chicagotribune--2020-08-11--Chicago Public Schools proposes $8.4 billion budget, tax increase for 2021 as it copes with financia

Chicago Public Schools proposes $8.4 billion budget, tax increase for 2021 as it copes with financial impact of COVID-19

“ While the COVID-19 pandemic has created new resource needs for our schools and students that the district is committed @ @ @ @ @ also created unique funding challenges in the short term due largely to state funding and @ @ @ @ @ meeting anticipated levels , ” according to a statement from the district .
“ Schools @ @ @ @ @ similar challenges , and both parties in Congress have committed to supplying schools with supplemental @ @ @ @ @ challenges .
”

Chicago Public Schools officials say they still expect an increase is revenue this coming year, despite the impact of the coronavirus. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
In order to pay for the $8.4 billion budget Chicago Public Schools has proposed for the new school year, the district is relying on a second wave of federal relief funding to mitigate the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
The proposed budget, which would increase spending by more than a half a billion dollars, banks on a not-yet-determined amount of federal assistance to offset “previously anticipated revenue increases that will not materialize,” including millions of dollars in state funding, according to budget documents.
Advertisement
“I think it would be irresponsible to put out a budget assuming that the federal government is going to do nothing,” CPS CEO Janice Jackson said Monday, emphasizing that the proposed budget includes a conservative estimate of what the district could get from the next pandemic aid package.
Between the federal aid and an increase to its property tax levy, CPS officials expect revenues to go up this year.
Advertisement
Yet that outlook “still does not elevate the district’s revenue collection” enough to provide students with everything they need, and CPS would still require more than $1.9 billion in additional state funding in order to fully fund schools based on the state’s assessment, according to CPS. In budget documents, the district identified the state’s ability to provide funding as “the greatest revenue challenge that CPS will face in the near future.”
“While the COVID-19 pandemic has created new resource needs for our schools and students that the district is committed to meeting, it has also created unique funding challenges in the short term due largely to state funding and other economically sensitive revenues not meeting anticipated levels,” according to a statement from the district. “Schools throughout the country are managing similar challenges, and both parties in Congress have committed to supplying schools with supplemental funding to mitigate these unique challenges.”
About $128 million of the $206 million CPS anticipates from the first pandemic relief package is going into the new budget, which assumes $343 million in additional federal funding. District leaders said that’s less than what they’d get based on “the most conservative proposal” debated by Congress and includes funds the district would share with nonpublic schools.
“Our budget proposal meets those challenges by increasing school funding, allocating resources to support students and families during the pandemic, and making crucial investments that will ensure CPS students can benefit from safe, modern school buildings for years to come,” Jackson said.
Those investments include $653 million for updates at more than 250 schools, including building renovations, modernized science labs, new preschool classrooms and spaces to support academic programs such as STEM, dual-language and international baccalaureate; and $50 million for a sports complex for South and Near South Side students. A five-year, $100 million commitment to ADA accessibility will start with upgrades to 36 more schools, toward the goal to make every first floor accessible. The district also designated $97 million more than last year to support students in special education programs.
As the district continues to roll out universal pre-K for 4-year-olds, it estimates 900 seats will be added through 43 new full-day preschool classrooms in 14 “priority communities.”
The budget, which the Board of Education is expected to consider for approval on Aug. 26, sets aside $75 million for COVID-19-related costs, including computers for remote learning, and cleaning supplies and masks for the eventual reopening of schools.
Advertisement
The district already announced a $125 million increase to individual school budgets, which are projected to total $4 billion. The $7.7 billion CPS budget announced last August included $3.8 billion for individual schools. The district later amended its budget to reflect provisions of the teachers contract signed after an 11-day strike in the fall.
In all, costs associated with the contract for the upcoming year total $118.4 million, according to CPS, including $68 million for 3% cost-of-living raises and $26 million for initiatives to reduce class sizes. An additional $13 million is earmarked to hire 55 more nurses, 44 social workers and 40 special education case managers.
The district’s Equity Office developed an equity index to show where resources are most needed, prioritizing schools where the majority of students are from low-income households. On top of the regular funding, 255 schools will get equity grants totaling $44 million.
Notably, the budget includes less than half the funding for school-based police officers than last year, when CPS had a $33 million contract with the Chicago Police Department. The school district will no longer pay $7.5 million for 48 officers on mobile school units and will receive at least $10.5 million in credit for remote learning days, when officers aren’t in schools.
This year’s budget includes $3.2 billion in property tax revenue, a $130 million increase from last year.
Advertisement
The district is increasing property taxes as much as it can under tax cap state law, which limits annual property tax hikes to 5% or the rate of inflation, whichever is lower. The district is expecting $66 million from increasing the education levy by 2.3%.
Last year, the district also increased its property tax levy by the rate of inflation, which was 1.9%.
For the 2019 tax year, about 52% of Chicago property taxes went to the Chicago Board of Education, and another 2.4% went to the City of Chicago School Building and Improvement Fund, according to the Cook County Clerk’s Office.
CPS is also expecting $96.9 from surplus for special property taxing districts known as TIFs, the same amount initially projected last year but significantly less than the $163 million that ended up in the amended 2020 budget.
Noting Chicago’s TIFs are expected to bring in a record $926 million this year, CTU president Jesse Sharkey said schools should benefit from any surplus.
"CPS' proposed budget fails to utilize hundreds of millions of dollars in TIF surplus funds that would have come to our schools had TIFs not been siphoning off public resources into the mayor's slush fund," Sharkey said.
Advertisement
Sharkey issued a statement saying the district's promises "ring hollow" in the proposal, which still uses a student-based budgeting formula that leads to under-served neighborhood schools in Black and Latino communities.
“Our district never has enough to serve the needs of these children in a system stacked against them because of their race and class,” Sharkey said. He also pointed to the district’s reliance on unknown aid.
“The last time CPS relied on potential legislation to balance the budget, school budgets were slashed mid-year,” Sharkey said. “We agree that more federal funding is necessary. At the same time, CPS must do more to shore up school communities with downtown wealth.”
The state, facing declining tax revenues, held education funding flat in the new budget Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed in June, meaning CPS will lose out on about $60 to $65 million it was anticipating.
Advertisement
The district has been thinking about one-time backup strategies if anticipated funding falls short, Jackson said.
And next year, the district may be in worse shape because of this year’s property taxes. Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi plans to reassess Chicago properties based on the COVID-19 economic fallout.
“While revenue generation from property taxes is not significantly impaired in FY2021, CPS faces some property tax challenges in the near future,” budget documents state. “Alongside the COVID-19-related decline in assessments from the Cook County Assessor’s Office which will impact pension levy revenues, there would be a potential impact if the pace of new construction slows from current trends. In line with the statewide decline in corporate income tax revenues, Personal Property Replacement Tax (PPRT) revenues are budgeted to decline by $20 million compared to the FY2020 budget.”
hleone@chicagotribue.com


chicagotribune--2020-08-10--Man charged in Englewood shooting that sparked Sunday night looting in downtown Chicago

Police said Allen fired shots at officers chasing him on a block not far from Allen ’ s address .
@ @ @ @ @ of Chicago Medical Center and is expected to survive , authorities said , but it @ @ @ @ @ be able to attend court in person .

Officers stand near crime scene tape after an argument erupted between police and residents after Latrell Allen was shot three times by CPD officers after he allegedly fired several rounds at two officers near the 5700 block of South Racine Avenue in the Englewood neighborhood on Aug. 9, 2020. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)
A 20-year-old Englewood man who allegedly fired on police — and was shot by officers in return — was charged with attempted murder Monday, according to a news release from Chicago police.
Latrell Allen, of the 5600 block of South Aberdeen Street, is expected to have a bond hearing Tuesday on two counts of attempted murder and one count of unlawful gun possession.
Advertisement
Police said Allen fired shots at officers chasing him on a block not far from Allen’s address. He was taken to University of Chicago Medical Center and is expected to survive, authorities said, but it is unknown whether he will be able to attend court in person.
About 2:30 p.m. Sunday, police said, they responded to a call of a man with a gun in Englewood. Deputy Chief Yolanda Talley said the man fled when approached by officers, only to turn and fire at them. The officers returned fire, she said, wounding him.
Advertisement
Authorities on Monday said the officers involved were from the new The Community Safety Team, designed to swarm into crime hot spots. The officers were not wearing body cameras, and disciplinary investigators said late Monday they had not found any video showing the shooting itself.
False claims about the shooting, including one that said police shot a 15-year-old, allegedly gave rise to a heated scuffle at the scene Sunday afternoon and then fueled social-media messages urging people to head downtown. Widespread looting and chaos followed.
