EVENING NEWS CLIPS – 3.13.20

MAYOR LORI LIGHTFOOT

MLL JOINS GRUBHUB TO ANNOUNCE ECONOMIC RELIEF FOR SMALL BUSINESSES

FOX32 News at 5PM: MLL joins Grubhub to announce economic relief for small businesses

*B-roll of MLL addressing press conference

*MLL: There’s no question that this will relieve the impact of restaurants here in Chicago and across the country who are suffering as a result of the fallout from the COVID-19 epidemic.

ANCHOR: grubhub is delivering help to the restaurant industry as diners stay home. Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced today that the service, which is based in chicago, will be suspending collection of up to $100 million in commission payments from the restaurants it serves across the country. grubhub said its estimated in-restaurant dining may drop as much as 70% because of fears of coronavirus.

ABC7 News at 4:30PM: MLL joins Grubhub to announce economic relief for small businesses

*B-roll of MLL at press conference

*MLL: There is an impact across the city on local economy. There is no if, ands, or buts about it. it is too soon to say what the entirety of that impact is. But in terms of city revenues, I think we are well situated. We have an incredibly diverse economy. we are not like other cities dependent on one industry.

ANCHOR: there is also a push to help restaurants and small businesses. alexis mcadams is live with that.

MCADAMS: restaurants across chicago were hit hard by covid 19 pandamic already.

FOX32 News at NOON: MLL joins Grubhub to announce economic relief for small businesses

*B-Roll of MLL speaking at press conference

*MLL: there is no question that this will relieve the impact of restaurants here in chicago and across the country who are suffering as a result of the fallout from the covid- 19 epidemic.

WGN News at 11:30AM: MLL joins Grubhub to announce economic relief for small businesses

*B-Roll of MLL speaking at press conference

*MLL: this is what true civic leadership looks like.

ANCHOR: grub hub is providing major financial relief for some independent restaurants in chicago and other large cities across the us wgn's megan dwyer live at city hall with more on the company's collaboration with the city.

NBC5 News at 11AM: MLL joins Grubhub to announce economic relief for small businesses

*B-Roll of MLL speaking at presser

* MLL: the reality is that less people are choosing to dine in, leaving restaurants to rely more and more on pick-up and delivery orders to keep their doors open and stay afloat. folks, this is a huge deal, and it is a testament to grubhub and their leadership, possibly providing a total of $100 million in cash flow assistance to restaurants across the country.

CBS2 News at 11AM: MLL joins Grubhub to announce economic relief for small businesses

*B-Roll of MLL speaking at press conference

*MLL: this is critically important that people step up, not treat this as the status quo but to do things that are important to really support our workers, our people in neighborhoods who are most in need. and I commend grub hub for realizing that.

ANCHOR: from fine dining to storefronts, businesses are really hurting because fears are keeping customers at home.

Grubhub won’t charge independent restaurants for its delivery services during the coronavirus

TRIBUNE//Alexia Elejalde Ruiz

Grubhub won’t charge independent restaurants for its delivery services during the coronavirus crisis, pledging to forgo up to $100 million in revenue. CEO Matt Maloney made the announcement Friday flanked by Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Illinois Restaurant Association head Sam Toia and several local restaurant owners. The Chicago-based delivery platform will suspend its fees to help restaurants weather the hit to business as COVID-19 fears keep people from eating out.

Grubhub temporarily cancels delivery fees to restaurants impacted by coronavirus

SUN TIMES//Mitch Dudek

Grubhub announced Friday it will temporarily stop charging a delivery fee to independent restaurants to help ease financial suffering as fewer and fewer people are choosing to dine in as a result of the coronavirus. “We’re prepared to delay up to $100 million in our revenue to help these restaurants be more solvent and help them fulfill their commitments to their staff, the majority of which are hourly workers who unfortunately will bear the brunt of this economic crisis,”

Grubhub Won’t Collect $100 Million From Restaurants To Help During Coronavirus Struggle

BLOCK CLUB//Kelly Bauer

DOWNTOWN — Food delivery company Grubhub is letting restaurants around the country keep up to $100 million in commissions. The move is expected to help restaurants save money and stay afloat as they struggle to bring in customers during the spread of coronavirus. Grubhub, a Chicago-based company, made the announcement with Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Friday morning.

CTU CALLS FOR CPS SCHOOLS TO BE CLOSED

ABC7 News at 5PM: CTU calls for CPS schools to be closed

*B-roll of MLL at press conference

*MLL: Many of our children in CPS rely upon the schools to eat every day. 70% of the CPS school community is low income families. They get at least two and in some instances three meals a day.

ANCHOR: until the governor’s announcement just a short time ago, Mayor Lightfoot was planning to keep chicago public schools open. Sarah schulte is here now to explain why.

CBS2 News at 5PM: CTU calls for CPS schools to be closed

ANCHOR: Earlier today, the mayor was saying public schools will stay open in chicago. a complete 180 now. what changed?

NBC5 News at 4PM: CTU calls for CPS schools to be closed

*B-roll of MLL speaking to press conference

*MLL: when we close schools, that means in a lot of instances parents have to stay home. that could mean that we are taking nurses and doctors out of hospitals. We also know that many of our parents are hourly workers and they would have to stay home because of the cost and/or availability of child care. many of our children in cps rely upon the schools to eat every day. 70% of cps school community is low-income families and they get at least two and in some instances three meals a day at schools.

AHERN: We have been told by several sources that governor Pritzker is about to annoucne that schools state-wide will close at least for the next two weeks.

ABC7 News at 4PM: CTU calls for CPS schools to be closed

*B-roll of MLL speaking at press conference

*MLL: Many of our children depend on CPS schools to eat every day. 70% of the CPS school community is low income families. They get at least two, and in some instances three meals a day at schools.

ANCHOR: the Chicago Teachers Union is calling for schools to close immediately out of concern for the covid-19 pandemic. Mayor Lori Lightfoot spoke about her own concerns that closing schools could have on cps students.

NBC5 News at 11AM: CTU calls for CPS schools to be closed

*B-Roll of MLL speaking at press conference

*MLL: particularly the question of whether or not our schools should or should not remain open is something that we have frequent conversations about all day long. we start the day with that question among others and we continue to assess things with our partners at cps on a regular basis, and we will continue to do that.

ANCHOR: the chicago teachers union is concerned about the safety of students, families and employees as schools remain open. today leaders are expected to publicly issue new demands.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot says public schools to remain open, teachers union wants them to close

TRIBUNE//John Byrne and Hannah Leone

Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Friday said she has no immediate plans to close Chicago schools to slow the spread of the coronavirus, even as Catholic schools in the city and suburbs will be shuttered for the foreseeable future. Lightfoot’s comments came just before the Chicago Teachers Union called Friday for schools to be closed and that the city declare a “state of emergency”.

CTU calls for immediate closure of all Chicago Public Schools

CRAIN’S//A.D. Quig and Greg Hinz

The Chicago Teachers Union is calling for city officials to close all CPS schools, including charter and contract schools, "given the rapid expansion of COVID-19 cases in the region." The union also wants its members to get an additional 15 paid sick leave days “to align with the quarantine period for COVID-19.” The CTU demanded initially that the district close schools that will be used as polling places for Tuesday's primary and deep clean them the same night, before students return.

Chicago Teachers Union calls for school closures amid coronavirus outbreak

SUN TIMES//Mitchell Armentrout

The Chicago Teachers Union is calling for an immediate closure of Chicago Public Schools in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Thursday schools would remain open, despite issuing an order to cancel gatherings of 250 people or more.

Teachers Union Demands CPS Close All Schools Due to Coronavirus Concerns

BLOCK CLUB//Joe Ward and Kelly Bauer

DOWNTOWN — The Chicago Teachers Union is demanding Chicago close all its schools as coronavirus spreads. Chicago’s public schools, which serve more than 300,000 students, have remained open — and Mayor Lori Lightfoot has repeatedly said there are currently no plans to close them, though that’s being reassessed multiple times each day.

GUNMAN FOUND GUILTY IN THE MURDER OF COMMANDER PAUL BAUER

FOX32 News at 5PM: Gunman found guilty in the murder of Commander Paul Bauer

ANCHOR: and a guilty verdict in the murder of Chicago Police Commander paul bauer.

NBC5 News at 5PM: Gunman found guilty in the murder of Commander Paul Bauer

ANCHOR: today a jury turned in a guilty verdict in the murder trial of a man who shot and killed a beloved Chicago police commander. Shamari Legghette showed no emotion as the jury read the verdict aloud in open court. Prosecurotrs told the jury that it was Legghette alone who shot and killed bauer in February, 2018 as he pursued the four-time felon down a Thompson Center stairway. the defense argued that his client didn't know who was chasing him and acted in self-defense.

WGN News at 4, 5PM: Gunman found guilty in the murder of Commander Paul Bauer

ANCHOR: a guilty verdict for the man charged with killing chicago police commander paul bauer. wgn's megan dwyer is live at the cook county criminal courthouse now with an update.

DWYER: yeah, this was an incredibly emotional verdict today when leaving the courtroom

you had officers and family members lined up as cook county state's attorney kim foxx went in to hug her prosecutors after this guilty verdict.

ABC7 News at 4, 5PM: Gunman found guilty in the murder of Commander Paul Bauer

ANCHOR: a guilty verdict in the trial of shomari legghette accused of killing police commander paul bauer. John Garcia is live with the latest.

NBC5 News at 4PM: Gunman found guilty in the murder of Commander Paul Bauer

ANCHOR: until then, we'll tell you about more breaking news this afternoon, the man who shot and killed a beloved chicago police commander is now a convicted murderer. a jury found shamari lagetti guilty of first degree murder in COmmander Paul Bauer’s death. This happened just about an hour ago. Bauer’s shooting in broad daylight two years ago in the loop stunned the city.

WOJCIECHOWSKI: it was a solemn event in that courtroom. it was not an unexpected verdict but it was one the jury took less than two hours to achieve.

FOX32 News at NOON: Jury deliberates the case of Shomari Legghette

ANCHOR: the fate of the man charged with killing chicago police commander paul bauer is now in the hands of a cook county jury. closing arguments were made this morning in the trial of shomari legghette who shot and killed commander bauer near the thompson center following a short foot chase in 2018. during the 2-week trial, legghette's defense attorney has admitted legghette shot bauer but has been trying to convince the jury the four time felon did not know

Jury convicts Shomari Legghette of first-degree murder in killing of Chicago police Cmdr. Paul Bauer

TRIBUNE//Megan Crepeau and Madeline Buckley

A Cook County jury has found Shomari Legghette guilty on all counts — including first-degree murder — in the shocking broad-daylight slaying of police Cmdr. Paul Bauer in Chicago’s Loop two years ago. The conviction brings to a close one of the most high-profile police murder trials in recent Chicago history. And the verdict all but guarantees Legghette, 46, will spend the rest of his life behind bars, as Illinois law mandates life sentences for adults convicted of murdering police officers in the course of their duties.

Gunman found guilty of murdering CPD Cmdr. Paul Bauer

SUN TIMES//Andy Grimm

A Cook County jury Friday found a four-time felon guilty of murdering Chicago Police Cmdr. Paul Bauer. Shomari Legghette, 46, was found guilty on all counts of murder and armed violence charges. The jury also found that Legghette knew Bauer was a police officer when he shot him in a downtown stairwell in February 2018.

Closing arguments conclude in trial of man accused of killing Chicago police Cmdr. Paul Bauer

TRIBUNE//Megan Crepeau and Madeline Buckley

After a nearly two-week trial, attorneys have made their closing arguments in the case of Shomari Legghette, who is charged in the slaying of Chicago Police Cmdr. Paul Bauer. Jurors were expected to be instructed Friday by Cook County Judge Erica Reddick after a recess, and would then begin their work to decide the case. Legghette is charged with first-degree murder and armed violence in Bauer’s 2018 broad-daylight slaying.

Jury begins deliberations in trial of man accused of killing Chicago police Cmdr. Paul Bauer

TRIBUNE//Megan Crepeau and Madeline Buckley

Jurors have begun their deliberations in the trial of Shomari Legghette for the 2018 slaying of Chicago police Cmdr. Paul Bauer, starting their work to sift through evidence they heard over nearly two weeks of testimony. The jury was sent back late Friday morning after being instructed by Cook County Judge Erica Reddick. Legghette is charged with first-degree murder and armed violence in Bauer’s broad-daylight slaying in the Loop, a killing which stunned the city.

OTHER MLL NEWS

ABC7 News at 6PM: MLL gives community update following mandate for CPS closures

ABC7 News at 11AM: CACC holds fee-waived adoption event

ANCHOR: This weekend you can actually bring home a dog or a cat. Chicago Animal Care and Control is celebrating St. Patrick’s Day by waiving adoption fees for pets 6 months and older. Adoption hours are noon to 7pm on Saturday and Sunday you must be 18 to adopt. So there’s something you can do since the parade is canceled!

NBC5 News at 11AM: CDPH reassures that the risk for children is low

ANCHOR: a lot of parents are concerned about this. today the Chicago Public Health Department talked about why the coronavirus is so unique when it comes to children.

Some aldermen want a new deal with Peoples Gas

CRAIN’S//A.D. Quig

Make Clark Street North Of Lawrence Avenue More Friendly To Pedestrians And Cyclists, Aldermen Say

BLOCK CLUB//Alex V. Hernandez

UPTOWN— A stretch of Clark Street north of Lawrence Avenue would get new restrictions on car sales, vehicle repair shops and more to encourage a more pedestrian friendly future, under a plan being pushed by Ald. Matt Martin (47th). Existing businesses would be grandfathered in, but Martin wants to preserve and expand the pedestrian friendly nature of Clark Street by extending the existing pedestrian designation along the commercial corridor for future businesses.

South Shore Neighbors Blindsided As Plan To Turn Closed School Into Police Training Center Is Resurrected

BLOCK CLUB//Maxwell Evans

SOUTH SHORE — Neighbors say they didn’t get a proper chance to vet the city’s controversial plan to revamp an old South Shore school into a police and fire training center — but the city’s moving forward with it anyway. First proposed under former Mayor Rahm Emanuel, the push to transform the old South Shore High School into a training center has been stalled. But the plan has been resurrected under Mayor Lori Lightfoot, despite Ald. Michelle Harris (8th) hosting just two meetings on the project, one attended by few neighbors and with little notice.

City Colleges of Chicago to move classes online over coronavirus concerns

SUN TIMES//Staff

City Colleges of Chicago plans to move classes online after spring break in response to the spread of coronavirus. Spring break will start one week earlier on March 30, and will run through April 12, when most classes will move to “remote learning,” City Colleges of Chicago Chancellor Juan Salgado said in a letter to students.

CPS plans for providing student meals in event of school closures due to coronavirus

TRIBUNE//Hannah Leone

In a city where more than three-quarters of public school students are economically disadvantaged and they all get free breakfast and lunch, Chicago Public Schools has a big void to fill in the lives of 355,000 youth if more of its schools close amid efforts to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Though school districts don’t have to provide meals if schools close for COVID-19, state and federal agencies, including the Illinois State Board of Education, have recommended it.

Vaughn Student In Chicago With Fever And Cough Left In Limbo Untested

WBEZ//Adriana Cardona-Maguigad and Sarah Karp

Chicago public health officials told students from Vaughn Occupational High School that were showing coronavirus-like symptoms they could get tested in a tent outside the school, but a series of missteps left at least one student in limbo for several days. All Vaughn students, staff and school visitors were asked to self-quarantine after a teacher’s aide at the school tested positive for COVID-19 on March 6. Vaughn is a school for 212 students with special needs.

Whitney Young High School employee removed after allegation of inappropriate interaction with student

SUN TIMES//Matthew Hendrickson

An employee at Whitney Young Magnate High School on the Near West Side has been removed from the school following an allegation that the worker interacted inappropriately with a student, according to officials. Principal Joyce Kenner made the announcement Friday in a message sent to students and parents at the school and said the incident was under investigation by the Office of the Inspector General for Chicago Public Schools.

