chicagosun-times--2020-12-02--Teen boy wounded in Tri-Taylor shooting

Teen boy wounded in Tri-Taylor shooting

A teenage boy was shot Wednesday in the Tri-Taylor neighborhood on the Near West Side .
Someone in a dark-colored @ @ @ @ @ 17-year-old about 5:45 p.m. as he stood outside in the 500 block of South Oakley @ @ @ @ @ .
The boy was struck in the foot and taken to nearby Stroger Hospital in @ @ @ @ @ .

A teenage boy was shot Wednesday in the Tri-Taylor neighborhood on the Near West Side.
Someone in a dark-colored vehicle fired shots at the 17-year-old about 5:45 p.m. as he stood outside in the 500 block of South Oakley Boulevard, Chicago police said.
The boy was struck in the foot and taken to nearby Stroger Hospital in good condition, police said.
Area Three detectives are investigating.


chicagosun-times--2020-12-02--Rubbish fire halts Red Line service from Garfield to Fullerton

A Loop Red Line station filed with smoke Wednesday evening , halting service between the Garfield and Fullerton stations , @ @ @ @ @ was caused by a rubbish fire before 5:50 p.m. in the subway near 15th Street @ @ @ @ @ to the Chicago fire department .
Chicago police and firefighters responded to the incident at @ @ @ @ @ extinguished the fire about 6:10 p.m. About 6:30 p.m. , firefighters were working to evacuate @ @ @ @ @ 23rd Street .
There was moderate smoke in the Loop station but no injuries were @ @ @ @ @ officials .
Shuttle buses are available to ferry commuters between the Garfield and Fullerton stations @ @ @ @ @ Service was initially suspended between Fullerton and Sox-35th , but later expanded to the Garfield @ @ @ @ @ not immediately clear .

A Loop Red Line station filed with smoke Wednesday evening, disrupting Red Line service and sending southbound trains onto elevated tracks between the Fullerton and Cermak-Chinatown stations officials said.
The smoke was caused by a rubbish fire before 5:50 p.m. in the subway near 15th Street and Clark Street, according to the Chicago fire department. Chicago police and firefighters responded to the incident at the Roosevelt stop, and extinguished the fire about 6:10 p.m.
About 7 p.m., firefighters evacuated one Red Line train near 23rd Street.
Smoke conditions improving in subway. Exhaust fans now running. No injuries. Power off from 22nd to Grand pic.twitter.com/cvCZO2Zv4v — Chicago Fire Media (@CFDMedia) December 2, 2020
There was moderate smoke at the Roosevelt station but no injuries were reported, according to fire officials.
Service was initially suspended in both directions between the Fullerton and Garfield stations for over an hour. Howard-bound trains resumed their normal route about 8:35 p.m., the CTA said.


chicagosun-times--2020-12-02--Preservationists and residents must strike a compromise to save Pilsen — or nobody wins

It ’ s hard to tell what was gained — if anything at all — from a City Council committee ’ s decision Tuesday to reject both a planned Pilsen landmark district and an alderman ’ s proposal for a demolition moratorium in the rapidly gentrifying community .
For residents who opposed the designation , the vote ends a measure they feared would further hasten Pilsen ’ s gentrification by driving out working class Latino homeowners who could n't afford to maintain their buildings to landmark status .
But the veto also means Pilsen ’ s distinctive late-19th century architecture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by larger buildings with higher rents or single family homes — the very thing we see driving gentrification efforts in Pilsen and on the Near North and Near West sides among other areas .
The proposed ordinance from Ald .
Byron Sigcho-Lopez ( 25th ) would have created a six-month demolition moratorium for buildings within the boundaries of the would-be district .
It was an attempt to stop the teardowns without saddling owners with the expense of maintaining a landmark building .
But the Zoning Committee voted against the measure , saying the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenges and could be hard to enforce .
So as of now , Pilsen ’ s buildings and residents are still unprotected from the forces of change that both efforts — landmarking and the moratorium — were designed to curb .
What to do ?
With 900 structures near and along 18th Street between Damen and Racine Avenues , the Pilsen Landmark District would 've been the city ’ s largest .
The designation also would have included protections for the collection of outdoor murals dating back to 1978 created by the neighborhood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Most of the buildings were constructed by the Czech and Bohemian immigrants who settled in Pilsen in the late 19th and early 20th centuries .
The predominantly brick-and-limestone structures bear the classical styles of their builders ’ homelands .
The buildings and murals together form an architectural and artistic ensemble that is worthy of preservation .
But Adriana Diaz , who has roots in Pilsen , was absolutely correct when she testified at Tuesday ’ s Zoning Committee hearing that the cost of preserving the community 's architecture could unduly fall on those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A reasonable person would argue that if you designate Pilsen a historic district , a second wave of displacement would occur because people like my mother would not be able to keep up with the exacting standard of the historic district , ” she said .
“ Therefore , a seemingly innocuous policy such as this one is at its core insidious in nature , because it only exacerbates the gentrification process , ” Diaz added .
“ Why are we valuing Bohemian entire buildings over people ’ s lives ?
” So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and spaces in Pilsen and across Chicago — without running working class people from their neighborhoods — it must also find a way to increase the financial incentives that are associated with owning landmark buildings .
This means increasing funding to the city ’ s weatherization , roof and porch repair program and making them part of a landmark district proposal that includes residential buildings .
Currently , when a homeowner who lives in a landmark spends 25 % of the property ’ s assessed market value on a rehab or restoration , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are frozen for 12 years .
The city could propose new legislation to either lengthen the time of the freeze or lower the rehab spending threshold .
The city can also be more creative in how it draws up proposed landmark districts .
At almost 1,000 buildings , did the proposed Pilsen district need to be that large ?
Even the city officials who proposed the district had their doubts in October when city Coordinating Planner Gerardo Garcia suggested the designation include just 465 buildings clustered around 18th Street and Blue Island Avenue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ excluded the overwhelming majority of Pilsen homeowners from the designation .
This strikes us as a fair-minded proposal that should remain under consideration .
We hope the failure of the two ordinances in the Zoning Committee pushes city officials , landmarks experts and community members back to the drawing board to come up with a fair and equitable designation — one that ’ s right for Pilsen and can serve as model for other neighborhoods .

It’s hard to tell what was gained — if anything at all — from a City Council committee’s decision Tuesday to reject both a planned Pilsen landmark district and an alderman’s proposal for a demolition moratorium in the rapidly gentrifying community.
For residents who opposed the designation, the vote ends a measure they feared would further hasten Pilsen’s gentrification by driving out working class Latino homeowners who couldn't afford to maintain their buildings to landmark status.
But the veto also means Pilsen’s distinctive late-19th century architecture remains vulnerable to being demolished and replaced by larger buildings with higher rents or single family homes — the very thing we see driving gentrification efforts in Pilsen and on the Near North and Near West sides among other areas.
Editorials bug Editorials
The proposed ordinance from Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th) would have created a six-month demolition moratorium for buildings within the boundaries of the would-be district. It was an attempt to stop the teardowns without saddling owners with the expense of maintaining a landmark building. But the Zoning Committee voted against the measure, saying the moratorium might not hold up to legal challenges and could be hard to enforce.
So as of now, Pilsen’s buildings and residents are still unprotected from the forces of change that both efforts — landmarking and the moratorium — were designed to curb.
Opinion Newsletter
What to do?
With 900 structures near and along 18th Street between Damen and Racine Avenues, the Pilsen Landmark District would've been the city’s largest. The designation also would have included protections for the collection of outdoor murals dating back to 1978 created by the neighborhood’s predominantly Mexican American community.
Most of the buildings were constructed by the Czech and Bohemian immigrants who settled in Pilsen in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The predominantly brick-and-limestone structures bear the classical styles of their builders’ homelands.
The buildings and murals together form an architectural and artistic ensemble that is worthy of preservation.
But Adriana Diaz, who has roots in Pilsen, was absolutely correct when she testified at Tuesday’s Zoning Committee hearing that the cost of preserving the community's architecture could unduly fall on those least able to afford it.
“A reasonable person would argue that if you designate Pilsen a historic district, a second wave of displacement would occur because people like my mother would not be able to keep up with the exacting standard of the historic district,” she said.
“Therefore, a seemingly innocuous policy such as this one is at its core insidious in nature, because it only exacerbates the gentrification process,” Diaz added. “Why are we valuing Bohemian entire buildings over people’s lives?”
So if the city wants to preserve places and spaces in Pilsen and across Chicago — without running working class people from their neighborhoods — it must also find a way to increase the financial incentives that are associated with owning landmark buildings.
This means increasing funding to the city’s weatherization, roof and porch repair program and making them part of a landmark district proposal that includes residential buildings.
Currently, when a homeowner who lives in a landmark spends 25% of the property’s assessed market value on a rehab or restoration, the building’s real estate taxes are frozen for 12 years. The city could propose new legislation to either lengthen the time of the freeze or lower the rehab spending threshold.
Time for creative thinking
The city can also be more creative in how it draws up proposed landmark districts. At almost 1,000 buildings, did the proposed Pilsen district need to be that large? Even the city officials who proposed the district had their doubts in October when city Coordinating Planner Gerardo Garcia suggested the designation include just 465 buildings clustered around 18th Street and Blue Island Avenue.
Garcia’s proposal would have excluded the overwhelming majority of Pilsen homeowners from the designation. This strikes us as a fair-minded proposal that should remain under consideration.
We hope the failure of the two ordinances in the Zoning Committee pushes city officials, landmarks experts and community members back to the drawing board to come up with a fair and equitable designation — one that’s right for Pilsen and can serve as model for other neighborhoods.
Send letters to letters@suntimes.com


chicagosun-times--2020-12-03--Dear Abby: Friends fear I gave them COVID at our masked gathering

