chicagosun-times--2020-08-04--Illinois has all it needs for a banner season — except for the one thing it can’t control

Not to put the cart before the horse or anything , but Illinois ’ basketball team is winning the Big Ten this coming season .
Oh , and then making it to the Final Four .
But why stop there ?
The Illini aren ’ t .
I guess what I ’ m trying to say is that they ’ re winning the NCAA Tournament for the first time since , you know , ever .
But don ’ t take my word for it .
Just listen to their gaga fans , some of whom may be cleverly disguised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s best player in 15 years , 2019-20 all-Big Ten guard Ayo Dosunmu , revealed Friday that he ’ s out of the NBA draft and heading back to school for his junior season .
The team ’ s best big man in longer than that , 2019-20 Big Ten freshman of the year Kofi Cockburn , announced the same a day later .
The collective response from Illini Nation can be summed up as : “ We ’ re going to Disney World !
” A week after the death of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was a reason to celebrate .
And celebrate Illini Nation did , particularly on Twitter , a platform known for nothing if not level-headed reasoning , predictions and proclamations .
Look , I get it .
The Illini were one of the hardest-playing teams in college basketball last season and would ’ ve been in the Big Dance for the first time since 2013 if not for the coronavirus outbreak putting sports on a sudden , painful hold .
Now they get their best guys back along with Morgan Park guard Adam @ @ @ @ @ @ @ class of newcomers .
They ’ ll be a top 10 team nationally in the preseason .
It ’ s the most exciting time for Illini fans since the days of Dee Brown , Deron Williams , Luther Head and the 2005 national runners-up .
Through-the-roof expectations can be hard to deal with , though .
College basketball is littered with examples of teams — like Northwestern a few years back — that couldn ’ t handle them .
All sports , at all levels , are .
“ It won ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to make sure it doesn ’ t bother our guys , ” coach Brad Underwood said .
“ I think the one thing that happens is you ’ ve got to tune out all the outside noise.
” Indeed , the noise is one thing .
Of course , there ’ s a far clearer threat to the 2020-21 Illini , and it ’ s the same one all sports — all of us — are contending with .
It ’ s the same one of which Cubs president Theo Epstein recently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The virus is the only thing in control right now.
” It ’ s just plain awful to think that Dosunmu ’ s and Cockburn ’ s championship dreams , Illini fans ’ fervent hopes and a potentially glorious time of winning at a basketball-mad school might all be rolled into a ball and shot into a trash can by a virus that shows up whenever and wherever it can and hasn ’ t the slightest sense of sentimentality .
Nobody deserves this insidious brand of worry , but it surrounds and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place in any honest discussion of any game , any season , any team , any goal .
I feel compelled now to acknowledge sports ’ modest place in a pandemic .
Even if it ’ s a tiny bit wearisome for a snarky scribe to couch seemingly every topic , every discussion , every thought about sports in a broader context of public health , it ’ s probably an obligation to continue doing so .
People are struggling .
People are suffering .
People are dying .
No college basketball ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ deal .
For a supposed refuge from the harsh realities of life , though , sports is having a hard time holding up its end of the bargain .
The Cubs are getting ready for a road trip through Missouri , home to a Cardinals team that is upside-down with COVID-19 cases and a quarantining process in Milwaukee that just won ’ t quit .
The White Sox ’ much-anticipated “ Field of Dreams ” game , scheduled for Aug. 13 in the cornfields of Dyersville , Iowa , has been called off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ poster team — among pro teams , that is — for the spread of the virus .
College football , its season in dire peril , is a petri dish of trouble .
Illinois alone has had at least 18 football players test positive since returning for workouts in June , the school announced , and the Illini are nothing special in this regard .
So , yes , it would be mighty nice to see the Illini basketball season , and all the intoxicating success it might bring , play out .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , declared his comeback plans in a slickly produced video .
In it , he ’ s on an outdoor court in Bronzeville , talking to himself as he gets up shots .
“ Final Four , ” he later says .
He has business to finish .
Illini lovers have their hearts set on it .

Not to put the cart before the horse or anything, but Illinois’ basketball team is winning the Big Ten this coming season. Oh, and then making it to the Final Four. But why stop there? The Illini aren’t. I guess what I’m trying to say is that they’re winning the NCAA Tournament for the first time since, you know, ever.
But don’t take my word for it. Just listen to their gaga fans, some of whom may be cleverly disguised as local media members.
The team’s best player in 15 years, 2019-20 All-Big Ten guard Ayo Dosunmu, revealed Friday that he’s out of the NBA Draft and heading back to school for his junior season. The team’s best big man in longer than that, 2019-20 Big Ten freshman of the year Kofi Cockburn, announced the same a day later.
The collective response from Illini Nation can be summed up as: “We’re going to Disney World!”
A week after the death of Hall of Fame coach Lou Henson, it was a reason to celebrate. And celebrate Illini Nation did, particularly on Twitter, a platform known for nothing if not level-headed reasoning, predictions and proclamations.
Look, I get it. The Illini were one of the hardest-playing teams in college basketball last season and would’ve been in the Big Dance for the first time since 2013 if not for the coronavirus outbreak putting sports on a sudden, painful hold. Now they get their best guys back along with Morgan Park guard Adam Miller and the rest of an enticing class of newcomers. They’ll be a top 10 team nationally in the preseason. It’s the most exciting time for Illini fans since the days of Dee Brown, Deron Williams, Luther Head and the 2005 national runners-up.
Through-the-roof expectations can be hard to deal with, though. College basketball is littered with examples of teams — like Northwestern a few years back — that couldn’t handle them. All sports, at all levels, are.
“It won’t bother me, and I’m going to make sure it doesn’t bother our guys,” coach Brad Underwood said. “I think the one thing that happens is you’ve got to tune out all the outside noise.”
Indeed, the noise is one thing. Of course, there’s a far clearer threat to the 2020-21 Illini, and it’s the same one all sports — all of us — are contending with.
It’s the same one of which Cubs president Theo Epstein recently said, and said ominously well: “The virus is the only thing in control right now.”
It’s just plain awful to think that Dosunmu’s and Cockburn’s championship dreams, Illini fans’ fervent hopes and a potentially glorious time of winning at a basketball-mad school might all be rolled into a ball and shot into a trash can by a virus that shows up whenever and wherever it can and hasn’t the slightest sense of sentimentality.
Nobody deserves this insidious brand of worry, but it surrounds and envelops sports these days and has a place in any honest discussion of any game, any season, any team, any goal.
I feel compelled now to acknowledge sports’ modest place in a pandemic. Even if it’s a tiny bit wearisome for a snarky scribe to couch seemingly every topic, every discussion, every thought about sports in a broader context of public health, it’s probably an obligation to continue doing so. People are struggling. People are suffering. People are dying.
No college basketball? In the big picture, no big deal.
For a supposed refuge from the harsh realities of life, though, sports is having a hard time holding up its end of the bargain. The Cubs are getting ready for a road trip through Missouri, home to a Cardinals team that is upside-down with COVID-19 cases and a quarantining process in Milwaukee that just won’t quit. The White Sox’ much-anticipated “Field of Dreams” game, scheduled for Aug. 13 in the cornfields of Dyersville, Iowa, has been called off.
Baseball’s Marlins are the poster team — among pro teams, that is — for the spread of the virus. College football, its season in dire peril, is a petri dish of trouble. Illinois alone has had at least 18 football players test positive since returning for workouts in June, the school announced, and the Illini are nothing special in this regard.
So, yes, it would be mighty nice to see the Illini basketball season, and all the intoxicating success it might bring, play out.
Dosunmu, the former Morgan Park star, declared his comeback plans in a slickly produced video. In it, he’s on an outdoor court in Bronzeville, talking to himself as he gets up shots.
“First-round draft pick,” he says.
“Rookie of the year.”
But it’s only a tease.
“Final Four,” he later says.
“National championship.”
He has business to finish. Illini lovers have their hearts set on it.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-04--Chicago Public Schools will go fully remote to start the fall (LIVE UPDATES)

