Illinois’ coronavirus death toll surpassed 2,000 on Tuesday as state officials reported 144 more fatalities, the highest number in a single day since the outbreak began. The total number of deaths in state now stands at 2,125.

Officials also announced 2,219 new known cases of COVID-19 — the fifth time in the past seven days that the number of new cases has topped 2,000. There have been 48,102 known cases in 96 of Illinois’ 102 counties.


Meanwhile, a day after a southern Illinois judge issued an order exempting a Republican state representative from Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s statewide stay-at-home directive, Pritzker called the lawsuit a “cheap political stunt” and decried the ruling as “absurd.” The Illinois attorney general’s office is expected to file its appeal of the ruling on Wednesday.

Here’s a recap of what happened on April 28 with COVID-19 in the Chicago area and Illinois:


9:09 p.m.: Mondelez International, maker of Triscuits and Oreos, says first-quarter sales jumped because consumers were hunkered in at home snacking

Oreo-maker Mondelez International reported a rise in first-quarter sales and “unprecedented” market share gains as consumers under lockdown reached for its cookies and crackers. But higher costs to keep operating during the COVID-19 pandemic weighed on the company’s profits.

The company’s brands, which include Triscuits, Cadbury and Philadelphia cream cheese, offer consumers comfort and a “sense of normalcy” they are craving during this stressful time, Dirk Van de Put, CEO of the Chicago-based food giant, said Tuesday during an earnings call with investors.

Revenues of $6.7 billion for the quarter ended March 31 represented a 2.6% increase from the same period last year, with big jumps in developed markets like Europe and North America offsetting declines in emerging markets including Asia, where some lockdowns prevented workers from getting to factories.

In North America, organic net sales rose 13.4%, driven by its biscuits category consisting of brands such as Oreos, Wheat Thins, Belvita and Triscuits. Chocolate sales also were up, though gum was flat.

While the initial sales spike from pantry-loading subsided as March wore on, sales remained elevated into April, Van de Put said.

“There is more grazing, more continuous eating and snacking takes up a much bigger role,” he said. “Sharing a snack with your kids as everyone is cooped up in their house brings back a feeling of normalcy and togetherness.” Read more here. — Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz

7:56 p.m.: Rivian, Ford cancel plans to build Lincoln-branded electric vehicle

A joint project between Rivian and Ford to build a Lincoln-branded electric vehicle has been canceled as the auto industry struggles to navigate the coronavirus pandemic.

While there were never specific details about the product or timing for its launch, the automakers were planning to build the new vehicle using startup electric truck manufacturer Rivian’s platform.

“Given the current environment, Lincoln and Rivian have decided not to pursue the development of a fully electric vehicle based on Rivian’s skateboard platform,” Lincoln said in a statement Tuesday. “Ford Motor Company’s strategic commitment to Lincoln, Rivian and electrification remains unchanged and Lincoln’s future plans will include an all-electric vehicle.”

Ford, which last year invested $500 million in Rivian, said Tuesday the partnership “remains strong,” and that the automakers continue to work together on an alternative vehicle based on Rivian’s platform.

The electric truck startup, which is building its own SUV and truck at a plant in Normal, has already pushed its production launch date back to 2021. Read more here. —Robert Channick

7:44 p.m.: NU turns down millions in federal stimulus money, following lead of other colleges with large endowments

Northwestern University says it will not apply for or accept the $8.5 million that has allocated to the school in the federal coronavirus relief package.


NU said it “determined we are unable to accept the requirements” attached to CARES Act money authorized by Congress.

The move follows that of other private universities with large endowments, like Harvard, Yale and Stanford. Read more here. —Elyssa Cherney

7:20 p.m.: First UIC nurse dies after testing positive for coronavirus. ‘We were supposed to grow old together ... I just got robbed of it.’

It was a love story that began with her smile.

