chicagosun-times--2020-12-20--David Montgomery gives Vikings’ defense fits

Running back David Montgomery as a perfect fit for coach Matt Nagy ’ s offense looked like just another miscalculation symptomatic of a wayward offense that had sent the Bears ’ season drifting into oblivion .
Not anymore .
With a revamped offensive line and a retooled offensive scheme , Montgomery suddenly has become the productive , efficient running back the Bears envisioned when they traded up to select him in the third round of the 2019 draft .
For the fourth consecutive game , the Bears ’ offensive resurgence with Mitch Trubisky at quarterback was spearheaded by Montgomery , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a career-high 32 carries and scored two touchdowns in a 33-27 victory Sunday against the Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis .
‘ ‘ He runs with such great passion and will when he has the ball in his hands , ’ ’ Trubisky said .
‘ ‘ He and I both know it all starts up front with this offensive line .
The way they ’ re playing together , coming off the line and creating those seams for him .
.
.
you get David in the open field @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He runs harder than anyone I ’ ve seen in person.
’ ’ Montgomery has been a tone-setter since returning from a concussion that forced him to miss the previous game against the Vikings , a 19-13 loss in which the Bears rushed for 41 yards on 17 carries .
Against the Packers , he gained 57 yards on his first carry .
Against the Texans , he ran 80 yards for a touchdown on his first carry .
This time , he gained 19 yards on his second carry on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ five-play , 58-yard touchdown drive that gave them a 7-0 lead .
‘ ‘ Yeah , it sucked [ to miss the first game against the Vikings ] , ’ ’ Montgomery said .
‘ ‘ I wanted to be sure and give [ my teammates ] everything I have because I felt like I left them short by missing a game .
Just needed to show those guys I love them [ and ] they get everything out of me.
’ ’ But Montgomery and the offensive line added a new element @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vikings ’ defense with one run after another .
It was never more evident than on back-to-back runs after the Vikings had cut the Bears ’ lead to 20-17 in the third quarter .
After an 11-yard gain through a big hole created by guards Cody Whitehair and Alex Bars and center Sam Mustipher to the Vikings ’ 14 , Montgomery ran through an even bigger hole created by Whitehair , Bars , Mustipher and tackle Germain Ifedi , broke a tackle at the 5 and dragged cornerback Jeff Gladney and safety Harrison @ @ @ @ @ @ @ touchdown that gave the Bears a 27-17 lead .
‘ ‘ That run was awesome because he runs so hard , ’ ’ Nagy said .
‘ ‘ He ’ s really , really hard to bring down with one guy .
He runs with extreme passion .
The guys love that .
We ’ re feeding off him.
’ ’ Montgomery had four carries of 10 or more yards and 11 of six or more yards .
In four games since returning from the concussion , he is averaging 108.5 rushing yards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ five touchdowns .
As a team , the Bears rushed for 199 yards on 42 carries .
The 199 yards were the most in Nagy ’ s three seasons .
The 42 carries were tied for their most since 2010 .
After a six-game stretch with Nick Foles at quarterback in which the Bears rushed for 61.3 yards per game and 2.8 yards per carry , they are averaging 157.5 yards per game and 5.6 yards per carry with Trubisky and the rebuilt offensive line .
‘ ‘ Just one word , really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ Montgomery said .
‘ ‘ Me trusting in them .
Them trusting in me .
And the guys around us .
.
.
trusting each other from the first snap to the last .
’ ’

Running back David Montgomery as a perfect fit for coach Matt Nagy’s offense looked like just another miscalculation symptomatic of a wayward offense that had sent the Bears’ season drifting into oblivion.
Not anymore. With a revamped offensive line and a retooled offensive scheme, Montgomery suddenly has become the productive, efficient running back the Bears envisioned when they traded up to select him in the third round of the 2019 draft.
For the fourth consecutive game, the Bears’ offensive resurgence with Mitch Trubisky at quarterback was spearheaded by Montgomery, who rushed for a career-high 146 yards on a career-high 32 carries and scored two touchdowns in a 33-27 victory Sunday against the Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
‘‘He runs with such great passion and will when he has the ball in his hands,’’ Trubisky said. ‘‘He and I both know it all starts up front with this offensive line. The way they’re playing together, coming off the line and creating those seams for him . . . you get David in the open field, he’s a special back. He runs harder than anyone I’ve seen in person.’’
Montgomery has been a tone-setter since returning from a concussion that forced him to miss the previous game against the Vikings, a 19-13 loss in which the Bears rushed for 41 yards on 17 carries.
Against the Packers, he gained 57 yards on his first carry. Against the Texans, he ran 80 yards for a touchdown on his first carry. This time, he gained 19 yards on his second carry on the Bears’ second possession to spark a five-play, 58-yard touchdown drive that gave them a 7-0 lead.
‘‘Yeah, it sucked [to miss the first game against the Vikings],’’ Montgomery said. ‘‘I wanted to be sure and give [my teammates] everything I have because I felt like I left them short by missing a game. Just needed to show those guys I love them [and] they get everything out of me.’’
But Montgomery and the offensive line added a new element to this one, wearing down the Vikings’ defense with one run after another. It was never more evident than on back-to-back runs after the Vikings had cut the Bears’ lead to 20-17 in the third quarter.
After an 11-yard gain through a big hole created by guards Cody Whitehair and Alex Bars and center Sam Mustipher to the Vikings’ 14, Montgomery ran through an even bigger hole created by Whitehair, Bars, Mustipher and tackle Germain Ifedi, broke a tackle at the 5 and dragged cornerback Jeff Gladney and safety Harrison Smith into the end zone for a touchdown that gave the Bears a 27-17 lead.
‘‘That run was awesome because he runs so hard,’’ Nagy said. ‘‘He’s really, really hard to bring down with one guy. He runs with extreme passion. The guys love that. We’re feeding off him.’’
Montgomery had four carries of 10 or more yards and 11 of six or more yards. In four games since returning from the concussion, he is averaging 108.5 rushing yards and 6.1 yards per carry, with five touchdowns.
As a team, the Bears rushed for 199 yards on 42 carries. The 199 yards were the most in Nagy’s three seasons. The 42 carries were tied for their most since 2011.
After a six-game stretch with Nick Foles at quarterback in which the Bears rushed for 61.3 yards per game and 2.8 yards per carry, they are averaging 157.5 yards per game and 5.6 yards per carry with Trubisky and the rebuilt offensive line.
‘‘Just one word, really: It’s trust,’’ Montgomery said. ‘‘Me trusting in them. Them trusting in me. And the guys around us . . . trusting each other from the first snap to the last.’’


chicagosun-times--2020-12-20--Quick hits: 3 bright spots in rough day for Bears defense vs. Vikings

The Bears ’ defense was highly suspect in their 33-27 win over the Vikings , but it wasn ’ t all bad .
Here are three bright spots on that side of the ball : Quinn , finally .
Outside linebacker Robert Quinn , the second-priciest free agent in the NFL last offseason , delivered a strip-sack on his first snap of the season .
Then he went about 450 snaps without touching a quarterback .
He ended that drought by smacking the ball loose from Kirk Cousins early in the second quarter .
Nichols keeps going .
Defensive tackle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Bears .
He had seven tackles , including a sack , and is second on the team with five sacks this season .
And he ’ s costing the Bears just $ 824,870 against the salary cap .
Fourth-down stops .
The Vikings went for it on fourth-and-one in their end of the field twice , and the Bears stopped them and cashed in with field goals both times .
Nichols and fellow d-tackle John Jenkins stopped Dalvin Cook up the middle in the second quarter , and Brent Urban ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cousins into an incomplete pass .

The Bears’ defense was highly suspect in the 33-27 victory against the Vikings, but it wasn’t all bad. Here are three bright spots on that side of the ball:
Quinn, finally. Outside linebacker Robert Quinn, the second-priciest free agent in the NFL last offseason, delivered a strip-sack on his first snap of the season. Then he went about 450 snaps without touching a quarterback. He ended that drought by smacking the ball loose from Kirk Cousins early in the second quarter.
Nichols keeps going. Defensive tackle Bilal Nichols is becoming an essential player. He had seven tackles, including a sack, and is second on the team with five sacks this season. And he’s costing the Bears only $824,870 against the salary cap.
Fourth-down stops. The Vikings went for it on fourth-and-one at their end of the field twice, and the Bears stopped them and cashed in with field goals both times. Nichols and fellow D-tackle John Jenkins stopped Dalvin Cook up the middle in the second quarter, and Brent Urban’s pass rush with two minutes left forced Cousins into an incomplete pass.


chicagosun-times--2020-12-20--Man dies after West Side shooting in which Chicago cop fired at suspected gunman

A man who was wounded in a shooting Friday in Austin on the West Side has died from his injuries @ @ @ @ @ dead at noon Saturday at Stroger Hospital , according to the Cook County medical examiner @ @ @ @ @ Chicago police officer intervened in the shooting and fired at the suspected gunman , but @ @ @ @ @ suspect was shot , police said .
About 11:45 a.m. Friday , the 27-year-old was @ @ @ @ @ of North Laramie Avenue when someone fired shots at his car , striking him in @ @ @ @ @ .
Community Safety Team officers saw the shooting unfold and one of the officers fired @ @ @ @ @ suspect , who ran west on Le Moyne Street and was not in custody , @ @ @ @ @ not clear if he had been shot .
The shooting was initially reported as an @ @ @ @ @ and the victim , but CPD later clarified that another shooter was involved .

A man who was wounded in a shooting Friday in Austin on the West Side has died from his injuries.
Gregory Simmons, 27, was pronounced dead at noon Saturday at Stroger Hospital, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
A Chicago police officer intervened in the shooting and fired at the suspected gunman, but it was unclear if the suspect was shot, police said.
About 11:45 a.m. Friday, Simmons was driving in the 1500 block of North Laramie Avenue when someone fired shots at his car, striking him in the head, officials said.
Community Safety Team officers saw the shooting unfold and one of the officers fired three shots at the male suspect, who ran west on Le Moyne Street and was not in custody, police said. It was not clear if he had been shot.
The shooting was initially reported as an exchange of gunfire between police and the victim, but CPD later clarified that another shooter was involved.
Contributing: David Struett, Sam Charles


chicagosun-times--2020-12-20--A different Mitch Trubisky and the same question: Do you believe in him?