Allen pleaded guilty to burglary last year and was sentenced to probation, records show. He also faces a pending misdemeanor reckless conduct and child endangerment case from earlier this year, according to court records.
mcrepeau@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-08-10--Live updates: Here’s the latest on the aftermath of overnight looting and vandalism in Chicago

Mayor Lori Lightfoot rejected calls for the National Guard to patrol Chicago in the wake of overnight looting downtown while defending herself on Monday from criticism that her administration failed to protect the city .
“ Again , no , we do not need federal troops in Chicago , period , full stop , ” Lightfoot said .
“ I ’ m sure the president will have his way with this incident but I ’ m calling upon him to do the things that we do need , ” such as making changes to the nation ’ s gun laws @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after hundreds of people swept through the Magnificent Mile and other parts of downtown Chicago early Monday , smashing windows , looting stores , confronting police and at one point exchanging gunfire with officers , authorities said .
The looting began shortly after midnight as people darted through broken store windows and doors along Michigan Avenue carrying shopping bags full of merchandise .
Cars dropped off more people as the crowd grew .
At least one U-Haul van was seen pulling up .
More than 100 people were arrested as of 9 a.m. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ David Brown .
Thirteen officers were injured during the unrest , including a sergeant who was hit by a bottle .
A civilian and private security guard were shot and wounded .
City officials said the seeds for the violent crime spree were sewn on social media Sunday afternoon following an officer-involved shooting in the Englewood neighborhood .
Officers shot and wounded a 20-year-old man Sunday after he fired shots at them while being chased , authorities said .
At a news conference later Monday , after criticism from Lightfoot and Brown at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County State ’ s Attorney Kim Foxx warned against trying to get “ an overly simplistic answer ” for what caused the overnight mayhem .
” The quest for a simple answer or a ‘ this must have caused this ’ is not a legitimate quest‚ ” she said .
“ We have to be thoughtful and I ’ m not here to tell you what the answer is.
” Going forward , Lightfoot and Brown said they will work to keep the downtown area restricted from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ p.m. : Englewood man who allegedly fired on Chicago police — and was shot by officers in return — charged with attempted murder Latrell Allen , of the 5600 block of South Aberdeen Street , is expected to have a bond hearing Tuesday on two counts of attempted murder and one count of unlawful gun possession .
Allen allegedly fired shots at officers about being chased on a block not far from Allen ’ s address .
He was was taken to University of Chicago Medical Center and is expected to survive , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether he will be able to attend court in person .
Widespread false claims about the shooting , including one that said police shot a young teenager , allegedly gave rise to a heated scuffle at the scene Sunday afternoon and then fueled social-media messages urging people to head downtown and loot .
Allen pleaded guilty to burglary last year and was sentenced to probation , records show .
He also faces a pending misdemeanor reckless conduct and child endangerment case from earlier this year , according to court records .
Thirteen officers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a sergeant who was hit by a bottle .
A civilian and private security guard were shot and wounded .
It took police officers roughly four hours to get the downtown back under control .
People who gathered in the area said police came to the area because of reports of looting near Madison Street and Pulaski Road .
People began throwing rocks and bottles at police and more police arrived .
Then more people arrived and using a SWAT team , deploying pepper spray gas a few times and using a BearCat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
2:39 p.m. : Employees were closing up for evening when bricks hurled through window at Roots Handmade Pizza in the South Loop Workers were in the midst of closing for the night early Monday when a couple pieces of brick were hurled through the front window of Roots Handmade Pizza in the South Loop , at 744 S. Dearborn St. Fortunately , no one was physically injured , said co-owner Greg Mohr , although at least two staffers were said to be “ freaked out ” by the incident .
” Mentally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , so we ’ re gon na address that and take care of that .
If they need to get some help , we ’ ll do that also , ” he said .
“ It ’ s already obviously a weird time to be working and doing all these things , and then that happens , it sucks , so we ’ re doing what we can.
” Mohr said the break-in occurred about 2 a.m. Monday morning .
He had heard about some unrest in the area but hadn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before then .
Employees immediately called the police and the restaurant ’ s private security partner , and the latter soon arrived to watch the storefront for the remainder of the night .
Mohr said he was eventually instructed to call 311 to file a police report .
” Eventually ( the police ) did come , but they wouldn ’ t take a police report .
They were told not to take a police report , because they wanted to keep cops patrolling , ” he said .
“ Even this morning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were still just told to patrol and not take a report per se .
We were told to call 311 if we wanted to file a report.
” ” At the end of the day , we lucked out in a lot of ways .
It could have been a lot worse , ” he said .
2:34 p.m. : One real estate exec worries the looting will discourage businesses from bringing workers back to the office Much of the damage on Michigan Avenue and State Street is at the base of office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ widespread safety measures to welcome back workers , said Kevin Purcell , president of leasing and management services at MB Real Estate .
His firm manages 20 million square feet of commercial buildings in downtown Chicago .
” We really thought we had turned the corner , and we were seeing people coming back to offices again , ” Purcell said .
“ I hope this doesn ’ t cause office tenants to add to their concerns about coming downtown to work in this pandemic .
If more people stay away , more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the hardest-hit stores have been large national chains , but property owners and managers worry that repeated break-ins will cause retailers of all types to rethink their presence downtown , Purcell said .
” I was already concerned as it relates to COVID that a lot of these retailers that contribute to the vibrancy of downtown are already suffering , and many are not coming back , ” Purcell said .
” There are entrepreneurs who are not going to take that risk now , and lenders that will not extend loans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high-profile , deep-pocketed retailers who might decide it ’ s just not worth it .
They ’ re paying so much rent and so much in taxes .
I ’ m concerned.
” 1:51 p.m. : Downtown access will again be restricted 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Monday into Tuesday .
What to know about bridge lifts , bus , train and travel on expressways , city streets As police activity and unrest subsided in downtown Chicago , emergency officials Monday morning said the city was reopening blocked expressway entrance ramps , restarting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and lowering bridges in time to ward off the worst for commuters .
But in updates to residents about the looting that prompted the emergency measures — aimed at keeping people away from the city center after dark — state and city leaders said access to downtown again would be restricted Monday night .
” The quest for a simple answer or a ‘ this must have caused this ’ is not a legitimate quest‚ ” she said .
“ We have to be thoughtful and I ’ m not here to tell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she defended her office ’ s record on cases involving looting suspects .
Her office has not dropped any of the looting-related felonies it approved after unrest in late May and early June , she said .
Foxx ’ s office did implement a policy encouraging prosecutors to drop certain protest-related charges related to the fallout over George Floyd ’ s death .
But those low-level cases should not be conflated with burglary charges connected to looting , she said .
“ It does not serve us to have dishonest blame games when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what we are seeing , ” she said .
12:57 p.m. : In wake of downtown looting , Mayor Lori Lightfoot says Chicago does not need National Guard help Mayor Lori Lightfoot rejected calls for the National Guard to patrol Chicago in the wake of overnight looting downtown while defending herself on Monday from criticism that her administration failed to protect the city .
Lightfoot said she spoke with Illinois Gov .
J.B. Pritzker and neither believes the National Guard is needed at this time .
The city has been working with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also preemptively criticized President Donald Trump , who has previously threatened to send in federal agents to intervene in Chicago street crime .
He recently sent a bunch of agents to the city as part of Operation Legend , which Lightfoot said she supports as long as it ’ s operating through U.S. Attorney John Lausch .
“ Again , no , we do not need federal troops in Chicago , period , full stop , ” Lightfoot said .
“ I ’ m sure the president will have his way with this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him to do the things that we do need , ” such as making changes to the nation ’ s gun laws .
Among major cultural institutions , none reported sustaining damage .
Only the Art Institute , located on Michigan Avenue , reacted .
It closed for the day Monday .
Tuesday and Wednesday are normal closure days since the museum reopened late last month .
” We wanted to ensure that you knew that the museum will be closed today , Monday , August 10 , ” the museum wrote in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regret if this impacts a planned visit today .
We expect the museum to reopen soon and will update the website accordingly.
” “ The unrest in Chicago overnight and early this morning , as well as the transit shutdowns today , challenged the ability of staff needing to come in early to prepare the museum for opening , so the decision was made to leave the museum closed for the day , ” spokeswoman Kati Murphy said via text .
MCA Chicago , located close to the hard-hit Water Tower Place area @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until Friday under its new , pandemic hours .
On the Museum Campus , Shedd Aquarium and Field Museum were open Monday , while Adler Planetarium has never reopened since closing in mid-March .
11:40 a.m. : Loop , Near North stores hit overnight , some after were vandalized and looted earlier in the summer Monday morning , stores were scrambling to board up windows that were destroyed .
The sound of power drills driving nails into wooden boards echoed along Wabash Avenue , occasionally being drowned out by “ L ” trains @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Wedding Bands & Company , a jewelry store on 2 N. Wabash Ave. , was dismayed Monday morning after his jewelry store was vandalized for the second time in the last few months .
