November in Amberon November 17, 2020 at 9:40 pm

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Pumpkin Everywhere Except the Pieon November 17, 2020 at 9:47 pm

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Pumpkin Everywhere Except the Pie

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WNBA Star Cheyenne Parker Appears On BET “SMOKE” DOCUMENTARY ft. Rapper NASon November 18, 2020 at 3:23 am

Just N

WNBA Star Cheyenne Parker Appears On BET “SMOKE” DOCUMENTARY ft. Rapper NAS

WNBA Star Cheyenne Parker Appears On BET “SMOKE” DOCUMENTARY ft. Rapper NASon November 18, 2020 at 3:23 am Read More »

Trump fires director of federal agency who vouched for security of 2020 electionon November 18, 2020 at 2:24 am

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Tuesday fired the director of the federal agency that vouched for the reliability of the 2020 election.

Trump fired Christopher Krebs in a tweet, saying his recent statement defending the security of the election was “highly inaccurate.”

While abrupt, the dismissal was hardly surprising. Krebs, director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, had offered a stream of statements and tweets over the past week attesting to the integrity of the election, directly contradicting Trump’s false assertions of widespread fraud without mentioning the president by name.

The firing of Krebs, a Trump appointee, comes as Trump is refusing to recognize the victory of Democratic President-elect Joe Biden and removing high-level officials seen as insufficiently loyal. He fired Defense Secretary Mark Esper on Nov. 9, part of a broader shakeup that put Trump loyalists in senior Pentagon positions.

A former Microsoft executive, Krebs ran the agency, known as CISA, from its creation in the wake of Russian interference with the 2016 election through the November election. He won bipartisan praise as CISA coordinated federal state and local efforts to defend electoral systems from foreign or domestic interference.

Krebs has repeatedly pushed back against false claims that the election was tainted. Earlier Tuesday, he tweeted out a report citing 59 election security experts saying there is no credible evidence of computer fraud in the 2020 election outcome.

Trump fired back on Twitter later in the day. He repeated unsubstantiated claims about the vote and wrote “effective immediately, Chris Krebs has been terminated as Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.”

Krebs, from his personal Twitter account, responded: “Honored to serve. We did it right. Defend Today, Secure Tomorrow.” He closed with the phrase “Protect 2020,” which had been his agency’s slogan ahead of the election.

Officials with CISA and its parent agency, the Department of Homeland Security, had no immediate comment.

Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., chairman of the House intelligence committee, assailed Trump for “retaliating against Director Krebs and other officials who did their duty. It’s pathetic, but sadly predictable that upholding and protecting our democratic processes would be cause for firing.”

Krebs kept a low profile even as he voiced confidence ahead of the November vote and, afterward, knocked down allegations that the count was tainted by fraud. The repudiation of Trump was notable coming from a component of DHS, which has been criticized for seeming to be too closely aligned with the president’s political goals.

CISA issued statements dismissing claims that large numbers of dead people could vote or that someone could change results without detection.

It also distributed a statement from a coalition of federal and state officials concluding there was no evidence that votes were compromised or altered in the Nov. 3 election and that the vote was the most secure in American history.

Krebs avoided ever directly criticizing the president and tried to stay above the political fray, even as he worked to contradict misinformation coming from the president and his supporters. “It’s not our job to fact check the president,” he said at a briefing with reporters on the eve of the election.

CISA works with the state and local officials who run U.S. elections as well as private companies that supply voting equipment to address cybersecurity and other threats while monitoring balloting and tabulation from a control room at its headquarters near Washington. It also works with industry and utilities to protect the nation’s industrial base and power grid from threats.

The agency enjoys a good reputation among its core constituency — the state and local election officials who rely on its advice and services at a time of near-constant cyberattack — as well as on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers recently proposed an increase of its annual budget of around $2 billion.

His removal is a “disturbing sign for American government,” said California Secretary of State Alex Padilla.

