chicagosun-times--2020-04-02--When to expect your $1,200 stimulus check

U.S. Treasury Sec .
Steve Mnuchin Thursday said emergency payments of up to $ 1,200 for eligible taxpayers should be out the door within two weeks but will take longer if people are not signed up to get direct payments .
“ This money does people no good if shows up in four months , ” he said .
Every American will be getting their money “ quickly , ” Mnuchin added , vowing to deliver on his promise .
“ Quickly is a matter of weeks , not months.
” .
The money is in the $ 2.2 trillion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Security Act — known as the CARES Act — that was signed last Friday .
Earlier in the day , Democrats on the House Ways and Means Committee released a timeline from the IRS aiming for all the payments — either direct deposit or via checks — to be out the door by the first week of May , according to a memo from the committee .
For most people , the payments will be automatically sent .
According to the committee memo , direct deposits payments will go out the week of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ direct deposit information from people who used it for their 2018 or 2019 tax returns .
During the week of May 4 , the IRS will begin issuing paper checks to individuals .
The paper checks will be issued at a rate of about 5 million per week , which could take up to 20 weeks to get all the checks out .
According to the committee , “ the checks will be issued in reverse ‘ adjusted gross income ’ order — starting with people with the lowest income first.
” In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in a switch , lifted a roadblock Wednesday , clearing the way for individuals who live off of Social Security — and do not file federal income tax returns — to be eligible for the $ 1,200 payments being disbursed to the COVID-19 rescue legislation .
“ Social Security recipients who are not typically required to file a tax return need to take no action , and will receive their payment directly to their bank account , ” Mnuchin said in a statement .
The Treasury Department said in the statement , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a direct deposit or by paper check , just as they would normally receive their benefits .
”

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin Thursday said emergency payments of up to $1,200 for eligible taxpayers should be out the door within two weeks but will take longer if people are not signed up to get direct payments.
“This money does people no good if it shows up in four months,” he said. Every American will be getting their money “quickly,” Mnuchin added, vowing to deliver on his promise. “Quickly is a matter of weeks, not months.”.
The money is in the $2.2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act — known as the CARES Act — that was signed last Friday.
Earlier in the day, Democrats on the House Ways and Means Committee released a timeline from the IRS aiming for all the payments — either direct deposit or via checks — to be out the door by the first week of May, according to a memo from the committee.
For most people, the payments will be automatically sent.
According to the committee memo, direct deposits payments will go out the week of April 13. The IRS will use direct deposit information from people who used it for their 2018 or 2019 tax returns.
During the week of May 4, the IRS will begin issuing paper checks to individuals.
The paper checks will be issued at a rate of about 5 million per week, which could take up to 20 weeks to get all the checks out.
According to the committee, “the checks will be issued in reverse ‘adjusted gross income’ order — starting with people with the lowest income first.”
In a related development, the Treasury Department, in a switch, lifted a roadblock Wednesday, clearing the way for individuals who live off of Social Security — and do not file federal income tax returns — to be eligible for the $1,200 payments being disbursed to the COVID-19 rescue legislation.
“Social Security recipients who are not typically required to file a tax return need to take no action, and will receive their payment directly to their bank account,” Mnuchin said in a statement. The Treasury Department said in the statement, that “recipients will receive these payments as a direct deposit or by paper check, just as they would normally receive their benefits.”


chicagosun-times--2020-04-02--Chicago outdoors & COVID-19 updates: FPD of Will Co., Chain, Waukegan, Geneva Musky Conference, McHe

Chicago outdoors & COVID-19 updates: FPD of Will Co., Chain, Waukegan, Geneva Musky Conference, McHenry CCD

Updates and reschedulings come around Chicago outdoors because of the impact of COVID-19 : Fish Preserve District of Will County , Chain O ’ Lakes , Chicagoland Muskie Hunters , Waukegan , and McHenry County Conservation District .
Here are some updates through this afternoon , Thursday , April 2 .
The biggest comes from the Forest Preserve District of Will County today .
Here are the key lead paragraphs , read carefully if you are wondering about fishing : The Forest Preserve District of Will County has extended its facility closures and program cancellations through April 30 as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the recent extension of the governor ’ s stay-at-home order .
All visitor centers , including the District ’ s Sugar Creek Administration Center in Joliet , preserve parking lots , dog parks and latrines will remain closed during this time period .
The launching of boats will not be allowed until the preserve parking areas reopen .
Kayaking is not allowed at this time due to the closure of the parking lots and for safety reasons due to limited police patrols .
All public programs and volunteer workdays are now canceled through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be contacted .
Trails will remain open as long as they can be accessed safely on foot or by bicycle and people continue to help limit the spread of COVID-19 by practicing social distancing of at least 6 feet as recommended by health authorities .
Shoreline fishing also is allowed as long as social distancing is practiced .
The closures and cancellations have been instituted to help reduce a spike in COVID-19 cases , which could overwhelm health care providers and facilities and lead to more deaths .
The Forest Preserve ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of people in the preserves and on trails , which will help protect members of the public and District staff from the transmission of COVID-19 .
“ In the best interests of everyone , stay close to home , ” urged Ralph Schultz , the Forest Preserve District ’ s chief operating officer .
The Fox Waterway Agency posted this today about use of the Chain O ’ Lakes .
Here are the lead paragraphs : Hunters and anglers who wish to hunt or fish during the ‘ Stay at Home ’ order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appropriate licensing and permits and are hunting or fishing on private property or at sites which are currently open to the public .
We ask our hunters and anglers to help their fellow outdoorsmen and women by following all public health directives , including staying at least six feet away from other sportsmen and staying home if they ’ re exhibiting any symptoms of COVID-19 .
Specifically , the Fox Waterway remains open for boating and provides a vast opportunity to practice essential social distancing measures to keep you and your loved ones @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Click here to read the full release , which includes information on office contact and stickers , etc .
Frank Loye , programs director for Chicagoland Muskie Hunters chapter of Muskies , Inc. , emailed an update about club activities , including this on the Geneva Musky Convention : Lori Ralph of the Salmon Stop in Waukegan texted the photo above and this update on some good fishing Thursday : On Wednesday , the McHenry County Conservation District sent this update , related to trout season : Closing The Hollows ( Lake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Woods and Piscasaw North in Chemung for fishing through April 30 , 2020 McHenry County Conservation District is doing all we can to keep our employees , visitors and residents as healthy and safe as possible .
In response to the guidance by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) and the shelter-in-place order issued by Governor JB Pritzker in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19 disease , the Conservation District has announced additional cancellations and closures .
The District announced this morning that it is Closing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cary , Beck ’ s Woods and Piscasaw North in Chemung for fishing through April 30 , 2020 to conform with the social distancing guidelines issued by Governor J.B. Pritzker ’ s Stay at Home Executive Order and to deter the large number of anglers expected with the opening of trout season .
All three sites are closed completely Saturday and Sunday , April 4 and 5 to deter the large crowds that are expected this weekend with the opening of trout season .
The hiking trails at The Hollows will reopen on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Atwood will remain closed .
Additional changes and new announcements may come in response to the circumstances in the days to come .
We will communicate as quickly as we can .
The District ’ s website MCCDistrict.org is the best location for the most up to date information on site openings/closing – as well as our Facebook page @ DiscoverMCCD .
We will continue to monitor the situation closely and always keep your best interests , health and safety in mind .

Updates and reschedulings come around Chicago outdoors because of the impact of COVID-19: Fish Preserve District of Will County, Chain O’Lakes, Chicagoland Muskie Hunters, Waukegan, and McHenry County Conservation District. Here are some updates through this afternoon, Thursday, April 2.
The biggest comes from the Forest Preserve District of Will County today. Here are the key lead paragraphs, read carefully if you are wondering about fishing:
Forest Preserve’s coronavirus-related closures, cancellations extended through April 30 The Forest Preserve District of Will County has extended its facility closures and program cancellations through April 30 as a result of the new coronavirus pandemic and the recent extension of the governor’s stay-at-home order. All visitor centers, including the District’s Sugar Creek Administration Center in Joliet, preserve parking lots, dog parks and latrines will remain closed during this time period. The launching of boats will not be allowed until the preserve parking areas reopen. Kayaking is not allowed at this time due to the closure of the parking lots and for safety reasons due to limited police patrols. All public programs and volunteer workdays are now canceled through April 30; registered program participants will be contacted. Trails will remain open as long as they can be accessed safely on foot or by bicycle and people continue to help limit the spread of COVID-19 by practicing social distancing of at least 6 feet as recommended by health authorities. Shoreline fishing also is allowed as long as social distancing is practiced. The closures and cancellations have been instituted to help reduce a spike in COVID-19 cases, which could overwhelm health care providers and facilities and lead to more deaths. The Forest Preserve’s actions are designed to reduce the number of people in the preserves and on trails, which will help protect members of the public and District staff from the transmission of COVID-19. In the best interests of everyone, stay close to home, urged Ralph Schultz, the Forest Preserve District’s chief operating officer.
The Fox Waterway Agency posted this today about use of the Chain O’Lakes. Here are the lead paragraphs:
4/1/2020 COVID-19 UPDATES by Erin | Apr 1, 2020 | News Hunters and anglers who wish to hunt or fish during the ‘Stay at Home’ order may do so provided they have the appropriate licensing and permits and are hunting or fishing on private property or at sites which are currently open to the public. We ask our hunters and anglers to help their fellow outdoorsmen and women by following all public health directives, including staying at least six feet away from other sportsmen and staying home if they’re exhibiting any symptoms of COVID-19. Specifically, the Fox Waterway remains open for boating and provides a vast opportunity to practice essential social distancing measures to keep you and your loved ones safe during this world-wide Covid-19 Coronavirus pandemic.
Click here to read the full release, which includes information on office contact and stickers, etc.
Frank Loye, programs director for Chicagoland Muskie Hunters chapter of Muskies, Inc., emailed an update about club activities, including this on the Geneva Musky Convention:
To help prevent the spread of COVID-19, we will practice social distancing. As a result we have cancelled the April meeting and have rescheduled the Geneva Musky Convention to Nov 13 -15. We will be assessing our May meeting and other upcoming outings and events over the next few weeks.
Coho in Waukegan Thursday. Provided
Lori Ralph of the Salmon Stop in Waukegan texted the photo above and this update on some good fishing Thursday:
And even though when you call the port and they say you can not fish the rocks, you CAN, you just can’t drive to them.
On Wednesday, the McHenry County Conservation District sent this update, related to trout season:


chicagosun-times--2020-04-02--3-star general on new McCormick Place coronavirus hospital: ‘We don’t know when this one’s going to