Chicago Public Schools will go fully remote to start the fall Chicago Public Schools students will start the new school year at home next month as officials plan to announce as soon as Wednesday that they ’ ll back off a proposal that would have put children in classrooms two days a week , sources told the Chicago Sun-Times .
Mayor Lori Lightfoot and CPS administrators will “ follow the science ” to determine how long the district , the third largest in the nation with 355,000 students , will remain in full-time remote learning , sources said .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ situation will likely be “ reassessed along the way ” but that distance learning will take place “ at least for the first quarter.
” “ The data don ’ t look great , ” the source said .
“ We are not as bad as other places , but the daily case rate is unto 273 , and it ’ s rising.
” The source said the decision was based on the worsening health data and input from parents .
Read the full story by Fran Spielman and Nader Issa here .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ always meant heading to Target and the local mall with her two girls and dropping about $ 500 on each of them for trendy outfits .
The Charlotte , North Carolina , woman cut her spending on clothing in half for her 10-year-old and 14-year-old and instead spent more on masks and other supplies as a surge in coronavirus cases forced her school district to extend online learning through the fall .
“ The kids always looked forward to getting something new , ” said England , who spent $ 500 in total @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t make any sense to buy any extra clothes that won ’ t be worn.
” 5:05 p.m. Park District workers ask for more safety , transparency around COVID-19 park closures Park District employees want the district to provide better safety measures against the coronavirus and say there needs to be more communication with the public about closures due COVID-19 .
“ We are lacking transparency , communication and [ the ] implementation of policies equally , ” a park supervisor Venus Roman-Valino said .
“ Workers are scared , and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by not communicating or being transparent , ” Roman-Valino said .
“ Workers feel like [ the district ] is hiding information that could affect us ... so that the city can keep the parks open.
” The Park District has had seven COVID-19 cases that caused nine parks to close programs and facilities , according to spokeswoman Michele Lemons .
Haas Park , Columbus Park , Davis Square Park and Rowan Park have reopened .
Cole Park is to reopen Wednesday .
While Cole Park , West Pullman Park , Ada Park @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Shop at Garfield Trade Yard remain closed until later in August .
Read the full story by Jade Yan here .
3:55 p.m. Teachers Union : Returning to classrooms next month would be ‘ failed leadership ’ As the debate heats up nationwide over the reopening of schools , Chicago teachers , activists and families rallied outside City Hall Monday to oppose a planned return to classrooms when Chicago Public Schools classes resume next month .
The protests are part of similar demonstrations in several cities across the nation and come just days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tell the district whether their children will go back to in-person learning or continue trying to learn from home .
Mayor Lori Lightfoot and CPS officials have proposed a return to schools that would put most students in classrooms two days a week and school staff , including teachers , four days a week .
Read the full story from Nader Issa here .
2:51 p.m. Chicago Teachers Union to call for strike vote at meeting next week Less than a year removed from its longest labor stoppage in three decades , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meeting of its elected delegates early next week to discuss another strike vote that would put pressure on Chicago Public Schools to back off its plan for a partial return to classrooms next month , a source told the Chicago Sun-Times .
The timeline for a potential vote is unclear , but any strike authorization would need the approval of three-quarters of the union ’ s 26,000 rank-and-file members .
The meeting next week would mark the first steps of a member-based process toward another walkout .
Read more from Nader Issa here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chicago ’ s once-thriving Fulton Market district urged Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Tuesday to restore the 10-person-per-table maximum reduced to six to stop maskless young people from flocking to bars .
Last month , Lightfoot made good on a threat to roll back restrictions if young people didn ’ t stop their risky behavior .
She ordered taverns , breweries and other establishments without a retail food license to stop serving customers indoors and reduced the maximum party size and table occupancy at restaurants , bars , taverns and breweries from 10 people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ carryout only during the stay-at-home shutdown triggered by the coronavirus pandemic , it was unfair punishment and yet another in a string of devastating blows .
“ It ’ s a classification of a private event versus just being a small gathering .
It ’ s a completely different tier from our private event spaces being able to be sold , ” said Phil Walters , owner of Formento ’ s , 925 W. Randolph St. “ We do have lots of inventory that are large tables that can no longer be used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make sense for guests when they come in with five to six guests to be put at a giant table .
Now , our spaces is no longer viable , ” Walters said lumping restaurants into the same category as bars threatens to allow “ bad players to bring down an entire industry ... that is already heavily impaired.
” Read more from Fran Spielman here .
2:37 p.m .
US far outpaces other countries , nears 5 million coronavirus cases Fourth of July gatherings , graduation parties , no-mask weddings , crowded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has racked up more than 155,000 coronavirus deaths , by far the most of any country , and is fast approaching an off-the-charts 5 million confirmed infections , easily the highest in the world .
Many Americans have resisted wearing masks and social distancing , calling such precautions an over-the-top response or an infringement on their liberty .
Public health experts say such behavior has been compounded by confusing and inconsistent guidance from politicians and a patchwork quilt of approaches to containing the scourge by county , state and federal governments .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country after country and state after state have shown us how we can contain the virus , ” said Dr. Jonathan Quick of the Duke Global Health Institute , who is leading a pandemic initiative for the Rockefeller Foundation .
“ It ’ s not like we don ’ t know what works .
We do.
” The number of confirmed infections in the U.S. has topped 4.7 million , with new cases running at over 60,000 a day .
While that ’ s down from a peak of well over 70,000 in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are rising in 26 states , many in the South and West , and deaths are climbing in 35 states .
Read more from the Associated Press here .
1:20 p.m .
Advocates seek increase to Supplemental Security Income to benefit people with disabilities With the coronavirus heightening challenges already faced by people with disabilities , activists are calling for an expansion of monthly Supplemental Security Income .
The SSI Justice Campaign is proposing an additional $ 266 be added to people ’ s monthly SSI , a federal income program designed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minimal or no income .
The current federal monthly maximum is $ 783 .
The Chicago Disability Activism Collective launched the campaign with full support of Cook County Commissioner Alma Anaya , who represents the 7th District on Chicago ’ s Southwest Side .
Many people with disabilities can ’ t work and rely solely on SSI to cover rent , food and other basic needs , Anaya said .
Coupled with a cost of living in Cook County that ’ s higher than the national average , Anaya said an increase to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The increase would also benefit undocumented people with disabilities , Anaya said .
Read more from Clare Proctor here .
Puerto Rico on Tuesday joined 22 states on Chicago ’ s 14-day travel quarantine list amid concern about a surge in coronavirus cases among travelers , in households and at social gatherings .
With “ more than five dozen confirmed cases ” among travelers , Chicago Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady urged Chicagoans to curtail all but the most essential trips and work from home when they return if travel can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Arwady added Wisconsin , Missouri , Nebraska and North Dakota to the travel advisory and warned compliance would no longer be voluntary .
This week , Puerto Rico was the only addition , having met the benchmark trigger of averaging more than 15 new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents over a seven-day period .
Iowa , Kansas and Utah were identified as fast-improving states that could be removed from the travel order as early as next week .
Read more from Fran Spielman here .
11:33 a.m .
Suburban bars , restaurants asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surge : ‘ In the carrot stage , not the stick ’ Looking to crack down on a surge in coronavirus cases among young people in the suburbs , Cook County officials announced Monday they ’ re urging restaurants to seat fewer diners at each table and bars to only serve customers outdoors .
Fitness centers in suburban Cook County are also being asked to reduce the number of people in the classes they hold from 50 to 10 .
“ We ’ re really asking the public to really get on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rachel Rubin , a co-leader of the county ’ s Department of Public Health .
“ These are not major changes , I understand that it does hurt some establishments or business owners , and we certainly regret that .
The important news is that we really want to stop the spread of the virus or at least slow it down.
” The voluntary guidelines came as Illinois recorded another 1,298 coronavirus cases across the state on Monday , the 13th day in a row with a four-digit daily caseload .
The new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positivity rate just past 4 % — up sharply from 2.6 % a month ago .
The situation is worse in suburban Cook County , where the 10-day positivity rate shot up to 5.8 % as of last Friday .
8:19 a.m .
Longtime vendor Nichols Farm and Orchard booted from Wicker Park Farmers Market amid violations of COVID-19 protocols Nichols Farm and Orchard , part of the Wicker Park Farmers Market for two decades , was kicked out last week .
The Wicker Park Bucktown Chamber of Commerce said Nichols Farms repeatedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ masks , not having a rope to properly mark boundaries and not having a hand-washing station .
But Todd Nichols , a family owner of the farm , blames their removal on a “ spur-of-the-moment decision ” after three years of tension with market manager Alice Howe .
And he expects the farm could lose $ 50,000 to $ 70,000 because of it .
The Wicker Park Farmers Market opened July 5 — later than usual , due to the pandemic .
Vendors received COVID-19 guidelines beforehand , Howe said .
Many booths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first week , said Pamela Maass , executive director of the chamber .
Other vendors adjusted , but Maass said Nichols “ stayed in non-compliance.
” • Cubs ’ third baseman Kris Bryant was scratched from the Cubs ’ lineup minutes before Saturday ’ s game due to gastrointestinal issues – which fall under the list of COVID-19 symptoms .
• Health officials on Sunday announced another 1,467 people tested positive for COVID-19 in Illinois .
• Lena Dunham says her body “ revolted ” in a debilitating month-long struggle with COVID-19 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wohlleb of Uptown writes : Chicago Public Schools CEO Janice Jackson and Mayor Lori Lightfoot are asking parents to choose now between their in-school hybrid option or a fully remote option in September .
If parents choose the first option , they can change their minds at any time .
The second option locks them in until Nov. 9 .
Most of the people in my circle are choosing the hybrid model , simply because it gives them the option to change their minds later , when we have more information about what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the trajectory of the pandemic .
The data CPS is collecting this week will not be a reflection of parents ’ true learning preferences , but rather their logical desire to keep options open in such a high-stakes decision .
Let ’ s get real : Our collective decisions this week could mean the difference between life or death for teachers , staff and the kids themselves .
My own kids really struggled with online learning , but if we can protect the lives of Chicagoans by going back to that model @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the best of it .
There ’ s a bigger lesson to offer to our kids here — about what really matters when the chips are down .
Chicago , we can do this .
Read this and more letters from Sun-Times readers here .

