Illinois public health officials said Wednesday that 60% of residents 18 and over have received at least one dose of a coronavirus, a day after President Joe Biden set a new national vaccination goal of having a shot in the arm of at least 70% of all adults by July 4.
But the state’s push to encourage vaccinations is ramping up as the seven-day average of inoculations continues to decline. Over the last seven days, an average of 71,219 vaccines were administered daily, the lowest since an average of 69,736 doses was reported Feb. 26.
The 96,415 coronavirus vaccine doses recorded Tuesday included approximately 40,000 doses that were not reported by pharmacies over the weekend “because of a national system issue,” officials said.
The latest daily tally brought the total number of vaccinations to 9,546,833.
Meanwhile, an announcement Wednesday by city officials promoted “Open Culture,” the next phase of Open Chicago, highlighting a full calendar of entertainment and events for the summer.
With events put on by the city — including a musical festival “Chicago In Tune” — as well as by cultural leaders including Lyric Opera and the Goodman Theatre, the announcement from Mayor Lori Lightfoot and the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) both had new information, such as the return of Summerdance, and publicized previously announced cultural happenings, such as the CSO’s return to Symphony Center. All are under a new “Open Culture” banner.
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Here’s what’s happening Wednesday with COVID-19 in the Chicago area:
4:35 p.m.: More bad news for higher education: Illinois community college enrollment plummets as COVID-19 sidelines would-be students
Enrollment declines at Illinois colleges and universities continue to outpace other states, with community colleges shouldering the brunt of the losses, as the coronavirus pandemic looms over another school year, according to new national and state data.
The state’s community colleges saw enrollment plunge by 13% this spring compared to spring 2020, when the pandemic and school-wide lockdowns were just beginning, according to research from the National Student Clearinghouse. Total post-secondary enrollment in Illinois dropped by 5.2% and undergraduate enrollment slid by 7.5%. All three figures are worse than the national average.
“There were very significant declines in the fall that have largely continued in the spring,” said Lisa Castillo Richmond, managing director of the Partnership for College Completion, a Chicago-based nonprofit. Castillo Richmond noted vaccinations weren’t widely underway and financial uncertainty abounded when students were signing up for spring classes.
Though colleges are hoping to welcome more students back for in-person classes next fall, most relied on online learning or hybrid formats this year. Capacity limits, health concerns and economic challenges interrupted progress for thousands of students who didn’t return to campuses. Some worry students who paused their studies — particularly students of color or from underprivileged backgrounds — might never come back.
Read more here. —Elyssa Cherney
3:40 p.m.: Illinois says 60% of residents 18 and up have at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose but number of people lining up for a shot continues to decline
Illinois public health officials said Wednesday that 60% of residents 18 and over have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, a day after President Joe Biden set a new national vaccination goal of having a shot in the arm of at least 70% of all adults by July 4.
But the state’s push to encourage vaccinations is ramping up as the seven-day average of inoculations continues to decline. Over the last seven days, an average of 71,219 vaccines were administered daily, the lowest since an average of 69,736 doses was reported Feb. 26.
The 96,415 coronavirus vaccine doses recorded Tuesday included approximately 40,000 doses that were not reported by pharmacies over the weekend “because of a national system issue,” officials said.
The latest daily tally brought the total number of vaccinations to 9,546,833.
The number of residents who have been fully vaccinated — receiving both of the required shots, or Johnson & Johnson’s single shot — reached 4,213,268, or 33.07% of the total population.
As of Wednesday, 55.06% of those 16 and up have received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine, officials said.
Statewide, average daily case counts and hospitalizations continue to slowly decline.
Read more here. —Jenny Whidden
1:50 p.m.: Federal judge strikes down CDC’s national moratorium on evictions
A federal judge in Washington has blocked a nationwide eviction moratorium established as the COVID-19 lockdowns put millions of renters out of work during the past year.
In a ruling Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich said the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention exceeded its authority by issuing a broad moratorium on evictions across all rental properties. “The CDC order must be set aside,” the judge wrote in a 20-page opinion.
The ruling is a setback for the Biden administration, which has also seen its proposed freeze on deportations halted by a court. The White House is facing several other legal challenges, including on offshore drilling, on the Keystone XL pipeline permit and on COVID-relief legislation from Republican-led state attorneys general.