COVID-19

Coronavirus disruptions could strain Chicago’s finances and pension funds

TRIBUNE//Gregory Pratt and John Byrne

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread around the world and cause disruptions across the United States, it is also threatening to upend the city of Chicago’s budget and further stretch its already tight finances. Already, the rapidly spreading disease has cost the city potentially millions of dollars in tax revenue from canceled conventions and celebrations such as the St. Patrick’s Day parades.

Why closing Chicago’s public schools is such a hard decision — even if it seems necessary

SUN TIMES//Nader Issa

At Chicago Public Schools, a district with 270,000 students who are poor and 17,000 homeless, the decision is harder than it looks to close its more than 640 schools for coronavirus mitigation. Some school districts, states and even countries have taken that step to deal with the growing number of COVID-19 cases and the anxiety that’s sweeping the world along with it.

Thermometers, curbside pickup and sealed bags: Restaurants aim for virus safety

CRAIN’S//Dalton Barker

Chicago restaurants and bars are making bold decisions to deal with the coronavirus.

Lakeview’s Schoolyard Tavern & Grill is screening all staff and guests with contactless thermometers. It's also converting to disposable plates and cups, limiting capacity and accepting only credit cards. Anyone with a fever will be turned away and there will be no standing room, Schoolyard said in a statement on Instagram.

Is it safe to eat out? Chicago restaurants and health experts weigh in

TRIBUNE//Louisa Chu, Nick Kindelsperger and Grace Wong

Chicago restaurants and bars flooded customer and media email inboxes Thursday with statements assuring the health and safety of patrons, while public health officials promoted social distancing. Even as new Illinois cases where announced in the COVID-19 epidemic, businesses released details of their cleaning practices, in posts online and in signs on site.

So is it still safe to dine out?

Cook County treasurer, assessor offices close due to coronavirus concerns

SUN TIMES//Rachel Hinton

Two Cook County offices closed Friday due to concerns about the spread of the coronavirus.

Treasurer Maria Pappas closed her office at noon Friday citing a need to “safeguard” taxpayers and employees. Assessor Fritz Kaegi also decided to shutter his downtown and suburban branch offices “until further notice.” “The work of our office, as well as that of the Clerk, Treasurer and Board of Review, ensures local governmental bodies have the funds and resources to serve the public in a crisis like this,”

Archdiocese of Chicago Suspends Mass, Closes Schools Due to Coronavirus

WTTW//Kristen Thometz

Mass at all Archdiocese of Chicago churches will be suspended starting Saturday until further notice in an effort to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus. “This is not a decision I made lightly,” Cardinal Blase J. Cupich said in a statement. The action comes following a recommendation announced Thursday by city and state officials to cancel events with crowds of 250 people or more.

Chicago-area Catholic schools closing indefinitely because of coronavirus

TRIBUNE//Staff

All Chicago-area Catholic schools were closing effective Monday because of the prevalence of COVID-19, according to a letter distributed to some parents of Catholic school students. It wasn’t yet determined when the closure would end.

Cook County Jail implements new coronavirus screening procedures

SUN TIMES//Staff

The Cook County sheriff’s office has announced new precautions against the spread of the coronavirus at the Cook County Jail. While the jail has not had any reported cases of COVID-19, the new measures “have been implemented to ensure the health and safety of everyone who enters the facility,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement Thursday.

Chicago companies beef up video conferencing, cybersecurity as coronavirus prompts race to work from home

TRIBUNE//Ally Marotti

Businesses often have a contingency plan — a Plan B — in case workers can’t get to the office when there’s a power outage, natural disaster or extraordinary circumstances, like in Chicago last winter when a polar vortex plunged temperatures far below zero. But few companies expected their backup plans to be deployed for a worldwide pandemic.

Shedd Aquarium to close out of coronavirus caution, joins Lincoln Park Zoo

TRIBUNE//Steve Johnson

Shedd Aquarium, one of Chicago’s leading attractions, will close for at least two weeks beginning Friday afternoon “in support of city and statewide preventative measures to limit the additional spread and transmission of the novel coronavirus,” the institution announced Friday morning. The Shedd joins Lincoln Park Zoo in closing in reaction both to the COVID-19 pandemic and to Illinois’ new ban on large gatherings.

‘Chicago Fire’ and other TV shows halt production due to COVID-19 concerns

TRIBUNE//Nina Metz

NBC is wrapping production on “Chicago Fire,” “Chicago P.D.” and “Chicago Med” in the next day or so, in light of concerns about the spread of COVID-19. The news comes on the heels of both the city and state banning gatherings over 1,000 for the next 30 days. Organizers of public and private events expected to draw more than 250 people have also been encouraged to postpone until May 1.

Some Chicago museums temporarily closing amid coronavirus crisis

SUN TIMES//Ahlaam Delange

Some major museums in Chicago are canceling events and temporarily closing their doors to help curb the spread of the coronavirus. The Shedd Aquarium planned to close at 3:30 p.m. Friday and remain closed through March 29. All scheduled events and programs are canceled but may be rescheduled.

COLUMNISTS AND EDITORIALS

Here’s what Woodlawn needs for its middle class to grow and thrive

SUN TIMES//Ed Zotti

“I was Malia Obama’s soccer coach,” George Davis says, talking about what he likes about living in Woodlawn. “The breadth of African American experience here is like nowhere else,” Davis says. “Everything you can imagine, you find black people doing. You don’t have many places with a lot of African Americans who are middle class. I wanted my kids to be around that.”

Battle over control of Union Station goes nuclear

CRAIN’S//Greg Hinz

The tug-of-war over control of Chicago Union Station intensified today as U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski, D-Chicago, filed legislation to turn operational control of the historic facility over to Metra, while station-owner Amtrak countered that Lipinski's bill would force it to end its service here.

Lipinski has been threatening such action for months as negotiations over a new lease between Metra and Amtrak broke down over financial and other concerns.

FULL TRANSCRIPTS

ABC7 News at 6PM: MLL gives community update following mandate for CPS closures

ANCHOR: you are listening to a truly unprecedented call for a community effort to stop or at the very least slow the spread of this virus with schools across the state closed for two weeks starting tuesday. key points we want to mention here. First off, the Mayor mentioning the safest place for the kids is their own homes. Later dr. Arwady stressing that maybe the grandparents are not the best ones to watch the kids, because they are more susceptible to this disease than young people are. there was a lot of concern making this call, not only with childcare, but food programs in existence. they are trying to work out the locations, they’re gonna be established starting next week. Dr. Janice Jackson, cps ceo, announcing that all cps locations will act as food distribution centers during this time the two weeks the students will be at home. they are stressing access to food for families of cps is important to them. they will continue to provide that for the students. all cps locations will eventually become food distribution centers from 9:00 in the morning until 1:00 in the afternoon. the mayor making a call to businesses all across the city to as accommodating as possible and saying specifically no parent should be forced to choose between caring for their kids and fighting for a paycheck. the park district having 18 locations open for kids to go to. they will have programs. schools will be giving kids learning packets on Monday that they can take home. we have continuous coverage of this on abc7chicago.com.

ABC7 News at 5PM: CTU calls for CPS schools to be closed

*B-roll of MLL at press conference

*MLL: many of our children in CPS rely upon the schools to eat every day. 70% of the cps school community is low income families. they get at least two and in some instances three meals a day.

ANCHOR: until the governor’s announcement just a short time ago, Mayor Lightfoot was planning to keep chicago public schools open. Sarah schulte is here now to explain why.

SCHULTE: Mayor Lightfoot says she is concerned about how working parents will care for their kids. In addition, she and her health commissioner says if someone does tests positive, it is easier to track and test an entire school community if schools stays open. CPS students leave school today and will return Monday, but not for long. despite a decision by Mayor Lori Lightfoot to keep cps open, governor pritzker ordered schools closed statewide starting on tuesday.

PEPIN: it is best to take precautions on the kids because in kindergarten you got kids they’re playing, rubbing their face with friends. anything is possible.

WILLIAMS: i think cps should close. other schools are closing due to the fact that the kids can get it.

SCHULTE: this morning, Lightfoot explained her decision to keep cps open. she worries closing schools will have a significant secondary effect.

MLL: many of our children in CPS rely upon the schools to eat every day. 70% of the cps school community is low income families. they get at least two and in some instances three meals a day.

SCHULTE: Lightfoot is concerned about working parents affording childcare. she and her commissioner of public health a pediatrician dr. Allison arwady argue it is easier to keep track and contain the virus within a school community if a school is open. after a teacher’s aid tested positive for covid-19, the teachers, students and their families were quarantined.

ARWADY: we’ve been testing individuals if they’ve had any symptoms. tracking more than 400 individuals.

SHCULTE: and from what has been learned from cases in china, dr. arwady says kids rarely get the virus.

ARWADY: 2.4% of those cases have been in children 18 and younger. 97%, 98% have been in adults. when children have gotten sick, by and large, they have gotten mildly ill.

SCHULTE: some parents don't buy it.

PEPIN: they don’t know much about the virus to say that. anything is possible.

SCHULTE: and for students who rely on schools for three meals a day, governor pritzker says meals will be distributed. officials are still figuring out the guidelines on how to get that done. Mayor Lori Lightfoot will explain more about cps at a 6:00 p.m. news conference. the chicago teachers union strongly supports closing schools.

FOX32 News at 5PM: Gunman found guilty in the murder of Commander Paul Bauer

ANCHOR: and a guilty verdict in the murder of Chicago Police Commander paul bauer.

PLACKO: it was a remarkably fast verdict. the jury taking just a little over two hours to find shomari legghette guilty on all charges. fatal gunshots being fired was played in court during closing arguments this morning. Commander Paul Bauer was gunned down in February of 2018 while pursuing legghette down a stairwell outside the Thompson Center. Leghette showed no emotion as the guilty verdicts were read in court. Commander Bauer’s family was in the courtroom for the decision as were dozens of chicago police officers.

FOXX: it was a right and just verdict given the facts, the evidence, and the law. and while we celebrate the verdict, this is obviously an incredibly somber day for the people in the city of chicago.

RICCIO: we are delighted with the outcome and we will never stop mourning the loss. But we are delighted that there was justice today.

PLACKO: the Bauer family released a statement thanking prosecutors and calling the verdict a bittersweet decision for everyone who loved paul. Prosecutors plan to ask for a sentence of life in prison.

FOX32 News at 5PM: MLL joins Grubhub to announce economic relief for small businesses

*MLL addressing press conference

*MLL: There’s no question that this will relieve the impact of restaurants here in Chicago and across the country who are suffering as a result of the fallout from the COVID-19 epidemic.

CEO MALONEY: we have decided to suspend a collection of all marketing fees for our restaurants for the foreseeable future to help restaurants whether the storm.

MLL: There’s no question that this will relieve the impact of restaurants here in Chicago and across the country who are suffering as a result of the fallout from the COVID-19 epidemic.

ANCHOR: grubhub partners with 10,000 restaurants in the chicago area.

CBS2 News at 5PM: CTU calls for CPS schools to be closed

ANCHOR: Earlier today, the mayor was saying public schools will stay open in chicago. a complete 180 now. what changed?

KOZLOV: well, certainly the governor's mandate changed. we're going to hear more about what Mayor Lori Lightfoot has to say about the governor's mandate, the governor's decision. at 6:00 when she is now holding another news conference at city hall, but you're right, just this morning, she really dug in her heels saying she needed to keep cps open, that that was a decision based on facts and consultations with health professionals, but she needed to do it because, by the way, there are roughly 4 hundred thousand students and a lot of those students need the schools open for meals. sometimes three a day for childcare and that sort of thing. there are also safety components. she said she would continue to re-evaluate the decision daily, but this afternoon, governor J.B. Pritzker obviously made that decision for her. again, we expect to hear about her plans for those 397,000 or so students who might need meals. exactly what this looks like for all cps families and teachers, and whether she plans to close schools monday instead of waiting until tuesday. all of that, we expect to learn more at 6:00 at that news conference.

NBC5 News at 5PM: Gunman found guilty in the murder of Commander Paul Bauer

WGN News at 4, 5PM: Gunman found guilty in the murder of Commander Paul Bauer

ANCHOR: a guilty verdict for the man charged with killing chicago police commander paul bauer. wgn's megan dwyer is live at the cook county criminal courthouse now with an update.

DWYER: yeah, this was an incredibly emotional verdict today when leaving the courtroom

you had officers and family members lined up as cook county state's attorney kim foxx went in to hug her prosecutors after this guilty verdict. leghette is a former basketball star turned drug dealer. decided earlier this week he would not take the stand in his own defense and his lawyer admitted today that really hurt their case. bauer was a 31 year veteran of the police force he was at the thompson center in february 2018 when he heard a call about a fleeing suspect. his colleagues had already tried to stop leghette once that afternoon for urinating in public. today his lawyer argued he acted like a reasonable person would in those circumstances because he was being attacked by a stranger they argued he had no idea bauer was a cop. a prosecutor said today leghette had on what they called a weapon system, a bulletproof vest a gun with an extended magazine and along heavy ice pick. that's tough. his friend testified this week he carried daily for protection in the streets because he was a drug dealer for 25 seconds that day in the middle of the afternoon bauer and leghette were alone in the stairwell before those fatal shots rang out. those shots were played today in the courtroom while bowers family struggled to listen. today a jury only taking a couple of hours to reach a guilty verdict.

FOXX: they literally put their lives on the line on behalf of the people of chicago every day. this verdict is a reminder of the great work that they do and the importance of that work.

CHICAGOAN: again we'll never stop mourning the loss but we're delighted that there was justice today.

DWYER: paul bauer's family today did not want to speak, but they did hand out a statement to the media they called paul bauer an absolute hero saying today is a bittersweet day for everyone who loved him. they're happy with the verdict but still overwhelmed by sadness and they thanked members of the jury for being courageous enough to vote guilty on these first-degree murder charges and armed violence charges. they told the jury members they did the right thing. Sentencing in this case is set for later in april he could be facing a life sentence.

ABC7 News at 4:30PM: MLL joins Grubhub to announce economic relief for small businesses

*B-roll of MLL at press conference

*MLL: there is an impact across the city on local economy. There is no if, ands, or buts about it. it is too soon to say what the entirety of that impact is. But in terms of city revenues, I think we are well situated. we have an incredibly diverse economy. we are not like other cities dependent on one industry.

ANCHOR: there is also a push to help restaurants and small businesses. alexis mcadams is live with that .

MCADAMS: restaurants across chicago were hit hard by covid 19 pandamic already. Owners of some of the city’s popular restaurants telling us tonight they have not seen a dip in sales like this since 9/11. all hands on deck to curb cases of covid-19. As the outbreak continues the city of chicago feeling the impact.

MLL: disrupting our daily lives, impacting our economy and harming small businesses and giving workers real anxiety.

MCADAMS: the chicago restaurant industry one of the hardest hit. The Illinois restaurant association said sales across the city down 40% to 70%. R. j. melman of lettuce entertain you restaurant group says customers are canceling reservations.

MELMAN: there was a trickle for the last three weeks. we started to see cancellation of events. event driven businesses started to feel it first. And then I’d say within the last seven days a gigantic cliff fell off.

MCADAMS: to help out, grubhub temporarily suspending collection of up to $100 million in commission payments from impacted independent restaurants nationwide. Matt Maloney, the president of the restaurant delivery service trying to help businesses and their hourly employees.

MALONEY: it is at least thousands of dollars a month. It is a big deal, it is a lot of cash that they are going to be keeping at their restaurants because we frankly don't know how this will play out.

MCADAMS: millions of dollars in tax revenue is now also at risk as conventions and celebrations cancel across the city.

MLL: there is an impact across the city on local economy. There is no if, ands, or buts about it. it is too soon to say what the entirety of that impact is. But in terms of city revenues, I think we are well situated. we have an incredibly diverse economy. we are not like other cities dependent on one industry.

MCADAMS: city’s top health leaders reminding people to stay home if you are sick. do not unnecessarily isolate. they want you to go on your daily routine. Back to you.