Daneshgar said he reviewed his store security footage and that there were nearly 50 people in his store overnight .
The jewelry was in a safe , but the looters still destroyed showcases , windows and computers , he said .
Binny ’ s Beverage Depot employees spent Monday morning cleaning up heavily damaged stores , a little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the aftermath of the looting that followed George Floyd ’ s killing at the hands of police in Minneapolis .
The previous break-in created close to $ 1 million in property damage and theft , Stein estimated .
He said it was too early to know the extent of Monday morning ’ s looting , but extensive damage included shattered glass inside and outside the store — including to the rare and collectible room , where bottles valued as high as $ 15,000 are stored .
” It kind of took us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It was very targeted .
They definitely knew what they wanted .
We ’ re making the assumption these guys had been here before .
I wouldn ’ t be surprised if it was the same crew from the first time.
” Binny ’ s Marcey Street store closed for almost a week after the first incident , and a closure of at least a few days is expected again to repair damage and take inventory , Stein said .
Binny ’ s is not considering closing the store permanently , Stein @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that we employ 90 people at this location , and if this went away that would be 90 people out of work , ” Stein said .
“ That ’ s not going to happen .
We just have to understand how we can prepare for this going forward .
We have made some adjustments since the last time .
Some worked , some didn ’ t. ” 11:27 a.m. : Pritzker says he reached out to Lightfoot to offer state help Gov .
J.B. Pritzker said Monday he reached out to Mayor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s help , and Illinois State Police closed local expressway on-ramps and off-ramps “ where necessary for the city of Chicago.
” Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly has been in touch with Chicago Police officials , and “ we want to make sure that we ’ re doing everything we can to support the city as we did back in May and June when looting and mayhem was occurring back then , ” Pritzker said at an unrelated news conference in Chicago.
” Criminals need to be held accountable , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pritzker said .
“ I have , of course , been an advocate for police accountability and for reforms , significant reforms .
Having said that , these were criminals — people who broke in , and were shooting at people .
We had 13 , I believe , 13 Chicago police officers who were injured last night .
This is criminal activity and those criminals need to be held accountable.
” 11:20 a.m. : Gift shop that had just reopened following May looting is hit again The situation Monday wasn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dianne Crosell said as she stood outside of her shop in front of the smashed double-paned glass door .
In May , looters broke in through a window and took most of her inventory .
Monday , it was mostly just the damage from broken glass .
Still , it will be hard to rebuild again , Crosell said .
Insurance helped last time , but she said there is a limit .
Crosell opened the business in 2006 , and she ’ s worried about the long-term damage repeated lootings and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city .
At open U-Haul sat parked , back open , nearby on Huron Street .
It had a flat tire , and nothing was in the back except a few bandanas and a bag of Skittles .
Culber said he thought the U-Haul had been used for the looting , but then abandoned because of the flat tire .
Passersby were hit with blasts of cold air pouring out of broken windows from air conditioned shops .
At Ralph Lauren , workers used snow shovels and push brooms to clean up a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ broken glass , the clothes and other merchandise in the window appeared untouched .
Mullins has owned the store , Accessorize , for nearly 20 years .
It ’ s normally full of accessories , hats , handbags and anything else “ ladies need to get ourselves together.
” It was one of dozens downtown that were looted overnight .
“ I just don ’ t know what the next move is going to be , ” she said .
“ I ’ m out of work .
They ’ ve destroyed everything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ merchandise that I have to sell , then this requires an investment of money to rebuild and replenish.
” Mullins , who is African American , has lived in Chicago since 1979 .
She has customers who ’ ve been with her the whole time , since she opened her shop .
“ This is my livelihood , for 20 years .
I ’ m not sure what I ’ m going to do , ” she said .
“ I ’ m just still in shock , still stunned.
” “ Jewelry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s gone , ” she said .
“ Trying to get business open and thriving again , it ’ s been a mess .
I don ’ t know what this means .
This is my livelihood.
” Mullins , 71 , described it as “ mob activity , ” not just street gangs at work .
She noted how organized it seemed and how some looters were using tools to gain entry to places , just like the looting in late May and early June .
Her store was spared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up following a burglary in April , during the beginning of the pandemic .
“ It ’ s not just people looting , ” she said .
… “ Let ’ s dig to the root of the problem , let ’ s not look at the surface and pretend that it ’ s all those looters of those whatever — and I ’ m not absolving them from their criminal behavior and their participation , truly they need to be disciplined — but we need to get to the bottom of this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ solved and it will continue again and again.
” Mullins noted the potential political implications of the looting , it being an election year , and her fiance Bruce Carey said this didn ’ t have anything to do with the Black Lives Matter movement .
“ This is strictly criminal activity , planned by criminal gangs , in order to loot .
These are pandemic times .
There is no money in the streets , ” he said .
“ 118 million people are unemployed and a store owner like her can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is holding it up.
” Carey , 67 , said he thinks the mayor is doing the best she can , but wants to know how she can help businesses here .
He noted the circumstances conspiring against Mullins — high rent , no foot traffic , nobody to purchase merchandise , the still unresolved insurance claim from the April burglary and now looting overnight .
He said they don ’ t support defunding police , but does support reassessing police so they aren ’ t as militarized .
He doesn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what happened in Portland .
He said small businesses need police protection .
“ That ’ s a political issue , ” he said , noting that what ’ s happening here could potentially end up in a loop on Fox News .
“ We ’ re Black , we understand that , we face that pressure the same .
But you also understand the systemic conditions that have helped create that .
The pandemic has … no kids have summer jobs , all these kids on the street .
You ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to want materialism .
Gucci , Burberry .
The criminals are taking advantage .
This is a way for them to rob , steal , not get caught.
” “ We saw what happened last time rather than sit around and watch it on TV we thought we would get out and try to help.
” ” I was inspired by people who showed up first , ” Tedeschi who came out after seeing people on the news helping with cleanup efforts .
“ I saw people , they were showing this on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” ” I ’ m going to see if our sign is OK , ” he said .
Flesch , the third-generation owner of the shop , gained widespread internet support for keeping his cool after his family business burned last time , refusing to be angry at the people who destroyed it .
He said he understood the sentiment behind the unrest that swept the city less than three months ago .
Monday morning , though , he was struggling to comprehend what had fueled the overnight destruction .
” Why ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ he wondered .
“ It ’ s not really a sensible thing , except somebody wants to cause distress and disrupt this country.
” Flesch said he worries the most recent looting will slow down the city ’ s recovery .
The looting and destruction in May was as a double whammy for Chicago ’ s businesses , which had just begun to reopen after the pandemic forced them to shut down .
However , by 8:30 a.m. Monday , Flesch said he had already heard of neighbors coming out to help clean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sign of optimism and hope .
The Herbal Care Center marijuana dispensary closed Monday as a safety precaution following the looting that hit Michigan Avenue and other downtown areas overnight .
” We will evaluate day by day from here and will continue to send out updates as we have them , ” said a text alert from the dispensary .
The Herbal Care Center , which is north of the Pilsen neighborhood , was heavily damaged in the looting in late May that followed the death of George Floyd .
It re-opened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Aftermath of looting in downtown Chicago : 13 cops injured , two people shot , more than 100 arrests , Mag Mile trashed More than 100 people were arrested as of 9 a.m. , according to Chicago Police Supt .
David Brown .
Thirteen officers were injured during the unrest , including a sergeant who was hit by a bottle .
A civilian and private security guard were shot and wounded .
“ What occurred in our downtown and surrounding communities was abject criminal behavior , pure and simple , ” Mayor Lori @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not be any excuse for it .
Period.
” City officials said the seeds for the violent crime spree were sewn on social media Sunday afternoon following an officer-involved shooting in the Englewood neighborhood .
Officers shot and wounded a 20-year-old man Sunday after he fired shots at them while being chased , authorities said .
The man was taken to University of Chicago Medical Center and is expected to survive , Brown said .
More than an hour after the shooting , police and witnesses said a crowd of about 30 people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ line near 56th and Aberdeen streets .
Authorities said someone fed false information to the angry group , including that police shot and wounded a child .
During a scuffle , one officer was hit with pepper spray and a second officer suffered a minor shoulder injury .
Two people were arrested and a police car was shattered by a brick , police added .
A large number of officers cordoned off streets in nearly every direction until the mood of the crowd cooled off .
But by that time , Brown said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ encouraging people to head downtown .
The looting and vandalism began shortly after , with people streaming in and out of high-end stores .
Some could be seen throwing merchandise into rental trucks and other large vehicles before driving away .
“ This was not an organized protest , ” Brown said .
“ Rather this was an incident of pure criminality .
This was an act of violence against our police officers and against our city.
