Rte 59, Naperville, 630-481-7301, lazydogrestaurants.com
Schmaltz’s Deli While remaining open for carry out and pickup, the Jewish deli will also put out four picnic tables in the front of the restaurant for diners to sit and enjoy their food. 1512 N. Naper Blvd. #152, Naperville, 630-245-7595, schmaltzdeli.com
Taps N Tenders Outdoor patio seating, drive-through pickup and expanded curbside pickup with three covered lanes. 3320 S. IL-59, Naperville, 630-961-8277, tapsntenders.com
Northbrook
Allgauer’s on the Riverfront The 26-seat patio will serving its regular and brunch menus with grilling specials beginning Saturday. The temperatures of restaurant staff will be taken before each shift and all kitchen staff and servers will wear gloves and masks. Contactless menus and contactless payment options will also be available. 2855 N Milwaukee Ave., Northbrook, 847-664-7999, allgauers-on-the-riverfront.business.site
Northfield
Happ Inn Bar & Grill The carryout has resumed, plus limited outdoor seating has opened. In addition, a tent will offer additional al fresco seating. Reservations required. 305 Happ Road, Northfield, 847-784-9200, happinn.com
Oak Brook
Antico Posto Enjoy pasta, weekend specials, fresh salads and more at this Italian restaurant’s patio, which seats up to 36 people. Seating is first come, first served. 118 Oakbrook Center, Oak Brook, 630-586-9200, antico-posto.com
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Mon Ami Gabi The patio will open, but only half of it will seat customers. Reservations are required, as distanced dine-in spots are limited. Enjoy a prixe-fixe lunch menu as well as an all day a la carte menu. The restaurant is also doing carryout and delivery. 260 Oakbrook Center, Oak Brook, 630-472-1900, monamigabi.com
Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille You can still experience Perry’s signature tableside carving demonstration, but now from a safe distance. The patio menu features pork chops, whipped potatoes, soups, salads and desserts. Reservations recommended. 5 Oakbrook Center, Oak Brook, 630-571-1808, perryssteakhouse.com
Table at Crate With a 40-seat patio, this restaurant at Crate & Barrel beginning Saturday will serve salads, tartines and a kid’s menu, plus wine, beer, canned cocktails and coffee. The restaurant will also have single-use menus and check presenters, as well as hand sanitizers for staff and guests. 35 Oakbrook Center, Oak Brook, 630-590-9444, tableatcrate.com
Oakbrook Terrace
Brook’s Kitchen & Tap Spacious outdoor patio with large awning. Credit cards only. Reservations highly encouraged. 1919 S. Meyers Road, Oakbrook Terrace, 630-613-9588, brooks-obt.com
Oak Lawn
Deja Brew Bar & Grille The bar and grill will only be seat guests through reservations that can be made through email. The restaurant will limit six guests per table on the patio and will allow a 90-minute time slot. 5219 95th St., Oak Lawn, 708-423-0484, dejabrewbargrille.com
Rosemont
Bub City Guests can order sandwiches, cocktails and milkshakes from an outdoor counter before finding a table on the patio. First come, first served. 5441 Park Place, Rosemont, 847-261-0399, bub-city.com/rosemont
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Schaumburg
Shaw’s Crab House Dine on oysters, hand-rolled sushi and other seafood dishes on this patio starting June 2. First come, first served. 1900 E. Higgins Road, Schaumburg, 847-517-2722, shawscrabhouse.com/schaumburg
Skokie
Epic Burger This fast-casual burger joint set up santizing stations and PathSpot at each store, which scans employee’s hands post-wash to monitor how effective they are washing their hands. If you don’t want to go inside the restaurant, you can order from an app and have your food brought out to you. 4999 Old Orchard Shop Center East Ring Road, Skokie, 847-933-9013, epicburger.com
Wheaton
Warren’s Ale House. Seating is first come, first served. 51 Town Square, Wheaton, 630-462-5126. warrensalehouse.com
Wheeling
Saranello’s Choose from a patio menu or enjoy Saranello’s classics at dinnertime at this Italian restaurant’s patio. Reservations are required. 601 N. Milwaukee Ave, Wheeling, 847-777-6878, saranellos.com
Tuscany Tables will be 8 feet apart with a two-guest maximum in the building to use restrooms. No waiting in the building or outside in line, and the restaurant will seat 96 people. The restaurant will serve an updated regular menu featuring pasta and wood-fired pizza. 550 S. Milwaukee Ave. Wheeling, 847-465-9988, TuscanyChicago.com
Western Springs
Davanti Enoteca This location of the Italian restaurant plans to seat about 24 people on a front patio with an awning. Reservations highly recommended. 800 Hillgrove Ave., Western Springs, 708-783-1060, davantienoteca.com/location/western-springs
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Winnetka
Avli The full menu — plus cocktails, beer and wine — will be available at this Greek restaurant’s patio, which will have 11 tables of two and four. Reservations are recommended. 566 Chestnut St., Winnetka, 847-446-9300, avli.us
George Trois Group, Aboyer The patio will be open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays starting June 5 with expanded hours to come. There are 20 seats available. The restaurant will have stands with liquid hand sanitizer and only four people are allowed into the restaurant at one time. Enjoy a new grill menu with Michael Lachowicz and Charlett Perez cooking outside on the patio. 64 Green Bay Road, Winnetka, 847-441-3100, georgetroisgroup.com
Rise n Dine Pancake Cafe Patio open for dining daily. 102 S. Milwaukee Ave., 847-541-4900, risendinecafe.com


