Stories by Matt Masterson
Outdoor, Drive-In Religious Services Allowed in Next Phase of Illinois’ Reopening Plan
New statewide totals: 105,444 cases, 4,715 deaths
“I know worship is as essential as food and water for most of us," Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Friday, “and it’s my priority to provide guidance to ensure that it may proceed safely.”
Chicago’s Top Cop Promises Additional Enforcement During Memorial Day Weekend
Chicago police Superintendent David Brown said officers will be “visible and present” in neighborhoods throughout the summer and will be “on the lookout” for large gatherings.
Lawsuit: Pritzker, IDOC Failed to Protect Vulnerable Inmates from COVID-19
The Illinois Department of Corrections and Gov. J.B. Pritzker aren’t doing enough to protect elderly and medically vulnerable inmates from COVID-19 inside state prison facilities, according to a lawsuit.
Chicago Teachers Union Suing CPS, Betsy DeVos Over Special Education Plans
Chicago teachers say they’re being diverted from their teaching duties and forced to fulfill a “physically impossible mandate” of rewriting tens of thousands of individual education plans for special education students.
Judge Tosses Suit Challenging DCFS Ban on Supervised In-Person Visits During Pandemic
A Cook County judge has rejected a push to overturn a temporary ban that has prevented children in foster care from having supervised visits with their parents and siblings during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Grubhub Driver Faces Multiple Felonies After Restaurant Worker Struck, Dragged by Car
Aamir Mohammed, 30, was ordered held on $5,000 bond during a hearing Tuesday, four days after a confrontation outside Ms. T’s Southern Fried Chicken in Lakeview left a 24-year-old woman with multiple serious injuries.
More Testing Needed for Pregnant Women, Who Face Greater Risk From COVID-19
New statewide totals: 90,369 cases, 4,058 deaths
COVID-19 can mimic labor symptoms and can cause additional complications for women following birth, according to Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike, who called for increased testing of pregnant women.
Chicago Police Union’s New President Defends Record, Sets Sights on Contract
John Catanzara says he’s “not too concerned” with the opinions of his critics, and he’s hopeful that he’ll be able to secure what the Chicago police union has lacked for nearly three years: a contract with the city.
Cook County Public Defender Challenging DCFS Ban on Supervised Visits
A temporary ban put in place by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services has kept children in foster care from having supervised visits with their parents and siblings during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Federal Judge Rejects Plea by Chicago-Area Churches to Hold Services During COVID-19
In a 12-page ruling, the judge said the Elim Romanian Pentecostal Church in Albany Park and Logos Baptist Ministries in Niles “provided no evidence” that Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s stay-at-home order targeted religion.
Sheriff Tom Dart Appeals Injunction Outlining COVID-19 Remedies at Cook County Jail
The Cook County sheriff is challenging a federal court order that outlines how his office must combat COVID-19 at the Cook County Jail, and called ongoing efforts by activists to get more detainees out of the jail a “waste of resources.”
Chicago Man Charged With Sexual Assault of Stepdaughter While Mom Worked in COVID-19 Unit
A 71-year-old man is being held on $1 million bond after he was charged with the criminal sexual assault of his teenage stepdaughter in a home they shared with the girl’s mother, who was working in a COVID-19 clinic.
Man Who Allegedly Used False Identity to Escape Cook County Jail Caught
Jahquez Scott, 21, was found in a home on the city’s West Side on Saturday, days after the FBI announced a $2,000 reward for information leading to his capture.
Illinois Sets COVID-19 Testing Milestone with 20K in Single Day
New statewide totals: 73,760 cases, 3,241 deaths
Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Friday announced that Illinois is fifth among all 50 states in the total number of tests completed, and also ranks second among the 10 most populous states in the number of tests completed per capita over the past week.
‘We Reached That Limit’: Cook County Sheriff Out of Electronic Monitoring Equipment
Sheriff Tom Dart informed Cook County court and elected officials in a letter Thursday that his office has “no additional equipment to assign” after the electronic monitoring program saw a 30% surge in recent months.
FBI: Reward for Information on Detainee Who Escaped Cook County Jail
Jahquez Scott allegedly escaped using another detainee’s identity
Jahquez Scott, 21, should be considered “armed and dangerous” after he allegedly used the personal information of another detainee who was set to be released from the jail, according to the FBI.
Summer Months Could Put Added Strain on Conditions in Cook County Jail
Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart says an expected summer spike in the jail’s detainee population could “upend the delicately balanced housing arrangements currently in place.”
Former CPS Chief Barbara Byrd-Bennett Moved From Federal Prison
Ex-CEO will serve remainder of sentence in home confinement
Barbara Byrd-Bennett, 70, has been moved from the Federal Prison Camp Alderson in West Virginia where she has been serving her 4.5-year sentence. Her attorney confirmed she will serve the rest of that sentence under home confinement.
CTU Faces Class-Action Suit Over Collection of Union Dues
A pair of educators are suing the Chicago Teachers Union and the Board of Education, claiming their First Amendment rights “to stop subsidizing CTU and its speech” have been violated by an “unconstitutional policy” forcing them to pay union dues.
Pritzker Hopes Contact Tracing ‘Army’ Can Help Slow Spread of COVID-19
New statewide totals: 56,055 cases, 2,457 deaths
The operation will begin with a slow rollout, but Gov. J.B. Pritzker said that at its peak, there could be about 30 workers per 100,000 Illinois residents – a total of more than 3,800. The governor estimated the cost could reach $80 million.
CPS Updates Grading, Graduation Policies for Remote Learning During COVID-19 Pandemic
With remote learning in place through the rest of the school year, the district is telling students they won’t be negatively impacted by “circumstances beyond their control” as in-person instruction has been halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Chicago Police Opening 2 New Operation Areas to Expand Resources Across City
Police Superintendent David Brown: “Chicagoans deserve policing excellence”
The Chicago Police Department says the expansion will help streamline operations and control in order to meet public safety needs and increase collaboration between detectives and patrol officers.
‘Supply Chain Issues’ Threaten Cook County Sheriff’s Electronic Monitoring Program
The number of detainees within the Cook County Jail is reaching historic lows during the COVID-19 pandemic. But as that number drops, the number of those being held on electronic monitoring devices has steadily risen.
COPA Releases Video of Police-Involved Shooting at Grand Red Line Stop
Body camera footage and other videos released Tuesday show the moments leading up to and immediately following the nonfatal shooting of Ariel Roman on Feb. 28.
CPS Releases Budgets for New School Year Amid COVID-19 Crisis
Though it remains unclear when exactly students will return to their classrooms, the district unveiled its 2020-21 school budgets, which include more than $125 million in additional resources aimed at increasing equity across CPS.
After Months of Turmoil, Lincoln Park High School LSC Selects New Principal
Eric Steinmiller, who currently serves as an assistant principal at Roosevelt High School, will take over at LPHS on May 4. He will step in to a school that's been struck by multiple controversies this school year.
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