chicagotribune--2020-11-17--Coronavirus in Illinois updates: 12,601 new COVID-19 cases, 97 more deaths reported; Gov. Pritzker a

Coronavirus in Illinois updates: 12,601 new COVID-19 cases, 97 more deaths reported; Gov. Pritzker announces new restrictions; CPS to resume in-person classes in January

Chicago Public Schools has announced that it will continue to provide classes through remote learning until after the winter break , but then plans to begin bringing students back on Jan. 11 .
The news came down just after Gov .
J.B. Pritzker announced Tuesday that he is imposing new restrictions — but reiterated that he ’ s leaving decisions about schools to local districts .
Just ahead of the busiest shopping season of the year , retailers will be under a 25 % capacity limit , down from the current 50 % .
A 50 % capacity limit will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chains such as Walmart and Target that include groceries will be subject to the lower limit .
Meanwhile , Illinois health officials on Tuesday announced 12,601 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 97 additional fatalities , bringing the total number of known infections in Illinois to 597,849 and the statewide death toll to 10,875 since the start of the pandemic .
And while updating Chicago ’ s new rules Tuesday for staying inside after returning from other states with serious pandemic outbreaks , the city ’ s health commissioner again urged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley , the longest-serving Republican senator and third in the line of presidential succession , said Tuesday that he has tested positive for the coronavirus .
Grassley announced earlier Tuesday that he was quarantining after being exposed to the virus and was waiting for the results of a test .
On Tuesday evening , he tweeted that he had tested positive .
“ I ’ ve tested positive for coronavirus , ” Grassley wrote .
“ I ’ ll b following my doctors ' orders/CDC guidelines & continue to quarantine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will keep up on my work for the ppl of Iowa from home.
” A plan to cap delivery fees charged to Chicago restaurants by third-party delivery companies such as Grubhub and Uber Eats at 10 % of the order ’ s cost as long as indoor dining capacity is set at below 40 % during the coronavirus pandemic moved closer to final passage on Tuesday as aldermen voted to advance the plan .
The proposal , introduced to the City Council on Monday as Mayor Lori Lightfoot and aldermen try to help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passed in the joint committee on finance and license and consumer protection .
4:50 p.m. : Holiday volunteering will look a lot different this year due to COVID-19 .
Here are 10 ways you can still help — in person or virtually .
The holiday season is typically high tide for giving back through volunteering .
But as the COVID-19 pandemic persists , cases surge and a stay-at-home advisory went into effect in Chicago and Cook County on Monday , organizations are seeing volunteer numbers dwindle even as demand for their services increases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ always see a surge in individuals seeking us out for our assistance , ” said Lt. Col. Lonneal Richardson , metropolitan division commander for the Salvation Army , who is responsible for all operations in Chicago and the metro area .
For the first time since May , a Cook County Jail detainee who tested positive for COVID-19 has died in custody , authorities said .
Harold Graszer , 85 , died Monday at Stroger Hospital after being diagnosed with the disease .
The official cause of death is pending an autopsy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s office .
Records show that Graszer was awaiting trial on charges of predatory criminal sexual assault and aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a child younger than 13 .
He had been behind bars for about a year .
Seven other COVID-positive detainees have died in custody , but all of those were in the spring , as the jail was dealing with a coronavirus spike it has since taken measures to control.Positive cases at the jail remained in the low double digits through most of the summer , but as cases have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of positive tests in the jail also have climbed .
As of Monday evening , there were 140 detainees with covid in the jail .
And the jail ’ s population has risen significantly since efforts in the spring to release detainees to allow for social distancing .
There were 5,518 people in custody Tuesday —nearly back to pre-pandemic levels .
4:37 p.m. : Chicago Public Schools will begin in-person classes in January as more suburban districts announce they will revert to remote learning amid COVID-19 surge Chicago Public Schools has announced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through remote learning until after the winter break , but then plans to begin bringing students back on Jan. 11 .
The news came down just after Illinois Gov .
J.B. Pritzker announced Tuesday that he is imposing more restrictions to try to stem the spread of the coronavirus — but reiterated that he ’ s leaving decision about schools to local districts .
( Updated 3:35 p.m. ) 1:12 p.m. : Gov .
J.B. Pritzker lowers capacity for retail shops and shuts down casinos in latest effort to slow COVID-19 surge Just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the year , retailers will be under a 25 % capacity limit , down from the current 50 % .
A 50 % capacity limit will remain for grocery stores , but big-box chains such as Walmart and Target that include groceries will be subject to the lower limit .
While updating Chicago ’ s new rules Tuesday for staying inside after returning from other states with serious pandemic outbreaks , the city ’ s health commissioner urged people to cancel traditional Thanksgiving plans .
Forty six states and Puerto Rico now require @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people coming into Chicago under Mayor Lori Lightfoot ’ s travel order .
Only Maine , Vermont and Hawaii have low enough COVID-19 rates to not fall into the stricter categories , Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said .
And the skyrocketing cases in Chicago and across the country call for not mixing households for the upcoming holiday , she said .
“ Not just for traveling , if you haven ’ t covered your Thanksgiving plans yet with your friends and family , please do cancel your traditional Thanksgiving plans , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be traveling to Michigan , seeing my extended friends and family .
I love Thanksgiving .
This year , I ’ ll be staying home .
I ’ ll be having that celebration over FaceTime or Zoom.
” “ It ’ s not what I want to do , but it ’ s the right thing to do , for myself , for my family and for Chicago .
Please make that same decision , ” she said .
Early in the day Tuesday , Shedd Aquarium announced it would join the MCA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rates rise in Illinois and across the country and officials ask the public to hunker back down .
But Gov .
J.B. Pritzker ’ s afternoon press briefing made it clear they would not be alone .
Beginning at midnight Friday , he said , all indoor museums must close to help stem the spread of the coronavirus , part of a suite of mitigations meant to limit public gatherings .
1:33 p.m. : Iowa governor orders residents to wear masks , then says , ‘ There ’ s science on both sides @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to support wherever you are at ’ Iowa Gov .
Kim Reynolds urged residents Tuesday to follow her new partial mask mandate , while claiming “ there ’ s science on both sides ” about whether masks reduce the spread of coronavirus .
She said she changed course because the state has seen an exponential increase in the number of people hospitalized with the virus this month .
She warned that without action , hospitals will be overwhelmed and people will be at risk of not being able to get medical care of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Reynolds defended exceptions in her mask mandate that public health experts say makes it weak .
She said it does not extend to schools because classrooms have not been a major source of virus transmission , and that most districts are already requiring students to wear face coverings .
The mandate only applies when people are within 6 feet of other members of the public outside their households for at least 15 minutes .
Reynolds said it was appropriate to target “ prolonged personal interaction ” given how the virus spreads and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ side of caution .
At the same event , however , she seemed to allow for doubts about their effectiveness .
She noted that neighboring states with mask mandates , such as Illinois and Minnesota , have seen rising numbers of cases , although not as severely as Iowa .
“ Oh there ’ s science on both sides and you know that , ” she said .
“ If you look you can find whatever you want to support wherever you are at.
” The pre-taped festival special is scheduled to premiere @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 7 and air again at 4 p.m. Nov. 29 .
The broadcast is hosted by Channel 7 anchors Cheryl Burton and Alan Krashesky with Janet Davies contributing .
Hudson , Grammy winner Heather Headley and Rascal Flatts perform on the hour-long special , which will feature Mickey and Minnie Mouse lighting up Michigan Avenue from the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida .
Evans announced Tuesday that two more youths at the detention center have tested positive , the fifth and sixth in recent days .
That brings the total number of cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beginning of the pandemic .
Additionally , 68 staff at the detention center have tested positive for the coronavirus this year.Evans also reported that two employees of the juvenile probation department have tested positive , as well as a judge assigned to Traffic Court at the Daley Center .
Across the system since the pandemic ’ s start , officials said 159 employees working for the chief judge ’ s office have tested positive for COVID-19 , in addition to 11 judges .
The Cook County system employs some 2,600 staffers and about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economic hardships have left more residents in need this holiday season .
Local food pantries say there are more helpers , too .
As the devastation wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic forces a growing number of local families to seek financial assistance , officials at north suburban social service agencies say the increased need has been accompanied by an outpouring of community support .
Food pantry officials in Niles and New Trier townships and the city of Evanston all say that while it is clear more people are in need this holiday season @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in donations .
That ’ s a trend they hope continues over the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons .
12:12 p.m. : Pritzker restricted the state ’ s eviction moratorium , meaning more renters can be kicked out .
Here ’ s what you need to know .
As the number of new coronavirus cases in Illinois topped 15,000 for the first time — setting a record for consecutive days — Gov .
J.B. Pritzker extended his moratorium on housing evictions , but added new requirements for those tenants requesting a reprieve due to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ This new moratorium will ensure that the rents are paid by tenants who may have been taking advantage of the eviction moratorium but who are , in fact , able to make their monthly rent payments , ” Pritzker said Friday .
Despite the eviction moratorium enacted in March , evictions are still happening .
Housing advocates say both property owners and renters are hurting , and more relief is needed .
Illinois health officials on Tuesday announced 12,601 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 97 additional fatalities , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Illinois to 597,849 and the statewide death toll to 10,875 since the start of the pandemic .
Officials also reported 94,205 new tests in the last 24 hours .
The seven-day statewide rolling positivity rate for cases as a share of total tests was 12.5 % for the period ending Monday , up from 8 % on Nov. 1 .
11:44 a.m. : Mask mandate being discussed for Naperville , mayor says at COVID-19 town hall meeting Speaking during a virtual town hall meeting Monday , Chirico broached the subject as he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic and answered questions on the current case surge that has led to a ban on indoor dining and prompted school districts to step back from return-to-school plans .
“ This is something that I ’ ve been talking about with our staff and with the health department ― that is , whether or not it would be helpful for Naperville to adopt a universal mask ordinance , ” the mayor said .
“ It ’ s somewhat heavy handed , I think people would say , and it wouldn ’ t be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
“ But if it were successful in its goal of trying to get everybody to comply , then it ’ s something that I think would be worth it.
” 11:40 a.m. : Wilmette extends financial help for village restaurants struggling during COVID-19 pandemic Wilmette restaurant owners struggling in the wake of the state ’ s recent tightening of COVID-19 restrictions on indoor dining might be eligible for economic relief through a new village program .
The roughly $ 170,000 economic relief program , which was recently approved by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials said , and will be launched if the current mitigations set by the state in late October extend beyond four weeks , or Nov. 25 .
The program would provide financial support to eligible village restaurants suffering from stricter mitigations recently set by the state for suburban Cook County , including a ban on indoor dining and reduced capacity and party sizes for outdoor dining , officials said in a statement .
11:32 a.m. : States plead for more federal help as coronavirus outbreak worsens , vaccine months away from distribution With @ @ @ @ @ @ @ away from wide distribution , governors across the U.S. are pleading for more help from Washington ahead of what is shaping up to be a bleak winter .
Renewed restrictions on indoor businesses , the coming end of unemployment benefits for millions of Americans and overloaded hospitals have led governors to paint a dire picture of the months ahead unless the federal government steps in with more money and leadership to help them shore up their damaged budgets and beat back the resurgence of the coronavirus .
Among the more than 100 schools @ @ @ @ @ @ @ common application — a single admissions application form that students can send to multiple schools — there was a 20 % increase in applications to master ’ s in public health programs for the current academic year , to nearly 40,000 , according to the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health .
8:12 a.m. : Why experts say Moderna COVID-19 vaccine holds advantage over Pfizer ’ s candidate The mRNA-based coronavirus vaccine developed by Moderna and vetted in clinical trials at the Detroit-based Henry Ford Health System is based on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its vaccine candidate , but would not have the same requirement for storage at ultra-cold temperatures .
Pfizer and Moderna are the first companies to release partial results from Phase 3 clinical trials in the race to develop a vaccine against the deadly SARS-CoV-3 virus that causes COVID-19 .
6 a.m. : Should college students get a COVID-19 test before heading home for the holidays ?
Some schools urge or even require it , but ‘ it doesn ’ t give you a free pass ’ From requiring students to take COVID-19 tests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , colleges are tightening protocols ahead of Thanksgiving and winter breaks , when thousands of students are expected to journey home for the holidays amid a national coronavirus surge .
Public health experts say traveling , especially in airports or by public transit , is inherently risky when COVID-19 infections are high , and colleges are discouraging students from shuttling back and forth in the coming weeks .
But concern remains that young adults crisscrossing the country might seed new infections in their home communities — or within their own households .
Though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aim to address that worry , doctors say students shouldn ’ t rely solely on negative results .
It can take several days after infection for viral particles to become detectable in a sample , research shows .
6 a.m. : Every toilet flush reveals a clue in fight to stop COVID-19 With COVID-19 infections spiking again at an alarming rate , Chicago is scrambling to catch up to other cities forecasting outbreaks by analyzing human waste flushed down thousands of toilets .
Signs of the novel coronavirus show up in sewers about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with symptoms of the disease , which during the past nine months has killed more than 1.3 million people worldwide , including 246,000 in the United States .
In an attempt to provide doctors and nurses with more time to prepare for outbreaks , 20 communities in 43 countries are collecting sewage samples and posting charts showing changes over time in the genetic signature of the SARS-CoV-2 virus .
Researchers from four universities and Argonne National Laboratory are rushing to add Chicago to the list early next year .
`` It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a neighborhood , where a couple of samples could tell you as much as testing 500 people over and over again , said Sam Dorevitch , a University of Illinois at Chicago scientist involved in the project .

