chicagosun-times--2020-07-10--Holocaust survivor Magda Brown has died, offered comfort after Tree of Life synagogue shooting

After a gunman shot 11 people at Pittsburgh ’ s Tree of Life synagogue , Magda Brown refused to allow the deadliest anti-Semitic attack in American history stop her from speaking out against hate and bigotry .
She was a 91-year-old Auschwitz survivor from Skokie who ’ d lost all but six of 70 family members in the Holocaust .
At the time of the 2018 mass shooting , she was heading to Pittsburgh to give a speech after being invited by the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh .
“ Here was the amazing Magda Brown and her daughter getting on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actually had to catch her at the gate to tell her this is happening , ” said Jessie Ramey , an associate professor who helped co-host the program at Pittsburgh ’ s Chatham University .
“ Now , the world needs to hear the message even more , ” Mrs. Brown responded .
“ Let ’ s go.
” “ We were in shock , ” said Lauren Bairnsfather , director of the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh .
“ She arrived with so much warmth and grit .
She was a tough woman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ veneer of kindness and compassion .
And it showed us we shouldn ’ t cower , and we shouldn ’ t be fearful .
And life would go on.
” Mrs. Brown , known as “ Grandma Magda ” for her motherly hugs and kisses , died July 7 at the Morton Grove home of her daughter Rochelle Brown-Rainey .
She was 93 .
She was a popular speaker for the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center in Skokie whose speeches , over the years , reached an estimated 100,000 people in person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hit , she continued reaching audiences via Zoom and Facebook Live .
“ My mission , ” she used to say , “ is to tell the audience that , if they ever meet a Holocaust denier , that I am a proof that it was very real.
” In 2017 , she fell just before boarding a flight to Storm Lake , Iowa to speak about the Holocaust at two schools .
When she landed , “ They brought her straight to the E.R.
, ” said her granddaughter Amy Rainey .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of her spine .
So the tech-savvy grandmother gave her speech via Skype from her hospital bed .
“ I think she refused pain medication so she could be lucid enough to do this talk , ” her granddaughter said .
At the 2009 opening of the Illinois Holocaust Museum , she was accompanied by two German college students who ’ d volunteered to come to Skokie and help victims of Nazi oppression .
“ These are my boys , ” she said , introducing Gregor Darmer and Tobias Etzel , both then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he knew of people linked to his family who ’ d been involved in the SS and Wehrmacht .
“ She is my American grandma , ” Darmer said .
The young men , concerned about rising neo-Nazism , became docents at Skokie ’ s original , far smaller Holocaust museum and assisted survivors seeking restitution from the German government .
Mrs. Brown spoke at the new museum ’ s opening .
“ By my 17th birthday , I had lost my home , ” she said .
“ I had lost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ orphan , a slave laborer , a refugee .
The Germans of the 1940s , I can ’ t possibly forgive for all the things they have done to me .
However , when I meet the third generation , and the third generation is helping me , doing volunteer service for our benefit , I can totally love them.
” Mrs. Brown maintained a sense of hope and gratitude that inspired others , her granddaughter said .
She never forgot an older German man who smuggled food to her and other Jewish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would bring apples and sneak them in for the girls at the factory , ” her granddaughter said .
“ You don ’ t forget that you can always find the good people , ’ ’ Mrs. Brown said .
Young Magda grew up in Hungary , the daughter of Regina and Jozsef Perlstein , who operated a butcher shop .
When she was 16 , they were ordered into the Jewish ghetto in Miskolc .
On her 17th birthday , she and her family were put on a train with no food @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Auschwitz concentration camp .
In a cattle car that fit 20 , she jostled with 80 others .
“ In order to allow my dear parents to sit on the floor , ” she said in a speech , “ I stood three days.
” Some didn ’ t survive the journey , she said : “ I vividly remember one young woman who was huddled in a corner with her baby on her bosom , but that poor baby was already dead.
” At Auschwitz , she was separated from relatives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ again .
Soon , she was sent to a sub-camp of Buchenwald , where she and other prisoners had to work with munitions chemicals so hazardous that they “ turned their skin yellow , their hair orange and their lips purple , ” according to her online biography .
In 1945 , while on a death march to Buchenwald , she and some other prisoners plotted to escape .
They fled to a barn and hid under the hay for a day and a half until they were found by American soldiers .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ had relatives , and met Robert Brown , who used to make special trips to a spice shop to buy Hungarian paprika for her .
They were married for 52 years until his death in 2001 and raised their daughter and their son Bruce Brown in Skokie .
Mrs. Brown became a certified medical assistant and president of the Illinois chapter of the American Association of Medical Assistants .
In addition to her daughter , son and granddaughter , she is survived by grandchildren Michael , William and Norman Rainey , Jessica Matas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Philip Ide , nine great-grandchildren and three great-great grandchildren .
Her brother Miklos did not get sent to Auschwitz because he was serving in a Jewish labor force in the Hungarian military .
But when the postwar Iron Curtain came down over Hungary , he couldn ’ t leave .
Mrs. Brown had to wait 20 years before they were reunited when he immigrated to the United States .
A few years ago , Mrs. Brown asked , “ Why do all the kids keep asking to take ‘ sophies ’ with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
” Her family explained the kids were asking for “ selfies.
” “ I ’ m so grateful that she came ” to Chatham University after the Tree of Life tragedy , Ramey said .
“ It was a very important part of Pittsburgh healing and starting to move forward just a few hours after the horrible event .
We will miss her forever .
”