ABC7 News at 4PM: CTU calls for CPS schools to be closed

*B-roll of MLL speaking at press conference

*MLL: many of our children depend on cps schools to eat every day. 70% of the cps school community is low income families. They get at least two, and in some instances three meals a day at schools.

ANCHOR: the chicago teachers union is calling for schools to close immediately out of concern for the covid-19 pandemic. Mayor Lori Lightfoot spoke about her own concerns that closing schools could have on cps students.

MLL: many of our children depend on cps schools to eat every day. 70% of the cps school community is low income families. They get at least two, and in some instances three meals a day at schools.

ANCHOR: Mayor Lightfoot also said closing schools has another effect. it means parents may have to stay home from work. that could potentially take doctors and nurses away from their job. other parents could suffer financially if they can't work.

ABC7 News at 4, 5PM: Gunman found guilty in the murder of Commander Paul Bauer

ANCHOR: a guilty verdict in the trial of shomari legghette accused of killing police commander paul bauer. John Garcia is live with the latest.

GARCIA: after nearly two weeks of testimony, it took jurors less than three hours to come up with those verdicts, guilty on all counts. 46-year-old shomari legghette was pretty much expressionless as those verdicts were read in court. he claimed he fired at commander paul bauer in the stairwell near the state of illinois building in self-defense, but he never took the stand to tell the jury his side. his lawyer said it was his decision not to take the stand. prosecutors praised commander paul bauer as a hero doing his job trying to take legghette into custody a little more than two years ago. prosecutors held the gun legghette used and said he acted like a criminal trying to escape, not someone trying to defend himself. prosecutors spoke to the media a few minutes ago.

FOXX: it is a right and just verdict given the facts, the evidence and the law. while we celebrate the verdict, it is a somber day for chicago and the horrific loss of commander bauer in this senseless act of violence.

GARCIA: commander bauer's family issued a statement, a written statement a short time ago which reads in part "today is a bittersweet day for everyone who loved paul. we are happy and relieved with the verdict, but are overwhelmed with sadness that he is no longer with us." legghette now eligible for a life sentence. prosecutors say that is what they intend to ask for during sentencing next month.

NBC5 News at 4PM: Gunman found guilty in the murder of Commander Paul Bauer

WOJCIECHOWSKI: it was a solemn event in that courtroom. it was not an unexpected verdict but it was one the jury took less than two hours to achieve. The Alderman Brian Hopkins from that ward says there is no justice here, if there was justice commander bauer would still be alive but he said this is something his ward needs. as he has throughout the whole trial, jamar legghette showed no emotion when the verdict was read aloud in open court. prosecutors told the jury it was Leghetti and only Leghetti who was responsible for the February, 2018 murder of chicago police commander paul bauer as he pursued the four-time felon down a thompson center stairway.

LAINER: you have just observed the final moments of commander Paul bauer's life, where this defendant led him from the corner of clark and lake to his death because he could not afford to get arrested.

WOJCIECHOWSKI: but legghette's attorney maintains his client was a drug dealer and didn't know who was chasing him. he opened fire, Scott Kaimin claims, in self-defense.

KAIMIN: it's really hard to ascribe responsibility for this than to commander bauer himself for not identifying himself as a police officer.

WOJCIECHOWSKI: among those in attendance today, bauer's widow and family along with top police brass including the deputy superintendent and the new commander of the 18th district. Jill Stevens. they watched as prosecutors described Leghetti as a human weapon system, outfitted with body armor and an extended-clip handgun, capable of holding 27 rounds.

MAHER: he had paul bauer outsized, outmuscled and certainly outgunned.

WOJCIECHOWSKI: there's a statement tonight from the bauer family. they have not come in front of cameras, saying today is bittersweet for everyone who loved paul. we are so happy and relieved with the verdict but overwhelmed with sadness that he is no longer with us legghette now could face life behind bars.

NBC5 News at 4PM: CTU calls for CPS schools to be closed

*MLL speaking to press conference

*MLL: when we close schools, that means in a lot of instances parents have to stay home. that could mean that we are taking nurses and doctors out of hospitals. We also know that many of our parents are hourly workers and they would have to stay home because of the cost and/or availability of child care. many of our children in cps rely upon the schools to eat every day. 70% of cps school community is low-income families and they get at least two and in some instances three meals a day at schools.

AHERN: We have been told by several sources that governor Pritzker is about to annoucne that schools state-wide will close at least for the next two weeks. We are awaiting that official announcement from him here at the Thompson Center. However, several school superintendents we have spoken to who are here to be present at this news conference as well as even chicago public school students, have been told by several parents they have been sent home. those students with google classroom work for next week. earlier this morning, Mayor Lori Lightfoot, as well as the city's public health director, that it wasn't yet time to close the chicago public schools. this would be a departure if all statewide schools including chicago's are closed. we are here standing by to hear that official announcement from him but our sources are telling us that the governor will indeed close all schools throughout the state at least for two weeks. reporting live from the thomson center, mary ann ahern.

ANCHOR: as of this moment, though, chicago public schools are still open but the teachers union is pushing for the district to close. they plan to speak after the governor this afternoon. there are more than 300,000 students within cps. Mayor. Lghtfoot says there are a lot of cascading consequences to consider.

MLL: when we close schools, that means in a lot of instances parents have to stay home. that could mean that we are taking nurses and doctors out of hospitals. We also know that many of our parents are hourly workers and they would have to stay home because of the cost and/or availability of child care. many of our children in cps rely upon the schools to eat every day. 70% of cps school community is low-income families and they get at least two and in some instances three meals a day at schools.

ANCHOR: That’s a tough situation for a lot of families. Mayor Lightfoot says if the district gets to a point where it does close schools, it will do everything it can to minimize the burdens on households. classes are cancelled for all catholic schools within the archdiocese of chicago in cook and lake counties. That starts on Monday and until further notice. students will do work through electronic learning. There will also be no extra-curricular activities or school events. DO not plan on going to a Catholic church this weekend. Starting tomorrow the diocese is suspending all masses.

FOX32 News at NOON: Jury deliberates the case of Shomari Legghette

KAMIN: it wasn't commander bauer's job to work the beat, to chase after people, and, he forgot that he wasn't -- he did not appear as a police officer. he just did not do anything to try to change that point of view.

LANIER: there is no evidence that shows that the defendant had any belief whether it was reasonable or unreasonable in the need to defend himself. all of the circumstances of this case directly contradict that.

ANCHOR: a jury is expected to break for lunch shortly and will begin deliberating the case this afternoon.

FOX32 News at NOON: MLL joins Grubhub to announce economic relief for small businesses

*B-Roll of MLL speaking at press conference

*MLL: there is no question that this will relieve the impact of restaurants here in chicago and across the country who are suffering as a result of the fallout from the covid- 19 epidemic.

ANCHOR: a major food delivery service is taking steps to help restaurants survive the coronavirus pandemic. Mayor Lori Lightfoot announcing that grub hub, which is based in chicago, will be suspending collection of up to $100 million in commission payments from the restaurant it serves across the country. grub hub says it's estimated in-restaurant dining by as much as 70% because of coronavirus fears.

MALONEY: we decided to suspend a collection of all marketing fees for our restaurants for the foreseeable future, to help restaurants weather this storm.

MLL: there is no question that this will relieve the impact of restaurants here in chicago and across the country who are suffering as a result of the fallout from the covid- 19 epidemic.

ANCHOR: grub hub partners with 10,000 restaurants in the chicago area.

WGN News at 11:30AM: MLL joins Grubhub to announce economic relief for small businesses

*B-Roll of MLL speaking at press conference

*MLL: this is what true civic leadership looks like.

DWYER: in the coming weeks, it's expected that people are going to stop going to restaurants potentially altogether relying a lot on delivery services here and the restaurant industry actually told us at a press conference this morning in the last week business has really just jumped off a cliff. and so grub hub is now deciding to waive its marketing fees. this is intended to be an immediate cash flow really for local independent restaurants and they're estimating it will help save, not restaurant chains just the local restaurants, at least a few $1000 right up front. they will waive these marketing fees for the foreseeable future up to a $100 million total. they're also thinking about ways about how to support their drivers and the restaurant workers who will likely bear the brunt of this economic crisis. grub hub is also now raising money for charity to eventually distribute money to drivers who might need help making ends meet. this isn't just happening here in chicago grub hub will be doing this for restaurants all over the country and its other locations atlanta boston, san francisco, new york city and Portland. Grub hub says it's important to support its restaurant partners because they are vital to the economy. Mayor Lori Lightfoot this morning saying this is the kind of corporate leadership. we need.

MALONEY: it has been very challenging. it's been unsettling and our leadership team has been really working trying to figure out how do we create real change and not just throw some dollars into a bucket have a committee to find what's going to happen, but how do we help. our restaurant driver partners as much as we can. so we decided to suspend a collection of all marketing fees. for our restaurants for the foreseeable future to help restaurants weather this storm.

MLL: this is what true civic leadership looks like.

DWYER: so they're not sure how long this fee waiver will last they're hoping they don't reach that $100 million mark for everyone's sake but they are stepping up here. today the mayor and her team are also encouraging people to continue going out to eat in chicago a go to restaurants just be vigilant and be safe. we're live in the loop. megan dwyer back to you guys.

ABC7 News at 11AM: CACC holds fee-waived adoption event

NBC5 News at 11AM: CDPH reassures that the risk for children is low

ANCHOR: a lot of parents are concerned about this. today the Chicago Public Health Department talked about why the coronavirus is so unique when it comes to children.

ARWADY: we all know that children in most -- for most diseases actually are big vectors. they have the potential to spread disease a lot, but this particular one, based on what we've seen at this point, does not seem to be -- it is certainly not primarily driven by children, and one of the very few pieces of good news in this whole story has been that children have been largely spared from serious consequences.

ANCHOR: now, that goes for the average chicago area child. officials say extra precautions do need to be taken for children with special needs and compromised immune systems. those children should stay home. data for other kids who have contracted the virus around the world shows their symptoms are typically mild.

NBC5 News at 11AM: CTU leaders detail concerns amid coronavirus concerns

*B-Roll of MLL speaking at press conference

ANCHOR: the chicago teachers union is concerned about the safety of students, families and employees as schools remain open. today leaders are expected to publicly issue new demands. nbc 5's kye martin is live with that story. kye.

MARTIN: chris, the union in the past hour actually changed course very quickly. they told us that, quote, things are developing fast and they're not ready yet to make an announcement like they had planned early this morning. what the union did tell us in a news release was that it has safety concerns, as they put it, for students, teachers and other support staff, and they say they will elaborate on, quote, “specific demands later today.” chicago public schools, as phil and you mentioned, chris, are open today. there are field trip and school-related trip cancellations and the district stresses if coronavirus cases come up the impacted facilities will close.

MLL: particularly the question of whether or not our schools should or should not remain open is something that we have frequent conversations about all day long. we start the day with that question among others and we continue to assess things with our partners at cps on a regular basis, and we will continue to do that.

MARTIN: that was Lightfoot moments ago at city hall. meanwhile at ctu headquarters here on the west side the change of plans happened about five minutes before that announcement was set for 10:00 this morning. we were not given a specific reason why, but ctu says they will be back at the podium to say their piece out here along carol street at 3:30 this afternoon. how many kids are in the chicago public school district? more than 360,000. we're live here on the west side. i'm kye martin. back to you.

NBC5 News at 11AM: MLL joins Grubhub to announce economic relief for small businesses

*B-Roll of MLL speaking at presser

ANCHOR: new at 11:00, as we continue to adjust to what appears to be the new normal the service industry is losing business. this morning Mayor Lightfoot announced an economic relief plan for restaurants and delivery partners as well. live at city hall with more on that story.

TORRES: chris, the mayor made the announcement during a press conference at city hall this morning joined by a couple of restaurant owners, local restaurant owners who say they've seen a significant decline in sales in the past week, and we apologize for the emergency crews that are passing in this area. here is what I can tell you about the specific announcement that we were talking about. starting tomorrow grubhub is going to temporarily suspend the collection of commission payments from independent restaurants in five different cities across the country, and that includes chicago. there's no specific time frame as to how long this is going to go for, but grubhub says it is going to save restaurants thousands of dollars a month and it could help owners survive, make payroll during these trying times.

MLL: the reality is that less people are choosing to dine in, leaving restaurants to rely more and more on pick-up and delivery orders to keep their doors open and stay afloat. folks, this is a huge deal, and it is a testament to grubhub and their leadership, possibly providing a total of $100 million in cash flow assistance to restaurants across the country.

TORRES: and grubhub has also created a fund to help support restaurants and drivers that are impacted by the coronavirus health crisis. diners can actually round up the change from orders they make in order to donate to the fund. department of public health officials saying this morning they do not want to discourage people from going to restaurants. they say if you're not part of the vulnerable population, meaning the elderly or people with preexisting conditions, if you are feeling healthy then go for it. go to the restaurants, just try to stay away from large gatherings. Reporting live from city hall Sandra torres nbc5 news

CBS2 News at 11AM: MLL joins Grubhub to announce economic relief for small businesses

*B-Roll of MLL speaking at press conference

ANCHOR: from fine dining to storefronts, businesses are really hurting because fears are keeping customers at home. This morning a chicago-based company makes a major move to help. we are live from city hall to explain the plan. eric?

COX: good morning, restaurant owners tell me that recently they have seen a 40% to 70% decline in sales through the growing concerns over the coronavirus. just minutes ago, Mayor Lori Lightfoot and the ceo of grub hub, that is a food delivery marketplace based in Chicago, announced that they are trying to help some of the independent restaurant owners and delivery drivers in this area during this time of turbulence.

MALONEY: in addition to that, we are setting up a disaster relief fund from proceeds from the Donate the Change program which currently collects over $1 million per month. these funds will be directed to charities that can directly impact the local restaurants as well as the local drivers, whose lives have been up-ended with this crisis.

MLL: this is critically important that people step up, not treat this as the status quo but to do things that are important to really support our workers, our people in neighborhoods who are most in need. and I commend grub hub for realizing that.

COX: besides setting up a disaster relief fund, grub hub is also halting the marketing fees for restaurants, meaning that those restaurant owners will get 100% of the proceeds for their sale. the company says they are willing to set aside up to $100 million of their own revenue to provide assistance and although the City is encouraging people who feel sick to please stay home, they are also asking diners who are feeling healthy to still frequent area restaurants and support the local economy. I talked to an independent restaurant owner who is worried about the impact the coronavirus might have in the coming weeks. are you worried about the future?

RUFFOLO: a little bit, i am, yes. absolutely. so, until this is over with, to see what is going on, i hope there is help for small businesses.

COX: Grub Hub is also partnering with other cities it includes new York city, san francisco, portland, and seattle to provide assistance for small restaurant owners there. Eric cox cbs2 news.

FULL ARTICLES

CPS plans for providing student meals in event of school closures due to coronavirus

TRIBUNE//Hannah Leone

Though school districts don’t have to provide meals if schools close for COVID-19, state and federal agencies, including the Illinois State Board of Education, have recommended it.

The challenge is greater now than it is over the summer, or than it was during the Chicago teachers strike in the fall, because now they have to figure out a way to do so while keeping people away from each other.

Illinois has joined a growing list of states granted federal waivers allowing them to provide food to students outside of a group setting in the event of school closures specific to coronavirus precautions. The Illinois State Board of Education learned Thursday afternoon their waiver had been granted, a spokeswoman said. Washington, California and Alaska were among the first states granted such waivers, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

CPS has held off on announcing mass closures and has not provided details of a contingency plan. Will Foster, a senior at Walter Payton College Prep, said students there haven’t received any communication from the top about contingency plans “with regard to food or really anything.”

In many school districts statewide, students rely on free breakfast and lunch provided through a federal program. More than three-quarters of CPS students in district-run schools are considered economically disadvantaged — meaning they qualified for free or reduced price lunch before the two meals became free to all students under the federal community eligibility provision, which funds them for all students in locations where more than 40% qualify.

During unexpected closures, schools and eligible community groups that participate in the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs or the Child and Adult Care Food Program can serve meals to children affected by closures through summer food programs, according to ISBE.