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CTU workers direct vehicles lined up for COVID-19 testing outside of the Chicago Teachers Union on Dec. 30, 2021, in Chicago. CPS starts back to school on Monday following their holiday break. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
For the latest updates, click here for Wednesday’s live blog.
Chicago Public Schools has announced that it will continue to provide classes through remote learning until after the winter break, but then plans to begin bringing students back on Jan. 11.
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The news came down just after Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced Tuesday that he is imposing new restrictions — but reiterated that he’s leaving decisions about schools to local districts.
The targeted restrictions for retail shops and a shutdown of casinos are part of the state’s latest effort to slow the surging coronavirus.
Advertisement
Just ahead of the busiest shopping season of the year, retailers will be under a 25% capacity limit, down from the current 50%. A 50% capacity limit will remain for grocery stores, but big-box chains such as Walmart and Target that include groceries will be subject to the lower limit.
In addition to casinos, video gambling terminals statewide will be shut down under the plan.
Additonally, all indoor museums must close. The new measures take effect at midnight Friday.
[ New coronavirus restrictions: What will be open, closed, different in Illinois starting Friday ]
Meanwhile, Illinois health officials on Tuesday announced 12,601 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 97 additional fatalities, bringing the total number of known infections in Illinois to 597,849 and the statewide death toll to 10,875 since the start of the pandemic.
And while updating Chicago’s new rules Tuesday for staying inside after returning from other states with serious pandemic outbreaks, the city’s health commissioner again urged people to cancel traditional Thanksgiving plans.
Here’s what’s happening Tuesday with COVID-19 in the Chicago area and Illinois:
5:16 p.m.: Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, the longest-serving Republican senator, says he tested positive for coronavirus
Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, the longest-serving Republican senator and third in the line of presidential succession, said Tuesday that he has tested positive for the coronavirus.
Grassley announced earlier Tuesday that he was quarantining after being exposed to the virus and was waiting for the results of a test. On Tuesday evening, he tweeted that he had tested positive.
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“I’ve tested positive for coronavirus,” Grassley wrote. “I’ll b following my doctors' orders/CDC guidelines & continue to quarantine. I’m feeling good + will keep up on my work for the ppl of Iowa from home.”
Read more here. —Associated Press
5:06 p.m.: Proposal to cap delivery app fees in Chicago clears City Council hurdle
A plan to cap delivery fees charged to Chicago restaurants by third-party delivery companies such as Grubhub and Uber Eats at 10% of the order’s cost as long as indoor dining capacity is set at below 40% during the coronavirus pandemic moved closer to final passage on Tuesday as aldermen voted to advance the plan.
The proposal, introduced to the City Council on Monday as Mayor Lori Lightfoot and aldermen try to help restaurants make it through the winter, passed in the joint committee on finance and license and consumer protection.
Read more here. —Gregory Pratt
4:50 p.m.: Holiday volunteering will look a lot different this year due to COVID-19. Here are 10 ways you can still help — in person or virtually.
The holiday season is typically high tide for giving back through volunteering. But as the COVID-19 pandemic persists, cases surge and a stay-at-home advisory went into effect in Chicago and Cook County on Monday, organizations are seeing volunteer numbers dwindle even as demand for their services increases.
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“At Christmas time, we always see a surge in individuals seeking us out for our assistance,” said Lt. Col. Lonneal Richardson, metropolitan division commander for the Salvation Army, who is responsible for all operations in Chicago and the metro area.
Read more here. —Christen A. Johnson
4:47 p.m.: Cook County Jail detainee who tested positive for COVID-19 has died in custody
For the first time since May, a Cook County Jail detainee who tested positive for COVID-19 has died in custody, authorities said.
Harold Graszer, 85, died Monday at Stroger Hospital after being diagnosed with the disease. The official cause of death is pending an autopsy, according to the Cook County sheriff’s office.
Records show that Graszer was awaiting trial on charges of predatory criminal sexual assault and aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a child younger than 13. He had been behind bars for about a year.
Seven other COVID-positive detainees have died in custody, but all of those were in the spring, as the jail was dealing with a coronavirus spike it has since taken measures to control.Positive cases at the jail remained in the low double digits through most of the summer, but as cases have skyrocketed in the larger community, the number of positive tests in the jail also have climbed. As of Monday evening, there were 140 detainees with covid in the jail.
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And the jail’s population has risen significantly since efforts in the spring to release detainees to allow for social distancing. There were 5,518 people in custody Tuesday —nearly back to pre-pandemic levels.
—Megan Crepeau
4:37 p.m.: Chicago Public Schools will begin in-person classes in January as more suburban districts announce they will revert to remote learning amid COVID-19 surge
Chicago Public Schools has announced that it will continue to provide classes through remote learning until after the winter break, but then plans to begin bringing students back on Jan. 11.
The news came down just after Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced Tuesday that he is imposing more restrictions to try to stem the spread of the coronavirus — but reiterated that he’s leaving decision about schools to local districts.
CPS' announcement also coincides with decisions by several suburban district to revert to remote learning as COVID-19 cases surge in Illinois.
Read more here. —Karen Ann Cullotta
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(Updated 3:35 p.m.) 1:12 p.m.: Gov. J.B. Pritzker lowers capacity for retail shops and shuts down casinos in latest effort to slow COVID-19 surge
Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Tuesday announced targeted restrictions for retail shops and a shutdown of casinos as part of the state’s latest effort to slow the surging coronavirus.
Just ahead of the busiest shopping season of the year, retailers will be under a 25% capacity limit, down from the current 50%. A 50% capacity limit will remain for grocery stores, but big-box chains such as Walmart and Target that include groceries will be subject to the lower limit.
In addition to casinos, video gambling terminals statewide will be shut down under the plan.
The new measures take effect at midnight Friday.
Read more here. —Dan Petrella, Jamie Munks and Gregory Pratt
3:44 p.m.: Chicago updates city’s COVID-19 travel list, urges people to cancel ‘traditional Thanksgiving’
While updating Chicago’s new rules Tuesday for staying inside after returning from other states with serious pandemic outbreaks, the city’s health commissioner urged people to cancel traditional Thanksgiving plans.
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Forty six states and Puerto Rico now require some kind of extraordinary safety steps for people coming into Chicago under Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s travel order. Only Maine, Vermont and Hawaii have low enough COVID-19 rates to not fall into the stricter categories, Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said.
[ Chicago’s travel quarantine order adds 2 states and D.C. to orange list, knocks 1 off red list. Here’s what you need to know to avoid a large fine. ]
And the skyrocketing cases in Chicago and across the country call for not mixing households for the upcoming holiday, she said.
“Not just for traveling, if you haven’t covered your Thanksgiving plans yet with your friends and family, please do cancel your traditional Thanksgiving plans,” Arwady said. “I normally would be traveling to Michigan, seeing my extended friends and family. I love Thanksgiving. This year, I’ll be staying home. I’ll be having that celebration over FaceTime or Zoom.”
“It’s not what I want to do, but it’s the right thing to do, for myself, for my family and for Chicago. Please make that same decision,” she said.
Read more here. —John Byrne
3:43 p.m.: Pritzker orders museums to close back down as COVID-19 rates climb in Illinois
Early in the day Tuesday, Shedd Aquarium announced it would join the MCA in shutting down again temporarily as coronavirus rates rise in Illinois and across the country and officials ask the public to hunker back down.
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But Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s afternoon press briefing made it clear they would not be alone. Beginning at midnight Friday, he said, all indoor museums must close to help stem the spread of the coronavirus, part of a suite of mitigations meant to limit public gatherings.
Read more here. —Steve Johnson
1:33 p.m.: Iowa governor orders residents to wear masks, then says, ‘There’s science on both sides ... you can find whatever you want to support wherever you are at’
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds urged residents Tuesday to follow her new partial mask mandate, while claiming “there’s science on both sides” about whether masks reduce the spread of coronavirus.
After months of opposition, Reynolds signed an order Monday that requires people to wear masks in indoor public places under some circumstances.
She said she changed course because the state has seen an exponential increase in the number of people hospitalized with the virus this month. She warned that without action, hospitals will be overwhelmed and people will be at risk of not being able to get medical care of any kind.
At a news conference, Reynolds defended exceptions in her mask mandate that public health experts say makes it weak. She said it does not extend to schools because classrooms have not been a major source of virus transmission, and that most districts are already requiring students to wear face coverings.
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The mandate only applies when people are within 6 feet of other members of the public outside their households for at least 15 minutes. Reynolds said it was appropriate to target “prolonged personal interaction” given how the virus spreads and said anyone confused should err on the side of caution.
“If you have doubt or aren’t sure, I would say wear a mask,” she said.
At the same event, however, she seemed to allow for doubts about their effectiveness. She noted that neighboring states with mask mandates, such as Illinois and Minnesota, have seen rising numbers of cases, although not as severely as Iowa.
A reporter asked Reynolds how she would convince mask skeptics, who include many of her political supporters, that they work.
“Oh there’s science on both sides and you know that,” she said. “If you look you can find whatever you want to support wherever you are at.”
Read more here. —Associated Press