chicagotribune--2020-05-28--Mayor Lori Lightfoot compares Minneapolis’ George Floyd case to Chicago’s Laquan McDonald slaying

The death of Floyd , a black man who died in the custody of Minneapolis police , has sparked violent @ @ @ @ @ ’ s mayor to ask the governor to activate the National Guard .
Floyd was @ @ @ @ @ could not breathe while a white officer kneeled on his neck for almost eight minutes @

Protesters lay in the middle of the intersection of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. and Second Avenue in Memphis on June 4, 2020 for the protests over the death of George Floyd. Floyd died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on May 25. (Patrick Lantrip / AP)
Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Thursday noted that she ran for mayor in the aftermath of the Laquan McDonald police shooting, and said watching the video of George Floyd in Minneapolis brought back the trauma of that event.
“We have to think that there but for the grace of God goes Chicago,” Lightfoot said.
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[ Chicago Superintendent David Brown condemns police actions that led to death of George Floyd as protesters plan to gather on South Side ]
The death of Floyd, a black man who died in the custody of Minneapolis police, has sparked violent protests and prompted that city’s mayor to ask the governor to activate the National Guard. Floyd was seen on video saying he could not breathe while a white officer kneeled on his neck for almost eight minutes.
McDonald, a black teenager, was killed in October 2014 when then-Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke, who is white, shot him 16 times while the 17-year-old walked with a knife on a Southwest Side street.
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[ Laquan McDonald timeline: The shooting, the video, the verdict and the sentencing ]
Lightfoot said Chicago police are working in some of the most difficult conditions they’ve ever faced, with the loss of the social networks the city relies on because of the coronavirus.
“Even in these circumstances, Superintendent (David) Brown and I are in lockstep,” Lightfoot said. They want to make clear to officers that they need to hold themselves to the highest standard.
“We simply can’t go backward,” she said.
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Lightfoot went on to say calling the recent violence over Memorial Day weekend “a fail” was not directed at Brown, the city’s new police superintendent.
“Superintendent Brown has, and will continue to have, my unflagging support, full stop,” Lightfoot said.
[ Who was George Floyd? Unemployed due to coronavirus, he’d moved to Minneapolis for a fresh start. ]
jebyrne@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-05-28--Watch live: Gov. J.B. Pritzker and health officials provide an update on the coronavirus in Illinois

Gov .
J.B. Pritzker and state health officials are scheduled to provide an update on the coronavirus in Illinois at @ @ @ @ @ the latest coronavirus updates here .

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chicagotribune--2020-05-28--Should VA hospitals be treating COVID-19 patients with hydroxychloroquine? Some veterans worry about

Should VA hospitals be treating COVID-19 patients with hydroxychloroquine? Some veterans worry about the risks.

VA officials wrote that about 1,300 patients with COVID-19 had been given hydroxychloroquine since the start of the pandemic response @ @ @ @ @ who received it for other conditions .
The VA response denied that the department was @ @ @ @ @ or any agency to prescribe the drug and laid out plans for studies on the @ @ @ @ @ the virus .