” 8:18 a.m. : Commuting ?
CTA , roads reopening , bridges going down as overnight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unrest subsided in downtown Chicago , emergency officials Monday morning said the city was reopening blocked expressway entrance ramps , restarting Chicago Transit Authority service into downtown , and lowering bridges , even as some streets were remaining closed .
Looting , which overnight had been centered in the Streeterville and North Michigan Avenue area , was beginning to die down as authorities worked to reopen after some of the city ’ s swankiest stores were hit .
Some closures remained in effect downtown Monday morning , and Cook County courts except for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The expressway closures began in early morning and were ending just before 7 a.m. as police were able to quell some of the unrest , according to Trooper Gabriela Ugarte , an Illinois State Police spokeswoman .
( Updated 7:35 a.m. ) 3:33 a.m. : Chicago police return fire as looters hit Mag Mile , smashing windows and confronting officers Hundreds of people swept through the Magnificent Mile and other parts of downtown Chicago early Monday , smashing windows , looting stores , confronting police and at one point exchanging gunfire with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had stopped several people on Lake Street near Michigan Avenue when shots were fired from a passing car around 4:30 a.m. , nearly five hours into the widespread vandalism , according to police spokesman Tom Ahern .
No officers were shot but a squad car was hit , he said .
It was not known if anyone in the gunman ’ s car was shot .
Ahern said other officers were injured through the night .
Earlier , an officer was seen slumped against a building by Grand and Wabash avenues as other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was unclear what had happened to him .
Ahern had no details on the injuries .
5:24 a.m. : Bridges into the Loop raised 4:48 a.m. : Police and crowd get into shouting match 3:57 a.m. : Officer attended to at Grand and Wabash 3:21 a.m. : Looting and vandalism in downtown Chicago 2:30 a.m. : Police chase people out of Macy ’ s

Damaged windows at the Zara store following early morning looting in downtown Chicago on Aug. 10, 2020. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
Mayor Lori Lightfoot rejected calls for the National Guard to patrol Chicago in the wake of overnight looting downtown while defending herself on Monday from criticism that her administration failed to protect the city.
“Again, no, we do not need federal troops in Chicago, period, full stop,” Lightfoot said. “I’m sure the president will have his way with this incident but I’m calling upon him to do the things that we do need,” such as making changes to the nation’s gun laws.
Advertisement
The mayor’s comments came after hundreds of people swept through the Magnificent Mile and other parts of downtown Chicago early Monday, smashing windows, looting stores, confronting police and at one point exchanging gunfire with officers, authorities said.
The looting began shortly after midnight as people darted through broken store windows and doors along Michigan Avenue carrying shopping bags full of merchandise. Cars dropped off more people as the crowd grew. At least one U-Haul van was seen pulling up.
Advertisement
More than 100 people were arrested as of 9 a.m., according to Chicago Police Supt. David Brown. Thirteen officers were injured during the unrest, including a sergeant who was hit by a bottle. A civilian and private security guard were shot and wounded.
City officials said the seeds for the violent crime spree were sewn on social media Sunday afternoon following an officer-involved shooting in the Englewood neighborhood. Officers shot and wounded a 20-year-old man Sunday after he fired shots at them while being chased, authorities said.
At a news conference later Monday, after criticism from Lightfoot and Brown at an early morning news conference, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx warned against trying to get “an overly simplistic answer” for what caused the overnight mayhem.
”The quest for a simple answer or a ‘this must have caused this’ is not a legitimate quest‚” she said. “We have to be thoughtful and I’m not here to tell you what the answer is.”
Going forward, Lightfoot and Brown said they will work to keep the downtown area restricted from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. for as long as is necessary.
[ Downtown businesses on edge after this morning’s looting, vandalism. ‘I feel like we are under attack.' ]
[ Get breaking news as it happens with email alerts from the Tribune ]
Here’s the latest on overnight looting in Chicago and the aftermath:
9:30 p.m.: Black Lives Matter protest: ‘We don’t need police. We need care.’
About 100 people gathered outside the Central District station on Monday evening in a demonstration organized by Black Lives Matter Chicago. Several protesters held a banner that read, “Our futures have been looted from us ... loot back.”
Ariel Atkins, an organizer, said the demonstration was put together as a response to the police-involved shooting Sunday in Englewood, where a 20-year-old man was injured after police said he fired shots at officers, and to support and seek the release of those who were arrested during the downtown looting that followed.
Advertisement
“There’s no such thing as a bad protester,” Atkins said. “Also, (we’re) demanding that police be defunded. Police should not be here. They should not exist, especially because we’re giving them all this money to beat and terrorize us. We’re giving them all this money when it’s like we’re in an actual pandemic and people need care right now, but you’re giving them police.
“We don’t need police,” she said. “We need care.”
Read more here. —Paige Fry
Englewood residents say downtown looting should not tarnish their neighborhood. ‘I don’t believe it’s fair.’
Joyce Brown had just left the University of Chicago Medical Center, joyful her grandson would recover from being shot, when she heard about the looting downtown early Monday.
“We saw it on the news and I said, ‘What are they looting for?’ " said Brown, 65. It didn’t take long to figure out.
Her 20-year-old grandson Latrell Allen had been shot several times by police a day earlier after allegedly pointing a gun at officers near his home in Englewood. “I said to my husband, Jimmie, ‘I believe they did the looting because of what happened to Latrell.”
Advertisement
While the family has doubts about the police version of the shooting, Brown said she cannot condone the looting that left 13 police officers injured, two people shot, more than 100 arrested and stores up and down the Magnificent Mile trashed — and once again cast a harsh light on a South Side community that has been making gains in its struggles against poverty and violence.
“I don’t agree with the looting because that’s just an excuse to get what they want,” Brown said. “That was wrong about the looting, but the same way they feel about looting, I feel about our grandson.”
While long-simmering distrust of police and growing tensions from the pandemic may have helped fueled the looting, Brown insisted “it’s still no excuse.”
The alderman who represents Englewood fears its residents will now be unfairly tarnished as looters.
“We have so many good people, so many wonderful people in this neighborhood, and we just hope that all that energy gets recognized,” said Ald. Stephanie Coleman, 16th. “I don’t know how that narrative (about the looting) started. It’s an easy assumption to make, but when you start making those connections, you have to be really careful because that’s reflecting on the people in this neighborhood. And in this case, I don’t believe it’s fair.”
Read more here. —Will Lee, Annie Sweeney and John Byrne
Advertisement
8:20 p.m.: State’s Attorney Kim Foxx bristles at insinuation her office’s handling of earlier cases emboldened looters
After looters caused mayhem on the Magnificent Mile early Monday, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and police Superintendent David Brown pointed fingers at a now-familiar target: Cook County prosecutors and judges.
Without naming State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, Lightfoot called on prosecutors not to let suspects cycle through the system without consequences. And Brown went so far as to imply that looters reoffended this weekend after getting away with the same crimes during the widespread unrest earlier this year, eliminating any deterrent.
“(Suspects) get released, many charges get dropped, and so they feel emboldened to do it more,” he said. “Once prosecution and sentencing comes up, there’s no consequences.”
But Foxx, who is no stranger to accusations that she is soft on crime, flatly rejected that narrative at a news conference Monday. Her office has not dropped any looting cases related to recent unrest, she said, calling for a response “beyond a sound bite and a finger point.”
Read more here. —Megan Crepeau and Dan Hinkel
7:56 p.m.: ‘There’s gonna be looting going on’: Long night of unrest follows Englewood shooting
At 11:07 p.m. Sunday, a Chicago police dispatcher relayed the first indication that chaos was about to return to the city.
Advertisement
“We just wanted to give y’all a heads-up that we got a call from an anonymous individual that there’s gonna be looting going on at 87th and the Dan Ryan,” she said.
The anonymous caller was correct, but the shopping center break-in was just a taste of what was to come. Within an hour, a caravan of cars headed to the Loop for an early morning looting spree that marked the worst night of unrest in Chicago since the police brutality protests of late May boiled into violence.
Here’s how a night of unrest unfolded. —Chicago Tribune staff
6:49 p.m.: In the wake of Englewood police shooting, a father of 5 goes viral on Twitter with a heartfelt video highlighting role activists played in defusing tensions between neighbors and police
Social media stardom took Joseph Williams by surprise. The South Side community activist doesn’t even have a Twitter account.
But a college student’s video of Williams talking about how he and other local volunteers defused tensions at the site of the police shooting Sunday in Englewood has garnered more than 125,000 views, with comments such as “Good man right here” and “If you want to know what’s happened in Chicago, here is a great eye witness.”
“I feel good that we were able to shine a light on some of the truth, because there are always two sides to the story,” said Williams, 31, founder of the children’s literacy nonprofit Mr. Dad’s Father’s Club.
