chicagosun-times--2020-08-22--White Sox right-hander Dylan Cease gears up for facing Cubs, who traded him in 2017

Dylan Cease always imagined pitching at Wrigley Field after the Cubs drafted him , but not in a White Sox uniform , of course .
On Sunday the 24-year-old right-hander will face the Cubs for the first time , in a challenging matchup against righty Yu Darvish .
“ This is one of the most historic parks around , ” Cease said Saturday .
“ You can almost feel it when you ’ re here .
It really is something speical so it ’ s one of those things , it ’ s pretty mind-blowing that I get to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ [ Sunday ] and hopefully we can pull one out.
” Cease was the Cubs ’ top pitching prospect ( at Class A South Bend ) when they traded him to the Sox along with Eloy Jimenez and two lower level prospects three years ago .
Jimenez hit a game-winning homer in his first game at Wrigley last season , and he homered again Friday in a 10-1 victory to open the series .
“ If I can do anything similar to what he ’ s done against them , we ’ ll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cease said .
Cease hasn ’ t hit his stride yet this season despite good numbers , a 4-1 record and 3.16 ERA including a 1.90 ERA in his last four starts against the Royals , Indians and Tigers ( twice ) .
In 14 starts as a rookie he was often hurt by one bad inning and didn ’ t command well enough to avoid high pitch counts .
His 10 strikeouts per nine innings were the most ever by a Sox rookie but he posted a hefty 5.79 ERA .
Cease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this season but has been more efficient since getting roughed up for four runs on seven hits in 2 1⁄ innings in his first start at Cleveland .
“ I haven ’ t necessarily executed that well but I ’ ve done a good enough job to keep us in it , which is important , ” he said .
Perhaps on Sunday he ’ ll flash back to July 13 , 2017 when he was pitching for South Bend and the Sox traded Jose Quintana to get him and Jimenez .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leading up to that so everyone was kind of just joking like , ‘ Yeah , you ’ re getting traded , ’ “ Cease said .
“ I don ’ t know if any of us were really taking it serious .
Then I got the call ... so I packed up my apartment and went to the field , packed up my stuff and then drove down to somewhere in South Carolina to meet my new team .
The biggest thing was really just how quick it happened .
In the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a new organization , on a new team.
” Manager Rick Renteria said top second base prospect Nick Madrigal ( separated shoulder ) has been a full participant at Schaumburg .
“ He ’ s moving well , ” Renteria said .
“ He ’ s swinging the bat and still trying to get his timing.
” Meanwhile , Danny Mendick has more than held his own at second base with Madrigal and Leury Garcia down with injuries , providing sound defense and batting .313 with four extra-base hits and four RBI in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his shoulder .
Mendick homered twice in the last five games .
This and that Outfielder Nicky Delmonico , after a brief stay , was optioned back to Schaumburg to make room for Reynaldo Lopez .
*Right-hander Ian Hamilton ( sore shoulder ) was reinstated from the injured list and optioned to Schaumburg .

Right-hander Dylan Cease always imagined pitching at Wrigley Field after the Cubs drafted him, but not in a White Sox uniform, of course.
On Sunday, he will face the Cubs for the first time in a challenging matchup against right-hander Yu Darvish.
‘‘This is one of the most historic parks around,’’ Cease, 24, said Saturday. ‘‘You can almost feel it when you’re here. It really is something special, so it’s . . . pretty mind-blowing that I get to do it. I’m excited for [Sunday], and hopefully we can pull one out.’’
Cease was the Cubs’ top pitching prospect (at Class A South Bend) when they traded him to the Sox with outfielder Eloy Jimenez and two lower-level prospects for left-hander Jose Quintana three years ago. Jimenez hit a game-winning home run in his first game at Wrigley last season, and he homered again in a 10-1 victory Friday to open the series.
‘‘If I can do anything similar to what he’s done against them, we’ll be in a good spot,’’ Cease said.
Cease said he hasn’t hit his stride this season despite good numbers. He is 4-1 with a 3.16 ERA, including a 1.90 ERA in his last four starts.
In 14 starts as a rookie in 2019, he was often hurt by one bad inning and didn’t command his stuff well enough to avoid high pitch counts. His 10 strikeouts per nine innings were the most by a rookie in Sox history, but he posted a hefty 5.79 ERA.
Cease has struck out six batters per nine innings this season, but he has been more efficient since getting roughed up for four runs and seven hits in 2„ innings in his first start.
‘‘I haven’t necessarily executed that well, but I’ve done a good enough job to keep us in it, which is important,’’ he said.
Perhaps on Sunday, he’ll flash back to July 13, 2017, the day he was traded to the Sox.
‘‘I had been scratched a couple of times leading up to that, so everyone was kind of just joking, like, ‘Yeah, you’re getting traded,’ ’’ Cease said. ‘‘I don’t know if any of us were really taking it seriously.
‘‘Then I got the call . . . so I packed up my apartment and went to the field, packed up my stuff and then drove down to somewhere in South Carolina to meet my new team. The biggest thing was really just how quick it happened. In the blink of an eye, I was in a new organization, on a new team.’’
In good hands with Mendick
Manager Rick Renteria said top second-base prospect Nick Madrigal (separated shoulder) has been a full participant at the Sox’ alternate site in Schaumburg.
‘‘He’s moving well,’’ Renteria said. ‘‘He’s swinging the bat and still trying to get his timing.’’
Meanwhile, Danny Mendick has more than held his own at second with Madrigal and Leury Garcia (thumb surgery) down with injuries. He has provided sound defense and was batting .313 with four extra-base hits and four RBI (through Friday) since Madrigal separated his shoulder.
This and that
Outfielder Nicky Delmonico was optioned to Schaumburg to make room on the roster for right-hander Reynaldo Lopez, who came off the injured list and started Saturday.
• Right-hander Ian Hamilton (shoulder) was reinstated from the IL and optioned to Schaumburg.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-22--Cubs put third baseman Kris Bryant on the 10-day injured list with left ring finger sprain, sore wri

Cubs put third baseman Kris Bryant on the 10-day injured list with left ring finger sprain, sore wrist

The Cubs placed third baseman Kris Bryant on the 10-day injured list prior to Saturday ’ s game against the White Sox with a left ring finger sprain , retroactive to Aug. 19 .
The team did not make a corresponding move .
Bryant ’ s left wrist is also still bothering him , according to the team .
The former NL MVP injured the finger and wrist making a diving-catch attempt against the Indians on Aug. 12 .
Bryant received an injection on Tuesday to help with the pain .
“ We don ’ t want players to play @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We don ’ t want them to ever risk exacerbating an injury and turn it into something more severe , ” president Theo Epstein said on Friday .
We don ’ t want players to try to play if they just can ’ t perform .
I think Kris felt he could perform .
He hit the home run [ in Cleveland ] and then kept trying .
I think the way it evolved , he ended up feeling it in his wrist and he wasn ’ t in a position to perform @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing .
The team ’ s 60-man player pool now stands at 58 players , with 27 active players ( plus five 10-day injured list players ) in Chicago and 26 players in South Bend .

The Cubs put third baseman Kris Bryant on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to Aug. 19, with a sprained left ring finger before the game Saturday against the White Sox. The team did not make a corresponding roster move. Bryant’s left wrist is still bothering him, as well.
Bryant injured the finger and wrist while making a diving attempt on a ball hit to the outfield Aug. 12 against the Indians. He received an injection Tuesday to help with the pain.
“We don’t want players to play through things to their detriment ever,’’ Cubs president Theo Epstein said Friday. ‘‘We don’t want them to ever risk exacerbating an injury and turn it into something more severe. We don’t want players to try to play if they just can’t perform.
“I think Kris felt he could perform. He hit the home run [in Cleveland] and then kept trying. I think the way it evolved, he ended up feeling it in his wrist, and he wasn’t in a position to perform, and it wasn’t the right thing.”
Epstein noted that the Cubs don’t think Bryant’s injury is a long-term problem, but it has become severe enough for the team to put him on the IL. Bryant had begun baseball activities Friday, taking some light swings with a fungo after two days of rest following his injection.
“He’s still feeling it,” manager David Ross said after Saturday’s 7-4 loss. “Took some swings with a fungo and it was still there. Picked up his bat. He said he swung it at about 50 percent and he’s still feeling that [pain] in his wrist.
He had yet to get going at the plate before the injury, and after jamming the wrist in Cleveland, it became apparent that Bryant wasn’t himself. His slash line is .177/.271/.323 with two home runs and four RBI.
“I think the smart thing talking to him was to put him on the IL and let him get 100 percent to where there’s no hesitation when he comes back and maybe get him some looks down in South Bend when he starts to feel a little bit better,” Ross said.
“It’s the right thing to do to let him let him get to a point where he can feel comfortable,” Epstein said. “I think everyone who knows Kris Bryant knows he wants to be out there. There’s big performance and big impact coming. He’s that good of a player. It’s gonna happen.”
Utility man David Bote will get the lion’s share of the team’s reps at third with Bryant on the shelf. Infielder Nico Hoerner also might get a look. Hoerner made his first career start at third base on Wednesday against the Cardinals.
Bote has been solid defensively in 14 games at third this season. He ranks seventh among National League third basemen with plus-2 defensive runs saved, according to FanGraphs (minimum 100 innings).
“He works hard over there; he works hard all around the infield,” Bryant said of Bote’s defense earlier this month.
“It’s those little things in the game that don’t get too much attention, but they definitely do change the momentum.”
The team’s 60-man player pool stands at 58, with 27 active players and five 10-day injured-list players in Chicago and 26 players in South Bend.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-22--How does coronavirus spread at a concert? Germans do a test