“Chris Krebs has been an accessible, reliable partner for elections officials across the country, and across party lines, as we have fortified our cyber defenses since 2016,” Padilla said. “Our elections infrastructure has become stronger because of leaders like Chris Krebs and in spite of the actions and lies coming from the White House.”

Amid recent reports that Krebs feared he might be fired, Rep. Bennie Thompson, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, had said he was concerned and sent a text to the director to ask him if he was OK. The response was, in effect, “for now,” the Mississippi Democrat said.

“It’s a shame if someone with his talent is all of a sudden, muzzled,” Thompson said. “I have not seen a partisan bone in his body. He’s been a consummate professional.”

Rep. Jim Langevin, a Rhode Island Democrat who focuses on cybersecurity issues, had called on his Republican colleagues to stand up for him before he could be removed from his post. “Chris Krebs and CISA have done so well under his leadership because he and his team have kept their heads down and done the job they were tasked with doing and not gotten caught up in partisan politics,” Langevin said.

The agency emerged from rocky beginnings. Just before President Barack Obama left office, the U.S. designated election systems as critical national security infrastructure, like dams or power plants, as a result of the interference by Russia, which included the penetration of state elections systems as well as massive disinformation.

Some state election officials and Republicans, suspicious of federal intrusion on their turf, were opposed to the designation. The National Association of Secretaries of State adopted a resolution in opposition to the move in February 2017. But the Trump administration supported the designation, and, eventually, skeptical state officials welcomed the assistance.

Trump fires director of federal agency who vouched for security of 2020 electionon November 18, 2020 at 2:24 am Read More »

Pritzker issues store crowd limits, theater, other closings — and a warning: ‘If you don’t need to do it, don’t’on November 17, 2020 at 9:56 pm

Calling it a crucial step to avoid a statewide stay-at-home order, Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Tuesday announced a coronavirus crackdown for all of Illinois that includes closure of museums and casinos and capacity limits on major retail stores.

Large stores, such as Walmart or Target, will have their capacity limited to 25%, while typical grocery stores will remain under the 50% capacity limits that have been in place since March.

Though gyms will remain open, group fitness classes will be canceled. Services, such as facials, that require the removal of a mask are suspended under the new mitigations.

The new restrictions technically mark a statewide return to Tier Three of Pritzker’s COVID-19 plan, but the governor said it boils down to a simple idea:

“If you don’t need to do it, don’t.”

The mitigations “pause a number of indoor activities,” such as museums, theaters and casinos, “where the science shows us this virus can most easily spread,” Pritzker said.

The governor announced the new restrictions during his afternoon COVID-19 briefing. They are scheduled to take effect statewide at 12:01 a.m. Friday.

Unlike the executive orders earlier this year, which lasted 30 days, there is no set time limit on the mitigations announced Tuesday. The end of the mitigations will depend on the metrics coming out of each region, Pritzker said.

“This is a temporary set of rules that are designed by doctors to keep you safe,” Pritzker said at his afternoon briefing.

“I’m hopeful that by limiting our in person interactions now we will succeed at avoiding a stay-at-home order like what we had last spring, when the choice between saving lives and saving livelihoods was even more stark,” Pritzker said.

The new restrictions follow public health officials announcing 12,601 more coronavirus cases across Illinois as a massive Midwest resurgence sends unprecedented numbers of COVID-19 patients into hospitals statewide.

The latest cases were detected among 94,205 tests submitted to the Illinois Department of Public Health, keeping the seven-day average testing positivity rate at 12.5%.

But more than 300 additional hospital beds were taken up by coronavirus patients by Monday night compared to the previous night, reaching yet another record high of 5,887.

Nightly COVID-19 hospitalizations have now topped 5,000 for a full week. The state passed that mark on only one night during the first wave of the pandemic in May.

Other critical hospital metrics have been getting worse by the day for a full month, too, with 1,158 patients currently requiring intensive care and 545 using ventilators.

Graph not displaying properly? Click here.

