chicagotribune--2020-09-17--Southport Lanes is among the latest Chicago restaurants and bars to close permanently due to the COV

Southport Lanes is among the latest Chicago restaurants and bars to close permanently due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s economic toll. Here’s our running list.

Wells Street Market , which reopened July 6 after weathering the first three months of the coronavirus shut down ( @ @ @ @ @ food hall to resume service ) announced it will close for keeps Sept. 18 .
@ @ @ @ @ at the Wells Street Market , it has been an honor and a joy to @ @ @ @ @ ” the company said in a release .
The food hall made its debut , @ @ @ @ @ , in June 2018 .
The food hall format had enjoyed a boom in Chicago @ @ @ @ @ most have not reopened since the coronavirus shutdown .
Only Time Out Market has reopened @ @ @ @ @ , Dr. Murphy ’ s Food Hall , launched in early August in the former @ @ @ @ @ Phil Vettel

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


chicagotribune--2020-09-17--Man killed in Albany Park, seventh person shot within blocks of one another in last three days

The teenage boys , 15 and 17 , were treated at area hospitals in critical condition .
Both were shot @ @ @ @ @ the younger teen was also wounded in his left leg , police said .
The @ @ @ @ @ woman , taken to Swedish Hospital in serious condition with a gunshot wound to the @ @ @ @ @ man taken to Swedish in fair condition with a graze wound to the chest ; @ @ @ @ @ reported in fair condition , shot in the right leg and taken to Amita Health @ @ @ @ @ .

Evidence markers are placed next to bullet casings as police officers and detectives investigate the scene of a fatal shooting in the 3600 block of West Lawrence Avenue on Sept. 16, 2020, in Chicago. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)
A 20-year-old man killed in an apparent drive-by shooting Wednesday evening in Chicago’s Albany Park neighborhood was at least the seventh person wounded or killed by gunfire in the Northwest Side community in the last three days.
Three of the shootings occurred within a block or two from one another.
Advertisement
The latest was reported about 6:20 p.m. Wednesday in the 3600 block of West Lawrence Avenue, according to police. The 20-year-old suffered multiple gunshot wounds to the lower and upper parts of his body and a .380-caliber semi-automatic handgun was found in his possession, police said.
He was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. Officials have withheld his identity pending notification of relatives.
Advertisement
According to police, surveillance video showed the victim standing by himself at the corner of Lawrence and Monticello avenues when a passenger from a silver SUV passing through the area opened fire on the 20-year-old. The victim, at that point, appeared to have been shot and ran south on Monticello, police said.
The SUV, meanwhile, fled east on Lawrence, according to police. As many as nine 9 mm shell casings were found at the crime scene.
The shooting occurred in an area where at least two street gangs have been known to feud, but police don’t know if the victim had any gang affiliations, police said.
That shooting occurred a little less than 24 hours after five people, two of them teenagers, were shot on the next block in the 3500 block of West Lawrence. The group was celebrating Mexican Independence when a white Nissan sedan drove by about 10:25 p.m. Tuesday and someone inside fired shots.
A police officer directs a woman across the street at the scene of a fatal shooting in Albany Park on Sept. 16, 2020, in Chicago. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)
The teenage boys, 15 and 17, were treated at area hospitals in critical condition. Both were shot in the abdomen, and the younger teen was also wounded in his left leg, police said. The others shot included a 21-year-old woman, taken to Swedish Hospital in serious condition with a gunshot wound to the right hand; a 27-year-old man taken to Swedish in fair condition with a graze wound to the chest; and a 37-year-old man also reported in fair condition, shot in the right leg and taken to Amita Health St. Francis Hospital in Evanston.
Less than a day before that, 26-year-old Ernie Perez was shot and killed about two blocks away in the 3600 block of West Argyle Street. Perez was on a sidewalk when he was shot in his armpit area about 8:30 p.m. Monday. He was taken to Illinois Masonic, where he was pronounced dead, police said.
No one was in custody for any of the shootings, and so far it’s unclear if any of the three are connected.
Through Sept. 6, Chicago police statistics show shootings have more than doubled in the Albany Park police district. Considered a safe area in the city statistically, the district saw 41 shootings compared to 20 during the year-earlier period, the statistics show. The two men killed there this week were among at least eight homicide victims in the district so far in 2020.
Advertisement
jgorner@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-09-17--Cook County Board of Ethics appoints new chair after previous two ousted amid earlier shakeups

The proposed revisions to Cook County ’ s ethics ordinance , which the ethics board voted to recommend in January @ @ @ @ @ county hiring and county commissioners from taking certain outside jobs .
They also would mandate @ @ @ @ @ relatives who work for the county , introduce new rules to clamp down on sexual @ @ @ @ @ ’ s attorney from settling ethics lawsuits without the ethics board ’ s approval and @ @ @ @ @ violations .

