chicagosun-times--2020-08-16--Horoscope for Monday, August 17, 2020

Horoscope for Monday, August 17, 2020

There are no restrictions to shopping or important decisions .
The Moon is in Leo .
You are eager to talk to others , especially young people .
You feel socially turned on and excited about life .
Sports events , the arts and creative ideas appeal !
( If you have a crush on someone , today you have the courage to make your move . )
This is a great day for family discussions , especially with parents .
You might decide to tackle a DIY project or home repair .
Relations with siblings and relatives are good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happy to see your face .
This is an excellent day !
Your ruler Mercury is lined up with the sun , which makes you super talkative !
Blah , blah , blah .
This is also a great day to set off on a short trip or to begin to study something new because you are eager to learn .
You have excellent money-making ideas that you want to share .
If you ’ re in the midst of financial negotiations , you will be effective , especially because Venus in your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diplomatic .
( I ’ m impressed . )
The sun and Mercury are lined up in your sign , which makes you talkative and eager to share your ideas .
You might be excited about beginning something new .
You will enjoy doing routine paperwork because your mind is clear and sharp !
This is a fabulous day for research because for starters , you ’ re a researcher extraordinaire ; and today in particular , both the sun and Mercury are in a hidden part of your chart , which makes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the scenes to discover hidden knowledge .
“ Eureka !
” You are a sociable sign and today is a chatty day with friends and members of clubs , groups and organizations .
Parents , teachers , bosses and people in authority will defer to you because you sound like you know what you ’ re doing .
Great day to make plans for the future and review goals .
A conversation with a teacher , parent or boss will go well today because you will be clear about stating what you want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loud and clear , and very likely , they will agree with you .
Fun travel plans might be part of your pitch .
This is a great day to study or learn something .
Likewise , it ’ s an excellent day to finish an important paper or a manuscript .
( Actually , it ’ s also an excellent day to begin an important paper or a manuscript . )
You might express your affection for someone , especially if it ’ s a sexy relationship .
Woot !
This is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ someone and discuss inheritances , shared property , taxes , debt and insurance issues because you will be clear and firm .
With Venus opposite your sign , people are more inclined to agree with you now .
( You couldn ’ t pick a better day . )
You will be clear in your discussions with a friend or partner about what you want today .
You might choose to start something new , which means you want them to be on board .
You won ’ t hesitate to initiate something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remember to listen to what they have to say , too .
This is a good day to start a new business venture or discuss important matters with coworkers because there will be a rapid interchange of ideas and plans .
You have a good understanding of your needs and you know how to achieve what you want .
If Your Birthday Is Today Actor Sean Penn ( 1960 ) shares your birthday .
Family is important to you .
You also like to enjoy a comfortable lifestyle .
This year will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your best to cooperate because your interactions with others will be important .
Always look for ways to be kind and helpful .
If you are open when engaging with others , your business and personal relationships will benefit you .

Moon Alert
There are no restrictions to shopping or important decisions. The Moon is in Leo.
Aries (March 21-April 19)
You are eager to talk to others, especially young people. You feel socially turned on and excited about life. Sports events, the arts and creative ideas appeal! (If you have a crush on someone, today you have the courage to make your move.)
Taurus (April 20-May 20)
This is a great day for family discussions, especially with parents. You might decide to tackle a DIY project or home repair. Relations with siblings and relatives are good at this time because everyone’s happy to see your face.
Gemini (May 21-June 20)
This is an excellent day! Your ruler Mercury is lined up with the sun, which makes you super talkative! Blah, blah, blah. This is also a great day to set off on a short trip or to begin to study something new because you are eager to learn.
Cancer (June 21-July 22)
You have excellent money-making ideas that you want to share. If you’re in the midst of financial negotiations, you will be effective, especially because Venus in your sign will help you be skillful and diplomatic. (I’m impressed.)
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)
The sun and Mercury are lined up in your sign, which makes you talkative and eager to share your ideas. You might be excited about beginning something new. You will enjoy doing routine paperwork because your mind is clear and sharp!
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
This is a fabulous day for research because for starters, you’re a researcher extraordinaire; and today in particular, both the sun and Mercury are in a hidden part of your chart, which makes you keen to work alone or behind the scenes to discover hidden knowledge. “Eureka!”
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
You are a sociable sign and today is a chatty day with friends and members of clubs, groups and organizations. Parents, teachers, bosses and people in authority will defer to you because you sound like you know what you’re doing. Great day to make plans for the future and review goals.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
A conversation with a teacher, parent or boss will go well today because you will be clear about stating what you want to achieve. Others will hear you loud and clear, and very likely, they will agree with you. Fun travel plans might be part of your pitch.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
This is a great day to study or learn something. Likewise, it’s an excellent day to finish an important paper or a manuscript. (Actually, it’s also an excellent day to begin an important paper or a manuscript.) You might express your affection for someone, especially if it’s a sexy relationship. Woot!
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
This is an excellent day to sit down with someone and discuss inheritances, shared property, taxes, debt and insurance issues because you will be clear and firm. With Venus opposite your sign, people are more inclined to agree with you now. (You couldn’t pick a better day.)
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
You will be clear in your discussions with a friend or partner about what you want today. You might choose to start something new, which means you want them to be on board. You won’t hesitate to initiate something and share your ideas. However, remember to listen to what they have to say, too.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)
This is a good day to start a new business venture or discuss important matters with coworkers because there will be a rapid interchange of ideas and plans. You have a good understanding of your needs and you know how to achieve what you want.
If Your Birthday Is Today
Actor Sean Penn (1960) shares your birthday. Family is important to you. You also like to enjoy a comfortable lifestyle. This year will be a more relaxed for you. Do your best to cooperate because your interactions with others will be important. Always look for ways to be kind and helpful. If you are open when engaging with others, your business and personal relationships will benefit you.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-16--3 shot in Fifth City

3 shot in Fifth City

Three people , including a 61-year-old man , were wounded in a shooting Sunday in Fifth City on the West @ @ @ @ @ women , 30 and 56 , were on the sidewalk about 9:17 p.m. in the @ @ @ @ @ Buren Street when someone in a dark-colored sedan fired shots , Chicago police said .
@ @ @ @ @ in the shoulder , and the 56-year-old was struck in the hand police said .
@ @ @ @ @ to Stroger Hospital in good condition , and the 56-year-old declined medical treatment .
The @ @ @ @ @ arm and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in good condition , police said .
@ @ @ @ @ as Area Four detectives investigate .
Read more on crime , and track the city @ @ @ @

Three people, including a 61-year-old man, were wounded in a shooting Sunday in Fifth City on the West Side.
He and two women, 30 and 56, were on the sidewalk about 9:17 p.m. in the 3300 block of West Van Buren Street when someone in a dark-colored sedan fired shots, Chicago police said.
The 30-year-old woman was grazed in the shoulder, and the 56-year-old was struck in the hand police said. The younger woman was taken to Stroger Hospital in good condition, and the 56-year-old declined medical treatment.
The man was shot in the arm and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in good condition, police said.
No one is in custody as Area Four detectives investigate.
Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-17--Bears announce no fans at Soldier Field for start of 2020 season (LIVE UPDATES)

