chicagotribune--2020-07-29--Indiana Libertarian Congressional candidate arrested in East Chicago; officer shown punching him on

Indiana Libertarian Congressional candidate arrested in East Chicago; officer shown punching him on video shared on social media

“ I can see where if there is an incident where restraint is required certain types of restraints should be @ @ @ @ @ training is needed in dealing with citizens who have complaints and want to voice their @ @ @ @ @ .

The Libertarian candidate for Indiana’s First Congressional District was punched in the face Saturday while pinned on the sidewalk by an East Chicago police officer who was trying to arrest him, according to a video shared on social media.
Mike Strauss, 38, was subsequently charged with intimidation, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and battering a law enforcement officer. Strauss and East Chicago Police Officer Kayvionne Cook, the arresting officer, have different versions of what led to the arrest, according to Strauss and police records.
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The arrest stemmed from Strauss, of Gary, asking the officer for his name and supervisor’s name so he could file a complaint after the officer didn’t respond professionally to him asking about the officer’s headlight being out, he said.
Cook, according to records, said he was headed to the police station at 1 a.m. Sunday to finish an accident report when he saw a group of men he believed needed help. But, when the officer approached the men, they ran toward his vehicle screaming expletives, according to a probable cause affidavit.
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Strauss ran toward the officer with “both of his hands up towards the officer, displaying the middle finger,” according to records.
“Officer Cook believes the males were trying to ambush him for a YouTube video,” according to records.
Strauss told the Post-Tribune that he remembers swearing before the arrest.
“It’s not illegal to cuss. None of that’s illegal. It is what it is,” Strauss said. “I’m the type of person that speaks my mind. I don’t have any regrets.”
Officials with the East Chicago Police Department did not respond to requests for comment.
Strauss said he and a group of friends stopped at the Mobil gas station across the street from the East Chicago Police Department late Saturday night. As he was leaving the gas station storefront, Strauss was told that one of his friends went across the street to the police department to get a Freedom of Information Act form, which police records also confirm.
“Based on my previous experience with the department, I went over to make sure he was OK,” Strauss said, adding he has a federal case pending against the department.
The two of them went back toward the gas station, which is near a Subway, after being told someone will come with a form. Once they were across the street, Strauss said, Cook drove by, turned around and stopped next to the group of men.
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The group noticed that the officer’s headlight was out and they informed the officer about that, Strauss said. After the officer didn’t respond professionally, Strauss said he wanted to file a complaint against him.
“Instead of being professional about it ... he just gave us a general attitude about it. He wouldn’t give us his supervisor or his name,” Strauss said. “He escalated the issue and called for backup.”
At first, Strauss said, Cook told him he’d be arrested for trespassing on the Subway parking lot because the business was closed. Strauss said he told the officer that would be an unlawful arrest because no one complained they were in the parking lot.
As others started looking over at the situation from the gas station, Strauss said Cook told them he’d be arrested and charged with disorderly conduct. Strauss told the officer that would be an unlawful arrest as well because no one filed a complaint.
According to records, Cook said he called for backup while reporting that the men were being disorderly and tried to calm them as they yelled expletives about police.
Strauss said, and records confirm, that he told the officer he would “break his face” if the officer touched him.
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“It sounds like a threat, but legally there is an argument that if you do A then B will happen, so a threat becomes a warning,” Strauss said. “Anyone has a right to defend themselves if they are touched unlawfully.”
At this point, Strauss said the officer “rushed” at him and didn’t tell him why he was under arrest and what he did wrong.
Cook said he told Strauss “to please lower his voice” when he and the group were yelling expletives at him after he noticed several customers at the gas station becoming “alarmed at the yelling,” according to reports.
After Strauss said he would “break his face,” according to records, Cook told him to “come here and went to place Strauss under arrest for intimidation on a law enforcement officer.”
The video of the arrest begins with the officer walking toward Strauss and Strauss taking a few steps back. Once Cook grabs Strauss’ arm, Strauss falls toward the pavement onto his back as Cook and another officer begin to grab him, according to the video.
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Cook begins to turn Strauss onto his stomach and can he heard saying “stop resisting” as Strauss says “I’m not resisting,” according to the video. As Strauss begins turning on his stomach, Cook appears to be trying to grab Strauss’ hands, according to the video.
Cook has one of Strauss’ arms behind his back and starts to grab for Strauss’ other arm, according to the video. At his point, Cook says “Ow, my leg, my leg,” with his leg extended out, and then he punches Strauss in the head, according to the video.
Cook then moves his body and places a knee in Strauss’ neck as he handcuffs one of Strauss’ hands. Cook removes his knee from Strauss’ neck to pull Strauss’ other hand behind his back.
Cook placed a knee in Strauss’ back as he appears to be cuffing both of Strauss’ hands, according to the video.
As Cook held his knee in Strauss’ neck, Strauss can be heard yelling for help and “I’m bleeding.” Those recording the arrest began exclaiming after Cook punched Strauss and one man can be heard asking, “Have you learned nothing from George Floyd?”
According to records, Cook said Strauss’ leg was wrapped around his leg and that Strauss was applying pressure, hyperextending the officer’s left leg. When Strauss wouldn’t stop applying pressure, the officer punched him, according to records.
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“Officer Cook then attempted to strike Strauss with a closed fist to the side of the neck known as a brachial stun. The strike that the officer used is also known as a pain compliance technique. After the officer used the technique, Strauss then released the officer’s legs and began to comply with officers commands,” according to records.
Once Strauss was handcuffed, the officer lifted him and took him to a squad car, according to the video. Three other officers can be seen in the video with Cook, two kneeling near Strauss during the arrest and one standing near Strauss’ head.
Cook went to the hospital after he felt “extreme pain in the left knee,” according to records. A doctor diagnosed him with acute pain of the left knee, and he is currently off-duty until he is medically cleared, according to records.
Chuck Bronson, 44, of Lafayette, said he is Strauss’ friend who saw the arrest. Bronson said that Strauss “likes to exercise free speech” and did so from the sidewalk before “basically he was attacked.”
“It was brutal,” Bronson said. “Some people act like, you don’t have free speech, or, by saying that to police you get what you deserve. But, by case law, it’s allowed. It’s covered by the First Amendment.”
Strauss said he will pursue the matter in court, even if the charges against him are dropped. If the charges aren’t dropped, he will take the case to trial, he said.
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Police officers should handle complaints from residents with professionalism, Strauss said.
“I can see where if there is an incident where restraint is required certain types of restraints should be used. However, proper training is needed in dealing with citizens who have complaints and want to voice their grievances,” Strauss said.


chicagotribune--2020-07-29--Chicago police mourn the loss of a deputy chief to apparent suicide

“ He always wanted to make sure the officers were OK , ” said the supervisor , who was not @ @ @ @ @ record to the Tribune .
“ He would say , ‘ listen , you go @ @ @ @ @ everything is going to get better .
Just hang in there .
’ ”

Chicago firefighters put away a large American flag outside the Cook County medical examiner’s office in Chicago, July 28, 2020, following a procession for a high-ranking police officer who died at the Homan Square police facility on the West Side. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)
A Chicago police deputy chief was found dead Tuesday morning in a suicide, police leaders said, the highest ranking department member in recent memory to take their own life.
Dion Boyd was found shot to death at the Homan Square police facility on the West Side. He was identified by Chicago police Superintendent David Brown at a Tuesday afternoon news conference.
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During brief remarks at police headquarters, Brown talked about the family and friends Boyd left behind.
“Many lives will be forever changed from this moment on,” said Brown, flanked by other police officials. “And Deputy Chief Boyd’s presence will be greatly missed. I ask you to keep his family and friends in your thoughts and prayers.”
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Boyd, 57, had recently been promoted to deputy chief of criminal networks, which focuses on long-term gang and narcotics investigations.
Law enforcement sources said Boyd was found dead in his office inside the Homan Square facility, 3340 W. Fillmore St., and he may have shot himself overnight or Monday night.
“This devastating loss will not only be felt at every level of this Department, but in the countless communities and homes Deputy Chief Boyd touched during his decades-long service to our city,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Tuesday on Twitter. “Our prayers are with Deputy Chief Boyd’s two sons, along with his family, fellow officers, and many friends during this very painful time.”
An autopsy Wednesday found that Boyd died of a gunshot wound to the chest and his death was ruled a suicide, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. Boyd is at least the 10th Chicago cop to die by suicide in two years.
Boyd was promoted to deputy chief earlier this month after serving in several lower-ranking leadership roles, including as commander of the Wentworth patrol district, which covers such South Side neighborhoods as Hyde Park, Washington Park and Bronzeville.
A 29-year CPD veteran, Boyd also served as a field lieutenant earlier in his career in the Calumet patrol district, covering such Far South Side neighborhoods as Roseland and West Pullman. He also worked as a sergeant in the Bureau of Internal Affairs and in a detective unit.
“The job of a Chicago police officer is not easy, particularly in a time where there is intensified stress,” Brown said as he addressed the loss of Boyd. “Every day life can seem insurmountable at times for anyone. But for police officers the stakes are even higher due to the tireless work they do to safeguard others.”
Police supervisors who have worked directly with Boyd described him as an upbeat and positive boss who pushed officers to do their best.
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“He was always happy,” said one South Side supervisor, who declined to be identified because he’s not authorized to speak to reporters. “He appeared to always be in good spirits ... a lot of energy.”
The supervisor said Boyd was the boss who notified him when he got a promotion. At one point, the supervisor recalled, Boyd offered words of encouragement, telling him to “keep doing what you’re doing” so that other bosses notice and promote him even further.
Within the last two months, the supervisor said, he witnessed Boyd give “inspirational” words to a group of officers amid the national unrest, including in Chicago, following the May 25 death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minnesota.
“You guys keep your heads up,” the supervisor said, paraphrasing Boyd’s remarks. “We’re going to weather this storm together.”
Keith Calloway, a former top-ranking Chicago police official, said he knew Boyd for more than 20 years and worked with him in Internal Affairs at one point.
“Always a hard worker, very tenacious,” Calloway said of Boyd. “Very mild-mannered. ... He was always easygoing to work with.”
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Another supervisor recalled how Boyd made a point to check in and offer encouraging words in the department’s recent difficult months.
“He always wanted to make sure the officers were OK,” said the supervisor, who was not authorized to speak on the record to the Tribune. “He would say, ‘listen, you go through these down times but everything is going to get better. Just hang in there.’ ”
The supervisor noted that Boyd’s suicide provided him with a critical reminder.
“No matter how upbeat someone is, you still need to check on them,” he said.
During Boyd’s time as head of Wentworth, one of his officers, Samuel Jimenez, was shot and killed by a gunman at Mercy Hospital & Medical Center in November 2018. During the incident, the gunman also fatally shot his ex-fiancee, who was an emergency room doctor at the hospital, and a pharmacist before dying in a shootout with police.
Scores of officers in marked and unmarked squad cars — with their emergency lights activated but no sirens — escorted Boyd’s body in a procession from Homan Square to the medical examiner’s office Tuesday. The cars rode between two fire trucks, where an American flag was draped between the trucks’ two elevated ladders.
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The Chicago Police Department’s problem with officer suicides was highlighted in a 2017 report by the U.S. Justice Department of the city’s policing practices. At that time, one Chicago police official told the Justice Department that CPD’s officer suicide rate was higher than the national average.
“To our men and women in uniform, please know that there is no shame in reaching out for help,” Brown said. “If you see any signs that your colleagues are having trouble coping with stress, please check in on them and let them know you’re there.”
WGN-Ch. 9 contributed.
jgorner@chicagotribune.com
asweeney@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-07-29--Coronavirus in Illinois updates: 1,076 new COVID-19 cases and 30 more deaths reported as Chicago add

