Good morning, Chicago. Yesterday, Illinois officials reported 478 new cases of COVID-19 and nine additional deaths. The seven-day average of new cases is now the lowest its been since June of last year. Meanwhile, there were 29,322 doses of the vaccine administered Tuesday, and the seven-day rolling average of daily doses is 41,234. Those numbers are much lower than what we saw earlier in the vaccination effort, when the daily average regularly topped 100,000. As numbers continue to decline, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said he’s looking for ways to encouragement more people to get the shot — including a possible lottery.
Speaking of shots, Pritzker signed a three-year extension of the cocktails-to-go law last night, which would allow businesses to continue serving cocktails — and now single servings of wine — for takeout and delivery. The state law also includes a free-drink incentive, which would make it so that businesses can give out one free shot, beer or glass of wine in exchange for showing your vaccination card.
And in other news, Lollapalooza announced its daily festival lineup yesterday. My colleague Tracy Swartz spoke with organizers for various 2021 festivals that will take place across the city about how those lineup decisions were made amid a pandemic. Here’s what they shared.
— Nicole Stock, audience editor
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One year ago, the murder of George Floyd by then-Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin spurred protests and social unrest throughout Chicago. Now a Tribune investigation for the first time has documented the scope of the destruction and violence that unfolded across the city during the spasms of chaos last spring. Drawing on government records and interviews with store owners, employees, business associations and politicians, the Tribune identified more than 2,100 businesses that were damaged or ransacked throughout Chicago, resulting in millions of dollars in losses.
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Back-aching work. Low pay. No health care: Here’s why Chicago restaurant workers aren’t coming back.
As society inches toward normal, and diners fill tables and booths once again, a question has hovered over the restaurant industry: Where are the workers? From white-tablecloth destinations to casual neighborhood spots, business owners have decried a labor shortage.
But no single answer explains the restaurant industry’s thinning labor force, nor can we predict when — or whether — it will return.
Chicago Blackhawks face a 2nd lawsuit relating to an alleged sexual assault by former video coach
A former Michigan high school hockey player has sued the Chicago Blackhawks in a second civil complaint tied to sexual assault allegations against former video coach Bradley Dale Aldrich. In a complaint filed May 24 in Cook County Circuit Court, the plaintiff alleges that neglect by Hawks management allowed Aldrich to continue working in hockey circles and led to Aldrich sexually assaulting him in March 2013.
The Chicago Lighthouse, a nonprofit that serves the visually impaired, suspended a living skills program for blind adults with developmental disabilities during the pandemic and now, after 51 years, has shut the program down. In an April letter to families, the Lighthouse said it was closing the program “with profound regret” and that it couldn’t be maintained “due to unanticipated outcomes resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.”
That’s left families scrambling to find comparable services and feeling abandoned in a state that has historically failed to provide adequate support for this vulnerable population.
After being closed since October due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Time Out Market Chicago announced it will indeed return, with a reopening date slated for June 17 and the addition of some beloved Chicago restaurant vendors. Guests will notice significant changes to the vendor lineup, with 11 mostly new operations.
Meathead Goldwyn has staked his name on scientific barbecue. Now, the Chicago-area pitmaster is in the hall of fame.