chicagosun-times--2020-11-30--Fauci warns Pritzker of ‘post-Thanksgiving surge’ — says it’s ‘no time to pull back’ from  COVID-19

Fauci warns Pritzker of ‘post-Thanksgiving surge’ — says it’s ‘no time to pull back’ from  COVID-19 restrictions

Just hours after he spoke with Dr. Anthony Fauci and other infectious disease experts , Gov .
J.B. Pritzker said Monday none of the state ’ s 11 regions will get any break from Tier 3 coronavirus mitigations “ for the next few weeks.
” The governor opened his daily COVID-19 briefing with the sobering news , citing advice from the Illinois Department of Public Health , Fauci — director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases — and other infectious disease experts .
“ We are still very much in a precarious place , and we have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any Thanksgiving effects before we make any premature adjustments , ” Pritzker said during his Monday briefing on the virus .
“ I spoke with Dr. Fauci this morning to get his input about Illinois ’ situation .
He said the massive number of indoor gatherings by people visiting family and friends across the nation will very likely bring a post-Thanksgiving surge , and he believes this is no time to pull back on mitigations.
” Pritzker spoke to the head of the country ’ s allergy and infectious diseases institute Monday as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Force ’ s Governors Briefing .
The governor ’ s decision comes as the state logs another 6,190 new and probable cases of the coronavirus and 85 new deaths on Monday , ending the month with another relatively lower caseload just weeks after hitting a daily record that topped any other state .
Dr. Ngozi Ezike , the head of the state ’ s department of public health , recommended people get tested later this week if they gathered with others for the Thanksgiving holiday .
The new cases come from a batch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 24 hours .
As of Sunday night , 5,849 people in Illinois were reported to be in hospitals with COVID-19 — of that number , 1,217 patients were in intensive care units and 715 patients who have tested positive for the virus were on ventilators .
The relatively lower caseload brings the total for the month of November to 308,331 cases .
That ’ s more than Illinois saw in the entire first eight months since the pandemic hit the state .
It brings the daily average for November to nearly 10,278 cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the daily average for May , the peak month of the spring surge .
The state continued a streak of case records fewer than 8,000 new cases Monday , though the number of patients fighting the virus in hospitals statewide eclipses the state ’ s spring peak by 23 % Pritzker said .
“ We had hoped to see more progress in lowering hospitalizations by now , ” Pritzker said , warning that is the state is not “ especially careful right now ” the surge could overwhelm the healthcare system .
His @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , after Dec. 10 , there will be “ relatively quick distribution ” of a vaccine manufactured by Pfizer once they receive emergency use authorization .
Who will get that vaccine first , beyond first responders , is still being worked out — the governor said he wants to make sure “ adults who are most vulnerable ” get the vaccine early on .
While the daily caseloads of the last few days are still twice what the state was seeing in May , they are down considerably from earlier in November , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days .
The state saw its all-time high of 15,415 new cases on Nov. 13 — more than any other state in the nation has ever logged in a single day throughout eight months of the pandemic .
Four days later , Pritzker announced the closures of museums , theaters and casinos across Illinois among a slew of other business restrictions to curb the spread of the virus , though those restrictions stopped well short of a second statewide stay-at-home order .
The Tier 3 mitigations also include reducing capacity limits at big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 50 % to 25 % .
Grocery stores and pharmacies remain at the 50 % capacity limits that were already in place .
Gyms were also scaled down to 25 % capacity , while indoor group fitness classes were stopped completely .
Personal services that require masks to be taken off , such as facials and beard trims , are also suspended under the Tier 3 mitigations , as are indoor youth and adult recreational sports .
Preparing for a potential post-Thanksgiving surge , health officials said cases attributed to people who may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could begin appearing in the data as early as this week .
Pritzker and state health officials warned residents last week to avoid gathering with people outside of their immediate household to avoid catching the deadly virus .
“ Thanksgiving this year needs to be different , ” Pritzker said Tuesday .
“ To those who haven ’ t yet changed your plans , the doctors are asking all of us to skip the big group dinner this year .
The vaccines that seem to be on the horizon can ’ t help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ On Monday , Pritzker said it ’ s “ impossible ” to know what the state ’ s coronavirus figures will look like later in December ahead of Christmas .
“ How will it look on Dec. 20th or 25th , I can ’ t tell you , ” Pritzker said .
“ This virus tends to surprise everybody .
”

Just hours after he spoke with Dr. Anthony Fauci and other infectious disease experts, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Monday none of the state’s 11 regions will get any break from Tier 3 coronavirus mitigations “for the next few weeks.”
The governor opened his daily COVID-19 briefing with the sobering news, citing advice from the Illinois Department of Public Health, Fauci — director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases — and other infectious disease experts.
“We are still very much in a precarious place, and we have got to take the time to evaluate any Thanksgiving effects before we make any premature adjustments,” Pritzker said during his Monday briefing on the virus.
“I spoke with Dr. Fauci this morning to get his input about Illinois’ situation. He said the massive number of indoor gatherings by people visiting family and friends across the nation will very likely bring a post-Thanksgiving surge, and he believes this is no time to pull back on mitigations.”
Dr. Anthony Fauci speaks during a news conference in Washington last week. Susan Walsh/AP file
Pritzker spoke to the head of the country’s allergy and infectious diseases institute Monday as part of the White House Coronavirus Task Force’s Governors Briefing.
The governor’s decision comes as the state logs another 6,190 new and probable cases of the coronavirus and 85 new deaths on Monday, ending the month with another relatively lower caseload just weeks after hitting a daily record that topped any other state.
Dr. Ngozi Ezike, the head of the state’s department of public health, recommended people get tested later this week if they gathered with others for the Thanksgiving holiday.
The new cases come from a batch of 66,980 tests conducted in the past 24 hours.
As of Sunday night, 5,849 people in Illinois were reported to be in hospitals with COVID-19 — of that number, 1,217 patients were in intensive care units and 715 patients who have tested positive for the virus were on ventilators.
The relatively lower caseload brings the total for the month of November to 308,331 cases. That’s more than Illinois saw in the entire first eight months since the pandemic hit the state. It brings the daily average for November to nearly 10,278 cases. That’s almost five times the daily average for May, the peak month of the spring surge.
The state continued a streak of case records fewer than 8,000 new cases Monday, though the number of patients fighting the virus in hospitals statewide eclipses the state’s spring peak by 23% Pritzker said.
“We had hoped to see more progress in lowering hospitalizations by now,” Pritzker said, warning that is the state is not “especially careful right now” the surge could overwhelm the healthcare system.
His hope, and expectation, is that, after Dec. 10, there will be “relatively quick distribution” of a vaccine manufactured by Pfizer once they receive emergency use authorization.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker answers questions during his daily COVID-19 update at the James R. Thompson Center in the Loop on Monday. Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times file
Who will get that vaccine first, beyond first responders, is still being worked out — the governor said he wants to make sure “adults who are most vulnerable” get the vaccine early on.
While the daily caseloads of the last few days are still twice what the state was seeing in May, they are down considerably from earlier in November, which included one 12-day stretch of 10,000-plus days.
The state saw its all-time high of 15,415 new cases on Nov. 13 — more than any other state in the nation has ever logged in a single day throughout eight months of the pandemic.
Four days later, Pritzker announced the closures of museums, theaters and casinos across Illinois among a slew of other business restrictions to curb the spread of the virus, though those restrictions stopped well short of a second statewide stay-at-home order.
The Tier 3 mitigations also include reducing capacity limits at big box stores and most other retailers from 50% to 25%. Grocery stores and pharmacies remain at the 50% capacity limits that were already in place.
Gyms were also scaled down to 25% capacity, while indoor group fitness classes were stopped completely. Personal services that require masks to be taken off, such as facials and beard trims, are also suspended under the Tier 3 mitigations, as are indoor youth and adult recreational sports.
Preparing for a potential post-Thanksgiving surge, health officials said cases attributed to people who may have gathered for the holiday last week could begin appearing in the data as early as this week.
Pritzker and state health officials warned residents last week to avoid gathering with people outside of their immediate household to avoid catching the deadly virus.
“Thanksgiving this year needs to be different,” Pritzker said Tuesday. “To those who haven’t yet changed your plans, the doctors are asking all of us to skip the big group dinner this year. The vaccines that seem to be on the horizon can’t help you if you get sick now.”
On Monday, Pritzker said it’s “impossible” to know what the state’s coronavirus figures will look like later in December ahead of Christmas.
“How will it look on Dec. 20th or 25th, I can’t tell you,” Pritzker said. “This virus tends to surprise everybody.”


chicagosun-times--2020-11-30--Someone stole the ‘Black’ from a Black Lives Matter sign outside an Evanston church — neighbors were

Someone stole the ‘Black’ from a Black Lives Matter sign outside an Evanston church — neighbors weren’t having it

A banner expressing support for Black Lives Matter was vandalized outside an Evanston church over the weekend .
A vandal apparently used a razor blade to cut the word BLACK from a banner outside the Northminster Presbyterian Church that read “ BLACK LIVES MATTER To God and To Us.
” It happened sometime overnight from Saturday into Sunday , according to Senior Pastor Michael D. Kirby .
As word spread in the neighborhood Sunday morning , support began to pour in .
Supportive messages written in chalk appeared on sidewalks outside the church .
People took their Black Lives Matter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ church .
And someone wrote ‘ BLACK ’ on a piece of paper and taped it back in the sign .
An anonymous donor paid for 10 new banners .
“ One will replace ours and others will be donated to other faith communities , ” Kirby said .
“ This is not going to deter us ; we ’ re going to work to dismantle white supremacy and do what we can to dismantle and surrender white privilege , ” said Kirby , who reported the vandalism to the Evanston Police Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t cover the area of the banner .
“ It ’ s a sad reflection of the fear within the people who did this , and it inspires us all the more , ” Kirby said .