3-star general on new McCormick Place coronavirus hospital: ‘We don’t know when this one’s going to end’

He ’ s a three-star general whose jobs have included building up the Afghan police and armed forces , restoring electricity to war-torn Iraq and helping states recover after devastating hurricanes .
On Thursday , Lt. Gen. Todd Semonite , commanding general of the Army Corps of Engineers , was in Chicago at McCormick Place , where he ’ s in charge of putting up a massive field hospital for COVID-19 patients facing a different kind of catastrophe .
Traveling with his staff microbiologist , Semonite , 62 , gave elbow bumps to those in the small group greeting him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ projects , with many more expected .
On Wednesday , he was in Detroit .
Then , he flew to Illinois to meet with Gov .
J.B. Pritzker and Mayor Lori Lightfoot , a “ phenomenal lady , ” he said .
Thursday morning , he toured McCormick Place before jumping on a small jet to visit another city .
Semonite said he ’ s prioritizing the Corps ’ projects based on the rate of growth of the virus in each city and how many hospital beds are needed .
“ At the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the single biggest reason why we would come to Chicago or somewhere else is that governor feels that there ’ s a very , very critical requirement , ” Semonite said .
Pritzker is “ very , very focused on being able to try to take care of this town , ” Semonite said .
New York was the model for the Corps ’ efforts after the Javits convention center was recently converted into a hospital for sick and injured people who aren ’ t infected with COVID-19 .
A Navy hospital ship @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Army Corps is building nine such projects across the country with a total of 9,500 beds , according to Semonite , who said he expects to sign contracts in the next two days for another eight projects with 4,000 more beds .
“ We ’ ve looked at almost 600 different facilities , ” he said .
About a week ago , Semonite said he was notified by the secretary of the Army that Pritzker was “ very , very concerned about the bed shortage up here.
” A division commander , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Pritzker , and construction was launched on the McCormick Place ’ “ alternative care facility , ” which is short of a full-blown hospital .
Three exhibition halls at the convention center are being converted into medical wings , one of which will have 500 beds ready to use Friday , Semonite said .
Another 2,500 beds will be installed in stages to meet what officials say could be a peak in coronavirus diagnoses in Chicago around mid-April .
The buildout is being paid for with $ 15 million in federal emergency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus complications will be housed in each of the three converted exhibition halls .
The state is in charge of staffing the facility with health-care professionals .
Pritzker has said the state is asking for volunteers and hiring people from contracting services .
He said enough workers have been hired to staff at least 500 beds .
Officials have said they also were working to create temporary bed capacity at the shuttered MetroSouth Hospital in Blue Island and the Elgin site where Sherman Hospital was before being demolished .
In Chicago , United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , first-responder staging and collecting medical supplies .
Walsh Construction is building the infrastructure for the field hospital at Place .
Illinois National Guard troops are assembling the beds and other equipment .
Semonite said the project is based on one of four standard designs for retrofitting big spaces like convention centers , vacant hospitals , dorms and sports arenas .
Seattle ’ s CenturyLink Field , where the Seahawks play , also is being retrofitted .
The Chicago Sun-Times wasn ’ t allowed to tour the field hospital inside McCormick Place , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of three-walled pods with a curtain at each opening .
The metal-braced walls are the same ones vendors use during trade shows , he said .
Each pod has a bed and chair .
Nurses ’ stations are in the corridors .
Oxygen is being pumped into the field hospital , and engineers in McCormick Place have calibrated the heat and air-conditioning system to provide “ negative pressure ” that keeps contaminants from escaping , Semonite said .
“ I ’ ve got to admit the staff in some of these big facilities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I met with the leadership of McCormick yesterday .
They ’ re doing a lot of the work.
” Semonite said Walsh Construction is among contractors across the country who ’ ve been asking to help the Army Corps .
“ This is not about trying to make a buck on a contract , ” he said .
“ This is about taking care of the local citizens of this city , of this state , because these are all our people .
“ President Trump said a couple of weeks ago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needs to rally to be able to come together.
’ ” Semonite said one of his biggest aims is to make it as easy as possible for cities and states to build such field hospitals quickly .
Semonite said the Army Corps ’ response to the pandemic in some respects is more difficult than the other big challenges he ’ s been associated with in his more than 40-year military career , such as rebuilding communities after hurricanes swept through .
“ When Mother Nature strikes , and even to a degree in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good understanding of what the set you ’ re going to inherit is when a hurricane comes , ” he said .
“ It ’ s terrifying for 12 to 14 or 24 hours .
But the next morning when you wake up , you kind of know what has to be built .
“ And we kind of have defined the problem , and then we all attack .
We don ’ t know where this one ’ s going to end .
How long is this going to go ?
How @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be run ?
“ This is an extremely complicated challenge , ” he said .
“ And we are not going to be able to solve this with a complicated solution.
” At a news conference Thursday , Pritzker said he has toured the hospital being built at McCormick Place : “ I didn ’ t know you could build something like that in five days.
” “ You should all feel very , very proud of the work that ’ s been done so quickly , ” Pritzker said , calling the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at McCormick Place “ patriotic.
” “ They know they are doing something that ’ s going to save people ’ s lives .
”

He’s a three-star general whose jobs have included building up the Afghan police and armed forces, restoring electricity to war-torn Iraq and helping states recover after devastating hurricanes.
On Thursday, Lt. Gen. Todd Semonite, commanding general of the Army Corps of Engineers, was in Chicago at McCormick Place, where he’s in charge of putting up a massive field hospital for COVID-19 patients facing a different kind of catastrophe.
Traveling with his staff microbiologist, Semonite, 62, gave elbow bumps to those in the small group greeting him.
He’s overseeing nine such projects, with many more expected. On Wednesday, he was in Detroit. Then, he flew to Illinois to meet with Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Mayor Lori Lightfoot, a “phenomenal lady,” he said. Thursday morning, he toured McCormick Place before jumping on a small jet to visit another city.
Semonite said he’s prioritizing the Corps’ projects based on the rate of growth of the virus in each city and how many hospital beds are needed.
Coronavirus Data The numbers that tell the story: Our coronavirus data tracking On our Coronavirus Data page, you’ll find a collection of graphs, charts and maps tracing the spread of the virus, tracking test results and plotting the impact on individual counties. Check back daily for updated totals.
“At the end of the day, though, the single biggest reason why we would come to Chicago or somewhere else is that governor feels that there’s a very, very critical requirement,” Semonite said.
Pritzker is “very, very focused on being able to try to take care of this town,” Semonite said.
New York was the model for the Corps’ efforts after the Javits convention center was recently converted into a hospital for sick and injured people who aren’t infected with COVID-19. A Navy hospital ship is housing patients sent from Javits.
The Army Corps is building nine such projects across the country with a total of 9,500 beds, according to Semonite, who said he expects to sign contracts in the next two days for another eight projects with 4,000 more beds.
“We’ve looked at almost 600 different facilities,” he said.
About a week ago, Semonite said he was notified by the secretary of the Army that Pritzker was “very, very concerned about the bed shortage up here.”
A division commander, Major Gen. Mark Toy, then met with Pritzker, and construction was launched on the McCormick Place’“alternative care facility,” which is short of a full-blown hospital.
Illinois National Guardsmen, with hard hats and personal protective equipment in hand, walk to the entrance of McCormick Place on Thursday. Tyler LaRiviere / Sun-Times
Three exhibition halls at the convention center are being converted into medical wings, one of which will have 500 beds ready to use Friday, Semonite said.
Another 2,500 beds will be installed in stages to meet what officials say could be a peak in coronavirus diagnoses in Chicago around mid-April. The buildout is being paid for with $15 million in federal emergency funding.
People with varying degrees of coronavirus complications will be housed in each of the three converted exhibition halls.
The state is in charge of staffing the facility with health-care professionals. Pritzker has said the state is asking for volunteers and hiring people from contracting services. He said enough workers have been hired to staff at least 500 beds.
Officials have said they also were working to create temporary bed capacity at the shuttered MetroSouth Hospital in Blue Island and the Elgin site where Sherman Hospital was before being demolished.
In Chicago, United Center is being used for food distribution, first-responder staging and collecting medical supplies.
Walsh Construction is building the infrastructure for the field hospital at Place.
Illinois National Guard troops are assembling the beds and other equipment.
Members of the Illinois Air National Guard assemble medical equipment at McCormick Place. Jay Grabiec / Air Force
Semonite said the project is based on one of four standard designs for retrofitting big spaces like convention centers, vacant hospitals, dorms and sports arenas. Seattle’s CenturyLink Field, where the Seahawks play, also is being retrofitted.
The Chicago Sun-Times wasn’t allowed to tour the field hospital inside McCormick Place,, which Semonite described as a series of three-walled pods with a curtain at each opening. The metal-braced walls are the same ones vendors use during trade shows, he said. Each pod has a bed and chair. Nurses’ stations are in the corridors.
Oxygen is being pumped into the field hospital, and engineers in McCormick Place have calibrated the heat and air-conditioning system to provide “negative pressure” that keeps contaminants from escaping, Semonite said.
“I’ve got to admit the staff in some of these big facilities is amazing,” he said. “I met with the leadership of McCormick yesterday. They’re doing a lot of the work.”
Semonite said Walsh Construction is among contractors across the country who’ve been asking to help the Army Corps.
“This is not about trying to make a buck on a contract,” he said. “This is about taking care of the local citizens of this city, of this state, because these are all our people.
“President Trump said a couple of weeks ago, ‘This is when America really needs to rally to be able to come together.’ ”
Semonite said one of his biggest aims is to make it as easy as possible for cities and states to build such field hospitals quickly.
Semonite said the Army Corps’ response to the pandemic in some respects is more difficult than the other big challenges he’s been associated with in his more than 40-year military career, such as rebuilding communities after hurricanes swept through.
“When Mother Nature strikes, and even to a degree in combat operations, you have a pretty good understanding of what the set you’re going to inherit is when a hurricane comes,” he said. “It’s terrifying for 12 to 14 or 24 hours. But the next morning when you wake up, you kind of know what has to be built.
“And we kind of have defined the problem, and then we all attack. We don’t know where this one’s going to end. How long is this going to go? How long do facilities like this have to be run?
“This is an extremely complicated challenge,” he said. “And we are not going to be able to solve this with a complicated solution.”
At a news conference Thursday, Pritzker said he has toured the hospital being built at McCormick Place: “I didn’t know you could build something like that in five days.”
“You should all feel very, very proud of the work that’s been done so quickly,” Pritzker said, calling the carpenters, National Guardsmen and other workers at McCormick Place “patriotic.”
“They know they are doing something that’s going to save people’s lives.”
Contributing: Lynn Sweet