BERLIN — Germany held a pop concert Saturday to see how those attending could spread coronavirus if they had it .
German researchers studying COVID-19 packed part of a Leipzig arena with volunteers , collecting data in a “ real life ” simulation of a pop concert but one with strict health and safety controls .
About 1,500 people took part in the experiment run by the University Hospital in Halle , each taking a coronavirus test ahead of time , testing negative , and having to wear protective masks throughout the day ’ s testing .
Researchers equipped each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ routes in the arena and track the path of the aerosols — the small particles that could carry the virus — they emitted as they mingled and talked .
Fluorescent disinfectants were used to highlight which surfaces at the mock concert were touched most frequently .
German pop singer Tim Bendzko appeared on stage to create as realistic a reaction from the crowd as possible for three scenarios .
Afterward , he said he had expected the day to feel more sterile and like an experiment but that the crowd was into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of fun , ” he said .
“ We survived drive-in concerts this summer and in that respect , for us , this is a first step toward normalcy.
” Under the first scenario , which simulated the very beginning of a pandemic , the concert-goers were kept close together in the room with no social distancing .
In the second , the researchers instituted hygiene measures and larger social distances between the volunteers .
In the third , a distance of 1.5 meters ( 5 feet ) between participants was strictly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the study , said researchers had only about a third of the volunteers they had hoped for , partially because many Germans are still away on summer holidays and partially due to fears of participating even with the safety measures taken .
But he said the experiment had gone well .
“ We are satisfied with the numbers , ” he told reporters .
“ We have good data quality.
” The results of the study are expected in four to six weeks , he said .
In general , Germany has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with its rapid response and robust testing .
It has registered only 9,267 confirmed virus deaths so far , one-fourth of Britain ’ s virus death toll .
But the numbers have been rising recently , and Germany ’ s disease control center reported 2,034 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday , the first time the daily national increase has topped 2,000 since the end of April .
The Robert Koch Institute said coronavirus outbreaks are being reported in nursing homes , hospitals , schools and “ especially among travelers and in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The trend is very concerning , ” the agency said .
Germany ’ s 16 states are in the process of resuming in-class teaching at schools .
The possible risks of virus clusters building up in educational institutions and then spreading to families and further into society has been a matter of great concern .
In Berlin , one of the first states to return , at least 41 schools this week reported that students or teachers have become infected , and hundreds of them have been put into quarantine .

BERLIN — Germany held a pop concert Saturday to see how those attending could spread coronavirus if they had it.
German researchers studying COVID-19 packed part of a Leipzig arena with volunteers, collecting data in a “real life” simulation of a pop concert but one with strict health and safety controls.
About 1,500 people took part in the experiment run by the University Hospital in Halle, each taking a coronavirus test ahead of time, testing negative, and having to wear protective masks throughout the day’s testing.
Researchers equipped each volunteer with contact tracers to record their routes in the arena and track the path of the aerosols — the small particles that could carry the virus — they emitted as they mingled and talked. Fluorescent disinfectants were used to highlight which surfaces at the mock concert were touched most frequently.
German pop singer Tim Bendzko appeared on stage to create as realistic a reaction from the crowd as possible for three scenarios.
Afterward, he said he had expected the day to feel more sterile and like an experiment but that the crowd was into the concert.
“We really had a lot of fun,” he said. “We survived drive-in concerts this summer and in that respect, for us, this is a first step toward normalcy.”
Under the first scenario, which simulated the very beginning of a pandemic, the concert-goers were kept close together in the room with no social distancing. In the second, the researchers instituted hygiene measures and larger social distances between the volunteers. In the third, a distance of 1.5 meters (5 feet) between participants was strictly enforced.
Stefan Moritz, who led the study, said researchers had only about a third of the volunteers they had hoped for, partially because many Germans are still away on summer holidays and partially due to fears of participating even with the safety measures taken. But he said the experiment had gone well.
“We are satisfied with the numbers,” he told reporters. “We have good data quality.”
The results of the study are expected in four to six weeks, he said.
In general, Germany has been praised for its handling of the pandemic with its rapid response and robust testing. It has registered only 9,267 confirmed virus deaths so far, one-fourth of Britain’s virus death toll.
But the numbers have been rising recently, and Germany’s disease control center reported 2,034 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, the first time the daily national increase has topped 2,000 since the end of April.
The Robert Koch Institute said coronavirus outbreaks are being reported in nursing homes, hospitals, schools and “especially among travelers and in the context of religious or family events.”
“The trend is very concerning,” the agency said.
Germany’s 16 states are in the process of resuming in-class teaching at schools. The possible risks of virus clusters building up in educational institutions and then spreading to families and further into society has been a matter of great concern.
In Berlin, one of the first states to return, at least 41 schools this week reported that students or teachers have become infected, and hundreds of them have been put into quarantine.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-22--Bears star Khalil Mack on warpath after unsatisfying 2019 season

Khalil Mack doesn ’ t need the Bears ’ coaches to defend him as more productive than his stats showed , nor is he interested in explanations about being left to face triple teams because Akiem Hicks got hurt and Leonard Floyd wasn ’ t a pass rushing threat .
None of that matters .
He was the highest paid defensive player in the NFL and had his fewest sacks since his rookie year .
“ I wasn ’ t good enough — wasn ’ t good enough at all , ” he said Saturday in his first comments since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make any excuses .
I just rise to the occasion and I am getting ready for this one .
It ’ s gon na be a fun one , man .
I can ’ t wait.
” Mack spoke on a Zoom call more than three hours after the Bears ’ scrimmage ended , but he was hardly done working for the day .
He took questions as he huffed through a ride on a Peloton bike at his house as though practice and whatever else he did at Halas Hall just wasn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In between breaths , he made one thing unmistakably clear : He ’ s on the warpath this season .
He ’ s been thinking about it constantly after the failures of last year — his 8.5 sacks and the Bears ’ 8-8 record .
He said “ can ’ t wait ” 10 times on the call .
And while he rightfully believes he doesn ’ t need to prove anything to anybody , he ’ s determined to prove it anyway .
“ I know myself , I know what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this is gon na be fun , man , ” Mack said .
“ I can ’ t wait to get out there with my teammates and make plays and give oohs and ahhs to the TV crowd .
“ It brings me joy , man .
I love this game .
It ’ s fun .
I don ’ t stress over this game .
But I love it and I just can ’ t wait to get out there with my guys.
” Chief among those guys is Robert Quinn , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of this era .
The Bears ’ blueprint is to put Mack and Quinn opposite each other with Hicks in the middle to form the league ’ s fiercest pass rush .
They had that in 2018 , Mack ’ s first season .
They were good , not great , last season .
Mack has the big contract and the big name , so the spotlight is always on him , but some would argue he did all he could under the circumstances .
“ Everyone always goes to the numbers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When you have a lot of sacks in your career like he does , that ’ s what people evaluate ...
But we also look to see how much are you affecting the quarterback .
Every team that we play is gon na have to game plan for him.
” Mack was the only one to game plan for last season .
Hicks missed a game early , then exited with a dislocated elbow in Week 5 .
He ’ s nursing a quad injury , but is otherwise healthy and expected to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Floyd , who sputtered to three sacks , was released in March and replaced by Quinn on a five-year , $ 70 million deal .
Quinn could be a game-changer for Mack .
At his best , he was an all-pro during a three-year run in which he piled up 40 sacks for the Rams .
He ’ s still a weapon at age 30 , as he showed with 11.5 sacks for the Cowboys last season .
“ Rob is a hell of a player , man , and an even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ And I know it ’ s just gon na be fun being out there with a guy that ’ s going 110 miles per hour on the other side .
”

Khalil Mack doesn’t need the Bears’ coaches to defend him as more productive than his stats showed last season, nor is he interested in explanations about being left to face triple-teams because Akiem Hicks got hurt and Leonard Floyd wasn’t a pass-rushing threat.
None of that matters. Mack was the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL in 2019 and had his fewest sacks since his rookie season in 2014.
‘‘I wasn’t good enough, wasn’t good enough at all,’’ Mack said Saturday in his first comments since December. ‘‘I don’t make any excuses. I just rise to the occasion, and I am getting ready for this one. It’s gonna be a fun one, man. I can’t wait.’’
Mack spoke on a Zoom call more than three hours after the Bears’ scrimmage ended, but he was hardly done working for the day. He took questions as he huffed through a ride on a Peloton bike at his house, as though practice hadn’t been enough to tire him out.
In between breaths, he made one thing unmistakably clear: He’s on the warpath this season. He has been thinking about it constantly after the failures of last season — namely, his 8.5 sacks and the Bears’ 8-8 record. He said ‘‘can’t wait’’ 10 times on the call. And while he doesn’t think he needs to prove anything to anybody, he’s determined to prove it anyway.
‘‘I know myself, I know what I’m capable of, and this is gonna be fun, man,’’ Mack said. ‘‘I can’t wait to get out there with my teammates and make plays and give oohs and ahhs to the TV crowd.
‘‘It brings me joy, man. I love this game. It’s fun. I don’t stress over this game. But I love it, and I just can’t wait to get out there with my guys.’’
Chief among those guys is Robert Quinn, one of the most dangerous quarterback chasers of this era. The Bears’ blueprint is to put Mack and Quinn opposite each other, with Hicks in the middle, to form the NFL’s fiercest pass rush.
The Bears had that in 2018, Mack’s first season with them. They were good, not great, last season.
Mack has the big contract and the big name, so the spotlight is always on him. But some would argue he did all he could under the circumstances.
‘‘Everyone always goes to the numbers,’’ coach Matt Nagy said. ‘‘When you have a lot of sacks in your career, like he does, that’s what people evaluate. . . . But we also look to see how much are you affecting the quarterback. Every team that we play is gonna have to game-plan for him.’’
Mack was the only one opponents had to game-plan for last season. Hicks missed a game early, then exited with a dislocated elbow in Week 5. He’s nursing a quadriceps injury but is otherwise healthy and expected to be good to go for the opener. Floyd, who sputtered to three sacks, was released in March and replaced by Quinn on a five-year, $70 million deal.
Quinn could be a game-changer for Mack. At his best, he was an All-Pro during a three-year run in which he piled up 40 sacks for the Rams. He’s still a weapon at age 30, as he showed with 11.5 sacks last season for the Cowboys.
‘‘Rob is a hell of a player, man, and an even better person,’’ Mack said. ‘‘And I know it’s just gonna be fun being out there with a guy that’s going 110 mph on the other side.’’
And?
‘‘And I can’t wait.’’


chicagosun-times--2020-08-22--Blue Line service resumes at UIC-Halsted, Racine stops after shutdown ahead of protest near CPD trai

Blue Line service resumes at UIC-Halsted, Racine stops after shutdown ahead of protest near CPD training academy