Veterans groups and Sen. Dick Durbin are criticizing the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for using hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19 patients at its hospitals. (Yuri Cortez/Getty-AFP)
Veterans groups and Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin are criticizing the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for using hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19 patients at its hospitals despite questions about the drug’s effectiveness and potentially dangerous side effects.
VA officials said last week that the hospitals had given the drug to some 1,300 people infected by the novel coronavirus.
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Charity Hardison, a spokeswoman for four VA hospitals in the Chicago area and downstate Danville, declined to say whether those facilities had used the drug to treat COVID-19 cases thus far. However, she said in an email: “In certain cases, medical providers and patients want to try hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19, and FDA guidance, which VA follows, permits that.”
Illinois AMVETS Executive Director Keith Wetherell said VA hospitals shouldn’t use the drug as a COVID-19 treatment unless its value is proved.
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“We don’t appreciate veterans being given a drug that hasn’t proven to be effective and or safe,” he said. “Veterans aren’t supposed to be experimental beings when it comes to these things.”
Durbin, a Democrat, sent a statement to the Tribune pointing to “serious questions about the safety of prescribing hydroxychloroquine to COVID-19 patients."
"Our veterans deserve the very best care possible and if the science suggests that this drug isn’t a safe and effective treatment against this virus, then the Trump administration must explain why it’s choosing to ignore that guidance and potentially put our veterans’ health at risk,” the statement read.
The drug, an anti-malaria medication also used to treat arthritis and other conditions, has become a political flash point during the pandemic. President Donald Trump has pushed for its use to fight the virus, calling it a “game changer" and saying he had taken it himself.
Various trials of the drug have been launched. Locally, Cook County Health and Hospitals System announced a study this month.
Some studies already have cast doubt on its effectiveness, and doctors have warned of potentially lethal side effects. On Monday, the World Health Organization announced it would temporarily suspend a trial of the drug to review its potential benefits and harms when used against COVID-19. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease doctor, told CNN Wednesday that “the scientific data is really quite evident now about the lack of efficacy for it."
Earlier this month, Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, a Democrat from New York, called on VA officials to explain the use of the drug to fight COVID-19.
VA officials wrote that about 1,300 patients with COVID-19 had been given hydroxychloroquine since the start of the pandemic response, in addition to 7,500 who received it for other conditions. The VA response denied that the department was pressured by the White House or any agency to prescribe the drug and laid out plans for studies on the drug’s effects on the virus.
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Locally, Hardison said VA hospitals in the Chicago area and Danville would not be involved in those studies. She also sent the Tribune a link to video of Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie on Fox News accusing Schumer of “trying to deflect attention from what is going on in one’s own backyard.” Wilkie noted there have been thousands of deaths at nursing homes in New York.
Jeremy Butler, CEO of the New York-based Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, said the VA should release more information on outcomes for patients who receive the drug. He also voiced concerns about the medication being given to veterans, a population with specific health issues, including ailments related to Agent Orange exposure during the Vietnam War.
Butler asked why VA officials have seemed to advocate for the drug, rather than acknowledging questions about it.
“It seems like (VA officials) are almost adamant about ... it being a viable treatment option,” Butler said.
dhinkel@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-05-28--36-year-old man shot to death inside Harvey apartment

Antoine Taylor , of Calumet City , was shot twice inside one of the units of a multi-unit ranch-style apartment @ @ @ @ @ 148th Place and Madison Avenue at about 2:48 p.m. , police Chief Robert Collins said @

A 36-year-old man was fatally shot Tuesday afternoon inside a Harvey residence, police said.
Antoine Taylor, of Calumet City, was shot twice inside one of the units of a multi-unit ranch-style apartment building on the corner of 148th Place and Madison Avenue at about 2:48 p.m., police Chief Robert Collins said.
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He was pronounced dead a short time later by Harvey police, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
The motive for the slaying is unclear and police have not released any information about possible suspects or witnesses.
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The homicide is Harvey’s sixth this year and third this month, records show.
zkoeske@tribpub.com
Twitter @ZakKoeske


chicagotribune--2020-05-28--Ford paused production at Chicago Heights stamping plant after employee tests positive for COVID-19

Before reopening all of its plants early last week after a weekslong shutdown because of the coronavirus , Ford said @ @ @ @ @ , such as screening employees for COVID-19 symptoms before shifts through daily surveys and temperature @ @ @ @ @ addition to requiring face masks and limiting interaction between employees , Ford announced earlier this @ @ @ @ @ Chicago Medical Center and University of Chicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial Hospital in Harvey will help @ @ @ @ @ .