Advertisement
“I feel good to be able to share some of the intel from the boots on the ground. I was excited to tell people about how we came together as organizers and activists to help protect that community.”
Social media has played a variety of roles in the aftermath of the Englewood police shooting, which left a 20-year-old man who allegedly fired at police wounded. In addition to high points such as Williams’ citizen’s perspective on police action and community organizing, there have been lows such as false reports that police had shot and killed a 15-year-old.
What’s clear, said Kishonna Gray, a University of Illinois at Chicago assistant professor of communication, and gender and women’s studies, is that we’re hearing voices that wouldn’t have had a platform 30 years ago, when a few mainstream news reports would have sketched out the facts of the case.
Read more here. —Nara Schoenberg
6:43 p.m.: Man charged in Englewood shooting that sparked Sunday night looting in downtown Chicago
A 20-year-old Englewood man who allegedly fired on police — and was shot by officers in return — was charged with attempted murder Monday, according to a news release from Chicago police.
Latrell Allen, of the 5600 block of South Aberdeen Street, is expected to have a bond hearing Tuesday on two counts of attempted murder and one count of unlawful gun possession.
Advertisement
Allen allegedly fired shots at officers about being chased on a block not far from Allen’s address. He was was taken to University of Chicago Medical Center and is expected to survive, authorities said, but it is unknown whether he will be able to attend court in person.
Widespread false claims about the shooting, including one that said police shot a young teenager, allegedly gave rise to a heated scuffle at the scene Sunday afternoon and then fueled social-media messages urging people to head downtown and loot.
Allen pleaded guilty to burglary last year and was sentenced to probation, records show. He also faces a pending misdemeanor reckless conduct and child endangerment case from earlier this year, according to court records.
Read more here. —Megan Crepeau
3:35 p.m.: Overnight on the Magnificent Mile: Timeline of what Tribune reporters saw
More than 100 people were arrested early Monday following looting and vandalism through the Magnificent Mile and other parts of downtown Chicago.
Thirteen officers were injured during the unrest, including a sergeant who was hit by a bottle. A civilian and private security guard were shot and wounded. It took police officers roughly four hours to get the downtown back under control.
Advertisement
Read more here. —Chad Yoder and Kori Rumore
2:47 p.m.: Police respond to reports of West Side looting
Police early Monday afternoon responded to reports of people looting on the West Side, with police numbers growing as the afternoon went on.
People who gathered in the area said police came to the area because of reports of looting near Madison Street and Pulaski Road.
People began throwing rocks and bottles at police and more police arrived. Then more people arrived and using a SWAT team, deploying pepper spray gas a few times and using a BearCat to move people away from Madison Street.
Chicago police attempt to secure the shopping district around the intersection of Madison St., and Karlov Ave., after reports of looting on Aug, 10, 2020. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)
Things had started calming down at Madison and Karlov before police started moving into nearby neighborhood.
By mid-afternoon there had been several rounds of confrontations between police and people in the area.
Advertisement
Police from at least five different districts plus detectives were in the area.
At least one car had bricks thrown in a window.
—Peter Nickeas
2:39 p.m.: Employees were closing up for evening when bricks hurled through window at Roots Handmade Pizza in the South Loop
Workers were in the midst of closing for the night early Monday when a couple pieces of brick were hurled through the front window of Roots Handmade Pizza in the South Loop, at 744 S. Dearborn St. Fortunately, no one was physically injured, said co-owner Greg Mohr, although at least two staffers were said to be “freaked out” by the incident.
After seeing that there were people working in the store, Mohr said the instigators fled.
”Mentally two staff especially are really shaken up, so we’re gonna address that and take care of that. If they need to get some help, we’ll do that also,” he said. “It’s already obviously a weird time to be working and doing all these things, and then that happens, it sucks, so we’re doing what we can.”
Advertisement
Mohr said the break-in occurred about 2 a.m. Monday morning. He had heard about some unrest in the area but hadn’t heard specific reports in the South Loop before then.
Employees immediately called the police and the restaurant’s private security partner, and the latter soon arrived to watch the storefront for the remainder of the night. Mohr said he was eventually instructed to call 311 to file a police report.
”Eventually (the police) did come, but they wouldn’t take a police report. They were told not to take a police report, because they wanted to keep cops patrolling,” he said. “Even this morning, later in the morning, they were still just told to patrol and not take a report per se. We were told to call 311 if we wanted to file a report.”
Roots is open for dinner service Monday after boarding its storefront. Mohr said he is prepared to change plans, though, if any staff feels unsafe.
”At the end of the day, we lucked out in a lot of ways. It could have been a lot worse,” he said.
—Adam Lukach
Advertisement
2:34 p.m.: One real estate exec worries the looting will discourage businesses from bringing workers back to the office
Much of the damage on Michigan Avenue and State Street is at the base of office towers, whose owners have been implementing widespread safety measures to welcome back workers, said Kevin Purcell, president of leasing and management services at MB Real Estate. His firm manages 20 million square feet of commercial buildings in downtown Chicago.
”We really thought we had turned the corner, and we were seeing people coming back to offices again,” Purcell said. “I hope this doesn’t cause office tenants to add to their concerns about coming downtown to work in this pandemic. If more people stay away, more of these retailers will suffer.”
Many of the hardest-hit stores have been large national chains, but property owners and managers worry that repeated break-ins will cause retailers of all types to rethink their presence downtown, Purcell said.
”I was already concerned as it relates to COVID that a lot of these retailers that contribute to the vibrancy of downtown are already suffering, and many are not coming back,” Purcell said.
”There are entrepreneurs who are not going to take that risk now, and lenders that will not extend loans to these businesses. There also are high-profile, deep-pocketed retailers who might decide it’s just not worth it. They’re paying so much rent and so much in taxes. I’m concerned.”
—Ryan Ori
Advertisement
1:51 p.m.: Downtown access will again be restricted 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Monday into Tuesday. What to know about bridge lifts, bus, train and travel on expressways, city streets
As police activity and unrest subsided in downtown Chicago, emergency officials Monday morning said the city was reopening blocked expressway entrance ramps, restarting Chicago Transit Authority service into downtown, and lowering bridges in time to ward off the worst for commuters.
But in updates to residents about the looting that prompted the emergency measures — aimed at keeping people away from the city center after dark — state and city leaders said access to downtown again would be restricted Monday night.
Read more here. —Katherine Rosenberg-Douglas
1:39 p.m.: Foxx responds to city officials’ criticism
At a news conference Monday, after criticism from Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Police Superintendent David Brown, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx warned against trying to get “an overly simplistic answer” for what caused the overnight mayhem.
Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx speaks during a news conference, Aug. 10, 2020, after overnight looting in Chicago's Loop and other neighborhoods. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
”The quest for a simple answer or a ‘this must have caused this’ is not a legitimate quest‚” she said. “We have to be thoughtful and I’m not here to tell you what the answer is.”
And she defended her office’s record on cases involving looting suspects. Her office has not dropped any of the looting-related felonies it approved after unrest in late May and early June, she said.
Advertisement
And 71 percent of cases brought during the last concentrated period of public unrest were misdemeanors or city ordinance violations, not felonies, she said.
Foxx’s office did implement a policy encouraging prosecutors to drop certain protest-related charges related to the fallout over George Floyd’s death. But those low-level cases should not be conflated with burglary charges connected to looting, she said.
“It does not serve us to have dishonest blame games when all of our hearts are breaking by what we are seeing,” she said.
—Megan Crepeau
Kim Foxx drops more felony cases as Cook County state’s attorney than her predecessor, Tribune analysis shows
12:57 p.m.: In wake of downtown looting, Mayor Lori Lightfoot says Chicago does not need National Guard help
Mayor Lori Lightfoot rejected calls for the National Guard to patrol Chicago in the wake of overnight looting downtown while defending herself on Monday from criticism that her administration failed to protect the city.
Lightfoot said she spoke with Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and neither believes the National Guard is needed at this time. The city has been working with the state police, she said.
Advertisement
Lightfoot also preemptively criticized President Donald Trump, who has previously threatened to send in federal agents to intervene in Chicago street crime. He recently sent a bunch of agents to the city as part of Operation Legend, which Lightfoot said she supports as long as it’s operating through U.S. Attorney John Lausch.
“Again, no, we do not need federal troops in Chicago, period, full stop,” Lightfoot said. “I’m sure the president will have his way with this incident but I’m calling upon him to do the things that we do need,” such as making changes to the nation’s gun laws.
Read more here. —Gregory Pratt and John Byrne
11:47 a.m.: Art Institute closes for the day due to Loop shutdown and unrest
Among major cultural institutions, none reported sustaining damage. Only the Art Institute, located on Michigan Avenue, reacted. It closed for the day Monday. Tuesday and Wednesday are normal closure days since the museum reopened late last month.
