chicagotribune--2020-06-10--Cristobal’s remnants bring strong winds to Chicago area as tornado warning, severe thunderstorm watc

Cristobal’s remnants bring strong winds to Chicago area as tornado warning, severe thunderstorm watch in effect

Meteorologist Rafal Ogorek said isolated thunderstorms also loom , with the potential for bands that are capable of dropping about @ @ @ @ @ some areas .
The first remnants of Cristobal started moving into the Chicago area between @ @ @ @ @ The rain wasn ’ t expected to lead to widespread flooding , but if more @ @ @ @ @ one area , that could cause some isolated flash floods or ponding , he said @

Pedestrians cross the street while rain falls in the River North neighborhood on June 9, 2020, in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)
Large portions of waterlogged northern Illinois could again be drenched by isolated thunderstorms as the last vestiges of what once was Tropical Storm Cristobal blow through the area in the afternoon Tuesday, forecasters said.
The strongest wind gusts are expected between 1 and 10 p.m. and sustained wind speeds of about 40 to 45 mph are expected, with the threat of gusts more than 50 mph, according to the National Weather Service.
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A tornado warning that included southeast Cook County was issued through 8:30 p.m. but canceled early as the storm moved out.
Tornado Warning including Hammond IN, Calumet City IL, East Chicago IN until 8:30 PM CDT pic.twitter.com/BHR0MnqPQS — NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) June 10, 2020
A severe thunderstorm warning that included the Chicago area was also issued through 8:30 p.m., with wind gusts up to 60 mph and hail the size of a penny.
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A wind advisory has been issued for much of the area, mainly including the city and southern suburbs, until 10 p.m., with beach hazard statements for the Lake Michigan shoreline.
With the high likelihood of strong winds occurring today, a wind advisory is in effect for much of the area until 10 PM this evening. Winds may result in loose objects and tents being blown around outdoors and cause hazardous travel for high profile vehicles. #ilwx #inwx pic.twitter.com/YRLvyWPsCW — NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) June 9, 2020
Meteorologist Rafal Ogorek said isolated thunderstorms also loom, with the potential for bands that are capable of dropping about an inch of rain in some areas. The first remnants of Cristobal started moving into the Chicago area between 1 and 2 p.m. The rain wasn’t expected to lead to widespread flooding, but if more than one band hits any one area, that could cause some isolated flash floods or ponding, he said.
“The highest concentration of rainfall should be concentrated more north and west of I-57, at least for the north-central part of the state,” Ogorek said, noting eastern Iowa could be harder hit. “It’s just difficult to pinpoint an exact location where the heavy rainfall may set up.”
Pedestrians sit inside and walk around a CTA "L" train at the Belmont station while heavy rain falls in the area on June 9, 2020, in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)
Illinois is about as far northwest as an Atlantic Basin tropical storm can travel, and it has happened at least 16 times since 1886, Ogorek said. Most recently, the area was hit in 2018 by Tropical Storm Alberto, and before that, the last time Illinois was affected by an Atlantic Basin storm was Tropical Storm Issac in 2012.
“It’s relatively rare,” he said. “We typically don’t get any tropical remnants from the Atlantic Ocean, but it has happened 16 times.”
The Milwaukee-area office of the weather service said Cristobal is expected to be only the fourth Atlantic tropical cyclone remnant to move over Wisconsin in its more than 100 years of records. It also said if Cristobal is still technically a tropical depression after it hits the state line, Wisconsin would notch its first tropical depression in the state’s history.
Only 3 tropical systems have tracked across Wisconsin since records began. The remnants of Cristobal will be the fourth. #swiwx pic.twitter.com/ke3cRadX8V — NWS Milwaukee (@NWSMKX) June 8, 2020
Ogorek said even though Cristobal will have passed by Wednesday, another system moving in behind it will keep the area windy.
“Not as strong as today. Today there could be gusts in the 45- or even 50-mph range. Tomorrow probably won’t be as bad, more so in the 30- to 40-mph range. So, still pretty gusty but not as strong as we’ve had here lately,” Ogorek said.
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Check back for updates and visit the Tribune’s weather page for more.
kdouglas@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @312BreakingNews


chicagotribune--2020-06-10--NBC 5 anchor Dick Johnson, ‘old-school newsman,’ dies at 66

Johnson was behind the desk , out in the field and often the lead story at 10 p.m. , Stafford @ @ @ @ @ of work , Johnson could be spotted in his office working on the script , @ @ @ @ @ His reporting and writing was “ thoughtful , poignant and he used just the right @ @ @ @ @

The venerable Chicago newsman and WMAQ-Ch. 5 anchor and reporter Dick Johnson died Tuesday, the NBC station said in an afternoon broadcast.
WMAQ-Ch. 5 co-anchor Marion Brooks tearfully announced Johnson’s death at the start of the 4 p.m. newscast.
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“He had every intention of returning to work," Brooks said. "Dick loved his job. He loved telling stories. He loved his co-workers. And most of all, he loved his family.”
WMAQ-Ch. 5 anchor and reporter Dick Johnson in an undated photo. Johnson died June 9, 2020, the NBC station said in an afternoon broadcast. (NBC 5/HANDOUT)
In recent days, Johnson, 66, was being treated at a Michigan hospital for complications related to a respiratory condition, his family told the station. His death was not related to the coronavirus.
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“He leaves behind his wife and three grown children, as well as his newsroom family and so many in the journalism field who have learned from him,” the station reported.
Frank Whittaker, the station manager and vice president of news, said Johnson loved being on the front lines of the big story.
“He always wanted to be part of the big story,” Whittaker said. “He was an old-school newsman. He loved the chase. He loved hunting down exclusives. He loved to write — he was an incredibly gifted writer. And he could do that on deadline, which in television was very appreciated.”
Johnson was taking time off due to his respiratory condition, Whittaker said, but he was itching to get back to the slew of big stories building in Chicago right now. When he was on medical leave, Johnson was still passing on tips, Whittaker said.
“He had a hard time breaking away from news,” Whittaker said.
Johnson will also be remembered as a dear friend to many in the newsroom, Whittaker said.
“I can’t tell you how many people just this afternoon have said how Dick was the first one to welcome them to NBC 5 news when they first started,” Whittaker said. “He was proud to work here, and he wanted to make people feel welcome on the team.”
Anchor Rob Stafford, whom Johnson filled in for as he battled a rare blood disease, said he spoke with his longtime friend and colleague on the phone yesterday. Johnson was “his typical, optimistic self," Stafford said.
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“He was an incredibly generous person and just very kind,” Stafford said. “And loved reporting. He was a reporter’s reporter."
Johnson was behind the desk, out in the field and often the lead story at 10 p.m., Stafford said. Even after decades of work, Johnson could be spotted in his office working on the script, meticulously polishing every word. His reporting and writing was “thoughtful, poignant and he used just the right amount of words."
“He gave every story a Dick Johnson signature,” Stafford said. “You knew he wrote it. And it made you listen.”
But Johnson was most proud of his family, Stafford said, going on about his kids and grandchildren — “Just a doting grandfather and couldn’t wait to spend his retirement with those grandkids.
“There’s just a void that will never be filled,” Stafford said. “His institutional knowledge, his Rolodex that can never be replaced and his positive attitude.”
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Co-anchor Patrick Fazio said Johnson was “an outstanding journalist and storyteller and an even better friend and mentor to so many of us here.”
On Twitter, Carol Marin, along with many of the station’s colleagues, offered a remembrance of Johnson, saying he was “the best kind of newsman.”
“Smart, thorough, nimble when deadlines were crashing around him. No cliches. Just facts, fairness, and great writing,” Marin said." And he was funny! What a loss to all who knew him. But especially to his loving family."
Johnson’s career at NBC 5 as an anchor and reporter kicked off in 2002. He last co-anchored the station’s weekend evening newscast. He previously worked for two decades at WLS-Ch. 7. Throughout his career, he was the recipient of prestigious awards including the duPont-Columbia Award and Peabody Award.
Among Johnson’s reporting career feats highlighted by NBC: traveling on Air Force Two with Vice President George H.W. Bush during the assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan, covering everything from the return of the Iranian hostages at West Point to the construction of Comiskey Park and the United Center, and zeroing in on fashion designer Gianni Versace serial killer Andrew Cunanan’s Chicago ties.
Outside the newsroom, Johnson also loved the arts. A few months ago, he performed a solo in a satirical review about Hinsdale.
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“Something you might not know about Dick is that he was a great performer," Brooks said. "He could sing. He could act. And he could make you laugh. And he had such a great laugh and such a warm, wonderful smile. Dick Johnson was smart, empathetic, generous and kind. He is gone too soon, and he’s already dearly missed.”
In March, Johnson posted an apology on Facebook for his break from NBC. “Like so many, I had no other choice,” he said. “The Coronavirus, my age and a respiratory issue prompted my doctors to send me packing. So here we are, settled in ‘up north’ and riding this out as safely as possible. I’m sure you are too. All the best.”


chicagotribune--2020-06-11--The Spin: Lightfoot calls out phone call leaker: ‘Shame on him’ | Pritzker signs state budget | Repu

The Spin: Lightfoot calls out phone call leaker: ‘Shame on him’ | Pritzker signs state budget | Republicans push for Illinois to advance to next reopening stage by Friday

As the debate rages over when and how quickly Illinois should reopen from the statewide coronavirus pandemic restrictions , a @ @ @ @ @ the state to advance to the next step — which is phase four of five @ @ @ @ @ the week .
That would be two weeks ahead of schedule .