The Illinois Department of Public Health also announced 97 more deaths have been attributed to the coronavirus. The virus has claimed 587 Illinois lives over the last week alone, the state’s worst seven-day stretch since the springtime peak.

The latest victims include 36 Chicago-area residents. The state’s death toll has risen to 10,875.

The number of new cases the state is currently seeing is “more dire” than what the state saw in spring, Dr. Ngozi Ezike, the head of the Illinois Department of Public Health, said Tuesday.

“If you take one or two out of the line, the dominoes start falling because there’s not something to hit,” Ezike said. “You’ve got to take things out of the line so there’s not something to hit.”

Stay-at-home advisories went into effect this week in Chicago and Cook County as officials try to rein in the unprecedented viral resurgence.

Illinois first topped 10,000 new cases in a day on Nov. 6 and has not fallen below that level since.

The state has logged almost 143,000 cases over that 12-day span, about as many as it did during the first four months of the pandemic combined. Nearly 598,000 people have contracted the virus in Illinois throughout eight months of the pandemic. Almost a third of those cases have come this month alone.

Graph not displaying properly? Click here.

With indoor bar and restaurant service already banned across the state, Pritzker had signaled more restrictions could be on the way. The Democratic governor is scheduled to deliver another COVID-19 update Tuesday afternoon.

Pritzker joined governors from six other Midwest states in a video public service announcement video calling on residents to avoid large Thanksgiving gatherings, to wear face masks and to maintain social distance.

“For eight months, the COVID-19 pandemic has devastated American families everywhere. To fight this virus, governors across the country have listened to medical experts, stepped up, and worked around the clock to protect our families, the brave men and women on the front lines, and our small business owners,” the governors said in a joint statement. “And no matter the action we take, we understand that our fight against COVID-19 will be more effective when we work together,”

The bipartisan group comprises Pritzker, Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Whitmer announced a series of stricter COVID-19 regulations for her state on Monday.

Pritzker issues store crowd limits, theater, other closings — and a warning: ‘If you don’t need to do it, don’t’on November 17, 2020 at 9:56 pm Read More »

Cubs’ Theo Epstein stepping down as president of baseball operationson November 17, 2020 at 10:05 pm

Theo Epstein will step down from his role as Cubs’ president of baseball operations, the team announced on Tuesday. General manager Jed Hoyer will be promoted into Epstein’s old position.

The move comes amid an offseason of expected change in the organization with Epstein being the first domino to fall.

“For the rest of my life, I will cherish having been part of the great Chicago Cubs organization during this historic period,” said Epstein in a statement. “All of the things that have made this experience so special — the fans, the players, the managers and coaches, ownership, my front office colleagues, the uniqueness of the Wrigley experience, the history — make it so tough to leave the Cubs. But I believe this is the right decision for me even if it’s a difficult one.”

Epstein has always been honest about his thoughts on having a new voice within an organization after a certain time. During his end-of-season press conference last month, the Cubs’ former president didn’t shy away from the possibility that he and the team would part ways, but often used the words “transition” and “change” when speaking on what his future with the organization was.

After reflecting on some of the ramifications that the pandemic would have on future decisions, Epstein decided now was the right time to make a move.

“Many of you are aware that I’ve always planned to be with the Cubs for about 10 years,” Epstein said in Tuesday’s press conference. “Because of that, Tom and I had been in communication for the last several years about a possible transition and to try to figure out a way to execute a transition that would be best for the Cubs, put the organization in the best possible position and also be good for me.

“It became really clear that we’d be facing some significant long term decisions this winter, decisions with long-term impacts. And, you know, those types of decisions are really best made by somebody who’s going to be here. For a long time, not just for one more year, there’s somebody who’s invested in the organization for the long haul.”

Epstein, 46, came to the Cubs in 2011 and has been in charge of the organization’s return to respectability and credibility within the sport. Since taking over, the Cubs have gone 705-651 with five postseason appearances, three trips to the National League Championship Series and a 2016 World Series title.

