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Rolling Coronavirus Updates In Proviso Township


Friday, March 13, 2020 || By Michael Romain || @maywoodnews 

The coronavirus, or COVID-19, global pandemic has upended daily life around the world, including Proviso Township. And developments related to the contagious disease are happening at a breakneck pace. As Village Free Press receives information about local developments, we’ll include them in the updates below and on our Facebook page. For more rolling coronavirus coverage in the greater Chicagoland area, visit the Chicago Tribune here or Block Club Chicago here. The latest updates about Proviso Township, provided are at the top.

Major retailers begin trimming hours, closing 

Updated Sunday, March 15 | According to a USA Today report, major retailers across the country have started trimming their hours. Below, we’ve selected some retailers that are within Proviso Township. For the full report, click here.

Apple announced it will close all its retail stores outside Greater China until March 27 due to the coronavirus outbreak. Urban Outfitters also announced all of its stores worldwide would be closed at least until March 28. Nike is making a similar move, temporarily closing all of its stores in the U.S. for 12 days, the company said in a statement.

Walmart, the world’s largest retailer, announced late Saturday that starting Sunday it was trimming hours at 24-hour stores and other locations. The temporary hours are 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Other Walmart stores also will have reduced hours.

AldiSome stores will be temporarily closed or have limited hours, the company announced, adding “At this time, we cannot provide specific location information.”

North Riverside Mall theater capping ticket sales at 60-percent capacity

Updated Sunday, March 15 | “Classic Cinemas, which operates the North Riverside Luxury 6 movie theaters at North Riverside Park Mall, 7501 Cermak Road, is limiting ticket sales to shows as a way to provide distance between moviegoers inside the theaters,” the Riverside-Brookfield Landmark reports.

In a message to customers on the Classic Cinemas website, CEO Chris Johnson said the company is capping ticket sales to 60 percent capacity.

“When selecting seats, we ask that you leave space between each group,” Johnson said.

In addition to capping capacity, Classic Cinemas has taken other steps, including educating employees on how to prevent spread of COVID-19, offering a new bucket or cup with each drink or popcorn refill and stepping up efforts to disinfect “high-touch” surfaces in addition to its usual overnight cleaning.

“As a family-owned business with theaters dating back to the 1920s, we love movies and cherish the movie-going experience,” Johnson said. “Without our guests and amazing Classic Cinemas family, we wouldn’t be here today. This time-honored tradition has weathered many storm, so we will get through this together.”

North Riverside Park Mall, meanwhile, remains open with normal operating hours. A statement on the mall’s website indicates officials there have also stepped up efforts to clean and disinfect areas, have increased signage in restrooms encouraging frequent hand washing and setting up extra hand sanitizing stations at all mall entrances. For more mall updates, click here.

Brookfield Zoo open, but indoor spaces off limits

Updated Sunday, March 15 | “The Chicago Zoological Society on Friday evening announced that Brookfield Zoo will remain open to the public, but is closing all of its indoor public spaces, including indoor animal exhibits, restaurants, gift shops and the Discovery Center through at least April 1,” the Riverside-Brookfield Landmark reports.

Also cancelled at this time are all events, including Zoo Goes Blue for Autism, and animal programs, including dolphin shows and dolphin viewing area, Penguin Encounters, poolside penguin feedings and keeper chats.

Food and other merchandise will be available for purchase at outdoor stands and mobile carts. Public bathrooms will remain open and will be cleaned and sanitized regularly.

Admission to the zoo during this period will be free, but parking fees will still apply. Anyone who has already purchased tickets or made reservations for special programs will receive an email with information about obtaining a refund.

More information is available at CZS.org.

Some churches closed, some open 

Updated Sunday, March 15 | Some of the area’s largest churches have announced closures. Rock of Ages Baptist Church in Maywood announced that it has canceled its two Sunday services for March 15, as well as “our Noon Bible study, Prayer services, Christian education classes effective immediately.”

Living Word Christian Center, a megachurch in Forest Park, announced that it will hold four different services, capping attendance at 500 in the main sanctuary and 250 in the east sanctuary.

Empowerment Church in Maywood announced that it will only hold services online while Second Baptist Church in Maywood announced that it will hold its regularly scheduled Sunday service.

More library closures 

Updated Sunday, March 15 | As of March 15, the Bellwood, Maywood, Melrose Park and Broadview public libraries will all be closed on March 16. For info on the Broadview library closing, click here. For the announcement on the Maywood library closing click here. For the announcement on the Melrose Park library closing click here. For info on the Bellwood library closing click here.

T&JJ’s cancels Maywood Jazz Stage shows

Updated Sunday, March 15 | T&JJ’s has cancelled four upcoming shows on the Maywood Jazz Stage. They are: Audley Reid, March 22; Tim Gant, April 5; New Black Renaissance, April 17; and Joan Collaso, April 26.  Updated information on additional jazz dates will be forthcoming.

Schools update (closures starting)

Friday, March 13 | “Governor JB Pritzker made the call Friday afternoon to close down all public and private schools in Illinois for two weeks, joining other states across the country that have already moved to shutter schools amid coronavirus fears,” WBEZ reports.

Friday, March 13 | On Friday, School District 209 officials announced that they are “closing schools beginning Monday, March 16, 2020 with a tentative return date of Monday, March 30, 2020. Please note that this time-frame includes Spring Break, which is scheduled from Monday, March 23 through Friday, March 27, 2020.” Click here for the full announcement. District 89 officials also announced closures from March 16 through March 30. Read the full announcement here.

