chicagosun-times--2020-09-04--Federal task force kills Portland shooting suspect at arrest

LACEY , Wash. — A man suspected of fatally shooting a supporter of a right-wing group in Portland , Oregon , last week after a caravan of Donald Trump backers rode through downtown was killed Thursday as investigators moved in to arrest him , the U.S .
Marshals Service said Friday .
The man , Michael Forest Reinoehl , 48 , was killed as a federal task force attempted to apprehend him in Lacey , Washington , about 120 miles north of Portland .
Reinoehl was the prime suspect in the killing of 39-year-old Aaron “ Jay ” Danielson , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ night , a senior Justice Department official told The Associated Press .
Federal agents from the FBI and the U.S .
Marshals Service had located Reinoehl on Thursday after a warrant was issued for his arrest .
During the encounter , Reinoehl was shot by a law enforcement officer who was working on the federal task force , the official said .
The official could not discuss the matter publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity .
The official said Reinoehl had pulled a gun during the encounter .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indicate the suspect produced a firearm .
The U.S .
Marshals Service fugitive task forces , comprised of deputy marshals , other federal agents and local law enforcement officers from a variety of agencies , are responsible for apprehending violent felons and other wanted suspects .
Thurston County Sheriff ’ s Lt. Ray Brady said four members of the fugitive task force fired their weapons , including two Pierce County Sheriff ’ s deputies , an officer from the Lakewood Police Department and an officer from the Washington State Department of Corrections .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ determined how many rounds were fired .
The suspect was alone at the time of the shooting , Brady said , with no children or other people present .
Brady said he doesn ’ t think the suspect lived at the address where he was shot , and it ’ s not clear what brought him to Lacey .
“ We don ’ t know that specifically yet , ” Brady said .
“ I do not believe that was his residence.
” Reinoehl had described himself in a social media post as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the tactics of counter-protesters amounted to “ warfare , ” and had been shot at one protest and cited for having a gun at another .
He had been been a regular presence at anti-racism demonstrations in Portland .
Police on July 5 cited Reinoehl on allegations of possessing a loaded gun in a public place , resisting arrest and interfering with police .
On July 26 , Reinoehl was shot near his elbow after he got involved in a scuffle between an armed white man and a group of young people of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the gun , Aaron Scott Collins , told The Oregonian/OregonLive that he and a friend had just left a bar when they saw the group harassing an older Black man .
His friend began filming them with a phone , and the group confronted them , calling them Nazis , he said .
Reinoehl later that day spoke to an AP videographer .
His arm was wrapped in a bloody bandage ; he said he was on his way to meet protest medics so they could change it .
He said he didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ altercation between Collins and the group , but that several people had decided to intervene when they saw Collins fighting with minors .
“ As soon as the adults jumped in , he pulled out a gun , ” Reinoehl said .
“ I jumped in there and pulled the gun away from people ’ s heads , avoided being shot in the stomach and I got shot in the arm.
” Reinoehl also was wanted on a warrant out of Baker County in Eastern Oregon , where court records show he skipped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in which he has been charged with driving under the influence of controlled substances , reckless driving , reckless endangerment and unlawful possession of a firearm .
Police said he drove on an interstate at up to 111 mph , with his daughter in the car , while racing his 17-year-old son , who was in a different vehicle .
Protests have erupted daily in the Pacific Northwest city since the killing of George Floyd .
With unruly demonstrations in Portland nearing the 100-day mark , Oregon Gov .
Kate Brown and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end to violence even as federal agents were continuing to arrest protesters who allegedly assaulted law enforcement officers .
“ The violence must stop , ” Brown wrote .
“ There is no place for white supremacy or vigilantism in Oregon .
All who perpetrate violent crimes must be held equally accountable.
” The statement does not single out the small minority of left-wing protesters who have been setting fires , vandalizing buildings and throwing objects at police .
But Brown ’ s spokesman , Charles Boyle , said it “ is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to violence in Portland and affirms that those who commit violent acts must be held accountable.
” Brown ’ s condemnation of violence was also signed by almost two-dozen state and local politicians , a host of organizations including the local NAACP chapter , and the city ’ s professional sports teams : the Trailblazers NBA team , the Timbers soccer team and the Thorns women ’ s soccer squad .
Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell has denounced protesters who broke windows and set a fire this week to a business in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lives .
Protesters are angry that Wheeler has not stopped officers from using batons and tear gas against Black Lives Matter protesters .
Wheeler now reportedly plans to move out of the building .
As of a week ago , 74 people were facing federal charges for crimes allegedly committed during demonstrations in Portland since at least May 29 , U.S. Attorney Billy Williams said .

LACEY, Wash. — A man suspected of fatally shooting a supporter of a right-wing group in Portland, Oregon, last week after a caravan of Donald Trump backers rode through downtown was killed Thursday as investigators moved in to arrest him, the U.S. Marshals Service said Friday.
The man, Michael Forest Reinoehl, 48, was killed as a federal task force attempted to apprehend him in Lacey, Washington, about 120 miles north of Portland. Reinoehl was the prime suspect in the killing of 39-year-old Aaron “Jay” Danielson, who was shot in the chest Saturday night, a senior Justice Department official told The Associated Press.
Federal agents from the FBI and the U.S. Marshals Service had located Reinoehl on Thursday after a warrant was issued for his arrest. During the encounter, Reinoehl was shot by a law enforcement officer who was working on the federal task force, the official said. The official could not discuss the matter publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.
The official said Reinoehl had pulled a gun during the encounter. The U.S. Marshals Service said initial reports indicate the suspect produced a firearm.
The U.S. Marshals Service fugitive task forces, comprised of deputy marshals, other federal agents and local law enforcement officers from a variety of agencies, are responsible for apprehending violent felons and other wanted suspects.
Thurston County Sheriff’s Lt. Ray Brady said four members of the fugitive task force fired their weapons, including two Pierce County Sheriff’s deputies, an officer from the Lakewood Police Department and an officer from the Washington State Department of Corrections.
Brady said investigators haven’t yet determined how many rounds were fired.
The suspect was alone at the time of the shooting, Brady said, with no children or other people present.
Brady said he doesn’t think the suspect lived at the address where he was shot, and it’s not clear what brought him to Lacey.
“We don’t know that specifically yet,” Brady said. “I do not believe that was his residence.”
Reinoehl had described himself in a social media post as “100% ANTIFA,” suggested the tactics of counter-protesters amounted to “warfare,” and had been shot at one protest and cited for having a gun at another.
He had been been a regular presence at anti-racism demonstrations in Portland.
Police on July 5 cited Reinoehl on allegations of possessing a loaded gun in a public place, resisting arrest and interfering with police.
On July 26, Reinoehl was shot near his elbow after he got involved in a scuffle between an armed white man and a group of young people of color. The man who was carrying the gun, Aaron Scott Collins, told The Oregonian/OregonLive that he and a friend had just left a bar when they saw the group harassing an older Black man. His friend began filming them with a phone, and the group confronted them, calling them Nazis, he said.
Reinoehl later that day spoke to an AP videographer. His arm was wrapped in a bloody bandage; he said he was on his way to meet protest medics so they could change it.
He said he didn’t know what had started the altercation between Collins and the group, but that several people had decided to intervene when they saw Collins fighting with minors.
“As soon as the adults jumped in, he pulled out a gun,” Reinoehl said. “I jumped in there and pulled the gun away from people’s heads, avoided being shot in the stomach and I got shot in the arm.”
Reinoehl also was wanted on a warrant out of Baker County in Eastern Oregon, where court records show he skipped a hearing related to a June case in which he has been charged with driving under the influence of controlled substances, reckless driving, reckless endangerment and unlawful possession of a firearm.
Police said he drove on an interstate at up to 111 mph, with his daughter in the car, while racing his 17-year-old son, who was in a different vehicle.
Protests have erupted daily in the Pacific Northwest city since the killing of George Floyd.
With unruly demonstrations in Portland nearing the 100-day mark, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown and other Democratic leaders on Thursday called for an end to violence even as federal agents were continuing to arrest protesters who allegedly assaulted law enforcement officers.
“The violence must stop,” Brown wrote. “There is no place for white supremacy or vigilantism in Oregon. All who perpetrate violent crimes must be held equally accountable.”
The statement does not single out the small minority of left-wing protesters who have been setting fires, vandalizing buildings and throwing objects at police. But Brown’s spokesman, Charles Boyle, said it “is a collective call to action for an end to violence in Portland and affirms that those who commit violent acts must be held accountable.”
Brown’s condemnation of violence was also signed by almost two-dozen state and local politicians, a host of organizations including the local NAACP chapter, and the city’s professional sports teams: the Trailblazers NBA team, the Timbers soccer team and the Thorns women’s soccer squad.
Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell has denounced protesters who broke windows and set a fire this week to a business in the upscale apartment building where Mayor Ted Wheeler lives. Protesters are angry that Wheeler has not stopped officers from using batons and tear gas against Black Lives Matter protesters. Wheeler now reportedly plans to move out of the building.
As of a week ago, 74 people were facing federal charges for crimes allegedly committed during demonstrations in Portland since at least May 29, U.S. Attorney Billy Williams said.