Do you believe in the latest version of Mitch Trubisky ?
Do you want to believe in the latest version of Mitch Trubisky ?
Those are the questions I raised on social media Sunday while the Bears were in the process of beating the Vikings .
Those questions came before his very bad interception in the end zone late in the game , the one that would have given Minnesota a chance to win or tie if not for the fact that Minnesota had no chance against a Bears defense that had remembered it was good .
I don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just yet , but sources familiar with my thinking say my answers to the above questions are “ no ” and “ are you serious ?
” For now , just know that Bears fans were all over the map in their responses , even as their team was on the way to a 33-27 victory and a much better shot at a playoff berth .
It was another reminder that , no matter which side of the Trubisky debate you fall on , there ’ s no arguing the hold he has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ either a hug or a hostage situation .
A few responses from the gallery : “ I want to believe , but I have been burned too much by this guy.
’ ’ “ No and No .
This is just some Tim Tebow 2.0 horse manure .
It won ’ t win them rings.
’ ’ “ There is no ‘ this ’ about it .
I have always believed in Mitch Trubisky .
( Coach Matt ) Nagy was the problem , and he was supposed to be the mentor that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up , he suppressed him.
’ ’ “ Do I : no .
Do I want to : yes.
’ ’ “ I want to but … who the F knows ?
’ ’ Trubisky completed 15 of 21 passes for 202 yards and a touchdown Sunday .
There has been something different about him since he came back from a seven-game benching last month , but I ’ m not sure if the new look is Trubisky ’ s doing .
It might have something to do with playing the Lions , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three weeks .
Put another way , in order for one Twitter follower to believe in this version of Trubisky , the quarterback “ has to play good vs. a top 10 points-allowed defense.
’ ’ The Bears run the ball better with Nagy out of the play-calling business , which is to say they are actually running the ball now .
On Sunday , they ran 42 times and passed 21 times .
That imbalance gave Trubisky more room to maneuver , and it lessened the chances of his making bad mistakes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out numerous others .
As Shakespeare put it so well , “ It ain ’ t rocket science.
’ ’ “ I don ’ t want to quite say night and day , but our confidence is way up from earlier in the season , where it just seemed like we were a little unsure about what we wanted to do , who we wanted to be , ’ ’ Trubisky said .
“ We have more of an identity now .
It starts with running the football , and the play-action and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ David Montgomery ran 32 times for 146 yards and two touchdowns .
Why the Bears weren ’ t putting this kind of emphasis on the run game earlier in the season ( or ever under Nagy ) is a very good question .
It ’ s probably something a discerning owner would ask during an exit interview .
Last week , Mitch informed us of another “ new ’ ’ Mitch .
This one is vocal with coaches about what plays and players he prefers in certain situations .
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will tell if this is just another Nagy-driven talking point .
Depending on your outlook , the recent gushing about Trubisky is either music to your ears or scratching on a chalkboard .
There is every reason to believe that victories over mediocre/bad teams down the stretch and a spot in the playoffs will allow Bears ownership to bring everyone back – general manager Ryan Pace , Nagy and … wait for it … Trubisky .
That ’ s why I raised the question whether Bears fans wanted to believe in this version @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trubisky means one of two things , with no in-between : Either he ’ ll continue to improve or he ’ ll revert back to the quarterback who breaks your heart , if you make the mistake of showing him your chest cavity again .
Do you believe in the Mitch of the last three weeks or the Mitch of the previous three-plus years ?
To Trubisky or not to Trubisky , that is the question .
The answer here is still “ no.
’ ’ I don ’ t believe in this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effect a tease can have on someone who really , really wants to believe .
Someone like , say , a McCaskey .

Do you believe in the latest version of Mitch Trubisky?
Do you want to believe in the latest version of Mitch Trubisky?
Those are the questions I raised on social media Sunday while the Bears were in the process of beating the Vikings. Those questions came before his very bad interception in the end zone late in the game, the one that would have given Minnesota a chance to win or tie if not for the fact that Minnesota had no chance against a Bears defense that had remembered it was good.
I don’t want to give away my opinion just yet, but sources familiar with my thinking say my answers to the above questions are “no” and “are you serious?” For now, just know that Bears fans were all over the map in their responses, even as their team was on the way to a 33-27 victory and a much better shot at a playoff berth.
It was another reminder that, no matter which side of the Trubisky debate you fall on, there’s no arguing the hold he has on our town. That hold is either a hug or a hostage situation. A few responses from the gallery:
“I want to believe, but I have been burned too much by this guy.’’
“Kinda and yes.’’
“No and No. This is just some Tim Tebow 2.0 horse manure. It won’t win them rings.’’
“No. Yes.’’
“Never.’’
“There is no ‘this’ about it. I have always believed in Mitch Trubisky. [Coach Matt] Nagy was the problem, and he was supposed to be the mentor that Mitch needed. Instead of building Tru up, he suppressed him.’’
“Do I: no. Do I want to: yes.’’
“I want to but … who the F knows?’’
Trubisky completed 15 of 21 passes for 202 yards and a touchdown Sunday. There has been something different about him since he came back from a seven-game benching last month, but I’m not sure if the new look is Trubisky’s doing. It might have something to do with playing the Lions, the Texans and the Vikings the last three weeks.
Put another way, in order for one Twitter follower to believe in this version of Trubisky, the quarterback “has to play good vs. a top 10 points-allowed defense.’’
The Bears run the ball better with Nagy out of the play-calling business, which is to say they are actually running the ball now. On Sunday, they ran 42 times and passed 21 times. That imbalance gave Trubisky more room to maneuver, and it lessened the chances of him making bad mistakes. He ran eight times and rolled out numerous others. As Shakespeare put it so well, “It ain’t rocket science.’’
“I don’t want to quite say night and day, but our confidence is way up from earlier in the season, where it just seemed like we were a little unsure about what we wanted to do, who we wanted to be,’’ Trubisky said. “We have more of an identity now. It starts with running the football, and the play-action and movement game that comes off that.’’
David Montgomery ran 32 times for 146 yards and two touchdowns. Why the Bears weren’t putting this kind of
emphasis on the run game earlier in the season (or ever under Nagy) is a very good question. It’s probably something a discerning owner would ask during an exit interview.
Last week, Mitch informed us of another “new’’ Mitch. This one is vocal with coaches about what plays and players he prefers in certain situations. It’s a much more assertive Mitch. Time will tell if this is just another Nagy-driven talking point. Depending on your outlook, the recent gushing about Trubisky is either music to your ears or scratching on a chalkboard.
There is every reason to believe that victories over mediocre/bad teams down the stretch and a spot in the playoffs will allow Bears ownership to bring everyone back — general manager Ryan Pace, Nagy and . . . wait for it . . . Trubisky. That’s why I raised the question whether Bears fans wanted to believe in this version of the quarterback. To believe in Trubisky means one of two things, with no in-between: Either he’ll continue to improve or he’ll revert back to the quarterback who breaks your heart, if you make the mistake of showing him your chest cavity again.
Do you believe in the Mitch of the last three weeks or the Mitch of the previous three-plus years? To Trubisky or not to Trubisky, that is the question.
The answer here is still “no.’’ I don’t believe in this shinier version. But I know the effect a tease can have on someone who really, really wants to believe. Someone like, say, a McCaskey.


chicagosun-times--2020-12-20--Bears’ two replacements CBs hang on against Vikings

MINNEAPOLIS — The Bears played without starters Jaylon Johnson ( shoulder ) and Buster Skrine ( concussion ) on Sunday , but Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins said he was impressed by their replacements , rookie Kindle Vildor and second-year slot cornerback Duke Shelley .
“ They did do a good job , ” Cousins said .
“ We weren ’ t able to hit those explosive plays down the field as he had in other weeks.
” Shelley had seven tackles , Vildor five .
On the team-sponsored pregame show , general manager Ryan Pace praised both Vildor — ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ special teams , he ’ s been standing out in practice ” — and Shelley , who started last week .
“ Duke , when you look at [ the Texans game ] , I thought he played with a lot of confidence , ” Pace said .
“ He ’ s natural in the nickel spot .
He played physical.
” We want the ball For the first time he can remember , Matt Nagy and the Bears decided to receive after they won the pregame coin flip .
“ I just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the right thing to do , ” the Bears coach said .
“ I look back at it and we went three-and-out , so maybe it wasn ’ t the right decision .
But it was just something for us to change it up a little bit.
” One reason for Nagy ’ s decision : before Sunday , the Bears had only once offensive touchdown in the third quarter all year .
They scored one against the Vikings .
Running back/receiver Cordarrelle Patterson hurt his knee in the first half .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but didn ’ t play on offense .
One the rare occasion that David Montgomery came out of the game , he was replaced by Ryan Nall .
Nagy praised Patterson for “ kinda tough [ ing ] it out through a little bit of an injury , ” Tight end Demetrius Harris left the game in the second quarter with an ankle injury .