When Lawrence Le Blanc met his future wife, Joyce, on a beach in St. Thomas — he was visiting from nearby British Virgin Islands, she from Illinois — he fell in love with her without her saying a word.

“She smiled one time," he said. "Ever since then, I’ve been in love with that smile.”

It’s a smile anyone around her knew well, especially her colleagues at the University of Illinois Hospital in Chicago.

Joyce Pacubas-Le Blanc, 53, died April 23, 13 days after testing for COVID-19. She was a nurse for more than 30 years, most recently in the neuroscience intensive care unit at UIC. Pacubas-Le Blanc is one of at least eight known health care workers in Illinois who have died after having the coronavirus. According to the Illinois Nurses Association, which created a fundraiser to support her family, she was the first nurse at the hospital to die after testing positive. Read more here. —Alison Bowen

6:54 p.m.: Female teen dies after contracting COVID-19, Will County health officials say

A female teenager has died after contracting COVID-19, Will County health officials said Tuesday.

The person is the youngest of the 145 people in Will County who have died of the disease caused by the coronavirus so far, according to Steve Brandy, spokesman for the Will County Health Department. The county reported nine additional deaths on Tuesday.

Brandy did not have the young victim’s exact age available. Officials reported the death on Tuesday, but Brandy did not know what day she died.

In addition to that death, one man in his 20s and a man and a woman in their 30s have died in Will County, according to health department data. Most of the county’s deaths were among people in their 70s and 80s. Read more here. —Madeline Buckley

6:48 p.m.: JetBlue looks to suspend Chicago flights temporarily as demand plummets amid COVID-19

JetBlue asked the U.S. Transportation Department for permission to suspend flights to 16 airports, including O’Hare International Airport, amid “near-zero demand for air travel.”

The COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions on travel meant to contain it have brought passenger travel to a near-standstill. Still, airlines that took financial assistance from the federal government need to maintain minimum levels of service to cities where they currently fly unless the Transportation Department grants an exemption.


Earlier this month, JetBlue said it expects to receive about $935.8 million in grants and loans through the federal coronavirus relief package.


JetBlue has already gone from six flights a day to four per week in Chicago, the airline said in its request with the Transportation Department on Tuesday.

There still aren’t enough people on its flights connecting Chicago to Boston, New York and Fort Lauderdale to make them sustainable, JetBlue said. Read more here. —Lauren Zumbach

6:30 p.m.: Cicero overtakes Des Plaines as Cook County suburb with highest number of COVID-19 cases

The town of Cicero surpassed Des Plaines this week in confirmed COVID-19 cases, but Des Plaines maintained the highest number of deaths related to the virus among suburban Cook County communities, according the county’s department of public health.

As of April 28, there were 899 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in west suburban Cicero — more than double the number reported a week earlier — and 21 deaths, data from the Cook County Department of Public Health showed. Read more here. —Jennifer Johnson

6:25 p.m.: Workers at United Scrap Metal in Cicero walk out, asking for more coronavirus safety measures after a colleague dies

Dozens of United Scrap Metal Inc. employees walked out Tuesday morning, asking the company to close the metal recycling plant for two weeks after one of their colleagues died from COVID-19.

Workers want the company to close the facility to deep clean and sanitize the building. They also want to be paid for the two weeks of the plant shutdown, and they want protective gear to be supplied.

Over 60 workers took part in the walk-out that started at 9 a.m. and continued through the day, said Ramon Gonzalez, 19, an employee at the Cicero-based firm.

The number of workers standing outside varied as shifts changed and after supervisors asked some workers to talk about the issue inside the facility, Gonzales said.

United Scrap Metal said in a statement, “At this point, we cannot confirm the details, but our hearts go out to his family members. All of us at United Scrap Metal (USM) are grieving the loss of our colleague, friend, and valued member of our team.” Read more here. —Abdel Jimenez and Laura Rodríguez Presa

5:55 p.m.: CPS boosts spending for neediest schools amid uncertain financial impact of shutdown

Chicago Public Schools is providing an extra $125 million to individual schools, including $44 million in so-called equity grants to buildings with the greatest needs.