However, the food legally has to be served in a group setting known as “congregate feeding," which would defeat the purpose of closing schools to prevent spread of the coronavirus by “social distancing.”

Only in public health emergencies does USDA have the authority to waive this requirement, and during a hearing this week, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue said they’re only able to grant waivers on a case-by-case basis at the request of individual states. However, Perdue said the USDA is agreeing preemptively to grant any request.

“If you ask we are going to say ‘yes,’” Perdue said. “We are essentially saying we just have to fulfill that requirement by being asked, but the answer is yes.”

An ISBE document states their waiver “will provide flexibility to school food authorities and community organizations to distribute meals in affected communities.”

States can also request waivers of other requirements.

The USDA this week announced these “proactive flexibilities” will cover effects tied to COVID-19 school closings through the end of June.

Guidance released Thursday by ISBE encourages schools to keep providing meals if the coronavirus prompts them to close or move to distance learning, or in other circumstances where students are not physically at school.

However, at least in Illinois, each district must figure out how to get the food to each student. Suggestions from ISBE include home delivery, “grab-n-go" locations, or curbside pickup.

For families of Vaughn Occupational High School, the only CPS school to close so far after an aide tested positive for COVID-19 on March 6, district staff have made boxes with three days’ worth of food available for pickup at its warehouse in Brighton Park. The district on Friday said it has also started making deliveries for families without transportation. Volunteers have also been delivering bags of food to families from State Rep. Lindsey LaPointe’s field office in Portage Park.

The effort is mighty, with more than 200 Vaughn families living all over the city.

On Thursday, Gervaise Clay, a field representative for the Chicago Teachers Union whose children are grown, used her lunch break to journey from the CTU’s Near West Side headquarters to pick up bags of food from LaPointe’s office and take them to a family in Belmont Cragin.

Districts also apply individually to ISBE in order to deliver food under the waiver, and must comply with federal standards for meal content and safety. Application questions include anticipated start and end dates, if known; how the school will distribute meals; and how delivery plans will be communicated with families. ISBE advises school food authorities, such as school districts, to apply before they dismiss school. The state board indicated it may approve distributing multiple days’ worth of meals at a time, but the maximum number of meals that can be provided is still two per child per day.

Chicago-area Catholic schools closing indefinitely because of coronavirus

TRIBUNE//Staff

Chicago companies beef up video conferencing, cybersecurity as coronavirus prompts race to work from home

TRIBUNE//Ally Marotti

But few companies expected their backup plans to be deployed for a worldwide pandemic.

The World Health Organization declared Wednesday that the coronavirus outbreak is officially a pandemic, and cases of the disease the virus causes, COVID-19, continue to mount in Illinois. Some Chicago-area companies are telling employees to work remotely.

But even in 2020, when many employees are equipped with the technology to be productive away from the office, preparing an entire workforce to work remotely has required extra effort.

Companies are putting additional cybersecurity measures in place and encouraging videoconferencing. They are questioning whether employees have the equipment they need to be productive at home. They are testing the capability of their servers as well as employees’ ability to access what they need remotely.

And they are doing dry runs. Companies including JPMorgan Chase, Morningstar and Chicago-based data and analytics startup Arity have tested or plan to test their systems by having employees work from home a day.

“Do you really want to learn how to change a tire in the middle of the snowstorm at midnight, or would you rather practice that ahead of time?" said Emad Isaac, vice president of engineering at Arity. "If we practice … we can see if there are shortcomings and take action.”

The tests are becoming increasingly critical in Chicago, where the list of coronavirus-related closings and cancellations grows longer by the day. A worker in Prudential Plaza, one of the city’s largest office complexes, tested positive for COVID-19. On Wednesday, the state announced six new cases of COVID-19, bringing Illinois’ total to 25. Gov. J.B. Pritzker issued a statewide disaster proclamation on Monday.

JPMorgan Chase offices in Chicago began testing remote working capabilities about two weeks ago, said Brian Marchiony, a New York-based spokesman.

The test already came in handy. On Wednesday, the company notified employees in the New York metro area that 25% to 50% of team members who can work from home should do so by March 13.

The company already had split its New York-based sales and trading desks into three offices, with about half the employees relocating to New Jersey and Brooklyn.

“Dividing our workforce into different locations improves our ability to serve clients continuously while reducing the health risks associated with physical contact should a case arise,” the bank said in a memo issued to employees last week.

Marchiony said splitting up the sales and trading operation ahead of any widespread coronavirus outbreak was a precautionary measure, mostly because it would be difficult for those employees to work remotely. “It’s much harder to do sales and trading from home, both from a technology and controls perspective,” Marchiony said. “So we decided to do it a bit earlier."

Google parent company Alphabet on Tuesday recommended employees at its North American offices work from home if they can until April 10, including the more than 1,000 workers at its Chicago office. The offices remain open to workers whose roles require they be on-site.

Preparing to suddenly have the entire workforce out of the office is not a novel concept. Many companies already have a disaster plan or a business continuity plan.

Firms need to be ready if a hurricane, tornado, or even a polar vortex strikes and employees can’t get to the office. But coronavirus poses an unprecedented threat because no one knows how long it will last, said Jeff Borello, CEO of Lockport-based Andromeda Technology Solutions.

“About the closest thing we’ve had was a power outage that lasted for like a day and a half,” he said. “You always just think, ‘OK, the power’s going to come back on soon.’”

Andromeda, which provides information technology services to its clients, is working with Chicago-area companies to make sure they’re prepared to have everyone working remote. That involves setting employees up with a virtual private network, or VPN, routing office calls to cellphones, and forwarding mail.

If companies’ internet connections won’t be able to handle the data transfer required when employees work remotely, they may need to work with their provider to increase it, Borello said.

“Sometimes that takes a week and sometimes that takes a month," he said. "They may have to choose who’s critical and who’s not.”

Insurance startup Clearcover has told employees they can work remotely if they prefer, and is requiring those who take domestic flights, even for personal travel, to work from home for two weeks.

“It’s not about them, it’s about the 75 other people in the office,” said Vikki Caruso, senior vice president of people at Clearcover. “You could be contagious without showing any symptoms, so it’s not worth it.”

The Chicago-based company is offering to pay to upgrade employees’ home internet package if it’s not fast enough, Caruso said. It also increased its plan with Zoom, a video conferencing company.

Clearcover also halted office visits from vendors and job candidates.

“Unless they’re coming from a state with zero cases, we’re doing everything via video," Caruso said.

Alice Patel has been working from her Wicker Park residence since the beginning of March. Patel, who is senior director of communications at Clearcover, is pregnant, and didn’t want to risk exposure to the coronavirus during her commute.

Patel, 33, put her cellphone number on her profile on instant messaging platform Slack, and made sure her computer was up to date. Clearcover allows employees to occasionally work remotely, and in hindsight, that was good preparation.

“If your computer is glitchy and you’ve been putting it off, go ahead and make the appointment with IT,” she said.

Having employees work from home means companies might need to step up their cybersecurity measures, said Karl Sigler, senior security research manager for Trustwave SpiderLabs.

Many organizations have strict perimeters around their network in an office environment, he said. The company has control of computers and can lock them down in the event of a hack or malware infection.

“Once you have people start working from home, there’s a lot of problems that introduces,” he said.

If employees are using personal devices, companies need to make sure those devices are secure, Sigler said. Smartphones should have strong passwords, and devices should be up to date, so security patches are in place.

Remote workers are more susceptible to phishing attacks and malware installation, Sigler said. Kids or roommates might use the device and click on an infected link or open a nefarious email. Wi-Fi connections might not be secure.

Kylie Smith, an account manager at a marketing agency, started working from her Wicker Park home Monday. Smith has an inflammatory bowel disease called Crohn’s disease, and her medicine suppresses her immune system.

“I’m trying to take extra precautions because I’m more at risk,” she said.

Her company, which she declined to disclose, allows its employees to work from home on Fridays, so Smith said she was confident making the jump from one remote day a week to five.

All the clients she works with are out of state, Smith said. She normally does video calls with them, and her daily work hasn’t been affected. Instead of messaging a co-worker now though, she’ll call them for increased interaction.

Not knowing how long the isolation could last is daunting, she said.

“I’m taking it day by day, week by week,” she said. “I’m kind of trying not to think that far out in the future.”

SpotHero plans to close its Loop office starting Friday, sending home about 200 employees, said spokeswoman Jen Holmes. The office will be closed at least through next week, though that could be extended.

Despite the uncertainty on how long this will all last, Holmes said the company is not concerned about a loss of productivity among employees.

“The reality is we have people who work remotely and who are in other offices, so we’re pretty used to working in a configuration that’s half remote and half not,” she said. “Between Zoom and Slack, it feels like I’m always connected to my co-workers anyway.”

Other companies went a step further to make sure there was no lost productivity.

As Chicago-based ServerCentral Turing Group planned a day to have employees work from home to test their systems, the company was clear that the day was not for slacking off.

“We want to make sure they’re working effectively,” said chief information officer T.J. Johnson.

The company plans to send out a questionnaire to employees about how the day went and what equipment they needed to be productive.

For some employees though, working remotely is not an option.

ServerCentral provides staff for two data centers in the Chicago area. The company is putting measures in place to keep those employees safe, and considering staff reductions, Johnson said. But ultimately, they will have to keep working.

“We need to have people on-site,” he said. “There’s no such thing as working from home when you’re trying to power on and off a machine or installing hardware.”

Some aldermen want a new deal with Peoples Gas

CRAIN’S//A.D. Quig

Frustrated by high rates and what they view as a lack of oversight from the Illinois Commerce Commission, some Chicago aldermen are pressing for a franchise agreement to govern Peoples Gas operations in the city.
“If the ICC isn’t going to be the backstop and defender of ratepayers in Chicago, maybe the city of Chicago needs to take up some of that work itself,” Ald. Brendan Reilly, 42nd, suggested at a hearing with Peoples Gas officials prompted by complaints from AARP members over gas bills. “I’m not happy with the costs that are being passed along. This idea that we have to accelerate deployment means higher costs passed along to us, yet somehow this company continues to post a nice, healthy dividend. I’d encourage my colleagues to study up on this parent company that’s doing awfully well while senior citizens struggle to pay their bills.”

A franchise agreement would be a first for the city and the company. Peoples Gas provides service in the Chicago pursuant to a 1855 State Charter.
“What have been the efforts made to modernize that charter?” 1st Ward Ald. Daniel La Spata asked.

“To tell you the truth, I’m unfamiliar with the charter,” Peoples Gas counsel Mara Georges said.

“It’s good that the aldermen are engaged, but we run a very capital intensive business, very, very capital intensive. Under the Public Utilities Act, these are investor-owned utilities that are required to provide reliable and safe service… A big question to think about is what is the true cost of that?” said Director of Corporate Communications Danisha Hall, arguing the company also faces stringent auditing and oversight from the ICC.

Hall and other Peoples Gas representatives pointed to a recent engineering study that found 83 percent of the company's iron pipes have an average remaining life of less than 15 years and the replacement rate hasn't been fast enough to make up for the increase in failure rates. That's why company's system modernization program hasn't led to a decrease in pipeline failure rates over the last decade.

But other aldermen echoed Reilly’s concerns that the ICC was a rubber stamp. “This makes no sense. Your company’s profitable. Your parent company’s profitable. There’s no incentive or regulation being enforced to make you do your job better,” said Ald. Maria Hadden, 49th. “There’s incentive for you to take longer, spend more money, and do it inefficiently… We do need a franchise agreement if you guys can’t do what’s in the best interest of your consumers… what we’re hearing from residents and as consumers, this is total incompetence.”

The hearing was scheduled to raise awareness for pending bills in Springfield that would eliminate a roughly $9 surcharge on gas bills to pay for infrastructure improvements.
Critics, including Illinois PIRG and the AARP, say Peoples Gas’ replacement program fails to protect the public and has led to spiraling costs that are hundreds of dollars higher than the suburbs. They also say more and more customers are cost burdened – through September 2019, Peoples Gas disconnected 9,382 residential heating customers (of the 93,000 households that received at least one disconnection notice).

Mayor Lori Lightfoot issued a statement in support of reining in “reckless gas utility spending,” saying “utility bills that our low income residents can’t afford are forcing Chicagoans to make impossible choices… I want people who helped build this city to be able to age in place and to live without constantly worrying about the next utility bill.”

Illinois PIRG’s Abe Scarr agrees that the pipes should be replaced. He says the company has only been able to keep bills relatively low because of natural gas costs.
Advocates are hopeful despite facing some headwinds for state action. “We have introduced state legislation in 2018, 2019, and 2020 but the Illinois General Assembly has yet to hold a single committee hearing on those bills," and the deadline to get them out of committee is fast approaching—even as Springfield halted business over coronavirus concerns. "State policymakers need to hear directly from you."

Vaughn Student In Chicago With Fever And Cough Left In Limbo Untested

WBEZ//Adriana Cardona-Maguigad and Sarah Karp

All Vaughn students, staff and school visitors were asked to self-quarantine after a teacher’s aide at the school tested positive for COVID-19 on March 6. Vaughn is a school for 212 students with special needs.

The snafu raises questions about the the ability of public health officials and the school district to reach all students at other schools, especially ones larger than Vaughn, in the event someone in their building is diagnosed with COVID-19.

The first problem arose because the student was not on the list of Vaughn students. School district officials have admitted this was an error on their part.

That prevented the student’s mother, who asked not to be identified out of fear of being stigmatized, from being contacted by city officials for days. When she reached out on her own, she said she was not given clear information on where to be tested. Her daughter is 18 years old and has an intellectual disability. She began showing symptoms over the weekend.

It wasn’t until Wednesday that the mother got the message that she could take her daughter to Vaughn to get tested. When she got there Thursday, the onsite testing center was gone. The Chicago Department of Public Health halted its site testing at Vaughn sometime earlier this week.

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“There is nothing here,” said the mother frantically. Her daughter and five-year-old son have had a fever and a cough off and on. They don’t know if it’s a cold or if they should be concerned. Her son also has an intellectual disability.

On Thursday afternoon, she said she was finally able to speak with a public health official who told her to go to a private testing site Friday afternoon.

The mother is still frustrated.

“I learned about the coronavirus case at Vaughn on the TV news,” said the mother in Spanish, adding that she also got a robocall from CPS on Friday about the Vaughn case that all district parents received.

Four days passed without a call from the school district or health officials. But after talking to others, she called the city health department on Tuesday.

She received conflicting information from the city. “I called the health department and I told them you haven’t given me clear information of steps to follow to prevent a possible spread of the virus. I am worried because my daughter went to that school and was possibly in contact with the teacher aide for days.” The mother says she was also at the school when the aide was there.

The mother said the city health worker told her repeatedly that her daughter wasn’t listed as a Vaughn student. She was also told to call her primary health care doctor. But her doctor told her not to show up at the office.

Meanwhile, the mother and other family members, including the five-year-old boy who has been sick, have been out of the house and the boy has gone to his Chicago public school.

CDPH did not respond to repeated requests for comment Thursday. On Wednesday, the department released a statement saying all students at Vaughn are being monitored and tested. “So far, no Vaughn students have tested positive for the virus and neither have any additional faculty and staff, beyond the original case,” said Andy Buchanan, director of public affairs with the Chicago Department of Public Health.

But additional information about where students developing symptoms should go to get tested is unclear.

Some health officials argue more could have been done to test Vaughn students showing symptoms, including testing them in their homes.

“Many don’t have cars, so do we have them take public transportation? Of course not,” said Elizabeth Lalasz, a nurse at Stroger Hospital. “Public health workers should come to their homes to test them, but without support we can’t reasonably expect them to isolate themselves,”

CDPH officials have said they don’t do that, but gave Vaughn parents a hotline number to call if they have problems.

Chicago Public Schools officials said the student was enrolled in Vaughn High School, according to the student information system. She transferred there in January. But instead of using that system to contact her, district officials used a school-created student contact list because it says those lists are often the most reliable. For some reason, the student in question was not on that list.

