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Phillips, who played for Team Jamaica at a 2018 tournament, is currently with the Rockford IceHogs and signed his NHL entry-level contract March 31.

In some aspects, Blackhawks prospect Isaak Phillips has followed a typical hockey path.

His mother is Finnish. He grew up an hour outside Toronto. He worked his way up through Canadian juniors, including two years with Sudbury of the Ontario Hockey League. He was drafted by the Hawks in the fifth round in October and signed his NHL entry-level contract March 31.

In other aspects, however, Phillips’ background and path have been different. He is Black. His father hails from the Caribbean island of St. Vincent. And, in 2018, he played on what was essentially the first Jamaican hockey team.

‘‘That was a pretty awesome experience to have a team full of kids that look like you,’’ Phillips, 19, said. ‘‘You look around, and everyone looks the same. It was a fun summer tournament and hopefully something that can put Team Jamaica on the map.’’

Jamaica became an associate member of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) in 2012, and the momentum to grow hockey in the island nation of 2.9 million has taken off in recent years.

It started with that 2018 team, which competed in the Team Elite Prospect Hockey Showcase tournament in Toronto and won, going undefeated in eight games.

‘‘We needed to go ahead and field a team ourselves, so we could show people that this was a probable idea,’’ said E.J. Phillipps, the co-founder and CEO of the Jamaica Olympic Ice Hockey Federation (JOIHF). ‘‘Isaak did a tremendous job coming and really helping elevate the team — and himself, as well — to get the maximum exposure for us to move forward.’’

E.J. Phillipps/JOIHF

That team was made up of Canadian-born under-20 players with various Caribbean ancestries. In the time since, however, the JOIHF has expanded its player-outreach programs enough that it now uses only players with specifically Jamaican ancestry.

Board member Gary Smith said it has developed a 75-player prospect list spanning Canadian junior leagues, college hockey conferences and pro minor leagues.

Jamaica fielded a roster in the 2019 LatAm Cup — a tournament in Florida that included 21 teams from Central and South American countries — and won that tournament, too. After the 2020 edition was canceled because of COVID-19, it will seek to defend its title in October.

And Jamaica has its eyes on greater heights, including Olympic participation. The JOIHF has designed and is raising money for a multipurpose ice rink in Kingston, which would allow the country to become a full IIHF member. And it debuted a hockey class with 42 students enrolled this semester at G.C. Foster College in Spanish Town.

The goal is to develop a national hockey program similar to that of Mexico, which has competed in the IIHF’s Division II World Championships since 2000 and has about 2,700 registered adult players.

‘‘[We want] to continue to grow the program at the grassroots level in Jamaica, which would start with a street-hockey, roller-hockey transition scenario, developing young children at the school level,’’ Smith said. ‘‘Five years from now, hopefully the rink will be built and we’ll have learn-to-skate and learn-to-play hockey programs.

‘‘That’ll really be the start, genuinely, of Jamaican-born players developing into legitimate ice-hockey players.’’

Phillips can take pride in his contributions to the start of this movement. He has become the first JOIHF alum to sign an NHL contract and hopes to become the first to play in the NHL in the not-too-distant future.

Special rules during the pandemic gave Phillips the rare opportunity to play in the American Hockey League this season as a 19-year-old, and he admitted he arrived in Rockford with ‘‘pretty low expectations.’’ He wasn’t sure whether he was just there to practice and improve under the Hawks’ development staff or whether he would play in regular-season games.

It turned out to be the latter. The 6-3 defenseman has played in 16 of the IceHogs’ first 21 games, recording six points and learning how to adapt to the next level.

‘‘You just learn to think the pro game,’’ Phillips said. ‘‘In junior [hockey], you can get away with some stuff — an extra move or holding on to [the puck] for an extra second. But here, everything is going quick, quick, quick. Everyone in this league can play at the next level and everyone is fighting to get there, so you just learn little tendencies and little tips and tricks: how to move the puck quicker, how to use your body.

‘‘I try to learn something new after each game . . . and then I try to be a quick study, get that into my game right away and show them I can be really coachable.’’

When Phillips received the contract offer late last month, he called his parents to break the news, and ‘‘some tears of joy’’ were shed.

The three-year deal officially kicks in next season. Phillips knows he’ll be back in the AHL next fall, but he’s hoping to make his NHL debut at some point during the season.