Friday, March 13 | All Archdiocese Catholic schools are closing, NBC reports. “Catholic schools not operated by the archdiocese, such as those governed by religious orders, will make decisions individually.” Catholic schools in the Proviso Township area include Sacred Heart School, 815 N. 16th Ave. in Melrose Park, and St. John Vianney, 27 N. Lavergne Ave. in Northlake, and Divine Providence Catholic School, 2500 Mayfair Ave. in Westchester.

One area library closed, others open

Friday, March 13 | Bellwood Public Library is closed on Friday, Amy Crump, the library’s executive director, said. Crump said that the library could be closed for roughly a week. The Maywood Public Library is always closed on Fridays. Calls to the Broadview Public Library went unanswered. A Melrose Public Library employee said that the library is open as normal, but they have cancelled all scheduled events.

Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson to host online coronavirus town hall 

Friday, March 13 | “Today, at 4:30p.m. CST, I will be joined by Dr. Terry Mason, Chief Operating Officer, Cook County Department of Public Health in an online town hall to answer your questions directly about COVID-19 and what you can do to protect yourself, your families and your community,” Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson announced. Visit his Facebook page to follow the town hall. Johnson also announced that he “implemented a District 1 Coronavirus Crisis Advisory Council, composed of leaders of community-based organizations, medical experts, health care professionals, social service agencies, business groups, faith-based institutions, and frontline individuals throughout Chicago’s West Side and Western Cook. We intend to hold as needed conference calls to develop a districtwide safety and information plan as we learn more about this disease.”

Trump to declare national emergency 

Friday, March 13 | President Donald J. Trump is expected to declare a national emergency, according to NBC News report. “The move could help open up tens of billions of dollars to help fight the rapidly spreading pandemic.”

Governor announces ban of gatherings of at least 1,000 people

Thursday, March 12 | Gov. JB Pritzker bans events with more than 1,000 attendees for the next 30 days and urged businesses to allow employees to work from home as the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state reached 32.

Catholic masses canceled 

Friday, March 13 | “The Archdiocese of Chicago is indefinitely suspending Mass at its churches in response to the coronavirus pandemic,” the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Area stores running low on supplies 

Thursday, March 12 | The Walmart at 1300 Desplaines Ave. in Forest Park was completely sold out of toilet paper, bleach and hand sanitizer. Hand soap was almost all gone. Pasta, rice and dry beans were in low supply, the Forest Park Review reports. And the Target at 800 Broadview Village Square in Broadview told a familiar story, as well. Clorox bleach? Gone. Disinfectant wipes? Hand sanitizers? All gone. Immune support products? Cold and flu products? Bounty paper towels? Scant.

Friday, March 13 | “A line of customers stretching the entire length of the building is seen on Friday, March 13, 2020, at the Costco on Harlem Avenue in North Riverside, Ill. People got in line before the store opened at 10 a.m.,” the Riverside-Brookfield Landmark reported. See the video here.

Proviso Township schools take precautions; Catholic schools close

Thursday, March 12 | School Districts 88, 89, 92 and 209 remained open, but announce a series of precautionary measures, including cancelling many before- and after-school functions. See communications from Bellwood District 88 here, Maywood-Melrose Park-Broadview District 89 here, Lindop District 92 here and Proviso Township District 209 here.

Maywood Senior Club still meeting, jazz nights at T&JJ’s still on 

Friday, March 13 | Larry Shapiro, of the Maywood senior club, said that the group of senior citizens who come from around the township, will have their planned meeting this afternoon at the Maywood Multipurpose Building, 200 S. 5th Ave. in Maywood. Shapiro said that the senior prom, scheduled for next Friday, is so far still on.

“If things get closer to us, then we might not meet after that point, but we are meeting today,” he said, adding that the seniors will be presented with information about COVID-19. Shapiro said that the regular jazz nights at T&JJ’s Supreme Steak and Catering, 718 S. 5th Ave. in Maywood.

Area park districts still open, but some are suspending large events 

Friday, March 13 | Area park districts are still operating as normal, but some are cancelling large events.

The Maywood Park District is still open. A steppers’ set, scheduled for April 4, was cancelled “because that was anticipated to draw at least 200 people, but right now we’re still operating as normal,” said Lonette Hall, the park district’s executive director. “I’ve been going through and looking at the Illinois Parks and Recreation information and, to my knowledge, no other park districts are closed. We’re still open for business for right now.”

A spokesperson for Memorial Park District, which covers Bellwood, Hillside, North Lake, Stone Park and Melrose Park, said that the district will still operate normally. A scheduled basketball tournament for kids, however, has been cancelled.

A spokesperson for Broadview Park District said that the district is operating at normal hours and does not plan on cancelling any upcoming events.

Loyola Medicine releases COVID-19 guidance 

Thursday, March 12 | Loyola Medicine, which includes Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood and Gottlieb Memorial Hospital in Melrose Park, releases its coronavirus preparedness plan. Read it below or click here.

At Loyola Medicine, protecting our patients remains a top priority. Effective immediately, the following visitation policy is in place until further notice at all Loyola Medicine hospitals.

  • Visitors under the age of 18 will not be allowed at our hospitals.
  • Adult visitors are limited to those necessary to promote the patient’s emotional well-being and care.
  • Visitors are limited to two persons at one time.
  • Visitors who are sick should not visit the hospital – especially those with cold and flu-like symptoms.

Cinemark Melrose Park is open 

Friday, March 13 | Despite state, local and federal officials banning large gatherings, prompting many Chicago area entertainment venues to close, many movie theaters, including Cinemark Melrose Park, 1001 W. North Ave. in Melrose Park, is still open, an employee confirmed over the phone.

Broadview Fire Department announces cancellations, protocols

Friday, March 13 | The Broadview Fire Department announces on its Facebook page that it has decided to cancel its mini #WeCanToo camp scheduled for March 21 and its March Explorer program training. “We are also not allowing visitors at this time,” the department announced.

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