“Theo came in nine years ago, he hit the ground running, put together a brilliant staff, and early on promised us sustained success,” Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts said. “And to a Cubs fan, that was a that was a foreign concept. But then, after a few years of hard work and rebuilding the organization, he delivered sustained success.

“Not only did we have the the 2016 World Series, which of course was the most remarkable and memorable World Series of all time, we had great playoff runs in years around that. And we sustained that success to go to the playoffs five of the last six years and and be considered a contender every year.”

According to a source, Hoyer will be signing a contract extension to remain with the organization long term. With Hoyer becoming the new president of baseball operations, the search will now begin for a new general manager.

“Jed is ready to take over. He really is,” Epstein said. “He’s been a huge part of all our success here and has been a huge part of my success in my career.”

The team may look outside the organization, but could also hire a candidate internally. Several members of the Cubs’ front office have been sought after around baseball. Jason McLeod, senior VP of player personnel, was a finalist for the Angels’ GM opening. Former assistant general manager Scott Harris was hired as the San Francisco Giants general manager in 2019.

Current assistant general managers Randy Bush and Jeff Greenberg are also both highly regarded within the organization.

Cubs’ Theo Epstein stepping down as president of baseball operationson November 17, 2020 at 10:05 pm Read More »

Theo Epstein’s legacy as Cubs’ president puts him in the pantheon of Chicago sports executiveson November 17, 2020 at 10:39 pm

There’s no doubt that Theo Epstein is one of the greatest executives the game of baseball has ever seen. The future Hall of Famer has won three World Series titles before the age of 50 and broke two of the longest championship droughts in the history of sports.

Epstein stepping down as Cubs’ president on Tuesday closes a successful chapter in franchise history, but the legacy that he leaves behind with the Cubs and the city of Chicago will never be forgotten.

When Epstein came to Chicago in 2011, he had a plan and that plan was a difficult one. Take the Chicago Cubs from one of the worst franchises in sports and turn them into not only a contender, but one of the premier organizations in the game.

“Well, little over nine years ago, we went looking for a new person to lead our baseball department,” Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts said. “And we knew it would be a tall order. Not only did we need someone who could bring in some good players, and win some big games and maybe win a division, but we really needed someone who could change the culture and change the direction the organization had been going for a long, long time.”

Once hired, Epstein quickly won over the fanbase. Not with fancy signings and blockbuster trades that would come down the line, but he did something that fans in Chicago had rarely seen — honesty and transparency.

There was no hiding or running from criticism from the fans or the media. Epstein and Jed Hoyer, who will be named the new president of baseball operations, were upfront about the challenging road ahead.

“I think we rebuilt back then because we had to,” Epstein said. “It was more than just our strategy with what we did on the field. We had to build the organization up, the infrastructure, the personnel, the systems that we needed to put into place. And it coincided with a period where we obviously prioritized the long term over the short term, with the team on the field.

“I think what we did was right for us.”

That honesty and transparency didn’t go for naught as the on-field product began to match what Epstein’s vision was. That vision over the next nine years turned into five postseason appearances, three trips to the National League Championship Series and a 2016 World Series title.

Epstein’s legacy has written itself after breaking the Cubs’ 108-year drought. He oversaw the change from Lovable Losers to World Series champions — something that many never got to see in their lifetime.

But what he did as president changed the approach of executives in Chicago. Before the Cubs went through their complete overhaul, telling a Chicago fanbase that the road to sustained success would not be easy and that there would be tough moments would have been met with disdain and scrutiny.

But since the Cubs’ transformation, several teams in Chicago have also undergone their own attempts at rebuilds and have had similar discussions with their fans about the process. While their success still remains to be seen for those teams, it’s hard to imagine that change ever happening without the success Epstein and the Cubs had.

Epstein should be proud of what he built. The Cubs are now a model organization in baseball, something they weren’t when he first got to Chicago.

