Get the latest news from around Illinois.
State Journal-Register: Illinois reports 73 more COVID-19 deaths for largest one day toll; virus has claimed 380 lives statewide
A member of Gov. JB Pritzker’s office staff has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus, but the governor said he has not been tested for the virus.
At his daily briefing on the coronavirus, Pritzker said the staff member – whom he did not identify – has been recovering at home for the past several days. The staffer began feeling ill on March 26 and immediately left for home. Pritzker said the staffer is not someone he had regular contact with so he has not been tested for the virus.
Chicago Sun-Times: State seeking 12,000 body bags as critical weeks near in COVID-19 fight: ‘We’re preparing in all ways’
Even as Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s administration is scrambling to find enough medical supplies to save lives during the coronavirus pandemic, it also is stockpiling body bags in preparation for a worst-case scenario.
In the past week, the state’s procurement team has issued three different solicitations to potential vendors to purchase body bags, also known as cadaver bags — seeking more than 12,000 in total.
Crain's Chicago Business: Illinois faces rising risk of cut to junk over pandemic hit
The lowest-rated U.S. state is “increasingly likely” to be the first to carry a non-investment-grade rating on its general-obligation bonds, according to a Municipal Market Analytics report. COVID-19 threatens to reverse Illinois’s fiscal progress and could hurt the prospects of voters approving a progressive income tax in November to bring in more revenue, MMA analysts Matt Fabian and Lisa Washburn said in the report.
The Center Square: Pritzker warns Illinoisans to remain vigilant as COVID-19 spread continues
Gov. J.B. Pritzker urged Illinoisans to remain vigilant and follow his emergency stay-at-home order to reduce the spread of COVID-19 even as the weather gets nicer.
“Staying at home is the most likely reason that you can avoid ending up on a ventilator,” the governor said at a news conference Tuesday. “I know that especially on a warm day like today, that’s particularly hard to hear. The sun shines and it feels a little bit more like this should be over. That you have time to hang out with your friends and loved ones by the lake, at the fairgrounds, over dinner – believe me, I too would do just about anything for an immediate solution to this. Here’s what you need to know though. That solution isn’t coming tomorrow. Or next week. Or next month. But it is coming.”
Crain's Chicago Business: Lightfoot doesn't rule out tax hikes to cope with COVID fallout
“We’re going to be coming out soon with what we think the intermediate impact has been on our economy, and generally, but also on city revenues,” the mayor said in answer to a question at a news briefing today. “We do not anticipate any of the draconian things you listed—layoffs, furloughs. What we need to be doing in this time is not shrinking government. We need to be using government resources as a stimulus, if anything.”
State Journal-Register: Legislature in limbo, lawmakers ‘going as fast as we can’ to help everybody
State Rep. Sue Scherer had only two pages left in a new legal pad after working about a week.
Notepads usually last longer for the Decatur Democrat.
Chicago Tribune: ER doctor: Next COVID-19 fight is to flatten the bureaucracy
For most people, the sacrifice is clear — stay at home. By practicing social distancing to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, each resident of Illinois and other states under stay-at-home orders is doing a service to society, even if it feels like you’re just sitting on your couch.
The sacrifice from our medical community, however, requires the exact opposite. We are being asked to run toward the problem, toward personal risk and toward a deadly enemy. When duty calls, we who are emergency medical professionals show up, work hard and save lives. We work in emergency departments that are overwhelmed and running out of space, where the luxury of even a moment of silence to process the emotional toll of what we are experiencing doesn’t exist.
WBEZ: Cook County will review all property values because of the coronavirus pandemic
Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi is planning to reevaluate every single property in the county in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
It’s a momentous endeavor that has never been done before and could have significant ripple effects in years to come, both for local governments that rely heavily on property tax revenue to fund operations and property owners who would have to pick up the tab. But that impact won’t be known until 2021, when property tax bills based on 2020 values are mailed out.