Coronavirus in Illinois updates: 1,076 new COVID-19 cases and 30 more deaths reported as Chicago adds Wisconsin and 3 other states to self-quarantine order

Illinois health officials Tuesday announced 1,076 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 , and 30 additional confirmed deaths .
The total breaks a string of six consecutive days with reported cases over 1,200 .
That brings the state to 173,731 confirmed cases and 7,446 deaths in 102 counties .
Also on Tuesday , Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot added Wisconsin , Missouri , North Dakota and Nebraska to the city ’ s self-quarantine list .
People entering the city from those states are asked to self-isolate for 14 days .
There are now 22 states on the self-quarantine list .
Got summer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hit Lake Geneva this August to load up on sun and curds and New Glarus beer ?
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot wants you to think about making other arrangements , and if you can ’ t , to lock yourself inside for a couple of weeks when you get back to help stop the spread of the coronavirus .
Lightfoot ’ s administration on Tuesday officially added Chicago ’ s northern neighbor — and vacation home to large numbers of Illinoisans , including Gov .
J.B. Pritzker — to the list of states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rate of COVID-19 cases to require self-quarantine once back in the city .
That means starting this Friday , anyone who has spent more than 24 hours in Wisconsin should stay inside for two weeks upon getting to Chicago , or risk a fine of $ 100 to $ 500 per day for violating city statute .
“ That ’ s ridiculous , ” said Lynn Cole , owner of Geneva Lakes Jewelry in Lake Geneva , where many Chicagoans have second homes or vacation .
“ I don ’ t think people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ People are going to come to their summer homes.
” 6:04 p.m. : US officials say Russian intelligence services are spreading disinformation about the coronavirus Russian intelligence services are using a trio of English-language websites to spread disinformation about the coronavirus pandemic , seeking to exploit a crisis that America is struggling to contain ahead of the presidential election in November , U.S. officials said Tuesday .
Two Russians who have held senior roles in Moscow ’ s military intelligence service known as the GRU have been identified as responsible for a disinformation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. government officials said .
They spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly .
The information had previously been classified , but officials said it had been downgraded so they could more freely discuss it .
Officials said they were doing so now to sound the alarm about the particular websites and to expose what they say is a clear link between the sites and Russian intelligence .
5:47 p.m. : With ‘ no perfect solution ’ in sight , schools in Arlington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in-person classes this fall in favor of remote learning only As the COVID-19 pandemic shows no signs of ceasing , school district officials in Arlington Heights and Plainfield said this week that their schools will be offering strictly remote learning in the fall .
While officials at Arlington Heights School District 25 had unveiled a preliminary plan earlier this summer that would have given families the choice between in-person or online learning , in a Monday letter to parents Superintendent Lori Bein said officials had reversed course .
“ There is no perfect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while also providing a 100 % guarantee of safety for all students and staff , ” Bein said .
“ The only thing that I know for certain is that plans will need to be flexible as there could be many changes throughout the school year.
” 5:07 p.m. : How to stay calm , optimistic , even happy during the COVID-19 pandemic — Tribune readers share what works for them Last week , we asked you to share the one thing that has provided joy in your life amidst the confusion and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with simple yet meaningful items and activities that spark creativity , love and the desire to help other people .
Concerned about COVID-19′s spread , Prince said the beach will be closed for at least two weeks .
The park ’ s shelters and parking lots will also be closed , he said .
Gary cops will be patrolling the beach and kicking off anyone there , Prince said .
Marquette Park will still be open for recreation as long as people are keeping apart , he said .
“ We continue to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new COVID-19 positive cases in Gary , ” Prince said .
“ We also must ease the logistical strains on our public safety teams and our beach neighborhoods.
” This decision was strictly a business one , according to a recording on the Berghoff ’ s main telephone line .
No employee has tested positive for COVID-19 nor have the restaurants been cited for violating any COVID-19 policies or procedures .
Colleen Silk , brand manager , blamed the lack of customers downtown .
In an email , she said that tourism in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if not more , from last year and office buildings are still mostly closed .
Since the restaurants re-opened June 30 , they have seen an average of 15 to 20 customers a day , which is more than a 90 % decrease since last year .
“ So we may hopefully reopen in the near future , and to save what capital is left , the family decided it is best to close our doors for the time being , ” she wrote .
“ It was not a decision they made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this extensively beforehand.
” A Republican proposal to slash the $ 600 weekly benefit boost for those left jobless because of the coronavirus shutdown could result in weeks or even months of delayed payments in some states .
Older computer systems that took weeks to set up for the initial federal unemployment enhancement would need to be reprogrammed again twice under the GOP plan .
In Florida , state Rep. Anna Eskamani , a Democrat from Orlando , said the state has not even gotten the original supplemental benefit to everyone entitled to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changing the current process that has taken us months to put into place , that is still not even perfect , is a scary thought , ” she said .
“ These changes , whatever they end up being , are going to create more bureaucratic layers for people to get the relief they need .
Meanwhile , we have bills to pay , we have to put food on the table , we have medical expenses and a lot of people are suffering.
” Democrats want to bring back the federally funded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , saying it ’ s a way to keep families and the economy afloat in a time when there are far more people out of work than jobs available .
Republicans argue the current amount is so high that it encourages people to remain on unemployment .
They want to reduce it in two steps : First , by cutting the benefit by two-thirds — to $ 200 a week through September .
Then they want to switch that flat rate to a percentage in which the unemployed would receive benefits equal to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ previous incomes in November and December .
The debate isn ’ t only about the economy and ideology .
It ’ s also about what ’ s doable technologically , especially on software many states use that dates to the 1970s .
2:58 p.m. : Aldermen , advocacy groups call on City Council to pass ordinance to move medically vulnerable people out of shelters and jails A coalition of groups voiced their support Tuesday for an ordinance sitting in the Chicago City Council ’ s housing committee that would prioritize finding housing for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facilities such as shelters and jails during a pandemic like COVID-19 .
The ordinance would amend existing housing regulations and is sponsored by Ald .
Chris Taliaferro , 29th , and Ald .
Walter Burnett Jr. , 27th .
It follows earlier reports about widespread COVID-19 cases in group settings such as homeless shelters , which health officials have called some of the most challenging outbreaks to stop .
“ It ’ s unfathomable that we sit on unoccupied , ready-to-move-in homes while some are living on the street , and while some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a pandemic , ” Taliaferro said during a Tuesday news briefing .
Negotiations launched , the differences over the next coronavirus aid package are vast , a gulf between Democrats ’ $ 3 trillion proposal and Republicans $ 1 trillion counteroffer , with millions of Americans ’ jobless benefits , school reopenings and eviction protections at stake .
As top White House negotiators return to Capitol Hill on Tuesday the leverage is apparent : They are meeting at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ’ s office .
Republicans are so deeply divided over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s leaving Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell with a weakened hand .
The outcome will be a defining one for the president and the parties heading into the November election as an uneasy nation is watching and waiting for Washington to bring some end to the health crisis and devastating economic fallout .
12:45 p.m. : Cubs ’ Jon Lester voices his concerns about the Marlins ’ COVID-19 outbreak : ‘ It ’ s a little scary .
You have to trust in this process and trust in the protocols.
’ While COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Miami Marlins ’ multiple positive tests , Chicago Cubs left hander Jon Lester maintained his focus Monday night in pitching five no-hit innings in his 2020 debut .
After the Cubs held on for an 8-7 win over the Reds , Lester acknowledged the efforts of his teammates to follow the new health and safety protocols could go for naught if more teams are hit as hard as the Marlins .
“ It raises questions , ” Lester said late Monday night .
“ We ’ re all concerned about safety and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to trust in what we ’ re doing , and hopefully we ’ re doing the right thing.
” “ As long as we can continue to get negative tests , obviously it ’ s good for us , ” Lester said .
“ On the other hand , you don ’ t want to see anybody get sick or have to deal with this thing .
“ It ’ s a little scary .
You have to trust in this process and trust in the protocols that we have in place.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ symptom clusters ’ that may inform clinicians about the severity of cases The specific set of symptoms COVID-19 patients experience at the onset of the disease may predict how severe their case will become , according to a study by researchers at King ’ s College London that analyzed self-reported symptoms .
With thousands of COVID-19 deaths linked to Illinois nursing homes , two top regulators are now gone from a state agency criticized at times for its oversight of the facilities during the pandemic .
Agency spokeswoman Melaney Arnold said Bryars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ began a leave that same day .
She did not elaborate on reasons for the departures , saying she was “ not able to discuss personnel information.