DEAR ABBY : My husband came down with COVID and has been having a hard time getting over it .
When he first started showing the symptoms , I took him to a drive-through medical clinic and got him tested for COVID .
The results were negative , so a couple of days later , I carpooled with a friend to another friend ’ s house where seven other friends had gathered .
Several days later , when my husband still wasn ’ t improving , I took him to an ER where they did another COVID test .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thought I owed it to whomever I was around at the get-together to tell them about my husband .
At this get-together , we all wore masks .
We took them off only to eat and then put them back on .
It has been more than 14 days since my husband got sick , and although he is not yet over the virus , I haven ’ t come down with it .
I thought my friends would be supportive of me and what my husband is going through .
However , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ friends ” of more than 20 years that they formed a private Facebook group to discuss how each one has been doing on a daily basis , and I was not invited to participate .
I feel betrayed by these paranoid friends .
At this point , I don ’ t think I can ever look at any of them the same way .
I have been contemplating ending my friendship with all of them .
What do you think ?
— KICKED WHEN DOWN IN OKLAHOMA DEAR KICKED : I think you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the private Facebook group whether any of the women got sick after that get-together .
If the answer is yes , make an appointment and have yourself COVID-tested — twice , if necessary — to ensure that you are not a symptomless carrier .
If it turns out that you are positive , tell your friends .
If you test negative , your first priority should be to help your husband get well and protect yourself from getting the virus .
As to whether you should end your relationship with these “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are behaving , it appears they may have ended their relationship with YOU , and for that you have my sympathy .
DEAR ABBY : I recently had my hair dyed by my brother-in-law who is a great hairstylist .
I have seen his work on other clients , and he knows what he ’ s doing .
I have received a lot of compliments on my new “ do.
” Problem is , I didn ’ t get what I ASKED for .
I was a coward at the time and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my roots are starting to show , and I ’ ll be needing a touch-up soon .
How do I go about going to another salon for what I want without hurting his feelings or causing hard feelings with my sister-in-law ?
— COWARD IN KANSAS DEAR COWARD IN KANSAS : Make the appointment and have your hair done the way you prefer .
If your sister- or brother-in-law asks about it , say you know he is terrific and how busy he is and didn ’ t want to “ impose ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good as you say he is , he will notice that the color is different from what he used on you .
You ’ re not a coward for wanting to spare your BIL ’ s feelings .
You do a disservice to him , however , as a professional for not being truthful about your opinion of his work on you .
If he mentions it , explain that this is a color you are more comfortable with .
Your head , your choice .
Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and was founded by her mother , Pauline Phillips .
Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O .
Box 69440 , Los Angeles , CA 90069 .
To receive a collection of Abby ’ s most memorable — and most frequently requested — poems and essays , send your name and mailing address , plus check or money order for $ 8 ( U.S. funds ) , to : Dear Abby — Keepers Booklet , P.O .
Box 447 , Mount Morris , IL 61054-0447 .
Shipping and handling are included in @ @ @

DEAR ABBY: My husband came down with COVID and has been having a hard time getting over it. When he first started showing the symptoms, I took him to a drive-through medical clinic and got him tested for COVID. The results were negative, so a couple of days later, I carpooled with a friend to another friend’s house where seven other friends had gathered. Several days later, when my husband still wasn’t improving, I took him to an ER where they did another COVID test. This time it came out positive.
I thought I owed it to whomever I was around at the get-together to tell them about my husband. At this get-together, we all wore masks. We took them off only to eat and then put them back on. It has been more than 14 days since my husband got sick, and although he is not yet over the virus, I haven’t come down with it.
I thought my friends would be supportive of me and what my husband is going through. However, I learned from one of these “friends” of more than 20 years that they formed a private Facebook group to discuss how each one has been doing on a daily basis, and I was not invited to participate.
I feel betrayed by these paranoid friends. At this point, I don’t think I can ever look at any of them the same way. I have been contemplating ending my friendship with all of them. What do you think? — KICKED WHEN DOWN IN OKLAHOMA
DEAR KICKED: I think you should ask the friend who told you about the private Facebook group whether any of the women got sick after that get-together. If the answer is yes, make an appointment and have yourself COVID-tested — twice, if necessary — to ensure that you are not a symptomless carrier. If it turns out that you are positive, tell your friends.
If you test negative, your first priority should be to help your husband get well and protect yourself from getting the virus. As to whether you should end your relationship with these “distanced” friends, from the way they are behaving, it appears they may have ended their relationship with YOU, and for that you have my sympathy.
DEAR ABBY: I recently had my hair dyed by my brother-in-law who is a great hairstylist. I have seen his work on other clients, and he knows what he’s doing. I have received a lot of compliments on my new “do.”
Problem is, I didn’t get what I ASKED for. I was a coward at the time and didn’t speak up. Now my roots are starting to show, and I’ll be needing a touch-up soon. How do I go about going to another salon for what I want without hurting his feelings or causing hard feelings with my sister-in-law? — COWARD IN KANSAS
DEAR COWARD IN KANSAS: Make the appointment and have your hair done the way you prefer. If your sister- or brother-in-law asks about it, say you know he is terrific and how busy he is and didn’t want to “impose” further. If he’s as good as you say he is, he will notice that the color is different from what he used on you.
You’re not a coward for wanting to spare your BIL’s feelings. You do a disservice to him, however, as a professional for not being truthful about your opinion of his work on you. If he mentions it, explain that this is a color you are more comfortable with. Your head, your choice.
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.
To receive a collection of Abby’s most memorable — and most frequently requested — poems and essays, send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $8 (U.S. funds), to: Dear Abby — Keepers Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. Shipping and handling are included in the price.


chicagosun-times--2020-12-03--How, when to watch ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ on TV

The snowflakes seem to have settled after several weeks of upheaval in the “ Peanuts ” universe , and now we know the places to go for the gospel verses , the wacky dancing and the tiny tree of “ A Charlie Brown Christmas.
” AppleTV+ this year acquired streaming rights to the much-loved 1965 TV special — the first in the long “ Charlie Brown ” series — and will put it on the menu Dec. 4 for subscribers of the $ 4.99-a-month service .
There are two ways for non-subscribers to see it free .
For three days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brown Christmas ” will be available to anyone who visits AppleTV+ on Apple devices , on some smart TVs , on TV devices including Amazon Fire TV and Roku , on game consoles including PlayStation and Xbox , and at tv.apple.com .
And Apple granted PBS the right to air “ A Charlie Brown Christmas ” one time only .
In Chicago , it can be seen on WTTW-Channel 11 from 6:30 to 7 p.m. Sunday , Dec. 13 .
AppleTV+ acquired rights to the animated holiday show and other Charlie Brown specials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , their home since 2001 .

The snowflakes seem to have settled after several weeks of upheaval in the “Peanuts” universe, and now we know the places to go for the gospel verses, the wacky dancing and the tiny tree of “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”
AppleTV+ this year acquired streaming rights to the much-loved 1965 TV special — the first in the long “Charlie Brown” series — and will put it on the menu Dec. 4 for subscribers of the $4.99-a-month service.
There are two ways for non-subscribers to see it free. For three days, Dec. 11-13, “A Charlie Brown Christmas” will be available to anyone who visits AppleTV+ on Apple devices, on some smart TVs, on TV devices including Amazon Fire TV and Roku, on game consoles including PlayStation and Xbox, and at tv.apple.com.
And Apple granted PBS the right to air “A Charlie Brown Christmas” one time only. In Chicago, it can be seen on WTTW-Channel 11 from 6:30 to 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 13.
AppleTV+ acquired rights to the animated holiday show and other Charlie Brown specials this year, taking them off ABC, their home since 2001.


chicagosun-times--2020-12-03--Jan Brent, a giving suburban Montessori preschool teacher, dead of COVID at 72