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1:06 p.m.: Jennifer Hudson to highlight pre-taped Mag Mile lights festival on WLS-Ch. 7
Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson headlines the re-imagined BMO Harris Bank Magnificent Mile Lights Festival, which won’t feature a procession on Michigan Avenue this year because of the coronavirus.
The pre-taped festival special is scheduled to premiere at 6 p.m. Sunday on WLS-Ch. 7 and air again at 4 p.m. Nov. 29. The broadcast is hosted by Channel 7 anchors Cheryl Burton and Alan Krashesky with Janet Davies contributing. Hudson, Grammy winner Heather Headley and Rascal Flatts perform on the hour-long special, which will feature Mickey and Minnie Mouse lighting up Michigan Avenue from the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.
—Tracy Swartz
12:24 p.m.: New coronavirus cases announced in Cook County court system, including at juvenile detention center
Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans has announced new cases of COVID-19 in the Cook County court system, including at the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center.
Evans announced Tuesday that two more youths at the detention center have tested positive, the fifth and sixth in recent days. That brings the total number of cases among center residents to 61 since the beginning of the pandemic.
Additionally, 68 staff at the detention center have tested positive for the coronavirus this year.Evans also reported that two employees of the juvenile probation department have tested positive, as well as a judge assigned to Traffic Court at the Daley Center.
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Across the system since the pandemic’s start, officials said 159 employees working for the chief judge’s office have tested positive for COVID-19, in addition to 11 judges. The Cook County system employs some 2,600 staffers and about 400 judges.
—Annie Sweeney
12:21 p.m.: COVID-19 economic hardships have left more residents in need this holiday season. Local food pantries say there are more helpers, too.
As the devastation wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic forces a growing number of local families to seek financial assistance, officials at north suburban social service agencies say the increased need has been accompanied by an outpouring of community support.
Food pantry officials in Niles and New Trier townships and the city of Evanston all say that while it is clear more people are in need this holiday season, they have also seen an uptick in donations. That’s a trend they hope continues over the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons.
Read more here. —Karen Ann Cullotta, Pioneer Press
12:12 p.m.: Pritzker restricted the state’s eviction moratorium, meaning more renters can be kicked out. Here’s what you need to know.
For those pleading for more rent relief measures for tenants struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic, Friday the 13th proved rather unlucky.
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As the number of new coronavirus cases in Illinois topped 15,000 for the first time — setting a record for consecutive days — Gov. J.B. Pritzker extended his moratorium on housing evictions, but added new requirements for those tenants requesting a reprieve due to financial difficulties brought on by the pandemic.
“This new moratorium will ensure that the rents are paid by tenants who may have been taking advantage of the eviction moratorium but who are, in fact, able to make their monthly rent payments,” Pritzker said Friday.
Despite the eviction moratorium enacted in March, evictions are still happening. Housing advocates say both property owners and renters are hurting, and more relief is needed.
Read more here. —Darcel Rockett
12:05 p.m.: 12,601 new confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases and 97 additional deaths reported
Illinois health officials on Tuesday announced 12,601 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 97 additional fatalities, bringing the total number of known infections in Illinois to 597,849 and the statewide death toll to 10,875 since the start of the pandemic. Officials also reported 94,205 new tests in the last 24 hours.
The seven-day statewide rolling positivity rate for cases as a share of total tests was 12.5% for the period ending Monday, up from 8% on Nov. 1.
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—Chicago Tribune staff
11:44 a.m.: Mask mandate being discussed for Naperville, mayor says at COVID-19 town hall meeting
Naperville officials are considering a local ordinance that would make face mask usage mandatory as a means of combating the rising number of COVID-19 cases, Mayor Steve Chirico said.
Speaking during a virtual town hall meeting Monday, Chirico broached the subject as he and Edward-Elmhurst Health officials discussed the coronavirus pandemic and answered questions on the current case surge that has led to a ban on indoor dining and prompted school districts to step back from return-to-school plans.
“This is something that I’ve been talking about with our staff and with the health department ― that is, whether or not it would be helpful for Naperville to adopt a universal mask ordinance,” the mayor said.
“It’s somewhat heavy handed, I think people would say, and it wouldn’t be without many, many critics,” he said. “But if it were successful in its goal of trying to get everybody to comply, then it’s something that I think would be worth it.”
Read more here. —Rafael Guerrero, Naperville Sun
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11:40 a.m.: Wilmette extends financial help for village restaurants struggling during COVID-19 pandemic
Wilmette restaurant owners struggling in the wake of the state’s recent tightening of COVID-19 restrictions on indoor dining might be eligible for economic relief through a new village program.
The roughly $170,000 economic relief program, which was recently approved by the Wilmette Village Board, is provisional, officials said, and will be launched if the current mitigations set by the state in late October extend beyond four weeks, or Nov. 25.
The program would provide financial support to eligible village restaurants suffering from stricter mitigations recently set by the state for suburban Cook County, including a ban on indoor dining and reduced capacity and party sizes for outdoor dining, officials said in a statement.
Read more here. —Karen Ann Cullotta, Pioneer Press
11:32 a.m.: States plead for more federal help as coronavirus outbreak worsens, vaccine months away from distribution
With more shutdowns looming and a vaccine months away from wide distribution, governors across the U.S. are pleading for more help from Washington ahead of what is shaping up to be a bleak winter.
Renewed restrictions on indoor businesses, the coming end of unemployment benefits for millions of Americans and overloaded hospitals have led governors to paint a dire picture of the months ahead unless the federal government steps in with more money and leadership to help them shore up their damaged budgets and beat back the resurgence of the coronavirus.
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Between now and June 2022, state and local governments could be facing a shortfall or $400 billion or more by some estimates.
Read more here. —Associated Press
9:35 a.m.: Classrooms may be sparse these days, but public health programs see surge in enrollment during pandemic
Public health programs in the United States have seen a surge in enrollment as the coronavirus has swept through the country, killing more than 247,000 people. As state and local public health departments struggle with unprecedented challenges — slashed budgets, surging demand, staff departures and even threats to workers' safety —- a new generation is entering the field.
Among the more than 100 schools and public health programs that use the common application — a single admissions application form that students can send to multiple schools — there was a 20% increase in applications to master’s in public health programs for the current academic year, to nearly 40,000, according to the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health.
Read more here. —Associated Press
8:12 a.m.: Why experts say Moderna COVID-19 vaccine holds advantage over Pfizer’s candidate
The mRNA-based coronavirus vaccine developed by Moderna and vetted in clinical trials at the Detroit-based Henry Ford Health System is based on the same technology used by Pfizer to develop its vaccine candidate, but would not have the same requirement for storage at ultra-cold temperatures.
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Pfizer and Moderna are the first companies to release partial results from Phase 3 clinical trials in the race to develop a vaccine against the deadly SARS-CoV-3 virus that causes COVID-19.
Moderna said Monday its vaccine was found to be 94.5% effective in initial results. Pfizer’s candidate was found to be 90% effective in initial results made public Nov. 9.
Read more here. —The Detroit News
6 a.m.: Should college students get a COVID-19 test before heading home for the holidays? Some schools urge or even require it, but ‘it doesn’t give you a free pass’
From requiring students to take COVID-19 tests before departing campus to restricting dorm access, colleges are tightening protocols ahead of Thanksgiving and winter breaks, when thousands of students are expected to journey home for the holidays amid a national coronavirus surge.
Public health experts say traveling, especially in airports or by public transit, is inherently risky when COVID-19 infections are high, and colleges are discouraging students from shuttling back and forth in the coming weeks.
But concern remains that young adults crisscrossing the country might seed new infections in their home communities — or within their own households. Though schools with resources to conduct exit testing aim to address that worry, doctors say students shouldn’t rely solely on negative results. It can take several days after infection for viral particles to become detectable in a sample, research shows.
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Read more here. —Elyssa Cherney
6 a.m.: Every toilet flush reveals a clue in fight to stop COVID-19
With COVID-19 infections spiking again at an alarming rate, Chicago is scrambling to catch up to other cities forecasting outbreaks by analyzing human waste flushed down thousands of toilets.
Signs of the novel coronavirus show up in sewers about a week before people surge into hospitals with symptoms of the disease, which during the past nine months has killed more than 1.3 million people worldwide, including 246,000 in the United States.
In an attempt to provide doctors and nurses with more time to prepare for outbreaks, 20 communities in 43 countries are collecting sewage samples and posting charts showing changes over time in the genetic signature of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Researchers from four universities and Argonne National Laboratory are rushing to add Chicago to the list early next year.
"It’s much more efficient to test wastewater from a neighborhood, where a couple of samples could tell you as much as testing 500 people over and over again, said Sam Dorevitch, a University of Illinois at Chicago scientist involved in the project.
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Read more here. —Michael Hawthorne
Breaking coronavirus news Stay up to date with the latest information on coronavirus with our breaking news alerts.
In case you missed it
Here are some recent stories related to COVID-19.