” The departures were first reported by WBEZ .
A Tribune investigation early in the pandemic found a high percentage of Illinois nursing homes had been cited for poor infection control practices , prompting advocates to warn that the state needed to aggressively monitor and fight the virus .
Gov .
J.B. Pritzker and top leaders have repeatedly said their swift actions limited the virus ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agency ’ s efforts have at times been broadly criticized as too timid and uncoordinated .
Facilities complained they needed help getting more staff and protective gear as infections swept through hundreds of facilities .
Bottled Blonde , the bar in the River North neighborhood of Chicago better known for its legal drama than pizza , closed permanently on Monday due to the coronavirus , but not COVID-19 violations .
“ Yesterday , Bottled Blonde surrendered their business licenses , permanently closing the River North bar after a series of serious nuisance conditions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement from the city ’ s department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection .
“ The establishment has a history of egregious license violations , including over-occupancy , noise violations , public urination , vomiting and other problematic conditions that have had a serious impact on neighbors and the surrounding community .
The City is pleased that yesterday ’ s action will end three years of legal proceedings with the permanent closure of this problem business.
” The bar had not received any COVID-19 related citations , wrote the department spokesperson .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ this month , but did not find any COVID-19 violations at that time .
Bottled Blonde , opened in November 2015 , was accused of a racist dress code and allegations of operating in violation of its liquor license , as well as rowdy patrons .
In 2017 , its business license was revoked , but the revocation was stayed .
That revocation was removed last October , leading to the closing of the business , which reopened the next day when that closing was undone .
10:30 a.m. : Bears nose tackle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 season over COVID-19 concerns Veteran Chicago Bears players are reporting to Halas Hall Tuesday for the first time to begin their COVID-19 intake testing to be cleared for training camp , but one fixture in the team ’ s high-level defense won ’ t be there .
Goldman , a second-round pick in 2015 who signed a $ 42 million , four-year contract extension two summers ago , has been an elite player in the middle of the defense .
His absence would create a void in the middle of the line @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nichols and others .
The list of NFL players choosing to sit out the season over COVID-19 concerns is growing .
ESPN reported that Patriots linebacker Dont ’ a Hightower is the fifth New England player to exercise that option .
Players have until Aug. 3 to opt out and one general manager said “ there are going to be more than we originally expected ” Tuesday morning .
Players opting out in a high-risk category will receive a $ 350,000 stipend and an accrued season .
Players not in the high-risk category @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will not accrue a season .
The contract of players in both categories will toll .
9:40 a.m. : Chicago-area house flippers ‘ surprisingly unaffected ’ by COVID-19 , but brace for mixed bag in months to come Born from the burgeoning real estate market that preceded the Great Recession , flipping homes has become a national fascination over the past two decades .
Thrifty bargain hunters scooped up foreclosed or decrepit properties , renovated them and quickly resold for a tidy profit .
The good news for those who have made a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seems , at least for the time being , that house flipping has proven relatively pandemic-proof .
“ My business has been surprisingly unaffected , ” said Andy Goldman , whose family has been in the house-flipping business since the 1980s .
In the first three months of 2020 , 7.5 % of homes sold in the United States were flipped , according to a June report from real estate research firm ATTOM Data Solutions .
That ’ s the highest rate since 2006 and a jump from 6.3 % at the end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dropped drastically in 2007 and began to gradually recover in 2010 .
The number of flipped homes sold in a quarter peaked around 100,000 in 2005 , and while it was on the rise in recent years , a decline began in the second quarter of 2019 .
In the first quarter of 2020 , 53,705 single-family homes and condos were flipped , according to the report .
Still , it ’ s too soon to fully grasp how the coronavirus pandemic will impact the house flipping market through 2020 and beyond , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a statement .
“ Profits are down and are lower than they ’ ve been since the dark days following the Great Recession , ” Teta said .
“ Enter now the coronavirus pandemic , and the prospects for house flipping are notably uncertain , at least in the short term.
” 9:15 a.m. : Chicago adds Wisconsin , 3 other states to 14-day self-quarantine order , which now covers 22 states There are now 22 states from which travelers are being told to self-quarantine upon arrival in Chicago due to coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Missouri , North Dakota and Nebraska goes into effect on Friday .
Lightfoot ’ s self-quarantine requirement was first implemented during the Fourth of July weekend but is not being actively enforced aside from signs and billboards telling people that they must self-quarantine .
The order figures to be particularly problematic with Wisconsin , given its proximity and the high number of people from Illinois who spend weekends and vacations there .
Many Illinois and Chicago residents , including Gov .
J.B. Pritzker , have homes there .
8:45 a.m. : MLB shortened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t need to stop right now , says Dr. Anthony Fauci 8:10 a.m. : Trump retweets video , banned by Facebook after going viral , that alleges unproven drug cures COVID-19 A week after appearing to project a more serious tone about the coronavirus , President Donald Trump is back to pushing unproven claims that an anti-malaria drug is an effective treatment and challenging the credibility of the nation ’ s leading infectious disease expert .
Overnight , after returning from a trip to North Carolina where he promoted efforts to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a series of tweets advocating for hydroxychloroquine .
YouTube , Facebook and Twitter have begun scrubbing the video from their platforms , saying it makes demonstrably false claims about the pandemic .
The tweet the president amplified is , as of Tuesday morning , not visible on the platform but still atop his feed .
The video , published by Breitbart News , features a group of people wearing white lab coats calling themselves “ America ’ s Frontline Doctors , ” according to CNN .
In front of the Supreme Court , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disease caused by coronavirus — a claim which is contradicted by medical science .
The speaker says masks are unnecessary and alleges a conspiracy by pharmaceutical companies .
The video went hugely viral on Facebook , with over 14 million views before it was removed Monday night for promoting misinformation , CNN reported .
Business did improve for McDonald ’ s throughout the second quarter as restrictions lifted across the globe , but the fast food giant faces a bumpy — and expensive — recovery .
Of the chain ’ s 39,000 restaurants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , compared with 75 % at the start of the second quarter .
Comparable-store sales that were down 39 % in April were down only 12 % by June .
Last week , McDonald ’ s said it will delay dining room reopenings for at least another month and will require face masks for anyone entering its restaurants .
McDonald ’ s is also spending heavily to convince people to come back , particularly for breakfast .
The Chicago company spent more than $ 200 million to support franchisee marketing during the second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million to distribution centers — payments normally made by franchisees — and $ 45 million to cover franchisees ’ debts .
7:20 a.m. : CTA giving away Ventra cards , healthy travel kits during food distribution event at South Side grocery store A food distribution event at a Gresham neighborhood grocery store midday Tuesday will include the giveaway of 5,000 Ventra cards and healthy travel kits , according to the mayor ’ s office .
The food distribution at the parking lot of the Save-A-Lot grocery store , 7908 S. Halsted St. , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Racial Equity Rapid Response Team , which Chicago officials set up to work to address racial inequities made more apparent by the high rates of COVID-19 in communities of color .
The food distribution event was scheduled to run from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday , according to a release from the mayor ’ s office .
The CTA Ventra card giveaway is sponsored by Butcher Boy Cooking Oils , a Chicago-area business , according to the release .
6 a.m. : ‘ Pandemic pods ’ and ‘ micro-schools ’ : How @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kids — and themselves — manage schooling at home After spending months keeping her 6-year-old daughter occupied with nature hikes , scavenger hunts and virtual play dates , Julia Devetski was hoping she could finally return to work full time again once the energetic rising first grader was back in the classroom this fall at her school in Chicago ’ s Lakeview neighborhood .
But as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage — and after learning that her daughter and her Chicago Public Schools classmates will be doing remote learning at home at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new school year starts in September — Devetski joined the soaring ranks of parents who are counting on “ pandemic pods ” or “ micro-schools ” as a solution to their dilemma .
Equal parts traditional home schooling and Mary Poppins-style nurturing — with a COVID-19 sheltering-in-place twist — these new arrangements are beckoning parents who desperately need support as they juggle working from home with keeping tabs on their kids ’ education .
Generally , the idea of pandemic pods , sometimes called micro-schools , Safe Centers for Online Learning or SCOLs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ learning , rather that replace it , for parents who have the resources .
The cry for help , which includes legions of parents daunted by the prospect of their kids returning to school and potentially catching the virus , has also spawned a burgeoning network of providers ranging from posh private tutoring centers to retired public school teachers and recent college grads , all of whom are offering to organize and supervise in-home instruction for groups of roughly three to five children .
Here are five things that happened Monday regarding COVID-19 @