chicagosun-times--2020-09-04--5 dead, 7 wounded in Chicago shootings Thursday

Twelve people were shot , five of them fatally , across Chicago on Thursday .
The most recent killing happened shortly after 11:30 p.m. in Uptown .
A male was riding a bicycle on the sidewalk in the 1000 block of West Winona Street when someone started shooting at him , according to Chicago police .
He was taken to Illinois Masonic Medical Center , where he was pronounced dead .
Police said a weapon was recovered from the scene .
Another man was fatally shot while trying to commit a robbery less than two hours earlier in Park Manor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tried to rob a gas station with a shotgun about 9:50 p.m. in the 6700 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue when someone shot him in the back and face , police said .
He was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center , where he was pronounced dead .
Police said the person who fired the fatal shots has not been located .
The Cook County medical examiner ’ s office identified him as 55-year-old Tyrone Smith of Park Manor .
About 15 minutes before that , another person was killed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Officers responding to reports of shots fired about 9:35 p.m. found the male unresponsive with multiple gunshot wounds in the 3200 block of West 38th Place , according to police .
He was pronounced dead at the scene .
A white SUV was spotted speeding away from the area after the shots were fired .
Twenty minutes earlier , a man was shot to death and another was injured in South Shore .
Officers responded to a ShotSpotter alert about 9:15 p.m. and found the pair inside of a car that had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ block of South Jeffery Boulevard , police said .
Davion C. Wright , 18 , was struck multiple times in the chest and arm and taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center , where he was pronounced dead , authorities said .
The other man , 20 , was struck multiple times in the leg and taken to the same hospital in critical condition .
A teenage boy was shot to death about an hour earlier in West Garfield Park on the West Side .
Someone in a passing black Nissan Altima @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he stood outside with a group in the 4400 block of West Jackson Boulevard , police said .
The boy was struck in the neck and chest and pronounced dead at Stroger Hospital .
In nonfatal shootings , a 16-year-old girl was injured Thursday afternoon in Avalon Park on the South Side .
Paramedics responded to the shooting about 3:30 p.m. in the 7900 block of South Dante Avenue , according to Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford .
Police said the girl was involved in an altercation with a male who pulled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ striking her in the hip .
She was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center for treatment .
The latest shooting left a man wounded Thursday night by a friend who stole from his home in Old Town Triangle on the North Side .
The 29-year-old invited his friend inside his home in the 1700 block of North Sedgwick Street , police said .
When the friend took a purse and walked out , the man confronted him .
The friend pulled out a gun about 11:40 p.m. and shot the man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fled , while the man was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in good condition .
Earlier that night , another man was critically wounded in Gresham on the South Side .
The 20-year-old was shot in the back about 10:15 p.m. while he was on a porch in the 8100 block of South Bishop Street , police said .
He was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn in critical condition .
About an hour earlier , another man was shot in Wentworth Gardens on the South Side .
He was on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3800 block of South Wells Street when someone fired shots , police said .
The 20-year-old was struck in the knee and dropped off at Mercy Hospital .
Earlier that evening , another man was wounded in East Garfield Park on the West Side .
The 26-year-old was outside about 7:22 p.m. in the 700 block of North Sawyer Avenue when someone in a beige-colored vehicle fired shots , according to police .
He was shot in the chest , back and leg and taken to Stroger Hospital in critical condition .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after midnight in South Shore .
A 21-year-old man was shot at 12:01 a.m. in the 7000 block of South Oglesby Avenue , police said .
Someone rode up to him on a bike and shot him in the arm and chest after a brief conversation .
The man was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in critical condition .
On Wednesday , two people were killed and 10 others were injured by gun violence throughout Chicago .
Read more on crime , and track the city ’ s homicides .

Twelve people were shot, five of them fatally, across Chicago on Thursday.
The most recent killing happened shortly after 11:30 p.m. in Uptown.
A male was riding a bicycle on the sidewalk in the 1000 block of West Winona Street when someone started shooting at him, according to Chicago police. He was taken to Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. Police said a weapon was recovered from the scene.
Another man was fatally shot while trying to commit a robbery less than two hours earlier in Park Manor on the South Side.
The male tried to rob a gas station with a shotgun about 9:50 p.m. in the 6700 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue when someone shot him in the back and face, police said. He was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. Police said the person who fired the fatal shots has not been located.
The Cook County medical examiner’s office identified him as 55-year-old Tyrone Smith of Park Manor.
About 15 minutes before that, another person was killed in Brighton Park on the Southwest Side.
Officers responding to reports of shots fired about 9:35 p.m. found the male unresponsive with multiple gunshot wounds in the 3200 block of West 38th Place, according to police. He was pronounced dead at the scene. A white SUV was spotted speeding away from the area after the shots were fired.
Twenty minutes earlier, a man was shot to death and another was injured in South Shore.
Officers responded to a ShotSpotter alert about 9:15 p.m. and found the pair inside of a car that had crashed into a building in the 7600 block of South Jeffery Boulevard, police said. Davion C. Wright, 18, was struck multiple times in the chest and arm and taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, authorities said. The other man, 20, was struck multiple times in the leg and taken to the same hospital in critical condition.
A teenage boy was shot to death about an hour earlier in West Garfield Park on the West Side.
Someone in a passing black Nissan Altima shot the 17-year-old about 8:05 p.m. as he stood outside with a group in the 4400 block of West Jackson Boulevard, police said. The boy was struck in the neck and chest and pronounced dead at Stroger Hospital.
In nonfatal shootings, a 16-year-old girl was injured Thursday afternoon in Avalon Park on the South Side.
Paramedics responded to the shooting about 3:30 p.m. in the 7900 block of South Dante Avenue, according to Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford.
Police said the girl was involved in an altercation with a male who pulled out a gun and fired shots, striking her in the hip. She was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center for treatment.
The latest shooting left a man wounded Thursday night by a friend who stole from his home in Old Town Triangle on the North Side.
The 29-year-old invited his friend inside his home in the 1700 block of North Sedgwick Street, police said. When the friend took a purse and walked out, the man confronted him. The friend pulled out a gun about 11:40 p.m. and shot the man twice in the foot. The shooter fled, while the man was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in good condition.
Earlier that night, another man was critically wounded in Gresham on the South Side.
The 20-year-old was shot in the back about 10:15 p.m. while he was on a porch in the 8100 block of South Bishop Street, police said. He was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn in critical condition.
About an hour earlier, another man was shot in Wentworth Gardens on the South Side.
He was on the sidewalk about 9 p.m. in the 3800 block of South Wells Street when someone fired shots, police said. The 20-year-old was struck in the knee and dropped off at Mercy Hospital.
Earlier that evening, another man was wounded in East Garfield Park on the West Side.
The 26-year-old was outside about 7:22 p.m. in the 700 block of North Sawyer Avenue when someone in a beige-colored vehicle fired shots, according to police. He was shot in the chest, back and leg and taken to Stroger Hospital in critical condition.
The day’s first shooting happened just after midnight in South Shore.
A 21-year-old man was shot at 12:01 a.m. in the 7000 block of South Oglesby Avenue, police said. Someone rode up to him on a bike and shot him in the arm and chest after a brief conversation. The man was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in critical condition.
On Wednesday, two people were killed and 10 others were injured by gun violence throughout Chicago.
Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.


chicagosun-times--2020-09-04--Former high-ranking ComEd official charged in scheme to benefit House Speaker Mike Madigan

A former high-ranking ComEd official was charged with doling out money , jobs and contracts to benefit and curry influence with embattled Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan , according to a court document filed late Friday .
Fidel Marquez , who was ComEd ’ s senior vice president of governmental and external affairs from March 2012 to September 2019 , was charged in a criminal information , which indicates he intends to plead guilty .
Marquez also allegedly funneled $ 37,500 to a company not named in the criminal information for the benefit of associates of Madigan .
The criminal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but not charged — when federal prosecutors charged ComEd in a bribery scheme in July .
The feds said the company sent $ 1.3 million in total to Madigan ’ s associates , who wound up doing little or no work for the payments .
That came at a time when ComEd hoped to land Madigan ’ s support for legislation in Springfield worth more than $ 150 million to the utility .
Madigan has said publicly and repeatedly that he has done nothing wrong .
ComEd has struck a deferred prosecution agreement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bribery charge will be dropped if the utility abides by its agreement with the feds , including paying a $ 200 million fine .
This is a developing story .
Check back for more details .