Jan Brent loved hundreds of people as if they were her own family .
She taught generations of preschool kids and helped resettle an extended family of refugees from Guatemala , working to find them housing and job , enrolling the kids in school and buying them lunchboxes and clothes .
Mrs. Brent , 72 , who was a Montessori preschool teacher and had been diagnosed a few years back with leukemia , died Nov. 24 at her River Forest home from complications of COVID-19 .
Her death came 11 days after her being diagnosed with what her son Patrick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
When she wasn ’ t awake and in pain , he wrote on Facebook , she was frightened by hallucinations that were a side-effect of the narcotics she was given .
“ Her passing was violent and horrific , and she spent the last weeks of her life suffocating from COVID-induced pneumonia while in agonizing pain , writhing , screaming and sobbing whenever she wasn ’ t heavily sedated , ” he wrote .
“ She described the pain as feeling like her body was ‘ on fire ’ or being stabbed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The complete and utter despair I feel at being so powerless to help or even touch her as she went through it is a crushing weight that ’ s hard to bear .
“ The last semi-lucid conversation I was able to have with my beautiful Mom was more than a week before she died , and , being the selfless , loving Mother to the end , her last words to me , gasped out over the telephone through ragged , panting , suffocating breaths and sobs and cries of terror and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He said she urged him , through her “ chainsaw ” panting : “ Do everything you can to protect yourselves .
.
.I don ’ t want anyone I love to go through this .
.
.
I love you.
” “ My Mom suffered for eight tortuous , horrifying days after that call , ” Patrick Brent wrote .
“ Her condition seeming to worsen with each agonizing hour that ticked by.
” He praised the nurses who cared for his mother at Rush Oak Park Hospital — and called anti-maskers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ m sure you have seen all these goofballs marching on the [ Michigan ] Capitol with AR-47s and ‘ I ’ m not wearing a mask , ’ ” Brent , who lives in Michigan , said in an interview .
“ It just makes me sick .
It ’ s a mask .
Put it on .
It ’ s not that big a deal.
” His posted tribute to his mother has been shared on Facebook hundreds of times .
“ I ’ m getting responses from India , from Australia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Mrs. Brent grew up in Oak Lawn at a time when kids could still play on vacant land that growing up in Chicago called prairies .
She went to Queen of Martyrs Grade School in Evergreen Park and Mother McAuley High School .
The only girl in a family of six kids , she took on added responsibilities after the death of her father Robert during her sophomore year of high school , according to her friend Roberta Reid , helping her mother Marjorie by babysitting her younger siblings and waiting tables @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shop on Western Avenue .
Whenever there was a collection going on for charity , she was the first to help , Reid said .
Mrs. Brent studied at the University of Illinois at Chicago .
She and her husband David were married for 47 years .
He , too , was diagnosed with COVID-19 but has been asymptomatic .
David Brent said they met when she dropped in at Chicago ’ s Red Garter nightclub , where he worked as a doorman and waiter .
She was smart , funny and “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ One time on a trip to Walt Disney World , he bought her a Mickey Mouse ring .
“ She had that kind of sense of humor , ” he said .
It wasn ’ t a diamond , but “ I think the Mickey Mouse ring probably meant more to her.
” She worked as an aide at Oak Park ’ s Alcuin Montessori School and taught preschoolers at Keystone Montessori School in River Forest .
Former students praised her on Facebook for making them feel safe when they were nervous or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Martin and her family feel safe after they fled the civil war in Guatemala in the mid-1980s .
“ My mom had to carry me on her back ” through the jungle to hide from soldiers and guerrillas , said Martin , who arrived in the Chicago area at 5 , speaking only Q ’ anjob ’ al , a Mayan language spoken mainly in Guatemala .
“ Jan enrolled myself and my brother into school , ” Martin said .
“ She would pick us up , take us to school .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ shoes .
She bought us toys , a lunchbox .
There ’ s no way I can repay what [ she ] did for us.
” “ She was totally devoted to making sure the kids made it in school , ” said Jerry Delaney , another friend of Mrs. Brent .
Patrick Brent said that , when he was diagnosed at 21 with a non-malignant brain tumor , “ My mom went to the end of the earth to make sure I was OK , ” researching his condition and finding doctors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t going to let him go , ” her husband said .
“ She wanted to make sure he got the best treatment possible .
She mobilized a lot of people for prayers , people who would come with us in waiting rooms while we were waiting out the results of surgeries.
” After Mrs. Brent was diagnosed with leukemia , she decided to throw a bash she called her Death Party , according to her friend Patricia Martin .
It was a night to remember , including friends from when she was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ d helped and entertainment by folk singer Bonnie Koloc .
“ She wanted to be a part of any celebration of her life that would take place , ” David Brent said .
“ She didn ’ t want to be a body in a coffin.
” Mrs. Brent , whose son Casey died in 2012 , is also survived by her brothers Mark , Michael and Robert Daley and five grandchildren .
Her husband is also urging everyone to wear masks .
“ Why would people let other people go through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus .
“ You have to adjust and protect other people.
” “ I don ’ t think people realize how brutal this is and how much people suffer , ” said Martin , who ’ s a cardiologist .
“ I really hope that her story drives home to people this is real , ” her son said , “ and we ’ re not going to get out of it unless we work together.
” Because of the pandemic , he said , “ I hadn ’ t seen her face-to-face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t hugged her in 10.
” On Facebook , he wrote : “ I couldn ’ t see and comfort my wonderful Mom in person as she was dying , and the astounding helplessness and resulting , seething rage is still very much with me .
“ Her body was whisked away for cremation shortly after her death , and to think I ’ ll never see her sweet , loving face again or hear her voice and laughter twists my guts into knots and makes me want to rage blindly at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a much better death than this .
”

Jan Brent loved hundreds of people as if they were her own family.
She taught generations of preschool kids and helped resettle an extended family of refugees from Guatemala, working to find them housing and jobs, enrolling the kids in school and buying them lunchboxes and clothes.
Mrs. Brent, 72, who was a Montessori preschool teacher and had been diagnosed a few years back with leukemia, died Nov. 24 at her River Forest home from complications of COVID-19. Her death came 11 days after her being diagnosed with what her son Patrick described as a devastating case of coronavirus.
When she wasn’t awake and in pain, he wrote on Facebook, she was frightened by hallucinations that were a side-effect of the narcotics she was given.
“Her passing was violent and horrific, and she spent the last weeks of her life suffocating from COVID-induced pneumonia while in agonizing pain, writhing, screaming and sobbing whenever she wasn’t heavily sedated,” he wrote. “She described the pain as feeling like her body was ‘on fire’ or being stabbed with hot needles. . . . The complete and utter despair I feel at being so powerless to help or even touch her as she went through it is a crushing weight that’s hard to bear.
“The last semi-lucid conversation I was able to have with my beautiful Mom was more than a week before she died, and, being the selfless, loving Mother to the end, her last words to me, gasped out over the telephone through ragged, panting, suffocating breaths and sobs and cries of terror and pain, will haunt me forever.”
He said she urged him, through her “chainsaw” panting: “Do everything you can to protect yourselves. . .I don’t want anyone I love to go through this. . . I love you.”
“My Mom suffered for eight tortuous, horrifying days after that call,” Patrick Brent wrote. “Her condition seeming to worsen with each agonizing hour that ticked by.”
He praised the nurses who cared for his mother at Rush Oak Park Hospital — and called anti-maskers “selfish garbage.”
“I’m sure you have seen all these goofballs marching on the [Michigan] Capitol with AK-47s and ‘I’m not wearing a mask,’ ” Brent, who lives in Michigan, said in an interview. “It just makes me sick. It’s a mask. Put it on. It’s not that big a deal.”
His posted tribute to his mother has been shared on Facebook hundreds of times.
“I’m getting responses from India, from Australia, from Europe,” he said.
Jan Brent in eighth grade at Queen of Martyrs grade school. Provided
Mrs. Brent grew up in Oak Lawn at a time when kids could still play on vacant land that growing up in Chicago called prairies. She went to Queen of Martyrs Grade School in Evergreen Park and Mother McAuley High School.
The only girl in a family of six kids, she took on added responsibilities after the death of her father Robert during her sophomore year of high school, according to her friend Roberta Reid, helping her mother Marjorie by babysitting her younger siblings and waiting tables at the old Purple Cow ice cream shop on Western Avenue.
Whenever there was a collection going on for charity, she was the first to help, Reid said.
“What a warmhearted, good person she was,” Reid said.
Mrs. Brent studied at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
She and her husband David were married for 47 years. He, too, was diagnosed with COVID-19 but has been asymptomatic.
David Brent said they met when she dropped in at Chicago’s Red Garter nightclub, where he worked as a doorman and waiter. She was smart, funny and “really beautiful,” he said.
For their engagement, he bought her a Mickey Mouse ring at Walt Disney World.
“She had that kind of sense of humor,” he said. Though it wasn’t a diamond, “I think the Mickey Mouse ring probably meant more to her.”
She worked as an aide at Oak Park’s Alcuin Montessori School and taught preschoolers at Keystone Montessori School in River Forest.
Former students praised her on Facebook for making them feel safe when they were nervous or scared.
Mrs. Brent also helped Regina Martin and her family feel safe after they fled the civil war in Guatemala in the mid-1980s.
“My mom had to carry me on her back” through the jungle to hide from soldiers and guerrillas, said Martin, who arrived in the Chicago area at 5, speaking only Q’anjob’al, a Mayan language spoken mainly in Guatemala.
“Jan enrolled myself and my brother into school,” Martin said. “She would pick us up, take us to school. She took us shopping for clothes, shoes. She bought us toys, a lunchbox. There’s no way I can repay what [she] did for us.”
Jan Brent (front, center) surrounded by some of the people of Guatemalan heritage she helped in the United States. Regina Martin leans forward to rest a hand on Mrs. Brent’s shoulder. Provided
“She was totally devoted to making sure the kids made it in school,” said Jerry Delaney, another friend of Mrs. Brent.
Patrick Brent said that, when he was diagnosed at 21 with a non-malignant brain tumor, “My mom went to the end of the earth to make sure I was OK,” researching his condition and finding doctors she trusted.
“She wasn’t going to let him go,” her husband said. “She wanted to make sure he got the best treatment possible. She mobilized a lot of people for prayers, people who would come with us in waiting rooms while we were waiting out the results of surgeries.”
After Mrs. Brent was diagnosed with leukemia, she decided to throw a bash she called her Death Party, according to her friend Patricia Martin. It was a night to remember, including friends from when she was growing up, the Guatemalan families she’d helped and entertainment by folk singer Bonnie Koloc.
“She wanted to be a part of any celebration of her life that would take place,” David Brent said. “She didn’t want to be a body in a coffin.”
Jan and David Brent with their sons Patrick (left) and Casey (foreground). Provided
Mrs. Brent, whose son Casey died in 2012, is also survived by her brothers Mark, Michael and Robert Daley and five grandchildren.
Her husband is also urging everyone to wear masks.
“Why would people let other people go through that?” he said of facing coronavirus. “You have to adjust and protect other people.”
“I don’t think people realize how brutal this is and how much people suffer,” said Martin, who’s a cardiologist.
“I really hope that her story drives home to people this is real,” her son said, “and we’re not going to get out of it unless we work together.”
Because of the pandemic, he said, “I hadn’t seen her face-to-face in eight months. I hadn’t hugged her in 10.”
On Facebook, he wrote: “I couldn’t see and comfort my wonderful Mom in person as she was dying, and the astounding helplessness and resulting, seething rage is still very much with me.
“Her body was whisked away for cremation shortly after her death, and to think I’ll never see her sweet, loving face again or hear her voice and laughter twists my guts into knots and makes me want to rage blindly at the unfairness of it all ... She deserved a much better death than this.”