MINNEAPOLIS — The Bears played without starting cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson (shoulder) and Buster Skrine (concussion), but Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins said he was impressed by their replacements, rookie Kindle Vildor and second-year slot cornerback Duke Shelley.
“They did do a good job,” Cousins said. “We weren’t able to hit those explosive plays down the field as we had in other weeks.”
Shelley had seven tackles, Vildor five.
On the team-sponsored pregame show, general manager Ryan Pace praised Vildor — ‘‘He’s been playing well on special teams; he’s been standing out in practice” — and Shelley, who started last week.
“Duke, when you look at [the Texans game], I thought he played with a lot of confidence,” Pace said. “He’s a natural in the nickel spot. He played physical.”
We want the ball
For the first time he can remember, coach Matt Nagy decided to receive after the Bears won the pregame coin flip.
“I just know that it seemed like the right thing to do,” he said. “I look back, and we went three-and-out, so maybe it wasn’t the right decision. But it was just something for us to change it up a little bit.”
One reason for Nagy’s decision: Coming into the game, the Bears had only one offensive touchdown in the third quarter all year. They scored one against the Vikings.
Injury report
Running back/wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson hurt his knee in the first half. He returned kickoffs in the second half but didn’t play on offense. On the rare occasion that David Montgomery came out of the game, he was replaced by Ryan Nall. Nagy praised Patterson for “kinda tough[ing] it out through a little bit of an injury.”
Tight end Demetrius Harris left the game in the second quarter with an ankle injury.


chicagosun-times--2020-12-20--‘Lost Cause of the Election’ could ruin democracy

The first Lost Cause has been a legend for 155 years .
It is the Lost Cause of the Confederacy .
The second may become a legend if we are not sufficiently aware of its beginnings , which are playing out before us via President Trump ’ s “ Stop The Steal ” campaign .
It is the Lost Cause of the Stolen Election .
The Lost Cause of the Confederacy has been one of the principal sources of racial division , social division and political polarization in our country .
It is grounded on the racist view that white @ @ @ @ @ @ @ therefore had the right to enslave them .
“ All knew that this interest [ slavery ] was , somehow , the cause of the war , ” wrote President Lincoln in his Second Inaugural .
The Lost Cause of the Election , whose principal allegations of voter fraud have been directed at the Black majority or plurality cities of Philadelphia , Detroit , Milwaukee and Atlanta , is grounded on an equally racist view .
“ Black people are corrupt , Black people are incompetent , and Black people can ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Michigan attorney general , accurately characterizing the themes of President Trump ’ s multiple attacks on the election results .
The Lost Cause of the Election , if it proves as enduring and powerful as the Lost Cause of the Confederacy , will be a force multiplier for the latter .
The effect will be ruinous for the democracy .
Teachers , go back to the classrooms It ’ s now clear to me that Chicago School Teachers simply are not putting our children first .
If this was their pay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be marching in the streets .
Teachers , take that same energy you march with and get back into the classroom with these children .
Yes , COVID-19 is real yet ; so is the task you all took on to educate .
Let ’ s stop the hiding behind COVID and get back to work .

The first Lost Cause has been a legend for 155 years. It is the Lost Cause of the Confederacy.
The second may become a legend if we are not sufficiently aware of its beginnings, which are playing out before us via President Trump’s “Stop The Steal” campaign. It is the Lost Cause of the Stolen Election.
The Lost Cause of the Confederacy has been one of the principal sources of racial division, social division and political polarization in our country. It is grounded on the racist view that white people are superior to black people and therefore had the right to enslave them. “All knew that this interest [slavery] was, somehow, the cause of the war,” wrote President Lincoln in his Second Inaugural.
The Lost Cause of the Election, whose principal allegations of voter fraud have been directed at the Black majority or plurality cities of Philadelphia, Detroit, Milwaukee and Atlanta, is grounded on an equally racist view.
“Black people are corrupt, Black people are incompetent, and Black people can’t be trusted,” said Dana Nessel, the Michigan attorney general, accurately characterizing the themes of President Trump’s multiple attacks on the election results.
The Lost Cause of the Election, if it proves as enduring and powerful as the Lost Cause of the Confederacy, will be a force multiplier for the latter. The effect will be ruinous for the democracy.
Robert E. Lehrer, Loop
SEND LETTERS TO: letters@suntimes.com. Please include your neighborhood or hometown and a phone number for verification purposes. Letters should be 350 words or less.
Teachers, go back to the classrooms
It’s now clear to me that Chicago School Teachers simply are not putting our children first. If this was their pay and or pensions, they’d be marching in the streets.
Teachers, take that same energy you march with and get back into the classroom with these children. Yes, COVID-19 is real yet; so is the task you all took on to educate. Let’s stop the hiding behind COVID and get back to work.
Mark Wilkins, Bronzeville


chicagosun-times--2020-12-20--Congress seals agreement on COVID relief, government funding

WASHINGTON — Top Capitol Hill negotiators sealed a deal Sunday on an almost $ 1 trillion COVID-19 economic relief package , finally delivering long-overdue help to businesses and individuals and providing money to deliver vaccines to a nation eager for them .
The agreement , announced by congressional leaders , would establish a temporary $ 300 per week supplemental jobless benefit and a $ 600 direct stimulus payment to most Americans , along with a new round of subsidies for hard-hit businesses and money for schools , health care providers and renters facing eviction .
It came after months of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dynamic changed in Republicans ’ favor after the election and as the end of the congressional session neared .
President-elect Joe Biden was eager for a deal to deliver long-awaited help to suffering people and a boost to the economy , even though it was less than half the size that Democrats wanted this fall .
House leaders informed lawmakers that they would vote on the legislation on Monday , and the Senate was likely to vote on Monday , too .
Lawmakers were eager to leave Washington and close out a tumultuous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ major rescue package for the American people , ” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. , said in announcing the agreement for a relief bill that would total almost $ 900 billion .
“ It is packed with targeted policies to help struggling Americans who have already waited too long.
” A fight over Federal Reserve emergency powers was resolved Saturday night by the Senate ’ s top Democrat , Chuck Schumer of New York , and conservative Republican Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania .
That breakthrough led to a final round of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ finalizing the agreement prompted the House to take up a one-day stopgap spending bill to prevent a government shutdown at midnight Sunday .
The Senate was likely to pass the measure Sunday night as well .
The final agreement would be the largest spending measure yet .
It combined COVID-19 relief with a $ 1.4 trillion government-wide funding plan and lots of other unrelated measures on taxes , health , infrastructure and education .
The government-wide funding would keep the government open through September .
Passage neared as coronavirus cases and deaths spiked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was struggling .
The legislation had been held up by months of dysfunction , posturing and bad faith .
But talks turned serious in recent days as lawmakers on both sides finally faced the deadline of acting before leaving Washington for Christmas .
The $ 300 per week bonus jobless benefit was one half the supplemental federal unemployment benefit provided under the CARES Act in March and would be limited to 11 weeks instead of 16 weeks .
The direct $ 600 stimulus payment to most people would also be half the March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ limits in which an individual ’ s payment began to phase out after $ 75,000 .
President Donald Trump was supportive of the effort , particularly of the push for providing more direct payments .
“ GET IT DONE , ” he said in a tweet late Saturday .
Lawmakers had hoped to pass the bill this weekend and avoid the need for a stopgap spending bill , but progress slowed Saturday as Toomey pressed for the inclusion of a provision to close down the Fed ’ s lending facilities .
Democrats and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ broadly worded and would have tied the hands of the incoming Biden administration , but Republicans rallied to Toomey ’ s position .
Late-breaking decisions would limit $ 300 per week bonus jobless benefits — one half the supplemental federal unemployment benefit provided under the CARES Act in March — to 10 weeks instead of 16 weeks as before .
The direct $ 600 stimulus payment to most people would be half the March payment , subject to the same income limits in which an individual ’ s payment begins to phase out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. , announced additional details , including $ 25 billion in rental assistance , $ 15 billion for theaters and other live venues , $ 82 billion for local schools , colleges and universities , and $ 10 billion for child care .
Still , Democrats wanted more .
Pelosi , in a letter to colleagues , called the package an initial step .
“ In 31 days , when Joe Biden enters the White House , more help will be on the way , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bill would fund agencies through next September .
That measure was likely to provide a last $ 1.4 billion installment for Trump ’ s U.S.-Mexico border wall as a condition of winning his signature .
The bill was an engine to carry much of Capitol Hill ’ s unfinished business , including an almost 400-page water resources bill that targets $ 10 billion for 46 Army Corps of Engineers flood control , environmental and coastal protection projects .
Another addition would extend a batch of soon-to-expire tax breaks , including one for craft @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end-of-session rush also promised relief for victims of shockingly steep surprise medical bills , a phenomenon that often occurs when providers drop out of insurance company networks .

WASHINGTON — Top Capitol Hill negotiators sealed a deal Sunday on an almost $1 trillion COVID-19 economic relief package, finally delivering long-overdue help to businesses and individuals and providing money to deliver vaccines to a nation eager for them.
The agreement, announced by congressional leaders, would establish a temporary $300 per week supplemental jobless benefit and a $600 direct stimulus payment to most Americans, along with a new round of subsidies for hard-hit businesses and money for schools, health care providers and renters facing eviction.
It came after months of battling and posturing, but the negotiating dynamic changed in Republicans’ favor after the election and as the end of the congressional session neared. President-elect Joe Biden was eager for a deal to deliver long-awaited help to suffering people and a boost to the economy, even though it was less than half the size that Democrats wanted this fall.
House leaders informed lawmakers that they would vote on the legislation on Monday, and the Senate was likely to vote on Monday, too. Lawmakers were eager to leave Washington and close out a tumultuous year.
“There will be another major rescue package for the American people,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said in announcing the agreement for a relief bill that would total almost $900 billion. “It is packed with targeted policies to help struggling Americans who have already waited too long.”
A fight over Federal Reserve emergency powers was resolved Saturday night by the Senate’s top Democrat, Chuck Schumer of New York, and conservative Republican Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania. That breakthrough led to a final round of negotiations Sunday.
Still, delays in finalizing the agreement prompted the House to take up a one-day stopgap spending bill to prevent a government shutdown at midnight Sunday. The Senate was likely to pass the measure Sunday night as well.
The final agreement would be the largest spending measure yet. It combined COVID-19 relief with a $1.4 trillion government-wide funding plan and lots of other unrelated measures on taxes, health, infrastructure and education. The government-wide funding would keep the government open through September.
Passage neared as coronavirus cases and deaths spiked and evidence piled up that the economy was struggling. The legislation had been held up by months of dysfunction, posturing and bad faith. But talks turned serious in recent days as lawmakers on both sides finally faced the deadline of acting before leaving Washington for Christmas.
The $300 per week bonus jobless benefit was one half the supplemental federal unemployment benefit provided under the CARES Act in March and would be limited to 11 weeks instead of 16 weeks. The direct $600 stimulus payment to most people would also be half the March payment, subject to the same income limits in which an individual’s payment began to phase out after $75,000.
President Donald Trump was supportive of the effort, particularly of the push for providing more direct payments. “GET IT DONE,” he said in a tweet late Saturday.
Lawmakers had hoped to pass the bill this weekend and avoid the need for a stopgap spending bill, but progress slowed Saturday as Toomey pressed for the inclusion of a provision to close down the Fed’s lending facilities. Democrats and the White House said it was too broadly worded and would have tied the hands of the incoming Biden administration, but Republicans rallied to Toomey’s position.
Late-breaking decisions would limit $300 per week bonus jobless benefits — one half the supplemental federal unemployment benefit provided under the CARES Act in March — to 10 weeks instead of 16 weeks as before. The direct $600 stimulus payment to most people would be half the March payment, subject to the same income limits in which an individual’s payment begins to phase out after $75,000.
After the announcement, Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., announced additional details, including $25 billion in rental assistance, $15 billion for theaters and other live venues, $82 billion for local schools, colleges and universities, and $10 billion for child care.
Still, Democrats wanted more. Pelosi, in a letter to colleagues, called the package an initial step. “In 31 days, when Joe Biden enters the White House, more help will be on the way,” Pelosi said.
The government-wide appropriations bill would fund agencies through next September. That measure was likely to provide a last $1.4 billion installment for Trump’s U.S.-Mexico border wall as a condition of winning his signature.
The bill was an engine to carry much of Capitol Hill’s unfinished business, including an almost 400-page water resources bill that targets $10 billion for 46 Army Corps of Engineers flood control, environmental and coastal protection projects. Another addition would extend a batch of soon-to-expire tax breaks, including one for craft brewers, wineries and distillers.
The end-of-session rush also promised relief for victims of shockingly steep surprise medical bills, a phenomenon that often occurs when providers drop out of insurance company networks.