The board in charge of enforcing Cook County’s ethics ordinance on Thursday ushered in a new chair, the third to hold the position this year after a series of recent member shake-ups.
Thomas Szromba, currently the longest serving of four members seated on the Cook County Ethics Board, was voted in without opposition to be the panel’s next chair.
Advertisement
“He’s had the most tenure right now, and I think it’s important to maintain consistency with the work that the board is doing,” board member Von Matthews said during a virtual board meeting.
Szromba is principal senior counsel at Boeing, where he has worked for more than a decade. Before that he served stints as a federal prosecutor in the U.S. attorney’s office in Chicago and as a counsel for the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Advertisement
The ethics board enforces the county’s ethics ordinance, which sets rules on how more than 20,000 county employees and officials should conduct themselves. Five unpaid board members are tasked with investigating complaints of ethics ordinance violations, spearheading audits, drafting up recommendations and other guidance — although currently only four members are on the board.
Sign up for The Spin to get the top stories in politics delivered to your inbox weekday afternoons.
Szromba’s appointment came during the board’s first meeting since the pandemic and after Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle ousted the two previous chairs. Former Chair Margaret “Peggy” Daley left in January after Preckwinkle, who is in charge of appointing and reappointing ethics board members, opted not to renew Daley’s term. That led Daley’s colleague David Grossman to resign in protest.
Months later, Preckwinkle told Daley’s replacement as chair, Juliet Sorensen, that her tenure on the ethics board would wrap up in June.
“As board members' terms were set to expire, we wanted to give other members of the public an opportunity to serve,” Preckwinkle spokesman Nick Shields told the Tribune in August.
Daley and Sorensen have said they think otherwise, and wondered whether their attempts to roll out proposed reforms to the ethics ordinance irked Preckwinkle.
The proposed revisions to Cook County’s ethics ordinance, which the ethics board voted to recommend in January, included forbidding nepotism in county hiring and county commissioners from taking certain outside jobs. They also would mandate lobbyists disclose if they have relatives who work for the county, introduce new rules to clamp down on sexual harassment, prohibit the state’s attorney from settling ethics lawsuits without the ethics board’s approval and increase fines for certain ethics violations.
Cook County Board Commissioner Larry Suffredin, D-Evanston, has said he plans to file an amendment to the ethics ordinance during the next Board of Commissioners meeting on Sept. 24 that will include many of the ethics board’s proposals.
Advertisement
David Orr, former Cook County clerk and founder of the political action committee Good Government Illinois, said Szromba is a “very capable” choice for chair, but he worried about forces outside the ethics board impeding him in his mission.
“Ethics legislation is always a difficult sort of challenge, but the real challenge is political interference," Orr said.
ayin@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-09-17--Jerry Harris, star of Netflix show ‘Cheer,’ appears in federal court in Chicago on charges of produc

Jerry Harris, star of Netflix show ‘Cheer,’ appears in federal court in Chicago on charges of producing child pornography

Since “ Cheer ” premiered , Harris has amassed more than 1.2 million Instagram followers and partnered with various brands @ @ @ @ @ Schmidt ’ s deodorant company said Thursday that its partnership with Harris has ended , @ @ @ @ @ is firmly committed to ensuring a safe environment for everyone .
While we partnered with @ @ @ @ @ of 2020 , we are no longer working with him .
”

Jason Meisner, Tracy Swartz, Jessica Villagomez

Chicago-area native Jerry Harris rocketed to fame earlier this year as the breakout star of the Netflix docuseries “Cheer,” parlaying his contagious exuberance into talk show appearances, an Oscars gig and more than a million Instagram followers.
But the young star’s image was shattered Thursday when FBI agents arrested him on child pornography charges, alleging he repeatedly coerced minor victims to send him obscene photos and videos of themselves and solicited sex from boys as young as 13 at cheerleading competitions.
Advertisement
Harris, 21, of Naperville, was charged in a criminal complaint with one count of production of child pornography, which carries a minimum of 15 years in prison upon conviction.
Harris made his initial court appearance Thursday afternoon at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse, walking into the courtroom wearing a disposable face mask, red shirt and gray pants. He then stood next to his lawyer with his hands behind his back. Federal agents stood nearby.
Advertisement
Prosecutors told U.S. Magistrate Judge David Weisman they want Harris held without bond pending trial because he is a danger to the community and is accused of crimes of violence against children.
Harris’ lawyer said he intends to argue for his release, in part because Harris has asthma and uses an inhaler and is at increased risk of contracting COVID-19 behind bars.
Harris was ordered to remain in custody pending another hearing scheduled for Monday.
After Thursday’s 10-minute hearing was over, Harris kept his eyes to the ground as he was handcuffed and escorted out of the courtroom. His lawyer, Todd Pugh, had no comment as he left the courthouse.
The criminal charges appear to be related to a lawsuit filed in Texas this week by two teenagers who accused him of “sexual harassment, exploitation, manipulation, intimidation and sexual abuse.” Harris has denied those allegations through a spokesperson.
“We categorically dispute the claims made against Jerry Harris, which are alleged to have occurred when he was a teenager,” the statement read. “We are confident that when the investigation is completed the true facts will be revealed.”
A manager for Harris could not immediately be reached.
“Like everyone we are shocked by this news,” a Netflix spokesperson said in a statement. “Any abuse of minors is a terrible crime and we respect the legal process.”
Advertisement
Harris was arrested shortly after 11 a.m. Thursday, three days after the FBI raided his home in an upscale Naperville neighborhood in the 2600 block of Evercrest Court. USA Today was the first to report on the raid and criminal investigation.
The U.S. attorney’s office said Thursday its investigation is ongoing, and any other potential victims were encouraged to contact the FBI Chicago field office.
According to the criminal complaint, Harris first contacted one male victim on Snapchat in December 2018 and, over the next 15 months repeatedly enticed him to produce sexually explicit videos and photographs of himself and send them to Harris. The boy informed Harris during their initial online encounter that he was 13 years old, the complaint stated.
The victim’s parent discovered some of the images on the boy’s cellphone and confronted him, and he said that Harris had also solicited oral sex from him in a bathroom at a cheerleading event they both attended, according to the charges.
The boy told his parent Harris had also sought a second in-person sexual encounter at a different competition, according to the complaint. The parent then called law enforcement.
After the FBI raided Harris’ Naperville home on Monday, he admitted to agents during an interview that he had solicited lewd images and sex from the boy on numerous occasions, according to the complaint.
Advertisement
The complaint stated Harris also admitted to soliciting and receiving child pornography on Snapchat from “at least between 10 to 15 other individuals he knew were minors.”
The charges include numerous screenshots from the phone of the first victim — identified only as Minor 1 — including nude images purportedly demanded by Harris of the boy doing a cheerleading move called “the Needle.”
“doit naked take a video and show me,” Harris allegedly wrote, followed by a winking emoji.
Another screenshot contained a message allegedly sent by Harris in which he apologized for his behavior.
“I’m sorry for what I’ve done in the past,” the message read. “I don’t think it’s a good idea we be friends on Snap.”
The complaint lists a total of five minors who allegedly had sexual contact with Harris, including two who reached out to law enforcement and were interviewed earlier this week.
Advertisement
One of those boys — identified in the complaint as Minor 4 — said he’d met Harris at a party over the summer, where he told Harris he was 17. Harris later contacted the minor on Snapchat and asked him to send lewd photos of his body, which the boy initially refused to do, according to the complaint.
“Minor 4 described Harris as relentless and asking for naked photos of Minor 4 for three straight hours,” the complaint stated.
Harris eventually told the teen he was willing to pay for photos and sent money through on online service along with specific instructions on what he wanted, according to the complaint. Minor 4 later convinced an acquaintance, Minor 5, to also send Harris photos, the complaint alleged.
In all, Harris paid Minor 4 about $2,000 to $3,000 before ending the relationship on Aug. 22, when he sent Minor 4 a final $500 and instructions to block him on Snapchat, the complaint alleged.
Born in Hinsdale and raised in Bolingbrook, Harris rose to fame on the Emmy-winning “Cheer,” which premiered in January. The docuseries follows the competitive cheerleading squad at Navarro College in Texas.
Harris graduated in 2017 from Waubonsie Valley High School in Aurora, where he was a standout student, and studied at Navarro.
Advertisement
Viewers and celebrities took note of the way he enthusiastically motivated his fellow cheerleaders while they performed stunts, also known as “mat talking.”
He worked the Oscars red carpet in February as a correspondent for Ellen DeGeneres’ talk show. He shared a stage with Oprah Winfrey, appeared in a sketch on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” and recently got a surprise virtual visit from actress Gabrielle Union, who showered him with praise.
Since “Cheer” premiered, Harris has amassed more than 1.2 million Instagram followers and partnered with various brands. A representative for the Schmidt’s deodorant company said Thursday that its partnership with Harris has ended, saying “Schmidt’s is firmly committed to ensuring a safe environment for everyone. While we partnered with Jerry from May through July of 2020, we are no longer working with him.”
jmeisner@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-09-17--US attorney John Lausch issues guidance for House committee investigating Speaker Michael Madigan

