Get the latest news from around Illinois.
Crain's Chicago Business: Illinois virus testing is rising slower than expected
At his daily pandemic briefing, Pritzker and other officials also announced the biggest jumps to date in the number of deaths and identified coronavirus cases since yesterday: 73 deaths and 1,287 additional confirmed cases, making a total of 380 and 13,549, respectively.
Chicago Sun-Times: Fourth city employee dies of COVID-19
Another city employee has died from the coronavirus — this time a foreman and machinist at the city department once known as Fleet and Facilities Management.
David Veloz, 64, died Tuesday. Though he reported to work at 39th and Pershing, he roamed Chicago maintaining and repairing city-owned buildings, according to Ryan Kelly, business representative at Machinist Union Local 126.
Chicago Tribune: Chicago Mayor Lightfoot supports suspending FOIA deadlines during coronavirus shutdown, says saving lives more important
Efforts by reporters and others to get information from the city of Chicago through freedom of information requests should take a back seat to saving lives during the coronavirus pandemic, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Wednesday.
Lightfoot is supporting a move by the Illinois Municipal League to get Attorney General Kwame Raoul to suspend deadlines for government bodies to respond to public records requests for as long as Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s stay-at-home order remains in effect.
Chicago Tribune: Chicago liquor sales banned after 9 p.m. starting Thursday, Mayor Lori Lightfoot orders
Mayor Lori Lightfoot has issued a sweeping curfew order on all liquor sales across Chicago, banning sales after 9 p.m. in the city’s latest attempt to curb the coronavirus pandemic that is still growing every day.
The new curfew takes effect Thursday night throughout the city.
Crain's Chicago Business: For Pritzker, prison-release pressure rises
A coalition of progressive groups, including Parole Illinois and the American Friends Service Committee’s Chicago unit, have scheduled a virtual press conference for tomorrow during which they’ll talk about an outbreak that has affected dozens of people at the Stateville Correctional Center.
Chicago Sun-Times: Firefighters on edge after first coronavirus death in their ranks
Chicago Fire Department brass on Wednesday — one day after the death of a firefighter from the coronavirus — spoke about the anxiety of dealing with a foe, which unlike fire, you can’t just douse with water.
Battalion Chief James O’Donnell said he became wrought with anxiety this week as he watched firefighters quickly get dressed in protective gear to answer a call.
The Center Square: Illinois State Museum seeks to preserve pandemic history
Illinois residents can share their COVID-19 pandemic experiences to be preserved for history.
The Illinois State Museum plans to document how the pandemic affects Illinoisans through its “Share your Story: Illinois in the COVID-19 Pandemic” collecting initiative.
The Center Square: Another union lawsuit filed in Illinois over First, Fourteenth Amendments, Janus
An Illinois teacher is filing suit against a school district and union claiming her rights are being violated under the provisions of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2018 landmark ruling in Janus v AFSCME.
Ariadna Ramon Baro, a visiting teacher at Waukegan High School sued the Lake County Federation of Teachers Local 504, IFT-AFT/AFLCIO and the Waukegan Community Unit School District #60. The lawsuit, which also claims violations of the First and Fourteenth Amendments, was filed on April 3 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.