chicagosun-times--2020-12-03--9 shot Wednesday in Chicago

9 shot Wednesday in Chicago

Nine people were shot , and one shooting incident led to to two fatalities , in Chicago Wednesday .
Two people were killed and two more injured after a shooting led to a crash in Lawndale on the West Side .
Just before 8 p.m. , people inside a westbound Chevrolet fired shots toward a Kia in the 4300 block of West Roosevelt Road , Chicago police said .
The Kia eventually veered off the road and crashed into a fixed object , while the Chevy continued west and crashed into another vehicle in the 5800 block of West Roosevelt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chevy and were not caught .
Two people in the Kia , a 21-year-old woman and 23-year-old man , were killed .
The Cook County medical examiner ’ s office identified the 21-year-old woman as Kiondria Richards of Dolton , and the man as Nautica Banks of Lawndale .
An autopsy has been scheduled to determine their cause of death .
Another woman in the Kia , 23 , was shot in the buttocks .
She was also hurt in the crash and taken to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood , where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 25-year-old man in the Kia was in good condition at the same hospital with injuries sustained from the crash .
In other shootings , a 33-year-old man was shot in a drive-by in Lawndale on the West Side .
He was inside a parked vehicle about 10:50 p.m. in the 3600 block of West 16th Street , when someone inside a passing vehicle fired shots at him , police said .
He was struck in the right arm and taken to Mt .
Sinai Hospital in serious condition .
Minutes prior , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday in Woodlawn on the South Side .
He was inside an apartment in the 6100 block of South Kimbark Avenue about 10:15 p.m. , when someone he knew fired shots at him after an argument , police said .
The man was struck in the back and right arm and taken to University of Chicago Hospital in good condition .
A teenage boy was wounded in a shooting in West Rogers Park on the North Side .
The boy , 16 , was walking through an alley about 9:35 p.m. in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when someone fired shots , striking him in the buttocks , police said .
The boy was taken to St. Francis Hospital in Evanston , where he was in fair condition .
A teenage boy was shot in the Tri-Taylor neighborhood on the Near West Side .
Someone in a dark-colored vehicle fired shots at the 17-year-old about 5:45 p.m. as he stood outside in the 500 block of South Oakley Boulevard , police said .
The boy was struck in the foot and taken to nearby Stroger Hospital in good condition .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the South Side .
He was sitting in the backyard of a home about 3 p.m. in the 7000 block of South Yale Avenue when he heard shots and felt pain , police said .
He was struck in the buttocks , left side , and leg and transported to the University of Chicago Medical Center in serious condition .
Read more on crime , and track the city ’ s homicides .

Nine people were shot Wednesday in Chicago, including two people shot to death in Lawndale on the West Side.
Just before 8 p.m., people inside a westbound Chevrolet fired shots toward a Kia in the 4300 block of West Roosevelt Road, Chicago police said.
The Kia eventually veered off the road and crashed into a fixed object, while the Chevy continued west and crashed into another vehicle in the 5800 block of West Roosevelt Road. Four people fled from the Chevy and were not caught.
Kiondria Richards, 21, of Dolton, and Nautica Banks, 23, of Lawndale, were killed, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
Another woman in the Kia, 23, was shot in the buttocks. She was also hurt in the crash and taken to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, where she was in critical condition. A 25-year-old man in the Kia was in good condition at the same hospital with injuries sustained from the crash.
In other shootings, a 33-year-old man was shot in a drive-by in Lawndale on the West Side. He was inside a parked vehicle about 10:50 p.m. in the 3600 block of West 16th Street, when someone inside a passing vehicle fired shots at him, police said. He was struck in the right arm and taken to Mt. Sinai Hospital in serious condition.
Minutes prior, a 37-year-old man was shot inside an apartment Wednesday in Woodlawn on the South Side. He was inside an apartment in the 6100 block of South Kimbark Avenue about 10:15 p.m., when someone he knew fired shots at him after an argument, police said.
The man was struck in the back and right arm and taken to University of Chicago Hospital in good condition.
A teenage boy was wounded in a shooting in West Rogers Park on the North Side. The boy, 16, was walking through an alley about 9:35 p.m. in the 2500 block of West Devon Avenue, when someone fired shots, striking him in the buttocks, police said.
The boy was taken to St. Francis Hospital in Evanston, where he was in fair condition.
A teenage boy was shot in the Tri-Taylor neighborhood on the Near West Side. Someone in a dark-colored vehicle fired shots at the 17-year-old about 5:45 p.m. as he stood outside in the 500 block of South Oakley Boulevard, police said. The boy was struck in the foot and taken to nearby Stroger Hospital in good condition.
A 40-year-old man was shot in Englewood on the South Side. He was sitting in the backyard of a home about 3 p.m. in the 7000 block of South Yale Avenue when he heard shots and felt pain, police said. He was struck in the buttocks, left side, and leg and transported to the University of Chicago Medical Center in serious condition.
Nine people were shot Tuesday citywide.
Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.


chicagosun-times--2020-12-02--Horoscope for Thursday, Dec. 3, 2020

Horoscope for Thursday, Dec. 3, 2020

There are no restrictions to shopping or important decisions .
The moon is in Cancer .
This is a good day to retire by yourself to your home or someplace where you feel you are sheltered in your own private refuge .
You might feel possessive about something .
You might also be involved with a female family member .
In conversation with others , you want to get down to the nitty-gritty .
You don ’ t want to waste your time on superficial chitchat that is relatively meaningless .
( Chitchat used to be about the weather , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ casual topic . )
Today you might be concerned about values .
This is why you might have a strong attachment to something and not want to lend it to anyone .
Or you might have to defend yourself in areas where there is really nothing at stake .
( Like what ’ s with that ? )
Once again , the moon is in your sign , which gives you a strong need to belong and relate to others .
It also makes you sensitive to the feelings and moods of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sympathetic if someone needs your support .
Although this is a playful time , today , like yesterday , you will guard your privacy .
If possible , you will seek out seclusion in a pleasant place .
You ’ ll be like Greta Garbo , “ I vant to be alone.
” ( Actually , she denied this and said what she did say was , “ I want to be let alone.
” ) This is a good day for a heart-to-heart talk about your goals .
How can you make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have dreams if you don ’ t try ?
Meanwhile , disputes about inheritances and shared property might be a drag .
For the second day in a row , you are high visibility .
Resist the urge to have a public fight with someone because you will regret it .
( But someone might annoy you . )
Instead , focus on how to attract money and boost your earnings , because you can do this .
If you can ’ t travel , then travel through books , the internet or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ places and distant lands , which will give you a sense of expanding your world because this is what you want to do .
You want to reach out beyond your velvet rut .
Today you might be thinking about financial speculation or gambling because you are a gambler at heart .
In other words , you ’ re willing to take a chance .
If things look good , this could be a favorable time because your ruler lucky Jupiter is in your money house .
For the second day in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sign , which means you have to accommodate others .
Don ’ t worry .
In two weeks , the moon will be in your sign and others have to accommodate you !
Until then , be nice .
( You always are . )
Give thought to daily details about hygiene , matters with pets , getting organized , health-related issues — all that sort of stuff .
Get some of these details out of the way so that you are freed up to do what you really want to do .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , you need floss . )
You continue to look great in the eyes of others while the sun is at the top of your chart .
This means this is the best time of the year to go after what you want .
Demand the advantage !
Meanwhile , take some time out to play and have fun .
If Your Birthday Is Today Actress , comedian , author Tiffany Haddish ( 1979 ) shares your birthday .
You are loyal to others .
Even though you value security , you ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing .
You have strong opinions .
Lucky you !
You have a fun-loving year ahead !
Expect increased popularity and warm friendships .
Gratitude will be a theme because you will appreciate the everyday joys and beauty around you .
This year is the time for an important choice .
Choose wisely .

Moon Alert
There are no restrictions to shopping or important decisions. The moon is in Cancer.
Aries (March 21-April 19)
This is a good day to retire by yourself to your home or someplace where you feel you are sheltered in your own private refuge. You might feel possessive about something. You might also be involved with a female family member.
Taurus (April 20-May 20)
In conversation with others, you want to get down to the nitty-gritty. You don’t want to waste your time on superficial chitchat that is relatively meaningless. (Chitchat used to be about the weather, but the weather is no longer a casual topic.)
Gemini (May 21-June 20)
Today you might be concerned about values. This is why you might have a strong attachment to something and not want to lend it to anyone. Or you might have to defend yourself in areas where there is really nothing at stake. (Like what’s with that?)
Cancer (June 21-July 22)
Once again, the moon is in your sign, which gives you a strong need to belong and relate to others. It also makes you sensitive to the feelings and moods of the people around you. You will be sympathetic if someone needs your support.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)
Although this is a playful time, today, like yesterday, you will guard your privacy. If possible, you will seek out seclusion in a pleasant place. You’ll be like Greta Garbo, “I vant to be alone.” (Actually, she denied this and said what she did say was, “I want to be let alone.”)
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
This is a good day for a heart-to-heart talk about your goals. How can you make your dreams a reality? And why have dreams if you don’t try? Meanwhile, disputes about inheritances and shared property might be a drag.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
For the second day in a row, you are high visibility. Resist the urge to have a public fight with someone because you will regret it. (But someone might annoy you.) Instead, focus on how to attract money and boost your earnings, because you can do this.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
If you can’t travel, then travel through books, the internet or film. Talk to people from other places and distant lands, which will give you a sense of expanding your world because this is what you want to do. You want to reach out beyond your velvet rut.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
Today you might be thinking about financial speculation or gambling because you are a gambler at heart. In other words, you’re willing to take a chance. If things look good, this could be a favorable time because your ruler lucky Jupiter is in your money house.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
For the second day in a row, the moon is opposite your sign, which means you have to accommodate others. Don’t worry. In two weeks, the moon will be in your sign and others have to accommodate you! Until then, be nice. (You always are.)
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
Give thought to daily details about hygiene, matters with pets, getting organized, health-related issues — all that sort of stuff. Get some of these details out of the way so that you are freed up to do what you really want to do. (Hey, when you need floss, you need floss.)
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)
You continue to look great in the eyes of others while the sun is at the top of your chart. This means this is the best time of the year to go after what you want. Demand the advantage! Meanwhile, take some time out to play and have fun.
If Your Birthday Is Today
Actress, comedian, author Tiffany Haddish (1979) shares your birthday. You are loyal to others. Even though you value security, you’re not afraid to do your own thing. You have strong opinions. Lucky you! You have a fun-loving year ahead! Expect increased popularity and warm friendships. Gratitude will be a theme because you will appreciate the everyday joys and beauty around you. This year is the time for an important choice. Choose wisely.