A UAW local 588 assembly worker moves automobile parts at Ford Motor Company's Chicago Stamping Plant April 4, 2012 in Chicago Heights. Ford Motor Co. temporarily paused production at its stamping plant in Chicago Heights Wednesday for sanitation after an employee at the facility tested positive for COVID-19. (John Gress / Getty Images)
Ford Motor Co. temporarily halted production at its stamping plant in Chicago Heights on Wednesday after an employee at the facility tested positive for COVID-19.
The company paused production on one line at the stamping plant for cleaning, Ford said in a statement Wednesday. It notified workers known to have been in close contact with the infected employee and asked them to self-quarantine for 14 days.
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The plant resumed production with its second shift Wednesday evening after the deep cleaning was completed, Ford spokeswoman Kelli Felker said in an emailed statement.
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It is the automaker’s fourth plant that has faced disruption tied to the coronavirus since the company resumed production last week.
Ford Motor Co.'s stamping plant in Chicago Heights makes body panels for vehicles such as the Ford Taurus sedan and Ford Explorer sport utility. (Ford Motor Co.) - Original Credit: Handout (Ford Motor Co.)
The Dearborn, Michigan-based automaker stopped production at its Kansas City Assembly Plant Tuesday for an hour of cleaning after a worker tested positive for COVID-19, Felker said.
Last week, the company paused work at its Chicago Assembly Plant, which makes Lincoln Aviator, Ford Explorer and Police Interceptor SUVs, and its Dearborn Truck Plant in Michigan after employees tested positive for COVID-19.
Before reopening all of its plants early last week after a weekslong shutdown because of the coronavirus, Ford said it implemented several safety precautions, such as screening employees for COVID-19 symptoms before shifts through daily surveys and temperature scans upon arrivals. In addition to requiring face masks and limiting interaction between employees, Ford announced earlier this month that the University of Chicago Medical Center and University of Chicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial Hospital in Harvey will help test workers who show symptoms.
abjimenez@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @abdel1019


chicagotribune--2020-05-28--Suburban restaurants open for outdoor dining Friday. Here’s what to know.

“ I ’ m kind of winging it right now , ” he said as he drove to Menards to @ @ @ @ @ tables .
“ We ’ ve been much slower in sales , but it doesn @ @ @ @ @ any fewer things to do on a given day .
We went to a carryout @ @ @ @ @ that was like opening a different restaurant on the fly .
”