Lausch said his office objects to witnesses being asked about grand jury proceedings , communications with prosecutors or federal law @ @ @ @ @ federal investigation , as well as any questions that “ could reveal confidential information about @ @ @ @ @ and could deter cooperation with our investigation by that witness and others .
”

U.S. Attorney John Lausch announces a major fine against ComEd for bribery involving Illinois politicians, during a news conference in the courtyard of the Dirksen U.S Courthouse on July 17, 2020. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)
Springfield — U.S. Attorney John Lausch said in a letter Thursday that his office doesn’t have an issue with an Illinois House committee seeking testimony and documents from witnesses in its inquiry of Speaker Michael Madigan, while also offering some guidelines.
Lausch’s letter provides a road map for the newly formed special investigating committee’s query into the powerful speaker, which in its short existence has already become sharply politicized.
Advertisement
The letter acknowledges the committee will be undertaking an investigation that has parallels with the ongoing federal corruption investigation. The committee is considering whether there are grounds to discipline Madigan in light of admissions by Commonwealth Edison that it in engaged in a “yearslong bribery scheme" aimed at gaining the speaker’s favor.
Sign up for The Spin to get the top stories in politics delivered to your inbox weekday afternoons.
Advertisement
Lausch said his office objects to witnesses being asked about grand jury proceedings, communications with prosecutors or federal law enforcement agents related to the federal investigation, as well as any questions that “could reveal confidential information about the course of our investigation and could deter cooperation with our investigation by that witness and others.”
Lausch would also object to the committee asking witnesses to reveal any information they learned from prosecutors or federal agents and requests for documents, information or testimony from his office or federal law enforcement agencies regarding facts about the deferred prosecution agreement with ComEd.
Lausch’s letter follows up on a call he had with the committee’s chair, Democratic state Rep. Emanuel “Chris” Welch, and Republican state Rep. Tom Demmer, on Monday, after which the two gave different takes on the advised parameters Lausch gave for the committee.
Madigan, who has not been accused of any wrongdoing, said in a statement two weeks ago that the committee, created after a petition filed by House GOP leader Jim Durkin, amounted to a “political stunt.”
The partisan jockeying continued after Lausch’s letter came out Thursday. Welch issued a statement that said the letter “confirms our understanding that while this committee can call individuals to voluntarily appear, they would be limited in what they can discuss.”
“We also see clearly that Republican members of this committee attempted to go beyond what has originally been discussed with the U.S. attorney,” Welch said, adding that he won’t allow it to be “used as a stage for political theater.”
Ron Safer, the attorney representing Durkin through the process, said in a statement that Lausch’s office gave the testimony “the green light to pursue all avenues of the investigation, including testimony and documents, that were articulated in the petition.”
The six-person special investigating committee has an equal number of Democrats and Republicans. Authorizing a charge against Madigan would require a majority vote.
Advertisement
Welch said Thursday he was finalizing details for a second committee meeting later this month.
jmunks@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-09-17--Coronavirus in Illinois updates: 2,056 new known COVID-19 cases and 25 more deaths reported; a look

Coronavirus in Illinois updates: 2,056 new known COVID-19 cases and 25 more deaths reported; a look at Chicago’s economy and dining scene six months into the pandemic