CTA Blue Line trains bypassed the UIC-Halsted and Racine stations on the Near West Side for about two hours Saturday ahead of a protest planned near the Chicago police training academy .
The CTA announced those stations would be shut down just before 4 p.m. “ at the request of public safety officials.
” The transit authority announced trains would begin stopping there again about 6:05 p.m .
The protest , titled “ Break the Piggy Bank , ” was slated to start at 6 p.m. at Whitney Young Magnet High School , 211 S. Laflin St. , which lies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department ’ s training academy .
Hosted by a slew of social and racial justice organizations across the city , Saturday ’ s rally in support of defunding CPD follows a back-to-school drive at 53rd Street and King Drive organized by Black Lives Matter Chicago and Justice for RonnieMan — an initiative started by the mother of Ronald Johnson , who was gunned down by police in October 2014 during a chase in Washington Park .
Neither Chicago police nor the CTA could confirm whether the Blue Line station shutdowns were directly related @ @ @ @

CTA Blue Line trains bypassed the UIC-Halsted and Racine stations on the Near West Side for about two hours Saturday ahead of a protest planned near the Chicago police training academy.
The CTA announced those stations would be shut down just before 4 p.m. “at the request of public safety officials.” The transit authority announced trains would begin stopping there again about 6:05 p.m.
[Station(s) Bypassed] Blue Line trains are running, but not stopping at UIC-Halsted and Racine stations at the request of public safety officials. Use 126 Jackson bus as alternative. — cta (@cta) August 22, 2020
[Normal Service*] Blue Line trains have resumed making stops at Racine and UIC-Halsted stations. — cta (@cta) August 22, 2020
The protest, titled “Break the Piggy Bank,” was slated to start at 6 p.m. at Whitney Young Magnet High School, 211 S. Laflin St., which lies just steps away from the Chicago Police Department’s training academy.
Hosted by a slew of social and racial justice organizations across the city, Saturday’s rally in support of defunding CPD follows a back-to-school drive at 53rd Street and King Drive organized by Black Lives Matter Chicago and Justice for RonnieMan — an initiative started by the mother of Ronald Johnson, who was gunned down by police in October 2014 during a chase in Washington Park.
.@dorothy1burton is a freedom fighter who taught us how to fight! & we gone fight all day & night until we get it right!
Join @BLMChi & Dorothy as they uplift the children in the name of justice for #RonnieMan @ 1:30pm. Then @ 6pm we Break the Piggy Bank #DefundCPD!#PeaceBook pic.twitter.com/tE85rT4Ymf — GoodKidsMadCity (@GKMC18) August 22, 2020
Neither Chicago police nor the CTA could confirm whether the Blue Line station shutdowns were directly related to the protest.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-22--House passes bill to reverse changes blamed for mail delays

WASHINGTON — With heated debate over mail delays , the House approved legislation in a rare Saturday session that would reverse recent changes in U.S .
Postal Service operations and send $ 25 billion to shore up the agency ahead of the November election .
Speaker Nancy Pelosi had recalled lawmakers to Washington over objections from Republicans who dismissed the action as a stunt .
President Donald Trump railed against mail-in ballots , including in a Saturday tweet , and urged a no vote .
He has said he wants to block extra funds for the Postal Service .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what the president is saying , because it is all designed to suppress the vote , ” Pelosi said at the Capitol .
Pelosi called the Postal Service the nation ’ s “ beautiful thread ” connecting Americans and said voters should “ ignore ” the president ’ s threats .
The daylong session came as an uproar over mail disruptions puts the Postal Service at the center of the nation ’ s tumultuous election year , with Americans rallying around one of the nation ’ s oldest and more popular institutions .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for mail-in ballots to avoid polling places during the coronavirus pandemic .
Ahead of voting the president tweeted , “ This is all another HOAX.
” More than two dozen Republicans broke with the president and backed the bill , which passed 257-150 .
Democrats led approval , but the legislation is certain to stall in the GOP-held Senate .
The White House said the president would veto it .
Facing a backlash over operational changes , new Postmaster General Louis DeJoy testified Friday in the Senate that his “ No .
1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrives on time .
But the new postal leader , a Trump ally , said he would not restore the cuts to mailboxes and sorting equipment that have already been made .
He could not provide senators with a plan for handling the ballot crush for the election .
DeJoy is set to return Monday to testify before the House Oversight Committee .
“ The American people don ’ t want anyone messing with the post office , ” said Rep. Carolyn Maloney , D-N.Y. , the chair of the Oversight Committee and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just want their mail.
” But Republicans countered that complaints about mail delivery disruptions are overblown , and no emergency funding is needed right now .
Despite the postmaster general ’ s vow election mail will arrive on time , Democrats remain skeptical .
They produced new reports showing declines in postal service since he took over in June .
DeJoy acknowledged at the Senate hearing there has been a “ dip ” in service , but disputed reports of widespread problems .
The Board of Governors of the Postal Service announced a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The bill would reverse the cuts by prohibiting any changes made after January , and provide funds to the agency .
In a memo to House Republicans , leaders derided the legislation as a postal “ conspiracy theory ” act .
Many GOP lawmakers echoed such sentiments during a lively floor debate .
“ I like the post office , I really do , ” said Rep. Glenn Grothman , R-Wis .
But he said , “ We have no crisis here.
” Nevertheless , Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell is eyeing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the next COVID-19 relief package .
While Trump has said he wants to block emergency funding for the agency , the White House has said it would be open to more postal funding as part of a broader bill .
Hundreds of lawmakers returned to Washington for the weekend session , but dozens cast votes by proxy under House rules that allow them to stay away during the COVID-19 crisis .
Another lawmaker , Rep. Dan Meuser , R-Pa. , announced Saturday he had tested positive for the virus .
Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , was on Capitol Hill meeting Saturday with GOP House leader Kevin McCarthy and other lawmakers , according to a Republican aide granted anonymity to discuss the private sessions .
The Postal Service has been struggling financially under a decline in mail volume , COVID-19-related costs and a rare and cumbersome congressional requirement to fund in advance its retiree health care benefits .
For many , the Postal Service provides a lifeline , delivering not just cards and letters but also prescription drugs , financial statements and other items that are especially needed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ postal board of governors , appointed by Trump , selected DeJoy to take the job as postmaster general .
A GOP donor , he previously owned a logistics business that was a longtime Postal Service contractor .
He maintains significant financial stakes in companies that do business or compete with the agency , raising conflict of interest questions .
In a statement , the Postal Service said DeJoy has made all required financial disclosures , but he might have to divest some holdings if conflicts arise .
Republicans have long sought changes to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ private company , and Trump often complains the Postal Service should be charging Amazon and other companies higher rates for package deliveries .
The founder of Amazon , Jeff Bezos , also owns The Washington Post , a publication that Trump frequently derides as “ fake news ” over critical stories of him .
Others say the Postal Service is not expected to be solely a money-making enterprise , often delivering to far-flung places where it is not efficient to operate .

WASHINGTON — With heated debate over mail delays, the House approved legislation in a rare Saturday session that would reverse recent changes in U.S. Postal Service operations and send $25 billion to shore up the agency ahead of the November election.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi had recalled lawmakers to Washington over objections from Republicans who dismissed the action as a stunt. President Donald Trump railed against mail-in ballots, including in a Saturday tweet, and urged a no vote. He has said he wants to block extra funds for the Postal Service.
“Don’t pay any attention to what the president is saying, because it is all designed to suppress the vote,” Pelosi said at the Capitol.
Pelosi called the Postal Service the nation’s “beautiful thread” connecting Americans and said voters should “ignore” the president’s threats.
The daylong session came as an uproar over mail disruptions puts the Postal Service at the center of the nation’s tumultuous election year, with Americans rallying around one of the nation’s oldest and more popular institutions. Millions of people are expected to opt for mail-in ballots to avoid polling places during the coronavirus pandemic.
Ahead of voting the president tweeted, “This is all another HOAX.”
More than two dozen Republicans broke with the president and backed the bill, which passed 257-150. Democrats led approval, but the legislation is certain to stall in the GOP-held Senate. The White House said the president would veto it.
Facing a backlash over operational changes, new Postmaster General Louis DeJoy testified Friday in the Senate that his “No. 1 priority” is to ensure election mail arrives on time.
But the new postal leader, a Trump ally, said he would not restore the cuts to mailboxes and sorting equipment that have already been made. He could not provide senators with a plan for handling the ballot crush for the election. DeJoy is set to return Monday to testify before the House Oversight Committee.
“The American people don’t want anyone messing with the post office,” said Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., the chair of the Oversight Committee and author of the bill. “They just want their mail.”
But Republicans countered that complaints about mail delivery disruptions are overblown, and no emergency funding is needed right now.
“It’s a silly, silly bill,” said Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla.
Despite the postmaster general’s vow election mail will arrive on time, Democrats remain skeptical. They produced new reports showing declines in postal service since he took over in June. DeJoy acknowledged at the Senate hearing there has been a “dip” in service, but disputed reports of widespread problems. The Board of Governors of the Postal Service announced a bipartisan committee to oversee mail voting.
The bill would reverse the cuts by prohibiting any changes made after January, and provide funds to the agency.
In a memo to House Republicans, leaders derided the legislation as a postal “conspiracy theory” act. Many GOP lawmakers echoed such sentiments during a lively floor debate.
“I like the post office, I really do,” said Rep. Glenn Grothman, R-Wis. But he said, “We have no crisis here.”
Nevertheless, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell is eyeing a $10 billion postal rescue as part of the next COVID-19 relief package. While Trump has said he wants to block emergency funding for the agency, the White House has said it would be open to more postal funding as part of a broader bill.
Hundreds of lawmakers returned to Washington for the weekend session, but dozens cast votes by proxy under House rules that allow them to stay away during the COVID-19 crisis. Another lawmaker, Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Pa., announced Saturday he had tested positive for the virus.
Trump’s chief of staff, Mark Meadows, was on Capitol Hill meeting Saturday with GOP House leader Kevin McCarthy and other lawmakers, according to a Republican aide granted anonymity to discuss the private sessions.
The Postal Service has been struggling financially under a decline in mail volume, COVID-19-related costs and a rare and cumbersome congressional requirement to fund in advance its retiree health care benefits.
For many, the Postal Service provides a lifeline, delivering not just cards and letters but also prescription drugs, financial statements and other items that are especially needed by mail during the pandemic.
The postal board of governors, appointed by Trump, selected DeJoy to take the job as postmaster general. A GOP donor, he previously owned a logistics business that was a longtime Postal Service contractor. He maintains significant financial stakes in companies that do business or compete with the agency, raising conflict of interest questions.
In a statement, the Postal Service said DeJoy has made all required financial disclosures, but he might have to divest some holdings if conflicts arise.
Republicans have long sought changes to have the agency run more like a private company, and Trump often complains the Postal Service should be charging Amazon and other companies higher rates for package deliveries. The founder of Amazon, Jeff Bezos, also owns The Washington Post, a publication that Trump frequently derides as “fake news” over critical stories of him.
Others say the Postal Service is not expected to be solely a money-making enterprise, often delivering to far-flung places where it is not efficient to operate.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-22--Bears camp: David Montgomery skips donuts, jerky to ‘feel amazing’