He also leaves a lasting legacy as an executive in Chicago and his style and ability as a communicator has changed the way people view front offices in this city and Chicago sports are better because of it.

Theo Epstein’s legacy as Cubs’ president puts him in the pantheon of Chicago sports executiveson November 17, 2020 at 10:39 pm Read More »

Chicago COVID-19 News: City Returning to Phase 3, Stay-at-Home Advised Amidst Surge in Cases (UPDATED 11/17)on November 17, 2020 at 8:30 pm

As we all expected, the latest Chicago COVID-19 update and news is that the city is trending rapidly towards returning to Phase 3 of the coronavirus shutdown as a second surge of the virus turns course.

Per the mayor’s latest press conference, Chicago is averaging over 500 new cases per day, which is a 45 percent increase from just seven days ago. According to the latest news, testing itself has increased by only 11 percent, meaning the city’s positivity rate is up nearly 5.4 percent from 4.2 percent. As a result of these updated numbers, the mayor is hinting at returning the city to some of the restrictions that halted the number of cases earlier in the summer.

Mayor Lightfoot stated, “If we don’t see a dramatic turnaround in our numbers and soon, then we will not hesitate to take the steps that are necessary to save our city, save our residents, even if that means going back to some of our Phase 3 restrictions.”

On Monday, Illinois public health officials announced COVID-19 updates of 3,113 new cases, along with 22 additional deaths, and are urging Chicagoans to not be careless with the virus, fearing a sense of complacency and over-confidence heading into the winter months.

A lot of sacrifices have been made as a result of COVID-19, but the latest news indicates the city is inching closer to reverting towards Phase 3. Phase 3 of the coronavirus shut down included mandatory limiting to groups of 10 or less, a restriction on indoor dining and other practices, and curtailing non-essentials workers and schools to operate remotely.

While the number of cases has drastically risen, city officials insinuated that the latest COVID-19 news is not a result of increased testing but rather a rise in cases. The number of deaths has remained stable in Chicago and the number of infected patients being hospitalized is still lower, as well. While promising that those numbers remained stable, the virus has taken at least 3,000 Chicagoans to this point.

If it can be any indication of the times, Governor J.B. Pritzker has returned to making daily coronavirus briefings as he did at the beginning of the pandemic. Those briefings are streamed live every day at 2:30 PM, and give updates and insight alongside some of the top health officials in the state.

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“Things are getting worse. Now is the time to wear a mask where you go…Forgo unnecessary trips or gatherings and take extra care to stay 6 feet away from others, especially in public,” Gov. Pritzker said. Mayor Lightfoot continued to reiterate that sentiment.

Neighboring states such as Wisconsin, Missouri, and Indiana are seeing skyrocketing cases, making it increasingly difficult for Chicago to stay out of the crosshairs, as it is such a popular destination for leisure and business to other Midwestern states.

Should Chicago’s positivity rate continue to climb at the rate of surrounding areas, it’s inevitable that a scale back in how we are able to operate daily is coming.

You can watch the Governor’s latest COVID-19 news via this link to keep up to date with all of the state and Chicago updates.

UPDATE–

During her standard afternoon press conference, Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced there will be certain rollbacks as the city combats a second surge of COVID-19.

All bars without food licenses can no longer serve patrons indoors.
All liquor sales must stop at 9pm.
All non-essential business are to close from 10pm to 6am as part of a small business curfew for two weeks.
The mayor is requesting Chicagoans do not gather in groups of 6 or more socially, and if they do, to end them by 10 pm.

EFFECTIVE TOMORROW: New measures go into effect to slow the spread of COVID-19 in Chicago. Essential businesses like grocery stores, pharmacies and gas stations will be able to stay open during the non-essential business curfew. More info ➡️ https://t.co/njOQ14kE6Y. pic.twitter.com/e7ixwjMFM7

— Mayor Lori Lightfoot (@chicagosmayor) October 22, 2020

This was all expected, as the city’s positivity rate has been skyrocketing for weeks now, leaving many to wonder just how far the city will rollback as the winter approaches. The mayor’s chief hope here is that these rollbacks in the hospitality industry can urge people to get back to the basics and start to halt the continued spread of this second surge.