”We wanted to ensure that you knew that the museum will be closed today, Monday, August 10,” the museum wrote in an email to patrons. “We regret if this impacts a planned visit today. We expect the museum to reopen soon and will update the website accordingly.”
The decision to close was also impacted by the city limiting access to the Loop in response to Sunday night’s events.
Advertisement
“The unrest in Chicago overnight and early this morning, as well as the transit shutdowns today, challenged the ability of staff needing to come in early to prepare the museum for opening, so the decision was made to leave the museum closed for the day,” spokeswoman Kati Murphy said via text.
MCA Chicago, located close to the hard-hit Water Tower Place area, was already scheduled to be closed until Friday under its new, pandemic hours. On the Museum Campus, Shedd Aquarium and Field Museum were open Monday, while Adler Planetarium has never reopened since closing in mid-March.
—Steve Johnson
11:40 a.m.: Loop, Near North stores hit overnight, some after were vandalized and looted earlier in the summer
Monday morning, stores were scrambling to board up windows that were destroyed. The sound of power drills driving nails into wooden boards echoed along Wabash Avenue, occasionally being drowned out by “L” trains rattling overhead.
Jewelry stores appeared to be hit the hardest. At least five jewelry stores were vandalized along Jewelers Row on Wabash Avenue.
Koorosh Daneshgar, owner of Wedding Bands & Company, a jewelry store on 2 N. Wabash Ave., was dismayed Monday morning after his jewelry store was vandalized for the second time in the last few months.
Advertisement
A Chicago police officer stands inside Diamonds on Wabash, one of several jewelry stores damaged after looting in the early morning hours of Aug. 10, 2020. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
Daneshgar said he reviewed his store security footage and that there were nearly 50 people in his store overnight. The jewelry was in a safe, but the looters still destroyed showcases, windows and computers, he said.
”It’s hard to describe,” Daneshgar said. “The Mayor has to do something. This is unacceptable.”
Among the jewelry stores looted and with smashed windows:
Chicago Landmark Diamond Center, 1 N. Wabash Ave.
Wedding Bands & Company by Koorosh, 2 N. Wabash
Windy City Diamonds, 1 S. Wabash
Chicago Jewelry Mall, 7 S. Wabash
Diamonds on Wabash, 15 S. Wabash
Police vehicles with their flashing emergency lights activated were positioned Monday morning up and down State Street downtown.
Among other stores hit were:
T-Mobile, 129 N. Wabash Ave. The window was smashed out with the shattered glass was spilled out onto the sidewalk. But the store’s metal shutters were pulled down.
Staples, 111 N. Wabash. A window was smashed out, but by 8:30 a.m., workers were on site to boarded up the broken window.
CBD Kratom, 28 E. Randolph St. All of the store’s windows were shattered. The shelves inside the store were toppled over, and the counter was smashed. Shortly before 8:45 a.m., two store employees began cleaning up the store.
Macy’s on State Street, 111 N. State St., had one window broken, and other stores in the area were boarding up, but in many cases, their doing so appeared to be preemptive, as there were no signs of damage.
—Javonte Anderson
Advertisement
11:38 a.m.: Three local Binny’s stores damaged by looting
Binny’s Beverage Depot employees spent Monday morning cleaning up heavily damaged stores, a little more than two months after doing so in the aftermath of the looting that followed George Floyd’s killing at the hands of police in Minneapolis.
”We’re getting a little too comfortable with the rapid response to incidents like this,” Binny’s vice president Bradley Stein said from the store near Clybourn Avenue.
“This is not something we want to become proficient in.”
The store at 1720 N. Marcey St. was strewn with broken glass, cigars and other debris.
The previous break-in created close to $1 million in property damage and theft, Stein estimated. He said it was too early to know the extent of Monday morning’s looting, but extensive damage included shattered glass inside and outside the store — including to the rare and collectible room, where bottles valued as high as $15,000 are stored.
Brad Stein, a vice-president with Binny's, vacuums up shards of glass and spilled wine after looters broke in and took expensive bottles of champagne and wine from their River North location on Aug. 10, 2020. Three stores were damaged in last night's spree. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
”It kind of took us by surprise,” Stein said. “It was very targeted. They definitely knew what they wanted. We’re making the assumption these guys had been here before. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was the same crew from the first time.”
Advertisement
Binny’s stores in the South Loop and River North also were damaged, Stein said.
The 50,000-square-foot store near Clybourn is one of the largest and highest-grossing among the family-owned company’s 42 stores, all in Illinois.
Large Apple and Best Buy stores were among several other businesses on and around Clybourn that were damaged.
”It’s difficult to see our city taking these hits like this,” Stein said.
Binny’s Marcey Street store closed for almost a week after the first incident, and a closure of at least a few days is expected again to repair damage and take inventory, Stein said. Binny’s is not considering closing the store permanently, Stein said.
”We’re proud that we employ 90 people at this location, and if this went away that would be 90 people out of work,” Stein said. “That’s not going to happen. We just have to understand how we can prepare for this going forward. We have made some adjustments since the last time. Some worked, some didn’t.”
Advertisement
—Ryan Ori
11:27 a.m.: Pritzker says he reached out to Lightfoot to offer state help
Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Monday he reached out to Mayor Lori Lightfoot overnight to offer the state’s help, and Illinois State Police closed local expressway on-ramps and off-ramps “where necessary for the city of Chicago.”
Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly has been in touch with Chicago Police officials, and “we want to make sure that we’re doing everything we can to support the city as we did back in May and June when looting and mayhem was occurring back then,” Pritzker said at an unrelated news conference in Chicago.”
Criminals need to be held accountable, there’s no doubt it,” Pritzker said. “I have, of course, been an advocate for police accountability and for reforms, significant reforms. Having said that, these were criminals — people who broke in, and were shooting at people. We had 13, I believe, 13 Chicago police officers who were injured last night. This is criminal activity and those criminals need to be held accountable.”
—Jamie Munks
11:20 a.m.: Gift shop that had just reopened following May looting is hit again
Less than a week ago, jewelry and gift store Crosell & Co. reopened following looting in May. Early Monday morning, the store at 25 E. Huron St. was hit again.
Advertisement
The situation Monday wasn’t as bad as last time, owner Dianne Crosell said as she stood outside of her shop in front of the smashed double-paned glass door. In May, looters broke in through a window and took most of her inventory. Monday, it was mostly just the damage from broken glass.
Still, it will be hard to rebuild again, Crosell said. Insurance helped last time, but she said there is a limit. Crosell opened the business in 2006, and she’s worried about the long-term damage repeated lootings and a pandemic will have on businesses in the city.
“If this keeps happening, why is anyone going to stay?” she said. “They’re ruining the city of Chicago.”
Dianne Crosell, owner of Crosell & Co., speaks about the damage to her shop following early morning looting on Aug. 10, 2020. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
Next door at Jonathan Adler interior design, the windows were smashed in. Manager Dwight Culber said the store was lucky.
“We’re mostly home furnishings. It’s larger scale stuff that’s harder to pick up and take away,” he said. “Overall, the store is still intact.”
At open U-Haul sat parked, back open, nearby on Huron Street. It had a flat tire, and nothing was in the back except a few bandanas and a bag of Skittles. Culber said he thought the U-Haul had been used for the looting, but then abandoned because of the flat tire.
Advertisement
A few blocks over on Michigan Avenue, workers sawed and drilled as they boarded up broken windows.
Passersby were hit with blasts of cold air pouring out of broken windows from air conditioned shops. At Ralph Lauren, workers used snow shovels and push brooms to clean up a broken display window. But besides the broken glass, the clothes and other merchandise in the window appeared untouched.
—Ally Marotti
11:11 a.m.: Black-owned business hit on Near North Side
Patsy Mullins stepped over broken glass and shelves and black jewelry mannequins Monday morning while carpenters affixed particle board to the glassless front door of her store in the Near North neighborhood.
Mullins has owned the store, Accessorize, for nearly 20 years. It’s normally full of accessories, hats, handbags and anything else “ladies need to get ourselves together.” It was one of dozens downtown that were looted overnight.
“I just don’t know what the next move is going to be,” she said. “I’m out of work. They’ve destroyed everything, they’ve taken all the merchandise that I have to sell, then this requires an investment of money to rebuild and replenish.” Mullins, who is African American, has lived in Chicago since 1979. She has customers who’ve been with her the whole time, since she opened her shop.
Advertisement
Monday morning, she sat inside her store trying to reach police and surveying the damage.
Patsy Mullins looks over the damage inside her boutique Accessorize that was cleaned out during looting in the Near North neighborhood early on Aug. 10, 2020. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)
“This is my livelihood, for 20 years. I’m not sure what I’m going to do,” she said. “I’m just still in shock, still stunned.”