David Montgomery stopped eating red meat this offseason .
He pushed away beef jerky — the flamin ’ hot flavor was his favorite — and the Swiss cheese he liked so much as a rookie .
“ To me , it was the best in the world , ” he said .
“ I realized that that wasn ’ t good for me .
Whenever I felt the craving for a Krispy Kreme donut , I ’ d definitely go have one , back in the day .
But now I fight the urge to go have one.
” The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back is about six pounds lighter than he was last year , when he played at 224 pounds .
“ I feel amazing , actually .
… ” he said .
“ I ’ m not as sore as I was last year .
Just because of the lack of food that I don ’ t eat that has a lot of inflammation to it .
.. Just being able to run — and just feeling good at how I ’ m running and being able to make the right cuts and stuff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A player making the best-shape-of-my-life-claim is typical training camp fare , as is a second-year player learning from his mistakes as a rookie .
Montgomery ’ s weight loss is noteworthy , though , in the sense that the rest of the Bears ’ rushing attack underwent a similar offseason transformation .
The Bears hired offensive coordinator Bill Lazor and offensive line coach Juan Castillo , who is the de facto run game coordinator , to try to fix an attack that averaged 3.7 yards per carry last year , fourth-worst in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ though , needs to develop an appetite to run the ball .
He said in October that he knew the Bears needed to rush more — “ I ’ m not an idiot , ” he said — but has never , in two years , established a consistent attack .
If he can this year , it will be on the back of Montgomery .
The others in his position room are a running back who ’ s a more effective receiver [ Tarik Cohen ] and a receiver they hope to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] .
Ryan Nall has two career carries and Artavis Pierce is an undrafted rookie .
“ Last year coming in as a rookie I think his expectations were set really high — which you love , ” Nagy said of Montgomery .
“ And then you go through a season that we went through last year and there can be frustrations at times .
But I ’ m just trying to be the best mentor and coach that I can be to him .
We have a wonderful relationship .
We have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And I like the way that he handles his day-to-day operations .
“ He realizes how important he is to this offense.
” Running backs coach Charles London has been pleased with his adjustment to the new scheme , which he said is similar to what he ran at Iowa State .
“ A lot of it is about training your eyes and trusting your path and trusting the blocks , ” he said .
Montgomery averaged only 3.7 yards per carry — 889 yards on 242 rushes — as a rookie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than I know I was capable of moving at , and it affected the game , ” he said .
“ I kind of let myself get in the way of myself as far as what I ate last year .
I didn ’ t really care .
I was a rookie .
I was just eating whatever , but now its definitely a main focal point in my everyday life .
It ’ s just being sure I put the right things in my body so it can carry over to field.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ things that feel different in Year 2 .
“ Just being able to understand a lot of stuff I didn ’ t understand as fast last year — like understanding the offense more , knowing concepts , knowing defenses , knowing the personnel , ” Montgomery said .
“ Just being on top of that and being able to … how fast the game was for me last year and seeing it kind of slow down here is pretty cool to see .
”

David Montgomery stopped eating red meat this offseason. He pushed away beef jerky — the flamin’-hot flavor was his favorite — and the Swiss cheese he liked so much as a rookie.
“To me, it was the best in the world,” he said. “I realized that it wasn’t good for me. Whenever I felt the craving for a Krispy Kreme doughnut, I’d definitely go have one back in the day. But now I fight the urge to go have one.”
The result: The Bears’ top running back is about six pounds lighter than he was last year, when he played at 224 pounds.
“I feel amazing, actually,” he said. “I’m not as sore as I was last year just because of the food that I don’t eat that has a lot of inflammation to it. Just being able to run and just how I’m running and being able to make the right cuts and stuff like that, it definitely feels good.”
A player making the best-shape-of-my-life claim is typical training-camp fare, as is a second-year player learning from his rookie mistakes. Montgomery’s weight loss is noteworthy, though, in the sense that the rest of the Bears’ rushing attack underwent a similar offseason transformation. The Bears hired offensive coordinator Bill Lazor and offensive line coach Juan Castillo, who is the de facto run-game coordinator, to try to fix an attack that averaged 3.7 yards per carry last year, fourth-worst in the NFL.
But coach Matt Nagy also needs to develop an appetite to run the ball. He said in October that he knew the Bears needed to run more — “I’m not an idiot,” he said — but has never, in two years, established a consistent attack.
If he can this year, it will be on the back of Montgomery.
The others in his position room are a running back who’s a more effective receiver (Tarik Cohen) and a receiver the Bears hope to convert to a runner (Cordarrelle Patterson). Ryan Nall has two career carries, and Artavis Pierce is an undrafted rookie.
“Last year coming in as a rookie, I think [Montgomery’s] expectations were set really high, which you love,” Nagy said. “And then you go through a season like we went through, and there can be frustration at times. But I’m just trying to be the best mentor and coach that I can be to him. We have a wonderful relationship. We have a lot of respect for each other. And I like the way that he handles his day-to-day operations. He realizes how important he is to this offense.”
Running backs coach Charles London has been pleased with his adjustment to the new scheme, which he said is similar to the one Montgomery had at Iowa State.
“A lot of it is about training your eyes and trusting your path and trusting the blocks,” London said.
Montgomery averaged only 3.7 yards per carry — 889 yards on 242 rushes — as a rookie.
“I was a lot slower than I know I was capable of moving at, and it affected the game,” he said. “I kind of got in the way of myself as far as what I ate last year. I didn’t really care. I was a rookie. I was just eating whatever, but now it’s definitely a main focal point in my everyday life. It’s just being sure I put the right things in my body, so it can carry over to the field.”
It’s one of many things that feel different in Year 2.
“Just being able to understand a lot of stuff I didn’t understand as fast last year — like understanding the offense more, knowing concepts, knowing defenses, knowing the personnel,” Montgomery said. “Just being on top of that. [To compare] how fast the game was for me last year and seeing it kind of slow down here is pretty cool to see.”


chicagosun-times--2020-08-22--Illinois officials hope testing can control coronavirus on campus

University of Illinois officials expect confirmed cases of the coronavirus to rise as classes begin Monday in Champaign-Urbana but they hope routine testing and other precautions can keep spread of the virus under control on campus .
Models developed by the university predict a few hundred confirmed cases of COVID-19 cases during the first weeks of the fall semester , officials said in a statement this week .
Saliva testing developed at the school has already been used to test 60,000 staff and students since July .
The saliva test can provide results within hours , and it is free @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said they expect to test up to 20,000 students a day and students will be required to be tested twice a week .
The modeling developed by the university suggests that requirement and other precautions can lead to a drop off in new confirmed cases after an initial jump .
“ What will determine if we stay together in-person is whether we all can make the personal choices and exercise the very best judgement in these critical early days , ” Chancellor Robert Jones said in a message to the campus .
Other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ washing and social distancing , Jones said .
He encouraged students and everyone else returning to the campus to do their part to stop the virus from spreading .
“ These next 10 or 15 days will define us , ” he said .

University of Illinois officials expect confirmed cases of the coronavirus to rise as classes begin Monday in Champaign-Urbana but they hope routine testing and other precautions can keep spread of the virus under control on campus.
Models developed by the university predict a few hundred confirmed cases of COVID-19 cases during the first weeks of the fall semester, officials said in a statement this week.
Saliva testing developed at the school has already been used to test 60,000 staff and students since July.
The saliva test can provide results within hours, and it is free for students and staff. Officials have said they expect to test up to 20,000 students a day and students will be required to be tested twice a week.
The modeling developed by the university suggests that requirement and other precautions can lead to a drop off in new confirmed cases after an initial jump.
“What will determine if we stay together in-person is whether we all can make the personal choices and exercise the very best judgement in these critical early days,” Chancellor Robert Jones said in a message to the campus.
Other necessary precautions include face coverings, hand washing and social distancing, Jones said. He encouraged students and everyone else returning to the campus to do their part to stop the virus from spreading.
“These next 10 or 15 days will define us,” he said.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-23--Jeremy Colliton safe as Blackhawks’ coach, but pressure is on entering third year

Jeremy Colliton will almost certainly return for his third season as the Blackhawks ’ coach in 2020-21 .
Interim president Danny Wirtz has gone out of his way to publicly express “ words of support ” for Colliton and general manager Stan Bowman .
And Bowman has stood loyally behind his handpicked coach .
Colliton ’ s even-tempered personality , communication-oriented coaching style and stubborn devotion to his system and hockey beliefs all remain popular in the Hawks ’ front office .
But on Friday , Bowman , for one of the first times in the last two years , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ on-ice performance under Colliton .
Asked about the Hawks conceding the most scoring chances in the league this season , Bowman said the Hawks ’ management “ would all agree ” they “ need to improve in that area , ” then dove into exactly what went wrong .
“ We have a lot of players who have a lot of offensive skills , and they want to make things happen to help the team win , ” Bowman said .
“ In the process of doing that , it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You can create some really good opportunities .
.
.
[ but ] you can put yourself in tough spots .
“ The mentality of our group [ needs ] more awareness [ that ] what you do in the moment can affect something 20-30 seconds later , and you can put yourself and your team in a bad spot .
That seems to happen probably too often with our group.
” He added he wasn ’ t solely calling out the team ’ s younger players , noting the “ veterans were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well .
Those comments seem to be directed at the players more so than Colliton , and they ’ re not exactly Simon Cowell-level critical at that .
But compared to Bowman ’ s media sessions at midseason ( January ) and at the trade deadline ( late February ) — when the Hawks ’ outlook looked unquestionably worse than it does now , but when he exclusively discussed the positives in the team ’ s performance — they do represent a significant change in tone .
Expectations are growing , and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s third year in charge .
In his first season , he was tasked with replacing a legend in Joel Quenneville , the schedule offered very little practice time during his first two months and the Hawks underwent a significant transition .
This past season , the Hawks slowly improved as the year went on but still finished below .500 .
The briefly exciting playoff run nonetheless provided a glimpse of what they can achieve .
“ A year ago at this time , we were trying to build a foundation , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ middle of the season , we got to where I felt we were not going back to the baseline and the foundation as much .
We were then trying to go to that next level .
“ When we picked up after the pause , that ’ s what I saw .
We were no longer talking internally , and even amongst the team , about the foundation and the way we want to play .
We were talking about how we ’ re going to attack the other team.
” Colliton will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contender — or , at least , a deserved playoff team .
His honeymoon period has ended .
The logistical challenges now apply universally to all teams in the coronavirus era .
The Hawks ’ immediate window of contention , with their old core aging by the year and their young core starting to need expensive second contracts , is closing .
Colliton has run out of time to implement that aforementioned baseline .
It should be ingrained by now .
Next season , Colliton should be able to use his coaching time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nuances in the Hawks ’ game .
If that proves to be the case , the front office ’ s confidence in him — in spite of the fan base ’ s frustration — will be validated .
If not , his current job security might vanish .