Bears announce no fans at Soldier Field for start of 2020 season The Bears announced Monday evening they will indefinitely keep Soldier Field empty for home games .
The team ’ s statement came after conversations with the City of Chicago , health officials and the park district didn ’ t produce a consensus on a safe way to host a limited number of fans amid the coronavirus pandemic .
“ After discussing a draft plan with city health officials , the Bears and the City of Chicago agreed the health metrics show that it is not the right time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” the team said .
“ The health and safety of the city ’ s residents and fans of the Bears will always take priority .
“ The team and city will continue to monitor the environment and believe there can be a sound plan in place to bring fans back to Soldier Field once it is deemed safe and appropriate .
Until then , Bears home games will not include in-person fans.
” Several NFL teams have announced similar plans , including the Packers deciding to play in an empty Lambeau @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the season , but others are still hoping to have a limited-capacity crowd .
The Chiefs expect to have Arrowhead Stadium a little over 20 percent full for the NFL kickoff game against the Texans on Sept. 10 .
State health officials on Monday announced 1,773 new coronavirus cases and 12 additional deaths .
Illinois is averaging more than 1,700 new cases each day this month — up sharply from July ’ s daily average of 1,150 .
The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity rate from August 10 through August 16 is 4.2 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week ago when the positivity rate stood at 4.1 % .
Gov .
J.B. Pritzker has repeatedly warned people that if a region surpasses certain thresholds — including percentage of people testing positive , hospital capacity and rising hospital admissions — officials will tighten restrictions .
The first region to experience a roll back in its reopening is the Metro East region in southern Illinois , which has surpassed an 8 % positivity rate for three consecutive days .
Starting Tuesday , the Metro East region — which includes Bond , Clinton , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Clair and Washington counties — will face tighter restrictions , mainly affecting bars , restaurants and social gatherings .
Under the new mitigation requirements , bars and restaurants must close by 11 p.m. 6:56 p.m. Pizza Hut closing 300 stores to focus on smaller spaces better for COVID-safe pickups Up to 300 Pizza Hut restaurants will be closed , most of them dine-in locations not well suited for carryout and delivery at a time when millions of people are sheltering and eating at home .
Pizza sales have exploded during the pandemic .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 30 % spike in quarterly profits .
On Monday it said that it was hiring more than 20,000 people to handle surging orders .
Franchisee NPC International said Monday in documents filed in bankruptcy court that it had come to an agreement with Pizza Hut to close hundreds of locations .
The Leawood , Kansas , company filed for bankruptcy protection last month .
NPC owns 1,225 Pizza Huts and 385 Wendy ’ s restaurants in 27 states .
There are 6,700 Pizza Hut restaurants in the U.S .
In its filing , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for pick-up or delivery will allow it to invest in smaller stores that can better handle online orders .
The Chicago Fire Department is suspending training at the Robert J. Quinn Fire Academy after multiple people tested positive for COVID-19 .
Current recruits will continue training online as the facility is cleaned and disinfected , fire officials said in a statement .
Fire officials didn ’ t say how many people tested positive , but none of the cases required hospitalization .
Everyone who has tested positive is self-isolating at home .
Cleaning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fire officials didn ’ t have an exact estimate of how long the facility would be closed .
“ The health and safety of Chicago ’ s firefighters , paramedics and recruits are our utmost priority , ” CFD spokesman Larry Langford said in a statement .
Lizzie O ’ Dwyer hadn ’ t seen anyone besides her boyfriend , whom she lives with , for five months .
But by noon on Monday , Illinois State University ’ s first day of classes , O ’ Dwyer had already attended two in-person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students .
“ I was definitely nervous last night , when I realized I ’ d have to go see people , ” said O ’ Dwyer , a senior from Evergreen Park who ’ s studying music education .
“ I ’ ve lived here all summer and haven ’ t gone out at all.
” Students and faculty took on the first day of class at Illinois State with a mix of hesitation and excitement .
With about 80 % of classes online this fall , according to university spokesman Eric @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the quad and student center than on a typical first day .
Professors led in-person classes with masks , and sometimes face shields ; stickers marked seats to be left open for social distancing .
2:30 p.m.
Transit ’ s fate tied to trust — and probably federal cash One great lure for Chicago hangs in the balance during the coronavirus pandemic : public transit .
The systems are starved of ridership revenue and sales taxes because of the economic shutdowns , and we don ’ t know how soon people will board @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As work returns , will they all get into cars and worsen gridlock ?
“ No one is heading back to the office in droves .
People are taking a sort of staged , phased approach to this , ” said Leanne Redden , executive director of the Regional Transportation Authority .
The agency has been talking to the CTA , Metra and Pace , plus business groups such as the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce , to develop campaigns to get people back on public transit .
So far , that ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , masks and social distancing .
Jack Lavin , CEO of the chamber , said about two-thirds of employers report their workers depend on public transit .
“ There are trust issues .
That word ‘ trust ’ keeps coming up , ” Lavin said .
Highway traffic has been picking up , but the ridership statistics are still bleak for the transit services , according to RTA data .
Metra , tied to downtown commuters , is off 90 % from last year ’ s pace , right where it was early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen an uptick but is still down about 70 % on average with bus and rail factored together .
Pace has lately improved to about a 50 % drop .
Redden said the pandemic has cost the services $ 900 million this year , but they ’ ve been able to share $ 1.4 billion from the federal CARES Act .
The money has allowed the CTA to maintain a regular schedule for those needing to get somewhere , at the cost of sending empty buses all over the city .
Redden said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2021 for the transit agencies , but more federal help will be needed if the pandemic doesn ’ t let up .
“ 2021 will be a tough year .
We need transit in the next federal bill , ” she said .
2:17 p.m. COVID-19 outbreaks emerge at US universities as semester begins From the dorms at North Carolina to the halls of Notre Dame , officials at universities around the U.S. scrambled on Monday to deal with new COVID-19 clusters at the start of the fall semester , some of them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
At Oklahoma State in Stillwater , where a widely circulated video over the weekend showed maskless students packed into a nightclub , officials confirmed 23 coronavirus cases at an off-campus sorority house .
The university placed the students living there in isolation and prohibited them from leaving .
“ As a student , I ’ m frustrated as hell , ” said Ryan Novozinsky , a junior from Allentown , New Jersey , and editor of the student newspaper .
“ These are people I have to interact with.
” And , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ professors they interact with , starting today , that won ’ t be able to fight this off.
” OSU has a combination of in-person and online courses , and students , staff and faculty are required to wear masks indoors and outdoors where social distancing isn ’ t possible .
10:42 a.m. House will be called back into session to vote on USPS bill , Pelosi says WASHINGTON — Speaker Nancy Pelosi is calling the House back into session over the crisis at the U.S .
Postal Service , setting up a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump White House is trying to undermine the agency ahead of the election .
Pelosi is cutting short lawmakers ’ summer recess with a vote expected Saturday on legislation that would prohibit changes at the agency as tensions mount .
President Donald Trump ’ s new postmaster general , Louis DeJoy , has sparked nationwide outcry over delays , new prices and cutbacks just as millions of Americans will be trying to vote by mail to avoid polling places during the coronavirus outbreak .
Trump on Monday defended the agency ’ s embattled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but also claimed that mail-in ballots would be “ a disaster.
” “ I want to make the post office great again , ” Trump said on “ Fox & Friends.
” Later at the White House he denied asking for a mail-delivery slow down and said the Post Office is “ running very well.
” The decision to recall the House , made after a weekend of high-level leadership discussions , carries a political punch .
Voting in the House will highlight the issue after the weeklong Democratic National Convention nominating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidential pick and pressure the Republican-held Senate to respond .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell sent senators home for a summer recess .
“ In a time of a pandemic , the Postal Service is Election Central , ” Pelosi wrote Sunday in a letter to colleagues , who had been expected to be out of session until September .
“ Lives , livelihoods and the life of our American Democracy are under threat from the president.
” Illinois continued its nearly month-long trend of four-digit caseloads Sunday as state health officials announced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus .
Illinois is averaging roughly 1,702 new cases each day this month .
That ’ s about 550 new infections per day compared to July , when an average of 1,150 new cases were being confirmed daily .
This increase has been a cause of concern for Gov .
J.B. Pritzker and Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike , who have repeatedly said they ’ re worried the state is heading in the wrong direction .
State and public health officials have said the uptick in cases is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ especially 20 to 29 year olds who account for nearly 19 % of the state ’ s 206,081 total cases .
The vast majority of COVID-19 patients — about 95 % — have recovered .
• Illinois continued its nearly month-long trend of four-digit caseloads Sunday as state health officials announced another 1,562 people have tested positive for the coronavirus .
• Health officials on Sunday also announced 18 more Illinois residents have succumbed to the respiratory virus , raising the statewide death toll to 7,744 .
8 a.m. Illinois Democrats kick off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some strange circumstances ’ At the Sunday afternoon Democratic convention welcome reception for the Illinois delegation , one of the speakers , Minnesota ’ s Sen. Amy Klobuchar , said peering into her screen , “ It ’ s a little bit like Hollywood Squares.
” For the first time in the history of the nation , the spreading COVID-19 pandemic is forcing the Democratic and Republican 2020 presidential nominating conventions to be mainly virtual .
Instead of a party on convention eve in Milwaukee , 116 Illinois Democrats huddled together on Zoom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kick off their convention Monday night with Bernie Sanders and Michelle Obama delivering the closing arguments after a string of speakers including Klobuchar ; Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina ; New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo ; and Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer .
I wouldn ’ t be surprised to see Lightfoot in a prime-time convention role .
Biden will accept the Democratic nomination Thursday , with President Donald Trump doing the same a week later at the Republican convention .
Biden ’ s VP pick , California ’ s Sen. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virtual conventions — in the case of Democrats , with segments prerecorded — come as the nation is convulsed with pandemic-triggered health and economic crises and a racial reckoning sparked by the murder of George Floyd .
The latest looming catastrophe — and you will hear about this at the Democratic convention — are post office delays with massive vote-by-mail balloting expected in the 2020 pandemic election .
Democratic convention planners will beam in people from all over the country , with Tuesday ’ s roll call to be a whirlwind tour of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
While the evening program will be two hours — with the networks only planning on televising the hour starting at 9 p.m. Chicago time , there will be events taking place virtually throughout the day .