chicagosun-times--2020-12-02--Teen boy shot in West Rogers Park

Teen boy shot in West Rogers Park

A teenage boy was wounded in a shooting Wednesday in West Rogers Park on the North Side .
The boy @ @ @ @ @ through an alley about 9:35 p.m. in the 2500 block of West Devon Avenue when @ @ @ @ @ him in the buttocks , Chicago police said .
The boy was taken to St. @ @ @ @ @ where he was in fair condition , police said .

A teenage boy was wounded in a shooting Wednesday in West Rogers Park on the North Side.
The boy, 16, was walking through an alley about 9:35 p.m. in the 2500 block of West Devon Avenue when someone fired shots, striking him in the buttocks, Chicago police said.
The boy was taken to St. Francis Hospital in Evanston, where he was in fair condition, police said.
Area Three detectives are investigating.


chicagosun-times--2020-12-02--Southbound Red Line trains running on elevated tracks between Fullerton and Cermak due to rubbish fi

Southbound Red Line trains running on elevated tracks between Fullerton and Cermak due to rubbish fire near Roosevelt

A Loop Red Line station filed with smoke Wednesday evening , disrupting Red Line service and sending southbound trains onto @ @ @ @ @ and Cermak-Chinatown stations officials said .
The smoke was caused by a rubbish fire before @ @ @ @ @ near 15th Street and Clark Street , according to the Chicago fire department .
Chicago @ @ @ @ @ the incident at the Roosevelt stop , and extinguished the fire about 6:10 p.m. About @ @ @ @ @ one Red Line train near 23rd Street .
There was moderate smoke at the Roosevelt @ @ @ @ @ reported , according to fire officials .
Service was initially suspended in both directions between @ @ @ @ @ for over an hour .
Howard-bound trains resumed their normal route about 8:35 p.m. , @ @ @ @


chicagosun-times--2020-12-03--‘Sound of Metal’: What one man feels, and hears, as he goes deaf

The film “ Sound of Metal ” starts with the uncomfortably loud noises of guitar feedback and ends two hours later with absolute silence .
The trip through those extremes is a worthy one , if sometimes exasperating .
British actor and rapper Riz Ahmed absolutely shines as Ruben Stone , an American punk-metal drummer whose life is upended when he abruptly loses his hearing while on tour .
“ Eliminate all exposure to loud noises , ” a doctor advises Ruben .
That ’ s not so easy .
He ’ s a punk-metal drummer , after all .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ The diagnosis threatens Stone ’ s livelihood but also his four-year streak at sobriety .
His girlfriend and bandmate ( a superb Olivia Cooke ) convinces him to drive their Airstream across the country to a rehab facility that specializes in deaf addicts .
There he must leave her and learn how to be deaf .
And that ’ s where most films would usually end .
But that ’ s not what director and co-writer Darius Marder is after in his feature directorial debut .
Yes , there ’ s a discussion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the deaf community see them as a betrayal , but deafness isn ’ t what “ Sound of Metal ” is about .
It ’ s about belonging .
Marder , who wrote the screenplay with his brother , Abraham Marder , takes far too long to get to his points in a sluggish middle but has crafted a quite lyrical tale of a man trying to find his way when everything he knows is taken away .
Our hero ’ s backstory isn ’ t revealed until the 100-minute mark , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s churning in his interior life .
But Ahmed is a revelation , another notch for a rising star .
Watching his character take in and process information is riveting .
Listening to him lost in silence and despairing with his big , expressive eyes is devastating .
“ Sound of Metal ” is also the first film you ’ ll see where you ’ ll want to instantly find out who oversaw the sound design .
That would be Nicolas Becker .
His team jumps in and out of the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distortions and muffles in the twilight between those worlds that feel just out of reach .
The film has been subtitled so it can be experienced by both the hearing and deaf communities .
At the rehab facility , our drummer goes through the difficult process of rebuilding his life .
Without a language in the deaf world , he is doubly lost .
He learns American Sign Language with deaf elementary school kids and becomes a sort of big brother to them .
He also becomes a helpful part of the adult @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the demands of the facility owner ( a terrific Paul Raci ) to sit every day with a pen and paper and write his feelings out .
Ruben seems to have found his way .
“ You ’ ve become very important to a lot of people around here , ” the rehab head tells him .
But Ruben is really an undercover agent — he hasn ’ t given up on the world of the hearing .
The film has another , unexpected chapter , one set in Paris and , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seamlessly attached .
Reunited with his girlfriend , Ruben now has to decide where he really fits .
And if he can just enjoy the silence .

The film “Sound of Metal” starts with the uncomfortably loud noises of guitar feedback and ends two hours later with absolute silence. The trip through those extremes is a worthy one, if sometimes exasperating.
British actor and rapper Riz Ahmed absolutely shines as Ruben Stone, an American punk-metal drummer whose life is upended when he abruptly loses his hearing while on tour.
‘Sound of Metal’
Untitled Amazon Studios presents a film directed by Darius Marder and written by Darius Marder and Abraham Marder. Running time: 130 minutes. Rated R (for language and brief nude images). Available Friday on Amazon Prime
“Eliminate all exposure to loud noises,” a doctor advises Ruben. That’s not so easy. He’s a punk-metal drummer, after all. Loud noises is what he does.
The diagnosis threatens Stone’s livelihood but also his four-year streak at sobriety. His girlfriend and bandmate (a superb Olivia Cooke) convinces him to drive their Airstream across the country to a rehab facility that specializes in deaf addicts. There he must leave her and learn how to be deaf. And that’s where most films would usually end.
But that’s not what director and co-writer Darius Marder is after in his feature directorial debut. Yes, there’s a discussion of cochlear implants and how some in the deaf community see them as a betrayal, but deafness isn’t what “Sound of Metal” is about. It’s about belonging.
Marder, who wrote the screenplay with his brother, Abraham Marder, takes far too long to get to his points in a sluggish middle but has crafted a quite lyrical tale of a man trying to find his way when everything he knows is taken away.
Our hero’s backstory isn’t revealed until the 100-minute mark, and there are too few clues to what’s churning in his interior life. But Ahmed is a revelation, another notch for a rising star. Watching his character take in and process information is riveting. Listening to him lost in silence and despairing with his big, expressive eyes is devastating.
“Sound of Metal” is also the first film you’ll see where you’ll want to instantly find out who oversaw the sound design. That would be Nicolas Becker. His team jumps in and out of the world of hearing, creating scrapes, choppy distortions and muffles in the twilight between those worlds that feel just out of reach. The film has been subtitled so it can be experienced by both the hearing and deaf communities.
At the rehab facility, our drummer goes through the difficult process of rebuilding his life. Without a language in the deaf world, he is doubly lost. He learns American Sign Language with deaf elementary school kids and becomes a sort of big brother to them.
He also becomes a helpful part of the adult recovery group, drawing tattoos and following the demands of the facility owner (a terrific Paul Raci) to sit every day with a pen and paper and write his feelings out.
Ruben seems to have found his way. “You’ve become very important to a lot of people around here,” the rehab head tells him. But Ruben is really an undercover agent — he hasn’t given up on the world of the hearing.
The film has another, unexpected chapter, one set in Paris and, to be honest, it’s not seamlessly attached. Reunited with his girlfriend, Ruben now has to decide where he really fits. And if he can just enjoy the silence.


chicagosun-times--2020-12-03--Chicago cop charged with sexually assaulting teen, woman years before getting hired