A former high-ranking ComEd official was charged with doling out money, jobs and contracts to benefit and curry influence with embattled Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, according to a court document filed late Friday.
Fidel Marquez, who was ComEd’s senior vice president of governmental and external affairs from March 2012 to September 2019, was charged in a criminal information, which indicates he intends to plead guilty.
Marquez also allegedly funneled $37,500 to a company not named in the criminal information for the benefit of associates of Madigan.
Marquez could not immediately be reached for comment. A phone number listed for him in Chicago was disconnected.
Fidel Marquez is shown in 2011, when he was senior vice president of ComEd customer operations. Sun-Times file
The criminal information comes after Madigan was implicated — but not charged — when federal prosecutors charged ComEd in a bribery scheme in July. The feds said the company sent $1.3 million in total to Madigan’s associates, who wound up doing little or no work for the payments. That came at a time when ComEd hoped to land Madigan’s support for legislation in Springfield worth more than $150 million to the utility.
Madigan has said publicly and repeatedly that he has done nothing wrong. ComEd has struck a deferred prosecution agreement with prosecutors, which means that the bribery charge will be dropped if the utility abides by its agreement with the feds, including paying a $200 million fine.
ComEd spokeswoman Shannon Breymaier issued this statement Friday night: “We are not in a position to comment on specific matters related to this former ComEd executive or beyond what is in the statement of facts in ComEd’s deferred prosecution agreement.”
A spokeswoman for Madigan, asked to comment Friday night, sent an email with an earlier statement maintaining Madigan’s innocence in the ongoing case:
“The speaker has never helped someone find a job with the expectation that the person would not be asked to perform work by their employer, nor did he ever expect to provide anything to a prospective employer if it should choose to hire a person he recommended. He has never made a legislative decision with improper motives and has engaged in no wrongdoing here. Any claim to the contrary is unfounded.”
The court document outlining the bribery details against ComEd largely paints a picture of a lobbyist, Mike McClain, pressuring ComEd officials to give jobs, contracts and money to Madigan associates.
It alleges Madigan and McClain sought from ComEd jobs, contracts and money for various Madigan associates between 2011 and 2019, and that McClain acted on Madigan’s behalf.
The court documents in the case do not identify Madigan, or even McClain, by name. Rather, they refer to a “Public Official A” who serves as the speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives. The Sun-Times has separately identified McClain as the person identified in the documents as “Individual A.”
Madigan’s quiet but iron-fisted control over his chamber has earned him the nickname “The Velvet Hammer,” and lobbyists and fellow legislators frequently toss around the maxim, “Never bet against the speaker.” The 78-year-old harkens back to the days of the late Mayor Richard J. Daley, whom Madigan considers his mentor.
The criminal charge against ComEd followed more than a year of intrigue regarding the feds’ public corruption investigations and whether their work would ever touch Madigan. The new allegations against him became public as part of a deal ComEd struck with the U.S. Attorney’s office commonly known as a deferred-prosecution agreement. If ComEd abides by the terms of the three-year arrangement, the bribery charge filed against it is expected to be dismissed.
The agreement said ComEd will cooperate in the prosecutors’ investigations. The company pleaded not guilty to the bribery charge last month, at a judge’s request.
Madigan also is head of the Illinois Democratic Party. A spokeswoman for the party declined to comment on the latest developments Friday.
Contributing: Manny Ramos


chicagosun-times--2020-09-04--Police investigating fatal shooting in Gresham

Police are conducting a death investigation after a man was found with a gunshot wound Thursday Gresham on the South @ @ @ @ @ found unresponsive about 7:10 a.m. in an alley in the 7800 block of South Union @ @ @ @ @ .
He was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center where he was pronounced @ @ @ @ @ medical examiner ’ s office didn ’ t identify him , but an autopsy found @ @ @ @ @ a gunshot wound to the neck .
His death was ruled a homicide .
Police @ @ @ @ @ “ suspect hole in his face , ” but didn ’ t confirm if the @ @ @ @ @ a homicide .

Police are conducting a death investigation after a man was found with a gunshot wound Thursday Gresham on the South Side.
The man was found unresponsive about 7:10 a.m. in an alley in the 7800 block of South Union Avenue, Chicago police said. He was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.
The Cook County medical examiner’s office identified him as Michael Anthony Davis of Hazel Crest. An autopsy found the 66-year-old man died of a gunshot wound to the neck and ruled his death a homicide.
Police said the man has a “suspect hole in his face,” but didn’t confirm if the death was being investigated as a homicide.
Area Two detectives are investigating.


chicagosun-times--2020-09-04--Test reporting backlog leads to Illinois’ highest-ever daily COVID-19 caseload: 5,368 (LIVE UPDATES)

Public health officials on Friday blamed a slowdown in Illinois ’ coronavirus test reporting system for the state ’ s largest-ever batch of new COVID-19 cases reported in a single day : 5,368 .
The unprecedented caseload was confirmed among a whopping 149,273 tests reported by the Illinois Department of Public Health , the result of a backlog that officials say they discovered earlier this week .
Labs submit their test results electronically to the state every day , but the state ’ s data processing system began working “ slower than normal ” on Tuesday , according to Derek @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s testing team .
By the time the delay was cleared Thursday afternoon , a testing backlog of up to two days had piled up , Lindblom said .
“ Even a short delay of a day or a day and a half in processing will lead to a significant increase in test reporting , ” Lindblom said .
Friday ’ s daily case count soared past the previous high of 4,014 new cases reported at Illinois ’ initial height of the pandemic May 12 .
And the test count dwarfed the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported Aug. 22 .
7:03 p.m. Cook County sheriff and state prisons at odds over inmate transfers during the pandemic Aqueelah Ali should have been freed right away .
She ’ d served more time in the custody of the Cook County sheriff than her one-year sentence for driving drunk on a revoked license .
In the past , someone in her situation would immediately go through a one-day “ turnaround .
She ’ d be taken to a prison , fingerprinted , photographed and released by the Illinois Department of Corrections .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ County sheriff ’ s electronic-monitoring program , confined to home for more than two weeks .
Tuesday , the sheriff ’ s office sent the state prison system a stinging letter about her circumstances .
On Friday , Ali finally was transferred and processed out .
Brad Curry , chief of staff for Sheriff Tom Dart , said Illinois prison officials have put up roadblocks to transfers of people from county jails to the prison system .
In addition to seven turnaround inmates waiting to be processed by the state , 431 inmates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who should be in prison to start their sentences or because they violated parole , according to Curry .
4:16 p.m. Half of U.S. adults report some signs of depression in new survey Mental health therapists ’ caseloads are bulging .
Waiting lists for appointments are growing .
And anxiety and depression are rising among Americans amid the coronavirus crisis , research suggests .
In the latest study to suggest an uptick , half of U.S. adults surveyed reported at least some signs of depression , such as hopelessness , feeling like a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things .
That ’ s double the rate from a different survey two years ago , Boston University researchers said this week in the medical journal JAMA Network Open .
At Cityscape Counseling in Chicago , the new client caseload jumped from 95 to 148 over the past two months , said executive director Chelsea Hudson .
The group ’ s 17 therapists see about 500 clients a week , and Hudson said she has hired two more therapists to deal with the increased demand .
“ We see a lot of single @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s been especially tough on them .
The isolation , lack of connection , often enhances depression , ” she said .
Hudson said many clients are distressed about social justice issues .
With more free time , she said , they are paying more attention to the news , and Chicago has been hit by vandalism and protests over killings by police .
She said there is “ a general consensus in the mental health field on our need to be ready to brush up on our trauma training .
Right now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shock.
” Suburban Cook County worked its way off the “ warning level ” list that it had landed on a week earlier , but north suburban Lake County was added as the result of two “ risk indicators : ” a rate of 95 cases per 100,000 residents — over the target rate of 50 cases — and a sizable increase in COVID-19 deaths over the previous week .
Far southwest suburban Will County remained on the list a week after Gov .
J.B. Pritzker banned indoor dining in the region due @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kankakee County , its regional positivity is at 8.7 % The other “ warning level ” counties span Illinois but are largely clustered downstate : Boone , Bureau , Clinton , Coles , Cumberland , Edgar , Effingham , Fayette , Greene , Henry , Jasper , Jefferson , Jersey , Lake , Lawrence , Madison , McLean , Monroe , Pulaski , Randolph , Rock Island , Shelby , Stark , St. Clair , Union , Wabash , Warren and Williamson .
Read the full story from Mitchell Armentrout here .
11:06 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ able to enjoy while social distancing ?
What Chicagoans say .
As summer comes to an end , we asked Chicagoans : What activities have you been able to enjoy outside while respecting social distancing guidelines ?
Some answers have been condensed and lightly edited for clarity .
“ Exploring my community while walking my dog .
Reading and having tea on my balcony with my dog.
” — Sylvia Bridges “ Campfires and s ’ mores with friends in our back yard and hiking at the nature preserves .
Our kids went @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Melissa McGillivray Johnson “ My love and I go for lots of walks and little picnics in the parks .
We set up where we know there won ’ t be so many people walking past us .
I still don ’ t even sit on patios at restaurants .
Seats are normally too close together for my comfort.
” — April Lewis Read the full story from Alice Bazerghi here .
8:06 a.m. Stephanie Izard ’ s Girl & the Goat , other restaurants to lay off hundreds Celebrity chef Stephanie Izard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lay off hundreds of workers later this month , according to filings with the state of Illinois .
The layoff notices , required by state law , say 55 people will lose their jobs permanently at Izard ’ s flagship Girl & the Goat , with another 96 layoffs at spinoff diner/bakery Little Goat .
The Chinese restaurant Duck Duck Goat will shed 42 workers , and another 85 will be laid off by the company running her Cabra cevicheria as well as two other restaurants in the Hoxton hotel .
• Tom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who was the heart of Uthe Miracle Mets team , has died at 75 of lewy body dementia and COVID-19.S • Dwayne “ The Rock ” Johnson , wife and two daughters tested positive for COVID-19 .
• Public health officials on Thursday announced 1,360 more people have tested positive for the coronavirus in Illinois , marking the smallest daily caseload in more than three weeks amid a summertime resurgence statewide .
7:55 p.m. EDITORIAL : Trump ‘ October surprise ’ coronavirus vaccine will be a hard sell with a wary public For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine against COVID-19 could be available , in a best-case scenario , sometime early next year .
Now the Trump administration is signaling that a vaccine will be ready months before that .
But no matter how weary Americans surely are of this pandemic , we don ’ t expect many folks to breathe a sigh of relief and make plans to get a shot .
Instead , what we ’ re seeing is a lot of raised eyebrows about the news that Robert Redfield , head of the Centers for Disease Control @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governors asking them to fast-track plans to distribute a vaccine by Nov. 1 .
An “ October surprise ” vaccine ?
Ready to distribute two days before Election Day ?
The timing is just too perfect , coming as it does from a Trump administration that has badly botched its handling of this deadly pandemic from the start .
And , more telling yet , coming from a president who ’ s trailing in the polls just 61 days before the Nov. 3 election .
Read the full opinion from the CST Editorial @ @