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Paca Kujtim of Arlington Heights self-administers a COVID-19 test in his car at the Arlington International Racecourse on March 31, 2021 in Arlington Heights. Kujtim was getting testing as a precaution for upcoming travel. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
Illinois health officials Tuesday announced 1,076 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, and 30 additional confirmed deaths. The total breaks a string of six consecutive days with reported cases over 1,200. That brings the state to 173,731 confirmed cases and 7,446 deaths in 102 counties.
Also on Tuesday, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot added Wisconsin, Missouri, North Dakota and Nebraska to the city’s self-quarantine list. People entering the city from those states are asked to self-isolate for 14 days. There are now 22 states on the self-quarantine list.
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[ Illinois’ new COVID-19 plan: How the state will manage any outbreaks in 3 charts ]
[ COVID-19 cases in Illinois by ZIP code: Search for your neighborhood ]
[ Schools reopening tracker: What suburban Chicago districts are planning for the fall ]
[ 20 questions about assessing your COVID-19 risk at restaurants, gyms and more ]
Here’s what’s happening Tuesday regarding COVID-19 in the Chicago area and Illinois:
8:03 p.m.: City threatens fines for Chicagoans who don’t self-quarantine upon return from Wisconsin
Got summer plans to head to Wisconsin, maybe hit Lake Geneva this August to load up on sun and curds and New Glarus beer?
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Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot wants you to think about making other arrangements, and if you can’t, to lock yourself inside for a couple of weeks when you get back to help stop the spread of the coronavirus.
Lightfoot’s administration on Tuesday officially added Chicago’s northern neighbor — and vacation home to large numbers of Illinoisans, including Gov. J.B. Pritzker — to the list of states considered risky enough because of the growth rate of COVID-19 cases to require self-quarantine once back in the city.
That means starting this Friday, anyone who has spent more than 24 hours in Wisconsin should stay inside for two weeks upon getting to Chicago, or risk a fine of $100 to $500 per day for violating city statute.
“That’s ridiculous,” said Lynn Cole, owner of Geneva Lakes Jewelry in Lake Geneva, where many Chicagoans have second homes or vacation. “I don’t think people are going to listen to it. People are going to come to their summer homes.”
Read more here. —John Byrne, Gregory Pratt and Robert McCoppin
6:04 p.m.: US officials say Russian intelligence services are spreading disinformation about the coronavirus
Russian intelligence services are using a trio of English-language websites to spread disinformation about the coronavirus pandemic, seeking to exploit a crisis that America is struggling to contain ahead of the presidential election in November, U.S. officials said Tuesday.
Two Russians who have held senior roles in Moscow’s military intelligence service known as the GRU have been identified as responsible for a disinformation effort reaching American and Western audiences, U.S. government officials said. They spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.
The information had previously been classified, but officials said it had been downgraded so they could more freely discuss it. Officials said they were doing so now to sound the alarm about the particular websites and to expose what they say is a clear link between the sites and Russian intelligence.
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Read more here. —The Associated Press
5:47 p.m.: With ‘no perfect solution’ in sight, schools in Arlington Heights and Plainfield are latest to reject in-person classes this fall in favor of remote learning only
As the COVID-19 pandemic shows no signs of ceasing, school district officials in Arlington Heights and Plainfield said this week that their schools will be offering strictly remote learning in the fall.
While officials at Arlington Heights School District 25 had unveiled a preliminary plan earlier this summer that would have given families the choice between in-person or online learning, in a Monday letter to parents Superintendent Lori Bein said officials had reversed course.
“There is no perfect solution for how to provide in-person instruction while also providing a 100% guarantee of safety for all students and staff,” Bein said. “The only thing that I know for certain is that plans will need to be flexible as there could be many changes throughout the school year.”
Read more here. —Karen Ann Cullotta
5:07 p.m.: How to stay calm, optimistic, even happy during the COVID-19 pandemic — Tribune readers share what works for them
Last week, we asked you to share the one thing that has provided joy in your life amidst the confusion and uncertainty of the coronavirus. You responded with simple yet meaningful items and activities that spark creativity, love and the desire to help other people.
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We are sharing them here and hope they provide inspiration for others. —Kori Rumore
4:25 p.m.: Gary will close Marquette Park Beach starting Wednesday, Mayor Jerome Prince said.
Concerned about COVID-19′s spread, Prince said the beach will be closed for at least two weeks. The park’s shelters and parking lots will also be closed, he said.
Gary cops will be patrolling the beach and kicking off anyone there, Prince said. Marquette Park will still be open for recreation as long as people are keeping apart, he said.
“We continue to see almost daily double-digit increases in our new COVID-19 positive cases in Gary,” Prince said. “We also must ease the logistical strains on our public safety teams and our beach neighborhoods.”
Gary has seen 63 virus deaths and 1,047 positive cases, spokesman Mike Gonzalez said.
Read more here. —Meredith Colias-Pete
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4:14 p.m.: Berghoff closes temporarily, a month after reopening, blaming pandemic economic challenges
The Berghoff Restaurant, a historic German restaurant downtown, and Adams Street Brewery, its adjoining brewery, have temporarily closed, starting Tuesday, July 28. The Berghoff Cafe at O’Hare will remain open.
This decision was strictly a business one, according to a recording on the Berghoff’s main telephone line. No employee has tested positive for COVID-19 nor have the restaurants been cited for violating any COVID-19 policies or procedures.
Colleen Silk, brand manager, blamed the lack of customers downtown. In an email, she said that tourism in the Loop is down 68%, if not more, from last year and office buildings are still mostly closed. Since the restaurants re-opened June 30, they have seen an average of 15 to 20 customers a day, which is more than a 90% decrease since last year.
“So we may hopefully reopen in the near future, and to save what capital is left, the family decided it is best to close our doors for the time being,” she wrote. “It was not a decision they made lightly and (they) contemplated over this extensively beforehand.”
Read more here. —Grace Wong
3:57 p.m.: Plan to slash $600 unemployment boost could mean big delays in jobless benefits, states warn
A Republican proposal to slash the $600 weekly benefit boost for those left jobless because of the coronavirus shutdown could result in weeks or even months of delayed payments in some states.
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Older computer systems that took weeks to set up for the initial federal unemployment enhancement would need to be reprogrammed again twice under the GOP plan.
In Florida, state Rep. Anna Eskamani, a Democrat from Orlando, said the state has not even gotten the original supplemental benefit to everyone entitled to it.
“So the idea of changing the current process that has taken us months to put into place, that is still not even perfect, is a scary thought,” she said. “These changes, whatever they end up being, are going to create more bureaucratic layers for people to get the relief they need. Meanwhile, we have bills to pay, we have to put food on the table, we have medical expenses and a lot of people are suffering.”
How to handle unemployment is a fiercely contested part of the debate as Congress negotiates the latest relief legislation.
Democrats want to bring back the federally funded $600-a-week unemployment bonus that is expiring, saying it’s a way to keep families and the economy afloat in a time when there are far more people out of work than jobs available.
Republicans argue the current amount is so high that it encourages people to remain on unemployment. They want to reduce it in two steps: First, by cutting the benefit by two-thirds — to $200 a week through September. Then they want to switch that flat rate to a percentage in which the unemployed would receive benefits equal to no more than 70% of their previous incomes in November and December.
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The debate isn’t only about the economy and ideology. It’s also about what’s doable technologically, especially on software many states use that dates to the 1970s.
Read more here. —The Associated Press
2:58 p.m.: Aldermen, advocacy groups call on City Council to pass ordinance to move medically vulnerable people out of shelters and jails
A coalition of groups voiced their support Tuesday for an ordinance sitting in the Chicago City Council’s housing committee that would prioritize finding housing for medically vulnerable populations living in group living facilities such as shelters and jails during a pandemic like COVID-19.
The ordinance would amend existing housing regulations and is sponsored by Ald. Chris Taliaferro, 29th, and Ald. Walter Burnett Jr., 27th. It follows earlier reports about widespread COVID-19 cases in group settings such as homeless shelters, which health officials have called some of the most challenging outbreaks to stop.
“It’s unfathomable that we sit on unoccupied, ready-to-move-in homes while some are living on the street, and while some are even living in congregate shelters during a pandemic,” Taliaferro said during a Tuesday news briefing.
Read more here. —Kelli Smith
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1:50 p.m.: Democrats, Republicans are far apart as coronavirus aid talks intensify
Negotiations launched, the differences over the next coronavirus aid package are vast, a gulf between Democrats’ $3 trillion proposal and Republicans $1 trillion counteroffer, with millions of Americans’ jobless benefits, school reopenings and eviction protections at stake.
As top White House negotiators return to Capitol Hill on Tuesday the leverage is apparent: They are meeting at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office. Republicans are so deeply divided over the prospect of big government spending it’s leaving Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell with a weakened hand.
It's unclear whether any agreement can be reached between Congress and President Donald Trump before Friday's deadline for expiring aid.
“We cannot afford to fail,” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said as the chamber opened.
The outcome will be a defining one for the president and the parties heading into the November election as an uneasy nation is watching and waiting for Washington to bring some end to the health crisis and devastating economic fallout.
Read more here. —The Associated Press
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12:45 p.m.: Cubs’ Jon Lester voices his concerns about the Marlins’ COVID-19 outbreak: ‘It’s a little scary. You have to trust in this process and trust in the protocols.’
While COVID-19 hovered around baseball in the wake of the Miami Marlins’ multiple positive tests, Chicago Cubs left hander Jon Lester maintained his focus Monday night in pitching five no-hit innings in his 2020 debut.
After the Cubs held on for an 8-7 win over the Reds, Lester acknowledged the efforts of his teammates to follow the new health and safety protocols could go for naught if more teams are hit as hard as the Marlins.
“It raises questions,” Lester said late Monday night. “We’re all concerned about safety and the protocols. We have to continue to trust in what we’re doing, and hopefully we’re doing the right thing.”
Lester, 36, reluctantly used the world “bubble” in stressing how the Cubs’ traveling party must continue to contain themselves.
“As long as we can continue to get negative tests, obviously it’s good for us,” Lester said. “On the other hand, you don’t want to see anybody get sick or have to deal with this thing.
“It’s a little scary. You have to trust in this process and trust in the protocols that we have in place.”
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Read more here. —Mark Gonzales
12:20 p.m.: Study finds 6 COVID-19 ‘symptom clusters’ that may inform clinicians about the severity of cases
The specific set of symptoms COVID-19 patients experience at the onset of the disease may predict how severe their case will become, according to a study by researchers at King’s College London that analyzed self-reported symptoms.
The study identifies six “symptom clusters,” or subtypes, of COVID-19:
Subtype 1, “flu-like with no fever”: headache, loss of smell, muscle pain, cough, sore throat and chest pain.
Subtype 2, “flu-like with fever”: fever and loss of appetite in addition to headache, loss of smell, cough, sore throat and hoarseness.
Subtype 3, “gastrointestinal”: diarrhea and loss of appetite, no cough, headache, loss of smell, sore throat and chest pain.
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Subtype 4, “severe level one, fatigue”: fatigue in addition to headache, loss of smell, cough, fever, hoarseness and chest pain.