chicagosun-times--2020-04-02--Former Dallas police chief is Lightfoot pick for Chicago top cop

Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Thursday introduced retired Dallas Police Chief David Brown as her choice to be Chicago ’ s next police superintendent .
Chicago needs the best , Lightfoot said , and “ in this town , at this time , David Brown is the absolute best.
” Brown then took the microphone , saying he was “ deeply honored and humbled ” by the appointment and thanking Lightfoot for her “ faith and confidence in me.
” He said Chicago is a lot like Dallas : “ strong , proud and tough — not to mention the great @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — and the recommended choice of Police Board President Ghian Foreman — after the board announced a list of finalists that also included Aurora Police chief Kristen Ziman and the CPD ’ s Deputy Chief Ernest Cato .
“ David Brown grew up poor in an African-American neighborhood , where relations with the police were fraught , ” Lightfoot said .
She thanked the Police Board for nominating “ three outstanding candidates for our city ” before announcing she had picked Brown from that field .
Lightfoot praised Brown ’ s decades of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leave to serve as assistant city manager in Dallas .
He led the Dallas Police Department through “ wholesale reform ” during his six years as superintendent there , with department wide de-escalation training and a host of other reforms .
Lightfoot had been poised to make the announcement earlier Thursday , but delayed it after 50-year-old narcotics officer Marco DiFranco became the first Chicago Police officer to die from the coronavirus .
Instead , she held one news conference with Interim Superintendent Charlie Beck to announce DiFranco ’ s death , then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brown , who needs City Council approval .
Brown also offered his condolences to DiFranco ’ s family after being introduced on Thursday .
When Sean Malinowski , former chief of detectives at the Los Angeles Police Department , was eliminated , Brown became the obvious choice .
Beck called Brown “ a strong man with a good heart , ” and said “ he will make this department and this city much better than it is today.
” A source close to the Police Board search has described Brown ’ s strength @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and willingness to “ use that story to connect ” with citizens .
His brother was murdered by drug dealers .
His son was killed in a police shootout .
His partner died in the line of duty .
Lightfoot called him “ a man of integrity whose mettle was forged in tragedy.
” Brown is a seasoned leader who ran a big-city department that also dealt with gun violence problems but wasn ’ t under a civil-rights consent decree like Chicago .
His weakness : he doesn ’ t know Chicago and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have , by the city ’ s unique brand of politics .
The 59-year-old Brown retired as Dallas police chief in 2016 after a horrific year that saw five of his police officers gunned down in a downtown ambush .
He made headlines — and generated controversy — when he gave the go-ahead to use an explosive-bearing , remote-controlled robot to kill the gunman .
Lightfoot on Thursday recalled she was introduced to Brown through his appearances on TV after that tragedy made national headlines .
“ He ’ s the guy who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dallas when that crazy guy opened fire with a rifle in downtown Dallas executing Dallas coppers .
He ’ s the one who made the call .
Send in the robot and blow the guy up , ” said John Catanzara , who finished first in Round One of the election for president of the Fraternal Order of Police .
“ In this environment , that is a very solid call that 99 out of 100 bosses would have never made .
But , it was the right thing to do and he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ give him kudos for that all day long.
” Ald .
Chris Taliaferro ( 29th ) , the former Chicago Police officer now chairing the City Council ’ s Committee on Public Safety , added , “ It was the right call for the situation .
If that were to ever happen here , I ’ m quite sure he would consider whatever would be best for apprehending the suspect.
” Not surprisingly , Chicago aldermen would have preferred that Lightfoot choose the only insider in Cato .
He is a known commodity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) , chairman of the City Council ’ s Black Caucus .
The relationship was forged during Cato ’ s days as a tactical lieutenant in the West Side ’ s Austin District and as Austin District commander .
Cato is also from West Garfield Park .
But , Lightfoot ultimately decided , as Foreman did , that Cato wasn ’ t quite ready to make the jump into the big chair and would benefit from a bit more seasoning .
Maybe next time around .
Not this one .
Taliaferro will preside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appointment .
He expects smooth sailing for the mayor ’ s choice .
In fact , Taliaferro called Brown the ideal choice to rebuild public trust between citizens and police in the African-American community shattered by the police shooting of Laquan McDonald .
“ He ’ s experienced some tragedies as a police officer .
There ’ ll be a lot of officers who can relate to his career and his service to the city [ of Dallas ] because of experiencing what he ’ s experienced , ” Taliaferro said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go ahead and retire and live the rest of their lives .
But , he ’ s continued to fight for the city of Dallas .
That shows his commitment—not only to the officers there , but the city and his commitment to law enforcement….I look forward to working with him.
” Chicago in general and the Police Department in particular has a long and documented history of devouring outsiders .
Look no further than Jody Weis and Garry McCarthy .
But , Taliaferro said , “ I have no concern over that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been someone with the department .
But , someone from the outside can certainly run the police department as well and do a fantastic job .
”

Less than 24 hours after she received the names of three finalists for the job, Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Thursday announced she had selected retired Dallas Police Chief David Brown to be the next leader of the Chicago Police Department.
Her lightning-fast choice made it clear Brown had been on Lightfoot’s radar from the moment she fired former CPD Supt. Eddie Johnson on Dec. 1, 2019. The Police Board Lightfoot once headed — now led by Ghian Foreman — knew whom she wanted for the job and made sure Brown was among the three finalists.
Just last week, Foreman told the Chicago Sun-Times the search for Chicago’s next permanent superintendent was on hold as the city dedicates its resources to fighting the coronavirus pandemic, but apparently there was a change in plans.
“In this time, in this moment, the Chicago Police Department — indeed, our city — needs this humble leader,” Lightfoot said during a news conference introducing Brown. “A man of integrity whose mettle was forged in tragedy, and who strongly believes in the hope and promise that each new day brings. I declare, right here, right now, that I am totally committed to his success. Because his success means the department’s success. And the department’s success means our city — each and every one of our residents — will enjoy the peace and prosperity that comes when streets are safe.”
Brown will soon head the second-largest police department in the country, one still facing immense challenges, including entrenched gun violence and compliance with a federal consent decree that was spurred by the Laquan McDonald shooting. Brown said he has already read the “voluminous” decree and vowed the department would be in compliance, though the city has already missed most of its deadlines.
“My life and career has taken place in the city of Dallas, but the call to service and to rise is one that is heard across the nation,” Brown said. “As Mayor Lightfoot mentioned, it’s that call that has driven everything that I’ve done in my career as an officer and public servant. And, yes, it’s a fire in my bones. All of us are at our best when we serve others.
“And to all the great residents of this city, I would only say: David Brown, reporting to duty. I’m at your service,” he added.
Former Dallas Police Chief David Brown was introduced by Mayor Lori Lightfoot as her choice to take over the top job at the Chicago Police Department. Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times
Lightfoot talked about Brown’s humility and humble beginnings. He grew up poor in a segregated Dallas neighborhood where “relations with the police were fraught,” just like they are today in many Chicago neighborhoods.
Raised by a single mom and his maternal grandparents, he earned a scholarship to the University of Texas at Austin. But he dropped out and took the police exam after his junior year when he returned home for the summer to find his neighborhood “disintegrating because crack cocaine had landed like a bomb,” the mayor said.
All of that showed “David views himself as part of the community.”
“I have every confidence that David O’Neal Brown will be the kind of leader who will continue our gains in fighting crime. Bridge existing divides between police and community. Embrace constitutional policing as a core ethos. And make the Chicago Police Department the finest in the nation,” Lightfoot said.
“We are Chicago and deserve the best. And in this time, for this moment, David Brown is the absolute best.”
A source close to the Police Board search has described Brown’s strength as his “amazing personal story” and willingness to “use that story to connect” with citizens. His brother was murdered by drug dealers. His son was killed in a police shootout. His partner died in the line of duty.
The 59-year-old Brown retired as Dallas police chief in 2016 after a horrific year that saw five of his police officers gunned down in a downtown ambush.
He made headlines — and generated controversy — when he gave the go-ahead to use an explosive-bearing, remote-controlled robot to kill the gunman.
Brown will replace Interim Supt. Charlie Beck, the former chief of the Los Angeles Police Department who came out of retirement to lead the CPD after Lightfoot fired Johnson following an embarrassing drinking-and-driving incident in October.
Lightfoot, showing more emotion than usual, was effusive in her praise and gratitude to Beck, calling him “a unique and gifted leader, who, by his mere presence, makes us feel safer.”
“It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve these men and women” of the CPD, Beck said. “This is a tremendous police department, and it cries out for leadership. And today that cry has been answered.”