Suburban Cook County worked its way off the “warning level” list that it had landed on a week earlier, but north suburban Lake County was added as the result of two “risk indicators:” a rate of 95 cases per 100,000 residents — over the target rate of 50 cases — and a sizable increase in COVID-19 deaths over the previous week.
Here’s what else happened in Chicago and around Illinois as officials and residents continued the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
News
8:57 p.m. Test reporting backlog leads to Illinois’ highest-ever daily COVID-19 caseload: 5,368
Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times file
Public health officials on Friday blamed a slowdown in Illinois’ coronavirus test reporting system for the state’s largest-ever batch of new COVID-19 cases reported in a single day: 5,368.
The unprecedented caseload was confirmed among a whopping 149,273 tests reported by the Illinois Department of Public Health, the result of a backlog that officials say they discovered earlier this week.
Labs submit their test results electronically to the state every day, but the state’s data processing system began working “slower than normal” on Tuesday, according to Derek Lindblom, head of the state’s testing team.
By the time the delay was cleared Thursday afternoon, a testing backlog of up to two days had piled up, Lindblom said.
“Even a short delay of a day or a day and a half in processing will lead to a significant increase in test reporting,” Lindblom said.
Friday’s daily case count soared past the previous high of 4,014 new cases reported at Illinois’ initial height of the pandemic May 12. And the test count dwarfed the state’s previous high of 56,766 tests reported Aug. 22.
Reporter Mitchell Armentrout has the full story.
7:03 p.m. Cook County sheriff and state prisons at odds over inmate transfers during the pandemic
Aqueelah Ali should have been freed right away. She’d served more time in the custody of the Cook County sheriff than her one-year sentence for driving drunk on a revoked license.
In the past, someone in her situation would immediately go through a one-day “turnaround. She’d be taken to a prison, fingerprinted, photographed and released by the Illinois Department of Corrections.
Instead, she remained in the Cook County sheriff’s electronic-monitoring program, confined to home for more than two weeks.
Tuesday, the sheriff’s office sent the state prison system a stinging letter about her circumstances. On Friday, Ali finally was transferred and processed out.
Brad Curry, chief of staff for Sheriff Tom Dart, said Illinois prison officials have put up roadblocks to transfers of people from county jails to the prison system. In addition to seven turnaround inmates waiting to be processed by the state, 431 inmates are in the sheriff’s custody who should be in prison to start their sentences or because they violated parole, according to Curry.
Reporter Frank Main has the full story.
4:16 p.m. Half of U.S. adults report some signs of depression in new survey
File photo.
Mental health therapists’ caseloads are bulging. Waiting lists for appointments are growing. And anxiety and depression are rising among Americans amid the coronavirus crisis, research suggests.
In the latest study to suggest an uptick, half of U.S. adults surveyed reported at least some signs of depression, such as hopelessness, feeling like a failure or getting little pleasure from doing things. That’s double the rate from a different survey two years ago, Boston University researchers said this week in the medical journal JAMA Network Open.
At Cityscape Counseling in Chicago, the new client caseload jumped from 95 to 148 over the past two months, said executive director Chelsea Hudson. The group’s 17 therapists see about 500 clients a week, and Hudson said she has hired two more therapists to deal with the increased demand.
“We see a lot of single young professionals. I think it’s been especially tough on them. The isolation, lack of connection, often enhances depression,” she said.
Hudson said many clients are distressed about social justice issues. With more free time, she said, they are paying more attention to the news, and Chicago has been hit by vandalism and protests over killings by police.
She said there is “a general consensus in the mental health field on our need to be ready to brush up on our trauma training. Right now people are still in a state of shock.”
Read the full story here.
3:07 p.m. Lake County added to “warning list” for coronavirus cases
Suburban Cook County worked its way off the “warning level” list that it had landed on a week earlier, but north suburban Lake County was added as the result of two “risk indicators:” a rate of 95 cases per 100,000 residents — over the target rate of 50 cases — and a sizable increase in COVID-19 deaths over the previous week.
Far southwest suburban Will County remained on the list a week after Gov. J.B. Pritzker banned indoor dining in the region due to soaring positivity rates. Along with Kankakee County, its regional positivity is at 8.7%
The other “warning level” counties span Illinois but are largely clustered downstate: Boone, Bureau, Clinton, Coles, Cumberland, Edgar, Effingham, Fayette, Greene, Henry, Jasper, Jefferson, Jersey, Lake, Lawrence, Madison, McLean, Monroe, Pulaski, Randolph, Rock Island, Shelby, Stark, St. Clair, Union, Wabash, Warren and Williamson.
11:06 a.m. What outdoor activities have you been able to enjoy while social distancing? What Chicagoans say.
As summer comes to an end, we asked Chicagoans: What activities have you been able to enjoy outside while respecting social distancing guidelines? Some answers have been condensed and lightly edited for clarity.
“Exploring my community while walking my dog. Reading and having tea on my balcony with my dog.” — Sylvia Bridges
“Campfires and s’mores with friends in our back yard and hiking at the nature preserves. Our kids went zip-lining for the first time.” — Melissa McGillivray Johnson
“My love and I go for lots of walks and little picnics in the parks. We set up where we know there won’t be so many people walking past us. I still don’t even sit on patios at restaurants. Seats are normally too close together for my comfort.” — April Lewis
Read the full story from Alice Bazerghi here.
8:06 a.m. Stephanie Izard’s Girl & the Goat, other restaurants to lay off hundreds
Celebrity chef Stephanie Izard’s four Chicago restaurants intend to lay off hundreds of workers later this month, according to filings with the state of Illinois.
The layoff notices, required by state law, say 55 people will lose their jobs permanently at Izard’s flagship Girl & the Goat, with another 96 layoffs at spinoff diner/bakery Little Goat.
The Chinese restaurant Duck Duck Goat will shed 42 workers, and another 85 will be laid off by the company running her Cabra cevicheria as well as two other restaurants in the Hoxton hotel.
Darel Jevens has the full report.
New Cases
Analysis & Commentary
7:55 p.m. EDITORIAL: Trump ‘October surprise’ coronavirus vaccine will be a hard sell with a wary public
For months, scientists have predicted that a vaccine against COVID-19 could be available, in a best-case scenario, sometime early next year.
Now the Trump administration is signaling that a vaccine will be ready months before that. But no matter how weary Americans surely are of this pandemic, we don’t expect many folks to breathe a sigh of relief and make plans to get a shot.
Instead, what we’re seeing is a lot of raised eyebrows about the news that Robert Redfield, head of the Centers for Disease Control, has sent a letter to all governors asking them to fast-track plans to distribute a vaccine by Nov. 1.
An “October surprise” vaccine? Ready to distribute two days before Election Day?
The timing is just too perfect, coming as it does from a Trump administration that has badly botched its handling of this deadly pandemic from the start. And, more telling yet, coming from a president who’s trailing in the polls just 61 days before the Nov. 3 election.
Read the full opinion from the CST Editorial Board.


chicagosun-times--2020-09-04--White Sox notebook: Good soldier Adam Engel making most of platoon with Nomar Mazara

After getting two more hits Thursday night , outfielder Adam Engel was back on the bench in favor of left-handed hitting Nomar Mazara against Royals right-hander Brady Singer on Friday night at Kauffman Stadium .
That ’ s hardly a surprising platoon , but Engel ’ s improvement can ’ t be ignored .
A career .215 hitter coming into the season , Engel is now hitting .290 in in 24 games ( 18-for-62 ) .
And while he ’ s hitting .364 against left-handers ( 8-for-22 ) , Engel also has improved against right-handed pitching .
He ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .201 against right-handers in 2019 .
But in a balanced White Sox lineup with plenty of power , he ’ s pretty much locked into a role position .
“ As a player on this team , you ’ ve got to be ready for anything — lefty , righty , it doesn ’ t matter to me , ” Engel , 25 , said .
“ I ’ m just going up there trying to have quality at-bats .
I get most of my time playing against lefties , so I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ m locked in on those days .
If I happen to face righties , I have an approach for righties as well .
“ Just going up there trying to help the team win any way I can .
As long as we ’ re winning games , I ’ ll face whoever it is .
It doesn ’ t matter to me.
” With Engel contributing , the White Sox are having a historic season against left-handed pitching .
After scoring six runs on seven hits against one-time nemesis Danny Duffy on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .303 against left-handers , which is second in baseball .
But their .954 OPS against lefties is off the charts — not only well ahead of the second-place Nationals ( .892 ) , but on pace for the best OPS vs. left-handers in modern baseball history .
The best recorded OPS against left-handed pitchers is .916 , by the 1922 Tigers , according to research via baseball-reference.com .
And that Detroit team only had 301 plate appearances against lefties .
Even through just 38 games , the White Sox already have 382 plate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ went 2-for-3 with a home run and a walk against Duffy and is hitting .486 ( 18-for-37 ) with six home runs and a 1.659 OPS against left-handed pitching this season .
Last year , Anderson hit .326 against left-handers , but with fewer homers ( five ) in 144 at-bats than he already has hit this season in 37 .
His explanation for that success was pretty simple .
“ That slider ’ s coming to me instead of going away from me .
So I ’ m able to lock in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ball ’ s coming from the left hand .
It ’ s not easier , but you can see it a lot better .
The White Sox struggled no matter where they played in Rick Renteria ’ s first three seasons , but they were especially bad on the road — 93-150 ( .383 ) .
They were 12-6 on the road this season — albeit without fans in the stands — heading into Friday night ’ s game .
That ’ s tied with the Indians ( 14-7 ) and Rays @ @ @ @ @ @ @ record in the American League .