There was much upheaval in the education world today as it was learned that Chicago Public Schools will start remotely next month. This after the Chicago Teachers criticized a return to the classroom as “failed leadership” and authorized a strike vote.
Illinois has averaged about 1,500 new cases per day over those two weeks — almost double the daily case average in June. The increase of cases in Chicago is not as severe as the problem is downstate. Gov. Pritzker traveled to Carbondale Tuesday to urge local leaders to implement stricter health precautions to stem a rise in cases: ‘Unfortunately, right now the virus is winning in Jackson County.’
Here’s what we learned today in the fight against the coronavirus in Chicago, the state and the nation.
News
9 p.m. Chicago Public Schools will go fully remote to start the fall
Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times
Chicago Public Schools students will start the new school year at home next month as officials plan to announce as soon as Wednesday that they’ll back off a proposal that would have put children in classrooms two days a week, sources told the Chicago Sun-Times.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot and CPS administrators will “follow the science” to determine how long the district, the third largest in the nation with 355,000 students, will remain in full-time remote learning, sources said.
A source familiar with the decision said the situation will likely be “reassessed along the way” but that distance learning will take place “at least for the first quarter.”
“The data don’t look great,” the source said. “We are not as bad as other places, but the daily case rate is unto 273, and it’s rising.”
The source said the decision was based on the worsening health data and input from parents.
Read the full story by Fran Spielman and Nader Issa here.
8:40 p.m. Going South: Pritzker says southern Illinois coronavirus surge ‘worse than in Chicago’
Some southern Illinois politicians have spent months hammering Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s COVID-19 measures for bringing the downstate economy to a halt to solve what they have called a Chicago-area problem.
Now, southern Illinois is the problem, the Democratic governor said Tuesday.
“I’m here today because the COVID-19 pandemic, which once seemed tame in Carbondale and throughout the entire region, is surging here,” Pritzker said at Southern Illinois University. “It’s worse than in Chicago.
“And I’ll be frank, if we don’t see some change here, the virus will cause some businesses to close, and an increasing percentage of people to get sick, and some will even die.”
Read the full story by Mitchell Armentrout here.
6 p.m. COVID-19 reshapes and reduces back-to-school spending
For Michelle Lynn England, back-to-school shopping always meant heading to Target and the local mall with her two girls and dropping about $500 on each of them for trendy outfits.
Not this year.
The Charlotte, North Carolina, woman cut her spending on clothing in half for her 10-year-old and 14-year-old and instead spent more on masks and other supplies as a surge in coronavirus cases forced her school district to extend online learning through the fall.
“The kids always looked forward to getting something new,” said England, who spent $500 in total this time around. “It didn’t make any sense to buy any extra clothes that won’t be worn.”
Read the full story here.
5:05 p.m. Park District workers ask for more safety, transparency around COVID-19 park closures
Park District employees want the district to provide better safety measures against the coronavirus and say there needs to be more communication with the public about closures due COVID-19.
“We are lacking transparency, communication and [the] implementation of policies equally,” a park supervisor Venus Roman-Valino said.
“Workers are scared, and the district is not easing workers’ minds by not communicating or being transparent,” Roman-Valino said. “Workers feel like [the district] is hiding information that could affect us ... so that the city can keep the parks open.”
The Park District has had seven COVID-19 cases that caused nine parks to close programs and facilities, according to spokeswoman Michele Lemons. Haas Park, Columbus Park, Davis Square Park and Rowan Park have reopened. Cole Park is to reopen Wednesday. While Cole Park, West Pullman Park, Ada Park, Piotrowski Park and Rigger’s Shop at Garfield Trade Yard remain closed until later in August.
Read the full story by Jade Yan here.
3:55 p.m. Teachers Union: Returning to classrooms next month would be ‘failed leadership’
As the debate heats up nationwide over the reopening of schools, Chicago teachers, activists and families rallied outside City Hall Monday to oppose a planned return to classrooms when Chicago Public Schools classes resume next month.
The protests are part of similar demonstrations in several cities across the nation and come just days before CPS parents are being asked to tell the district whether their children will go back to in-person learning or continue trying to learn from home.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot and CPS officials have proposed a return to schools that would put most students in classrooms two days a week and school staff, including teachers, four days a week.
Read the full story from Nader Issa here.
2:51 p.m. Chicago Teachers Union to call for strike vote at meeting next week
Less than a year removed from its longest labor stoppage in three decades, the Chicago Teachers Union is convening an emergency meeting of its elected delegates early next week to discuss another strike vote that would put pressure on Chicago Public Schools to back off its plan for a partial return to classrooms next month, a source told the Chicago Sun-Times.
The timeline for a potential vote is unclear, but any strike authorization would need the approval of three-quarters of the union’s 26,000 rank-and-file members. The meeting next week would mark the first steps of a member-based process toward another walkout.
Read more from Nader Issa here.
2:40 p.m. Fulton Market restaurants urge Lightfoot to restore 10-per-table limit
Restaurant owners fighting for survival in Chicago’s once-thriving Fulton Market district urged Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Tuesday to restore the 10-person-per-table maximum reduced to six to stop maskless young people from flocking to bars.
Last month, Lightfoot made good on a threat to roll back restrictions if young people didn’t stop their risky behavior.
She ordered taverns, breweries and other establishments without a retail food license to stop serving customers indoors and reduced the maximum party size and table occupancy at restaurants, bars, taverns and breweries from 10 people to six.
For restaurants limited to carryout only during the stay-at-home shutdown triggered by the coronavirus pandemic, it was unfair punishment and yet another in a string of devastating blows.
“It’s a classification of a private event versus just being a small gathering. It’s a completely different tier from our private event spaces being able to be sold,” said Phil Walters, owner of Formento’s, 925 W. Randolph St.
“We do have lots of inventory that are large tables that can no longer be used now. It just doesn’t make sense for guests when they come in with five to six guests to be put at a giant table. Now, our spaces is no longer viable,”
Walters said lumping restaurants into the same category as bars threatens to allow “bad players to bring down an entire industry ... that is already heavily impaired.”
Read more from Fran Spielman here.
2:37 p.m. US far outpaces other countries, nears 5 million coronavirus cases
Fourth of July gatherings, graduation parties, no-mask weddings, crowded bars — there are reasons the U.S. has racked up more than 155,000 coronavirus deaths, by far the most of any country, and is fast approaching an off-the-charts 5 million confirmed infections, easily the highest in the world.
Many Americans have resisted wearing masks and social distancing, calling such precautions an over-the-top response or an infringement on their liberty. Public health experts say such behavior has been compounded by confusing and inconsistent guidance from politicians and a patchwork quilt of approaches to containing the scourge by county, state and federal governments.
“The thing that’s maddening is country after country and state after state have shown us how we can contain the virus,” said Dr. Jonathan Quick of the Duke Global Health Institute, who is leading a pandemic initiative for the Rockefeller Foundation. “It’s not like we don’t know what works. We do.”
The number of confirmed infections in the U.S. has topped 4.7 million, with new cases running at over 60,000 a day. While that’s down from a peak of well over 70,000 in the second half of July, cases are rising in 26 states, many in the South and West, and deaths are climbing in 35 states.
Read more from the Associated Press here.
1:20 p.m. Advocates seek increase to Supplemental Security Income to benefit people with disabilities
With the coronavirus heightening challenges already faced by people with disabilities, activists are calling for an expansion of monthly Supplemental Security Income.
The SSI Justice Campaign is proposing an additional $266 be added to people’s monthly SSI, a federal income program designed to help aged and disabled people who have minimal or no income. The current federal monthly maximum is $783.
The Chicago Disability Activism Collective launched the campaign with full support of Cook County Commissioner Alma Anaya, who represents the 7th District on Chicago’s Southwest Side.
Many people with disabilities can’t work and rely solely on SSI to cover rent, food and other basic needs, Anaya said. Coupled with a cost of living in Cook County that’s higher than the national average, Anaya said an increase to Illinois’ SSI is “far overdue.” The increase would also benefit undocumented people with disabilities, Anaya said.
Read more from Clare Proctor here.
12:20 p.m. Puerto Rico joins 22 states on Chicago’s 14-day travel quarantine list
Puerto Rico on Tuesday joined 22 states on Chicago’s 14-day travel quarantine list amid concern about a surge in coronavirus cases among travelers, in households and at social gatherings.
With “more than five dozen confirmed cases” among travelers, Chicago Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady urged Chicagoans to curtail all but the most essential trips and work from home when they return if travel cannot be avoided.
Last week, Arwady added Wisconsin, Missouri, Nebraska and North Dakota to the travel advisory and warned compliance would no longer be voluntary.
This week, Puerto Rico was the only addition, having met the benchmark trigger of averaging more than 15 new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents over a seven-day period.
Iowa, Kansas and Utah were identified as fast-improving states that could be removed from the travel order as early as next week.
Read more from Fran Spielman here.
11:33 a.m. Suburban bars, restaurants asked to take voluntary steps to combat COVID-19 surge: ‘In the carrot stage, not the stick’
Looking to crack down on a surge in coronavirus cases among young people in the suburbs, Cook County officials announced Monday they’re urging restaurants to seat fewer diners at each table and bars to only serve customers outdoors.
Fitness centers in suburban Cook County are also being asked to reduce the number of people in the classes they hold from 50 to 10.
“We’re really asking the public to really get on the bandwagon with this,” said Dr. Rachel Rubin, a co-leader of the county’s Department of Public Health.
“These are not major changes, I understand that it does hurt some establishments or business owners, and we certainly regret that. The important news is that we really want to stop the spread of the virus or at least slow it down.”
The voluntary guidelines came as Illinois recorded another 1,298 coronavirus cases across the state on Monday, the 13th day in a row with a four-digit daily caseload.
The new infections pushed the state’s seven-day positivity rate just past 4% — up sharply from 2.6% a month ago.
The situation is worse in suburban Cook County, where the 10-day positivity rate shot up to 5.8% as of last Friday.
Read the full story here.
8:19 a.m. Longtime vendor Nichols Farm and Orchard booted from Wicker Park Farmers Market amid violations of COVID-19 protocols
Nichols Farm and Orchard, part of the Wicker Park Farmers Market for two decades, was kicked out last week.
The Wicker Park Bucktown Chamber of Commerce said Nichols Farms repeatedly violated COVID-19 protocol — not properly wearing masks, not having a rope to properly mark boundaries and not having a hand-washing station.
But Todd Nichols, a family owner of the farm, blames their removal on a “spur-of-the-moment decision” after three years of tension with market manager Alice Howe. And he expects the farm could lose $50,000 to $70,000 because of it.
The Wicker Park Farmers Market opened July 5 — later than usual, due to the pandemic. Vendors received COVID-19 guidelines beforehand, Howe said.
Many booths didn’t follow protocol perfectly the first week, said Pamela Maass, executive director of the chamber. Other vendors adjusted, but Maass said Nichols “stayed in non-compliance.”
Reporter Clare Proctor has the full story.
New cases
Nationals reinstate Juan Soto from COVID-19 injured list.
Cubs’ third baseman Kris Bryant was scratched from the Cubs’ lineup minutes before Saturday’s game due to gastrointestinal issues – which fall under the list of COVID-19 symptoms.
Health officials on Sunday announced another 1,467 people tested positive for COVID-19 in Illinois.
Lena Dunham says her body “revolted” in a debilitating month-long struggle with COVID-19.
Analysis & Commentary
In Letters to the Editor, Sara Wohlleb of Uptown writes:
Chicago Public Schools CEO Janice Jackson and Mayor Lori Lightfoot are asking parents to choose now between their in-school hybrid option or a fully remote option in September. If parents choose the first option, they can change their minds at any time. The second option locks them in until Nov. 9.
Most of the people in my circle are choosing the hybrid model, simply because it gives them the option to change their minds later, when we have more information about what these models will mean for our kids and the trajectory of the pandemic. The data CPS is collecting this week will not be a reflection of parents’ true learning preferences, but rather their logical desire to keep options open in such a high-stakes decision.
Let’s get real: Our collective decisions this week could mean the difference between life or death for teachers, staff and the kids themselves. My own kids really struggled with online learning, but if we can protect the lives of Chicagoans by going back to that model, we’re going to make the best of it.
There’s a bigger lesson to offer to our kids here — about what really matters when the chips are down. Chicago, we can do this.
Read this and more letters from Sun-Times readers here.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-04--Neil Young sues Trump campaign: Stop using my music