Illinois public health officials Thursday announced 2,056 newly diagnosed cases of COVID-19 and 25 more deaths .
That raises the statewide known case tally to 268,207 throughout the course of the pandemic .
The state reported death toll is now 8,392 .
The statewide seven-day rolling positivity rate stands at 3.6 % .
The region that includes Will and Kankakee counties , which had harsher rules imposed by the state after it surpassed a positivity rate of 8 % for three straight days , stood at 6.4 % as of Wednesday , below the threshold that would restore rules in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gov .
J.B. Pritzker ’ s reopening plan .
Meanwhile , the Big Ten announced Wednesday that football will resume this fall , declaring a unanimous vote and a plan to play eight regular-season games in eight weeks beginning the weekend of Oct. 23-24 .
However , Pritzker slammed the door on the possibility that Illinois ' high school athletes might join their college counterparts , saying football and other contact sports are still too risky in the midst of the pandemic .
Additionally , some suburban schools have decided to reopen closed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ limited number of elementary-age kids , but for a fee .
4:35 p.m. : Do you actually need to wipe down everything to protect yourself from COVID-19 ?
If you were wiping down every single Amazon package , can of chickpeas , and takeout container at the start of the pandemic , you certainly weren ’ t alone .
Clorox , the world ’ s biggest maker of disinfectant cleaning materials , says it ’ s still recovering from high demand of its popular disinfectant wipes , not expected to return to shelves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we were all encouraged to take every precaution that we could .
But do we still need to sanitize everything in sight ?
With months of research now behind us , experts say the answer is probably not .
Yet , that doesn ’ t mean surfaces present zero risk .
3:06 p.m. : Southport Lanes has been a speakeasy , brothel , gambling den and bowling alley .
One thing the Lakeview institution is not : A COVID-19 survivor .
The bar , restaurant and bowling alley will close its doors for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in business at 3325 N. Southport Ave. “ It ’ s another COVID casualty , ” said Steve Soble , who has owned the business since 1991 with Howard Natinsky .
“ It ’ s really , really bad out there.
” 2:57 p.m. : When will you be able to get a coronavirus vaccine ?
Scientists say one thing , President Trump another .
Here is what we know .
Americans are desperate to know when a coronavirus vaccine will be available to finally curb the pandemic that has already taken nearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and allow schools and the broader economy to reopen .
Scientists and vaccine makers have long said that a handful of vaccines could be available by the end of the year , if everything goes according to plan .
But in recent weeks , President Donald Trump has insisted that a vaccine will be ready before the presidential election Nov. 3 , raising fears that one could be rushed against the advice of scientists and regulators .
Testing and producing a vaccine is a complex process with a lot of uncertainties .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say , is this : If every aspect of the vaccines ' development and distribution goes exactly as planned — and history has shown that rarely happens — certain people in high-risk groups could get vaccinated this year .
Most other Americans , however , will quite likely have to wait until well into next year .
2:19 p.m. : A snapshot of Chicago ’ s economy six months into the pandemic During a six-month period , hundreds of thousands of area jobs were lost , consumer spending dropped 43 % , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ became permanent .
Despite hopes to “ get back to normal , ” the recovery has been slow , and it ’ s unclear what any long-lasting changes are , said Jose J. Vazquez-Cognet , an economics professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign .
“ When a business person and a consumer don ’ t know what to expect , they can ’ t make decisions very well , ” Vazquez-Cognet said .
“ That ’ s the worst thing for the economy.
” Here is a snapshot of the economic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ area over the past six months .
1:50 p.m. : How the coronavirus pandemic has affected Chicago dining six months in Six months ago Wednesday at 9 p.m. , all Illinois restaurants and bars were shut down for on-premise dining or drinking .
Since then , a gradual reopening has allowed some business to return to the struggling establishments .
As the entire city held its breath during the stay-at-home order this spring , summer offered a solution for many with the approval of serving at outdoor spaces .
Then , tentatively , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ open indoor spaces with limited capacity .
But as coronavirus cases waxed and waned , restrictions changed , and the city walked back on its allowance for bars to host patrons inside .
As winter approaches , these businesses now grapple with how to operate when the weather shifts .
Looking back at the past six months and to what the future holds , it ’ s helpful to consider some of the numbers that help tell the story of what restaurant owners , chefs , bartenders and servers have endured .
1:45 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the onset of the coronavirus pandemic , launching Tock to Go and other innovations Nick Kokonas is not afraid of bluntly questioning restaurant conventions .
Along with helping to create a series of successful projects with chef Grant Achatz as co-owner of the Alinea Group ( Alinea , The Aviary , Next and Roister ) , he ’ s also the CEO of Tock , a online reservation system that has helped restaurateurs around the world manage guest bookings .
So it makes sense that during one of the most tumultuous years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was one of the first to adapt .
In late February and early March , not only was he one of the few restaurateurs in Chicago talking about how the coronavirus pandemic could seriously challenge the restaurant industry , he was also attempting to come up with ways to survive .
1:15 p.m. : After four years , during the worst health crisis in a century , the unkept promise of ‘ a great health plan ’ may be catching up to President Trump When Donald Trump first ran for the White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a great health plan , ” one that would repeal the Affordable Care Act but replace it with something better , something that would maintain its biggest selling point : protecting people with preexisting medical conditions .