Jeremy Colliton will almost certainly return for his third season as the Blackhawks’ coach in 2020-21.
Interim president Danny Wirtz has gone out of his way to publicly express “words of support” for Colliton and general manager Stan Bowman. And Bowman has stood loyally behind his handpicked coach.
Colliton’s even-tempered personality, communication-oriented coaching style and stubborn devotion to his system and hockey beliefs all remain popular in the Hawks’ front office.
But on Friday, Bowman, for one of the first times in the last two years, offered a blunt critique of the Hawks’ on-ice performance under Colliton.
Asked about the Hawks conceding the most scoring chances in the league this season, Bowman said the Hawks’ management “would all agree” they “need to improve in that area,” then dove into exactly what went wrong.
“We have a lot of players who have a lot of offensive skills, and they want to make things happen to help the team win,” Bowman said. “In the process of doing that, it’s a bit of a double-edged sword. You can create some really good opportunities . . . [but] you can put yourself in tough spots.
“The mentality of our group [needs] more awareness [that] what you do in the moment can affect something 20-30 seconds later, and you can put yourself and your team in a bad spot. That seems to happen probably too often with our group.”
He added he wasn’t solely calling out the team’s younger players, noting the “veterans were very guilty of this,” as well.
Those comments seem to be directed at the players more so than Colliton, and they’re not exactly Simon Cowell-level critical at that.
But compared to Bowman’s media sessions at midseason (January) and at the trade deadline (late February) — when the Hawks’ outlook looked unquestionably worse than it does now, but when he exclusively discussed the positives in the team’s performance — they do represent a significant change in tone.
Expectations are growing, and the pressure is, too, for Colliton’s third year in charge.
In his first season, he was tasked with replacing a legend in Joel Quenneville, the schedule offered very little practice time during his first two months and the Hawks underwent a significant transition.
This past season, the Hawks slowly improved as the year went on but still finished below .500. The briefly exciting playoff run nonetheless provided a glimpse of what they can achieve.
“A year ago at this time, we were trying to build a foundation,” Bowman said. “In the middle of the season, we got to where I felt we were not going back to the baseline and the foundation as much. We were then trying to go to that next level.
“When we picked up after the pause, that’s what I saw. We were no longer talking internally, and even amongst the team, about the foundation and the way we want to play. We were talking about how we’re going to attack the other team.”
Colliton will be tasked with making the Hawks a contender — or, at least, a deserved playoff team.
His honeymoon period has ended. The logistical challenges now apply universally to all teams in the coronavirus era. The Hawks’ immediate window of contention, with their old core aging by the year and their young core starting to need expensive second contracts, is closing.
Colliton has run out of time to implement that aforementioned baseline. It should be ingrained by now. Next season, Colliton should be able to use his coaching time to build upon it, perfecting the nuances in the Hawks’ game.
If that proves to be the case, the front office’s confidence in him — in spite of the fan base’s frustration — will be validated. If not, his current job security might vanish.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-23--In Chicago — headquarters of AKA — proud sorority sisters of Kamala Harris get to work

In Black sororities and fraternities , sisterhood and brotherhood run deep .
You can go anywhere , meet a stranger , and if the two of you share membership in a particular organization in the “ Divine 9 , ” as they ’ re called , you ’ re instant family .
So it is with Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority , Inc. , the oldest and the largest Black sorority , founded on the campus of Howard University in 1908 .
I pledged as a college undergrad .
Because of that sisterly bond , when Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her acceptance speech during last week ’ s Democratic National Convention , many AKAs nationwide swooned .
Chicago is home to the national headquarters of AKA , at 5656 S. Stony Island Ave. in Hyde Park .
And it is also because of that sisterly bond that “ sorors ” nationwide have been hard at work supporting a fellow member who stepped into history ’ s glare with the Aug. 11 announcement by Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden that she was his pick .
Watch parties aplenty were planned last week , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bestowed from a national stage .
“ The place went up in the air , ” when Harris cited her “ beloved Alpha Kappa Alpha , ” said 73-year-old Josephine Perry , an AKA and retired Chicago Public Schools teacher who attended a socially distanced watch party for 16 at Bronzeville ’ s Bureau Bar & Restaurant .
“ She has electrified us to the point where I believe every soul that ’ s conscious will energize their household and community to get out the vote and make a difference in this country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Harris , who could become the first woman vice president ever .
“ Undergrads coming into the sorority will know there are no limits to their potential .
A lot of energy will be poured into this campaign by lots of Alpha Kappa Alpha members , surely , ” Perry said .
The first Black American woman and first South Asian American to grace a major party ticket , Harris pledged AKA as an undergrad at Howard — one of the historically Black colleges and universities .
In her speech , the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ run for president before folding her campaign in December , additionally gave a shoutout to all HBCU ’ s and all Black sororities and fraternities .
“ My reaction was , ‘ Skee-Wee !
’ I felt overwhelmed with happiness , ” Morgan Waller , a 26-year-old AKA who lives in Burnham , said , evoking the sorority ’ s greeting call .
Waller and Perry are among dozens of Chicago-area women , many of them AKA ’ s , who last week launched “ Women 2 Win , ” a diverse group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1 million to support Harris .
“ Just to be able to witness the first Black woman vice president nominee , I ’ m so proud .
She ’ s blazing a trail for young women like myself to continue to make that difference in the world , ” said the millennial Waller , a financial analyst and school board member at Thornton Fractional High School District 215 .
Harris graduated Howard in 1986 , with a degree in political science and economics , before attending law school at the University of California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 1989 .
The sorority mention came as Harris shared lessons imparted by her late mother , Shyamala Gopalan Harris , a biologist who emigrated from India in the early 1960s .
It was at the University of California , Berkeley that her mother met her father , Donald Harris , who ’ d emigrated from Jamaica .
“ She taught us to put family first , the family you ’ re born into , and the family you choose , ” Harris said at the convention .
“ Family is my husband… @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Family is my best friend , my nieces and my godchildren… Family is my beloved Alpha Kappa Alpha , our Divine Nine , and my HBCU brothers and sisters.
” “ It was amazing !
I was like , ‘ We could all just flatline right now , ’ ” said Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller , an AKA who attended Howard at the same time as Harris , graduating a year after her .
“ But we can ’ t , because we have to go get out the vote , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Linwood , also involved with Women 2 Win .
“ We have to raise money .
We have to make phone calls .
With the pandemic , voter suppression and other obstacles afoot , we can ’ t take it for granted.
” AKA was the first Greek letter college sorority for Black women , founded at Howard in 1908 .
It ’ s a global service organization with more than 300,000 members and 1,000 chapters worldwide , boasting famed honorary members like Maya Angelou , Coretta Scott-King , Rosa Parks , Mae @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2 Win members , like Tiffany Harper , chief of staff and general counsel in the Chicago city treasurer ’ s office , are planning to do more than just fundraising and phone calls .
Harper plans to travel to swing states to provide legal assistance for election protection .
“ As Black women , we don ’ t often get to go through doors first , or break down barriers .
It ’ s usually a white woman or Black man that gets to go first , ” said Harper , 37 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ night , I was literally running around my house in tears , screaming .
My mother is an AKA who has fought for civil rights , so to see our sorority that ’ s been so committed to service and community and protecting voting and other rights for marginalized communities on that stage with her , it was a moment of a lifetime.
” Many noted they ’ re in a race with the calendar — the Nov. 3 election is only two and a half months away .
But while hard at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they bask in the glow of this soror ’ s already historic achievement .
“ It was a proud and heartwarming moment to watch Sen. Harris stand on this international platform and share with the world how our organization has impacted her life .
Her nomination and acceptance serves as a testament to our mission to be of service to all mankind , ” said AKA Central Region Director Sonya Bowen .
“ It was a profound moment for AKA and has had a resounding impact on all of our members , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Park , a research administrator .
“ Watching [ her ] accept her nomination as vice president of the United States was a historic moment for Black women , and all women of color in America .
”