Allegory restaurant chef-owner Chris Mason makes picnic tables on May 27, 2020, behind his Naperville restaurant. He's building five tables to accommodate outdoor diners starting Friday. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)
Chris Mason, chef and owner of Allegory in Naperville, spent Wednesday afternoon building picnic tables in preparation for the expected start of outdoor dining in most of Illinois Friday.
He plans on using a few parking spaces in front of the restaurant, as well as another handful of spaces from his neighbor during off-hours, and convert them to dining space.
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“I’m kind of winging it right now,” he said as he drove to Menards to pick up lumber for picnic tables. “We’ve been much slower in sales, but it doesn’t mean I have any fewer things to do on a given day. We went to a carryout and delivery model, and that was like opening a different restaurant on the fly.”
Switching back to a service model has been incredibly taxing, and Mason said his exhaustion forced him to take a day off. While he puts together the picnic tables, he’s going to try to “figure out how all the pieces fit together.”
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[ 37 suburban Chicago restaurants reopening for outdoor dining beginning Friday ]
Allegory chef/owner Chris Mason cuts wood behind his Naperville restaurant on May 27, 2020, as he builds picnic tables to accommodate customers once outdoor dining resumes Friday. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)
He hosted a staff training session Thursday to ensure everyone is up to date on best practices surrounding sanitation and safety protocols. Guests will be encouraged to look at the menu on their phones, and all service staff will be masked.
“Everyone is in a very strained emotional and mental state, but I want to keep myself, my staff and my other customers who are brave enough to come out and come to our restaurant ... I want to keep everyone safe,” he said.
Allegory will join restaurants across Illinois — except for in Chicago — in opening for outdoor dining Friday. Here’s what you need to know about what to expect, how to dine safely and which restaurants will be open.
When are restaurants opening for outdoor dining?
Gov. J.B. Pritzker said last week that Illinois restaurants and bars could open with limited outdoor seating as early as Friday, the likely beginning of phrase three of his Restore Illinois reopening plan.
Chicago restaurants, however, are not allowed to open yet. Mayor Lori Lightfoot said she expects the city will move forward to phase three in early June, and released guidelines on how restaurants can reopen at that point.
What places will be open and when?
Restaurants, bars and others licensed to serve food and drinks can open Friday for outdoor dining, provided the state’s number of COVID-19 cases continues on its current downward trajectory.
Some are readying to open as soon as possible, while others like Libertyville’s Firkin and Ristorante Bottaio have said they plan to open in mid-June. Here’s a running list of which restaurants are opening their doors.
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What counts as outdoor dining?
Rooftops and venues with retractable roofs can open, as can outdoor spaces like patios on the site of restaurants, grocery stores, fitness centers, hotels, golf clubs and other social venues with a food license.
Restaurant interiors with large accordion doors, window walls or other removable parts can open those spaces, as long as dining tables are placed within 8 feet of the opening.
Authorized outdoor dining and drinking areas are allowed, as long as items are prepared by licensed food or liquor providers.
How many people are allowed? Are there capacity limits?
Diners will be limited to parties of six or fewer.
Restaurants must place tables 6 feet apart, ideally with plexiglass between them, which will limit capacity and enable social distancing between groups.
Will I need a reservation?
The state is not requiring reservations, but they are encouraged when possible. Some restaurants, like Oak Brook’s Mon Ami Gabi, will require reservations, as it plans to use only half its patio to seat customers.
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Will it be safe to stand and wait for a table?
Waiting areas and other spots where people congregate will be closed.
The state advises residents to wait off-premise when possible, either in vehicles or while standing 6 feet apart outside and wearing face coverings. Diners should be seated immediately when walking into the business.
What precautions are in place at restaurants?
The state has set a number of guidelines for outdoor dining, but local governments or the restaurants themselves could set more restrictive rules.
At George Trois Group in Winnetka, 20 seats will be available for up to six people per table on the patio of Aboyer. Guests will need to wear masks when going to the restroom, and only four people will be allowed into the restaurant at a time for that.
To avoid contamination, restaurants won’t use self-service stations, set out items like salt and pepper shakers or use shared condiments or reusable menus that aren’t sanitized with each use.
They are also supposed to clean common areas and high-touch surfaces every half hour and disinfect tables and chairs between uses. Employees will wear face coverings, preferably cloth masks, when within 6 feet of other people.
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Workers are to wash their hands every 30 minutes, plus when they arrive at work, switch tasks, prepare food, handle soiled dishes or their phones, use the restroom, eat, drink, smoke, cough, sneeze, use a tissue or touch their face.
Restaurants are encouraged to ask customers whether they have COVID-19 symptoms or ask to take their temperature with an infrared camera or touchless thermometer.
Additional steps the state is encouraging include using service trays to minimize hand contact, using signs to promote social distancing, installing plexiglass barriers between close contact spots, like a host stand, and creating one-way traffic pathways.
Live music will be allowed, but performers should wear face coverings if possible.
What precautions should diners take?
Wear a face covering, except for when you’re eating or drinking at the table.
Pack your own leftovers to minimize contamination. Try to avoid touching areas like bathroom door handles, and use hand sanitizer or wash your hands frequently.
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What if there is bad weather?
Restaurants should not seat customers if bad weather is in the forecast, and if it strikes while people are seated, restaurants will pack food to go and encourage diners to leave.
Do different suburbs have different guidelines for restaurants?
With just over a week to prepare after Pritzker’s May 20 announcement, municipal governments have scrambled to work out the details of reopening restaurants.
Some North Shore suburbs are making plans to increase outdoor dining options, by using parking spaces or sidewalks for more tables, or closing streets to vehicles to create more dedicated space for walking. Park Ridge is considering a similar proposal.
In Glenview, restaurants looking to open will have to propose plans to village officials and get help with table placement and other safety protocols.
When will restaurants resume indoor service?
With phase four of the governor’s reopening program not expected until late June, that’s currently the earliest date Illinois restaurants could resume indoor dining.
[ How will Illinois reopen? Three charts breaking down Pritzker’s plan ]
To move forward to phase four, regions of the state must have testing available regardless of symptoms, contact tracing strengthened, and a stable level of new cases and hospital admissions.
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Karen Ann Cullotta, Kaitlin Edquist and Adam Lukach contributed to this report.
archeung@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-05-28--Cook County awards $8 million in animal shelter grants to city of Evanston, south suburban nonprofit