A banner expressing support for Black Lives Matter was vandalized outside an Evanston church over the weekend.
A vandal apparently used a razor blade to cut the word BLACK from a banner outside the Northminster Presbyterian Church that read “BLACK LIVES MATTER To God and To Us.”
It happened sometime overnight from Saturday into Sunday, according to Senior Pastor Michael D. Kirby.
As word spread in the neighborhood Sunday morning, support began to pour in.
Supportive messages written in chalk appeared on sidewalks outside the church. People took their Black Lives Matter yard signs and put them outside the church. And someone wrote ‘BLACK’ on a piece of paper and taped it back in the sign.
“The neighborhood responded pretty dramatically,” Kirby said.
An anonymous donor paid for 10 new banners.
“One will replace ours and others will be donated to other faith communities,” Kirby said.
“This is not going to deter us; we’re going to work to dismantle white supremacy and do what we can to dismantle and surrender white privilege,” said Kirby, who reported the vandalism to the Evanston Police Department.
Kirby said church security cameras didn’t cover the area of the banner.
“It’s a sad reflection of the fear within the people who did this, and it inspires us all the more,” Kirby said.


chicagosun-times--2020-11-30--Public meeting on General Iron scheduled for next week

Mayor Lori Lightfoot ’ s Administration will hold a meeting next week and is giving residents 30 days to comment on plans top open a car-shredding operation on the Southeast Side that will replace General Iron ’ s longtime home in Lincoln Park .
General Iron ’ s owner Reserve Management Group has filed an application with the city ’ s Department of Public Health for a final permit needed to open its car and metal-shredding business on East 116th Street along the Calumet River .
The facility , which is under construction , is opposed by community groups concerned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already suffers from poor air quality .
The city also will host a virtual public meeting at 6 p.m. Dec. 10 to discuss the process .
“ I know this has been a long and complicated conversation , ” Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Allison Arwady said in an interview .
“ There ’ s a community meeting scheduled and the hope really is to help explain to folks about where we are interested in input.
” One community activist said she feared an online hearing with a little more than a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attended .
“ We ’ ve seen low turnout to previous virtual hearings because many people do not have access to the technology needed to attend , ” said Olga Bautista , a Southeast Side resident and organizer .
“ The city and our elected officials do very little to make sure Spanish speakers , elderly residents and others know about it and participate.
” The public comment period began Monday and will run through Dec. 30 .
Written comments can be submitted to envcomments @ cityofchicago.org .
The city also has posted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ documents online .
Public health officials are expected to post a draft of the permit online before issuing it and will take public comments for 30 days after that time , a city spokesman said .
The planned closure of the facility in white Lincoln Park and expected opening of a new operation in Latino-majority East Side has prompted charges of environmental racism .
The proposed South Side shredding operation has spurred a lawsuit in federal court in Chicago and a complaint to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are being violated .
HUD asked the city to hold off issuing the permit as the agency investigates the allegations .
In a recent letter to HUD , a city lawyer accused Southeast Side residents of “ hyperbolic allegations ” about the proposed operation and said that “ allegations about negative environmental impact ” are “ factually unfounded.
” Neighbors to General Iron ’ s Lincoln Park location have complained for years about the dust , smell and noise from the operation .
RMG settled a number of city citations related to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ May , agreeing in early November to pay $ 18,000 .
Past citations and allegations of violations in Lincoln Park will have no bearing on the new RMG South Side permit application , the city has said .
RMG , which will rebrand the General Iron business Southside Recycling , has said it expects a rigorous city permit process .
Brett Chase ’ s reporting on the environment and public health is made possible by a grant from The Chicago Community Trust .

Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration will hold a meeting next week and is giving residents 30 days to comment on plans to open a car-shredding operation on the Southeast Side that will replace General Iron’s longtime home in Lincoln Park.
General Iron’s owner Reserve Management Group has filed an application with the city’s Department of Public Health for a final permit needed to open its car and metal-shredding business on East 116th Street along the Calumet River. The facility, which is under construction, is opposed by community groups concerned about additional pollution in an area that already suffers from poor air quality.
La Voz Sidebar 2023 Lea este artículo en español en La Voz Chicago.
The city also will host a virtual public meeting at 6 p.m. Dec. 10 to discuss the process.
“I know this has been a long and complicated conversation,” Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Allison Arwady said in an interview. “There’s a community meeting scheduled and the hope really is to help explain to folks about where we are interested in input.”
One community activist said she feared an online hearing with a little more than a week’s notice may be poorly attended.
“We’ve seen low turnout to previous virtual hearings because many people do not have access to the technology needed to attend,” said Olga Bautista, a Southeast Side resident and organizer. “The city and our elected officials do very little to make sure Spanish speakers, elderly residents and others know about it and participate.”
The public comment period began Monday and will run through Dec. 30. Written comments can be submitted to envcomments@cityofchicago.org. The city also has posted RMG’s permit application and related documents online.
Public health officials are expected to post a draft of the permit online before issuing it and will take public comments for 30 days after that time, a city spokesman said.
The planned closure of the facility in white Lincoln Park and expected opening of a new operation in Latino-majority East Side has prompted charges of environmental racism. The proposed South Side shredding operation has spurred a lawsuit in federal court in Chicago and a complaint to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which is investigating whether residents’ civil rights are being violated. HUD asked the city to hold off issuing the permit as the agency investigates the allegations.
In a recent letter to HUD, a city lawyer accused Southeast Side residents of “hyperbolic allegations” about the proposed operation and said that “allegations about negative environmental impact” are “factually unfounded.”
Neighbors to General Iron’s Lincoln Park location have complained for years about the dust, smell and noise from the operation. RMG settled a number of city citations related to the facility, including for an explosion in May, agreeing in early November to pay $18,000.
Past citations and allegations of violations in Lincoln Park will have no bearing on the new RMG South Side permit application, the city has said.
RMG, which will rebrand the General Iron business Southside Recycling, has said it expects a rigorous city permit process.
Brett Chase’s reporting on the environment and public health is made possible by a grant from The Chicago Community Trust.


chicagosun-times--2020-11-30--Bears WRs Allen Robinson, Anthony Miller vent on Twitter after loss to Packers

As Bears coach Matt Nagy tried to rally his team after a brutal 41-25 loss to the Packers on Sunday , he seemed certain of one thing : He had not lost the locker room .
While it might be true that players haven ’ t quit , the atmosphere is far from happy .
In the aftermath of the defeat , probably before the team had even made it home , wide receiver Anthony Miller offered a succinct , accurate synopsis of the game — and the season — on Twitter with , “ [ Expletive ] embarrassing.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time cut in favor of fifth-round pick Darnell Mooney , didn ’ t do much to help the Bears avoid that humiliation with three catches for 28 yards .
But he ’ s entitled to his opinion .
Speaking of Bears ’ wide receivers on Twitter , Allen Robinson spent part of his time after the game liking tweets from fans pleading with him to join the 49ers , Packers and Saints when he hits free agency this offseason .
Robinson undid that once it circulated various blogs .
That had to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ considering Robinson is by far the best offensive player on the team and a year ago said he aspired to go down as the franchise ’ s all-time leading receiver .
Robinson , who is regarded throughout the organization as the utmost professional in every aspect of his job , has caused a stir on social media twice now .
The other was in September when he was so exasperated by the Bears ’ offers in contract negotiations that he removed anything with their likeness from his Twitter profile .
After the Green @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the team with eight catches for 74 yards and two touchdowns , Robinson backed Nagy for doing “ about as best as a coach [ can ] ” despite the Bears being stuck in a five-game losing streak .
“ At the end of the day , there ’ s only so much you can do , ” Robinson said .
“ But I think he ’ s handled it well.
” Robinson somehow has put together a Pro Bowl-worthy season with 71 catches , 829 yards and five touchdowns while the Bears @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passer rating .
He has accounted for 27.6 % of their total yardage .

As Bears coach Matt Nagy tried to rally his team after a brutal 41-25 loss to the Packers on Sunday night, he seemed certain of one thing: He had not lost the locker room.
While it might be true that players haven’t quit, the atmosphere is far from happy.
In the aftermath of the defeat, probably before the team had even made it home, wide receiver Anthony Miller offered a succinct, accurate synopsis of the game — and the season — on Twitter: “[Expletive] embarrassing.”
Miller, who has seen his playing time cut in favor of fifth-round pick Darnell Mooney, didn’t do much to help the Bears avoid that humiliation with three catches for 28 yards. But he’s entitled to his opinion.
Speaking of Bears wide receivers on Twitter, Allen Robinson spent part of his time after the game liking tweets from fans pleading with him to join the 49ers, Packers or Saints if he hits free agency this offseason. Robinson undid that once it circulated on various blogs.
After leading the team with eight catches for 74 yards and two touchdowns, Robinson backed Nagy for doing “about as best as a coach [can]” despite the Bears being mired in a five-game losing streak.
“There’s only so much you can do,” Robinson said. “But I think he’s handled it well.”
Robinson somehow has put together a Pro Bowl-worthy season with 71 catches, 829 yards and five touchdowns while the Bears rank 27th in the NFL in team passer rating. He has accounted for 27.6% of their total yardage.
Santos shines
There isn’t much this duo has nailed this season, but Nagy and general manager Ryan Pace made a great call by bringing in kicker Cairo Santos.
After three years of bouncing among several teams and with his career appearing to be over, Santos has solved a major problem for the Bears. His 27-yard field goal against the Packers boosted him to 90% for the season, which ranks 13th in the league.
He is one of five kickers to hit 90% or more on field goals and 100% on extra points.
The Bears have never had a kicker finish a season at 90% or better. Robbie Gould has their season record with 89.7% in 2008 and 2013.
Offensive line holds up
Nagy was pleased that left tackle Charles Leno was able to play through a toe injury that kept him out of practice last week, and it didn’t get any worse during the game.
Given how happy Nagy was with Leno’s unit after a game in which the Bears rushed for 122 yards — “Our offensive line played their [butt] off,” he said — it’s likely he’ll keep that lineup intact.
The Bears started Leno, Cody Whitehair at left guard, Sam Mustipher at center, Alex Bars at right guard and Germain Ifedi at right tackle
Leno’s holding and false start were the only penalties by the offensive line for the game.