chicagosun-times--2020-12-21--Person found dead inside burning vehicle in Hegewisch garage

A death investigation is underway after a person was found dead inside a burning vehicle Monday morning in Hegewisch on @ @ @ @ @ Firefighters were called to a garage fire about 5:30 a.m. in the 12900 block of @ @ @ @ @ the body dead inside a vehicle , Chicago fire officials said .
The Office of @ @ @ @ @ determine the cause of the blaze , fire officials said .
The Cook County medical @ @ @ @ @ not released details about the death .

A death investigation is underway after a man was found dead inside a burning vehicle Monday morning in Hegewisch on the Far South Side.
Firefighters were called to a garage fire about 5:30 a.m. in the 12900 block of South Exchange Avenue and found the man dead inside a vehicle, Chicago fire officials said.
He was identified as Mousa Michael Munir Mashni, 44, the Cook County medical examiner’s office said.
The Office of Fire Investigation is working to determine the cause of the blaze, fire officials said.


chicagosun-times--2020-12-21--Dear Abby: I’m extremely hurt over how our friend made dinner invitations

DEAR ABBY : I ’ ve known my friend “ Ashley ” for a lot of years .
She is single .
Several years ago , I introduced her to another couple , the “ Smiths.
” We all have a lot in common and take turns inviting each other for dinner .
This group and a couple of other couples are the only people in my social circle I have seen periodically during this pandemic .
Two weeks ago , Ashley invited my husband and me and the Smiths for dinner .
Three days before the dinner , Ashley @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be bringing another couple , and she wanted to be sure it was OK with us .
I called her immediately and told her that with the spike in COVID cases , I wasn ’ t comfortable having a close dinner with a couple who wasn ’ t in my social circle .
She said she was “ sorry , ” meaning if I didn ’ t like it , my husband and I could stay home .
I ’ m extremely hurt and angry and am losing sleep over this .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ BEFORE adding this other couple to our dinner .
I feel like sending her a letter saying that no friend should treat another friend like this , that I guess she ’ s not really a friend and end the relationship .
My husband is stopping me from sending such a letter .
Am I overreacting ?
— ANGRY IN OREGON DEAR ANGRY : Yes , you are .
You have blown this out of proportion .
Be glad you have a husband who advised you as he did .
Ashley did the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ list for the dinner had grown so you could opt out if you wished .
Because she was the host , she was not obligated to ask permission to include the extras .
DEAR ABBY : I ’ m a truck driver who is on the road for weeks at a time .
My girlfriend got a new job and is working every day .
On the weekends she goes out to bars .
I feel jealous because I ’ m working and even when I can get a weekend to be with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be intimate .
Also she promises to call me but rarely does .
Should I just end it ?
I ’ ve been married twice and thought we would be a couple and marry .
I don ’ t know what I should do .
— ON THE ROAD DEAR ON THE ROAD : Allow me to steer you in the right direction .
You are apart from this woman weeks at a time , and when you do manage to be together , she isn ’ t interested in intimacy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ with you , she fails to follow through .
This should tell you that when you ’ re out of sight , you ’ re not on her mind .
Take the hint .
End the “ romance ” — what little there is of it .
Then thank your lucky stars she isn ’ t your wife , and you ’ re not heading to divorce court for a third time .
DEAR ABBY : I am a stepgrandma whose 4-year-old grandson desperately needs a haircut .
Is it OK for Santa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a haircut ?
— CLEAN CUT IN FLORIDA DEAR CLEAN CUT : The child ’ s parents may like their son ’ s hair the way it is .
If the reason they are leaving it long is financial , a gift card might be appreciated .
However , if that ’ s not the case , your gesture would be interpreted as judgmental , and it would not be appreciated .
Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren , also known as Jeanne Phillips , and was founded by her mother @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at www.DearAbby.com or P.O .
Box 69440 , Los Angeles , CA 90069 .
For an excellent guide to becoming a better conversationalist and a more sociable person , order ‘ How to Be Popular.
’ Send your name and mailing address , plus check or money order for $ 8 ( U.S. funds ) , to : Dear Abby , Popularity Booklet , P.O .
Box 447 , Mount Morris , IL 61054-0447 .
( Shipping and handling are included in the price . )

DEAR ABBY: I’ve known my friend “Ashley” for a lot of years. She is single. Several years ago, I introduced her to another couple, the “Smiths.” We all have a lot in common and take turns inviting each other for dinner. This group and a couple of other couples are the only people in my social circle I have seen periodically during this pandemic.
Two weeks ago, Ashley invited my husband and me and the Smiths for dinner. Three days before the dinner, Ashley sent me a text that the Smiths will be bringing another couple, and she wanted to be sure it was OK with us. I called her immediately and told her that with the spike in COVID cases, I wasn’t comfortable having a close dinner with a couple who wasn’t in my social circle. She said she was “sorry,” meaning if I didn’t like it, my husband and I could stay home.
I’m extremely hurt and angry and am losing sleep over this. I feel Ashley should have asked us BEFORE adding this other couple to our dinner. I feel like sending her a letter saying that no friend should treat another friend like this, that I guess she’s not really a friend and end the relationship. My husband is stopping me from sending such a letter. Am I overreacting? — ANGRY IN OREGON
DEAR ANGRY: Yes, you are. You have blown this out of proportion. Be glad you have a husband who advised you as he did. Ashley did the right thing by telling you the guest list for the dinner had grown so you could opt out if you wished. Because she was the host, she was not obligated to ask permission to include the extras.
DEAR ABBY: I’m a truck driver who is on the road for weeks at a time. My girlfriend got a new job and is working every day. On the weekends she goes out to bars.
I feel jealous because I’m working and even when I can get a weekend to be with her, she doesn’t want to be intimate. Also she promises to call me but rarely does. Should I just end it? I’ve been married twice and thought we would be a couple and marry. I don’t know what I should do. — ON THE ROAD
DEAR ON THE ROAD: Allow me to steer you in the right direction. You are apart from this woman weeks at a time, and when you do manage to be together, she isn’t interested in intimacy. After promising to stay in closer touch with you, she fails to follow through. This should tell you that when you’re out of sight, you’re not on her mind.
Take the hint. End the “romance” — what little there is of it. Then thank your lucky stars she isn’t your wife, and you’re not heading to divorce court for a third time.
DEAR ABBY: I am a stepgrandma whose 4-year-old grandson desperately needs a haircut. Is it OK for Santa to get him a gift card for a haircut? — CLEAN CUT IN FLORIDA
DEAR CLEAN CUT: The child’s parents may like their son’s hair the way it is. If the reason they are leaving it long is financial, a gift card might be appreciated. However, if that’s not the case, your gesture would be interpreted as judgmental, and it would not be appreciated.
Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.
For an excellent guide to becoming a better conversationalist and a more sociable person, order ‘How to Be Popular.’ Send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $8 (U.S. funds), to: Dear Abby, Popularity Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. (Shipping and handling are included in the price.)


