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Coronavirus in Illinois updates: Here’s what happened March 19 with COVID-19 in the Chicago area

At a Thursday afternoon briefing, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced three more deaths in Illinois associated with COVID-19: a Will County man in his 50s, a Cook County woman in her 80s, and a Florida woman in her 70s who died in Sangamon County. This brings the state death toll from the new coronavirus to four.

State officials also announced 134 new cases, bringing the statewide total to 422 in 22 counties.

Later Thursday, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced she will keep Chicago Public Schools closed until April 20 and has created a $100 million fund to provide low-interest loans to small businesses. This comes as Illinois unemployment claims are skyrocketing as the pandemic causes workplaces to shut down.

This morning, after Oak Park issued a shelter-in-place order Wednesday, it was announced that two emergency room physicians at Rush Oak Park Hospital have tested positive for the coronavirus.

Around the world Thursday, there was cause for both hope and dread: The Chinese city of Wuhan — the pandemic’s epicenter — reported no new homegrown infections, but Italy — a far smaller nation — surpassed China’s death toll from COVID-19, underscoring the grim reality of the virus’ hold on the country. Italy had been averaging more than 350 deaths a day since March 15.

The Tribune is keeping a running list of Chicago-area closings and cancellations and asking experts to answer your questions about COVID-19.

Here are the latest updates Thursday on the coronavirus in the Chicago area and Illinois:

8:30 p.m.: Mayor Lori Lightfoot orders the closure of City Hall to the public

Mayor Lori Lightfoot ordered the closure of City Hall to the public, effective Friday, in an effort to prevent the further spread of the COVID-19 virus.

It will remain open to essential personnel and aldermen in order to help maintain the continuity of government and essential city services, Lightfoot said in a written statement.

“More than ever before, Chicagoans will rely on us to deliver critical services and supports during this disruption, while we help navigate these uncharted waters” said Lightfoot in the statement.

“However, we must ensure we balance our mission of service delivery with the need to keep our workforce and the community safe, and reducing the amount of traffic in one of the City’s largest municipal buildings will do just that.” Read more here. — Rosemary Sobol

Coronavirus outbreak at nursing home is latest in string of ‘nightmares’ in Willowbrook

The outbreak of coronavirus at a nursing home in Willowbrook is the latest in a string of unfortunate events there, but the mayor says it “could have happened anywhere.”

Forty-six people — 33 residents and 13 staffers — had tested positive for the potentially deadly virus at Chateau Nursing and Rehabilitation as of Wednesday, officials said, with at least six hospitalized.

In 2018, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency disclosed that cancer risk exceeded safety limits for emissions of ethylene oxide near a Sterigenics plant in Willowbrook, a southwest suburb.

Prosecutors sued, and the plant eventually closed.

Recently, Mayor Frank Trilla said, the village was the subject of a cyberware attack affecting 30 of its 33 computers and temporarily shutting down all operations. The village’s backup system was not affected, and officials do not believe private information was compromised, so the village bought new hardware and resumed operations, while the U.S. Secret Service investigates.

“It was a nightmare, but we’re getting used to that,” Trilla said. “Right now, Willowbrook seems to be the eye of the storm for anything that’s awful.” Read more here. — Robert Mccoppin, Alicia Fabbre and John Keilman

7:21 p.m.: Restaurants happy for sales-tax deferrals, say more is needed

Restaurants got a big break Thursday from the state of Illinois, which allowed smaller operations (those that paid less than $75,000 in sales tax last year) to postpone making sales tax payments without incurring penalties or interest. Those payments would have been due Friday.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker also announced that the Small Business Administration had approved low-interest loans of up to $2 million for eligible restaurants affected by the Illinois shutdown.

The industry response: This is great, thanks. We need more.

“My reaction is that this is a great first step, and a necessary one,” said Jason Hammel, owner of Lula and Marisol restaurants and a leading voice among Chicago-area restaurants. “Very many people would not have been able to make that payment tomorrow.”

“But this industry needs a full bailout, not just tax deferrals and low-interest loans,” Hammel said. “We need a stimulus plan that doesn’t just go to big businesses and multinational companies, but addresses small restaurants. I’m extremely concerned that our small restaurants aren’t going to make it; I know how hard I’m struggling to figure it out. Our dining landscape won’t survive in its current diverse and creative glory unless someone acts right now to get us through this.”

“Let’s focus on the plight of the hourly workers, who are stuck in the unemployment benefits line, which is overwhelmed with requests,” Hammel said. “I want to see them taken care of first.”

Among the help the industry is seeking, expressed in a petition on Change.org:

Provide emergency employment benefits to all hourly and salaried workers who have been laid off or suffered or lost their pay for the length of the crisis.

Waive payroll tax

Endorse rent and loan abatement for workers.

Work with state liquor authorities to enable restaurants offering take out and delivery to also sell/deliver beer, wine and cocktails by the bottle.

Waive zoning/permit restrictions to allow restaurants to temporarily use their spaces as boutique food and beverage markets, offering an alternative to overcrowded supermarkets and by extension continuing to pay their staff and support their farms and purveyors.

As of Thursday evening, the petition had gathered nearly 155,000 signatures. — Phil Vettel

5:56 p.m.: Northwestern doctors ask Chicagoans to take coronavirus seriously

“We’re already seeing coronavirus in our ER every single day.”

“Please stop partying.”

“This is for real.”

Click here to watch the video.

5:55 p.m.: Elmhurst food pantry adapts to serve clients during coronavirus crisis

Elmhurst-Yorkfield Food Pantry, which has been providing food, compassion and hope to hungry people in Elmhurst and seven surrounding communities since 1983, is continuing to do so, but has modified its distribution practices in response to concerns over the corona virus.

In normal times, registered clients have come to the pantry during four weekly established service times to choose their own grocery items from the pantry’s shelves and refrigerators. To protect clients, staff and volunteers from virus threats, clients are now remaining in their cars while staff and volunteers deliver food. Read more here. — Graydon Megan

5:35 p.m. Will County deals with 10th case of COVID-19 and first death

As Will County deals with it’s 10th case of coronavirus and its first death, officials announced several changes Thursday to county services.

Public health officials said the Will County death was a man in his 50s.

Will County Public Health Department spokesman Steve Brandy also confirmed the county’s 10th case, a man in his 70s. He could not say if the man has been hospitalized or is quarantined at home. Read more here.