NEW YORK — Neil Young sued President Donald Trump ’ s reelection campaign Tuesday for copyright infringement , saying he doesn ’ t want his music used as a theme song for a “ divisive un-American campaign of ignorance and hate.
” The Grammy-award winning Canadian-born musician filed the lawsuit through his lawyers in Manhattan federal court , seeking up to $ 150,000 in statutory damages for each infringement .
A message seeking comment was left with a campaign spokesperson .
The legendary singer cited repeated use of two songs : “ Rockin ’ in the Free World ” and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign has used the tunes numerous times at rallies and political events , including on June 20 in Tulsa , Oklahoma , the lawsuit said .
Young said he was not suing to “ disrespect the rights and opinions of American citizens , who are free to support the candidate of their choosing , ” the lawsuit said .
“ However , ” it added , “ Plaintiff in good conscience can not allow his music to be used as a ‘ theme song ’ for a divisive , un-American campaign of ignorance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the use of the 1990 single , “ Rockin ’ in the Free World , ” in June 2015 , when the song accompanied Trump ’ s announcement of his presidential campaign , according to the lawsuit .
The campaign ’ s insistence in a statement then that it had obtained permission to use the music only proved that it was aware it needed permission , the lawsuit said .
It said Young has voiced continuous and public objections to the use of the music .
“ The campaign has willfully ignored Plaintiff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Songs and willfully proceeded to play the Songs despite its lack of a license , ” according to the lawsuit .
New York attorney Ivan Saperstein , who filed the lawsuit on Young ’ s behalf along with attorney Robert S. Besser of Santa Monica , California , declined comment .
On July 3 , Young lodged a complaint on the “ Neil Young Archives ” website , where a copy of Tuesday ’ s lawsuit was also posted , after Trump visited Mount Rushmore for an event .
“ I stand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this is NOT ok with me , ” he said in support of over 100 protesters who forced the closing of a road leading to the landmark .
He complained after “ Like a Hurricane ” and other songs were played when Trump visited the site .
“ Imagine what it feels like to hear ‘ Rockin ’ in the Free World ’ after this President speaks , like it is his theme song , ” Young said on the website .
“ I did not write it for that.
” Other artists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ played at Trump ’ s events .
In June , the Rolling Stones threatened to sue after the 1969 classic “ You Can ’ t Always Get What You Want ” was played at Trump ’ s Oklahoma rally , where critics said the indoor event threatened to spread the coronavirus .
The family of the late rock musician Tom Petty said it had issued a cease-and-desist order after Trump used the song “ I Won ’ t Back Down ?
in Tulsa .
“ Trump was in no way authorized to use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaves too many Americans and common sense behind , ?
the statement said .

NEW YORK — Neil Young sued President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign Tuesday for copyright infringement, saying he doesn’t want his music used as a theme song for a “divisive un-American campaign of ignorance and hate.”
The Grammy-award winning Canadian-born musician filed the lawsuit through his lawyers in Manhattan federal court, seeking up to $150,000 in statutory damages for each infringement.
A message seeking comment was left with a campaign spokesperson.
The legendary singer cited repeated use of two songs: “Rockin’ in the Free World” and “Devil’s Sidewalk.”
The campaign has used the tunes numerous times at rallies and political events, including on June 20 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the lawsuit said.
Young said he was not suing to “disrespect the rights and opinions of American citizens, who are free to support the candidate of their choosing,” the lawsuit said.
“However,” it added, “Plaintiff in good conscience cannot allow his music to be used as a ‘theme song’ for a divisive, un-American campaign of ignorance and hate.”
Young first complained about the use of the 1990 single, “Rockin’ in the Free World,” in June 2015, when the song accompanied Trump’s announcement of his presidential campaign, according to the lawsuit.
The campaign’s insistence in a statement then that it had obtained permission to use the music only proved that it was aware it needed permission, the lawsuit said.
It said Young has voiced continuous and public objections to the use of the music.
“The campaign has willfully ignored Plaintiff’s telling it not to play the Songs and willfully proceeded to play the Songs despite its lack of a license,” according to the lawsuit.
New York attorney Ivan Saperstein, who filed the lawsuit on Young’s behalf along with attorney Robert S. Besser of Santa Monica, California, declined comment.
On July 3, Young lodged a complaint on the “Neil Young Archives” website, where a copy of Tuesday’s lawsuit was also posted, after Trump visited Mount Rushmore for an event.
“I stand in solidarity with the Lakota Sioux & this is NOT ok with me,” he said in support of over 100 protesters who forced the closing of a road leading to the landmark.
He complained after “Like a Hurricane” and other songs were played when Trump visited the site.
“Imagine what it feels like to hear ‘Rockin’ in the Free World’ after this President speaks, like it is his theme song,” Young said on the website. “I did not write it for that.”
Other artists have also complained after their songs were played at Trump’s events.
In June, the Rolling Stones threatened to sue after the 1969 classic “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” was played at Trump’s Oklahoma rally, where critics said the indoor event threatened to spread the coronavirus.
The family of the late rock musician Tom Petty said it had issued a cease-and-desist order after Trump used the song “I Won’t Back Down? in Tulsa.
“Trump was in no way authorized to use this song to further a campaign that leaves too many Americans and common sense behind,? the statement said.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-04--Endangered GOP senators are driving force for coronavirus deal

WASHINGTON — A small but singularly influential group is a driving force for an agreement on a stalled coronavirus relief bill : Endangered Senate GOP incumbents who need to win this fall if Republicans are going to retain control of the majority .
Confronted with a poisonous political environment , vulnerable Senate Republicans are rushing to endorse generous jobless benefits , child care grants , and more than $ 100 billion to help schools reopen .
Several of them are refusing to allow the Senate to adjourn until Washington delivers a deal to their desperate constituents .
Sen. Martha McSally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Arizona , is breaking with conservatives to endorse a temporary extension of a $ 600 per week supplemental benefits .
Republicans up for reelection such as John Cornyn of Texas and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina are demanding results before returning home to campaign .
And Sen. Susan Collins is in overdrive , backing help for cash-starved states and local governments — and Maine ’ s shipbuilding industry .
The opinions of senators up for reelection are of more consequence to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell than those held by conservatives like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Toomey , R-Pa. , who are broadcasting their opposition to the emerging legislation as costly and ineffective .
As other Republicans gripe that they ’ re going to have to swallow a deal brokered by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. , the vulnerable Republicans are craving just such a bipartisan result .
“ Maybe eight Republicans who are up in tough states have a bigger interest in getting this COVID-19 bill done , ” said Sen .
Rob Portman , R-Ohio .
“ I think that ’ s accurate.
” Republican strategists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their party that has worsened over the summer , said it ’ s imperative for GOP lawmakers to be able to head back to their states and districts with a deal in hand to show voters they are taking the pandemic and the economic fallout seriously .
“ GOP Senate candidates need a deal , a good deal … so they can get home and campaign on helping small businesses get up and moving again , ” said Scott Reed , the chief political strategist at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce .
Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for incumbents facing tough re-election fights to “ have wins ” to highlight through the fall .
“ This is the most important issue facing the country right now , ” Bliss said .
“ There ’ s no better message for Congress to deliver heading into the election than a big bipartisan victory to help families and small businesses get through this difficult time.
” Republicans control the Senate by a 53-47 margin , meaning Democrats must gain at least three seats to capture Senate control .
But Republicans are defending 25 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and are on the defensive even in traditionally red states due to Trump ’ s deteriorating standings in polls .
Meanwhile , in blue and purple states like Iowa , Colorado , and Maine , GOP incumbents are lining up to break with party orthodoxy on issues like child care , unemployment benefits , and aid to cash-starved state and local governments .
In Colorado , Sen. Cory Gardner recently pushed for more virus relief after an appearance with Ivanka Trump at a child care facility in the Denver suburbs .
“ It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he told reporters .
His opponent , Democrat John Hickenlooper , has been hammering Gardner over the GOP ’ s decision to “ pause ” the coronavirus negotiations for most of the summer .
On Tuesday , his campaign held a virtual press conference to press for more relief .
“ We ’ ve seen Sen. Gardner stay silent while Mitch McConnell and President Trump refuse to help millions of Americans , ” Hickenlooper said .
In South Carolina , Graham ’ s opponent has called out what he has characterized as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerns over lost wages and unemployment .
Jaime Harrison has said Graham is “ leading the charge ” to cut additional unemployment relief , referring to Graham ’ s April comment that Congress would extend the current benefits past July “ over our dead bodies.
” Graham is now offering a jobless benefit proposal that is more generous than other GOP proposals .
Cornyn helped start a bandwagon of senators who are demanding the Senate stay at work in Washington until a coronavirus bill is passed .
Voters expect a deal — including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of people avert a descent into poverty — and returning home to campaign without one in hand could be a political disaster .
With progress coming slowly in the talks , GOP leaders said the Senate will be extending its session into next week and possibly longer .
Back home , Cornyn is facing the first serious reelection challenge of his 18 years in the Senate as Trump ’ s sagging approval and Texas ’ rapidly changing suburbs has the GOP nervous about their grip on America ’ s biggest red state .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ has circulated interviews of Cornyn earlier calling generous jobless benefits a mistake since they encourage people not to work and saying in June that the benefit would not be reinstated .
At a closed-door GOP lunch last month , conservative Sen. Tom Cotton , R-Ark.
, urged a freer-spending approach to the legislation that could help endangered colleagues keep their seats — and allow everyone else to hold onto their gavels .
It ’ s difficult to overstate the stakes .
Republicans are in their sixth year holding the Senate , and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all-Democratic control of Washington next year if Joe Biden , the presumptive Democratic nominee , defeats Trump in November .
Democrats controlling the chamber could rubber-stamp Biden ’ s Cabinet and judicial picks , if he wins , including likely Supreme Court vacancies .
Even a narrow Democratic majority could reverse the GOP ’ s 2017 tax cuts — and that ’ s before the party considers eliminating the legislative filibuster that has been the defining characteristic of the chamber for decades .
“ This is the most important thing we need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

