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* Tuesday press release…
First Lady MK Pritzker and Governor JB Pritzker announced that beginning today, the State of Illinois will host a memorial at the Governor’s Executive Mansion to commemorate the lives lost to COVID-19.
Today, March 16, 2021, signifies one year since the first known COVID-19 death in Illinois. To memorialize this painful milestone and the tragedy of the last year, the First Lady commissioned an installation to honor to the Illinoisans who have died from COVID-19 since the onset of the pandemic. Illinoisans are invited to visit the installation and pay tribute to their loved ones by tying a ribbon that is provided on site at the perimeter of the installation.
“This memorial offers all of our fellow Illinoisans a space to mourn our losses, individual and collective, in the name of healing,” said First Lady MK Pritzker and Governor JB Pritzker. “Together, one year into this pandemic, we honor those we’ve lost, as well as all the loved ones they left behind. It is through remembrance that we will move forward as one Illinois, committed to a shared vision of prosperity and hope. May the memories of those we’ve lost guide the way and be a blessing.”
Illinois has lost more than 23,000 lives in this pandemic, including both confirmed and probable COVID-19 deaths as defined by the Centers for Disease Control. To commemorate this shared loss, the installation includes 102 wings representing Illinois’ 102 counties that together hold more than 5,500 ribbons, each representing approximately four Illinoisans who tragically lost their life to this virus. The ribbons are illuminated by glowing spheres that serve a twofold purpose: To remember the victims of the pandemic, while also representing the permanence of light in the darkest of times.
The memorial will be on display in the state’s capital city for one month, spanning from March 16, 2021, until April 17, 2021. The conclusion of the exhibit marks one year since Governor Pritzker directed all flags to be lowered to half-staff on all public buildings and grounds to honor those who lost their lives to COVID-19. Following the exhibit and the one-year anniversary of the lowered flags, Governor Pritzker will direct the flags to be returned to full staff on April 17.
*** UPDATE *** Pics from the governor’s office…
Pics from the SJ-R are here.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Mar 17, 21 @ 4:50 am
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Amy Jakobbson gets her answer.
Is a Chicago Tribune editorial board meeting next?
Comment by Thomas Paine Wednesday, Mar 17, 21 @ 7:57 am
Cue Bailey to demand flags be raised now…again.
Comment by PublicServant Wednesday, Mar 17, 21 @ 8:48 am
Oh no, he’s cancelling Amy’s crusade!
Comment by Precinct Captain Wednesday, Mar 17, 21 @ 8:55 am
I guess Amy will have to find some other dumb question to ask.
Comment by JoanP Wednesday, Mar 17, 21 @ 9:03 am
Good. Not a huge fan of this use of the flag. But this did not reach 1 on the Richter scale.
Comment by Last Bull Moose Wednesday, Mar 17, 21 @ 9:58 am
“Thank goodness we are stopping the honoring if those who tragically lost they’d lives during a pandemic. ‘Merica.”
- the foolishly selfish who can’t grasp why it’s important to recognize these deaths.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Mar 17, 21 @ 10:11 am
I mean no disrespect here. However, has anyone else noticed that prior to COVID, flags routinely fly at half-mast in Illinois anyway?
I work at a State University, and since joining the faculty here 16 years ago, it seemed like the flag was always flying at halfmast. It seemed rare to see the flag otherwise.
Just fodder for thought.
Comment by H-W Wednesday, Mar 17, 21 @ 10:13 am
Flags at full staff means the lifting of the year-long disaster declaration is, mercifully, nearing its end. It’s long past time for the governor to surrender those powers. If he wants to continue restrictions on businesses and life in general, for this long - including a mask mandate - state lawmakers need to attach their names to it. If the constitution means anything, that is.
Comment by JB13 Wednesday, Mar 17, 21 @ 10:31 am
Not all of us can get to the capitol. It would be nice if they can livestream the memorial (and the ribbons) and also the ceremony at the end.
Comment by cermak_rd Wednesday, Mar 17, 21 @ 11:09 am
Darren Bailey will have to pull all of the “raise the flags high and proud” messaging from his campaign talking points.
H-W - CMS sends out an email to all state institutions whenever the governor has ordered flags to lower to half-staff. These usually mark national tragedies or the death of an ISP trooper or Illinois National Guard member. Sadly, all of these have become a very frequent occurrence over the last several years (we’re still a country at war, after all). Because of that, many institutions understandably drop the ball on raising the flags after the period of mourning (especially the understaffed facilities that may only be maintained infrequently). For universities, they don’t often have a solid system for managing this campus-wide.
Comment by NIU Grad Wednesday, Mar 17, 21 @ 11:53 am
“Darren Bailey will have to pull all of the “raise the flags high and proud” messaging” No, he’ll take credit for it.
Comment by Skeptic Wednesday, Mar 17, 21 @ 1:36 pm