Read More

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

Latest

Four parents sue Gov. Pritzker, IHSA over winter sports cancellation

Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

Four parents of Illinois high school athletes filed a lawsuit against Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the Illinois High School Association in La Salle County Court on Monday.

The suit claims that Pritzker’s cancellation of the winter high school sports season “is an unconstitutional violation of the Plaintiffs right to equal protection under the Constitution of the State of Illinois.” The suit seeks to bar Pritzker and the IHSA from enforcing the cancellation of the winter sports season.

“[Pritzker] is using this emergency statute to create these restrictions,” said Laura Grochocki, the attorney for the plaintiffs. “They are supposed to have a rational basis. We are asking why high school sports have the restrictions and why college sports and pro sports do not. Is there a rational basis for the restrictions on high schools? Or is there something else at work here, why they are allowed to play and high schools are not?”

Read the full story here.

News

3:05 p.m. State administers over 100K vaccines, logs another 135 COVID deaths

Illinois has administered nearly 101,000 vaccines, more than any other state in the country, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said during his daily coronavirus briefing Wednesday.

Meanwhile, state health officials reported another 135 deaths from the coronavirus as well as 6,762 new cases.

As of Tuesday night, there were 4,593 Illinois residents in the hospital with coronavirus. Of those patients, 953 were in intensive care units and 536 were on ventilators.

Although the vaccine distribution signals “the beginning of the end” of the pandemic, health officials continued cautioning residents to forego celebrating Christmas and other upcoming holidays with those who don’t live in the same home.

“Yes, there is a long road to go, but we are at the beginning of the end,” Illinois Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said. “… We can’t let people who made it this far not make it to the finish line … The best way to avoid another surge in hospitalizations, another surge in deaths, another surge in new infections, is to celebrate the holidays at home with the family that you currently live with.”

In spite of the warnings, the state is “likely to see some uptick” from the holiday and New Year’s celebrations, Pritzker said.

Read the full story here.

1:46 p.m. City shuts down River North parties for violating COVID-19 restrictions

City officials shut down two River North parties over the weekend for allegedly violating statewide indoor service restrictions, including one party that allegedly charged a $100 entrance fee.

The venues are among 370 businesses cited by the city for violating coronavirus restrictions since the pandemic began in March. The latest batch of cases comes about two months after the city’s ban on indoor dining and service in October.

Officers crashed the first illegal party shortly after midnight Sunday at 409 W. Huron St., and found about 66 people not wearing masks or social distancing, city officials said.

The fourth-floor venue was charging $100 at the door, serving alcohol and had a DJ, according to a statement from the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection.

Read the full story here.

10:24 a.m. US to get additional 100M doses of Pfizer vaccine

Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times

WASHINGTON — Pfizer and BioNTech will supply the U.S. with an additional 100 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine under a new agreement.

The drugmakers said Wednesday that they expect to deliver all the doses by July 31 in the nearly $2 billion deal.

Pfizer already has a contract to supply the government with 100 million doses of its vaccine.

Under the $2 billion deal announced Wednesday, the companies will deliver at least 70 million of the additional doses by June 30, with the remaining 30 million doses to be delivered no later than July 31. The government also has the option to acquire up to an additional 400 million doses.

Pfizer’s vaccine was the first to gain approval from the Food and Drug Administration and initial shipments went to states last week. It has now been joined by a vaccine from Moderna, which was developed in closer cooperation with scientists from the National Institutes of Health.

Moderna’s vaccine comes under the umbrella of the government’s own effort, which is called Operation Warp Speed. That public-private endeavor was designed to have millions of vaccine doses ready and available to ship once a shot received FDA approval.

The deal with Pfizer moves the nation closer to the goal of vaccinating all Americans.

Read the full story here.

9:37 a.m. CPS expects $720M windfall if Trump signs COVID-19 relief bill

Chicago Public Schools officials are expecting to receive about $720 million if President Donald Trump signs the coronavirus relief package passed by Congress Monday, federal funding that would help fill holes for the financially strapped district and support the school system’s planned reopening in the new year.