chicagosun-times--2020-11-30--Little Village father, lost to hit-and-run driver, was dedicated to wife, 7 daughters

To his dying day , Eliseo Mendoza showed dedication to his wife and seven daughters .
Although very private , many people in Little Village knew the 86-year-old from his frequent trips for groceries .
“ When there wasn ’ t fruit , milk or juice , he went out and made sure [ his wife ] had what she needed , ” said Mendoza ’ s daughter , Leticia Torres .
And so , like any other day , he left for the store from his home near 24th and Albany last Tuesday — but was tragically struck by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a GMC Arcadia driving down the 3200 block of West 26th Street , according to Chicago police .
The SUV , possibly gray or black , from 2008 to 2012 , continued without stopping and was last seen going south on Sawyer Avenue .
Paramedics took Mendoza to Mount Sinai Hospital , where he died later from his injuries , authorities said .
“ It was heartbreaking , ” Torres said .
“ Some things you just can ’ t believe until they sink in.
” A $ 5,000 reward has been put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Torres and community activist Raul Montes , Jr. “ I ’ m asking anyone who saw anything to come forward , ” she said .
“ We ’ re not here to judge [ the driver ] but we have questions : Did you see him ?
” Mendoza was born in Mexico and moved to Chicago , where he became a naturalized citizen , Torres said .
He was a humble and hard working man — laboring in a factory — and helping raise his family .
“ Everyone around the hood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many years — knew who he was , ” Torres said .
“ Even when we moved to another street , everywhere he walked , they knew who he was.
” And yet Mendoza could be very private and often kept to himself .
But during meals , “ he could talk about anything .
...
There was always something he wanted to share , ” Torres said .
Mendoza was also temperate and treated his family with admiration .
“ I never saw him drink .
He was dedicated to us , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a great respect between us .
He was a dedicated guy .
That ’ s who he was .
... We were all girls , and he respected us in our own way .
We know that he loved us all.
” Last Tuesday , Torres was called by her sister shortly after noon with news that her dad was hospitalized after the crash .
Ten minutes later , she was called again and told he didn ’ t survive surgery .
“ I said , ‘ It can ’ t be , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ started praying , saying , “ God , give me a chance to see him , to hug him — just one more chance.
’ Of course , I was shaking .
My mind was praying , just asking for an opportunity.
” “ But , as a Christian , as a follower of Jesus , I understood something : that God wanted me to stay with the memory of the last I saw him .
Just sitting at the table , sharing some time with him .
And when I had to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ God bless you , daughter.
’ And I said I ’ d come back soon .
And he smiled at me , ” she said .
Police asked anyone with tips to call detectives in the Major Accident Investigation Unit at ( 312 ) 745-4521 .

To his dying day, Eliseo Mendoza showed dedication to his wife and seven daughters.
Although very private, many people in Little Village knew the 86-year-old from his frequent trips for groceries.
La Voz Sidebar 2023 Lea este artículo en español en La Voz Chicago.
“When there wasn’t fruit, milk or juice, he went out and made sure [his wife] had what she needed,” said Mendoza’s daughter, Leticia Torres.
And so, like any other day, he left for the store from his home near 24th and Albany last Tuesday — but was tragically struck by a driver.
Mendoza was hit by a GMC Arcadia driving down the 3200 block of West 26th Street, according to Chicago police. The SUV, possibly gray or black, from 2008 to 2012, continued without stopping and was last seen going south on Sawyer Avenue.
Police say the driver of this SUV is wanted for allegedly leaving the scene of a fatal crash Nov. 24, 2020, in the 3200 block of West 26th Street. Chicago police
Paramedics took Mendoza to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he died later from his injuries, authorities said.
“It was heartbreaking,” Torres said. “Some things you just can’t believe until they sink in.”
A $5,000 reward has been put up in search of the driver by Torres and community activist Raul Montes, Jr.
“I’m asking anyone who saw anything to come forward,” she said. “We’re not here to judge [the driver] but we have questions: Did you see him?”
Mendoza was born in Mexico and moved to Chicago, where he became a naturalized citizen, Torres said. He was a humble and hard-working man — laboring in a factory — and helping raise his family.
“Everyone around the hood — because we lived here for so many years — knew who he was,” Torres said. “Even when we moved to another street, everywhere he walked, they knew who he was.”
And yet Mendoza could be very private and often kept to himself. But during meals, “he could talk about anything. ... There was always something he wanted to share,” Torres said.
Mendoza was also temperate and treated his family with admiration.
“I never saw him drink. He was dedicated to us,” Torres said. “There was a great respect between us. He was a dedicated guy. That’s who he was. ... We were all girls, and he respected us in our own way. We know that he loved us all.”
Last Tuesday, Torres was called by her sister shortly after noon with news that her dad was hospitalized after the crash. Ten minutes later, she was called again and told he didn’t survive surgery.
“I said, ‘It can’t be,’” Torres recalled. “I started praying, saying, “God, give me a chance to see him, to hug him — just one more chance.’ Of course, I was shaking. My mind was praying, just asking for an opportunity.”
“But, as a Christian, as a follower of Jesus, I understood something: that God wanted me to stay with the memory of the last I saw him. Just sitting at the table, sharing some time with him. And when I had to leave, I remember him saying, ‘God bless you, daughter.’ And I said I’d come back soon. And he smiled at me,” she said.
Police asked anyone with tips to call detectives in the Major Accident Investigation Unit at (312) 745-4521.
Services were held.


chicagosun-times--2020-11-30--More than 900 homicides recorded in Cook County this year: medical examiner

Cook County has recorded more than 900 homicides this year , the second time the county has surpassed the grim @ @ @ @ @ .
The last time the county surpassed 900 homicides in a year was in 2016 @ @ @ @ @ county saw 921 homicides , the Cook County medical examiner ’ s office said .
@ @ @ @ @ 902 homicides confirmed between Jan. 1 , and Nov. 30 , more than 78 % @ @ @ @ @ 16 % were Latino , the medical examiner ’ s office said .
At least @ @ @ @ @ have taken place in Chicago , according to records kept by the Chicago Sun-Times .
@ @ @ @ @ of those killed in Cook County in 2020 , the medical examiner ’ s office @ @ @ @ @ of homicide victims were males .
In all of 2019 , Cook County saw 675 @ @ @ @ @ ’ s office said .
Cook County also recorded over 900 homicides in 1994 and @ @ @ @ @ ’ s office said .

Cook County has recorded more than 900 homicides this year, the second time the county has surpassed the grim milestone in nearly 25 years.
The last time the county surpassed 900 homicides in a year was in 2016. That year, the county saw 921 homicides, the Cook County medical examiner’s office said.
This year, of the 902 homicides confirmed between Jan. 1, and Nov. 30, more than 78% of victims were Black and 16% were Latino, the medical examiner’s office said.
La Voz Sidebar 2023 Lea este artículo en español en La Voz Chicago.
At least 719 of the total homicides have taken place in Chicago, according to records kept by the Chicago Sun-Times.
Shooting incidents accounted for 810 of those killed in Cook County in 2020, the medical examiner’s office said. About 89% of homicide victims were males.
In all of 2019, Cook County saw 675 homicides, the medical examiner’s office said.
Cook County also recorded over 900 homicides in 1994 and 1995, the medical examiner’s office said.


chicagosun-times--2020-11-30--Obama Foundation President Wally Adeyemo picked to be deputy Treasury secretary

WASHINGTON — President-elect Joe Biden picked Obama Foundation president and economist Adewale “ Wally ” Adeyemo on Monday to be deputy secretary of the Treasury .
Adeyemo , a Hyde Park resident , joined the Obama Foundation in August 2019 as its first president .
He came to the foundation after serving in a variety of positions in the Obama administration .
After leaving the White House , he signed on as a senior adviser at BlackRock , the global investment firm , and the Center for Strategic and International Studies .
During the tenure of President Barack Obama , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Economic Council ; the assistant secretary for international markets and development at the Treasury Department ; deputy chief of staff of the Treasury Department in 2012 ; and chief of staff of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau for 16 months , starting in 2010 .
Adeyemo received his undergraduate degree from the University of California at Berkeley and a Juris Doctor from Yale Law School .
According to the Obama Foundation , Adeyemo ’ s salary was $ 600,000 .
The Adeyemo appointment came as part of Biden ’ s unveiling on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he highlighted the historic nature of some of his nominations .
Born in Nigeria and raised in Southern California , Adeyemo , if confirmed , would be the first African American deputy secretary of the Treasury .
Other “ firsts ” among the nominees : • Janet Yellen , nominated to serve as secretary of the Treasury ; if confirmed , she will be the first woman to lead the Treasury Department .
• Neera Tanden , nominated to serve as director of the Office of Management and Budget ; if confirmed , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ color and first South Asian American to lead the OMB .
• Cecilia Rouse , nominated to serve as chair of the Council of Economic Advisers ; if confirmed , Rouse will become the first African American and the fourth woman to lead the CEA .
In other appointments , Mala Adiga was named policy director for the incoming first lady , Jill Biden .
She was a senior adviser to Jill Biden and a senior policy adviser on the Biden-Harris Campaign .
Before the campaign , Adiga was at the Biden Foundation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ higher education and military families programs .
Raised in south suburban Flossmoor , Adiga , who is Indian-American , went to Flossmoor Hills and what was then called Flossmoor Junior High School .
She is a 1989 graduate of Homewood-Flossmoor High School .
When Adiga was a law student at the University of Chicago , one of her instructors was one Barack Obama .
That introduction eventually led her on her path to the White House — first in the Obama administration and soon the Biden administration .
After graduating law school in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the law firm of Kirkland & Ellis LLP and clerked for U.S. District Court Judge Philip Simon in the Northern District of Indiana before joining Obama ’ s 2008 presidential campaign legal team .
Once Obama was elected , she moved from Hyde Park to Washington to join the Obama administration , where she served in a variety of policy roles : she was a deputy assistant Secretary of State ; a chief of staff and senior adviser for the Secretary ’ s office of Global Women ’ s Issues ; on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Security staff and in the Justice Department office of the associate attorney general .
Adiga also has a master ’ s in public health from the University of Minnesota ; her undergraduate degree is from Grinnell College .