Gov. J.B. Pritzker took part Monday in a march in Matteson where hundreds demanded an end to racial inequality. (Mike Nolan / Daily Southtown)
As the debate rages over when and how quickly Illinois should reopen from the statewide coronavirus pandemic restrictions, a group of Republican lawmakers want the state to advance to the next step — which is phase four of five — by the end of the week. That would be two weeks ahead of schedule.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker, meanwhile, signed the approximately $43 billion state budget Wednesday. Lawmakers approved the budget largely along partisan lines last month.
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And, Mayor Lori Lightfoot had some words for whichever alderman recorded and leaked the recent call in which she said Ald. Ray Lopez was “full of s---.” She says the recording was “illegal.”
Welcome to The Spin.
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Mayor Lori Lightfoot speaks during a news conference at Chicago City Hall on May 22, 2020, about the city's plans to reopen after restrictions put in place due to the COVID-19 virus pandemic. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)
From Gregory Pratt: "Mayor Lori Lightfoot blasted an unnamed alderman for leaking audio of a heated conversation between her and the City Council, saying Chicago leaders need to be able to speak candidly among themselves.
"During the height of civil unrest in Chicago neighborhoods following the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd, Lightfoot hosted a call with all 50 aldermen that devolved after Southwest Side Ald. Raymond Lopez complained about what he said was an inadequate response by the city to looting.
"When Lopez finished his comments, Lightfoot tried to move on without answering him and Lopez insisted that she address his questions.
“ ‘I think you’re 100% full of s---, is what I think,’ Lightfoot responded.
"Lopez replied, ‘Well, f--- you then.’ ” Read the rest of the story here.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker speaks during his coronavirus pandemic briefing at the Illinois Capitol May 20, 2020, in Springfield. (Erin Hooley/Chicago Tribune)
"Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Wednesday signed a roughly $43 billion state spending plan that relies heavily on federal aid and borrowing to plug budget holes created by the coronavirus pandemic.
"While spending in the operating budget remains essentially flat from last year, the total plan for the year that begins July 1 includes repaying $1.6 billion that was borrowed to fill a shortfall in the current budget, and $2.2 billion in required transfers to other funds.
"The budget was approved by lawmakers along largely partisan lines during their abbreviated special session last month.
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“The budget provides increases for social services and public health, but spending in other areas, including public education, will remain flat.” Dan Petrella and Jamie Munks have the rest of the story here.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot delivers her budget address during a Chicago City Council meeting at City Hall in October 2019. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
From John Byrne: "Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s plan for $1.1 billion in federal CARES Act spending to help Chicago deal with mounting costs and community need due to the coronavirus pandemic moved forward Wednesday, though aldermen questioned whether her administration has set aside enough money to deal with a possible spike in cases locally later this year.
“And some City Council critics of Chicago Police Department funding called for the mayor to explicitly pledge not to use the virus response money to pay for police overtime.”
Read the rest of the story here.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot: Chicago’s coronavirus budget shortfall at least $700 million. Read the story here.
Chicago announces $5M fund for people excluded from federal coronavirus relief act. Read the story here.
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Illinois Senate Republican leader Bill Brady, R-Bloomington, stands with state Senate Republicans to call for a longer session to deal with more issues during a news conference outside the Illinois Capitol on May 22, 2020. (Justin L. Fowler/AP)
From Rick Pearson: "Illinois’ 19 Republican state senators urged Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker to move the state to the next phase of his pandemic reopening plan on Friday, two weeks earlier than would be possible under his guidelines.
"The senators cited frustrations of some business owners watching the large gatherings of peaceful protesters in the response to the death of George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis.
“But Pritzker, speaking in Moline on Wednesday, said moving too quickly to phase four of his ‘Restore Illinois’ plan belies the science on the spread of the coronavirus.
“In a letter, state Senate Republican leader Bill Brady of Bloomington and his colleagues in the 59-member Senate asked Pritzker to move to a 14-day time frame to move between phases rather than the 28-day time period in his plan.”
Read the rest of the story here.
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Republicans rip Pritzker as social distancing hypocrite as he joins protests; he hits back on Trump conspiracy tweet. Read the story here.
Indiana theaters, bars, playgrounds reopenings start Friday. Read the story from the Post-Tribune here.
Aerial views of the proposed site for the Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park in Chicago on May 13, 2020. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)
From Alice Yin: "Activists plan to prop up a mass of tents throughout a vacant lot on Thursday as a warning to Mayor Lori Lightfoot about the displacement Woodlawn residents could suffer should the Obama Presidential Center arrive without a community benefits agreement with stronger affordable housing measures.
"The Obama CBA Coalition organized the tent city demonstration for 10 a.m. Thursday at the expansive city-owned vacant lot at East 63rd Street and South Blackstone Avenue amid worldwide protests against police brutality and anti-black racism in response to the police killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and other black Americans.
“With members from Black Lives Matter Chicago, Good Kids Mad City and the Chicago Teachers Union planning to attend, Obama CBA Coalition organizing member Ebonée Green said the fight for affordable housing goes hand-in-hand with the message that black lives matter.” Read the rest of the story here.
Jonathan Pierce, a member of the Illinois National Guard, right foreground, trains other members on proper sanitation procedures inside a tent where COVID-19 testing was about to begin May 21 in Rolling Meadows. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)
From the Tribune’s Joe Mahr: Will there be a second COVID-19 surge in Illinois? These are the stats to watch.
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"After Illinois flattened the COVID-19 curve, the state began to reopen. More people mingled. Then the George Floyd killing in Minnesota spurred widespread protests.
“Along the way, health experts have worried how much these developments may help spread the virus, leading to this key question: How will we know if — or when — a second COVID-19 wave is occurring?” Click here to find out.
What you need to know about closing Chicago city streets to make room for more outdoor dining space: Read the story here.
Off-duty police officer dead after being found in home with high carbon monoxide levels.
Thanks for reading The Spin, the Tribune’s politics newsletter. Sign up here to have it delivered to your inbox weekday afternoons.


chicagotribune--2020-06-11--Mayor Lori Lightfoot blasts Chicago alderman for leaking audio of contentious phone call: ‘Shame on

Mayor Lori Lightfoot blasts Chicago alderman for leaking audio of contentious phone call: ‘Shame on him’

“ There are a lot of incredible emotions that were shared on that call by fellow aldermen .
Now all @ @ @ @ @ feel secure or safe coming together with their colleagues because of one individual who decided @ @ @ @ @ that was intended to be a private conversation among all of us , ” Lightfoot @ @ @ @ @ him .
Shame on him .
That ’ s what I say .
”

In this file photo, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot speaks during a news conference at Chicago City Hall on Friday, May 22, 2020. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)
Mayor Lori Lightfoot blasted an unnamed alderman for leaking audio of a heated conversation between her and the City Council, saying Chicago leaders need to be able to speak candidly among themselves.
During the height of civil unrest in Chicago neighborhoods following the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd, Lightfoot hosted a call with all 50 aldermen that devolved after Southwest Side Ald. Raymond Lopez complained about what he said was an inadequate response by the city to looting.
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When Lopez finished his comments, Lightfoot tried to move on without answering him and Lopez insisted that she address his questions.
“I think you’re 100% full of s---, is what I think,” Lightfoot responded.
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Lopez replied, “Well, f--- you then.”
Asked at an unrelated news conference Wednesday whether she regrets “using such colorful language,” Lightfoot said the entirety of the conversation went for an hour and a half.
“Unfortunately one of the aldermen, and I think we know who it is, illegally taped and then shared only that portion of the conversation that served his purposes,” Lightfoot said.
She added that during “tough and difficult times, we ought to be able to have candid conversations.”
“There are a lot of incredible emotions that were shared on that call by fellow aldermen. Now all of them don’t feel secure or safe coming together with their colleagues because of one individual who decided to illegally tape a conversation that was intended to be a private conversation among all of us,” Lightfoot said. “Shame on him. Shame on him. That’s what I say.”
Sign up for The Spin to get the top stories in politics delivered to your inbox weekday afternoons.
The conversation, first reported by the Sun-Times then reported in greater detail by WTTW, has been making the rounds on conservative cable news, including being featured by Fox hosts Laura Ingraham and Sean Hannity.
Lightfoot did not directly accuse Lopez of leaking the audio but heavily implied that he did. Lopez did not directly deny it in text messages with the Tribune but criticized the mayor for focusing on the leak.
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Lopez also said the conference call violates the Illinois Open Meetings Act, a state law restricting when government officials get together and what they can discuss.
A Lightfoot administration spokeswoman released a statement saying telephone conference calls with aldermen "were organized and hosted by various administration officials to provide COVID-related informational updates to the aldermen."
“These updates were arranged and carried out solely for the administration to convey information about the status of COVID-related efforts and field questions on those efforts,” the statement said. "For a meeting to be subject to the Open Meetings Act, it must include deliberation (for example, legislative debate) and/or action (for example, a vote), which did not occur on these calls.”
In text messages with the Tribune on Wednesday, Lopez replied, “True to form, the mayor has no regrets about dismissing my concerns for the people of West Englewood, Gage Park, Brighton Park (and) Back of the Yards.
“Rather than focusing on the leak, Lightfoot should focus on her shameful response to this crisis,” Lopez added. “She failed to (protect) communities and allowed policies that put Black Chicagoans in danger in Latino communities.”
Lopez has emerged in Lightfoot’s first term as her most frequent critic on the City Council.
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A former skycap for Southwest Airlines armed with a mile-high contrarian streak, Lopez is a complicated figure in Chicago politics with ties to numerous political organizations. Known to some of his colleagues as “Showpez” and “Lil Burke,” Lopez is a fast talker who asks sharp questions at committee hearings, and had the best attendance of anyone on the City Council last term, according to a WBEZ and Daily Line analysis.
Critics, however, say Lopez is a publicity hound who nitpicks Lightfoot to gain attention and privately whisper that he’s in the middle of a proxy war between the mayor and Ald. Edward Burke, a Lopez ally and ward neighbor who’s largely been silenced by public corruption charges.
gpratt@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @royalpratt


chicagotribune--2020-06-10--COPA: Chicago cop should be relieved of powers after allegedly using gay slur in George Floyd protes

COPA: Chicago cop should be relieved of powers after allegedly using gay slur in George Floyd protest video posted to social media

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot called for the firing of an officer who was photographed giving the middle finger to protesters @ @ @ @ @ new Chicago police union president , noted that in late May , Lightfoot ripped President @ @ @ @ @ to the unrest , saying , “ I will code what I really want to @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s two words .
It begins with F and it ends with U @ @