That would make history for Team Jamaica, but Phillips hopes it eventually won’t be seen as notable at all.

‘‘We are coming up in the sport,’’ he said. ‘‘As you see more Black players in the game, it’s going to help out the younger generations. For me, I know when you see a couple of Black players in the NHL, it inspired me to keep chasing my dreams.’’

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A 17-year-old boy was fatally shot Friday in the 200 block of West 37th Street.

One person was killed and five others wounded in shootings across Chicago so far this weekend, including a 17-year-old boy who was fatally shot Friday in Bridgeport on the South Side.

The teen and two others were sitting in a parked vehicle about 9:45 p.m. in the 200 block of West 37th Street when a black Dodge Durango pulled up and two men exited and began shooting at them, Chicago police said.

Davion Ward, 17, was struck in the back and was transported to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

A 16-year-old boy suffered a graze wound to the head and was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in critical condition, police said.

A man between 18 and 20 years old suffered a gunshot wound to the chest and was transported to the same hospital in critical condition, police said.

In nonfatal attacks, a 48-year old man was hurt in a drive-by shooting early Saturday in Humboldt Park on the West Side.

The man was standing outside about 12:50 a.m. in the 1000 block of North Avers Avenue when someone inside a passing white Jeep fired shots, police said. He was struck in the leg and was taken to Stroger Hospital in fair condition.

Also Saturday, a man was shot in West Pullman on the Far South Side.

The 34-year-old was standing outside about 4 a.m. in the 100 block of East 119th Street when someone inside a red-colored vehicle fired shots, Chicago police said.

He sustained five gunshot wounds on the body and was taken to Roseland Community Hospital in good condition, police said.

In the weekend’s earliest reported shooting, a person was hurt in a shooting Friday night on Interstate 290 near Cicero Avenue on the West Side.

About 9:30 p.m., a driver suffered a gunshot wound while traveling on I-290 near Cicero Avenue, Illinois State Police said.

The driver’s injuries were non-life-threatening, according to state police.

Thirty-four people were shot, eight fatally, last weekend in Chicago.

Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.

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The list of quarterbacks in this year’s draft doesn’t stop after the top five five. For the Bears, it may only start then. 

The Bears are watching Texas A&M quarterback Kellen Mond.

And he’s flirting back.

“I definitely see a connection [with the Bears],” he said last week after his on-campus pro day. “I definitely don’t want to say any names — but you know you know I’m definitely excited, especially them being able to watch me in person and watch me spin and spin the ball in person.”

The Bears sent quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo to College Station, Texas to see Mond — and to Palo Alto, California, to watch Stanford’s Davis Mills.

It’s a reminder that the list of quarterbacks in this year’s draft doesn’t stop after the top five five. For the Bears, it may only start then.

The top three picks in the draft, which starts April 29, are expected to be quarterbacks: Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence first, likely followed by BYU’s Zach Wilson second and either Alabama’s Mac Jones or Ohio State’s Justin Fields third. North Dakota State quarterback Trey Lance could go in the top 10, too.

That would leave the Bears sorting through quarterbacks on Day 2, when they hold Picks 52 and 83. Drafting one in Rounds 2 or 3, though, would go against type. The Bears haven’t taken a quarterback in the second or third round since Peter Tom Willis went 63rd overall in 1990. Pace has drafted only one quarterback — Mitch Trubisky — in his six seasons. Since 2004, fourth-rounder Kyle Orton is the second-highest quarterback the Bears have selected.

This year comes with an added degree of difficulty: no NFL Scouting Combine. Typically, coach Matt Nagy said, coaches get to see how the ball spins out of a passer’s hands and how they move their feet when they throw at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. When the coronavirus scuttled the combine, the Bears sent representatives to virtually every relevant quarterback’s on-campus pro day.

“It definitely helps,” Nagy said. “There’s only so many of those you can do and see with everything else going on. What’s fair is that every other team is doing the same thing.”

Here are four quarterbacks the Bears could consider on Day 2 of the draft:

Davis Mills

Stanford

6-4, 217 pounds

Age: 22

In one sentence: The former top high school quarterback prospect — by both Scout and Rivals — started only 11 college games.

