Stories by Amanda Vinicky
Chicago Public Schools Suspends Free Meals Due to Unrest
| Amanda Vinicky
Students who count on Chicago Public Schools for meals will not be able to get food from the district on Monday, due to “the evolving nature of activity across the city.”
‘Fringe Element’ Targets Businesses Throughout Chicago During Weekend Unrest
| Amanda Vinicky
Looters pillaged businesses throughout Chicago over the weekend, setting fire to stores, breaking windows and taking off with shoes, clothing, cellphones and liquor.
Photos: Protesters March for Third Day in Chicago, Clash with Police
| Evan Garcia
Protests over the death of George Floyd resumed Sunday afternoon following a night of riots and looting downtown that prompted Mayor Lori Lightfoot to impose a citywide curfew and call on the Illinois National Guard for help.
Officials See Extremist Groups, Disinformation in Protests
| Associated Press
U.S. officials sought to determine Sunday whether extremist groups had infiltrated police brutality protests across the country and deliberately tipped largely peaceful demonstrations toward violence.
Chicago Brings in National Guard After Saturday Night Violence
| Amanda Vinicky
At Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s request, Gov. J.B. Pritzker activated 375 guard soldiers – one of several “new precautionary measures” to ensure “health and safety” after peaceful protests boiled over to looting and violence.
Chicago Reopening May Be Delayed by Protests: Lightfoot
| Heather Cherone
Mayor Lori Lightfoot said plans to lift some restrictions in Chicago on Wednesday designed to stop the spread of COVID-19 may be delayed after violent protests sparked by the death of George Floyd swept the city.
Chicago’s Indefinite Curfew Could Lead to Litigation: ACLU
| Amanda Vinicky
The American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois is considering taking legal action to rein a nightly curfew Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has imposed on the city for an indefinite period.
Illinois Surpasses 120,000 Coronavirus Cases as State Slowly Reopens
New statewide totals: 120,260 cases, 5,390 deaths
| Kristen Thometz
Just days after the state began slowly reopening, public health officials said 120,260 people have so far tested positive for the virus in Illinois, including an additional 1,343 between Saturday and Sunday.
Target, CVS Temporarily Close Stores Due to Protest Dangers
| Associated Press
Target and CVS are temporarily closing certain locations after some were damaged during weekend protests over the death of George Floyd.
World Alarmed by Violence in US; Thousands March in London
| Associated Press
Nations around the world have watched in horror at the five days of civil unrest in the United States following the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a white police officer pressed his knee on his neck until he stopped breathing.
‘We’re Sick of It’: Anger Over Police Killings Shatters US
| Associated Press
Americans awoke Sunday to charred and glass-strewn streets in dozens of cities after another night of unrest fueled by rage over the mistreatment of African Americans at the hands of police, who responded to the violence with tear gas and rubber bullets.
Lightfoot Imposes Curfew After Protests Over Killing of George Floyd Turn Violent
| Heather Cherone
Following an increasingly chaotic scene in the Loop on Saturday evening sparked by outrage over the death of George Floyd while in the custody of Minneapolis police, Mayor Lori Lightfoot imposed a curfew on Chicago residents from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.
Photos: Tensions Flare in Chicago for Day 2 of Protests Over George Floyd Killing
| Evan Garcia
Hundreds of protesters shut down streets Saturday afternoon in downtown Chicago, marking the second day of local demonstrations following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
US Cities Fear Protests May Fuel New Wave of Virus Outbreaks
| Associated Press
The massive protests sweeping across U.S. cities following the police killing of a black man in Minnesota have elevated fears that the huge crowds will lead to a new surge in cases of the coronavirus.
‘Back In The Game’: SpaceX Ship Blasts Off With 2 Astronauts
| Associated Press
A rocket ship built by Elon Musk’s SpaceX company thundered away from Earth with two Americans on Saturday, ushering in a new era in commercial space travel.
Illinoisans Emerge from Stay-at-Home Order as Hundreds More Test Positive
New statewide totals: 118,917 cases, 5,330 deaths
| WTTW News
Another 1,462 Illinoisans tested positive for the coronavirus, health officials reported Saturday, as many communities across the state begin to emerge from the governor’s stay-at-home order.
Chicago Police Arrest 108 Amid Protests Over Killing of George Floyd
| WTTW News
Chicago police arrested more than 100 people Friday night who took to downtown streets to protest the death of George Floyd while in the custody of Minneapolis police.
Supreme Court Rejects Challenge to Limits on Church Services
| Associated Press
A divided Supreme Court on Friday rejected an emergency appeal by a California church; an appeal from two churches in the Chicago area was also rejected.
Protests, Some Violent, Spread in Wake of George Floyd Death
| Associated Press
Demonstrators marched, stopped traffic and in some cases lashed out violently at police as protests erupted Friday in dozens of U.S. cities following the killing of George Floyd after a white officer pressed a knee into his neck while taking him into custody in Minnesota.
The Week in Review: Illinois Begins Partially Reopening
| Alexandra Silets
Illinois partially reopens Friday as the state surpasses more than 115,000 confirmed coronavirus cases and more than 5,000 deaths. Chicago is planning its reopening for June 3.
Building at Former Crawford Power Plant to be Demolished June 5
| Heather Cherone
A planned demolition of a building at the former Crawford Power Plant will take place June 5, after being delayed nearly three weeks after protests erupted and the local alderman objected, company officials announced Friday.
As Stay-At-Home Order Ends, Here’s What Is Open — And What Isn’t
| Heather Cherone
The stay-at-home order put in place on March 21 by Gov. J.B. Pritzker officially expired Friday. Here’s what is now open — and what will be different in Chicago as compared with the rest of the state.
Trump Strikes China Over Virus, Hong Kong and Student Visas
| Associated Press
President Donald Trump announced Friday he would withdraw funding from the World Health Organization, end Hong Kong’s special trade status and suspend visas of Chinese graduate students suspected of conducting research on behalf of their government.
Illinois’ Stay-at-Home Order Ends as State Moves into Next Phase of Reopening
New statewide totals: 117,455 cases, 5,270 deaths
| Matt Masterson
Gov. J.B. Pritzker said the time for his stay-at-home order has come to an end as several businesses across Illinois began to reopen Friday – the first day under phase three the governor's Restore Illinois plan.
New Season of ‘Somebody Feed Phil’ Shows the Chicago Restaurant Scene We All Want Back
| Patty Wetli
Chicago’s restaurant scene has been hit hard during the coronavirus pandemic. A new episode of the Netflix series “Somebody Feed Phil,” which filmed in the city in 2019, serves as a reminder of why these businesses are worth saving.
6 Chicago Streets to be Closed Off for Outdoor Restaurant Seating
| Nick Blumberg
Some city restaurants will be allowed to create socially distanced, outdoor seating through a pilot program that will allow Chicago residents “a little rest and relaxation in an incredibly stressful time,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said.
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