WASHINGTON — President-elect Joe Biden picked Obama Foundation president and economist Adewale “Wally” Adeyemo on Monday to be deputy secretary of the Treasury.
Adeyemo, a Hyde Park resident, joined the Obama Foundation in August 2019 as its first president.
He came to the foundation after serving in a variety of positions in the Obama administration. After leaving the White House, he signed on as a senior adviser at BlackRock, the global investment firm, and the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
During the tenure of President Barack Obama, Adeyemo was the deputy director of the National Economic Council; the assistant secretary for international markets and development at the Treasury Department; deputy chief of staff of the Treasury Department in 2012; and chief of staff of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau for 16 months, starting in 2010.
Adeyemo received his undergraduate degree from the University of California at Berkeley and a Juris Doctor from Yale Law School.
According to the Obama Foundation, Adeyemo’s salary was $600,000.
The Adeyemo appointment came as part of Biden’s unveiling on Monday of his economic team, where he highlighted the historic nature of some of his nominations. Born in Nigeria and raised in Southern California, Adeyemo, if confirmed, would be the first African American deputy secretary of the Treasury.
Other “firsts” among the nominees:
• Janet Yellen, nominated to serve as secretary of the Treasury; if confirmed, she will be the first woman to lead the Treasury Department.
• Neera Tanden, nominated to serve as director of the Office of Management and Budget; if confirmed, Tanden would be the first woman of color and first South Asian American to lead the OMB.
• Cecilia Rouse, nominated to serve as chair of the Council of Economic Advisers; if confirmed, Rouse will become the first African American and the fourth woman to lead the CEA.
Flossmoor’s Mala Adiga named Jill Biden’s Policy Director
In other appointments, Mala Adiga was named policy director for the incoming first lady, Jill Biden. She was a senior adviser to Jill Biden and a senior policy adviser on the Biden-Harris Campaign. Before the campaign, Adiga was at the Biden Foundation, where she was the director for higher education and military families programs.
Raised in south suburban Flossmoor, Adiga, who is Indian-American, went to Flossmoor Hills and what was then called Flossmoor Junior High School. She is a 1989 graduate of Homewood-Flossmoor High School.
When Adiga was a law student at the University of Chicago, one of her instructors was one Barack Obama. That introduction eventually led her on her path to the White House — first in the Obama administration and soon the Biden administration.
After graduating law school in 2002, Adiga was a litigation associate at the law firm of Kirkland & Ellis LLP and clerked for U.S. District Court Judge Philip Simon in the Northern District of Indiana before joining Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign legal team.
Once Obama was elected, she moved from Hyde Park to Washington to join the Obama administration, where she served in a variety of policy roles: she was a deputy assistant Secretary of State; a chief of staff and senior adviser for the Secretary’s office of Global Women’s Issues; on then-Vice President Joe Biden’s National Security staff and in the Justice Department office of the associate attorney general.
Adiga also has a master’s in public health from the University of Minnesota; her undergraduate degree is from Grinnell College.


chicagosun-times--2020-12-01--Dear Abby: I recovered from COVID-19, but one person still avoids me

DEAR ABBY : I am a nurse in New York City .
My boyfriend lives in Philadelphia .
During the height of the pandemic , we didn ’ t see each other because I worked on a COVID unit and contracted the virus .
His sister became very controlling and kept urging him not to see me , which brought me great pain .
I was extremely lonely , and for months , the only people I saw were my co-workers .
At the end of May , my boyfriend and I began seeing each other regularly .
Because he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see him , which makes me very sad .
His mother died two years ago .
When his family tries to plan things , his sister either comes late or doesn ’ t show up .
If I ’ m invited , she says she doesn ’ t want to be in the same room as me .
I spend a lot of time with my boyfriend and his older father , who he now lives with .
His father has never expressed that he feels uncomfortable around me .
I feel like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sister .
I want my boyfriend to spend time with his family , but she ’ s extremely controlling when everyone else in the family seems excited to see me .
What do I do ?
— UNCOMFORTABLE SITUATION DEAR UNCOMFORTABLE : I am assuming that if you are again working that you are tested regularly for COVID and therefore in no danger of giving the virus to anyone .
Because there has been so much misinformation spread during the pandemic , many people are being extremely cautious — and rightfully so .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ your boyfriend ’ s sister before the pandemic began , recognize that she acts the way she does because she ’ s afraid for her life , so stop personalizing it and judging her for it .
She has a right to protect herself , even if it seems irrational to you .
DEAR ABBY : As a grandparent , I feel the Christmas gift my husband and I received last year from our granddaughter was a gift of a lifetime .
We have enjoyed it all year .
It was a gift @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be opened on the first day of each month .
She had inserted each card into an individual envelope , designated with which month it was to be opened .
She put them in a box wrapped with a bow and placed it under the tree .
The excitement generated while anxiously awaiting a new month ’ s arrival so the new memory could be read created enthusiasm among the entire family .
In each envelope were experiences we had forgotten or never realized had made an impact on her life .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 12 pieces of paper .
The concept could even be reversed so it would be from grandparent to grandchild .
Few of us grandparents need material gifts , but the caring , thought and love shown by this gift will remain with us all our lives .
— WANTED TO SHARE , FRESNO , CALIF. DEAR WANTED TO SHARE : What a precious gift .
I have long advocated that the most meaningful gift we can give each other is the gift of self , in the form of time , attention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call .
Your granddaughter ’ s concept of a “ Memory of the Month Club ” was ingenious .
I congratulate her for it , and I hope it inspires others .
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 .
For an excellent guide to becoming a better conversationalist and a more sociable person , order “ How to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mailing address , plus check or money order for $ 8 ( U.S. funds ) , to : Dear Abby , Popularity Booklet , P.O .
Box 447 , Mount Morris , IL 61054-0447 .
( Shipping and handling are included in the price . )

DEAR ABBY: I am a nurse in New York City. My boyfriend lives in Philadelphia. During the height of the pandemic, we didn’t see each other because I worked on a COVID unit and contracted the virus. His sister became very controlling and kept urging him not to see me, which brought me great pain. I was extremely lonely, and for months, the only people I saw were my co-workers.
At the end of May, my boyfriend and I began seeing each other regularly. Because he sees me, his sister refuses to see him, which makes me very sad. His mother died two years ago.
When his family tries to plan things, his sister either comes late or doesn’t show up. If I’m invited, she says she doesn’t want to be in the same room as me. I spend a lot of time with my boyfriend and his older father, who he now lives with. His father has never expressed that he feels uncomfortable around me.
I feel like we have to plan things around this sister. I want my boyfriend to spend time with his family, but she’s extremely controlling when everyone else in the family seems excited to see me. What do I do? — UNCOMFORTABLE SITUATION
DEAR UNCOMFORTABLE: I am assuming that if you are again working that you are tested regularly for COVID and therefore in no danger of giving the virus to anyone. Because there has been so much misinformation spread during the pandemic, many people are being extremely cautious — and rightfully so.
If you had a good relationship with your boyfriend’s sister before the pandemic began, recognize that she acts the way she does because she’s afraid for her life, so stop personalizing it and judging her for it. She has a right to protect herself, even if it seems irrational to you.
DEAR ABBY: As a grandparent, I feel the Christmas gift my husband and I received last year from our granddaughter was a gift of a lifetime. We have enjoyed it all year. It was a gift of memories, written on 12 cards to be opened on the first day of each month. She had inserted each card into an individual envelope, designated with which month it was to be opened. She put them in a box wrapped with a bow and placed it under the tree.
The excitement generated while anxiously awaiting a new month’s arrival so the new memory could be read created enthusiasm among the entire family. In each envelope were experiences we had forgotten or never realized had made an impact on her life.
A gift like this requires only time and 12 pieces of paper. The concept could even be reversed so it would be from grandparent to grandchild. Few of us grandparents need material gifts, but the caring, thought and love shown by this gift will remain with us all our lives. — WANTED TO SHARE, FRESNO, CALIF.
DEAR WANTED TO SHARE: What a precious gift. I have long advocated that the most meaningful gift we can give each other is the gift of self, in the form of time, attention, a handwritten letter or a phone call. Your granddaughter’s concept of a “Memory of the Month Club” was ingenious. I congratulate her for it, and I hope it inspires others.
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.
For an excellent guide to becoming a better conversationalist and a more sociable person, order “How to Be Popular.” Send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $8 (U.S. funds), to: Dear Abby, Popularity Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. (Shipping and handling are included in the price.)


