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Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced Monday that the city will be easing coronavirus restrictions in Chicago for establishments, including but not limited to, bars, restaurants, fitness centers, and salons in response to the city’s success in fighting the pandemic.

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In July, we put restrictions in place to address an uptick in COVID cases. We’ve made substantial progress since then, so we’re introducing updated reopening guidelines which will go into effect this Thursday.

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A post shared by Mayor Lori Lightfoot (@chicagosmayor) on Sep 28, 2020 at 11:17am PDT

This breaking news in Chicago will help struggling businesses by allowing bars to open for indoor service. In addition, restaurants can increase their indoor capacity from 25 percent to 40 percent. This is a huge development, as the city has been finding ways to accommodate indoor dining in creative ways as the harsh winter months in Chicago rapidly approach. Perhaps the increase in 15 percent capacity will avoid the city from having to employ a ‘Rats With Radiators‘ approach to winter dining, but who are we to say. Some business owners are wary of the latest news, saying that a slight bump in capacity won’t make much of a difference, if any difference, while others are saying they’ll take anything at this point.

This breaking news in Chicago comes the same day that the state of Illinois reported 1,709 more coronavirus cases and 13 additional deaths. However, city officials are confident in Chicago’s progress enough to contain the spread of coronavirus that a loosened grip on the current restrictions is in the best interest of the city and its citizens.

When the city tightened restrictions at the end of August, it severely hindered operation in business without food licenses. It severely affected breweries and neighborhood taverns who could not maximize patrons by socially distancing people indoors.

Per Block Club Chicago, this is a rundown of the new restrictions and latest news that will go live at 5 AM on Thursday morning:

• Restaurants, health and fitness centers, personal services, non-essential retail can operate at 40 percent indoor capacity, up from 25 percent. These establishments, restaurants and venues still are limited to 50 total customers within one room or space. The limit of no more than six people at a table also remains in place.

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• Breweries, taverns, bars and other establishments that serve alcohol without a food license may reopen with indoor seating, at 25 percent capacity or 50 people, whichever is fewer. Service must be capped at two hours per party. Patrons must be seated when eating, drinking or order. Patrons also cannot walk up to the bar to order.

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• Bars, restaurants and other establishments that serve alcohol will now be able to sell alcohol for on-site or off- site consumption until 1:00 am and may remain open until 1:30 am. However, liquor stores, grocery stores and other establishments that sell alcohol to-go through a Packaged Goods license must continue to stop selling alcohol at 9:00 p.m.

• Health and fitness classes and after-school programming may now allow 15 people in groups, up from 10.

• Facials, shaves and other personal services that require the removal of face coverings will be allowed.

So, what does the latest breaking news mean? Is this a sign that things are going back to the way they used to be?

Unfortunately, the coronavirus has not gone anywhere. The City of Chicago has just gotten very good at combating it and, while it may be difficult to deliver compliments in the direction of leadership, it’s a testament to the strict protocols put in place from the get-go. Dr. Allison Arwady, who heads up the city’s Department of Public Health, still demands that Chicagoans follow all social distancing protocols and remain extremely cautious about who they interact with, continue to wash and sanitize hands, and wear your mask whenever you’re out in public.

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The city also reminded that just because coronavirus restrictions in Chicago are being loosened on October 1st, does not mean they will remain there if the numbers begin to trend in the opposite direction.

Unfortunately, the news of expanded indoor dining capacities comes too late for some bars and restaurants to survive. You can find our updated running list of restaurant closures later this week. However, this news might be able to save a handful of establishments looking for that extra push of business to remain afloat.

For more coverage on the coronavirus updates in Chicago, you can follow this link.

At UrbanMatter, U Matter. And we think this matters.

Tell us what you think matters in your neighborhood and what we should write about next in the comments below!

Featured Image Credit: Koi Fine Asian Cuisine

 
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In 2010, Chicago underground music maven Patrick Scott (formerly of My Lai and 97-Shiki) launched postpunk label Modern Tapes with the self-titled debut cassette from Carbondale coldwave three-piece Staring Problem. The band have since relocated to Chicago, and Scott now lives in New York City, but their relationship has remained intact: Staring Problem’s first vinyl full-length, Eclipse, arrives as Modern Tapes celebrates its tenth anniversary. Eclipse wears its DIY pride on its sleeve, and the rawness and cavernous echo of Staring Problem’s lo-fi recordings keep their most skeletal arrangements from sounding too thin. Staring Problem draw heavily from 80s goth and postpunk, though their deft melodies give even their coldest songs a therapeutic warmth–and they sometimes break from the genre’s obvious reference points with infusions of classic girl-group sweetness. On the forlorn “Primrose,” bandleader Lauren Owen sings about trudging through tragedy, her bereft but unbowed vocals reaching for the better tomorrow that can only come if she keeps moving. v