It was a big day for students at Illinois State University.
Students and faculty took on the first day of class with a mix of hesitation and excitement. With about 80% of classes online this fall, according to university spokesman Eric Jome, far fewer students were in the quad and student center than on a typical first day. Professors led in-person classes with masks, and sometimes face shields; stickers marked seats to be left open for social distancing.
Here’s what else happened in and around Chicago as the coronavirus pandemic continued.
News
8:53 p.m. Bears announce no fans at Soldier Field for start of 2020 season
June 17, 2003 Soldier Field. Update on the construction of Soldier field. Sun-Times photo Robert A. Davis Sun-Times file
The Bears announced Monday evening they will indefinitely keep Soldier Field empty for home games.
The team’s statement came after conversations with the City of Chicago, health officials and the park district didn’t produce a consensus on a safe way to host a limited number of fans amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“After discussing a draft plan with city health officials, the Bears and the City of Chicago agreed the health metrics show that it is not the right time to welcome fans back to Soldier Field,” the team said. “The health and safety of the city’s residents and fans of the Bears will always take priority.
“The team and city will continue to monitor the environment and believe there can be a sound plan in place to bring fans back to Soldier Field once it is deemed safe and appropriate. Until then, Bears home games will not include in-person fans.”
Several NFL teams have announced similar plans, including the Packers deciding to play in an empty Lambeau Field for at least the first month of the season, but others are still hoping to have a limited-capacity crowd. The Chiefs expect to have Arrowhead Stadium a little over 20 percent full for the NFL kickoff game against the Texans on Sept. 10.
Reporter Jason Lieser has the full story.
7:34 p.m. State sees 1,773 new coronavirus cases, 12 additional deaths
Two women wearing protective masks and face shields talk in a small park around the historic Water Tower on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile Charles Rex Arbogast/AP Photo
State health officials on Monday announced 1,773 new coronavirus cases and 12 additional deaths.
Illinois is averaging more than 1,700 new cases each day this month — up sharply from July’s daily average of 1,150.
The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity rate from August 10 through August 16 is 4.2% — a slight uptick from a week ago when the positivity rate stood at 4.1%.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker has repeatedly warned people that if a region surpasses certain thresholds — including percentage of people testing positive, hospital capacity and rising hospital admissions — officials will tighten restrictions.
The first region to experience a roll back in its reopening is the Metro East region in southern Illinois, which has surpassed an 8% positivity rate for three consecutive days.
Starting Tuesday, the Metro East region — which includes Bond, Clinton, Madison, Monroe, Randolph, St. Clair and Washington counties — will face tighter restrictions, mainly affecting bars, restaurants and social gatherings. Under the new mitigation requirements, bars and restaurants must close by 11 p.m.
Read the full story here.
6:56 p.m. Pizza Hut closing 300 stores to focus on smaller spaces better for COVID-safe pickups
Up to 300 Pizza Hut restaurants will be closed, most of them dine-in locations not well suited for carryout and delivery at a time when millions of people are sheltering and eating at home.
Pizza sales have exploded during the pandemic. Domino’s last month reported a 30% spike in quarterly profits. On Monday it said that it was hiring more than 20,000 people to handle surging orders.
Franchisee NPC International said Monday in documents filed in bankruptcy court that it had come to an agreement with Pizza Hut to close hundreds of locations. The Leawood, Kansas, company filed for bankruptcy protection last month.
NPC owns 1,225 Pizza Huts and 385 Wendy’s restaurants in 27 states. There are 6,700 Pizza Hut restaurants in the U.S.
In its filing, NPC said that closing stores not designed for pick-up or delivery will allow it to invest in smaller stores that can better handle online orders.
Read the full report here
5:25 p.m. CFD academy suspends operations after multiple COVID-19 cases reported
The Chicago Fire Department is suspending training at the Robert J. Quinn Fire Academy after multiple people tested positive for COVID-19.
Current recruits will continue training online as the facility is cleaned and disinfected, fire officials said in a statement.
Fire officials didn’t say how many people tested positive, but none of the cases required hospitalization. Everyone who has tested positive is self-isolating at home.
Cleaning would take about a week, but fire officials didn’t have an exact estimate of how long the facility would be closed.
“The health and safety of Chicago’s firefighters, paramedics and recruits are our utmost priority,” CFD spokesman Larry Langford said in a statement.
— Carly Behm
4:25 p.m. Illinois State return-to-classes met with excitement, hesitation
Lizzie O’Dwyer hadn’t seen anyone besides her boyfriend, whom she lives with, for five months.
But by noon on Monday, Illinois State University’s first day of classes, O’Dwyer had already attended two in-person classes, each with about a dozen students.
“I was definitely nervous last night, when I realized I’d have to go see people,” said O’Dwyer, a senior from Evergreen Park who’s studying music education. “I’ve lived here all summer and haven’t gone out at all.”
Students and faculty took on the first day of class at Illinois State with a mix of hesitation and excitement. With about 80% of classes online this fall, according to university spokesman Eric Jome, far fewer students were in the quad and student center than on a typical first day. Professors led in-person classes with masks, and sometimes face shields; stickers marked seats to be left open for social distancing.
Read the full story here.
2:30 p.m. Transit’s fate tied to trust — and probably federal cash
One great lure for Chicago hangs in the balance during the coronavirus pandemic: public transit. The systems are starved of ridership revenue and sales taxes because of the economic shutdowns, and we don’t know how soon people will board a crowded bus or train again. As work returns, will they all get into cars and worsen gridlock?
“No one is heading back to the office in droves. People are taking a sort of staged, phased approach to this,” said Leanne Redden, executive director of the Regional Transportation Authority.
The agency has been talking to the CTA, Metra and Pace, plus business groups such as the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, to develop campaigns to get people back on public transit. So far, that’s amounted to lots of signs about cleanliness, masks and social distancing.
Jack Lavin, CEO of the chamber, said about two-thirds of employers report their workers depend on public transit. “There are trust issues. That word ‘trust’ keeps coming up,” Lavin said.
Highway traffic has been picking up, but the ridership statistics are still bleak for the transit services, according to RTA data. Metra, tied to downtown commuters, is off 90% from last year’s pace, right where it was early in the pandemic. The CTA has seen an uptick but is still down about 70% on average with bus and rail factored together. Pace has lately improved to about a 50% drop.
Redden said the pandemic has cost the services $900 million this year, but they’ve been able to share $1.4 billion from the federal CARES Act. The money has allowed the CTA to maintain a regular schedule for those needing to get somewhere, at the cost of sending empty buses all over the city. Redden said the CARES money should last into early 2021 for the transit agencies, but more federal help will be needed if the pandemic doesn’t let up.
“2021 will be a tough year. We need transit in the next federal bill,” she said.
Read David Roeder’s full story here.
2:17 p.m. COVID-19 outbreaks emerge at US universities as semester begins
From the dorms at North Carolina to the halls of Notre Dame, officials at universities around the U.S. scrambled on Monday to deal with new COVID-19 clusters at the start of the fall semester, some of them linked to off-campus parties and packed clubs.
At Oklahoma State in Stillwater, where a widely circulated video over the weekend showed maskless students packed into a nightclub, officials confirmed 23 coronavirus cases at an off-campus sorority house. The university placed the students living there in isolation and prohibited them from leaving.
“As a student, I’m frustrated as hell,” said Ryan Novozinsky, a junior from Allentown, New Jersey, and editor of the student newspaper. “These are people I have to interact with.” And, he added, “there will be professors they interact with, starting today, that won’t be able to fight this off.”
OSU has a combination of in-person and online courses, and students, staff and faculty are required to wear masks indoors and outdoors where social distancing isn’t possible.
Read the full story here.
10:42 a.m. House will be called back into session to vote on USPS bill, Pelosi says
WASHINGTON — Speaker Nancy Pelosi is calling the House back into session over the crisis at the U.S. Postal Service, setting up a political showdown amid growing concerns that the Trump White House is trying to undermine the agency ahead of the election.
Pelosi is cutting short lawmakers’ summer recess with a vote expected Saturday on legislation that would prohibit changes at the agency as tensions mount. President Donald Trump’s new postmaster general, Louis DeJoy, has sparked nationwide outcry over delays, new prices and cutbacks just as millions of Americans will be trying to vote by mail to avoid polling places during the coronavirus outbreak.
Trump on Monday defended the agency’s embattled new leader, a major Republican donor, but also claimed that mail-in ballots would be “a disaster.”
“I want to make the post office great again,” Trump said on “Fox & Friends.” Later at the White House he denied asking for a mail-delivery slow down and said the Post Office is “running very well.”
The decision to recall the House, made after a weekend of high-level leadership discussions, carries a political punch. Voting in the House will highlight the issue after the weeklong Democratic National Convention nominating Joe Biden as the party’s presidential pick and pressure the Republican-held Senate to respond. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell sent senators home for a summer recess.
“In a time of a pandemic, the Postal Service is Election Central,” Pelosi wrote Sunday in a letter to colleagues, who had been expected to be out of session until September. “Lives, livelihoods and the life of our American Democracy are under threat from the president.”
Read the full story here.
8:28 a.m. Illinois records 1,562 new COVID-19 cases, 18 additional deaths
Illinois continued its nearly month-long trend of four-digit caseloads Sunday as state health officials announced another 1,562 people have tested positive for the coronavirus.
Illinois is averaging roughly 1,702 new cases each day this month. That’s about 550 new infections per day compared to July, when an average of 1,150 new cases were being confirmed daily.
This increase has been a cause of concern for Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike, who have repeatedly said they’re worried the state is heading in the wrong direction.
State and public health officials have said the uptick in cases is due to outbreaks among young people, especially 20 to 29 year olds who account for nearly 19% of the state’s 206,081 total cases.
The vast majority of COVID-19 patients — about 95% — have recovered.
Read the full story here.
New Cases
Illinois continued its nearly month-long trend of four-digit caseloads Sunday as state health officials announced another 1,562 people have tested positive for the coronavirus.
Health officials on Sunday also announced 18 more Illinois residents have succumbed to the respiratory virus, raising the statewide death toll to 7,744.
Analysis & Commentary
8 a.m. Illinois Democrats kick off virtual convention: ‘These certainly are some strange circumstances’
Unprecedented.
At the Sunday afternoon Democratic convention welcome reception for the Illinois delegation, one of the speakers, Minnesota’s Sen. Amy Klobuchar, said peering into her screen, “It’s a little bit like Hollywood Squares.”
For the first time in the history of the nation, the spreading COVID-19 pandemic is forcing the Democratic and Republican 2020 presidential nominating conventions to be mainly virtual. Instead of a party on convention eve in Milwaukee, 116 Illinois Democrats huddled together on Zoom for almost 90 minutes.
The Democrats kick off their convention Monday night with Bernie Sanders and Michelle Obama delivering the closing arguments after a string of speakers including Klobuchar; Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina; New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo; and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see Lightfoot in a prime-time convention role.
Biden will accept the Democratic nomination Thursday, with President Donald Trump doing the same a week later at the Republican convention. Biden’s VP pick, California’s Sen. Kamala Harris, speaks Wednesday.
The virtual conventions — in the case of Democrats, with segments prerecorded — come as the nation is convulsed with pandemic-triggered health and economic crises and a racial reckoning sparked by the murder of George Floyd. The latest looming catastrophe — and you will hear about this at the Democratic convention — are post office delays with massive vote-by-mail balloting expected in the 2020 pandemic election.
Democratic convention planners will beam in people from all over the country, with Tuesday’s roll call to be a whirlwind tour of the nation’s states and territories. While the evening program will be two hours — with the networks only planning on televising the hour starting at 9 p.m. Chicago time, there will be events taking place virtually throughout the day.
Read Lynn Sweet’s full column ahead of tonight’s DNC official kickoff.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-17--State unveils travel map to help travelers avoid coronavirus hotspots

The Illinois Department of Public Health Monday unveiled a new travel map that identifies states and countries with an increased @ @ @ @ @ .
“ It ’ s meant to serve as a resource for individuals to make @ @ @ @ @ , for their loved ones or their community , when planning travel — whether work-related @ @ @ @ @ Gov .
J.B. Pritzker said .
Places with an average daily case rate of 15 @ @ @ @ @ greater are designated as “ higher risk ” on the state ’ s map and @ @ @ @ @ a lower risk , including Illinois , are colored blue .
Health officials urge people @ @ @ @ @ and to follow the basic guidelines to lessen the possibility of contracting the virus , @ @ @ @ @ washing hands frequently and practicing social distancing .
To view the map , go to @ @

The Illinois Department of Public Health Monday unveiled a new travel map that identifies states and countries with an increased risk of contracting the coronavirus.
“It’s meant to serve as a resource for individuals to make the best decisions for themselves, for their loved ones or their community, when planning travel — whether work-related or for leisure,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said.
Places with an average daily case rate of 15 cases per 100,000 people or greater are designated as “higher risk” on the state’s map and shaded purple. Those with a lower risk, including Illinois, are colored blue.
Health officials urge people to avoid travel when sick and to follow the basic guidelines to lessen the possibility of contracting the virus, including wearing a mask, washing hands frequently and practicing social distancing.
To view the map, go to: www.dph.illinois.gov/covid19/travel


chicagosun-times--2020-08-17--Voters deserve full story, spelled out by Foxx, of what went down in the Smollett case