The Civilian Office of Police Accountability on Wednesday recommended a Chicago police officer allegedly heard on video using a gay slur during a confrontation with protesters be relieved of his powers.
COPA, which said it has “officially identified’’ the officer involved, said the officer should be “relieved of police powers,’’ and the Police Department has “concurred’’ with their decision, according to a written statement from COPA spokesman Ephraim Eaddy.
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COPA made its initial recommendation to the police superintendent on June 5, after a video of the incident was reported to the office, Eaddy said in the statement.
On the video posted to social media, an officer is seen carrying a stop sign and walking toward a police van. A traffic cone and barricade are thrown in the officer’s direction as his back is turned to protesters. The officer turns and yells the slur and curses at the protesters, who curse back.
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The Police Department issued a statement June 6, saying it “does not tolerate this kind of behavior” and had opened an investigation.
“Any derogatory conduct is inexcusable and has no place in the department,” the police statement read.
The police statement came after COPA asked that police issue a suspension for the officer, and identify him, while the complaint is looked into.
Equality Illinois said earlier the group believes “in keeping the focus on what the protests are primarily about: Our society cannot tolerate police brutality against African Americans, including queer and trans African Americans.”
“But we want to add, unequivocally, there is no place for homophobia among those who are charged with protecting our city. This officer must be removed from duty."
The video is one of many involving police officers that was shot during protests following the May 25 death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot called for the firing of an officer who was photographed giving the middle finger to protesters. John Catanzara, the new Chicago police union president, noted that in late May, Lightfoot ripped President Donald Trump’s response to the unrest, saying, “I will code what I really want to say to Donald Trump. It’s two words. It begins with F and it ends with U.”
In addition, two Chicago cops were relieved of their police powers after a woman said officers pulled her from a car by her hair and placed a knee on her neck last weekend. The action by police Superintendent David Brown came a day after COPA recommended the action as it investigates the alleged incident at the Brickyard Mall.
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rsobol@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-06-10--Shedd Aquarium lays off 8% of workers, furloughs many more

The aquarium has also implemented compensation reduction for all employees , with “ cuts ranging up to 30 percent , @ @ @ @ @ taking the highest adjustment , '' the statement said .
A spokeswoman later reached out @ @ @ @ @ and senior leadership were taking the 30 percent hits , while “ the cuts for @ @ @ @ @ percent or less .
”

The latest cultural institution to let workers go is Shedd Aquarium.
The lakefront attraction said Wednesday it will lay off 36 workers and furlough 171 more after June 20 as a result of it having to close during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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The 36 positions represent just over 8% of the workforce, while those being furloughed are mostly guest relations ambassadors who “will begin to return ... once the aquarium reopens to the public,” the Shedd said in a statement.
Sea otter Luna at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago on Monday, Feb. 26, 2019. (Jose M. Osorio/Chicago Tribune/Chicago Tribune)
“The decision to terminate employees through no fault of their own was both gut-wrenching and yet necessary to ensure the long-term viability of the aquarium,” President and CEO Bridget Coughlin said in the statement.
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With the help of federal relief funds, Shedd was able to pay all workers regardless of responsibilities or whether they could work from home through June 20, it said. Like most of its peers, the aquarium closed in mid-March.
A wave of coronavirus-related layoffs has hit area museums and zoos in recent weeks, a reckoning caused by the federal payroll protection money running out and by the lack of a firm reopening date for the attractions.
Shedd, which anticipates a revenue shortfall of $23 million through the end of the year, said the laid off workers will get extended health care coverage and furloughed employees will continue to receive benefits during their furlough.
The aquarium has also implemented compensation reduction for all employees, with “cuts ranging up to 30 percent, and the president & CEO taking the highest adjustment," the statement said. A spokeswoman later reached out to clarify that the CEO and senior leadership were taking the 30 percent hits, while “the cuts for all remaining employees are 5 percent or less.”
sajohnson@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @StevenKJohnson


chicagotribune--2020-06-10--Coronavirus in Illinois updates: 625 new known COVID-19 cases reported as death of infant in March c

Coronavirus in Illinois updates: 625 new known COVID-19 cases reported as death of infant in March confirmed to have been from virus-related pneumonia

Restaurants we contacted cited confusion about when the streets would actually close and how to be involved .
All of @ @ @ @ @ for car traffic and some restaurant owners said they hadn ’ t heard from the @ @ @ @ @ said they have been in contact with their local chambers to hammer out details or @ @ @ @ @ project .
Read more here .
— Grace Wong and Nick Kindelsperger