But late Tuesday, Trump threatened to veto the package over what he called “ridiculously low” direct checks of $600 to most Americans, saying Congress should boost payments to $2,000. The surprise move by the president put the fate of the relief package in limbo.

CPS leaders would collectively breathe a sigh of relief if Trump signs off after the district’s budget for this fiscal year had assumed at least $343 million in federal funding, a risky calculation that could end with more than double the anticipated funds after a months-long stalemate in Congress.

“This crucial federal funding ensures our ability to support the critical resources needed to reopen classrooms, expand access to high-quality academic programming, employ record high numbers of nurses and social workers, invest in social and emotional supports, and provide additional resources to our highest-need schools,” CPS CEO Janice Jackson said in a statement earlier Tuesday.

“Black and Brown families in Chicago need the option to send their children to school this academic year, and this funding relief is essential to the safe and supportive learning environments needed to mitigate learning loss and prevent long-term harm.”

Read the full story here.

New Cases

• Illinois public health officials reported 6,239 new COVID-19 cases diagnosed among 84,764 tests, lowering the state’s average positivity rate over the last week to 7.4%.
• Illinois surpassed 900,000 coronavirus cases Sunday

Analysis & Commentary

9:40 a.m. Americans are sick of arbitrary COVID-19 restrictions

“I’m not sure we know what we’re doing,” San Mateo County Health Officer Scott Morrow recently confessed, referring to the myriad puzzling restrictions state and local governments have imposed in the name of fighting COVID-19.

Morrow’s doubts are striking, because last spring he joined other San Francisco Bay Area officials in imposing the nation’s first lockdowns, which he still thinks were justified.

Morrow’s remarkable statement, which he posted on his department’s website earlier this month, shows that politicians and bureaucrats are still struggling to justify edicts that are often arbitrary and scientifically dubious. A year into the COVID-19 epidemic, many of them have yet to digest the dangers of carelessly exercising their public health powers.

Although research in other countries has shown that K–12 schools are not an important source of virus transmission, they remain closed in California and many other jurisdictions, largely because of resistance from teachers unions. “The adverse effects for some of our kids will likely last for generations,” Morrow warned.

Read the full column from Jacob Sullum here.

Read More

Christmas Eve goes to 11 in Isaac Gómez’s workplace comedy; About Face celebrates Black queer lives, past and present.

If you’re not working retail this Christmas Eve, spare a thought for those who are—possibly by carving out time to listen to Isaac Gómez’s Wally World, a two-act audio play now available through Steppenwolf’s “Steppenwolf Now” digital season. And if you need a last-minute dose of resistance and joy to help you get over the last days of 2020, About Face Theatre’s digital celebration of Black queer lives, Kickback, has heart and fire to spare.…Read More

Read More

Read More

During the winter, there are all sorts of activities we’re being told are off limits— holiday parties, Christkindlmarket, cuffing season— but what about all the things we can do? If you’re the type to break out the snow pants and don your trusty boots at the first sign of snow accumulation, you can still have a great time taking advantage of fresh layers of powder at one of the many sledding hills in Chicago. Put on your mask (why not be warm and safe?) and check out these six top-notch hills in your area.

Dan Ryan Woods

S Western Ave & W 87th St, Chicago IL 60620

This large forest preserve on the south side is generally a great place to be in any season if you’re trying to spend some time outdoors; the sledding hill here is near the Dan Ryan Woods Visitor Center.

Palmisano Park

2700 S Halsted St, Chicago IL 60608

After living past lives as a quarry and a landfill, Palmisano Park is now an urban oasis to the people of Bridgeport, and its gentle slope of a sledding hill is nicknamed “Mount Bridgeport” by locals.

Warren Park

6601 N Western Ave, Chicago IL 60645

Though usual features like a warming house aren’t an option right now, sledders in West Ridge can brave the cold and snow to check out the the sledding hill at Warren Park in Chicago. The hill features stairs on either side for greater ease getting back up the slope.

