WBEZ’s Rundown Of Today’s Top News: More Mask Mandates Come To Illinois

Masks School
Erin Berry, a teacher at Dawes Elementary School in Evanston, serves lunch to her pre-k students on their first day back to conventional learning on January 11, 2021. Manuel Martinez/WBEZ
Masks School
Erin Berry, a teacher at Dawes Elementary School in Evanston, serves lunch to her pre-k students on their first day back to conventional learning on January 11, 2021. Manuel Martinez/WBEZ

WBEZ’s Rundown Of Today’s Top News: More Mask Mandates Come To Illinois

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Good afternoon! It’s Wednesday, and here’s a time-lapse video of the CTA moving a 127-year-old house on Chicago’s North Side. That thing moves faster than me searching for work clothes that aren’t sweatpants. Here’s what you need to know today.

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1. Illinois will mandate masks in schools as the new academic year approaches

Gov. JB Pritzker today announced a mask mandate that affects both private and public schools. The mandate applies to students in preschool through 12th grade.

The governor’s move follows recent guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which advises that teachers, staff and students should wear masks regardless of vaccination status. Chicago Public Schools has already moved forward with a mask requirement.

Pritzker also said vaccines will be mandatory for many state workers, especially ones who work in prisons and veterans’ homes. [WBEZ]

Illinois is reporting a steep rise in the number of COVID-19 cases that some health experts say could resemble the last surge in April, when cases climbed but hit a ceiling as vaccines became increasingly available to residents. You can find the latest metrics in this link. [New York Times]

Meanwhile, more bars and restaurants in Chicago are requiring patrons to show proof of vaccination. “Everyone’s terrified. I’m terrified,” said the owner of one bar. [Block Club Chicago]

2. Cuomo ignores calls to resign and denies allegations of sexual harassment

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo today is defying calls to step down from President Joe Biden, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and several other prominent Democrats.

The governor sexually harassed 11 women and worked to retaliate against one of his accusers, according to an investigation by the New York State attorney general’s office.

New York’s state legislature has already opened an impeachment inquiry, and House Speaker Carl Heastie said he will move to end the investigation “as quickly as possible.” [AP]

The attorney general’s report also offers new details about how Cuomo’s brother, CNN host Chris Cuomo, played a significant role in managing the governor’s response to the scandal earlier this year. [NBC News]

3. Negotiations break down over Illinois’ ambitious green energy plan

During a summer in which extreme weather events have put a brighter spotlight on the consequences of climate change, negotiations over Gov. Pritzker’s green energy plan have hit an impasse, reports WTTW.

The talks were between the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition, a collection of environmental groups, and the union-backed Climate Jobs Illinois. As WTTW reports, the main issue between the two sides is establishing a timeline for phasing out coal and natural gas power plants.

Unions say the plants provide jobs, and they are hoping technology will emerge to minimize carbon emissions. But environmentalists want a hard close date of 2035 for most coal plants and 2045 for natural gas plants.

Adding pressure to the debate, energy company Exelon says it will close two nuclear power plants that are crucial to Pritzker’s green energy plan and were in line to receive state funding. [WTTW]

4. Eviction moratorium is extended until Oct. 3

The Biden administration this week issued a new and narrower eviction moratorium after the previous one expired on Saturday.

This new freeze applies to areas of the country where the CDC says there is a “substantial” and “high” spread of the coronavirus. That definition applies to a vast majority of the nation, including Chicago.

“Where we are right now with such high disease rates, we felt a new, tailored order [was needed] to make sure that … working Americans who were at risk of eviction could be stably housed during this really tenuous, challenging period of time,” the CDC’s director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, told NPR’s All Things Considered. [NPR]

In Illinois, more than 109,000 residents said they were worried about losing their homes in the next two months, according to census data released in July.

5. The latest from the Tokyo Olympics

Japan is absolutely crushing the skateboarding competitions at the Summer Olympics. Sakura Yosozumi today claimed the gold in the park skateboarding final.

That means, Japan has won all three gold medals in the skateboarding competitions so far. [NPR]

Meanwhile, Team USA won the gold and silver medals in the fastest women’s 400-meter hurdles ever. [NPR]

And a Belarusian Olympic sprinter who has become a symbol of repression in her native country has landed in Vienna as she makes her way to Poland under a humanitarian visa. [NPR]

Here’s what else is happening

  • Former President Donald Trump is trying to stop Congress from obtaining his tax returns after the Justice Department said lawmakers can see them. [NPR]
  • The Mexican government sued gunmakers in the U.S., claiming they are fueling violence in the country. [New York Times]
  • Former President Barack Obama scaled back a party for his 60th birthday. [AP]
  • Admission to Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium will be free on Thursdays this month. [Block Club Chicago]

Oh, and one more thing …

It’s another great day in Chicago. But break out the Shirley Temples because things may heat up this weekend.

Block Club Chicago reports it could feel like 100 degrees on Sunday. And there’s a chance of rain on Friday and Saturday. [Block Club Chicago]

Speaking of Shirley Temples, I really need to find a face mask with a hole for a straw while I’m “enjoying life” as I walk my dog around the neighborhood.

Tell me something good …

I had a dream that I had a talking pig as a pet. So I’d like to know: What is your favorite pet? Or a pet you really want?

Susan H. Schwartz writes:

“My miniature schnauzer, Peter Friskenhof, was the greatest dog ever. He could navigate revolving doors and enabled me to cruise Rush Street as a 12-year-old taking him on his early evening walk. He lived from 1958-76 and will be in my heart always.”

And Lori from Michigan City writes:

“I had a pet mouse named Stinky who escaped his box on the South Shore train going between Randolph St. Station in Chicago and Michigan City, Ind. I looked over at the woman sitting across from me, and there he was crawling on the sleeve of her fur coat. I quickly reached over and scooped him off before anyone yelled, ‘Mouse!’ ”

Feel free to email me at therundown@wbez.org or tweet me at @whuntah.

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