After getting two more hits Thursday night, outfielder Adam Engel was back on the bench in favor of left-handed-hitting Nomar Mazara against Royals right-hander Brady Singer on Friday night at Kauffman Stadium.
That’s hardly a surprising platoon, but Engel’s improvement can’t be ignored. A career .215 hitter entering the season, Engel is now hitting .290 in 24 games (18-for-62). And while he has excelled against left-handed pitching, hitting .364 (8-for-22), Engel also has improved against right-handers. He’s hitting .250 (10-for-40) after hitting .201 against righties last season.
But in a balanced White Sox lineup with plenty of power, he’s become a role player.
“As a player on this team, you’ve got to be ready for anything — lefty, righty, it doesn’t matter to me,” Engel, 25, said. “I’m just going up there trying to have quality at-bats. I get most of my time playing against lefties, so I’m trying to make sure I’m locked in on those days. If I happen to face righties, I have an approach for righties as well.
“Just going up there trying to help the team win any way I can. As long as we’re winning games, I’ll face whoever it is. It doesn’t matter to me.”
Crushing lefties
With Engel contributing, the Sox are having a historic season against left-handed pitching. After scoring six runs on seven hits against one-time nemesis Danny Duffy on Thursday night, the Sox are hitting .303 against left-handers, which ranks second in baseball. But their .954 OPS against lefties is off the charts — not only well ahead of the second-place Nationals (.892), but on pace for the best OPS vs. left-handers in modern baseball history.
The best recorded OPS against left-handed pitchers is .916, by the 1922 Tigers, according to research via baseball-reference.com. And that Tigers team only had 301 plate appearances against lefties. Through just 38 games, the Sox already have 382 plate appearances vs. left-handers.
Anderson on a tear
Shortstop Tim Anderson went 2-for-3 with a home run and a walk against Duffy and is hitting .486 (18-for-37) with six home runs and a 1.659 OPS against left-handed pitching this season. Last year, Anderson hit .326 against left-handers, but with fewer homers (five) in 144 at-bats than he already has hit this season in 37.
His explanation for that success is pretty simple.
“That slider’s coming to me instead of going away from me. So I’m able to lock in,” Anderson said. “Obviously the ball’s coming from the left hand. It’s not easier, but you can see it a lot better.
Road warriors
The Sox struggled no matter where they played in manager Rick Renteria’s first three seasons, but they were especially bad on the road — 93-150 (.383). This year, they entered Friday’s game 12-6 — albeit without fans in the stands — third best in the AL.


chicagosun-times--2020-09-04--Botched police responses on domestic violence, mental health could put people in danger

If we can agree on anything regarding two tragic events that are roiling the nation , we can agree they started with a phone call for help .
In the case of Jason Blake , the 29-year-old Black man shot seven times by a white police officer in Kenosha , Wisconsin , two weeks ago , the call was to the police for a domestic-violence complaint .
In the case of Daniel Prude , 41 , a Chicago man who was visiting Rochester , New York , in March , the call was made by the man ’ s family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In both instances , the callers were in crisis mode .
Instead of getting help , these families were traumatized by policing strategies that failed .
Everyone with siblings knows that calling 911 on a brother or sister is a desperate move .
It is devastating when things go horribly wrong .
“ I placed a phone call for my brother to get help , not for my brother to get lynched , ” Joe Prude said after video of the incident was released this past week .
The shocking footage shows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” over his brother ’ s head and pinning him to the ground .
He died days later .
The Monroe County , New York , medical examiner ruled Daniel Prude ’ s death a homicide caused by “ complications of asphyxia in the setting physical restraint.
” It also found Prude had PCP , a powerful hallucinogen , in his system .
These days , police and firefighters are equipped with Naloxone to quickly reverse the respiratory depression from an opioid overdose that can cause death .
As the opioid crisis grew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ efforts to save lives .
But police encounters involving mental breakdowns , whether due to illness or drug use , are as dangerous as they have ever been .
In Rochester , Mayor Lovely A. Warren offered a heart-wrenching apology for what happened to Prude .
“ Mr .
Daniel Prude was failed by our police , our mental health system , our society and me , ” she said at a news conference Thursday .
Overlooked is the chilling effect these failures could have on families in crisis .
In the Kenosha @ @ @ @ @ @ @ herself as Blake ’ s fiancée ’ and the mother of the couple ’ s three children was nearly hysterical when she spoke to reporters after the police shooting .
“ You overused it .
That ’ s what you did .
You shot him numerous times for no reason .
It didn ’ t take all that , ” said the woman , identified by WTMJ-TV in Milwaukee as Laquisha Booker .
The couple ’ s three children , all boys under the age of 9 , were in the back seat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officer , Rusten Sheskey , shot Blake seven times .
Blake is now paralyzed from the waist down .
Antonia Drew Vann , director of The Asha Project , a domestic-violence prevention program specializing in African American and culturally specific services in Milwaukee , says what happened to Blake case could have wide ramifications .
“ What occurred in the Blake shooting validates Black and Brown victims of intimate-partner violence who are reluctant to call police because what they want is the violence to stop , ” Vann said .
“ They don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , father or their children killed .
They want the violence to stop , and they want him to be held accountable for it .
What [ this ] does , it increases the reluctance to involve the police , which can be dangerous for the victim.
” Carmen Pitre , president and CEO of Sojourner Family Peace Center , the largest domestic-violence prevention and intervention provider in Milwaukee , agreed but parsed her words .
“ You should not have to choose between making a call for your own safety and someone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” she told me .
Later , in a follow-up email , Pitre said : “ I do believe that the majority of law enforcement officers intervene in a way that is helpful for domestic-violence survivors .
It is absolutely critical that we work to end police brutality , as it erodes survivors ’ confidence in the systems intended to protect them.
” In the aftermath of such horrible events , police departments have to rethink their strategies for intervening in domestic-violence situations .

If we can agree on anything regarding two tragic events that are roiling the nation, we can agree they started with a phone call for help.
In the case of Jacob Blake, the 29-year-old Black man shot seven times by a white police officer in Kenosha, Wisconsin, two weeks ago, the call was to the police for a domestic violence complaint.
In the case of Daniel Prude, 41, a Chicago man who was visiting Rochester, New York, in March, the call was made by the man’s family to police for a mental health episode.
In both instances, the callers were in crisis mode.
Instead of getting help, these families were traumatized by policing strategies that failed.
Let’s start with Prude.
Everyone with siblings knows that calling 911 on a brother or sister is a desperate move. It is devastating when things go horribly wrong.
“I placed a phone call for my brother to get help, not for my brother to get lynched,” Joe Prude said after video of the incident was released this past week.
The shocking footage shows police officers putting a “spit hood” over his brother’s head and pinning him to the ground. He died days later.
The Monroe County, New York, medical examiner ruled Daniel Prude’s death a homicide caused by “complications of asphyxia in the setting physical restraint.” It also found Prude had PCP, a powerful hallucinogen, in his system.
These days, police and firefighters are equipped with Naloxone to quickly reverse the respiratory depression from an opioid overdose that can cause death. As the opioid crisis grew, so did the nation’s efforts to save lives.
But police encounters involving mental breakdowns, whether due to illness or drug use, are as dangerous as they have ever been.
Rochester Mayor Lovely A. Warren: “Mr. Daniel Prude was failed by our police, our mental health system, our society and me.” Getty Images
In Rochester, Mayor Lovely A. Warren offered a heart-wrenching apology for what happened to Prude. “Mr. Daniel Prude was failed by our police, our mental health system, our society and me,” she said at a news conference Thursday.
Overlooked is the chilling effect these failures could have on families in crisis.
In the Kenosha shooting, a young woman who identified herself as Blake’s fiancee and the mother of the couple’s three children was nearly hysterical when she spoke to reporters after the police shooting.
“You overused it. That’s what you did. You shot him numerous times for no reason. It didn’t take all that,” said the woman, identified by WTMJ-TV in Milwaukee as Laquisha Booker.
The couple’s three children, all boys under the age of 9, were in the back seat of the van when a Kenosha police officer, Rusten Sheskey, shot Blake seven times. Blake is now paralyzed from the waist down.
Antonia Drew Vann, director of The Asha Project, a domestic violence prevention program specializing in African American and culturally specific services in Milwaukee, says what happened to Blake could have wide ramifications.
“What occurred in the Blake shooting validates Black and Brown victims of intimate-partner violence who are reluctant to call police because what they want is the violence to stop,” Vann said. “They don’t want their husband, boyfriend, father or their children killed. They want the violence to stop, and they want him to be held accountable for it. What [this] does, it increases the reluctance to involve the police, which can be dangerous for the victim.”
Carmen Pitre, president and CEO of Sojourner Family Peace Center, the largest domestic-violence prevention and intervention provider in Milwaukee, agreed but parsed her words.
“You should not have to choose between making a call for your own safety and someone else getting hurt because of police intervention,” she told me.
Later, in a follow-up email, Pitre said:
“I do believe that the majority of law enforcement officers intervene in a way that is helpful for domestic-violence survivors. It is absolutely critical that we work to end police brutality, as it erodes survivors’ confidence in the systems intended to protect them.”
In the aftermath of such horrible events, police departments have to rethink their strategies for intervening in domestic-violence situations.