chicagotribune--2020-11-17--Zion man arrested after firing gun at ex-girlfriend, police say

The victim , Bowers ' former girlfriend , told police she was driving when Bowers almost struck her vehicle with @ @ @ @ @ said she and Bowers both pulled over , got out of their vehicles and began @ @ @ @ @ broke out , according to police .

A Zion man is facing a felony weapons charges after police say he fired a gun at his former girlfriend.
Zion police charged Drashaun L Bowers, 31, following an incident that police say started Sunday at 2:08 p.m. in the 1800 block of Joanna Drive.
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The victim, Bowers' former girlfriend, told police she was driving when Bowers almost struck her vehicle with his car. The woman said she and Bowers both pulled over, got out of their vehicles and began arguing before a physical altercation broke out, according to police.
Bowers, the woman said, went back to his car, came back with a pistol and fired one time at her before he fled, reports said.
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The woman followed Bowers and saw him enter an apartment in the 2100 block of Gabriel, police said. She then called police, and officers arrived and talked Bowers into leaving his apartment and surrendering. Police said they recovered a 9 mm handgun inside the apartment.
No one was injured in the incident, police said.
Bowers has been charged with aggravated discharge of a firearm, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, domestic battery and two counts of resisting a peace officer. He was being held in lieu of $200,000 bail in the Lake County jail.


chicagotribune--2020-11-17--New coronavirus restrictions: What will be open, closed, different in Illinois starting Friday

With confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases on the rise , the following new targeted restrictions for the entire state of @ @ @ @ @ .
J.B. Pritzker and will take effect at midnight Friday .

With confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases on the rise, the following new targeted restrictions for the entire state of Illinois were announced by Gov. J.B. Pritzker and took effect at midnight on Friday, Nov. 20.
What’s open or allowed
(Jemal R. Brinson)
BARS AND RESTAURANTS
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(Including private clubs and country clubs)
May open no earlier than 6 a.m. and must close by 11 p.m.
No indoor service allowed. No dancing or standing indoors either. All indoor gaming terminals must suspend operations.
All patrons must be seated outside at tables that have a maximum capacity of six people and are spaced 6 feet apart.
Reservations required for each party with a maximum of one party per table.
No ordering or congregating at a bar. All stools should be removed to prevent seating at a bar.
(Jemal R. Brinson)
PERSONAL CARE SERVICES
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(Including hair and nail salons, and physical, occupational and massage therapy clinics)
Maximum capacity: 25 clients or 25% capacity, whichever is less.
Face coverings must be worn at all times by clients and service providers.
Facials, beard trims and all other services in which a face covering cannot be worn are suspended.
Appointments for physical, occupational and massage therapy as deemed necessary by a medical provider may continue, but appointments must be spaced by a minimum of 15 minutes in order to sanitize and circulate air in service rooms before and after each service.
Virtual consultations recommended.
(Jemal R. Brinson)
RETAIL
(Including service counters, general merchandise and convenience stores, “big box” stores offering groceries and pharmacy services)
Maximum capacity: 25%, but grocery stores and pharmacies may operate at up to 50%.
Customers should plan quick, efficient trips with consistent circulation when in-store shopping is necessary.
(Jemal R. Brinson)
HEALTH AND FITNESS CENTERS
Maximum capacity: 25%.
Reservations required.
Face coverings must be worn at all times.
No indoor group classes allowed.
Locker room areas closed.
(Jemal R. Brinson)
GROUP RECREATION
(Including sports and activity facilities)
Outdoor sports and recreation only, no indoor activities allowed.
Limited to 10 people or fewer with each required to wear face coverings at all times and observe social distancing.
Locker room areas closed.
(Jemal R. Brinson)
HOTELS
Maximum capacity per guest room: Number of individuals permissible per existing fire code.
Room occupancy limited to registered guests only.
Fitness centers closed or operated only on a reservation model with capacity limited to 25%.
Grab-and-go food allowed.
Event and meeting spaces closed.
(Jemal R. Brinson)
HOME GATHERINGS
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Home gatherings must be limited to household members.
(Jemal R. Brinson)
OFFICES
All employees who can work remotely should work remotely.
(Jemal R. Brinson)
MUSEUMS AND CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS
(Including theaters, performing arts centers and other amusements)
All indoor activities closed.
Livestreaming of performances is encouraged with social distancing of performers and minimum operational staff.
Outdoor activities allowed with a maximum capacity of 25%; activities limited to 10 people, all required to wear face coverings; and reservations required.
FUNERALS
Limited to 10 family members of the decedent, not including staff, per Illinois Department of Public Health guidance.
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What’s closed or not allowed
Casinos and gaming centers are closed.
Gatherings must not be held at meeting rooms, banquet centers, private party rooms, private clubs and country clubs.
No party buses.
All indoor group sporting and recreational activities including youth and adult recreational sports must pause, including park district and travel leagues.
How long will these mitigations be in place?
The Illinois Department of Public Health will monitor positivity rates and hospital capacity metrics throughout the state during 14-day increments to determine if mitigations can be relaxed, remain in place or if additional steps are required.
To move back to Tier 2, a region must fulfill each of the following requirements:
Less than 12% seven-day average COVID-19 test positivity rate for three consecutive days.
More than 20% available intensive care unit and hospital bed availability for three consecutive days.
Declining seven-day average COVID-19 hospitalizations for seven of the previous 10 days.
Check our tracker for daily metrics for each region.
Source: State of Illinois


chicagotribune--2020-11-17--Running list of Chicago-area closings and cancellations because of coronavirus

Pritzker in the spring issued a stay-at-home order that was in effect into June , but the state has never @ @ @ @ @ have continued to require people to practice such precautions as wearing a face mask covering @ @ @ @ @ going out in public .
On Tuesday , state officials announced a rollback to a @ @ @ @ @ closing many types of public gathering places and further limiting many businesses ' capacity , @ @ @ @ @ allowing local school districts to decide , in consultation with local health authorities , whether @ @ @ @