In Black sororities and fraternities, sisterhood and brotherhood run deep.
You can go anywhere, meet a stranger, and if the two of you share membership in a particular organization in the “Divine 9,” as they’re called, you’re instant family.
So it is with Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., the oldest and the largest Black sorority, founded on the campus of Howard University in 1908. I pledged as a college undergrad.
Because of that sisterly bond, when Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris gave our sorority a shout-out in her acceptance speech during last week’s Democratic National Convention, many AKAs nationwide swooned.
Chicago is home to the national headquarters of AKA, at 5656 S. Stony Island Ave. in Hyde Park.
And it is also because of that sisterly bond that “sorors” nationwide have been hard at work supporting a fellow member who stepped into history’s glare with the Aug. 11 announcement by Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden that she was his pick.
Watch parties aplenty were planned last week, but sorors weren’t expecting the honor bestowed from a national stage.
“The place went up in the air” when Harris cited her “beloved Alpha Kappa Alpha,” said 73-year-old Josephine Perry, an AKA and retired Chicago Public Schools teacher who attended a socially distanced watch party for 16 at Bronzeville’s Bureau Bar & Restaurant.
“She has electrified us to the point where I believe every soul that’s conscious will energize their household and community to get out the vote and make a difference in this country,” the Chatham resident said of Harris, who could become the first woman vice president.
“Undergrads coming into the sorority will know there are no limits to their potential. A lot of energy will be poured into this campaign by lots of Alpha Kappa Alpha members, surely,” Perry said.
The first Black American woman and first South Asian American to grace a major party ticket, Harris pledged AKA as an undergrad at Howard — one of the historically Black colleges and universities.
Josephine Perry, 73, a retired Chicago Public Schools teacher and member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, meets with Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris, also an AKA member, at a Chicago fundraiser last year for Harris’ presidential campaign. Provided
In her speech, the U.S. senator from California, who’d run for president before folding her campaign in December, additionally gave a shout-out to all HBCUs and all Black sororities and fraternities.
“My reaction was, ‘Skee-Wee!’ I felt overwhelmed with happiness,” said Morgan Waller, a 26-year-old AKA who lives in Burnham, evoking the sorority’s greeting call.
Waller and Perry are among dozens of Chicago-area women, many of them AKAs, who last week launched “Women 2 Win,” a diverse group devoted to phone banking and raising $1 million to support Harris.
“Just to be able to witness the first Black woman vice president nominee, I’m so proud. She’s blazing a trail for young women like myself to continue to make that difference in the world,” said the millennial Waller, a financial analyst and school board member at Thornton Fractional High School District 215.
Harris graduated Howard in 1986, with a degree in political science and economics, before attending law school at the University of California, where she obtained her juris doctorate in 1989.
The sorority mention came as Harris shared lessons imparted by her late mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris, a biologist who emigrated from India in the early 1960s. It was at the University of California at Berkeley where her mother met her father, Donald Harris, who’d emigrated from Jamaica.
Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha who attended Howard University at the same time as Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris, chats with Harris last year at a Chicago fundraiser for Harris’ presidential campaign. Provided
“She taught us to put family first, the family you’re born into and the family you choose,” Harris said at the convention. “Family is my husband … our beautiful children … Family is my sister. Family is my best friend, my nieces and my godchildren … Family is my beloved Alpha Kappa Alpha, our Divine Nine, and my HBCU brothers and sisters.”
“It was amazing! I was like, ‘We could all just flatline right now,’” said Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller, an AKA who attended Howard at the same time as Harris, graduating a year after her.
“But we can’t, because we have to go get out the vote,” quipped Miller, 54, of Linwood, also involved with Women 2 Win. “We have to raise money. We have to make phone calls. With the pandemic, voter suppression and other obstacles afoot, we can’t take it for granted.”
AKA is a global service organization with more than 300,000 members and 1,000 chapters worldwide, boasting famed honorary members like Maya Angelou, Coretta Scott King, Rosa Parks, Mae Jemison and Alicia Keys.
Some Women 2 Win members, like Tiffany Harper, chief of staff and general counsel in the Chicago city treasurer’s office, are planning to do more than just fundraising and phone calls.
Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris, at the time running for president, shares a moment with Alpha Kappa Alpha Regional Directors (l-r) Carolyn G. Randolph, Jennifer King Congleton and Sonya L. Bowen at the sorority’s 2019 South Central Regional Conference in New Orleans. Provided
Harper plans to travel to swing states to provide legal assistance for election protection.
“As Black women, we don’t often get to go through doors first or break down barriers. It’s usually a white woman or Black man that gets to go first,” said Harper, 37, of Bronzeville.
“On Wednesday night, I was literally running around my house in tears, screaming. My mother is an AKA who has fought for civil rights, so to see our sorority that’s been so committed to service and community and protecting voting and other rights for marginalized communities on that stage with her, it was a moment of a lifetime.”
Many noted they’re in a race with the calendar — the Nov. 3 election is only two and a half months away. But while hard at work to support the Biden-Harris ticket, they bask in the glow of this soror’s already historic achievement.
“It was a proud and heartwarming moment to watch Sen. Harris stand on this international platform and share with the world how our organization has impacted her life. Her nomination and acceptance serves as a testament to our mission to be of service to all mankind,” AKA Central Region Director Sonya Bowen said.
“It was a profound moment for AKA and has had a resounding impact on all of our members,” said Bowen, 52, of Richton Park, a research administrator. “Watching [her] accept her nomination as vice president of the United States was a historic moment for Black women, and all women of color in America.”


chicagosun-times--2020-08-23--Dear Abby: She says I’m her best friend but leaves me out of vow renewal ceremony

DEAR ABBY : I am disabled and live about 2,000 miles from my best friend .
For months now she has spoken about her plans to have a vow renewal ceremony on her 10th wedding anniversary .
Although I am on a fixed income , I have been saving every dime so I can attend .
As it turns out , I ’ m not invited .
She ’ s requested online that everyone who has received their invitation and hasn ’ t sent their R.S.V.P .
should , so she ’ ll know how many people to tell the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ didn ’ t get lost in the mail or in cyberspace .
I was just not invited .
I am extremely hurt by this because she has always claimed that I am her best friend .
How should I handle this ?
— UNINVITED IN CALIFORNIA DEAR UNINVITED : You have a right to feel hurt .
“ Best ” friends don ’ t treat each other this way .
Handle it by asking her why you were left off the guest list .
She may not have invited you because she knows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assumed you couldn ’ t attend .
However , if that ’ s not the reason for the omission , then you may not have had as close a relationship as you assumed .
DEAR ABBY : I have been married a little over a year .
My wife took a trip to Florida to get some things out of storage , and turned it into a two-week vacation .
She ’ s now traveling back with the in-laws , which I wasn ’ t expecting .
Yesterday she announced she doesn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including me , and will only text for the next three days during the trip because she ’ s too tired .
I feel rejected and like yesterday ’ s news because she hardly calls me and she almost forgot to say goodnight .
I don ’ t think this is healthy for our relationship , and I have separation anxiety to boot .
Is this normal ?
— NEWLYWED GUY IN IOWA DEAR GUY : Something is going on with your wife , and unless she is usually this uncommunicative , her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ normal .
Do not pressure her or make her feel guilty in order to alleviate your separation anxiety .
Give her the time she said she needs to decompress and get her thoughts together .
When she and her parents arrive , you will have plenty of time to clear the air .
DEAR ABBY : My husband and I were invited by an older friend to lunch on his patio , while observing the social distancing rules .
Before we left his home , we thanked him profusely as we greatly appreciated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of social interaction during the pandemic .
When we arrived home , I wrote a thank-you note and put it in the mail .
However , I ’ m wondering if I should also have sent an immediate text or e-mail message to our friend .
Are there new rules that cover immediate electronic communication vs. old-fashioned thank-you notes ?
— WONDERING IN ALABAMA DEAR WONDERING : Many people use immediate electronic communication as a way to avoid the “ hassle ” and expense of penning a handwritten thank-you note .
However , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your appreciation the traditional way rather than doing both wasn ’ t a faux pas , so stop worrying .
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 .
What teens need to know about sex , drugs , AIDS and getting along with peers and parents is in “ What Every Teen Should Know.
” Send your name and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order for $ 8 ( U.S. funds ) , to : Dear Abby , Teen Booklet , P.O .
Box 447 , Mount Morris , IL 61054-0447 .
( Shipping and handling are included in the price . )

DEAR ABBY: I am disabled and live about 2,000 miles from my best friend. For months now she has spoken about her plans to have a vow renewal ceremony on her 10th wedding anniversary. Although I am on a fixed income, I have been saving every dime so I can attend.
As it turns out, I’m not invited. She’s requested online that everyone who has received their invitation and hasn’t sent their R.S.V.P. should, so she’ll know how many people to tell the caterer to prepare for. My invitation didn’t get lost in the mail or in cyberspace. I was just not invited.
I am extremely hurt by this because she has always claimed that I am her best friend. How should I handle this? — UNINVITED IN CALIFORNIA
DEAR UNINVITED: You have a right to feel hurt. “Best” friends don’t treat each other this way. Handle it by asking her why you were left off the guest list. She may not have invited you because she knows you are on a fixed income and assumed you couldn’t attend. However, if that’s not the reason for the omission, then you may not have had as close a relationship as you assumed.
DEAR ABBY: I have been married a little over a year. My wife took a trip to Florida to get some things out of storage, and turned it into a two-week vacation. She’s now traveling back with the in-laws, which I wasn’t expecting.
Yesterday she announced she doesn’t want to talk to anyone, including me, and will only text for the next three days during the trip because she’s too tired. I feel rejected and like yesterday’s news because she hardly calls me and she almost forgot to say goodnight. I don’t think this is healthy for our relationship, and I have separation anxiety to boot. Is this normal? — NEWLYWED GUY IN IOWA
DEAR GUY: Something is going on with your wife, and unless she is usually this uncommunicative, her unwillingness to talk with you is not normal. Do not pressure her or make her feel guilty in order to alleviate your separation anxiety. Give her the time she said she needs to decompress and get her thoughts together. When she and her parents arrive, you will have plenty of time to clear the air.
DEAR ABBY: My husband and I were invited by an older friend to lunch on his patio, while observing the social distancing rules. Before we left his home, we thanked him profusely as we greatly appreciated the visit, especially given our lack of social interaction during the pandemic.
When we arrived home, I wrote a thank-you note and put it in the mail. However, I’m wondering if I should also have sent an immediate text or e-mail message to our friend. Are there new rules that cover immediate electronic communication vs. old-fashioned thank-you notes? — WONDERING IN ALABAMA
DEAR WONDERING: Many people use immediate electronic communication as a way to avoid the “hassle” and expense of penning a handwritten thank-you note. However, making the time and effort to show your appreciation the traditional way rather than doing both wasn’t a faux pas, so stop worrying.
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.
What teens need to know about sex, drugs, AIDS and getting along with peers and parents is in “What Every Teen Should Know.” Send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $8 (U.S. funds), to: Dear Abby, Teen Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. (Shipping and handling are included in the price.)


chicagosun-times--2020-08-23--Khalil Mack: Bears going to win regardless of who starts at QB

The Bears ’ biggest star and their new quarterback hit it off quite nicely when they met for the start of the preseason .
It was typical of new teammate exchanges in the NFL , with Khalil Mack and Nick Foles reminiscing about the handful of times they ’ ve faced each other .
The most recent of those was when Foles foiled the Bears ’ Super Bowl hopes in January 2019 by helping the Eagles eke out a playoff win at Soldier Field .
Even though Foles got the better of that matchup , he ’ s the one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about Mack charging him in the backfield .
Nonetheless , Mack couldn ’ t say enough about how much Foles has impressed him in their month or so together .
“ Knowing what [ the Eagles ] did , and not only that , but just saying the type of guy he is — because he ’ s a hell of a guy , ” Mack said .
“ You just got the right type of guy .
That ’ s what Nick is .
He can play and talk and communicate.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mack is steered clear from weighing in on the position battle between Foles and Mitch Trubisky .
He ’ s more concerned with the Bears ’ defense staying at an elite level anyway .
“ All in all , man , just knowing the two guys that are up for the job , whatever they decide to go with , we ’ re going to be ready , ” Mack said .
“ We ’ re going to be ready to win a lot of ballgames , and I can ’ t wait @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] or [ Trubisky ] , we ’ re going to win.
” That philosophy proved true in 2018 , when Trubisky was a middle-of-the-pack quarterback and the defense was overwhelming .
That produced a 12-4 season and an NFC North title .
Last season , though , Trubisky was a disaster and the defense , despite ranking fourth in fewest points allowed , wasn ’ t enough to offset that as the Bears finished 8-8 and missed the playoffs .