After a gunman shot 11 people at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life synagogue, Magda Brown refused to allow the deadliest anti-Semitic attack in American history stop her from speaking out against hate and bigotry.
She was a 91-year-old Auschwitz survivor from Skokie who’d lost all but six of 70 family members in the Holocaust. At the time of the 2018 mass shooting, she was heading to Pittsburgh to give a speech after being invited by the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh.
“Here was the amazing Magda Brown and her daughter getting on the plane in Chicago, and we actually had to catch her at the gate to tell her this is happening,” said Jessie Ramey, an associate professor who helped co-host the program at Pittsburgh’s Chatham University.
“Now, the world needs to hear the message even more,” Mrs. Brown responded. “Let’s go.”
“We were in shock,” said Lauren Bairnsfather, director of the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh. “She arrived with so much warmth and grit. She was a tough woman, but that was coated in this veneer of kindness and compassion. And it showed us we shouldn’t cower, and we shouldn’t be fearful. And life would go on.”
Magda Brown spoke at Pittsburgh’s Chatham University near the Tree of Life synagogue on the day after a mass shooting at the synagogue left 11 people dead in the worst anti-Semitic attack on U.S. soil. Melanie Friend Photography
Mrs. Brown, known as “Grandma Magda” for her motherly hugs and kisses, died July 7 at the Morton Grove home of her daughter Rochelle Brown-Rainey. She was 93.
She was a popular speaker for the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center in Skokie whose speeches, over the years, reached an estimated 100,000 people in person and remotely. Once the coronavirus pandemic hit, she continued reaching audiences via Zoom and Facebook Live.
“My mission,” she used to say, “is to tell the audience that, if they ever meet a Holocaust denier, that I am a proof that it was very real.”
In 2017, she fell just before boarding a flight to Storm Lake, Iowa to speak about the Holocaust at two schools. When she landed, “They brought her straight to the E.R.,” said her granddaughter Amy Rainey.
Tests showed she’d broken part of her spine. So the tech-savvy grandmother gave her speech via Skype from her hospital bed.
“I think she refused pain medication so she could be lucid enough to do this talk,” her granddaughter said.
Magda Brown at the grand opening in April 2009 of the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center in Skokie. Sun-Times file
At the 2009 opening of the Illinois Holocaust Museum, she was accompanied by two German college students who’d volunteered to come to Skokie and help victims of Nazi oppression.
“These are my boys,” she said, introducing Gregor Darmer and Tobias Etzel, both then 21. At the time, Etzel said he knew of people linked to his family who’d been involved in the SS and Wehrmacht.
“She is my American grandma,” Darmer said.
The young men, concerned about rising neo-Nazism, became docents at Skokie’s original, far smaller Holocaust museum and assisted survivors seeking restitution from the German government.
On the day of the new museum’s opening, Mrs. Brown said: “By my 17th birthday, I had lost my home. I had lost my country. I had become an orphan, a slave laborer, a refugee. The Germans of the 1940s, I can’t possibly forgive for all the things they have done to me. However, when I meet the third generation, and the third generation is helping me, doing volunteer service for our benefit, I can totally love them.”
Magda Brown (center) and daughter Rochelle Brown-Rainey (right) in Berlin at a 2018 German peace and reconciliation event on the legacy of Nazism. Amy Rainey
Mrs. Brown maintained a sense of hope and gratitude that inspired others, her granddaughter said.
She never forgot an older German man who smuggled food to her and other Jewish prisoners doing forced labor. “He would bring apples and sneak them in for the girls at the factory,” her granddaughter said.
“You don’t forget that you can always find the good people,’’ Mrs. Brown said.
Little Magda Brown. Provided
Regina and Jozsef Perlstein ran a thriving butcher shop in Hungary before the rise of Nazism and World War II. Provided
Young Magda grew up in Hungary, the daughter of Regina and Jozsef Perlstein, who operated a butcher shop. When she was 16, they were ordered into the Jewish ghetto in Miskolc.
Young Magda Brown. Provided
On her 17th birthday, she and her family were put on a train with no food or water for a three-day journey to the Auschwitz concentration camp. In a cattle car that fit 20, she jostled with 80 others.
“In order to allow my dear parents to sit on the floor,” she said in a speech, “I stood three days.”
Some didn’t survive the journey, she said: “I vividly remember one young woman who was huddled in a corner with her baby on her bosom, but that poor baby was already dead.”
At Auschwitz, she was separated from relatives and friends. She never saw them again.
Soon, she was sent to a sub-camp of Buchenwald, where she and other prisoners had to work with munitions chemicals so hazardous that they “turned their skin yellow, their hair orange and their lips purple,” according to her online biography.
In 1945, while on a death march to Buchenwald, she and some other prisoners plotted to escape. They fled to a barn and hid under the hay for a day and a half until they were found by American soldiers.
Magda and Robert Brown raised their children Rochelle and Bruce in Skokie. Provided
She immigrated to Chicago, where she had relatives, and met Robert Brown, who used to make special trips to a spice shop to buy Hungarian paprika for her. They were married for 52 years until his death in 2001 and raised their daughter and their son Bruce Brown in Skokie.
Mrs. Brown became a certified medical assistant and president of the Illinois chapter of the American Association of Medical Assistants.
In addition to her daughter, son and granddaughter, she is survived by grandchildren Michael, William and Norman Rainey, Jessica Matas; Jennifer, Rachel and Robin Brown and Philip Ide, nine great-grandchildren and three great-great grandchildren.
Her brother Miklos did not get sent to Auschwitz because he was serving in a Jewish labor force in the Hungarian military. But when the postwar Iron Curtain came down over Hungary, he couldn’t leave. Mrs. Brown had to wait 20 years before they were reunited when he immigrated to the United States.
A few years ago, Mrs. Brown asked, “Why do all the kids keep asking to take ‘sophies’ with me? What’s a sophie?” Her family explained the kids were asking for “selfies.”
A private funeral is planned Friday.
“I’m so grateful that she came” to Chatham University after the Tree of Life tragedy, Ramey said. “It was a very important part of Pittsburgh healing and starting to move forward just a few hours after the horrible event. We will miss her forever.”
Holocaust survivor Magda Brown and her family. Provided


chicagosun-times--2020-07-10--2 dead, 7 wounded in Chicago shootings Thursday

Nine people were shot across Chicago on Thursday , two of them fatally .
The latest killing happened Thursday night in Hermosa on the Northwest Side .
A 23-year-old man was driving about 9:53 p.m. in the 1800 block of North Keeler Avenue when someone in a white-colored SUV opened fire , according to Chicago police .
He was struck in the head and pronounced dead at the scene .
Earlier that afternoon , another man was fatally shot in Austin on the West Side .
He was standing outside a convenience store about 3:39 p.m. in the 400 block @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him and opened fire , police said .
The 36-year-old was struck in the head and chest and was taken to Stroger Hospital , where he died .
The Cook County medical examiner ’ s office has not released details about either fatality .
A 52-year-old man was walking about 10:50 p.m. in the 2900 block of East 83rd Street when someone on the sidewalk fired shots , striking him in the leg , police said .
A friend drove him to Jackson Park Hospital in good condition .
Police sources believe the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ target of the shooting .
Minutes earlier , another man was shot during a robbery attempt in Chicago Lawn on the South Side .
The 24-year-old was riding in a vehicle about 10:46 p.m. in the 2300 block of West 69th Street when a male approached and pulled him out , according to police .
The suspect then pulled out a handgun , announced a robbery and shot the man in the leg before running away .
He did not appear to have taken anything from the victim .
The man was taken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in fair condition .
Earlier that night , a concealed-carry license holder shot someone who fired at him in Hermosa .
The 25-year-old was driving north about 8:20 p.m. in the 2000 block of North Keystone Avenue when someone on the sidewalk fired shots at him , police said .
The man got out of his vehicle and returned fire , striking the shooter in the hand .
The male shooter was taken to Stroger Hospital , where his condition was stabilized .
The 25-year-old man has a valid firearm owners identification card @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday afternoon , a man crashed on the Dan Ryan Expressway after he was shot while driving in Rosemoor on the South Side .
The 29-year-old was traveling about 3 p.m. in the 100 block of East 99th Street when he heard shots and felt pain , according to police .
He merged onto the Dan Ryan Expressway and crashed near 79th Street .
He was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center with gunshots wounds to the thigh , arm and upper back .
His condition was stabilized .
About 40 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wounded in a road rage shooting in Marquette Park on the Southwest Side .
The man , 22 , was driving about 2:20 p.m. in the 6300 block of South Kedzie Avenue when he was involved in a “ road rage incident ” with a male driving another vehicle , police said .
While stopped at a red light , the man got out of his vehicle and approached the other driver , who pulled out a gun and opened fire .
The man was struck in the neck and taken to Christ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ condition .
Nearly 12 hours earlier , a 32-year-old man was injured in a drive-by in Gresham on the South Side .
He was standing outside about 2:40 a.m. in the 7800 block of South Carpenter Street when someone shot at him from a passing black vehicle , police said .
He was struck in the lower backside and taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in fair condition .
The day ’ s first shooting left a woman injured just over an hour and a half earlier in Brighton Park on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passenger in a vehicle about 1 a.m. in the 4200 block of South California Avenue when she heard shots and felt a pain , according to police .
She was struck in the shoulder and taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in fair condition .
The woman told officers she did not see who fired the shots or where they came from .
On Wednesday , nine people were injured by gunfire throughout the city , including a 7-month-old boy who was grazed while riding in a vehicle with relatives in Lawndale .
Read @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city ’ s homicides .