WASHINGTON — A small but singularly influential group is a driving force for an agreement on a stalled coronavirus relief bill: Endangered Senate GOP incumbents who need to win this fall if Republicans are going to retain control of the majority.
Confronted with a poisonous political environment, vulnerable Senate Republicans are rushing to endorse generous jobless benefits, child care grants, and more than $100 billion to help schools reopen. Several of them are refusing to allow the Senate to adjourn until Washington delivers a deal to their desperate constituents.
Sen. Martha McSally, who has fallen behind in polls in Arizona, is breaking with conservatives to endorse a temporary extension of a $600 per week supplemental benefits. Republicans up for reelection such as John Cornyn of Texas and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina are demanding results before returning home to campaign. And Sen. Susan Collins is in overdrive, backing help for cash-starved states and local governments — and Maine’s shipbuilding industry.
The opinions of senators up for reelection are of more consequence to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell than those held by conservatives like Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Pat Toomey, R-Pa., who are broadcasting their opposition to the emerging legislation as costly and ineffective. As other Republicans gripe that they’re going to have to swallow a deal brokered by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., the vulnerable Republicans are craving just such a bipartisan result.
“Maybe eight Republicans who are up in tough states have a bigger interest in getting this COVID-19 bill done,” said Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio. “I think that’s accurate.”
Republican strategists, grappling with a political environment for their party that has worsened over the summer, said it’s imperative for GOP lawmakers to be able to head back to their states and districts with a deal in hand to show voters they are taking the pandemic and the economic fallout seriously.
“GOP Senate candidates need a deal, a good deal … so they can get home and campaign on helping small businesses get up and moving again,” said Scott Reed, the chief political strategist at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Republican operative Corry Bliss said it was crucial for incumbents facing tough re-election fights to “have wins” to highlight through the fall.
“This is the most important issue facing the country right now,” Bliss said. “There’s no better message for Congress to deliver heading into the election than a big bipartisan victory to help families and small businesses get through this difficult time.”
Republicans control the Senate by a 53-47 margin, meaning Democrats must gain at least three seats to capture Senate control. But Republicans are defending 25 of the 38 seats in play, and are on the defensive even in traditionally red states due to Trump’s deteriorating standings in polls.
Meanwhile, in blue and purple states like Iowa, Colorado, and Maine, GOP incumbents are lining up to break with party orthodoxy on issues like child care, unemployment benefits, and aid to cash-starved state and local governments.
In Colorado, Sen. Cory Gardner recently pushed for more virus relief after an appearance with Ivanka Trump at a child care facility in the Denver suburbs. “It needs to get done now,” he told reporters.
His opponent, Democrat John Hickenlooper, has been hammering Gardner over the GOP’s decision to “pause” the coronavirus negotiations for most of the summer. On Tuesday, his campaign held a virtual press conference to press for more relief. “We’ve seen Sen. Gardner stay silent while Mitch McConnell and President Trump refuse to help millions of Americans,” Hickenlooper said.
In South Carolina, Graham’s opponent has called out what he has characterized as the Republican’s flippant attitude toward real-world concerns over lost wages and unemployment. Jaime Harrison has said Graham is “leading the charge” to cut additional unemployment relief, referring to Graham’s April comment that Congress would extend the current benefits past July “over our dead bodies.”
Graham is now offering a jobless benefit proposal that is more generous than other GOP proposals.
Cornyn helped start a bandwagon of senators who are demanding the Senate stay at work in Washington until a coronavirus bill is passed. Voters expect a deal — including renewed unemployment benefits that have helped millions of people avert a descent into poverty — and returning home to campaign without one in hand could be a political disaster. With progress coming slowly in the talks, GOP leaders said the Senate will be extending its session into next week and possibly longer.
Back home, Cornyn is facing the first serious reelection challenge of his 18 years in the Senate as Trump’s sagging approval and Texas’ rapidly changing suburbs has the GOP nervous about their grip on America’s biggest red state. His opponent, Democrat M.J. Hegar, has circulated interviews of Cornyn earlier calling generous jobless benefits a mistake since they encourage people not to work and saying in June that the benefit would not be reinstated.
At a closed-door GOP lunch last month, conservative Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., urged a freer-spending approach to the legislation that could help endangered colleagues keep their seats — and allow everyone else to hold onto their gavels.
It’s difficult to overstate the stakes. Republicans are in their sixth year holding the Senate, and that majority could be the only obstacle to all-Democratic control of Washington next year if Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, defeats Trump in November.
Democrats controlling the chamber could rubber-stamp Biden’s Cabinet and judicial picks, if he wins, including likely Supreme Court vacancies. Even a narrow Democratic majority could reverse the GOP’s 2017 tax cuts — and that’s before the party considers eliminating the legislative filibuster that has been the defining characteristic of the chamber for decades.
“This is the most important thing we need to be doing,” Cornyn said Tuesday.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-05--Dear Abby: As teen takes on new name and gender identity, dad feels disrespected

DEAR ABBY : My 14-year-old daughter recently came out of the closet , and it has made my husband and me quite upset .
She says she is “ bicurious , pansexual and polyamorous.
” She now insists everyone call her by a gender-neutral name , gave herself a side shave and dyed her hair pink after we repeatedly told her not to .
She wants us to refer to her as “ they ” and not “ she.
” Boys used to like her , and she used to have friends , but she threw it all away to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we should let her be true to herself , but in the process , she is disrespecting us and ruining her image .
She thinks she ’ s all grown up and can do whatever she wants , and I just can ’ t get through to her .
She is also letting herself go .
She used to be in good shape , but she quit track and field because it was a “ gender-conforming ” sport .
She is now getting chubby , looks horrible and is depressed .
Help !
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Your child may , indeed , be depressed .
They ’ re at an age where they are trying to figure out who they are , and because they have lost their friends and their parents are mad at her , I can understand why .
It is very important that you not panic .
The teen ’ s hair will grow back ; their gender identity and sexual orientation will be confirmed with time .
The most important suggestion I can offer would be to love your child , stop criticizing them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your husband to talk with a psychologist with expertise in adolescents .
Above all , your child needs the support of their parents right now .
DEAR ABBY : I met this beautiful woman online three months ago .
We haven ’ t met in person yet , but plan to .
We spend at least eight hours a day online together , and our relationship has really advanced .
I know she ’ s real and not a “ catfish ” because we talk about everything .
We even tell each other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she has a second Facebook account and absolutely refuses to accept my friend request .
She says she needs her privacy , and it ’ s none of my business .
She also tells me her friends on that page are all male co-workers .
She said she prefers to have mostly male friends in her life .
Am I wrong to be upset if she refuses to let me see that profile or be one of her friends there ?
Am I asking too much ?
I asked her what happened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t answer that question either .
What ’ s going on here ?
— STUCK ON HER IN PENNSYLVANIA DEAR STUCK : Although you have spent a lot of time online with this woman , your relationship is still new .
As your relationship proceeds , how will you feel about the fact that most of her friends are other men ?
I DO think there is something going on , which is the reason she doesn ’ t want you to see that account .
The most important question is : Do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t know the answer to that until your relationship has developed further .
So stop using the L word until you know her much , much better .
DEAR ABBY : My husband of 11 years told me that when his former mother-in-law dies , he would like to go to the funeral .
He was friendly with her before he married her daughter .
I ’ m not OK with this .
What do you think ?
— UNUSUAL IN THE SOUTH DEAR UNUSUAL : If your husband feels the need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he should do it .
And when he does , it would be nice if you were at his side , supporting him in his grief .
Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren , also known as Jeanne Phillips , and was founded by her mother , Pauline Phillips .
Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O .
Box 69440 , Los Angeles , CA 90069 .
For an excellent guide to becoming a better conversationalist and a more sociable person , order “ How to Be Popular.
” Send @ @ @ @ @ @ @ check or money order for $ 8 ( U.S. funds ) , to : Dear Abby , Popularity Booklet , P.O .
Box 447 , Mount Morris , IL 61054-0447 .
( Shipping and handling are included in the price . )