No room of her shop was spared. Looters even emptied a small storage closet in the bathroom at the back of the store.
“Jewelry, handbags, clothing, all of it’s gone,” she said. “Trying to get business open and thriving again, it’s been a mess. I don’t know what this means. This is my livelihood.”
Mullins, 71, described it as “mob activity,” not just street gangs at work. She noted how organized it seemed and how some looters were using tools to gain entry to places, just like the looting in late May and early June. Her store was spared then because it had already been boarded up following a burglary in April, during the beginning of the pandemic.
“It’s not just people looting,” she said. … “Let’s dig to the root of the problem, let’s not look at the surface and pretend that it’s all those looters of those whatever — and I’m not absolving them from their criminal behavior and their participation, truly they need to be disciplined — but we need to get to the bottom of this otherwise well this problem will never be solved and it will continue again and again.”
Advertisement
Mullins noted the potential political implications of the looting, it being an election year, and her fiance Bruce Carey said this didn’t have anything to do with the Black Lives Matter movement.
“This is strictly criminal activity, planned by criminal gangs, in order to loot. These are pandemic times. There is no money in the streets,” he said. “118 million people are unemployed and a store owner like her can’t get stimulus money because Congress is holding it up.”
Carey, 67, said he thinks the mayor is doing the best she can, but wants to know how she can help businesses here. He noted the circumstances conspiring against Mullins — high rent, no foot traffic, nobody to purchase merchandise, the still unresolved insurance claim from the April burglary and now looting overnight.
He said they don’t support defunding police, but does support reassessing police so they aren’t as militarized. He doesn’t support the use of federal officers like what happened in Portland. He said small businesses need police protection.
“That’s a political issue,” he said, noting that what’s happening here could potentially end up in a loop on Fox News. “We’re Black, we understand that, we face that pressure the same. But you also understand the systemic conditions that have helped create that. The pandemic has … no kids have summer jobs, all these kids on the street. You’re fed through media, social media, to want materialism. Gucci, Burberry. The criminals are taking advantage. This is a way for them to rob, steal, not get caught.”
—Peter Nickeas
Advertisement
10:49 a.m.: Neighbors help clean up near North and Clybourn
Near North and Clybourn avenues, several stores had been looted overnight, and neighbors came out to help clean up looted stores.
Omeid Seid, 38, has lived in the area for five years.
”We woke up, didn’t realize what had happened,” Seid said. “Having a young kid we walk through this area regularly.”
“We saw what happened last time rather than sit around and watch it on TV we thought we would get out and try to help.”
Gary Tedeschi also showed up to help.
”I was inspired by people who showed up first,” Tedeschi who came out after seeing people on the news helping with cleanup efforts. “I saw people, they were showing this on the news, and I was inspired.”
Advertisement
Dozens of electronic security tags litter the parking lot shared by Ulta, Best Buy and CVS, 1000 W. North Ave., all of which had been looted overnight.
Residents had mostly cleaned up the area by 8:15 a.m., loading cardboard boxes, bags stuffed with Styrofoam, broken TVs and other trash.
Volunteers brought out pickup trucks and dump trucks to help in the cleanup.
—Peter Nickeas
10:30 a.m.: Owner of Central Camera, the iconic Loop business hit by looting in May, struggles to understand overnight destruction
Don Flesch, the owner of the Loop’s iconic Central Camera, was on his way downtown Monday morning to check on his 121-year-old business, which is still being renovated after being burned and looted in late May.
”I’m going to see if our sign is OK,” he said.
Advertisement
Flesch, the third-generation owner of the shop, gained widespread internet support for keeping his cool after his family business burned last time, refusing to be angry at the people who destroyed it. He said he understood the sentiment behind the unrest that swept the city less than three months ago. Monday morning, though, he was struggling to comprehend what had fueled the overnight destruction.
”Why? Who’s behind it?” he wondered. “It’s not really a sensible thing, except somebody wants to cause distress and disrupt this country.”
Flesch said he worries the most recent looting will slow down the city’s recovery. The looting and destruction in May was as a double whammy for Chicago’s businesses, which had just begun to reopen after the pandemic forced them to shut down.
However, by 8:30 a.m. Monday, Flesch said he had already heard of neighbors coming out to help clean up. He took that as a sign of optimism and hope.
—Ally Marotti
10:27 a.m.: Herbal Care Center dispensary closes Monday as a safety precaution
The Herbal Care Center marijuana dispensary closed Monday as a safety precaution following the looting that hit Michigan Avenue and other downtown areas overnight.
Advertisement
”We will evaluate day by day from here and will continue to send out updates as we have them,” said a text alert from the dispensary.
The Herbal Care Center, which is north of the Pilsen neighborhood, was heavily damaged in the looting in late May that followed the death of George Floyd. It re-opened in early July.
—Ally Marotti
9:48 a.m.: Aftermath of looting in downtown Chicago: 13 cops injured, two people shot, more than 100 arrests, Mag Mile trashed
More than 100 people were arrested as of 9 a.m., according to Chicago Police Supt. David Brown. Thirteen officers were injured during the unrest, including a sergeant who was hit by a bottle. A civilian and private security guard were shot and wounded.
“What occurred in our downtown and surrounding communities was abject criminal behavior, pure and simple,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said. “And there cannot be any excuse for it. Period.”
City officials said the seeds for the violent crime spree were sewn on social media Sunday afternoon following an officer-involved shooting in the Englewood neighborhood. Officers shot and wounded a 20-year-old man Sunday after he fired shots at them while being chased, authorities said.
Advertisement
The man was taken to University of Chicago Medical Center and is expected to survive, Brown said.
More than an hour after the shooting, police and witnesses said a crowd of about 30 people faced off against officers holding a police line near 56th and Aberdeen streets. Authorities said someone fed false information to the angry group, including that police shot and wounded a child.
During a scuffle, one officer was hit with pepper spray and a second officer suffered a minor shoulder injury. Two people were arrested and a police car was shattered by a brick, police added.
A large number of officers cordoned off streets in nearly every direction until the mood of the crowd cooled off. But by that time, Brown said, messages began appearing on social media encouraging people to head downtown.
The looting and vandalism began shortly after, with people streaming in and out of high-end stores. Some could be seen throwing merchandise into rental trucks and other large vehicles before driving away.
“This was not an organized protest,” Brown said. “Rather this was an incident of pure criminality. This was an act of violence against our police officers and against our city.”
Advertisement
Read more here. —Paige Fry, Jeremy Gorner, Gregory Pratt, Megan Crepeau and Stacy St. Clair
8:18 a.m.: Commuting? CTA, roads reopening, bridges going down as overnight looting subsides downtown
As police activity and unrest subsided in downtown Chicago, emergency officials Monday morning said the city was reopening blocked expressway entrance ramps, restarting Chicago Transit Authority service into downtown, and lowering bridges, even as some streets were remaining closed.
Looting, which overnight had been centered in the Streeterville and North Michigan Avenue area, was beginning to die down as authorities worked to reopen after some of the city’s swankiest stores were hit. Some closures remained in effect downtown Monday morning, and Cook County courts except for bond court were to be closed Monday.
The expressway closures began in early morning and were ending just before 7 a.m. as police were able to quell some of the unrest, according to Trooper Gabriela Ugarte, an Illinois State Police spokeswoman.
Read more here. —Katherine Rosenberg-Douglas
(Updated 7:35 a.m.) 3:33 a.m.: Chicago police return fire as looters hit Mag Mile, smashing windows and confronting officers
Hundreds of people swept through the Magnificent Mile and other parts of downtown Chicago early Monday, smashing windows, looting stores, confronting police and at one point exchanging gunfire with officers, authorities said.
Advertisement
The officers had stopped several people on Lake Street near Michigan Avenue when shots were fired from a passing car around 4:30 a.m., nearly five hours into the widespread vandalism, according to police spokesman Tom Ahern. No officers were shot but a squad car was hit, he said. It was not known if anyone in the gunman’s car was shot.
Ahern said other officers were injured through the night. Earlier, an officer was seen slumped against a building by Grand and Wabash avenues as other other cops tended to him. It was unclear what had happened to him. Ahern had no details on the injuries.