chicagosun-times--2020-12-21--40 shot, 8 fatally, in Chicago this weekend

At least eight people were killed and 32 others wounded in shootings across Chicago this weekend , including a half dozen people wounded in a single attack at a South Side party .
The victims were holding an after-hours party early Saturday at the Get Glammed Beauty Bar , 8936 S. Cottage Grove , when a person walked in about 12:25 a.m. and started shooting , police said .
A woman and five men were wounded — one of them seriously — before the gunman took off , police said .
No arrest has been made .
In the weekend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 39-year-old man was killed early Monday in Humboldt Park on the West Side .
The man was standing in an alley about 2:55 a.m. in the 2500 block of West Cortez Street when someone fired shots , police said .
He was struck in the abdomen and was transported to Stroger Hospital , where he was pronounced dead .
Two hours earlier , a man was shot to death in Back of the Yards on the South Side .
Officers responding to a ShotSpotter call found the 41-year-old about 1:10 a.m. in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police said .
He had been shot multiple times in the face and chest , and was pronounced dead on the scene .
On Sunday , a 71-year-old woman was killed inside a home in Morgan Park on the South Side .
She was in the residence about 7:40 p.m. in the 10800 block of South Morgan Street when two males outside fired shots at the home , police said .
The woman was struck multiple times and taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn , where she was pronounced dead .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ fatally shot in a vehicle in Marquette Park on the South Side About 1:20 a.m. , a man , 21 , and a woman were found inside the vehicle parked in a garage in the 3200 block of West 64th Street , police said .
Both had suffered fatal gunshot wounds to the head and were pronounced dead on the scene .
Saturday evening , a 19-year-old man was killed in Douglas Park on the West Side .
He was in a vehicle about 5:30 p.m. in the 1200 block of South Washtenaw @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and someone inside opened fire , police said .
The man was shot in the head and neck , and taken to Mount Sinai Hospital , where he was pronounced dead .
He was identified as Daron Johnson by the Cook County medical examiner ’ s office .
About two hours earlier , a man was fatally shot in South Shore .
David Green Jr. , 23 , was on the street about 3:40 p.m. in the 6800 block of South Cornell Avenue when a light-colored car pulled up and someone inside unleashed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police and the medical examiner ’ s office said .
He was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center , where he was pronounced dead .
Early Saturday morning , a 47-year-old man was fatally shot in Gresham on the South Side .
Alex Kinsy was running from a male who was chasing him about 3 a.m. in the 1300 block of West 87th Street when the male fired shots , striking him in the head , police and the medical examiner ’ s office said .
He was transported to Christ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was pronounced dead , police said .
In nonfatal shootings , three women were injured , two critically , in a shooting early Sunday in Lawndale on the West Side .
About 1:35 a.m. , they were sitting parked in the 600 block of South Independence Boulevard when someone in a red Jeep Cherokee fired shots into their vehicle , police said .
A 25-year-old woman was struck in the face , while another woman , 22 , suffered a gunshot wound to the head , police said .
Both women were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ condition .
The third woman , 20 , suffered a graze wound and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in good condition , police said .
Saturday evening , a man was critically wounded in a shooting outside a Woodlawn laundromat .
He was standing outside of the laundromat about 6:45 p.m. in the 6500 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue when a dark-colored vehicle pulled up and two people got out and fired shots , police said .
The 43-year-old was struck in the arm and abdomen , and taken to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ condition , police said .
At least 22 other people were wounded in shootings across the city between 5 p.m. Friday and 5 a.m. Monday .
Last weekend , 18 people were shot , three of them fatally , in Chicago .
Read more on crime , and track the city ’ s homicides .

Six people were killed and at least 32 others wounded in shootings across Chicago this weekend.
The period was twice as deadly as last weekend when 18 people were shot — three of them fatally — between 5 p.m. Friday and 5 a.m. Monday.
Grandmother killed
The oldest victim this weekend was a 71-year-old grandmother shot dead in Morgan Park on the South Side. Emma Wright was in home about 7:40 p.m. Sunday in the 10800 block of South Morgan Street when two males outside fired shots at the home, authorities said. She was shot multiple times and pronounced dead at Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn.
Community activist Andrew Holmes said the killing was “devastating to the family and community.”
“We should not, and cannot, remain silent about the ongoing violence in the city of Chicago,” Holmes said in a statement. “Emma Wright was a grandmother sitting in the comfort of her own home when she became the latest victim of unexplainable shootings in Chicago.”
It was unclear if she was the target of the shooting.
Six wounded at South Side party
Early Saturday, a half dozen people wounded in a single attack at a South Side party. The victims were holding an after-hours party at Get Glammed Beauty Bar, 8936 S. Cottage Grove, when a person walked in about 12:25 a.m. and started shooting, police said. A woman and five men were wounded — one of them seriously — before the gunman took off, police said.
After the shooting, a window at the salon appeared to be damaged by a single bullet hole. No arrest has been made.
A bullet hole could be seen in the window of the Get Glammed Beauty Bar. Sophie Sherry/Sun-Times
Other homicides
In the weekend’s latest fatal attack, a 39-year-old man was killed and another man was wounded early Monday in Humboldt Park on the West Side. The 39-year-old was standing in an alley about 2:55 a.m. in the 2500 block of West Cortez Street when someone fired shots, police said. He was struck in the abdomen and was transported to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Another man showed up later at St. Mary’s Hospital after being hurt in the same shooting, police said. He was being treated for gunshot wounds to his abdomen and right arm, and was listed in serious condition.
Two hours earlier, a man was shot to death in Back of the Yards on the South Side. Officers responding to a ShotSpotter call found 41-year-old Lyman Bates about 1:10 a.m. in the 5400 block of South Paulina Street, police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office said. He had been shot multiple times in the face and chest, and was pronounced dead on the scene.
Saturday evening, a 19-year-old man was killed in Douglas Park on the West Side. He was in a vehicle about 5:30 p.m. in the 1200 block of South Washtenaw Avenue when a dark-colored vehicle pulled up and someone inside opened fire, police said. The man was shot in the head and neck, and taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. He was identified as Daron Johnson by the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
About two hours earlier, a man was fatally shot in South Shore. David Green Jr., 23, was on the street about 3:40 p.m. in the 6800 block of South Cornell Avenue when a light-colored car pulled up and someone inside unleashed gunfire, striking him multiple times, police and the medical examiner’s office said. He was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Early Saturday morning, a 47-year-old man was fatally shot in Gresham on the South Side. Alex Kinsy was running from a male who was chasing him about 3 a.m. in the 1300 block of West 87th Street when the male fired shots, striking him in the head, police and the medical examiner’s office said. He was taken to Christ Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Possible murder-suicide in Marquette Park
On Saturday, two people were found fatally shot in a vehicle in Marquette Park on the South Side. A man, 21, and a woman, 19, were found inside the vehicle parked about 1:20 a.m. in a garage in the 3200 block of West 64th Street, police said. Both had suffered fatal gunshot wounds to the head and were pronounced dead on the scene. A police source said a handgun was found inside the vehicle.
Both fatalities are being left off the weekend homicide count pending the release of autopsies, which were scheduled for later Monday.
Nonfatal shootings
In nonfatal shootings, three women were injured, two critically, in a shooting early Sunday in Lawndale on the West Side. About 1:35 a.m., they were sitting parked in the 600 block of South Independence Boulevard when someone in a red Jeep Cherokee fired shots into their vehicle, police said.
A 25-year-old woman was struck in the face, while another woman, 22, suffered a gunshot wound to the head, police said. Both women were taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in critical condition. The third woman, 20, suffered a graze wound and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in good condition, police said.
Saturday evening, a man was critically wounded in a shooting outside a Woodlawn laundromat. He was standing outside of the laundromat about 6:45 p.m. in the 6500 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue when a dark-colored vehicle pulled up and two people got out and fired shots, police said. The 43-year-old was struck in the arm and abdomen, and taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in critical condition.
A man was in critical condition Sunday after being pistol-whipped during an attempted carjacking in Roseland on the Far South Side. Police initially said he was shot during the carjacking in the 11300 block of South Michigan Avenue, but later clarified the 43-year-old had been pistol-whipped in the back of his head.
At least 21 other people were wounded in shootings across the city over the weekend.
Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.


chicagosun-times--2020-12-21--Kim Foxx’s vision: Automatically erase more serious convictions for weed dealing, expunge cocaine or

Kim Foxx’s vision: Automatically erase more serious convictions for weed dealing, expunge cocaine or heroin arrests

Cook County State ’ s Attorney Kim Foxx detailed a bold vision for drug enforcement as she laid out a plan to automatically wipe clean the records of convicted weed dealers and opened the door to expunging offenses for heroin and cocaine possession .
In an exclusive interview with the Sun-Times , Foxx framed cannabis legalization as a “ test balloon ” for reexamining the country ’ s drug laws — and their toll on the communities that have suffered the most .
“ I think this is the gateway conversation to deeper conversations around treating addiction as a public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economy that has flourished in these neighborhoods while every other bit of economy has abandoned [ them ] , ” Foxx said .
High on her list is helping those caught up in the drug war move on with their lives by automatically expunging criminal records so those convicted don ’ t have to take any actions to get their records wiped clean after they serve their sentences .
Her office has already automatically expunged about 2,200 low-level pot convictions for possession of 30 grams or less , the amount of weed that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But Foxx ultimately wants to use her office ’ s existing infrastructure for identifying cases to similarly wipe out more serious offenses for selling cannabis , which she acknowledged typically involves more than 30 grams .
Currently , those convicted of a crime dealing with 30 to 500 grams of pot must petition the court to have their record expunged .
“ We should also make it easier for those who had those sales convictions for higher amounts to also be able to have their convictions vacated automatically , ” Foxx said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a license .
And no , it wasn ’ t legal .
But it was the only economy that they had , ” she said , noting that legal pot firms are now “ doing the exact same thing and making a ton of money.
” The comments appear to be the first time Foxx has spoken about automatically expunging records of those found guilty of more serious drug offenses than low-level possession .
Previously she said she thought those convictions should be reviewed on a “ case-by-case basis.
” Sarah Sinovic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s attorney , clarified that Foxx doesn ’ t yet have any immediate plans to begin automatically expunging those records .
“ It ’ s a vision that she has , ” Sinovic said .
For now , Foxx ’ s office is most focused on meeting the deadlines for automatically expunging convictions that were put forth in the state ’ s legalization law took effect earlier this year .
The first batch of records , which include convictions from 2013 through this year , must be completed by Jan. 1 .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from 2000 to 2012 and has to be completed by the start of 2023 , while earlier convictions must be expunged over the following two years .
Foxx said she had hoped to move through the low-level cases “ more expeditiously ” so her office could begin tackling the more serious offenses .
However , the COVID-19 outbreak ultimately “ shut things down ” along with other complications .
Amid those hiccups , Foxx made it clear that her vision for reform doesn ’ t end with weed .
“ What has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other drugs that are still illegal , that are still being prosecuted , in some of these very neighborhoods that are being devastated by the war on drugs , ” Foxx said .
“ And marijuana was but one of the drugs .
It wasn ’ t the totality of the devastation.
” Using the West Side as an example , Foxx noted the crack cocaine epidemic that started in the 1980s has now given way to the deadly opioid crisis .
Through those decades of destruction , Foxx complained the area ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t been rebuilt .
Now , Foxx is looking to address the systemic issues that underlie those scourges .
Currently , possession of 15 grams or less of heroin or cocaine can result in a felony conviction that typically can ’ t be expunged from criminal records .
Asked whether she would advocate for expunging convictions for possession of those harder drugs , Foxx answered “ yes ” — as long as it ’ s part of a larger , progressive approach to handling addiction .
“ If we recognize substance abuse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we must modify our justice system to treat it as such , ” Foxx said .
“ Criminalizing health is not in the interest of public safety.
” Foxx ’ s push is in line with national trends , experts said , but even they are surprised at how far society has come in pushing back on the drug war .
“ It is clear that public support for harsh drug sentences is fading , and this is particularly true for minor possession and use cases , ” said Ralph Weisheit , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ University .
“ Decriminalizing minor possession of hard drugs , as has happened in Oregon , is something I would not have predicted even five years ago.
” Even more surprising is that someone in Foxx ’ s position is leading the charge , he said .
“ That prosecutors would express any support for these changes is not something I would have expected .
Historically , prosecutors have not led the charge for decriminalization , ” he said .
Even some who have been opposed to legalization in the past are OK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for low-level dealers .
Riverside Police Chief Thomas Wietzel , former president of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police and a member of the state ’ s Impaired Driving Task Force , spoke in opposition to legalizing both medical and recreational marijuana .
Now he sees expungement for possession of less than 30 grams as something he supports .
And he would accept that for drug dealers — with caveats .
“ If it ’ s a small amount they are convicted of selling , that ’ s more difficult .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ juveniles , at public parks ...
I would be OK with that , ” he said .
But automatically expunging for convictions involving the larger amounts Foxx advocates , he says , is too much : “ I think that large manufacturing and delivery cases , that ’ s a different story .
”

Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx detailed a bold vision for drug enforcement as she laid out a plan to automatically wipe clean the records of convicted weed dealers and opened the door to expunging offenses for heroin and cocaine possession.
In an exclusive interview with the Sun-Times, Foxx framed cannabis legalization as a “test balloon” for reexamining the country’s drug laws — and their toll on the communities that have suffered the most.
“I think this is the gateway conversation to deeper conversations around treating addiction as a public health issue and looking at the drug economy that has flourished in these neighborhoods while every other bit of economy has abandoned [them],” Foxx said.
High on her list is helping those caught up in the drug war move on with their lives by automatically expunging criminal records so those convicted don’t have to take any actions to get their records wiped clean after they serve their sentences. Her office has already automatically expunged about 2,200 low-level pot convictions for possession of 30 grams or less, the amount of weed that’s now legal to have.
But Foxx ultimately wants to use her office’s existing infrastructure for identifying cases to similarly wipe out more serious offenses for selling cannabis, which she acknowledged typically involves more than 30 grams. Currently, those convicted of a crime dealing with 30 to 500 grams of pot must petition the court to have their record expunged.
“We should also make it easier for those who had those sales convictions for higher amounts to also be able to have their convictions vacated automatically,” Foxx said.
“No, they didn’t have a license. And no, it wasn’t legal. But it was the only economy that they had,” she said, noting that legal pot firms are now “doing the exact same thing and making a ton of money.”
Customers lined up earlier this year and spent big money at legal weed stores. Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times
The comments appear to be the first time Foxx has spoken about automatically expunging records of those found guilty of more serious drug offenses than low-level possession. Previously she said she thought those convictions should be reviewed on a “case-by-case basis.”
Sarah Sinovic, a spokeswoman for the state’s attorney, clarified that Foxx doesn’t yet have any immediate plans to begin automatically expunging those records.
“It’s a vision that she has,” Sinovic said.
For now, Foxx’s office is most focused on meeting the deadlines for automatically expunging convictions that were put forth in the state’s legalization law that took effect earlier this year.
The first batch of records, which include convictions from 2013 through this year, must be completed by Jan. 1. The next set of 11,000 expected cases stretches from 2000 to 2012 and has to be completed by the start of 2023, while earlier convictions must be expunged over the following two years.
Foxx said she had hoped to move through the low-level cases “more expeditiously” so her office could begin tackling the more serious offenses. However, the COVID-19 outbreak ultimately “shut things down” along with other complications.
Not just pot
Amid those hiccups, Foxx made it clear that her vision for reform doesn’t end with weed.
“What has been a long concern of mine … is other drugs that are still illegal, that are still being prosecuted, in some of these very neighborhoods that are being devastated by the war on drugs,” Foxx said. “And marijuana was but one of the drugs. It wasn’t the totality of the devastation.”
Using the West Side as an example, Foxx noted the crack cocaine epidemic that started in the 1980s has now given way to the deadly opioid crisis. Through those decades of destruction, Foxx complained the area’s “economic infrastructure” still hasn’t been rebuilt.
Now, Foxx is looking to address the systemic issues that underlie those scourges. Currently, possession of 15 grams or less of heroin or cocaine can result in a felony conviction that typically can’t be expunged from criminal records.
Asked whether she would advocate for expunging convictions for possession of those harder drugs, Foxx answered “yes” — as long as it’s part of a larger, progressive approach to handling addiction.
“If we recognize substance abuse disorder as a health condition, then we must modify our justice system to treat it as such,” Foxx said. “Criminalizing health is not in the interest of public safety.”
Public support grows
Foxx’s push is in line with national trends, experts said, but even they are surprised at how far society has come in pushing back on the drug war.
“It is clear that public support for harsh drug sentences is fading, and this is particularly true for minor possession and use cases,” said Ralph Weisheit, a professor of criminal justice at Illinois State University. “Decriminalizing minor possession of hard drugs, as has happened in Oregon, is something I would not have predicted even five years ago.”
Even more surprising is that someone in Foxx’s position is leading the charge, he said.
“That prosecutors would express any support for these changes is not something I would have expected. Historically, prosecutors have not led the charge for decriminalization,” he said.
Even some who have been opposed to legalization in the past are OK with the push for expungement — even for low-level dealers.
Riverside Police Chief Thomas Wietzel, an executive board member of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, former president of the West Suburban Chiefs of Police Association and a member of the state’s Impaired Driving Task Force, spoke in opposition to legalizing both medical and recreational marijuana.
Now he sees expungement for possession of less than 30 grams as something he supports. And he would accept that for drug dealers — with caveats.
“If it’s a small amount they are convicted of selling, that’s more difficult. But if they’re not selling to juveniles, at public parks ... I would be OK with that,” he said.
But automatically expunging for convictions involving the larger amounts Foxx advocates, he says, is too much: “I think that large manufacturing and delivery cases, that’s a different story.”


chicagosun-times--2020-12-21--Taxation pause gives Magnificent Mile backers time to talk

“ What we ’ ve got here is failure to communicate.
” Wisdom from “ Cool Hand Luke ” usually doesn ’ t have an obvious tie-in to the issues facing Chicago , but that famous line seems apt for the tangled situation involving the mayor , two aldermen , the Magnificent Mile Association , some of its members and whether to apply a special tax to help North Michigan Avenue retailers recover from sundry ailments .
That glittering street of credit-fueled dreams contains some of Chicago ’ s most visible scars from the pandemic and civil unrest dating from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ once drum-tight on the Mag Mile , are now about 20 % and due to go higher , the association said , with Macy ’ s threatening to leave Water Tower Place and the Gap expected to depart at the end of January .
Foot traffic is a fraction of pre-pandemic normalcy .
Combine that with closed stores and recent violence and you get a sense the street isn ’ t safe anymore .
So the Mag Mile Association got Mayor Lori Lightfoot to support a new taxing district to pay for needs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Usually , when well-heeled citizens petition government to tax themselves for a lawful and civic-minded service , the political response is , “ Be our guest , ” provided there are safeguards to ensure nothing goes awry .
It ’ s a common scheme in Chicago to do what the Mag Mile group wants , to create a Special Service Area with community-recommended but mayoral-approved appointees to oversee the spending .
There are more than 50 such SSAs throughout Chicago for the benefit of commercial districts .
But this one got held @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the aldermen whose wards touch North Michigan Avenue blocked it .
Lightfoot fired back , calling it “ aldermanic prerogative at its worst , ” referring to the tradition of aldermen having veto power over matters in their wards .
The practice can get a bum rap , though .
The “ prerogateurs ” here were Brian Hopkins ( 2nd ) and Brendan Reilly ( 42nd ) .
Calling a timeout on special taxation may have helped .
As the Mag Mile leadership considers how to revive the street , it ’ ll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The avenue might never be the same .
It has prospered for decades on the desire of stores , especially high-end labels , to pay premium rents for space it can build into a flagship for the chain .
Jacqueline Hayes , a longtime broker for retail space , said the pandemic and the trend toward online shopping have rendered some marquee-type , multi-level stores obsolete .
“ Some of these spaces are almost worthless as a flagship , ” said Hayes , a board member for the Mag Mile association .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everywhere in the city.
” It ’ s a bracing thought for city planners and developers who favor activity along the street frontage and continuously approve residential high-rises with ground-floor retail exposure , hoping for enough coffee shops and dry cleaners to fill them .
Also , the Mag Mile association , like many trade groups , might have been talking for their members more than they talked to them .
There was doubt about the level of support among commercial property owners who would have to pay the tax , estimated to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Hopkins said the association identified 69 % of property owners as being in favor of or neutral about the tax , but the extent of neutrality was never clear .
“ We need affirmative statements of support , ” he said .
A source involved with the association said owners of the three large shopping malls — Water Tower Place , 900 N. Michigan and the Shops at North Bridge — backed the plan late in the game .
An influential voice for office owners , the Building Owners and Managers Association @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opposition after boundaries of the SSA were adjusted .
Kimberly Bares , president of the Mag Mile association , declined an interview but sent a statement promising continued work on the issue .
“ Some comments seemed to characterize the SSA process to-date as rushed and flawed .
We believe it is a swift and nimble response to a singular , supremely challenging moment in time at which Michigan Avenue and the city of Chicago face ongoing ramifications from the twin forces of the pandemic and civil unrest , ” she said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Hopkins agreed the avenue needs support but the SSA idea blindsided property owners not locally based .
The plan would not have taxed homeowners , but there was confusion about that as well , he said .
The alderman said the deficit-plagued city perhaps should find a way to directly support the vital shopping district .
He said $ 740,000 “ is like a rounding error in the city budget.
” The late political analyst Paul Green used to tell his students that local politics boils down to two questions : Who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s an applied lesson in communications .

