Archive - Midwest
In Chicago, Urban Density May Not Be to Blame for the Spread of the Coronavirus
The communities hardest hit by the coronavirus in Chicago are low-density black and Hispanic neighborhoods, including ones where economic decline and population loss have caused more people to live in the same household.
Inside the Jail With One of the Country’s Largest Coronavirus Outbreaks
Correctional officers, health care staff and detainees describe how COVID-19 spread through Cook County Jail in Chicago as the sheriff came under fire for his handling of the crisis. “You’re working in a petri dish,” one staffer said.
What Happens When the Workers Who Make Hand Soap Get COVID-19? They Protest.
After a worker at a beauty supply factory near Chicago died of COVID-19, her former co-workers staged a protest. But they didn’t seek help from OSHA. They sought help from a new advocate: the state attorney general’s office.
This Rural School District Has Been Asking for Wi-Fi for Years. Now It’s Finally Getting It.
An anonymous individual donated a dozen internet hotspots. A school district near Chicago is sending Chromebooks. And a superintendent in rural Illinois is stunned by the support to keep his students learning.
Nursing Homes Violated Basic Health Standards, Allowing the Coronavirus to Explode
Our analysis of federal inspection reports found that nine nursing homes put residents in “immediate jeopardy,” including a case where a nursing assistant fed a resident after changing soiled briefs without washing hands.
How We Used FOIA to Track Ventilator and Hospital Bed Availability in Illinois
Early data released by the Illinois Department of Public Health wasn’t granular enough for an accurate picture of the coronavirus’ impact on Chicago hospitals versus hospitals in areas with fewer cases. Here’s how we pushed for specifics.
How Often Do Schools Use Seclusion and Restraint? The Federal Government Isn’t Properly Tracking the Data, According to a New Report
A new report from the Government Accountability Office found the U.S. Department of Education’s attempts to determine how often schools use seclusion and restraint were “largely ineffective or do not exist.” That could put children at risk.
Leaked Recordings Reveal Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot Firmly in Charge and City Alderman Left Largely on the Sidelines
Combative and, at times, dismissive, Chicago’s first-term mayor gathers power as she leads the city’s fight against the coronavirus.
Most Illinois School Districts Did Not Have Approved E-learning Plans Before the Pandemic
Despite encouragement from Illinois education officials to have remote e-learning plans, many school districts scrambled to design them before the coronavirus pandemic forced schools to close.
Chicago Lakeshore Hospital Closes After Years of Abuse Allegations but Cites “the COVID-19 Pandemic”
A long-troubled psychiatric facility, which has treated hundreds of children in state care, shuts down but says the move is temporary.
Coronavirus in Illinois: Are There Enough Ventilators and Hospital Beds Near Me?
Use our tool to see how hospitals in your region and county are handling the coronavirus pandemic, based on data from the Illinois Department of Public Health.
Al menos 37 menores en un albergue de Chicago para inmigrantes detenidos han dado positivo en pruebas de COVID-19
Un brote de coronavirus en una instalación de Heartland Alliance en la zona sur de Chicago puede ser el brote más grande en cualquier albergue para menores inmigrantes en el país. Al menos 37 menores y dos empleados han dado positivo.
At Least 19 Children at a Chicago Shelter for Immigrant Detainees Have Tested Positive for COVID-19
A coronavirus outbreak at a Heartland Alliance facility on Chicago’s South Side may be the largest outbreak of the virus in any shelter for immigrant youth in the country. At least 19 children and two staff have tested positive.
How a School Stopped Relying on Restraining and Isolating Students — and What Others Can Learn From It
Some Illinois schools say they need to keep using dangerous forms of physical restraint and student isolation. Here’s how one school system in Virginia successfully shifted its entire approach to safety — from face-down holds to bubble baths.
Lawmakers Vow to Push for a Statewide Ban on Face-Down Restraint of Children in Illinois Schools, Despite Reversal
After a group of schools pressured the Illinois State Board of Education to reverse its ban on a dangerous form of physical restraint of students, lawmakers say they’ll seek to permanently ban the practice.
Illinois Quietly Reversed Its Ban on a Dangerous Physical Restraint for Students
After a ProPublica Illinois and Chicago Tribune investigation sparked a statewide ban on some forms of seclusion and restraint of students, a small group of schools lobbied against the measure. And it worked.