Caldwell Woods

W Devon Ave & N Nagle Ave, Chicago IL 60646

On the northwest side you’ll find Caldwell Woods, and shortly upon entering at Milwaukee and Devon, an excellent designated sledding hill awaits you!

Cricket Hill

4500 N Lakeshore Drive | W. Montrose, Chicago IL 60607

While it’s not beach season at the moment, you will want to head over to Lake Shore Drive and Montrose for some outdoor fun. Amid running tracks and football/soccer fields, Cricket Hill sits ready and available for sledding this winter.

James Park

Dodge Ave & Mulford St, Evanston IL 60202

While there is a sizable center hill at this park, it has more recently been off-limits to sledders for safety reasons. Fortunately, there are smaller sledding hills that still provide a safe (but fun!) opportunity to families.

Featured Image Credit: Jimmy Conover on Unsplash

The post 6 Popular Sledding Hills to Visit in Chicago appeared first on UrbanMatter.

Read More

You might be accustomed to attending wild parties on New Year’s Eve in Chicago. We get it— dancing in a throng of people and toasting the new year with a group of friends can be pretty fun; but as any seasoned homebody will tell you, there’s more than one way to celebrate a special occasion. From food and beverages to entertainment and community, there are a variety of ways to plan a safe party at home to celebrate New Years Eve in 2020.

Order Dinner from Luella’s Southern Kitchen

Why cook for yourself on New Year’s Eve when you’ve probably been cooking (and washing dishes) all year? If you’re planning a virtual New Years Eve event in Chicago with your friends, you can take advantage of the New Year’s Special at Luella’s Southern Kitchen. The special includes braised short ribs, king crab, grits, and bananas foster-style banana pudding for just $35.

Order Cocktails to Go from Lost Lake

Since shortly after the start of COVID restrictions, Logan Square’s tropical cocktail bar has been pouring its fruity concoctions into bottles for Chicagoans to enjoy in the safety of their own homes. If you visit Lost Lake’s Instagram, each week the menu and hours for pickup are posted on their story highlights—titled “Menu”—so that you can find the best time (and flavors) for stocking up on libations.

Run the New Year’s Eve 5K

Runners can’t gather in person to participate this year. However, a straightforward way to add enjoyment to your New Years Eve festivities in 2020 is to participate in the virtual 5K. This event allows registrants to run anytime between December 26th and January 3rd in Chicago. A portion of the required $40 registration fee benefits Direct Relief, which has been working hard to support healthcare workers during the pandemic.

Enjoy the New Philharmonic’s New Year’s Eve Concert

Featuring pieces ranging from waltzes to pop tunes to movie music, this New Year’s Eve concert, led by Maestro Kirk Muspratt, premieres 2 PM. on December 31st, and is available for streaming on demand through January 3rd.

Featured Image Credit: Philharmonic on Facebook

The post 4 Ways to Celebrate New Years Eve in Chicago in 2020 appeared first on UrbanMatter.

Read More

Chicago Bulls: Expectations have shifted on Patrick Williams by Patrick Sheldon

The Chicago Bulls will open the season tonight against the Atlanta Hawks at the United Center.

Reunited and it feels so GOOD.

After nine months of quarantines, trade inquiries and questions about just how the heck the NBA would commence, we have made it to opening night for the Chicago Bulls.

Without a doubt, this season has set itself up to be one of the most exciting for Windy City basketball. New head coach Billy Donovan is the captain now, and his previous work with the Oklahoma City Thunder invites optimism for Bulls fans everywhere.

That glimmer of hope starts the Coby White and Zach LaVine. During the preseason, both players showed their potential upset; Zach appeared to make strides as a defender, Coby as a playmaker.

There are fans who believe that LaVine, who averaged over 25 points per game last year, still has not reached his ceiling on either side of the court. At just 25 years old, Prime LaVine could just be getting started.