5:31 p.m.: New Cook County property tax assessment notices suspended as part of assessor’s office shutdown

Don’t go looking for your new property tax assessment notice in the mail, because it’s not coming anytime soon.

Mailing of the notices, and appeal deadlines, have been suspended until further notice, as part the closure of Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi’s office because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kaegi announce Thursday.

Kaegi’s office was working on new assessments of suburban properties that are south of North Avenue. The values of property determined by Kaegi are a key part of determining how much each property owner pays in taxes. The higher the assessment, the higher the tax.

“The health and safety of the public and the communities we serve throughout Cook County is most important right now,” Kaegi said in a statement. “This includes the well-being of our employees as well as our partners in the offices of the clerk, treasurer, and Board of Review. Until we have more certainty about what the future looks like, we are suspending the mailing of assessment notices and corresponding appeals.”

Residential property owners can continue to file homeowner, senior/senior freeze, veterans and persons with disabilities exemptions online. Property owners who have already received assessment notices for 2020 can file appeals online. — Hal Dardick

5:30 p.m.: Chicago Public Schools will remain closed until at least April 20, Lightfoot says in speech praising city’s resilience

In a televised speech aimed at reassuring the public that her administration is up to the task of curbing the coronavirus outbreak, Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced Thursday she will keep Chicago Public Schools closed through April 20 and has created a $100 million fund to provide low-interest loans to small businesses.

“I want you to be able to lay your head down at night comforted by the fact that we are ready to meet this challenge,” Lightfoot said.

Closing CPS is necessary due to an anticipated “continued upward trajectory of the virus spread,” Lightfoot said.

“We need to give parents and guardians plenty of advance notice about this reality and the ability to plan,” Lightfoot said.

Lightfoot also announced the creation of the Chicago Small Business Resiliency Loan Fund, which will give “more than $100 million in targeted, low-interest loans to severely impacted small businesses.”

“These loans are designed to provide much needed cash-flow relief for neighborhood entrepreneurs,” Lightfoot said. The money is coming from a $25 million-dollar grant by the city, $50 million from the Chicago Community Catalyst Fund, and $10 million from Goldman Sachs’ Urban Investment Group.

Hours earlier, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said the state’s count of coronavirus cases had reached 422, with more than 100 of those being in Chicago.

So far, four people have died from the virus in Illinois, including one South Side Chicago resident.

The mayor has taken a series of steps in recent days to try to stay ahead of the fast-evolving situation, which she highlighted in Thursday’s speech.

Earlier in the day, Lightfoot’s administration ordered anyone with the coronavirus or who is exhibiting its symptoms to stay home. Police and health department officials are authorized to issue tickets to violators, though it’s not clear how they will determine who’s flouting the edict.

Lightfoot scolded those who haven’t stayed home while sick.

“Most of you have listened, but some have not. And those of you that have not, have not only put yourselves at risk, you are endangering the public,” Lightfoot said. “We have documented an increasing number of cases in which sick people went to their workplace and got other people sick with the coronavirus.”

Lightfoot also announced this week that the city will ease up on its debt collection practices to cut people slack on certain ticket violations as part of an effort to help residents amid the outbreak.

Through at least April 30, Lightfoot said the city will suspend booting, late fees and defaults on payment plans for all city debts, and the administration is also suspending checks on city debt for ride-share and taxi drivers. The city also will be limiting ticketing, towing and impounding solely to what she said are public safety-related issues.

The mayor did say “this isn’t free parking,” noting that if cars are left for long periods of time in metered areas without paying, the vehicles could be designated as abandoned and towed.

“So let’s use common sense,” she said.

An addendum Lightfoot issued to the city’s sick leave policy provides for additional paid time off for city employees who’ve contracted the virus. City employees who have to stay home to care for a child because of a school closure can also apply for additional paid time off after they exhaust their usual time off, the order states.

Lightfoot also issued an order that city workers in jobs deemed non-essential be allowed to work from home.

Invoking the Great Chicago Fire to praise the city’s resilience, Lightfoot said, “we rose from the ashes the very next day to grow bigger and stronger than we had ever been before.” — Gregory Pratt, John Byrne

5:23 p.m.: Lightfoot announces creation of Chicago Small Business Resiliency Loan Fund

Mayor Lori Lightfoot said the Chicago Small Business Resiliency Loan Fund would start with $100 million for low-interest loans for “severely impacted small businesses” in the city.

“These loans are designed to provide much needed cash-flow relief for neighborhood entrepreneurs,” Lightfoot said.

The public-private partnership includes a $25 million dollar grant from the city, $50 million from the Chicago Community Catalyst Fund, and $10 million from Goldman Sachs’ Urban Investment Group, Lightfoot said.

Meanwhile, Citadel and Citadel Securities on Thursday donated $2.5 million to help Chicago Public Schools families, including $1 million to CPS and another $1.5 million to the Greater Chicagoland Food Depository.

“Ken and others are exhibiting extraordinary civic leadership at its finest,” Lightfoot said during an evening speech to residents from City Hall. — Gregory Pratt

5:19 p.m.: What it’s like to be tested for coronavirus. One Tribune editor shares her experience.

A Chicago Tribune editor underwent a test for COVID-19 on Thursday at a downtown medical facility.

The referral came on the third day of the editor’s illness after consulting with her doctor. At one point Thursday morning, the woman’s doctor tried to order a test but was told by officials that the patient would have to wait. A few hours later, the test was approved.

The editor, who asked that her name not be used pending test results, headed to a testing area at Northwestern Medicine Lavin Family Pavilion at East Erie Street and North Fairbanks Court.

Upon arrival shortly after noon, the editor was told to wait in her car while being attended to by two of the eight staff members working in a tent with clear plastic doors. They took test samples: first for the seasonal flu, then for strep throat and finally for COVID-19. Read more here. — Chicago Tribune staff report

5:15 p.m. More Illinois colleges cancel commencement ceremonies

Three more Illinois colleges announced Thursday that upcoming graduation ceremonies will have to be canceled or postponed because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and Western Illinois University canceled their commencement ceremonies that were scheduled for May, according to their websites. And Northern Illinois University is postponing its event, with tentative plans to hold it in August.

At WIU, Interim President Martin Abraham acknowledged the disappointment students and parents might experience and vowed the school will do what it can to make it up to them.