“What we’ve got here is failure to communicate.”
Wisdom from “Cool Hand Luke” usually doesn’t have an obvious tie-in to the issues facing Chicago, but that famous line seems apt for the tangled situation involving the mayor, two aldermen, the Magnificent Mile Association, some of its members and whether to apply a special tax to help North Michigan Avenue retailers recover from sundry ailments.
That glittering street of credit-fueled dreams contains some of Chicago’s most visible scars from the pandemic and civil unrest dating from the warm weather. Retail vacancies, once drum-tight on the Mag Mile, are now about 20% and due to go higher, the association said, with Macy’s threatening to leave Water Tower Place and the Gap expected to depart at the end of January.
Foot traffic is a fraction of pre-pandemic normalcy. Combine that with closed stores and recent violence and you get a sense the street isn’t safe anymore. So the Mag Mile Association got Mayor Lori Lightfoot to support a new taxing district to pay for needs that include security, beautification and marketing.
Chicago Enterprise bug Chicago Enterprise
Usually, when well-heeled citizens petition government to tax themselves for a lawful and civic-minded service, the political response is, “Be our guest,” provided there are safeguards to ensure nothing goes awry.
It’s a common scheme in Chicago to do what the Mag Mile group wants, to create a Special Service Area with community-recommended but mayoral-approved appointees to oversee the spending. There are more than 50 such SSAs throughout Chicago for the benefit of commercial districts.
But this one got held up in a City Council committee when the aldermen whose wards touch North Michigan Avenue blocked it. Lightfoot fired back, calling it “aldermanic prerogative at its worst,” referring to the tradition of aldermen having veto power over matters in their wards. The practice can get a bum rap, though. The “prerogateurs” here were Brian Hopkins (2nd) and Brendan Reilly (42nd).
Calling a timeout on special taxation may have helped. As the Mag Mile leadership considers how to revive the street, it’ll have to confront a difficult prospect: The avenue might never be the same.
It has prospered for decades on the desire of stores, especially high-end labels, to pay premium rents for space it can build into a flagship for the chain. Jacqueline Hayes, a longtime broker for retail space, said the pandemic and the trend toward online shopping have rendered some marquee-type, multi-level stores obsolete.
“Some of these spaces are almost worthless as a flagship,” said Hayes, a board member for the Mag Mile association. “There is far too much retail space everywhere in the city.”
It’s a bracing thought for city planners and developers who favor activity along the street frontage and continuously approve residential high-rises with ground-floor retail exposure, hoping for enough coffee shops and dry cleaners to fill them.
Also, the Mag Mile association, like many trade groups, might have been talking for their members more than they talked to them. There was doubt about the level of support among commercial property owners who would have to pay the tax, estimated to raise $740,000 in its first year.
Hopkins said the association identified 69% of property owners as being in favor of or neutral about the tax, but the extent of neutrality was never clear. “We need affirmative statements of support,” he said.
A source involved with the association said owners of the three large shopping malls — Water Tower Place, 900 N. Michigan and the Shops at North Bridge — backed the plan late in the game. An influential voice for office owners, the Building Owners and Managers Association of Chicago, said it dropped its opposition after boundaries of the SSA were adjusted.
Kimberly Bares, president of the Mag Mile association, declined an interview but sent a statement promising continued work on the issue.
“Some comments seemed to characterize the SSA process to-date as rushed and flawed. We believe it is a swift and nimble response to a singular, supremely challenging moment in time at which Michigan Avenue and the city of Chicago face ongoing ramifications from the twin forces of the pandemic and civil unrest,” she said, citing “overwhelming support for this tax.”
Hopkins agreed the avenue needs support but the SSA idea blindsided property owners not locally based. The plan would not have taxed homeowners, but there was confusion about that as well, he said. The alderman said the deficit-plagued city perhaps should find a way to directly support the vital shopping district. He said $740,000 “is like a rounding error in the city budget.”
The late political analyst Paul Green used to tell his students that local politics boils down to two questions: Who pays, and who gets? It’s an applied lesson in communications.


chicagosun-times--2020-12-21--‘The Midnight Sky’: A few of the universe’s remaining humans face challenges in one of 2020’s best f

‘The Midnight Sky’: A few of the universe’s remaining humans face challenges in one of 2020’s best films

“ I can ’ t help you , you understand ?
I ’ m the wrong person .
I ’ m the wrong person.
” – George Clooney ’ s Augustine to a fellow traveler in “ The Midnight Sky.
” As rough as it ’ s been in the real world this year , the planet is in even worse shape in a number of recent movies .
In “ Greenland , ” stadium-sized chunks of an asteroid are wiping out entire cities and killing millions .
In the upcoming “ Wonder Woman 1984 , ” the world has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re on the brink of nuclear war .
In “ Songbird , ” an advanced strain of COVID has a mortality rate of 56 % and virtually the entire U.S. population is in lockdown .
In “ Fatman , ” Christmas is under siege when a hired assassin tries to take out Santa Claus .
Even in the comedy “ Superintelligence , ” an artificially intelligent entity has set a countdown clock for destroying the world unless Melissa McCarthy can save the day .
Now comes director George Clooney ’ s “ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a lone scientist in the Arctic after the planet has been wiped out by an unnamed catastrophe .
Things are so bleak here at home base , Clooney ’ s Augustine is on a desperate mission to contact an international crew of astronauts and tell them to turn around and never come home , because there ’ s no home waiting for them .
It ’ s like a grim reverse on “ Apollo 13.
” And while “ The Midnight Sky ” doesn ’ t have the thrill-a-minute quotient of some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s the most resonant and ambitious of the bunch , with breathtaking and sometimes haunting visuals , a bittersweet and melancholy and memorably human story , and a beautiful and heart-stopping finale .
This is one of the very best films of 2020 .
The year is 2049 but there ’ s not a Blade Runner in sight and in fact most of humanity has been wiped out by an unnamed , possibly radioactive event — so yes , the movies have once again plunged us into a dystopian future that makes 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ segment , we see the workers and families at a sprawling , massive Arctic Circle research facility called the Barbeau Observatory evacuating the territory and heading for … well , somewhere else , with only Clooney ’ s Dr. Augustine Lofthouse staying behind , by choice .
Sporting a Last Man on Earth beard , his eyes hollowed out by grim acceptance of his fate , Augustine is not only alone — he ’ s dying of cancer .
He spends his solitary days skulking about the echo-laden halls of the hi-tech facility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down meds and giving himself transfusions .
( Alexandre Desplat ’ s lush score , with echoes of a classic sci-fi film from the 1960s and 1970s , adds to the feeling of isolation and despair . )
As a title card tells us , it ’ s “ THREE WEEKS AFTER THE EVENT ” and it appears as if the populace is all but erased , but Augustine isn ’ t quite the last human alive .
Deep in space , there ’ s the five-person crew of the space station Aether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like a gleaming piece of abstract art as it heads back to Earth after a mission to a recently discovered moon of Jupiter that ’ s heated from the inside out and could be inhabitable .
And even as Augustine desperately tries to contact the crew to tell them NOT to come home , he is stunned to find a little girl named Iris ( Caoilinn Springall ) hiding in the research facility .
What ’ s she doing here ?
How was she left behind ?
What is the dying Augustine to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s 2016 novel “ Good Morning , Midnight ” ( with a screenplay adaptation by Mark L. Smith that is faithful to the source material but also includes some key changes ) , Clooney the director does an expert job of toggling back and forth between sequences of Augustine bonding with Iris ( who doesn ’ t speak at first ) ; flashback scenes featuring the young Augustine as a brilliant but single-minded scientist who ignores his wife and child as he becomes obsessed with his research , and the drama aboard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sully is about to give birth and that ’ s just one of the challenges faced by the crew .
( Ethan Peck plays the younger Augustine , with Clooney providing the voice .
Peck doesn ’ t particularly resemble a 30-year-old Clooney , but the technique works better than most of the digital de-aging work seen in recent films . )
Augustine and Iris set out for a weather station farther north that has a stronger antenna — maybe strong enough for Augustine to get a signal and reach the Aether before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than once , the journey seems like a prolonged death wish , as Augustine and this child are nearly enveloped by the hellish conditions .
Meanwhile , we get the obligatory space-walk-to-perform-repairs sequence , creating a buildup involving a single drop of blood that will not remain a single drop of blood , and I ’ ll leave it at that .
Sparse in dialogue and rich in visual texture , these scenes will remain with you as if they ’ re your own memories .
“ The Midnight Sky ” is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grips .
Even if you can see one or both of the two major twists coming , it ’ s an exquisitely crafted journey into the heavens and into the mind of a man who is filled with regret about the choices he ’ s made and is trying to do one last great thing before his time runs out .