Chicago Tribune staff, Katherine Rosenberg-Douglas, Liam Ford

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)
In the months since Gov. J.B. Pritzker lifted the state’s coronavirus stay-at-home order, Chicagoans and other residents of Illinois have seen a gradual tightening of restrictions as COVID-19 cases spiked well past levels seen in the spring.
Pritzker in the spring issued a stay-at-home order that was in effect into June, but the state has never fully reopened, and officials have continued to require people to practice such precautions as wearing a face mask covering both nose and mouth when going out in public. On Tuesday, state officials announced a rollback to a Tier 3 mitigation plan, closing many types of public gathering places and further limiting many businesses' capacity, although state officials are still allowing local school districts to decide, in consultation with local health authorities, whether to remain open.
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With more than 10,000 deaths and more than 500,000 known cases reported in Illinois, event organizers, businesses and religious institutions here have reacted to the local transmission of the virus. Starting Nov. 16, Chicago and Cook County went under stay-at-home advisories, and more restrictions could be coming at the state level, as Pritzker has warned the state could be headed for another general shutdown.
Here are Chicago-area cancellations, closings and modifications prompted by the pandemic:
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Events
There are many holiday events planned for November and December in the suburbs, all of them adapted to deal with the coronavirus.
Chicago’s Christkindlmarket and many other events have been canceled or moved online this year, including the city’s Christmas tree-lighting ceremony and the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival.
Theaters, performing arts centers and amusement centers were to close under Tier 3, effective Friday, Nov. 20.
Roman Catholic churches in the Archdiocese of Chicago are still holding services under limited-capacity guidelines put in place in June and the archdiocese in November advised parishes, agencies and its main offices to reinforce current work-at-home advisories, while limiting non-worship gatherings to 10 people.
The annual festival for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe at the Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine in Des Plaines has been canceled.
Many other places of worship also remain open, with restrictions, but many are streaming their services.
“Meeting rooms, banquet centers, private party rooms, private clubs and country clubs may not host gatherings” under Tier 3 restrictions, according to the state.
Funerals are limited to 10 family members, not including funeral home staff.
The
Many Chicago-area 12-step recovery meetings were suspended or moved because of coronavirus-related precautions, according to the websites of the local affiliates of Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous.
Museums, parks and sports
All museums in Illinois were ordered closed as of Friday, Nov. 20, under Tier 3 mitigation measures.
The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago had announced it was closing down for two weeks as COVID-19 rates climb rapidly in Illinois and across the country and the Shedd Aquarium announced that it was closing again effective Nov. 18, with a target reopening date of Jan. 2.
Indoor recreation centers were ordered closed effective Nov. 20 under Tier 3 measures.
All indoor group sporting and recreational activities, including youth and adult recreational sports as well as park district programs and travel leagues, were ordered halted as of Nov. 20 under Tier 3 measures, although individual training may continue, with facility reservations.
Outdoor sports and recreation involving 10 people or fewer, with social distancing and face masks, are allowed under Tier 3 measures.
The Garfield Park Conservatory has had its outdoor grounds open, but the Lincoln Park Conservatory has remained fully closed. Although the Chicago Park District has had online and some in-person programs, its offerings have been limited.
Government
Hospitals
Many Chicago-area hospitals are again restricting visitors because of the spread of the coronavirus, after relaxing rules over the summer.
On Nov. 16, Advocate Aurora Health said it was delaying half of elective surgeries because of surging COVID-19 cases.
Businesses
Under the state’s coronavirus plan, restaurants throughout the state are limited to outdoor dining, carryout or delivery, with limited hours. Bars have limited hours and can’t have indoor service.
Under Tier 3 measures, all Illinois bars and restaurants must close at 11 p.m. and reopen no sooner than 6 a.m. the next day, effective Nov. 20.
All workers who can work remotely should work remotely under the Tier 3 measures.
Chicago is limiting the hours of what it deems nonessential businesses, requiring they stay closed between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. Taverns and restaurants must stop serving alcohol at 11 p.m. and businesses that sell packaged alcohol must stop selling at 9 p.m.
All gaming and casinos will close as of Friday, Nov. 20, under Tier 3 measures.
Grocery stores and pharmacies can operate at 50% capacity.
Health and fitness centers — including at hotels, where reservations are required — retail stores other than groceries and pharmacies, personal care services such as salons and fitness centers can operate at 25% capacity starting Nov. 20 under Tier 3 measures.
The Tribune is keeping a running list of restaurants that have permanently closed because of the pandemic.
Schools
Schools may remain open under Tier 3 measures effective Nov. 20, but state officials say many are choosing to go to remote learning.
Chicago’s public schools remain on remote learning. CPS has talked about starting in-person learning for some groups of students, but that may be derailed by spiking cases.
The Archdiocese of Chicago’s schools remain open for in-person instruction, with a portion of students choosing online instruction. Archdiocese school officials have said they are allow schools to switch to online learning between Thanksgiving and Christmas—all Catholic schools in the archdiocese will be remote the first two weeks of January—but only about 20% of schools are expected to close after Thanksgiving.
Many colleges and universities are following a hybrid model, with some students on campus and others at home, along with some classes in-person and others remote.
Models for suburban schools vary from district to district, and many have been pulling back from in-person instruction, as school boards feel heat from people on both side of the debate over whether to hold in-person classes. Some of the districts' decisions include:
Check back for updates.
kdouglas@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @312BreakingNews


chicagotribune--2020-11-17--Boy safe after minivan he was in was stolen, but Bridgeview police continue search for suspect

Liam ’ s father had gone into the 7-Eleven convenience store at 7901 S. Roberts Road in Bridgeview to get @ @ @ @ @ family ’ s dinner , Hanania said .
When the clerk told him he would @ @ @ @ @ turned to leave and saw his van was gone .

Bridgeview police said Tuesday they may be close to making an arrest in connection with Monday night’s theft of a minivan with 4-year-old Liam Barbarasa in a back seat. He was found unharmed hours later in Chicago, still strapped into his car seat.
Bridgeview Police Department spokesman Ray Hanania said investigators are following up on leads they have collected since the incident began about 5:30 p.m. Monday.
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“We have information that we’re following up on that we believe leads to the individual responsible,” Hanania said. “Our goal is to find and arrest this person. I think we have good odds for doing that.”
Hanania could not offer specific details, other than saying police believe it was a man who stole the 2001 Oldsmobile Silhouette minivan with Liam sitting in the back.
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Liam’s father had gone into the 7-Eleven convenience store at 7901 S. Roberts Road in Bridgeview to get a precooked pizza for the family’s dinner, Hanania said. When the clerk told him he would have to wait, he turned to leave and saw his van was gone.
Police issued an Amber Alert for Liam. At about 7:30 p.m. a Chicago Police Department automatic license plate scanner picked up the van’s license plate near 26th Street and California Avenue.
About two hours later, police found the van parked about 10 miles farther north in the Irving Park neighborhood. Liam was still strapped into his car seat, Hanania said. The boy was taken to Swedish Covenant Hospital in Chicago for examination, and Hanania said he was not physically harmed in the incident.
“We’re almost positive that the person’s intent was purely to steal the car,” Hanania said.
However, he said it’s unclear why the person continued to drive for four hours and why the van ended up 30 miles north of where it was stolen.
The initial incident was not captured on security cameras at the 7-Eleven store, Hanania said. The keys had been left in the van, which was undamaged.
Carole Sharwarko is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.


chicagotribune--2020-11-17--New Bridgeport takeout restaurant opens today, feeding guests for free in a pay-it-forward model

“ Meal relief is one of the things that , as chefs , we can really promote and be a @ @ @ @ @ Beverly Kim , who co-owns Wherewithall with her husband , Johnny Clark .
“ For @ @ @ @ @ s been ) one positive way to use my energy .
Instead of fighting for @ @ @ @ @ the needs of the community , and if I can put a few people back @ @ @ @ @ people some free meals , that ’ s super helpful .
It ’ s a @ @ @ @ @ can help stimulate the neighborhood and help people at the same time .
”