UPDATE 10/27–

The governor stepped to the podium for his daily coronavirus briefing on Tuesday and delivered news that we all feared was imminent. Beginning on Friday, there will be no more indoor dining or bar service in the city of Chicago. There has been a rise in new cases every day in Chicago for eight consecutive days and the state has decided to add Cook County to the list of crisis regions. Bars and restaurants must close by 11 p.m and all patrons will be required to be seated outdoors — which should be fun considering it is getting nice and chilly outside. All gatherings must be limited to 25 people.

Oct. 27: State orders restrictions (There are 797 cases per day)https://t.co/hHsIqrZTfh

— Heather Cherone (@HeatherCherone) October 27, 2020

Cook becomes the seventh region in Illinois to begin operating under the state’s mitigation plans, and by far is the most populous and highest-risk area on the map.

.@GovPritzker makes it official. Effective Friday, Chicago is officially under state-ordered restrictions because of a sustained surge in the number of coronavirus cases. Here are the new rules: pic.twitter.com/Uiha3aK1mC

— Heather Cherone (@HeatherCherone) October 27, 2020

UPDATE 11/16 —

As the state of Illinois finds itself amidst a second wave of COVID-19, they are urging non-essential workers and private businesses to work from home if possible to mitigate unnecessary risk and half the spread of the virus. It’s important to note that this is just a suggestion from the state and not a mandatory stay-at-home order as it was in the spring, despite the fact that the state has skyrocketed beyond the numbers it had last spring.

This becomes even more important as the holiday season approaches and Illinoisans begin making their plans to see their families if they even are able to. Small things like working from home could be the difference between a smooth holiday season or wishing a loved one a Happy Thanksgiving from the other side of a FaceTime call. In addition, the holiday season comes with colder weather, too, and officials worry that the winter could exacerbate the latest outbreak and create a spiral of bad fortune with health care workers in limited supply unable care for all people infected.

Increased testing facilities in the city have become paramount to Chicago’s ability to combat the virus. The Illinois Department of Public Health has listed all available testing facilities on its website. As the holiday season inches closer families remain concerned about being able to see loved ones, and getting tested before and after Thanksgiving is strongly urged.

UPDATE 11/17 —

The rapid spread of COVID-19 has put a serious strain on hospitals and much of what we expect of our holiday season in jeopardy. In his press conference today Gov. J.B. Pritzker hammered home the fact that Illinoisans needs to be hyper vigilant in protecting themselves and others from additional spread of the virus so that the state can begin to halt the positivity rate and the packing of hospitals.

“To stop this spread and preserve some semblance of the holidays, all of us need to do more than just wear our masks now – though masks are mandatory throughout the state. The simple fact is that COVID-19 is spreading so quickly and so widely, and our hospitals are beginning to experience real strain and at the current infection rate they will be overwhelmed. So whenever possible, we need you to stay home,” Pritzker said in a statement. “I’m hopeful that by limiting our in-person interactions, we will succeed at avoiding a stay at home order like what we had in the spring – when the choice between saving lives and saving livelihoods was even more stark. Tier 3 may allow us to do both. Like in other states like Michigan and California and Washington, it’s our best effort to avoid a stay-at-home order and save lives.”