The CDC moratorium, first enacted by President Trump and extended by Biden, was designed to prevent mass evictions in the face of a public health emergency that saw millions of Americans lose their jobs and fall deeper into debt. Officials also warned that ejecting swaths of renters during the U.S. winter would exacerbate the virus’ spread.
Still, it came with loopholes that allowed evictions to move forward in states and cities that didn’t enact their own more stringent rules.
A CDC spokesperson didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on the ruling.
Read more here. —David Yaffe-Bellany and Noah Buhayar, Los Angeles Times
1:25 p.m.: Chicago announces ‘Open Culture’ banner over a summer of arts — including SummerDance and ‘Chicago In Tune’
This reopening is only picking up speed. An announcement Wednesday by the City of Chicago promoted “Open Culture,” the next phase of Open Chicago, highlighting a full calendar of entertainment and events for the summer.
With events put on by the city — including a musical festival “Chicago In Tune” — as well as by cultural leaders including Lyric Opera and the Goodman Theatre, the announcement from Mayor Lori Lightfoot and the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) both had new information, such as the return of Summerdance, and publicized previously announced cultural happenings, such as the CSO’s return to Symphony Center.
All are under a new “Open Culture” banner.
“Despite the unimaginable challenges that were thrown our way last year, we were still able to persist and come together to slow and stop the spread of this virus and put our city on the right path toward a safe reopening,” Lightfoot said in the announcement. “Open Chicago — including Open Parks, Open Streets and now, Open Culture — is not only the direct result of these efforts, but it also serves as the latest step in our mission to fully restore a sense of normalcy within our city by bringing back and reimagining some of our favorite summer- and fall-time activities.”
Dance, music, theater and public art are included, as are the Riverwalk and special events, such vaccination days for the arts community. According to the announcement, most DCASE events will have limited capacity and will require advance registration. All are subject to change and will adhere to the latest public health and safety guidelines.
Read more here. —Doug George
12:52 p.m.: Bears single-game tickets to go on sale May 12 as fans prepare to return to Soldier Field for the 2021 NFL season
The Chicago Bears will begin selling single-game tickets for the 2021 season May 12 at 8:30 p.m., marking preparation for fans’ return to Soldier Field.
The Bears did not host fans at home during the 2020 season because of COVID-19. The team’s announcement Wednesday came a day after Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot revealed plans for a full reopening of the city by the Fourth of July.
Tickets for single games and suites will go on sale next week after the NFL unveils the schedules for all 32 teams at 7 p.m. on NFL Network. The Bears will hold a presale for season ticket holders and those on the season ticket priority list starting at 7.
Read more here. —Colleen Kane
12:20 p.m.: The iftar meal looks different during a pandemic Ramadan, but Chicago-area Muslims are finding solace in traditional, tenderly made dishes
The table for iftar — the meal marking the end of a day’s fast during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan — is traditionally filled with chewy dates, water, bite-sized snacks and dishes that make an appearance but once a year.
For Almira Ahmetovic, it’s sarma, ground beef wrapped in cabbage leaves, and burek, a baked pastry filled with ground beef.
Like most people finding ways to make this second pandemic Ramadan feel special, 29-year-old Ahmetovic and her family have been cooking up traditional Bosnian dishes on Chicago’s Northwest Side.
In the final fasting days ahead of May 13’s Eid al-Fitr, or the Festival of Breaking the Fast, the family has enjoyed cooking together more by virtue of having more time on their hands, and because this year, the month has a little bit smaller of a footprint.
“Our house is kind of like a train station full of people invited over for iftar — if not every night, at least three or four times a week. I’m not complaining; we love having people over,” she said. “But when you have guests, you can’t really sit down to eat your own iftar properly, because you’re too busy serving. So now that it’s scaled back and it’s just us, we get to spend more time enjoying that part.”
Read more here. —Zareen Syed
12:11 p.m.: 2,410 new COVID-19 cases, 30 deaths reported Wednesday
Illinois public health officials on Wednesday reported 2,410 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 30 additional deaths. That brings the state’s totals to 1,346,398 cases and 22,096 deaths.
