chicagosun-times--2020-07-19--How the NFL squandered its coronavirus head start

Bears outside linebacker Khalil Mack and the NFL ’ s biggest stars began a social-media blitz around noon Sunday , lobbying for owners for agree to coronavirus protocols with the start of training camp approaching like a blitzing pass rusher .
“ NFL , please address health and safety concerns so we can play football this year !
# itsonlyright # cantwait , ” Mack wrote on Twitter .
The coordinated push by the NFL Players Association tried to recreate baseball ’ s viral moment six weeks ago , when Major League Baseball Players Association head Tony Clark said to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Clark ’ s statement was reiterated and Retweeted by players across the sport , but it generated momentum that yielded little results .
Rather than agree to a deal with baseball ’ s owners , the union reserved the right to file a grievance and let the commissioner declare the start of the season by fiat .
Sunday night , the Cubs and White Sox played the first major sports exhibition in the city since March .
The NFL , meanwhile , was supposed to be the sport with time on its side @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after the Super Bowl and six months before the start of the regular season .
That time has been squandered .
The only one of America ’ s four major sports leagues to not change its regular-season schedule because of the virus still hasn ’ t figured out the basics .
And its first deadline looms Monday .
Even if the two sides reach a deal before then — and they are motivated to try — one wonders why an agreement had to be so difficult .
Infection rates have surged across the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in many NFL markets than it was months ago .
But that shouldn ’ t have prevented agreement on economic , medical and structural issues .
The union wants its players to be tested daily , while the owners prefer every other day .
As of Friday , 65 NFL players had tested positive at some point this offseason for the virus , the union said .
A joint medical committee formed by the league and the union recommended a longer training camp acclimation period to make up for the lack of team-driven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t agree on how that suggestion would be implemented .
The union refused to report to training camp early and instead wants all preseason games canceled to allow for the acclimation .
The owners want two preseason games .
Also at issue is details surrounding an opt-out clause for players .
The union said Friday that no players have formally said they ’ ll stay home , but baseball and the NBA restarts have proven that it ’ s just a matter of time .
Complicating matters : unlike Major League @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t have guaranteed contracts .
The collective bargaining agreement dictates that players must report to training camp July 28 .
Rookies can arrive Tuesday , quarterbacks and injured players Thursday .
The Texans and Super Bowl champion Chiefs can welcome rookies Monday , though , because they are playing in the regular-season opener on a Thursday night .
That ’ s the league ’ s first deadline , and the impetus for negotiations both in private and , with a # wewanttoplay hashtag , the court of public opinion .
Players @ @ @ @ @ @ @ haven ’ t agreed to their issues by Monday , the union could attempt to file a grievance for unsafe work conditions .
Sunday featured some saber-rattling , sure .
Sam Acho , the former Bears linebacker and current NFLPA vice president , Tweeted the NFL “ waited until the last minute and ignored the recommendations of experts.
” Still , it ’ s hard not to sympathize with Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson , who Tweeted that he was concerned because his wife is pregnant and the league still has “ no clear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” NFLPA president J.C. Tretter , the Browns center , said the league “ needs to listen to our union and adopt the experts ’ recommendations.
” The two sides are negotiating .
The clock is ticking .
And fans are wondering why , despite a four-month head start , it had to come down to the wire .

Bears outside linebacker Khalil Mack and the NFL’s biggest stars began a social-media blitz around noon Sunday, lobbying for owners to agree to coronavirus protocols with the start of training camp approaching like a blitzing pass rusher.
“NFL, please address health and safety concerns so we can play football this year! #itsonlyright #cantwait,” Mack wrote on Twitter.
The coordinated push by the NFL Players Association tried to re-create baseball’s viral moment six weeks ago, when MLB Players Association head Tony Clark said to “tell us when and where.” Clark’s statement was reiterated and retweeted by players across the sport. It generated momentum but yielded limited results. Rather than agree to a deal with baseball’s owners, the union reserved the right to file a grievance and let the commissioner declare the start of the season. On Sunday night, the Cubs and White Sox played the first major sports exhibition in the city since March.
Pro football, meanwhile, was supposed to be the sport with time on its side. The coronavirus lockdown began the month after the Super Bowl and six months before the start of the regular season.
That time has been squandered.
The NFL, the only one of America’s four major sports leagues to not change its regular-season schedule because of the virus, still hasn’t figured out the basics. And its first deadline looms Monday.
Even if the sides reach a deal before then — and they are motivated to try — one wonders why an agreement had to be so difficult. Infection rates have surged across the country, making the coronavirus more intimidating in many NFL markets than it was months ago. But that shouldn’t have prevented agreement on economic, medical and structural issues.
The union wants its players to be tested daily, while the owners prefer every other day. As of Friday, 65 NFL players had tested positive at some point this offseason for the virus, the union said.
A joint medical committee formed by the league and the union recommended a longer training-camp acclimation period to make up for the lack of team-driven offseason workouts, but the sides can’t agree on how that suggestion should be implemented. The union refused to report to training camp early and instead wants all preseason games canceled to allow for the acclimation. The owners want two preseason games.
Also at issue are details surrounding an opt-out clause for players. The union said Friday that no players have formally said they’ll stay home, but the MLB and NBA restarts have proved that it’s only a matter of time. Complicating matters: Unlike MLB and NBA players, football players don’t have guaranteed contracts.
The collective-bargaining agreement dictates that players must report to training camp July 28. Rookies can arrive Tuesday, quarterbacks and injured players Thursday.
The Texans and Super Bowl champion Chiefs can welcome rookies Monday, though, because they’re playing in the regular-season opener on a Thursday night. That’s the league’s first deadline and the impetus for negotiations in private and, with a #wewanttoplay hashtag, in the court of public opinion.
Players will report. If the sides haven’t agreed on their issues by Monday, the union could attempt to file a grievance for unsafe work conditions.
Sunday featured some saber-rattling. Sam Acho, the former Bears linebacker and current NFLPA vice president, tweeted the NFL “waited until the last minute and ignored the recommendations of experts.” Still, it’s hard not to sympathize with Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, who tweeted that he was concerned because his wife is pregnant and the league still has “no clear plan on player health and family safety.”
NFLPA president J.C. Tretter, the Browns center, said the league “needs to listen to our union and adopt the experts’ recommendations.”
The sides are negotiating. The clock is ticking.
And fans are wondering why, despite a four-month head start, it has to come down to the wire.


chicagosun-times--2020-07-19--55 shot, 7 fatally, in Chicago so far this weekend

Seven people have been killed and 48 others , including nine minors , have been wounded in shootings across Chicago so far this weekend .
The numbers already surpass those of the same weekend last year , when 43 people were shot , three of them fatally .
Last weekend , 64 people were shot across the city , 13 of them fatally .
Six of those victims were teenagers and one teen was killed .
• The latest fatal shooting left a man dead early Sunday in Little Village on the Southwest Side .
The 20-year-old was shot about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ West Cermak Road , according to Chicago police .
He was dropped off at Mount Sinai Hospital with gunshot wounds to his right cheek and the right side of his abdomen and pronounced dead a short time later .
• About 20 minutes before that , two people who had been shot , one of them fatally , flagged down officers for help in the Loop .
The man and woman drove up to the officers about 2:35 a.m. in the 300 block of North Wabash Avenue to ask for medical attention because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
The man , 35 , suffered a gunshot wound to the neck , while the 25-year-old woman was shot in the left arm .
Both were taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital , where the man later died .
The woman was listed in good condition .
Both victims were uncooperative and would not tell officers where the shooting occurred , police said .
• On Saturday morning , a man was shot to death in Humboldt Park on the West Side .
Anji Webster , 26 , was shot multiple times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of West Ohio Street , police and the Cook County medical examiner ’ s office said .
He was pronounced dead at the scene .
• About three hours earlier , another man was killed in Little Village .
Miguel Rios , 18 , was driving south on Washtenaw Avenue at 3:28 a.m. when someone shot at him , authorities said .
He was struck in the armpit and crashed the vehicle into a tree in the 2600 block of West 24th Street .
Rios , who lived in Gage Park , was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Less than 20 minutes before that , one man was fatally shot and four other people were injured in Lawndale on the West Side .
The group was standing on the sidewalk and street at 3:12 a.m. in the 1600 block of South Keeler Avenue when two males fired shots , officials said .
Twan Thigpen , 25 , was shot in the chest and taken to Mount Sinai Hospital , where he was pronounced dead .
A 36-year-old woman was shot in the left leg , a 32-year-old man was shot in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Two other men , whose ages were not immediately known , were also each shot in the right leg .
All four were taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in good condition .
• Nearly two hours earlier , a 67-year-old man was fatally shot in Austin on the West Side .
He was walking on the sidewalk about 12:30 a.m. in the 4900 block of West Hubbard Street when someone fired shots from a vacant lot , police said .
The man was shot in the neck and pronounced dead at Stroger Hospital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homicide killed one man and injured another Friday night in Chatham on the South Side .
They were in a first floor apartment about 9:52 p.m. in the 8200 block of South Drexel Avenue when a male kicked in the door and opened fire , authorities said .
Derek Teague , 60 , was shot in the neck and pronounced dead at the scene .
He lived in Bronzeville .
A 23-year-old man was hit in the arm and taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in fair condition , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ among three people who were shot Sunday afternoon in Gresham on the South Side .
The shooting happened just after 4:30 p.m. in the 8200 block of South Ada Street , according to Chicago fire officials .
The boys , 10 and 11 , were both taken to Comer Children ’ s Hospital in fair-to-serious condition , fire officials said .
A man , 28 , was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in serious-to-critical condition .
• The weekend ’ s first shooting wounded three people , including a 14-year-old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was on the sidewalk about 5:30 p.m. in the 8200 block of South Drexel when a vehicle drove up and someone inside opened fire , police said .
The teen was struck in the face and taken to Comer Children ’ s Hospital .
A 21-year-old man was struck in the arm , and a woman , 27 , was shot in the buttocks .
They were taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center .
Chicago fire officials said the trio was transported in serious-to-critical condition but stabilized at the hospital .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ night in Gresham on the South Side .
He was on the sidewalk about 9:30 p.m. in the 7600 block of South Green Street when someone approached with a handgun and fired shots , according to police .
The teen was hit in the upper right side of his back and his right shoulder and taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in good condition .
• Saturday afternoon , two boys were shot during a dice game in Lawndale .
The teens , 14 and 17 , were playing dice about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1500 block of South Sawyer Avenue when someone in a vehicle pulled up and opened fire , police said .
The 17-year-old was shot in the groin and the 14-year-old was struck in the buttocks .
Both were taken to Mount Sinai Hospital , where they were in good condition .
• Another teenage boy was shot early Saturday at a gas station in Belmont Central on the Northwest Side .
The 17-year-old was pumping gas at a gas station about 2:35 a.m. in the 5500 block of West Diversey Avenue when someone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to police .
The boy was shot in the back and taken to Community First Medical Center .
He was transferred to Stroger Hospital in fair condition .
• About an hour and a half before that , another 14-year-old was wounded in Albany Park on the Northwest Side .
The boy was shot in the left hand at 12:58 a.m. in the 3600 block of West Argyle Street , police said .
He refused to tell police about the circumstances of the shooting .
He was dropped off at Swedish Covenant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Hospital in good condition .
• On Friday night , another teen was shot in Englewood on the South Side .
The 17-year-old was standing on the sidewalk about 9:47 p.m. in the 6900 block of South Lafayette Avenue when someone fired shots from a black sedan , police said .
The boy was struck in the leg and arm and was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in fair condition .
• Three more people were wounded in a single shooting about 10 minutes earlier in Roseland on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the sidewalk about 9:35 p.m. in the 10900 block of South Wentworth Avenue when someone fired shots from a red sedan , police said .
Two 49-year-olds were each struck in the leg and taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn in good condition .
The third man , 42 , was shot in the foot and taken to Roseland Community Hospital in good condition .
At least 27 other people have been injured by gunfire throughout Chicago since 5 p.m. Friday .
Read more on crime , and track the @ @ @ @ @