The Center Square: Illinois’ medically vulnerable to be furloughed from prison as COVID-19 hits Stateville Correctional Center
Gov. J.B. Pritzker has signed an executive order to allow medically vulnerable people out of Illinois’ prisons during the COVID-19 emergency.
Public health officials have reported at least two deaths at Stateville Correctional Center. About 100 other inmates and staff members at the facility have tested positive for COVID-19.
Crain's Chicago Business: Lightfoot, municipal league push Raoul to loosen open records law
But the request, which has been kicked over to Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, is getting push-back from the state’s largest press organization, which argues that the public’s need for transparency is at least as great as ever amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Belleville News-Democrat: Number of coronavirus cases in southwestern Illinois reaches 233, including six deaths BY HANA MUSLIC Read more here: https://www.bnd.com/news/coronavirus/article241827891.html#storylink=cpy
The number of coronavirus cases in southwestern Illinois has increased to 233.
St. Clair County, which reported its first two cases March 14, announced Tuesday that it now has 94 cases, an increase of eight from Monday. The new cases include two men in their 20s, a man in his 30s, a man in his 50s, a woman in her 20s, a woman in her 50s, a woman in her 60s and a woman in her 90s.
Chicago Sun-Times: Cook County announces $10 million COVID-19 relief fund for suburban businesses, gig workers
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle announced a $10 million immediate relief fund for suburban businesses and gig workers on Tuesday, building on ongoing efforts crafted to help those hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.
“This fund has been designed to meet the immediate needs of the most vulnerable local businesses and workers during the pandemic,” Preckwinkle said.
The Center Square: ACLU of Illinois calls on police to avoid using arrests to enforce stay-at-home order
The ACLU of Illinois called on law enforcement agencies across the state to avoid using widespread arrests to enforce Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s emergency stay-at-home order.
As some communities have ramped up police enforcement of the stay-at-home order, the ACLU of Illinois asked police to take a step back.
Chicago Tribune: Member of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s staff tested positive for COVID-19
A member of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s office has tested positive for the new coronavirus, the governor said Tuesday.
The employee started to feel unwell on March 26 and immediately went home, Pritzker said. The staffer is feeling better, and no one else in the office has showed symptoms.
Crain's Chicago Business: Suburban small-biz owners, here's some help from the county
The one-time, zero-interest loans are available to businesses with 25 employees or fewer and suburban Cook County residents who make more than half their income in 1099 contract employment. Up to $20,000 is available for small businesses and $10,000 for individuals.
State Journal-Register: Sangamon County changes COVID-19 reporting method; launching public service campaign
There were no new COVID-19 cases reported in Sangamon County Tuesday and health officials were preparing to launch a public service campaign to fight complacency about the dangers of the virus.
The county also revised its reporting method for new cases Tuesday, reducing the number to 31, including two deaths, from the 35 reported Monday.
Chicago Sun-Times: Lightfoot order makes COVID-19 relief available to all, regardless of immigration status
Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Tuesday signed an executive order ensuring that all city disaster relief and other benefits and services offered to Chicago residents and businesses hard hit by the pandemic will be made available regardless of citizenship and immigration status.
That includes $1,000 housing grants to help with rent and mortgage payments, online enrichment programs for students, $100 million in small business loans and a disaster relief funds that “puts money into the pockets of Chicagoans who have been excluded from needed federal aid programs.”
Crain's Chicago Business: How a curveball by the state created two weed winners downtown
So everyone in the industry was watching the first two applications, some 1,300 feet apart in River North: Cresco Labs’ planned shop at 436 N. Clark St. and MOCA Modern Cannabis’ application for 214-232 W. Ohio St.
State Journal-Register: City needs to better communicate, enforce stay-at-home order, council members say
Members of the Springfield City Council spent the first hour of their meeting Tuesday expressing concern over a perceived lack of compliance by some city residents with Gov. JB Pritzker’s stay-at-home order.
Pointing to several instances of people congregating in large groups, such as by participating in pickup basketball games, hosting barbecues or throwing house parties, several council members said it was time for the city to get serious about communicating the stay-at-home order and enforcing it against those who don’t comply.