Nine people were shot across Chicago on Thursday, two of them fatally.
The latest killing happened Thursday night in Hermosa on the Northwest Side.
A 23-year-old man was driving about 9:53 p.m. in the 1800 block of North Keeler Avenue when someone in a white-colored SUV opened fire, according to Chicago police. He was struck in the head and pronounced dead at the scene.
Earlier that afternoon, another man was fatally shot in Austin on the West Side.
He was standing outside a convenience store about 3:39 p.m. in the 400 block of South Laramie Avenue when someone approached him and opened fire, police said. The 36-year-old was struck in the head and chest and was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he died.
The Cook County medical examiner’s office has not released details about either fatality.
Thursday’s latest nonfatal shooting happened in South Chicago.
A 52-year-old man was walking about 10:50 p.m. in the 2900 block of East 83rd Street when someone on the sidewalk fired shots, striking him in the leg, police said. A friend drove him to Jackson Park Hospital in good condition.
Police sources believe the man may not have been the intended target of the shooting.
Minutes earlier, another man was shot during a robbery attempt in Chicago Lawn on the South Side.
The 24-year-old was riding in a vehicle about 10:46 p.m. in the 2300 block of West 69th Street when a male approached and pulled him out, according to police. The suspect then pulled out a handgun, announced a robbery and shot the man in the leg before running away. He did not appear to have taken anything from the victim. The man was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in fair condition.
Earlier that night, a concealed-carry license holder shot someone who fired at him in Hermosa.
The 25-year-old was driving north about 8:20 p.m. in the 2000 block of North Keystone Avenue when someone on the sidewalk fired shots at him, police said. The man got out of his vehicle and returned fire, striking the shooter in the hand. The male shooter was taken to Stroger Hospital, where his condition was stabilized.
The 25-year-old man has a valid firearm owners identification card and concealed-carry license, police said.
Thursday afternoon, a man crashed on the Dan Ryan Expressway after he was shot while driving in Rosemoor on the South Side.
The 29-year-old was traveling about 3 p.m. in the 100 block of East 99th Street when he heard shots and felt pain, according to police. He merged onto the Dan Ryan Expressway and crashed near 79th Street. He was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center with gunshots wounds to the thigh, arm and upper back. His condition was stabilized.
About 40 minutes before that, a man was wounded in a road rage shooting in Marquette Park on the Southwest Side.
The man, 22, was driving about 2:20 p.m. in the 6300 block of South Kedzie Avenue when he was involved in a “road rage incident” with a male driving another vehicle, police said. While stopped at a red light, the man got out of his vehicle and approached the other driver, who pulled out a gun and opened fire. The man was struck in the neck and taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn in critical condition.
Nearly 12 hours earlier, a 32-year-old man was injured in a drive-by in Gresham on the South Side.
He was standing outside about 2:40 a.m. in the 7800 block of South Carpenter Street when someone shot at him from a passing black vehicle, police said. He was struck in the lower backside and taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in fair condition.
The day’s first shooting left a woman injured just over an hour and a half earlier in Brighton Park on the Southwest Side.
She was a passenger in a vehicle about 1 a.m. in the 4200 block of South California Avenue when she heard shots and felt a pain, according to police. She was struck in the shoulder and taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in fair condition. The woman told officers she did not see who fired the shots or where they came from.
On Wednesday, nine people were injured by gunfire throughout the city, including a 7-month-old boy who was grazed while riding in a vehicle with relatives in Lawndale.
Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.


chicagosun-times--2020-07-10--Barbara Samuels, Sears copywriter, buyer who elevated Black designers, models, has died

In college , Andi Parsons dreamed of modeling , but her inner monologue kept repeating : “ I ’ m too tall and too skinny.
” Along came fashionista Barbara Samuels .
She took one look at her and enthused , “ Cheekbones !
Long legs !
” Ms. Samuels insisted that Parsons walk the runway for a fashion show she was organizing for the Chicago Urban League .
“ She was just , like , ‘ You got it , you got it , keep going !
’ ’ ’ said Parsons , for whom that was the springboard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A Chicago makeup artist who goes by the single name Landis also credits Ms. Samuels with his success .
He was a bank lending officer when she advised him to read “ five fashion magazines a day , ” to expand his African American cosmetic line to include shades for Caucasian skin and to bring on hair stylists so he could offer clients a full-service beauty squad .
Today , Hyde Park-based Landis Cosmetics products are sold in boutiques and salons , and Landis has done makeup for celebrities including Aretha Franklin , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Mo ’ Nique and Bernie Mac .
Ms. Samuels “ let me know I could be the next big cosmetic company and to live my dream , ” Landis said .
Ms. Samuels died of natural causes July 2 at her North Side home .
She was 82 .
Once a pioneering Black female copywriter at Sears , where she wrote for its catalog , she went on to be a globetrotting buyer of shoes and handbags for the retail giant and helped select clothing for the 1968 U.S. Olympic Team , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to The HistoryMakers .
Ms. Samuels helped stage style events including Chicago Fashion Week and “ Chicago Is ... Red Hot !
” She moved in the city ’ s most elegant circles , dressing clients and friends and teaching fashion classes at Columbia College Chicago .
Beyond that , “ She held a mirror up ” to the industry to push for greater diversity , according to Hermene Hartman , founder of N ’ DIGO , where Ms. Samuels was fashion editor .
“ She was always a part of the planning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Black models , that they have a place at the table.
” At New York Fashion Week , “ She would insist that she had a front-row seat , ” Hartman said .
“ Wherever Vogue was , she was next to or immediately behind ” Anna Wintour , the fashion bible ’ s editor .
“ In a world that was not so inclusive , ” said hairstylist Leigh Jones , “ Barbara was unapologetically Black .
She knew her value , and she made sure others knew her value.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said Chicago publicist Dori Wilson , a former model and fashion director for the ad agency Foote , Cone & Belding .
“ There was nobody around who looked like her and did what she did.
” For galas , she ’ d wear a full-length , dark mink coast .
Every day , “ She wore these big pieces of jewelry , ” said former Chicago Sun-Times fashion editor Lisa D. Lenoir .
“ She always had great hats.
” She also was an adept networker who used that skill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American women , according to Lenoir .
Ms. Samuels recommended Lenoir to lecture at Columbia College , which helped lead to her teaching fashion communication at Stephens College in Columbia , Missouri .
Ms. Samuels grew up in Washington Park .
Her mother Blanche worked at the old Regal Theater on 47th Street , where young Barbara got to meet singer Nat King Cole , according to her HistoryMakers interview .
She graduated from Lucy Flower Vocational High School , where , she told The HistoryMakers her counselor refused to find her work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t think she could be trusted handling money .
She went on to study at the School of the Art Institute and Chicago State University .
After a stint as a copywriter at Formfit-Rogers lingerie , she joined Sears in 1963 , becoming its first African American female copywriter , according to the oral history .
She rose to be a national buyer for handbags and shoes and played a part in getting Sears to begin allowing women to wear pants , she said in the interview .
“ I ’ m always @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” she told the Chicago Daily News in 1969 , “ and somehow my limitations keep stretching.
” She was partial to designers Chanel and Issey Miyake and also admired clothing creations by Sean “ Diddy ” Combs .
Later in life , she founded a consulting firm , The Lion ’ s Share , to promote fledgling fashion professionals .
Ms. Samuels ’ husband Alfred Jordan and son Michael died before her .
She is survived by her son Gregory .
Services have been held .

In college, Andi Parsons dreamed of modeling, but her inner monologue kept repeating: “I’m too tall and too skinny.”
Along came fashionista Barbara Samuels. She took one look at her and enthused, “Cheekbones! Long legs!”
Ms. Samuels insisted that Parsons walk the runway for a fashion show she was organizing for the Chicago Urban League.
“She was just, like, ‘You got it, you got it, keep going!’ ’’ said Parsons, for whom that was the springboard to a modeling and acting career.
A Chicago makeup artist who goes by the single name Landis also credits Ms. Samuels with his success. He was a bank lending officer when she advised him to read “five fashion magazines a day,” to expand his African American cosmetic line to include shades for Caucasian skin and to bring on hair stylists so he could offer clients a full-service beauty squad. Today, Hyde Park-based Landis Cosmetics products are sold in boutiques and salons, and Landis has done makeup for celebrities including Aretha Franklin, Alicia Keys, LisaRaye, Jill Scott, Mo’Nique and Bernie Mac.
Ms. Samuels “let me know I could be the next big cosmetic company and to live my dream,” Landis said.
Ms. Samuels died of natural causes July 2 at her North Side home. She was 82.
Barbara Samuels. Provided
Once a pioneering Black female copywriter at Sears, where she wrote for its catalog, she went on to be a globetrotting buyer of shoes and handbags for the retail giant and helped select clothing for the 1968 U.S. Olympic Team, according to an oral history she gave to The HistoryMakers.
Ms. Samuels helped stage style events including Chicago Fashion Week and “Chicago Is...Red Hot!” She moved in the city’s most elegant circles, dressing clients and friends and teaching fashion classes at Columbia College Chicago.
Barbara Samuels (left) helps Angelique Thomas shop at Sears for clothes for a new job in 2000. Rich Hein / Sun-Times file
Beyond that, “She held a mirror up” to the industry to push for greater diversity, according to Hermene Hartman, founder of N’DIGO, where Ms. Samuels was fashion editor. “She was always a part of the planning and very much insistent on Black designers and Black models, that they have a place at the table.”
At New York Fashion Week, “She would insist that she had a front-row seat,” Hartman said. “Wherever Vogue was, she was next to or immediately behind” Anna Wintour, the fashion bible’s editor.
“In a world that was not so inclusive,” said hairstylist Leigh Jones, “Barbara was unapologetically Black. She knew her value, and she made sure others knew her value.”
“We all looked up to her,” said Chicago publicist Dori Wilson, a former model and fashion director for the ad agency Foote, Cone & Belding. “There was nobody around who looked like her and did what she did.”
For galas, she’d wear a full-length, dark mink coast, according to the fashion designer known as Jermikko. Every day, “She wore these big pieces of jewelry,” said former Chicago Sun-Times fashion editor Lisa D. Lenoir. “She always had great hats.”
She also was an adept networker who used that skill to promote others, especially other African American women, according to Lenoir. Ms. Samuels recommended Lenoir to lecture at Columbia College, which helped lead to her teaching fashion communication at Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri.
Barbara Samuels (left) with artist Nick Cave, an honoree at the N’DIGO Foundation award night at the Lyric Opera House in 2007. Sun-Times file
Ms. Samuels grew up in Washington Park. Her mother Blanche worked at the old Regal Theater on 47th Street, where young Barbara got to meet singer Nat King Cole, according to her HistoryMakers interview.
She graduated from Lucy Flower Vocational High School, where, she told The HistoryMakers, her counselor refused to find her work at a bank because she didn’t think she could be trusted handling money. She went on to study at the School of the Art Institute and Chicago State University.
After a stint as a copywriter at Formfit-Rogers lingerie, she joined Sears in 1963, becoming its first African American female copywriter, according to the oral history. She rose to be a national buyer for handbags and shoes and played a part in getting Sears to begin allowing women to wear pants, she said in the interview.
“I’m always looking forward to the next thing,” she told the Chicago Daily News in 1969, “and somehow my limitations keep stretching.”
She was partial to designers Chanel and Issey Miyake and also admired clothing creations by Sean “Diddy” Combs.
Later in life, she founded a consulting firm, The Lion’s Share, to promote fledgling fashion professionals.
Ms. Samuels’ husband Alfred Jordan and son Michael died before her. She is survived by her son Gregory. Services have been held.