chicagosun-times--2020-12-01--‘Emily in Paris’ star Lily Collins plays the audience’s proxy in ‘Mank’

Actor Lily Collins has two projects in hot rotation on Netflix these days .
In “ Mank , ” premiering Friday , she has a pivotal supporting role , playing “ Citizen Kane ” screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz ’ s typist/secretary Rita Alexander , who also serves as something of a moral compass as arguably the most “ regular ” person in director David Fincher ’ s Oscar-magnet Hollywood fable .
And on the fan-favorite series “ Emily in Paris , ” she ’ s a transplanted Chicagoan who caused a bit of a stir when she dissed Lou Malnati @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to turn our Zoom chat into a Zoom Malnati ’ s and offer to send some deep-dish Lily ’ s way , but I do kick off our talk by noting Emily ’ s friends in Chicago say hi .
“ Oh my God , that ’ s so funny , that ’ s so true , hello !
” comes the reply .
“ What I love about Rita is she ’ s not a Hollywood starlet by any means , but she is fascinated with the industry , ” says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time she ’ s been hired to do a job with a man who is very much a part of the industry , so she ’ s kinda [ walking ] that fine line of being a professional who ’ s trying not to show she ’ s fascinated with his world while at the same time she ’ s undeniably fascinated with it .
I [ do agree ] she ’ s the moral compass of the film in a lot of ways , and the eyes and ears of the audience @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you just want to shake Mankiewicz and say , ‘ Come on , get over it .
… This is what you promised , this is what you can do ’ ” Collins ’ character of Rita has a husband fighting for the British in a world war America hadn ’ t yet joined , and as she worries for his life , it ’ s a reminder there are much bigger things in this world than a controversial Hollywood movie .
“ Playing her reminded me we all need a Rita , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need that person to kind of remind us when our heads are in the clouds … and in Rita ’ s case , having a young and fresh perspective can sometimes alter one ’ s views , and I think Rita does that for Mank .
She reinvigorates him in a lot of ways and inspires him.
” Conversely , just when Rita thinks she has Mank pinned as being the very stereotype of the narcissistic , booze-soaked , star-crossed , badly aging former wunderkind , she learns some surprising things about Mank @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , even heroic doings .
“ She does have these deep-seated morals , ” says Collins .
“ So , for her to digest that information — it shows we can be inspired by someone [ about whom ] we thought we knew everything .
She thought she had him all figured out , but she ’ s not too prideful to prohibit herself from acknowledging she didn ’ t. ” Fincher ’ s vision for “ Mank ” in all its silver-tone black and white glory includes a bounty of lavishly produced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but Collins ’ scenes are almost all inside , with a maximum of four characters — and many feature just Gary Oldman ’ s Mank and Collins ’ Rita .
It ’ s almost like a stage work .
“ We were in this very secluded space that we didn ’ t leave , and most of it near Mank ’ s bed , ” says Collins , whose scenes take place as Mankiewicz is rehabilitating from serious injuries suffered in an automobile accident .
“ And it just recently hit me , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the sense that everything is inescapable , and he felt trapped , and if you think of her as this metaphorical figure , this mirror to hold him accountable for all his actions and insecurities … we can all relate to having a Rita within ourselves .
We ’ ve all been trapped in a sense in our homes , we ’ ve all had to face our day-to-day lives without the distractions we would normally have , and we ’ re all having this voice in our head that ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ focus on and how we need to get through things.
” Collins was still filming “ Emily in Paris ” in , well , Paris , when she got the role in “ Mank , ” and there was some overlap during which she would fly from France to Los Angeles for a single day before having to return to the “ Emily ” set .
“ It was difficult to figure out the scheduling of it all , but they ’ re such different characters that I found it more manageable to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If they both existed in modern day and had similar accents , I think I would have mixed up lines .
“ But there ’ s no way Rita would say anything Emily would say .
There ’ s just no way .
”

Actor Lily Collins has two projects in hot rotation on Netflix these days. She’s the Emily from Chicago who takes a job in Paris in the fan favorite series “Emily in Paris,” recently renewed for a second season, and she has a pivotal supporting role in David Fincher’s Oscar-magnet biopic “Mank” playing “Citizen Kane” screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz’s typist/secretary Rita Alexander, who also serves as something of a moral compass as arguably the most “regular” person in the Hollywood fable (premiering Friday).
This is the Chicago Sun-Times and we love to talk about Chicago connections and I’ve been with this paper more than half my entire life, so I hope you’ll indulge me for just a couple of paragraphs before we proceed with my conversation with Ms. Collins
In June of 1991, I interviewed Phil Collins as he was kicking off the North American leg of the “… But Seriously” tour, at a time when Collins was regularly cranking out Top 10 singles and filling arenas. (His monster solo album “No Jacket Required” got its title from Collins being turned away from Chicago’s Pump Room because he was told the jacket he was wearing didn’t meet restaurant standards.)
In the piece, I noted, “Collins’ second wife and their baby are touring the world with him, and he’s in a different place emotionally than he was when he wrote, ‘I Don’t Care Any More’ …”
That baby was Lily, now 31 and playing a Chicagoan in Paris who caused a bit of a stir when she dissed Lou Malnati’s. I’m not going to turn our Zoom chat into a Zoom Malnati’s and offer to send some deep-dish Lily’s way, but I do kick off our talk by noting Emily’s friends in Chicago say hi.
“Oh my God, that’s so funny, that’s so true, hello!” comes the reply.
Time for Mank talk.
“What I love about Rita is she’s not a Hollywood starlet by any means, but she is fascinated with the industry,” says Collins. “But at the same time she’s been hired to do a job with a man who is very much a part of the industry, so she’s kinda [walking] that fine line of being a professional who’s trying not to show she’s fascinated with his world while at the same time she’s undeniably fascinated with it. I [do agree] she’s the moral compass of the film in a lot of ways, and the eyes and ears of the audience as well. There are moments when you just want to shake Mankiewicz and say, ‘Come on, get over it. … This is what you promised, this is what you can do ...’ I think Rita does that for the audience; she holds him accountable. She stands for so much more than a stenographer. ”
Collins’ character of Rita has a husband fighting for the British in a world war America hadn’t yet joined, and as she worries for his life, it’s a reminder there are much bigger things in this world than a controversial Hollywood movie.
“Playing her reminded me we all need a Rita,” says Collins. “We all need that person to kind of remind us when our heads are in the clouds … and in Rita’s case, having a young and fresh perspective can sometimes alter one’s views, and I think Rita does that for Mank. She reinvigorates him in a lot of ways and inspires him.”
Conversely, just when Rita thinks she has Mank pinned as being the very stereotype of the narcissistic, booze-soaked, star-crossed, badly aging former wunderkind, she learns some surprising things about Mank’s facility for quiet, noble, even heroic doings. “I think Rita’s the perfect person to see that and show the audience,” says Collins, “because she does have these deep-seated morals. So, for her to digest that information — it shows we can be inspired by someone [about whom] we thought we knew everything. She thought she had him all figured out, but she’s not too prideful to prohibit herself from acknowledging she didn’t.”
Fincher’s vision for “Mank” in all its silver-tone black and white glory includes a bounty of lavishly produced, outdoor scenes capturing old Hollywood, but Collins’ scenes are almost all inside, with a maximum of four characters — and many feature just Gary Oldman’s Mank and Collins’ Rita. It’s almost like a stage work.
Lily Collins has been on a wider audience’s radar since October, when she debuted as the transplanted Chicagoan on “Emily in Paris.” Netflix
“We were in this very secluded space that we didn’t leave, and most of it near Mank’s bed,” says Collins, whose scenes take place as Mankiewicz is rehabilitating from serious injuries suffered in an automobile accident. “And it just recently hit me, this is not too unlike quarantine, in the sense that everything is inescapable, and he felt trapped, and if you think of her as this metaphorical figure, this mirror to hold him accountable for all his actions and insecurities … we can all relate to having a Rita within ourselves. We’ve all been trapped in a sense in our homes, we’ve all had to face our day-to-day lives without the distractions we would normally have, and we’re all having this voice in our head that’s reminding us of what we need to focus on and how we need to get through things.”
Collins was still filming “Emily in Paris” in, well, Paris, when she got the role in “Mank,” and there was some overlap during which she would fly from France to Los Angeles for a single day before having to return to the “Emily” set. “It was difficult to figure out the scheduling of it all, but they’re such different characters that I found it more manageable to decipher between the two of them. If they both existed in modern day and had similar accents, I think I would have mixed up lines.
“But there’s no way Rita would say anything Emily would say. There’s just no way.”


chicagosun-times--2020-12-01--Menu planner: Grilled chicken and vegetables are always welcome