Subtype 5, “severe level two, confusion”: confusion in addition to headache, loss of smell, loss of appetite, cough, fever, hoarseness, sore throat, chest pain, fatigue and muscle pain.
Subtype 6, “severe level three, abdominal and respiratory”: shortness of breath, diarrhea and abdominal pain in addition to headache, loss of smell, loss of appetite, cough, fever, hoarseness, sore throat, chest pain, fatigue, confusion and muscle pain.
Read more here. —Lauren Leazenby
11:45 a.m.: After heavy COVID-19 toll on Illinois nursing homes, top regulators depart state agency
With thousands of COVID-19 deaths linked to Illinois nursing homes, two top regulators are now gone from a state agency criticized at times for its oversight of the facilities during the pandemic.
The Pritzker administration confirmed Tuesday that two top staffers at the Illinois Department of Public Health — Debra Bryars and Aimee Isham — departed last week.
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Agency spokeswoman Melaney Arnold said Bryars “left” July 20 while Isham began a leave that same day. She did not elaborate on reasons for the departures, saying she was “not able to discuss personnel information.” The departures were first reported by WBEZ.
A Tribune investigation early in the pandemic found a high percentage of Illinois nursing homes had been cited for poor infection control practices, prompting advocates to warn that the state needed to aggressively monitor and fight the virus.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker and top leaders have repeatedly said their swift actions limited the virus’ spread and saved lives. Yet the agency’s efforts have at times been broadly criticized as too timid and uncoordinated. Facilities complained they needed help getting more staff and protective gear as infections swept through hundreds of facilities.
Read more here. —Joe Mahr
11:30 a.m.: Bottled Blonde, controversial River North bar, closed permanently by coronavirus, but not violations
Bottled Blonde, the bar in the River North neighborhood of Chicago better known for its legal drama than pizza, closed permanently on Monday due to the coronavirus, but not COVID-19 violations.
“Yesterday, Bottled Blonde surrendered their business licenses, permanently closing the River North bar after a series of serious nuisance conditions dating back to 2017,” read a statement from the city’s department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection. “The establishment has a history of egregious license violations, including over-occupancy, noise violations, public urination, vomiting and other problematic conditions that have had a serious impact on neighbors and the surrounding community. The City is pleased that yesterday’s action will end three years of legal proceedings with the permanent closure of this problem business.”
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The bar had not received any COVID-19 related citations, wrote the department spokesperson. The city had conducted an investigation earlier this month, but did not find any COVID-19 violations at that time.
Bottled Blonde, opened in November 2015, was accused of a racist dress code and allegations of operating in violation of its liquor license, as well as rowdy patrons. In 2017, its business license was revoked, but the revocation was stayed. That revocation was removed last October, leading to the closing of the business, which reopened the next day when that closing was undone.
Read more here. —Louisa Chu
10:30 a.m.: Bears nose tackle Eddie Goldman reportedly opts out of the 2020 season over COVID-19 concerns
Veteran Chicago Bears players are reporting to Halas Hall Tuesday for the first time to begin their COVID-19 intake testing to be cleared for training camp, but one fixture in the team’s high-level defense won’t be there.
Nose tackle Eddie Goldman, the linchpin of the run defense, will opt out for the 2020 season, according to NFL Network.
Goldman, a second-round pick in 2015 who signed a $42 million, four-year contract extension two summers ago, has been an elite player in the middle of the defense. His absence would create a void in the middle of the line, creating more significant roles for Bilal Nichols and others.
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The list of NFL players choosing to sit out the season over COVID-19 concerns is growing. ESPN reported that Patriots linebacker Dont’a Hightower is the fifth New England player to exercise that option.
Players have until Aug. 3 to opt out and one general manager said “there are going to be more than we originally expected” Tuesday morning. Players opting out in a high-risk category will receive a $350,000 stipend and an accrued season. Players not in the high-risk category will receive a $150,000 stipend but will not accrue a season. The contract of players in both categories will toll.
Read more here. —Brad Biggs
9:40 a.m.: Chicago-area house flippers ‘surprisingly unaffected’ by COVID-19, but brace for mixed bag in months to come
Born from the burgeoning real estate market that preceded the Great Recession, flipping homes has become a national fascination over the past two decades. Thrifty bargain hunters scooped up foreclosed or decrepit properties, renovated them and quickly resold for a tidy profit.
The good news for those who have made a career out of the practice: It seems, at least for the time being, that house flipping has proven relatively pandemic-proof.
“My business has been surprisingly unaffected,” said Andy Goldman, whose family has been in the house-flipping business since the 1980s.
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In the first three months of 2020, 7.5% of homes sold in the United States were flipped, according to a June report from real estate research firm ATTOM Data Solutions. That’s the highest rate since 2006 and a jump from 6.3% at the end of 2019.
Home flipping rates had dropped drastically in 2007 and began to gradually recover in 2010. The number of flipped homes sold in a quarter peaked around 100,000 in 2005, and while it was on the rise in recent years, a decline began in the second quarter of 2019. In the first quarter of 2020, 53,705 single-family homes and condos were flipped, according to the report.
Still, it’s too soon to fully grasp how the coronavirus pandemic will impact the house flipping market through 2020 and beyond, ATTOM chief product officer Todd Teta said in a statement.
“Profits are down and are lower than they’ve been since the dark days following the Great Recession,” Teta said. “Enter now the coronavirus pandemic, and the prospects for house flipping are notably uncertain, at least in the short term.”
Read more here. —Milan Polk
9:15 a.m.: Chicago adds Wisconsin, 3 other states to 14-day self-quarantine order, which now covers 22 states
Chicago added Wisconsin and three other states to Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s 14-day self-quarantine order on Tuesday.
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There are now 22 states from which travelers are being told to self-quarantine upon arrival in Chicago due to coronavirus concerns. The requirement covering Wisconsin, Missouri, North Dakota and Nebraska goes into effect on Friday.
Lightfoot’s self-quarantine requirement was first implemented during the Fourth of July weekend but is not being actively enforced aside from signs and billboards telling people that they must self-quarantine.
The order figures to be particularly problematic with Wisconsin, given its proximity and the high number of people from Illinois who spend weekends and vacations there. Many Illinois and Chicago residents, including Gov. J.B. Pritzker, have homes there.
Read more here. —Gregory Pratt
8:45 a.m.: MLB shortened season could be threatened, but games don’t need to stop right now, says Dr. Anthony Fauci
The Miami Marlins’ coronavirus outbreak could endanger the Major League Baseball season, Dr. Anthony Fauci said Tuesday, although he doesn’t believe games needs to stop now.
More than a dozen Marlins players and staff members tested positive for COVID-19, stranding the team in Philadelphia and raising anew questions about MLB's attempts to conduct a season.
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"This could put it in danger," said Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert. "I don't believe they need to stop, but we just need to follow this and see what happens with other teams on a day-by-day basis."
Fauci made his comments on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”
Read more here. —The Associated Press
8:10 a.m.: Trump retweets video, banned by Facebook after going viral, that alleges unproven drug cures COVID-19
A week after appearing to project a more serious tone about the coronavirus, President Donald Trump is back to pushing unproven claims that an anti-malaria drug is an effective treatment and challenging the credibility of the nation’s leading infectious disease expert.
Overnight, after returning from a trip to North Carolina where he promoted efforts to develop a COVID-19 vaccine, Trump retweeted a series of tweets advocating for hydroxychloroquine.
YouTube, Facebook and Twitter have begun scrubbing the video from their platforms, saying it makes demonstrably false claims about the pandemic. The tweet the president amplified is, as of Tuesday morning, not visible on the platform but still atop his feed.
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The video, published by Breitbart News, features a group of people wearing white lab coats calling themselves “America’s Frontline Doctors,” according to CNN. In front of the Supreme Court, they maintain the drug can cure the disease caused by coronavirus — a claim which is contradicted by medical science. The speaker says masks are unnecessary and alleges a conspiracy by pharmaceutical companies.
The video went hugely viral on Facebook, with over 14 million views before it was removed Monday night for promoting misinformation, CNN reported.
Read more here. —The Associated Press
7:45 a.m.: Chicago-based McDonald’s facing bumpy recovery, 2nd quarter sales down 30%
Business did improve for McDonald’s throughout the second quarter as restrictions lifted across the globe, but the fast food giant faces a bumpy — and expensive — recovery.
Of the chain’s 39,000 restaurants worldwide, 96% are now open, compared with 75% at the start of the second quarter. Comparable-store sales that were down 39% in April were down only 12% by June.
Last week, McDonald’s said it will delay dining room reopenings for at least another month and will require face masks for anyone entering its restaurants.
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McDonald’s is also spending heavily to convince people to come back, particularly for breakfast. The Chicago company spent more than $200 million to support franchisee marketing during the second quarter. It also paid $31 million to distribution centers — payments normally made by franchisees — and $45 million to cover franchisees’ debts.
Read more here. —The Associated Press
7:20 a.m.: CTA giving away Ventra cards, healthy travel kits during food distribution event at South Side grocery store
A food distribution event at a Gresham neighborhood grocery store midday Tuesday will include the giveaway of 5,000 Ventra cards and healthy travel kits, according to the mayor’s office.
The food distribution at the parking lot of the Save-A-Lot grocery store, 7908 S. Halsted St., is sponsored by the city’s Racial Equity Rapid Response Team, which Chicago officials set up to work to address racial inequities made more apparent by the high rates of COVID-19 in communities of color.
The food distribution event was scheduled to run from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, according to a release from the mayor’s office.
The CTA Ventra card giveaway is sponsored by Butcher Boy Cooking Oils, a Chicago-area business, according to the release.
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—Chicago Tribune staff
6 a.m.: ‘Pandemic pods’ and ‘micro-schools’: How parents are finding ways to help their kids — and themselves — manage schooling at home
After spending months keeping her 6-year-old daughter occupied with nature hikes, scavenger hunts and virtual play dates, Julia Devetski was hoping she could finally return to work full time again once the energetic rising first grader was back in the classroom this fall at her school in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood.
But as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage — and after learning that her daughter and her Chicago Public Schools classmates will be doing remote learning at home at least part of the time when the new school year starts in September — Devetski joined the soaring ranks of parents who are counting on “pandemic pods” or “micro-schools” as a solution to their dilemma.
Equal parts traditional home schooling and Mary Poppins-style nurturing — with a COVID-19 sheltering-in-place twist — these new arrangements are beckoning parents who desperately need support as they juggle working from home with keeping tabs on their kids’ education.
Generally, the idea of pandemic pods, sometimes called micro-schools, Safe Centers for Online Learning or SCOLs, is to supplement or oversee remote learning, rather that replace it, for parents who have the resources.
The cry for help, which includes legions of parents daunted by the prospect of their kids returning to school and potentially catching the virus, has also spawned a burgeoning network of providers ranging from posh private tutoring centers to retired public school teachers and recent college grads, all of whom are offering to organize and supervise in-home instruction for groups of roughly three to five children.
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Read more here. —Karen Ann Cullotta
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Here are five things that happened Monday regarding COVID-19.