We have lifted the paywall on this story. To support essential reporting, please consider becoming a subscriber .
CTU workers direct vehicles lined up for COVID-19 testing outside of the Chicago Teachers Union on Dec. 30, 2021, in Chicago. CPS starts back to school on Monday following their holiday break. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
State officials announced on Wednesday 77 additional fatalities related to COVID-19, for a statewide confirmed death toll that now stands at 6,095.
Officials also reported 625 new known cases, which pushes the statewide total to 129,837.
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Earlier on Wednesday, officials confirmed that the death of a 9-month-old who died in March was caused, in part, by two types of coronavirus, including COVID-19.
Joseph Myles, the youngest known victim so far to die in Cook County of the virus, was pronounced dead on March 23 at Mercy Hospital in Chicago.
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The infant died of viral pneumonia due to coronavirus NL-63 and COVID-19 infection, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
On Tuesday, the city also said that it is canceling all of its events through Labor Day, including Lollapalooza, Taste of Chicago, the Air and Water Show and the Chicago Jazz Festival, to slow the spread of COVID-19. Lollapalooza typically draws 100,000 music fans to Grant Park for each of its four days, and it was said to be the highest revenue-generating event for the Chicago Park District last year.
An earlier version of this blog incorrectly said that Myles died in part because of being infected with two types of COVID-19. Updated 6:30 a.m. June 11, 2020.
[ When can Illinois move to phase 4? Here's where each region stands. ]
[ How will Illinois reopen? Three charts breaking down Pritzker’s plan ]
[ COVID-19 cases in Illinois by ZIP code: Search for your neighborhood ]
[ As the coronavirus spreads, the Tribune is tracking Illinois cases here ]
Here’s what’s happening Wednesday with COVID-19 in the Chicago area and Illinois:
6:08 p.m.: Clean cars, fewer mystery spills, and plenty of open seats greet riders as they slowly return to mass transit
Riders slowly are trickling back onto the Chicago area’s public transit systems, and so far at least, they’re pleased with what they’re finding.
Passengers on the sparsely populated CTA and Metra trains say they find the interiors mostly clean, and the riders mostly masked. It’s usually possible to keep at least six feet from other passengers, although buses tend to be more crowded, passengers and agency officials report.
A Tribune reporter riding CTA Blue Line and Metra Union Pacific Northwest trains found them noticeably cleaner than in pre-coronavirus days. One welcome discovery: It was easy to find an open CTA seat that didn’t have some kind of mystery spill.
Still, some of the same rule-breaking behaviors on mass transit that have long irritated riders persist. An unmasked man smoking on a CTA car, made conditions unpleasant until it was possible to switch cars at the next station.
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Jose Cruz, a United Airlines ground worker, has been commuting on the Blue Line from his Logan Square home to O’Hare International Airport throughout the pandemic and feels that it has been, and continues to be, safe.“
People are behaving — they’re wearing masks, they’re keeping their distance,” said Cruz, 49, speaking through a blue mask. Read more here. — Mary Wisniewski
5:07 p.m.: Shedd Aquarium lays off 8 percent of workers, furloughs many more
The latest cultural institution to let workers go is Shedd Aquarium.
The lakefront attraction said Wednesday it will lay off 36 workers and furlough 171 more after June 20 as a result of it having to close during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 36 positions represent just over 8 percent of the workforce, while those being furloughed are mostly guest relations ambassadors who “will begin to return... once the aquarium reopens to the public,” the Shedd said in a statement. Read more here. — Steve Johnson
4:50 p.m. Navy Pier is back — sort of: A look at how the popular Chicago attraction is reopening with masks and caution
Navy Pier proclaimed itself ready to begin the reopening process Wednesday. Mother Nature was not so sure.
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Amid gray skies and an intermittent light rain, the carnival midway jutting into Lake Michigan figuratively unlocked its doors, allowing visitors to begin promenading on pier walkways, visiting pier parks and eating and drinking outdoors at pier restaurants.
Rather than al fresco weather, however, it verged for a moment on all-raincoat, a potential ill omen for the site that battles with the “Bean” sculpture to be the city’s most popular tourist destination.
But by about 10:30 a.m., half an hour after the official reopening, the rain had stopped and the sun nudged its way occasionally through the clouds. Closed for almost three months to protect people from the COVID-19 virus, the pier was now open to present them — cautiously — with commerce.
The rest of the day would be pretty much a charmer, windy enough to make the dozen flags at pier’s end flap like a helicopter warming up but bright and dry enough to make folks who’ve been living secluded lives remember the pleasures of social intercourse — or, rather, socially distanced intercourse.
It was good news for Deborah and Philip Halpern, a “semi-retired” couple who live in the neighborhood.“We’re excited to be walking the pier again.” said Deborah, dressed for movement except for the mask the new pier rules require even in outdoor spaces. “We used to do it all the time. We’ve missed it.”
A new, blue-shirted and conspicuously bemasked corps of “Social Distancing Ambassadors” were everywhere, telling people to cover their facial orifices, but not in those words. New signs let folks know where to stand in tighter areas and that the standard 6-foot distance believed to provide virus safety is the measurement of “an average sedan.” (Sort of: A Toyota Camry is about 16 feet long, but it is exactly 6 feet wide.)
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“We’ve been waiting and waiting,” said Emily Bacek, there with her three kids 6 and under, as the watched the older pair scamper back down a broad staircase. “They’re pretty excited to get back out on the pier.”
She is, too, she said, because in the lockdown, “everyone’s really realized the value of community.” Read more here. — Steve Johnson
4:18 p.m.: Survey of Illinois inmates suggests gaps in COVID-19 response
Nearly a third of Illinois prison inmates who responded to a system-wide survey reported that they do not get enough soap for hand-washing, and only about 16 percent said they get cleaning supplies daily to sanitize their sleeping area, a new study reports.
The John Howard Association, a prison advocacy group, got poll responses from more than 14,600 people in Illinois prisons from late April to early May. Their initial findings show somewhat mixed results as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to be a concern in custodial settings.
Eighty-three percent of respondents said they would tell prison staffers if they were sick due to COVID-19 -- but 13 percent said they had sought health care due to the virus in the past week but did not get a response.
About two-thirds of respondents said they did not get a free phone call in the past week and 58 percent said they had not gotten a free video visit. Only 9 percent said they had gotten a video visit that was functional, the survey found.
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As of Wednesday, there were 231 inmates in the Illinois prison system with confirmed infections, and 213 who had recovered. The vast majority of cases have been at Stateville Correctional Center, about 30 miles southwest of Chicago. — Megan Crepeau
4:00 p.m.: What you need to know about closing Chicago city streets to make room for more outdoor dining space
It’s been nearly two weeks since Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced a pilot program to close residential streets and commercial corridors in six Chicago neighborhoods so that restaurants can seat guests outside. But it hasn’t happened yet. What’s going on?
Restaurants we contacted cited confusion about when the streets would actually close and how to be involved. All of the proposed corridors remain open for car traffic and some restaurant owners said they hadn’t heard from the city at all. Others said they have been in contact with their local chambers to hammer out details or to propose changes to the project. Read more here. — Grace Wong and Nick Kindelsperger
3:26 p.m.: GOP state senators push to move to next stage of reopening by Friday; Gov. Pritzker says that belies science
Illinois’ 19 Republican state senators urged Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker to move the state to the next phase of his pandemic reopening plan on Friday, two weeks earlier than would be possible under his guidelines.
The senators cited frustrations of some business owners watching the large gatherings of peaceful protesters in the response to the death of George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis.
But Pritzker, speaking in Moline on Wednesday, said moving too quickly to phase four of his “Restore Illinois” plan belies the science on the spread of the coronavirus. Read more here. — Rick Pearson
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2:33 p.m.: 625 new known COVID-19 cases, 77 additional deaths
State officials announced on Wednesday 77 additional fatalities related to COVID-19, for a statewide confirmed death toll that now stands at 6,095. Officials also reported 625 new known cases, which pushes the statewide total to 129,837.
2:15 p.m.: Lightfoot’s $1.1 billion coronavirus spending plan advances, despite concerns
Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s plan for $1.1 billion in federal CARES Act spending to help Chicago deal with mounting costs and community need due to the coronavirus pandemic moved forward Wednesday, though aldermen questioned whether her administration has set aside enough money to deal with a possible spike in cases locally later this year.
And some City Council critics of Chicago Police Department funding called for the mayor to explicitly pledge not to use the virus response money to pay for police overtime.
The mayor’s package includes big chunks of money to help cover the city’s public health response to the virus, to prop up Chicago’s airports and to set up housing and workforce programs to try to aid people who’ve lost income due to the crisis. Read more here. —John Byrne
2:10 p.m.: Gov. J.B. Pritzker signs $43 billion budget that relies on federal aid, borrowing to overcome holes left by pandemic
Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Wednesday signed a roughly $43 billion state spending plan that relies heavily on federal aid and borrowing to plug budget holes created by the coronavirus pandemic.
While spending in the operating budget remains essentially flat from last year, the total plan for the year that begins July 1 includes repaying $1.6 billion that was borrowed to fill a shortfall in the current budget, and $2.2 billion in required transfers to other funds.
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The budget was approved by lawmakers along largely partisan lines during their abbreviated special session last month.
The budget provides increases for social services and public health, but spending in other areas, including public education, will remain flat. Read more here. —Dan Petrella and Jamie Munks
1:16 p.m.: Chicago infant who tested positive for coronavirus in March confirmed to have died of virus-related pneumonia
Officials confirmed Wednesday that the death of a 9-month-old who died in March was caused, in part, by two types of coronavirus, including COVID-19.
Joseph Myles, the youngest known victim so far to die in Cook County of the virus, was pronounced dead on March 23 at Mercy Hospital in Chicago.
The infant died of viral pneumonia due to coronavirus NL-63 and COVID-19 infection, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. Read more here. —Rosemary Sobol
12:42 p.m.: Navy Pier reopens with masks, caution
Navy Pier proclaimed itself ready to begin the reopening process Wednesday. The weather wasn’t so sure.
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Amid gray skies and an intermittent light rain, the carnival midway jutting into Lake Michigan figuratively unlocked its doors, allowing visitors to begin promenading on its walkways, visiting its parks and eating outdoors at its restaurants. Read more here. —Steve Johnson
11:52 a.m.: Nodding to coronavirus disruptions, University of Illinois looks to drop ACT, SAT tests at 2 campuses
The University of Illinois’ Chicago and Springfield campuses have proposed dropping the ACT and SAT test requirement next year because of uncertainty about how exams will be administered during the coronavirus pandemic — a change that scores of colleges have already implemented to prepare for continued disruptions to the admissions process.
U. of I. trustees are expected to vote on the recommendation at a virtual meeting Wednesday afternoon. A memo submitted to the board outlining the change says it would apply only to incoming freshman at UIC and UIS seeking to enroll in Fall 2021. The Urbana-Champaign campus might also follow suit.
Admissions testing has been a part of the University of Illinois System’s application process since the 1970s but many universities have done away with admissions testing or made them optional. Read more here. —Elyssa Cherney
11:48 a.m.: Chicago announces $5 million fund for people excluded from federal CARES Act help
The city of Chicago on Wednesday unveiled a $5 million fund for residents who Mayor Lori Lightfoot said were excluded from the federal coronavirus relief legislation known as the CARES Act, including residents living in the country without legal authorization.
Eligible residents will get a one-time check of $1,000, Lightfoot said. The fund is a partnership between the city, the Open Society Foundations and The Resurrection Project, officials said.
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Officials said the fund is expected to start paying out later this month. People can apply through the Resurrection Project’s website, though the site did not yet have information on how or when that process would open.
“The money that the city of Chicago puts into our communities, we do that without regard to citizenship,” Lightfoot said.
Lightfoot said the fund also is aimed at college students living in poverty and residents who recently left prison. Read more here. — Gregory Pratt
9:29 a.m.: Coronavirus spreads beyond meat plants with outbreaks at 60 US baking, agricultural, dairy facilities, raising specter of food shortages
A caravan of vehicles decorated with black ribbons and memorial pictures crawled through Yakima, Washington, last week to mark the death of David Cruz, a 60-year-old fruit warehouse employee who died after contracting the coronavirus. The county, a hub of agricultural activity where workers jam into often-crowded factories to package apples and other foods, has the highest per capita infection rate on the West Coast.
It’s a grim reality that’s playing out across the country as COVID-19 spreads beyond the meat plants that have captured the national spotlight. At least 60 food processing facilities outside the meatpacking industry have seen outbreaks, with more than 1,000 workers diagnosed with the virus, according to a new study from Environmental Working Group. Read more here. — Bloomberg News
8:53 a.m.: North Shore businesses, residents cautiously optimistic after reopening: ‘We’ll have to learn how to live with this’
At first glance, the pair of teenage girls stopping for a smoothie at True Juice in Winnetka en route to the beach on a recent morning epitomized a typical, carefree summer day on the North Shore.
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But in their knapsacks, tucked alongside their beach towels and sunscreen, were protective face masks that, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, have become as ubiquitous this summer as Birkenstocks and bikinis.
“It obviously feels different, because people are wearing masks and social distancing, but it’s definitely getting better,” said Izzy Bonagiudi, a Winnetka resident and rising sophomore at New Trier High School.
Indeed, one week after shops and restaurants across the North Shore have reopened for outdoor dining and shopping, merchants and residents from Evanston, Glenview and other North Shore towns say the early days of phase three of the state’s reopening plan have been both exciting and fraught with challenges. Read more here. — Karen Ann Cullotta, Kaitlin Edquist, Genevieve Bookwalter
7:15 a.m. Lightfoot to announce new cash assistance program for Chicago residents
Mayor Lori Lightfoot and the nonprofit Resurrection Project were scheduled to announce a new cash assistance program Wednesday for Chicago residents.
Details of the program were expected to be announced at a Wednesday morning news conference. Check back for updates. — Chicago Tribune staff
7:10 a.m.: Chicago Park District camps limited to kids ages 6 to 12 for now
After announcing summer camps will be held this summer at Chicago Park District facilities, the district Tuesday clarified that plans are in place only for children ages 6 to 12, although activities for teens and those in the district’s special recreation program may be added.
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The Park District is keeping the staff-to-camper ratio to 1 staff member for every 9 children, according to a district spokeswoman.
Space limitations limit the capacity for programs for other age groups, although “We will look to add teen programs, virtual and in person, over time this summer,” the spokeswoman said in an email.
During phase three of the city’s reopening, the Park District is focusing on online programming for those with intellectual disabilities, who usually participate in the district’s special recreation programs. But “We are exploring in-person options later in the summer, in accordance with health guidelines,” the spokeswoman said. — Chicago Tribune staff
6 a.m.: After COVID-19 harbor closures, regular spring bridge lifts begin again
Chicago’s river bridges, which have been raised several times in the past two weeks to limit downtown access during civil unrest, will be raised again Wednesday morning for a more ordinary reason — sailboats going to the lake.
The Chicago Department of Transportation said it will raise river bridges for 10 sailboats Wednesday morning starting about 9:30 a.m., from South Ashland Avenue to Lake Shore Drive.
Bridge lifts also can be expected each Saturday, starting at 8 a.m., and Wednesday, starting at 9:30 a.m., until further notice, the department said.
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Bridge lifts had been delayed this spring because of city harbors being closed because of the coronavirus. Read more here. — Mary Wisniewski
5 a.m.: Field Museum workers petition management to try to fend off COVID-19-related layoffs
Knowing staff cuts were likely in the aftermath of COVID-19 forcing the institution to close since mid-March, Field Museum employees launched an online petition drive to try to save jobs and persuade management to find creative solutions to the coming budget crunch.
The workers said that rather than enacting major layoffs as peer institutions have endured, they want to see the natural history museum “drawing from our unrestricted assets and savings, enacting voluntary and rotating furloughs, and reducing hours,” according to the petition posted on actionnetwork.org and signed, organizers said, by more than 200 of the museum’s staff of under 500.
The first such effort to come to light at area museums shedding employees amid the ongoing pandemic, the petition drive called “Save the Field Museum” begin after employees felt dissatisfied when a staff town hall meeting failed to yield the hoped-for cooperation between management and workers, two of the organizers said.
Read more here. — Steve Johnson
Breaking coronavirus news Stay up to date with the latest information on coronavirus with our breaking news alerts.
Here are five things that happened Tuesday related to the coronavirus in Illinois:


chicagotribune--2020-06-10--CrossFit CEO’s George Floyd tweet raised eyebrows. He’s now out after a Zoom call full of conspiracy

CrossFit CEO’s George Floyd tweet raised eyebrows. He’s now out after a Zoom call full of conspiracy theories and more Floyd comments.