There were 77,670 tests reported in the previous 24 hours and the seven-day statewide positivity rate as a percent of total test is 3.3%.
There were 96,415 doses reported administered in Illinois, including about 40,000 not reported by pharmacies over the weekend because of nationwide system issues. It’s possible more doses could still be added, officials said. The seven-day rolling average of daily vaccine doses given is 71,219.
—Chicago Tribune staff
11:30 a.m.: Northalsted Market Days announces tentative return Aug. 6-8
Northalsted Market Days — the popular LGBTQ+-friendly street fest in Lakeview — announced tentative plans Wednesday to return in August after canceling last year due to the pandemic.
Market Days joins a host of area events and venues making comeback plans for 2021.
The announcement from Northalsted Business Alliance lays out a three-day festival Aug. 6-8, adding a Friday night portion for the first time in the event’s history. The August timing is typical for Market Days, which feature live music, vendors, food and drink, dancing and more.
Read more here. —Adam Lukash
11:02 a.m.: With annual AP exams underway, some students feel ‘wildly unprepared’ because of the pandemic
Kyujin Derradji is well-versed in Advanced Placement exams, having taken one as a sophomore and three as a junior. Now a senior at Northside College Prep High School, Derradji, 17, of Humboldt Park, is slated to take four more exams in May.
But this pandemic year is different.
“My classes have divided up the learning materials too much to accommodate for remote learning,” Derradji said in an email. “I feel wildly unprepared to take timed AP exams where I have to fill these gaps in preparation on the spot.”
Starting this week, thousands of students in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs are taking the annual AP exams. Both in Chicago and across the nation, the number of exams taken is expected to be higher than in previous years. But with the majority of AP instruction happening remotely in and near Chicago, some students feel at a disadvantage.
Read more here. —Clare Proctor
10:21 a.m.: With safety measures in place, farmers market season kicks off on the North Shore
In a true sign that summer is on the horizon, the Downtown Evanston Farmers Market opened May 1 with 57 vendors on hand.
The market at University Place and Oak Avenue is now in its 46th year of operation. An average of 6,000 people come through the Evanston market each Saturday, said Myra Gorman, the market’s manager.
This year, the socially distanced closed square again used a monitored gate and exit.
“We’ll still be a no touch market,” Gorman said, referring to COVID-19 pandemic protocols on vendor inventory handling. “People will ask the vendors what they are looking for.”
Outside of the closed square are food vendors and miscellaneous sellers.
Other North Shore communities have either started up or will soon debut their farmers markets.
Read more here. —Karie Angell Luc
10:04 a.m.: CME Group will close most of its trading pits — for good
Fourteen months after temporarily closing its trading pits because of the COVID-19 pandemic, CME Group says most of them will not reopen.
The only “open-outcry” trading that will continue will be in the Eurodollar options pit, which reopened in August and also allows electronic trading, CME Group said Tuesday.
The transition to electronic trading has been going on for years and most of CME Group’s trading pits in Chicago and New York were closed in 2015.
When CME Group temporarily closed its 11 trading pits last March, there were about 450 traders, clerks and employees on the trading floor most days.
Read more here. —Chicago Tribune staff
9:30 a.m.: City announces concert series for fully vaccinated Chicagoans
Chicago will host a series of concerts for those who get vaccinated against COVID-19, the city announced Wednesday.
The series is scheduled to kick off May 22 in Hyde Park with performances by DJ Ron Trent and Duane Powell. The Silver Room, which used to host an annual block party in Chicago, is a partner in the first concert.
To attend, concertgoers must have received the final dose of a two-dose vaccine or a single-dose vaccine on or before May 8. The city said each concert will be ticketed, and attendees must bring their CDC vaccination card and a matching photo ID. Tickets will be distributed via Eventbrite, designated vaccination sites and will call.
Read more here. —Hannah Herrera Greenspan
8:45 a.m.: RealGood Stuff plots big post-pandemic restaurant expansion in Chicago and beyond
RealGood Stuff Co. has leased space in a Fulton Market office building as the fast-casual restaurant concept maps an ambitious expansion more than a year into the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 2,500-square-foot store at 333 N. Green St. is expected to open in October.