DEAR ABBY: My 14-year-old daughter recently came out of the closet, and it has made my husband and me quite upset. She says she is “bicurious, pansexual and polyamorous.” She now insists everyone call her by a gender-neutral name, gave herself a side shave and dyed her hair pink after we repeatedly told her not to. She wants us to refer to her as “they” and not “she.”
Boys used to like her, and she used to have friends, but she threw it all away to be “unique.” You may think we should let her be true to herself, but in the process, she is disrespecting us and ruining her image. She thinks she’s all grown up and can do whatever she wants, and I just can’t get through to her.
She is also letting herself go. She used to be in good shape, but she quit track and field because it was a “gender-conforming” sport. She is now getting chubby, looks horrible and is depressed. Help! — DAD WITHOUT ANSWERS
DEAR DAD: Your child may, indeed, be depressed. They’re at an age where they are trying to figure out who they are, and because they have lost their friends and their parents are mad at her, I can understand why.
It is very important that you not panic. The teen’s hair will grow back; their gender identity and sexual orientation will be confirmed with time. The most important suggestion I can offer would be to love your child, stop criticizing them and make an appointment for you and your husband to talk with a psychologist with expertise in adolescents. Above all, your child needs the support of their parents right now.
DEAR ABBY: I met this beautiful woman online three months ago. We haven’t met in person yet, but plan to. We spend at least eight hours a day online together, and our relationship has really advanced. I know she’s real and not a “catfish” because we talk about everything. We even tell each other the L word.
My dilemma is, she has a second Facebook account and absolutely refuses to accept my friend request. She says she needs her privacy, and it’s none of my business. She also tells me her friends on that page are all male co-workers. She said she prefers to have mostly male friends in her life.
Am I wrong to be upset if she refuses to let me see that profile or be one of her friends there? Am I asking too much? I asked her what happened to transparency, but she won’t answer that question either. What’s going on here? — STUCK ON HER IN PENNSYLVANIA
DEAR STUCK: Although you have spent a lot of time online with this woman, your relationship is still new. As your relationship proceeds, how will you feel about the fact that most of her friends are other men?
I DO think there is something going on, which is the reason she doesn’t want you to see that account. The most important question is: Do you trust her? You won’t know the answer to that until your relationship has developed further. So stop using the L word until you know her much, much better.
DEAR ABBY: My husband of 11 years told me that when his former mother-in-law dies, he would like to go to the funeral. He was friendly with her before he married her daughter. I’m not OK with this. What do you think? — UNUSUAL IN THE SOUTH
DEAR UNUSUAL: If your husband feels the need to pay his respects to his former mother-in-law, he should do it. And when he does, it would be nice if you were at his side, supporting him in his grief.
Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.
For an excellent guide to becoming a better conversationalist and a more sociable person, order “How to Be Popular.” Send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $8 (U.S. funds), to: Dear Abby, Popularity Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. (Shipping and handling are included in the price.)


chicagosun-times--2020-08-05--Chicago police officer shot in Lawndale; suspect in custody

A Chicago police officer was shot Wednesday in Lawndale on the West Side , according to preliminary information from Chicago @ @ @ @ @ the officer was in the 1300 block of South Lawndale Avenue , when he was @ @ @ @ @ The suspected shooter has been taken into custody .
The male officer was taken to @ @ @ @ @ he was stabilized , according the Chicago fire officials .
Details of the shooting were @ @ @ @ @ .
This is a developing story , check back for details .

A suspect is in custody after a Chicago police officer was shot and wounded responding to a domestic call early Wednesday in Lawndale on the West Side.
The officer is the fourth CPD member to be wounded in shootings in the past week.
Officers responding to a domestic dispute in the 1300 block of South Lawndale Avenue were engaging with a man speaking out an open third-story window when the man opened fire on the officers outside, according to police.
One officer, a two-year CPD veteran, was shot in the hip about 3:40 a.m. and taken in serious condition to Mt. Sinai Hospital, police said. His condition stabilized.
Officers, who did not fire back, entered the apartment complex and arrested the man, a convicted gun offender who shouldn’t have had a weapon, according to police. The man’s partner and a child also in the apartment were unharmed.
In a televised news conference, Supt. David Brown said the incident “speaks to the courage of the Chicago Police Department and its officers....”
The officer’s pelvis was shattered in the shooting, but he is “doing well,” Deputy Chief Brendan Deenihan said Wednesday in an unrelated news conference.
The shooting comes less than a week after a detainee who allegedly concealed a gun during transport to a Northwest Side police station opened fire and wounded three officers. Lovelle Jordan, in turn, was shot multiple times at the 25th District police station, 5555 W. Grand Ave., police said. Jordan, 25, faces six counts of attempted murder.
The location of the Lawndale shooting is in the same block where, two weeks prior, five people were wounded in a single shooting.
Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-05--10 shot, 1 fatally, Tuesday in Chicago

10 shot, 1 fatally, Tuesday in Chicago

Ten people were shot , one of them fatally , Tuesday in Chicago .
The day ’ s lone fatal attack claimed the life of local rapper FBG Duck and left two others wounded in the Gold Coast .
They were standing on the sidewalk when a pair of vehicles pulled up , with two gunmen stepping out of each to open fire , Deputy Chief Daniel O ’ Shea said at a news conference at the scene .
The shooting happened about 4:37 p.m. in the first block of East Oak Street , he said .
FBG Duck , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ struck multiple times and taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital , where he was pronounced dead about half an hour later , according to a police source and the Cook County medical examiner ’ s office .
He was 26 years old .
Another man , 36 , was taken to the same hospital in serious condition with gunshot wounds to his back and side , Chicago police said .
A 26-year-old woman sitting in a parked vehicle was shot in her hand .
She was taken to St. Joseph Hospital , where her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 23-year-old man was wounded after being shot in Chicago Lawn on the Southwest Side .
About 10:40 p.m. , he was standing on the sidewalk in the 5900 block of South Campbell Avenue when he heard shots and felt a pain , police said .
He was struck in the right leg and taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in good condition .
About an hour prior , a 43-year-old man was shot in Austin on the West Side .
He was shot in the abdomen about 9:45 p.m. in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , police said .
He was taken to Stroger Hospital in serious condition .
The circumstances of the shooting are unknown because the man would not cooperate with officers , police said .
A 37-year-old woman was wounded when she was shot Tuesday evening in Englewood on the South Side .
She was standing on the front porch of a home about 9:08 p.m. in the 1200 block of West 73rd Street when a male suspect shot her in the foot , police said .
The woman was taken to the University of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A 17-year-old boy was wounded in a shooting Tuesday afternoon in Gresham on the South Side .
He was standing in the doorway of a home about noon in the 8300 block of South Peoria Street when someone opened fire , police said .
The teen was hit in the thigh and taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn in an unknown condition .
About 10 before the Gresham shooting , a man was hurt in a shooting in South Shore .
The 34-year-old was standing on the sidewalk about 11:50 a.m. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Street when someone fired shots from a parked car , police said .
He was grazed in the back and knee , police said .
He was treated and released on the scene .
The day ’ s first reported shooting wounded two men in a drive-by in Lawndale on the West Side .
About 12:05 a.m. , the men , 26 and 29 , were on the sidewalk in the 1500 block of South Keller Avenue when someone inside a passing black sedan fired shots at them , police said .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and taken to Mt .
Sinai Hospital in good condition , police said .
The 29-year-old was struck in the left leg and taken to the same hospital in good condition .
Fifteen people were wounded Monday in shootings across Chicago .
Read more on crime , and track the city ’ s homicides .

Ten people were shot, one of them fatally, Tuesday in Chicago.
The day’s lone fatal attack claimed the life of local rapper FBG Duck and left two others wounded in the Gold Coast.
They were standing on the sidewalk when a pair of vehicles pulled up, with two gunmen stepping out of each to open fire, Deputy Chief Daniel O’Shea said at a news conference at the scene.
The shooting happened about 4:37 p.m. in the first block of East Oak Street, he said.
FBG Duck, whose name is Carlton Weekly, was struck multiple times and taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead about half an hour later, according to a police source and the Cook County medical examiner’s office. He was 26 years old.
Another man, 36, was taken to the same hospital in serious condition with gunshot wounds to his back and side, Chicago police said. A 26-year-old woman sitting in a parked vehicle was shot in her hand. She was taken to St. Joseph Hospital, where her condition stabilized.
In non-fatal shootings, a 23-year-old man was wounded after being shot in Chicago Lawn on the Southwest Side.
About 10:40 p.m., he was standing on the sidewalk in the 5900 block of South Campbell Avenue when he heard shots and felt a pain, police said. He was struck in the right leg and taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in good condition.
About an hour prior, a 43-year-old man was shot in Austin on the West Side.
He was shot in the abdomen about 9:45 p.m. in the 1000 block of North Long Avenue, police said. He was taken to Stroger Hospital in serious condition.
The circumstances of the shooting are unknown because the man would not cooperate with officers, police said.
A 37-year-old woman was wounded when she was shot Tuesday evening in Englewood on the South Side.
She was standing on the front porch of a home about 9:08 p.m. in the 1200 block of West 73rd Street when a male suspect shot her in the foot, police said. The woman was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in good condition.
A 17-year-old boy was wounded in a shooting Tuesday afternoon in Gresham on the South Side.
He was standing in the doorway of a home about noon in the 8300 block of South Peoria Street when someone opened fire, police said. The teen was hit in the thigh and taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn in an unknown condition.
About 10 before the Gresham shooting, a man was hurt in a shooting in South Shore.
The 34-year-old was standing on the sidewalk about 11:50 a.m. in the 2700 block of East 79th Street when someone fired shots from a parked car, police said.
He was grazed in the back and knee, police said. He was treated and released on the scene.
The day’s first reported shooting wounded two men in a drive-by in Lawndale on the West Side.
About 12:05 a.m., the men, 26 and 29, were on the sidewalk in the 1500 block of South Keller Avenue when someone inside a passing black sedan fired shots at them, police said.
The 26-year-old was struck in the left shoulder and taken to Mt. Sinai Hospital in good condition, police said. The 29-year-old was struck in the left leg and taken to the same hospital in good condition.
Fifteen people were wounded Monday in shootings across Chicago.
Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-05--Police search for man who tried to lure child in Bridgeport

Chicago police are searching for a man who tried to lure a boy Tuesday in Bridgeport on the South Side @ @ @ @ @ child and said “ come with me ” about 7 p.m. in the 700 block @ @ @ @ @ Chicago police said .
The boy ran back to his mother while the man left @ @ @ @ @ .
Police described the suspect as a man in his 50s standing between 5-foot-8 and @ @ @ @ @ a black baseball cap , a yellow and gray face mask , a gray zip-up @ @ @ @ @ police said .
Anyone with information is asked to call Area One detectives at 312-747-8380 @ @ @ @ @ , and track the city ’ s homicides .