The school district acknowledges it made a mistake by not cross referencing the school’s contact list with the most up-to-date information.

"The district is grateful that the family alerted us of the omission and the CDPH has been in touch with the family,” CPS said in a statement. “This is an important lesson learned and as we move forward, we will take additional steps to cross reference lists of students.”

CPS officials is also a new call for parents to make sure their child’s school has updated emergency contact information.

Coronavirus disruptions could strain Chicago’s finances and pension funds

TRIBUNE//Gregory Pratt and John Byrne

Already, the rapidly spreading disease has cost the city potentially millions of dollars in tax revenue from canceled conventions and celebrations such as the St. Patrick’s Day parades. With Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Mayor Lori Lightfoot banning public gatherings of more than 1,000 people and strongly discouraging events with more than 250, it’s clear Chicago’s finances are going to take a hit from COVID-19.

What’s not yet known is just how bad the drop in revenue will be for city government. At a news conference with Pritzker on Thursday, Lightfoot said she thinks the city is well suited to weather the storm due to its "very, very diverse economic system.” Economically-sensitive taxes, such as sales, are less than 25% of the budget, she said.

“The bottom line is, it’s too early for us to measure the entirety of the impact,” Lightfoot said. “But we feel very comfortable with where we are both as an economy writ large but also in terms of revenue sources for the city of Chicago.”

A city spokeswoman on Thursday also released a statement noting the city has more than $3 billion in cash on hand and secured $100 million more from a bond refinancing than it anticipated, "providing us with additional cushion in the event of a possible economic slowdown.”

Amanda Kass, associate director of the Government Finance Research Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago, said the city’s budget could be impacted by “decreased revenue tied to immediate losses from things like decreased tourism and decreased public transportation ridership.”

“The budgetary impact may go well beyond 2020 as there may be long-term economic consequences from COVID-19,” Kass said. “How big an impact this has on the budget and how many years are impacted depends on how long the public health measures and warnings are in place — the longer it goes on, the greater financial impact.”

Chicago’s pension funds also could see strain, she said, as they rely heavily on investments as a source of assets.

“An economic downturn likely means a decrease in assets, causing an increase in the unfunded liabilities,” Kass said. “The economic impact of COVID-19 may cause a sharp decline in the pension systems’ finances (as happened with the 2008 financial crisis), which would in-turn cause a significant increase in the City’s required pension systems for the police and fire funds immediately.”

Still, aldermen on Thursday also said it’s too early to know how deep the virus-related tax hole will be, since it’s impossible to say how long the pandemic will keep people out of revenue-generating hotels, restaurants and bars, sporting events and trade shows at McCormick Place, and hold down the number of airline passengers who bring in fees at Chicago’s airports.

Ald. Gilbert Villegas, 36th, Lightfoot’s floor leader, said aldermen may get more clarity on how dire things look at the end of the first quarter of 2020.

“After this first quarter we’re going to meet with the budget director and kind of find out what the impact was in the first quarter and how — that’s if it ends sometime soon with the coronavirus — find out what the fiscal impact’s going to be,” Villegas said.

Villegas said he will concentrate on trying to get state lawmakers to give Lightfoot the graduated real estate transfer tax and amended casino license she wants to generate some cash for the city. And he pointed to video gambling in Chicago as a possible way to make up some of the gap without having to resort to a property tax hike.

“Depending on what the hole is will determine what we have to do,” and possibilities could include new video gambling revenue, Villegas said.

Ald. Scott Waguespack, 32nd, who chairs the City Council Finance Committee, said city officials “are having discussions about how to plug gaps if any serious gaps come up, and what are our alternatives and other options to plug those gaps if any come up in October or November.”

Waguespack said he’s tracking occupancy rates posted by the Illinois Hotel Association to try to get an idea how low the hotel taxes will be, and urging the city to maintain its own databases to get a ballpark figure on shortfalls as the virus situation drags on.

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Lightfoot’s budget already faced questions and criticism from some aldermen who said it was precariously balanced and over-reliant on one-time fixes or longshot revenue sources.

Lightfoot’s budget, passed in November, closed what she said was an $838 million shortfall with a mixture of cost reductions, debt refinancing and smaller tax increases.

The budget was controversial with aldermen due to its reliance on federal authorities to approve a higher Medicaid reimbursement rate for ambulance trips by the Chicago Fire Department, which she expects will bring in an additional $163 million.

That hadn’t been approved by the time aldermen passed the budget, leading some aldermen to complain the 2020 spending package is built on quicksand until the ambulance money is approved. So far, the city hasn’t received it, though Lightfoot officials have claimed it’s just a matter of time.

South Shore Neighbors Blindsided As Plan To Turn Closed School Into Police Training Center Is Resurrected

BLOCK CLUB//Maxwell Evans

First proposed under former Mayor Rahm Emanuel, the push to transform the old South Shore High School into a training center has been stalled. But the plan has been resurrected under Mayor Lori Lightfoot, despite Ald. Michelle Harris (8th) hosting just two meetings on the project, one attended by few neighbors and with little notice.

The plan for the high school, 7627 S. Constance Ave., is troubling some, who say Lightfoot promised no schools would be repurposed without broad community input. Now it’s being considered by a City Council committee Friday.

There was “no opportunity for the community to give real input” on the training center, said LaVont’e Stewart, a South Shore resident and executive director of Lost Boyz Inc., a South Shore nonprofit which uses baseball to keep kids from becoming victims of violence.

Eddie Read, chairman of Chicago Black United Communities, said plans for the center are “not consistent with the community of interest.”

“Elected officials and people who are not embedded in the community are leading the agenda,” he said.

Harris has hosted two meetings on the plan. One was held in April 2019, before Lightfoot took office.

The latest meeting was held last Friday night with little notice ahead of time. No notice was posted to the alderman’s website or social media accounts, and flyers were only distributed along blocks of five streets nearest to the school, according to Harris’ director of community engagement Alvin Rider.

In addition to the flyers, staffers called everyone on the sign-in sheet from the initial April 2019 meeting, Rider said.

About 30 people attended the meeting, according to a photo posted on Facebook by Harris. Approximately 50,400 people live in South Shore, according to 2017 estimates.

Harris’ office doesn’t “have the ability to do mass mailings for every issue,” Rider said. He estimated it costs up to $8,000 to distribute mailings to the entire ward.

When asked why a notice wasn’t posted online for free, Rider said it’s “just the way we operate our office” to publicize community meetings only to the residents who would be most impacted.

“We just invited folks that are impacted around the [school property],” Rider said. The office “was not trying to hide anything or keep people out of the meeting.”

But other recent and upcoming meetings, like weekly constituent nights and police beat meetings, are on a calendar on Harris’ website. Those are recurring meetings, posted at once “for the entire year,” Rider said.

Emanuel submitted the proposal to turn the closed South Shore high school into a police and fire training center to City Council on March 13, 2019, nearly a month before the first public meeting.

That same month, then-Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot faced backlash when she suggested that closed schools be considered as alternatives to the controversial $95 million police academy planned for the city’s West Side.

Lightfoot later clarified her remarks — and said there will be no schools converted into anything without community input.

“Nothing will happen on my watch, and certainly not the repurposing of those 38 schools that remain on CPS’s ledger, without going into the community and talking to people about how we can turn those schools into their assets,” Lightfoot said on the Ben Joravsky show.

It’s unclear if any resident input helped shape the plan since Emanuel introduced it in March 2019. Rider, the alderman’s representative, referred questions about resident feedback to the mayor’s office. A spokesperson for Lightfoot referred specific questions about the input process to Harris’ office.

South Shore residents have been essential to “this inclusive and collaborative process,” according to a statement from Lightfoot’s office. “The city will work hand-in-hand with the South Shore community during the temporary use of this facility.”

A city committee is set to decide Friday whether to allow the city to continue leasing the former school through September 2028. The proposal will be considered at the Committee on Housing and Real Estate at 1 p.m. Friday.

The lease was signed in October 2018 and requires City Council approval to be extended past an initial 180-day period.

Ald.’s rep says he hasn’t read lease

The plan being proposed to the housing committee differs widely from Rider’s summary of site plans given earlier this week.

On Monday, Rider told Block Club the Chicago Police Department leased the building for “at least two years” to use as a “temporary” professional development center. He did not mention the fire department’s involvement.

Rider said Thursday he has not read the proposal and noted Harris is not its sponsor.

The Department of Fleet and Facility Management signed the lease, not the police department, CPD spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said.

A specific curriculum for the training center has not been completed yet, but it will be used for all officers on the force, according to Guglielmi. There are few restrictions on the types of training that could be conducted at the site.

The ordinance in committee only mandates the site be used as “a training center” and that police and fire departments follow the Board of Education’s aquatic safety policy if they renovate the pool for scuba training.

The large site allows officers to carry out mock scenarios as they are trained on how to “de-escalate volatile situations,” he said.

The police department can’t have “too many training facilities,” Guglielmi said. Its Near West Side police academy is “at capacity,” and a federal consent decree issued in the wake of Laquan McDonald’s murder requires ongoing training for its force of more than 13,000 officers.

‘Officer Friendly never lived in my neighborhood’

Stewart’s nonprofit for young boys and girls makes heavy use of Rosenblum Park, across the street from the old school, in its “sports-based” approach to preventing violence in the neighborhood.

His main issue with the training center isn’t that police may have a heavier presence in the area, Stewart said — it’s that neighbors didn’t get a chance to properly guide the plan.

“If you’re talking about training peace officers on how to adequately respond to communities, why not have those communities in the room assisting them?” Stewart said.

The city must stick to its plan of using the South Shore site to continuously train all officers on best practices — not just those with a long history of complaints, neighbor Jalil Anderson said.

Anderson lives within walking distance of the old high school when he’s not studying criminal justice at Harris-Stowe State University in St. Louis. He said he wants to become a police officer.

If Anderson becomes an officer in Chicago, a South Shore training facility would make it “easier for me to go right up the street, go train and then come back home,” he said.

Officers must build relationships with locals if they’ll have a larger presence in South Shore, Read said.

“I’m an old-school brother,” Read said. “I don’t have good experiences with the police. … Officer Friendly never lived in my neighborhood.”

Read said the building could be repurposed for another use, becoming an asset to the neighborhood.

“We don’t have many physical structures left in the black community where we can control. This one is perfect,” he said.

Harris’ office is exploring “allowing a vendor from the community to go in the school and do coffee, tea and donuts,” according to Rider.

Residents will be able to utilize the building’s auditorium for community meetings and recreational and performance activities, according to the mayor’s office.

The South Shore High School building has been vacant since 2014, when school operations were moved to the newer South Shore International College Preparatory High School, 1955 E. 75th St.

Make Clark Street North Of Lawrence Avenue More Friendly To Pedestrians And Cyclists, Aldermen Say

BLOCK CLUB//Alex V. Hernandez

Existing businesses would be grandfathered in, but Martin wants to preserve and expand the pedestrian friendly nature of Clark Street by extending the existing pedestrian designation along the commercial corridor for future businesses.

A pedestrian designation encourages designs of shopping corridors by banning certain things like strip malls, gas stations, drive-throughs and car sales and services.

The designation also imposes certain design guidelines to encourage more pedestrian traffic like the size of shop windows, the front setbacks of buildings and entrances.

Encouraging infrastructure that is friendly to pedestrians and cyclists is something Martin campaigned on and has worked to implement in the ward since getting elected.

“This designation is about maintaining the existing integrity of that space,” said Josh Mark, Ald. Matt Martin’s (47th) director of development and infrastructure. “But this new designation includes zero change to the built environment already on Clark.”

Clark Street already has a pedestrian designation from Lawrence south to Montrose and from Winona north to Bryn Mawr.

Martin’s office, in coordination with Ald. Andre Vasquez (40th), is filling in the gaps on Clark with the new designation on Clark between Lawrence and Ainslie, and between Argyle and Winona.

A majority of the area with the new pedestrian designation on Clark already is already pedestrian friendly, Mark said. Existing structures that don’t conform to the new designation, like Lincoln Towing at 4882 N. Clark St., are being grandfathered in.

“It’s really about planning for the future and making sure we’re getting ahead of things to ensure that any ‘by right’ development along Clark that has this designation still follows guidelines, even when we don’t have a specific say in it,” Mark said.

A pedestrian designation also reduces certain parking requirements for smaller businesses and extends eligibility for properties to qualify for a Transit Oriented Development designation.

Active Transportation Alliance is supportive of the pedestrian designation expansion on Clark.

“This designation makes streets safer for everybody,” said Kyle Whitehead, managing director of public affairs for Active Transportation. “People who are walking and can help generate economic development and bring people to small businesses in a neighborhood.”

The group advocates for walking, bicycling and public transit to create healthy, sustainable, and equitable communities.

Expanding the designation may not result in a drastic change along the commercial corridor right away, but over time it will protect what’s makes Clark an attractive commercial corridor for both businesses and pedestrians, Whitehead said.

“Both Ald. Martin and Vasquez, dating back to when they were candidates and since they’ve taken office, have shown themselves to really champion people walking, biking and taking public transit,” Whitehead said. “They’ve shown they’re committed to making their neighborhood streets safer and more comfortable for people walking and taking public transit.”

Cook County Jail implements new coronavirus screening procedures

SUN TIMES//Staff

The Cook County sheriff’s office has announced new precautions against the spread of the coronavirus at the Cook County Jail.

While the jail has not had any reported cases of COVID-19, the new measures “have been implemented to ensure the health and safety of everyone who enters the facility,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement Thursday.

All non-staff members entering the jail – including visitors, vendors, volunteers, attorneys and contractors – will be screened for symptoms, including having their temperatures checked, authorities said. Anyone showing symptoms “will be denied entry and encouraged to seek medical attention.”

The sheriff’s office has asked area law enforcement agencies to screen arrestees for symptoms before transferring them to the jail. Jail officials said they have been screening arriving detainees for flu-like symptoms since Jan. 24.

Incoming detainees will be held in new receiving units for their first week in custody to monitor them for symptoms of COVID-19, the sheriff’s office said. They will be moved to general population units if they show no symptoms after seven days.

Cermak Health Services has also been educating detainees about how to recognize and report COVID-19 symptoms and how to prevent the spread of the disease through hand washing and other hygiene practices, the sheriff’s office said.

Staff have also “increased cleaning and sanitation efforts throughout the facility,” the sheriff’s office said.

Detainees will only be allowed one 15-minute visit per week from a single person “until further notice,” according to the sheriff’s office. However, the county Department of Corrections will “work to expand opportunities for detainees to communicate with their loved ones by phone.”

Grubhub won’t charge independent restaurants for its delivery services during the coronavirus

TRIBUNE//Alexia Elejalde Ruiz

Grubhub won’t charge independent restaurants for its delivery services during the coronavirus crisis, pledging to forgo up to $100 million in revenue.

CEO Matt Maloney made the announcement Friday flanked by Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Illinois Restaurant Association head Sam Toia and several local restaurant owners.

The Chicago-based delivery platform will suspend its fees to help restaurants weather the hit to business as COVID-19 fears keep people from eating out.

The company also is also setting up a disaster relief fund that will support charities, yet to be identified, that can help restaurant workers and delivery drivers.

The decision came after a conversation between the mayors of Chicago, Atlanta, Boston, New York, San Francisco, Seattle and Portland led to a request of Maloney to help.

“This is what true civic leadership looks like,” Lightfoot said.

Restaurant sales are down 40% to 70% since the coronavirus concerns began escalating, Toia said. Delivery sales, which have become increasingly important to restaurant’s revenue, are expected to become even more so as people avoid going out.

The move is intended to “help these restaurants be more solvent and help them to fulfill their commitments to their staff, the majority of whom are hourly workers who unfortunately will bear the brunt of this economic crisis,” Maloney said.

Shedd Aquarium to close out of coronavirus caution, joins Lincoln Park Zoo

TRIBUNE//Steve Johnson

The Shedd joins Lincoln Park Zoo in closing in reaction both to the COVID-19 pandemic and to Illinois’ new ban on large gatherings. The zoo, which is the city’s most popular museum or nature park with more than 3.5 million visitors annually, announced its closing Thursday night, hours after Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Mayor Lori Lightfoot canceled any assembly of more than 1,000 people.

