Tag: coronavirus

News Around Illinois – Aug. 12, 2020

Wind Knocks Down Wall Of Fire-Gutted Historic Chicago Church CHICAGO (AP) — Strong winds caused additional damage to a historic Chicago church but may have also swept in a badly needed “blessing” for a sanctuary where Mahalia Jackson and other famed gospel singers often sang and the man considered the father of gospel music led

News Around Illinois – Aug. 11, 2020

Officials: Beach Crowds Make It Hard To Social Distance WAUKEGAN, Ill. (AP) — Social distancing is becoming a problem at Illinois beaches as large crowds flock there during the pandemic, officials said. Visitation guidelines have been changed at some Lake County beaches to accommodate visitors, some of whom are from Chicago, where beaches remain closed.

News Around Illinois – Aug. 10, 2020

Police Say They Arrested More Than 100 People During Mag Mile Looting Hundreds of people smashed windows, stole from stores and clashed with police early Monday in Chicago’s upscale Magnificent Mile shopping district and other parts of the city. “We are waking up in shock this morning,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said at a Monday morning

Davis Quarantines At Home After Testing Positive For COVID-19

Illinois Congressman Rodney Davis is quarantining at his home in Taylorville, after testing positive on Wednesday for COVID-19. The 13th District lawmaker says he feels fine, and that even the elevated temperature that led him and his wife Shannon to get a coronavirus test has gone back down. (Davis says his wife’s test came back

News Around Illinois – Aug. 7, 2020

City Colleges Of Chicago Faculty And Staff Threaten Strike Over COVID-19 Safety Concerns Faculty and staff at City Colleges of Chicago are threatening to strike after accusing the administration of failing to ensure a safe work environment for employees required to return in-person during the COVID-19 pandemic. Leaders of the unions representing faculty, clerical staff

COVID-19 Patient Who Received Double-Lung Transplant Faces Long Road To Recovery

CHICAGO – Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, 28-year-old Mayra Ramirez was working as a paralegal for an immigration law firm in Chicago. She enjoyed walking her dogs and running 5K races.  Ramirez has a condition requiring medication that could’ve suppressed her immune system but was otherwise healthy. When the Illinois governor issued a shelter-in-place order

How A Parent Of Special Needs Children Is Navigating School Reopening In Illinois

Schools across Illinois are finalizing their reopening plans for the fall term amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Some parents of students with disabilities are concerned about how these plans will take their needs into account. Rebekah Strate has three children at home — all with special needs. Her family lives south of Jacksonville in a rural

Unit 4 Superintendent Says Fall Classes Will Stay Online For 1st Quarter

CHAMPAIGN – In a change of direction, the Champaign Unit 4 school district has announced that fall classes will be held on a remote basis only, through at least mid-October, as a continuing precaution against spreading COVID-19. Unit 4 Superintendent Susan Zola said in a statement released Wednesday evening that the district will use Distance

News Around Illinois – Aug. 5, 2020

As COVID-19 Cases Rise, Chicago Public Schools To Start Remotely Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot confirmed Wednesday morning that the city’s public school district will hold the first quarter of next year, until Nov. 8, with remote learning only. Lightfoot and the school district are holding out hope that the second quarter can have hybrid learning

Krannert Center Cancels All Public, In-Person Fall Events

The University of Illinois’ Krannert Center for the Performing Arts has announced the cancellation of all public, in-person performances this fall. Illinois Newsroom’s Brian Moline spoke with Krannert Center Director Mike Ross about the decision. Ross says they consulted with many different stakeholders before making the decision, and considered several factors. “As the understanding about

Health Experts: Masks, Distancing Key To Preventing COVID-19 Outbreaks In Schools

As schools across Illinois finalize their plans to reopen this fall, the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District is urging students, teachers and school staff members to wear masks at all times and stay at least six feet apart. The C-UPHD recently released guidelines and recommendations for schools and families as they prepare to begin the next

News Around Illinois – July 30, 2020

Senators Seek EPA Help To Fix Metro East Public Health Issue CENTREVILLE, Ill. (AP) — Residents in Illinois’ Metro East region are facing a major public health crisis because of persistent flooding and sewage problems, the state’s two U.S. senators said in a letter sent Wednesday to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Democrats Tammy Duckworth

News Around Illinois – July 28, 2020

County Board Candidate Drops Out After Controversial Tweet WHEATON, Ill. (AP) — A candidate for the DuPage County board in northern Illinois withdrew from the race after being criticized for a tweet in which she said she laughed while watching a video of a police officer getting hit in the face by a projectile during