The district hasn’t identified where all the money is coming from, and the funds are being distributed during a time of great uncertainty about the impact of the coronavirus on school finances. Read more here. —Hannah Leone

5:20 p.m.: Fat Rice closes, reopening as Super Fat Rice Mart with meal kits

Fat Rice, the critically acclaimed restaurant in Logan Square inspired by the cuisine of Macau, has closed for the foreseeable future. Co-owners Abe Conlon and Adrienne Lo will re-open the space as Super Fat Rice Mart with meal kits and grocery goods on Wednesday.

After Gov. J.B. Pritzker closed dining rooms statewide on March 16, Conlon and Lo created take home food kits before shutting down the restaurant, bar and bakery completely. The news was first reported by the New York Times. Read more here. —Louisa Chu

5:15 p.m.: Death toll at Cicero nursing home climbs to 9; more than 200 infected

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases at a Cicero nursing home continued to climb Tuesday with officials now reporting eight residents and one worker have died from coronavirus-related conditions.

As of Tuesday, Cicero officials announced that at least 163 residents at City View Multicare Center, 5825 W. Cermak Road, had tested positive for COVID-19 following mandated testing at the facility by the Illinois Department of Public Health. In total, there are 320 residents living at City View, meaning the disease has spread to more than half of the population, said Ray Hanania, a spokesman for the town.

In addition, 41 workers have also tested positive, though that number could rise as more results come back. The facility was still waiting to get results back for 39 other workers. The facility has 250 workers, Hanania said. Read more here. —Elvia Malagón

4:30 p.m.: Restrictions will ease Friday for nonessential retailers and animal groomers, but it won’t be business as usual

Thousands of vegetables, herb and house plants died after Adams & Son Gardens closed more than five weeks ago to help stop the spread of the new coronavirus.

But since Gov J.B. Pritzker revised the state’s stay-at-home order, the Humboldt Park shop, which didn’t have to close but chose to, is again receiving truckloads of plants to sell to people who are staying close to home and eager to start gardening.

The changes to the stay-at-home order, which take effect Friday, are expected to generate some sales at cash-crunched businesses while providing Illinois residents with more ways to help a battered economy.

But merchants and many service providers, most of which had been branded nonessential, will operate under conditions still considered far from business as usual, especially amid ongoing concerns about the risk of exposure to COVID-19. Read more here. —Lauren Zumbach and Ally Marotti

3:56 p.m.: Live donor transplants at virtual standstill due to COVID-19

Hoping to find a kidney donor, Cubs fan Bridgett Kolls of Lombard went very public with her quest when she took a handmade poster to a baseball game last May.

Her sign was caught on camera, and by the end of the game, the 23-year-old’s phone was blowing up with messages. Strangers who saw the poster on television and the team’s social media accounts reached out to volunteer their kidney to Kolls, who was in need of a transplant after lupus ravaged her own.

A Chicago man, who previously was a complete stranger, ended up being a match.


The surgery was set for March 26 at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn.

But her storybook ending has proved elusive.

“It all happened so fast,” Kolls recalls. “Everything was going fine in February, in March the transplant was set up.”

Suddenly, “things are closing, the kidney transplant is canceled,” Kolls said. “That’s why we’re going day-by-day here.”

Kolls’ transplant was one of hundreds of organ transplants postponed across the country. The Chicago area in particular has seen an almost complete stoppage of certain types of transplants since mid-March when the COVID-19 crisis prompted state leaders to issue a stay-at-home order, transplant experts said.