chicagosun-times--2020-09-04--Bears to name Mitch Trubisky starter

Bears to name Mitch Trubisky starter

Same as the old one .
After an offseason in which the Bears failed to make a bold move to fix their quarterback problem , they have decided on Mitch Trubisky their starter for Week 1 against the Lions , sources confirmed to the Sun-Times .
Trubisky beat out Nick Foles , for whom the Bears sent a fourth-round pick to the Jaguars .
The former Super Bowl MVP had experience with coach Matt Nagy ’ s offense and his new lieutenants : offensive coordinator Bill Lazor , quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo and offensive line coach Juan Castillo all teamed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say that Trubisky beat out the veteran would be a misnomer .
Neither appeared particularly sharp during a truncated , three-week training camp held at Halas Hall .
The Bears had hoped one would pull away from the other , but it never happened .
“ It is not easy , ” Nagy said Wednesday to describe the competition .
“ It ’ s not clear-cut.
” Trubisky is getting what could be his final opportunity with the Bears .
The team opted not to pick up his fifth-year option for 2021 in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ free-agent market at the end of the season .
How he performs this season will dictate whether he ’ ll be chasing starting jobs or backup roles .
In two seasons alongside Nagy , Trubisky has gone 19-10 , completing 615-of-950 passes for 6,361 yards with 41 touchdowns and 22 interceptions .
He did not make the leap expected of him last season , finishing with an 83.0 passer rating .
He had a 95.4 rating in 2018 .
Bears general manager Ryan Pace infamously traded up to draft Trubisky second overall in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as two quarterbacks he passed on have turned into superstars .
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes , a reigning Super Bowl champion , might be the face of the NFL .
The Texans ’ Deshaun Watson is considered one of the league ’ s brightest young signal-callers .
The two faced off in last year ’ s playoffs and will again in prime time Thursday night .

Meet the new Bears quarterback — same as the old one.
Mitch Trubisky, who watched the Bears decline his fifth-year option and trade for challenger Nick Foles this offseason, was named the starter Friday, sources confirmed to the Sun-Times.
When he takes the field the season opener Sept. 13 in Detroit, Trubisky will get likely his last chance to impact a franchise that traded up to draft him second overall in 2017 — infamously, ahead of both the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes, who has been both an NFL and Super Bowl MVP, and the Texans’ Deshaun Watson.
After declaring unwavering support during Trubisky’s first three seasons, general manager Ryan Pace — the man behind the draft-day swap — made his first public admission that he wasn’t the long-term answer this offseason. In March, he agreed to send the Jaguars a fourth-round pick for Foles, who restructured his contract into a three-year, $24 million deal. When Pace didn’t pick up Trubisky’s 2021 option, worth $24.8 million, in May, he set him toward free agency at the end of this season.
Many thought Pace didn’t go far enough in adding competition for Trubisky, who was one of the NFL’s worst quarterbacks last season. Among those with more than 100 attempts, he ranked 32nd in the league with an 83.0 passer rating. The Bears were bewildered at times by his decision-making.
Last year’s performance disappointed a franchise that expected him to make a significant leap in his second season alongside Nagy. In his first, Trubisky posted a 95.4 passer rating, good for 17th in the league. He went 11-3 and marched the Bears down the field in the final seconds of their playoff game against Foles’ Eagles, only for Cody Parkey to double-doink the game-winning field goal. He made the Pro Bowl, albeit as a replacement for the Super Bowl-bound Jared Goff.
In a tactical change from recent seasons, Nagy planned to play his quarterbacks in preseason games this year, believing it was the most fair way to pick a starter. Coronavirus concerns, though, scuttled all preseason games and shrunk training camp into two-and-a-half weeks of padded practice.
Trubisky spent the offseason working on his footwork and throwing motion, and getting his left shoulder — which limited his ability, and appetite, to run last year — surgically fixed. He threw with his teammates on empty high school fields in the spring while Foles and his pregnant wife were in Southern California.
To say that he beat out Foles during camp would be a misnomer. Neither was sharp.
The Bears had hoped one would pull away from the other, but it never happened.
“It’s not clear-cut,” Nagy said Wednesday.
The Bears’ self-described “open competition” was just that. They spent the preseason splitting reps precisely in half, ensuring each quarterback got the same number of throws on the same types of plays.
After camp ended Thursday, Nagy began a quarterback conclave inside Halas Hall. Alongside offensive coordinator Bill Lazor, quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo, passing game coordinator Dave Ragone and other assistants, he examined every throw the quarterbacks made in practice. Coaches picked apart not only their accuracy, but the reasoning behind every decision. .
Foles likely received the benefit of the doubt in the room — Nagy, Lazor and DeFilippo had all coached him at previous stops. Nagy hinted that history might not have quite as much sway, though, when he offered Thursday that he’d never been a play-caller while Foles was a starter.
Both Pace and Nagy said when they traded for Foles that the competition would make both quarterbacks better. There was no evidence it did. The Bears might have doomed themselves to the worst of both worlds, then — not only did each quarterback fail to distinguish himself, during camp, but Trubisky probably took fewer snaps than every other No. 1 quarterback in the NFL during the shortest, most abrupt preseason in modern NFL history.
That feels like a recipe for failure.
Nagy said Wednesday, though, that the influence one quarterback has on another is seen behind closed doors, but not necessarily on the practice field.
‘”What I think is that both quarterbacks in the meeting rooms, off-the-field, relationship-wise, they’re making each other better, which is what was expected just because they’re good people … ” Nagy said
“On the field, they’re both so laser-focused at trying to be the best quarterback that they can, that whenever a play goes on, if one sees something, usually the other one is in the next play. So he can’t tell that player in practice because one’s in and other is out. They have to talk on the sideline. So a lot of those discussions go on in the meeting room.”
The conversations can now take place on the field. Trubisky will take all the starting snaps beginning with Sunday’s practice. Foles will inherit the role for which he was so famed with the Eagles: mentor and bullpen arm.
He took over for an injured Carson Wentz and started the team’s final three games of the 2017 season, then rattled off two playoff wins to reach the Super Bowl. He went 28-for-43 for 373 yards, three touchdown passes, one interception — and one infamous scoring catch — to beat the Patriots and win Super Bowl MVP.
The following season, he replaced Wentz, who was injured again, and rattled off three-straight wins to eke out a playoff berth. He beat the Bears when Parkey missed the kick and lost to the Saints the next week.
Seeking a starting job, he signed the largest contract of the 2019 offseason — $88 million over four years — to join the Jaguars. He broke his clavicle in the season opener, finished the season 0-4 and lost his starting job to rookie Gardner Minshew.
Foles took a pay cut to join the Bears, believing he had a better opportunity to start.
He might still be correct — Nagy has said the quarterback competition won’t end after kickoff in Week 1.
Trubisky, though, will be given the first chance to succeed — or fail.


chicagosun-times--2020-09-04--Rev. Leon Finney, longtime power player in city politics, dead at 82

