chicagosuntimes--2020-01-11--6 cases of whooping cough reported at Oak Park and River Forest High School

Oak Park and River Forest High School in west suburban Oak Park has reported six cases of whooping cough since November .
Families were notified of a sixth confirmed diagnosis of the disease , also known as pertussis , in a message sent by school officials Tuesday .
“ Because we have had multiple cases of pertussis in recent weeks , our buildings and ground staff are diligently performing extra sweeps to clean and sanitize the building , ” officials said .
Five students and one adult have come down with the disease , according to a spokeswoman for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ notified about the first case on Nov. 20 .
Whooping cough is highly contagious and easily transmitted through coughing and sneezing , according to the Oak Park Department of Public Health .
The symptoms are initially similar to a common cold , but coughing gradually becomes severe .
The best way to prevent contracting the disease is by getting vaccinated , but practicing good hygiene can also help , the department said .
The disease can last up to 10 weeks or more , causing violent coughing fits , the department said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ six months old who are too young to be well protected by vaccines .

Oak Park and River Forest High School in west suburban Oak Park has reported six cases of whooping cough since November.
Families were notified of a sixth confirmed diagnosis of the disease, also known as pertussis, in a message sent by school officials Tuesday.
“Because we have had multiple cases of pertussis in recent weeks, our buildings and ground staff are diligently performing extra sweeps to clean and sanitize the building,” officials said.
Five students and one adult have come down with the disease, according to a spokeswoman for the high school. Families and staff were notified about the first case on Nov. 20.
Whooping cough is highly contagious and easily transmitted through coughing and sneezing, according to the Oak Park Department of Public Health. The symptoms are initially similar to a common cold, but coughing gradually becomes severe.
The best way to prevent contracting the disease is by getting vaccinated, but practicing good hygiene can also help, the department said.
The disease can last up to 10 weeks or more, causing violent coughing fits, the department said. It can be deadly for babies under six months old who are too young to be well protected by vaccines.


chicagosuntimes--2020-01-12--Woman, 63, missing from Edgewater located: police

Susan Smith , a 63-year-old woman reported missing from Edgewater Saturday , has been located .
Smith had last been @ @ @ @ @ in the 6200 block of North Paulina Street , according to a missing person alert @ @ @ @ @ Police .
Police canceled the alert Sunday , saying Smith had been found .

Susan Smith, a 63-year-old woman reported missing from Edgewater Saturday, has been located.
Smith had last been seen about 1 p.m. Saturday in the 6200 block of North Paulina Street, according to a missing person alert from Chicago and Illinois State Police.
Police canceled the alert Sunday, saying Smith had been found.


chicagosuntimes--2020-01-12--Roll aside, Alabama? Clemson, Swinney one win from becoming undisputed kings of CFB

Alabama and Clemson : You probably don ’ t need anyone to tell you they ’ re the top two programs in college football .
Everything about the college game — the sounds and sights , the coaching giants and media celebrities , even ( and especially ) the pervasiveness of religion — is Southern-ized to the max these days .
That goes , too , for the occasional interloper that makes it all the way to the national-title game .
Last time the Crimson Tide won it all , in the capper to the 2017 season , they knocked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the defending-champion Tigers will tangle with LSU .
Like it or not , college football is the South ’ s world .
The rest of the country is just living in it .
Most of all , though , it ’ s Alabama ’ s and Clemson ’ s world .
Or is it Clemson ’ s and Alabama ’ s ?
No one looms larger in the sport than Tide coach Nick Saban , who in 2009 began a run of five titles in nine seasons .
But has Tigers coach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — Saban in terms of performance and reputation ?
Against LSU , Clemson seeks its second straight title , a third in four years and consecutive victory No .
30 .
The power of Saban ’ s commitment to excellence — to his famously unwavering “ Process ” — has at least met a match in Swinney ’ s relentless optimism and immense personality .
“ I think we ’ ve got a chance to be a better team next year , I really do , ” Swinney said .
“ This is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decade — and we would certainly love to end it up as national champs — but we ’ re excited about the roaring [ 2020s ] , too.
” LSU has the No .
1 ranking and is a deserving favorite to win what will be essentially a home game at the Superdome .
Ed Oregeron ’ s squad appears to be even stronger than the Les Miles-coached team of 2007 or the Saban-coached team of 2003 that brought championship glory to Baton Rouge .
But if Clemson pulls off an upset — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ll simply be time to anoint these Tigers and their coach as the new , undisputed kings of college football .
It ’ ll be Clemson 1 and Alabama 2 .
It ’ ll be Swinney 1 and Saban 2 .
All those “ Roll Tide ” -ers out there will just have to deal with it .
Swinney was asked this week about dynasties .
“ For me personally , I think about Coach [ Bear ] Bryant .
I can ’ t help but think about Coach Bryant .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ And then what Coach Saban has done .
I guess the definition is just doing something over and over and over , with an unbelievable success.
” Clemson has a chance to be one of the great dynasties .
Consider : 80 of the 120 players in the program this season are freshmen and sophomores .
Some have compared Alabama and Clemson in football to Duke and Kentucky in basketball , but it doesn ’ t really fit .
After Kentucky cut down the nets in 2012 , coach John @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of dominance by recruiting some of the greatest classes ever .
Rather than let that stand , though , Duke ’ s Mike Krzyzewski began to out-recruit Calipari .
No one would dispute that Duke is a notch higher than Kentucky in the national pecking order .
( One could argue for Villanova , too , which has won two of the last four titles . )
What Swinney and Clemson have accomplished has had more staying power .
Just imagine , though , how things potentially could tip back in Alabama ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Swinney , who ’ s only 50 , eventually replaces Saban in Tuscaloosa .
And why would Swinney do a thing like that ?
Because Alabama is the alma mater of the former walk-on wide receiver , who won a title with the Tide as a player in 1992 .
Wouldn ’ t that be something , if the Brimingham native were to switch sweatshirts and ball caps and take his inimitable act back home ?
Talk about the chance to become a legend .
For now , he ’ s still orange @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re going to do everything we can to [ beat LSU ] on the scoreboard , ” Swinney said .
“ We know that matters .
But , no matter what , we ’ re not defined by that .
This has been unbelievable .
”