Doctors say the move is an effort to protect patients — especially organ recipients, who will become immunocompromised — from possible infection. They also point to a need to preserve hospital resources like ventilators as the number of coronavirus-related hospitalizations remains high. That has forced area residents to wait, and hope, that their anticipated surgeries will soon be rescheduled. Read more here. —Genevieve Bookwalter

3 p.m. (updated at 3:45 p.m.): Pritzker calls lawsuit over stay-at-home order a ‘cheap political stunt,’ decries ruling as ‘absurd’

A day after a southern Illinois judge issued a temporary order exempting a Republican state representative from Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s statewide stay-at-home directive, Pritzker reiterated that restrictions remain in place for the more than 12 million other residents of the state.

Monday’s ruling by Clay County Circuit Court Judge Michael McHaney came in a lawsuit filed by Rep. Darren Bailey that challenged Pritzker’s authority to extend his stay-at-home order beyond the initial 30 days under the state’s Emergency Management Act.

While the judge’s temporary restraining order was limited, Pritzker’s reaction was again outsized as he fired another broadside at Bailey, of Xenia, Ill.

"This ruling only applies to one person because it was only ever about one person,” Pritzker said, accusing Bailey of seeking to grab headlines while putting public health at risk.

“This was a cheap political stunt designed so that the representative can see his name in headlines, and unfortunately, he has briefly been successful in that,” Pritzker said.

Calling the court order “absurd,” Pritzker said that “the court set a dangerous precedent.”

“Because of this ruling, any resident can petition to be exempted from aspects of the orders that rely on collective action to keep us all safe,” he said.

The Illinois attorney general’s office is expected to file its formal appeal of the ruling on Wednesday. Read more here. —Dan Petrella

2:40 p.m.: Officials report 144 more deaths and 2,219 new known COVID-19 cases

The state reported 144 more coronavirus deaths on Tuesday, the highest number in a single day since the outbreak began. The statewide death toll now stands at 2,125.

Officials also reported 2,219 new known cases of COVID-19 — the fifth time in the past seven days that the number of new cases has topped 2,000. There have been 48,102 known cases in 96 of Illinois’ 102 counties. —Dan Petrella

2:05 p.m.: Smartphone location data can tell if people stay home during the pandemic. Experts worry users are sacrificing privacy for safety.

Smartphone location data can tell if people stay home during the pandemic. Experts worry users are sacrificing privacy for safety.

The coronavirus outbreak has sparked a new use for data smartphones collect about users’ locations.

Technology companies are using location data to track how much people are staying at home during the pandemic. Often, the findings are made available to government officials, including in Chicago, to help them determine how well containment efforts are working.

The data, which is compiled using GPS coordinates on phones, is being used to track everything from how far people are straying from home to how those patterns stack up to pre-pandemic travel. Foot traffic at bus stops and parks can be tracked. Some of the data can be broken down to the state or county level, or by city block.

The City of Chicago is using location data to help inform its decision-making during the pandemic, said Peter Ruestow, senior epidemiologist at the Chicago Public Health Department’s Communicable Disease Program.

The city works with a tech company called BlueDot, which aggregates geolocation data to show how many devices stayed at home each week in each of the city’s 77 community areas.

By the time the city gets the data, it’s in the form of trends, and is anonymous, Ruestow said. If the data shows devices tended to move farther from home, that might indicate that people who live there are traveling farther for work or services. Read more here. —Ally Marotti

1:23 p.m.: Pritzker says White House has promised to help get Illinois COVID-19 testing swabs

Gov. J.B. Pritzker said he spoke with White House officials Tuesday morning and was promised the federal government would provide 20,000 testing swabs per day in May, a boost that will help the governor determine when it’s safe to begin lifting his statewide stay-at-home order aimed at curbing the COVID-19 outbreak.

It comes after the White House announced a testing “blueprint” — released Monday night — with testing targets that would ensure states had enough COVID-19 tests available to sample at least 2.6% of their populations monthly.

During a Tuesday morning appearance on the “Today” show, Pritzker said he was grateful for the help but couldn’t resist perpetuating his ongoing battle with President Donald Trump. Pritzker complained the federal government hasn’t done enough to address the crisis. Trump has maintained that it’s up to the states to meet testing goals.