A Chicago police officer is accused of sexually assaulting a high school student and a woman years before he was hired by the department .
Winford Neely , 39 , is charged with five felony counts of criminal sexual assault , according to a bond proffer prepared by Cook County prosecutors .
The earliest assault occurred in 2013 , when a 31-year-old woman , who is now 38 , met Neely on a dating app , prosecutors said .
He told her he was a Chicago police officer , but he was not at the time .
In July 2013 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ apartment in Oak Park .
The pair were having wine when Neely asked her to get him a glass of water , prosecutors said .
She went to the kitchen , leaving her glass unattended and out of sight .
When she sat back down on the couch she had a sip of wine and later started to feel disoriented and her vision became blurry , prosecutors said .
Neely then allegedly grabbed her and took her to his bed , where he allegedly sexually assaulted her .
The woman didn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the assault in September 2013 .
She filed a report with Chicago police on June 26 , 2019 , and the case was transferred to the Oak Park Police Department , prosecutors said .
Neely is also accused of assaulting a 21-year-old woman multiple times in 2014 when she was 15 years old , prosecutors said .
He was the victim ’ s basketball coach and a security guard at her high school at the time .
The first assault happened October 2014 when the girl was setting the gym up for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She was getting equipment from a closet when Neely allegedly walked up behind her and sexually assaulted her .
He allegedly assaulted her on school property on other occasions , prosecutors said .
The assaults continued three to four times a week until March 2015 , prosecutors said .
The girl didn ’ t report the attacks to police at the time but told a friend about them while she was in high school .
Neely left the school December 2017 after he was accepted into the Chicago police academy .
However , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ girl on social media until October 2020 , prosecutors said .
She filed a police report Sept. 24 , and the next day she received a friend request from Neely on Snapchat , prosecutors said .
“ There is an open investigation with the Bureau of Internal Affairs regarding this case .
If it ’ s determined the allegations are true , appropriate disciplinary action will be taken , ” police said in a statement .
Neely was released from custody Wednesday after posting bond , according to court records .
He is @ @ @ @ @ @ @

A Chicago police officer is accused of sexually assaulting a high school student and a woman years before he was hired by the department.
Winford Neely, 39, is charged with five felony counts of criminal sexual assault, according to a bond proffer prepared by Cook County prosecutors.
The earliest assault occurred in 2013, when a 31-year-old woman, who is now 38, met Neely on a dating app, prosecutors said. He told her he was a Chicago police officer, but he was not at the time.
In July 2013, the woman visited Neely’s apartment in Oak Park. The pair were having wine when Neely asked her to get him a glass of water, prosecutors said. She went to the kitchen, leaving her glass unattended and out of sight.
Winford Neely Chicago Police Department
When she sat back down on the couch she had a sip of wine and later started to feel disoriented and her vision became blurry, prosecutors said. Neely then allegedly grabbed her and took her to his bed, where he allegedly sexually assaulted her.
The woman didn’t immediately call police but told a friend about the assault in September 2013. She filed a report with Chicago police on June 26, 2019, and the case was transferred to the Oak Park Police Department, prosecutors said.
Neely is also accused of assaulting a 21-year-old woman multiple times in 2014 when she was 15 years old, prosecutors said. He was the victim’s basketball coach and a security guard at her high school at the time.
The first assault happened October 2014 when the girl was setting the gym up for a basketball game, prosecutors said. She was getting equipment from a closet when Neely allegedly walked up behind her and sexually assaulted her. He allegedly assaulted her on school property on other occasions, prosecutors said.
The assaults continued three to four times a week until March 2015, prosecutors said. The girl didn’t report the attacks to police at the time but told a friend about them while she was in high school.
Neely left the school December 2017 after he was accepted into the Chicago police academy. However, he made multiple attempts to contact the girl on social media until October 2020, prosecutors said.
She filed a police report Sept. 24, and the next day she received a friend request from Neely on Snapchat, prosecutors said.
“There is an open investigation with the Bureau of Internal Affairs regarding this case. If it’s determined the allegations are true, appropriate disciplinary action will be taken,” police said in a statement.
Neely was released from custody Wednesday after posting bond, according to court records. He is due back in court Dec. 23.


chicagosun-times--2020-12-03--A greener energy future for Illinois depends on a smarter way of approving ComEd rate hikes

Time was , we just wanted an electrical utility ’ s wires to bring reliable power to our homes at a reasonable rate .
Now , in an era of dangerous climate change , it ’ s no longer enough just to keep our lights and TVs on .
It ’ s important that power companies lead the way toward greater energy conservation , support for electric heat and vehicles and renewable energy .
They must ensure , as well , that all communities share in the jobs and contracts .
To get all that , Illinois needs a smarter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need a rate structure that places the incentives in all the right places .
We need a system that both keeps costs reasonable and rewards utilities for speeding Illinois toward a future of clean energy .
It should be a carrot-and-stick approach that rewards utilities for achieving important goals but also imposes significant penalties for failures to live up to promises .
Historically , utilities in Illinois had an incentive to spend as much money as they could , in general allowed by the state to set aside a percentage of every dollar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from skyrocketing , the state set up the Illinois Commerce Commission , staffed with experts who had to approve rate increases .
That changed in 2011 , a year of heavy storms , flooding and widespread electrical outages .
As part of an agreement to improve the reliability of the state ’ s electric power grid , ComEd — over then-Gov .
Pat Quinn ’ s veto — won the ability to impose “ formula rates ” through 2022 .
Formula rates , a part of the Energy Infrastructure Modernization Act , made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for electricity without going before the ICC .
ComEd then modernized its power grid , making it more reliable .
It also replaced old electric meters throughout the region with so-called smart meters .
But according to a report issued this week by the Illinois Public Interest Research Group , the smart meters have not delivered the promised benefits to consumers .
Instead , formula rates have proven to be a gold mine for ComEd while whacking ratepayers in the wallet , PIRG says .
Over eight years , ComEd ’ s authorized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ customers have been hit by a 37 % increase in the delivery portion of what they pay for power .
ComEd ’ s profits , according to the report , could reach $ 1 billion a year by 2023 .
ComEd has completed its grid improvements , but those formula rates will continue to run up your electric bill .
No wonder ComEd sought to make the formula rates permanent .
ComEd argues that formula rates delivered significant benefits to consumers .
But in the years since those rates were put in place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approved at a time when ComEd was mounting a bold , backroom influence campaign in the Legislature involving jobs , money and contracts .
In a deferred prosecution agreement reached with federal prosecutors , ComEd in August agreed to pay a $ 200 million fine .
On Wednesday , a confidant of Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan , former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore and two others pleaded not guilty to taking part in a scheme to channel money and jobs to Madigan allies in an effort to curry favor .
Madigan , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has emphatically denied playing any part in the scheme .
In August , Gov .
J.B. Pritzker said he wants to get rid of formula rates .
But that doesn ’ t mean Illinois necessarily would have to revert back to the old practice of having utility rate increases approved by the ICC , which has lost many of its most experienced staff members .
Public interest groups are pushing instead for a performance-based system of rate increases that better benefits all stakeholders , with stronger incentives for ComEd and its downstate counterpart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clean energy .
Pritzker has set a target for Illinois of 100 % clean energy by 2050 and 750,000 electric cars on Illinois roads by 2030 .
ComEd ’ s commitment — voluntarily or kicking and screaming — is essential to hitting those pro-environment goals in a way that is also pro-consumer .
Legislation to replace the formula rates has been languishing in the Legislature .
But Illinois desperately needs to charge up its efforts to meet renewable energy goals while containing costs .
That begins with a smarter way of overseeing rate @ @ @ @

Time was, we just wanted an electrical utility’s wires to bring reliable power to our homes at a reasonable rate.
Now, in an era of dangerous climate change, it’s no longer enough just to keep our lights and TVs on. It’s important that power companies lead the way toward greater energy conservation, support for electric heat and vehicles and renewable energy. They must ensure, as well, that all communities share in the jobs and contracts.
Editorials bug Editorials
To get all that, Illinois needs a smarter way to regulate utility rates. We need a rate structure that places the incentives in all the right places. We need a system that both keeps costs reasonable and rewards utilities for speeding Illinois toward a future of clean energy. It should be a carrot-and-stick approach that rewards utilities for achieving important goals but also imposes significant penalties for failures to live up to promises.
Historically, utilities in Illinois had an incentive to spend as much money as they could, in general allowed by the state to set aside a percentage of every dollar as pure profit. To keep rates from skyrocketing, the state set up the Illinois Commerce Commission, staffed with experts who had to approve rate increases.
That changed in 2011, a year of heavy storms, flooding and widespread electrical outages. As part of an agreement to improve the reliability of the state’s electric power grid, ComEd — over then-Gov. Pat Quinn’s veto — won the ability to impose “formula rates” through 2022. Formula rates, a part of the Energy Infrastructure Modernization Act, made it easier for ComEd to charge more for electricity without going before the ICC.
ComEd then modernized its power grid, making it more reliable. It also replaced old electric meters throughout the region with so-called smart meters. But according to a report issued this week by the Illinois Public Interest Research Group, the smart meters have not delivered the promised benefits to consumers.
Instead, formula rates have proven to be a gold mine for ComEd while whacking ratepayers in the wallet, PIRG says. Over eight years, ComEd’s authorized profits have risen by 47% while customers have been hit by a 37% increase in the delivery portion of what they pay for power. ComEd’s profits, according to the report, could reach $1 billion a year by 2023.
ComEd has completed its grid improvements, but those formula rates will continue to run up your electric bill. No wonder ComEd sought to make the formula rates permanent.
ComEd argues that formula rates delivered significant benefits to consumers. But in the years since those rates were put in place, we have learned that they were approved at a time when ComEd was mounting a bold, backroom influence campaign in the Legislature involving jobs, money and contracts. In a deferred prosecution agreement reached with federal prosecutors, ComEd in August agreed to pay a $200 million fine.
On Wednesday, a confidant of Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore and two others pleaded not guilty to taking part in a scheme to channel money and jobs to Madigan allies in an effort to curry favor. Madigan, who has been charged with no crime, has emphatically denied playing any part in the scheme.
Opinion Newsletter
In August, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said he wants to get rid of formula rates. But that doesn’t mean Illinois necessarily would have to revert back to the old practice of having utility rate increases approved by the ICC, which has lost many of its most experienced staff members.
Public interest groups are pushing instead for a performance-based system of rate increases that better benefits all stakeholders, with stronger incentives for ComEd and its downstate counterpart, Ameren, to move Illinois toward clean energy. Pritzker has set a target for Illinois of 100% clean energy by 2050 and 750,000 electric cars on Illinois roads by 2030.
ComEd’s commitment — voluntarily or kicking and screaming — is essential to hitting those pro-environment goals in a way that is also pro-consumer.
Legislation to replace the formula rates has been languishing in the Legislature. But Illinois desperately needs to charge up its efforts to meet renewable energy goals while containing costs. That begins with a smarter way of overseeing rate hikes by ComEd.
Send letters to letters@suntimes.com.