In a large measuring cup , whisk together 1/3 cup red wine vinegar , 2 teaspoons dried oregano , 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard , 1 teaspoon sugar , 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper .
Continue whisking and slowly drizzle in 2/3 cup olive oil until well combined .
Spoon 4 tablespoons of vinaigrette over 1 1/4 pounds chicken breast strips and marinate while grilling vegetables : 8 asparagus spears cut into 2-inch pieces , 1 pint cherry tomatoes , 2 medium zucchini ( halved lengthwise and sliced into 1/2-inch-thick rounds ) , 1 medium Vidalia onion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pepper sliced into thick strips .
Toss vegetables with 1/4 cup of vinaigrette and place in grill basket .
Grill vegetables 6 to 8 minutes .
Transfer to platter ; keep warm .
Place chicken into basket ; grill 5 to 7 minutes or until 170 degrees .
Transfer to vegetable platter .
Drizzle remaining vinaigrette over chicken and vegetables .
Sprinkle with 1/2 cup crumbled Greek feta cheese and 2 tablespoons fresh basil .
Heat broiler .
In a small bowl , mix salt , pepper and cinnamon .
Sprinkle on both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ broiler pan with cooking spray ; broil cutlets 6 inches from heat for 3 minutes .
Turn and broil 2 to 3 more minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees .
In a small bowl , stir together cucumber , yogurt , sour cream , cilantro ( or parsley ) , coarse salt , pepper and cumin .
Serve chicken with raita on the side .
1/2 teaspoon black pepper , plus more to taste In a large nonstick skillet on medium heat , cook beef 5 minutes ; drain .
Add @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minutes or until beef is no longer pink ; drain again .
Season with 1/2 teaspoon black pepper .
Stir in onions , peanut butter , jelly and soy sauce ; cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes or until peanut butter and jelly are melted .
Spoon beef onto tortillas ; roll .
Add additional pepper and sour cream if desired .
1 pound ground turkey breast or lean ground beef ( or mixture of both ) In a large nonstick skillet , cook turkey or beef on medium-high for 5 minutes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in raisins , oregano and cumin ; cook 3 minutes , stirring frequently .
Stir in water , vinegar , capers , olive oil and sofrito ; cook 5 minutes or until slightly thick .
Remove from heat .
Stir in parsley and serve .
NOTE : Sofrito is a sauce made from a variety of cooked ingredients , such as oil , chopped onions , tomatoes , green bell peppers , garlic and various herbs .
It is used as flavoring .
Chop the leftover chicken ; add it and the leftover @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you have any leftover broccoli , chop that and add along with frozen peas and carrots .
Heat ; add coarse salt and pepper to taste .
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large nonstick skillet on medium-high .
Add 2 medium Granny Smith apples ( cored , unpeeled and cut into 1/2-inch slices ) .
Cook 1 minute , stirring occasionally .
Add 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon ; cook 2 more minutes .
Add 1 ( 16-ounce ) jar drained sweet-and-sour cabbage .
Cook 2 minutes or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the side .
Spicy mustard is a must .
In a large bowl , mix together 1/4 cup light soy sauce , 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice , 1 tablespoon honey and 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper .
Add 2 medium zucchini ( cut into 1/2-inch-thick , diagonal pieces ) , 1 medium red onion ( cut into 1/4-inch slices ) and 2 red bell peppers ( cut into 1-inch-wide strips ) ; toss to coat .
Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes to 1 hour .
Coat grill rack with cooking spray @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Grill vegetables , uncovered , 6 to 8 minutes on each side .
Meanwhile , toast 8 slices focaccia on grill ; coat slices with goat cheese .
Cover bottom halves with vegetables ; top with other halves of focaccia .
Cut sandwiches in half and serve immediately .

Grilled chicken and vegetables
In a large measuring cup, whisk together 1/3 cup red wine vinegar, 2 teaspoons dried oregano, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
Continue whisking and slowly drizzle in 2/3 cup olive oil until well combined.
Heat grill with a grill basket to medium-high.
Spoon 4 tablespoons of vinaigrette over 1 1/4 pounds chicken breast strips and marinate while grilling vegetables: 8 asparagus spears cut into 2-inch pieces, 1 pint cherry tomatoes, 2 medium zucchini (halved lengthwise and sliced into 1/2-inch-thick rounds), 1 medium Vidalia onion sliced into rings and 1 red bell pepper sliced into thick strips.
Toss vegetables with 1/4 cup of vinaigrette and place in grill basket. Grill vegetables 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to platter; keep warm.
Place chicken into basket; grill 5 to 7 minutes or until 170 degrees. Transfer to vegetable platter. Drizzle remaining vinaigrette over chicken and vegetables. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup crumbled Greek feta cheese and 2 tablespoons fresh basil.
Cinnamon broiled chicken with raita
Makes 4 servings
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: less than 10 minutes
INGREDIENTS
For Chicken:
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
4 (4-ounce) boneless skinless chicken cutlets (about 1/2 inch thick)
For Raita:
1 medium cucumber (peeled, seeded and chopped)
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (or flatleaf parsley)
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cumin
Heat broiler. In a small bowl, mix salt, pepper and cinnamon. Sprinkle on both sides of chicken. Coat rack of broiler pan with cooking spray; broil cutlets 6 inches from heat for 3 minutes. Turn and broil 2 to 3 more minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
In a small bowl, stir together cucumber, yogurt, sour cream, cilantro (or parsley), coarse salt, pepper and cumin. Serve chicken with raita on the side.
Per serving: 170 calories, 26 grams protein, 5 grams fat (27% calories from fat), 1.9 grams saturated fat, 4 grams carbohydrate, 81 milligrams cholesterol, 635 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber.
Carb choices: 0.
Beefy peanutty wraps
Makes 4 wraps
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: less than 15 minutes
INGREDIENTS
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
1/2 cup sliced green onions
2 1/2 tablespoons chunky or smooth peanut butter
1 tablespoon grape jelly
2 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce
4 (8- to 10-inch) flour tortillas, warmed
Reduced-fat sour cream for garnish
In a large nonstick skillet on medium heat, cook beef 5 minutes; drain. Add bell pepper; cook 3 to 5 minutes or until beef is no longer pink; drain again. Season with 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Stir in onions, peanut butter, jelly and soy sauce; cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes or until peanut butter and jelly are melted. Spoon beef onto tortillas; roll. Add additional pepper and sour cream if desired.
Per wrap: 357 calories, 32 grams protein, 11 grams fat (28 percent calories from fat), 3.3 grams saturated fat, 33 grams carbohydrate, 62 milligrams cholesterol, 673 milligrams sodium, 4 grams fiber.
Carb choices: 2.
Turkey picadillo
Servings: makes 4 servings
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: less than 15 minutes
INGREDIENTS
1 pound ground turkey breast or lean ground beef (or mixture of both)
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon cumin
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon capers, drained
1 teaspoon olive oil
3/4 cup sofrito (see NOTE)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flatleaf parsley
In a large nonstick skillet, cook turkey or beef on medium-high for 5 minutes or until no longer pink. Stir in raisins, oregano and cumin; cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in water, vinegar, capers, olive oil and sofrito; cook 5 minutes or until slightly thick. Remove from heat. Stir in parsley and serve.
NOTE: Sofrito is a sauce made from a variety of cooked ingredients, such as oil, chopped onions, tomatoes, green bell peppers, garlic and various herbs. It is used as flavoring.
Per serving: 163 calories, 28 grams protein, 3 grams fat (12% calories from fat), 0.2 gram saturated fat, 17 grams carbohydrate, 45 milligrams cholesterol, 492 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber.
Carb choices: 1.
Chicken and rice soup
Chop the leftover chicken; add it and the leftover rice to regular chicken broth. If you have any leftover broccoli, chop that and add along with frozen peas and carrots. Heat; add coarse salt and pepper to taste.
Sweet-sour-cabbage and apples
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large nonstick skillet on medium-high. Add 2 medium Granny Smith apples (cored, unpeeled and cut into 1/2-inch slices). Cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Add 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; cook 2 more minutes. Add 1 (16-ounce) jar drained sweet-and-sour cabbage. Cook 2 minutes or until hot.
Add rye bread on the side. Spicy mustard is a must.
Grilled vegetable sandwiches
In a large bowl, mix together 1/4 cup light soy sauce, 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon honey and 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Add 2 medium zucchini (cut into 1/2-inch-thick, diagonal pieces), 1 medium red onion (cut into 1/4-inch slices) and 2 red bell peppers (cut into 1-inch-wide strips); toss to coat. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes to 1 hour. Coat grill rack with cooking spray; place rack on medium grill. Grill vegetables, uncovered, 6 to 8 minutes on each side. Meanwhile, toast 8 slices focaccia on grill; coat slices with goat cheese. Cover bottom halves with vegetables; top with other halves of focaccia. Cut sandwiches in half and serve immediately.


chicagosun-times--2020-12-01--Man killed; woman critically wounded, in shooting in suburban Maywood

A 43-year-old man was fatally shot and a woman was critically wounded in a shooting Thursday in suburban Maywood .
@ @ @ @ @ to calls of shots fired in the 1800 block of South 5th Avenue , and @ @ @ @ @ inside a vehicle with multiple gunshot wounds , Maywood police said .
They were both @ @ @ @ @ in Maywood , where the man , Michael Quinones of Chicago , was pronounced dead @ @ @ @ @ woman , who remains unidentified , is in critical condition .
Anyone with information is @ @ @ @ @ at 708-450-1787 .
Read more on crime , and track the city ’ s homicides @

A 43-year-old man was fatally shot and a woman was critically wounded in a shooting Thursday in suburban Maywood.
Just before midnight, officers responded to calls of shots fired in the 1800 block of South 5th Avenue, and found a man and woman inside a vehicle with multiple gunshot wounds, Maywood police said.
They were both taken to Loyola Medical Center in Maywood, where the man, Michael Quinones of Chicago, was pronounced dead, police said. The woman, who remains unidentified, is in critical condition.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Maywood police at 708-450-1787.
Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.


chicagosun-times--2020-12-01--ComEd’s ‘smart grid,’ other modernization moves are soaking consumers, group says