Ten people were killed and 60 others, including 10 minors, were wounded in shootings across Chicago over the weekend.
The numbers surpassed those of the same weekend last year, when 43 people were shot, three of them fatally.
Last weekend, 64 people were shot across the city, 13 of them fatally. Six of those victims were teenagers and one teen was killed.
Sunday
The latest fatal shooting killed two men and wounded three others late Sunday night in Morgan Park on the Far South Side.
The shooting happened about 11:52 p.m. in the 11300 block of South Carpenter Street, Chicago police said. A group of people were outside when someone fired shots. A 26-year-old and 41-year-old man suffered fatal gunshot wounds.
Another 26-year-old, man a 37-year-old man and a 48-year-old man were also struck by bullets and taken to area hospitals, police said. The younger man was in critical condition.
Police investigate the scene where five people were shot July 19, 2020 in Morgan Park. Carly Behm/Sun-Times
A shooting about an hour earlier left a man dead in Chatham on the South Side.
About 10:45 p.m., the 21-year-old was standing outside a vehicle in the 8200 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue when he was shot in the back as another vehicle drove by, police said. The man was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he died.
Earlier, a man was killed in Little Village on the Southwest Side.
The 20-year-old was shot about 2:55 a.m. in the 3200 block of West Cermak Road, according to police. He was dropped off at Mount Sinai Hospital with gunshot wounds to his right cheek and the right side of his abdomen and pronounced dead a short time later.
About 20 minutes before that, a man was killed and a woman was injured in the Loop.
They were in a vehicle heading north in the 300 block of North Wabash Avenue about 2:35 a.m. when they saw a group of males on the east side of the bridge over the Chicago River arguing with someone in the middle of the street, according to police. The male in the street fired a handgun toward the group, but hit the man and woman in the vehicle. The victims drove to the first block of East Wacker Drive, where they flagged down police officers and asked for medical attention.
The man, 35-year-old Gregory Crafword of Maywood, was shot in the neck and taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he died, according to police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office. The woman, 25, was shot in both arms and taken to Northwestern in serious condition.
Saturday
On Saturday morning, a man was shot to death in Humboldt Park on the West Side.
Anji Webster, 26, was shot multiple times at 6:28 a.m. in the 3400 block of West Ohio Street, authorities said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
About three hours earlier, another man was killed in Little Village.
Miguel Rios, 18, was driving south on Washtenaw Avenue at 3:28 a.m. when someone shot at him, authorities said. He was struck in the armpit and crashed the vehicle into a tree in the 2600 block of West 24th Street. Rios, who lived in Gage Park, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Less than 20 minutes before that, one man was fatally shot and four other people were injured in Lawndale on the West Side.
The group was standing on the sidewalk and street at 3:12 a.m. in the 1600 block of South Keeler Avenue when two males fired shots, officials said. Twan Thigpen, 25, was shot in the chest and taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
A 36-year-old woman was shot in the left leg, a 32-year-old man was shot in the right arm, police said. Two other men, whose ages were not immediately known, were also each shot in the right leg. All four were taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in good condition.
Nearly two hours earlier, a 67-year-old man was fatally shot in Austin on the West Side.
Jimmy Blumingburg was walking on the sidewalk about 12:30 a.m. in the 4900 block of West Hubbard Street when someone fired shots from a vacant lot, officials said. Blumingburg was shot in the neck and pronounced dead at Stroger Hospital.
Friday
The weekend’s earliest homicide killed one man and injured another Friday night in Chatham on the South Side.
They were in a first floor apartment about 9:52 p.m. in the 8200 block of South Drexel Avenue when a male kicked in the door and opened fire, authorities said. Derek Teague, 60, was shot in the neck and pronounced dead at the scene. He lived in Bronzeville.
A 23-year-old man was hit in the arm and taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in fair condition, according to police.
Minors wounded
Two preteen boys were among three people shot Sunday afternoon in Gresham on the South Side.
Multiple people were sitting outside a home in the 8200 block of South Ada Street when someone opened fire from a vehicle just after 4:30 p.m., according to police. The boys, 10 and 11, were both taken to Comer Children’s Hospital in good condition. The 10-year-old was shot in the ankle and calf, while the 11-year-old was struck in the arm.
A 27-year-old man was shot in the leg and arm and taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was also in good condition, police said.
Sunday evening, three people were shot in West Garfield Park, including a 17-year-old boy.
He and two men, 19 and 26, were walking in an alley about 9:32 p.m. in the 100 block of North Keeler Avenue when someone in a dark sedan unleashed gunfire, police said. All three people were hospitalized in good condition. The teen was struck in the leg and taken to Stroger Hospital. The 26-year-old man was shot in the ankle and taken to the same hospital. The 19-year-old man was grazed in the face and was taken to Norwegian-American Hospital.
A 14-year-old boy was shot Saturday night in Gresham on the South Side.
He was on the sidewalk about 9:30 p.m. in the 7600 block of South Green Street when someone approached with a handgun and fired shots, according to police. The teen was hit in the upper right side of his back and his right shoulder and taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in good condition.
Saturday afternoon, two boys were shot during a dice game in Lawndale.
The teens, 14 and 17, were playing dice about 3:35 p.m. on a sidewalk in the 1500 block of South Sawyer Avenue when someone in a vehicle pulled up and opened fire, police said. The 17-year-old was shot in the groin and the 14-year-old was struck in the buttocks. Both were taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where they were in good condition.
Another teenage boy was shot early Saturday at a gas station in Belmont Central on the Northwest Side.
The 17-year-old was pumping gas at a gas station about 2:35 a.m. in the 5500 block of West Diversey Avenue when someone fired shots from a black SUV, according to police. The boy was shot in the back and taken to Community First Medical Center. He was transferred to Stroger Hospital in fair condition.
About an hour and a half before that, another 14-year-old was wounded in Albany Park on the Northwest Side.
The boy was shot in the left hand at 12:58 a.m. in the 3600 block of West Argyle Street, police said. He refused to tell police about the circumstances of the shooting. He was dropped off at Swedish Covenant Hospital and transferred to Lurie Children’s Hospital in good condition.
On Friday night, another teen was shot in Englewood on the South Side.
The 17-year-old was standing on the sidewalk about 9:47 p.m. in the 6900 block of South Lafayette Avenue when someone fired shots from a black sedan, police said. The boy was struck in the leg and arm and was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in fair condition.
The weekend’s first shooting wounded three people, including a 14-year-old boy, in Chatham.
The trio was on the sidewalk about 5:30 p.m. in the 8200 block of South Drexel when a vehicle drove up and someone inside opened fire, police said. The teen was struck in the face and taken to Comer Children’s Hospital. A 21-year-old man was struck in the arm, and a woman, 27, was shot in the buttocks. They were taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center.
Chicago fire officials said the trio was transported in serious-to-critical condition but stabilized at the hospital.
Other nonfatal attacks
Two people were injured in expressway shootings in Chicago on Saturday.
One person was shot just before 5 a.m. on Interstate 90/94 on the Ontario feeder ramp on the Near North Side, state police said. Responding officers found one person with a non-life threatening gunshot wound. That person was taken to an area hospital for treatment.
Saturday afternoon, another person was shot on Interstate 57 in Morgan Park, state police said. Troopers responded about 1:30 p.m. to reports of the shooting, and found a driver with life-threatening injuries; their passenger wasn’t hurt.
Three people were wounded in a single shooting Friday night in Roseland on the South Side.
They were hanging out on the sidewalk about 9:35 p.m. in the 10900 block of South Wentworth Avenue when someone fired shots from a red sedan, police said. Two 49-year-olds were each struck in the leg and taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn in good condition. The third man, 42, was shot in the foot and taken to Roseland Community Hospital in good condition.
At least 31 other people were injured by gunfire throughout Chicago between 5 p.m. Friday and 5 a.m. Monday.
Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.


chicagosun-times--2020-07-19--No bail for man charged with shooting 3 in Old Town, including infant in stroller