“Diplomas will be mailed following the close of the semester, and we are looking at possible alternatives for recognitions of your accomplishments,” Abraham wrote on the school website. “Graduates will have an opportunity to participate in a formal ceremony at a later date. It will take some time to review these options, but we want to do our best to honor our students’ achievements in some way. We value our students and their families, and it is our wish to honor the work our students have done to get to this culminating point of their academic career.”

The University of Illinois System and Illinois Institute of Technology previously canceled their spring commencements. — Elyssa Cherney

4:45 p.m.: Cook County medical examiner confirms cause in state’s first reported coronavirus death

The Cook County medical examiner’s office confirmed Thursday that 61-year-old Patricia Frieson from the South Side died from the coronavirus, the first death in Illinois linked to the disease.

The office said Frieson died from bronchopneumonia caused by the virus, with asthma, diabetes mellitus and hypertensive cardiovascular disease listed as contributing factors. The office ruled the death was natural.

Frieson, a retired nurse who lived in the Gresham neighborhood, died on Monday after she had difficulty breathing and was hospitalized.

The medical examiner’s office doesn’t often rule on natural deaths in which the cause is apparent, such as with influenza deaths, because doctors can sign off on the cause of death in many cases, according to Natalia Derevyanny, a spokeswoman for the office.

“We very rarely see any kind of deaths in this realm,” she said.

Because Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle signed a disaster proclamation earlier this month, all coronavirus deaths in the county will be referred to the medical examiner’s office, she said. — Madeline Buckley

4:33 p.m.: Circuit Clerk Dorothy Brown promises to scale back staffing

After taking fire from the Cook County court clerks’ union for her handling of their work during the coronavirus pandemic, Circuit Clerk Dorothy Brown promised to scale back staffing and give clerks up to five days of compensatory time for working during the massive court shutdown.

In a memo to staffers Thursday, Brown said she wanted to show “appreciation for all of our hardworking and dedicated employees.”Clerks will now get 1.5 hours of compensatory time for each day they work from March 17 to April 15, when courts are slated to resume normal operations.

In addition, beginning Friday, only a “skeleton crew” of staffers will be working, and procedures will be put in place to allow “employees in the high-risk categories” to work from home, according to the memo obtained by the Tribune.

Clerks at the Leighton Criminal Court Building had complained for days that they were required to come to court despite a huge shutdown in operations — and said they were not given proper preventative measures, like hand sanitizer, to try and stave off infection.

Brown’s action follows harsh criticism from the union that represents courtroom clerks. In a statement Tuesday, the president of Teamsters Local 700, Ramon D. Williams, said Brown had put the public and employees at risk, calling out her “extreme lack of leadership.”

“She states that there aren’t any confirmed cases of COVID-19 in any of the districts, so employees should just keep taking proper measures to make sure they wash their hands and stay six feet away from each other,” the statement read. “That is NOT enough.”

“The courts and service areas of each district welcome thousands of people every day and no one can be certain on who is carrying the virus into the facilities,” Williams said.Chief Judge Timothy Evans has ordered nearly all criminal and civil court operations postponed until April 15. Courthouses remain open, but with far fewer cases and courtroom activity. Still, many clerks have been required to go into work.

Several judges, who work side by side with clerks, told the Tribune they were outraged at the treatment of the integral court staffers.

One judge who presides over civil cases in the Daley Center said clerks are sitting in empty courtrooms with little to do. “The judges aren’t there but their clerks are,” the judge said. “It makes no sense.”

The judge said only a handful of clerks actually were needed to help with emergency matters filed in the various civil court divisions that operate in the Daley Center.

The judge wondered how effective scaling back court operations will be to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The judge noted that many court clerks take public transportation. “What good is it pulling us out of a potentially infected environments and then later putting us back in with people who have not been sheltered?” — Megan Crepeau and Todd Lighty

4:31 p.m.: Gov. Pritzker says he can reach Trump “any time” but talks more often with VP Pence

Gov. J.B. Pritzker said he has “the ability at any time” to reach out to President Donald Trump, but that he’s spoken more often with Vice President Mike Pence and even more frequently with high-ranking officials within federal government agencies “because they’re closer to being on the ground and delivering what we need.”

“The reason that the president talks to certain state governors more than others is because that’s where the bulk of the cases are,” Pritzker said at his daily coronavirus briefing Thursday. “New York and Washington, for example, as a percentage of their population, they are seeing a lot of cases and frankly a lot of deaths. So I believe that’s how the president may have prioritized his time, but I have the ability at any time to reach out to the president, he has offered that to me directly.”

Pritzker has been critical of the Trump administration’s response efforts to the spread of the new coronavirus, particularly when it comes to making testing for the illness more widely available. Pritzker took to Twitter late Saturday to blast the Trump administration for hours-long lines to get through customs at O’Hare International Airport.

Pritzker said he’s talked to Pence several times directly, but that he more regularly talks to the Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of Homeland Security.”

I, in many cases, have just called directly to the person who’s in charge of the thing that we need in order to get it,” Pritzker said. “So, I’ve been willing — I don’t need to wait to talk to the president. I’d rather go get the job done.” — Jamie Munks

4:30 p.m.: Counterfeit coronavirus tests seized at O’Hare

U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents said they intercepted counterfeit coronavirus test kits that arrived at O’Hare International Airport from the United Kingdom.

They warn people not to buy home test kits over the internet. Read more here. — Elvia Malagón

4:29 p.m.: Northlake Walmart to host drive-up coronavirus testing

Drive-thru coronavirus testing will be coming soon to the parking lot of a Walmart in west suburban Northlake, city officials announced Thursday, as part of a larger effort to expand drive-up testing to major retail sites across the country.

Northlake officials said in a written statement Thursday that the big box store on North Avenue has been designated a coronavirus drive-up testing site, but had no additional information on when testing would begin, operation times or the testing process.

Although Walmart officials said the big box retailer is looking at several Chicago-area sites for a pilot drive-up screening program, the company would not confirm that the Northlake location was one of them.

On Thursday morning, a section of the Northlake Walmart parking lot was cordoned off with yellow caution tape. Several police barricades lined the perimeter of the site, and two solar traffic message boards were on the property.

President Donald Trump announced in a news conference last week that drive-up coronavirus testing stations would soon be available in the parking lots of major American retailers, such as Walmart, Target, CVS and Walgreens.