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For more than two decades, singer and guitarist Matt Christensen has led Zelienople, a Chicago trio that explores the outer limits of slowcore by dismantling its melodies and song structures. Christensen focuses on similar territory in his solo work–at least, that’s the impression I get from what I’ve heard so far. His Bandcamp page features more than 120 releases he’s made since 2011, though one is a retrospective-slash-primer compilation he put together as part of a 2018 interview for Glassworks Coffee’s website (the roaster’s founder, Ben Crowell, worked for Touch and Go before launching his coffee business). But Christensen’s work doesn’t require you to develop an encyclopedic grasp of this expansive catalog in order to understand what’s moving about it. Though the songs on September’s A Swollen Sun sound like they’re always almost falling apart, his sparse, spacious guitar playing and murmured vocals, awash in gentle reverb, reliably come through to keep the music moving. Christensen sometimes flirts with rootsy guitar tones that make parts of the album sound like disintegrating country ballads, but mostly the auras he summons feel mystical, monklike, and deliberately open to interpretation. v

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Chicago Bears make brilliant decision to keep Nick Foles in by Vincent Parise

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Chicago Bulls (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

As the Chicago Bulls prepare for free agency, new head coach Billy Donovan could help bring in some familiar faces.

The Chicago Bulls went out and did something they have not done in a very long time. They not only spent a chunk of money on a new head coach, but they hired Billy Donovan, a man with previous head coaching experience.

Donovan comes to the Bulls with one heck of a pedigree. He has been coaching basketball for decades, most famous for what he accomplished at the University of Florida and most recently with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Bulls’ last few coaches have come by way of their experience as assistants. Tom Thibodeau, Fred Hoiberg and Jim Boylen all had zero previous head coaching experience, and the latter two fizzled out in a hurry.

But Donovan is different. He’s the one the Bulls will use to flip the script. This is the start to something special.

The new era of Chicago Bulls basketball begins now.

In past years, the Bulls have had a hard time recruiting free agents. It’s not difficult to see why, as they haven’t exactly been competitive in recent seasons. Most importantly, there weren’t many players who wanted to play for a guy like Boylen.

With Donovan in the fold, that changes immediately. Now, this first offseason may not see any big signings. But, this will be the foundation of what’s to come. Donovan could certainly help recruit useful players in his first offseason. While they may not be superstar caliber, that’s not what this first offseason will be about.

Next offseason is the big one. Next year is the year where the Bulls will look to be major free agency players. But, as for this year, Chicago may as well use Donovan to their advantage and look at some guys who are familiar with the new head coach.

Next: 1: Andre Roberson

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Chicago Bulls: 4 free agents connected to Billy Donovan by Ryan Heckman

Chicago Bears: Mitch Trubisky must stay ready by Patrick Sheldon

As the Chicago Cubs prepare for their National League Wild Card series, Craig Kimbrel is returning to form.

The Craig Kimbrel experiment for the Chicago Cubs has become somewhat of a punchline.

Kimbrel was a nightmare for the Cubs after signing a three-year deal with the team in June of 2019. Kimbrel posted an ERA of 6.53 in 23 appearances for the Cubs during the 2019 season. Most notably, Kimbrel’s struggles during the final month of the 2019 season, 23.14 ERA in 3 appearances, played a key part in the Cubs’ collapse.

Despite Kimbrel’s struggles in 2019, the Cubs turned to the veteran to be the closer at the start of the 2020 season. The move backfired almost instantly for the Cubs as Kimbrel posted a 27.00 ERA during the first month of the 2020 season and was replaced as the Cubs closer.

While the Cubs turned to Jeremy Jeffress to be their closer, Kimbrel was forced to work on his mechanics while appearing in low-stress situations. Kimbrel saw mixed results during the month of August as he posted an ERA of 6.75 in 6.2 innings pitched.

While Kimbrel showed mixed results during the month of August, he took a significant step forward during the month of September. In fact, Kimbrel looked liked the future hall of fame closer that the Cubs originally thought they were signing in 2019. During the month of September this season, Kimbrel was nearly perfect as he did not allow a single run while striking out 13 batters and letting up 3 hits.

As was said at the beginning of the season, if the Cubs are going to have a deep run in the post-season this October, Kimbrel is going to be an important piece to the Cubs’ bullpen.

The fact is that post-season baseball requires a team to have two if not three shutdown relievers available in the bullpen. Reason being that if the starting pitcher can provide the team with a quality start of at least 6 innings, the team can turn to those shutdown relievers for the final three innings of the game.

