(NOTE: Daily press conferences from Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot will be streamed live in the player above. Check back for updates.)
Illinois' modified stay-at-home order is set to take effect Friday and continue through May but a judge's ruling has left many questioning what will happen next.
Here are the latest developments on the coronavirus crisis today (April 28):
2nd Illinois Lawmaker to File Suit Against Pritzker Stay-at-Home Order: Reports
According to multiple reports, another Illinois lawmaker is planning a legal challenge to Governor J.B. Pritzker’s stay-at-home order in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
The news comes a day after downstate Rep. Darren Bailey won a temporary restraining order against the governor’s mandate.
Illinois Rep. John Cabello, who represents the 68th District in the state legislature, says that he plans to file a lawsuit in Winnebago County by the end of the day Tuesday, the reports state.
EXCLUSIVE: Homeowner Reacts After Massive Chicago House Party Goes Viral
A Chicago homeowner says she was working a 24-hour shift as a first responder when her son threw a massive house party that ultimately went viral.
"I was astounded when I saw the video," the homeowner told NBC 5 in an exclusive interview Tuesday.
The woman, who asked to remain anonymous because of her occupation, was cited by police Monday over the gathering. She said she didn't know the party was held until police arrived hours later.
The woman's 26-year-old son told NBC 5 he had asked 20 to 30 people to come celebrate the lives of two friends who became victims of gun violence in Chicago. The number quickly ballooned to nearly 200.
Janeal Wright admitted he knew his mother would be at work at the time. Wright apparently deactivated the home’s video doorbell, so that his mother wouldn’t get notified of the increased activity at the house.
More on their interview here.
Stay-at-Home Order is 'Still Very Much in Effect,' Pritzker Says After Court Ruling
Gov. J.B. Pritzker says the state's stay-at-home order is "still very much in effect," despite a court ruling that granted a temporary restraining order for a southern Illinois lawmaker.
"This ruling only applies to one person, because it was only ever about one person," Pritzker said Tuesday.
He noted, however, that the risk from the court's decision, which exempts state Rep. Darren Bailey from abiding by restrictions, "is significant." Bailey, a Republican from Xenia, Illinois, filed suit last week claiming Pritzker exceeded his authority and violated the civil rights of the state’s residents by extending the order another 30 days in May.
"By agreeing with the plaintiff in this initial ruling, the court set a dangerous precedent," Pritzker said. "Slowing the spread of this virus is critical to saving lives by ensuring our healthcare system has the resources to treat patients who get sick. We will not stop this virus if, 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."
Illinois Reports Highest Number of Deaths in a Single Day Since Pandemic Began
Illinois' death toll rose the highest amount in a single day since the coronavirus pandemic began Tuesday, with 144 deaths reported in 24 hours, lifting the total number of fatalities associated with the virus above 2,000.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the death toll from the virus sat at 2,125. Eighty percent of the most recent deaths were reported in northern Illinois, health officials said.
At the same time, 2,219 new coronavirus cases were also reported statewide, bringing the total number of infections to 48,201 as Illinois nears a peak, state health officials said. Of those cases, 4,738 remain hospitalized, Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said Tuesday, adding that "the majority of individuals do recover."
Pritzker Filing Appeal to Overturn Judge's Ruling on Stay-at-Home Order Extension
Gov. J.B. Pritzker has filed a notice of appeal aimed at overturning a ruling by a southern Illinois judge, who issued a temporary restraining order to a state lawmaker regarding the modified stay-at-home order restrictions taking effect on May 1.
Pritzker, through Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, plans to request the decision be reversed and vacated to "dissolve the temporary restraining order" granted by Clay County Circuit Court Judge Michael McHaney, which exempts state Rep. Darren Bailey from abiding by restrictions.
An official appeal is due by Wednesday.
McHaney's ruling only applies to Bailey, exempting him from the stay-at-home order, but it's unclear what impact the legal challenge will have on other state residents.
2 More Detainees at Juvenile Temporary Detention Center Test Positive for COVID-19
The Office of the Chief Judge announced Monday two more detainees at the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center tested positive for COVID-19.
They are not exhibiting signs of illness and were tested under protocols that require new residents be tested after their first court appearance, Office of the Chicago Judge of Cook County spokesperson Pat Milhizer said. The pair will be isolated in the medical unit for 14 days.
In total, five detainees have tested positive for the virus but they were not admitted into the general population, Milhizer said. So far, no positive tests have been reported in the general population of the detention center.
Cicero Officials Report Outbreak of COVID-19 at Nursing Home
Cicero is a densely populated town of 110,000 residents, and with at least 844 confirmed cases of coronavirus, a potential outbreak at an area nursing home has residents on edge.
According to a city spokesperson, 163 cases of coronavirus have been reported at City View Multi-Care Center in Cicero since the pandemic began, and officials who run the facility have received multiple citations in recent weeks due to a variety of COVID-19-related issues.
“We have issued about 10 citations from the town of Cicero, just over the last few weeks involving employees at City View,” town spokesperson Ray Hanania said.
Hanania says that the citations have mostly come as a result of employees not wearing proper personal protective equipment.
Now, the Illinois Department of Public Health has mandated that the entire staff at the facility be tested for the virus. Those results are still pending Monday night.
All residents who have tested positive for the virus at the facility have been quarantined to three floors of the nine-floor building.
A total of 19 Cicero residents have died as a result of the virus.
Meat Plant Closures Cause Concerns About Price Increases
With some meat processing plants temporarily closing over coronavirus-related issues, future trips to the grocery store may look different, according to some experts.
Joe Lane, who owns the Villa Park Market, says prices on meat cuts like top rounds and chuck roasts are already increasing.
“I think we can get through the next two weeks and be okay, but I don’t know what’s going to happen after that,” he said. “I mean, as the demand stays high, if the supply drops a little bit, the prices are going to get high.”
While most grocers say they’re not seeing any issues with meat supplies, they say consumers may see issues with meat selection.
Illinois is the fourth-largest pork producer in the country, but the state’s pork association says farmers are running out of room for their pigs as plants continue to close.
Lightfoot Says Chicago Will Enforce ‘Stay-at-Home’ Order Despite Judge’s Ruling Against Restrictions
After a judge in Southern Illinois ruled that a state representative was exempt from Governor J.B. Pritzker’s extended “stay-at-home” order, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot says the city intends to continue enforcing the restrictions.
In a press release, Lightfoot called Judge Michael McHaney’s ruling “troubling and wrong,” and said that she stands firmly behind Pritzker’s actions during the coronavirus pandemic.
Rep. Darren Bailey filed a lawsuit against Pritzker earlier this month, claiming that the state’s stay-at-home order was doing “irreparable harm” to him while it was in place. Judge McHaney agreed in his ruling, issuing a temporary restraining order against the stay-at-home regulations and saying that Bailey will not have to abide by them.
It is not clear what effect the ruling will have on other state residents, but Pritzker has said he plans to appeal the ruling.