“We are closed to the public starting at 3:30 p.m. through March 29,” says the aquarium’s homepage. Shedd, which had 1.82 million visitors in 2019, is the first of the city’s Museum Campus institutions to close its doors.

“Shedd will remain closed for two weeks until March 29 and will continue to assess and monitor updates daily from health officials. During this period, all scheduled events and programs are also cancelled but may be rescheduled,” said the aquarium’s statement.

Bridget Coughlin, president and CEO of the lakefront institution, said in the statement, "We have a responsibility to communities, schoolchildren, staff, volunteers and more to do our part to help protect the public’s health by temporarily supporting the effort for social distancing. We look forward to welcoming everyone back to the aquarium soon to continue to spark compassion, curiosity and conservation for the aquatic animal world.”

The aquarium said animal care will be maintained by “critical operations staff," including animal specialists and veterinarians. It will ask those who can work from home to do so, and those who can’t “will still be compensated according to their regular working schedule and rate for the two-week period," its statement said.

“The aquarium is offering ways for the public to stay connected during the closure, including frequent looks at animals and work behind-the-scenes via Shedd’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, as well as other digital resources including videos, live web cams, educational materials and more,” the aquarium said.

“Guests are being contacted with options to put the value of their tickets and/or reservations toward a future date, request a refund, or donate the value to mitigate inevitable financial impact of COVID-19 on the Aquarium at this time. For information on previously purchased tickets, group and experience reservations, programs and events, please email contactus@sheddaquarium.org or call (312) 939-2438. Updates to operations will also be made available on Shedd’s website at www.sheddaquarium.org.”

Here’s what Woodlawn needs for its middle class to grow and thrive

SUN TIMES//Ed Zotti

“I was Malia Obama’s soccer coach,” George Davis says, talking about what he likes about living in Woodlawn.

“The breadth of African American experience here is like nowhere else,” Davis says. “Everything you can imagine, you find black people doing. You don’t have many places with a lot of African Americans who are middle class. I wanted my kids to be around that.”

Davis, who works in financial services, was born in Arkansas. He got an MBA from Clark Atlanta University and his law degree from the University of Nebraska.

But Chicago — specifically Woodlawn — was where he and his family decided to put down roots.

“I walk my dog around the Museum of Science and Industry, the Japanese garden in Jackson Park, all the beautiful treasures this location affords,” he says. “I have amazing neighbors, all these different connections, this beautiful black culture. We’ve had a great experience here.”

Davis’s story demonstrates the potential for Chicago’s African American community to reverse a long decline and for the city to re-establish itself as one of the leading centers of black America.

It also shows why the conversation about Woodlawn as it prepares for the arrival of the Obama Presidential Center shouldn’t focus solely on affordable housing, important as that is. The real challenge is taking steps to help the community’s black middle class keep growing.

Woodlawn’s revival began long before the 2016 announcement that the Obama center would be built there. Since 2000, almost 1,200 dwellings have been built in the community, census data show. Home values have nearly doubled since 2010. In Davis’s neighborhood in eastern Woodlawn, 35% of black residents 25 or older have college degrees — higher than the national average.

“I see more plans for new housing and commercial investment in Woodlawn than I’ve ever seen working in the neighborhood for over 20 years,” says developer Benjamin Van Horne, who has built 83 single-family homes, two-flats, townhouses and condos primarily in Woodlawn.

Two of his houses recently sold for around $750,000, a record for the area.

But some Woodlawn residents say that, despite progress, the community has far to go.

“The first week we moved in in 2012, there was a shooting in front of our house,” says Reggie Weaver, a securities trader. “There was so much gunfire, our kids refused to sleep in their bedrooms.”

Weaver and his wife Myriam, a University of Chicago employee, joined with their neighbors, their alderman and the police to get an open-air drug market in a nearby vacant lot shut down and get the site fenced off.

Neighborhood residents also successfully pushed for onsite security at a subsidized housing development with problem tenants.

Reggie Weaver says he walks around the area picking up trash.

“Things have calmed down tremendously,” he says. “The neighborhood looks better.”

What Woodlawn needs now, some residents say, is more people and more investment.

At its population peak in 1960, Woodlawn had 81,000 residents and 30,000 homes.

Today, it has 25,000 people and 13,000 homes — and, of those dwellings, just 10,600 are occupied. About 20% of Woodlawn’s developable land consists of vacant lots, according to data supplied by the city and Steven Vance, founder of the Chicago Cityscape real estate information service.

“We need people with higher income to stabilize our community,” says Debra Adams, a retired teacher. “We need more homeowners who will take care of their property. We need more businesses. Above everything, we need revenue.”

Neighboring Hyde Park has aggregate income of almost $1.2 billion, enough to support a thriving local business community. Woodlawn, with about the same number of people, takes in roughly 40% as much, and even its commercial streets are lined with vacant lots.

To match Hyde Park’s buying power, Woodlawn would need another 10,000 households making the citywide average of $57,000 a year.

“We have everything but people,” Woodlawn developer Bill Williams says. “We need density and a wide spectrum of incomes to support businesses. The important thing is to make sure it’s a coordinated effort.”

Community infighting could hurt that. The current flashpoint is the Obama Presidential Center.

Last year, Ald. Jeanette Taylor (20th) and Ald. Leslie Hairston (5th) proposed a community-benefits ordinance in the Chicago City Council to try to ensure that the Obama center would end up helping Woodlawn residents. Among its more controversial provisions was a requirement that 100% of dwellings built on city-owned vacant land in Woodlawn be used for affordable housing.

The proposal exposed class divisions.

Byron Brazier, pastor of the Apostolic Church of God, an influential Woodlawn institution, said the community-benefits ordinance would have had “a negative impact on property values because of the degree of subsidized housing.”

“It’s always been the homeowners against the renters,” Taylor says. “People are too worried about their investments and not enough about people.”

Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration proposed its own measure, the Woodlawn Affordable Housing Preservation Ordinance, which essentially supplanted the Taylor-Hairston proposal.

Key provisions: requirements for some — but not 100% — affordable housing on city-owned land, more money for home improvements for longtime homeowners, a loan fund to acquire and affordably rehab vacant buildings and a plan to keep existing large apartment buildings affordable by giving tenants a right of first refusal if their building gets sold.

”We’re encouraged,” says Mike Strautmanis, chief engagement officer for the Obama Foundation. “There are so many economic benefits the Obama Presidential Center will bring to the community. This is a huge opportunity for the South Side and the entire city of Chicago.”

Taylor, initially angry, seems to be taking a pragmatic approach.

“We’re going to get middle-class folks — it’s inevitable,” she says. “I will never be able to stop gentrification. And I’m not crazy enough to think that I can. What I can do is protect the people who are here now.

“We’ll negotiate numbers. We’ll see if we can meet in the middle.”

Marisa Novara, Lightfoot’s housing commissioner, says: “We are hopeful that a balanced and comprehensive package for the Woodlawn community is in sight.”

Consensus is critical for Woodlawn to get the investment it needs.

“Woodlawn is at the pivot point,” says Leon Walker, a commercial developer who put together the deal that brought a new Jewel to Woodlawn. “We need to be intentional about engaging local residents and businesses In the revitalization of their communities. We’ve got to do this as a collaboration.”

Closing arguments conclude in trial of man accused of killing Chicago police Cmdr. Paul Bauer

TRIBUNE//Megan Crepeau and Madeline Buckley

After a nearly two-week trial, attorneys have made their closing arguments in the case of Shomari Legghette, who is charged in the slaying of Chicago Police Cmdr. Paul Bauer.

Jurors were expected to be instructed Friday by Cook County Judge Erica Reddick after a recess, and would then begin their work to decide the case. Legghette is charged with first-degree murder and armed violence in Bauer’s 2018 broad-daylight slaying.

“The defendant may have run, he may have struggled, he may have even shot his way out but today his flight from justice ends,” Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney Risa Lanier told jurors during her closing argument Friday. “Today what he cannot escape is the truth.”

Jurors also will be instructed that they could find Legghette guilty instead of second-degree murder, if they find he believed he fired because his life was in danger but that belief was unreasonable. Legghette had been expected to testify about the confrontation and make a self-defense claim, but ultimately chose not to.

In the absence of Legghette’s testimony, defense attorney Scott Kamin instead argued Friday that a “reasonable person” would have acted the way Legghette did.

There was no reason for Legghette to know Bauer was a police officer, he told the jury. “This guy, who’s a total stranger, doesn’t say ‘stop, police, freeze,'" Kamin said.

If there’s someone to “ascribe responsibility” to for the shooting, Kamin said, it’s Bauer himself, “for not identifying himself as a police officer.”

Family members grew emotional, passing around tissues as prosecutors closed their final arguments by displaying a photo of Bauer's radio lying in the blood-spattered stairwell and playing audio of the transmissions from the moment of the shooting -- including several gunshots.

The photo of the radio faded out into a portrait of Bauer, smiling, in full uniform.

“Cmdr. Bauer dedicated his life to service and sacrifice for the community,” Assistant State’s Attorney John Maher told the jury. “Everything he worked for and loved was taken away from him by Shomari Legghette, who only cared about himself.”

A handful of police officers and officials sat in the packed courtroom Friday morning, including Chicago police First Deputy Supt. Anthony Riccio. A crowd of other officers stood outside the courtroom as the arguments began.

Nearby, Legghette, in a suit and tie, leaned back in his chair during the arguments.

The fateful chain of events leading to Bauer’s death began when officers conducting a routine patrol on Lower Wacker Drive one afternoon in February 2018 approached Legghette, who appeared to be urinating against a wall.

Legghette said he did not want to speak to them, and took off running up the stairs, witnesses said.

Bauer, on duty and downtown for a meeting with aldermen after attending training for handling mass shootings earlier in the day, heard a radio call of a fleeing suspect and spotted Legghette running nearby moments later, authorities said.

Six civilian eyewitnesses testified throughout the trial that they saw all or part of the pursuit. One of them was a nearby cabdriver whose in-car security camera captured Bauer chasing Legghette in a ragged dash across Clark Street.

The two struggled at the top of a stairwell outside the Thompson Center, tumbling down the stairs and onto a landing below, witnesses said.

No cameras or eyewitnesses saw the shooting itself. But the taxi’s security video caught the sound echoing through the Thompson Center plaza: seven distinct gunshots in quick succession.

The medical examiner testified that Bauer suffered six gunshot wounds, including at least two that would each on their own have been quickly fatal.

The centerpiece of Legghette’s defense was a self-defense claim -- but while he was expected to take the stand and explain that himself, the defense rested without calling him to testify.

Throughout the trial, the defense hinted at Legghette’s expected testimony, indicating that he would say he did not know Bauer was a police officer, and that someone besides him fired shots on the Thompson Center plaza that day.

No eyewitnesses or other evidence directly supported the theory of a second shooter. Each of the three police officers who responded to the stairwell that day denied under oath that they fired any shots, and none of the civilian witnesses said they saw anyone open fire on the plaza.

In addition, an Illinois State Police firearms analyst testified that each of the six spent cartridge cases recovered after Bauer’s shooting traced back to Legghette’s gun.

Why closing Chicago’s public schools is such a hard decision — even if it seems necessary

SUN TIMES//Nader Issa

At Chicago Public Schools, a district with 270,000 students who are poor and 17,000 homeless, the decision is harder than it looks to close its more than 640 schools for coronavirus mitigation.

Some school districts, states and even countries have taken that step to deal with the growing number of COVID-19 cases and the anxiety that’s sweeping the world along with it.

Even as medical experts say the risk to children appears low — a Chicago boy at a private school who tested positive this week is in good condition, officials said Thursday — they have stressed that children can spread the coronavirus to vulnerable older relatives or teachers.

And precautionary measures, rather than reactionary ones, have been urged to slow further spread of the virus.

But taking the decisive step to send kids home has proven difficult for Illinois and Chicago officials — who already lost several days of instruction following a 12-day teachers strike last fall — even as Ohio, Maryland, Michigan, Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco and many others announced widespread school closures this week. The Archdiocese of Chicago was the latest to do so, announcing Friday morning that all Catholic schools in Cook and Lake counties would close indefinitely.

“In some of these communities, if we take away a school — the only public good we still offer them — then we start to leave them to fend for themselves.”

Schools provide more than learning

Families in low-income and under-resourced communities rely on schools for breakfast, lunch and daycare for their children. Some of those families have technology deficits at home. Students with complex needs in special education programs depend on the care of trained professionals. Parents who work hourly or are self-employed might not be able to afford taking time off work to care for their young children.

“In some of these communities, if we take away a school — the only public good we still offer them — then we start to leave them to fend for themselves,” said Victoria Trinder, a University of Illinois at Chicago assistant professor and urban elementary education program coordinator.

Trinder said “it shouldn’t take a pandemic” for policymakers to realize they need to help under-resourced communities and schools. But the fact remains that it’s those exact hardships that mean the decision to shut down Chicago schools would undoubtedly need to be accompanied by serious social service efforts to minimize the burden on underserved communities — help that even in normal circumstances is insufficient.

“If you cannot close schools [because] parents need to work, extend sick days for ALL workers,” Chicago Teachers Union Vice President Stacy Davis Gates said in a series of Twitter posts Thursday. “If you cannot close schools [because] children need shelter, then pause evictions, pause mortgage payments.”

Florida’s Miami-Dade County, for example, is home to a similar-sized public school district and on Thursday suspended all evictions until further notice.

CPS forming contingency plan

CPS says it’s still forming its contingency plan if schools were to close, but that hasn’t yet been unveiled. The city’s capacity for quickly putting together the type of relief that would be needed — food, shelter and sick leave — is unclear, especially given the extra limitations during a public health emergency.

On the Northwest Side, CPS officials played it safe at Vaughn Occupational, a special education high school, shutting it down last week when it became the first CPS school with a confirmed coronavirus case. But families there, three quarters of which live in poverty and all of which have a student with some type of disability, have struggled.

“It’s really, really difficult. The families who are out of school so far are having a hard time,” said Mary Fahey Hughes, a special education advocate with the parent group Raise Your Hand, and herself a CPS mother of a son with autism. Fahey Hughes commended CPS for closing Vaughn, but questioned how students’ individual legally mandated special education plans would be followed or later made-up in a closure.

The U.S. Dept. of Education released guidance Thursday that schools wouldn’t be required to provide special education services if they were closed to all students.

“It’s getting a little tougher for the families staying at home,” said Cindy Ok, a Vauhgn mother and the chair of the Local School Council. “There’s only so many hours of gaming, internet, TV, YouTube videos that you can give these kids. And you can’t take them outside.”

Challenges of online learning

CPS is scrambling to follow new state guidance for districts to develop “e-learning” plans so classes can continue teaching in case of coronavirus-related closures.

But given Vaughn students’ complex needs, including indispensable assistance from classroom aides, the infrastructure simply doesn’t exist to continue instruction online even at a small school like Vaughn, which serves 212 students. That’s especially true district-wide with CPS’ more than 50,000 special education students.

“They have really high needs that can be met at schools but not at their neighbor’s house,” Fahey Hughes said. “It’s a double whammy for those families because they really count on the time their kids are in school to be able to work and provide for their families. And that’s not just kids with special needs, but it certainly is more challenging to find care for kids with special needs.”

Daycare during a closure would surely become an issue for parents citywide. During last fall’s teachers strike, families could rely on grandparents or send children to the Park District or a daycare. This time around, parents could be reluctant to put older relatives at risk or send kids to other large-group settings.

“I think this a different animal because it’s illness related and you have to be so much more careful about being in crowds,” Fahey Hughes said. “You can’t drop the kids off at the park. It’s very different.”

Lightfoot: ‘Not there yet’

CPS has canceled all gatherings of more than 50 people, including athletics and after-school activities. The plan moving forward is to close a school if someone inside the building has a confirmed case, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said at a news conference Thursday alongside Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

A few days after the Vaughn closure, Ogden Elementary School stayed open despite a parent testing positive. Health officials said the school wasn’t at risk because the parent never entered the building after contracting the virus.