chicagosun-times--2020-04-02--Companies jettison in-person shareholders  meetings to fight pandemic

The annual shareholders meeting is a corporate rite of spring , but it ’ s under attack this year by the coronavirus and may never be the same .
Scores of publicly traded companies have said they are changing their meetings this year to a virtual format to avoid any gathering that risks public health .
The acknowledged leader in annual-meeting showmanship , Warren Buffett ’ s Berkshire Hathaway , has announced it is going virtual for this year ’ s event May 2 .
Dubbed a “ Woodstock for capitalists , ” the meeting is really a convention .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Nebraska .
But most annual meetings are sedate affairs , bereft of news , and some have the feeling of a family dinner people would rather not have .
Some can ’ t fill a conference room at a law firm .
Companies with Chicago-area headquarters such as Boeing , Baxter , Exelon , Northern Trust and Anixter International have said they are going virtual this year .
Other well-known companies doing that include Goodyear , Johnson & Johnson and Kellogg .
“ These are extraordinary times , and so it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ marked shift in how they interact with shareholders , ” said Mark Brockway , head of ISS Corporate Solutions .
“ The question for governance observers is whether this trend represents the new normal — will companies that have made the shift to a virtual meeting format out of necessity continue to do so in future years out of convenience.
” His company is heavily involved in annual meetings because it tabulates shareholder votes on matters decided there , such as board nominations and executive pay .
It surveyed 230 public companies March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had made their meetings virtual only , with 47 % still deciding .
It said a third of the companies that responded are in the S & P 500 .
Annual meetings are required by securities laws and most occur in April or May , after companies that are on a calendar fiscal year have put together final reports for the prior year .
Shareholders can vote by mail in proportion to how much stock they own , but companies sometimes have minimum share requirements for those who can vote in person .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , although activist shareholders often use the meetings to call attention to lackluster performance , dividend policies or a lack thereof , executive pay , labor disputes or environmental issues .
One such activist in the Chicago area was the late Martin Glotzer , an accountant who spoke out on everything from substantive business issues to the quality of the snacks being served .
Making the sessions virtual might deprive a company ’ s critics of a showcase and make CEOs a little more content with a ritual some would rather avoid .

The annual shareholders meeting is a corporate rite of spring, but it’s under attack this year by the coronavirus and may never be the same.
Scores of publicly traded companies have said they are changing their meetings this year to a virtual format to avoid any gathering that risks public health.
The acknowledged leader in annual-meeting showmanship, Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway, has announced it is going virtual for this year’s event May 2. Dubbed a “Woodstock for capitalists,” the meeting is really a convention. It fills the largest venue in Omaha, Nebraska.
But most annual meetings are sedate affairs, bereft of news, and some have the feeling of a family dinner people would rather not have. Some can’t fill a conference room at a law firm.
Companies with Chicago-area headquarters such as Boeing, Baxter, Exelon, Northern Trust and Anixter International have said they are going virtual this year. Other well-known companies doing that include Goodyear, Johnson & Johnson and Kellogg.
“These are extraordinary times, and so it is not surprising to see companies undertake this marked shift in how they interact with shareholders,” said Mark Brockway, head of ISS Corporate Solutions. “The question for governance observers is whether this trend represents the new normal — will companies that have made the shift to a virtual meeting format out of necessity continue to do so in future years out of convenience.”
His company is heavily involved in annual meetings because it tabulates shareholder votes on matters decided there, such as board nominations and executive pay. It surveyed 230 public companies March 19 to 25 and found 37% had made their meetings virtual only, with 47% still deciding.
It said a third of the companies that responded are in the S&P 500.
Annual meetings are required by securities laws and most occur in April or May, after companies that are on a calendar fiscal year have put together final reports for the prior year. Shareholders can vote by mail in proportion to how much stock they own, but companies sometimes have minimum share requirements for those who can vote in person.
It can make for highly scripted affairs, although activist shareholders often use the meetings to call attention to lackluster performance, dividend policies or a lack thereof, executive pay, labor disputes or environmental issues. One such activist in the Chicago area was the late Martin Glotzer, an accountant who spoke out on everything from substantive business issues to the quality of the snacks being served.
Making the sessions virtual might deprive a company’s critics of a showcase and make CEOs a little more content with a ritual some would rather avoid.


chicagosun-times--2020-04-03--Dear Abby: Man doesn’t enjoy his grandchildren, and they can tell

DEAR ABBY : My husband has a contentious relationship with our grandchildren .
He generally is a fun , happy and interesting person .
But by nature he is not “ hands on ” when it comes to children .
Our son and daughter have great spouses and five young grandsons .
He stands around like a warden waiting for something to happen , then just yells at them .
It is clear he doesn ’ t enjoy being with them , and their mood changes from happy to surly when he ’ s around .
I enjoy doing things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of fun places , and I know my husband doesn ’ t like to go anywhere with them .
I have had two major talks trying to encourage him to have a positive , interactive relationship with the boys , to no avail .
He reacts as if I ’ m the only one who sees this .
My sister , son and daughter-in-law have talked to me about it , but I haven ’ t told my husband .
Should I just drop this issue ?
— DOING THE WORK OF TWO @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may not be capable of changing .
However , the next time your sister , son and daughter-in-law talk to you about the negative message your husband is sending the grandchildren , please tell them they are talking to the wrong person .
They should take this up with “ Grandpa Grump , ” and you should not be forced into the position of being the messenger .
DEAR ABBY : My daughter is 22 weeks pregnant .
This will be our first grandchild , and we were excited to be hosting the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her in-laws got involved .
We were told they were mostly in charge and we should butt out , and my daughter will host her own shower .
She sent us a message stating that they don ’ t want the shower to be a “ burden or financial strain on us , ” so we can come only as guests .
We never ever said anything about finances or anything .
We were excited about the shower and couldn ’ t wait to start this amazing journey .
What do we do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as guests or stay away ?
We are not allowed to help with anything , but we were told to contribute to the food .
— STUNNED IN SOUTH AFRICA DEAR STUNNED : Contribute what food exactly ?
A box of crackers ?
A fruit salad ?
Money ?
I don ’ t blame you for being upset .
It certainly looks like you have been pushed aside .
Did your daughter send you that message or did her mother-in-law ?
I ask because it is considered a breach of etiquette for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Talk to your daughter .
However , do not allow this to drive you away .
Attend the shower .
If you don ’ t attend , it may be the beginning of an estrangement .
DEAR ABBY : Is it OK for me to be carrying my boss ’ s belongings to his car at the end of his workday ?
Is it acceptable for me to be making his coffee a certain way and picking up his lunch ?
I was hired as a second administrative assistant , but I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s 2020 !
I don ’ t think women should be treated like this anymore .
Any advice ?
— UNCERTAIN IN THE EAST DEAR UNCERTAIN : Absolutely .
Have a chat with your employer and review what your duties are supposed to be .
Nowhere in your letter is it apparent that your boss is singling you out for these tasks because you ’ re female .
If you had proof this was the case , it would be another matter .
Because you find these tasks demeaning , consider looking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be the place for you .
Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren , also known as Jeanne Phillips , and was founded by her mother , Pauline Phillips .
Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O .
Box 69440 , Los Angeles , CA 90069 .
For an excellent guide to becoming a better conversationalist and a more sociable person , order “ How to Be Popular.
” Send your name and mailing address , plus check or money order for $ 8 ( U.S. funds ) , to : Dear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Box 447 , Mount Morris , IL 61054-0447 .
( Shipping and handling are included in the price . )