chicagosun-times--2020-07-10--Second-oldest eastern black male rhino in North America dies at Lincoln Park Zoo

The second-oldest eastern black male rhino in North America has died at the Lincoln Park Zoo .
Maku , 34 , was euthanized Thursday due to age-related health issues , the zoo announced Friday .
He had lived well above the median age for black eastern rhinos living in zoos , which is 19 , according to the zoo .
In an online tribute , the zoo ’ s curator of mammals , Mike Murray , recalled how Maku liked fresh snowfall and wallowing in the mud — so he often combined the two , using the snow to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We ’ re proud to have his legacy live on through his most recent calf , Romeo , but we will greatly miss [ Maku ’ s ] laid-back personality , ” Murray was quoted as saying .
Maku was transferred to the Lincoln Park Zoo from Miami in 203 to breed as part of the Eastern Black Rhinoceros Species Survival Plan .
Besides Romeo , Maku also sired King in 2013 .
In all , Maku has helped his endangered population by producing six offspring , as well as a granddaughter and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ laid-back personality ” came out during check-ups .
Instead of having to be anesthetized , the rhino would walk up to zookeepers and stand on the scale , participate in radiographs , or allow his blood to be drawn .
He even let keepers to give him pedicures , according to the zoo .
Maku was born in captivity .
His species of rhino orginates in Africa , in the area stretching from Chad and Sudan to South Africa .
Maku ’ s species are herbivores that can weigh up to 3,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rhino adults are known to exist in the wild .

The second-oldest eastern black male rhino in North America has died at the Lincoln Park Zoo.
Maku, 34, was euthanized Thursday due to age-related health issues, the zoo announced Friday.
He had lived well above the median age for black eastern rhinos living in zoos, which is 19, according to the zoo.
In an online tribute, the zoo’s curator of mammals, Mike Murray, recalled how Maku liked fresh snowfall and wallowing in the mud — so he often combined the two, using the snow to make mud pits to wallow in.
“We’re proud to have his legacy live on through his most recent calf, Romeo, but we will greatly miss [Maku’s] laid-back personality,” Murray was quoted as saying.
Maku was transferred to the Lincoln Park Zoo from Miami in 203 to breed as part of the Eastern Black Rhinoceros Species Survival Plan.
Besides Romeo, Maku also sired King in 2013. In all, Maku has helped his endangered population by producing six offspring, as well as a granddaughter and a great grandson.
Maku’s “laid-back personality” came out during check-ups. Instead of having to be anesthetized, the rhino would walk up to zookeepers and stand on the scale, participate in radiographs, or allow his blood to be drawn. He even let keepers to give him pedicures, according to the zoo.
Maku was born in captivity. His species of rhino orginates in Africa, in the area stretching from Chad and Sudan to South Africa.
Maku’s species are herbivores that can weigh up to 3,000 pounds. Only 3,142 mature black eastern rhino adults are known to exist in the wild.


chicagosun-times--2020-07-10--Man killed in Markham shooting

Man killed in Markham shooting

Jabriell Jones , 19 , was shot in the head about 7:30 p.m. in the 3300 block of Willow Lane @ @ @ @ @ County medical examiner ’ s office .
Jones , of Posen , was pronounced dead @ @ @ @ @ the medical examiner ’ s office said .
An autopsy ruled his death a homicide @ @ @ @ @ immediately respond to a request for details on the shooting .

A man was fatally shot Sunday in south suburban Markham.
Jabriell Jones, 19, was shot in the head about 7:30 p.m. in the 3300 block of Willow Lane, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
Jones, of Posen, was pronounced dead at 6:31 p.m. Tuesday, the medical examiner’s office said. An autopsy ruled his death a homicide.
Markham police did not immediately respond to a request for details on the shooting.


chicagosun-times--2020-07-10--Trump commutes longtime friend Roger Stone’s sentence