Once elected , he swore he had a “ wonderful plan ” and would be “ putting it in fairly soon.
” After four years , during the worst health crisis in a century , the unkept promise may be catching up to Trump .
There still does not seem to be any plan , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Act — which requires insurers to cover preexisting conditions and which the White House is asking the Supreme Court to overturn — the Republican Party can not agree on one .
And with tens of thousands of Americans losing their health insurance to a coronavirus-induced recession , fears of inadequate or nonexistent health care coverage have never been greater .
12:10 p.m. : 2,056 new known COVID-19 cases and 25 more deaths reported Illinois health officials on Thursday announced 2,056 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 25 additional fatalities .
The Illinois Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ total of 268,207 cases , including 8,392 deaths , in 102 counties in Illinois since the start of the coronavirus ' spread .
The seven-day statewide positivity rate is 3.6 % .
Within the past 24 hours , laboratories have reported 57,800 new tests , according to the IDPH .
1,558 people in Illinois are in the hospital with COVID-19 .
Of those , 359 patients were in the ICU and 144 patients are on ventilators , according to state health officials .
10:49 a.m. : Lincoln Park ZooLights will go on , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charge Park Zoo ’ s holiday ZooLights festival will go on this year , but with a first-time-in-decades cover charge to help the zoo offset pandemic-year losses , the institution announced Thursday .
Tickets to the annual bedecking of zoo grounds with holiday lights will be $ 5 per person regardless of age or membership status , and they go on sale to zoo members Sept. 24 and to the general public Oct. 1 .
10:27 a.m. : 42 Wisconsin football players and staff members — 29 since Sept. 1 — test positive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for its season Forty-two players and staff with the Wisconsin football team have tested positive for COVID-19 as the Big Ten makes plans to get the season started .
Public Health Madison & Dane County says the 42 people tested positive since June when athletes and staff returned to campus .
Twenty-nine of the positive tests were from Sept. 1 through Sept. 15 .
Health officials in Madison and Dane County are urging fans not to gather to watch football games when the Badgers begin their season in October .
8:45 a.m. : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only to slavery as government intrusion on liberty In remarks Wednesday night at conservative Hillsdale College in Michigan , Barr had called the lockdown orders the “ greatest intrusion on civil liberties in American history ” since slavery .
“ You know , putting a national lockdown , stay at home orders , is like house arrest .
Other than slavery , which was a different kind of restraint , this is the greatest intrusion on civil liberties in American history , ” Barr said to applause from the crowd .
Rep. James @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3 House Democratic leader , told CNN that Barr ’ s remarks were “ the most ridiculous , tone-deaf , God-awful things I ’ ve ever heard ” because they wrongly equated human bondage with a measure aimed at saving lives .
“ Slavery was not about saving lives .
It was about devaluing lives , ” Clyburn said .
“ This pandemic is a threat to human life.
” 8:18 a.m. : COVID-19 danger continues to drive joblessness in US , even as unemployment claims fall The number of Americans applying for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a historically high figure that reflects economic damage from the coronavirus outbreak .
Before the pandemic hit the economy , the number signing up for jobless aid had never exceeded 700,000 in a week , even during the depths of the 2007-2009 Great Recession .
The Labor Department said Thursday that U.S. jobless claims fell by 33,000 form the previous week and that 12.6 million are collecting traditional unemployment benefits , compared with just 1.7 million a year ago .
“ The staff member is now in isolation .
We are closely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on contact tracing .
The health department will contact the staff member directly and any close contacts will be identified , contacted and provided guidance , ” Anderson said in the notification .
Township High School District 113 spokeswoman Karen Warner said the staff member had been at the school recently .
Anderson stated in the notification and Warner also said Wednesday that federal privacy laws prevent the district from releasing the individual ’ s identity or any additional information about the individual .
5 a.m. : Remote learning , in school ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ have reopened for e-learning supervision — at a price to taxpaying parents .
After being inundated with emails and calls from frustrated parents who wanted their kids back in class this fall , Arlington Heights School District 25 officials sought a way to help .
Working with the Park District , they decided to reopen closed schools for moderately priced remote learning supervision to a limited number of elementary-age kids .
But as Arlington Heights resident Chuck Miller sees it , the flaw in the program comes down to a math problem his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 50 per student per day , it would cost the Millers $ 1,000 a week to enroll their four children — a sum he said is unrealistic for many families , including his .
The irony isn ’ t lost on him that the program is taking place in schools that were deemed unsafe to fully open for in-person classes .
Here are five things related to COVID-19 that happened Wednesday : Citing the pandemic ’ s ‘ unprecedented ’ impact on November vote , Gov .
J.B. Pritzker asked election officials to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election judge recruitment .
Chicago Public Schools reported it ’ s seen 258 coronavirus cases and eight deaths since March among staff and contractors .
Big Ten football is coming back in October with at least 8 games in 9 weeks — and ‘ significant medical protocols.
’ Wisconsin Dells ' Tommy Bartlett water ski show , closed by coronavirus , is shutting down for good .
Chicago ’ s architectural biennial keeps the city at the forefront of design .
But will it be held in 2021 ?