Sarah Kaleta, left, helps a customer with her takeout order at Community Canteen, a new pay-it-forward restaurant within Kimski in Bridgeport, on Nov. 17, 2020. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)
As Chicago restaurants brace themselves for the imminent winter, leaning into takeout and delivery or simply closing until spring, operators at Kimski have made a different seasonal shift. Within the Bridgeport restaurant, a new effort called Community Canteen has launched, offering delivery and takeout meals for free — a relief effort driven by the coronavirus’ economic toll.
With the support of a group of chefs and hospitality pros, Community Canteen, which opened Tuesday and will operate five days a week, invites guests to choose from a menu of prepared meals to-go, then walk away with lunch or dinner without paying. The new restaurant follows a pay-it-forward model, in which guests can contribute to the project when they pick up their food — but are not expected to. All donations fund future meals.
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The Canteen effort is an extension of the Community Kitchen Project, which Ed Marszewski — co-founder of Kimski and Maria’s and owner of Marz Brewing — began in June.
After many businesses closed in March during the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, Marszewski was struck by the urgent need for employment and meal relief in Chicago. So he tried to offer both with the Community Kitchen Project. Staffers from Kimski and Mom’s — which runs the kitchen at Marz Brewing — worked additional hours helping to prepare, serve and deliver about 300 meals per week during Community Kitchen’s early days.
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Kat McCarthy sits behind a table with the day's menu while waiting to takes orders from customers at Community Canteen in Bridgeport on Nov. 17, 2020. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)
The operation has grown since then, and Marszewski said Community Canteen plans to distribute at least 2,000 meals per week through the winter. The growth has come courtesy of additional donations and grants from investors, businesses, foundations and individuals at Marszewski’s operations.
Marszewki hopes that Community Canteen can provide a sustainable model going forward, one that can give people employment and offer access to a good meal for those who need it.
“We just want to show that this community kitchen thing, it can work. We’re trying to keep that ecology going and keep this moving,” Marszewski said. “We’re going to do it through the winter, try to keep people employed and try to feed people. The need for food in Chicago isn’t going to end.”
In five months, the project’s list of contributors has grown lengthy and includes more than 50 Chicago chefs and restaurant workers. Chef Won Kim runs the Kimski kitchen and helps to oversee pickup dates on-site. Two days per week, Mom’s chefs/owners Kelly Ijichi and Randy Howry help to deliver meals to facilities including Senior Suites locations and Pilsen Community Center. D-Men Tap, aka Donermen, uses its food truck to make the rest of the deliveries.
Since the beginning of November, chef Beverly Kim has begun using her restaurant Wherewithall as a pickup location on the North Side, offering 150 meals weekly.
“Meal relief is one of the things that, as chefs, we can really promote and be a part of,” said Beverly Kim, who co-owns Wherewithall with her husband, Johnny Clark. “For me, (it’s been) one positive way to use my energy. Instead of fighting for indoor dining, focusing on the needs of the community, and if I can put a few people back to work ... and offer people some free meals, that’s super helpful. It’s a lovely program that I hope can help stimulate the neighborhood and help people at the same time.”
A grant from the industry-supporting Lee Initiative allowed Community Canteen to purchase produce at a discount from vendors like Frillman, Genesis, Mick Klug, Green Acres and Slagel farms. Local Farms also offers goods at a reduced price. Beverly Kim said the dishes are made to be comforting but not boring, served as a hot and balanced meal. This week’s offering is a chicken stew pot pie with a biscuit. Beef tajin topped last week’s menu with a side of seasonal squash. Most menus include a side of fresh fruit and greens with vegetables and buttermilk dressing.
Won Kim, head chef at Kimski, prepares a couple of dishes for Community Canteen on Nov. 17, 2020. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)
The Community Canteen efforts go hand-in-hand with Abundance Setting, Beverly Kim’s own effort to support working mothers who are in the hospitality industry. She distributes about 300 meals weekly combined with the two programs, as well as the help of the American Indian Center. She hopes the programs can grow. “I’d be happy to add more days per week at Wherewithall,” she said.
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At Kimski, partner and chef Won Kim said the yo-yo trajectory of dining regulations (all restaurant dining rooms in Illinois have been closed in the latest effort to curb the spread of COVID-19) not only left him frustrated, but it altered the industry’s economic competition, inspiring him and Marszewski to further pursue the community kitchen project.
“It doesn’t feel like competing in the neighborhood, vying for people’s businesses right now. It’s not sustainable for anyone or any neighborhood during these times,” said Won Kim.
“This is an experiment, but it’s a social experiment that doubles as a functioning, charitable-type venture.”
The expanded effort adds five-hour pickup windows Tuesday through Saturday, as opposed to a single weekly window. The new Community Canteen will also have a menu with a few options from which guests can choose. Next week, Community Canteen will offer a festive selection of Thanksgiving favorites.
Marszewski hopes those measures will instill dignity and comfort in the process. Won Kim said some guests have felt self-conscious about taking the food for various reasons. They don’t want guests to feel that way. So far, organizers said they have welcomed myriad guests, from unemployed folks to senior citizens to neighbors who are simply hungry.
“We’re not here to determine whether you need a meal or not. Be regulars — it’s OK,” Won Kim said.
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The Community Canteen project has partnered with the Greater Chicago Food Depository, Pilsen Food Pantry and Love Fridge, among other food distribution organizations, so far, and Marszewski hopes that the operation can continue to take root in the local food ecosystem. They’re currently working on expanding delivery to Back of the Yards, Bronzeville, Little Village and Washington Park.
A sausage dish is among the offerings at the Community Canteen, which works with local farms to source ingredients. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)
“Ed is one of those people who likes to run with an idea as far as you can go, until it’s 100 feet in the ground, and only then will he give up on the idea,” Won Kim said.
The Community Canteen is accepting donations, which are tax-deductible. Monetary donations are accepted on the organization’s website, and donations of materials or products should go through emily.communitykitchen@gmail.com.
“Our industry here hasn’t really seen something like this before. ... I’ve been feeling proud of the networking that we’ve been able to do so far. And as a chef, it’s kind of changed my life,” Beverly Kim said. “We hope if this program expands, maybe we can share that with other people, and they say ‘wow, this is a good possibility,’ and they copy-paste it.”
960 W. 31st St., communitykitchenchicago.org


chicagotribune--2020-11-17--Chicago updates city’s COVID-19 travel list, urges people to cancel ‘traditional Thanksgiving’

“ Not just for traveling , if you haven ’ t covered your Thanksgiving plans yet with your friends and @ @ @ @ @ your traditional Thanksgiving plans , ” Arwady said .
“ I normally would be traveling @ @ @ @ @ extended friends and family .
I love Thanksgiving .
This year , I ’ ll @ @ @ @ @ ’ ll be having that celebration over FaceTime or Zoom .
”

Dick DeGray, of Brattleboro, Vt., puts on his mask before going into the Municipal Building, in Brattleboro, as the town started to require visitors and staff to put their masks back on Aug. 11, 2021, due to COVID-19 virus numbers increasing in Windham County. (Kristopher Radder/The Brattleboro Reformer)
While updating Chicago’s new rules Tuesday for staying inside after returning from other states with serious pandemic outbreaks, the city’s health commissioner urged people to cancel traditional Thanksgiving plans.
Forty-six states and Puerto Rico now require some kind of extraordinary safety steps for people coming into Chicago under Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s travel order. Only Maine, Vermont and Hawaii have low enough COVID-19 rates to not fall into the stricter categories, Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said.
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And the skyrocketing cases in Chicago and across the country call for not mixing households for the upcoming holiday, she said.
“Not just for traveling, if you haven’t covered your Thanksgiving plans yet with your friends and family, please do cancel your traditional Thanksgiving plans,” Arwady said. “I normally would be traveling to Michigan, seeing my extended friends and family. I love Thanksgiving. This year, I’ll be staying home. I’ll be having that celebration over FaceTime or Zoom.”
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“It’s not what I want to do, but it’s the right thing to do, for myself, for my family and for Chicago. Please make that same decision,” she said.
The city started the three-tier travel order last week. It requires people coming from states with higher COVID-19 case rates than Chicago — currently 85 cases per 100,000 residents — to stay inside for two weeks after getting to Chicago. The city isn’t enforcing this order, but Arwady argues that drawing attention to the rates performs a service by making people think twice before making reckless travel decisions.
There are 11 states in the red: Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
Those coming from orange states, with rates between 15-per-100,000 and 85-per-100,000, should get a negative COVID-19 test result no more than 72 hours before arriving or quarantine for two weeks. If you’re coming from the three yellow states, observe social distancing and mask rules, according to the city.
“But the bottom line, you should not be traveling,” Arwady said. “Right now, COVID is surging across the country.”
jebyrne@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @_johnbyrne


chicagotribune--2020-11-17--Beloved 911 dispatcher called a ‘voice of security’ by Chicago police loses life to coronavirus

“ Dad would make sure they always made it home because there were people that knew they were from the @ @ @ @ @ and he would help get them across the neighborhood just to get home to their @ @ @ @ @ recalled .
“ As much as I want to cry , and as much as @ @ @ @ @ , there ’ s as many kids out there that needed him back in the @ @ @ @ @ ’ s police … saying , ‘ Your dad got me out of so many @ @ @ @ @ young copper .
’ ”

The Rev. Dan Brandt, a Chicago police chaplain, hugs a Guadalupe "Lupe" Lopez family member during a prayer during a funeral procession stop at the Office of Emergency Management and Communications on Nov. 30, 2020. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
As calm and cool as he may have sounded over police radio, Guadalupe “Lupe” Lopez would still worry about Chicago police officers on the street, especially if they reported they were in danger.
“I’m worried about all the 10-1s. I get a 10-1 and my heart drops,” Lopez would tell his son, Richie, who recounted his father’s words in describing an emergency call of an officer needing help. “There’s 10-1s at work and there’s people that need help and I wish I could do more.”
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As a 911 dispatcher for the city’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications, Lopez was responsible for quarterbacking the 911 calls given to officers who work in the West Side’s Ogden and Harrison patrol districts, two of the more troubled areas of the city that struggle with violence.
Chicago police dispatcher Guadalupe Lopez's children made an altar with his photo and uniform in his living room on Nov. 17, 2020. Lopez died of complications from the coronavirus the previous day. (Abel Uribe/Chicago Tribune)
Shootings. Homicides. Carjackings. Police chases. Lopez walked officers through it all.
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“Everybody that ever came up to me said that my dad’s gotten them out of a situation. If they didn’t know the 10th and the 11th District too much, my dad would guide them,” Richie Lopez said in a Tribune interview, recalling the comments of officers who work in those two districts. “He knew (those areas) like the back of his hand.”
Lupe Lopez died Monday of complications from COVID-19 at MacNeal Hospital in Berwyn. He was 58.
On Tuesday, his wife, Maria, also remained hospitalized at MacNeal with the disease, though her condition appears to have improved over the last few days, said their daughter, Erica. The couple had initially been treated in the same room, their daughter said.
“I feel like my dad’s pushing her to get home to us,” Erica Lopez said.
On Monday, Lopez was the subject of social media tributes, many of them from people familiar with his voice through scanner traffic during his overnight shift on Zone 10, the police radio frequency used by officers from Ogden and Harrison. A number of officers on Monday also paid tribute to Lopez, riding past his home in squad cars with their blue lights flashing.
The Chicago Police Department on its Facebook page offered a tribute to Lopez for his steady hand in helping officers through some of their most stressful encounters.
“Officers in Chicago rely on their dispatchers while serving and protecting this city. For Chicago police officers working Zone 10, Guadalupe Lopez was that voice of security and reassurance,” the Facebook post read. “Lupe you will be missed by so many and we thank you for your years of service.”
Roger Bay, a retired Chicago police deputy chief, said officers thought of Lopez as a friend coming on when he would start work. You could tell, Bay said, by the enthusiastic reaction from cops when they knew his overnight shift was under way.
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“'Hey, Lupe’s here!'” would be a common reaction from officers on the radio when they heard him, said Bay, a former watch commander in Harrison during those overnight shifts. “There are superstars. He would fit into that category.
“He was more than taking care of business,” Bay said. “He was taking care of the officers.”
On Monday evening, OEMC issued a statement, calling Lopez a “beloved employee” of the 911 center for over 33 years. “He was a kindhearted man, a genuinely caring person and a trusted confidant to those he worked with,” the statement read. “His contributions to 911 and the city of Chicago will not be forgotten. Our sympathies are extended to his family and friends as well as his colleagues. He will be deeply missed.”
Lupe Lopez was born in Chicago on Sept. 20, 1962 and grew up in the Little Village neighborhood. He was very active in his community as a young adult, spending time as a DJ at a Boys & Girls Club, where he met his wife about 35 years ago, his son said.
Lupe Lopez loved dancing to house music and was a big fan of local DJs Julian “Jumpin” Perez and Gino “Rockin” Romo, his family said.
Lupe Lopez was hired as an emergency dispatcher for the city in 1987, and his son believes it was a career that was almost like a calling.
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“He loved his community. He loved where he grew up,” Richie Lopez said of his father’s feelings for Little Village, which falls within the Ogden patrol district. “Little Village is a very special place. ... People come from the neighborhood, they don’t have a lot of money. ... He wanted to help those people as much as he possibly could.”
He also coached, primarily kids from third grade and into high school, in baseball and basketball leagues on the Southwest Side. He coached in Little Village, as well as farther south in the city’s Archer Heights community, where his family moved in later years.
Richie Lopez and his younger brother, Andy, played basketball and baseball for their father, who also coached his daughter in baseball and basketball.
Being a coach’s son, Richie Lopez said his father could be strict on him. But other kids, especially in Little Village, were forever grateful for his father encouraging them to do right with their lives despite being from a neighborhood challenged by gangs and other issues, he said.
Richie Lopez said he has heard from former players during their days at Piotrowski Park on West 31st Street who talked about how Lupe Lopez would give them rides home after games or practice to the other side of Little Village if they felt unsafe.
“Dad would make sure they always made it home because there were people that knew they were from the other side of the neighborhood and he would help get them across the neighborhood just to get home to their families,” Richie Lopez recalled. “As much as I want to cry, and as much as I want to be sad, there’s as many kids out there that needed him back in the day as much as there’s police … saying, ‘Your dad got me out of so many situations when I was a young copper.’ ”
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Erica Lopez said her father was known by many as “Coach Lupe,” and would buy athletic equipment for his players if they needed it.
“If there were kids who couldn’t afford equipment, he’d go, ‘don’t worry about getting equipment. I’ll get it,' " she said.
Richie Lopez said his father suffered a mild stroke a few months ago, and despite his battle with the coronavirus he was still concerned about others around him.
“He was always so stressed out. He was just one of those guys that just worried, he was a worrier. He worried about everybody. He worried about me, my family, my son, my sister, my brother and everybody at work,” said Richie Lopez.
Erica Lopez said her father’s death and mother’s illness only reinforces how the public must take the virus seriously.
“COVID absolutely is destroying families,” she said. “I had to say goodbye to my father through glass.”
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Aside from his wife and three children, Lupe Lopez is survived by his grandchildren, Angie, Julian, Austin and Richie Jr., who simply called him “Coach.” Services are being planned.
jgorner@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-11-17--K-9 officer shot during Gary carjacking suspect’s arrest