ComEd customers are paying the price for legislation the utility corruptly obtained in Springfield , according to a new report from the Illinois Public Interest Research Group .
The report from the private consumer watchdog group says the legislation allowed ComEd to raise profits while falsely pitching its “ smart grid ” and other modernization moves as good news for consumers .
• Because of the modernization legislation and formula rate , ComEd ’ s authorized profits rose by 47 % over eight years .
• Consumers have seen a 37 % rise in the delivery portion of their electric @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drop in energy prices , households could have seen much lower bills if it weren ’ t for the formula rate .
A ComEd spokeswoman disputed the findings , saying consumers have benefited from the smart grid and other upgrades .
A utility usually is allowed to recover what are called reasonable operating expenses and prudent capital investment , along with a profit , after going through a highly regulated process .
But when the Illinois Legislature passed the Energy Infrastructure Modernization Act in 2011 , it allowed ComEd to bypass normal controls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ profit machine ” through a formula rate system that was enacted .
In the eight years since the law took effect , the report says ComEd made about $ 2.5 billion in reliability upgrades and smart grid work as part of $ 5 billion in total capital spending in that period .
And it got approval to pass along to consumers most of that spending , PIRG found , with only $ 23 million disallowed of the $ 5 billion it spent .
The utility ’ s political lobbying has been a key @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ’ s threatening the power of longtime Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan .
Last summer , ComEd reached a deferred-prosecution agreement with the U.S. attorney ’ s office in Chicago in which it agreed to a $ 200 million fine and admitted that company officials were involved in a scheme to pay $ 1.3 million to Madigan associates for doing little or no work .
In November , Madigan confidant Michael McClain was indicted on charges that accused him of improperly pushing the speaker ’ s interests with ComEd .
Madigan , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has denied any wrongdoing .
ComEd spokeswoman Shannon Breymaier said the deferred-prosecution agreement “ does not contain any allegations that consumers were harmed by legislation passed in Illinois.
” Breymaier said consumers actually reaped “ substantial benefits ” that have included 70 % improved reliability since 2012 — meaning fewer unplanned power outages .
Illinois PIRG is calling for tighter regulation by the Illinois Commerce Commission and a ban on political contributions by investor-owned utilities .
It also wants ComEd ’ s parent company , Exelon , to be forced to divest itself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an inherent conflict of interest between the power-generating parent and the electricity-delivering ComEd .

ComEd customers are paying the price for legislation the utility corruptly obtained in Springfield, according to a new report from the Illinois Public Interest Research Group.
The report from the private consumer watchdog group says the legislation allowed ComEd to raise profits while falsely pitching its “smart grid” and other modernization moves as good news for consumers.
It says:
Because of the modernization legislation and formula rate, ComEd’s authorized profits rose by 47% over eight years.
Consumers have seen a 37% rise in the delivery portion of their electric bills and that, given a nationwide drop in energy prices, households could have seen much lower bills if it weren’t for the formula rate.
A ComEd spokeswoman disputed the findings, saying consumers have benefited from the smart grid and other upgrades.
A utility usually is allowed to recover what are called reasonable operating expenses and prudent capital investment, along with a profit, after going through a highly regulated process.
But when the Illinois Legislature passed the Energy Infrastructure Modernization Act in 2011, it allowed ComEd to bypass normal controls and create what PIRG termed “a profit machine” through a formula rate system that was enacted.
In the eight years since the law took effect, the report says ComEd made about $2.5 billion in reliability upgrades and smart grid work as part of $5 billion in total capital spending in that period. And it got approval to pass along to consumers most of that spending, PIRG found, with only $23 million disallowed of the $5 billion it spent.
The utility’s political lobbying has been a key focus of an ongoing federal corruption investigation that’s threatening the power of longtime Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.
Last summer, ComEd reached a deferred-prosecution agreement with the U.S. attorney’s office in Chicago in which it agreed to a $200 million fine and admitted that company officials were involved in a scheme to pay $1.3 million to Madigan associates for doing little or no work. In November, Madigan confidant Michael McClain was indicted on charges that accused him of improperly pushing the speaker’s interests with ComEd.
Madigan, who hasn’t been charged, has denied any wrongdoing.
ComEd spokeswoman Shannon Breymaier said the deferred-prosecution agreement “does not contain any allegations that consumers were harmed by legislation passed in Illinois.”
Breymaier said consumers actually reaped “substantial benefits” that have included 70% improved reliability since 2012 — meaning fewer unplanned power outages.
Illinois PIRG is calling for tighter regulation by the Illinois Commerce Commission and a ban on political contributions by investor-owned utilities. It also wants ComEd’s parent company, Exelon, to be forced to divest itself of ComEd, saying there’s an inherent conflict of interest between the power-generating parent and the electricity-delivering ComEd.


chicagosun-times--2020-11-30--Horoscope for Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2020

Horoscope for Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2020

Caution : Avoid shopping or making important decisions until 10 p.m Chicago time .
After that , the moon moves from Gemini into Cancer .
You feel chatty today .
In addition to which , you want to explore new ideas and learn something different and unusual .
However , most of this day is a moon alert , which means don ’ t make promises .
Don ’ t agree to anything .
Don ’ t shop for anything other than food and gas .
That ’ s it then .
Because the moon is in your money house @ @ @ @ @ @ @ important financial decisions .
Do not shop ( except for food or gas ) .
Double check banking and finances to avoid errors or having overlooked something .
When it comes to money , you ’ re no fool .
You feel a bit willy-nilly and indecisive , which means your decision-making process is less reliable .
Be aware of this .
There is a moon alert in operation all day , which means you should restrict spending to food and gas .
Be smart .
( Hey , you are ! )
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ re ready to work ; in fact , you ’ re just as ready to play !
However , because today is a moon alert , your work might suffer from inefficiency and indecision .
Fortunately , your creative energy will be hot because in a moon alert you can think outside of the box .
This is a productive day for those involved in creative projects .
( That ’ s because there is a moon alert today and a moon alert generally encourages original thinking . )
Enjoy schmoozing , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s important to know that you are high visibility today .
This means others notice you , especially bosses , parents and the police .
Meanwhile , today is a moon alert , which means it ’ s a spacey day for everyone .
Postpone important decisions for another day .
Don ’ t ask for favors from bosses or VIPs .
Don ’ t shop except for food .
Even though you ’ re eager to talk to others , please keep in mind that today is a moon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appointments .
Furthermore , restrict your spending to food .
But hey , it ’ s a creative day !
Jot down your ideas .
It ’ s important to know that this is a moon alert because both your sun and Mercury are in one of your money houses , which means you are thinking about finances and shopping .
Please note : Postpone these activities for another day .
Do not shop for anything except food .
An interesting day .
The sun and Mercury are in your sign , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moon opposes you — and it ’ s a moon alert !
This means you can ’ t be decisive and throw your weight around .
Postpone important decisions and don ’ t shop .
( Except for food . )
Keep a low profile today .
( Which you are actually happy to do . )
Because of today ’ s moon Alert , everything at work might be delayed or slowed down .
Cope as best you can .
Because of the moon alert , avoid important decisions and don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ food . )
This is a lovely day to schmooze with friends .
You feel friendly and particularly interested in young people at this time .
( People want to talk to you , too . )
Keep things light .
Avoid shopping and important decisions .
There is a moon alert all day .
( Gulp . )
With the sun high in your chart , you make a great impression on everyone now .
Nevertheless , today is a moon alert , which means you have to put the brakes on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ food and gas .
If Your Birthday Is Today Actress Zoe Kravitz ( 1988 ) shares your birthday .
You are passionate and intuitive .
Relationships are important to you but sometimes challenging because you are independent .
Because you are entering a new cycle , it means it ’ s time to define some goals to determine what you want for yourself in the next few years .
Be confident and physically energetic about going after what you want .
Just do it !

Moon Alert
Caution: Avoid shopping or making important decisions until 10 p.m Chicago time. After that, the moon moves from Gemini into Cancer.
Aries (March 21-April 19)
You feel chatty today. In addition to which, you want to explore new ideas and learn something different and unusual. However, most of this day is a moon alert, which means don’t make promises. Don’t agree to anything. Don’t shop for anything other than food and gas. That’s it then.
Taurus (April 20-May 20)
Because the moon is in your money house, you will be wise to avoid important financial decisions. Do not shop (except for food or gas). Double check banking and finances to avoid errors or having overlooked something. When it comes to money, you’re no fool.
Gemini (May 21-June 20)
You feel a bit willy-nilly and indecisive, which means your decision-making process is less reliable. Be aware of this. There is a moon alert in operation all day, which means you should restrict spending to food and gas. Be smart. (Hey, you are!)
Cancer (June 21-July 22)
Today might be frustrating. You’re ready to work; in fact, you’re just as ready to play! However, because today is a moon alert, your work might suffer from inefficiency and indecision. Fortunately, your creative energy will be hot because in a moon alert you can think outside of the box.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)
This is a productive day for those involved in creative projects. (That’s because there is a moon alert today and a moon alert generally encourages original thinking.) Enjoy schmoozing, but restrict your spending to food and gas.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
It’s important to know that you are high visibility today. This means others notice you, especially bosses, parents and the police. Meanwhile, today is a moon alert, which means it’s a spacey day for everyone. Postpone important decisions for another day. Don’t ask for favors from bosses or VIPs. Don’t shop except for food.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
Even though you’re eager to talk to others, please keep in mind that today is a moon alert so make no important decisions or appointments. Furthermore, restrict your spending to food. But hey, it’s a creative day! Jot down your ideas.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
It’s important to know that this is a moon alert because both your sun and Mercury are in one of your money houses, which means you are thinking about finances and shopping. Please note: Postpone these activities for another day. Do not shop for anything except food.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
An interesting day. The sun and Mercury are in your sign, which is empowering; however, today the Moon opposes you — and it’s a moon alert! This means you can’t be decisive and throw your weight around. Postpone important decisions and don’t shop. (Except for food.)
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
Keep a low profile today. (Which you are actually happy to do.) Because of today’s moon Alert, everything at work might be delayed or slowed down. Cope as best you can. Because of the moon alert, avoid important decisions and don’t spend money. (Except for food.)
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
This is a lovely day to schmooze with friends. You feel friendly and particularly interested in young people at this time. (People want to talk to you, too.) Keep things light. Avoid shopping and important decisions. There is a moon alert all day. (Gulp.)
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)
With the sun high in your chart, you make a great impression on everyone now. Nevertheless, today is a moon alert, which means you have to put the brakes on important decisions. Confine your spending to food and gas.
If Your Birthday Is Today
Actress Zoe Kravitz (1988) shares your birthday. You are passionate and intuitive. Relationships are important to you but sometimes challenging because you are independent. Because you are entering a new cycle, it means it’s time to define some goals to determine what you want for yourself in the next few years. Be confident and physically energetic about going after what you want. Just do it!