Kimbrel regained his shutdown form during the month of September. Looking past the fact that he did not allow a run, opposing hitters are only hitting .125 against him during the month of September and Kimbrel has struck out more than half of the batters (54.2 percent) that he has faced. Even more impressive is that Kimbrel did not walk a single batter during the final month of the regular season.

Next: Kyle Hendricks sets new Cubs’ franchise record

An effective bullpen with elite relief pitchers are often the difference between the two teams that make the World Series and the teams that are eliminated. With Craig Kimbrel returning to his elite form, the Chicago Cubs’ bullpen is poised to be a strength for the team as they open the post-season against the Miami Marlins on Wednesday.

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Chicago Cubs: Craig Kimbrel returning to Hall of Fame form by Jordan Campbell

The Chicago Bears’ quarterback must stay ready.

Although the Chicago Bears have officially named Nick Foles the starter, Mitchell Trubisky must stay ready on the sidelines. And at least for the time being, that is where he will be now that head coach Matt Nagy has officially named Foles the starter for Week 4 and beyond.

After his incredible fourth-quarter performance on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons, it is hard to argue with that decision. Foles quickly knocked off the rust and delivered three fourth-quarter touchdowns (five if you could the two that were overturned) en route to overcoming a 16-point deficit.

With the move, many may be ready to drive the final nail into the coffin of the Trubisky era, but that would be a mistake. Look, it is no secret that yours truly has been critical of Trubisky’s play in the past. Foles’ ability to process on Sunday underscored the chasm that exists between their respective abilities to process.

However, I am also a realist. While Foles is the better and more consistent quarterback, he is also injury prone. He’s never played a full 16-game season so the odds may be against him doing it this year. If so, that means Trubisky has not thrown his final pass in a Bears’ uniform.

Consequently, Mitch would be wise to stay committed and focused despite relegation to the backup role. In fairness, nothing about Mitch should give fans any indication that he won’t. He handled the post-game press conference with class and grace, facing tough questions in what was undoubtedly the low point of his professional career. Every teammate raves about his work ethic and how he is in the locker room.

He will now need to channel that focus into a role he hasn’t experienced since 2017 — backup quarterback. It may be that his Bear’s career is over, even if he does get another shot this season. After all, a Cindarella story seems unlikely. However, he would likely be auditioning for a role on another team next season in the hopes of salvaging his career.

Next: Bears made right decision naming Foles the starter

Perhaps he absorbs more this go around as a backup. Maybe something clicks this time around and he can improve his ability to read defenses. Hopefully, that’s the case, because both the Bears short-term future and Trubisky’s long-term future may depend on it.

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Chicago Bears: Mitch Trubisky must stay ready by Patrick Sheldon

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Chicago Bears (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)

The Chicago Bears may be undefeated at 3-0, but not every player should be feeling peachy.

Let’s start with the positive, because Sunday’s victory over the Atlanta Falcons was one heck of a comeback. It was also one heck of a television drama. The Chicago Bears are 3-0.

After Mitchell Trubisky threw that interception, head coach Matt Nagy may have made a decision which will completely change the course of the Bears’ 2020 season. Pulling Trubisky in favor of Nick Foles was a gutsy call, but it may have proved that Pace’s guy had been given his last chance.

It’s now on to Nagy’s guy, Foles, for now. Many fans want to talk about the future of the quarterback position, but right now is what matters most. The Bears are 3-0 and now have a seasoned veteran at the helm; a guy who has been there and done it before.

Foles’ insertion immediately changed the morale of the team on the sidelines. You could tell the energy flipped on a dime. It was instant. With Foles coaching his guys up between series and instilling a confidence within his players that he can get the job done, the Bears went out and made yet another second half comeback.

While fans wouldn’t prefer to win this way, wins are wins. It’s encouraging to know this team has figured out a way to win football games. But, that doesn’t mean there aren’t areas which need improvement.

After three weeks, there are actually a handful of players who have seen their stock dip downward in one way or another. These guys have to improve going forward — and to be frank, not every one of them will get that chance.

Next: No. 1

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Chicago Bears: 5 players whose stock went down after Week 3 by Ryan Heckman

The Chicago Bears kicking situation continues to disappoint.

The Chicago Bears kicking situation has been an issue since they failed to re-sign Robbie Gould, and that continues this season. However, some much-needed relief could be on the way as early as this Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts as Eddy Pineiro is eligible to return.

For the Bears’ sake, Pineiro better return this week, because their kicking situation has been a disaster. They are fortunate it has not cost them a game, but it feels like it’s only a matter of time before Cairo Santos misses one with the game on the line.

He’s already missed two of his four field-goal attempts this year, including a 50-yarder against the New York Giants, and a 46-yarder on the opening series of the Atlanta Falcons game. Each game ended up being a one-score game, and so it is pure luck that those misses didn’t cost them.