“We’ve been in discussions with pharmacies and retailers to make drive-thru tests available in the critical locations identified by public health professionals,” Trump said at a March 13 news conference. “The goal is for individuals to be able to drive up and be swabbed without having to leave your car.”

Several Chicago-area hospitals over the last few days have launched drive-up testing stations, including Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in northwest suburban Park Ridge, though patients must have a doctor’s order and an appointment. — Angie Leventis Lourgos

4:08 p.m.: Elgin-area strip club tried to operate during coronavirus shutdown, ‘but nobody showed up’

While Elgin-area restaurants, bars and other businesses closed over the past week, Anthony Buttitta vowed to keep Blackjacks Gentlemen’s Club open, coronavirus or not.

Posts on the strip club’s Facebook page this week confidently announced the venue would operate as usual.

“We’re open during the COVID-19 outbreak,” said one post. “Disinfecting, sanitizing, washing hands, complying with all state and CDC guidance — and dancing!!!”

“Need to get out of the house? Come play tonight at Blackjacks,” read another.

There was only one problem: Almost no customers showed up.

Buttitta said Thursday that despite efforts to remain open, the club near Elgin will close indefinitely. Read more here. — Rafael Guerrero

4 p.m.: Medical examiner confirms Chicago woman died from pneumonia due to coronavirus

The first person to die in Illinois after contracting the new coronavirus died from pneumonia related to COVID-19, the office announced Thursday.

Patricia Frieson, 61, died a natural death from bronchopneumonia due to a novel corona (COVID-19) viral infection with asthma, diabetes mellitus, hypertensive cardiovascular disease and obesity as contributing factors, the office found, following a review of Frieson’s medical records.

Frieson, a retired nurse, was pronounced dead March 16 at 9:40 p.m. at the University of Chicago Medical Center, according to the office. — Chicago Tribune staff

3:43 p.m.: Hospitals to other industries: Give us your face masks

Illinois hospitals sent an urgent plea Thursday for more face masks, asking construction, dental and veterinary groups to donate any they may have on hand.

Illinois Health and Hospital Association President and CEO A.J. Wilhelmi sent a message to trade groups across the state asking them to donate their N95 masks, which are surgical masks that can protect workers from airborne particles and liquid. Health care workers are seeking the masks to help protect them from being infected with the novel coronavirus while treating patients.

He said Illinois hospitals are facing a “critical shortage” of personal protective equipment, such as the masks.

“We anticipate that the number of cases will increase dramatically in the coming days and weeks, exhausting all the (personal protective equipment) at hospitals, including gowns, gloves, eye shields and, especially, medical masks,” Wilhelmi wrote.

The plea came the same day that several national groups, including the Chicago-based American Medical Association, American Hospital Association and American Nurses Association, sent a letter to Congress asking for $100 billion to help them battle the rapidly spreading illness. — Lisa Schencker

3:40 p.m.: Chicago police officers performing hundreds of checks on seniors. ‘We try to do our best, right?’

Holed up in a room in the Shakespeare Police District on the Northwest Side, Chicago police officer Delilah Martinez dials one of hundreds of numbers on her list and reaches a senior citizen named Grace.

Martinez asks Grace if she is safe, healthy and well-stocked amid the coronavirus pandemic and then listens patiently.

“That’s so sweet, yes,” Martinez said on the phone. Read more here.

3:38 p.m.: Illinois National Guard to help health providers carry out coronavirus testing

Gov. J.B. Pritzker has enlisted the Illinois National Guard in the state’s efforts to test for the novel coronavirus that causes potentially deadly COVID-19.

“Earlier this week, I activated the first members of the Illinois National Guard mission to join the fight against COVID-19,” Pritzker said at his daily news briefing on the virus Thursday. “They are 13,000 strong, committed to amazing work, and they bring to our preparations key capabilities in logistics, in transportation and even in medical specialties, allowing us to expand testing while ensuring our testing can be administered in the safest possible way.”

Pritzker said that although the federal government is setting up drive-through testing operations in other states, that is not yet happening in Illinois.

“Instead, we’re having our National Guard be part of efforts to help hospitals and other health care centers stand up those drive-through capabilities. So, we’ll be using the National Guard to assist other health care workers in that endeavor.”

Pritzker said the guard is “also doing critical work planning for the weeks and months ahead, including expanding our health care capacity by potentially refitting and reopening previously closed hospitals.”

On Monday, the governor activated 43 airmen from the Peoria-based 182nd Airlift Wing’s Medical Group to help with the escalating number of COVID-19 patients.

The unit includes doctors, nurses and nurse practitioners, but it’s mostly composed of medical technicians trained and certified in procedures such as blood draws, swab testing and immunizations, as well as maintaining medical records. The governor said the service members will perform “a variety of missions” in the coming days and weeks. Though he said the guard may help in delivering food to families who have struggled to feed their children because of the school closures, it now appears they will be taking a frontline role in determining how widespread the virus has become in the Chicago-area.

Several other states also have activated National Guard units, including Florida, New Jersey and Texas. — Hal Dardick, Dan Petrella

3:19 p.m.: Speedy-trial deadlines while cases are put on pause

The Cook County State’s Attorney’s office wants the county’s chief judge to request relief from speedy-trial deadlines while cases are put on pause due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Prosecutors have seen an uptick in defendants formally demanding trial since Chief Judge Timothy Evans ordered most court operations suspended last week, according to a letter from First Assistant Joseph Magats obtained by the Tribune on Thursday.

When a defendant invokes his right to a speedy trial, the clock starts ticking — prosecutors have 120 days to bring him to trial if he is in custody and 160 days if he is on bond. If they blow past that deadline, then by law, the charges must be dropped.

“As a direct result of these actions, our office is faced with the reality that many cases, including serious and violent felony offenses, have been and are being continued to a date beyond the speedy trial term,” the letter reads.

The state Supreme Court may “suspend, toll or otherwise grant relief” from speedy trial deadlines, according to court policy. But that can only happen via a particularly circuitous route: a county’s chief judge must ask the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts to ask the Supreme Court.

Kane County State’s Attorney Joseph McMahon has submitted a similar letter to Clint Hull, that county’s chief judge.

“It is my fervent hope that an appeal to the Illinois Supreme Court can ward off the potential injustice threatened by this pandemic,” McMahon wrote.