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump called Roger Stone to inform his longtime political confidant that he would commute his sentence for crimes related to the Russia investigation , Stone told The Associated Press on Friday , just days before he was set to report to prison .
The White House later confirmed the commuting of the sentence in a statement , saying Stone was a victim of the Russia “ hoax.
” The move , though short of a full pardon , is sure to alarm critics who have long railed against the president ’ s repeated interventions in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The president told me he thought my trial has been unfair , ” Stone told the AP in a phone call from Fort Lauderdale , Florida .
Stone said he expressed his gratitude and was popping Champagne .
Stone had been sentenced in February to three years and four months in prison for lying to Congress , witness tampering and obstructing the House investigation into whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia to win the 2016 election .
He was set to report to prison by Tuesday .
A commutation would not erase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same way a pardon would , but it would protect him from serving prison time as a result .
The action , which Trump had foreshadowed in recent days , reflects his lingering rage over the Russia investigation and is a testament to his conviction that he and his associates were mistreated by agents and prosecutors .
His administration has been eager to rewrite the narrative of special counsel Robert Mueller ’ s Russia investigation , with Trump ’ s own Justice Department moving in May to dismiss the criminal case against former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , for his part , had been open about his desire for a pardon or commutation , appealing for the president ’ s help in a series of Instagram posts in which he maintained that his life could be in jeopardy if imprisoned during a pandemic .
He had recently sought to postpone his surrender date by months after getting a brief extension from the judge .
Trump had repeatedly publicly inserted himself into Stone ’ s case , including just before Stone ’ s sentencing , when he suggested in a tweet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different standard than several prominent Democrats .
He railed that the conviction “ should be thrown out ” and called the Justice Department ’ s initial sentencing recommendation “ horrible and very unfair.
” “ Can not allow this miscarriage of justice !
” he wrote .
Stone , a larger-than-life political character who embraced his reputation as a dirty trickster , was the sixth Trump aide or adviser to have been convicted of charges brought as part of Mueller ’ s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election .
A longtime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had boasted during the campaign that he was in contact with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange through a trusted intermediary and hinted at inside knowledge of WikiLeaks ’ plans to release more than 19,000 emails hacked from the servers of the Democratic National Committee .
But Stone denied any wrongdoing and consistently criticized the case against him as politically motivated .
He did not take the stand during his trial , did not speak at his sentencing , and his lawyers did not call any witnesses in his defense .
Trump also targeted those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a comment by Fox News commentator Andrew Napolitano that the jury appeared to have been biased against Trump , and called out Judge Amy Berman Jackson by name , saying “ almost any judge in the country ” would throw out the conviction .
The tweets continued even after Trump earned a public rebuke from his own attorney general , William Barr , who said the president ’ s comments were “ making it impossible ” for him to do his job .
Barr was so incensed that he told people he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had originally recommended Stone serve seven to nine years in federal prison .
But , in a highly unusual move , Barr reversed that decision after a Trump tweet and recommended a more lenient punishment , prompting a mini-revolt inside the Justice Department , with the entire prosecution team resigning from the case .
Department officials have vehemently denied Barr was responding to Trump ’ s criticism and have insisted there was no contact with the White House over the decision .
Barr has also pointed out that the judge , in imposing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him that the original sentencing recommendation was excessive .
Barr , who was attorney general during Stone ’ s trial last fall , has said the prosecution was justified , and the Justice Department did not support Stone ’ s more recent effort to put off his surrender date .
Though the Justice Department raised concerns about the handling of Flynn ’ s case , including what it said were irregularities about his FBI interview , prosecutors did not point to any similar issues or problems with the Stone prosecution .
Even so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the portrait of a president determined — particularly in an election year — to undo the effects of a Russia investigation that has shadowed his administration from the outset , and to intervene on behalf of political allies .
Trump , meanwhile , had long kept the door open to a reprieve .
“ You ’ re going to see what happens .
Let ’ s see what happens , ” he said when asked in February whether Stone deserved prison time , adding , “ Somebody has to stick up for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in an interview Thursday night that it was a “ disgrace they didn ’ t give him a retrial.
” Asked if he was considering a pardon , he added : “ I am always thinking.
” That language prompted preemptive rebuke from House Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff , who tweeted after the sentencing that “ to pardon Stone when his crimes were committed to protect Trump would be a breathtaking act of corruption.
” The commutation was the latest example of Trump using his unlimited clemency power to pardon powerful men @ @ @ @ @ @ @ justice system .
Trump went on a clemency spree in February commuting the 14-year prison sentence of former Illinois Gov .
Rod Blagojevich , a Democrat , and pardoning former New York City police commissioner Bernie Kerik , financier Michael Milken and several others .
Trump has also offered clemency to other political allies , including Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio , who was awaiting sentencing at the time , conservative commentator Dinesh D ’ Souza , who had been convicted on campaign finance violations , and Conrad Black , a newspaper publisher @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flattering book about the president .
Trump , however , has spent much more time trumpeting his decision to commute the sentence of Alice Marie Johnson , who was serving life in prison for nonviolent drug offenses and who came to Trump ’ s attention after reality star Kim Kardashian West took up her cause .
Her story was featured in a Trump campaign Super Bowl ad .

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump commuted the sentence of his longtime political confidant Roger Stone on Friday, just days before he was set to report to prison. Democrats denounced the move as just another in a series of unprecedented interventions by the president in the nation’s justice system.
Stone had been sentenced in February to three years and four months in prison for lying to Congress, witness tampering and obstructing the House investigation into whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia to win the 2016 election. He was set to report to prison by Tuesday.
Stone told The Associated Press that Trump had called him earlier Friday to inform him of the commutation. Stone was celebrating in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with conservative friends and said he had to change rooms because there were “too many people opening bottles of Champagne here.”
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany called Stone a “victim of the Russia Hoax that the Left and its allies in the media perpetuated for years in an attempt to undermine the Trump Presidency.”
A commutation does not erase Stone’s felony convictions in the same way a pardon would, but it would protect him from serving prison time as a result.
Democrats were angered by Trump’s move, with House Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff calling it “offensive to the rule of law and principles of justice,” and Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez asking, “Is there any power Trump won’t abuse?”
The action, which Trump had foreshadowed in recent days, reflects his lingering rage over the Russia investigation and is a testament to his conviction that he and his associates were mistreated by agents and prosecutors. His administration has been eager to rewrite the narrative of special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation, with Trump’s own Justice Department moving in May to dismiss the criminal case against former national security adviser Michael Flynn.
Stone told the AP that the president did not mention the statuses of Flynn or his former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, also ensnared in the Russia probe.
“What am I going to do now? I am going to work as hard as I can to make sure that Mike Flynn gets final justice,” Stone said. “Mike Flynn is an American war hero and he’s done absolutely nothing wrong.”
Stone, for his part, had been open about his desire for a pardon or commutation, appealing for the president’s help and seeking to postpone his surrender date by months after getting a brief extension from the judge.
Trump had repeatedly publicly inserted himself into Stone’s case, including just before Stone’s sentencing, when he suggested Stone was being subjected to a different standard than several prominent Democrats.
Trump earned a public rebuke from his own attorney general, William Barr, who said the president’s comments were “making it impossible” for him to do his job. Barr was so incensed that he told people he was considering resigning over the matter.
Schiff said the commutation demonstrated the corruption of the Trump administration.
“With this commutation, Trump makes clear that there are two systems of justice in America: one for his criminal friends, and one for everyone else,” he said. “Donald Trump, Bill Barr, and all those who enable them pose the gravest of threats to the rule of law.”
Stone, a larger-than-life political character who embraced his reputation as a dirty trickster, was the sixth Trump aide or adviser to have been convicted of charges brought as part of Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
A longtime Trump friend and informal adviser, Stone had boasted during the campaign that he was in contact with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange through a trusted intermediary and hinted at inside knowledge of WikiLeaks’ plans to release more than 19,000 emails hacked from the servers of the Democratic National Committee.
But Stone denied any wrongdoing and consistently criticized the case against him as politically motivated. He did not take the stand during his trial, did not speak at his sentencing, and his lawyers did not call any witnesses in his defense.
Prosecutors had originally recommended Stone serve seven to nine years in federal prison. But, in a highly unusual move, Barr reversed that decision after a Trump tweet and recommended a more lenient punishment, prompting a mini-revolt inside the Justice Department, with the entire prosecution team resigning from the case.
Department officials have vehemently denied Barr was responding to Trump’s criticism and have insisted there was no contact with the White House over the decision. Barr has also pointed out that the judge, in imposing a 40-month sentence, had agreed with him that the original sentencing recommendation was excessive.
Barr, who was attorney general during Stone’s trial last fall, has said the prosecution was justified, and the Justice Department did not support Stone’s more recent effort to put off his surrender date. Though the Justice Department raised concerns about the handling of Flynn’s case, including what it said were irregularities about his FBI interview, prosecutors did not point to any similar issues or problems with the Stone prosecution.
Even so, the commutation will almost certainly contribute to the portrait of a president determined — particularly in an election year — to undo the effects of a Russia investigation that has shadowed his administration from the outset, and to intervene on behalf of political allies.
The commutation was the latest example of Trump using his unlimited clemency power to pardon powerful men he believes have been mistreated by the justice system.
Trump went on a clemency spree in February commuting the 14-year prison sentence of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, a Democrat, and pardoning former New York City police commissioner Bernie Kerik, financier Michael Milken and several others.
Trump has also offered clemency to other political allies, including Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who was awaiting sentencing at the time, conservative commentator Dinesh D’Souza, who had been convicted on campaign finance violations, and Conrad Black, a newspaper publisher convicted of fraud who had written a flattering book about the president.
Trump, however, has spent much more time trumpeting his decision to commute the sentence of Alice Marie Johnson, who was serving life in prison for nonviolent drug offenses and who came to Trump’s attention after reality star Kim Kardashian West took up her cause. Her story was featured in a Trump campaign Super Bowl ad.
Stone told the AP he expressed his gratitude to the president in the phone call.
“You know, he has a great sense of fairness,” Stone said. “We’ve been friends for many, many years, and he understands that I was targeted strictly for political reasons.”


chicagosun-times--2020-07-10--White Sox place Yoan Moncada, Jose Ruiz on injured list