Cook County State ’ s Attorney Kim Foxx needs to come clean with the public .
In a news release on Monday , Special Prosecutor Dan Webb said Foxx and her office abused prosecutorial discretion and made several false and misleading statements about the Jussie Smollett hate-crime prosecution , in which Foxx dropped 16 felony counts and settled for a penalty of 15 hours of community service and forfeiture of Smollett ’ s $ 10,000 bond .
Webb ’ s charge is a serious one .
Cook County ’ s top prosecutor must be above reproach .
Whether the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a case or brings charges — whether it treats all criminal defendants with the same even hand — dramatically impacts people ’ s lives .
“ Heater ” cases , such as that of Smollett , who is accused of staging a phony hate crime , shine a light on how fairly and responsibly the office is functioning , how professionally its judgments are made , and how clearly and honestly it is communicating with the public .
Yet according to Webb , a former federal prosecutor with stellar legal credentials , Foxx @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Foxx should simply admit that she and her office did not handle the Smollett case properly .
No more spin or prevarications .
But instead , a statement released by Foxx ’ s office on Monday starts out by noting that Webb ’ s report “ puts to rest any implications of outside influence or criminal activity on the part of the Cook County state ’ s attorney ’ s office.
” And Foxx denies making any intentionally false statements to the public .
Foxx is holding herself to an insufficient ethical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beyond reasonable doubt is for crime suspects .
Public officials , particularly state ’ s attorneys , should be held — and hold themselves — to a higher standard .
In her 3 1⁄ years as state ’ s attorney , Foxx has done much that we applaud .
She has strengthened her office ’ s conviction integrity unit .
She has dropped convictions en masse that were connected to disgraced ex-Chicago police Sgt .
Ronald Watts and his crew , who extorted bribes from drug dealers and innocent people .
She has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this is the norm among the nation ’ s prosecutors , but it is not — to bring criminal charges against anybody on the basis of doubtful evidence .
Moreover , we don ’ t agree with every finding or evaluation in Webb ’ s report .
Webb wrote that Foxx , in a Chicago Tribune op-ed , had “ falsely represented ” that her office believed “ the likelihood of securing a conviction ” of Smollett “ was not certain.
” Any lawyer will tell you the likelihood of securing a conviction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Foxx may be reluctant to publicly discuss her role in the Smollett case because Webb intends to refer it to the Illinois Attorney Disciplinary and Registration Commission for a possible breach of ethics probe .
This would put Foxx at risk of losing her law license .
As a rule , lawyers are hesitant to publicly discuss issues that will be part of any legal proceeding .
But as a prominent public official , Foxx doesn ’ t really have that choice .
There ’ s an election coming up , on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ questions .
She needs to be fully transparent about what she got right and wrong .
Foxx should address three specific issues arising from Webb ’ s report .
First , Webb , who in February restored the charges against Smollett , says Foxx and her office lied or made misleading statements .
From the evidence he has assembled , it appears Foxx doubled down on a false narrative about the decisions she made in the case when she should have fessed up , spelled out the true facts and taken her medicine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the public that any inadequate management and understanding of the law that contributed to the Smollett debacle has been rectified .
It looks like Foxx ’ s office overcharged Smollett to begin with .
Then when Smollett ’ s legal team refused to accept a guilty plea to lesser charges , she quietly tried to walk away from the case while misrepresenting how it had played out .
The people of Cook County want to feel confident this is not part of a pattern .
We ’ re told that top reform-minded prosecutors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ management style and left .
We ’ re told some public defenders are not happy with the pace of reform .
In the statement put out by her office on Monday , Foxx pointed to the hiring of a new ethics officer and other changes .
She needs to explain why that is enough .
Third , Foxx , a protégé of Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle , has to make clear there will be no hint of political or other influence in her office .
Webb ’ s report clears Foxx @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but it also confirms there were texts and calls by Foxx to Smollett ’ s sister even after he was a suspect .
“ I don ’ t think Kim Foxx would respond to a text message from me , ” a prominent lawyer who is a Foxx supporter told us .
“ It is just weird.
” From the beginning , the Smollett case has not added up — neither Smollett ’ s nor Foxx ’ s version .
Unfortunately , even after Webb ’ s news release and Foxx ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ head-scratcher .
Foxx can not leave it in that condition .
We deserve a complete and forthright explanation .

Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx needs to come clean with the public.
In a news release on Monday, Special Prosecutor Dan Webb said Foxx and her office abused prosecutorial discretion and made several false and misleading statements about the Jussie Smollett hate-crime prosecution, in which Foxx dropped 16 felony counts and settled for a penalty of 15 hours of community service and forfeiture of Smollett’s $10,000 bond.
Webb’s charge is a serious one. Cook County’s top prosecutor must be above reproach.
Whether the state’s attorney’s office dismisses a case or brings charges — whether it treats all criminal defendants with the same even hand — dramatically impacts people’s lives. “Heater” cases, such as that of Smollett, who is accused of staging a phony hate crime, shine a light on how fairly and responsibly the office is functioning, how professionally its judgments are made, and how clearly and honestly it is communicating with the public.
Editorials bug Editorials
Yet according to Webb, a former federal prosecutor with stellar legal credentials, Foxx’s office failed on all counts.
No more spin
Foxx should simply admit that she and her office did not handle the Smollett case properly. No more spin or prevarications. But instead, a statement released by Foxx’s office on Monday starts out by noting that Webb’s report “puts to rest any implications of outside influence or criminal activity on the part of the Cook County state’s attorney’s office.” And Foxx denies making any intentionally false statements to the public.
Foxx is holding herself to an insufficient ethical standard. The concept of not guilty beyond reasonable doubt is for crime suspects. Public officials, particularly state’s attorneys, should be held — and hold themselves — to a higher standard.
In her 3 1⁄ 2 years as state’s attorney, Foxx has done much that we applaud. She has strengthened her office’s conviction integrity unit. She has dropped convictions en masse that were connected to disgraced ex-Chicago police Sgt. Ronald Watts and his crew, who extorted bribes from drug dealers and innocent people. She has adamantly refused — and you might assume this is the norm among the nation’s prosecutors, but it is not — to bring criminal charges against anybody on the basis of doubtful evidence.
Moreover, we don’t agree with every finding or evaluation in Webb’s report. Webb wrote that Foxx, in a Chicago Tribune op-ed, had “falsely represented” that her office believed “the likelihood of securing a conviction” of Smollett “was not certain.” Any lawyer will tell you the likelihood of securing a conviction is never certain — in any case.
Foxx may be reluctant to publicly discuss her role in the Smollett case because Webb intends to refer it to the Illinois Attorney Disciplinary and Registration Commission for a possible breach of ethics probe. This would put Foxx at risk of losing her law license. As a rule, lawyers are hesitant to publicly discuss issues that will be part of any legal proceeding.
But as a prominent public official, Foxx doesn’t really have that choice. There’s an election coming up, on Nov. 3, and the voters have questions. She needs to be fully transparent about what she got right and wrong.
Three concerns
Foxx should address three specific issues arising from Webb’s report.
First, Webb, who in February restored the charges against Smollett, says Foxx and her office lied or made misleading statements. From the evidence he has assembled, it appears Foxx doubled down on a false narrative about the decisions she made in the case when she should have fessed up, spelled out the true facts and taken her medicine.
Second, Foxx needs to assure the public that any inadequate management and understanding of the law that contributed to the Smollett debacle has been rectified. It looks like Foxx’s office overcharged Smollett to begin with. Then when Smollett’s legal team refused to accept a guilty plea to lesser charges, she quietly tried to walk away from the case while misrepresenting how it had played out.
The people of Cook County want to feel confident this is not part of a pattern. We’re told that top reform-minded prosecutors she brought in became disillusioned with her management style and left. We’re told some public defenders are not happy with the pace of reform. In the statement put out by her office on Monday, Foxx pointed to the hiring of a new ethics officer and other changes. She needs to explain why that is enough.
Third, Foxx, a protégé of Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, has to make clear there will be no hint of political or other influence in her office. Webb’s report clears Foxx of just that accusation in this case, but it also confirms there were texts and calls by Foxx to Smollett’s sister even after he was a suspect. “I don’t think Kim Foxx would respond to a text message from me,” a prominent lawyer who is a Foxx supporter told us. “It is just weird.”
Still a head-scratcher
From the beginning, the Smollett case has not added up — neither Smollett’s nor Foxx’s version. Unfortunately, even after Webb’s news release and Foxx’s response, it remains a bizarre head-scratcher.
Foxx cannot leave it in that condition. We deserve a complete and forthright explanation.
Send letters to letters@suntimes.com.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-17--Cubs drop Game 1 of doubleheader against the Cardinals as losing streak moves to four

It was up to starter Kyle Hendricks to try to play stopper in Game 1 of Monday ’ s doubleheader against the Cardinals , but the Cubs ace came close as the Cardinals defeated the Cubs , 3-1 and moved the team ’ s losing streak to four games .
“ I was just really upset with myself there , ” Hendricks said .
“ I got ta go out there and kind of stop that streak for us .
That seventh inning is just gon na stick with me.
” The Cubs ’ right-hander appeared to have things in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one hit over his first six innings .
The one run and hit coming via a solo home run by former Cub Dexter Fowler in the third inning .
Hendricks retired 11 of the next 12 batters he faced after the Fowler home run , but got into trouble in the seventh .
He would load the bases after allowing a lead-off double to Paul Goldschmidt , walk to Tyler O ’ Neil and single to Matt Carpenter .
“ I felt good all day executing pitches just really upset with those first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ All three were just terrible .
Fell apart on Goldschmidt and then giving in and walking O ’ Neill was terrible .
Then Carpenter , left that pitch up on two strikes when I got three pitches to work with .
So yeah , it ’ s just coming right out of here .
That was just not good.
” Interim closer Rowan Wick entered the game with one out as Ross looked for a strikeout , but surrendered a two-run double to Brad Miller giving the Cardinals a 3-1 seventh-inning lead .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ came from red-hot Ian Happ , who wasn ’ t in the original lineup for Game 1 , but was forced into action after Steven Souza Jr. was scratched due to right hamstring tightness .
He continued his strong start to 2020 , hitting a solo shot off Cardinals starter Kwang Hyun Kim to tie the game at 1 .
It was Happ ’ s fourth homer of the year and first from the right side of the plate .
The Cubs could only muster three hits during Game 1 .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ job of making an adjustment in the offseason he came in , it ’ s looked much better since I ’ ve been the manager here , ” Ross said of Happ .
“ He ’ s done a really good job from the right side to me .
Sometimes opportunity as well , just getting more at-bats , you ’ re gon na feel more comfortable .
”