More from Da Windy City

• Chicago Bulls: Expectations have shifted on Patrick Williams
• Chicago Blackhawks: This is the perfect lineup for the 2020-21 season
• Chicago Bears: Mitch Trubisky can return under one condition
• Chicago Bears: 3 must-watch prospects in Boca Raton Bowl
• Chicago Bears: Personnel evaluations a huge concern

White’s game needs to step up in a more significant way. After his first year, and just one start in 65 games, the former Tarheel was an assumed scorer and not a point guard.

However, White’s passing was on display in the preseason, working in the pick-and-roll with his bigs and finding players to kick out to when his lane to the basket suddenly closed. While his teammates need to work on converting those open looks, Coby White is trending up.

Speaking of bigs and needing to convert on open looks, Wendell Carter Jr. and Lauri Markkanen are the biggest question marks in the starting lineup. It’s easy to see why Markkanen did not get a contract extension when looking at his performance last season and this preseason.

Lauri has trouble in the middle two preseason games, knocking down 5 of an attempted 25 shots in games two and three, only to cap it off with a 22-point finale against the Thunder.

In a huge “prove it” year for the Finnish forward, Lauri will have to reestablish himself inside with his athleticism by cutting and size. He did bring back the drag step that Bull’s colorman Stacey King loves to see, but his shooting from deep will need to improve and quickly.

Markkanen might see more minutes as a center in the Billy Ball system, which hopefully will yield better play on the defensive side as well.

Related Story: Chicago Bulls: 4 cautiously optimistic predictions for 2020-2021

Carter is a mystery headed into the 20-21 NBA season. He wanted to show his willingness and effectiveness to shoot the deep ball as he did during his lone season with Duke. His results? Let’s just say they were disappointing (1 for 12).

I personally still believe in Carter’s ability to be an offensive weapon, but I would rather see it in the post and coming off fake handoffs and shooting those wide-open 18-footers.

The last piece of the starting lineup is the 3 spot, which according to reports will be filled by rookie Patrick Williams, according to official game notes.

Patrick Williams is listed as a probable starter in official Bulls game notes. Williams started last two preseason games and, per sources, took first-team reps at today’s practice.

Billy Donovan said he has idea of his lineup and will make it official Wednesday.

— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) December 22, 2020

Williams showed veteran poise and a surprisingly effective jumper in his first preseason action. The fourth overall pick was showed his defense was as good as advertised and evidently impressed Donovan enough to throw him into the starting lineup without Summer League or a rookie mini-camp.

The most significant news coming out of the Advocate Center is that Thaddeus Young is still out, recovering from a severe leg infection. Beyond that, the bench rotation, now led by Otto Porter Jr. and his $28 million is anyone’s guess.

Tomas Satoransky is questionable after coming out of COVID protocols, as is Devon Dotson.

For the Atlanta Hawks tonight, Trae Young will be the biggest defensive assignment for the Bulls. His electric scoring and flashy passing earned him a contract with Adidas and signature shoe during the offseason.

The rest of the starters will include rim-running big man John Collins and a toss-up between DeAndre Hunter, Cam Redish, Danilo Gallinari and Bogdan Bogdanovic to fill out the other three spots.

Bogdanovic was acquired after the Sacramento Kings declined to match his offer in restricted free agency, while Reddish and Hunter will be entering their sophomore campaigns after a pair of underwhelming rookie season.

The Hawks will be without Rajon Rondo, Kris Dunn and rookie Onyeka Okongwu for tonight’s battle. Clint Capela is listed as doubtful.

Next: Chicago Bulls: Expectations have shifted on Patrick Williams

The game will start a 7 P.M. tonight with Adam Amin and Stacey King calling the game from NBC Sports Chicago. Chuck Swirsky and Bill Wennington will have the radio broadcast duties from 670 the Score, with pregame starting at 6:45 P.M.

Let’s start this year with a win!

Read More

Read More

Read More