DEAR ABBY: My husband has a contentious relationship with our grandchildren. He generally is a fun, happy and interesting person. But by nature he is not “hands on” when it comes to children.
Our son and daughter have great spouses and five young grandsons. He stands around like a warden waiting for something to happen, then just yells at them. It is clear he doesn’t enjoy being with them, and their mood changes from happy to surly when he’s around. I enjoy doing things with them and taking them to lots of fun places, and I know my husband doesn’t like to go anywhere with them.
I have had two major talks trying to encourage him to have a positive, interactive relationship with the boys, to no avail. He reacts as if I’m the only one who sees this. My sister, son and daughter-in-law have talked to me about it, but I haven’t told my husband. Should I just drop this issue? — DOING THE WORK OF TWO
DEAR DOING: Your husband may or may not be capable of changing. However, the next time your sister, son and daughter-in-law talk to you about the negative message your husband is sending the grandchildren, please tell them they are talking to the wrong person. They should take this up with “Grandpa Grump,” and you should not be forced into the position of being the messenger.
DEAR ABBY: My daughter is 22 weeks pregnant. This will be our first grandchild, and we were excited to be hosting the baby shower for her. Unfortunately, her in-laws got involved. We were told they were mostly in charge and we should butt out, and my daughter will host her own shower. She sent us a message stating that they don’t want the shower to be a “burden or financial strain on us,” so we can come only as guests.
We never ever said anything about finances or anything. We were excited about the shower and couldn’t wait to start this amazing journey. What do we do? Do we still go as grandparents, as guests or stay away? We are not allowed to help with anything, but we were told to contribute to the food. — STUNNED IN SOUTH AFRICA
DEAR STUNNED: Contribute what food exactly? A box of crackers? A fruit salad? Money? I don’t blame you for being upset. It certainly looks like you have been pushed aside.
Did your daughter send you that message or did her mother-in-law? I ask because it is considered a breach of etiquette for an honoree to throw her own shower. Talk to your daughter. However, do not allow this to drive you away. Attend the shower. If you don’t attend, it may be the beginning of an estrangement.
DEAR ABBY: Is it OK for me to be carrying my boss’s belongings to his car at the end of his workday? Is it acceptable for me to be making his coffee a certain way and picking up his lunch? I was hired as a second administrative assistant, but I feel more like a maid/servant/slave. It’s 2020! I don’t think women should be treated like this anymore. Any advice? — UNCERTAIN IN THE EAST
DEAR UNCERTAIN: Absolutely. Have a chat with your employer and review what your duties are supposed to be. Nowhere in your letter is it apparent that your boss is singling you out for these tasks because you’re female. If you had proof this was the case, it would be another matter. Because you find these tasks demeaning, consider looking for another job because this may not be the place for you.
Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.
For an excellent guide to becoming a better conversationalist and a more sociable person, order “How to Be Popular.” Send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $8 (U.S. funds), to: Dear Abby, Popularity Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. (Shipping and handling are included in the price.)


chicagosun-times--2020-04-03--Chicago movie studio boss turned FBI mole eyes expansion — across from FBI offices

FBI mole Alexander S. Pissios — the president of Chicago ’ s largest film studio who secretly recorded conversations to help federal authorities nail longtime Chicago Teamsters union boss John T. Coli Sr. for extortion — wants to build another studio , this time on government land right across the street from the FBI , records show .
Pissios , who heads Cinespace Chicago Film Studios , is negotiating to buy or lease 9.25 acres from the Illinois Medical District , a government agency overseen by Gov .
J.B. Pritzker , Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Cook County Board President Toni @ @ @ @ @ @ @ estate deal Pissios has gone after to develop taxpayer-owned land since he began cooperating with the FBI and federal prosecutors in May 2016 to bring down Coli , the powerful union boss who extorted $ 325,000 from Cinespace Chicago Film Studios .
Previously , Pissios and his partners bought two vacant lots from City Hall .
One is now used as a parking lot for a tenant who runs a cannabis dispensary .
The other is set to be part of their $ 74 million deal to redevelop land owned by the Chicago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As part of another proposed movie studio development , Pissios also has been battling St. Anthony Hospital in an effort to buy the old Washburne Trade School property controlled by the Chicago Board of Education and City Hall .
Now , Pissios and Cinespace have designs on building another studio property in the shadow of the FBI ’ s Chicago headquarters on the West Side , a proposal that could force the relocation of Superior Ambulance Service , which leases space there from the medical district .
Pissios wants to buy or lease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which has a long history of financial troubles .
The district is listening because , besides money , Cinespace is promising to create 1,500 jobs .
“ While both are being considered , negotiations are ongoing and no agreement has been finalized , ” says Gina Oka , the medical district ’ s attorney .
The district ’ s seven-member board — appointed by the governor , mayor and county board president — already has waived a “ reverter clause ” under a provision of Illinois law that would allow the government agency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the development falls through .
That was a condition Cinespace insisted it needs to get financing for the project .
Pissios and the medical district ’ s executive director and CEO , Dr. Suzet McKinney , are board members of the Independent Film Alliance , which was created in January as the medical district was negotiating a real estate deal with Pissios ’ s Cinespace Studios .
Another of the alliance ’ s board members , John Cooke , is also on the medical district ’ s board .
The film alliance was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charity Stage 18 Chicago and the Independent Filmmaker Project Chicago to support independent filmmakers .
McKinney refused to talk with the Sun-Times .
But the district says there ’ s no conflict of interest for her and Cooke to hold the unpaid alliance posts with Pissios while he ’ s trying to make a deal with the medical district they run .
Pissios and Thomas Breen , his criminal defense attorney , won ’ t comment on the FBI mole ’ s latest proposed real estate venture with a government agency .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ working with federal authorities , who won ’ t talk about the movie studio mogul ’ s efforts to expand the film and TV operation that was built with $ 17.3 million in grants doled out by then-Gov .
Pat .
Quinn .
In exchange for his cooperation , Pissios was given a “ non-prosecution agreement ” by the U.S. attorney ’ s office in March 2017 — a deal that criminal defense lawyers say is highly unusual for a government witness .
Authorities haven ’ t said whether Pissios has been cooperating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Coli ’ s .
He won ’ t have to testify against Coli , the Teamsters boss Pissios has praised for helping Cinespace obtain state grants from Quinn .
That ’ s because Coli — who was arrested in the alley behind his Lincoln Park home on April 4 , 2017 , minutes after he got $ 25,000 in cash from Pissios — pleaded guilty last July and is now also cooperating with federal authorities .
Pissios ’ flurry of real estate deals over the past four years has come after he filed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That followed a series of bad real estate deals with former partner Edward Gobbo , whose late uncle William Hanhardt ended up going to prison for running a jewelry theft ring for the mob — while working as the Chicago Police Department ’ s chief of detectives .
Pissios and Gobbo both went bankrupt , declaring they owed millions of dollars to clout-heavy Washington Federal Bank for Savings for loans they got to build townhomes around the United Center .
The Bridgeport bank is the focus of a criminal investigation since bank president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2017 with a rope around his neck in the master bedroom of a customer ’ s home .
Federal regulators quickly shut down the bank , later declaring it was part of a massive fraud scheme in which it lost more than $ 80 million on loans that , in many cases , were made with zero collateral — and no expectation they would ever be repaid .
Nearly five years after Pissios went bankrupt , federal investigators discovered Pissios had failed to disclose all of his assets to the bankruptcy judge , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ d gotten from an uncle who wanted Pissios to expand the family ’ s Toronto movie studio to also include a studio in Chicago .
Federal agents met with Pissios in May 2016 , about 14 months after then-Gov .
Bruce Rauner forced Cinespace to return a $ 10 million grant Quinn gave the studio shortly before leaving office .
Rauner ’ s action came after the Chicago Sun-Times reported Cinespace got the grant to buy land around the studio that the owners said wasn ’ t for sale .
Threatened with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Pissios agreed to cooperate with the FBI and the U.S. attorney ’ s office .
At the time , he had more than $ 1 million in debts , including his gambling debts and the mortgage on his Hawthorn Woods home that he and his wife hadn ’ t paid in nearly nine years .
The house was sold at a sheriff ’ s sale two years ago for half the money Pissios and his wife owed .
They now live in a Long Grove home financed with a $ 2.4 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which also has lent money to Cinespace .
The bank ’ s chairman is James J .
Banks , a zoning attorney who worked for Pissios and Gobbo .
Here ’ s a look at Cinespace ’ s real estate dealings with government agencies since Pissios began cooperating with federal investigators : • Oct. 13 , 2016 — Pissios paid Mayor Rahm Emanuel ’ s administration $ 34,500 for land that Mayor Richard M. Daley ’ s administration previously sold to the Latino Chicago Theater for a project that fizzled .
The property @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Avenue has since become part of Cinespace ’ s redevelopment with the Chicago Housing Authority .
• Feb. 23 , 2017 — Pissios paid the Emanuel administration $ 18,000 for a parking lot at 1319 S. Western Ave. , just south of a former tire store he bought in 2014 for $ 550,000 .
The store and parking lot are leased to The Herbal Care Center , a cannabis dispensary owned by Perry Mandera , who ’ ll pay Pissios $ 2.2 million in rent under the 10-year lease .
• March 22 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Mount Sinai Hospital submitted a proposal to the CHA to redevelop 11 acres , including land the housing agency owns .
They estimated their plan would bring the three partners more than $ 4 million in fees .
The CHA chose the Pissios group three months later , expecting construction to begin in two years , but that ’ s yet to happen .
Nine days after this , the U.S. attorney ’ s office signed the non-prosecution deal with Pissios , who made his final extortion payment to Coli four days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — Pissios and his partners paid $ 2.8 million for the Crown Steel property at 3355 W. 31st St. , planning to turn it into a movie studio .
For that project , Pissios has said he also needs the nearby Washburne Trade School property at 31st Street and Kedzie Avenue .
But St. Anthony Hospital already was in talks with city officials , ever since Mayor Richard M. Daley was in office and offered to sell the property for $ 1 so the hospital could be rebuilt as part of a larger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ range of retail , wellness , education , arts and recreation.
” Pissios ’ plan later seemed to gain footing with Emanuel in office , but neither project was approved .
According to Lightfoot ’ s planning and development department : “ Negotiations with St. Anthony ’ s are ongoing .
The Lightfoot administration has directed several city departments to ensure the site ’ s redevelopment will achieve inclusive economic development and growth that benefits community residents and businesses.
” • Sept. 17 , 2019 — Cinespace approached the Illinois Medical District about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of it vacant land , for another studio .
According to the district ’ s former attorney Mark Jamil , who now represents Cinespace , the proposed studio wasn ’ t economically feasible unless the board waived the clause in state law prohibiting the district from taking the property back if the project isn ’ t completed .
The board waived the clause in December and told its staff to try to negotiate a deal with Pissios .
If the board does sell to Cinespace , the district would need permission from Pritzker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t responded to requests for comment on Pissios ’ plan .