Chicago police are searching for a man who tried to lure a boy Tuesday in Bridgeport on the South Side.
The man approached the child and said “come with me” about 7 p.m. in the 700 block of West 31st Street, Chicago police said.
The boy ran back to his mother while the man left the scene, police said.
Police described the suspect as a man in his 50s standing between 5-foot-8 and 6-feet. He was wearing a black baseball cap, a yellow and gray face mask, a gray zip-up sweater and beige pants, police said.
Anyone with information is asked to call Area One detectives at 312-747-8380.
Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-05--Lebanese confront devastation after massive Beirut explosion

BEIRUT — Residents of Beirut awoke to a scene of utter devastation on Wednesday , a day after a massive explosion at the port sent shock waves across the Lebanese capital , killing at least 100 people and wounding thousands .
Smoke was still rising from the port , where a towering grain silos had been shattered .
Major downtown streets were littered with debris and damaged vehicles , and building facades were blown out .
At hospitals across the city people had been waiting all night for news of loved ones who had gone missing or were wounded .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ An official with the Lebanese Red Cross said at least 100 people were killed and more than 4,000 were wounded .
The official , George Kettaneh , said the toll could rise further .
It was unclear what caused the blast , which appeared to have been triggered by a fire and struck with the force of an earthquake .
It was the most powerful explosion ever seen in the city , which was on the front lines of the 1975-1990 civil war and has endured conflicts with neighboring Israel and periodic bombings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Apocalypse , ” read the front page of Lebanon ’ s French L ’ Orient Le Jour newspaper .
Another paper , al-Akhbar , had a photo of a destroyed port with the words : “ The Great Collapse.
” Lebanon was already on the brink of collapse amid a severe economic crisis that has ignited mass protests in recent months .
Its hospitals are confronting a surge in coronavirus cases , and there were concerns the virus could spread further as people flooded into hospitals .
Interior Minister Mohammed Fahmi told a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blast was caused by the detonation of more than 2,700 tons of ammonium nitrate that had been stored in a warehouse at the dock ever since it was confiscated from a cargo ship in 2014 .
Witnesses reported seeing an orange cloud like that which appears when toxic nitrogen dioxide gas is released after an explosion involving nitrates .
Videos showed what looked like a fire erupting nearby just before , and local TV stations reported that a fireworks warehouse was involved .
The fire appeared to spread to a nearby building , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mushroom cloud and generating a shock wave .
“ It was a real horror show .
I haven ’ t seen anything like that since the days of the ( civil ) war , ” said Marwan Ramadan , who was about 500 yards from the port and was knocked off his feet by the force of the explosion .
The blast destroyed numerous apartment buildings , potentially leaving large numbers of people homeless at a time when many Lebanese have lost their jobs and seen their savings evaporate because of a currency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about how Lebanon will continue to import nearly all of its vital goods with its main port devastated .
There is also the issue of food security in Lebanon , a tiny country already hosting over 1 million Syrians amid that country ’ s yearslong war .
The port ’ s major grain silo is run by the Lebanese Ministry of Economy and Trade .
Drone footage shot Wednesday by The Associated Press showed that the blast tore open those grain silos , dumping their contents into the debris and earth thrown up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Lebanon ’ s wheat supply is imported , according to the U.S. Agriculture Department .
Estimates suggest some 85 % of the country ’ s grain was stored at the now-destroyed silos .
Lebanon ’ s state-run National News Agency quoted the Raoul Nehme , the minister of economy and trade , as saying that all the wheat stored at the facility had been “ contaminated ” and couldn ’ t be used .
However , he insisted Lebanon had enough wheat for its immediate needs .
Nehme said Lebanon also would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nation ’ s economic crisis is rooted in decades of systemic corruption and poor governance by the political class that has been in power since the end of the civil war .
Lebanese have held mass protests calling for sweeping political change since last autumn but few of their demands have been met as the economic situation has steadily worsened .
The size and scale of the Beirut explosion mirrored that of another major disaster involving ammonium nitrate .
In 1947 , a ship carrying some 2,200 tons of the chemical compound caught @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and exploded , causing a series of subsequent blasts at nearby oil facilities and a chemical plant .
That disaster killed over 575 people and wounded another 4,000 .

BEIRUT — Residents of Beirut awoke to a scene of utter devastation on Wednesday, a day after a massive explosion at the port sent shock waves across the Lebanese capital, killing at least 100 people and wounding thousands.
Smoke was still rising from the port, where a towering grain silos had been shattered. Major downtown streets were littered with debris and damaged vehicles, and building facades were blown out. At hospitals across the city people had been waiting all night for news of loved ones who had gone missing or were wounded. Others posted requests for help online.
An official with the Lebanese Red Cross said at least 100 people were killed and more than 4,000 were wounded. The official, George Kettaneh, said the toll could rise further.
It was unclear what caused the blast, which appeared to have been triggered by a fire and struck with the force of an earthquake. It was the most powerful explosion ever seen in the city, which was on the front lines of the 1975-1990 civil war and has endured conflicts with neighboring Israel and periodic bombings and terror attacks.
“L’Apocalypse,” read the front page of Lebanon’s French L’Orient Le Jour newspaper. Another paper, al-Akhbar, had a photo of a destroyed port with the words: “The Great Collapse.”
Lebanon was already on the brink of collapseamid a severe economic crisis that has ignited mass protests in recent months. Its hospitals are confronting a surge in coronavirus cases, and there were concerns the virus could spread further as people flooded into hospitals.
Interior Minister Mohammed Fahmi told a local TV station that it appeared the blast was caused by the detonation of more than 2,700 tons of ammonium nitrate that had been stored in a warehouse at the dock ever since it was confiscated from a cargo ship in 2014.
Witnesses reported seeing an orange cloud like that which appears when toxic nitrogen dioxide gas is released after an explosion involving nitrates.
Videos showed what looked like a fire erupting nearby just before, and local TV stations reported that a fireworks warehouse was involved. The fire appeared to spread to a nearby building, triggering the explosion, sending up a mushroom cloud and generating a shock wave.
“It was a real horror show. I haven’t seen anything like that since the days of the (civil) war,” said Marwan Ramadan, who was about 500 yards from the port and was knocked off his feet by the force of the explosion.
The blast destroyed numerous apartment buildings, potentially leaving large numbers of people homeless at a time when many Lebanese have lost their jobs and seen their savings evaporate because of a currency crisis. The explosion also raises concerns about how Lebanon will continue to import nearly all of its vital goods with its main port devastated.
There is also the issue of food security in Lebanon, a tiny country already hosting over 1 million Syrians amid that country’s yearslong war.
The port’s major grain silo is run by the Lebanese Ministry of Economy and Trade. Drone footage shot Wednesday by The Associated Press showed that the blast tore open those grain silos, dumping their contents into the debris and earth thrown up by the blast. Some 80% of Lebanon’s wheat supply is imported, according to the U.S. Agriculture Department.
Estimates suggest some 85% of the country’s grain was stored at the now-destroyed silos.
Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency quoted the Raoul Nehme, the minister of economy and trade, as saying that all the wheat stored at the facility had been “contaminated” and couldn’t be used. However, he insisted Lebanon had enough wheat for its immediate needs. Nehme said Lebanon also would import more wheat.
The tiny Mediterranean nation’s economic crisis is rooted in decades of systemic corruption and poor governance by the political class that has been in power since the end of the civil war. Lebanese have held mass protests calling for sweeping political change since last autumn but few of their demands have been met as the economic situation has steadily worsened.
The size and scale of the Beirut explosion mirrored that of another major disaster involving ammonium nitrate. In 1947, a ship carrying some 2,200 tons of the chemical compound caught fire in Texas City, Texas, and exploded, causing a series of subsequent blasts at nearby oil facilities and a chemical plant. That disaster killed over 575 people and wounded another 4,000.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-04--Rapper FBG Duck killed, 2 wounded in Gold Coast shooting: police

Rapper FBG Duck was shot dead and two others were wounded in a targeted attack Tuesday afternoon on a Gold Coast street known for its high-end boutiques and luxury stores .
The shoppers were standing on the sidewalk when a pair of vehicles pulled up , with two gunmen stepping out of each to open fire , Deputy Chief Daniel O ’ Shea said at a news conference at the scene .
The shooting happened about 4:37 p.m. in the first block of East Oak Street , he said .
FBG Duck , whose name is Carlton Weekly , was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Memorial Hospital , where he was pronounced dead about half an hour later , according to a police source and the Cook County medical examiner ’ s office .
He was 26 years old .
FBG Duck rose to national prominence in 2018 off the strength of his hit single , “ Slide , ” which quickly grew into a mainstay on hip-hop radio and racked up over 53.5 million views on YouTube alone .
Emerging into Chicago ’ s drill scene in 2013 with his debut mixtape , “ Look At Me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to release seven more projects alongside a bevy of singles .
Another man , 36 , was taken to the same hospital in serious condition with gunshot wounds to his back and side .
Authorities have not released his name .
A 26-year-old woman sitting in a parked vehicle was shot in her hand , police said .
She was taken to St. Joseph Hospital , where her condition stabilized .
The gunmen were last seen westbound on Oak Street in a black Taurus and a silver-colored Chrysler 300 , O ’ Shea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expect this type of activity in this neighborhood , ” O ’ Shea said .
“ This area is well policed , and this is something that was specifically targeted for these individuals ... To see this happen in the middle of the day is very very disturbing.
” He also encouraged anyone with information to contact police .
“ We ’ ll take every tip we can get , ” O ’ Shea said .
“ It could be the most minute thing but it helps our detectives out in putting the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jewelry stores are located on the block where the shooting took place .
Officers placed at least 50 evidence markers in the street and searched a dark-colored car parked nearby .
The glass of the Dolce and Gabbana storefront was shattered near where police were investigating .
Howard Gordon , who owns Bravco Beauty on Oak Street with his wife , said he heard what sounded like “ a machine gun ” and a car speeding off .
He said a bystander outside the store ran inside .
Gordon and his wife have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and he said he hasn ’ t seen anything like Tuesday ’ s incident before .
“ It ’ s almost like I ’ m in shock , still not believing what I heard , ” Gordon said later .
Tony Moffett , a security guard at Tory Burch , said he saw someone fire shots about five minutes before the shooting that wounded the three people .
He said two men were speaking with each other on the sidewalk in front of the boutique Cos when one of them pulled out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shooter ran east while the other person ran west , Moffett said .
About five minutes later , he said he heard another six or eight shots farther west down the street , where cops later taped off as a crime scene .
“ I ’ m like how did this happen — out of nowhere , ” Moffett said .
O ’ Shea said police were investigating the report of shots fired prior to the shooting .
The first block of west Oak Street is typically a peaceful place , Moffett said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here .
Nothing happens like that , ” he said .
Activist Ja ’ Mal Green , who said he knew people close to FBG Duck , called on the city to help young people cope with the rapper ’ s death .
“ He was pretty popular and , at the end of the day , there are going to be a lot of people angry at this , ” Green said .
“ A lot of young people are going to lose hope because he was an idol .
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ large effort to help young people cope with this loss.
” Read more on crime , and track the city ’ s homicides .