We have lifted the paywall on this story. To support essential reporting, please consider becoming a subscriber .
Paca Kujtim of Arlington Heights self-administers a COVID-19 test in his car at the Arlington International Racecourse on March 31, 2021 in Arlington Heights. Kujtim was getting testing as a precaution for upcoming travel. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
Illinois public health officials Thursday announced 2,056 newly diagnosed cases of COVID-19 and 25 more deaths. That raises the statewide known case tally to 268,207 throughout the course of the pandemic. The state reported death toll is now 8,392. The statewide seven-day rolling positivity rate stands at 3.6%.
The region that includes Will and Kankakee counties, which had harsher rules imposed by the state after it surpassed a positivity rate of 8% for three straight days, stood at 6.4% as of Wednesday, below the threshold that would restore rules in place statewide under the fourth phase of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s reopening plan.
Advertisement
Meanwhile, the Big Ten announced Wednesday that football will resume this fall, declaring a unanimous vote and a plan to play eight regular-season games in eight weeks beginning the weekend of Oct. 23-24.
However, Pritzker slammed the door on the possibility that Illinois' high school athletes might join their college counterparts, saying football and other contact sports are still too risky in the midst of the pandemic.
Advertisement
Additionally, some suburban schools have decided to reopen closed buildings for remote learning supervision to a limited number of elementary-age kids, but for a fee.
Here’s what’s happening Thursday with COVID-19 in the Chicago area and Illinois:
7:55 p.m.: COVID-19 testing guidance was published against CDC scientists' objections, officials say
A heavily criticized recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last month about who should be tested for the coronavirus was not written by CDC scientists and was posted to the agency’s website despite their serious objections, according to several people familiar with the matter as well as internal documents obtained by The New York Times.
The guidance said it was not necessary to test people without symptoms of COVID-19 even if they had been exposed to the virus. It came at a time when public health experts were pushing for more testing rather than less, and administration officials told The Times that the document was a CDC product and had been revised with input from the agency’s director, Dr. Robert Redfield.
But officials told The Times this week that the Department of Health and Human Services did the rewriting itself and then “dropped” it into the CDC’s public website, flouting the agency’s strict scientific review process.
“That was a doc that came from the top down, from the HHS and the task force,” said a federal official with knowledge of the matter, referring to the White House task force on the coronavirus. “That policy does not reflect what many people at the CDC feel should be the policy.”
Read more here. —The New York Times
4:35 p.m.: Do you actually need to wipe down everything to protect yourself from COVID-19?
If you were wiping down every single Amazon package, can of chickpeas, and takeout container at the start of the pandemic, you certainly weren’t alone. Clorox, the world’s biggest maker of disinfectant cleaning materials, says it’s still recovering from high demand of its popular disinfectant wipes, not expected to return to shelves until 2021.
Advertisement
In the beginning, we were all encouraged to take every precaution that we could. But do we still need to sanitize everything in sight?
With months of research now behind us, experts say the answer is probably not. Yet, that doesn’t mean surfaces present zero risk.
Here’s how to approach things now. —The Philadelphia Inquirer
3:06 p.m.: Southport Lanes has been a speakeasy, brothel, gambling den and bowling alley. One thing the Lakeview institution is not: A COVID-19 survivor.
Southport Lanes has lasted nearly a century by evolving, at various times serving as a tavern, bowling alley, speakeasy, brothel and illegal off-track horse betting venue.
But the Lakeview institution, which opened not long after another pandemic, couldn’t survive COVID-19.
The bar, restaurant and bowling alley will close its doors for good Sept. 27, after 98 years in business at 3325 N. Southport Ave.
Advertisement
“It’s another COVID casualty,” said Steve Soble, who has owned the business since 1991 with Howard Natinsky. “It’s really, really bad out there.”
Read more here. —Ryan Ori
2:57 p.m.: When will you be able to get a coronavirus vaccine? Scientists say one thing, President Trump another. Here is what we know.
Americans are desperate to know when a coronavirus vaccine will be available to finally curb the pandemic that has already taken nearly 200,000 lives in the United States, and allow schools and the broader economy to reopen.
Scientists and vaccine makers have long said that a handful of vaccines could be available by the end of the year, if everything goes according to plan. But in recent weeks, President Donald Trump has insisted that a vaccine will be ready before the presidential election Nov. 3, raising fears that one could be rushed against the advice of scientists and regulators.
Testing and producing a vaccine is a complex process with a lot of uncertainties. But the best guess for now, experts say, is this: If every aspect of the vaccines' development and distribution goes exactly as planned — and history has shown that rarely happens — certain people in high-risk groups could get vaccinated this year. Most other Americans, however, will quite likely have to wait until well into next year.
Read more here. —The New York Times
Advertisement
2:19 p.m.: A snapshot of Chicago’s economy six months into the pandemic
The coronavirus pandemic quickly inflicted damage on Chicago’s economy as government shutdowns and social distancing restrictions forced business slowdowns and closures.
During a six-month period, hundreds of thousands of area jobs were lost, consumer spending dropped 43%, and more than half of temporary business closures became permanent.
Despite hopes to “get back to normal,” the recovery has been slow, and it’s unclear what any long-lasting changes are, said Jose J. Vazquez-Cognet, an economics professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
“When a business person and a consumer don’t know what to expect, they can’t make decisions very well,” Vazquez-Cognet said. “That’s the worst thing for the economy.”
Here is a snapshot of the economic impact of the virus on the Chicago area over the past six months.
Read more here. —Katie Surma
Advertisement
1:50 p.m.: How the coronavirus pandemic has affected Chicago dining six months in
Six months ago Wednesday at 9 p.m., all Illinois restaurants and bars were shut down for on-premise dining or drinking. Since then, a gradual reopening has allowed some business to return to the struggling establishments.
As the entire city held its breath during the stay-at-home order this spring, summer offered a solution for many with the approval of serving at outdoor spaces. Then, tentatively, food and beverage establishments were allowed to open indoor spaces with limited capacity. But as coronavirus cases waxed and waned, restrictions changed, and the city walked back on its allowance for bars to host patrons inside. As winter approaches, these businesses now grapple with how to operate when the weather shifts.
Looking back at the past six months and to what the future holds, it’s helpful to consider some of the numbers that help tell the story of what restaurant owners, chefs, bartenders and servers have endured.
Read more here. —Grace Wong, Kori Rumore and Jonathon Berlin
1:45 p.m.: How Nick Kokonas pivoted hard at the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, launching Tock to Go and other innovations
Nick Kokonas is not afraid of bluntly questioning restaurant conventions. Along with helping to create a series of successful projects with chef Grant Achatz as co-owner of the Alinea Group (Alinea, The Aviary, Next and Roister), he’s also the CEO of Tock, a online reservation system that has helped restaurateurs around the world manage guest bookings.
So it makes sense that during one of the most tumultuous years for restaurants in recent history, Kokonas was one of the first to adapt. In late February and early March, not only was he one of the few restaurateurs in Chicago talking about how the coronavirus pandemic could seriously challenge the restaurant industry, he was also attempting to come up with ways to survive.
Advertisement
Read more here. —Nick Kindelsperger