“It’s a very big deal to say that we would be shutting down schools,” Lightfoot said, before for the first time cracking the door to widespread closures after days of steadfast denial. “Should there be a reason for us to do that, we will, we won’t hesitate to do that. But we are not there yet.”

City health commissioner Allison Arwady reiterated Friday that “it is unlikely” CPS would close.

“The choice to keep him home isn’t a good choice. His health is important, but his learning is important too. And having to decide that balance is a terrible choice to make.”

Abbey Hambright, a mother at National Teachers Academy on the Near South Side, said she thinks it’s inevitable that schools will shut down. But she’s worried about how her family will deal with the disruption. She and her husband are working from home starting next week, and having a 7-year-old with them won’t help.

“I don’t think we’re at that point yet, but I think it’s coming,” Hambright said, suggesting she might even pull her son from school before it closes. CPS, following state guidance, is marking students excused if worried parents keep their children home even without symptoms.

“The choice to keep him home isn’t a good choice,” Hambright said. “His health is important, but his learning is important, too. And having to decide that balance is a terrible choice to make.”

Jury begins deliberations in trial of man accused of killing Chicago police Cmdr. Paul Bauer

TRIBUNE//Megan Crepeau and Madeline Buckley

The jury was sent back late Friday morning after being instructed by Cook County Judge Erica Reddick. Legghette is charged with first-degree murder and armed violence in Bauer’s broad-daylight slaying in the Loop, a killing which stunned the city.

“The defendant may have run, he may have struggled, he may have even shot his way out, but today his flight from justice ends,” Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney Risa Lanier told jurors during her closing argument Friday. “Today what he cannot escape is the truth.”

Bauer, a 31-year veteran, joined in a pursuit of Legghette after hearing a call of a fleeing suspect, authorities have said. He chased Legghette to the top of a Thompson Center stairwell, then the two tumbled down to a landing below — where Legghette shot Bauer multiple times.

Jurors also were instructed that they could find Legghette guilty instead of second-degree murder, if they find he believed he fired because his life was in danger but that belief was unreasonable. Legghette had been expected to testify about the confrontation and make a self-defense claim, but ultimately chose not to.

In the absence of Legghette’s testimony, defense attorney Scott Kamin instead argued Friday that a “reasonable person” would have acted the way Legghette did.

There was no reason for Legghette to know Bauer was a police officer, he told the jury. “This guy, who’s a total stranger, doesn’t say ‘stop, police, freeze,'" Kamin said.

If there’s someone to “ascribe responsibility” to for the shooting, Kamin said, it’s Bauer himself, “for not identifying himself as a police officer.”

Legghette was outfitted with what prosecutors on Friday called a “weapons system:” a bulletproof vest, a gun with an extended magazine, and what appeared to be a long, heavy ice pick.

“He was a trap waiting for anyone who crossed his path to snap,” Assistant State’s Attorney John Maher said. “He had a problem with a dope dealer or police who wanted to take him to jail, there’s going to be consequences when you go up against Shomari Legghette, and Paul Bauer and his family learned that all too well.”

But Kamin said such measures were understandable for Legghette, who carried weapons and used body armor to protect himself, he said.

Under the circumstances, he said. “reasonable people would think they needed to use force and if they had a weapon, a gun, that would be the kind of force they would (use).”

The self-defense argument could be a heavy lift for jurors, who did not hear testimony from Legghette, the only person who could have testified to what he was thinking when he pulled the trigger.

And, prosecutors said, Bauer was alone with Legghette at the bottom of the stairwell for more than 20 crucial seconds before shots rang out. That was plenty of time for Legghette to notice Bauer carrying his handcuffs and hearing his police radio on full blast, they said.

“After 25 seconds of we’ll never know what, bartering, fighting, we’ll never know, he decides it’s time to pull the trigger,” Assistant State’s Attorney John Maher said. “… then, the most selfish of acts. With the most malicious intent. He pointed a gun at another human being and pulled the trigger.”

Family members grew emotional, passing around tissues as prosecutors closed their final arguments by displaying a photo of the radio lying in the blood-spattered stairwell and playing audio of the transmissions from the moment of the shooting -- including several gunshots.

The photo of the radio faded out into a portrait of Bauer, smiling, in full uniform.

“Cmdr. Bauer dedicated his life to service and sacrifice for the community,” Maher told the jury. “Everything he worked for and loved was taken away from him by Shomari Legghette, who only cared about himself.”

A handful of police officers and officials sat in the packed courtroom at the Leighton Criminal Court Building Friday morning, including Chicago police First Deputy Supt. Anthony Riccio. A crowd of other officers stood outside the courtroom as the arguments began.

Nearby, Legghette, in a suit and tie, leaned back in his chair during the arguments.

Legghette said he did not want to speak to them, and took off running up the stairs, witnesses said.

The two struggled at the top of a stairwell outside the Thompson Center, tumbling down the stairs and onto a landing below, witnesses said.

No cameras or eyewitnesses saw the shooting itself. But the taxi’s security video caught the sound echoing through the Thompson Center plaza: seven distinct gunshots in quick succession.

The medical examiner testified that Bauer suffered six gunshot wounds, including at least two that would each on their own have been quickly fatal.

The centerpiece of Legghette’s defense was a self-defense claim -- but while he was expected to take the stand and explain that himself, the defense rested without calling him to testify.

In addition, an Illinois State Police firearms analyst testified that each of the six spent cartridge cases recovered after Bauer’s shooting traced back to Legghette’s gun.

Grubhub temporarily cancels delivery fees to restaurants impacted by coronavirus

SUN TIMES//Mitch Dudek

“We’re prepared to delay up to $100 million in our revenue to help these restaurants be more solvent and help them fulfill their commitments to their staff, the majority of which are hourly workers who unfortunately will bear the brunt of this economic crisis,” Grubhub CEO Matt Maloney said at a news conference outside Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s City Hall office.

The move will leave thousands of extra dollars a month in the pockets of restaurateurs, Maloney said.

An average delivery fee charged to a restaurant is “easily more than 10%” of the order, he said.

Grubhub is headquartered in the Loop.

Lightfoot praised Maloney for the move.

“The reality is that less people are choosing to dine in. We need restaurants to rely more and more on pickup and delivery orders to keep their doors open and stay afloat...as people choose to stay at home and follow the guidance of social distancing,” Lightfoot said.

R.J. Melman, president of Lettuce Entertain You, a restaurant group that operates dozens of restaurants in the area, said that business fell off “a gigantic cliff” over the last seven days to the tune of 40 to 70%.

“It means a lot,” Melman said of the impact Grubhub’s relief measure will have on Chicago restaurants.

Maloney also pledged to give money from the company’s “Donate the Change” program to non-profits that “directly impact the local restaurants and drivers whose lives have been upended by this crisis.”

The program — which allows delivery customers to round up to the nearest dollar for charity — collects more than $1 million a month, said Maloney.

“This is a no brainer,” Maloney said.

Grubhub Won’t Collect $100 Million From Restaurants To Help During Coronavirus Struggle

BLOCK CLUB//Kelly Bauer

DOWNTOWN — Food delivery company Grubhub is letting restaurants around the country keep up to $100 million in commissions.

The move is expected to help restaurants save money and stay afloat as they struggle to bring in customers during the spread of coronavirus. Grubhub, a Chicago-based company, made the announcement with Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Friday morning.

As part of the effort, Grubhub will suspend collection of up to $100 million in commission payments from independent restaurants, according to a Mayor’s Office news release. There are nearly 10,000 restaurants partnered with the company in Chicago and it has thousands of delivery drivers here.

“The reality … is that less people are choosing to dine in,” meaning more residents are relying on delivery orders, Lightfoot said during a news conference.

Grubhub’s move is a “huge deal” as restaurants are an essential part of Chicago’s neighborhoods and provide paychecks for thousands of residents, Lightfoot said.

While the health of residents is Chicago’s top priority, officials also recognize how it’s harming small businesses and giving anxiety to workers, Lightfoot said.

“Independent restaurants are the lifeblood of our cities and feed our communities,” said Grubhub CEO Matt Maloney in a news release. “They have been amazing longterm partners for us, and we wanted to help them in their time of need. Our business is their business — so this was an easy decision for us to make.”

Grubhub will also give money from its Donate the Change program to charitable groups that help restaurants and drivers impacted by coronavirus, according to the Mayor’s Office.

The program allows people ordering food to round up the change from their order and donate it to the Grubhub Community Relief Fund. Grubhub matches the money donated by Grubhub+ members.

The program raises more than $1 million per month, according to Grubhub. The company will work with city officials to determine which groups can best use the donations.

Teachers Union Demands CPS Close All Schools Due to Coronavirus Concerns

BLOCK CLUB//Joe Ward and Kelly Bauer

DOWNTOWN — The Chicago Teachers Union is demanding Chicago close all its schools as coronavirus spreads.

Chicago’s public schools, which serve more than 300,000 students, have remained open — and Mayor Lori Lightfoot has repeatedly said there are currently no plans to close them, though that’s being reassessed multiple times each day.

But the Chicago Teachers Union will call upon the city to close the schools on Friday. The union will hold a news conference at 3:30 p.m.

A CTU source said the union is working with CPS to nail down details on how schools can accommodate students who are homeless and students seeking meals and other services.

The union will call for the creation of a city meal delivery service for low-income students, a plan to ensure students have access to internet and a computer for distance learning and the suspension of the School Quality Rating Policy, which partially uses attendance numbers to assess school performance, according to a news release.

The union also wants all Illinois workers, including those at private businesses, to get at least an additional 15 paid sick days and for there to be a moratorium on evictions, mortgage payments and utility bills “for families in need.”

Lightfoot and other officials have said they do not want to close down schools because there is currently no significant reason to do so, especially since young people are far less likely to suffer seriously from coronavirus. They’ve also said many students need schools for meals, shelter, clothing and other things.

So far, only one school — Vaughn Occupational High School in Portage Park — has been closed after an employee there tested positive for coronavirus last week. No other employees or students of the school have tested positive for the virus so far, officials said Friday.

But the Archdiocese of Chicago closed its Catholic schools in the city, and districts across the country, including in nearby Evanston and Oak Park, have closed their schools.

CPS is allowing students to take excused absences for coronavirus.

But teachers have said they fear for their own safety and the safety of their families. They could catch the virus from their students, they said — or their students could bring it home to their families, where there might be vulnerable people.

Samantha Spencer teaches digital media at Sullivan High School in Rogers Park, where her room full of computers has run out of cleaning supplies. Spencer, who has a compromised immune system that makes her more susceptible to the coronavirus, said her students are concerned for the safety of their teachers and their families.

“For a lot of my students, their guardians are their grandparents,” Spencer said. Elderly persons are more at-risk from the virus than younger populations. “Everyone over here agrees the schools need to close. That’s really the only option that makes sense.”

Lightfoot and Dr. Allison Arwady, head of the Chicago Department of Public Health, said Friday morning there’s currently no reason to close CPS schools — and doing so could have a negative effect on the students they serve and their families due to the district’s unique population.

“We know our parents are diverse who they are, what their employment is, and when we close schools that means in a lot of instances parents have to stay home,” Lightfoot said during a news conference. “That could mean that we’re taking nurses out of hospitals, doctors out of hospitals.

“We also know that many of our parents are hourly workers and they would have to stay home because of the cost and/or availability of childcare.”

Closing CPS schools could lead to students not being able to access food and shelter during the day, Lightfoot said.

At Vaughn, the only school closed so far, CPS has tried to help students and their families by providing free boxed food that can be picked up.

But it’s not just food and shelter officials are worried about: Often when students are kept home they’re sent to their grandparents for babysitting — which could be dangerous for elderly people, who are most at risk from coronavirus, Arwady said.

Chicago Teachers Union calls for school closures amid coronavirus outbreak

SUN TIMES//Mitchell Armentrout

The Chicago Teachers Union is calling for an immediate closure of Chicago Public Schools in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Thursday schools would remain open, despite issuing an order to cancel gatherings of 250 people or more.

“The enrollment in most school communities fits those parameters,” CTU officials said. “We are calling on Chicago’s mayor and Chicago Public Schools to follow the leadership of the governor and school districts across the country and immediately close all traditional public, charter and contract schools in the city of Chicago.”

The union planned a news conference to take place after Gov. J.B. Pritzker provides an update on the state’s response at 2:30 p.m.

CTU officials are also calling for a moratorium on evictions and utility bills.

“Our students and their families must be safe. We need a full and responsible expansion of our social safety net, and our union stands ready and willing to work with CPS and the city to help deliver any and all resources,” the union said.

CTU calls for immediate closure of all Chicago Public Schools

CRAIN’S//A.D. Quig and Greg Hinz

The Chicago Teachers Union is calling for city officials to close all CPS schools, including charter and contract schools, "given the rapid expansion of COVID-19 cases in the region."

The union also wants its members to get an additional 15 paid sick leave days “to align with the quarantine period for COVID-19.”

The CTU demanded initially that the district close schools that will be used as polling places for Tuesday's primary and deep clean them the same night, before students return. But after Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced a cancellation of gatherings of more than 1,000 people and asked that those with more than 250 attendees be canceled or postponed, the union laid out new demands "to protect schoolchildren, their families and their larger communities.

The union notes Pritzker's 250-person cancellation cap and says, "The enrollment in most school communities fits those parameters."

Mayor Lori Lightfoot and her public health commissioner have held back on cancelling classes at Chicago Public Schools, saying yesterday that children are at less risk of transmitting and becoming very ill from the virus, and that there are "a lot of potential cascading effects" on students and their families. "A substantial percentage of our students depend on the schools for eating, for shelter and in some instances, where they get clothing and other needs," Lightfoot said yesterday. "It's a very big deal to say we'd be shutting down schools, we're not there yet."

"Widespread testimonials and anxiety from educators, students and parents across Chicago are pushing the mayor and CPS to act now. We feel the same anxiety," union President Jesse Sharkey said in a message on CTU's website. "We understand the strain in providing meals in a district where more than half the children qualify for free or reduced priced lunches. We are educators. We see it all. . . .Our only hope to minimizing harm from this pandemic and stem the infection rate is to shut down our schools as many other school leaders already have."

The Archdiocese of Chicago announced the suspension of Mass and classes in Lake and Cook counties earlier today.

2:45 P.M. UPDATE:

The alliance of unions representing clerical workers and faculty is also calling on city officials to shut down the seven City Colleges of Chicago locations. "We recognize that closing our colleges is not an easy task, but we must do what we can to minimize the spread of COVID-19. We join the Chicago Teachers Union in calling for Mayor Lori Lightfoot to declare a State of Emergency for the City of Chicago and close all public schools including K-12, charter schools, and community colleges."
The group demanded "a seat at the table as we discuss how to transition to online learning so our faculty and staff can receive support through this process and students’ learning needs can be properly met. All employees must be provided safe ways to continue their work from home. We cannot allow hundreds of families to be forced to make the decision between pay and safety."

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot says public schools to remain open, teachers union wants them to close

TRIBUNE//John Byrne and Hannah Leone

Lightfoot’s comments came just before the Chicago Teachers Union called Friday for schools to be closed and that the city declare a “state of emergency”.

At a City Hall news conference to update the evolving situation, Lightfoot said Gov. J.B. Pritzker is not applying pressure on her to close Chicago Public Schools. A Pritzker spokeswoman did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

“What I would say is, the governor has concerns, not only about CPS, obviously, but schools across the state,” she said. “We’re having multiple conversations every single day about what we’re doing, why we’re doing what we’re doing, using the data to be driven. That is a conversation the governor and I continue to have, in partnership with his team and my team. So in the event we need to take some action, we’re going to be doing that in partnership with the state.”

As she has repeatedly in recent days, Lightfoot noted the “significant secondary effect” of closing Chicago schools because working parents would need to find care for kids not in class and many of the 355,000 CPS children count on the schools for multiple meals each day.