It was up to starter Kyle Hendricks to try to play stopper in Game 1 of Monday’s doubleheader against the Cardinals, but the Cubs ace came close as the Cardinals defeated the Cubs, 3-1 and moved the team’s losing streak to four games.
“I was just really upset with myself there,” Hendricks said. “I gotta go out there and kind of stop that streak for us. That seventh inning is just gonna stick with me.”
The Cubs’ right-hander appeared to have things in control after allowing just one run on one hit over his first six innings. The one run and hit coming via a solo home run by former Cub Dexter Fowler in the third inning.
Hendricks retired 11 of the next 12 batters he faced after the Fowler home run, but got into trouble in the seventh. He would load the bases after allowing a lead-off double to Paul Goldschmidt, walk to Tyler O’Neil and single to Matt Carpenter.
“I felt good all day executing pitches just really upset with those first three at-bats of the seventh inning. All three were just terrible. Fell apart on Goldschmidt and then giving in and walking O’Neill was terrible. Then Carpenter, left that pitch up on two strikes when I got three pitches to work with. So yeah, it’s just coming right out of here. That was just not good.”
Interim closer Rowan Wick entered the game with one out as Ross looked for a strikeout, but surrendered a two-run double to Brad Miller giving the Cardinals a 3-1 seventh-inning lead.
The Cubs only offense on Monday afternoon came from red-hot Ian Happ, who wasn’t in the original lineup for Game 1, but was forced into action after Steven Souza Jr. was scratched due to right hamstring tightness.
He continued his strong start to 2020, hitting a solo shot off Cardinals starter Kwang Hyun Kim to tie the game at 1. It was Happ’s fourth homer of the year and first from the right side of the plate.
The Cubs could only muster three hits during Game 1.
“I think he’s done a good job of making an adjustment in the offseason he came in, it’s looked much better since I’ve been the manager here,” Ross said of Happ. “He’s done a really good job from the right side to me. Sometimes opportunity as well, just getting more at-bats, you’re gonna feel more comfortable.”


chicagosun-times--2020-08-17--7 more charged in connection with recent looting

Seven more people were in court Monday facing felony charges in connection to the looting spree that ravaged downtown and surrounding neighborhoods last week .
Taeshia Rochon , 22 , was charged with burglary and looting after she allegedly posted livestream Facebook and YouTube videos of herself stealing two Canadian Goose jackets from Nordstrom and multiple pairs of sunglasses from Sunglass Hut on Aug. 10 .
Rochon , of Markham , was ordered held on $ 4,000 bail .
Meanwhile , Cook County prosecutors said 25-year-old Dion Gipson was caught selling stolen merchandise on a Facebook group called “ Legit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up to sell the items , police retrieved $ 3,806 worth of stolen goods from Gipson , who was also caught on surveillance video breaking into and stealing from a store on Rush Street , prosecutors said .
Gipson , who has two children and was laid off as a dishwasher because of the coronavirus pandemic , was ordered held on $ 5,000 bail for burglary and looting .
Gipson wasn ’ t the only person caught trying to sell stolen items online , prosecutors said .
Jarvell Davis , 21 , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sunday after they allegedly tried selling looted merchandise to undercover cops on the online marketplace OfferUp .
Officers found about $ 2,300 worth of looted merchandise — including a Hermes bracelet , Valentino purse and Chloe wallet — in Davis ’ backpack when they met up for the exchange , prosecutors said .
Davis , who was charged with theft , looting and burglary , was ordered held on $ 5,000 bail .
Meanwhile , Howard , who was charged with theft , was ordered held on $ 10,000 bail .
Crystal Williams @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appeared in court Monday on charges related to the recent theft and destruction .
The three were originally charged with misdemeanors after police caught them for allegedly looting a Walgreens at 641 N. Clark St. around 3 a.m. on Aug. 10 .
But the state ’ s attorney ’ s office has since upgraded the charges to burglary and looting .
Williams was ordered held on $ 4,000 bail while Mosby and Sanders ’ bails were set at $ 5,000 and $ 1,000 , respectively .
Chicago police said the looting that took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the next morning stemmed from rumors after officers shot and wounded 20-year-old Latrell Allen in Englewood .
Police said officers shot Allen after he fired at them several times .
Allen was charged with attempted murder .
Rochon , Davis , Howard , Williams , Mosby and Sanders are expected back in court on Aug. 24 .
Gipson is due back in court on Aug. 25 .

Seven more people were in court Monday facing felony charges in connection to the looting spree that ravaged downtown and surrounding neighborhoods last week.
Taeshia Rochon, 22, was charged with burglary and looting after she allegedly posted livestream Facebook and YouTube videos of herself stealing two Canadian Goose jackets from Nordstrom and multiple pairs of sunglasses from Sunglass Hut on Aug. 10.
Rochon, of Markham, was ordered held on $4,000 bail.
Meanwhile, Cook County prosecutors said 25-year-old Dion Gipson was caught selling stolen merchandise on a Facebook group called “Legit Hustle.” When he scheduled a meet up to sell the items, police retrieved $3,806 worth of stolen goods from Gipson, who was also caught on surveillance video breaking into and stealing from a store on Rush Street, prosecutors said.
Gipson, who has two children and was laid off as a dishwasher because of the coronavirus pandemic, was ordered held on $5,000 bail for burglary and looting.
Gipson wasn’t the only person caught trying to sell stolen items online, prosecutors said.
Jarvell Davis, 21, and Lovely Howard, 26, were arrested Sunday after they allegedly tried selling looted merchandise to undercover cops on the online marketplace OfferUp. Officers found about $2,300 worth of looted merchandise — including a Hermes bracelet, Valentino purse and Chloe wallet — in Davis’ backpack when they met up for the exchange, prosecutors said.
Davis, who was charged with theft, looting and burglary, was ordered held on $5,000 bail. Meanwhile, Howard, who was charged with theft, was ordered held on $10,000 bail.
Crystal Williams, Kendra Mosby and Corey Sanders also appeared in court Monday on charges related to the recent theft and destruction. The three were originally charged with misdemeanors after police caught them for allegedly looting a Walgreens at 641 N. Clark St. around 3 a.m. on Aug. 10. But the state’s attorney’s office has since upgraded the charges to burglary and looting.
Williams was ordered held on $4,000 bail while Mosby and Sanders’ bails were set at $5,000 and $1,000, respectively.
Chicago police said the looting that took place the night of Aug. 9 and into the next morning stemmed from rumors after officers shot and wounded 20-year-old Latrell Allen in Englewood.
Police said officers shot Allen after he fired at them several times. Allen was charged with attempted murder.
Rochon, Davis, Howard, Williams, Mosby and Sanders are expected back in court on Aug. 24. Gipson is due back in court on Aug. 25.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-17--Bears announce no fans at Soldier Field for start of 2020 season

The Bears announced Monday evening they will indefinitely keep Soldier Field empty for home games .
The team ’ s statement came after conversations with the City of Chicago , health officials and the park district didn ’ t produce a consensus on a safe way to host a limited number of fans amid the coronavirus pandemic .
“ After discussing a draft plan with city health officials , the Bears and the City of Chicago agreed the health metrics show that it is not the right time to welcome fans back to Soldier Field , ” the team said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the city ’ s residents and fans of the Bears will always take priority .
“ The team and city will continue to monitor the environment and believe there can be a sound plan in place to bring fans back to Soldier Field once it is deemed safe and appropriate .
Until then , Bears home games will not include in-person fans.
” Several NFL teams have announced similar plans , including the Packers deciding to play in an empty Lambeau Field for at least the first month of the season , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ limited-capacity crowd .
The Chiefs expect to have Arrowhead Stadium a little over 20 percent full for the NFL kickoff game against the Texans on Sept. 10 .
Unlike Major League Baseball , the NFL does not have a league-wide policy on fan attendance this season and will allow each team and home city to decide for themselves .
Bears CEO Ted Phillips said in June the team was “ still extremely hopeful , confident , that we ’ re gon na have a season with fans , ” but that optimism is @ @ @ @ @

The Bears announced Monday evening they will indefinitely keep Soldier Field empty for home games.
The team’s statement came after conversations with the City of Chicago, health officials and the park district didn’t produce a consensus on a safe way to host a limited number of fans amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“After discussing a draft plan with city health officials, the Bears and the City of Chicago agreed the health metrics show that it is not the right time to welcome fans back to Soldier Field,” the team said. “The health and safety of the city’s residents and fans of the Bears will always take priority.
“The team and city will continue to monitor the environment and believe there can be a sound plan in place to bring fans back to Soldier Field once it is deemed safe and appropriate. Until then, Bears home games will not include in-person fans.”
La Voz Sidebar 2023 Lea este artículo en español en La Voz Chicago.
Several NFL teams have announced similar plans, including the Packers deciding to play in an empty Lambeau Field for at least the first month of the season, but others are still hoping to have a limited-capacity crowd. The Chiefs expect to have Arrowhead Stadium a little over 20 percent full for the NFL kickoff game against the Texans on Sept. 10.
Unlike Major League Baseball, the NFL does not have a league-wide policy on fan attendance this season and will allow each team and home city to decide for themselves.
Bears CEO Ted Phillips said in June the team was “still extremely hopeful, confident, that we’re gonna have a season with fans,” but that optimism is on hold for now.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-17--Carol Moseley Braun, first Black female senator, to deliver Illinois votes in roll call

Former Sen. Carol Moseley Braun , the first Black female senator , will deliver the Illinois votes at the Democratic National Convention , where Kamala Harris , the second Black female senator becomes Joe Biden ’ s running mate .
Moseley Braun , who was also the first female senator to be elected from Illinois , will cast the Illinois votes during the Tuesday roll call in a pre-recorded segment at the Old State Capitol in Springfield , a source told the Chicago Sun-Times The building is high on symbolism .
Former President Barack Obama announced his presidential bid in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ returned to announce that he picked Joe Biden to be his vice president pick .
It ’ s also where Abraham Lincoln delivered his historic House Divided speech on June 16 , 1858 , after he accepted the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate .
Picking Moseley Braun is also very symbolic .
Harris is the first woman of color to be on a major party vice presidential ticket .
A South Side resident , Moseley Braun , elected in 1992 , served one term in the Senate .
She ran for president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2011 .
The Democratic convention ’ s “ Roll Call Across America ” on Tuesday night will be a whirlwind program with people speaking from various locations in 57 states and territories as they cast the ballots to officially nominate Biden as the 2020 presidential nominee .