“ We are fortunate that in a time of COVID-19 , so many residents have stepped up to adopt and @ @ @ @ @ was room , ” Wake said .
“ Usually South Suburban and so many other @ @ @ @ @ have struggled to find space to take in so many animals at one time .
@

Two animal shelters in Cook County are getting a combined $8 million to expand their facilities and ensure there is no overcrowding.
South Suburban Humane Society, a nonprofit located in Chicago Heights, was awarded $6 million, while the city of Evanston was given $2 million, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle announced at a news conference Thursday. The grants are part of the Cook County Department of Animal and Rabies Control’s “Housing Cook County’s Animals" program, announced in November to help revamp nonprofit and government-run shelters that may face overcrowding as long as they agree to house rescue animals.
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Preckwinkle said the grants will help ensure that no animal will be turned away at the shelters.
“Over the last few decades, the way shelters care for our pets has evolved,” Preckwinkle said at the news conference. “Many of their facilities have not. … And they do not provide an optimal environment that helps them engage successfully with potential adopters.”
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The Evanston and Chicago Heights shelters won the grants because they proved they had a “robust and visionary plan” to care for homeless and abused pets while they await new owners, said interim CCARC administrator Dr. Tom Wake, a veterinarian. The grants are funded from fees charged to dog and cat owners who get rabies vaccines for their pets in Cook County.
The need for more space is crucial given that on Wednesday night, the Cook County sheriff’s office rescued 43 dogs from a dangerous situation, Wake said. South Suburban Humane Society is now looking after all of them.
Wake said the COVID-19 pandemic has increased demand for pet adoptions, but usually shelters like South Suburban Humane Society would be strained for resources after taking in so many dogs.
“We are fortunate that in a time of COVID-19, so many residents have stepped up to adopt and foster pets, that there was room,” Wake said. “Usually South Suburban and so many other shelters across our area would have struggled to find space to take in so many animals at one time.”
At Evanston, the $2 million will help construct a new building for animal admission and demolish an old facility that was built in the 1970s and only intended for dogs, and at South Suburban Humane Society the $6 million will build a new campus to take in pets, Wake said.
Emily Klehm, CEO of South Suburban Humane Society, said the money is a “game changer.”
“We were fortunate that so many of our supporters have fostered and adopted pets during this pandemic,” Klehm said. “But while fortunately this pandemic will end, that also means that our need for space will once again be acute.”
Also attending the news conference was local rescue dog Mr. Belvedere, who quietly rested in the arms of his owner, Mark Rosenthal, deputy director of CCARC.
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“It’s also wonderful to have Mr. Belvedere here,” Wake said. “He represents the kind of life we all want our shelter animals to have, a great reminder of what brought us here today.”
ayin@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-05-28--Remembering the lives of those in Illinois who died from coronavirus

As the number of deaths attributable to COVID-19 ticks upward , the Tribune is working to chronicle those who have @ @ @ @ @ Chicago area or who have connections to our region .
These are some of those @ @

They were mothers and fathers, daughters and sons. Many were proud grandparents. Two were sisters from a tight-knit South Side family. All were loved, relatives say, and will be forever missed.
As the number of deaths attributable to COVID-19 ticks upward, the Tribune is working to chronicle those who have lost their lives in the Chicago area or who have connections to our region. These are some of those victims.
If you know of someone or would like to offer a remembrance of someone please share your information here. To file a death notice, go here.
Subscribe to the Chicago Tribune: Our mission is to deliver trusted and meaningful local news. Your support allows us to continue providing the award-winning, watchdog and in-depth journalism our community deserves. Subscribe here.


chicagotribune--2020-05-28--For second straight day, crowd confronts Chicago police making arrest on gun charges

Officers saw a man with a gun who ran from them and threw the weapon underneath a car , police @ @ @ @ @ They took him into custody and placed him into a police car , but a @ @ @ @ @ began pulling on the doors in an attempt to release the offender while interfering and @ @ @ @ @ police said .