The post by CrossFit Central echoed the sentiments of hundreds of other gyms around the world in what has been @ @ @ @ @ CrossFit .
The speed at which companies and affiliates have distanced themselves from the mother @ @ @ @ @ media , and to some degree , the coronavirus pandemic , said marketing and branding @ @ @ @

Former CrossFit CEO and founder Greg Glassman, speaks at Fathom CrossFit in Southern California. He resigned June 9, 2020, after audio leaked of a call with CrossFit affiliate gyms in which he cast doubt on the legitimacy of George Floyd protests and advanced conspiracy theories about Floyd's death and COVID-19. (Eduardo Contreras/San Diego Union-Tribune)
The CEO of CrossFit is stepping down after comments about George Floyd sparked a social media backlash and led to affiliated gyms and Reebok cutting ties with the exercise brand famous for its devoted followers.
Greg Glassman said in a statement posted on CrossFit’s website late Tuesday that he decided to retire. Glassman had apologized earlier for tweets that sparked online outrage by connecting Floyd, a black man who died at the hands of Minneapolis police, and the coronavirus pandemic. He said he had made a mistake and should have been more sensitive, but denied being racist.
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“On Saturday I created a rift in the CrossFit community and unintentionally hurt many of its members," he said. “I cannot let my behavior stand in the way of HQ’s or affiliates’ missions.”
Glassman had angered many with his glib response to a tweet by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, a health research group, which said, “Racism is a public health issue."
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“It's FLOYD-19," he replied on Saturday, and in a second tweet criticized the group's “failed” quarantine model and accused it of attempting to “model a solution to racism.”
It's FLOYD-19. — Greg Glassman (@CrossFitCEO) June 6, 2020
On Tuesday — before his resignation — BuzzFeed News published a story about Glassman’s conduct on a Zoom call with affiliate gym owners that included some of the audio. On the call, which BuzzFeed reported occurred before the tweet, Glassman further cast doubt on the sincerity of those upset about Floyd’s killing, and veered into a conspiracy theory about his death at the hands of Officer Derek Chauvin.
Glassman was reported to have said, among other things:
“Can you tell me why I should mourn for (Floyd)? Other than that it’s the white thing to do — other than that, give me another reason."
“I doubt very much that they’re mourning for Floyd. I don’t think that there’s a general mourning for Floyd in any community.”
“Killing George was wrong ... Burning the town down was wrong, killing the Black cop was wrong, and the Black-on-Black murder every weekend in every one of our cities is a tragedy.”
That the officer charged with killing Floyd likely did so because of an alleged criminal conspiracy at the nightclub where they had both worked: “It’s very interesting that George gets popped with counterfeits, and who comes but the head of security from the dance club? Watch: This thing’s going to turn into first-degree murder. That’s what it’s going to turn into. And it’s going to be because I’m predicting this. We have friends in the FBI in your neighborhood, and they’re of the view that this was first-degree murder and it was to silence him over the counterfeit money. That’s the belief. That’s what the cops think.”
During a long discussion on the coronavirus, Glassman shared more unfounded theories. “The Chinese let this virus get out of the laboratory, and that indeed did happen,” he said.
Speculation about the coronavirus being born from a Chinese lab has not been substantiated.
Glassman also said he believed coronavirus related shutdowns will have “cost way more lives than have been saved.”
“My first thought was, I thought maybe I was being punked, but I knew how he was and I thought this is just bats--- crazy,” one CrossFit franchise owner in North Carolina told BuzzFeed. “I’m sitting there, like, my jaw is dropping. Is this happening? What is this guy saying?”
“The tweet is bad. It’s insensitive,” he said. “But as someone who listened to the call, you know the tweet is nothing compared to the phone call."
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BuzzFeed said it received the recording through its anonymous tip line.
CrossFit released a lengthy post on its website explaining its failures, but also hailing Glassman as a visionary who “relentlessly attacks those who dilute or deny essential truths." The company compared its reticence to speak out on social issues with the time and diligence it put into publishing fitness articles on its website.
“He does make mistakes, but he has done more than anyone for this community and created unimagined opportunities for others," the company wrote. “If you measure Greg Glassman, do it thoroughly.”
A tweet celebrating Glassman is still pinned to the top of the CrossFit Twitter account as of Wednesday morning. Dave Castro, a longtime figure in the company, will take over as CEO. CrossFit is based in Santa Cruz, California.
In a Zoom conference call with multiple CrossFit affiliate owners, Coach Glassman reiterates CrossFit’s efficacy and the power of affiliates in the reversal and prevention of chronic disease. pic.twitter.com/pDINoGCaFm — CrossFit (@CrossFit) May 14, 2020
Some 1,250 gyms have now severed links with CrossFit, according to industry blog Morning Chalk Up. An anonymously curated Google spreadsheet lists hundreds of CrossFit affiliates with links to their social media accounts, with most saying they have cut ties, or are considering doing so.
“In light of recent comments made by CrossFit CEO, we are deaffiliating from CrossFit,” read a post on the Instagram account for CrossFit Central of Austin, Texas. “We are resolute in our anti-racist beliefs and stance against police brutality. We stand in solidarity with the black community.”
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According to the CrossFit website, the annual fee for affiliation is $3,000, which allows gyms to use the CrossFit name, logo, and promotional materials, among other perks.
The post by CrossFit Central echoed the sentiments of hundreds of other gyms around the world in what has been an astonishingly swift backlash against CrossFit. The speed at which companies and affiliates have distanced themselves from the mother ship was accelerated by social media, and to some degree, the coronavirus pandemic, said marketing and branding expert Allen Adamson.
“I do think there is a heightened sensitivity right now with people staying in and working from home due to the virus,” said Adamson. “Social media has always been a megaphone and accelerator to change, but social media impact is at its peak right now. People are glued to their phones and screens all the time.”
Adamson, founder of the marketing and consulting firm Metaforce, said companies used to be able to avoid social justice issues for the most part, but because of technology, executives can easily weigh in on issues with personal opinions that often offend their customers. On the flip side, if they remain silent, customers can interpret that as acceptance or compliance with that widely perceived injustice.
“More and more companies are being pulled into a broader conversation and it’s posing all sorts of challenges for their business,” Adamson said. “It just requires the leadership team to be very careful about what they say. You can’t unwind it.”
An Edelman Trust Barometer poll of 2,000 Americans, published Wednesday, found that 60% of respondents said how a brand responds to the protests will influence whether a respondent buys or boycotts their products. The poll found that younger Americans had the strongest , with 78% of millennial respondents saying that a brand must speak out on racial injustice.
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“Americans want brands to step up and play a central role in addressing systemic racism,” wrote Richard Edelman, CEO of the communications firm. “This is a mandate for brands to act, because consumers will exercise brand democracy with their wallets.”
The Chicago Tribune’s Charles J. Johnson contributed


chicagotribune--2020-06-10--Some aldermen raise concerns about communication from officials during Aurora unrest

The response that concerned aldermen the most was that of the National Guard , and the fact the aldermen did @ @ @ @ @ unit was in the city .
Several of them said they found out through social @ @ @

Some 14 agencies responded to Aurora to aid in the response to the unrest May 31 including the Illinois State Police, area police departments and the National Guard. (Stacy St. Clair / Chicago Tribune)
Some Aurora City Council members have raised concerns about communication from city officials during the recent unrest in Aurora following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin, members of the city’s public safety system and City Council members this week discussed the city’s response to the unrest May 31 in Aurora.
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Protesters gathered peacefully outside the police department that Sunday afternoon, where they condemned Floyd’s death and aired grievances toward police.
Some later marched toward downtown and City Hall. There, the crowd grew and by evening the crowd clashed with police.
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The events that night resulted in more than 20 arrests and some $1.5 million in physical damage to property, city officials said. That does not count the loss of items stolen from stores, and the loss of business to stores that could not reopen, they added.
Aurora Police Deputy Chief Keith Cross said police still are investigating incidents from that night and he predicted “there will be other arrests.”
John Curley, Aurora’s chief development officer, said while most of the damage was done to downtown Aurora, there was damage across the city, from the far East Side to the far West Side.
Some 14 agencies responded to Aurora to aid in the response that night, including the FBI and several other federal agencies, the Illinois State Police, the National Guard, the Kane and Kendall sheriff’s departments and local police from Yorkville, Montgomery, North Aurora, Naperville, Oswego, Elgin and Plano.
The response that concerned aldermen the most was that of the National Guard, and the fact the aldermen did not know immediately that the unit was in the city. Several of them said they found out through social media postings.
“I appreciate their coming to help, but I didn’t appreciate the lack of communication to aldermen,” said Ald. Emmanuel Llamas, 1st Ward. “People asked us about it, and it would have been nice to have answers for people.”
Aurora Ald. Patty Smith, 8th Ward. (Patty Smith)
“It’s tough from our end finding out from Facebook,” said Ald. Patty Smith, 8th Ward.
Cross said the evening was a “fluid thing” and that communication was not always good.
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Ald. Judd Lofchie, 10th Ward, said aldermen also did not get alerts when the mayor announced there was a curfew in the city.
Cross said the changing nature of the situation that night also caused a somewhat uneven response at times. Ald. Juany Garza, 2nd Ward, said many people believed the city went out of its way to better protect Chicago Premium Outlets and the Fox Valley Mall than it did the businesses downtown.
Cross said the city had more “intelligence” about people when they were heading to the outlet mall than downtown.
Irvin said the demonstration at the Aurora Public Safety building that afternoon was peaceful.
“It was heated, which is understandable given the issues involved,” he said.
But he said some of the crowd then decided to march to Chicago Premium Outlets.
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“Why go to the outlet mall?” he said. “They were closed.”
They were met with police there and turned around and started marching downtown. Some of the protesters went back to the Public Safety Center and formed a human chain across Indian Trail, blocking traffic there. That section of Indian Trail was closed for a while, Irvin said.
Cross said the march still was peaceful when it got downtown, by City Hall, for quite some time. But the crowd eventually grew and became unruly, he said.
Cross said with the crowd on the move, police did not always have intelligence telling them where people were going.
“It was a dynamic situation that we had to respond to,” he said.
slord@tribpub.com


chicagotribune--2020-06-10--Police oversight agency investigating police chase that resulted in fatal crash

On June 1 , police cameras captured an occupant of a 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo firing shots at a @ @ @ @ @ of South State Street on the Far South Side , prompting Calumet District officers to @ @ @ @ @ the vehicle , the proffer said .
But it was not clear in the proffer @ @ @ @ @ video was identified as the same vehicle that led police on the chase , or @ @ @ @ @ the shooter .