FBI mole Alexander S. Pissios — the president of Chicago’s largest film studio who secretly recorded conversations to help federal authorities nail longtime Chicago Teamsters union boss John T. Coli Sr. for extortion — wants to build another studio, this time on government land right across the street from the FBI, records show.
Pissios, who heads Cinespace Chicago Film Studios, is negotiating to buy or lease 9.25 acres from the Illinois Medical District, a government agency overseen by Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle.
This is the fifth real estate deal Pissios has gone after to develop government-owned land since he began cooperating with the FBI and federal prosecutors in May 2016 to bring down Coli, the powerful union boss who extorted $325,000 from Cinespace Chicago Film Studios.
Previously, Pissios and his partners bought two vacant lots from City Hall. One is now used as a parking lot for a tenant who runs a cannabis dispensary.
The other is set to be part of their $74 million deal to redevelop land owned by the Chicago Housing Authority with stores and housing.
As part of another proposed movie studio development, Pissios also has been battling St. Anthony Hospital in an effort to buy the old Washburne Trade School property controlled by the Chicago Board of Education and City Hall.
Now, Pissios and Cinespace have designs on building another studio property in the shadow of the FBI’s Chicago headquarters on the West Side, a proposal that Superior Ambulance Service, which leases space there from the medical district, fears could force it move.
Google Earth illustration from Illinois Medical District development plans document.
Pissios wants to buy or lease the property from the medical district, which has a long history of financial troubles. The district is listening because, besides money, Cinespace is promising to create 1,500 jobs.
“While both are being considered, negotiations are ongoing and no agreement has been finalized,” says Gina Oka, the medical district’s attorney.
The district’s seven-member board — appointed by the governor, mayor and county board president — already has waived a “reverter clause” under a provision of Illinois law that would allow the government agency to take back the property in case the development falls through. That was a condition Cinespace insisted it needs to get financing for the project.
Pissios and the medical district’s executive director and CEO, Dr. Suzet McKinney, are board members of the Independent Film Alliance, which was created in January as the medical district was negotiating a real estate deal with Pissios’s Cinespace Studios.
Another of the alliance’s board members, John Cooke, is also on the medical district’s board.
The film alliance was created by a merger of Pissios’ charity Stage 18 Chicago and the Independent Filmmaker Project Chicago to support independent filmmakers.
McKinney refused to talk with the Sun-Times. But the district says there’s no conflict of interest for her and Cooke to hold the unpaid alliance posts with Pissios while he’s trying to make a deal with the medical district they run.
Pissios and Thomas Breen, his criminal defense attorney, won’t comment on the FBI mole’s latest proposed real estate venture with a government agency.
It’s unclear whether Pissios is still working with federal authorities, who won’t talk about the movie studio mogul’s efforts to expand the film and TV operation that was built with $17.3 million in grants doled out by then-Gov. Pat. Quinn.
In exchange for his cooperation, Pissios was given a “non-prosecution agreement” by the U.S. attorney’s office in March 2017 — a deal that criminal defense lawyers say is highly unusual for a government witness.
Authorities haven’t said whether Pissios has been cooperating with them in building other cases besides Coli’s.
He won’t have to testify against Coli, the Teamsters boss Pissios has praised for helping Cinespace obtain state grants from Quinn. That’s because Coli — who was arrested in the alley behind his Lincoln Park home on April 4, 2017, minutes after he got $25,000 in cash from Pissios — pleaded guilty last July and is now also cooperating with federal authorities.
Pissios’ flurry of real estate deals over the past four years has come after he filed for bankruptcy protection in January 2011. That followed a series of bad real estate deals with former partner Edward Gobbo, whose late uncle William Hanhardt ended up going to prison for running a jewelry theft ring for the mob — while working as the Chicago Police Department’s chief of detectives.
Pissios and Gobbo both went bankrupt, declaring they owed millions of dollars to clout-heavy Washington Federal Bank for Savings for loans they got to build townhomes around the United Center.
The Bridgeport bank is the focus of a criminal investigation since bank president John Gembara was found dead in December 2017 with a rope around his neck in the master bedroom of a customer’s home.
Federal regulators quickly shut down the bank, later declaring it was part of a massive fraud scheme in which it lost more than $80 million on loans that, in many cases, were made with zero collateral — and no expectation they would ever be repaid.
Nearly five years after Pissios went bankrupt, federal investigators discovered Pissios had failed to disclose all of his assets to the bankruptcy judge, leaving out the $100,000 loan he’d gotten from an uncle who wanted Pissios to expand the family’s Toronto movie studio to also include a studio in Chicago.
Federal agents met with Pissios in May 2016, about 14 months after then-Gov. Bruce Rauner forced Cinespace to return a $10 million grant Quinn gave the studio shortly before leaving office. Rauner’s action came after the Chicago Sun-Times reported Cinespace got the grant to buy land around the studio that the owners said wasn’t for sale.
Threatened with bankruptcy fraud and a five-year prison sentence, Pissios agreed to cooperate with the FBI and the U.S. attorney’s office.
At the time, he had more than $1 million in debts, including his gambling debts and the mortgage on his Hawthorn Woods home that he and his wife hadn’t paid in nearly nine years.
The house was sold at a sheriff’s sale two years ago for half the money Pissios and his wife owed. They now live in a Long Grove home financed with a $2.4 million mortgage from Belmont Bank & Trust, which also has lent money to Cinespace. The bank’s chairman is James J. Banks, a zoning attorney who worked for Pissios and Gobbo.
The land dealings
Here’s a look at Cinespace’s real estate dealings with government agencies since Pissios began cooperating with federal investigators:
Oct. 13, 2016 — Pissios paid Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s administration $34,500 for land that Mayor Richard M. Daley’s administration previously sold to the Latino Chicago Theater for a project that fizzled. The property in the 2600 block of West Ogden Avenue has since become part of Cinespace’s redevelopment with the Chicago Housing Authority.
Pissios paid Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s administration $34,500 for land that Mayor Richard M. Daley’s administration previously sold to the Latino Chicago Theater for a project that fizzled. The property in the 2600 block of West Ogden Avenue has since become part of Cinespace’s redevelopment with the Chicago Housing Authority. Feb. 23, 2017 — Pissios paid the Emanuel administration $18,000 for a parking lot at 1319 S. Western Ave., just south of a former tire store he bought in 2014 for $550,000. The store and parking lot are leased to The Herbal Care Center, a cannabis dispensary owned by Perry Mandera, who’ll pay Pissios $2.2 million in rent under the 10-year lease.
Pissios paid the Emanuel administration $18,000 for a parking lot at 1319 S. Western Ave., just south of a former tire store he bought in 2014 for $550,000. The store and parking lot are leased to The Herbal Care Center, a cannabis dispensary owned by Perry Mandera, who’ll pay Pissios $2.2 million in rent under the 10-year lease. March 22, 2017 — Cinespace, Habitat Co. and Mount Sinai Hospital submitted a proposal to the CHA to redevelop 11 acres, including land the housing agency owns. They estimated their plan would bring the three partners more than $4 million in fees. The CHA chose the Pissios group three months later, expecting construction to begin in two years, but that’s yet to happen.
Nine days after this, the U.S. attorney’s office signed the non-prosecution deal with Pissios, who made his final extortion payment to Coli four days later.
Former longtime Chicago Teamsters union boss John T. Coli Sr.’s guilty plea last summer to extorting $325,000 from Cinespace meant that Alexander Pissios wouldn’t have to testify for the prosecution at his trial. Ashlee Rezin Garcia / Sun-Times
May 29, 2018 — Pissios and his partners paid $2.8 million for the Crown Steel property at 3355 W. 31st St., planning to turn it into a movie studio.
For that project, Pissios has said he also needs the nearby Washburne Trade School property at 31st Street and Kedzie Avenue. But St. Anthony Hospital already was in talks with city officials, ever since Mayor Richard M. Daley was in office and offered to sell the property for $1 so the hospital could be rebuilt as part of a larger project that also would have “a range of retail, wellness, education, arts and recreation.” Pissios’ plan later seemed to gain footing with Emanuel in office, but neither project was approved.
According to Lightfoot’s planning and development department: “Negotiations with St. Anthony’s are ongoing. The Lightfoot administration has directed several city departments to ensure the site’s redevelopment will achieve inclusive economic development and growth that benefits community residents and businesses.”
Sept. 17, 2019 — Cinespace approached the Illinois Medical District about buying or leasing 9.25 acres, much of it vacant land, for another studio. According to the district’s former attorney Mark Jamil, who now represents Cinespace, the proposed studio wasn’t economically feasible unless the board waived the clause in state law prohibiting the district from taking the property back if the project isn’t completed. The board waived the clause in December and told its staff to try to negotiate a deal with Pissios.
If the board does sell to Cinespace, the district would need permission from Pritzker. The governor’s office hasn’t responded to requests for comment on Pissios’ plan.
RELATED COVERAGE


chicagosun-times--2020-04-03--13th employee contracts COVID-19 at Cook County Circuit Court Clerk’s office

A 13th employee at the Cook County Circuit Court clerk ’ s office has tested positive for COVID-19 , The @ @ @ @ @ now self-quarantining at home , according to a statement from Office of the Clerk of @ @ @ @ @ County .
The employee worked in the criminal division on the 10th floor of the @ @ @ @ @ to work March 24 , the statement said .
They didn ’ t have contact @ @ @ @ @ department office nor with any other clerk ’ s office employees on their last day @ @ @ @ @ first cases of the coronavirus in the clerk ’ s office were reported March 25 @ @ @ @ @ Thursday announced 715 new cases of COVID-19 , raising the state ’ s case total @ @ @ @ @ ’ s death toll is 157 people .