Amid the court slowdown, Cook County prosecutors have been filing requests to extend the speedy-trial term, which by statute they can do in order to find witnesses or evidence.

But, the letters from Magats and McMahon both note, there is no specific provision in Illinois law that deals directly with speedy trials in a situation like this one.

“The virus has created an additional real and present danger to the well-being of the citizenry of Illinois: the potential impossibility of bringing an individual to justice based on the application of a law that does not recognize the devastating and debilitating impact of a pandemic virus,” McMahon wrote.

There was no indication how long it might take to see the request work its way through the state system.

By contrast, in Chicago’s federal court, Chief Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer ordered specifically that time spent during that court’s slowdown would not count against the speedy-trial clock. — Megan Crepeau

3:02 p.m.: Officials announce 134 new coronavirus cases, bringing state’s total to 422

State officials announced 134 new coronavirus cases, bringing the statewide total 422 cases in 22 counties. The marked increase is partially attributed to an increase in testing capabilities.

Asked about the possibility of shelter in place rules or extended school closings, Pritzker said only “I’m looking at all of those things.”He said that “parents should be contemplating the possibility” that school closings will last longer. — Dan Petrella

2:49 p.m.: 3 more deaths in Illinois from the coronavirus, Pritzker says

Pritzker announced three more deaths in Illinois associated with COVID-19: a Will County man in his 50s, a Cook County woman in her 80s, and a Florida woman in her 70s who died in Sangamon County.

Earlier Patricia Frieson, 61, of the Gresham neighborhood on the South Side, was diagnosed with COVID-19 and died Monday night at the University of Chicago Medical Center, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office and one of her siblings. — Dan Petrella

Delay in state and local sales tax payments

Pritzker also announced that the state is allowing a two-month delay in state and local sales tax payments to aid small and medium-size restaurants and bars affected by his order shutting down dine-in service.

The sales tax holiday applies to dining and drinking establishments that had less than $75,000 in sales tax liabilities last year. They will not be charged penalties or interest on payments due in March, April or May. The state Department of Revenue estimates this will apply to nearly 80% of bars and restaurants statewide.

Business must still file sales tax returns and will be able to make payments in four installment from May through Aug. 20. — Dan Petrella

Special grocery store hours for the elderly

Pritzker said grocery stores across the state are offering special hours for elderly residents to shop without others in the store. Pritzker encouraged residents to contact local stores for details. — Dan Petrella

2:45 p.m.: Florida woman visiting Springfield area dies while being treated for coronavirus, officials say

A Florida woman being treated for coronavirus at Memorial Medical Center in Springfield died Thursday, according to Sangamon County health officials.

The woman, age 71, had been visiting the Springfield area when she fell ill. She was the first confirmed COVID-19 case in the county and the first death there, according to a joint news release from the hospital system and the county.”

Now more than ever, we call on our community to take care of themselves and each other, to be vigilant and willing to make sacrifices to help curb the spread of this virus,” said Dr. Raj Govindaiah, chief medical officer of Memorial Health System, in the release. — Liam Ford

2:14 p.m.: Oak Park’s shelter-in-place order takes effect tonight. San Francisco shows what life is like during a lockdown.

When the clock strikes midnight, Oak Park residents will placed on lockdown, the subjects of a dramatic shelter-in-place order that essentially commands them to stay in their homes as public health officials try to slow the coronavirus’s spread in the near western suburb.

Residents can still go to the grocery store, keep their doctor appointments and make pharmacy runs. They’ll also be able to go to work if they have essential jobs such as health care providers, first responders and sanitation workers.

Otherwise, they’ll be required to stay home, perhaps foreshadowing the stringent rules all Illinois residents could find themselves living under in the coming days. Read more here.

1:57 p.m.: Chicago ride-share and taxi drivers struggle with drop in business because of coronavirus

Michael Sands Jr. and his wife, Elpida Drake, drive a taxi and lease five taxi medallions to other drivers. Sands said business has been so slow amid the coronavirus outbreak that he recently waited half a day at O’Hare International Airport for just one fare.

“Thank God we have some in savings to keep our head above water,” said Drake, 36. “If we go out on the street to try to make some kind of money, there’s nobody out there. The restaurants and bars are closed, and O’Hare’s not moving.”

Chicago ride-share and taxi drivers say they have been struggling to make ends meet since Gov. J.B. Pritzker told Illinois residents to stay home and ordered bars and restaurants closed to dine-in customers through March 30. In a virtual press conference Thursday, local drivers and advocates discussed possible solutions, including asking large gig employers to pay displaced workers $2,000; the city for emergency assistance for taxi drivers; and the state to allow temporary workers and independent contractors file for unemployment with proof of wages paid over the last four weeks including payments made via app-based companies.

“Most of us, including myself, don’t have any health insurance. Once we’re out there and if we’re going to contract this virus, what are we going to do? It is really affecting us negatively a lot, and I hope that they’ll be able to include us for whatever relief that is coming,” veteran cab driver Nnamdi Uwazie, an organizer for the union group Cab Drivers United, told the Tribune.

More than 60,000 people in the Chicago area work as ride-share drivers and 12,000 work as taxi drivers, according to Chicago Jobs with Justice, a coalition of labor, faith and community organizations. The Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection told the Tribune in a statement that the city will soon announce “initial steps to support drivers and riders during this difficult time.”

A department spokesman did not elaborate on these steps. Read more here. — Tracy Swartz

1:20 p.m.: Palm Sunday, Holy Week services canceled because of coronavirus, Archdiocese of Chicago notifies parishes

The Archdiocese of Chicago announced Thursday that Palm Sunday and Holy Week services, including the Chrism Mass, one of the most important religious services of the year, would not be celebrated publicly.

Holy Thursday’s Chrism Mass will be live streamed from Holy Name Cathedral. The release did not make clear whether public Easter services will be allowed, but said Holy Week and Easter Vigil services said by Cardinal Blase Cupich will be livestreamed.

“There should be no Communion services currently nor during Holy Week until we are cleared to return for public liturgies,” the archdiocese said in a note to parishes.

This is the latest fallout from the coronavirus outbreak and further limits Catholics from actively practicing their faith after the archdiocese suspended all religious services and restricted the number of people who can attend a funeral to 10.

The church’s guidelines and liturgical guidance are issued based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations, church officials have said.