“We’ve done a good job in Illinois of acquiring our own supplies, but now the White House is getting engaged and they’re promising to deliver to us for the month of May about 20,000 swabs per day, which is very important,” he said during the interview, noting that those will be on top of the 12,000 tests per day already being done statewide.

The governor was asked about the president’s aim to make sure roughly 2% of the population is tested, and Pritzker said “we’re aiming to do much more than that. We’re currently among the top 10 states in terms of how many tests we’re doing on a per-day basis and we want to vault ourselves near the top.”


Ramping up testing is “very important when you think in terms of reopening” the economy," Pritzker said, but added that a system of contact tracing — mapping out how a person contracted the virus to understand its spread — is needed. —Lisa Donovan; Associated Press contributed to this report

1:05 p.m.: Open the economy or save lives? It’s not that simple. From the experts, 7 ways to talk politics in the COVID-19 era.

You’re scrolling through Facebook when you stumble upon a post from a cousin. He’s touting a COVID-19 conspiracy theory as justification to reopen the economy. You normally ignore his politically charged posts but this one gives you pause. You wonder: Does he really believe COVID-19 is no worse than the flu? Is he social distancing? Is he infecting Grandma?

Partisan politics have divided us as a nation now for years, and if a friend or family member is on the other side of the cultural divide, chances are we’ve learned to shut out their political opinions. But this moment feels different. Coping with the pandemic can’t just be a question of politics. Experts have some tips on how to have a constructive conversation in an era when nearly everyone, regardless of ideology, has thrown their hands up and asked themselves, How do you talk to these people?

No.1: Don’t be reductive. For starters, stop thinking of them as “these people.” Acknowledge that our current moment is complex. “We’ve made this very strange false dichotomy: You either support the economy or you support human life,” says Alexandra Solomon, a psychologist and professor at Northwestern University. “That’s false.” Read more here. —Jen Day

1 p.m.: Chicago to give $5,000 grants to small businesses with four or fewer employees in lower-income neighborhoods

The city of Chicago will give $5,000 grants to small businesses with four or fewer employees as part of a program to help businesses hurt by the coronavirus, Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced on Tuesday.

The city will give up to 1,000 businesses $5,000 as part of its Microbusiness Recovery Grant Program, Lightfoot said. Interested businesses can apply through the city’s website until May 4, and the administration plans to make awards May 11.

Lightfoot said the money is meant for businesses in low and moderate-income neighborhoods hurt by COVID-19 who may not be able to get financing through the federal government or other means.

Most of the eligible areas are on the South and West Sides, according to a city map.

In addition to having four or fewer employees, the businesses must have less than $250,000 in annual revenue and have lost 25% of revenue due to COVID-19, the city said.

Money for the grants is coming from the Chicago Community Trust and The One Chicago Fund, and will be distributed via lottery, Lightfoot said. —Gregory Pratt

12:15 p.m.: As domestic violence calls rise, free hotel rooms are being offered to victims

Victims of domestic violence will have free access to hotel rooms through a partnership between the city of Chicago and Airbnb.

The Network, a group of advocates against domestic violence, will coordinate placement for callers to the Illinois Domestic Violence hotline. The Network will pay for the rooms using state funds. Airbnb is making its HotelTonight app available to find rooms.

The number of Chicago calls to the state’s domestic violence hotline increased by 6% during March, according to Lisa Morrison Butler, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Family and Support Services. Morrison Butler discussed the changes during a Q&A session with Chicago Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady.

“On March 30, we had 104 Chicago calls into the DV hotline, and that was the single highest number of calls in a day in the history of the hotline,” Morrison Butler added.

City officials said the Chicago Police Department has seen a 12% increase in domestic violence-related calls from January to mid-April, compared to the same period in 2019.

The Illinois Domestic Violence hotline is available 24/7 at 877-863-6338 (TTY 877-863-6339).