Third baseman Yoan Moncada and right-hander Jose Ruiz , speculated to be the two White Sox who tested positive for the coronavirus during their intake period of testing , were placed on the 10-day injured list Friday .
The Sox ’ announcement didn ’ t specify the reasons why the players are on the IL .
Teams are not required or permitted to if the coronavirus is the reason .
The players who tested positive were asymptomatic and must pass consecutive tests before being activated .
Moncada and Ruiz have not been seen in camp since it opened last Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ players tested positive .
“ We can not comment on the health status of individual players or employees regarding COVID-19 , and the players involved requested privacy at this time related to their health situations , ” the team said then .
Ruiz was on the bubble among relievers to make the pitching staff for Opening Day July 24 but Moncada emerged as one of the game ’ s best players last season .
Danny Mendick , Andrew Romine and Leury Garcia are options at third if Moncada is not ready .
Cheslor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nicaragua and was late for the start of camp , returned to Chicago Thursday .
Minor leaguers Yermin Mercedes , a catcher , and Andrew Vaughn , a first baseman , played third base in intrasquad games the last two days .
Left-hander Dallas Keuchel started and retired all seven batters he faced in the White Sox ’ intrasquad game at Guaranteed Rate Field .
Keuchel struck out Adam Engel , Andrew Vaughn and Zack Collins .
“ He could have went out there for another one , ” said bench coach Joe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while manager Rick Renteria is absent to attend a funeral in California .
“ It was great to see him out there .
A lot of positives , a lot of groundballs .
He ’ s progressing to where we are getting him where he needs to be.
” McEwing said shortstop Tim Anderson has done exercises to open his hips and increase flexibility “ so he could bend more.
” “ The way his body , his movements work , he is in a better position getting off the ball , fielding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” said McEwing , who works with the infielders .
“ The ball is coming out of his hands strong right now … and he ’ s like , ‘ Joe , I ’ m only like 50 to 60 percent.
’ And I was like ‘ whoa.
’ ’ ’ Anderson produced a ‘ whoa ’ in the intrasquad Friday , belting a home run to center field against Kelvin Herrera .
Anderson also singled sharply to left against Jimmy Cordero .
FANtastic Faces , the cardboard cutouts of fans ’ likenesses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Field during the team ’ s opening homestand , sold out quickly .
More than 1,500 cardboard cutouts will fill seats for the opening three-game series against the Twins July 24-27 .
At $ 49 per , more than $ 55,000 in net proceeds was raised for White Sox Charities .
This and that First baseman Jose Abreu homered against closer Alex Colome , who also struck out Luis Robert on three pitches , walked Yasmani Grandal and retired Eloy Jimenez and Nomar Mazara in the intrasquad .
*Bullpen right-hander Jimmy Codero pitched @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no walks .

Third baseman Yoan Moncada and right-handed pitcher Jose Ruiz, speculated to be the two White Sox players who tested positive for the coronavirus during the team’s intake testing period, were put on the 10-day injured list Friday.
The Sox’ announcement didn’t specify the reasons why the two men are on the IL. Teams aren’t permitted to say if the coronavirus is the reason.
Moncada and Ruiz have not been seen in camp since it opened July 3, the day the Sox announced that two unnamed players tested positive. Those players were said to be asymptomatic and must pass consecutive tests before being activated.
“We cannot comment on the health status of individual players or employees regarding COVID-19, and the players involved requested privacy at this time related to their health situations,” the Sox said then.
Ruiz was on the bubble among relievers to make the pitching staff for Opening Day on July 24, but Moncada had emerged as one of the game’s best players last season. Danny Mendick, Andrew Romine and Leury Garcia are options at third if Moncada isn’t ready.
Third baseman Cheslor Cuthbert, who had trouble leaving Nicaragua and was late for the start of camp, returned to Chicago on Thursday. Minor-leaguers Yermin Mercedes, a catcher, and Andrew Vaughn, a first baseman, played third base in intrasquad games the last two days.
Keuchel perfect in intrasquad game
Left-hander Dallas Keuchel started and retired all seven batters he faced in the Sox’ intrasquad game at Guaranteed Rate Field. He struck out Adam Engel, Andrew Vaughn and Zack Collins.
“He could have went out there for another one,” said bench coach Joe McEwing, who’s running the team while Sox manager Rick Renteria is in California for a funeral. “It was great to see him out there. A lot of positives, a lot of ground balls. . . . We are getting him where he needs to be.”
The whoa factor
McEwing said shortstop Tim Anderson has done exercises to open his hips and increase flexibility “so he could bend more.”
“The way his body, his movements, work, he is in a better position getting off the ball, fielding the ball, throwing the ball,” said McEwing, who works with the infielders. “The ball is coming out of his hands strong right now . . . and he’s like, ‘Joe, I’m only like 50 to 60 percent.’ And I was like, ‘Whoa.’ ’’
Anderson triggered another “whoa” in the intrasquad game Friday, belting a home run to center against Kelvin Herrera. He also singled sharply to left.
Cutouts claimed fast
FANtastic Faces, the cardboard cutouts of fans’ likenesses that will be displayed at Guaranteed Rate Field during the Sox’ opening homestand, sold out quickly.
More than 1,500 cutouts will fill seats for the three-game series against the Twins on July 24-26. At $49 per cutout, they generated more than $55,000 for White Sox Charities.
This and that
First baseman Jose Abreu homered against closer Alex Colome, who also struck out Luis Robert on three pitches, walked Yasmani Grandal and retired Eloy Jimenez and Nomar Mazara in the intrasquad game.
• Righty reliever Jimmy Cordero pitched two scoreless innings with two strikeouts. V


chicagosun-times--2020-07-10--Black health, well-being were struck a brutal double blow by coronavirus, George Floyd death

Well before the resounding cries of “ Black Lives Matter , ” doctors have known that Black people suffer disproportionately .
As a group , they face countless challenges to good health , among them food , transportation and income .
The stress of living with racism has real , physical effects .
And they are especially prone to diabetes , hypertension and other chronic diseases that can be tricky to manage even in normal times .
Then came COVID-19 and George Floyd .
It quickly became clear that institutions designed to ensure the two most important things in life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to turn against one segment of the population in a brutal blow to Black people ’ s well-being that has renewed calls for racial justice in all realms , including health care .
“ We are exhausted , and we are not OK , ” said Dr. Patrice Harris , a psychiatrist who just ended her yearlong term as president of the American Medical Association .
Floyd ’ s death is the most extreme example of over-policing that has long plagued Black and brown communities and has been linked with elevated stress , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that contribute to the high virus death rates among Black people .
As their offices start reopening for regular appointments , doctors are bracing for the fallout : a wave of sicker , shell-shocked patients .
As a physician , Harris knows she has a certain privilege .
She also knows firsthand the weariness of Black lives in America .
Harris was only the second Black physician to lead the AMA in its 173-year history .
Still , she gets “ those looks ” when going to stores and has been asked to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a stethoscope .
Dr. Brittani James is a primary-care doctor on the South Side .
Most of her patients are Black .
Her neighborhood was one of the last in the city to get a COVID-19 testing site .
“ When I talk about institutional racism , this is happening in real time , ” James said .
She has seen the virus hit many of her patients , while others grow sicker from chronic disease .
“ As a Black doctor , I feel like I ’ m failing my patients every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clinic remained open , nut many patients are too terrified of the coronavirus to come in .
That means trying to treat them without physical exams or blood tests .
She has tried sending patients prescriptions for blood pressure cuffs , but some can ’ t afford them .
The options are “ have their blood pressure uncontrolled or adjust their medications blind , ” she said .
For every patient who has called for an appointment , she hasn ’ t heard from 10 others in months .
“ There is no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there ’ s no more heart attacks , no more strokes , no more patients having poorly controlled diabetes , ” she said .
“ We have all seen our patients ’ visits stop .
Which is scaring me a lot .
‘ ’ James fears a “ second wave ” of worsening chronic illness and non-COVID-19 deaths is coming .
There are signs it ’ s already happening .
Government statistics from late January through May 30 suggest an increase in U.S. deaths from chronic diseases compared with historical trends .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hypertension , 4,000 from diabetes and 3,000 from stroke — all disproportionately affect Black people .
James said Floyd ’ s death has added psychological trauma to the mix , and mental health care in many communities is scarce .
“ There is an overwhelming need that we do not have the resources to address , ’ ’ she said .
Terrence Nichols has recovered physically from a relatively mild case of COVID-19 in March .
But as a Black man in Chicago , knowing its impact in his community has left Nichols @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the president ’ s push to reopen .
Blacks make up about 30 % of Chicago ’ s population but nearly half of the virus deaths , a disparity seen nationwide .
As of early June , an Associated Press analysis found that roughly 26 % of COVID deaths were in Black patients , even though Black people represented 13 % of the population in the 40 states that provided detailed demographic data .
When Brookings Institution researchers adjusted for age disparities between races on a national level , they found the death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rate for whites .
“ He ’ s ready to reopen because of the economy and rich people are losing money , ” Nichols said of Trump .
If the virus were disproportionately killing rich white people , ‘ ’ He would think twice , ’ ’ said Nichols , 44 .
With Chicago having relaxed stay-home orders and other restrictions , Nichols resumed his pharmacy sales rep job .
But he ’ s in no hurry to go any place but work .
Floyd ’ s killing “ struck a chord @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s been happening since before I was born.
’ ’ His father is a physician .
When Nichols was a teenager , the family lived in Beverly , where he recalls being chased by bat-wielding KKK members and questioned by the police about where he was going when he was walking home .
More recently , Nichols said , the police “ had me up against the car ” and called for backup when he drove the wrong way on a one-way street .
He routinely checks the rear-view mirror whenever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ to see if they make a U-turn and start following me.
” It has happened many times .
“ If you ’ re Black , it ’ s acceptable to be harassed , ” Nichols said .
Rosetta Watson is only 38 but has heart failure and needs valve replacement surgery .
When the coronavirus hit Chicago in March , her doctors postponed the operation indefinitely .
Obesity surgery to take the burden off her heart also has been delayed .
She has stayed home , knowing COVID-19 could be fatal because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has killed four of her relatives .
She recently had her first appointment with her heart doctor since the pandemic hit and was told her increasing fatigue could be from the leaky valve .
The delays are frustrating .
Meantime , she has watched the news , seen the protests on TV , heard about them trashing the local pharmacy .
She supports the cause but not the property damage .
Floyd ’ s death “ is the same as it has always been .
We ’ ve always had prejudice , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that “ everyone is recording everything they see.
’ ’ She said she ’ s been racially targeted not by police but by strangers who disparage her white boyfriend with racist terms and by elderly neighbors in her apartment building who deride “ you people ” and won ’ t ride with her in the elevator .
She said she has been racially profiled by a doctor who , when Watson asked about her nosebleeds , demanded to know whether she had been “ doing any recreational drugs like cocaine or heroin.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nasal spray the doctor had prescribed .
“ Seriously , it ’ s 2020 .
When we gon na grow up ?
’ ’ Watson said .