Former Sen. Carol Moseley Braun, the first Black female senator, will deliver the Illinois votes at the Democratic National Convention, where Kamala Harris, the second Black female senator becomes Joe Biden’s running mate.
Moseley Braun, who was also the first female senator to be elected from Illinois, will cast the Illinois votes during the Tuesday roll call in a pre-recorded segment at the Old State Capitol in Springfield, a source told the Chicago Sun-Times
The building is high on symbolism. Former President Barack Obama announced his presidential bid in front of the Old State Capitol and returned to announce that he picked Joe Biden to be his vice president pick.
It’s also where Abraham Lincoln delivered his historic House Divided speech on June 16, 1858, after he accepted the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate.
Carol Moseley Braun and Sen. Paul Simon at Moseley Braun’s campaign headquarters in 1992. Sun-Times archives.
Picking Moseley Braun is also very symbolic. Harris is the first woman of color to be on a major party vice presidential ticket.
A South Side resident, Moseley Braun, elected in 1992, served one term in the Senate. She ran for president in 2004 and for mayor of Chicago in 2011.
Roll Call: Full List
The Democratic convention’s “Roll Call Across America” on Tuesday night will feature representatives from 57 states and territories casting ballots to officially nominate Biden as the 2020 presidential nominee. The 30-minute roll call process will be conducted by rapid-fire teleconference, featuring the following participants:
ALABAMA
Rep. Terri Sewell will invoke the memory of Rep. John Lewis to advocate for restoring the Voting Rights Act.
ALASKA
Veteran, fisherman, and party activist Chuck Degnan will discuss the impact of climate change on tribal waters.
AMERICAN SAMOA
Party leaders Aliitama Sotoa and Patti Matila will celebrate American Samoa’s legacy of military service—and Joe Biden’s work to improve the territory’s infrastructure.
ARIZONA
Middle school social studies teacher Marisol Garcia will discuss remote learning from the perspective of teachers, parents, and activists.
ARKANSAS
Chef Gilbert Alaquinez will describe his work delivering meals prepared at the Clinton Presidential Center to local families via food trucks.
CALIFORNIA
Sec. Hilda Solis and Rep. Barbara Lee will highlight the importance of Joe Biden’s clean energy plan for communities of color.
COLORADO
Immigrant and party activist Howard Chou and his family will discuss the challenges facing working parents during the pandemic.
CONNECTICUT
Veteran firefighter Peter Carozza will explain why he and his fellow first responders trust in Joe Biden’s courage and commitment to working Americans.
DELAWARE
Gov. John Carney and Sen. Tom Carper will share a local perspective on Delaware’s favorite son.
DEMOCRATS ABROAD
Organizer Julia Bryan will offer a call to action for Americans living abroad to get involved in this election.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Mayor Muriel Bowser will issue a call for DC statehood.
FLORIDA
Gun safety activist Fred Guttenberg will describe Joe Biden’s compassion in the wake of his daughter’s murder in Parkland and commitment to defeating the NRA.
GEORGIA
State Sen. Nikema Williams, candidate for John Lewis’s seat in Congress, will urge viewers to overcome voter suppression.
GUAM
Party chair Sarah Thomas-Nededog will celebrate the 70th anniversary of Guam citizens becoming American citizens.
HAWAII
Civil rights activist Dr. Amy Agbayani will offer a special personal message to American immigrants.
IDAHO
Mayor Lauren McLean will share her city’s bold response to climate change.
ILLINOIS
Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun will discuss the Biden plan for racial justice in housing.
INDIANA
Former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg will describe his city’s revitalization and the Biden plan to do the same nationwide.
IOWA
Secretary Tom Vilsack will take a moment to share best wishes for Iowans suffering after last week’s storm.
KANSAS
Fourth-generation family farmer Mark Pringle will share his concern about the future of rural America and his confidence in the Biden plan for revitalizing rural communities.
KENTUCKY
Education advocate Colmon Elridge will share a personal story about Joe Biden’s commitment to improving American health care.
LOUISIANA
Rep. Cedric Richmond and New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell will visit a thriving independent art studio to highlight the importance of small businesses to cities.
MAINE
State Rep. Craig Hickman, the first openly gay African American to serve in the Maine House of Representatives, will take us inside his American dream.
MARYLAND
City Council President Brandon Scott and college student Bianca Shah will describe the Biden plan for racial justice in the economy.
MASSACHUSETTS
State Rep. Claire Cronin will highlight the Biden plan to help our economy recover from the pandemic.
MICHIGAN
Sen. Gary Peters and UAW auto worker Ray Curry will discuss how Joe Biden saved the Michigan auto industry and his plan to create a million new auto jobs.
MINNESOTA
Sen. Amy Klobuchar will discuss Joe Biden’s ability to bring people together before throwing it across the Mississippi River to St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter.
MISSISSIPPI
College president Dr. Carmen Walters will discuss the history of the HBCU she leads and the Biden plan to invest in these important institutions.
MISSOURI
Bricklayer Reuben Gill will praise the contributions of his fellow working men and women and the Biden plan to invest in infrastructure.
MONTANA
Recent college graduate Rachel Prevost will describe her senior year of remote learning and highlights the importance of rural broadband.
NEBRASKA
Meatpacking plant employee Geraldine Waller will share a personal perspective on the dangers facing essential workers during the pandemic.
NEVADA
Backed by an array of working Nevadans, Rep. Dina Titus will describe the Biden plan for putting workers first in our economy.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Gov. John Lynch will offer his personal endorsement of Joe Biden’s leadership skills.
NEW JERSEY
Gov. Phil Murphy will mark the impact of the pandemic on his state and explains why Joe Biden is the right leader to help us recover.
NEW MEXICO
Tribal member and state Rep. Derrick Lente will celebrate his state’s diversity and commitment to preserving natural and cultural resources.
NEW YORK
Registered nurse and a member of 1199SEIU Scheena Iyande Tannis will offer a raw personal perspective on the dangers facing health care workers.
NORTH CAROLINA
Longtime Democratic activist Cozzie Watkins will offer a call to action for Black women.
NORTH DAKOTA
Tribal citizen and advocate Cesar Alvarez will discuss his unique path to college and Joe Biden’s plan to open up educational opportunity.
NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS
Party chair Nola Kileleman Hix will describe her organizing efforts as the young leader of the party in the NMI.
OHIO
Rep. Tim Ryan and IBEW organizer Josh Abernathy will describe Donald Trump’s broken promises to Ohio workers and the Biden plan to invest in America.
OKLAHOMA
Party chair Alicia Andrews will reflect on the lessons of the Tulsa Race Massacre.
OREGON
Activist Dr. Rosa Colquitt and registered nurse Travis Nelson will discuss racial disparities in health care.
PENNSYLVANIA
Sen. Bob Casey, a fellow Scranton native, will talk about how Joe Biden’s childhood in Scranton formed his commitment to working families.
PUERTO RICO
Sen. Carmelo Rios-Santiago, will highlight Donald Trump’s abandonment of Americans in Puerto Rico.
RHODE ISLAND
State Rep. Joseph McNamara will discuss the impact of the pandemic on his state’s restaurants and fisherman and shows off the mouth-watering flavors of Rhode Island seafood.
SOUTH CAROLINA
Senate candidate Jaime Harrison will speak from the alma mater of Rep. Jim Clyburn and his late wife Emily.
SOUTH DAKOTA
Tribal activist Kellen Returns From Scout will issue a plea for forward-looking leadership.
TENNESSEE
On the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th amendment, college student Keely Sage will visit the headquarters of the suffragists to discuss her own first vote for President and the role of women in this election.
TEXAS
Rep. Veronica Escobar will reflect on the lessons of the August 2019 massacre in El Paso.
UTAH
Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson will debunk misinformation about mail-in voting.
VERMONT
Gubernatorial candidate and Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman, joined by Jane and Bernie Sanders and other Vermont activists, will speak out for justice.
VIRGIN ISLANDS
Chair Cecil Benjamin will lead a colorful tribute to Joe Biden’s leadership.
VIRGINIA
Activist Khizr Khan will reflect on the racial violence that claimed a life in his beloved home city of Charlottesville.
WASHINGTON
State Rep. My-Linh Thai, a former refugee, will share her commitment to the public schools that gave her a chance to contribute to her new home.
WEST VIRGINIA
Veteran educator and union organizer Fred Albert will discuss how teachers and parents can work together to create change.
WISCONSIN
Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes will share his personal story and a call to action for a brighter future.
WYOMING
Activists Judy and Dennis Shepherd will discuss Joe Biden’s leadership to stop hate crimes against LGBTQ Americans in the wake of their son Matthew’s murder.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-17--‘Trumpocrat’ Blagojevich to stump for GOP state Senate hopeful next week — and, yes, Republican lead

‘Trumpocrat’ Blagojevich to stump for GOP state Senate hopeful next week — and, yes, Republican leaders call it ‘a bad idea’

Rod Blagojevich once joked about not having a speaking role at the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston , saying the “ Democratic National Committee and Mayor Daley invited me to speak at 4:30 in the morning in the men ’ s room at Faneuil Hall.
” Fast forward 16 years , past that early aughts convention that vaulted Barack Obama to the national stage , and past the ex-governor ’ s prison sentence for trying to auction off that “ golden ” U.S. Senate seat , and now , the newly sprung Blagojevich has the keynote speaker slot — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The self-declared “ Trumpocrat ” will headline an Aug. 27 fundraiser in St. Charles to support a west suburban Republican state Senate candidate and “ to celebrate President Donald J. Trump ’ s RNC 2020 nomination , ” six months after Blagojevich was freed with a commutation from his former reality television boss .
Illinois Republican Party leaders called it “ a bad idea , ” but GOP candidate Tom McCullagh said he invited Blagojevich to “ highlight corruption in Illinois , and how to fight it.
” “ I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any way , ” McCullagh said .
“ He ’ s been speaking out against Mike Madigan ’ s corruption since he got out .
That ’ s the only reason I would involve myself with a person of such notoriety : to outline how the Madigan machine works , and how to dismantle it.
” Representatives for the powerful Illinois House speaker , who was implicated last month in a bribery scheme alleged against ComEd , did not immediately respond to requests for comment .
Madigan has not been charged with any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McCullagh said the event was “ almost sold out ” by Monday afternoon , and might be moved to a larger outdoor venue to accommodate more people while abiding by social distancing guidelines .
The location hasn ’ t been disclosed “ due to security reasons.
” An invitation for the $ 150-per-plate event — limited to 50 guests — promises an “ intimate address ” from Blagojevich that organizers claim will be live-streamed to 1.67 million viewers .
Supporters can pledge $ 300 for admittance to a VIP reception , or $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who had $ 286.38 in his campaign fund at the end of June , wouldn ’ t say how much Blagojevich is being paid for the appearance .
Since his release , the disbarred ex-governor has been hosting a podcast and churning out personalized videos on demand for $ 80 a pop .
Meg Loughran Cappel , McCullagh ’ s Democratic opponent in the 49th Senate District race , said “ it ’ s shameful that Tom McCullagh would accept help from corrupt , disgraced figures like Rod Blagojevich and Donald Trump.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jobs , health care and safety , while these three politicians only worry about themselves , ” Cappel said .
In a statement , the Illinois Republican Party said “ we have nothing to do with this event and we don ’ t condone it .
It ’ s a bad idea .
Republicans in Illinois are for cleaning up Democrat corruption that has plagued us for too long — not celebrating one of its most insidious characters.
” Illinois Senate Republican Leader Bill Brady said “ we were not involved in this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I support Tom McCullagh.
” Listed second on the bill is Mark Vargas , the conservative political strategist and adviser who served as the Blagojevich family ’ s conduit to the White House to help secure his commutation .
“ We ’ ve called for Madigan to resign , and just thought this would be another great opportunity to support Trump , ” Vargas said .
“ Rod ’ s happy to get out and show some support .
He ’ s a natural campaigner.
” Vargas also provided a statement from Blagojevich @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and an agent of change .
If elected , he will go to Springfield and shake up that corrupt establishment that is all about serving itself and Mike Madigan on the backs of the hard working people of Illinois.
“