12:14 p.m.: As Illinois facial covering requirement nears, Lightfoot and opponents put forward dueling plans to distribute masks in Chicago

Mayor Lori Lightfoot laid out a plan to aldermen to distribute disposable masks around the city as businessman Willie Wilson on Tuesday held an event across the street from City Hall to donate masks himself to City Council members to give to residents.

The question of how to make sure Chicagoans have enough masks has become more urgent as Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s order is set to take effect Friday requiring people over age 2 to wear a mask while inside stores and other places where they can’t maintain safe social distancing.

Wilson, a former mayoral candidate who had a falling out with Lightfoot after she took office, has been putting forward his own proposals to directly distribute disposable masks through his medical supply company.

Last week, Far South Side Ald. Anthony Beale, 9th, a mayoral critic, asked the Lightfoot administration to let aldermen convert local ward funds usually reserved for infrastructure projects to instead use the money to buy masks from Wilson. The Lightfoot administration hasn’t yet responded to that idea, Beale said. Read more here. —John Byrne

11:20 a.m.: Nearly 200 residents, staff at Cicero nursing home test positive for COVID-19 as at least 5 deaths reported at facility

More than 160 residents at a Cicero nursing home have tested positive for COVID-19 while 31 staff members have also been diagnosed with coronavirus at the facility, which has seen at least five confirmed deaths, according to officials.

On Monday, Cicero officials announced that at least 163 residents at City View Multicare Center, 5825 W. Cermak Road, had tested positive for COVID-19 following mandated testing at the facility by the Illinois Department of Public Health. In addition, 31 workers have also tested positive, though that number could rise as more results come back.

At least five residents have died from coronavirus at the facility as of April 24, according to data from the state health department. The Cook County medical examiner’s office is reporting a sixth death of a person who lived there. Those who have died have ranged in age from 59 to 80; the first confirmed death was April 4 and the latest confirmed death was April 19, according to the medical examiner’ and Tribune analysis of the office’s data. Read more here. –Elvia Malagón

10:30 a.m.: Humboldt Park hospital starts screening and testing for COVID-19

Testing and screening for COVID-19 for Humboldt Park residents will be available by appointment at Norwegian American Hospital starting at 2 p.m. Tuesday. The hospital, on the city’s West Side near California Avenue and Augusta Boulevard, is partnering with Rincon Famly Services and the Puerto Rican Cultural Center to launch the new testing capability, according to a news release.


The hospital also is working with Rincon and the Vida/SIDA program from the cultural center to provide screening for the novel coronavirus at the hospital for those over age 18, starting Tuesday afternoon, according to the release.

Humboldt Park is 92 percent black or Latino, where household income is $10,000 less than city average, according to a statement from the hospital. More than a third of the community’s residents live below the federal poverty level. –Chicago Tribune staff

10:10 a.m.: Hormel furloughs 150 employees at its Fontanini Foods’ Italian sausage plant in McCook

Fontanini Foods, which makes Italian meats and sausages for restaurants, sports arenas and other venues, is furloughing 150 employees at its southwest suburban McCook plant due to a “dramatic decline” in food service business during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Roughly 30% of the plant’s 500 workers will be off as of Saturday, with affected employees receiving health benefits but not pay during the temporarily furlough.“

There is no timeline for return as that will depend on when restaurants, sports venues and other food service operations restart,” John Kempen, Fontanini’s plant manager, said in an email Tuesday.

Kempen said the decision will affect a “wide variety of positions” from across the company, but did not specify the salary range of the 150 employees on furlough.

About 1 in 6 American workers have lost their jobs during the coronavirus pandemic, with stay-at-home orders closing many businesses. More than 26 million people have filed for unemployment benefits across the U.S. since mid-March, including 737,472 in Illinois. Read more here. – Robert Channick

9:45 a.m.: Kerry Washington and ‘Scandal’ colleagues sponsor meals for workers at Roseland Community Hospital

When a kitchen employee at Roseland Community Hospital on Chicago’s South Side started experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, the food service operation had to be shut down.