The skinny: No quarterback was hurt more by the shortened college season than Mills. He missed the 2020 opener because of a false positive coronavirus test and played only five games for the Cardinal, whose conference didn’t begin football games until November. At his pro day in the rain, he showed why recruiters fell in love with him in high school — he has both zip and touch.

The big question: Can he stay healthy? Mills’ history of knee injuries dates to high school, when he hurt his left one in the state title game.

He could be: The biggest mystery in the draft. If the Pac-12 had played a full season, Mills could have worked his way into the top tier of quarterbacks. That might have happened next year had he not turned pro, too.

Kellen Mond

Texas A&M

6-3, 205 pounds

Age: 21

In one sentence: The four-year starter quarterbacked the nation’s No. 4 team last year.

The skinny: Mond began career as the country’s top dual-threat quarterback. His completion percentage improved every season and, by the time he left College Station, he held most of the school’s passing records. He was the Senior Bowl MVP in January.

The big question: Can he adjust to the pro game? Mond spent almost all his college career out of the shotgun — which is why he worked exclusively under center at his pro day. His athleticism is a plus at the next level, but there are questions about his accuracy.

He could be: Colin Kaepernick, a second-round pick 10 years ago with whom he shares special athleticism and less-impressive passing touch. The Bears just spent four years being frustrated by an athletic, inaccurate quarterback, though, and might not want to go through that again.

Kyle Trask

Florida

6-5, 240 pounds

Age: 23

In one sentence: He went from not starting his first three years of high school — or his first three years of college — to a Heisman Trophy finalist.

The skinny: Trask led major college football with 4,283 passing yards and 43 touchdowns in 2020 — though that was partly a function of the SEC playing more games than the Big Ten or Pac-12. His production and height will land him an opportunity somewhere. If it’s Chicago, he’d have an ally waiting for him — Trask has been working out with Andy Dalton in California.

The big question: Are teams drafting lifelong backups this high? Trask’s experience playing second-string could prove helpful in the NFL, where he could carve out a decade-long career as a backup. That has value for teams — but probably not until Day 3.

He could be: The Steelers’ Mason Rudolph, who was also old — almost 23 — when he was drafted out of Oklahoma State.

Ian Book

Notre Dame

6 feet, 211 pounds

Age: 23

In one sentence: No quarterback in Notre Dame history won more games than the undersized Book’s 30.

The skinny: Book isn’t a Day 2 pick unless a team overlooks his measurables and sees a two-time captain who had more success than almost any passer in Notre Dame history. He’s probably at the top of the Day 3 quarterback tier, which includes Texas’ Sam Ehlinger — Tom Herman, his former head coach, now works for the Bears — and former Wake Forest quarterback Jamie Newman.

The big question: He’s too small, isn’t he? Six quarterbacks 6 feet or shorter started at least one game last year. Four have special skills: Drew Brees, Russell Wilson, Kyler Murray and Tua Tagovailoa. The other two, Ben DiNucci and Phillip Walker, started one game each. Book’s skill set skews more toward the second group.

He could be: A quicker Chase Daniel, maybe? Daniel, remember, went undrafted.

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The six-player trade sent Lucas Carlsson and Lucas Wallmark to Florida in exchange for Brett Connolly, Henrik Borgstrom, Riley Stillman and a 7th round pick.

The post Blackhawks Execute Six-Player Trade with Florida first appeared on CHI CITY SPORTS l Chicago Sports Blog – News – Forum – Fans – Rumors.Read More

Moon Alert

There are no restrictions to shopping or important decisions. The moon is in Aries.

Aries (March 21-April 19)

What a difference a day makes! Today you have a happy balance between feelings sociable and optimistic, and, yet, you’re also in a practical, sensible frame of mind. You might seek out the advice of someone older or more experienced. Overall, it’s a great day!

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

You are happy because you have a feel-good feeling in your tummy. It’s that simple. You might choose to enjoy your own privacy because it’s a good day to do research and dig for some practical information that you want to know. Some kind of group support is reassuring.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

You love your adoring peanut gallery and today is no exception. Enjoy schmoozing with others, especially younger people and creative, artistic types. You’ll be happy to relate to groups and clubs. Meanwhile, a discussion with someone older, perhaps a teacher figure, might help you.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

You continue to look good in the eyes of others, and, likewise, you continue to make a great impression on everyone. That’s why this is a great day to talk to bosses, parents, VIPs and anyone off import. Practical financial matters can be settled. Meanwhile, a group might endorse you. Looking good!