Per NBC Chicago, these are the new guidelines:

Bars and restaurants
• All bars and restaurants close at 11pm and may reopen no earlier than 6am the following day
• No indoor service
• All bar and restaurant patrons should be seated at tables outside
• No ordering, seating, or congregating at bar (bar stools should be removed)
• Tables should be 6 feet apart
• No standing or congregating outdoors while waiting for a table or exiting
• No dancing or standing indoors
• No tables exceeding 6 people
• Reservations required for each party
• No seating of multiple parties at one table
• Indoor gaming terminals must suspend operations
• Includes private clubs and country clubs

Health and fitness centers

• Operate at no more than 25% capacity
• No indoor group classes
• Face coverings must be worn at all times, including while engaged in individual exercise regardless of person or machine spacing
• Reservations required
• Locker room areas should be closed

Hotels

• Hotel room occupancy should be limited to registered guests only, with the maximum allowance being the number of individuals permissible per existing fire code for each applicable guest room
• Fitness centers should be closed, or operated only on a reservation model with capacity limited to 25% of the maximum occupancy for the room
• Grab and go food allowed
• Event and meeting space closed

Indoor recreation, theaters, cultural institutions (e.g. casinos, bowling, arcades, movie theaters, museums and zoos)

• Gaming and casinos close
• Indoor recreation centers, including theaters, performing arts centers and indoor museums and amusement centers, close
• Live streaming of performances encouraged with social distancing of performers and minimum operational staff
• Outdoor activities allowed at 25% capacity or less
• Outdoor group activities limited to 10 persons or less, participants/guests must wear face coverings at all times
• Reservations required for each guest for outdoor activities

Manufacturing

• Additional COVID training for all employees required even if previous training occurred
• Operators should coordinate with IDPH to implement testing protocols and contact tracing, upon request, consistent with available testing supplies
• All employees must wear face coverings at all times unless eating or drinking. Exemptions only for safety purposes.
• Only manufacturing staff and key personnel allowed in facilities. Non-production employees must work remotely. Non-essential staff and visitors are not permitted. Exemptions only for critical equipment repairs, supply deliveries and safety reasons (“critical visitors”).
• All critical visitors must have an Employee Health and Safety (EHS)-approved risk-assessment done in advance, including travel history, tracking, and temperature check prior to entrance.
• Implement additional workstation realignment when feasible
• Stagger and space shifts, and designate shift entrances and exits (when possible) to minimize interactions of employees across unique shift groupings
• Station sanitation required at beginning and ending of shifts
• Operators must suspend COVID-related incentive pay and promote staying home when sick or showing symptoms
• Implement temporary leave policies to accommodate workers who are sick
• Develop and implement safety protocols for employee travel vans to promote spacing, require face coverings, temperature checks, air circulation, and vehicle sanitization

Meetings, social events and gatherings (including weddings, potlucks, etc.)

• Limit in home gatherings to household members
• Meeting rooms, banquet centers, private party rooms, private clubs and country clubs may not host gatherings
• No party buses
• Funerals are limited to 10 family members of the decedents, not including staff, see IDPH guidance

Office

• All employees who can work remotely should work remotely

Organized group recreational activities (sports, indoor sports and activity facilities, etc.)

• Pause all indoor group sporting and recreational activities including youth and adult recreational sports, individual training may remain (with facility reservation)
• Includes park districts and travel leagues • Outdoor sports and recreation allowed
• Participant groups and practices outdoors limited to 10 persons or less with social distancing
• Face coverings required for all activities at all times
• Locker rooms should be closed

Personal care service

• Operate at lesser of 25 clients or 25% capacity
• Face coverings must be worn at all times by clients and service providers
• Suspend services where a face covering cannot be worn (e.g. facials, beard trims)
• Physical, occupational and massage therapy allowed as deemed necessary by a medical provider, but appointments must be spaced by a minimum of 15 minutes and facilities should take steps to sanitize and circulate clean air through service rooms before and after each service
• Virtual consultations recommended
Retail (including service counters)
• Operate at no more than 25% capacity, including general merchandise stores, “big box” stores that offer groceries and pharmacy, and convenience stores
• Grocery stores and pharmacies may operate at up to 50% capacity
• Encourage delivery or curbside pickup options wherever possible
• When in-store shopping is necessary, promote efficient trips and consistent circulation

Stay tuned to UrbanMatter Chicago for more updates as this continues to unfold.

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Featured Image Credit: Screenshot from Lightfoot Press Conference 10/18/20