A Grand Boulevard man was ordered held without bail Sunday on charges he shot three people in Old Town , including a 5-month-old boy who was riding in a stroller .
Teantun Davis , 21 , is charged with three counts of aggravated battery with a firearm and one count of unlawful use of a weapon by a felon in the shooting Thursday evening in the 1300 block of North Hudson , according to the Cook County state ’ s attorney ’ s office .
During his bail hearing , prosecutors allege that Davis got out of the backseat of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shots at two men who were eating .
One of the bullets ultimately struck a 5-month-old boy who was sitting in a stroller about 100 feet away , prosecutors said .
He suffered a gunshot wound near his eye and was rushed to Lurie Children ’ s Hospital , where his condition was stabilized .
A 19-year-old man was also shot in the shoulder and back , while a 25-year-old man was struck in the thigh , prosecutors said .
They were stabilized at Northwestern Memorial Hospital .
Surveillance footage showed Davis fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and get back in the SUV , prosecutors said .
During the attack , he wore a hooded sweatshirt that covered his face , prosecutors said .
Someone called 911 and provided police with a description of the Hyundai and its license plate number , prosecutors said .
About 10 minutes later , police saw the Hyundai traveling south on Lake Shore Drive .
Prosecutors said the SUV then crashed in a parking lot near the 3900 block of South Wentworth Avenue , where Davis and another passenger were taken into custody after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saw Davis toss a handgun and a black sweatshirt as he ran , according to prosecutors , who said the shell casings at the scene of the shooting match the weapon .
Another gun , which was reported stolen in September 2018 , was found in the driver ’ s side of the SUV .
Davis ’ s attorney , Steve Greenberg , said his client wasn ’ t wearing the clothing seen in the surveillance video , and that he was not the shooter .
While Davis is currently on probation for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a weapon , Greenberg claimed he has no history of violence or motive for the shooting .
In arguing that Davis should be granted bail in the new case , Greenberg acknowledged that his client would still be held in custody for violating his probation .
Despite Greenberg ’ s appeals , Cook County Circuit Court Judge John Lyke Jr. denied bail for Davis .
His next court date was set for Thursday .

A Grand Boulevard man was ordered held without bail Sunday on charges he shot three people in Old Town, including a 5-month-old boy who was riding in a stroller.
Teantun Davis, 21, is charged with three counts of aggravated battery with a firearm and one count of unlawful use of a weapon by a felon in the shooting Thursday evening in the 1300 block of North Hudson, according to the Cook County state’s attorney’s office.
During his bail hearing, prosecutors allege that Davis got out of the backseat of a red Hyundai SUV and fired 14 shots at two men who were eating.
One of the bullets ultimately struck a 5-month-old boy who was sitting in a stroller about 100 feet away, prosecutors said. He suffered a gunshot wound near his eye and was rushed to Lurie Children’s Hospital, where his condition was stabilized.
A 19-year-old man was also shot in the shoulder and back, while a 25-year-old man was struck in the thigh, prosecutors said. They were stabilized at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
Surveillance footage showed Davis fire into “a crowd of people” and get back in the SUV, prosecutors said. During the attack, he wore a hooded sweatshirt that covered his face, prosecutors said.
Someone called 911 and provided police with a description of the Hyundai and its license plate number, prosecutors said. About 10 minutes later, police saw the Hyundai traveling south on Lake Shore Drive.
Prosecutors said the SUV then crashed in a parking lot near the 3900 block of South Wentworth Avenue, where Davis and another passenger were taken into custody after a short chase.
Officers said they saw Davis toss a handgun and a black sweatshirt as he ran, according to prosecutors, who said the shell casings at the scene of the shooting match the weapon. Another gun, which was reported stolen in September 2018, was found in the driver’s side of the SUV.
Davis’s attorney, Steve Greenberg, said his client wasn’t wearing the clothing seen in the surveillance video, and that he was not the shooter.
While Davis is currently on probation for a 2019 conviction for aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, Greenberg claimed he has no history of violence or motive for the shooting. In arguing that Davis should be granted bail in the new case, Greenberg acknowledged that his client would still be held in custody for violating his probation.
Despite Greenberg’s appeals, Cook County Circuit Court Judge John Lyke Jr. denied bail for Davis. His next court date was set for Thursday.


chicagosun-times--2020-07-19--Blackhawks’ defensemen, goaltenders adjusting to Corey Crawford’s absence

Corey Crawford ’ s absence hurts the Blackhawks most in terms of his goaltending .
That much is obvious .
But the repercussions extend beyond the crease .
Crawford , for example , is one of the more active goalies in the league in terms of playing the puck behind and next to the net .
Without him , the Hawks have devoted practice time to testing their three possible replacement goalies ’ skills at moving the puck , then getting those goalies and their defensemen on the same page .
‘ ‘ One of the things ‘ Crow ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and how good he is with that , but these guys are pretty solid with it , too , ’ ’ defenseman Olli Maatta said Sunday .
‘ ‘ That helps out us D-men breaking out .
‘ ‘ The biggest thing is just communicating on and off the ice , talking all the time about what your preference is , how you want to play situations .
So it ’ s just going to come with time.
’ ’ In one drill Friday , in which the goalies were asked to stop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a circling-back defensemen while under light forechecking pressure , Malcolm Subban ’ s vision and accuracy were impressive .
But Collin Delia , whose impressive second half in the American Hockey League and decent NHL success last season made him Subban ’ s top challenger entering camp , struggled .
‘ ‘ We touched on that ; we ’ ll revisit it again , ’ ’ Colliton said .
‘ ‘ Breaking the puck out clean , it sure helps if your goalie can get a stop and set it or make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is just reps , communication and getting used to being predictable to each other.
’ ’ Delia played fairly well in the scrimmage Sunday , but Subban and Kevin Lankinen faltered .
Despite previously insisting the Hawks haven ’ t ruled out Crawford returning at some point , Colliton said he hopes the scrimmages this week will ‘ ‘ help us to make a decision ’ ’ on the starting goalie in Crawford ’ s place .
With only a few players speaking with the media each day , it has been difficult @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the battle .
Subban hasn ’ t talked since Wednesday and Lankinen hasn ’ t talked at all , but Delia was one of the players made available for an interview Saturday .
‘ ‘ It ’ s obviously a really friendly competition , ’ ’ Delia said .
‘ ‘ It ’ s a one-of-a-kind opportunity .
As we look back , we ’ re not going to see any type of life event of this magnitude affect a lot of major sports .
We ’ re just happy to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restricted free agent Drake Caggiula said Saturday that he would like to spend the rest of his career with the Hawks , and fellow pending RFA Slater Koekkoek echoed that sentiment .
‘ ‘ I ’ d love to re-sign here , ’ ’ Koekkoek said .
‘ ‘ I love the city , love my teammates and the organization .
I think if I can have a good playoff , who knows ?
Winning always helps , so that ’ s what I ’ m focused on .
Everything else will take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he wasn ’ t sure whether his agent , Ritch Winter , has had contract discussions with Hawks general manager Stan Bowman .
Although the Hawks can retain Koekkoek ’ s rights with a simple qualifying offer , whether they ’ ll do that is hard to predict .
The 26-year-old defenseman often was a healthy scratch this season , but he developed a strong rapport with Maatta on the third pairing later on .
The emergence of Lucas Carlsson , the recovery of Brent Seabrook and the arrival of Ian Mitchell all @ @ @ @ @ @

Corey Crawford’s absence hurts the Blackhawks most in terms of his goaltending. That much is obvious.
But the repercussions extend beyond the crease.
Crawford, for example, is one of the more active goalies in the league in terms of playing the puck behind and next to the net.
Without him, the Hawks have devoted practice time to testing their three possible replacement goalies’ skills at moving the puck, then getting those goalies and their defensemen on the same page.
‘‘One of the things ‘Crow’ brings is his play with the puck and how good he is with that, but these guys are pretty solid with it, too,’’ defenseman Olli Maatta said Sunday. ‘‘That helps out us D-men breaking out.
‘‘The biggest thing is just communicating on and off the ice, talking all the time about what your preference is, how you want to play situations. So it’s just going to come with time.’’
In one drill Friday, in which the goalies were asked to stop an around-the-boards dump-in and pass the puck to a circling-back defenseman while under light forechecking pressure, Malcolm Subban’s vision and accuracy were impressive.
But Collin Delia, whose impressive second half in the American Hockey League and decent NHL success last season made him Subban’s top challenger entering camp, struggled.
Coach Jeremy Colliton called that seemingly small detail a ‘‘point of emphasis.’’
‘‘We touched on that; we’ll revisit it again,’’ Colliton said. ‘‘Breaking the puck out clean, it sure helps if your goalie can get a stop and set it or make a play. A lot of it is just reps, communication and getting used to being predictable to each other.’’
Delia played fairly well in the scrimmage Sunday, but Subban and Kevin Lankinen faltered.
Despite previously insisting the Hawks haven’t ruled out Crawford returning at some point, Colliton said he hopes the scrimmages this week will ‘‘help us to make a decision’’ on the starting goalie in Crawford’s place.
With only a few players speaking with the media each day, it has been difficult to follow each goalie’s opinion on the battle. Subban hasn’t talked since Wednesday and Lankinen hasn’t talked at all, but Delia was one of the players made available for an interview Saturday.
‘‘It’s obviously a really friendly competition,’’ Delia said. ‘‘It’s a one-of-a-kind opportunity. As we look back, we’re not going to see any type of life event of this magnitude affect a lot of major sports. We’re just happy to be a part of it.’’
Koekkoek wants to re-sign
Pending restricted free agent Drake Caggiula said Saturday that he would like to spend the rest of his career with the Hawks, and fellow pending RFA Slater Koekkoek echoed that sentiment.
‘‘I’d love to re-sign here,’’ Koekkoek said. ‘‘I love the city, love my teammates and the organization. I think if I can have a good playoff, who knows? Winning always helps, so that’s what I’m focused on. Everything else will take care of itself.’’
Koekkoek said he wasn’t sure whether his agent, Ritch Winter, has had contract discussions with Hawks general manager Stan Bowman.
Although the Hawks can retain Koekkoek’s rights with a simple qualifying offer, whether they’ll do that is hard to predict.
The 26-year-old defenseman often was a healthy scratch this season, but he developed a strong rapport with Maatta on the third pairing later on. The emergence of Lucas Carlsson, the recovery of Brent Seabrook and the arrival of Ian Mitchell all threaten his job moving forward.


