Daywatch: What we know about the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, Chicago’s affordable housing gap and ‘Hoop Dreams’ school announces closure

Chicago Tribune staff, Chicago Tribune
·3 min read

Good morning, Chicago. Illinois public health officials Tuesday reported 3,193 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 17 additional deaths. Public health officials also reported an additional 100,729 coronavirus vaccine doses were administered in Illinois — a record high — while the number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 surpassed 2,000 for the first time since mid-February.

Meanwhile, an ordinance from Mayor Lori Lightfoot would prohibit employers from firing or disciplining employees who leave work to get the COVID-19 vaccine. In the proposal, which moved closer to passage Tuesday, Chicago businesses would face fines up to $5,000 for not allowing workers to take time off to get the shot.

And in other news, Chicago Teachers Union members could refuse to report to high schools starting Wednesday if they still don’t have a deal with the school district for reopening high schools. Here’s where things stand between CTU and CPS.

Here’s more coronavirus news and other top stories you need to know to start your day.

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In setback to COVID-19 vaccination efforts, Illinois joins nation in pausing distribution of Johnson & Johnson doses amid blood clot concerns

Health departments across Illinois on Tuesday paused in administering the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine following recommendations from federal officials to do so after reports of six women who experienced blood clots about two weeks after vaccination.

Pharmacies and other providers, including Walgreens, which runs the state’s largest pharmacy vaccination program, also said they were temporarily halting the one-shot vaccine and are working with people to reschedule appointments.

Family of 13-year-old Adam Toledo views video of his shooting by Chicago police officer

The family of 13-year-old Adam Toledo has viewed video of his shooting by a Chicago police officer in a Little Village alley, according to the Civilian Office of Police Accountability.

Authorities said they would not immediately release the video at the request of the Toledo family. The controversial shooting last month has sparked protests and renewed criticism of the Chicago Police Department.

  • Mary Schmich column: Adam Toledo. Daunte Wright. George Floyd. Over and over, after a police killing, a grieving family is left to plead for peace.

Chicago is 120,000 units short on affordable housing. Here’s how the city and developers hope to fix that gap.

Chicago has a number of new initiatives to create and/or preserve affordable housing in gentrifying areas of the city, including the anti-deconversion ordinance, legislation designed to make it harder for developers to buy buildings with multiple apartments and convert them into expensive single-family homes. Developers, meanwhile, are undertaking projects using the existing policies.

St. Joseph High School in Westchester, former basketball powerhouse featured in ‘Hoop Dreams,’ announces closure

St. Joseph High School in west suburban Westchester will close at the end of the current school year after more than six decades of educating the Catholic faithful, the latest Chicago-area school to shut its doors amid a period of declining religiosity.

Much of the nation knows the school from the 1994 documentary “Hoop Dreams” by Chicago filmmaker Steve James, which portrayed the school as a positive but domineering and potentially heartbreaking venue for very young, predominantly Black players who would travel out to the mostly white suburbs to play.

Heidi Stevens column: Some parents complained about Pride and Black Lives Matter flags, so a Chesterton school removed them. Now students and parents are demanding their return.

Hundreds of Chesterton Middle School families rallied Monday to protest the northwest Indiana school’s decision to remove the flags from three classrooms.

“The flags showed love and acceptance, and I felt like the school is siding with the oppressors,” 13-year-old Ava Madigan said.