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)

Some of you have an opportunity to travel. Others will explore wonderful opportunities in publishing, the media, the law and medicine — perhaps even higher education. This is also an excellent day to study even though you want to jump in the car and watch the world go by.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

Things are look good financially! This is the perfect day do discuss inheritances, shared property or taxes. You won’t overlook details and you will be thorough. Meanwhile, you can benefit from the wealth of others today. Money can come to you! (Romance is hot as well.)

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

This is a glorious day to enjoy the company of others because everyone’s in a great mood. Not only are people light-hearted and friendly to each other, people are also willing to discuss practical, serious matters and make long-range plans. This means you can go either way. Serious or fun.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

This is a productive day for you, in part because you are happy to work and get a lot done. In particular, you will work well with a group. In addition to this, you are also ready to roll up your sleeves and work with energy to be as useful as possible.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

A playful day! Accept all invitations to party and enjoy yourself with fun, social diversions. Romance, sports events and fun activities with kids will particularly appeal. It’s also a good day to study the arts or sports and to hone your technique through practice. A winning day in all respects!

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

Stock the fridge because you’ll enjoy entertaining at home today. However, this is also an excellent day to explore redecorating ideas or real estate possibilities (including real estate speculation, residential moves or renting.) It’s a fun, productive day.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

You’re embracing positive thinking today, which is why you are so upbeat and optimistic! Enjoy talking to neighbors and relatives. You will also enjoy studying and teaching. This is a good day to make future plans.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)

When it comes to finances and shopping, you’re in the driver’s seat. In fact, you can actually attract money to you! You want to buy beautiful things for yourself and loved ones. Fortunately, your mind is practical and incisive, so you won’t miss a thing.

If Your Birthday Is Today

Actress Mandy Moore (1984) shares your birthday. You are honest, realistic and generous. You’re active and always on the go. As your new personal year begins, you are entering a time of new beginnings and fresh starts. Be open to letting go of old habits and habitual patterns in your life. Consider new ways of doing things because this year will bring you fresh opportunities.

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The fire broke out a home in the 9400 block of South Halsted Street.

One person died and another was seriously wounded in a fire Friday night in Brainerd on the South Side.

The fire broke out after 11 p.m. in the 9400 block of South Halsted Street, according to Chicago fire officials.

A woman was transported to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn in serious condition, fire officials said.

Crews searched for a man trapped inside the home but flames were too intense to make a rescue, fire officials said.

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Barrington’s Peter Anderson may be the only quarterback in the area with his GPA and SAT score in his Twitter bio. 

Barrington’s Peter Anderson may be the only quarterback in the area with his GPA and SAT score in his Twitter bio.

Anderson’s brains and football IQ were on full display in the No. 19 Broncos’ 35-21 win against MSL West rival Fremd on Friday.

The first-year starter is developing into a significant force. He was 11-for-15 for 246 yards passing with one touchdown and one interception and he had two short-yardage touchdown runs. Anderson connected with five different receivers, including big plays of 81 yards and 51 yards to senior Joey Gurskis.

“There is a young man who has put in everything he has for this moment right here,” Barrington coach Joe Sanchez said. “I am just so grateful for this entire senior group, for this team to have this opportunity. [Anderson] studies, he preps, he does all the things that you want. Augustana is getting a gem.”

Fremd (2-2) led 7-0 at halftime. Senior Cade Cheripka’s nine-yard run was the only score in the first two quarters.

“We had a lot of plays in the first half where we were just an inch off success and we went out in the second half and changed that and figured it out,” Anderson said.

The Vikings took a 21-14 lead on Taytum Carmichael’s one-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter. But the play was costly for Fremd. Quarterback Ryan Saxe injured his left leg and didn’t return. The Vikings never managed any kind of passing attack after he left the game.

Saxe was 11-for-17 for 221 yards and scored on a one-yard run in the third quarter.

Barrington did a solid job limiting Fremd’s rushing attack throughout. The Vikings managed just two runs of more than nine yards and finished with just 66 yards on the ground.