chicagotribune--2020-07-29--Coronavirus in Illinois updates: Pritzker offers bleak assessment on how state is faring in fight ag

Coronavirus in Illinois updates: Pritzker offers bleak assessment on how state is faring in fight against COVID-19 as 1,393 new confirmed cases and 18 more deaths reported

Lightfoot ’ s administration Tuesday added Wisconsin , as well as three other states , to the list of 22 @ @ @ @ @ warrant self-quarantine because they had an average of more than 15 new COVID-19 cases per @ @ @ @ @ rolling seven-day period .
Any state that in the previous week had an infection rate @ @ @ @ @ added to the evolving list each Tuesday and the emergency travel order goes into effect @ @ @ @ @ Friday .

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Paca Kujtim of Arlington Heights self-administers a COVID-19 test in his car at the Arlington International Racecourse on March 31, 2021 in Arlington Heights. Kujtim was getting testing as a precaution for upcoming travel. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
Illinois announced a 1,393 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, the 7th straight day with more than 1,000 new cases. The state also announced 18 new deaths and the results of 38,187 tests.
The new numbers come as Gov. J.B. Pritzker warned on Wednesday that Illinois could be headed for a “reversal” in its reopening as the state continues to see a resurgence in coronavirus case numbers, and he called on residents to “defend our progress.”
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Later on Wednesday, the Illinois High School Association put the football season on ice due to continuing concerns surrounding the pandemic. According to a new plan introduced by the IHSA, there will be a streamlined football season from Feb. 15 to May 1. The only fall sports in 2020 the IHSA plans to conduct are boys and girls cross country, boys and girls golf, girls tennis and girls swimming.
Pritzker also announced that youth sports and adult recreational leagues in Illinois will be further limited under stricter state rules in an effort to slow the spread of the virus after outbreaks of the illness have been tied to organized sports. The new guidelines apply to school sports, travel teams, private and recreational leagues and clubs, and park district programs, but not to professional and collegiate sports.
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[ Illinois’ new COVID-19 plan: How the state will manage any outbreaks in 3 charts ]
[ COVID-19 cases in Illinois by ZIP code: Search for your neighborhood ]
[ Schools reopening tracker: What suburban Chicago districts are planning for the fall ]
[ 20 questions about assessing your COVID-19 risk at restaurants, gyms and more ]
Here’s what’s happening Wednesday regarding COVID-19 in the Chicago area and Illinois:
6:59 p.m.: Health officials contacting Lincoln-Way East prom attendees after positive COVID-19 tests
Will County health officials are trying to track down dozens of Lincoln-Way East graduates and chaperones who recently attended a student-organized prom in Indiana after a “couple” of attendees tested positive for the coronavirus.
The event had been planned since April.
“We’re aware of it,” Steve Brandy, a Will County Health Department spokesman, said Wednesday. “Contact tracers are getting in touch with people who were there.”
The effort comes after tracers talked to a couple of people who were at the function and who tested positive for COVID-19, he said. Brandy said he did not know the exact number and whether the positive cases were Lincoln-Way East recently graduated seniors or chaperones.
The prom was held at an event center in Indiana, which at the time had looser restrictions than Illinois on the number of people allowed at a social gathering indoors, allowing up to 250.
Read more here. —Mike Nolan
6 p.m.: Local Catholic school students face a tough choice: a full return to in-person instruction or remote learning, possibly by an outside vendor
With the start of classes just about a month away, many parents at Chicago-area Catholic schools are facing a tough decision: commit their children to five days of in-person instruction, or opt for more e-learning, possibly conducted by a third-party vendor.
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The Archdiocese of Chicago announced reopening plans for its school system in early July, calling for a full return to in-person classes, paired with safety measures like that include face coverings and daily temperature checks.
Any families who aren’t comfortable sending their students back to the classrooms will have the option to continue remote learning, said Jim Rigg, superintendent of archdiocesan schools, which combined have more than 70,000 students in Cook and Lake counties. But as of Wednesday officials had not finalized any remote learning plans.
As in the public schools, plans to restart in-person instruction have been met with a range of reactions: Some families are pleased to see schools fully reopening with public health protocols in place. Other teachers and parents contacted by the Tribune said they have serious concerns about the safety of in-person instruction and what they see as insufficient options for remote learning.
Read more here. —Sophie Sherry
5:21 p.m.: Coronavirus aid package talks stalemate as Trump scorns relief for cash-strapped cities
President Donald Trump on Wednesday dismissed Democratic demands for aid to cash-strapped cities in a new coronavirus relief package and lashed out at Republican allies as talks stalemated over assistance for millions of Americans.
Republicans, beset by delays and infighting, signaled a willingness to swiftly approve a modest package to prevent a $600 weekly unemployment benefit from expiring Friday. But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., roundly rejected that approach as meager, all but forcing Republicans back to the negotiating table.
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“As of now, we’re very far apart,” said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, the White House’s top negotiator.
Stark differences remain between the $3 trillion proposal from Democrats and $1 trillion counter from Republicans putting aid for millions of communities at risk. Money for states and cites is a crucial dividing line as local governments plead for help to shore up budgets and prevent deeper municipal layoffs as they incur COVID-19 costs and shutdown economies.
Trump complained about sending “big bailout money” to the nation’s cities, whose mayors he often criticizes.
“It’s a shame to reward badly run radical left Democrats with all of this money they’re looking for,” he said at the White House.
Democrats proposed nearly $1 trillion for the local governments, but Trump and Republicans are resisting sending the states and cities more cash.
Instead, the GOP offers states flexibility to more broadly use an earlier $150 billion allotment that had been restricted to virus-only needs. At one point this year, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said states could just declare bankruptcy.
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Governors and mayors who have been urging Congress for help, warned the failure to act would hit hard in local communities.
Read more here. —The Associated Press
4:43 p.m.: US death toll from the coronavirus hits 150,000
As the world races to find a vaccine and a treatment for COVID-19, there is seemingly no antidote in sight for the burgeoning outbreak of coronavirus conspiracy theories, hoaxes, anti-mask myths and sham cures.
The phenomenon, unfolding largely on social media, escalated this week when President Donald Trump retweeted a false video about an anti-malaria drug being a cure for the virus and it was revealed that Russian intelligence is spreading disinformation about the crisis through English-language websites.
Experts worry the torrent of bad information is dangerously undermining efforts to slow the virus, whose death toll in the U.S. hit 150,000 Wednesday, by far the highest in the world, according to the tally kept by Johns Hopkins University. Over a half-million people have died in the rest of the world.
Read more here. —The Associated Press
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3:40 p.m.: Navy Pier lays off employees amid COVID-19 slowdown
When Navy Pier reopened to the public June 10, it was early to do so among Chicago attractions, but it was also in a limited fashion.
Parking in the pier garage, normally an arm and a leg, was reduced to free or, in the metaphor, zero body parts. Indoor spaces and attractions like the Chicago Children’s Museum and Shakespeare Theater remained closed. The carousel did not whirl and the Ferris wheel did not spin.
Those mostly unavoidable compromises appear to have taken their toll. The pier this week laid off 11 administrative workers and 9 tradespeople, or more than 25 percent of full-time staff, President and CEO Marilynn Gardner said, amid a general economic malaise at the popular tourist destination.
There are essentially no tourists.
“Since reopening, we’ve been fortunate to welcome 335,000 people, but that’s compared to 2.4 million last year” in the same time period, said Gardner. “That’s 14 percent.”
Read more here. —Steve Johnson
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3:34 p.m.: IHSA pushes football, some other fall sports to spring 2021
The long wait regarding the fate of high school football this fall is over. The decision? The kids will have to wait longer to take the field.
The Illinois High School Association on Wednesday put the football season — at least in the traditional sense — on ice due to continuing concerns surrounding the coronavirus pandemic.
According to a new plan introduced by the IHSA, there will be a streamlined football season from Feb. 15 to May 1.
The only fall sports in 2020 the IHSA plans to conduct, starting Aug. 10 and ending Oct. 17, are boys and girls cross country, boys and girls golf, girls tennis and girls swimming.
Read more here. —Tony Baranek
2:51 p.m.: Two large Illinois teachers unions threaten ‘health and safety strikes’ without adequate school COVID protections
Illinois teachers and other school employees could strike if school districts implement in-person learning without meeting safety measures outlined by government entities or medical professionals, two of the largest teachers unions in the state in a joint statement Wednesday.
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The Illinois Education Association and Illinois Federation of Teachers — representing around 238,000 employees in public and private schools, colleges and universities in the state, including Chicago Public Schools teachers — said they will pursue whatever means necessary to ensure that schools have adequate safety protections.
“No avenue or action is off the table — the courts, the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board - nothing, including health and safety strikes,” the statement said.
Read more here. —Claire Hao
2:28 p.m.: Traveling outside Illinois? Chicago residents must quarantine after visiting 22 states. Here’s what you need to know to avoid a large fine.
Vacations, rarely cheap, soon could get a whole lot more expensive for rule-bucking Chicago residents.
According to an order from Mayor Lori Lightfoot and the city’s health department, those who travel to any of the 22 states deemed a COVID-19 risk must implement a mandatory two-week quarantine upon their return or face hefty fines. The original order, which named 15 states where COVID-19 cases were spiking, was announced right before the long Fourth of July holiday weekend, catching off-guard many Chicagoans who already made plans to travel out of state.
Lightfoot’s administration Tuesday added Wisconsin, as well as three other states, to the list of 22 states considered risky enough to warrant self-quarantine because they had an average of more than 15 new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 resident population over a rolling seven-day period. Any state that in the previous week had an infection rate greater than that will be added to the evolving list each Tuesday and the emergency travel order goes into effect the newly-added states the following Friday.