Among other Holy Week activities, Catholics are also prohibited from publicly celebrating the Living Stations of the Cross, which commemorates one of the holiest days of the Christian calendar and traces the suffering and crucifixion of Jesus.

Stations of the Cross celebrations usually draws thousands of people across the country. — Javonte Anderson

1 p.m.: Students and staff at Winnetka school told to self-quarantine after seventh-grader diagnosed with probable case of COVID-19

Students and staff at Carleton Washburne School in Winnetka are being urged to self-quarantine for 14 days, after a seventh grade student was diagnosed with a “probable” case of COVID-19 this week.

The Illinois Department of Public Health alerted school officials Tuesday that the student, who was at school through March 11, “has a probable, presumptive case related to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19),” according to a letter to parents from District 36 Superintendent Trisha Kocanda.

The middle school at 515 Hibbard Road enrolls about 400 students in seventh and eighth grades.

“Students and staff at Carleton Washburne School should self-quarantine for 14 days from Wednesday, March 11, 2020, the last time the student was at school,” Kocanda said in a statement on the district’s website. Read more here. — Karen Ann Cullotta

12:45 p.m.: Metra cuts weekday schedule in half as coronavirus causes deep ridership drop

Due to deep drops in ridership as a result of the new coronavirus pandemic, Metra is cutting weekday service in half starting on Monday.

The commuter railroad said it’s adjusting to a sharply reduced number of riders due to school closures, work-from-home mandates and other consequences of the crisis. The new schedule can be seen here.

“This is an unprecedented situation; we are attempting to do our best to provide service for those who still need public transportation and match service with demand,” Metra CEO/Executive Director Jim Derwinski said in a statement.

The commuter railroad saw a drop in ridership of 50% late last week, and said numbers have continued to fall since. The CTA, Pace, Amtrak and the South Shore Line also have taken big hits in ridership. Read more here. — Mary Wisniewski

12:07 p.m.: Chicago police and paramedics just announced their first coronavirus cases. How are they dealing with COVID-19 on the front line?

By the nature of their work, Chicago’s first responders are routinely in close quarters with people and duty-bound to perform in extreme situations. They have even been spat on. Covered in blood. Exposed to dangerous substances used to mix narcotics.

And now this. An unprecedented public health crisis that requires them to do their jobs in uncontrolled environments on the street.

Both the Chicago Police Department and the Chicago Fire Department have been left to come up with ways to protect their own as they do their work, and to prepare contingency plans for what was inevitable — one of their own contracting the virus.

It was a threat made all too real Tuesday when a paramedic was reported to be the first from one of the departments to test positive for COVID-19. An assistant deputy chief paramedic soon followed, on Wednesday, and the first member of CPD tested positive Thursday. Read more here.

11:56 a.m.: Chicago orders coronavirus patients, people showing symptoms, to stay home

Chicago’s public health commissioner has ordered anyone with coronavirus or who is exhibiting its symptoms to stay home in an effort to curb the virus’ spread, Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced.

Sick residents will be allowed to seek “essential services, including necessary clinical care or evaluation, and life sustaining needs, such as obtaining medicine or food,” the mayor’s office said. People who violate the order could be fined by the Chicago Police Department or the public health department, Lightfoot said.”

During this unprecedented crisis, we must move quickly and in the best interest of the public. Restricting the movements of those who have COVID-19 or who are symptomatic is the best way to prevent the virus from spreading further,” Lightfoot said. “We are implementing today’s order to ensure a precise and data-driven response to the trends of this illness and, following recommendations by our city’s public health experts, believe that these heightened measures are necessary to contain the virus and protect our residents.” Read more here. — Gregory Pratt, John Byrne

11:48 a.m.: CPD member tests positive for COVID-19

A worker at the Chicago Police Department has tested positive for COVID-19, said Anthony Guglielmi, a spokesman for the department, in an email. The worker who tested positive is a detective who had last worked Sunday. He started to feel ill during regularly scheduled days off, on Monday and Tuesday, Guglielmi said.

The department was notified Thursday morning about the worker’s health status. The person will remain at home, and the department is trying to pinpoint who the person had interacted with, Guglielmi said in the email. The department did not identify the worker or say what kind of job the person has within the department.

“Once we were notified of the confirmed case, the Department began a thorough cleaning and disinfection of the facility where the employee was stationed,” Guglielmi said in the email. “The employee’s work area and any vehicles and equipment used by the individual are also being cleaned.” — Elvia Malagón

11:39 a.m.: North Shore communities confirm first COVID-19 cases

Numerous communities along the North Shore have announced some of their first confirmed cases of COVID-19.

Highland Park officials announced late Wednesday evening that the patient who was treated by three paramedics at a home in the city since has tested positive for the new coronavirus. Officials in Lake Forest and Lake Bluff reported Thursday their first confirmed cases of COVID-19.

A resident in Lake Forest and a resident in Lake Bluff each tested positive for the virus, officials in both towns said in a joint statement. Read more here. — James T. Norman

11:31 a.m.: Suburban Cook County coronavirus cases rise to 75 with 17 new infections

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle announced today that 17 more residents in suburban Cook County have been diagnosed with COVID-19, bringing the total there to 75.

In a morning news conference, Preckwinkle also announced the launch of a new emergency text alert system, hotline number and email system geared toward keeping the public informed with accurate information.

The hotline number is (708) 633-3319 and email address: ccdph.COVID19@cookcountyhhs.org will be staffed between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday – Friday.

To subscribe to text message alerts from the county’s public health office, text ‘AlertCook’ to 888-777 and to opt-in and receive the latest COVID-19 information. Additional coronavirus information is available from the county at cookcountypublichealth.org. — Lisa Donovan

11:11 a.m.: Professional licenses expiration dates extended

The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation is automatically extending the expiration date through Sept. 30 for all professional licenses issued by the department that have renewal dates between March 1 and July 31.

The department also is extending the deadline for licensees to complete continuing education coursework and allowing courses to be conducted online.

The extension covers licenses for nearly three dozen occupations, including physicians, nurses, pharmacists, optometrists, real estate brokers and private detectives.

The department also is allowing massage therapy, cosmetology and barber schools to offer more courses that don’t involve hands-on learning online through July 31. — Dan Petrella

10:55 a.m.: Illinois General Assembly cancels session

The Illinois General Assembly canceled session next week in response to the coronavirus, the second week in a row legislative leaders have called off session.