chicagosun-times--2020-11-30--When it comes to Bears-Packers, vaunted beats haunted

“ It was a fun night for us on offense , ’ ’ Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said after dismantling the Bears 41-25 on Sunday night .
Rodgers had the sly , surgical look of a chess master who just defeated a middle school hopeful while getting his nails done , talking business on a headset , a snifter of cognac in his free hand .
You ’ ve seen the look before .
Rodgers is in his 16th NFL season , all of them spent up north beyond the Cheese Line that separates Wisconsin from Illinois .
That might @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adapted to time ’ s dampening effects , limiting his scrambling , honing his vision .
Last year , at 35 , he threw for more than 4,000 yards , with 26 touchdown passes and only four interceptions .
Since replacing Brett Favre in 2008 , Rodgers has started 185 of a possible 203 regular-season games and all 18 of the Packers ’ playoff games .
In other words , he ’ s always there .
Which brings us back to the Bears and the embarrassment of their continued failure at quarterback .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ decades .
But the immediate failure , the one in our face , the one we saw Sunday night with the return of Mitch Trubisky , can be measured in “ Rodgers Years.
’ ’ Or — here ’ s the transcendent horror — in “ Mahomes Years.
’ ’ Rodgers ’ career will end someday .
I can ’ t see him playing at 50 , though he might stick around just because , as he said , he loves beating the Bears .
But Patrick Mahomes .
The young Chiefs quarterback @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in beating the Buccaneers .
How does 462 yards , three touchdown passes , no interceptions and a 124.7 passer rating sound ?
We ’ ve been down this path before .
The Bears could ’ ve drafted Mahomes in 2017 instead of Trubisky .
We have flogged general manager Ryan Pace for this mortal error .
Some might say we should stop beating the horse ; it ’ s deader than Freddy Krueger .
Or Michael Myers .
Or Pennywise .
Or — my favorite — Norman Bates from “ Psycho , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and not dead , just resting in a prison for the insane .
But here ’ s the thing .
All these monsters come back .
Again and again .
And every time the Bears fail at quarterback — whether it ’ s with non-leader Jay Cutler or weak Mike Glennon or middling Nick Foles or hapless Trubisky — Rodgers , or his mere image , comes back to haunt us .
And Mahomes , only 23 , will do that to us when Rodgers can ’ t .
It makes the Bears @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those of the cursed Lions — the teams have not won a Super Bowl or NFL championship game in a combined 98 years — beyond annoying .
Just knowing the McCaskeys still own and run the team becomes painful .
Knowing Pace is in charge of player selection is painful .
Knowing coach Matt Nagy and staff have failed is painful .
Knowing the Bears will have to start all over again , start that eternal search for a star quarterback , is flat-out depressing .
Complementary players are important .
Of course @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to throw to .
Mahomes has human blur Tyreek Hill .
But consider this : Rodgers threw touchdown passes Sunday to Marcedes Lewis , Robert Tonyan and Allen Lazard .
Lewis is 36 and caught 18 passes the last two seasons .
Tonyan was an undrafted free agent .
Lazard was an undrafted free agent .
Don ’ t blame the pieces .
As the saying goes : It ’ s a poor carpenter who blames his tools .
The Bears might beat the pitiful Lions this week , the 4-7 team that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and is to success as a sloth is to speed .
The Bears might even back into the playoffs somehow .
But they ’ re going nowhere .
Yet here they sit .
The same old , same old .
One mistake should not define a franchise or a person .
But craftily moving up , dealing draft picks , selecting Trubisky as the quarterback of the future was a mistake so grievous that it cries out for atonement .
Or revenge .
Or penance .
Or something .
It set the Bears @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sight .
Remember in 2014 when Bears chairman George McCaskey said his mom , Bears owner Virginia , was “ pissed off ’ ’ with the team ’ s lousiness ?
Virginia , now 97 , has denied using those exact words .
But whatever .
Because what comes after pissed off , or its equivalent , when things get worse ?
All of it .
Light the fuse and clear out .

“It was a fun night for us on offense,’’ Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said after dismantling the Bears 41-25 on Sunday night.
Rodgers had the sly, surgical look of a chess master who just defeated a middle school hopeful while getting his nails done, talking business on a headset, a snifter of cognac in his free hand.
You’ve seen the look before.
Rodgers is in his 16th NFL season, all of them spent up north beyond the Cheese Line that separates Wisconsin from Illinois.
He’s 20-5 against the Bears.
He’s 36.
That might seem old, but Rodgers already has adapted to time’s dampening effects, limiting his scrambling, honing his vision.
Last year, at 35, he threw for more than 4,000 yards, with 26 touchdown passes and only four interceptions.
Since replacing Brett Favre in 2008, Rodgers has started 185 of a possible 203 regular-season games and all 18 of the Packers’ playoff games.
In other words, he’s always there.
Which brings us back to the Bears and the embarrassment of their continued failure at quarterback. And we do mean continued. Like decades.
But the immediate failure, the one in our face, the one we saw Sunday night with the return of Mitch Trubisky, can be measured in “Rodgers Years.’’
Or — here’s the transcendent horror — in “Mahomes Years.’’
Rodgers’ career will end someday. I can’t see him playing at 50, though he might stick around just because, as he said, he loves beating the Bears.
But Patrick Mahomes. The young Chiefs quarterback played earlier on Sunday and was spectacular in beating the Buccaneers. How does 462 yards, three touchdown passes, no interceptions and a 124.7 passer rating sound?
We’ve been down this path before. The Bears could’ve drafted Mahomes in 2017 instead of Trubisky.
We have flogged general manager Ryan Pace for this mortal error. Some might say we should stop beating the horse; it’s deader than Freddy Krueger. Or Michael Myers. Or Pennywise. Or — my favorite — Norman Bates from “Psycho,’’ though he’s human and not dead, just resting in a prison for the insane.
But here’s the thing. All these monsters come back. Again and again.
And every time the Bears fail at quarterback — whether it’s with non-leader Jay Cutler or weak Mike Glennon or middling Nick Foles or hapless Trubisky — Rodgers, or his mere image, comes back to haunt us.
And Mahomes, only 23, will do that to us when Rodgers can’t.
It makes the Bears’ offensive failings, which now rival those of the cursed Lions — the teams have not won a Super Bowl or NFL championship game in a combined 98 years — beyond annoying.
It makes it gut-wrenching.
Just knowing the McCaskeys still own and run the team becomes painful.
Knowing Pace is in charge of player selection is painful.
Knowing coach Matt Nagy and staff have failed is painful.
Knowing the Bears will have to start all over again, start that eternal search for a star quarterback, is flat-out depressing.
Complementary players are important. Of course. Rodgers has wide receiver Davante Adams to throw to. Mahomes has human blur Tyreek Hill.
But consider this: Rodgers threw touchdown passes Sunday to Marcedes Lewis, Robert Tonyan and Allen Lazard.
Lewis is 36 and caught 18 passes the last two seasons. Tonyan was an undrafted free agent. Lazard was an undrafted free agent.
Don’t blame the pieces. As the saying goes: It’s a poor carpenter who blames his tools.
The Bears might beat the pitiful Lions this week, the 4-7 team that just fired its coach and general manager and is to success as a sloth is to speed. The Bears might even back into the playoffs somehow.
But they’re going nowhere.
Yet here they sit. The same old, same old.
One mistake should not define a franchise or a person. But craftily moving up, dealing draft picks, selecting Trubisky as the quarterback of the future was a mistake so grievous that it cries out for atonement. Or revenge. Or penance. Or something.
It set the Bears back years, with no fix in sight.
Remember in 2014 when Bears chairman George McCaskey said his mom, Bears owner Virginia, was “pissed off’’ with the team’s lousiness?
Virginia, now 97, has denied using those exact words. But whatever.
Because what comes after pissed off, or its equivalent, when things get worse?
I’d say dynamite.
All of it. Light the fuse and clear out.


chicagosun-times--2020-11-30--Teen shot in Roseland

Teen shot in Roseland

A 17-year-old boy was wounded in a shooting Monday in Roseland on the Far South Side .
About 8:40 p.m. @ @ @ @ @ 11300 block of South Normal Avenue when someone opened fire , striking him in the @ @ @ @ @ .
The teen was taken to Roseland Community Hospital in serious condition , police said @ @ @ @ @ , and track the city ’ s homicides .

A 17-year-old boy was wounded in a shooting Monday in Roseland on the Far South Side.
About 8:40 p.m., he was in the 11300 block of South Normal Avenue when someone opened fire, striking him in the back, Chicago police said.
The teen was taken to Roseland Community Hospital in serious condition, police said.
Area Two detectives are investigating.
Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.