“I can’t help you, you understand? I’m the wrong person. I’m the wrong person.” – George Clooney’s Augustine to a fellow traveler in “The Midnight Sky.”
As rough as it’s been in the real world this year, the planet is in even worse shape in a number of recent movies.
In “Greenland,” stadium-sized chunks of an asteroid are wiping out entire cities and killing millions.
‘The Midnight Sky’
Untitled Netflix presents a film directed by George Clooney and written by Mark L. Smith, based on the novel “Good Morning, Midnight” by Lily Brooks-Dalton. Rated PG-13 (for some bloody images and brief strong language). Running time: 118 minutes. Available Wednesday on Netflix.
In the upcoming “Wonder Woman 1984,” the world has been thrown into chaos and we’re on the brink of nuclear war.
In “Songbird,” an advanced strain of COVID has a mortality rate of 56% and virtually the entire U.S. population is in lockdown.
In “Fatman,” Christmas is under siege when a hired assassin tries to take out Santa Claus.
Even in the comedy “Superintelligence,” an artificially intelligent entity has set a countdown clock for destroying the world unless Melissa McCarthy can save the day.
Now comes director George Clooney’s “The Midnight Sky,” which stars Clooney as a lone scientist in the Arctic after the planet has been wiped out by an unnamed catastrophe. Things are so bleak here at home base, Clooney’s Augustine is on a desperate mission to contact an international crew of astronauts and tell them to turn around and never come home, because there’s no home waiting for them. It’s like a grim reverse on “Apollo 13.” And while “The Midnight Sky” doesn’t have the thrill-a-minute quotient of some of the aforementioned films, it’s the most resonant and ambitious of the bunch, with breathtaking and sometimes haunting visuals, a bittersweet and melancholy and memorably human story, and a beautiful and heart-stopping finale. This is one of the very best films of 2020.
The year is 2049 but there’s not a Blade Runner in sight and in fact most of humanity has been wiped out by an unnamed, possibly radioactive event — so yes, the movies have once again plunged us into a dystopian future that makes 2020 look like Shangri-La. In an early segment, we see the workers and families at a sprawling, massive Arctic Circle research facility called the Barbeau Observatory evacuating the territory and heading for … well, somewhere else, with only Clooney’s Dr. Augustine Lofthouse staying behind, by choice.
Sporting a Last Man on Earth beard, his eyes hollowed out by grim acceptance of his fate, Augustine is not only alone — he’s dying of cancer. He spends his solitary days skulking about the echo-laden halls of the hi-tech facility, picking at cafeteria food, gobbling down meds and giving himself transfusions. (Alexandre Desplat’s lush score, with echoes of a classic sci-fi film from the 1960s and 1970s, adds to the feeling of isolation and despair.)
As a title card tells us, it’s “THREE WEEKS AFTER THE EVENT” and it appears as if the populace is all but erased, but Augustine isn’t quite the last human alive. Deep in space, there’s the five-person crew of the space station Aether, an exquisitely ornate ship that looks like a gleaming piece of abstract art as it heads back to Earth after a mission to a recently discovered moon of Jupiter that’s heated from the inside out and could be inhabitable. And even as Augustine desperately tries to contact the crew to tell them NOT to come home, he is stunned to find a little girl named Iris (Caoilinn Springall) hiding in the research facility. What’s she doing here? How was she left behind? What is the dying Augustine to do NOW?
At the space station Aether, Sully (Felicity Jones) is close to giving birth. Netflix
Working from Lily Brooks-Dalton’s 2016 novel “Good Morning, Midnight” (with a screenplay adaptation by Mark L. Smith that is faithful to the source material but also includes some key changes), Clooney the director does an expert job of toggling back and forth between sequences of Augustine bonding with Iris (who doesn’t speak at first); flashback scenes featuring the young Augustine as a brilliant but single-minded scientist who ignores his wife and child as he becomes obsessed with his research, and the drama aboard the Aether, where Felicity Jones’ Sully is about to give birth and that’s just one of the challenges faced by the crew. (Ethan Peck plays the younger Augustine, with Clooney providing the voice. Peck doesn’t particularly resemble a 30-year-old Clooney, but the technique works better than most of the digital de-aging work seen in recent films.)
Augustine and Iris set out for a weather station farther north that has a stronger antenna — maybe strong enough for Augustine to get a signal and reach the Aether before it’s too late. More than once, the journey seems like a prolonged death wish, as Augustine and this child are nearly enveloped by the hellish conditions. Meanwhile, we get the obligatory space-walk-to-perform-repairs sequence, creating a buildup involving a single drop of blood that will not remain a single drop of blood, and I’ll leave it at that. Sparse in dialogue and rich in visual texture, these scenes will remain with you as if they’re your own memories.
“The Midnight Sky” is a waking dream that keeps you in its grips. Even if you can see one or both of the two major twists coming, it’s an exquisitely crafted journey into the heavens and into the mind of a man who is filled with regret about the choices he’s made and is trying to do one last great thing before his time runs out.


chicagosun-times--2020-12-21--Man fatally wounded in Humboldt Park shooting: police

A 39-year-old man was fatally shot Monday in Humboldt Park on the West Side .
The man was standing in @ @ @ @ @ in the 2500 block of West Cortez Street when someone fired shots , Chicago police @ @ @ @ @ in the abdomen and transported to Stroger Hospital , where he was pronounced dead , @ @ @ @ @ County medical examiner ’ s office has not released details on the man ’ s @ @ @ @ @ one in custody as Area Three detectives investigate .

One man was killed and another man was wounded Monday in a shooting in Humboldt Park on the West Side.
The man, 39, was standing in an alley about 2:55 a.m. in the 2500 block of West Cortez Street when someone fired shots, Chicago police said. He was struck in the abdomen and transported to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
He was identified as Miguel Perez, who lived in the neighborhood where he was shot, the Cook County medical examiner’s office said.
Later Monday morning, another man showed up at St. Mary’s Hospital after being hurt in the same shooting, police said. He was being treated for gunshot wounds to his abdomen and right arm, and was listed in serious condition.
There is no one in custody as Area Three detectives investigate.
Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.


chicagosun-times--2020-12-20--Horoscope for Monday, Dec. 21, 2020

Horoscope for Monday, Dec. 21, 2020

Avoid shopping or making important decisions from 4 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Chicago time .
After that , the moon moves from Pisces into Aries .
You will start to notice a shift in your relations to friends , groups and clubs to which you might belong .
Furthermore , your interaction with others might cause you to modify or change your goals .
It ’ s an exciting influence .
Your relationship with parents , bosses , teachers and authority figures will start to undergo a major shift in your life beginning now .
( You might have already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are developing more respect for certain authority figures , and this respect is mutual .
Your desire to explore the world , travel and learn more about everything is increasing , and you have noticed this .
Of course , you have always been a curious person , but now your curiosity is gaining momentum because you see that it is causing you to expand your world .
You value your security , which is a wise thing .
After all , you are a nester .
At this time you are seeing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to establish your security for now in the future .
This is good .
It gives you a warm feeling in your tummy .
Surely you have noticed that your relations with those who are closest to you ( partners , spouses and close friends ) are changing ?
For most of you , these relationships are deepening because of an appreciation of their importance in your life .
We only have one body this go around , so it ’ s important to take care of it .
Without our body , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and in the future , you will have more respect for taking care of your body and improving your health .
You also want to simplify things so that your life can run more smoothly .
Subtle changes are taking place that will be long-lasting .
They pertain to how much you value your creativity .
They also pertain to your relations with children and possibly even sports .
These are all areas where you express yourself .
Issues related to home and family are increasingly important to you now .
You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including repairs and possible residential moves .
Whatever happens will ultimately give you a more reliable base in the world .
Recently ( and this will continue into the future ) you ’ ve been giving more thought to your style of communicating with others .
How you talk , think , listen speak is changing .
The more you are consciously aware of this , the more quickly you will see its benefit .
You ’ re never casual about money .
Lately , you ’ ve been thinking more about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you .
In part , this is why you will get richer in the next year .
However , you will also work hard to increase your assets .
“ No pain , no gain.
” Your world is changing .
Perhaps even your appearance is changing .
It ’ s totally appropriate to question your values and your life direction because you are heading off on a new journey that will take about 7 to 8 years .
It ’ s a journey of reinventing yourself .
Different influences are creating an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Meanwhile , as you look around you , you see that there are things you have to get rid of because they are no longer relevant or useful in your life .
It might even include people and relationships that don ’ t cut it anymore .
If Your Birthday Is Today Actress Jane Fonda ( 1937 ) shares your birthday .
You are magnetic and dramatic .
You are also an idealist .
You are talented and personally determined in everything you do .
Because you are entering a new cycle , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ define some goals to determine what you want for yourself in the next few years .
Be confident and physically energetic about going after what you want .
Just do it !

Moon Alert
Avoid shopping or making important decisions from 4 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Chicago time. After that, the moon moves from Pisces into Aries.
Aries (March 21-April 19)
You will start to notice a shift in your relations to friends, groups and clubs to which you might belong. Furthermore, your interaction with others might cause you to modify or change your goals. It’s an exciting influence.
Taurus (April 20-May 20)
Your relationship with parents, bosses, teachers and authority figures will start to undergo a major shift in your life beginning now. (You might have already noticed this?) Basically, you are developing more respect for certain authority figures, and this respect is mutual.
Gemini (May 21-June 20)
Your desire to explore the world, travel and learn more about everything is increasing, and you have noticed this. Of course, you have always been a curious person, but now your curiosity is gaining momentum because you see that it is causing you to expand your world.
Cancer (June 21-July 22)
You value your security, which is a wise thing. After all, you are a nester. At this time you are seeing better, more solid and reliable ways to establish your security for now in the future. This is good. It gives you a warm feeling in your tummy.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)
Surely you have noticed that your relations with those who are closest to you (partners, spouses and close friends) are changing? For most of you, these relationships are deepening because of an appreciation of their importance in your life.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
We only have one body this go around, so it’s important to take care of it. Without our body, it’s all over. Recently, and in the future, you will have more respect for taking care of your body and improving your health. You also want to simplify things so that your life can run more smoothly.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
Subtle changes are taking place that will be long-lasting. They pertain to how much you value your creativity. They also pertain to your relations with children and possibly even sports. These are all areas where you express yourself.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
Issues related to home and family are increasingly important to you now. You see changes that need to be made, including repairs and possible residential moves. Whatever happens will ultimately give you a more reliable base in the world.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
Recently (and this will continue into the future) you’ve been giving more thought to your style of communicating with others. How you talk, think, listen speak is changing. The more you are consciously aware of this, the more quickly you will see its benefit.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
You’re never casual about money. Lately, you’ve been thinking more about money and what it can do for you. In part, this is why you will get richer in the next year. However, you will also work hard to increase your assets. “No pain, no gain.”
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
Your world is changing. Perhaps even your appearance is changing. It’s totally appropriate to question your values and your life direction because you are heading off on a new journey that will take about 7 to 8 years. It’s a journey of reinventing yourself.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)
Different influences are creating an increasing interest in your spiritual world. Meanwhile, as you look around you, you see that there are things you have to get rid of because they are no longer relevant or useful in your life. It might even include people and relationships that don’t cut it anymore.
If Your Birthday Is Today
Actress Jane Fonda (1937) shares your birthday. You are magnetic and dramatic. You are also an idealist. You are talented and personally determined in everything you do. Because you are entering a new cycle, it means it’s time to define some goals to determine what you want for yourself in the next few years. Be confident and physically energetic about going after what you want. Just do it!