“That’s just playing team defense with the guys executing their job and making sure that they gapped out the way they are supposed to,” Sanchez said. “We pride ourselves on swarming to the ball, 11 guys getting there and finishing plays.”

Barrington running back Bryan Smith tied the game with a 61-yard touchdown run with 10:35 and then sealed the win with a 42-yard touchdown run in the final minute.

“That was amazing to see him free up and the field open and know he was going to the end zone,” Anderson said. “It felt great for everyone.”

Smith had 10 carries for 124 yards and two touchdowns. Gurskis caught six passes for 169 yards and a touchdown and Tom Sweeney had two receptions for 49 yards.

“This win means a lot to us,” Smith said. “We had lost to them two years in a row and offensively we didn’t score both years. So to come out and put up 35 points was an amazing game for our team.”

The win clinches the MSL West for Barrington. The Broncos will face the MSL East winner in the conference championship game Week 6.

“We’d like to win one more and then have these guys finish it out,” Sanchez said. “I’m just proud of the kids.”

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All the scores from the ranked teams.

1. Loyola (3-0)

Saturday vs. No. 21 Hillcrest

2. Lincoln-Way East (4-0)

Won 34-10 at Lockport

3. Batavia (4-0)

Lost 30-7 vs. Wheaton Warrenville South

4. St. Rita (3-1)

Won 49-14 at Marian Catholic

5. Mount Carmel (3-1)

Won 35-12 at De La Salle

6. Marist (2-1)

Saturday at No. 11 Nazareth

7. Glenbard West (2-0)

No game scheduled

8. Naperville Central (4-0)

Won 41-7 at No. 20 DeKalb

9. Warren (4-0)

Won 43-0 vs. Lake Zurich

10. Maine South (4-0)

Won 17-7 at Glenbrook South

11. Nazareth (2-0)

Saturday vs. No. 5 Marist

12. Hinsdale Central (4-0)

Won 63-0 at Proviso West

13. Joliet Catholic (4-0)

Won 49-14 at Carmel

14. Brother Rice (2-2)

Won 52-44 at St. Laurence

15. Oswego (3-1)

Lost 14-7 at Oswego East

16. Wheaton North (3-1)

Lost 14-12 at St. Charles North

17. Huntley (4-0)

Won 40-6 at Dundee-Crown

18. Barrington (4-0)

Won 35-21 vs. Fremd

19. Cary-Grove (1-0)

Saturday vs. Prairie Ridge

20. DeKalb (2-0)

Lost 41-7 vs. No. 8 Naperville Central

21. Hillcrest (3-0)

Saturday at No. 1 Loyola

22. Neuqua Valley (1-0)

Saturday vs. Waubonsie Valley

23. Simeon (2-0)

No game scheduled

24. Lake Forest (3-0)

Friday at Zion-Benton

25. Phillips (1-0)

Saturday vs. Lincoln Park

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Here’s Friday’s news on how COVID-19 is impacting Chicago and Illinois. Follow here for live updates.

News

6 p.m. Record vaccination rate in Illinois hasn’t been enough to tamp down a sharp rise in infections

Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times

Illinois public health officials on Friday reported a second straight record-setting day for COVID-19 vaccinations — but the state also hit a worrying milestone by logging more than 4,000 new cases of the disease for the first time in 10 weeks as the latest coronavirus surge builds momentum.

With 164,462 doses administered Thursday, Illinois is vaccinating more people than ever, at an average clip of 118,336 shots per day over the last week, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

That still hasn’t been enough to tamp down a sharp rise in infections over the past month, as most key metrics have almost doubled.

With another 4,004 residents testing positive for the virus — the most in a day since Jan. 29 — about 3,122 Illinoisans have contracted COVID-19 each day over the past week. That rate is up 91% compared to the first week of March, when the state was reporting an average of 1,663 daily cases.

Read the full story by Mitchell Armentrout here.

5:15 p.m. After criticism of his handing of coronavirus, Indiana governor vetoes bill curtailing emergency power

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb on Friday vetoed a bill that would have given legislators more authority to intervene during emergencies declared by the governor.

Holcomb issued the veto on the proposal that lawmakers approved over his objections, and which he and some legal experts have said they don’t believe is allowed under the state constitution.

Holcomb’s fellow Republicans pushed the bill after months of criticism from some conservatives over COVID-19 restrictions that he imposed by executive order during the statewide public health emergency over the past year.