Well before the resounding cries of “Black Lives Matter,” doctors have known that Black people suffer disproportionately.
As a group, they face countless challenges to good health, among them food, transportation and income. The stress of living with racism has real, physical effects. And they are especially prone to diabetes, hypertension and other chronic diseases that can be tricky to manage even in normal times.
Then came COVID-19 and George Floyd. It quickly became clear that institutions designed to ensure the two most important things in life — health and safety — had converged to turn against one segment of the population in a brutal blow to Black people’s well-being that has renewed calls for racial justice in all realms, including health care.
“We are exhausted, and we are not OK,” said Dr. Patrice Harris, a psychiatrist who just ended her yearlong term as president of the American Medical Association.
Dr. Patrice A. Harris. YouTube
Floyd’s death is the most extreme example of over-policing that has long plagued Black and brown communities and has been linked with elevated stress, high blood pressure and other chronic illnesses that contribute to the high virus death rates among Black people.
As their offices start reopening for regular appointments, doctors are bracing for the fallout: a wave of sicker, shell-shocked patients.
As a physician, Harris knows she has a certain privilege. She also knows firsthand the weariness of Black lives in America. Harris was only the second Black physician to lead the AMA in its 173-year history. Still, she gets “those looks” when going to stores and has been asked to fetch coffee even while wearing scrubs and a stethoscope.
Dr. Brittani James. University of Illinois at Chicago
Dr. Brittani James is a primary-care doctor on the South Side. Most of her patients are Black. Her neighborhood was one of the last in the city to get a COVID-19 testing site.
“When I talk about institutional racism, this is happening in real time,” James said.
She has seen the virus hit many of her patients, while others grow sicker from chronic disease.
“As a Black doctor, I feel like I’m failing my patients every day,” James said.
Her clinic remained open, nut many patients are too terrified of the coronavirus to come in. That means trying to treat them without physical exams or blood tests. She has tried sending patients prescriptions for blood pressure cuffs, but some can’t afford them. The options are “have their blood pressure uncontrolled or adjust their medications blind,” she said.
For every patient who has called for an appointment, she hasn’t heard from 10 others in months.
“There is no way that all of a sudden overnight there’s no more heart attacks, no more strokes, no more patients having poorly controlled diabetes,” she said. “We have all seen our patients’ visits stop. Which is scaring me a lot. ‘’
James fears a “second wave” of worsening chronic illness and non-COVID-19 deaths is coming.
There are signs it’s already happening. Government statistics from late January through May 30 suggest an increase in U.S. deaths from chronic diseases compared with historical trends. They include 7,000 “excess deaths” from hypertension, 4,000 from diabetes and 3,000 from stroke — all disproportionately affect Black people.
James said Floyd’s death has added psychological trauma to the mix, and mental health care in many communities is scarce.
“There is an overwhelming need that we do not have the resources to address,’’ she said.
This selfie taken by Terrence Nichols, 44, shows him in Chicago after he recovered from a relatively mild case of COVID-19, diagnosed in March. Terrence Nichols via AP
Terrence Nichols has recovered physically from a relatively mild case of COVID-19 in March. But as a Black man in Chicago, knowing its impact in his community has left Nichols feeling fearful, vulnerable and angry over the president’s push to reopen.
Blacks make up about 30% of Chicago’s population but nearly half of the virus deaths, a disparity seen nationwide.
As of early June, an Associated Press analysis found that roughly 26% of COVID deaths were in Black patients, even though Black people represented 13% of the population in the 40 states that provided detailed demographic data.
When Brookings Institution researchers adjusted for age disparities between races on a national level, they found the death rate for Black individuals was 3.6 times the rate for whites.
“He’s ready to reopen because of the economy and rich people are losing money,” Nichols said of Trump. If the virus were disproportionately killing rich white people, ‘’He would think twice,’’ said Nichols, 44.
With Chicago having relaxed stay-home orders and other restrictions, Nichols resumed his pharmacy sales rep job. But he’s in no hurry to go any place but work.
Floyd’s killing “struck a chord,’’ he said. “It’s been happening since before I was born.’’
His father is a physician. When Nichols was a teenager, the family lived in Beverly, where he recalls being chased by bat-wielding KKK members and questioned by the police about where he was going when he was walking home.
More recently, Nichols said, the police “had me up against the car” and called for backup when he drove the wrong way on a one-way street. He routinely checks the rear-view mirror whenever he drives past a police car, “to see if they make a U-turn and start following me.” It has happened many times.
“If you’re Black, it’s acceptable to be harassed,” Nichols said.
Rosetta Watson is only 38 but has heart failure and needs valve replacement surgery. When the coronavirus hit Chicago in March, her doctors postponed the operation indefinitely. Obesity surgery to take the burden off her heart also has been delayed.
She has stayed home, knowing COVID-19 could be fatal because of her poor health. It already has killed four of her relatives.
She recently had her first appointment with her heart doctor since the pandemic hit and was told her increasing fatigue could be from the leaky valve. The delays are frustrating.
Meantime, she has watched the news, seen the protests on TV, heard about them trashing the local pharmacy. She supports the cause but not the property damage.
Floyd’s death “is the same as it has always been. We’ve always had prejudice,” she said. The difference now is that “everyone is recording everything they see.’’
She said she’s been racially targeted not by police but by strangers who disparage her white boyfriend with racist terms and by elderly neighbors in her apartment building who deride “you people” and won’t ride with her in the elevator.
She said she has been racially profiled by a doctor who, when Watson asked about her nosebleeds, demanded to know whether she had been “doing any recreational drugs like cocaine or heroin.” Nosebleeds are a side effect of the nasal spray the doctor had prescribed.
“Seriously, it’s 2020. When we gonna grow up?’’ Watson said.


chicagosun-times--2020-07-10--Blackhawks-Oilers schedule set as NHL, NHLPA ratify CBA, Return to Play plan