chicagosun-times--2020-07-19--Illinois sees dip in COVID-19 cases Sunday after recent rise (LIVE UPDATES)

Illinois ’ daily COVID-19 case count dips below 1,000 for first time in four days Illinois saw its daily COVID-19 case count dip below 1,000 for the first time in four days on Sunday , marking the end of the longest stretch of four-digit daily caseloads since a peak month of May .
Health officials announced another 965 people tested positive for the coronavirus , bringing the state ’ s total to 161,575 cases , though the vast majority have since recovered with Illinois boasting a 95 % recovery rate .
While the daily case count did decrease from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ received nearly 14,000 fewer test results than the previous day .
The new cases were confirmed among the latest batch of 32,113 test results reported to the Illinois Department of Public Health , for a daily positivity rate of 3 % .
In each of the past three days , Illinois processed more than 40,000 tests , including a record-setting batch of 46,099 test results Saturday .
In total , Illinois has performed more than 2.24 million tests over the last four months .
5 p.m. ‘ A dangerous environment ’ : As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and some are keeping doors shut At a church in Sacramento , California , that has been closed for in-person services since March , congregants occasionally still stop by to pray outside and try to capture a sense of fellowship they dearly miss .
In Nashville , Tennessee , the pastor of an Anglican church has been handing out Communion in the parking lot for weeks .
South of Atlanta , the animated pastor of a 3,000-member congregation tries to summon every ounce of enthusiasm in his body to deliver a lively , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ audience of no one , hoping his message and spirit come through on various technology platforms .
None of those are ideal options , but they beat becoming the source of an outbreak of COVID-19 .
Almost 40 places of worship and religious events have been linked to more than 650 U.S. cases of the coronavirus since the pandemic began , according to tracking by the New York Times .
Along with the nationwide surge in infections that has followed the loosening of restrictions aimed at combating the virus , outbreaks connected to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Read the full story from USA Today here .
1:51 p.m. How COVID-19 spread through one U.S. immigration facility SAN DIEGO — Gregory Arnold walked into the warden ’ s office April 1 as the novel coronavirus ripped through one of the largest immigration detention centers in the United States .
Waiting with about 40 guards to begin his shift , he heard a captain say face masks were prohibited .
Incredulous , he and a guard who recently gave birth wanted to hear it from the boss .
Arnold told Warden Christopher @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and lived with an asthmatic son .
“ Well , you can ’ t wear the mask because we don ’ t want to scare the employees and we don ’ t want to scare the inmates and detainees , ” Arnold recalls the warden saying .
He said he wanted to wear a mask and gloves , and “ everyone else should be doing the same.
” But the warden was unmoved .
And in the weeks that followed , Otay Mesa Detention Center would see the first big outbreak at U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ detention centers .
The origins of the outbreak are uncertain , but accounts of workers and detainees reveal shortcomings in how the private company that manages the center handled the disease : There was an early absence of facial coverings , and a lack of cleaning supplies .
Symptomatic detainees were mixed with others .
Read the Associated Press ’ full story here .
9 a.m. As COVID-19 cases surge , election officials scramble to find poll workers Governments across the country are scrambling to find people to staff polling places for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sows doubt about how safe it will be to cast a ballot in person and thins out an already scarce pool of workers .
Recruitment efforts are increasingly targeting younger people , who are less at risk of developing serious illness from the virus , as officials and advocates aim strategies toward professional associations , students and sports teams to make sure election sites stay open .
Still , a big unknown remains .
“ Everything having to do with this election will be determined by where we are with the virus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ encouraging , ” said Neil Albrecht , former executive director of the Milwaukee election commission , which had worker shortages and was forced to shutter all but five of the city ’ s 180 polling places earlier this year .
Experts say finding enough poll workers is always difficult , even when there isn ’ t a pandemic killing thousands of people , forcing widespread shutdowns and spawning a series of evolving safety rules .
Normally , long hours , low pay and lots of stress might keep folks away .
Now add @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of getting sick .
More than two-thirds of poll workers are over age 61 , putting them at higher risk of the COVID-19 disease .
Scores of workers dropped out during this year ’ s primary season , taking with them decades of experience as the pandemic stifled efforts to train replacements .
Read the full story from AP here .
7:15 a.m. Next year ’ s Cubs Convention canceled due to coronavirus-related uncertainty The 2021 Cubs Convention is kaput , the latest event to be canceled because of the coronavirus .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Sheraton Grand Chicago .
Those dates get wiped away like so many others throughout the sports world have been .
“ Pain and torture , ” Cubs vice president of communications Julian Green said .
That was a reference to the one-thing-after-another experience lately of being a fan who can ’ t go to a game at Wrigley Field , can ’ t look forward to convention tickets going on sale in August , can ’ t enjoy their team as usual .
Read the full story from Steve Greenberg here .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Country Time launches bailout fund for lemonade stands closed due to COVID-19 Here ’ s another “ business ” struggling because of the coronavirus pandemic : kids ’ lemonade stands .
According to lemonade brand Country Time , the popular summertime fixtures in neighborhoods across the nation are closed “ due to social distancing guidelines.
” So , Country Time has launched the “ Littlest Bailout Relief Fund ” to help put a “ little juice back into the economy.
” The brand owned by Kraft Heinz announced in a news release @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kids who can ’ t operate their lemonade stands this summer .
Read more about the promotion here .
• Boxer Tom O ’ Shea , a beloved Chicago high school teacher and coach who sent three boxers to the 1996 Olympics , has died of COVID-19 .
He was 81 .
• 1,276 new Illinois coronavirus cases , 18 more deaths on Saturday .
4:30 p.m .
Even with patrons spaced far apart , moviegoing feels safe and communal The world has been turned upside down .
A global crisis has resulted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thousands of dying .
When a child coughs in the kitchen , the adults in the room share terrified glances : Is it serious ?
A father driving with his family issues a command : “ Masks on !
” Even our national games have been affected .
In the middle of the summer , the New York Yankees are playing in front of about 54,000 fewer people than would normally be in attendance .
Sounds like snippets of our real-life world in 2020 — but in fact everything I ’ ve described @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the main theater of the iconic Music Box Theatre in Lake View , which is open for limited capacity , social distance screening .
Over the last 126 days , I ’ ve watched more than a hundred films and streaming releases for review — but all at home .
The last time I screened a film in a public environment was on March 10 : the forgettable Vin Diesel actioner “ Bloodshot ” at the Navy Pier IMAX .
I ’ m breaking the streak with a Saturday afternoon screening of “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beautiful , sprawling , ambitious , sentimental and sometimes insanely ludicrous sci-fi epic about a NASA pilot named Cooper ( Matthew McConaughey ) who leads a team of researchers across the galaxy and through a wormhole in search of an inhabitable planet that could be the new home for humankind .
Read the full column from Sun-Times film critic Richard Roeper here .
6:45 a.m .
Growing my own food in the times of COVID Raspberries in the time of COVID .
Sprouting from the sun belt in my backyard garden , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proof I ’ d dug a safe anti-virus haven for myself .
But as the purple irises , pink climbing roses and Virginia bluebells gave way to pastel pink astilbes , buzzing bee balm and God knows whatever else I obsessively tossed into my crazy lady backyard , the call of the wild whispered in my ear .
It asked : “ What about the climbing cucumber , acidic home-grown tomato , slender green bean and splendid baby zucchini ?
” It advised : “ Get a grip !
Grow what you eat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Michael Sneed here .