The Chicago Police Department is warning officers to watch out for potential retaliation for the fatal shooting of rapper FBG Duck in the Gold Coast.
The slain 26-year-old rapper, whose name is Carlton Weekly, was on social media antagonizing rival gang members before he was killed Tuesday afternoon, according to an officer safety alert issued late Tuesday.
His video, which made “derogatory statements toward deceased members of the Black Disciples,” is a possible motive for his fatal shooting in the heart of the luxury shopping district on Oak Street, police said.
The alert warned of a “high probability of retaliatory gang violence” in the Wentworth, Grand Crossing and Englewood police districts on the South Side because of Weekly’s killing.
Police said Weekly was associated with a faction of the Gangster Disciples street gang called Jaro City, which is based near 62nd Street and Vernon Avenue in West Woodlawn. But on social media, Weekly identified himself as a member of a Gangster Disciples faction called STL/EBT, which is in the same area and mostly friendly with Jaro City.
There’s a “high threat level” in an ongoing conflict between those Gangster Disciples and the O Block faction of the Black Disciples that operates in the Parkway Gardens apartments near 63rd Street and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, the alert said.
Odee Perry, a member of a Black Disciples faction in Parkway Gardens, was shot to death in 2011, and the faction was dubbed O Block in his honor. Perry’s killing sparked a series of retaliatory shootings — including the 2014 murder of Gakirah Barnes, who police say was a female gang assassin for a Gangster Disciples faction in the neighborhood.
To this day, the conflict is a central theme in rappers’ music on the South Side.
Weekly also was affiliated with the Fly Boy Gang, a group of rappers. The FBG in Weekly’s rapper name comes from Fly Boy Gang. As the rapper FBG Duck, Weekly’s single “Slide” got more than 53 million views on YouTube.
According to a Chicago Sun-Times story in 2017, his brother Jermaine Robinson was a rapper who went by FBG Brick. He and a friend, Stanley Mack, were shot to death in Woodlawn in July 2017.
“As FBG Brick, Robinson performed under the tutelage of his younger brother, FBG Duck, a member of the controversial Fly Boy Gang or FBG. That group, known for its high-profile feuds with Chief Keef and Edai, released a number of songs dissing the rival rappers,” the story said.
On Wednesday, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said she understands Weekly was “an individual who fancies himself as a rapper but also is a member of a gang.”
“What we’re seeing is a manifestation of a larger problem, which is that way too many young men — particularly young men of color — have access to guns and are willing to use those guns to settle petty grievances,” she said.
The number of murders in Chicago this year was up more than 50% through July compared with the same period of 2019.
“We must step up and do the right thing,” Lightfoot said, calling for the public to provide the police with information about the shooters. “People who are involved in these shootings are not strangers. They are known in the community, on the block.”
“Give no shelter to killers,” she said.
Weekly was shot dead and two others were wounded in the targeted attack at 4:37 p.m. in the first block of East Oak Street. Shoppers were on the sidewalk when a pair of vehicles pulled up and two gunmen got out and opened fire. Weekly was hit multiple times and taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The gunmen fled west on Oak Street in a black Taurus and a silver-colored Chrysler 300, police said.
Chicago police investigate the scene where three people were shot Aug. 4 on the Gold Coast. Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times
Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-04--Horoscope for Wednesday, August 5, 2020

Horoscope for Wednesday, August 5, 2020

There are no restrictions to shopping or important decisions .
The moon is in Pisces .
This is a pleasant and exciting day because down deep , you are open to change .
In fact , you want change .
You are an adventurer at heart , and today you feel the need for something new and fresh to happen !
It will please you to meet someone new and different .
This person might be a character or avant-garde in some way .
Perhaps someone will introduce you to a sexy , rugged individual ?
Or possibly , someone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing something unusual ?
One can only hope .
Something unexpected might happen to you .
And what is further unexpected is whatever happens is rather obvious .
Others can see it !
( Let ’ s hope it ’ s positive news . )
Whatever it is it will somehow expand your reputation with your peers and widen your contacts with the world .
A sudden opportunity to travel might fall in your lap .
You might also have a chance to learn something new and exciting or take a course .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ways to expand your world because you ’ re eager something different to happen !
A surprise gift or an unexpected opportunity might come your way .
This could relate to banking , debt , shared property or inheritances , but whatever the case , you might come out smelling like a rose and laughing all the way to the bank .
A close friend or associate will say or do something you least expect today .
Nevertheless , it will be interesting .
It might keep you off your heels .
( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by someone you know well because it means they still have a few tricks up their sleeve . )
Something unusual or unexpected could affect your work scene today .
A new coworker ?
New equipment ?
Or — horrors — equipment breakdowns ?
Quite possibly , this surprise could be health related .
It might also be something unexpected that somehow relates to a pet .
( Keep your eyes open ! )
A surprise invitation might come your way today .
Yay !
Admittedly , a social event might be canceled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a saucy flirtation ?
( Be still my beating heart . )
Parents must be vigilant today to avoid accidents with their kids .
Something unexpected might change your home routine today .
A surprise visitor at the door ?
( Hopefully , not the breakdown of an appliance or something else getting broken .
Aagghh ! )
A female family member might have something to say today .
If so , you will know it .
This is an interesting day because new faces , new places and new ideas will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way .
You might learn something new .
You might teach someone else something new .
You might visit someplace new and exciting !
Today you have clever , original money-making ideas .
Or perhaps you will spontaneously buy something that is modern or very ancient ?
There ’ s a chance you will lose money or lose a possession — or you might find money or find something because you will be surprised with finances or possessions today .
Today the noon is in your sign dancing with Uranus , which gives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might want to shake things up for some people around you if you think they ’ re stuck in a rut .
You might meet a new , exciting friend or you might encounter new ways of thinking ?
Technical subjects will appeal as well .
If Your Birthday Is Today Astronaut Neil Armstrong ( 1930-2012 ) shares your birthday .
You are versatile !
Once you are motivated , you can learn something .
You are hard-working and authoritative .
It ’ s your time of harvest , which means you are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ efforts you made in the last decade .
You deserve this time of success !
As a result , you might enjoy increased influence and leadership in all your relationships .

Moon Alert
There are no restrictions to shopping or important decisions. The moon is in Pisces.
Aries (March 21-April 19)
This is a pleasant and exciting day because down deep, you are open to change. In fact, you want change. You are an adventurer at heart, and today you feel the need for something new and fresh to happen!
Taurus (April 20-May 20)
It will please you to meet someone new and different. This person might be a character or avant-garde in some way. Perhaps someone will introduce you to a sexy, rugged individual? Or possibly, someone you already know will surprise you by doing something unusual? One can only hope.
Gemini (May 21-June 20)
Something unexpected might happen to you. And what is further unexpected is whatever happens is rather obvious. Others can see it! (Let’s hope it’s positive news.) Whatever it is it will somehow expand your reputation with your peers and widen your contacts with the world.
Cancer (June 21-July 22)
A sudden opportunity to travel might fall in your lap. You might also have a chance to learn something new and exciting or take a course. Whatever happens, you will look for ways to expand your world because you’re eager something different to happen!
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)
A surprise gift or an unexpected opportunity might come your way. This could relate to banking, debt, shared property or inheritances, but whatever the case, you might come out smelling like a rose and laughing all the way to the bank.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
A close friend or associate will say or do something you least expect today. Nevertheless, it will be interesting. It might keep you off your heels. (It’s fun to be stimulated by someone you know well because it means they still have a few tricks up their sleeve.)
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
Something unusual or unexpected could affect your work scene today. A new coworker? New equipment? Or — horrors — equipment breakdowns? Quite possibly, this surprise could be health related. It might also be something unexpected that somehow relates to a pet. (Keep your eyes open!)
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
A surprise invitation might come your way today. Yay! Admittedly, a social event might be canceled. Perhaps what catches you off guard is a saucy flirtation? (Be still my beating heart.) Parents must be vigilant today to avoid accidents with their kids.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
Something unexpected might change your home routine today. A surprise visitor at the door? (Hopefully, not the breakdown of an appliance or something else getting broken. Aagghh!) A female family member might have something to say today. If so, you will know it.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
This is an interesting day because new faces, new places and new ideas will pepper your daily routine in a stimulating way. You might learn something new. You might teach someone else something new. You might visit someplace new and exciting!
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
Today you have clever, original money-making ideas. Or perhaps you will spontaneously buy something that is modern or very ancient? There’s a chance you will lose money or lose a possession — or you might find money or find something because you will be surprised with finances or possessions today.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)
Today the noon is in your sign dancing with Uranus, which gives you a desire for excitement. You might want to shake things up for some people around you if you think they’re stuck in a rut. You might meet a new, exciting friend or you might encounter new ways of thinking? Technical subjects will appeal as well.
If Your Birthday Is Today
Astronaut Neil Armstrong (1930-2012) shares your birthday. You are versatile! Once you are motivated, you can learn something. You are hard-working and authoritative. It’s your time of harvest, which means you are starting to reap the benefits of the efforts you made in the last decade. You deserve this time of success! As a result, you might enjoy increased influence and leadership in all your relationships.