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Here’s what you need to know about the city’s quarantine policies. —Katherine Rosenberg-Douglas
1:58 p.m.: Pritzker warns of a possible ‘reversal’ as COVID-19 numbers rise
Gov. J.B. Pritzker warned on Wednesday that Illinois could be headed for a “reversal” in its reopening as the state continues to see a resurgence in coronavirus case numbers, and he called on residents to “defend our progress.”
If the trend continues or worsens, it could mean clamping back down in regions of the state on business restrictions, gatherings or even a return to a stay-at-home order, which Pritzker initially imposed in March, but since eased.
“We’ve made progress in Illinois, but we’ve also seen that it can be fleeting. And right now things are not headed in the right direction. I want to remind everyone that it doesn’t take long at all for a trajectory of success to turn into rising hospitalizations and deaths,” Pritzker said. “And if things don’t change, a reversal is where we’re headed.”
Read more here. —Jamie Munks and Rick Pearson
1:41 p.m.: Wendella suspends Chicago Water Taxi service for the rest of the year
Wendella Sightseeing Co. suspended its Chicago Water Taxi service for the rest of the year after determining its coronavirus restrictions wouldn’t work for the bright yellow commuter boats.
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Since resuming its tour boat operations last month, Wendella put in place various safety measures like requiring guests to wear a face covering, not accepting cash transactions, limiting seating capacity and installing hand sanitizer stations on all its vessels. It also requires employees to wear face masks and gloves, and takes their temperatures when they arrive to work, according to Wendella’s website.
But those same safety measures aren’t practicable for Chicago Water Taxi boats, which carry commuters during rush hour around the Loop, because it would be hard to clean the boats at each stop, said Andrew Sargis, chief of operations for Chicago Water Taxi.
Read more here. —Abdel Jimenez
1:37 p.m.: Sketchbook Brewing launches ambitiously in Skokie on Friday in shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic
Sketchbook Brewing is betting big on itself. It is betting big on Skokie.
But Sketchbook’s ambitious new production brewery and taproom — one of several new breweries to open in the Chicago area this anything-but-normal summer — takes on a significantly different tenor amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rather than hope to pack in upward of 280 people when its sprawling 4,000-square-foot taproom opens Friday at 4901 Main St., Sketchbook will restrict capacity to 50. Tables will be spaced well more than 6 feet apart.
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A pandemic was miles from anyone’s consciousness when Sketchbook began looking two years ago to expand beyond its original location in neighboring Evanston.
But pandemic or not, Sketchbook co-founders Cesar Marron and Shawn Decker are optimistic that boosting production, and doing it more cheaply due to increased scale, will serve modern times well. Canned beer sales have skyrocketed since people have mostly stayed home in recent months.
But COVID-19 has also injected uncertainty. The vision of having customers linger for hours over beers, games and conversation is in peril — at least in the short term.
“There was no way we could suddenly change our plans,” Decker said. “We’re just hoping that the business model is robust enough to survive.”
Read more here. —Josh Noel
1:27 p.m.: As the world races to find a vaccine and a treatment for COVID-19, misinformation on the coronavirus is proving highly contagious
As the world races to find a vaccine and a treatment for COVID-19, there is seemingly no antidote in sight to the burgeoning outbreak of coronavirus conspiracy theories, hoaxes, anti-mask myths and sham cures.
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The phenomenon, unfolding largely on social media, escalated this week when President Donald Trump retweeted a false video about an anti-malaria drug being a cure for the virus and it was revealed that Russian intelligence is spreading disinformation about the crisis through English-language websites.
Experts worry that the torrent of bad information is dangerously undermining efforts to slow the virus, which has been blamed for about 150,000 deaths in the U.S. and over a half-million more around the world.
“It is a real challenge in terms of trying to get the message to the public about what they can really do to protect themselves and what the facts are behind the problem., said Michael Osterholm, head of the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy.
He said the fear is that “people are putting themselves in harm’s way because they don’t believe the virus is something they have to deal with.”
Read more here. —The Associated Press
1:25 p.m.: Inside Eddie Goldman’s decision to opt out of the 2020 season because of COVID-19 concerns
After the initial gut punch, after the natural disappointment and the sudden concern for how Eddie Goldman’s decision will affect one of the NFL’s top defenses, Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Pace quickly found his way to acceptance. So did coach Matt Nagy.
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Both men were bummed to learn of Goldman’s surprise decision this week to opt out of the 2020 season because of concerns regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. And while the Bears wanted to make certain Goldman had thought through everything, detailing for him all the changes to Halas Hall and the precautions the organization is taking to safeguard their work environment, in the end they had to respect his choice.
“You just recognize this is personal for everyone,” Pace said Wednesday morning. “And you’re just very respectful and supportive of that decision. Both Matt and I talked to Eddie. We relayed that to him. Eddie is an important part of our team and our family. And we’re going to welcome him back at the appropriate time.”
Added Nagy: “We completely support him. I think that’s very important for everybody to understand. And he knew that right away. We told him we support him.”
Read more here. —Dan Wiederer
12:30 p.m.: Pritzker lays out new restrictions on youth sports
Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced Wednesday that his administration is further restricting youth and adult recreational sports, after COVID-19 outbreaks have been tied to organized sports leagues.
Pritzker’s administration is releasing new guidance that classify sports as low, medium and higher risk, depending on the level of contact between participants, and potential for coronavirus transmission, involved.
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The new restrictions do not include professional or collegiate-level sports. The new state guidance includes school-based sports, private and recreational leagues and park district sports programs.
”With rising rates of spread of the virus, with rising positivity rates throughout Illinois and the entire United States, this is a situation where the toughest choice is also the safest choice,” Pritzker said Wednesday at a news briefing in Chicago.
The Illinois Department of Public Health on Wednesday announced 1,393 new confirmed cases of coronavirus statewide, and 18 additional deaths. The statewide totals now stand at 175,124 cases and 7,462 deaths since the pandemic began.
—Jamie Munks
12:25 p.m.: Chicago food pantries anticipate more need as unemployment benefits end: ‘It’s been a roller coaster’
With a federal supplement to unemployment benefits expiring and no guarantee of another coronavirus relief package as unemployment remains high, Chicago residents will keep needing food. Local pantries are bracing for it.
“We’re going to see a bad situation get a lot worse here in the next few weeks,” said Greg Trotter, spokesperson for the Greater Chicago Food Depository. “The need is still just as high as we’ve ever seen it.”
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Most food banks affiliated with the Greater Chicago Food Depository and Northern Illinois Food Bank have remained open during the COVID-19 pandemic. But some locations were forced to close as food prices increased, older volunteers could no longer work and churches closed buildings.
About 75% of food pantries are open as part of the Greater Chicago Food Depository, a network of more than 700 food programs in Cook County. The Northern Illinois Food Bank, which supplies food through about 900 programs in other Chicago-area counties, has at least 90% of its food pantries open. About 70% of its soup kitchens are open, a lower number because of social distancing guidelines.
Read more here. —Sydney Czyzon
11:15 a.m.: State Board of Elections’ Springfield office closes after staff member tests positive for COVID-19, several others show symptoms
The Illinois State Board of Elections closed its Springfield office Tuesday for at least a week after a staff member tested positive for COVID-19, according to an agency spokesperson.
The board was notified Sunday that a staff member was showing coronavirus symptoms and had been tested after coming into contact with someone infected with it, the Illinois Times first reported. Test results came back positive Tuesday, which is when the office decided to close until at least Aug. 7, according to Matt Dietrich, a state board spokesperson.
Several other staff members began showing symptoms on Monday and Tuesday and have been tested, Dietrich said in an email.”
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Pending those results, we are initiating procedures to have the office disinfected and thoroughly cleaned prior to staff returning to the office,” he said.
Read more here. —Kelli Smith
8:30 a.m.: How a German company with US headquarters in Chicago is tracking players’ daily interactions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in team facilities
After Bears players are cleared with three negative COVID-19 test results this week, they will enter Halas Hall for the first time this year.
But before they can dress at their socially distanced lockers each day for training camp, they will stop at a station to pick up a new piece of equipment that will be used during all team activities this summer.
The device is a proximity recorder made by Kinexon, a German company that operates its U.S. headquarters in the Chicago Loop. The system, called SafeZone, will assist NFL teams with physical distancing and contact tracing initiatives as they try to prevent the coronavirus from spreading through their facilities.
All team personnel will wear the lightweight SafeTag sensors on a wristband or lanyard within the facility and during team travel, and players will also have them in their jerseys during practices.
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Read more here. —Colleen Kane
6:53 a.m.: Illinois High School Association expected to announce decision on high school sports
Illinois high school athletes were expected to learn Wednesday whether fall sports seasons will be played in the sate.
The Illinois High School Association announced last week that its regularly scheduled Board of Directors meeting would be postponed until Wednesday. Before the meeting scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, IHSA officials planned to discuss their plans with leaders from the Illinois Department of Public Health and Illinois State Board of Education.
“We expect this meeting will provide important guidance on how the IHSA will proceed with fall sports,” Craig Anderson, the IHSA’s executive director, said last week.
Dealing with coronavirus safety concerns remains the top priority, according to the IHSA.
Check back for updates on the IHSA’s decision.
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—Chicago Tribune staff
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 regarding COVID-19.