A 13th employee at the Cook County Circuit Court clerk’s office has tested positive for COVID-19,
The person who tested positive is now self-quarantining at home, according to a statement from Office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County.
The employee worked in the criminal division on the 10th floor of the Daley Center and last reported to work March 24, the statement said. They didn’t have contact with anyone in the criminal department office nor with any other clerk’s office employees on their last day reporting to work.
The first cases of the coronavirus in the clerk’s office were reported March 25.
Illinois health officials on Thursday announced 715 new cases of COVID-19, raising the state’s case total to 7,695. The state’s death toll is 157 people.


chicagosun-times--2020-04-03--Blythe doll inventor Allison Katzman, whose creation became a cult collectible, dead at 95

Allison Katzman designed the Blythe doll to compete with Barbie .
But when her doll rolled out in 1972 , Blythe failed to unseat the high princess of plastic and more or less landed on the Island of Misfit Toys .
“ She was a good doll , ” Mrs. Katzman once told the Chicago Sun-Times .
“ The world just didn ’ t know it.
” It does now .
Today , her invention has become a cult collectible and the star of Blythe conventions around the world .
Depending on age and rarity , some Blythes command four-figure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of books .
Celebrity fans include actress Emma Roberts .
A cottage industry of Blythe customizers has sprung up .
They can re-sculpt her features , tint her complexion and change her make-up to mold Blythe into dolly versions of a gamine , goth , pixie , siren .
Blythe even starred in a Target ad campaign featuring fashion designer Alexander McQueen .
The doll ’ s most recognizable feature is its kaleidoscope eyes .
They change color and direction with a tug on a string in back of her head .
Mrs. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s newfound fame .
In 2006 , she was greeted by adoring crowds during a visit to Japan .
“ It was unbelievable , ” she told the Sun-Times in 2006 .
“ Everybody bowed .
They would have their photos taken with me , have me sign things.
” In Tokyo , she judged a contest of customized Blythe dolls and attended a fashion show with models toting Blythe dolls attired in designs by Oscar de la Renta and other famed couturiers .
A pioneering female toy designer who held about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former Evanston resident , died Feb. 25 in her hometown of Seattle , according to her daughter Abby .
She came from a line of strong women .
Her grandmother traveled west via covered wagon .
Her mother Grace Wood left high school to nurse her dying brother as he withered from mustard gas poisoning in World War I .
A single mother and a suffragette , Grace Wood learned to cook and run a restaurant while working at Pike Place Market .
When Allison was little , they ’ d go to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Her mother held her hand tight because the docks were rife with marine menaces .
There were sailors on leave who wanted to drink , fight and gamble — and plenty of women ready to relieve them of their money .
There was even a rumored opium den or two , her daughter said .
Later , Grace opened a diner in Seattle ’ s Capitol Hill community .
Her mother ’ s work meant long stays for Allison on her grandparents ’ farm .
It could be lonesome .
She was the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t always understand the Scottish burrs of her grandparents ’ immigrant friends .
One night , when she was 7 or 8 , she went to a theater by herself and saw the 1933 movie “ The Invisible Man.
” Later that evening , she was so scared that she climbed out of bed and walked half a mile to be with her mother at her restaurant .
During World War II , Navy officials asked her mother to run the officer ’ s commissary at the Sand Point Naval Air Station @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and arranged for Allison to work at the air station , too .
Soon , a teenage Allison was working the front desk , where visitors included entertainers Bob Hope and Jack Benny and Admiral Chester W. Nimitz .
At war ’ s end , she was accepted into the School of the Art Institute , one of a handful of women in a class filled with returning veterans .
“ Mom had never been east of the Rockies , ” her daughter said .
“ The flight was from Seattle to Spokane @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up and down like seven times to get to Chicago.
” Mrs. Katzman worked sculpting popular lobby displays for Continental Bank that told stories of holiday traditions around the world .
Her husband did illustrations for Jim Beam and Playboy and taught art at Wright Junior College .
They also helped found the Old Town Art Fair .
They lived in a historic McCormick Theological Seminary rowhouse near DePaul University , where their neighbors included Burt Meyer , a designer of iconic toys and board games .
Meyer worked for Marvin Glass & @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trap and Rock ’ Em Sock ’ Em Robots — the original version of which was taken off the drawing board when boxer Davey Moore was killed in the ring in 1961 .
But the game moved forward .
“ Meyer had the ingenious idea of making the combatants robots , ” according to the book “ Timeless Toys : Classic Toys and the Playmakers Who Created Them.
” Meyer admired Mrs. Katzman ’ s work , telling her , “ You should be a toy designer.
” “ At 40 years old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” at Marvin Glass , her daughter said .
Later , she worked for Meyer at Meyer/Glass Design .
The Guardian newspaper once compared Blythe to a spliced miniature “ of Zooey Deschanel and Katy Perry.
” But her look was inspired by Betty Boop .
Mrs. Katzman said she got the idea for the changeable irises after her other daughter , Melissa Katzman Braggins , received the wrong set of tinted contact lenses .
“ They made a mistake in the lab , and one set of contacts came , and they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ green , ” she told the Sun-Times .
“ It was very glamorous.
” Blythe ’ s oversized head and eyes might have spooked little girls who ’ d gotten used to Barbies .
When Kenner introduced the Blythe doll in 1972 , sales were disappointing .
In 1999 , though , Blythe was reborn .
Photographer Gina Garan shot some high-fashion pictures of her .
Junko Wong , who heads the Tokyo illustration agency Cross World Connections , was captivated .
She helped bring Blythe to the attention of Japan ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in ads .
CWC arranged to lease Blythe from Hasbro and Wong oversees the production of new dolls .
“ She became an icon , ” Wong said .
“ Now that the coronavirus is keeping us at home , many of the fans have more time to play with their dolls and at the same time support each other via Facebook and Instagram .
It keeps us sane .
Many of us are shy and introverted , but Blythe helps us express ourselves .
She creates friendships and brings out the creativity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there , somewhere.
” Artist Sarah Thompson customizes Blythe dolls through her Etsy shop BunnyGirlBlythe .
Her redesigned doll won a Mini-Me contest last year at a Minneapolis convention .
“ They have these sort of blank faces , so you can put them in any setting , any situation , ” Thompson said .
“ They can look happy or sad .
There ’ s something innocent and sweet about them.
” In addition to her daughters , Mrs. Katzman is survived by a son , David Katzman , and four grandchildren @ @ @ @ @ @ @ didn ’ t get rich from her designs .
But Mrs. Katzman loved going to Blythe conventions , where she said she ’ d be greeted “ like a rock star .
”