The latest
Illinois’ daily COVID-19 case count dips below 1,000 for first time in four days
Workers check in residents at a mobile COVID-19 testing site in Chicago last month. Scott Olson/Getty Images
Illinois saw its daily COVID-19 case count dip below 1,000 for the first time in four days on Sunday, marking the end of the longest stretch of four-digit daily caseloads since a peak month of May.
Health officials announced another 965 people tested positive for the coronavirus, bringing the state’s total to 161,575 cases, though the vast majority have since recovered with Illinois boasting a 95% recovery rate.
While the daily case count did decrease from the previous few days, the state also received nearly 14,000 fewer test results than the previous day.
The new cases were confirmed among the latest batch of 32,113 test results reported to the Illinois Department of Public Health, for a daily positivity rate of 3%. In each of the past three days, Illinois processed more than 40,000 tests, including a record-setting batch of 46,099 test results Saturday.
In total, Illinois has performed more than 2.24 million tests over the last four months.
Read the full story here.
News
5 p.m. ‘A dangerous environment’: As churches reopen, coronavirus outbreaks are sprouting and some are keeping doors shut
At a church in Sacramento, California, that has been closed for in-person services since March, congregants occasionally still stop by to pray outside and try to capture a sense of fellowship they dearly miss.
In Nashville, Tennessee, the pastor of an Anglican church has been handing out Communion in the parking lot for weeks.
South of Atlanta, the animated pastor of a 3,000-member congregation tries to summon every ounce of enthusiasm in his body to deliver a lively, music-filled service in front of a live audience of no one, hoping his message and spirit come through on various technology platforms.
None of those are ideal options, but they beat becoming the source of an outbreak of COVID-19.
Almost 40 places of worship and religious events have been linked to more than 650 U.S. cases of the coronavirus since the pandemic began, according to tracking by the New York Times. Along with the nationwide surge in infections that has followed the loosening of restrictions aimed at combating the virus, outbreaks connected to churches have sprouted at several spots.
Read the full story from USA Today here.
1:51 p.m. How COVID-19 spread through one U.S. immigration facility
SAN DIEGO — Gregory Arnold walked into the warden’s office April 1 as the novel coronavirus ripped through one of the largest immigration detention centers in the United States. Waiting with about 40 guards to begin his shift, he heard a captain say face masks were prohibited.
Incredulous, he and a guard who recently gave birth wanted to hear it from the boss. Arnold told Warden Christopher LaRose that he was 60 years old and lived with an asthmatic son.
“Well, you can’t wear the mask because we don’t want to scare the employees and we don’t want to scare the inmates and detainees,” Arnold recalls the warden saying.
“With all due respect, sir, that’s ridiculous.” Arnold retorted.
He said he wanted to wear a mask and gloves, and “everyone else should be doing the same.” But the warden was unmoved. And in the weeks that followed, Otay Mesa Detention Center would see the first big outbreak at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s 221 detention centers.
The origins of the outbreak are uncertain, but accounts of workers and detainees reveal shortcomings in how the private company that manages the center handled the disease: There was an early absence of facial coverings, and a lack of cleaning supplies. Symptomatic detainees were mixed with others.
Read the Associated Press’ full story here.
9 a.m. As COVID-19 cases surge, election officials scramble to find poll workers
Governments across the country are scrambling to find people to staff polling places for the presidential election this fall as the coronavirus sows doubt about how safe it will be to cast a ballot in person and thins out an already scarce pool of workers.
Recruitment efforts are increasingly targeting younger people, who are less at risk of developing serious illness from the virus, as officials and advocates aim strategies toward professional associations, students and sports teams to make sure election sites stay open. Still, a big unknown remains.
“Everything having to do with this election will be determined by where we are with the virus, and obviously, indicators are not very encouraging,” said Neil Albrecht, former executive director of the Milwaukee election commission, which had worker shortages and was forced to shutter all but five of the city’s 180 polling places earlier this year.
Experts say finding enough poll workers is always difficult, even when there isn’t a pandemic killing thousands of people, forcing widespread shutdowns and spawning a series of evolving safety rules. Normally, long hours, low pay and lots of stress might keep folks away. Now add face shields, protective barriers and fears of getting sick.
More than two-thirds of poll workers are over age 61, putting them at higher risk of the COVID-19 disease. Scores of workers dropped out during this year’s primary season, taking with them decades of experience as the pandemic stifled efforts to train replacements.
Read the full story from AP here.
7:15 a.m. Next year’s Cubs Convention canceled due to coronavirus-related uncertainty
The 2021 Cubs Convention is kaput, the latest event to be canceled because of the coronavirus.
It was to be held Jan. 15-17 at the Sheraton Grand Chicago. Those dates get wiped away like so many others throughout the sports world have been.
“Pain and torture,” Cubs vice president of communications Julian Green said.
That was a reference to the one-thing-after-another experience lately of being a fan who can’t go to a game at Wrigley Field, can’t look forward to convention tickets going on sale in August, can’t enjoy their team as usual.
Read the full story from Steve Greenberg here.
7 a.m. Stimulus checks for kids? Country Time launches bailout fund for lemonade stands closed due to COVID-19
Here’s another “business” struggling because of the coronavirus pandemic: kids’ lemonade stands.
According to lemonade brand Country Time, the popular summertime fixtures in neighborhoods across the nation are closed “due to social distancing guidelines.”
So, Country Time has launched the “Littlest Bailout Relief Fund” to help put a “little juice back into the economy.”
The brand owned by Kraft Heinz announced in a news release that it will send stimulus checks to kids who can’t operate their lemonade stands this summer.
Read more about the promotion here.
New cases
Yoan Moncada rejoins White Sox after testing positive for coronavirus.
Boxer Tom O’Shea, a beloved Chicago high school teacher and coach who sent three boxers to the 1996 Olympics, has died of COVID-19. He was 81.
1,276 new Illinois coronavirus cases, 18 more deaths on Saturday.
Analysis & Commentary
4:30 p.m. Even with patrons spaced far apart, moviegoing feels safe and communal
The world has been turned upside down.
A global crisis has resulted in millions taking ill and hundreds of thousands of dying. When a child coughs in the kitchen, the adults in the room share terrified glances: Is it serious? A father driving with his family issues a command: “Masks on!” Even our national games have been affected. In the middle of the summer, the New York Yankees are playing in front of about 54,000 fewer people than would normally be in attendance.
Sounds like snippets of our real-life world in 2020 — but in fact everything I’ve described is playing out in breathtaking 70mm in the main theater of the iconic Music Box Theatre in Lake View, which is open for limited capacity, social distance screening.
Over the last 126 days, I’ve watched more than a hundred films and streaming releases for review — but all at home. The last time I screened a film in a public environment was on March 10: the forgettable Vin Diesel actioner “Bloodshot” at the Navy Pier IMAX. I’m breaking the streak with a Saturday afternoon screening of “Interstellar,” Christopher Nolan’s beautiful, sprawling, ambitious, sentimental and sometimes insanely ludicrous sci-fi epic about a NASA pilot named Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) who leads a team of researchers across the galaxy and through a wormhole in search of an inhabitable planet that could be the new home for humankind.
Read the full column from Sun-Times film critic Richard Roeper here.
6:45 a.m. Growing my own food in the times of COVID
The garden hoe, hoe, hoe . . .
Raspberries in the time of COVID.
Yum.
Sprouting from the sun belt in my backyard garden, a five-foot tall patch of blood-red raspberries was proof I’d dug a safe anti-virus haven for myself.
But as the purple irises, pink climbing roses and Virginia bluebells gave way to pastel pink astilbes, buzzing bee balm and God knows whatever else I obsessively tossed into my crazy lady backyard, the call of the wild whispered in my ear.
It spit: “Forget the flowers, toots!”
It asked: “What about the climbing cucumber, acidic home-grown tomato, slender green bean and splendid baby zucchini?”
It advised: “Get a grip! Grow what you eat!”
Read the full column by Michael Sneed here.


chicagosun-times--2020-07-19--Boys, 10 and 11, among 3 shot in Gresham

Three people were shot Sunday in Gresham , including two preteen boys .
The shooting happened just after 4:30 p.m. @ @ @ @ @ a vehicle outside a home in the 8200 block of South Ada Street , according @ @ @ @ @ boys , 10 and 11 , were both taken to Comer Children ’ s Hospital @ @ @ @ @ police said .
The 10-year-old was shot in the ankle and calf , while the @ @ @ @ @ arm .
Chicago fire officials initially said the boys were in fair-to-serious condition .
A @ @ @ @ @ the leg and arm and taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center , where @ @ @ @ @ condition , police said .
Fire officials first said he was in serious-to-critical condition .
@ @ @ @ @ as Area Two detectives investigate .
Read more on crime , and track the city @ @ @ @

An evening dedicated to celebrating the life of a man who fell victim to gun violence two years ago Sunday turned tragic after three of his family members, including two preteen boys, were shot in Gresham.
At least four people were sitting outside a home in the 8200 block of South Ada Street — less than half a mile away from where the man, Kenshaw Youngblood, was shot on this day in 2018 — when someone opened fire from a vehicle around 4:30 p.m., according to Chicago police and a family member.
The boys, 10 and 11, were both taken to Comer Children’s Hospital in good condition, Chicago police said. The 10-year-old was shot in the ankle and calf, while the 11-year-old was struck in the arm.
A 27-year-old man was shot in the leg and arm and taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was also in good condition, police said.
The family was gathering at dusk for a candlelight vigil to celebrate the life of Youngblood, who was killed two years ago Sunday. He was 34.
Juanita Youngblood, the mother of the late Kenshaw, said she was on her way to the house when she got a call from her sister that her two nephews and another family member had been shot.
Juanita Youngblood said she’s still waiting for justice to be served in the death of her son. Madeline Kenney/Chicago Sun-Times
“My son was murdered two years ago today, and we were out here to celebrate my son and celebrate his life and here they come down the street,” Youngblood said. “This is my family. I’m tired of this here. That’s my father sitting on the porch, they could’ve got him. Something really needs to be done about this here. I’m tired of it.”
The boys are two of nine children who have been shot over the weekend as of 8 p.m. Sunday. At least 101 kids have been shot in Chicago since May 1, according to Chicago Sun-Times records.
Kennetha Conner, another close relative to Sunday’s victims, called for an end to the gun violence that has plagued the city.
“I want it to stop,” she said. “[They treat it like] it’s just another black kid, that’s what we feel like, that’s what it looks like.”
Conner and Youngblood demanded justice.
“When is it going to end? That’s the question,” Conner said. “And they haven’t found the person that killed my brother, like, they don’t do anything and it’s sad. … People feel like we want pity, but we don’t want pity we want the truth. Stop taking the lives of young brothers.”
No one is in custody as Area 2 detectives investigate.


chicagosun-times--2020-07-19--Illinois’ daily COVID-19 case count dips below 1,000 for first time in four days

Illinois saw its daily COVID-19 case count dip below 1,000 for the first time in four days on Sunday , marking the end of the longest stretch of four-digit daily caseloads since a peak month of May .
Health officials announced another 965 people tested positive for the coronavirus , bringing the state ’ s total to 161,575 cases , though the vast majority have since recovered with Illinois boasting a 95 % recovery rate .
While the daily case count did decrease from the previous few days , the state also received nearly 14,000 fewer test results than the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed among the latest batch of 32,113 test results reported to the Illinois Department of Public Health , for a daily positivity rate of 3 % .
In each of the past three days , Illinois processed more than 40,000 tests , including a record-setting batch of 46,099 test results Saturday .
In total , Illinois has performed more than 2.24 million tests over the last four months .
The state ’ s rolling positivity rate over the past week is 2.9 % , which is a mild increase from mid-June when it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lower than the 17 % positivity rate Illinois saw at the height of its pandemic in mid-May .
Health officials also recorded an additional six deaths attributed to COVID-19 Sunday , bringing the state ’ s death toll to 7,296 .
Illinois has seen some of its lowest daily tolls this month , recording six days with 10 or fewer coronavirus-related deaths .
As of Saturday night , 1,356 coronavirus patients were hospitalized in Illinois , with 320 of those patients in intensive care units and 132 on ventilators , officials said .