This is Santos’ second go-around with the Bears. His first tenure did not go so well, but in fairness, he was dealing with a groin injury and was placed in injured reserve in December of 2017.

Coincidentally, he is on the current roster because Pineiro, their regular starter, was placed on IR because of — you guessed it — a groin injury. He hardly kicked this preseason, and the Bears made the decision before Week 1 to place him on IR. However, a new rule for this season allows the team to bring the player back after just three weeks on IR.

In other words, Pineiro is eligible to return this Sunday against the Colts. However, the question will be whether he is ready to return. We have not received a good update on the status of his injury. Even assuming the groin has healed, you have to wonder if he’ll need some time to kick and get his leg in game shape considering he had no preseason to prepare.

Next: Trubisky must stay ready

For the Bears sake, hopefully, he is a quick healer who can get back on the field this week because they’re going to need him. As it stands now, they are home underdogs by about a field goal. So at least Vegas is telling you it may come down to the kickers.

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Chicago Bears getting much needed kicking relief? by Patrick Sheldon

After 44-games with the Chicago Bears, Mitchell Trubisky was benched in favor of Nick Foles.

It’s come to a disappointing finish for Mitchell Trubisky and the Chicago Bears. This is the team Trubisky wanted to be on after meeting with them in 2017 before the draft. After being picked, it was all smiles for Trubisky and general manager Ryan Pace. What happened to that?

Trubisky, in his first season, went 4-8, throwing just over 2,000 yards with seven-touchdowns and seven-interceptions. In his second season, the team hired head coach Matt Nagy. Trubisky took a major jump, throwing 24-touchdowns to 12-interceptions. He went 11-3 as a starter and won the division. Everything was good in the city of Chicago. They found their quarterback!

Something happened after the playoff loss to the Eagles to Trubisky and Nagy. In 2019, Trubisky started the season rough, having two poor showings against the Packers and the Broncos back-to-back weeks.

From a distance, smart fans saw the shift between him and Coach Nagy after a Monday Night Football game against the Redskins. During that game, a mad Matt Nagy told Trubisky to “shut the (bleep) up” when the two were talking during a timeout. After that, Trubisky went on to throw a beautiful touchdown, but the divide was there.

Trubisky would struggle during the 2019 season, even though he had a torn labrum in his left shoulder, which needed surgery in the 2019 offseason. He wore a vest, which he admitted was uncomfortable and potentially could have negatively impacted his throws during the 2019 NFL season. Some fans believe that is part of the reason he struggled, others just want Nick Foles to help them move on from Trubisky.

In 2020, Trubisky started the season 2-0. He’d get benched three quarters into Sunday’s game against the Falcons. Even though he was losing when he was benched, Trubisky gets credited with the win, due to a poor stat that gives the quarterback who starts the game the win/loss, even if they don’t finish it.

I’ll admit, it caught me off guard. Trubisky did throw a poor interception, but it wasn’t benching worthy. It seems to many “Trubisky Truthers” that Nagy was waiting for a moment to bench Trubisky to put his guy Foles in.

So, is Trubisky a draft bust? Heck no. He has a winning record in Chicago (26-18). He didn’t have the mental issues many busts had, like Ryan Leaf. Leaf is a guy Trubisky has been compared to by fans for no good reason. Trubisky won a division championship for God’s sake. He was successful, way more successful than the average quarterback that doesn’t make it in the NFL.

Likely, he won’t wear a Bears’ jersey next season, even if he gets another chance to start later down the line. Nagy has moved on from him, and it seems like Ryan Pace has admitted his mistakes and will too to keep his job.

This is a crappy, heartbreaking situation and I don’t like it. I understand he struggled last season, he played himself into this situation, but fans like me believed in him so much. A coach has to do what they feel is right to win football games and Trubisku understands that.

Trubisky’s career is far from over though. He will get a chance on a different team next season. Whether he goes into a situation like Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota did this season and backs up a solid quarterback to learn the game at an NFL level or he goes to compete for a starting job on a team with a struggling quarterback, he’ll have a job in 2021.

Whether you’re happy about this or not, fans have to admit, he wasn’t a bust. He wasn’t the elite quarterback for this franchise that many expected him to be, but he wasn’t terrible. The Bears won games with Trubisky.

Trubisky was above average to borderline elite when he played his best, and he was below average when he was off. Certainly, he wasn’t a bust, and he wasn’t the worst quarterback in the NFL.

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I’m betting on Trubisky to have a solid career no matter where he ends up. It’s a bad ending to a promising story, but he can still write his wrongs somewhere else. Trubisky is a great guy with a big heart and a great work ethic. That will pay off somewhere in the NFL, the same way it did for Ryan Tannehill and Alex Smith. If this is the end here, thank you Mitch. If he gets another chance, let’s give the city a show before you send off.

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