An officer walks by three vehicles, including a Chicago police squad car, that were damaged while police pursued a homicide suspect on June 3, 2020, near the intersection of North Ashland Avenue and Irving Park Road. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)
Chicago’s civilian police oversight agency is investigating a high-speed police chase earlier this month that resulted in the death of a 37-year-old woman and put such dangerous pursuits back under scrutiny.
Chicago and Illinois State Police officers were involved in a two-hour chase June 3 that wove through the city from the Far South Side to the Northwest Side, ending after a police vehicle crashed into an uninvolved SUV, killing the driver, Guadeloupe Francisco-Martinez. The Civilian Office of Police Accountability is now investigating the incident, Chicago police said Wednesday.
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Amid criticism surrounding chases that have resulted in injury or death, the Chicago Police Department revised its pursuit policy just last year, mandating for officers a balancing test that calls for them to evaluate whether the need to apprehend a fleeing suspect outweighs the “inherent danger created by a motor vehicle pursuit.”
City and department officials have not said why officers initiated the latest fatal chase.
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A person is detained at the scene where a car crashed after being pursed by police throughout the city near the 900 block of West Pershing Road on June 3, 2020, in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)
The new CPD directives say officers cannot initiate a pursuit on the grounds of a nonhazardous traffic offense. And they are not to continue to pursue vehicles when a suspect disregards traffic signals or signs, or engages in another hazardous violation. Auto thefts themselves are not enough for officers to continue a chase if the suspect disregards traffic signals, according to the guidelines.
Representatives of the Police Department and the mayor’s office declined to answer questions from the Tribune about the circumstances surrounding the chase that killed Francisco-Martinez. Police spokesman Luis Agostini declined to comment, citing the pending criminal charges against the driver police pursued and the investigation by COPA.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s office released a statement Wednesday saying the city is working with the Police Department on a revised pursuit policy.
Marcel Oliver, 22, is charged with first-degree murder, vehicular hijacking, possession of a stolen motor vehicle, and other charges in connection with the chase and crash. The murder charge is related to the death of Francisco-Martinez under the theory of accountability, as Oliver himself did not crash into her SUV.
But the criminal case so far has only added to the questions surrounding the chase, as the only charge stemming from Oliver’s alleged conduct before the crash is the possession of a stolen vehicle, which is not serious enough to continue a pursuit in some cases, according to CPD’s directive.
A judge set bail at $1 million for Oliver, who remains hospitalized.
According to a proffer in the case from the Cook County state’s attorney’s office, a 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo was stolen from a dealership at 6941 S. Western Ave. on the Southwest Side between May 30 and June 1, among about 40 vehicles stolen from the lot at the time.
On June 1, police cameras captured an occupant of a 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo firing shots at a home in the 10400 block of South State Street on the Far South Side, prompting Calumet District officers to put out a warning about the vehicle, the proffer said. But it was not clear in the proffer whether the Jeep in the video was identified as the same vehicle that led police on the chase, or whether Oliver was identified as the shooter.
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A day later, an officer observed a similar Jeep and tried to curb the vehicle, but it sped away, the proffer said.
On June 3 around 2 p.m., officers saw the Jeep around 108th and State streets and pursued it for about seven minutes before ending the chase, the proffer said.
Later, around 8 p.m., officers saw the vehicle around 115th and Halsted streets, and initiated the chase that involved “dozens of beats and hundreds of (police officers,)” according to the proffer.
The Jeep sped through the city, sometimes reaching speeds of 100 mph.
Around 9:50 p.m., the Jeep exited the Kennedy Expressway at Irving Park Road and hit at least two cars.
According to the department’s pursuit rules, officers are prohibited from continuing a pursuit if either vehicle is involved in an accident in which there is a “probability of personal injury.”
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The proffer alleges that Oliver ran to a nearby Mobil Gas station and hijacked a 2016 Nissan Rogue before speeding away.
Oliver then fled east on Irving Park Road in the Nissan Rogue, the proffer alleges. Just before 10 p.m., the vehicle ran a red light at Ashland Avenue.
Francisco-Martinez was traveling north on Ashland, coming home from work after stopping to pick up a pizza for her daughter, the proffer said. Her vehicle was about a third of the way through the intersection when the CPD squad car chasing the Nissan entered the intersection and crashed into her vehicle. Oliver was arrested later miles away following a foot chase.
mabuckley@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-06-10--Clean cars, fewer mystery spills, and plenty of open seats greet riders as they slowly return to mas

Clean cars, fewer mystery spills, and plenty of open seats greet riders as they slowly return to mass transit

Mendez also has been riding the train regularly , first to his janitor job at a hospital and then on @ @ @ @ @ laid off .
He noted that while the trains are mostly empty , buses are @ @ @ @ @ attributed to the CTA ’ s practice during the pandemic of rear-door boarding .
Since @ @ @ @ @ have a Ventra reader at the rear door , the practice has meant free rides @

A person rides the Metra Electric District line, May 11, 2021, in Chicago. With some coronavirus pandemic restrictions lifted, some people may be returning to public transit. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)
Riders slowly are trickling back onto the Chicago area’s public transit systems, and so far at least, they’re pleased with what they’re finding.
Passengers on sparsely populated CTA and Metra trains say they find the interiors mostly clean and the riders mostly masked. It’s usually possible to keep at least 6 feet from other passengers, although buses tend to be more crowded, passengers and agency officials report.
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A Tribune reporter riding CTA Blue Line and Metra Union Pacific Northwest trains found them noticeably cleaner than in pre-coronavirus days. One welcome discovery: It was easy to find an open CTA seat that didn’t have some kind of mystery spill.
Still, some of the same rule-breaking behaviors on mass transit that have long irritated riders persist. An unmasked man smoking on a CTA car made conditions unpleasant until it was possible to switch cars at the next station.
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Jose Cruz, a United Airlines ground worker, has been commuting on the Blue Line from his Logan Square home to O’Hare International Airport throughout the pandemic and feels that it has been, and continues to be, safe.
“People are behaving — they’re wearing masks, they’re keeping their distance,” said Cruz, 49, speaking through a blue mask.
A passenger sits on the METRA Electric line in Chicago on June 10, 2020. (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune)
A sign is posted on a Brown Line train to remind riders to wear a mask on June 9, 2020, in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)
It may be some time, though, before the “mass” aptly describes mass transit.
Transportation experts say it could be months or even years before ridership returns to pre-pandemic levels, with some commuters choosing to drive or bike, while others may continue to telecommute after companies return to offices.
“This is going to be a slow, gradual process, I believe,” South Shore Line President and General Manager Michael Noland said.
Daily ridership on Metra tumbled about 97% at the start of the pandemic, but it’s starting to slowly come back and is now 95% below normal levels, said Metra spokeswoman Meg Thomas-Reile. Other transit agencies, including CTA and Pace, report a gradual uptick in passenger traffic.
On the South Shore Line, which travels between downtown and Northwest Indiana, ridership has inched up from about 5% of normal ridership at the start of the stay-at-home order to 10%, Noland said.
The CTA has maintained full service during the pandemic, while Metra, the South Shore Line and Pace are running with reduced weekday service.
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Several riders said the CTA’s decision to maintain full service has meant that train cars are emptier, making social distancing easier to practice.
A couple holds hands while waiting for a train at the CTA subway station at State and Jackson in the Loop on June 9, 2020. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)
“I think it’s smart,” said Luis Mendez, 45, of Logan Square, of the CTA keeping full service.
Mendez also has been riding the train regularly, first to his janitor job at a hospital and then on job searches after he was laid off. He noted that while the trains are mostly empty, buses are often crowded, which he attributed to the CTA’s practice during the pandemic of rear-door boarding. Since most CTA buses do not have a Ventra reader at the rear door, the practice has meant free rides.
Some CTA riders, like Raymie Pyatt, 42, said they’ve seen an increase in homeless riders during the pandemic, a trend that also has been noticed by advocates for the homeless. But Pyatt said he will continue to commute by train.
Kathy Kramer, 48, of Mount Prospect, has continued to use Metra to commute to her hospital job in Chicago during the pandemic. She said she has seen ridership on a single car grow over time from as little as two to 10 during the afternoons.
“Metra has handled it well,” Kramer said. “There’s enough trains available to allow you to spread out.” She said friends say they are anxious to get back on the train and return to normal commuting.
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The CTA, Metra, Pace and South Shore Line have promised riders that they are keeping trains and buses clean, with the CTA testing antimicrobial surface coating and considering using ultraviolet light to help disinfect equipment. All four agencies have lost millions of dollars in fares and local sales tax revenue during the pandemic, and are receiving financial assistance through the federal coronavirus relief package.
To help prevent crowding on buses, CTA officials during a board meeting Wednesday said the agency is building a new ridership information dashboard for its website to provide information by hour and by bus route.
“This will help our customers determine when is the best time to ride,” said CTA chief innovation officer Molly Poppe.
mwisniewski@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-06-10--Fed-up Woodlawn residents, Obama CBA Coalition members to hold tent city demonstration against ‘the