The Bears’ biggest star and their new quarterback hit it off quite nicely when they first met up at Halas Hall. It was typical of new-teammate exchanges, with Khalil Mack and Nick Foles reminiscing about the handful of times they’ve faced each other.
The most recent of those was when Foles foiled the Bears’ Super Bowl hopes in January 2019 by helping the Eagles eke out a playoff win at Soldier Field. Even though Foles got the better of that matchup, he’s the one relieved to no longer have to worry about Mack charging him in the backfield.
Nonetheless, Mack couldn’t say enough about how much Foles has impressed him in their month or so together.
“Knowing what [the Eagles] did, and not only that, but just seeing the type of guy he is — because he’s a hell of a guy,” Mack said. “You just got the right type of guy. That’s what Nick is. He can play and talk and communicate.”
Like the rest of the Bears, Mack has steered clear from weighing in on the position battle between Foles and Mitch Trubisky. He’s more concerned with the Bears’ defense staying at an elite level anyway.
“All in all, man, just knowing the two guys that are up for the job, whatever they decide to go with, we’re going to be ready,” Mack said. “We’re going to be ready to win a lot of ballgames, and I can’t wait. Whether it’s [Foles] or [Trubisky], we’re going to win.”
That philosophy proved true in 2018, when Trubisky was a middle-of-the-pack quarterback and the defense was overwhelming. The Bears finished with a 12-4 record and an NFC North title.
Last season, though, Trubisky was a disaster, and the defense, despite ranking fourth in fewest points allowed, wasn’t enough to offset that.
QB battle drags on
It’s a good thing Mack is so at ease with the Bears being undecided at quarterback because it’s going to stay that way for a while.
With two weeks until the Bears begin their first game week, coach Matt Nagy is still splitting snaps between Foles and Trubisky. He has no timetable for trying to nail down a starter and doing him the favor of giving him the bulk of the first-string reps.
“I can tell y’all just to save you from the questions down the road here: It’s not going to happen soon,” Nagy said Sunday. “We’re going to take our time with it.
“I understand that we all want to know right away. We do, too. But we want to use — it’s already a short training camp — as many reps as we can with them.”
Lingering injuries
The Bears continued to practice without two of their best players: wide receiver -Allen Robinson and defensive lineman Akiem Hicks.
Robinson missed his second consecutive day with an ankle injury, and Hicks has been out of three practices since hurting his quadriceps muscle. Nagy brushed off both issues as minor.
“There’s no concern,” he said. “It’s just more so, ‘Is it worth it right now to put them out there with where they’re at?’ I just don’t think it is.”
Robinson was the Bears’ leading receiver the last two seasons; Hicks is arguably their best defensive player after Mack.
The Bears also lost veteran offensive tackle Jason Spriggs to a knee injury Saturday. Nagy had no update other than that Spriggs was unable to practice Sunday.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-23--There’s no climate benefit to keeping Obama-era rules on curbing methane emissions

A recent Sun-Times editorial claims Illinois will pay a “ painful ” environmental price because of the recent rescission of the Obama administration oil and natural gas methane rule and get none of the “ meager ” economic benefits .
The opposite is actually true .
Contrary to the editorial board ’ s assertion that the rescission of the rule will speed the pace of climate change , there is actually no evidence the Obama administration methane rule would have yielded any significant climate benefit .
Context is key when it comes to methane emissions .
Total U.S. methane emissions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gas emissions in 2018 .
In fact , it has been estimated that the elimination of all methane emissions in the U. S. would reduce global temperatures less than 0.02 degrees Celsius by the year 2100 .
Agriculture , not oil and natural gas , is actually the largest source of anthropogenic methane emissions in the U. S. , according to the EPA .
Oil and gas methane emissions have also declined 23 percent since 1990 even as production has skyrocketed .
This can partially be traced to the fact volatile organic compound @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the EPA .
Technologies used to capture VOCs also typically capture methane as well , and the Trump administration has left the VOC regulation intact .
Although the Illinois upstream petroleum industry isn ’ t “ big oil , ” it is a big deal in the largely impoverished southern portion of the state , where roughly 14,000 direct and indirect industry jobs have already been threatened by the pandemic .
The repeal of the costly and redundant Obama-era methane rule could help save many of those jobs , far outweighing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yielded .
The recent frenzy to take down monuments to historic figures , who were connected to injustices perpetrated more than a century and a half ago , has obscured something : the significant contributions one of the most famous among them , Stephen A. Douglas , made to the growth and prosperity of our region .
Born in 1813 in Vermont — not exactly a hotbed of pro-slavery sentiment — Douglas moved to Illinois at age 20 to seek out opportunities he couldn ’ t easily find in the East .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and then a three-term senator , starting at age 33 .
He made the “ mistake ” of marrying a woman from Mississippi , whose father died and left Douglas with responsibilities tied to slaves who were part of his father-in-law ’ s estate .
Trying to keep other Democrats who owned slaves from bolting the Union , he supported states ’ rights .
His debates with Abraham Lincoln during his 1858 re-election campaign helped propel Lincoln to the presidency .
Once Lincoln was elected , he pledged his loyalty and denounced southerners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” He died at 48 while trying to save the Union .
Lincoln ordered national mourning for Douglas , “ who nobly discarded party for his country.
” He was held in such high esteem that President Andrew Johnson , his entire cabinet , Civil War Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and Adm. David Farragut were among the thousands taking part in the ceremony when the cornerstone for his monument was laid in 1866 .
Douglas ’ statue on a column above his tomb on 35th Street looks out over tracks of the Illinois @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to serve Illinois from Cairo to Chicago .
His dying words , at the base of his tomb , read : “ Tell my children to obey the laws and uphold the Constitution.
” Douglas should continue to be left to rest in peace .

A recent Sun-Times editorial claims Illinois will pay a “painful” environmental price because of the recent rescission of the Obama administration oil and natural gas methane rule and get none of the “meager” economic benefits. The opposite is actually true.
Contrary to the editorial board’s assertion that the rescission of the rule will speed the pace of climate change, there is actually no evidence the Obama administration methane rule would have yielded any significant climate benefit.
SEND LETTERS TO: letters@suntimes.com. Please include your neighborhood or hometown and a phone number for verification purposes. Letters should be approximately 350 words or less.
Context is key when it comes to methane emissions. Total U.S. methane emissions represented just 1.2 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2018. In fact, it has been estimated that the elimination of all methane emissions in the U. S. would reduce global temperatures less than 0.02 degrees Celsius by the year 2100.
Agriculture, not oil and natural gas, is actually the largest source of anthropogenic methane emissions in the U. S., according to the EPA.
Oil and gas methane emissions have also declined 23 percent since 1990 even as production has skyrocketed. This can partially be traced to the fact volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions are already regulated by the EPA. Technologies used to capture VOCs also typically capture methane as well, and the Trump administration has left the VOC regulation intact.
Although the Illinois upstream petroleum industry isn’t “big oil,” it is a big deal in the largely impoverished southern portion of the state, where roughly 14,000 direct and indirect industry jobs have already been threatened by the pandemic. The repeal of the costly and redundant Obama-era methane rule could help save many of those jobs, far outweighing the negligible climate benefits the rule would have yielded.
Seth Whitehead, executive director,
Illinois Petroleum Resources Board
Let Stephen Douglas rest in peace
The recent frenzy to take down monuments to historic figures who were connected to injustices perpetrated more than a century and a half ago has obscured something: the significant contributions one of the most famous among them, Stephen A. Douglas, made to the growth and prosperity of our region.
Born in 1813 in Vermont — not exactly a hotbed of pro-slavery sentiment — Douglas moved to Illinois at age 20 to seek out opportunities he couldn’t easily find in the East. He fit in, became a congressman, then a three-term senator, starting at age 33.
He made the “mistake” of marrying a woman from Mississippi, whose father died and left Douglas with responsibilities tied to slaves who were part of his father-in-law’s estate. Trying to keep other Democrats who owned slaves from bolting the Union, he supported states’ rights.
His debates with Abraham Lincoln during his 1858 re-election campaign helped propel Lincoln to the presidency. Once Lincoln was elected, he pledged his loyalty and denounced southerners’ efforts to secede as “criminal.” He died at 48 while trying to save the Union.
Lincoln ordered national mourning for Douglas, “who nobly discarded party for his country.” He was held in such high esteem that President Andrew Johnson, his entire cabinet, Civil War Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and Adm. David Farragut were among the thousands taking part in the ceremony when the cornerstone for his monument was laid in 1866.
Douglas’ statue on a column above his tomb on 35th Street looks out over tracks of the Illinois Central Railroad, which he helped create to serve Illinois from Cairo to Chicago. His dying words, at the base of his tomb, read: “Tell my children to obey the laws and uphold the Constitution.”
Douglas should continue to be left to rest in peace.
Jeffrey L. Stern, Highland Park


chicagosun-times--2020-08-23--White Sox home run binge continues, with Jose Abreu leading the way