“When they reopened, they were only opening back up to make meals for patients,” said Maya-Camille Broussard, the chef and owner of the bakery Justice of the Pies. “A doctor who works at the hospital is a family friend and she mentioned that she saw some of the doctors having to leave to get lunch and they were just so dejected because they didn’t want to leave, but they couldn’t get anything from the cafeteria. And you’re talking about 111th St., so it’s not as if there’s a bevy of options.”

On Monday evening, Broussard cooked and delivered food for 100 medical personnel working at the hospital. The meals were paid for by actor Kerry Washington and some of her “Scandal” colleagues, including Bellamy Young and Highland Park native Jeff Perry, through a national grassroots organization called Frontline Foods. The group raises money that is funneled to restaurants and caterers, who then use those funds to prepare meals for people working on the front lines during the coronavirus pandemic. Read more here. –Nina Metz

6 a.m.: Expect changes if college campuses reopen in the fall: ‘All of this is in uncharted waters’

While some Illinois colleges say they hope to make a determination in June or July about whether to reopen in the fall, the outcome will largely hinge on how public health experts evaluate the threat of the coronavirus. The decision will also depend on when Gov. J.B. Pritzker lifts the state’s stay-at-home order. On Thursday, he extended the order for a second time, so it won’t expire until at least the end of May.

“All of this is in uncharted waters, and so we’re doing our best to try to plan for an uncertain fall semester,” said Larry Dietz, president of Illinois State University. “For fall, we’re looking at several scenarios. ... I think all of us know that (campus) is probably not going to be as open as it was in the fall of 2019, before we even knew the term coronavirus.”

Social distancing measures are also being floated for residence halls, where about 6,000 students typically live during the school year, Dietz said. To reduce potential crowding, the school is considering capping the number of students approved for the dorms, which make up the bulk of its housing stock, and trying to place more in apartments, some of which are university owned.

Colleges and universities nationwide are grappling with how to approach the fall semester, while also worrying that fewer students will want to attend and pay for tuition if classes need to remain online. Read more here. — Elyssa Cherney

6 a.m.: Donors come to rescue of Illinois school district struggling with digital divide

Since the March shutdown of schools across Illinois, teachers at one rural southwestern district have been stuffing 800 envelopes with learning packets and mailing them to students’ homes because many families in the area don’t have computers or high-speed internet.

Trico District 176’s remote learning challenges were highlighted in a Tribune-ProPublica Illinois story last month that exposed a digital divide across Illinois as schools shifted to remote learning because of the COVID-19 pandemic. State agencies later released a map touting publicly accessible Wi-Fi hot spots at about 250 locations; none are in the 250 square miles that make up the Trico district.

That’s about to change. A local internet provider is installing Wi-Fi service to connect families to the district network. An anonymous donor pledged to donate a dozen hot spots. And a school district in Chicago’s suburbs said it would ship about 250 used Chromebooks to Trico when the computers are replaced after this school year. Read more here. — Jodi S. Cohen, ProPublica, Jennifer Smith Richards, Chicago Tribune

6 a.m.: You can learn math and English online, but how about baking or pottery? Hands-on education challenged after COVID-19 closes schools.

As students and teachers across Illinois continue to adjust to the long-distance education prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the learning curve has been steepest for those in hands-on courses, like baking or drivers ed, where classroom conditions are impossible to simulate via email or video chats.


That has forced educators and learners alike to become more resourceful and innovative, though in some cases, there is no substitute for what was left behind when their schools closed.

“They can read about it, but to be in a kitchen with a professional chef showing them what can go wrong, other ways to make their pastry or desserts, that part of it is missing,” said College of Lake County baking and pastry instructor Teresa Novinska. “More of them are making more mistakes that I probably could have caught.” Read more here. — John Keilman

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April 27