Fed-up Woodlawn residents, Obama CBA Coalition members to hold tent city demonstration against ‘the violence of displacement’

“ People have been clapping for essential workers and making cute memes and adding extra tips to Instacart , ” @ @ @ @ @ we do n't protect where they live and their ability to live in Chicago , @ @ @ @ @ up homeless .
… We do n't want to look like San Francisco and Oakland @ @ @ @ @ to be at the end of the battle and then decide to fight .
”

An aerial view of the proposed site for the Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park on May 13, 2020. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)
Activists plan to prop up a mass of tents throughout a vacant lot on Thursday as a warning to Mayor Lori Lightfoot about the displacement Woodlawn residents could suffer should the Obama Presidential Center arrive without a community benefits agreement with stronger affordable housing measures.
The Obama CBA Coalition organized the tent city demonstration for 10 a.m. Thursday at the expansive city-owned vacant lot at East 63rd Street and South Blackstone Avenue amid worldwide protests against police brutality and anti-black racism in response to the police killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and other black Americans.
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With members from Black Lives Matter Chicago, Good Kids Mad City and the Chicago Teachers Union planning to attend, Obama CBA Coalition organizing member Ebonée Green said the fight for affordable housing goes hand-in-hand with the message that black lives matter.
“When we talk about violence against black people — and I’m a black person — it’s not just police violence,” Green told the Tribune on Tuesday. “It’s the violence of displacement. It’s the violence of moving people wholesale and acting as if we do not matter when things come into the community, where we do not have voice, and that we are just replaceable.”
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Green said the prevalence of food deserts, the shuttering of nearly 50 schools under former Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the lack of a South Side trauma center until 2018 are all examples of oppression that governments and institutions have inflicted on black Chicagoans.
"The Lightfoot administration has worked to include the diverse perspectives found throughout Woodlawn through an in-depth and expansive community engagement process spanning more than 30 community meetings that brought hundreds of renters, homeowners, and other stakeholders together,” the city’s Department of Housing spokesman Don Terry said in a statement responding to the coalition’s concerns.
Terry added that the mayor has a plan that “prioritizes an unprecedented level of investment in Woodlawn through the creation of an innovative housing policy that protects residents against displacement along with mechanisms to encourage the development of new housing stock for both renters and buyers.”
Supporters of the Obama Foundation’s planned Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park, home to a future museum celebrating the nation’s first black president and first lady, have anticipated for years that the sprawling campus would be a beacon for revitalizing the South Side.
But over a dozen community groups have clamored for a pause in the city planning process for Woodlawn and surrounding areas until a community benefits agreement can be met, raising fears that such a transformative campus would permanently change the predominantly black neighborhood.
Now, with activists drawing to light the Chicago Police Department’s $1.78 billion budget, Green and other CBA Coalition members think it’s time more public funds go to residents in Woodlawn and neighboring communities instead.
“I’m having a really hard time understanding why there are political officials with their heels so dug in the ground about creating affordable housing,” Green said. “Because what I will tell you is that we know that gentrification is coming.”
The tent city demonstration is more necessary than ever after the coronavirus pandemic decimated the economy, Green said, adding that essential workers will be among the hardest hit by gentrification.
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“People have been clapping for essential workers and making cute memes and adding extra tips to Instacart,” Green said. “If we don't protect where they live and their ability to live in Chicago, folks are going to end up homeless. … We don't want to look like San Francisco and Oakland. We don't want to be at the end of the battle and then decide to fight.”
But that doesn’t mean Green, who lives at the Woodlawn and South Shore border, and other residents near the proposed Obama center don’t want change. Any neighborhood progress must include its most vulnerable residents, Green said.
That’s why the Obama CBA Coalition is calling for an ordinance introduced by Ald. Jeanette Taylor, 20th, and Ald. Leslie Hairston, 5th, in July that mandates 30% of new housing developments be affordable. A community trust fund would subsidize rents, pay for property tax increases, award grants for homeowners, develop the workforce and other affordable housing measures.
The proposed ordinance also requires the city set aside all city-owned vacant land in Woodlawn for affordable housing or local homeownership. About 27% of vacant lots in Woodlawn are owned by the city.
A draft of a different ordinance released by city officials this year adopts some concessions that CBA supporters have called for but still falls short, Green said.
“Over the last several months, my administration has been very intentional about engaging with the residents of Woodlawn to listen carefully and learn about your hopes and fears for your community,” Lightfoot wrote in a letter to the community. “For far too long, your voices have been ignored. Last summer, when I was just weeks into office, I made it a priority to listen.”
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The mayor and Department of Housing crafted the plan to funnel about $4.5 million toward four housing programs. It would mandate developers who are building on city-owned vacant land to set aside a certain number of units for lower-income residents. That means a developer for a building with six to 14 units has to set aside 10% of apartments for households earning up to 80% of the AMI, or about $71,000 for a family of four.
The mayor’s plan would assist current and new homeowners, and earmark funds to Woodlawn developers who establish affordable housing under the city’s Preservation of Existing Affordable Rentals (PEAR) program. Tenants in apartment buildings going up for sale would have first dibs on purchasing.
Lastly, the mayor and Obama CBA Coalition differ on the areas included under their plans. While the mayor’s ordinance includes just the Woodlawn neighborhood, the coalition wants protections for all properties within a 2-mile radius of the presidential center, effectively adding parts of South Shore and Washington Park.
ayin@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-06-10--Gov. J.B. Pritzker signs $43 billion budget that relies on federal aid, borrowing to overcome holes

Gov. J.B. Pritzker signs $43 billion budget that relies on federal aid, borrowing to overcome holes left by pandemic

The budget would allow for borrowing of up to $ 5 billion from the Federal Reserve that would be repaid @ @ @ @ @ aid from Washington .
State officials also hope there will be a loosening of restrictions @ @ @ @ @ spend $ 3.5 billion in federal aid the state has already received .

Lt. Gov. Julianna Stratton and Gov. J.B. Pritzker speak with community members on June 4, 2020, during an event in the Austin neighborhood. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Wednesday signed a roughly $43 billion state budget that relies heavily on federal aid and borrowing to plug holes created by the coronavirus pandemic.
While spending in the operating budget remains essentially flat from last year, the total plan for the year that begins July 1 includes repaying $1.6 billion that was borrowed to fill a shortfall in the current budget and $2.2 billion in required transfers to other funds.
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The budget was approved by lawmakers along largely partisan lines during their abbreviated special session last month, with House and Senate Republicans criticizing the plan for relying too heavily on borrowing and the hope of federal help.
The plan provides increases for social services and public health, including an additional $151.7 million for the long-troubled Department of Children and Family Services, but holds the line on spending in other areas, including education. It’s the first time since an education funding overhaul was approved in 2017 that elementary and secondary education won’t see an increase from the previous year.
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The budget would allow for borrowing of up to $5 billion from the Federal Reserve that would be repaid with anticipated but uncertain federal aid from Washington. State officials also hope there will be a loosening of restrictions on how the state can spend $3.5 billion in federal aid the state has already received.
The governor’s office is projecting that revenues in the coming year will be about $4 billion lower than was expected when Pritzker introduced his pre-pandemic budget blueprint in February.
In addition to the uncertainty of federal aid, the fate of Pritzker’s signature policy initiative, a proposed amendment to the Illinois Constitution that would allow a graduated-rate income tax to replace the currently mandated flat tax, won’t be known until the November election.
If voters approve the amendment, higher tax rates on higher incomes would bring in an estimated $1.3 billion in additional revenue in the second half of the budget year. If not, the state plans to make up the difference with additional borrowing.
Last year’s budget received some Republican support and when passed was viewed by observers, including Wall Street ratings agencies, as a small step toward fiscal stability.
Earlier this spring, Fitch Ratings downgraded Illinois’ credit rating to one notch above junk status as a result of the COVID-19-induced economic downturn.
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If the federal government doesn’t provide significant additional aid or if the state doesn’t receive as much as expected in income or sales tax revenue, the state will have to revisit its plans, Fitch analyst Eric Kim said.
“We definitely view this budget as a work in progress,” Kim said.
The plan funds the state’s full legally required $8.6 billion contribution to its seriously underfunded pension systems, but analysts say that isn’t sufficient to address the long-term problem.
Accompanying legislation, which Pritzker also signed Wednesday, gives him the authority to shift up to 8% of spending between budget line items instead of the 4% in this year’s budget.
Republicans were critical of that move, with state Rep. Tom Demmer of Dixon, a lead budget negotiator, saying it gives “a longer leash to an executive branch that has not earned it.”
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Pritzker on Wednesday held a pair of news conferences to highlight a new $270 million grant program for child care providers in the state that uses money from a federal relief package.
Those funds will filter through a newly created state Coronavirus Urgent Remediation Emergency Fund to licensed child care providers that saw their revenue fall off this spring while sweeping restrictions were in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19 statewide.
The state launched an “intent to apply” survey for child care providers on Wednesday to help determine how the grants will be distributed.
“As the economy is reopening and those jobs are reopening, families need to know that they have a steady place that they can rely upon,” Pritzker said of child care providers. “... Many were not able to stay open. Now they’re just getting going again. We need them to get back on their feet as fast as possible.”
dpetrella@chicagotribune.com
jmunks@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-06-10--What you need to know about closing Chicago city streets to make room for more outdoor dining space

Restaurants we contacted cited confusion about when the streets would actually close and how to be involved .
All of @ @ @ @ @ for car traffic , and some restaurant owners said they hadn ’ t heard from @ @ @ @ @ Others said they have been in contact with their local chambers to hammer out details @ @ @ @ @ the project .