The Rev .
Leon Finney Jr. , “ an organizer ’ s organizer ” lauded for being “ on the frontline of change throughout the land ” died Friday morning .
He was 82 .
A longtime power player in Chicago politics , Dr. , Rev .
Finney died at the University of Chicago Medical Center after a “ long-term illness , ” N ’ DIGO publisher Hermene Hartman , a close friend , confirmed to the Chicago Sun-Times .
Rep. Bobby Rush , D-Ill. , called Rev .
Finney “ an organizer ’ s organizer who was on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The pastor ’ s fingerprints were “ on the throttle of change in our city , ” Rush said .
“ He was my close confidant , colleague , and confederate , and was also my professor at the McCormick Theological Seminary , where he founded the African American Leadership Program , which was responsible for the training of innumerable African American Pastors in receiving their Master Degrees , ” Rush said in a statement .
“ We have remained very close throughout the years and in recent times , especially as he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was an absolute friend and an inspiration.
” Last year , a spokesman for Rev .
Finney said the reverend suffered “ critical cardiovascular disease ” in 2016 .
He had open heart surgery in June 2017 .
He had a “ health care emergency ” in October 2018 and was admitted to the University of Chicago for a “ critical life threatening [ infection ] , ” the spokesman said at the time .
Civil rights leader the Rev .
Jesse Jackson lauded Rev .
Finney ’ s work in The Woodlawn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which “ brought new houses , big developments and businesses to the area.
” “ A tall tree in the forest has fallen , ” Jackson said .
“ He was an organizer for my 1988 presidential campaign , and for Carol Moseley Braun and Barack Obama .
Leon also had an entrepreneurial spirit , following in his father ’ s footsteps.
” Born in Louise , Mississippi , Rev .
Finney is the son of Leon Finney Sr. , creator of the famed Leon ’ s Bar-B-Q .
He joined TWO in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legendary organizer Saul Alinsky — revered as the father of modern community organizing — and Bishop Arthur Brazier , who marched with the Rev .
Martin Luther King Jr. and built the Apostolic Church of God in Woodlawn .
Rev .
Finney founded Christ Apostolic Church and served as its pastor until that church merged with Metropolitan Community Apostolic Church , 4100 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Dr. , where he served as senior pastor , according to a post on the church ’ s Facebook page announcing his death .
Rev .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sabina Church , said Rev .
Finney was “ one of the few pastors who still understood that justice was the DNA of the gospel.
” “ Dr .
Finney ’ s rich history with TWO and the Woodlawn area , along with Bishop Brazier left a deep imprint in that area , ” Pfleger said .
“ He tried to be vocal about issues that affected the South Side and poor people.
” He also built a real estate empire on Chicago ’ s South Side and amassed political power while hobnobbing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Richard M. Daley and Toni Preckwinkle .
He cut his teeth fighting slumlords and the University of Chicago ’ s expansion plans in the 1960s .
He once garnered praise from politicians and appointments to powerful government boards , including spots on the Chicago Plan Commission , Chicago State University and the CHA .
Secretary of State Jesse White called Rev .
Finney a “ good man who made a great contribution to making Chicago a better place .
“ He was a strong voice for the disadvantaged and I am sorry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a major loss for the people of Chicago , ” White said in a statement .
Though Rev .
Finney gained the respect of some peers , he had also been dogged for decades by investigations into allegations of wrongdoing and mismanagement .
His nonprofit , the Woodlawn Community Development Corp , filed for bankruptcy two years ago .
Last year , the judge in that bankruptcy case said she was “ appalled ” by Rev .
Finney ’ s conduct at Woodlawn as she began to unravel its tangled finances and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
At a hearing in February 2019 , U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Carol A. Doyle accused the organization in one instance of “ at least malfeasance.
” “ He was one of the stalwarts of the community .
He was always there to help people out , and not just as a minister , ” political commentator Cliff Kelley said .
“ I worked with Leon for years , politically .
He was one of the greatest folks at resolving problems , ” Kelley added .
“ We used to have meetings long before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wanted to put things together for the betterment of everyone .
I was surprised he became a minister ; he was always a businessman and politically active .
And don ’ t forget when you ’ re talking about business , the new Leon ’ s on 63rd was very successful .
At times you couldn ’ t get in because the lines were out the door.
” The Rev .
Ira Acree , of Greater St. John Bible Church and Leaders Network of Chicago , said : “ It ’ s a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fallen .
There ’ s a side to Pastor Leon Finney that many people don ’ t know ; he was a great mentor .
There was a time in the ’ 90s when he pulled together a plethora of pastors he personally mentored and got them more theological training .
Someone now must step up to the plate and try to continue mentoring others.
” Rep. Danny K. Davis , D-Ill. , called Rev .
Finney “ a mainstay in African American Life in Chicago and throughout America for the past 50 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who helped to build The Woodlawn Organization into a Community Powerhouse.
” Davis added that Rev .
Finney “ excelled in many careers : he was a successful businessman , studied theology and became a minister , organized and developed a successful Church , and taught theology at the McCormick Theological Seminary .
He was politically active and involved and could always be counted on to bring crowds to a rally or meeting.
” Otis Monroe , of The Monroe Foundation , called him a “ great friend.
” “ I ’ ll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ [ he ] will continue in my heart and in spirit .
He was a community organizer who kept our conversations raw and real , and made sure I was getting the message , ” Kelley said .
“ During a talk we had a month ago about the demonstrations going on , he asked , ‘ What ’ s the strategy going forward ?
Is a voter registrar marching with you next time ?
’ He was also looking ahead and wanted others to see that it ’ s not just about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , senior pastor of New Mount Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church , attributed much of his success to the African American Leadership Partnership , a theological education program created by Rev .
Finney .
“ Truly , Dr. Finney ’ s impact will be ongoing , ” Hatch said in a statement .
“ We are well aware that Dr. Finney had fault lines along the way .
Very few of our long distance runners in community development and social justice make it through life without scars and detractors .
... A great man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his living legacy are left with the task to carry on the work.
” Survivors include : daughter and son-in-law , Kristin Finney-Cooke and Dr. Gerald Cooke ; three grandchildren .
Arrangements are pending .

The Rev. Leon Finney Jr., “an organizer’s organizer” lauded for being “on the frontline of change throughout the land” died Friday morning. He was 82.
A longtime power player in Chicago politics, Dr., Rev. Finney died at the University of Chicago Medical Center after a “long-term illness,” N’DIGO publisher Hermene Hartman, a close friend, confirmed to the Chicago Sun-Times.
Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill., called Rev. Finney “an organizer’s organizer who was on the frontline of change throughout the land.” The pastor’s fingerprints were “on the throttle of change in our city,” Rush said.
“He was my close confidant, colleague, and confederate, and was also my professor at the McCormick Theological Seminary, where he founded the African American Leadership Program, which was responsible for the training of innumerable African American Pastors in receiving their Master Degrees,” Rush said in a statement. “We have remained very close throughout the years and in recent times, especially as he was undergoing these health challenges. He was an absolute friend and an inspiration.”
Last year, a spokesman for Rev. Finney said the reverend suffered “critical cardiovascular disease” in 2016. He had open heart surgery in June 2017. He had a “health care emergency” in October 2018 and was admitted to the University of Chicago for a “critical life threatening [infection],” the spokesman said at the time.
Civil rights leader the Rev. Jesse Jackson lauded Rev. Finney’s work in The Woodlawn Organization, often abbreviated as TWO, which “brought new houses, big developments and businesses to the area.”
“A tall tree in the forest has fallen,” Jackson said. “He was an organizer for my 1988 presidential campaign, and for Carol Moseley Braun and Barack Obama. Leon also had an entrepreneurial spirit, following in his father’s footsteps.”
Born in Louise, Mississippi, Rev. Finney is the son of Leon Finney Sr., creator of the famed Leon’s Bar-B-Q.
Leon Finney Jr. followed a different path.
He joined TWO in the 1960s under the mentorship of the legendary organizer Saul Alinsky — revered as the father of modern community organizing — and Bishop Arthur Brazier, who marched with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and built the Apostolic Church of God in Woodlawn.
Rev. Finney founded Christ Apostolic Church and served as its pastor until that church merged with Metropolitan Apostolic Community Church, 4100 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Dr., where he served as senior pastor, according to a post on the church’s Facebook page announcing his death.
Rev. Leon Finney Jr., who died Friday, was senior pastor of Metropolitan Apostolic Community Church, 4100 S. King Dr., in Bronzeville. Justin Jackson/Sun-Times
Rev. Michael Pfleger, senior pastor of St. Sabina Church, said Rev. Finney was “one of the few pastors who still understood that justice was the DNA of the gospel.”
“Dr. Finney’s rich history with TWO and the Woodlawn area, along with Bishop Brazier left a deep imprint in that area,” Pfleger said. “He tried to be vocal about issues that affected the South Side and poor people.”
He also built a real estate empire on Chicago’s South Side and amassed political power while hobnobbing with politicians like Obama, Rahm Emanuel, Richard M. Daley and Toni Preckwinkle.
He cut his teeth fighting slumlords and the University of Chicago’s expansion plans in the 1960s.
He once garnered praise from politicians and appointments to powerful government boards, including spots on the Chicago Plan Commission, Chicago State University and the CHA.
Secretary of State Jesse White called Rev. Finney a “good man who made a great contribution to making Chicago a better place.
“He was a strong voice for the disadvantaged and I am sorry to hear of his passing. It is a major loss for the people of Chicago,” White said in a statement.
Though Rev. Finney gained the respect of some peers, he had also been dogged for decades by investigations into allegations of wrongdoing and mismanagement.
His nonprofit, the Woodlawn Community Development Corp, filed for bankruptcy two years ago.
Last year, the judge in that bankruptcy case said she was “appalled” by Rev. Finney’s conduct at Woodlawn as she began to unravel its tangled finances and what Rev. Finney knew about them. At a hearing in February 2019, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Carol A. Doyle accused the organization in one instance of “at least malfeasance.”
“He was one of the stalwarts of the community. He was always there to help people out, and not just as a minister,” political commentator Cliff Kelley said.
“I worked with Leon for years, politically. He was one of the greatest folks at resolving problems,” Kelley added. “We used to have meetings long before he had the church, and he wanted to put things together for the betterment of everyone. I was surprised he became a minister; he was always a businessman and politically active. And don’t forget when you’re talking about business, the new Leon’s on 63rd was very successful. At times you couldn’t get in because the lines were out the door.”
Leon’s BBQ & Grill, 1528 E 63rd St, File photo
The Rev. Ira Acree, of Greater St. John Bible Church and Leaders Network of Chicago, said: “It’s a tall oak in the forest that has fallen. There’s a side to Pastor Leon Finney that many people don’t know; he was a great mentor. There was a time in the ’90s when he pulled together a plethora of pastors he personally mentored and got them more theological training. Someone now must step up to the plate and try to continue mentoring others.”
Rep. Danny K. Davis, D-Ill., called Rev. Finney “a mainstay in African American Life in Chicago and throughout America for the past 50 years” and “a brilliant organizer who helped to build The Woodlawn Organization into a Community Powerhouse.”
Davis added that Rev. Finney “excelled in many careers: he was a successful businessman, studied theology and became a minister, organized and developed a successful Church, and taught theology at the McCormick Theological Seminary. He was politically active and involved and could always be counted on to bring crowds to a rally or meeting.”
Otis Monroe, of The Monroe Foundation, called him a “great friend.”
“I’ll miss physically talking to him, but [he] will continue in my heart and in spirit. He was a community organizer who kept our conversations raw and real, and made sure I was getting the message,” Monroe said.
“During a talk we had a month ago about the demonstrations going on, he asked, ‘What’s the strategy going forward? Is a voter registrar marching with you next time?’ He was also looking ahead and wanted others to see that it’s not just about marching.”
The Rev. Marshall Hatch, senior pastor of New Mount Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church, attributed much of his success to the African American Leadership Partnership, a theological education program created by Rev. Finney.
“Truly, Dr. Finney’s impact will be ongoing,” Hatch said in a statement.
“We are well aware that Dr. Finney had fault lines along the way. Very few of our long distance runners in community development and social justice make it through life without scars and detractors. ... A great man has fallen indeed, but we as his living legacy are left with the task to carry on the work.”
Survivors include: daughter and son-in-law, Kristin Finney-Cooke and Dr. Gerald Cooke; three grandchildren. Arrangements are pending.
Contributing: Maudlyne Iherijika, Kathy Chaney, Manny Ramos