Lawmakers were due to convene in Springfield March 24 to 27.

“We remain in contact with members regarding legislative and scheduling priorities so that when we return to the Capitol we can act quickly and efficiently,” Senate President Don Harmon said in a statement Thursday. “For now, we are taking it day by day and urging everyone to heed the advice of health care professionals by practicing social distancing, regularly washing hands and avoiding unneeded travel.”

A memo sent to House Democrats Wednesday said the session schedule is “in flux,” and that a “call to return to Springfield amidst this public health emergency would only occur if necessary.”

With the cancellations, the next scheduled session day is March 31. A two-week recess in April is built into the General Assembly’s calendar, beginning the week of April 6.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Wednesday said he was leaving decisions about the legislature reconvening to legislative leaders.

“So, I’ll work with them on that,” Pritzker said. “We need to work together.” — Jamie Munks

10:48 a.m.: Will County requires appointment for marriages, phone call or email for birth, marriage, death certificates

Will County couples who want to get hitched during the coronavirus pandemic now will have to make an appointment to get a marriage or civil union license, county Clerk Lauren Staley Ferry announced Thursday.

To do that, call 815-740-4615 or email marriages@willcountyillinois.com. To get a birth, marriage or death certificate, county residents will have to call the same number or email vitalrecords@willcountyillinois.com or going the website at www.thewillcountyclerk.com and clicking on “VitalCheck.” Or folks can send mailed requests to the clerk’s office at 302 N. Chicago St., Joliet.

Forms can be found at the clerk’s website. The changes are in effect until April 17. — Hal Dardick

10:47 a.m.: Lightfoot addressing the public tonight in broadcast from City Hall

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot will broadcast a speech today at 5 p.m. on the city’s public health and economic response to the COVID-19 pandemic. She’ll give the speech from her ceremonial City Hall office.

“In addition to reminding residents to follow the City’s public health guidance, the Mayor will provide specific ways the City will be protecting vulnerable populations and supporting our local economy, specifically the local businesses and employees most impacted by the economic ramifications of COVID-19,” the mayor’s office said in a prepared statement.

She’ll also talk about what could be ahead in the coming weeks as the city, state and nation grapple with ever-growing cases of the virus. — Lisa Donovan

10:08 a.m.: Illinois unemployment claims skyrocket as coronavirus pandemic causes workplaces to shut down

Tens of thousands of Illinoisans are seeking unemployment benefits amid the coronavirus pandemic, as workplaces, restaurants and businesses shutter.

More than 41,000 Illinoisans submitted unemployment claims to the state’s Department of Employment Security on Monday and Tuesday, said spokeswoman Rebecca Cisco. That’s more than nine times as many as the state received on the same two days during the corresponding week last year.

Typically, the state requires people to be actively seeking work to receive unemployment benefits. But that changed under emergency rules adopted specifically to respond to COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.

A person is considered to be actively seeking work as long as they’re prepared to return to work as soon as the employer reopens, according to the Department of Employment Security’s website.

The state has made other exceptions to the normal requirements to receive unemployment benefits, too. Usually, leaving a job to care for a child is considered voluntary, and would mean a person would not qualify for benefits.

But an executive order from Gov. J.B. Pritzker has closed public and private schools around the state at least through March 30, and some are already planning to stay closed longer. The state recognizes that a parent staying home with a child likely has no other child care option, and would consider that person eligible for unemployment benefits. Read more here. — Ally Marotti

10 a.m.: Planned Parenthood of Illinois consolidating clinics to 6 locations

Planned Parenthood of Illinois announced today that it is temporarily consolidating health centers because of COVID-19 concerns.

Beginning March 23, all services will be at six health centers: its Near North location, Austin, Aurora, Springfield, Flossmoor and Peoria.

“Planned Parenthood of Illinois is taking all necessary precautions to keep our staff and patients healthy and well,” chief medical officer Amy Whitaker said in a statement.

Some will have expanded days and times to accommodate patients’ needs. Patients with nonessential appointments are being asked to postpone visits or use their telehealth services. — Alison Bowen

9 a.m.: Anxiety, guilt and Trader Joe’s: Day in the life of coronavirus through the diaries of 4 Chicagoans and suburbanites

We asked a handful of people across the Chicago area — Worth, Andersonville, Worth, Lake Forest, Glen Ellyn — to keep diaries of their thoughts, hopes, fears and observations across a single day of our new reality — noting the ways the coronavirus pandemic was impacting their lives, big and small.

It’s not the first time people have done this: We were inspired by a London resident who, 350 years ago, marked the ways the bubonic plague was changing his city. Call it our version of “Journal of the Plague Year.” Check out their diaries here. — Christopher Borrelli and Tribune staff

8:25 a.m.: Waubonsie Valley grad stranded in Honduras with her football team: ‘We’re ready to go home’

The stores are closed and their flights are canceled, and an American team of women’s football players are hunkered down in a largely empty hotel in Honduras, unsure of when or how they will return home, team leaders and an Aurora high school graduate who plays on the team said.

About 55 players, coaches and leaders of American Football Events left for a tournament in Honduras last week. At the time, there were a limited number of cases of COVID-19 in the country, and concerns about the spread of the coronavirus hadn’t yet escalated, they said.

But days after they arrived, Honduras’ leaders closed the country’s borders for at least seven days and then instituted a curfew, temporarily closing grocery stores, gas stations and banks, and restricting residents’ movements. The team has been left largely stuck in its hotel in Tegucigalpa, the capital city, trying to help where it can as the hotel has limited its staff and meals, team members said.

“We know that it’s just as chaotic over there (in the U.S.), but that’s home and that’s where we want to be,” said team member Sarah Gomez, a 2011 Waubonsie Valley High School graduate. Read more here. — Sarah Freishtat, The Beacon-News

7:40 a.m.: As day cares shut down, parents must juggle child care and working from home

At day cares throughout the Chicago area, the decision to close is not being taken lightly.

The state told schools to shut down but gave no such directive to day cares. Some remain open, knowing parents must continue going to work. Others have closed and are providing families with activities for their kids, or recording videos for students to watch.