The department in October put one of its K-9 handlers on paid administrative leave after her partner ran away from @ @ @ @ @ .
That K-9 was the second partner assigned to that officer in eight months , @ @ @ @ @ diagnosed with laryngeal paralysis and exchanged for the second .

A Lake County K-9 officer is “recovering well” after a Gary Police officer shot it during an early Monday arrest in Gary.
Lake County Sheriff’s officers – including Thanos, a 2-year-old Belgian Malinois with the department for two months – were helping Gary officers search for an armed carjacking suspect around midnight Nov. 16 in the 3300 block of Broadway, the sheriff’s department said in a release. While officers were arresting the man, the K-9 lunged at and knocked over a Gary officer.
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The officer in turn reacted and shot at Thanos, wounding the dog, according to the release.
Thanos was taken to Hobart Animal Clinic and continues to improve, Sheriff’s Spokeswoman Pam Jones said Tuesday.
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“(Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr.) is hoping for a full recovery but says we’ll have to wait and see what happens with the healing process” before determining whether Thanos can return to policing, Jones said.
Martinez said in the release that the department is reviewing the incident.
“I have a deep sense of respect and admiration for our K-9s, their handlers and the job they perform during intense and sometimes chaotic situations,” he said.
The department in October put one of its K-9 handlers on paid administrative leave after her partner ran away from her twice in three days. That K-9 was the second partner assigned to that officer in eight months, after her first K-9 was diagnosed with laryngeal paralysis and exchanged for the second.
Michelle L. Quinn is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.


chicagotribune--2020-11-17--The day after Thanksgiving, Chicago wants you to celebrate Black Shop Friday, to boost Black-owned b

The day after Thanksgiving, Chicago wants you to celebrate Black Shop Friday, to boost Black-owned businesses

The coronavirus pandemic has made 2020 challenging for all small businesses , but it ’ s been especially tough for @ @ @ @ @ to have more limited access to capital , said Karen Freeman-Wilson , president and CEO @ @ @ @ @ .
The organization worked with the city and advertising agency O ’ Keefe Reinhard & @ @ @ @ @ .

The city is encouraging Chicagoans to support Black-owned businesses on Black Friday, the traditional kickoff to the holiday shopping season, with a website promoting more than 500 local businesses.
The initiative, called “Black Shop Friday,” includes a directory of Black-owned businesses by the type of products sold and neighborhood. The website, www.BlackShopFriday.com, is scheduled to launch Nov. 24, three days before Black Friday.
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The coronavirus pandemic has made 2020 challenging for all small businesses, but it’s been especially tough for Black-owned businesses, which tend to have more limited access to capital, said Karen Freeman-Wilson, president and CEO of the Chicago Urban League. The organization worked with the city and advertising agency O’Keefe Reinhard & Paul to develop the initiative.
Momentum Coffee and Coworking owners Nikki Bravo and Tracy Powell are seen Nov. 17, 2020, at their business in Chicago's South Loop. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)
Increased visibility and attracting new customers “could make the difference between a business keeping their doors open and having to make the difficult decision to close,” she said.
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The city said the list aims to include all Chicago-area Black-owned businesses, and when the website launches there will be a way for people to submit additional listings.
Calls to support Black-owned businesses received greater attention this summer amid the focus on racial inequality in the wake of the wake of George Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police. More than 70 Chicago-area restaurants offered specials around Juneteenth, and again in October, during campaigns organized by Black People Eats, a website promoting Black-owned restaurants.
Where earlier initiatives tended to stay within the Black community, “Black Shop Friday” aims to have a broader reach and make it easy for people who are interested in supporting Black-owned businesses to do so, Freeman-Wilson said.
“This time we are making a much wider appeal, and I think it will be well-received because I think there’s greater interest now given some of the occurrences of 2020,” she said.
One of the businesses featured, Momentum Coffee and Coworking, part of Ignite Technology and Innovation, launched during the pandemic. The South Loop shop is Ignite Technology and Innovation’s second co-working space and first coffee shop.
Kimberly Buford, center, owner of the Color Me Beauty Bar, a nail and skin care boutique spa, works with client Shamone Duncan in Chicago's Beverly neighborhood on Nov. 17, 2020. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)
Nikki Bravo, executive director of Ignite Technology and Innovation, said she hopes the directory introduces the business to new customers.
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“We hope they come because of this, but come back because they enjoy what we deliver," she said.
[ Holiday gift guide: 17 gifts from Black-owned Chicago businesses ]
Other businesses featured include Agriculture, a men’s clothing store in the Near North neighborhood; Roasted Leaf Cigar and Coffee Bar, in Englewood; Semicolon Bookstore in the Fulton River District; The Woodshop, an art gallery and custom frame shop in Chatham; Chicago Upholstery and Drapery in Rogers Park and Color Me Beauty Bar, in Beverly.
"I just thought it could be great exposure for the salon,” said Kimberly Buford, owner of Color Me Beauty Bar. “Something people don’t necessarily understand is we do have a lot of businesses in the community that go unnoticed.”
lzumbach@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-11-17--Chicago’s travel quarantine order adds 2 states and D.C. to orange list, knocks 1 off red list. Here

Chicago’s travel quarantine order adds 2 states and D.C. to orange list, knocks 1 off red list. Here’s what you need to know to avoid a large fine.

There are limited exceptions to the quarantine order for essential workers who have to travel for work .
Travelers who @ @ @ @ @ Chicago but who have to be in Chicago to work and who traveled to an @ @ @ @ @ work do not need to quarantine .
Travelers who live in Chicago and who travel @ @ @ @ @ work do not have to quarantine , according to the order .