For the second straight day, a large crowd confronted Chicago police officers as they arrested someone on gun charges.
The latest incident happened about 10:30 p.m. Wednesday as police were dispersing about 100 people attending a memorial in the 2700 Block of West Flournoy Street in the Lawndale neighborhood.
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Officers saw a man with a gun who ran from them and threw the weapon underneath a car, police said in a statement. They took him into custody and placed him into a police car, but a crowd surrounded it “and began pulling on the doors in an attempt to release the offender while interfering and obstructing the officers,” police said.
The car was able to leave the scene and no injuries were reported. Five people were arrested on charges ranging from aggravated battery to a police officer to resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. The suspect initially taken into custody was charged with unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, police said.
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On Tuesday night, a crowd threw bottles and cursed at police officers as they arrested an 18-year-old man on gun charges near where a 5-year-old girl and two teenage boys were wounded in a drive-by shooting, authorities said.
The officers radioed a “10-1” call for assistance, but no injuries were reported. The suspect, Shamar Le Quan Hunter, was taken to a police station and charged with aggravated unlawful use of weapon, police said.
Hunter was not charged in connection with the shooting, which occurred about 10:40 p.m. in the 200 block of West Pershing Road near the Wentworth Gardens housing complex. Someone in a passing dark-colored car fired shots and hit a 5-year-old girl in the leg, a 15-year-old boy in the leg and face, and a 16-year-old boy in the leg.
All three were taken to Comer Children’s Hospital in fair condition, officials said.
Officers responding to the shooting saw a man holding his waistband hurriedly walking away. The officers ordered him to stop, but he began running and was hit in the face by a tree branch and fell, police said.
As the officers placed him under arrest, they were “surrounded by a hostile crowd that began yelling profanities while threatening to harm them if they did not let the individual in custody go,” police said in a statement. “Also, glass bottles were being thrown in an attempt to harm the officers.”
No other arrests were reported.
The six charged after Wednesday’s incident were identified by police as:


chicagotribune--2020-05-28--COVID-19 spurs union pushes among Chicago-area essential workers. ‘We’re not just burger flippers. W

COVID-19 spurs union pushes among Chicago-area essential workers. ‘We’re not just burger flippers. We’ve been essential.’

Workers at Sunnyside dispensary in the Lakeview neighborhood have cast ballots , and Instacart employees at a nearby Jewel-Osco are @ @ @ @ @ voting by mail on whether or not to unionize .
Workers at the Dill Pickle @ @ @ @ @ a demonstration asking the co-op to recognize their 13-member union , which has been certified @ @ @ @ @ Board .