Though health officials say children are not at higher risk for COVID-19, day cares must consider whether staying open would contribute to the spread of the pandemic, said Nongtipa Limson, an administrator at Rainbow School Daycare in the Albany Park neighborhood. What if a child carries the virus and then exposes an elderly grandparent?

To help maintain some consistency for the 21/2- to 3-year-olds she teaches at the Board of Jewish Education Early Childhood Center in Wilmette, Sheryl Rosen and her co-teacher will send videos of themselves to the children.

Rosen will lead a morning meeting with them, like she does every day, and her co-teacher will do storytime, yoga or another afternoon activity.

“They’re so little, they do not understand what’s going on at all, and all they know is where are my friends, where are my teachers and why am I not in school,” she said. “It’s important that they see us, (that we) let them know we didn’t go anywhere, they just can’t see us for a while.” Read more here. — Ally Marotti

6:50 a.m.: ER doctors at Rush Oak Park Hospital test positive for coronavirus as village issues ‘shelter in place’ order

Two emergency room physicians at Rush Oak Park Hospital have tested positive for the coronavirus, which was “likely community acquired,” according to the hospital.

The hospital said one physician “had not been seeing patients for several days prior, when he would have been contagious.”

“The other may have had patient and peer contact and we are assessing the overall risk of exposure, working with the Illinois Department of Public Health and advising patients and peers as appropriate,” a statement from the hospital said.

The disclosure came hours after the village issued a shelter-in-place order when a resident — a man in his 30s — tested positive. The order, which lasts from Friday until at least April 3, was issued to “ensure that the maximum number of people self-isolate” in their homes. Read more here. —Chicago Tribune staff

6:50 a.m.: 9/11-era firefighter to a grocery store worker: ‘All of you will be the heroes’

Robert Lamprecht interrupted Pat Reeder to tell her something she had never been told.

“Excuse me ma’am, thank you,” he told her Tuesday morning.

“For what, sir?” replied Reeder, who works in the meat department at the Strack & Van Til grocery store in Highland.

“For taking care of all of us customers,” replied Lamprecht, a Hobart firefighter for 27 years. “We’ve depended on you. When we get through this, you all will be the heroes.”

Reeder, a 62-year-old widow, paused to absorb what he said.

Then she cried. Read more here. —Jerry Davich, Post-Tribune

Wednesday, March 18

Here’s a recap of coronavirus updates in the Chicago area and Illinois from Wednesday:

128 new cases were reported in Illinois. There are now 288 reported cases across 17 counties.

An additional 24 individuals at a long-term care facility in DuPage County tested positive for the coronavirus, bringing the total number of patients there to 46.

Oak Park issued a shelter-in-place order as River Forest and Forest Park leaders urged residents to comply as well.

Education officials indicated there is a “very real possibility” that Illinois’ school shutdown could be extended.

Here’s how Illinois hospitals are preparing for a flood of COVID-19 patients.

Drive-thru coronavirus testing is starting up at some Chicago-area hospitals. But it’s by appointment only.

Chicago Public Library will close the majority but not all of its locations, drawing the ire of the union representing municipal employees who demanded all libraries be closed.

ICE will delay some deportations as pressure mounts for Chicago’s Immigration Court to close.

Toilet paper and hand sanitizer aren’t the only items consumers worried about the new coronavirus have been hunting for: Ammo is also flying off the shelves at local gun stores.

A private school in Chicago’s Lincoln Square community has reported six cases of coronavirus.

Does the coronavirus have you worried about toilet paper? Using paper towels or napkins can lead to plumbing problems.

A day after announcing he had activated an Illinois National Guard unit, Gov. J.B. Pritzker acknowledged more service members may be deployed.

The coronavirus may imperil Chicago’s more than decadelong construction boom. “We’re mentally preparing for a shutdown.”

Several Chicago restaurants are open for delivery or pickup amid the coronavirus shutdown. Check out this running list.

Tuesday, March 17

Here’s a recap of coronavirus updates in the Chicago area and Illinois from Tuesday:

55 new cases of COVID-19 brought the total in Illinois to 160. Among the new cases were 17 patients and four staff members at a long-term care facility in Willowbrook.

A retired nurse with history of respiratory issues is confirmed as state’s first coronavirus fatality. But relatives don’t know how she contracted it.

Despite coronavirus anxiety and problems at the polls, Cook County and Chicago avoided record-low turnout in Tuesday’s primary election.

Coronavirus concerns are thinning the crowds on public transit. If you must ride, here are ways to be safe.

Illinois will allow marijuana dispensaries to take orders from medical patients at the curb or in the parking lot.

For a suburban woman on the coronavirus-stricken Princess cruise, the trouble started when she left the boat.

What if a Chicago doctor has to choose which coronavirus patient gets a respirator? Pondering the unlikely and unthinkable.

Every public and private school in Illinois closed Tuesday because of the coronavirus. Here’s what you need to know.

These videos of penguins running free inside the Shedd Aquarium are just the coronavirus distraction we need.

Monday, March 16

Here’s a recap of coronavirus updates in the Chicago area and Illinois from Monday:

Gov. J.B. Pritzker limited crowd sizes in Illinois to under 50, the latest in a stream of restrictions handed down in recent days.

The ban came as Illinois officials reported 12 new cases of COVID-19 in the state, bringing the total since the start of the outbreak to 105.

Cook County officials are considering so-called compassionate releases to ease coronavirus risk in jails.

Illinoisans readied for a primary Election Day like no other, with fear of the spread of coronavirus raising concerns of low turnout.

CPS prepared to shut down for a second time this school year as the teachers strike now looks like a “dry run” for a new disruption.

How an extraordinary secret meeting of Chicago chefs grew into a commanding voice to seek help from the governor.

Sunday, March 15

Here’s a recap of coronavirus updates in the Chicago area and Illinois from Sunday:

Chicago moved closer to a total shutdown as the number of cases of COVID-19 in Illinois grew to 93 and Gov. J.B. Pritzker ordered all bars and restaurants in the state closed to the public.

Efforts to break the logjam of international passengers arriving at O’Hare intensified. The federal government will double staff at U.S. Customs and Border Patrol at O’Hare, Pritzker said.

Jewel-Osco, Walmart and Trader Joe’s are among the chains that are shortening their hours so they can clean and restock as shoppers flock to stores.

Amid coronavirus concerns, Chicago broke a World War II-era record for vote-by-mail applications and set a new high for primary early voting.