Illinois saw its daily COVID-19 case count dip below 1,000 for the first time in four days on Sunday, marking the end of the longest stretch of four-digit daily caseloads since a peak month of May.
Health officials announced another 965 people tested positive for the coronavirus, bringing the state’s total to 161,575 cases, though the vast majority have since recovered with Illinois boasting a 95% recovery rate.
While the daily case count did decrease from the previous few days, the state also received nearly 14,000 fewer test results than the previous day.
The new cases were confirmed among the latest batch of 32,113 test results reported to the Illinois Department of Public Health, for a daily positivity rate of 3%. In each of the past three days, Illinois processed more than 40,000 tests, including a record-setting batch of 46,099 test results Saturday.
In total, Illinois has performed more than 2.24 million tests over the last four months.
The state’s rolling positivity rate over the past week is 2.9%, which is a mild increase from mid-June when it was just 2% but still drastically lower than the 17% positivity rate Illinois saw at the height of its pandemic in mid-May.
Health officials also recorded an additional six deaths attributed to COVID-19 Sunday, bringing the state’s death toll to 7,296.
Illinois has seen some of its lowest daily tolls this month, recording six days with 10 or fewer coronavirus-related deaths.
As of Saturday night, 1,356 coronavirus patients were hospitalized in Illinois, with 320 of those patients in intensive care units and 132 on ventilators, officials said.


chicagosun-times--2020-07-20--Man killed in Gary shooting

Man killed in Gary shooting

A man was shot to death Sunday in Gary , Indiana .
Officers responding to a call of shots fired @ @ @ @ @ man face-down near 6th Avenue and Maryland Street , Gary police said .
He was @ @ @ @ @ , where he was pronounced dead .
The Lake County , Indiana , coroner ’ @ @ @ @ @ as 29-year-old Keith Daniel .
An autopsy ruled his death a homicide .
Daniel lived @ @ @ @ @ ’ s office said .
Read more on crime , and track the city ’ @ @ @

A man was shot to death Sunday in Gary, Indiana.
Officers responding to a call of shots fired about 2:50 p.m. found the man face-down near 6th Avenue and Maryland Street, Gary police said. He was rushed to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The Lake County, Indiana, coroner’s office identified the man as 29-year-old Keith Daniel. An autopsy ruled his death a homicide.
Daniel lived in Gary, the coroner’s office said.
Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.


chicagosun-times--2020-07-20--Dear Abby: Boyfriend, who makes fun of scam victims, doesn’t know I’m one

DEAR ABBY : After using online dating for almost a year , I have met someone , and it ’ s getting serious .
Problem is , during some of our first conversations , he talked about his previous online experiences .
One involved a woman who asked him for money and how stupid she must ’ ve thought he was .
Another time , he told me he couldn ’ t understand how a person could send money to someone they met online and had never met in person .
Well , this person ( me ) , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , is one of those who was drawn in by an online person .
I sent money several times .
I am a well-educated and successful professional who is so ashamed of this that I haven ’ t gone to the authorities .
I cut ties with the person to whom I loaned the money .
He promised to pay me back , but I haven ’ t seen a penny .
I haven ’ t told a soul I did this .
Should I disclose this to my boyfriend ?
I want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I also wonder if what ’ s in the past should be left in the past .
Please advise me .
— ASHAMED SOUTHERN LADY DEAR LADY : I see no reason for you to discuss this with the man you are currently seeing , unless it is to enlighten him that even well-educated , successful people can be gullible under the right circumstances .
Fortunately for you , you weren ’ t seriously damaged by the person ’ s failure to repay you .
( Other intelligent , but trusting , people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you feel you were taken advantage of , it couldn ’ t hurt to notify the authorities .
Yes it ’ s embarrassing , but human beings make mistakes .
If you were preyed upon and the person was a scammer , you might be doing someone else a favor by reporting it .
DEAR ABBY : My granddaughter-to-be is an absolute doll .
She ’ s perfect for my grandson , and I think they were meant for each other .
My concern is her family .
They treat her like the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cooks , does laundry and takes care of her disabled sister .
She is 21 , but because she ’ s living with her parents until she and my grandson are married , she has to ask permission to go anywhere or do anything .
She also believes everything they tell her , which is mostly B.S .
My fear is that her family will interfere with their marriage and expect her to still take care of her lazy relatives .
She has told them things will change once she ’ s married @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they will expect her to continue taking care of their household .
How can I convince her to set boundaries without sounding like I ’ m trying to manipulate her myself ?
— ONLY WANTS THE BEST FOR THEM DEAR ONLY WANTS : Creating boundaries is going to be a new experience for this young woman .
While it may eventually be liberating , it probably won ’ t be comfortable in the beginning .
Thankfully , she will have your grandson at her side to reinforce her .
Befriend her and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ With parents as controlling as you describe , she ’ s going to need all the support and validation she can get .
When she needs to strengthen her backbone , remind ( don ’ t lecture ) her that as a married woman , her first priority must be her husband and — if they are blessed with any — her children , and repeat that important message often .
Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren , also known as Jeanne Phillips , and was founded by her mother , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ www.DearAbby.com or P.O .
Box 69440 , Los Angeles , CA 90069 .
Good advice for everyone — teens to seniors — is in “ The Anger in All of Us and How to Deal With It.
” To order , send your name and mailing address , plus check or money order for $ 8 ( U.S. funds ) , to : Dear Abby , Anger Booklet , P.O .
Box 447 , Mount Morris , IL 61054-0447 .
( Shipping and handling are included in the price . )

DEAR ABBY: After using online dating for almost a year, I have met someone, and it’s getting serious. Problem is, during some of our first conversations, he talked about his previous online experiences. One involved a woman who asked him for money and how stupid she must’ve thought he was. Another time, he told me he couldn’t understand how a person could send money to someone they met online and had never met in person.
Well, this person (me), who he thinks is so smart and successful, is one of those who was drawn in by an online person. I sent money several times. I am a well-educated and successful professional who is so ashamed of this that I haven’t gone to the authorities. I cut ties with the person to whom I loaned the money. He promised to pay me back, but I haven’t seen a penny.
I haven’t told a soul I did this. Should I disclose this to my boyfriend? I want to be honest with him, but I also wonder if what’s in the past should be left in the past. Please advise me. — ASHAMED SOUTHERN LADY
DEAR LADY: I see no reason for you to discuss this with the man you are currently seeing, unless it is to enlighten him that even well-educated, successful people can be gullible under the right circumstances. Fortunately for you, you weren’t seriously damaged by the person’s failure to repay you. (Other intelligent, but trusting, people have suffered irreparable damage.)
Because you feel you were taken advantage of, it couldn’t hurt to notify the authorities. Yes it’s embarrassing, but human beings make mistakes. If you were preyed upon and the person was a scammer, you might be doing someone else a favor by reporting it.
DEAR ABBY: My granddaughter-to-be is an absolute doll. She’s perfect for my grandson, and I think they were meant for each other. My concern is her family. They treat her like the stepsisters treated Cinderella.
She cleans, cooks, does laundry and takes care of her disabled sister. She is 21, but because she’s living with her parents until she and my grandson are married, she has to ask permission to go anywhere or do anything. She also believes everything they tell her, which is mostly B.S.
My fear is that her family will interfere with their marriage and expect her to still take care of her lazy relatives. She has told them things will change once she’s married, but because she is easily manipulated, they will expect her to continue taking care of their household. How can I convince her to set boundaries without sounding like I’m trying to manipulate her myself? — ONLY WANTS THE BEST FOR THEM
DEAR ONLY WANTS: Creating boundaries is going to be a new experience for this young woman. While it may eventually be liberating, it probably won’t be comfortable in the beginning. Thankfully, she will have your grandson at her side to reinforce her.
Befriend her and listen when she needs to talk. With parents as controlling as you describe, she’s going to need all the support and validation she can get. When she needs to strengthen her backbone, remind (don’t lecture) her that as a married woman, her first priority must be her husband and — if they are blessed with any — her children, and repeat that important message often.
Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.
Good advice for everyone — teens to seniors — is in “The Anger in All of Us and How to Deal With It.” To order, send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $8 (U.S. funds), to: Dear Abby, Anger Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. (Shipping and handling are included in the price.)


chicagosun-times--2020-07-20--Mother’s 3rd child a victim of Chicago violence: ‘He was my last baby. I want justice’

Patricia Pearson has lived Chicago ’ s violence .
Not like those of us shaking our heads from a distance , but up close and personal .
It has stalked her — nearly claiming the life of her 12-year-old daughter , Aisha Pearson , in a 1995 shooting in the 3400 block of West Monroe .
Her daughter survived , living with a bullet lodged in her shoulder until her death in a car accident in 2005 .
In 1999 , Chicago violence then claimed the life of Pearson ’ s 26-year-old son , Eric Fluckers , in a shooting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Avenue .
And this month , it came for the last of her three children , Venyon Fluckers , 43 , a father of three , whom police said was killed in a July 11 shooting in the 300 block of North Ashland Avenue , in another violent summer weekend that saw 13 people killed , 64 shot .
The violence continued unabated this past weekend , with seven killed , 57 shot as of Sunday evening .
“ My heart is heavy .
He was my last baby , ” said Pearson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ He was on his way to my house , ” she said , hours after leaving the morgue , where she identified her son ’ s body two days after the murder .
“ I didn ’ t get justice in Eric ’ s killing or Aisha ’ s shooting .
I was too emotional to push , ” said the inconsolable mother , dissolving into tears .
“ This time I want to know what happened .
And I ’ m trusting and believing and hoping police will do their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Migration brought Pearson ’ s grandparents to Chicago from Mississippi .
Born in Mississippi , Pearson was 3 when the West Side became home to her parents and their four children .
She married , divorced , had three children .
She worked in the banking and insurance industry many years , transitioning into the home care industry after a disability .
It was in November 1995 that her daughter , then 12 , was shot , sitting in the car with two women outside her uncle ’ s home , waiting for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take them to the movies .
Her daughter said she saw a man in a ski mask approach with a gun drawn .
The child opened the door to get out , and the man shot up the car , striking all three inside .
Thankfully , all survived .
Doctors said one of the two bullets that struck Aisha was too close to her spine to try to remove .
The shooting was never solved .
“ When I got the call , a neighbor rushed me down there .
My baby @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shot twice .
One woman was shot in the jaw , the other , shot in the side , ” Pearson recounted .
“ But let me tell you how it was written up .
The media said the shooting was drug related — that it was a rival , shooting at a drug dealer .
My daughter was 12 , a good girl who had never missed a day of school .
That ’ s how police color these things , and how the media does us.
” Aisha lived with that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day on March 1 , 2005 , when the 21-year-old was killed driving from Chicago back to Remington College in Nashville , Tenn .
But before the loss of Aisha , Pearson had lost her first son to Chicago violence on April 5 , 1999 .
Eric Fluckers had gotten into a physical fight on the street with another young man , whose cousin showed up , exited a car with a gun , and shot and killed Fluckers .
“ The young man that killed my son initially was charged with first-degree @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and never served a day in jail , ” Pearson said .
“ My son never had a chance against a gun .
I told the state ’ s attorney who let him go , ‘ You don ’ t care no more about this young man than you cared about my son , because you didn ’ t lock him up to give him a chance to think about what he did.
’ But the Lord gave me the chance to tell the young man I forgave him , ” the mother @ @ @ @ @ @ @ store , and I heard someone call his name out .
I walked over , told him I was Eric ’ s mother and asked if he had any remorse for killing my son .
His friends started pulling him away , and I told him , ‘ I forgive you .
But you got ta fall on your knees and ask God to forgive you because it could happen to you , too , ’ ” Pearson recounted .
“ And it did .
On May 10 , 2000 , exactly a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my son was killed , I got a call the young man who killed him had been murdered.
” Last week , the news that Chicago ’ s violence had claimed the last of her three children was brought to her at a funeral .
Police found her son ’ s I.D .
on him and contacted one of her son ’ s own three children .
Several family members then went to the funeral to get Pearson .
“ When my granddaughter came in , I took one look at her face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , ‘ What is it ?
Tell me.
’ She just shook her head and said , ‘ I can ’ t , Grandma , ’ ” recounted Pearson .
“ When we got outside and I saw more family members , I just knew , ” she said through tears .
“ I said , ‘ Don ’ t tell me something ’ s happened to my last baby.
’ She said , ‘ Grandma , he ’ s dead.
’ I just fell to my knees , screaming , ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did I do ?
Why ?
Why ?
’ ” Police said her son , an over-the-road truck driver who lived in the Austin neighborhood , was found on the street with multiple gunshot wounds to the chest at about 1:32 a.m. and pronounced dead on the scene .
An autopsy ruled his death a homicide .
Chicago Police Area 3 detectives are investigating .
It ’ s easy to shake our heads from a distance but impossible to understand the impact of Chicago ’ s violence unless you live in neighborhoods where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ For this mother , and for so many Chicago families , the violence is up close and personal .
“ When is Chicago going to get a handle on the violence claiming our children ’ s lives ?
My heart has been heavy for the babies killed this summer , a 20-month-old , 3-year-old , 10-year-old , 13-year-old , on and on .
It must stop .
It has to stop , ” Pearson sighs .
“ Why are there so many guns out here ?
I can ’ t even look at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tired .
But this time I want justice .
”