chicagosun-times--2020-09-04--Charges filed against man shot by Cook County Sheriff’s police on SW Side

A 28-year-old man who was shot by a Cook County Sheriff ’ s police while running from a traffic stop Wednesday on the Southwest Side faces multiple felony charges .
Durell Foster was charged with aggravated assault of a peace officer , unlawful use of a weapon and possession of a substance , Chicago police said Friday .
Authorities were patrolling near Stickney at 7:20 p.m. Wednesday when they pulled over Foster ’ s vehicle , the sheriff ’ s office said .
Foster allegedly drove off , abandoned his car in an alley and ran .
Foster allegedly dropped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ running , the sheriff ’ s office said .
One officer saw him grab a gun , and another fired shots .
Foster was struck twice and ran to a nearby porch in the 4600 block fo South Laramie Avenue where he was taken into custody , Chicago police and sheriff ’ s office said .
He was hospitalized in good condition .
Foster ’ s father , Maurice , told the Sun-Times he couldn ’ t tell if his son had a gun after reviewing videos released by the sheriff ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his son was being “ harassed ” by an officer who recognized him at a car wash .

A 28-year-old man who was shot by a Cook County Sheriff’s police while running from a traffic stop Wednesday on the Southwest Side faces multiple felony charges.
Durell Foster was charged with aggravated assault of a peace officer, unlawful use of a weapon and possession of a substance, Chicago police said Friday.
Authorities were patrolling near Stickney at 7:20 p.m. Wednesday when they pulled over Foster’s vehicle, the sheriff’s office said. Foster allegedly drove off, abandoned his car in an alley and ran.
Foster allegedly dropped a cellphone and didn’t stop running, the sheriff’s office said. One officer saw him grab a gun, and another fired shots.
Foster was struck twice and ran to a nearby porch in the 4600 block fo South Laramie Avenue where he was taken into custody, Chicago police and sheriff’s office said. He was hospitalized in good condition.
Foster’s father, Maurice, told the Sun-Times he couldn’t tell if his son had a gun after reviewing videos released by the sheriff’s office. He said friends told him his son was being “harassed” by an officer who recognized him at a car wash.


chicagosun-times--2020-09-04--Reports: Cubs bring back Pedro Strop

Reports: Cubs bring back Pedro Strop

One of the most popular and important parts of the Cubs bullpen over the past seven seasons is back in the organization .
According to multiple reports , Pedro Strop agreed to return to the Cubs .
Strop , who will report to South Bend , spent 2013-19 with the Cubs and appeared in 411 games with a 2.90 earned-run average .
Over the offseason , Strop agreed to a one-year deal with the Reds .
In four appearances , Strop had a 3.86 ERA and was designated for assignment on Aug. 26 before getting his release Wednesday .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 10-day injured list with a right groin strain .
After being cut loose , Strop was also linked to the White Sox .
He was originally acquired from Baltimore in 2013 as part of the trade that also brought in Jake Arrieta .
Schwarber at the top With Ian Happ out of the starting lineup , Cubs manager David Ross explained what he liked about having Kyle Schwarber lead off Friday ’ s series opener against the Cardinals .
“ All of the success he ’ s had in that spot , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m just kidding.
” Friday was Schwarber ’ s first time there this season , and entering the game against St. Louis , Schwarber was a career .215 hitter in the No .
1 spot .
In 2017 , Schwarber hit just .190 batting first , and then last year struggled to a .229 average in that slot .
After laughing at his joke , Ross then explained the decision .
“ I like Schwarbs .
He ’ s been one of our best hitters , ” Ross said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him at the top .
He ’ s going to set the tone for us tonight with Happer out .
I have a ton of confidence in ( Schwarber ) .
It looked good to me on paper and somebody that I feel like is going to set our tone and bring some damage with some on-base .
“ I like him up there as close to the top as we can get him.
” Heyward ’ s honor On Thursday , Jason Heyward was announced as the Cubs ’ nominee for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a player ’ s character and involvement in the community .
Heyward has been involved with Future Ties , a south side non-profit that supports low-income families .
Heyward , who ’ s also given $ 95,000 to Cubs team and player charities , also donated $ 300,000 to non-profit organizations addressing inequities in the wake of COVID-19 .
For him personally , Heyward said it ’ s “ huge ” to give back to the city .
“ We ’ re not seeking the spotlight , but it is great to bring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people that are doing a lot of hard work behind the scenes , especially when we ’ re talking about the COVID stuff people have been dealing with all year in this country and obviously across the world , ” Heyward said .
“ In the city of Chicago right here , home for us , a lot of people are doing a lot of good things to keep us afloat .
“ Talking about the west side of Chicago , the south side of Chicago , the battles that are going on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s not right for us to complain and talk about how many deaths there are and then not go do something.
” Saturday ’ s starter Adbert Alzolay will start Game 1 of Saturday ’ s doubleheader .
Game 2 will be handled by the bullpen .

One of the most popular and important parts of the Cubs bullpen over the past seven seasons is back in the organization.
According to multiple reports, Pedro Strop agreed to return to the Cubs. Strop, who will report to South Bend, spent 2013-19 with the Cubs and appeared in 411 games with a 2.90 earned-run average.
Over the offseason, Strop agreed to a one-year deal with the Reds. In four appearances, Strop had a 3.86 ERA and was designated for assignment on Aug. 26 before getting his release Wednesday. On Aug. 11, he was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right groin strain.
After being cut loose, Strop was also linked to the White Sox. He was originally acquired from Baltimore in 2013 as part of the trade that also brought in Jake Arrieta.
Schwarber at the top
With Ian Happ out of the starting lineup, Cubs manager David Ross explained what he liked about having Kyle Schwarber lead off Friday’s series opener against the Cardinals.
“All of the success he’s had in that spot,” Ross said. “No, I’m just kidding.”
Friday was Schwarber’s first time there this season, and entering the game against St. Louis, Schwarber was a career .215 hitter in the No. 1 spot. In 2017, Schwarber hit just .190 batting first, and then last year struggled to a .229 average in that slot.
After laughing at his joke, Ross then explained the decision.
“I like Schwarbs. He’s been one of our best hitters,” Ross said. “I love his at-bats. I love him at the top. He’s going to set the tone for us tonight with Happer out. I have a ton of confidence in (Schwarber). It looked good to me on paper and somebody that I feel like is going to set our tone and bring some damage with some on-base.
“I like him up there as close to the top as we can get him.”
Heyward’s honor
On Thursday, Jason Heyward was announced as the Cubs’ nominee for the 2020 Roberto Clemente award, which recognizes a player’s character and involvement in the community.
Heyward has been involved with Future Ties, a south side non-profit that supports low-income families. Heyward, who’s also given $95,000 to Cubs team and player charities, also donated $300,000 to non-profit organizations addressing inequities in the wake of COVID-19.
For him personally, Heyward said it’s “huge” to give back to the city.
“We’re not seeking the spotlight, but it is great to bring some awareness and kind of reward some people that are doing a lot of hard work behind the scenes, especially when we’re talking about the COVID stuff people have been dealing with all year in this country and obviously across the world,” Heyward said. “In the city of Chicago right here, home for us, a lot of people are doing a lot of good things to keep us afloat.
“Talking about the west side of Chicago, the south side of Chicago, the battles that are going on there,” Heyward continued, “it’s not right for us to complain and talk about how many deaths there are and then not go do something.”
Saturday’s starter
Adbert Alzolay will start Game 1 of Saturday’s doubleheader. Game 2 will be handled by the bullpen.