“I firmly believe a central part of this bill is unconstitutional,” Holcomb wrote in his veto letter. “The legislation impermissibly attempts to give the General Assembly the ability to call itself into a special session, thereby usurping a power given exclusively to the governor.”

Read the complete story here.

3:55 p.m. Olympic sports struggling to survive at many colleges because of coronavirus

The death of a 117-year-old program, one that captured championships and produced Olympians, ended with a gasp. And then a vote.

The fact the former did not alter the outcome of the latter offered a stark glimpse into the steadily eroding support for men’s gymnastics at the NCAA level, one that will eventually have a ripple effect up and down the food chain for a sport struggling for relevance inside the U.S. Olympic movement.

That gasp. John Roethlisberger could hear it during a University of Minnesota Board of Regents meeting last fall. At one point someone asked how much money the school’s athletic department would save by approving the proposal to cut men’s gymnastics, men’s tennis and men’s indoor track and field, a move athletic director Mark Coyle called necessary to help offset a $45 million to $65 million deficit due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The answer? $1.6 million. Or just more than 1% of the athletic department’s $123 million budget.

Read the complete story here.

2:45 p.m. Biden to rush vaccine support to Michigan as governor urges limits

WASHINGTON — Washington will rush federal resources to support vaccinations, testing and therapeutics, but not vaccines, to Michigan in an effort to control the state’s worst-in-the-nation COVID-19 transmission rate, the White House said Friday.

The announcement came as Gov. Gretchen Whitmer strongly recommended, but did not order, a two-week pause on face-to-face high school instruction, indoor restaurant dining and youth sports. She cited more contagious coronavirus variants and pandemic fatigue as factors in the surge, which has led some hospitals to postpone non-emergency procedures.

Statewide hospitalizations have quadrupled in a month and are nearing peak levels from last spring and fall.

“Policy alone won’t change the tide. We need everyone to step up and to take personal responsibility,” she said Friday, while not ruling out future restrictions. Michigan’s seven-day case rate was 492 per 100,000 people, well above second-worst New Jersey, with 328 per 100,000 residents, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Read the complete story here.

1:30 p.m. No region in the world spared as coronavirus cases, deaths surge

WARSAW, Poland — Hospitals in Turkey and Poland are filling up. Pakistan is restricting domestic travel. The U.S. government will send more help to the state with the country’s worst infection increase.

The worldwide surge in coronavirus cases and deaths includes even Thailand, which has weathered the pandemic far better than many nations but now struggles to contain COVID-19.

The only exceptions to the deteriorating situation are countries that have advanced vaccination programs, mostly notably Israel and Britain. The U.S., which is a vaccination leader globally, is also seeing a small uptick in new cases, and the White House announced Friday that it would send federal assistance to Michigan to control the state’s worst-in-the-nation transmission rate.

The World Health Organization said infection rates are climbing in every global region, driven by new virus variants and too many countries coming out of lockdown too soon.

Read the full story here.

12:20 p.m. Riverwalk vendors begin phased reopening Friday

Vendors on the Chicago Riverwalk began a phased-in reopening Friday that will have all vendors open by the end of May.

Island Party Hut, Beat Kitchen on the River and City Winery opened Friday. A new vendor addition this year is Pier 31, which plans to open in May.

“The Riverwalk is not only an important part of our city’s economic engine, but it also adds to the liveliness of our iconic summers,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said in a news release.

“This reopening serves as yet another indicator of our city’s resilience in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, and we look forward to making this Chicago staple available to residents and visitors this spring and summer.”

Read the full story by Zinya Salfiti here.

11:05 a.m. Aldermen move to prevent parade permit infighting

With 500 permits issued every year, it’s safe to say that Chicago loves a parade.

On Thursday, the City Council’s Committee on Cultural Affairs and Special Events proved that love by providing a bit of post-pandemic protection.

At Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s behest, aldermen endorsed an ordinance that preserves permit priority for “traditional parades” scheduled at around the same time along the same route “in connection with a specific holiday or consistent theme for at least the prior five years.”

That priority status would remain even though those “traditional parades” were canceled last year because of the coronavirus — and even though none have been held so far this year, either.