Yvette Wright, left, orders a birthday cake from Sarah Ortiz at Brown Sugar Bakery along the 300 block of East 75th Street on June 10, 2020. Bakery owner Stephanie Hart and other nearby food business owners are working with the city to close streets to provide seating for outdoor dining. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
It’s been nearly two weeks since Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced a pilot program to close residential streets and commercial corridors in six Chicago neighborhoods so that restaurants can seat guests outside. But it hasn’t happened yet. What’s going on?
Restaurants we contacted cited confusion about when the streets would actually close and how to be involved. All of the proposed corridors remain open for car traffic, and some restaurant owners said they hadn’t heard from the city at all. Others said they have been in contact with their local chambers to hammer out details or to propose changes to the project.
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George D’Anna, the general manager at Forno Rosso (1048 W. Randolph St.) says that he has been in contact with the city about opening Randolph Street between the Kennedy Expressway and Elizabeth Street, but it’s still unclear when it will start.
“I heard June 16,” D’Anna said. “But with everything going on, it could happen a week before or a week after that date.” On June 3, the sidewalk cafe was open, with blue and white striped umbrellas shading guests drinking wine.
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Restaurant owners in Chatham and Little Village, both of which have designated corridors, say the road shutdown will prevent potential guests from driving through, causing the restaurants to lose traffic, as well as create difficulties for third-party delivery companies picking up food for takeout customers. Closing the street would decrease sales rather than improve them, they said.
Restaurants have voiced frustrations that the costs fall onto the chambers of commerce or local businesses, because permits and licenses are required to operate on the sidewalk. Other businesses not on the designated corridors felt left out and wanted to be included.
The idea of closing down a side street instead of a main corridor was proposed in both Little Village and Chatham. By setting up communal tables for people to sit at, businesses in the area can all participate. This will require alderman and city approval.
Stephanie Hart, owner of Brown Sugar Bakery, stands outside her business on 75th Street on June 10, 2020. Hart has been in meetings with the Greater Chatham Initiative and city officials about the street closures program. "Seeing some tables and some activity and people sitting down and eating food outside is more reminiscent of summertime and a good time," Hart said. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
In Chatham, Calumet Avenue, Prairie Avenue and Indiana Avenue are being considered as new locations for street closures. Permits are in the process of being submitted, said Stephanie Hart, owner of Brown Sugar Bakery, who has been in meetings with the Greater Chatham Initiative and city officials.
“There’s been so much bad news,” said Hart, whose bakery may be part of a modified version of the program. “Seeing some tables and some activity and people sitting down and eating food outside is more reminiscent of summertime and a good time. I hope it brightens up people’s days.”
As the details are still being worked out, here’s what you need to know about the program:
Outdoor dining streets in pilot program
What streets are included?
Chatham: 75th Street from Calumet Avenue to Indiana Avenue
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Lakeview: Broadway from Belmont Avenue to Diversey Parkway
Little Village: 26th Street from Central Park to Harding Avenue
Near North: Rush Street from Oak Street to Cedar Street
Near West Side: Taylor Street from Loomis Street to Ashland Avenue
West Loop: Randolph Street from the Kennedy Expressway no farther than Elizabeth Street
When will they be shut down?
It depends. The Lakeview East Chamber of Commerce’s application to the city is pending, but should it be approved, Broadway between Belmont Avenue and Diversey Avenue could be closed Friday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and June 19-21 from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Side streets will have designated zones for third-party deliveries, and special accessibility will be given to essential operations.
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In Little Village and Chatham, businesses and local organizations are working with the city to keep the main drags open while closing down nearby side streets instead.
“The city is working with us to come up with other ideas to get this pilot program rolling here in Little Village, but it’s a little challenging because some restaurants don’t want to participate,” said Blanca Soto, executive director of the Little Village Chamber of Commerce. “They’re looking more into trying to get the 25% occupancy inside their restaurants.”
How do restaurants apply? Is there a fee?
Restaurants can apply through their local chambers of commerce or directly through the city. They are required to have a floor plan or site plan, a security plan, a certificate of insurance, a waste management plan and a safe food transport plan. There’s no fee for the application for street closure, but restaurants will need to pay temporary liquor permit fees to the state and city if they plan to sell alcohol.
Do restaurants have to participate?
No, it’s entirely up to the restaurant to participate. However, if the restaurant is on a stretch that will be closed, then it should note the closure and adjust business as needed.
Are there other outdoor dining programs like this?
Yes. Friends of Lakeview is launching its own program called Dine Out starting in the second half of June to temporarily repurpose up to five public and private spaces in West Lakeview, including locations along the Southport Corridor and near the Lincoln Hub and Paulina Station. The program will focus on side streets and private spaces to create outdoor dining rooms with about 30 tables at each location that is shared by multiple restaurants, like a food hall. Visit lakeviewchamber.com/dineout for more information.
I have so many more questions; is there an FAQ somewhere?
Yes, the city has put out a list of answers to common questions regarding the program. You can see the entire document here.
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chicagotribune--2020-06-10--45-minute storm’s high winds topple tree, utility poles, challenge Gary wastewater plant as it sets

45-minute storm’s high winds topple tree, utility poles, challenge Gary wastewater plant as it sets record of 160 million gallons

“ We had to be the epicenter , because I have never seen rainfall where we couldn ’ t see @ @ @ @ @ at least a half hour , ” he said .
“ Our wastewater plant , @ @ @ @ @ , hit a new record today with a peak flow of 160 million gallons ; @ @ @ @ @ during the May storms ) , when we had 157 million gallons and then 158 @ @ @ @ @ Never in recorded history have we seen those numbers here .
”

The storm that blew through the area Wednesday morning toppled trees throughout Munster including this one at Orchard Park, at White Oak Avenue and Fisher Street. (Joe Puchek / Post-Tribune)
As Tropical Storm Cristobal continued her trudge toward Canada, Northwest Indiana spent most of Wednesday morning cleaning up after a torrential 45- minute storm that felled telephone poles, trees and other upright objects.
Flash flooding was widespread over much of Lake County, with the Gary Airport catching a lot of it, Gary Sanitary Director Dan Vicari said Wednesday afternoon. He happened to be at the airport as Christobal unleashed.
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“We had to be the epicenter, because I have never seen rainfall where we couldn’t see in front of us for at least a half hour,” he said. “Our wastewater plant, which was built in 1935, hit a new record today with a peak flow of 160 million gallons; the last records were (during the May storms), when we had 157 million gallons and then 158 gallons the next night. Never in recorded history have we seen those numbers here.”
Road flooding, including at 7th Avenue and Delaware Street in Gary, accompanied strong storms that ripped through Lake County Wednesday morning. (Carole Carlson / Post-Tribune)
Vicari said there were a lot of flash-flood complaints and isolated backups, but there was nothing on a massive scale to tend. The north and west parts of the city seemed to get the worst of it.
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In Highland, the winds took out a series of six utility poles along 81st Street, with the lines ending up in residents’ yards, Public Works Director John Bach said. Other than that, the town had about 15 to 20 trees down, but no injuries.
“Some of the branches hit houses, and we had power outages all over town, including the Town garage. There was also street flooding,” Bach said. “It seemed like the worst of it hit on the west and south side of Kennedy Avenue.”
Though the destruction might’ve felt tornado-like Wednesday morning, Cristobal was nice enough to not drop one as she threatened to Tuesday evening, said Brett Borchart, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Chicago.
“The winds got up around 60 to 70 miles an hour, or the equivalent of a weak tornado, but over a much larger area,” he said.
A NIPSCO pole teeters perilously along 81st Avenue in Highland after a Wednesday morning storm felled six of them, leaving power lines in residents' yards. - Original Credit: Post-Tribune (Provided/Highland Public Works / HANDOUT)
Dan Repay, executive director for the Little Calumet River Basin Commission, took video of the rain in Gary Wednesday morning and was as shocked as Vicari at the sheer force of it. While the river looked like it was going to add insult to injury, it too was cycling through the various pumping systems with little issue.
“We looked at the totals – about 1.5 inches came down in that time -- and the river raised five feet in about a half-hour. Thankfully, it’s on its way down,” Repay said. “It’s still elevated, but we’re not concerned right now.”
Repay said Munster had some uprooted trees fall into the river as well.
By late Wednesday afternoon, NIPSCO still had more than 2,300 outages in Gary; more than 500 in Hammond; 702 in Highland, down from nearly 4,000; 1,274 in Munster, down from more than 1,500; and 315 in Dyer, from more than 1,100 earlier Wednesday.
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Michelle L. Quinn is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.


chicagotribune--2020-06-10--Off-duty police officer dead after being found in home with high carbon monoxide levels

The two were found just before 8 p.m. Tuesday inside the building in the 3900 block of West Ainslie Street @ @ @ @ @ inside an attached garage , according to authorities .
The Fire Department found carbon monoxide @ @ @ @ @ 140 parts per million , just below the level that is known to kill people @ @ @ @ @ prolonged periods .

Officers work the scene where a man and woman were found unresponsive June 9, 2020, in the 3900 block of West Ainslie Street in the Albany Park neighborhood of Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)
An off-duty Chicago police officer died and a woman remained in critical condition after they were both found unresponsive in an Albany Park residence with high carbon monoxide levels Tuesday night, according to authorities.
The two were found just before 8 p.m. Tuesday inside the building in the 3900 block of West Ainslie Street, with a car running inside an attached garage, according to authorities. The Fire Department found carbon monoxide levels in the home of 140 parts per million, just below the level that is known to kill people if they breathe it for prolonged periods.
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The Chicago Police Department confirmed the man who died, 36, was an off-duty police officer. The woman, 29, remained in critical but stable condition as of midday Wednesday after being taken to Swedish Hospital for treatment, according to police.
An autopsy to determine the cause and manner of the officer’s death was conducted Wednesday but was inconclusive and was pending additional studies, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
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It wasn’t clear whether the man and woman are related or how officers came to find the two in the building. Officer Jessica Rocco said the woman is neither a police officer nor a probationary police officer with Chicago police.
Chicago police wouldn’t comment on the circumstances of the two becoming ill.
The officer, a 22-month veteran assigned to the Rogers Park District, earned a Crime Reduction Award and an honorable mention during his police career.
Detectives were investigating.