Rod Blagojevich once joked about not having a speaking role at the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston, saying the “Democratic National Committee and Mayor Daley invited me to speak at 4:30 in the morning in the men’s room at Faneuil Hall.”
Fast forward 16 years, past that early aughts convention that vaulted Barack Obama to the national stage, and past the ex-governor’s prison sentence for trying to auction off that “golden” U.S. Senate seat, and now, the newly sprung Blagojevich has the keynote speaker slot — at a Republican National Convention watch party.
The self-declared “Trumpocrat” will headline an Aug. 27 fundraiser in St. Charles to support a west suburban Republican state Senate candidate and “to celebrate President Donald J. Trump’s RNC 2020 nomination,” six months after Blagojevich was freed with a commutation from his former reality television boss.
Tom McCullagh Provided
Illinois Republican Party leaders called it “a bad idea,” but GOP candidate Tom McCullagh said he invited Blagojevich to “highlight corruption in Illinois, and how to fight it.”
“I’m not defending him or his actions in any way,” McCullagh said. “He’s been speaking out against Mike Madigan’s corruption since he got out. That’s the only reason I would involve myself with a person of such notoriety: to outline how the Madigan machine works, and how to dismantle it.”
Representatives for the powerful Illinois House speaker, who was implicated last month in a bribery scheme alleged against ComEd, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Madigan has not been charged with any crime and has denied any wrongdoing.
McCullagh said the event was “almost sold out” by Monday afternoon, and might be moved to a larger outdoor venue to accommodate more people while abiding by social distancing guidelines. The location hasn’t been disclosed “due to security reasons.”
An invitation for the $150-per-plate event — limited to 50 guests — promises an “intimate address” from Blagojevich that organizers claim will be live-streamed to 1.67 million viewers. Supporters can pledge $300 for admittance to a VIP reception, or $1,000 for a sponsorship.
A flyer for an Aug 27 fundraiser featuring ex-Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Provided by Tom McCullagh
McCullagh, who had $286.38 in his campaign fund at the end of June, wouldn’t say how much Blagojevich is being paid for the appearance. Since his release, the disbarred ex-governor has been hosting a podcast and churning out personalized videos on demand for $80 a pop.
Meg Loughran Cappel, McCullagh’s Democratic opponent in the 49th Senate District race, said “it’s shameful that Tom McCullagh would accept help from corrupt, disgraced figures like Rod Blagojevich and Donald Trump.”
“Countless Illinoisans are worried about their jobs, health care and safety, while these three politicians only worry about themselves,” Cappel said.
In a statement, the Illinois Republican Party said “we have nothing to do with this event and we don’t condone it. It’s a bad idea. Republicans in Illinois are for cleaning up Democrat corruption that has plagued us for too long — not celebrating one of its most insidious characters.”
Illinois Senate Republican Leader Bill Brady said “we were not involved in this event. I support President Trump and I support Tom McCullagh.”
Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich thanks Mark Vargas, a political strategist and advisor, as he speaks to reporters outside the family’s Ravenswood Manor home in February. Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times
Listed second on the bill is Mark Vargas, the conservative political strategist and adviser who served as the Blagojevich family’s conduit to the White House to help secure his commutation.
“We’ve called for Madigan to resign, and just thought this would be another great opportunity to support Trump,” Vargas said. “Rod’s happy to get out and show some support. He’s a natural campaigner.”
Vargas also provided a statement from Blagojevich, who called McCullagh “an outsider and an agent of change. If elected, he will go to Springfield and shake up that corrupt establishment that is all about serving itself and Mike Madigan on the backs of the hard working people of Illinois.“


chicagosun-times--2020-08-17--Blackhawks notebook: Hawks still alive against Golden Knights entering Game 5

The Blackhawks objectively didn ’ t deserve to win Game 4 against the Golden Knights .
But coach Jeremy Colliton believes the Hawks do deserve to still be alive in the series , with their lucky Game 4 victory cancelling out their bad luck in Games 2 and 3 .
“ We ’ re in the series still , and we have a chance to come back , ” Colliton said Monday .
“ We feel that [ in ] in the first three games , we were hard done by to have zero wins .
We probably stole one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got a chance to take momentum in the series and put some pressure on them .
We ’ re here to win.
” Statistically , Game 4 was their worst game yet against the Golden Knights ( and actually one of their worst games in years ) , as they were out-chanced 41-14 .
On the other hand , the Hawks an overtime crossbar snipe by Dylan Strome away from winning Game 2 and kept up tightly with the Knights in Game 3 , when they were only out-chanced 26-23 .
The idea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out , and the Hawks now face the difficult-but-not-impossible task of rattling off three more wins and advancing .
“ Our mind is just so entrenched in the series , that ’ s what we ’ re really focusing on : recovering or getting ready for the next game , ” Ryan Carpenter said .
“ It ’ s pretty simple to stay focused.
” Colliton ’ s decision to scratch rookie defenseman Adam Boqvist for Game 2 last Thursday came as a surprise , and a number of Hawks voiced anger about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Boqvist said Monday the scratch was both deserved and beneficial .
“ It was good for me to get a game off there , ” he said .
“ I wasn ’ t playing really good.
” He instead watched the game from the press box — “ it seems so speedy down there , ” he joked — and later watched back film of his playoff performances with the coaching staff .
Still mere weeks into his first NHL playoff experience , the 20-year-old blueliner isn ’ t in position to fight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ You kind of go into your head and think what you can do better — like gap control , closer to your guy in the ‘ D-zone , ’ jump in the play more , get more confident with the puck , ” he said .
“ I always want to do more out there.
” Hawks chairman Rocky Wirtz gave a few clarifications on the Hawks ’ ongoing presidency search during a Monday radio interview on 670 The Score .
Wirtz said his son Danny — who has held the presidency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McDonough ’ s firing in April — likely won ’ t remain president for good .
“ I don ’ t see him permanently being in that position , only because he ’ s involved in all our other [ family ] businesses , ” Wirtz said .
Rocky Wirtz added the Hawks ’ permanent president also won ’ t be a “ hockey retread , ” referencing a bad habit by many NHL franchises to hire coaches , general managers or presidents recently fired by other franchises .
A hiring doesn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Danny Wirtz said during a recent interview with the Sun-Times that a permanent president won ’ t be hired until the Hawks have created more specific goals and a clearer timeline for the implementation of their recently unveiled long-term vision .

The Blackhawks objectively didn’t deserve to win Sunday against the Golden Knights. But coach Jeremy Colliton believes they do deserve to still be alive in this playoff series, with their lucky Game 4 victory cancelling out their bad luck in Games 2 and 3.
“We’re in the series still, and we have a chance to come back,” Colliton said Monday. “We feel that in the first three games, we were hard done by to have zero wins. We probably stole one last night. Now we’ve got a chance to take momentum in the series and put some pressure on them. We’re here to win.”
Statistically, Game 4 was the Hawks’ worst game yet against the Knights (and one of their worst games in years), as they were out-chanced 41-14.
On the other hand, the Hawks were an overtime crossbar snipe by Dylan Strome away from winning Game 2 and kept up tightly with the Knights in Game 3, when they were only out-chanced 26-23.
The feeling is that the karma has perhaps evened out as the Hawks now face the difficult-but-not-impossible task of rattling off three more victories and advancing.
“Our mind is just so entrenched in the series, that’s what we’re really focusing on: recovering or getting ready for the next game,” forward Ryan Carpenter said. “It’s pretty simple to stay focused.”
Boqvist reflects on scratch
Colliton’s decision to scratch rookie defenseman Adam Boqvist for Game 2 last Thursday came as a surprise, and a number of Hawks voiced anger about the move on social media.
But Boqvist said Monday the scratch was both deserved and beneficial.
“It was good for me to get a game off there,” he said. “I wasn’t playing really good.”
He instead watched from the press box — “It seems so speedy down there,” he joked — and later watched film of his playoff performances with the coaching staff.
Still mere weeks into his first NHL playoff experience, the 20-year-old blueliner isn’t in a position to fight back against his coaches’ assessments.
“You kind of go into your head and think what you can do better — like gap control, closer to your guy in the ‘D-zone,’ jump in the play more, get more confident with the puck,” Boqvist said. “I always want to do more out there.”
Presidency update
Chairman Rocky Wirtz gave a few clarifications about the Hawks’ ongoing search for a team president during a radio interview Monday on 670 The Score.
Wirtz said his son Danny — who has been interim president since John McDonough’s firing in April — likely won’t remain president for good.
“I don’t see him permanently being in that position, only because he’s involved in all our other [family] businesses,” Wirtz said.
He added that the Hawks’ permanent president also won’t be a “hockey retread,” referencing a bad habit among many NHL franchises of hiring coaches, general managers or presidents recently fired by other franchises.
A hire doesn’t seem remotely imminent. Danny Wirtz told the Sun-Times recently that a permanent president won’t be hired until the Hawks have created more specific goals and a clearer timeline for implementing their recently unveiled long-term vision.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-17--Pizza Hut to close 300 locations, most of them dine-in spots

Up to 300 Pizza Hut restaurants will be closed , most of them dine-in locations not well suited for carryout and delivery at a time when millions of people are sheltering and eating at home .
Pizza sales have exploded during the pandemic .
Domino ’ s last month reported a 30 % spike in quarterly profits .
On Monday it said that it was hiring more than 20,000 people to handle surging orders .
Franchisee NPC International said Monday in documents filed in bankruptcy court that it had come to an agreement with Pizza Hut to close hundreds of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company filed for bankruptcy protection last month .
NPC owns 1,225 Pizza Huts and 385 Wendy ’ s restaurants in 27 states .
There are 6,700 Pizza Hut restaurants in the U.S .
In its filing , NPC said that closing stores not designed for pick-up or delivery will allow it to invest in smaller stores that can better handle online orders .
In May , Pizza Hut ’ s U.S. carryout and delivery sales reached an eight-year high , according to Yum Brands Inc. , the Louisville , Kentucky , company that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But Pizza Hut ’ s U.S. sales grew just 1 % in the April-June period ; rival Domino ’ s Pizza , which has smaller , carryout-focused stores , posted a 20 % jump in U.S. sales .
Yum Brands in a prepared statement said the stores being closed had underperformed others owned by NPC , and that shedding them would strengthen NPC ’ s remaining portfolio .