chicagosun-times--2020-12-03--With ‘The Godfather, Coda,’ Coppola revises ‘Part III’ for the better

In the years since the 1990 release of “ The Godfather Part III , ” Francis Coppola ’ s follow-up to his brilliant twin masterpieces of the early 1970s , the third chapter of the trilogy almost became a punch line — held up as the classic example of how even the greatest movie franchises often experience a steep decline when we get to Part III .
From the infamous casting decisions that saw Coppola ’ s inexperienced daughter Sofia taking over the role of Michael ’ s daughter Mary after Winona Ryder bowed out , and George Hamilton playing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s financial demands weren ’ t met , to Al Pacino ’ s unfortunate spiky buzz cut to the inevitable comparisons to two of the greatest films ever made , the deck was stacked against “ The Godfather Part III.
” No , it ’ s not in the same league as the originals — but the notion “ Godfather III ” was some sort of unmitigated bomb is nonsense .
It ’ s an uneven and at times meandering story , and the hard truth is Ms. Coppola ’ s earnest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but the film grossed the equivalent of $ 270 million in today ’ s dollars , was nominated for seven Academy Awards including best picture and received mixed-to-positive reviews , with the late Roger Ebert giving it three and a half stars in the Sun-Times , writing , “ ‘ It is , I suspect , not even possible to understand this film without knowing the first two , and yet , knowing them , ‘ Part III ’ works better than it should , evokes the same sense of wasted greatness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after the December 1990 premiere of “ The Godfather Part III , ” director/producer/co-writer Francis Ford Coppola and Paramount have released a restored and re-edited version with Coppola ’ s original title : “ Mario Puzo ’ s The Godfather , Coda : The Death of Michael Corleone.
” Having watched the original and the recut back-to-back , I found the new cut to be more cohesive and more impactful , including a final shot that proves less is often more when one is telling such an epic tale .
Coppola intended the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serves to sum up and bring closure to the original saga , and this recut to breathe new life into the picture .
He has achieved just that .
Set in 1979 , “ The Godfather , Coda ” still has the rich brown and gold sepia earth tones that permeated the entire franchise , but the restored version looks brighter and crisper .
The first major change in the timeline comes right off the bat ; whereas “ Part III ” opened with flashbacks to the killing of Fredo in “ Godfather @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before getting into a major storyline about Michael investing $ 600 million with the Vatican , “ Coda ” opens on Michael meeting with Archbishop Gilday ( Donal Donnelly ) , the head of the Vatican bank .
( This scene didn ’ t occur until the 40-minute mark of the original . )
This immediately establishes that “ Coda ” will be in large part about Michael ’ s desire to leave the crime world behind him once and for all , leading to the movie ’ s most quoted line : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out , they pull me back in !
” Coppola excised a scene with Michael receiving the Order of Saint Sebastian honor from the Catholic Church and goes straight to the reception , thus bringing about an earlier entrance for Andy Garcia ’ s pivotal character of Vincent Mancini , Sonny Corleone ’ s illegitimate son .
Other sequences were trimmed of extraneous exposition , reducing the total running time of the film from 2 hours and 43 minutes to 2 hours and 37 minutes .
Every time George Hamilton appears onscreen , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the great Robert Duvall , and though Coppola has slightly trimmed his daughter Sofia ’ s screen time , it ’ s still an unfortunately amateurish performance , especially when contrasted with the go-big-or-go-home method of Andy Garcia as her volatile cousin and love interest .
But Pacino and Diane Keaton as Kay , his ex-wife ( and the love of his life ) and the mother of his children , are magnificent together in some of the movie ’ s quietest and most effective moments .
And there ’ s something great @ @ @ @ @ @ @ performance as the violent mob boss Joey Zasa ; Mantegna performs his lines as if he ’ s onstage doing a play by his longtime collaborator David Mamet , e.g.
, when Mantegna as Zasa says in staccato fashion , “ Yes , it ’ s true , if anyone could say such a thing , he would not be a friend , he would be a dog.
” As Michael continues his tragedy-marred quest to free himself of his violent past while his nephew Vincent becomes increasingly like Michael ’ s brother @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” revels in its callbacks the first two films , from assassinations carried out against major , religious-themed events to the return of famed singer/actor Johnny Fontane ( Al Martino ) , who famously asked for Don Vito Corleone to help him get cast in a career-making movie in “ Godfather I ” and now returns to serenade Michael and his guests at the reception following Michael ’ s honor from the church , to the periodic appearances of oranges , always oranges , which almost always are a bad omen .
Perhaps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” is the ending , which Coppola has sculpted in a way that closes the curtain with more dignity and resonance .
The third “ Godfather ” movie will always be the third best “ Godfather ” movie , but Coppola ’ s new vision does slightly narrow what remains a fairly large gap .
A “ Godfather ” film that ’ s a distant third is still a “ Godfather ” film worth treasuring .

In the years since the 1990 release of “The Godfather Part III,” Francis Coppola’s follow-up to his brilliant twin masterpieces of the early 1970s, the third chapter of the trilogy almost became a punch line — held up as the classic example of how even the greatest movie franchises often experience a steep decline when we get to Part III.
‘Mario Puzo’s The Godfather, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone’
Untitled Paramount Home Entertainment presents a film directed by Francis Ford Coppola and written by Coppola and Mario Puzo. Rated R (for violence and language). Running time: 157 minutes. Opens Friday in theaters (where theaters are open) and available Dec. 8 on Blu-ray and on demand.
From the infamous casting decisions that saw Coppola’s inexperienced daughter Sofia taking over the role of Michael’s daughter Mary after Winona Ryder bowed out, and George Hamilton playing the Corleone family consigliere when Robert Duvall’s financial demands weren’t met, to Al Pacino’s unfortunate spiky buzz cut to the inevitable comparisons to two of the greatest films ever made, the deck was stacked against “The Godfather Part III.”
No, it’s not in the same league as the originals — but the notion “Godfather III” was some sort of unmitigated bomb is nonsense. It’s an uneven and at times meandering story, and the hard truth is Ms. Coppola’s earnest but flat performance was a major distraction, but the film grossed the equivalent of $270 million in today’s dollars, was nominated for seven Academy Awards including best picture and received mixed-to-positive reviews, with the late Roger Ebert giving it three and a half stars in the Sun-Times, writing, “ ‘It is, I suspect, not even possible to understand this film without knowing the first two, and yet, knowing them, ‘Part III’ works better than it should, evokes the same sense of wasted greatness, of misdirected genius.”
Thirty years after the December 1990 premiere of “The Godfather Part III,” director/producer/co-writer Francis Ford Coppola and Paramount have released a restored and re-edited version with Coppola’s original title: “Mario Puzo’s The Godfather, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone.” Having watched the original and the recut back-to-back, I found the new cut to be more cohesive and more impactful, including a final shot that proves less is often more when one is telling such an epic tale. Coppola intended the third film to be an epilogue that serves to sum up and bring closure to the original saga, and this recut to breathe new life into the picture. He has achieved just that.
Set in 1979, “The Godfather, Coda” still has the rich brown and gold sepia earth tones that permeated the entire franchise, but the restored version looks brighter and crisper. The first major change in the timeline comes right off the bat; whereas “Part III” opened with flashbacks to the killing of Fredo in “Godfather II” and took a long wind-up before getting into a major storyline about Michael investing $600 million with the Vatican, “Coda” opens on Michael meeting with Archbishop Gilday (Donal Donnelly), the head of the Vatican bank. (This scene didn’t occur until the 40-minute mark of the original.) This immediately establishes that “Coda” will be in large part about Michael’s desire to leave the crime world behind him once and for all, leading to the movie’s most quoted line: “Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!”
Coppola excised a scene with Michael receiving the Order of Saint Sebastian honor from the Catholic Church and goes straight to the reception, thus bringing about an earlier entrance for Andy Garcia’s pivotal character of Vincent Mancini, Sonny Corleone’s illegitimate son. Other sequences were trimmed of extraneous exposition, reducing the total running time of the film from 2 hours and 43 minutes to 2 hours and 37 minutes.
Every time George Hamilton appears onscreen, we can’t help but miss the great Robert Duvall, and though Coppola has slightly trimmed his daughter Sofia’s screen time, it’s still an unfortunately amateurish performance, especially when contrasted with the go-big-or-go-home method of Andy Garcia as her volatile cousin and love interest. But Pacino and Diane Keaton as Kay, his ex-wife (and the love of his life) and the mother of his children, are magnificent together in some of the movie’s quietest and most effective moments. And there’s something great and offbeat about Joe Mantegna’s performance as the violent mob boss Joey Zasa; Mantegna performs his lines as if he’s onstage doing a play by his longtime collaborator David Mamet, e.g., when Mantegna as Zasa says in staccato fashion, “Yes, it’s true, if anyone could say such a thing, he would not be a friend, he would be a dog.”
The go-big-or-go-home acting of Andy Garcia contrasts with the amateurish work of novice Sofia Coppola, who plays his love interest. Paramount Home Entertainment
As Michael continues his tragedy-marred quest to free himself of his violent past while his nephew Vincent becomes increasingly like Michael’s brother Sonny, “The Godfather, Coda” revels in its callbacks the first two films, from assassinations carried out against major, religious-themed events to the return of famed singer/actor Johnny Fontane (Al Martino), who famously asked for Don Vito Corleone to help him get cast in a career-making movie in “Godfather I” and now returns to serenade Michael and his guests at the reception following Michael’s honor from the church, to the periodic appearances of oranges, always oranges, which almost always are a bad omen.
Perhaps the most significant change in “Coda” is the ending, which Coppola has sculpted in a way that closes the curtain with more dignity and resonance. The third “Godfather” movie will always be the third best “Godfather” movie, but Coppola’s new vision does slightly narrow what remains a fairly large gap. A “Godfather” film that’s a distant third is still a “Godfather” film worth treasuring.