Three home runs for Jose Abreu , five for the White Sox .
One day after Abreu hit two of six Sox homers .
Two straight wins against the crosstown rival Cubs , and seven in a row overall .
Twenty seven homers in those seven games , a major league record .
And major league leading 54 homers for the team .
How did the Sox get there ?
This recent tear began last Sunday , when Yoan Moncada , Yasmani Grandal , Abreu and Eloy Jimenez hit consecutive homers in a 7-2 win over the Cardinals .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a 7-2 win over the Tigers .
Tim Anderson and Luis Robert had two each and Moncada and Danny Mendick also went deep .
The Sox kept winning and leaving the yard , ramping it up against the Cubs Friday with Abreu ( two ) , Grandal , Robert , Mendick and Jimenez – a 466-footer – fueling a 10-1 victory .
“ These guys must have been born next to a nuclear power plant , ” left-hander Gio Gonzalez , the winning pitcher Saturday , said after the Sox ’ 7-4 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re destroying baseballs.
” “ I ’ m just blessed , blessed to be on this team with these teammates , ” an elated Abreu said on his postgame zoom call , flashing three fingers .
“ You ’ ve got a lot of guys out there that you can just ( ride their ) coattails and they can carry you , ” manager Rick Renteria said .
“ The team has been building and there ’ s been a lot of hype , ” Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the losing side of it .
But when you see teams come together like that , it ’ s pretty scary.
” When the Sox needed a run to break a tie , Abreu hammered an opposite-field homer against Kyle Hendricks leading off the sixth inning to give them a 3-2 lead .
He then added a two-run homer against Rowan Wick in the eighth to make it 5-2 and a solo shot against Duane Underwood Jr. in the ninth to make it 7-3 .
He now has 10 homers this season @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for fifth place on the Sox ’ all-time list , passing Magglio Ordonez .
Abreu ( 4-for-4 , three runs scored , four RBI ) also singled against Hendricks — against whom he is 9-for-16 in his career — to extend his hitting streak to seven .
He has 27 RBI this season and has built a nice case for AL Player of the Week honors , going 15-for-27 with six homers , three doubles and 14 RBI with Sunday ’ s game against the Cubs and Yu Darvish filling out the week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seventh season , hasn ’ t played on a winning team with the Sox , but this is the deepest lineup he has been part of .
“ Imagine being on the club for a lot of years and having to try to carry everything and how that might create—though he may not say it—even more added pressure to be the guy that does it all .
And then when you have a lot of guys that can pick you up along that string in the lineup , it frees you up a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homers are tied with the Padres , who hit six in a 13-2 victory over the Astros , for the major league lead .

Three home runs for Jose Abreu, five for the White Sox.
One day after Abreu hit two of the Sox’ six homers.
Two straight wins against the crosstown rival Cubs and seven in a row overall.
Twenty-seven homers in those seven games, a major-league record. And a major-league-leading 54 homers for the team.
How did the Sox get there? This recent tear began last Sunday, when Yoan Moncada, Yasmani Grandal, Abreu and Eloy Jimenez hit consecutive homers in a 7-2 win over the Cardinals.
On Monday, the Sox hit six homers in a 7-2 win over the Tigers. Tim Anderson and Luis Robert had two each, and Moncada and Danny Mendick also went deep. The Sox kept winning and leaving the yard, ramping it up against the Cubs on Friday with Abreu (two), Grandal, Robert, Mendick and Jimenez — a 466-footer — fueling a 10-1 victory.
“These guys must have been born next to a nuclear power plant,” left-hander Gio Gonzalez, the winning pitcher Saturday, said after the Sox’ 7-4 victory over the Cubs. “They’re destroying baseballs.”
“I’m just blessed, blessed to be on this team with these teammates,” an elated Abreu said on his postgame Zoom call, flashing three fingers.
“You’ve got a lot of guys out there that you can just [ride their] coattails, and they can carry you,” manager Rick Renteria said.
“The team has been building, and there’s been a lot of hype,” Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo said. “It’s tough to be on the losing side of it. But when you see teams come together like that, it’s pretty scary.”
When the Sox needed a run to break a tie, Abreu hammered an opposite-field homer against Kyle Hendricks leading off the sixth inning to give them a 3-2 lead.
He then added a two-run homer against Rowan Wick in the eighth to make it 5-2 and a solo shot against Duane Underwood Jr. in the ninth to make it 7-3. He now has 10 homers this season and 189 in his career, good for fifth place on the Sox’ all-time list, passing Magglio Ordonez.
Abreu (4-for-4, three runs scored, four RBI) also singled against Hendricks — against whom he is 9-for-16 in his career — to extend his hitting streak to seven games. He has 27 RBI and has built a nice case for AL Player of the Week honors, going 15-for-27 with six homers, three doubles and 14 RBI with Sunday’s game against the Cubs and Yu Darvish filling out the week.
In his seventh season, Abreu hasn’t played on a winning team with the Sox, but this is the deepest lineup he has been a part of.
“I imagine he’s ecstatic,” Renteria said.
“Imagine being on the club for a lot of years and having to try to carry everything and how that might create — though he may not say it — even more added pressure to be the guy that does it all. And then when you have a lot of guys that can pick you up along that string in the lineup, it frees you up a little bit.”
The Sox’ 54 homers are tied with the Padres, who hit six in a 13-2 victory over the Astros, for the major-league lead.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-23--Police seek suspects in fatal Gary shooting

Authorities are asking for the public ’ s help identifying suspects in a fatal shooting Saturday in Gary , Indiana @ @ @ @ @ an altercation between several people about 3:10 a.m. in the 4500 block of Broadway , @ @ @ @ @ Gary police .
Rayvon J. Harris , 29 , was shot multiple times and pronounced @ @ @ @ @ according to police and the Lake County coroner ’ s office .
He lived in @ @ @ @ @ was shot in the leg and taken to a hospital , police said .
Police @ @ @ @ @ and vehicles at the scene of the shooting and are asking anyone with information to @ @ @ @ @ Homicide Unit at 219-755-3855 or the crime tip line at 866-274-6347 .

Authorities are asking for the public’s help identifying suspects in a fatal shooting Saturday in Gary, Indiana.
Someone fired gunshots during an altercation between several people about 3:10 a.m. in the 4500 block of Broadway, according to a statement from Gary police.
Rayvon J. Harris, 29, was shot multiple times and pronounced dead at the scene, according to police and the Lake County coroner’s office. He lived in Gary.
A second male was shot in the leg and taken to a hospital, police said.
Police released surveillance photos of suspects and vehicles at the scene of the shooting and are asking anyone with information to call the Lake County/Gary Metro Homicide Unit at 219-755-3855 or the crime tip line at 866-274-6347.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-23--Boy, 17, shot on Austin porch

Boy, 17, shot on Austin porch

A teenage boy was injured in a shooting Saturday in Austin on the West Side .
The 17-year-old was sitting @ @ @ @ @ p.m. in the 4700 block of West Chicago Avenue when four or five males in @ @ @ @ @ shooting , according to Chicago police .
The boy was shot in the left calf @ @ @ @ @ Loretto Hospital in good condition , police said .
No one is in custody as @ @ @ @ @ Read more on crime , and track the city ’ s homicides .

A teenage boy was injured in a shooting Saturday in Austin on the West Side.
The 17-year-old was sitting on a porch about 11:30 p.m. in the 4700 block of West Chicago Avenue when four or five males in dark clothing approached and started shooting, according to Chicago police.
The boy was shot in the left calf and was dropped off at Loretto Hospital in good condition, police said.
No one is in custody as Area Four detectives investigate.
Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-22--Cubs put third baseman Kris Bryant on 10-day injured list with sprained left ring finger, sore wrist

The Cubs put third baseman Kris Bryant on the 10-day injured list , retroactive to Aug. 19 , with a sprained left ring finger before the game Saturday against the White Sox .
The team did not make a corresponding roster move .
Bryant ’ s left wrist is still bothering him , as well .
Bryant injured the finger and wrist while making a diving attempt on a ball hit to the outfield Aug. 12 against the Indians .
He received an injection Tuesday to help with the pain .
“ We don ’ t want players to play @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ’ Cubs president Theo Epstein said Friday .
‘ ‘ We don ’ t want them to ever risk exacerbating an injury and turn it into something more severe .
We don ’ t want players to try to play if they just can ’ t perform .
“ I think Kris felt he could perform .
He hit the home run [ in Cleveland ] and then kept trying .
I think the way it evolved , he ended up feeling it in his wrist , and he wasn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it wasn ’ t the right thing.
” Epstein noted that the Cubs don ’ t think Bryant ’ s injury is a long-term problem , but it has become severe enough for the team to put him on the IL .
Bryant had begun baseball activities Friday , taking some light swings with a fungo after two days of rest following his injection .
“ He ’ s still feeling it , ” manager David Ross said after Saturday ’ s 7-4 loss .
“ Took some swings with a fungo and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his bat .
He said he swung it at about 50 percent and he ’ s still feeling that [ pain ] in his wrist .
He had yet to get going at the plate before the injury , and after jamming the wrist in Cleveland , it became apparent that Bryant wasn ’ t himself .
His slash line is .177/.271/.323 with two home runs and four RBI .
“ I think the smart thing talking to him was to put him on the IL and let him get 100 percent to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he comes back and maybe get him some looks down in South Bend when he starts to feel a little bit better , ” Ross said .
“ It ’ s the right thing to do to let him let him get to a point where he can feel comfortable , ” Epstein said .
“ I think everyone who knows Kris Bryant knows he wants to be out there .
There ’ s big performance and big impact coming .
He ’ s that good of a player .
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bote will get the lion ’ s share of the team ’ s reps at third with Bryant on the shelf .
Infielder Nico Hoerner also might get a look .
Hoerner made his first career start at third base on Wednesday against the Cardinals .
Bote has been solid defensively in 14 games at third this season .
He ranks seventh among National League third basemen with plus-2 defensive runs saved , according to FanGraphs ( minimum 100 innings ) .
“ He works hard over there ; he works hard all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Bote ’ s defense earlier this month .
“ It ’ s those little things in the game that don ’ t get too much attention , but they definitely do change the momentum.
” The team ’ s 60-man player pool stands at 58 , with 27 active players and five 10-day injured-list players in Chicago and 26 players in South Bend .