Patricia Pearson has lived Chicago’s violence. Not like those of us shaking our heads from a distance, but up close and personal.
It has stalked her — nearly claiming the life of her 12-year-old daughter, Aisha Pearson, in a 1995 shooting in the 3400 block of West Monroe. Her daughter survived, living with a bullet lodged in her shoulder until her death in a car accident in 2005.
In 1999, Chicago violence then claimed the life of Pearson’s 26-year-old son, Eric Fluckers, in a shooting in the 300 block of South Lotus Avenue.
And this month, it came for the last of her three children, Venyon Fluckers, 43, a father of three, whom police said was killed in a July 11 shooting in the 300 block of North Ashland Avenue, in another violent summer weekend that saw 13 people killed, 64 shot.
The violence continued unabated this past weekend, with seven killed, 57 shot as of Sunday evening.
“My heart is heavy. He was my last baby,” said Pearson, 67, of the West Loop.
“He was on his way to my house,” she said, hours after leaving the morgue, where she identified her son’s body two days after the murder.
“I didn’t get justice in Eric’s killing or Aisha’s shooting. I was too emotional to push,” said the inconsolable mother, dissolving into tears. “This time I want to know what happened. And I’m trusting and believing and hoping police will do their job and find out.”
The Great Migration brought Pearson’s grandparents to Chicago from Mississippi. Born in Mississippi, Pearson was 3 when the West Side became home to her parents and their four children. She married, divorced, had three children. She worked in the banking and insurance industry many years, transitioning into the home care industry after a disability.
It was in November 1995 that her daughter, then 12, was shot, sitting in the car with two women outside her uncle’s home, waiting for a family friend to come out and take them to the movies. Her daughter said she saw a man in a ski mask approach with a gun drawn.
The child opened the door to get out, and the man shot up the car, striking all three inside. Thankfully, all survived. Doctors said one of the two bullets that struck Aisha was too close to her spine to try to remove. The shooting was never solved.
“When I got the call, a neighbor rushed me down there. My baby was laying on the concrete steps, shot twice. One woman was shot in the jaw, the other, shot in the side,” Pearson recounted.
“But let me tell you how it was written up. The media said the shooting was drug related — that it was a rival, shooting at a drug dealer. My daughter was 12, a good girl who had never missed a day of school. That’s how police color these things, and how the media does us.”
Aisha lived with that bullet in her shoulder until the tragic day on March 1, 2005, when the 21-year-old was killed driving from Chicago back to Remington College in Nashville, Tenn.
But before the loss of Aisha, Pearson had lost her first son to Chicago violence on April 5, 1999. Eric Fluckers had gotten into a physical fight on the street with another young man, whose cousin showed up, exited a car with a gun, and shot and killed Fluckers.
“The young man that killed my son initially was charged with first-degree murder but claimed self-defense, got off and never served a day in jail,” Pearson said.
“My son never had a chance against a gun. I told the state’s attorney who let him go, ‘You don’t care no more about this young man than you cared about my son, because you didn’t lock him up to give him a chance to think about what he did.’ But the Lord gave me the chance to tell the young man I forgave him,” the mother said.
“I was at the store, and I heard someone call his name out. I walked over, told him I was Eric’s mother and asked if he had any remorse for killing my son. His friends started pulling him away, and I told him, ‘I forgive you. But you gotta fall on your knees and ask God to forgive you because it could happen to you, too,’” Pearson recounted.
“And it did. On May 10, 2000, exactly a year and one month to the day my son was killed, I got a call the young man who killed him had been murdered.”
Last week, the news that Chicago’s violence had claimed the last of her three children was brought to her at a funeral. Police found her son’s I.D. on him and contacted one of her son’s own three children. Several family members then went to the funeral to get Pearson.
Police said Patricia Pearson’s son, Venyon Fluckers, 43, of the Austin neighborhood, was found on the street in the 300 block of South Lotus Avenue with multiple gunshot wounds to the chest, at about 1:32 a.m. on July 11. Ruled a homicide, no one is yet in custody, as Area 3 detectives investigate. “He’s my last baby. I want justice,” said his mother. Provided
“When my granddaughter came in, I took one look at her face and knew something was wrong. I said, ‘What is it? Tell me.’ She just shook her head and said, ‘I can’t, Grandma,’” recounted Pearson.
“When we got outside and I saw more family members, I just knew,” she said through tears. “I said, ‘Don’t tell me something’s happened to my last baby.’ She said, ‘Grandma, he’s dead.’ I just fell to my knees, screaming, ‘Jesus! No! No! What did I do? Why? Why?’”
Police said her son, an over-the-road truck driver who lived in the Austin neighborhood, was found on the street with multiple gunshot wounds to the chest at about 1:32 a.m. and pronounced dead on the scene. An autopsy ruled his death a homicide. Chicago Police Area 3 detectives are investigating.
It’s easy to shake our heads from a distance but impossible to understand the impact of Chicago’s violence unless you live in neighborhoods where it stalks you, notes Pearson.
For this mother, and for so many Chicago families, the violence is up close and personal.
“When is Chicago going to get a handle on the violence claiming our children’s lives? My heart has been heavy for the babies killed this summer, a 20-month-old, 3-year-old, 10-year-old, 13-year-old, on and on. It must stop. It has to stop,” Pearson sighs.
“Why are there so many guns out here? I can’t even look at the news anymore. I’m tired. But this time I want justice.”


chicagosun-times--2020-07-20--Man shot to death, 2 hurt at large party near Crete

A Chicago man was killed and two other people were injured in a shooting Friday at a large party near south suburban Crete .
Will County sheriff ’ s deputies were called about several fights at 11:54 p.m. at a home in the 25000 block of Stoney Island Avenue in an unincorporated area near Crete , the sheriff ’ s office said in a statement .
About 150 to 200 people were estimated to be at the party .
The first deputy on the scene saw someone open fire from a distance at a large group of partygoers outside the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s office .
Individuals in the group were also fighting with each other .
Authorities found 23-year-old Deangelo Young of Chicago inside the home with a gunshot wound , according to the sheriff ’ s office .
He was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead .
Paramedics took a second person to a hospital in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the chest , the sheriff ’ s office said .
A third victim was driven to a hospital by partygoers and was stabilized .
Initial reports from investigators “ indicate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the residence were not from the local area , ” the sheriff ’ s office said .
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call Detective Daryl Morse at 815-727-8574 , ext .
4947 , or Will County Crime Stoppers at 800-323-6734 .
Read more on crime , and track the city ’ s homicides .