1:15 p.m.: After four years, during the worst health crisis in a century, the unkept promise of ‘a great health plan’ may be catching up to President Trump
When Donald Trump first ran for the White House, he promised to “come up with a great health plan,” one that would repeal the Affordable Care Act but replace it with something better, something that would maintain its biggest selling point: protecting people with preexisting medical conditions.
Once elected, he swore he had a “wonderful plan” and would be “putting it in fairly soon.”
After four years, during the worst health crisis in a century, the unkept promise may be catching up to Trump. There still does not seem to be any plan, because other than abolishing the Affordable Care Act — which requires insurers to cover preexisting conditions and which the White House is asking the Supreme Court to overturn — the Republican Party cannot agree on one.
And with tens of thousands of Americans losing their health insurance to a coronavirus-induced recession, fears of inadequate or nonexistent health care coverage have never been greater.
Read more here. —The New York Times
Advertisement
12:10 p.m.: 2,056 new known COVID-19 cases and 25 more deaths reported
Illinois health officials on Thursday announced 2,056 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 25 additional fatalities. The Illinois Department of Public Health is now reporting a total of 268,207 cases, including 8,392 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois since the start of the coronavirus' spread.
The seven-day statewide positivity rate is 3.6%. Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 57,800 new tests, according to the IDPH.
1,558 people in Illinois are in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 359 patients were in the ICU and 144 patients are on ventilators, according to state health officials.
—Chicago Tribune staff
10:49 a.m.: Lincoln Park ZooLights will go on, but with a new, $5 charge
Park Zoo’s holiday ZooLights festival will go on this year, but with a first-time-in-decades cover charge to help the zoo offset pandemic-year losses, the institution announced Thursday.
Tickets to the annual bedecking of zoo grounds with holiday lights will be $5 per person regardless of age or membership status, and they go on sale to zoo members Sept. 24 and to the general public Oct. 1.
Advertisement
Read more here. —Steve Johnson
10:27 a.m.: 42 Wisconsin football players and staff members — 29 since Sept. 1 — test positive for COVID-19 as the Big Ten prepares for its season
Forty-two players and staff with the Wisconsin football team have tested positive for COVID-19 as the Big Ten makes plans to get the season started.
Public Health Madison & Dane County says the 42 people tested positive since June when athletes and staff returned to campus. Twenty-nine of the positive tests were from Sept. 1 through Sept. 15.
Health officials in Madison and Dane County are urging fans not to gather to watch football games when the Badgers begin their season in October.
Read more here. —Associated Press
8:45 a.m.: Attorney general says coronavirus lockdown orders second only to slavery as government intrusion on liberty
Attorney General William Barr drew sharp condemnation Thursday for comparing lockdown orders during the coronavirus pandemic to slavery.
Advertisement
In remarks Wednesday night at conservative Hillsdale College in Michigan, Barr had called the lockdown orders the “greatest intrusion on civil liberties in American history” since slavery.
“You know, putting a national lockdown, stay at home orders, is like house arrest. Other than slavery, which was a different kind of restraint, this is the greatest intrusion on civil liberties in American history,” Barr said to applause from the crowd.
Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., the No. 3 House Democratic leader, told CNN that Barr’s remarks were “the most ridiculous, tone-deaf, God-awful things I’ve ever heard” because they wrongly equated human bondage with a measure aimed at saving lives.
“Slavery was not about saving lives. It was about devaluing lives,” Clyburn said. “This pandemic is a threat to human life.”
This is not the first occasion that Barr has condemned stay-at-home orders.
Read more here. —Associated Press
Advertisement
8:18 a.m.: COVID-19 danger continues to drive joblessness in US, even as unemployment claims fall
The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell last week to 860,000, a historically high figure that reflects economic damage from the coronavirus outbreak.
Before the pandemic hit the economy, the number signing up for jobless aid had never exceeded 700,000 in a week, even during the depths of the 2007-2009 Great Recession.
The Labor Department said Thursday that U.S. jobless claims fell by 33,000 form the previous week and that 12.6 million are collecting traditional unemployment benefits, compared with just 1.7 million a year ago.
In Illinois, first-time claims for unemployment benefits totaled 23,339 last week, down from 25,478 a week earlier.
Read more here. —Associated Press
7:10 a.m. As Black, Latino neighborhoods hard hit by COVID-19, Chicago launches plan to correct racial inequities in life expectancy
Chicago’s Health Department and community groups was scheduled to launch a plan to tackle racial inequities in health and “the life expectancy gap between the Black and white” communities in the city, according to a city release.
Advertisement
The five-year plan, Healthy Chicago 2025, “seeks to address social conditions that have been created by decades of segregation and systemic racism, the effects of which have been highlighted by COVID-19,” according to a release from the mayor’s office.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot, city Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady and others will be part of the online launch of the program on the city Health Department’s Facebook page and the city’s website.
—Chicago Tribune staff
6 a.m.: Deerfield High School worker tests COVID-19 positive days after district extended remote learning
A Deerfield High School staff member has tested positive for COVID-19, according to a notification from Principal Kathryn Anderson emailed to parents, students and staff Tuesday night.
“The staff member is now in isolation. We are closely working with the Lake County Health Department on contact tracing. The health department will contact the staff member directly and any close contacts will be identified, contacted and provided guidance,” Anderson said in the notification.
Township High School District 113 spokeswoman Karen Warner said the staff member had been at the school recently. Anderson stated in the notification and Warner also said Wednesday that federal privacy laws prevent the district from releasing the individual’s identity or any additional information about the individual.
Advertisement
Read more here. —Alicia Fabbre
5 a.m.: Remote learning, in school? Some suburban public schools closed by COVID-19 have reopened for e-learning supervision — at a price to taxpaying parents.
After being inundated with emails and calls from frustrated parents who wanted their kids back in class this fall, Arlington Heights School District 25 officials sought a way to help.
Working with the Park District, they decided to reopen closed schools for moderately priced remote learning supervision to a limited number of elementary-age kids.
But as Arlington Heights resident Chuck Miller sees it, the flaw in the program comes down to a math problem his second grader could solve: At $50 per student per day, it would cost the Millers $1,000 a week to enroll their four children — a sum he said is unrealistic for many families, including his.
The irony isn’t lost on him that the program is taking place in schools that were deemed unsafe to fully open for in-person classes.
Read more here. — Karen Ann Cullotta
Advertisement
Breaking coronavirus news Stay up to date with the latest information on coronavirus with our breaking news alerts.
In case you missed it
Here are five things related to COVID-19 that happened Wednesday:
Citing the pandemic’s ‘unprecedented’ impact on November vote, Gov. J.B. Pritzker asked election officials to put federal funds behind drop boxes, election judge recruitment.
Chicago Public Schools reported it’s seen 258 coronavirus cases and eight deaths since March among staff and contractors.
Big Ten football is coming back in October with at least 8 games in 9 weeks — and ‘significant medical protocols.’
Wisconsin Dells' Tommy Bartlett water ski show, closed by coronavirus, is shutting down for good.
Advertisement
Chicago’s architectural biennial keeps the city at the forefront of design. But will it be held in 2021?