But she also stressed she could still decide it’s more important to send students home.

“Obviously, we are of course taking every aspect of this very seriously, and particularly the question of whether our schools should or should not remain open is something we have frequent conversations about all day long,” she said. “We start the day with that question, among others, and we continue to assess things with our partners at CPS on a regular basis. And we will continue to do that.”

Nevertheless, the CTU issued a demand later Friday morning for all Chicago public schools to be closed to prevent the spread of coronavirus. The union previously said it wanted the schools to close to students on Election Day because so many of them are polling places.

“As of today, given the rapid expansion of COVID-19 cases in the region, (our) demands include immediate closure of CPS schools, including charter and contract schools,” the union said in a statement. “The union is also calling for a moratorium on evictions and utility bills, and calling on the city of Chicago to declare the city in a state of emergency — a particularly critical demand given issues related to accessing testing for those who might have contracted the coronavirus.”

The demand came two hours after the union suddenly cancelled a morning press conference, which was supposed to cover new demands and policy proposals that had “evolved overnight.”

Union leaders said discussions continued to into the morning, “including via conversations between CPS and the CTU.”

The union is now planning to hold a press conference after Pritzker’s scheduled 4 p.m. briefing at the Thompson Center. The union’s statement noted enrollment at most schools fits the parameters of the governor’s Thursday decision to cancel all public events drawing more than 1,000 people and asking that gatherings in general be no larger than 250.

The union also called on city officials to declare a state of emergency and added to their previous “common good” demands, pushing for a CPS and city meal delivery plan to make sure students who rely on schools for breakfast and lunch don’t go hungry. The union also wants a plan for students to have access to internet and computers for remote learning.

In light of reports of cleaning supplies not arriving as promised at some schools, the union asked for clearer guidance from city and school officials on the protocols for cleaning. “Concerns from rank-and-file janitorial staff are mounting about protocols and a growing lack of access to cleaning supplies,” the union stated.

Thermometers, curbside pickup and sealed bags: Restaurants aim for virus safety

CRAIN’S//Dalton Barker

Chicago restaurants and bars are making bold decisions to deal with the coronavirus.

Anyone with a fever will be turned away and there will be no standing room, Schoolyard said in a statement on Instagram. The moves are meant for diners to keep going out and spending money.

So far, the virus and the subsequent quarantines, public event cancellations and other measures aimed at reducing social gathering is having a dire effect of the hospitality industry, according to Illinois Restaurant Association President and CEO Sam Toia.

At a press conference this morning with Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Toia said restaurant sales are down between 40 to 70 percent. He said restaurants are seeing increased delivery as people avoid large public gatherings, but things are rough for operators.

That’s why DineAmic Hospitality, which owns restaurants like Siena Tavern and Prime & Provisions, is focusing on delivery and ensuring diners have access to hand sanitizer and posting more signs to encourage guests to wash their hands for a minimum of 20 seconds.

“We are rolling out curbside pickup at all of our venues and effective immediately,” a DineAmic spokeswoman said. “Guests call in their orders, pay via phone, drive up and we bring out their food to their car.”

Smack Dab, a Roger’s Park restaurant, is sealing delivery and to-go bags for less chance of contamination, according to an email. One piece of good news for restaurants is that Grubhub is suspending ad commissions to help offset declining restaurant sales.

Cook County treasurer, assessor offices close due to coronavirus concerns

SUN TIMES//Rachel Hinton

Two Cook County offices closed Friday due to concerns about the spread of the coronavirus.

“The work of our office, as well as that of the Clerk, Treasurer and Board of Review, ensures local governmental bodies have the funds and resources to serve the public in a crisis like this,” Kaegi said in a statement. “Therefore, we will put all available resources toward online, phone, and other remote services to meet the need for uninterrupted service. Our hard-working and dedicated staff members will continue to report to work as they are able.”

Property owners can file exemptions and appeals on the assessor’s website. All public outreach events have been canceled through May 1^st.

For Pappas, the move means protecting her workers and the public.

“We have not had a case of the coronavirus in our office and I want to keep it that way,” Pappas said in her statement. “While it is of surpassing importance to protect our employees and visitors to the building from this virus, it is important to continue serving taxpayers.”

Employees in that treasurer’s office will work remotely to collect tax payments, issue refunds and perform some other duties of the office.

The move comes a day after Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle held a joint news conference, urging people to stay home and work remotely if possible.

Battle over control of Union Station goes nuclear

CRAIN’S//Greg Hinz

Lipinski has been threatening such action for months as negotiations over a new lease between Metra and Amtrak broke down over financial and other concerns. Given that Metra uses the facility much more than Amtrak as a base for its commuter operations, the facility best belongs in Metra’s hands even if Amtrak retains ownership, LIpinski said.

Lipinski said he believes his bill will be folded into the pending reauthorization bill for the U.S. Surface Transportation Board, which regulates both rail carriers. Lipinski is a senior member of the panel considering reauthorization, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

Amtrak, which has begun to develop real estate at and near Union Station, has been able to fight off earlier efforts to control its overall operations, though none have been this specific about Union Station. After some recent political missteps, though, “Amtrak doesn’t have a lot of friends on Capitol Hill,” Lipinski said, predicting his bill at least would make it to the House floor.

LIpinski said Metra met with committee staff earlier in the week to demonstrate it has the technical capacity to run Union Station. Metra declined to comment.

Amtrak has some equally strong feelings on the matter.

“The bill, if it became law, would block Amtrak from serving Chicago Union Station, as it names Metra as the train dispatcher and then says Metra would not dispatch any Amtrak trains,” spokesman Marc Magliari said in an email. “The only other way to read that provision is to say both Amtrak and Metra would dispatch the same track, which would like two control towers operating the same runway.”

Added Magliari: “It would be impossible for Amtrak to operate and Cong. Lipinski’s bill would be a Chicago blockade to regional and national Amtrak service.”

Lipinski had no immediate response, but the two sides do have some time to try to strike a truce, as Congress is likely to adjourn for several weeks amid COVID-19 concerns before taking up Lipinski’s bill.

Is it safe to eat out? Chicago restaurants and health experts weigh in

TRIBUNE//Louisa Chu, Nick Kindelsperger and Grace Wong

So is it still safe to dine out?

“It depends on who you are,” said Kristin Gustashaw, a Rush University Medical Center advanced level clinical dietitian.

“If you're a healthy individual, then it's safe to dine out,” said Gustashaw, who works in adult nutrition, disease and wellness. “If you're not healthy, regardless of the coronavirus, then you should probably stay home.”

The enhanced sanitation programs at dining establishments means they’re probably safer than ever for both workers and diners, she said, but still recommends extra care.

“If you always thought a place was seedy, then maybe now is not the time to go to those places,” said Gustashaw.

Social distancing remains a top priority.

“Whether you're dining in or out probably depends on the size of the restaurant and how close the tables are,” she said. “If it's a tight closed restaurant, where people are always on top of each other, then maybe get your food to go.”

Manny’s Deli in the South Loop announced they’re now offering curbside pickup in addition to carry out and delivery. “This will be helpful during these times for the elderly, parents with small children, and any customer who prefers social distancing,” the restaurant announced on its Instagram account. One of the last and oldest big Jewish delis in Chicago, famous for its corned beef sandwiches, Manny’s has endured as a regular destination for busloads of senior citizens and their families.

At Baker Miller in the Lincoln Square neighborhood, Dave Miller, co-owner with wife and baker Megan, had been following the spread of COVID-19 overseas and wrote a plan weeks ago.

“By starting early, we helped slow the spread,” said Miller. “We have a lot of older people in our clientele at the restaurant who are susceptible and we felt like it was the kind thing to do.”

The bakery and cafe was an early adopter in what’s now the new normal, with hand sanitizer stations throughout the space. Like many establishments now, they switched to all eco-friendly disposable serveware. The small business has also temporarily suspended cash payment and added a 3% surcharge to all transactions to help offset the cost of the extra serveware, trash service and maintenance staff.

Business has dropped 45%, said Miller. The most difficult element of the outbreak is continuing to protect his workers’ pay. They’ve removed the countertop tip jar and switched to one online.

Bungalow by Middle Brow, the restaurant and brewpub in Logan Square, has stopped handing out paper menus and gotten rid of the communal water pitchers, with waiters now pouring all the water, said manager Chris Hatcher. "We're trying to be more considerate of people with compromised immune systems," said Hatcher.

At Smack Dab in Rogers Park, business currently hasn’t slowed. “We are very lucky to have strong community support,” says Jacob Hatfield, director of operations. The restaurant is also offering paid sick leave to any of its employees showing flulike symptoms. “We are all talking about what we can do together,” said Hatfield.

If you choose to dine in, Gustashaw offered additional advice. “Wipe down your tables and chairs and yourself again,” she said. “When I had young children, I brought my own Lysol wipes and I wiped down those tabletops and high chairs before I would put my infant in.”

City Rock Korean Kitchen chef and partner Andrew Lim confirmed his will be the first Chicago restaurant to close over coronavirus concerns, but not due to infection. The restaurant is an innocent bystander affected by restrictions at the James R. Thompson Center and will close Monday. Gov. JB Pritzker will close the state of Illinois building in the Loop except to people who have state business. The lower concourse food court level will remain open, said Pritzker at a joint press conference with Mayor Lori Lightfoot, and state and city public health officials on Thursday.

Lim will meet with partners about possibly moving operations to sister restaurant Perilla in the Fulton River District, which remains open. Meanwhile Thompson Center Atrium management and workers at other restaurants are still waiting for official word on the building status.

Gustashaw, an expert in gerontological nutrition, shared a final thought, not specifically about dining out but eating in general. “I want to remind people that one of your greatest defenses against any illness is to be properly nourished and properly hydrated,” she said.

“That’s how you’re going to fight anything.”

Archdiocese of Chicago Suspends Mass, Closes Schools Due to Coronavirus

WTTW//Kristen Thometz

Mass at all Archdiocese of Chicago churches will be suspended starting Saturday until further notice in an effort to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus.

“This is not a decision I made lightly,” Cardinal Blase J. Cupich said in a statement.

The action comes following a recommendation announced Thursday by city and state officials to cancel events with crowds of 250 people or more. In Illinois, 32 people, including two youth, have tested positive for COVID-19, officials said Thursday.

Mosques across the Chicagoland area, including the Muslim Community Center and its sister location the Muslim Educational Center, are canceling Jummah Prayers starting Friday until further notice because of COVID-19. With large gatherings expected for services, MCC said it couldn’t “in good conscious” continue services.

“Since we do not know the nature of this virus, how fast, how quickly it is spreading and how long the latency period is, we could not allow these two buildings be at high risk where 500 to 1,000 people that are not your regular attendees gather in close proximity,” reads a statement on MCC’s website. Muslims were encouraged to attend smaller masajids if possible or organize a smaller Jummah prayer in someone’s home, according to the statement.

The following mosques will also be closed for Friday services: MECCA Center in Willowbrook, Islamic Foundation Society, Islamic Center of North America, Islamic Center of Naperville and Islamic Foundation Society.

On Friday, the archdiocese also announced all of its schools in Cook and Lake counties will temporarily close starting Monday. Students will be expected to continue academic work through electronic learning or alternative learning, according to the statement.

At a news conference Friday morning, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said she was aware of the archdiocese’s decision to close schools and that Chicago Public Schools remain open at this time. “If we get to a point that it’s prudent to close schools, we’re going to do that in a way that mitigates and minimizes burden on households,” she said, adding children’s health and well-being are a top priority.

Though mass will be suspended, weddings and funerals scheduled for Saturday may proceed as long as fewer than 250 people attend, according to the archdiocese.

“The Eucharist is the source and summit of our life as Catholics. And our schools and agencies provide essential services to many thousands across Cook and Lake Counties,” he said. “But, in consultation with leaders from across the archdiocese, for the sake of the safety of our students, parishioners, and all the women and men who serve the people of the archdiocese, it is clear that we must take the better part of caution in order to slow the spread of this pandemic.”

The archdiocese said churches should remain open for private prayer during a timeframe “best determined by each pastor,” according to the statement. The archdiocese urged parishioners to watch televised and online masses “to remain connected in some way to the Sacrifice of the mass during this difficult time.” Churches that are able to broadcast their own masses should do so, the archdiocese said.

Starting Monday, pastoral center and school staff will begin working from home. Staffing at parishes will be determined at the discretion of its pastor, according to the statement, which said all employees will continue to be paid during this time.

The archdiocese also prohibited all work-related travel until further notice.

Archdiocese agencies that serve the poor and vulnerable will be making their own announcements about continuing operations, according to the statement.

Pressure Growing to Close Chicago Public Schools

WBEZ//Sarah Karp

The Chicago Teachers Union is calling for the closure of Chicago Public Schools and its charter schools.

The union had previously only called for schools to be closed on election day, Tuesday, March 17, because many schools are used as polling places. But, in a press release, they say that the increase of cases has prompted them to call for all schools to close.

Also Friday, parents and parent groups were sharply criticizing the decision by Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Chicago Public School leaders to keep schools open. even as Catholic, private and numerous suburban schools were announcing shutdowns Friday and Thursday.

So far, Gov. JB Pritzker has not followed the lead of other state officials — including Ohio and Maryland — and called off school statewide. He holds a press conference at 4 p.m today.

Meanwhile, Lightfoot and the the Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Allison Arwady, who is a pediatrician, seemed to dig in on their decision to keep schools open. The mayor’s office released a fact sheet on considerations for closing school. Among other things. it said that the “available modeling data indicate that early, short-to medium-closures do not impact the epi curve of COVID-19.”

At a news conference Friday morning they also stressed that the risk of COVID-19 spreading among kids is low and said if schools close, students may end up with grandparents, who are at greater risk of getting sick. They cited the example of CPS’ Vaughn Occupational High School, where a teacher’s aide was diagnosed. All students were advised to self-quarantine and CPS said so far no student with symptoms has tested positive. However, at least one student with symptoms hasn’t been tested yet because of official missteps. She’s scheduled to be tested until Friday afternoon.

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They also said they don’t want to close schools because students rely on them for food and parents, especially low-income adults, also rely on schools for child care while they work.

But some organizations that work with low-income families say they fear keeping the schools open will put vulnerable people in their communities at risk.

The Logan Square Neighborhood Association, which works with low-income, mostly Latino families, called on Chicago Public Schools to close and for the city to ensure that low-income families get some financial support.

“The time is now,” said Norma Rios-Sierra, an organizer with LSNA. “We can not keep putting more and more vulnerable members at risk.”

Rios-Sierra said she understands the challenges of making sure that children, who depend on breakfast and lunch at school, get enough food. But she suggested that the school district could think about having food trucks deliver food.

She pointed out that children with compromised immune systems may live in small apartments with children going to school who could bring it into the home. She also said many grandparents live with their grandchildren. Elderly people have been found to suffer the biggest complications if they contract COVID-19.

Jury convicts Shomari Legghette of first-degree murder in killing of Chicago police Cmdr. Paul Bauer

TRIBUNE//Megan Crepeau and Madeline Buckley

The conviction brings to a close one of the most high-profile police murder trials in recent Chicago history. And the verdict all but guarantees Legghette, 46, will spend the rest of his life behind bars, as Illinois law mandates life sentences for adults convicted of murdering police officers in the course of their duties.

Jurors were sent back to deliberate late Friday morning after being instructed by Cook County Judge Erica Reddick, and reached a verdict after 2 p.m. Legghette faced charges including first-degree murder, armed violence, and murder of a peace officer in Bauer’s 2018 killing in the Loop, and was found guilty on all counts.

Prosecutors had asked the jury to hold Legghette accountable for the slaying that shocked Chicago in their closing arguments Friday.

As Legghette stood in court, his face displayed no emotion but his glasses were askew on his face and his collar was rumpled.

Jurors also were instructed that they could have found Legghette guilty instead of second-degree murder, if they find he believed he fired because his life was in danger but that belief was unreasonable. Legghette had been expected to testify about the confrontation and make a self-defense claim, but ultimately chose not to.