Read more here. —Paige Fry and Jeremy Gorner
6:14 a.m.: After sunrise
Someone walking away with clothes along Randolph Street, near State Street. The Old Navy store got hit by looters overnight. pic.twitter.com/SxA70o1wUc — Jeremy Gorner (@JeremyGorner) August 10, 2020
5:24 a.m.: Bridges into the Loop raised
Bridges along the Chicago River are raised on Aug. 10, 2020. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)
4:48 a.m.: Police and crowd get into shouting match
Police return to the Louis Vuitton store after a group went in and out of the store. Here, the police and the crowd got into a shouting match from afar as the officers tried to make the crowd leave. pic.twitter.com/iJZjVWWT2x — Jeremy Gorner (@JeremyGorner) August 10, 2020
3:57 a.m.: Officer attended to at Grand and Wabash
A Chicago police officer was being attended to by other officers at Grand and Wabash Aves. pic.twitter.com/U5MOGZo4ij — Jeremy Gorner (@JeremyGorner) August 10, 2020
3:21 a.m.: Looting and vandalism in downtown Chicago
High-end retailers are getting looted and vandalized downtown early this morning. Hundreds of people ha e made their way to the downtown area. Chicago police on this video chase someone on North Michigan Avenue. pic.twitter.com/xkNHvss1qY — Jeremy Gorner (@JeremyGorner) August 10, 2020
2:30 a.m.: Police chase people out of Macy’s
Police chase a couple guys out of the Macy’s and dozens more come in. #ChicagoScanner #Chicago pic.twitter.com/61wKHUMWmL — Paige Fry (@paigexfry) August 10, 2020
2:09 a.m.: Chaotic scene in downtown Chicago
There are hundreds and hundreds of people downtown right now. #Chicago #ChicagoScanner pic.twitter.com/03CziG6vHo — Paige Fry (@paigexfry) August 10, 2020


chicagotribune--2020-08-10--Storms bring downed trees, power outages in Aurora area

Damage reported included wires down on the 200 block of Central Avenue , at the intersection of Root Street and @ @ @ @ @ Street and Elmwood Drive , at State Street and Fourth Avenue , in the 600 @ @ @ @ @ Avenue , the 500 block of Iroquois Drive and the 600 block of Jefferson Street @ @ @ @

Monday afternoon's storm downed an oak tree on Second Street near Fulton Street in downtown Geneva. (Linda Girardi / The Beacon-News)
Downed trees and power outages were reported Monday afternoon as storms lashed the Aurora area.
The National Weather Service in Chicago reported strong gusts of wind with the storms, and the Aurora Municipal Airport in Sugar Grove saw winds of up to 54 mph.
Advertisement
Aurora Fire Department Battalion Chief Jim Rhodes said there were several wires down and tree damage in the area due to the storm.
“For as bad as they said the storm was going to be, we got off pretty lucky,” Rhodes said.
Advertisement
Aurora police spokesman Paris Lewbel said several roads were blocked by trees that emergency crews worked to clear.
Damage reported included wires down on the 200 block of Central Avenue, at the intersection of Root Street and Galena Boulevard, at Prairie Street and Elmwood Drive, at State Street and Fourth Avenue, in the 600 and 900 blocks of Pennsylvania Avenue, the 500 block of Iroquois Drive and the 600 block of Jefferson Street, Lewbel said.
Trees were also down at Galena Boulevard and Highland Avenue, the 700 block of Old Indian Trail, Buell Avenue and Downer Place and the 600 block of Jackson Street.
“We have roughly a dozen general trees and limbs throughout the city that were downed and need to be removed. It could have been significantly worse,” said Aurora Director of Communications Clayton Muhammad.
The city of Batavia posted a message via email to residents that there were multiple power outages citywide due to the storm.
“Multiple trees and powers lines are down throughout the city. The city electric crews are on scene and working diligently to restore power. Residents may experience power outages of up to two hours,” the message on Monday afternoon said.
There were reports of trees down and power outages around the Aurora area.
ComEd reported that 462,000 of its customers were without power, more than half of them in the Chicago area, late Monday afternoon.
Advertisement
About 2:40 p.m., a wind gust of 92 mph hit near Dixon, with 20 to 30 minutes of winds gusting more than 50 mph, according to the weather service. Just before 4 p.m., winds were clocked at 72.5 mph at Midway Airport and at 62 mph at O’Hare International Airport, according to the weather service.
Meteorologist Lee Carlaw of the National Weather Service in Romeoville said “this certainly was a high-end severe thunderstorm-wind event.”
The system actually started out early Monday morning across portions of Iowa and tracked east into north-central and northeastern Illinois, he said.
“We noticed widespread significant wind damage along the I-88 corridor in towards the Chicago metropolitan area,” he said. “We would not be surprised to see pockets of 70-90 mph wind gusts with the amount of tree damage and infrastructure we have heard about.”
The hot and muggy conditions were the right ingredients to fuel the disturbance that moved through, Carlaw said.
“Think of it as the hot and muggy conditions are fuel for thunderstorms. The hotter and muggier it is the more fuel is present. As the storm moved in, there was lots of fuel for them to develop,” he said.
Advertisement
mejones@chicagotribune.com
Sydney Czyzon of the Chicago Tribune contributed. Linda Girardi is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.


chicagotribune--2020-08-10--Cook County GOP sues to block state’s enhanced vote-by-mail efforts

The suit alleges that while “ voting is a fundamental , constitutional right that is central to our democracy , @ @ @ @ @ right by signing into law a partisan voting scheme that is designed to harvest Democratic @ @ @ @ @ , and , if the election still doesn ’ t turn out the way he @ @ @ @ @ enough Democratic ballots after election day to sway the result .
”

The Cook County Republican Party filed a federal lawsuit Monday to block the state’s new enhanced vote-by-mail law, contending the measure was a scheme by Democrats under Gov. J.B. Pritzker to amplify their vote totals and dilute GOP ballots in the Nov. 3 general election.
The sponsor of the new law, state Sen. Julie Morrison of Deerfield, called the lawsuit’s allegations “totally unfounded” and said it was aimed at providing voters with a greater opportunity to avoid casting in-person ballots in response to the pandemic.
Advertisement
The suit alleges that while “voting is a fundamental, constitutional right that is central to our democracy,” Pritzker “violated this right by signing into law a partisan voting scheme that is designed to harvest Democratic ballots, dilute Republican ballots, and, if the election still doesn’t turn out the way he wants it, to generate enough Democratic ballots after election day to sway the result.”
The suit contends Democrats in the legislature “snuck through” the legislation in May, “rushing it to passage before the people of Illinois could weigh in with their opposition.”
Advertisement
It also said a provision that made Nov. 3 a state holiday, allowing government buildings such as schools to be used as Election Day polling places with fewer people to avoid risk, was an attempt to use government workers, as well as teachers and students, to create “an army of workers to harvest” ballots.
Harvesting ballots is a method in which a political organization or an individual collects ballots cast at home and deposits them with local election authorities.
The suit also contends provisions allowing ballots submitted or postmarked by midnight on Election Day to still be counted two weeks later creates the potential for fraud.
“Illinois state government is one of the most inept in the Union, and the public has no reason to expect a vote-by-mail system to work any more smoothly than a variety of projects Illinois has stumbled through in recent years,” the suit contends.
The lawsuit was filed against Pritzker, the State Board of Elections, Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough and the Chicago Board of Election commissioners on behalf of the Cook County GOP by the Liberty Justice Center. The group has the same address as the Republican-aligned Illinois Policy Institute and is chaired by John Tillman, who also is chairman and CEO of the IPI.
Sign up for The Spin to get the top stories in politics delivered to your inbox weekday afternoons.
The lawsuit represents the latest conundrum among Republicans in dealing with the issue of mail-in-ballots. President Donald Trump has spoken out against them, saying they increase the potential for fraud, though reported instances have been rare.
At the same time, Trump defended the vote-by-mail system in Florida, where he is a resident and cast a vote from the White House, because it is “well run” and in part because it has a Republican governor.
Advertisement
But some Republicans have expressed concerns over Trump’s efforts to discredit mail-in voting as detrimental to GOP election efforts and some Republican contenders have actively worked to educate voters on how to cast a mail-in ballot.
The new law, approved primarily by Democrats in May, sent vote-by-mail applications to about 5 million people who cast ballots in the 2018 general election, the 2019 municipal elections or the 2020 primary in March. Actual ballots will be sent to those who requested them no earlier than Sept. 24.
Illinois already has one of the most liberal vote-by-mail laws in the nation, with no excuse needed to cast such a ballot. That led Republicans in the state legislature to oppose the measure, saying anyone who wanted to vote by mail could already do so.
But Morrison said the legislation was “a direct response to COVID-19.”
“It was to make voting safe and available for every voter across the state of Illinois. So, regardless of where you live or what party you’re affiliated with if you are, if you’re a regular voter you are automatically getting that application in the mail and anybody else who is a registered voter also will have that opportunity,” Morrison said.
“I have yet to see statistics on COVID-19 that it likes one party better than the other. This is an equal opportunity virus and I don’t think anything the Republicans have said in that complaint carry any water,” she said. “It’s totally unfounded and the Republicans should be delighted that there’s something that keeps all of their voters safe as well.”
Advertisement
rap30@aol.com