The Blackhawks and Oilers ’ series is officially on .
The best-of-five qualifying round series will begin in Edmonton with Game 1 on Saturday , Aug. 1 , and conclude by the following Saturday , Aug. 8 , when the if-necessary Game 5 would take place .
The Hawks ’ series schedule came Friday as the NHL and its players association ratified via vote the Return to Play plan and Collective Bargaining Agreement extension that were settled upon earlier in the week .
With Friday ’ s announcement arrived a number of finally specified dates .
The first round ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Aug. 11 ; the second round will begin Aug. 25 ; the conference finals will begin Sept. 8 ; and the Stanley Cup Final will begin Sept. 22 , with the Cup awarded by Oct. 4 .
Meanwhile , the second draft lottery — to determine the inheritor of the placeholder-won No .
1 overall pick — will take place Aug. 10 , right after the end of the qualifying round , and the draft itself will take place Oct. 9-10 .
As was previously announced , the Hawks will begin training camp @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and travel to Edmonton — now officially the Western Conference ’ s hub city — on July 26 .
The NHL plans to load up the playoff schedule with staggered start times in Toronto and Edmonton and play five or six games every day , if everything goes to plan and COVID-19 cases are ( at least largely ) kept out of the bubbles .
Hawks-Oilers is one of five series that will kick off the qualifying round on Aug. 1 , along with Hurricanes-Rangers , Islanders-Panthers , Penguins-Canadiens and Flames-Jets .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ top four seeds will begin , intermixed in the qualifying round schedule , the next day .
The league also announced that individual statistics from the qualifying round games will count as playoff stats .
“ This agreement is a meaningful step forward for the players and owners , and for our game , in a difficult and uncertain time , ” NHLPA director Donald Fehr said in a statement .
“ Most importantly , we are pleased to be able to bring NHL hockey back to the fans .
”

The Blackhawks and Oilers’ series is officially on.
The best-of-five qualifying round series will begin in Edmonton with Game 1 on Saturday, Aug. 1, and conclude by the following Saturday, Aug. 8, when the if-necessary Game 5 would take place.
The Hawks’ series schedule came Friday as the NHL and its players association ratified via vote the Return to Play plan and Collective Bargaining Agreement extension that were settled upon earlier in the week.
With Friday’s announcement arrived a number of finally specified dates. The first round (after the qualifying round) will begin Aug. 11; the second round will begin Aug. 25; the conference finals will begin Sept. 8; and the Stanley Cup Final will begin Sept. 22, with the Cup awarded by Oct. 4.
Meanwhile, the second draft lottery — to determine the inheritor of the placeholder-won No. 1 overall pick — will take place Aug. 10, right after the end of the qualifying round, and the draft itself will take place Oct. 9-10.
As was previously announced, the Hawks will begin training camp Monday at Fifth Third Arena in Chicago and travel to Edmonton — now officially the Western Conference’s hub city — on July 26.
The NHL plans to load up the playoff schedule with staggered start times in Toronto and Edmonton and play five or six games every day, if everything goes to plan and COVID-19 cases are (at least largely) kept out of the bubbles.
Hawks-Oilers is one of five series that will kick off the qualifying round on Aug. 1, along with Hurricanes-Rangers, Islanders-Panthers, Penguins-Canadiens and Flames-Jets. A round robin between each conference’s top four seeds will begin, intermixed in the qualifying round schedule, the next day.
The league also announced that individual statistics from the qualifying round games will count as playoff stats.
“This agreement is a meaningful step forward for the players and owners, and for our game, in a difficult and uncertain time,” NHLPA director Donald Fehr said in a statement. “Most importantly, we are pleased to be able to bring NHL hockey back to the fans.”
Blackhawks vs. Oilers schedule
Game 1: Saturday, Aug. 1
Game 2: Monday, Aug. 3
Game 3: Wednesday, Aug. 5
Game 4*: Friday, Aug. 7
Game 5*: Saturday, Aug. 8
*If necessary


chicagosun-times--2020-07-10--Court rules EPA must reassess air pollution designations in Illinois, elsewhere

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency erred when giving passing grades for air quality in areas surrounding Chicago and elsewhere , a federal court ruled Friday .
Under the court ’ s order , the EPA must reassess decisions it made that allowed counties in Illinois and other states to get a pass on stricter pollution rules .
Those decisions by the Trump Administration had been challenged in 2018 by the city of Chicago , Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and a number of environmental groups .
Raoul called the court ruling “ an important step toward clean air for Illinois @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by his office .
In Illinois , both northwest suburban McHenry County and downstate Monroe County were deemed to be in compliance with clean air laws measuring ozone pollution , the EPA ruled in 2018 .
The groups disagreed , filing a petition to review , saying the agency didn ’ t follow its own science .
The EPA also erred when it designated clean air in part of northwest Indiana ’ s Lake County and Porter County , the groups said .
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for in Lake County , Indiana .
In that case , the EPA ’ s decision on air quality was justified , the court said .
“ These counties contribute to Chicago ’ s high ozone level , ” said Howard Learner , executive director of the Environmental Law & Policy Center .
“ The evidence should bear that out when the EPA conducts these reviews properly.
” “ We are reviewing the decision , ” EPA said in a statement .
The challenge was led by environmental group Clean Wisconsin , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Those air designations at the time benefited the Taiwanese company Foxconn as it moved toward building a massive flat screen plant near Racine , exempting the company from certain pollution controls .
Last year , EPA acknowledged it may have to reassess some decisions it made and asked the court for permission to review McHenry County in Illinois , Porter County in Indiana and counties in southeast Wisconsin .
“ The court is trusting EPA to quietly redo what it tried to get away with , ” said Brian Urbaszewski , director of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Environmental Law & Policy Center represented his group .
“ EPA failed to protect the city and its residents from the harmful effects of ozone pollution , ” Chicago Corporation Counsel Mark Flessner said in a statement .
“ Designations based on science rather than politics will result in cleaner air and improved health for Chicago residents.
” Any reassessment of those decisions by the EPA will take time , almost certainly stretching past the November presidential election .
Brett Chase ’ s reporting on the environment and public health is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chicago Community Trust .

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency erred when giving passing grades for air quality in areas surrounding Chicago and elsewhere, a federal court ruled Friday.
Under the court’s order, the EPA must reassess decisions it made that allowed counties in Illinois and other states to get a pass on stricter pollution rules.
Those decisions by the Trump Administration had been challenged in 2019 by the city of Chicago, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and a number of environmental groups.
Raoul called the court ruling “an important step toward clean air for Illinois residents,” in a statement released by his office.
In Illinois, both northwest suburban McHenry County and downstate Monroe County were deemed to be in compliance with clean air laws measuring ozone pollution, the EPA ruled in 2018. The groups disagreed, filing a petition to review, saying the agency didn’t follow its own science. The EPA also erred when it designated clean air in part of northwest Indiana’s Lake County and Porter County, the groups said.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit sided with the environmental groups except for in Lake County, Indiana. In that case, the EPA’s decision on air quality was justified, the court said.
“These counties contribute to Chicago’s high ozone level,” said Howard Learner, executive director of the Environmental Law & Policy Center. “The evidence should bear that out when the EPA conducts these reviews properly.”
“We are reviewing the decision,” EPA said in a statement.
Some Chicago EPA employees joined in a protest by Trump Tower during the president’s visit to the city in October. Better Government Association
The challenge was led by environmental group Clean Wisconsin, which questioned similar decisions in southeast Wisconsin. Those air designations at the time benefited the Taiwanese company Foxconn as it moved toward building a massive flat screen plant near Racine, exempting the company from certain pollution controls.
Last year, EPA acknowledged it may have to reassess some decisions it made and asked the court for permission to review McHenry County in Illinois, Porter County in Indiana and counties in southeast Wisconsin.
“The court is trusting EPA to quietly redo what it tried to get away with,” said Brian Urbaszewski, director of environmental health programs at Respiratory Health Association. The Environmental Law & Policy Center represented his group.
“EPA failed to protect the city and its residents from the harmful effects of ozone pollution,” Chicago Corporation Counsel Mark Flessner said in a statement. “Designations based on science rather than politics will result in cleaner air and improved health for Chicago residents.”
Any reassessment of those decisions by the EPA will take time, almost certainly stretching past the November presidential election.
Brett Chase’s reporting on the environment and public health is made possible by a grant from The Chicago Community Trust.