A crowd from a 2017 protest marches in downtown Chicago on Labor Day. The coronavirus outbreak has unleashed a flurry of unionization efforts in the Chicago area. (Nancy Stone / Chicago Tribune)
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Concerned about their safety on the job as the coronavirus pandemic continues, workers at Chicago-area grocery stores, marijuana dispensaries and other essential businesses are increasingly pushing to unionize.
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Workers at Sunnyside dispensary in the Lakeview neighborhood have cast ballots, and Instacart employees at a nearby Jewel-Osco are also in the process of voting by mail on whether or not to unionize. Workers at the Dill Pickle Co-Op in Logan Square staged a demonstration asking the co-op to recognize their 13-member union, which has been certified by the National Labor Relations Board.
The coronavirus outbreak has unleashed a flurry of unionization efforts in the Chicago area by workers who argue the pay increases and safety measures some employers have put in place don’t go far enough.
Customers exit the store on the first day of recreational marijuana sales on Jan. 1, 2020, at the Sunnyside dispensary in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
“A lot of these essential workers … are reaching out and saying, ‘I’m called a hero, I’m deemed essential. I look at my pay stub, I look at my benefits, I look at my workplace protections and there is a big mismatch,'" said Zach Koutsky, spokesman for Local 881 of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, which represents more than 34,000 grocery store, drugstore and food production workers in Illinois and northwest Indiana.
The public recognition that essential workers have received during the pandemic has given many workers new confidence and leverage when negotiating with management, said Adriana Alvarez, a leader with the Fight for $15, a union-backed movement pushing to organize fast-food workers.
“We’re not just burger flippers. We’ve been essential," said Alvarez, who has worked at a McDonald’s in Cicero for almost a decade. ”Customers now say, ‘Thank you for being at work,' something that before we would never really get."
Adriana Alvarez, who has worked at a McDonald’s in Cicero for almost a decade, has been at the forefront of the Fight for $15 campaign. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)
The share of Illinois workers represented by unions fell to 14.7% in 2019, down from 18.3% in 2009, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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It’s too soon to predict what the new normal for broader unionizing efforts will look like in a post-pandemic Chicago, said Philippe Weiss, head of Seyfarth at Work, a subsidiary of law firm Seyfarth Shaw that consults with companies on workplace relations.
But established unions, including the Teamsters, Professional Employees International Union and Communications Workers of America, report a boost in callers asking how best to organize, he said.
“There is little doubt that a range of high-profile worker efforts to improve safety, job security and hazard pay will remain front and center, so long as the pandemic itself is with us,” Weiss said in an email.
The pandemic prompted workers at the Dill Pickle Co-Op to push management to recognize the union they first voted to form in 2017, said Jessico Dickerson, wellness lead at the Logan Square grocery.
Jessico Dickerson, who works as the wellness lead at Dill Pickle Co-Op in Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood, is seen at the store on May 22, 2020. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)
Among other things, employees want a bonus for working during a frenzied two weeks in March, when customers flooded the store and items flew off shelves. Dickerson said they had to fight for workplace protections and increased hourly hazard pay. Employees generally feel safe at work, Dickerson said, but the extra $2 an hour workers continue to receive remains inadequate.
“Cashiers are on the front lines and we feel that they should be making at least $5 extra an hour," Dickerson said. “They are more vulnerable and exposed.”
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General manager I’Talia McCarthy said paying workers any more would put the co-op — which employs more than 60 people, including furloughed workers and management — in a financial bind.
“They’re saying they deserve more,” McCarthy said. “Unfortunately we’re a very, very small business and co-op, and if we were to pay our employees that much we would not be able to afford to stay in business or make payroll or pay any of our bills.”
The pandemic is teaching employees they might be in a better position if they pool their collective strength through a union, said Tom Balanoff, president of SEIU Local 1, which represents 50,000 janitors, airport workers, seasonal ballpark workers and others in Chicago and the Midwest.
Roughly 30% of SEIU Local 1′s members are laid off because of the pandemic, Balanoff said. But for members who are still working, it negotiated for personal protective equipment and struck an agreement with the Building Owners and Managers Association that allows workers to stay home without losing their jobs if they’re sick or experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.
The union election at Sunnyside dispensary was one of the first elections of essential workers to take place during the pandemic in Illinois, said Koutsky, from Local 881. Results are expected next week. The union is working to organize employees at dispensaries operated by different cannabis companies in Naperville and Evanston, too, he said.
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Nicholas Stankus, a wellness adviser at Sunnyside, said dispensary workers started organizing earlier this year, shortly after recreational marijuana sales started in Illinois. The pandemic solidified their concerns, as customers continued to filter into the store near Wrigley Field and workers worried about exposure.
Chicago-based Cresco Labs, which owns Sunnyside, immediately put health and safety protocols in place at its dispensaries to deal with the outbreak, spokesman Jason Erkes said in a statement. That included social distancing, increased sanitation, protective equipment, a reduced workforce and increased pay for some workers.
“We respect our employees’ right to have a secret ballot election and pride ourselves on offering competitive pay and benefits as well as a positive and safe working environment,” he said.
Stankus said the efforts have not gone far enough.
“With an industry in its infancy like it is, you can’t treat people as though they’re disposable,” he said.
amarotti@chicagotribune.com
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Twitter @AllyMarotti


chicagotribune--2020-05-28--Head-on crash sends three to hospital, including Waukegan man with life-threatening injuries

She was taken Advocate Condell Medical Center with serious injuries , according to the release .
The driver of the @ @ @ @ @ and was taken to Vista East Medical Center in Waukegan .

Alcohol is thought to be a factor in a head-on crash in Beach Park Wednesday night that sent three people to the hospital, including a 33-year-old Waukegan man who sustained critical, life-threatening injuries, according to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
A preliminary investigation determined that a 2013 Nissan Altima was northbound on Green Bay Road about 10 p.m. Wednesday when, for “an unknown reason,” it crossed into the southbound lanes as it approached Chaplin Avenue, according to a news release.
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The Nissan, which was driven by the 33-year-old Waukegan man, struck a southbound 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier, driven by 27-year-old Waukegan man, head-on, according to the release.
The driver of the Nissan was taken to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville with critical, life-threatening injuries, according to the release.
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A 27-year-old North Chicago woman, who was a passenger in the Chevrolet, was partially ejected out of the front windshield, according to the release. She was not wearing a seat belt.
She was taken Advocate Condell Medical Center with serious injuries, according to the release. The driver of the Chevrolet also sustained serious injuries and was taken to Vista East Medical Center in Waukegan.
A second passenger in the Chevrolet, a 35-year-old Waukegan man, was taken to Advocate Condell Medical Center with minor injuries, according to the release.
The crash remains under investigation by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office’s technical crash investigations team, according to the release.