A POSITIVE COVID TEST RULES OUT
JUST TIP FIELDS.
CLEARING IS ON THE SOUTHWEST
SIDE OF CHICAGO AND THE SOUTHERN
PORTION OF MIDWAY AIRPORT.
AS PART OF OUR "CHICAGO TONIGHT"
"IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD SERIES"
REPORTER JOANNA HERNANDEZ AND
MARISSA NELSON SPENT THE DAY
TALKING TO PEOPLE HOW THE
NEIGHBORHOOD IS ADAPTING
THROUGHOUT ALL THE CHANGES
THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC.
JOANNA JOINS US NOW WITH MORE.
>> FIRST I'M GLAD I'M INSIDE A
LIBRARY BECAUSE WE KNOW IT'S
COLD OUTSIDE.
THIS AREA IS A FAMILY ORIENTED
NEIGHBORHOOD IT HAS A SUBURBAN
FEEL.
THE RESIDENTS HIGHLIGHTED THE
IMPORTANCE OF SCHOOLS IN THE
AREA.
SO YOU CAN IMAGINE THE BACK AND
FORTH BETWEEN THE C.T.U. AND THE
C.P.S. HOW STRESSFUL THAT HAS
BEEN ON PARENTS.
WE SPOKE WITH SOME TODAY AND
TAKE A LISTEN TO WHAT THEY HAD
TO SAY.
>> THE STUDENTS ARE SUFFERING.
THEY'VE EXPERIENCED TRAUMA WITH
COVID.
THEY'VE EXPERIENCED THEIR OWN
LOSSES.
GETTING BACK TO IN-PERSON
LEARNING SAFELY WOULD GO A LONG
WAY.
>> IT WOULD BE GREAT IF THEY
COULD FIGURE OUT TESTING AND
CONTACT TRACING.
>> ANGIE GAZDZIAK HER HUSBAND
HAS BEEN A TEACHER FOR 10 YEARS
AND UNDERSTANDS THEIR CONCERNS
AND OFTEN TESTING NEEDS TO BE A
TOP PRIORITY WHEN IT COMES UP TO
THE BATTLE THE MOMS BROUGHT UP
THE LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY.
>> I STAND PROBABLY ALWAYS WITH
THE WORKERS.
I THINK MYSELF AND EVERY OTHER
PERSON WHO IS WORKING WANTS
THEIR EMPLOYERS TO LISTEN TO
THEM AND TO THEIR CONCERNS.
AND YOU KNOW, THE TEACHERS ARE
THE ONES THAT ARE WITH OUR KIDS
EVERYDAY IN THE SCHOOL.
AND IF THEY HAVE CONCERNS, AT
THE VERY LEAST THEY SHOULD BE
BEING LISTENED TO AND NOT
DEMONIZED THAT IS HOW I FEEL
ABOUT IT.
>> AS PARENTS CONTINUE TO DEAL
WITH COVID RELATED CHANGES OTHER
INSTITUTIONS ARE HOLDING ON.
FUNERAL HOMES HAVE BEEN ON THE
FOREFRONT OF THE PANDEMIC.
THE DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL CHAPEL
SAYS IT'S BEEN ONE OF THE
HARDEST YEARS IN HER CAREER WHEN
WATCHING PEOPLE'S GRIEVING
PROCESS CHANGE BECAUSE OF THE
GUIDELINES.
>> I THINK A LOT OF THESE
FAMILIES THAT WE'RE SERVING THAT
LOST THEIR LOVED ONES TO THIS
HAS BEEN --
COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDABLE IN A
CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCE.
WE'RE SEEING MULTIPLE FAMILY
MEMBERS, A HUSBAND AND A WIFE A
MONTH APART.
IT'S TRULY HEARTBREAKING TO KNOW
THAT THIS FAMILY NOT ONLY LOST
ONE PARENT NOW THEY'VE LOST BOTH
PARENTS BECAUSE OF THIS VIRUS.
>> NEARBY CAFE 63 HAS BECOME A
SAFE HAVEN FOR THE COMMUNITY A
PLACE THE OWNERS SAY BROUGHT
PEOPLE TOGETHER AND HELPED THE
BUSINESS MAKE ENDS MEET.
THEY HAVE SEEN A DECREASE IN
CUSTOMERS BUT TAKING IT ONE DAY
AT A TIME.
I ASKED WHAT THE REACTION WAS TO
THE MANDATE...
>> NOT AGAIN.
NOT AGAIN.
BUT YOU KNOW, YOU ADAPT AND
FIGURE OUT A WAY TO SURVIVE.
AGAIN, IF IT WASN'T FOR OUR
LOCALS HERE, I MEAN IT WOULD BE
UNFATHOMABLE TO TRY TO THINK OF
GOING THROUGH THAT AGAIN.
BUT BECAUSE WE WERE SUPPORTED SO
WELL I'M CONFIDENT.
>> PEOPLE SHOW US THEIR VAX
CARDS RIGHT AWAY.
WE DON'T HAVE TO ASK THEM
BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT'S THE
RULE AND THEY WANT US TO
SUCCEED.
>> LOCALS JOHN KURTOVITCH AND
JULIE OLLRY REGULARS AT CAFE 63
ARE PART OF THE CLEARING NIGHT
FORCE A WATCH GROUP FORMED TO
HELP KEEP THE NEIGHBORHOOD SAFE
THEY SHARE THE WORK THEY DO IS
TO HELP RESIDENTS WITH THEIR
CONCERNS.
>> YOU HAVE TO SAY WE DON'T WANT
TO BE THE POLICE.
WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE
WELL-BEING OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE STABILITY OF OUR
NEIGHBORHOOD.
OUR QUALITY OF LIFE.
I WORRY ABOUT MY WIFE WHEN SHE
WALKS EVERYDAY THROUGH THE
NEIGHBORHOOD I WANT TO MAKE SURE
SHE IS SAFE AND COMFORTABLE
KNOWING IT IS A SECURE
NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE DO THAT BY BEING INVOLVED.
>> CELEBRATING 25 YEARS, JUDY
WHO WORKED WITH CATS AND HAS
RETIRED SAYS THE GROUP HAS SEEN
POSITIVE CHANGES BUT THEY ARE
HAVING A HARDER TIME GETTING
FAMILIES INVOLVED BECAUSE OF
THEIR SCHEDULES.
HOWEVER JUDY WILL POST
INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT IS
HAPPENING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
AND HAS RECEIVED GOOD POSITIVE
FEEDBACK.
>> EVEN THROUGH OUR WEBSITE, WE
HAVE A CONTACT FORM AND PEOPLE
CAN COMMUNICATE WITH US
PRIVATELY AND I GET A LOT OF
GOOD FEEDBACK ON IT SO PEOPLE
SAY I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT YOU
KNOW, SINCE I CAN'T GET INVOLVED
BECAUSE I HAVE A YOUNG FAMILY
AND TWO HOUSEHOLD INCOMES I
DON'T HAVE THE TIME BUT I WANT
TO KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON.
AND THAT'S THE BEST WE COULD DO
FOR RIGHT NOW.
>> AND THE CLEARING NIGHT FORCE
IS SET TO START PATROLLING THE
AREA IN MARCH AND STAY TUNED WE
HAVE INTERESTING HISTORY ABOUT
THE NEIGHBORHOOD COMING UP.