A Chicago man was killed and two other people were injured in a shooting Friday at a large party near south suburban Crete.
Will County sheriff’s deputies were called about several fights at 11:54 p.m. at a home in the 25000 block of Stoney Island Avenue in an unincorporated area near Crete, the sheriff’s office said in a statement. About 150 to 200 people were estimated to be at the party.
The first deputy on the scene saw someone open fire from a distance at a large group of partygoers outside the home, according to the sheriff’s office. Individuals in the group were also fighting with each other.
Authorities found 23-year-old Deangelo Young of Chicago inside the home with a gunshot wound, according to the sheriff’s office. He was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead.
Paramedics took a second person to a hospital in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the chest, the sheriff’s office said. A third victim was driven to a hospital by partygoers and was stabilized.
Initial reports from investigators “indicate that most, if not all individuals at the residence were not from the local area,” the sheriff’s office said.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call Detective Daryl Morse at 815-727-8574, ext. 4947, or Will County Crime Stoppers at 800-323-6734.
Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.


chicagosun-times--2020-07-20--Man relaunching a South Side blues venue aims to keep the music — and the charm — the same

When a well-known nightclub reboots under new management , the temptation to operate differently from the previous regime looms large .
Warren Berger , who in 2018 took over ownership of Lee ’ s Unleaded Blues , a popular blues bar located in Grand Crossing ( 7401 S. South Chicago Ave. ) , heard similar refrains regarding the area surrounding the venue .
He wants Lee ’ s to stay the same — or least retain some semblance of the charm that led so many blues aficionados to its doors over the years .
“ At a point , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do here with some people from the city , and a recommendation was made we should move the bar to another local area of greater concentration of development , but I felt very strongly that I wanted to keep it here ; I think it ’ s an institution , ” said Berger .
“ I can think of an example of where someone on the North Side took a really vintage , neat bar , and they bought it — a neighborhood institution — and they changed it .
“ They upgraded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it — and people didn ’ t come there .
They lost their crowd even though it was this fancy place now .
You didn ’ t have the character .
And that ’ s why this bar will continue to have the interior character that it has.
” Lee ’ s , which closed in 2015 , was the go-to place for many of the city ’ s blues artists .
Yvonne Davis took over the venue after the death of her husband , Stan Davis , a retired police officer , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lee ” Grey , Lee ’ s original owners , purchased the bar in 1983 .
“ When she [ Yvonne Davis ] took it over , business was still really good , but understand that in the bar business it takes a certain kind of an individual , ” said Berger .
“ ... You know that ’ s the life you live ; you ’ re out there .
A person who is used to getting up at 6 in the morning and going to work or something ; you know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Berger , who also owns Club Escape ( 1530 E. 75th St. ) , one of the few South Side-based bars that caters to an LGBT clientele , aims for an April relaunch for Lee ’ s .
As a finalist for the city ’ s Neighborhood Opportunity Fund grant , where $ 5.4 million is being shelled out to 32 local businesses , Berger is in line to receive $ 136,000 to rehab the club .
His business is one of the first chosen by Mayor Lori Lightfoot ’ s administration for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ money from downtown developers to help neglected South and West Side neighborhoods .
And Berger also received an assist from 5th Ward Ald .
Leslie Hairston , who sought him out to relaunch the venue .
“ Lee ’ s was one of the last blues clubs in Chicago ; it was the last on the South Side , ” said Hairston , who was a frequent patron of Lee ’ s ; she saw performances from artists such as Shorty Mack .
“ Warren currently runs a club , has run a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ward , he has been a good business owner and has been a good neighbor .
“ [ Lee ’ s ] was a staple in the neighborhood .
People came from all around the world ; it was packed .
We should be able to enjoy the same amenities in our neighborhoods that we have in the past that other neighborhoods get to enjoy.
” Berger is also known for being the proprietor of the now-shuttered , popular neighborhood eatery named South Chicago Seafood , which garnered Berger the nickname “ the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to him wearing tuxedos while diving into a makeshift pool of catfish .
Live catfish were turned into steaks or filets by being butchered on the spot for customers .
While Berger aims to retain the “ charm ” of Lee ’ s , he keeps in mind the effect the COVID-19 pandemic is having on would-be blues consumers ; some folks may not want to jump back into the mix yet .
“ I want people to be able to come here and remember that it ’ s not that much different @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Berger .
“ I mean , the bar itself will be .
Here ’ s the thing : Being in business you have to upgrade some things so that you can service people in a better way .
So the bar may be more compact and more efficient .
But it still has to stay pretty much the way it is.
” With that being said , former customers are excited about Lee ’ s relaunch , Berger says .
“ I have people now calling me , ” said Berger .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and she introduced me .
… So , yeah , there ’ s a strong interest .
”

When a well-known nightclub reboots under new management, the temptation to operate differently from the previous regime looms large.
Warren Berger, who in 2018 took over ownership of Lee’s Unleaded Blues, a popular blues bar located in Grand Crossing (7401 S. South Chicago Ave.), heard similar refrains regarding the area surrounding the venue.
He wants Lee’s to stay the same — or least retain some semblance of the charm that led so many blues aficionados to its doors over the years.
“At a point, we were discussing what we were going to do here with some people from the city, and a recommendation was made we should move the bar to another local area of greater concentration of development, but I felt very strongly that I wanted to keep it here; I think it’s an institution,” said Berger. “I can think of an example of where someone on the North Side took a really vintage, neat bar, and they bought it — a neighborhood institution — and they changed it.
“They upgraded it; it destroyed the charm of it — and people didn’t come there. They lost their crowd even though it was this fancy place now. You didn’t have the character. And that’s why this bar will continue to have the interior character that it has.”
The interior of Lee’s Unleaded Blues at 7401 S. South Chicago Ave. in Grand Crossing, which closed in 2015, Thursday afternoon, July 16, 2020. Warren Berger, owner of Club Escape, purchased the building in 2018 and plans to reopen the popular blues bar in April 2021. | Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times 1 of 10 Warren Berger, 73, of Lincoln Park, who owns Lee’s Unleaded Blues at 7401 S. South Chicago Ave. in Grand Crossing, shows off an original, hand-painted tin sign from the 60s, Thursday afternoon, July 16, 2020. Berger, owner of Club Escape, purchased the building in 2018 and plans to reopen the popular blues bar in April 2021. | Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times 2 of 10 Glasswear collecting dust inside Lee’s Unleaded Blues at 7401 S. South Chicago Ave. in Grand Crossing, which closed in 2015, Thursday afternoon, July 16, 2020. Warren Berger, owner of Club Escape, purchased the building in 2018 and plans to reopen the popular blues bar in April 2021. | Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times 3 of 10 Lee’s Unleaded Blues at 7401 S. South Chicago Ave. in Grand Crossing, which closed in 2015, Thursday afternoon, July 16, 2020. Warren Berger, owner of Club Escape, purchased the building in 2018 and plans to reopen the popular blues bar in April 2021. | Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times 4 of 10 Warren Berger, 73, of Lincoln Park, poses for a portrait at Lee’s Unleaded Blues at 7401 S. South Chicago Ave. in Grand Crossing, which closed in 2015, Thursday afternoon, July 16, 2020. Berger, owner of Club Escape, purchased the building in 2018 and plans to reopen the popular blues bar in April 2021. | Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times 5 of 10 A blues poster still hangs on the wall above the bathrooms at Lee’s Unleaded Blues at 7401 S. South Chicago Ave. in Grand Crossing, which closed in 2015, Thursday afternoon, July 16, 2020. Warren Berger, owner of Club Escape, purchased the building in 2018 and plans to reopen the popular blues bar in April 2021. | Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times 6 of 10 The original tin ceiling tiles are peeling at Lee’s Unleaded Blues at 7401 S. South Chicago Ave. in Grand Crossing, which closed in 2015, Thursday afternoon, July 16, 2020. Warren Berger, owner of Club Escape, purchased the building in 2018 and plans to reopen the popular blues bar in April 2021. | Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times 7 of 10 The interior of Lee’s Unleaded Blues at 7401 S. South Chicago Ave. in Grand Crossing, which closed in 2015, Thursday afternoon, July 16, 2020. Warren Berger, owner of Club Escape, purchased the building in 2018 and plans to reopen the popular blues bar in April 2021. | Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times 8 of 10 Glasswear collecting dust inside Lee’s Unleaded Blues at 7401 S. South Chicago Ave. in Grand Crossing, which closed in 2015, Thursday afternoon, July 16, 2020. Warren Berger, owner of Club Escape, purchased the building in 2018 and plans to reopen the popular blues bar in April 2021. | Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times 9 of 10 Warren Berger, 73, of Lincoln Park, poses for a portrait outside Lee’s Unleaded Blues at 7401 S. South Chicago Ave. in Grand Crossing, which closed in 2015, Thursday afternoon, July 16, 2020. Berger, owner of Club Escape, purchased the building in 2018 and plans to reopen the popular blues bar in April 2021. | Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times 10 of 10
Lee’s, which closed in 2015, was the go-to place for many of the city’s blues artists. Yvonne Davis took over the venue after the death of her husband, Stan Davis, a retired police officer, in 2010. Ray and Leola “Lee” Grey, Lee’s original owners, purchased the bar in 1983.
“When she [Yvonne Davis] took it over, business was still really good, but understand that in the bar business it takes a certain kind of an individual,” said Berger. “... You know that’s the life you live; you’re out there. A person who is used to getting up at 6 in the morning and going to work or something; you know that’s not their thing.”
Berger, who also owns Club Escape (1530 E. 75th St.), one of the few South Side-based bars that caters to an LGBT clientele, aims for an April relaunch for Lee’s.
As a finalist for the city’s Neighborhood Opportunity Fund grant, where $5.4 million is being shelled out to 32 local businesses, Berger is in line to receive $136,000 to rehab the club. His business is one of the first chosen by Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration for cash from the four-year-old program that draws money from downtown developers to help neglected South and West Side neighborhoods.
And Berger also received an assist from 5th Ward Ald. Leslie Hairston, who sought him out to relaunch the venue.
“Lee’s was one of the last blues clubs in Chicago; it was the last on the South Side,” said Hairston, who was a frequent patron of Lee’s; she saw performances from artists such as Shorty Mack. “Warren currently runs a club, has run a club for decades. Here in the ward, he has been a good business owner and has been a good neighbor.
“[Lee’s] was a staple in the neighborhood. People came from all around the world; it was packed. We should be able to enjoy the same amenities in our neighborhoods that we have in the past that other neighborhoods get to enjoy.”
Berger is also known for being the proprietor of the now-shuttered, popular neighborhood eatery named South Chicago Seafood, which garnered Berger the nickname “the live catfish king of Chicago” due to him wearing tuxedos while diving into a makeshift pool of catfish. Live catfish were turned into steaks or filets by being butchered on the spot for customers.
While Berger aims to retain the “charm” of Lee’s, he keeps in mind the effect the COVID-19 pandemic is having on would-be blues consumers; some folks may not want to jump back into the mix yet.
“I want people to be able to come here and remember that it’s not that much different than what it was,” said Berger. “I mean, the bar itself will be. Here’s the thing: Being in business you have to upgrade some things so that you can service people in a better way. So the bar may be more compact and more efficient. But it still has to stay pretty much the way it is.”
With that being said, former customers are excited about Lee’s relaunch, Berger says.
“I have people now calling me,” said Berger. “[Hairston] had a community forum, and she introduced me. … So, yeah, there’s a strong interest.”