Up to 300 Pizza Hut restaurants will be closed, most of them dine-in locations not well suited for carryout and delivery at a time when millions of people are sheltering and eating at home.
Pizza sales have exploded during the pandemic. Domino’s last month reported a 30% spike in quarterly profits. On Monday it said that it was hiring more than 20,000 people to handle surging orders.
Franchisee NPC International said Monday in documents filed in bankruptcy court that it had come to an agreement with Pizza Hut to close hundreds of locations. The Leawood, Kansas, company filed for bankruptcy protection last month.
NPC owns 1,225 Pizza Huts and 385 Wendy’s restaurants in 27 states. There are 6,700 Pizza Hut restaurants in the U.S.
In its filing, NPC said that closing stores not designed for pick-up or delivery will allow it to invest in smaller stores that can better handle online orders.
In May, Pizza Hut’s U.S. carryout and delivery sales reached an eight-year high, according to Yum Brands Inc., the Louisville, Kentucky, company that also owns KFC and Taco Bell.
But Pizza Hut’s U.S. sales grew just 1% in the April-June period; rival Domino’s Pizza, which has smaller, carryout-focused stores, posted a 20% jump in U.S. sales.
Yum Brands in a prepared statement said the stores being closed had underperformed others owned by NPC, and that shedding them would strengthen NPC’s remaining portfolio.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-18--Blackhawks’ penalty kill confounding Golden Knights’ power play by taking away prime scoring areas

At even strength , the Blackhawks have largely failed to stop the Golden Knights from creating scoring chances at will .
It ’ s a big reason why they trail this best-of-seven playoff series 3-1 and again face elimination in Game 5 on Tuesday night .
But oddly , on the penalty kill , the Hawks have strategized brilliantly against the Knights ’ attack .
The Hawks ’ penalty kill is 9-for-9 in the -series .
It has killed 14 consecutive power plays since Game 4 of the previous series against the Oilers .
“ Everyone ’ s doing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Monday .
“ We ’ ve talked about getting clears , making sure we get the puck 200 feet down every time we get a chance .
The biggest thing is winning battles around the net on loose pucks , rebounds , those types of things.
” The penalty kill was a pleasant surprise during the regular season , but against the Oilers ’ top-ranked power play , it struggled at first .
The Oilers scored three power-play goals in Game 1 and one each in Games 2 and 3 .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t happy with how we started , ” Hawks forward Ryan Carpenter said .
“ We were doing a lot of things right , but we were just focusing on just getting better , whether we were having the results or not .
It ’ s starting to show a little bit.
” A little bit ?
More like blatantly .
The Knights boasted a formidable power play of their own in the regular season — ranking ninth in the NHL — by prioritizing quantity over quality .
Per minute on the power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shot attempts while the Oilers led in scoring chances .
But in the postseason , the Hawks ’ penalty-kill tactics have caused that fire-at-will tendency to backfire on the Knights .
Their power play is blasting 2.17 shot attempts per minute against the Hawks , higher than their regular-season average , but is generating only 0.71 scoring chances per minute , well below their regular-season average .
Doing the math , just 32.5 % of the Knights ’ power-play shot attempts have been scoring chances , far below the league average of 51.6 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hawks are letting the Knights shoot aplenty but ensuring those shots are mostly low-danger opportunities .
They ’ re doing so by passively collapsing to the slot and the crease , forming castle-like protections around the center of the ice — and exclusively the center of the ice .
With all four Hawks penalty-killers concentrated so densely , the Knights can ’ t find lanes for dangerous cross-seam passes and can ’ t maneuver their own men to get open in the slot .
Without a game-breaking talent like the Oilers ’ Leon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things up — the downside of the Knights ’ deep , balanced roster — the Knights have mostly resorted to shots from the blue line and faceoff circles , which Hawks goalie Corey Crawford can read and save easily .
Carpenter avoided discussing those specific strategies Monday , saying he didn ’ t “ want to give away too much.
” He emphasized the penalty-kill unit ’ s confidence instead , saying they ’ re “ trying not to get too high and just trying to stay even-keel.
” But with the “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comment , he might as well have been talking about the Hawks ’ penalty kill strategies nonetheless .
That ’ s exactly what it seems the Hawks have done with their penalty-kill forward duos ( Carpenter-Jonathan Toews and David Kampf-Brandon Saad ) .
They ’ ve let the Knights ’ power play enter the zone and move around in it relatively freely , but locked down the region where the power play could really do damage .
“ Eventually you ’ re going to give up some shots , ” Carpenter said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ much as you can and stick to the details : getting your clears and being in shot lanes , and really making them have to generate chances .
”

At even strength, the Blackhawks have largely failed to stop the Golden Knights from creating scoring chances at will. It’s a big reason why they trail this best-of-seven playoff series 3-1 and again face elimination in Game 5 on Tuesday night.
But oddly, on the penalty kill, the Hawks have strategized brilliantly against the Knights’ attack.
The Hawks’ penalty kill is 9-for-9 in the series. It has killed 14 consecutive power plays since Game 4 of the previous series against the Oilers.
“Everyone’s doing a great job,” coach Jeremy Colliton said Monday. “We’ve talked about getting clears, making sure we get the puck 200 feet down every time we get a chance. The biggest thing is winning battles around the net on loose pucks, rebounds, those types of things.”
The penalty kill was a pleasant surprise during the regular season, but against the Oilers’ top-ranked power play, it struggled at first. The Oilers scored three power-play goals in Game 1 and one each in Games 2 and 3.
“The Edmonton series, we weren’t happy with how we started,” Hawks forward Ryan Carpenter said. “We were doing a lot of things right, but we were just focusing on just getting better, whether we were having the results or not. It’s starting to show a little bit.”
A little bit? More like blatantly.
The Knights boasted a formidable power play of their own in the regular season — ranking ninth in the NHL — by prioritizing quantity over quality. Per minute on the power play, they led the league in shot attempts while the Oilers led in scoring chances.
But in the postseason, the Hawks’ penalty-kill tactics have caused that fire-at-will tendency to backfire on the Knights. Their power play is blasting 2.17 shot attempts per minute against the Hawks, higher than their regular-season average, but is generating only 0.71 scoring chances per minute, well below their regular-season average. Doing the math, just 32.5% of the Knights’ power-play shot attempts have been scoring chances, far below the league average of 51.6%.
In other words, the Hawks are letting the Knights shoot aplenty but ensuring those shots are mostly low-danger opportunities.
They’re doing so by passively collapsing to the slot and the crease, forming castle-like protections around the center of the ice — and exclusively the center of the ice.
With all four Hawks penalty-killers concentrated so densely, the Knights can’t find lanes for dangerous cross-seam passes and can’t maneuver their own men to get open in the slot.
Without a game-breaking talent like the Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl to force the Hawks to open things up — the downside of the Knights’ deep, balanced roster — the Knights have mostly resorted to shots from the blue line and faceoff circles, which Hawks goalie Corey Crawford can read and save easily.
Carpenter avoided discussing those specific strategies Monday, saying he didn’t “want to give away too much.” He emphasized the penalty-kill unit’s confidence instead, saying they’re “trying not to get too high and just trying to stay even-keel.”
But with the “trying not to get too high” comment, he might as well have been talking about the Hawks’ penalty kill strategies nonetheless. That’s exactly what it seems the Hawks have done with their penalty-kill forward duos (Carpenter-Jonathan Toews and David Kampf-Brandon Saad). They’ve let the Knights’ power play enter the zone and move around in it relatively freely, but locked down the region where the power play could really do damage.
“Eventually you’re going to give up some shots,” Carpenter said. “You try to limit it as much as you can and stick to the details: getting your clears and being in shot lanes, and really making them have to generate chances.”


chicagosun-times--2020-08-18--Police release images of suspects wanted in shooting of Chicago firefighter’s 12-year-old son

Chicago police released surveillance images Monday of the suspects wanted in the shooting of a Chicago firefighter ’ s 12-year-old @ @ @ @ @ .
The shooting happened about 8:10 p.m. Aug. 14 at Mamie Till-Mobley Park in the @ @ @ @ @ Avenue , Chicago police said .
A 12-year-old boy , whom Chicago fire officials confirmed @ @ @ @ @ firefighter , was struck in the leg and taken to Comer Children ’ s Hospital @ @ @ @ @ of the suspects was wearing a white t-shirt and dark pants , police said .
@ @ @ @ @ dark clothing , while the third was wearing a light-colored shirt .
Anyone with information @ @ @ @ @ One detectives at 312-747-8380 .
Read more on crime , and track the city ’ @ @ @

Chicago police released surveillance video Monday of the suspects wanted in the shooting of a Chicago firefighter’s 12-year-old son last weekend in Woodlawn.
The shooting happened about 8:10 p.m. Aug. 14 at Mamie Till-Mobley Park in the 6400 block of South Ellis Avenue, Chicago police said. A 12-year-old boy, whom Chicago fire officials confirmed was the son of a firefighter, was struck in the leg and taken to Comer Children’s Hospital in fair condition.
WARNING: VIDEO CONTAINS GRAPHIC VIOLENCE
One of the suspects was wearing a white t-shirt and dark pants, police said. Another was dressed all in dark clothing, while the third was wearing a light-colored shirt.
Anyone with information is asked to call Area One detectives at 312-747-8380.
Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.