chicagotribune--2020-09-17--Facing gaping city budget hole, Lightfoot administration may consider leaving some Chicago police jo

Facing gaping city budget hole, Lightfoot administration may consider leaving some Chicago police jobs unfilled next year

“ I think that ’ s part of the discussion we ’ re having with CPD around the 2021 budget @ @ @ @ @ year , and kind of , what is the right number of officers that they @ @ @ @ @ meet all of their operational needs , ” Park said .
“ And we ’ @ @ @ @ @ s vacancies across the city , to be honest , as we ’ re putting @ @ @ @ @ ”

Mayor Lori Lightfoot will consider slowing down the replacement of retired Chicago police officers or leaving some positions unfilled next year to reduce the Police Department’s massive personnel budget as the city tries to fill a huge COVID-19-induced budget shortfall, officials said Thursday.
Lightfoot herself talked about police budget cuts being on the table along with all other parts of city government when she gave a speech last month to lay out a nearly $800 million budget deficit for this year and a $1.2 billion chasm for next year.
Advertisement
At a Thursday City Council hearing on the Police Department’s budget, city Budget Director Susie Park gave some more idea about how that might work.
“I think that’s part of the discussion we’re having with CPD around the 2021 budget, as we do every year, and kind of, what is the right number of officers that they need to accomplish and to meet all of their operational needs,” Park said. “And we’re looking at everyone’s vacancies across the city, to be honest, as we’re putting together the 2021 budget.”
Advertisement
“We’re really trying to understand what is the need in every department, so CPD is no different in that manner, and we’re having those talks now, about exactly how many of those do we want to fill, can we fill.”
Sign up for The Spin to get the top stories in politics delivered to your inbox weekday afternoons.
Logistically, it will take longer to fill vacancies because coronavirus distancing protocols make it impossible for the Police Department to graduate as many new officers from the academy, Park said.
So far this year, 464 police officers have retired, Park said. That compares to 431 retirements by this point in 2019, when 539 officers retired by year’s end, Park said.
New officers start out making about $50,000 in the first year, Park said, and then go up to $72,000 in salary by the third year, plus benefits.
The city budgeted $95 million in police overtime for this year. Park said the actual overtime cost for 2020 could reach $140 million. About half that was due to protests and looting in the wake of the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd, according to Park.
The Police Department’s 2020 budget is $1.76 billion, and $1.56 billion of that goes to personnel, Park said. Lightfoot repeatedly has pointed to that high portion of the budget going to officers' salaries when pushing back against activists who advocate for defunding the police.
City Council financial analyst Kenneth Williams presented about $55 million in potential police savings at the Thursday hearing for things such as uniform allowance and quarterly bonuses for police supervisors. But any of those changes would need to be negotiated as part of a new contract.
Advertisement
Park later told aldermen most of those proposed savings couldn’t be realized in 2021, because the city is bound by the contract to honor those payments.
jebyrne@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @_johnbyrne


chicagotribune--2020-09-17--‘If someone with experience can’t get this license, who can?’ Pritzker’s team to meet with critics o

‘If someone with experience can’t get this license, who can?’ Pritzker’s team to meet with critics of marijuana licensing process

Some applicants said the same exhibits provided by consultants were scored differently for different applicants , or that the same @ @ @ @ @ identical applications in different regions .
Many have said they never got a deficiency notice @ @ @ @ @ deficiency but weren ’ t given credit for it .

Amid a flurry of complaints that the marijuana licensing process is flawed, Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s office announced Wednesday that his team will meet with those affected to address the issue.
“The Governor’s office is currently working to schedule meetings with interested stakeholders, however, meeting dates and times have not been finalized,” Pritzker’s press office wrote in response to a Tribune inquiry. “The goal of the Governor and the administration is to take time to ensure that the process is fair and equitable."
Advertisement
Just 21 of some 700 applicants qualified for a lottery to determine who will get 75 new recreational marijuana retail licenses. Since the finalists were revealed early this month, state regulators said they have indefinitely delayed the lottery to review objections.
State Rep. La Shawn Ford said the governor’s office will meet with lawmakers who’ve objected to the process, including members of the Black and Latino caucuses. Many of the finalist companies involve politically connected or big-money businessmen, including former Chicago police Superintendent Terrence Hillard, and restaurant owner Phil Stefani, which critics say flies in the face of the program’s goal of adding marginalized newcomers to the largely white-owned industry.
Advertisement
Critics have proposed that regulators send out notices alerting them to deficiencies in their applications, as was supposed to have happened previously. Applicants would then have 10 days to provide the required information and would be rescored before the lottery is held.
In a federal lawsuit and in interviews and a livestreamed Facebook forum Wednesday, many applicants have given examples of what they say were glaring inconsistencies in the scoring process.
Some applicants said the same exhibits provided by consultants were scored differently for different applicants, or that the same applicant got different scores for identical applications in different regions. Many have said they never got a deficiency notice, or they corrected a deficiency but weren’t given credit for it.
The state hired consulting firm KPMG for $4 million to score the applications. Applicants were required to identify owners, revealing any inside connections, and said KPMG sent notices to their personal emails.
One of the successful applicants was also a KPMG employee, though a spokesman for the firm said that worker was not involved in the scoring. While one team knew applicants' names to verify social equity and veteran status, KPMG said the rest of the scoring team had no knowledge of the applicants' names or affiliations.
“KPMG stands by our work to objectively score applications based on criteria set by the state," spokesman Russ Grote said. "We brought a diverse and experienced team together to do this work quickly and accurately, and are proud of our team’s performance.”
Like many of the losing applicants, Robin Boyd said she was exactly the kind of social equity applicant to whom the legalization law was supposed to grant bonus points. Such applicants were those said to be affected by the war on drugs, including those who lived in a poor area or area with high marijuana arrest rates.
Boyd said her team of Black investors, Southshore Restore, qualified under social equity as residents of Chicago’s South Shore neighborhood and was majority owned by a veteran — which was another qualifier — yet they got no credit for either.
Advertisement
“All I know is,” she said, “if our application had been scored fairly, we would have received a perfect score and would’ve been in the lottery for a license.”
Nonna Knapp and her husband ran a medical cannabis dispensary for three years, New Age Care in Mount Prospect, before selling it last year to Revolution Ventures Illinois. As mom-and-pop owners, Knapp said they needed to raise money to compete with large multistate operators.
Knapp said she and her husband wrote the application to win their initial license and never failed to pass frequent inspections and annual license renewals. Despite detailed documentation that met scorers' requirements, she said, they were rejected for a new recreational spot.
The scorers have kept secret how specific applicants were scored. Knapp and others want answers.
“The whole thing seems unfair to me,” she said. “If someone with experience can’t get this license, who can?”
While attention is focused on those who didn’t make the cut for the lottery, some of the finalists who did qualify are worried they will get lost in the shuffle.
Advertisement
Diane Howard, a real estate broker and co-founder of Suite Greens, was proud that her team earned a perfect score. She said they are a “real” social equity team, mostly made up of Black business owners from the South Side of Chicago, including a veteran and a friend who owns a dispensary in California, who applied for 11 dispensary licenses.
“We were ecstatic about the lottery initially, but now it seems in jeopardy,” she said.
She was open to letting applicants fix their deficiencies, and said anyone posing improperly as social equity applicants should lose their lottery spot. But a long delay, she said, will only prevent deserving businesses from opening.
“We have to find a way to make this fair,” she said, “and keep it moving.”