chicagotribune--2020-07-29--78-year-old Utah motorcyclist killed in Tri-State Tollway crash near Lake Forest

The 78-year-old man was driving onto the right shoulder of the tollway entrance ramp at 1:08 p.m. when he hit @ @ @ @ @ semi truck parked there , according to a preliminary police investigation .

A Utah man was killed Wednesday afternoon when his motorcycle crashed into a truck on the eastbound ramp heading into the Lake Forest Oasis on the Tri-State Tollway, Illinois state police said.
The 78-year-old man was driving onto the right shoulder of the tollway entrance ramp at 1:08 p.m. when he hit the rear end of a semi truck parked there, according to a preliminary police investigation.
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It was not yet known why the motorcycle driver was on the right shoulder, police said.
The driver, whose name has not been released pending notification of family, was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
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Daniel I. Dorfman is a freelance reporter.


chicagotribune--2020-07-29--Gov. J.B. Pritzker warns of a possible ‘reversal’ as COVID-19 numbers rise in Illinois: ‘Things are

Gov. J.B. Pritzker warns of a possible ‘reversal’ as COVID-19 numbers rise in Illinois: ‘Things are not headed in the right direction’

“ It didn ’ t take long for Florida , Texas , Arizona and California to become plagued with high @ @ @ @ @ , ” Pritzker said .
“ That was once where we were , just 10 @ @ @ @ @ down and we did the right thing , and we made progress .
But now @ @ @ @ @ states all around us are spreading the virus and some of our own people in @ @ @ @ @ the message about wearing masks and abiding by the mitigations .

Gov. J.B. Pritzker warned on Wednesday that Illinois could be headed for a “reversal” in its reopening as the state continues to see a resurgence in coronavirus case numbers, and called on residents to “defend our progress.”
It was the governor’s latest and perhaps strongest caution that if trends across Illinois continue or worsen, the state could clamp back down on businesses and gatherings and possibly even bring back a stay-at-home order for regions where metrics such as the positivity rate exceeds a certain threshold.
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“We’ve made progress in Illinois, but we’ve also seen that it can be fleeting. And right now things are not headed in the right direction. I want to remind everyone that it doesn’t take long at all for a trajectory of success to turn into rising hospitalizations and deaths,” Pritzker said. “And if things don’t change, a reversal is where we’re headed.”
Pritzker issued the warning at a coronavirus news briefing in Chicago where he announced restrictions on youth sports aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19, and as state officials announced another 1,393 new confirmed cases of coronavirus statewide and 18 additional deaths. The statewide totals now stand at 175,124 known cases and 7,462 deaths.
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[ Illinois’ new COVID-19 plan: How the state will manage any outbreaks, in 3 charts ]
A number of other states that have seen rising numbers of coronavirus cases as they’ve reopened their economies have been forced to reinstitute stricter rules to slow the spread of COVID-19.
In Illinois, the preliminary seven-day statewide positivity rate for coronavirus testing as of Tuesday was 3.8%, up from 2.7% on June 29, which was three days after restrictions eased a bit as Illinois entered the fourth phase of Pritzker’s reopening plan.
The Metro East region outside St. Louis now has a 7.8% positivity rate, hovering just below a threshold that Pritzker has said will trigger state action. Under a revamped reopening plan Pritzker announced earlier this month that sliced the state into 11 regions, if a region posts an 8% positivity rate for three consecutive days, additional restrictions will be imposed.
Last week, Metro East was the only one of the 11 regions with a positivity rate above 5%. Now, six regions are above the 5% threshold, Pritzker said.
[ IHSA pushes football, several other fall sports to 2021: ‘The spring is better than nothing, and it gives the kids something to look forward to.’ ]
Among them are the region that consists of Cook County outside Chicago, which as of Sunday had a seven-day average positivity rate of 5.5%, up from 4.4% on July 5, according to Illinois Department of Public Health data. Also in that category is the region that comprises Will and Kankakee counties, which as of Sunday was at 6.2%, up from 4.5% three weeks earlier.
Chicago, a region unto itself, reported a 4.7% seven-day average positivity rate as of Sunday, up from 3.9% on July 17.
Pritzker called on local elected officials in areas of the state that see spiking coronavirus cases to “step up and impose stricter mitigations.”
“Residents should hold your elected leaders accountable, demand that they take action, because if they don’t, they could send the entire region back to closed bars and closed restaurants, stricter limits on gatherings, or even another stay-at-home order,” Pritzker said.
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[ Pritzker lays out stricter rules for youth sports, with risk levels based partly on amount of contact between participants ]
Additional restrictions for regions that exceed the metrics set out by the state could include closed bars, a reduction in service at restaurants and smaller capacity limits on other activities, and Pritzker said Wednesday he will release more specific information about what a region reversal would entail in the future.
Pritzker imposed a mask requirement for most public settings on May 1, and re-emphasized Wednesday that people should continue to wear masks and maintain physical distance from others in public settings.
“It didn’t take long for Florida, Texas, Arizona and California to become plagued with high rates of infection and death,” Pritzker said. “That was once where we were, just 10 weeks ago. We hunkered down and we did the right thing, and we made progress. But now there are danger signals as states all around us are spreading the virus and some of our own people in Illinois haven’t gotten the message about wearing masks and abiding by the mitigations.
“It’s time to defend our progress, and put us back on the right trajectory for a healthier and safer Illinois.”
[ COVID-19 cases in Illinois by ZIP code: Search for your neighborhood ]
As of Tuesday night, 1,491 people in the state were hospitalized with COVID-19. Of those patients with COVID-19, 355 were in an intensive care unit and 152 were on ventilators, Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said Wednesday.
That’s up from 1,385 people hospitalized with COVID-19 in Illinois on July 6. At that time, 320 patients were in intensive care, while 153 were on ventilators, according to state Department of Public Health data.
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“Unfortunately, as the governor has said, we are seeing what much of the country is seeing in terms of a resurgence in the number of cases. Not only have we started to see an increase in the cases over the past several weeks, but we’re also seeing a slight increase in hospital admissions, as well,” Ezike said. “These are clearly indicators that we are headed in the wrong direction.”
jmunks@chicagotribune.com
rpearson@chicagotribune.com