We have lifted the paywall on this story. To support essential reporting, please consider becoming a subscriber .
Dick DeGray, of Brattleboro, Vt., puts on his mask before going into the Municipal Building, in Brattleboro, as the town started to require visitors and staff to put their masks back on Aug. 11, 2021, due to COVID-19 virus numbers increasing in Windham County. (Kristopher Radder/The Brattleboro Reformer)
Chicago has revamped its travel quarantine order to reflect rising rates of the coronavirus in Chicago and the rest of Illinois, moving from a blanket list of states to a color-coded list comparing the rate of infection here with that in other states.
On Tuesday, the city added New York, California and Washington, D.C., to its orange list, requiring all travelers from those states to either quarantine or prove they have had a negative COVID-19 test 72 hours before arriving in Chicago. Idaho was moved from the stricter red list to the orange list.
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Under the original version of the emergency travel order, states had been added to the list when they reached an infection rate greater than 15 cases per 100,000 residents and removed once the daily case average remains below that rate for two consecutive weeks.
Now, the city is using a color-coded list, which will be updated every two weeks.
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“First and foremost, I would like people to avoid travel at this time if at all possible. But by creating a tiered system and using Chicago’s case rate as a category threshold, it allows us to be responsive to the changing dynamics of the pandemic,” said city health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady.
States that weren’t on the quarantine list that were added to the orange list the first week were Michigan, Connecticut, Arizona, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Georgia, Maryland, Oregon, Washington and Louisiana.
Yellow-coded states are those with a rolling seven-day average below 15 cases per day per 100,000 residents. Anyone returning from these states doesn’t have to quarantine. Three states qualified as of Tuesday.
Orange-coded states are those with a rolling seven-day average between 15 cases per day per 100,000 residents and Chicago’s rolling seven-day average, which was 60 as of Tuesday. People traveling from these states must either quarantine for 14 days or show they had a negative COVID-19 test no more than 72 hours before arrival in Chicago. There were 35 orange states, plus Washington, D.C., as of Tuesday.
Red-coded states are those with a rolling seven-day average above Chicago’s. Anyone traveling from these states has to quarantine. There were 11 red-coded states as of Tuesday.
People who commute across the Indiana or Wisconsin state lines to or from Chicago to work or go to school will be exempt from the quarantine rule, a nod to the symbiotic relationship between the neighboring states. But workers in Chicago from Indiana will be expected to avoid restaurants, bars and other public spaces in the city.
Here’s what you need to know about the city’s quarantine policies:
City says people will be fined
Anyone who visits red-listed states should stay inside for two weeks upon their return or risk a fine of $100 to $500 per day, according to the city. Those who visit orange-listed states are subject to the same fines if they don’t have a negative COVID-19 test or quarantine.
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Despite the list’s fluctuating size, enforcement of the order so far has been nonexistent, save for some billboards and signs that Mayor Lori Lightfoot has said are intended to “educate” people into compliance.
Lightfoot’s initial self-quarantine requirement was implemented during the Fourth of July weekend.
If city contact tracers get information that people who’ve caught the virus were in proximity to someone from a quarantine state and flouted the rules, they’ll issue a citation, Arwady has said.
They’ll also be on the lookout for people who are on social media “flagrantly posting their social activities, clearly out and about in Chicago after being in settings that are subject to our quarantine order, within the time frame,” she said. Investigators will look into any reports about city workers not following the guidelines, the health commissioner said.
Arwady has since clarified that the city “is not Big Brother,” nor does it have the resources to dedicate anyone to aimlessly scroll feeds from Chicagoans.
But if the agency receives a tip or is already looking into someone to determine whether to fine them, that’s when the city may scour social media.
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“One of the easiest ways to sort of get enough proof … without me having to send out an inspector … is to look at social media,” Arwady said.
Details for travelers
The order has plenty of exceptions for different types of workers and depending on how long travelers spend in the listed states.
If someone drives through a state on the list but does not stay more than 24 hours, that person does not need to quarantine. But a city employee clarified that Chicagoans who choose to drive into Wisconsin and go out in public, regardless of whether they return later in the same day, do need to quarantine after such voluntary activities.
For example, Chicagoans who drive through Indiana (a red-listed state), Ohio and New York (orange-listed states) to spend a week in Vermont (a yellow-listed state) but who did not stay in Indiana and Ohio more than 24 hours do not need to quarantine. There are similar restrictions for air travelers. .
Travelers visiting Chicago from red- or orange-listed states also are subject to the order if they are staying longer than a day. Everyone older than age 2 who lands at a Chicago airport is required to wear a mask, then quarantine if they’ve come from a listed state.
If someone is staying with a Chicago resident after traveling to an affected state, the traveler must quarantine, but other people in the home who did not travel to a listed state are not required to quarantine. The resident should follow guidance for being around someone who has potentially been exposed.
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Travelers or area residents who leave a Chicago airport and immediately travel to a suburb or outside Chicago limits are not required to quarantine — unless their municipality also has a travel restriction in place. The order also states that face coverings should be worn and that public transportation should not be used by those headed outside city limits.
Testing and exceptions to quarantine requirements in the revised rules
Under the guidance revised in November, Chicago residents returning from travel in red states or residents of red states who travel to the city are required to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival here, according to the city travel order website.
People in similar circumstances entering Chicago from orange states must either quarantine for 14 days or, with a “pre-arrival negative test result” from no more than three days before traveling to Chicago, may choose instead to employ “strict masking, social distancing and avoidance of in-person gatherings.”
There also is an option for those who can’t get a test while visiting an orange state, such as a visit not much longer than 24 hours. Someone can quarantine upon arrival in Illinois until a test can be arranged locally, according to the city’s travel order website. The test needs to be issued by a private provider because of concerns about limited capacity at public health testing sites.
“If you cannot be tested for COVID-19 prior to arriving in Chicago and do not take a post-arrival test, you must quarantine for 14 days (or the duration of your stay, whichever is shorter),” according to the website.
Essential workers and other exceptions
For those who live outside Chicago but work in the city, it’s important to determine whether you’re an essential or nonessential worker according to the executive order.
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There are limited exceptions to the quarantine order for essential workers who have to travel for work. Travelers who don’t live in Chicago but who have to be in Chicago to work and who traveled to an orange- or red-listed state for work do not need to quarantine. Travelers who live in Chicago and who travel to a listed state for work do not have to quarantine, according to the order.
But if workers go to a listed state when they didn’t have to, or for medical care, or because of parental shared custody, they would be subject to quarantine.
People who work in Chicago and live elsewhere can do so if they haven’t traveled to a high-incidence state. If they have traveled to a high-incidence state, they are subject to requirements regarding essential workers who are Chicago residents.
For the purposes of the order, an “essential worker” is a person who works in any one of the 16 critical employment sectors. The term also includes any government workers traveling in their official capacities. Essential workers must:
Avoid any nonessential interactions until the quarantine period has ended. They must limit themselves to work-related activities and related functions, and avoid public spaces as much as possible.
Monitor temperature and signs of symptoms, wear a face covering when in public, maintain social distance, and clean and disinfect workspaces.
Avoid as much as possible extended periods in public, contact with strangers and large congregate settings.
What does quarantine mean?
According to the emergency travel order, quarantine means staying at one place for 14 days before doing any activities outside of the home. Included in the restrictions:
Not go out in public or otherwise leave home, unless seeking medical care or COVID-19 testing.
Wear a face covering and do not use public transit if seeking medical care or testing, or when traveling to or from an airport, train station or bus station.
Don’t go to the grocery store; instead have food and other supplies delivered.
Stay in separate quarters with a separate bedroom and, if possible, use a separate bathroom than non-traveling household members.
Travelers still must quarantine even if they had a negative COVID-19 test because people “can develop symptoms and become contagious up to 14 days from their last exposure.”
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Are the rules different for each state or territory?
Generally, the emergency order is applied uniformly to any state or territory on the list. However, with neighboring states, travelers should pay close attention to what constitutes a visit and distinctions between essential and nonessential workers.
What are the state lists?
The following is a rolling list of states on Chicago’s red, orange and yellow lists. The lists will be updated every two weeks:
Red-listed states (11): Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
Orange-listed states and Puerto Rico (36): Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia.
Yellow-listed states (3): Hawaii, Maine and Vermont.
Chicago Tribune’s Alice Yin, John Byrne and Gregory Pratt contributed.
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kdouglas@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @312BreakingNews


chicagotribune--2020-11-17--Watch live: Gov. J.B. Pritzker announces new COVID-19 restrictions

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

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chicagotribune--2020-11-17--Indiana COVID-19 death toll tops 5K as virus continues surge; 10 new Lake County deaths reported

The department ’ s daily statistics update also shows that Indiana had 2,951 coronavirus hospitalizations as of Monday .
That @ @ @ @ @ hospitalized with COVID-19 since the state began making such reports public last spring , and @ @ @ @ @ of 2,768 COVID-19 hospitalizations recorded as of Sunday .

The coronavirus pandemic has now claimed the lives of more than 5,000 Indiana residents, while another increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations has filled the state’s hospitals with nearly 3,000 patients, state health officials said Tuesday.
Eighty-four newly recorded coronavirus-related deaths pushed Indiana’s pandemic toll to 5,025, including confirmed and presumed coronavirus infections, the Indiana State Department of Health said.
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Lake County reported 10 new deaths Tuesday, pushing the fatalities number to 423. Porter County, on the county health department website, is reporting 72 deaths.
The department’s daily statistics update also shows that Indiana had 2,951 coronavirus hospitalizations as of Monday. That’s the largest number hospitalized with COVID-19 since the state began making such reports public last spring, and it surpasses the previous peak of 2,768 COVID-19 hospitalizations recorded as of Sunday.
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The state agency also reported that another 5,541 Hoosiers have been diagnosed with COVID-19 — the seventh straight day of recording more than 5,000 new infections. Indiana’s average daily number of newly confirmed COVD-19 cases reached 6,143 as of Monday, up 243% from a month ago.
Lake County continues to have the second most amount of COVID-19 cases in the state with 23,588. The county reported 435 new cases Tuesday.
Porter County’s total cases reported Tuesday reached 6,775, the county wesbite showed. The state reported 185 new cases.
Dozens of Indiana school districts are changing in-person learning schedules or sending students home altogether amid the state’s surge in COVID-19 cases. Many schools are having trouble staying open due to the growing number of teachers and students who are sick or in quarantine, Indiana health commissioner Dr. Kristina Box said last week.
While Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb has insisted that mask-wearing and social distancing “are proven to work” so schools can remain open for in-person instruction, Box expressed more caution, advising local officials to reconsider schools' operations plans as virus spread spikes.


chicagotribune--2020-11-17--COVID-19 in Illinois by the numbers: Here’s a daily update on cases, positivity rate and hospital da

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

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

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


chicagotribune--2020-11-17--COVID-19 cases in Illinois by ZIP code: Search for your neighborhood

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

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