chicagosun-times--2020-12-03--Last call for Fast Eddie

Last call for Fast Eddie

Edward R. “ Fast Eddie ” Vrdolyak has lost a step , and Friday he may learn whether he will lose his freedom as well .
For the second time in a decade , Vrdolyak is scheduled to go before a federal judge for sentencing , and the question at hand is much the same as it was the first : What ’ s the right way to deal with an old crook ?
Should the soon-to-be 83-year-old be sent back to prison for a couple years in recognition of his longstanding disregard for the law , as prosecutors ask @ @ @ @ @ @ @ completely because of his age and infirmity , as his own lawyers plead ?
Either way , it ’ s a sad finish for the charismatic rogue once considered untouchable because of his ability to stay one step ahead of the law while engaged in one shady deal after another as a leading member of the Chicago City Council and chairman of the then-powerful Cook County Democratic Party .
What tripped up Vrdolyak this time was possibly the sweetest score of his career , finagling a piece of Illinois ’ giant class action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ date has paid him more than $ 12 million .
How exactly he managed that without actually working on the case remains unclear , despite pages and pages of documents filed by both sides offering partial explanations of how a Seattle lawyer , hired by then-Attorney General Jim Ryan to represent the state , gave Vrdolyak a 10 % cut .
That ’ s really all I ’ ve ever wanted from this case , not another pound of flesh but the truth of how he pulled it off , in Vrdolyak ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m not expecting it to emerge at sentencing .
The great irony is Vrdolyak was never charged with taking the money .
Hell , he even paid taxes on it all along .
His mistake was in failing to respond honestly to an IRS levy trying to recover funds from a co-conspirator , Daniel Soso , who was trying to avoid paying taxes on his share of the fee Vrdolyak was splitting with him .
Vrdolyak got too cute in his efforts to mislead the IRS — and ended up pleading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evasion .
Now Judge Robert Dow controls his fate .
Before Dow passes sentence , the lawyers are expected to clash over whether Vrdolyak has truly accepted responsibility for his crime and whether his fee deal was “ secret , ” as prosecutors allege .
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic , Vrdolyak will not appear in court in person but instead by video conference .
Vrdolyak ’ s lawyers paint a bleak picture of his health and argue prison would be a death sentence for him , especially during the pandemic .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which has not progressed to the point of requiring treatment but must be closely monitored and may already be contributing to a loss of balance and memory .
Vrdolyak walks with a limp and has had several falls .
He also suffers from numbness in his hands and feet and can ’ t dress himself without assistance .
He even has trouble holding a book and turning the pages .
On top of all that , they report he ’ s experiencing increased signs of cognitive impairment and dementia .
Federal prosecutors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vrdolyak ’ s health problems , but say the U.S. Bureau of Prisons is equipped to handle them .
They also say this is what happens when senior citizens continue to commit crimes .
The only allowance they make is for the pandemic : suggesting Vrdolyak be allowed to wait to report to prison until after a vaccine is widely available next year .
Aside from the weightier issues at hand , defense lawyers are asking the judge to strike a reference in his presentence report to Fast Eddie being Vrdolyak ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ unsolicited moniker concocted by the media many years ago , ” not a true alias .
I ’ ve watched young reporters who never saw Vrdolyak at his zenith struggle these days to explain the man and the nickname to new audiences .
But for those Chicagoans who saw him in action during his heyday when it could reasonably be argued he owned the city — or a good portion of it , certainly the judges — he simply was Fast Eddie .
While the nickname was indeed born of a newspaper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fostered with “ fast deals and fast politics , ” as a friend at the Tribune once wrote .
Vrdolyak was fast with his quips , fast with his putdowns , fast at figuring out the angles and fast at playing them — always on the lookout for a fast buck .
It ’ s a shame the judge can ’ t just sentence Vrdolyak to sit in a courtroom for a month and tell truths about Chicago politics , answering questions about the schemes he ’ s schemed and the deals he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be justice .

Edward R. “Fast Eddie” Vrdolyak has lost a step, and Friday he may learn whether he will lose his freedom as well.
For the second time in a decade, Vrdolyak is scheduled to go before a federal judge for sentencing, and the question at hand is much the same as it was the first:
What’s the right way to deal with an old crook?
Should the soon-to-be 83-year-old be sent back to prison for a couple years in recognition of his longstanding disregard for the law, as prosecutors ask, or should he be spared prison completely because of his age and infirmity, as his own lawyers plead?
Either way, it’s a sad finish for the charismatic rogue once considered untouchable because of his ability to stay one step ahead of the law while engaged in one shady deal after another as a leading member of the Chicago City Council and chairman of the then-powerful Cook County Democratic Party.
What tripped up Vrdolyak this time was possibly the sweetest score of his career, finagling a piece of Illinois’ giant class action settlement against tobacco companies, which to date has paid him more than $12 million.
Opinion bug Opinion
How exactly he managed that without actually working on the case remains unclear, despite pages and pages of documents filed by both sides offering partial explanations of how a Seattle lawyer, hired by then-Attorney General Jim Ryan to represent the state, gave Vrdolyak a 10% cut.
That’s really all I’ve ever wanted from this case, not another pound of flesh but the truth of how he pulled it off, in Vrdolyak’s own words. And sadly, I’m not expecting it to emerge at sentencing.
The great irony is Vrdolyak was never charged with taking the money. Hell, he even paid taxes on it all along.
His mistake was in failing to respond honestly to an IRS levy trying to recover funds from a co-conspirator, Daniel Soso, who was trying to avoid paying taxes on his share of the fee Vrdolyak was splitting with him.
Vrdolyak got too cute in his efforts to mislead the IRS — and ended up pleading guilty to aiding Soso in his tax evasion. Now Judge Robert Dow controls his fate.
Before Dow passes sentence, the lawyers are expected to clash over whether Vrdolyak has truly accepted responsibility for his crime and whether his fee deal was “secret,” as prosecutors allege.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Vrdolyak will not appear in court in person but instead by video conference.
Vrdolyak’s lawyers paint a bleak picture of his health and argue prison would be a death sentence for him, especially during the pandemic.
He has a brain tumor, they say, which has not progressed to the point of requiring treatment but must be closely monitored and may already be contributing to a loss of balance and memory.
Vrdolyak walks with a limp and has had several falls. He also suffers from numbness in his hands and feet and can’t dress himself without assistance. He even has trouble holding a book and turning the pages.
On top of all that, they report he’s experiencing increased signs of cognitive impairment and dementia.
Federal prosecutors don’t dispute the extent of Vrdolyak’s health problems but say the U.S. Bureau of Prisons is equipped to handle them. They also say this is what happens when senior citizens continue to commit crimes.
The only allowance they make is for the pandemic: suggesting Vrdolyak be allowed to wait to report to prison until after a vaccine is widely available next year.
Aside from the weightier issues at hand, defense lawyers are asking the judge to strike a reference in his presentence report to Fast Eddie being Vrdolyak’s “alias.”
They call it an “unsolicited moniker concocted by the media many years ago,” not a true alias.
I’ve watched young reporters who never saw Vrdolyak at his zenith struggle these days to explain the man and the nickname to new audiences.
But for those Chicagoans who saw him in action during his heyday when it could reasonably be argued he owned the city — or a good portion of it, certainly the judges — he simply was Fast Eddie.
While the nickname was indeed born of a newspaper headline, it was an image Vrdolyak fostered with “fast deals and fast politics,” as a friend at the Tribune once wrote.
Vrdolyak was fast with his quips, fast with his putdowns, fast at figuring out the angles and fast at playing them — always on the lookout for a fast buck.
It’s a shame the judge can’t just sentence Vrdolyak to sit in a courtroom for a month and tell truths about Chicago politics, answering questions about the schemes he’s schemed and the deals he’s done — and with whom.
That would be justice.


chicagosun-times--2020-12-03--Man fatally struck by pickup in West Rogers Park

A man died after being struck by a vehicle Wednesday in West Rogers Park .
A 64-year-old man was backing @ @ @ @ @ about 12:09 p.m. in the 2700 block of West Jarvis Avenue when he struck the @ @ @ @ @ .
The man was taken to St. Francis Hospital in Evanston , where he was @ @ @ @ @ .
He was identified as Michael Guzman of Humboldt Park , the Cook County medical @ @ @ @ @ .
An autopsy found he died of multiple injuries from the collision and ruled his @ @ @ @

A man died after being struck by a vehicle Wednesday in West Rogers Park.
A 64-year-old man was backing up in a pickup truck about 12:09 p.m. in the 2700 block of West Jarvis Avenue when he struck the 31-year-old, Chicago police said.
The man was taken to St. Francis Hospital in Evanston, where he was pronounced dead, police said.
He was identified as Michael Guzman of Humboldt Park, the Cook County medical examiner’s office said. An autopsy found he died of multiple injuries from the collision and ruled his death an accident.
CPD’s Major Accidents Unit is investigating.