Allison Katzman designed the Blythe doll to compete with Barbie.
But when her doll rolled out in 1972, Blythe failed to unseat the high princess of plastic and more or less landed on the Island of Misfit Toys.
“She was a good doll,” Mrs. Katzman once told the Chicago Sun-Times. “The world just didn’t know it.”
It does now. Today, her invention has become a cult collectible and the star of Blythe conventions around the world.
Depending on age and rarity, some Blythes command four-figure prices. The doll is the subject of books. Celebrity fans include actress Emma Roberts.
Allison Katzman with two of her Blythe dolls. Provided
A cottage industry of Blythe customizers has sprung up. They can re-sculpt her features, tint her complexion and change her make-up to mold Blythe into dolly versions of a gamine, goth, pixie, siren.
Blythe even starred in a Target ad campaign featuring fashion designer Alexander McQueen.
The doll’s most recognizable feature is its kaleidoscope eyes. They change color and direction with a tug on a string in back of her head.
Toy designer and artist Allison Katzman at work. Provided
Mrs. Katzman lived long enough to enjoy Blythe’s newfound fame. In 2006, she was greeted by adoring crowds during a visit to Japan.
“It was unbelievable,” she told the Sun-Times in 2006. “Everybody bowed. They would have their photos taken with me, have me sign things.”
In Tokyo, she judged a contest of customized Blythe dolls and attended a fashion show with models toting Blythe dolls attired in designs by Oscar de la Renta and other famed couturiers.
A pioneering female toy designer who held about 35 patents, Mrs. Katzman, a former Evanston resident, died Feb. 25 in her hometown of Seattle, according to her daughter Abby.
Allison Katzman in 2006 with Blythe dolls she designed. Jim Frost / Sun-Times
She came from a line of strong women. Her grandmother traveled west via covered wagon. Her mother Grace Wood left high school to nurse her dying brother as he withered from mustard gas poisoning in World War I.
A single mother and a suffragette, Grace Wood learned to cook and run a restaurant while working at Pike Place Market. When Allison was little, they’d go to the waterfront to pick out produce. Her mother held her hand tight because the docks were rife with marine menaces. There were sailors on leave who wanted to drink, fight and gamble — and plenty of women ready to relieve them of their money. There was even a rumored opium den or two, her daughter said.
Later, Grace opened a diner in Seattle’s Capitol Hill community. Her mother’s work meant long stays for Allison on her grandparents’ farm. It could be lonesome. She was the only child around. And she couldn’t always understand the Scottish burrs of her grandparents’ immigrant friends.
One night, when she was 7 or 8, she went to a theater by herself and saw the 1933 movie “The Invisible Man.” Later that evening, she was so scared that she climbed out of bed and walked half a mile to be with her mother at her restaurant.
During World War II, Navy officials asked her mother to run the officer’s commissary at the Sand Point Naval Air Station. So she shut down the diner and arranged for Allison to work at the air station, too.
Soon, a teenage Allison was working the front desk, where visitors included entertainers Bob Hope and Jack Benny and Admiral Chester W. Nimitz.
Young Allison Katzman when she arrived in Chicago toward the end of World War II. Provided
At war’s end, she was accepted into the School of the Art Institute, one of a handful of women in a class filled with returning veterans.
“Mom had never been east of the Rockies,” her daughter said. “The flight was from Seattle to Spokane, Spokane to Idaho. It went up and down like seven times to get to Chicago.”
Allison Katzman preparing a holiday display for the lobby of Continental Bank. Her work drew crowds and was featured on WTTW-Channel 11. Provided
She married a classmate, Robert Katzman.
Mrs. Katzman worked sculpting popular lobby displays for Continental Bank that told stories of holiday traditions around the world. Her husband did illustrations for Jim Beam and Playboy and taught art at Wright Junior College. They also helped found the Old Town Art Fair.
Allison and Robert Katzman. Provided
They lived in a historic McCormick Theological Seminary rowhouse near DePaul University, where their neighbors included Burt Meyer, a designer of iconic toys and board games.
Allison Katzman. Provided
Meyer worked for Marvin Glass & Associates, where he helped create Mouse Trap and Rock ’Em Sock ’Em Robots — the original version of which was taken off the drawing board when boxer Davey Moore was killed in the ring in 1961.
But the game moved forward. “Meyer had the ingenious idea of making the combatants robots,” according to the book “Timeless Toys: Classic Toys and the Playmakers Who Created Them.”
Meyer admired Mrs. Katzman’s work, telling her, “You should be a toy designer.”
“At 40 years old, she started an amazing new career” at Marvin Glass, her daughter said.
Later, she worked for Meyer at Meyer/Glass Design.
The Guardian newspaper once compared Blythe to a spliced miniature “of Zooey Deschanel and Katy Perry.”
But her look was inspired by Betty Boop. Mrs. Katzman said she got the idea for the changeable irises after her other daughter, Melissa Katzman Braggins, received the wrong set of tinted contact lenses.
“They made a mistake in the lab, and one set of contacts came, and they were really a very dark, olive green,” she told the Sun-Times. “It was very glamorous.”
Blythe’s oversized head and eyes might have spooked little girls who’d gotten used to Barbies. When Kenner introduced the Blythe doll in 1972, sales were disappointing.
In 1999, though, Blythe was reborn. Photographer Gina Garan shot some high-fashion pictures of her. Junko Wong, who heads the Tokyo illustration agency Cross World Connections, was captivated. She helped bring Blythe to the attention of Japan’s Parco department store, which featured her in ads. CWC arranged to lease Blythe from Hasbro and Wong oversees the production of new dolls.
“She became an icon,” Wong said. “Now that the coronavirus is keeping us at home, many of the fans have more time to play with their dolls and at the same time support each other via Facebook and Instagram. It keeps us sane. Many of us are shy and introverted, but Blythe helps us express ourselves. She creates friendships and brings out the creativity in us that we all have in there, somewhere.”
Sarah Thompson with the Blythe doll she customized to win a Mini-Me contest last year at a Minneapolis convention. Provided
Artist Sarah Thompson customizes Blythe dolls through her Etsy shop BunnyGirlBlythe. Her redesigned doll won a Mini-Me contest last year at a Minneapolis convention.
“They have these sort of blank faces, so you can put them in any setting, any situation,” Thompson said. “They can look happy or sad. There’s something innocent and sweet about them.”
Arrangements are pending.
In addition to her daughters, Mrs. Katzman is survived by a son, David Katzman, and four grandchildren.
Always a hired gun, she didn’t get rich from her designs. But Mrs. Katzman loved going to Blythe conventions, where she said she’d be greeted “like a rock star.”
Allison Katzman with her family at her 95th birthday party. Provided


chicagosun-times--2020-04-03--East Chicago woman killed in I-80/94 crash

An East Chicago , Indiana , woman was killed in a crash Wednesday on Interstate 80/94 in northwest Indiana .
@ @ @ @ @ 46 , was driving east about 1:50 p.m. when her 2016 Toyota RAV4 slammed head-on @ @ @ @ @ the Burr Street exit , Indiana State Police said .
She was ejected from the @ @ @ @ @ the scene .
Vasquez died of multiple blunt-force injuries from the crash , the Lake @ @ @ @ @ ’ s office said .
The Toyota also struck a semi after it hit the @ @ @ @ @ .
The driver of the semi was not injured .
I-80/94 was closed for about @ @ @ @ @ responded to the scene .

An East Chicago, Indiana, woman was killed in a crash Wednesday on Interstate 80/94 in northwest Indiana.
Bianca San Juan Vasquez, 46, was driving east about 1:50 p.m. when her 2016 Toyota RAV4 slammed head-on into the guardrail attenuator at the Burr Street exit, Indiana State Police said. She was ejected from the Toyota and pronounced dead at the scene.
Vasquez died of multiple blunt-force injuries from the crash, the Lake County, Indiana, coroner’s office said.
The Toyota also struck a semi after it hit the guardrail, state police said. The driver of the semi was not injured.
I-80/94 was closed for about four hours as emergency crews responded to the scene.


chicagosun-times--2020-04-03--2 dead, 3 wounded in Chicago shootings Thursday

Two men were killed and three other people were wounded in shootings Thursday across Chicago , including a concealed-carry license holder and a teenage boy who exchanged fire during an attempted robbery .
The latest fatal shooting happened about 10:15 p.m. in Lawndale .
A 28-year-old man was outside in the 3000 block of West Flournoy Street when someone in a passing black sedan shot him in the abdomen , according to Chicago police .
He was taken to Stroger Hospital , where he was pronounced dead .
More than five hours before that , a man was shot to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Lower West Side .
The 23-year-old was in a vehicle about 5 p.m. in the 1700 block of West Cermak Road when someone opened fire , police said .
He was struck in the head and chest , and taken to Stroger Hospital , where he was pronounced dead .
Two people of interest were taken into custody , police said .
The Cook County medical examiner ’ s office hasn ’ t released details on either fatality .
The day ’ s first victims were the teenager and concealed-carry license holder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the West Side .
Shortly before 7 a.m. , a 29-year-old man was walking in the 600 block of North Leclaire Avenue when a group of three to five suspects came up and demanded his money and belongings , according to police .
As a 16-year-old boy in the group pulled out a weapon , the man drew his own gun and exchanged gunfire with the group .
The man was shot in the leg and taken to Stroger Hospital , where his condition was stabilized , police said .
The 16-year-old was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the same hospital in fair condition .
A police source said the boy was released from custody after the man refused to seek charges .
Another man was wounded Thursday evening in West Garfield Park on the West Side .
The 26-year-old was walking about 6 p.m. in the 4700 block of West Lexington Street when someone fired shots from a passing light blue Ford Taurus , according to police .
He was hit twice in the leg and driven by a friend to Loretto Hospital , where he was listed in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shot himself in West Garfield Park .
The 18-year-old initially told investigators he was walking about 7:50 p.m. in the 4400 block of West Carroll Avenue when someone fired shots , striking him in the face , police said .
He was taken to Stroger Hospital , where he was stabilized .
Detectives later learned his wound was accidental and self-inflicted .
Eleven people were shot across Chicago on Wednesday , one of them fatally .
Read more on crime , and track the city ’ s homicides .

Two men were killed and three other people were wounded in shootings Thursday across Chicago, including a concealed-carry license holder and a teenage boy who exchanged fire during an attempted robbery.
The latest fatal shooting happened about 10:15 p.m. in Lawndale.
A 28-year-old man was outside in the 3000 block of West Flournoy Street when someone in a passing black sedan shot him in the abdomen, according to Chicago police. He was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
More than five hours before that, a man was shot to death in the Heart of Chicago on the Lower West Side.
The 23-year-old was in a vehicle about 5 p.m. in the 1700 block of West Cermak Road when someone opened fire, police said. He was struck in the head and chest, and taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Two people of interest were taken into custody, police said.
The Cook County medical examiner’s office hasn’t released details on either fatality.
The day’s first victims were the teenager and concealed-carry license holder injured in the shootout in Austin on the West Side.
Shortly before 7 a.m., a 29-year-old man was walking in the 600 block of North Leclaire Avenue when a group of three to five suspects came up and demanded his money and belongings, according to police. As a 16-year-old boy in the group pulled out a weapon, the man drew his own gun and exchanged gunfire with the group.
The man was shot in the leg and taken to Stroger Hospital, where his condition was stabilized, police said. The 16-year-old was struck twice in the abdomen and taken to the same hospital in fair condition.
A police source said the boy was released from custody after the man refused to seek charges.
Another man was wounded Thursday evening in West Garfield Park on the West Side.
The 26-year-old was walking about 6 p.m. in the 4700 block of West Lexington Street when someone fired shots from a passing light blue Ford Taurus, according to police. He was hit twice in the leg and driven by a friend to Loretto Hospital, where he was listed in fair condition.
Additionally, one man shot himself in West Garfield Park.
The 18-year-old initially told investigators he was walking about 7:50 p.m. in the 4400 block of West Carroll Avenue when someone fired shots, striking him in the face, police said. He was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was stabilized. Detectives later learned his wound was accidental and self-inflicted.
Eleven people were shot across Chicago on Wednesday, one of them fatally.
Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.