It is one of four the Chicago company will open in 2021, on its way to having two dozen locations over the next few years, said Jon Schiff, CEO of RealGood Stuff Co.
RealGood Stuff got its start with an emphasis on juices, but it now offers breakfast, lunch and dinner items as well as drinks. The menu includes smoothies, juices, grain bowls and other items using ingredients from farms known for supplying high-end restaurants, such as Spence Farm in central Illinois’ Fairbury and Mick Klug Farm in St. Joseph, Michigan.
The expansion plans come during a challenging time for restaurants, many of which closed for good during the pandemic. There’s hope of a comeback as more people are fully vaccinated, and some restaurant investors are looking to gobble up available spaces in top locations.
“This is an industry that’s been decimated, and we’re in a position where I’d like to take some risk,” Schiff said.
Read more here. —Ryan Ori
6 a.m.: Illinois’ COVID-19 vaccination pace is slowing, particularly downstate. Here’s what researchers say must be done to boost the effort and return to normalcy.
At first glance, there may not be a lot in common between the tiny downstate town of Arthur and Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood.
Arthur is surrounded by flat farmland in the heart of Illinois’ Amish country, a largely white, solidly Republican area. Englewood helps anchor Chicago’s dense South Side, largely Black and reliably Democratic. But the unprecedented pandemic has spurred one similarity: low COVID-19 vaccination rates.
Such communities represent the new battlefield for Illinois to reach herd immunity — or, more likely, something closer to it — in the march toward normalcy.
Those who study and work in vaccinations say an already exhausted public health ecosystem must build and flex a different set of bureaucratic muscles. The goal? To lure the ambivalent or leery into their favorite doctors’ offices or clinics where they can easily get a shot, or at least talk through concerns.
A Tribune analysis of federal and state data shows that there is plenty of work to do, with millions of adults remaining unvaccinated, and some regions now vaccinating so slowly that — if the pace doesn’t change — it could take them a year or more to get close to herd immunity.
Read more here. —Joe Mahr and Alice Yin
6 a.m.: Grant Park Music Festival returns in 2021 with lawn pods, lithe ensembles, and a little season
This summer’s Grant Park Music Festival festivities won’t be Beethoven as usual.
From July 2 to Aug. 21, the festival orchestra and chorus will return to their home at Pritzker Pavilion, marking the unofficial opening of public summer events at the venue. Though safety protocols will transform the festival’s sound and duration, Grant Park’s core mission remains intact: The 2021 season includes a healthy offering of programmatic rarities, the chorus will sing its usual six programs, and, yes, lawn spots will remain free of charge.
The festival will run for eight weeks instead of its usual 10 — kicking off with its traditional July 4 concert, in a bold change of pace — and only a maximum of 65 instrumentalists and singers will perform on any given program. A dramatic change in stage configuration will bring the chorus out in front of the orchestra, with brass in the choir loft for some heftier works. In accordance with safety protocols negotiated with the American Guild of Musical Artists, the union representing Grant Park Festival Chorus members, choristers will sing masked and spaced six feet apart side-to-side and nine feet front-to-back.
“We wondered, how do we take a smaller contingent and still create a season that feels like a Grant Park Music Festival?” says festival president and CEO Paul Winberg. “This organization has always been committed to bringing live music back to Millennium Park for live audiences, no matter what barriers were thrown our way.”
Read more here. —Hannah Edgar
6 a.m.: Indian Prairie D204 and Naperville D203 joining forces to offer student COVID-19 vaccination clinics
COVID-19 vaccine clinics will be held at Neuqua Valley High School in Naperville May 22 and June 12 as Indian Prairie School District 204 and Naperville School District 203 push for eligible students to get vaccinated.
The clinics are a partnership between the two Naperville-area districts and Osco Pharmacy, which will administer the two-dose Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Six thousand vaccine doses will be on hand and available to anyone 16 or older who signs up.
Teens will receive the first dose May 22 and second three weeks later. The district is advising parents to not register their children for appointments if they cannot make both dates.
Patrick Nolten, District 203’s assistant superintendent for assessment and accountability, said eligible families have been sent an email invitation with an embedded registration link. Appointments also can be booked through the two districts’ websites.
Read more here. — Rafael Guerrero, Naperville Sun
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