Deputy Transportation Commissioner Mike Simon said the goal of the mayor’s ordinance is to prevent the temporary hiatus from opening the door to post-pandemic feuds between parade organizers vying for permits on the same day.

Here’s the full story from Fran Spielman.

10:30 a.m. ‘Trauma upon trauma’: Asian Americans say mental health has suffered amid COVID-19, anti-Asian violence

The coronavirus pandemic sparked a mental health crisis. For Asians and Asian Americans also facing a rise in hate incidents across the country, it’s been “trauma upon trauma,” says Anne Saw, a Chicago psychologist.

“A lot of our communities are experiencing so many pandemic stressors that are then compounded by a lot of anti-Asian discrimination that we’re also experiencing,” says Saw, who teaches at DePaul University and directs the Chicago Asian American Psychology Lab.

“It’s tough to, like, get your head above water and get some room to breathe when every day we’re confronted with new traumas,” she says.

We talked to seven Chicagoans about how anti-Asian violence coupled with the pandemic have affected their mental health and their everyday lives. Among them was Kaylee Cong, 32, of Uptown, who manages a nail spa.

On March 20, four days after the Atlanta shootings, Cong says, her 60-year-old Vietnamese father was punched in the head as he walked alone that night near Broadway and West Ainslee Street. He turned to run, saw a white man holding a baseball bat watching him and called 911.

“We’re really scared,” says Cong, who’d been talking with her father about the Georgia shootings the day before he was attacked. “What if the person come back and do revenge? My entire life living here, it was so peaceful. There was no violence like this.”

She says her father hasn’t wanted to leave the house since that happened.

Older Asian Americans “just want to keep quiet and don’t want to make waves,” Cong says. “I have really different mentality. We deserve to, you know, feel safe. And we shouldn’t be afraid to stand up for ourselves.”

Read the stories of six more Chicagoans we spoke to here.

9:56 a.m. CPS high school reopening agreement remains elusive

A final high school reopening agreement remains elusive between Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Teachers Union just days before high school teachers are due to return to classrooms — and the union president said Thursday the next few days of negotiations will determine whether workers show up on Monday.

Though the range of issues is smaller and disagreement over those items is not as severe as the hostile K-8 negotiations in February, there are still a few unresolved concerns the union is expressing as COVID-19 infections once again rise in the city.

CPS officials have directed 5,350 high school teachers to return to buildings Monday with or without a CTU agreement, and about 26,000 students in grades 9-12 are expected back the following week.

Whether or not that timeline sticks is dependent on “how outrageous the board’s positions are as we go ahead,” CTU President Jesse Sharkey told a few hundred members at a virtual meeting Thursday that was closed to the public.

“I’ve heard people say, ‘Sharkey, I want a really definitive answer, am I going in on Monday?’” he said. “And my really definitive answer is, it depends on where we’re at.”

Read Nader Issa’s full story here.

8:08 a.m. Spike in COVID-19 cases causes University of Chicago to announce stay-at-home period for students

University of Chicago announced a stay-at-home period for students Wednesday evening following the largest COVID-19 outbreak at the university since the start of the academic year.

After more than 50 cases of the coronavirus were detected among undergraduates in recent days, the university announced that students living on-campus must observe a week-long stay-at-home period immediately.

“We expect this number to increase,” university officials said in an email sent to members of the university community Thursday.

All undergraduate classes will be fully remote for at least a week starting Thursday and students can only leave their residence halls for food, medical appointments and short walks for exercise.

Read the full story from Zinya Salfiti here.

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New cases and vaccination numbers

• Illinois’ infection rate is still less than a third of what it was during the worst days of the pandemic last fall — but it’s doubled in the last four weeks.
• On Thursday, officials reported 3,739 new cases of the deadly respiratory disease were diagnosed statewide among 97,741 tests. The state’s testing positivity rate is at 4.2%, its highest point since the end of January and up from 2.1% on March 12.
• Nightly COVID-19 hospitalizations are up 66% since then, with hospitals treating nearly 1,800 COVID-19 patients Wednesday night.
• After a record-breaking 154,201 shots were given statewide Wednesday, one in five Illinois residents is now fully vaccinated, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.
• The state is vaccinating more people than ever, averaging almost 113,000 shots per day over the past week. About 42% of residents 16 or older have gotten at least one dose, and 73% of seniors have gotten a shot.

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