Alabama and Clemson: You probably don’t need anyone to tell you they’re the top two programs in college football.
Sorry, it’s pronounced PRO-GRUMS. All Southern-like.
Everything about the college game — the sounds and sights, the coaching giants and media celebrities, even (and especially) the pervasiveness of religion — is Southern-ized to the max these days.
That goes, too, for the occasional interloper that makes it all the way to the national-title game. Last time the Crimson Tide won it all, in the capper to the 2017 season, they knocked off Georgia. On Monday in New Orleans, the defending champion Tigers will tangle with LSU.
Like it or not, college football is the South’s world. The rest of the country is just living in it.
Most of all, though, it’s Alabama’s and Clemson’s world. Or is it Clemson’s and Alabama’s?
No one looms larger in the sport than Tide coach Nick Saban, who in 2009 began a run of five titles in nine seasons. But has Tigers coach Dabo Swinney caught — or even surpassed — Saban in terms of performance and reputation? Against LSU, Clemson will seek its second consecutive title, a third in four years and its 30th victory in a row.
The power of Saban’s commitment to excellence — to his famously unwavering ‘‘process’’ — has at least met a match in Swinney’s relentless optimism and immense personality.
‘‘I think we’ve got a chance to be a better team next year, I really do,’’ Swinney said. ‘‘This is kind of the end of a great decade — and we would certainly love to end it up as national champs — but we’re excited about the roaring [2020s], too.’’
LSU has the No. 1 ranking and is a deserving favorite to win what essentially will be a home game at the Superdome. Coach Ed Orgeron’s squad appears to be even stronger than the Les Miles-coached team of 2007 or the Saban-coached team of 2003 that brought championship glory to Baton Rouge.
But if Clemson pulls off an upset — which would shock no one — it simply will be time to anoint these Tigers and their coach as the new kings of college football.
It’ll be Clemson No. 1 and Alabama No. 2. It’ll be Swinney No. 1 and Saban No. 2. All those ‘‘Roll Tide’’-ers out there will have to deal with it.
Swinney was asked last week about dynasties.
‘‘Personally, I think about coach [Bear] Bryant,’’ he said. ‘‘I can’t help but think about coach Bryant; I grew up in Alabama. And then what coach Saban has done. I guess the definition is just doing something over and over and over, with an unbelievable success.’’
Clemson has a chance to be one of the great dynasties. Consider that 80 of the 120 players in the program this season are freshmen and sophomores.
Some have compared Alabama and Clemson in football to Duke and Kentucky in basketball, but it doesn’t really fit. After Kentucky cut down the nets in 2012, coach John Calipari aimed for an even higher level of dominance by recruiting some of the greatest classes in history. Rather than let that stand, though, Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski began to out-recruit Calipari. No one would dispute Duke is a notch higher than Kentucky in the national pecking order. (One could argue for Villanova, too, which has won two of the last four titles.)
What Swinney and Clemson have accomplished has had more staying power.
Just imagine, though, how things potentially could tip back in Alabama’s favor. It might be because Swinney, who’s only 50, eventually replaces Saban in Tuscaloosa. And why would Swinney do a thing like that? Because Alabama is the alma mater of the former walk-on receiver, who won a title with the Tide as a player in 1992.
Wouldn’t it be something if Swinney, a native of Birmingham, were to switch shirts and caps and take his act back home? Talk about the chance to become a legend.
For now, he’s still orange to the core.
‘‘We’re going to do everything we can to [beat LSU] on the scoreboard,’’ Swinney said. ‘‘We know that matters. But, no matter what, we’re not defined by that. This has been unbelievable.’’


chicagosuntimes--2020-01-12--No bail for man charged in South Shore shooting

A man charged with shooting a teenager Thursday in South Shore was ordered held without bail Saturday .
Gregory Neal @ @ @ @ @ Park , was charged with one count each of aggravated discharge of a firearm and @ @ @ @ @ loaded weapon , both felonies , Chicago police said .
Neal is accused of shooting @ @ @ @ @ p.m. Thursday in a lot in the 7500 block of South Colfax Avenue , police @ @ @ @ @ of the suspected shooters , was taken into custody after a brief foot chase , @ @ @ @ @ ran off .
Read more on crime , and track the city ’ s homicides @

A man charged with shooting a teenager Thursday in South Shore was ordered held without bail Saturday.
Gregory Neal, 20, of Avalon Park, was charged with one count each of aggravated discharge of a firearm and aggravated unlawful use of a loaded weapon, both felonies, Chicago police said.
Gregory Neal Chicago police
Neal is accused of shooting a 17-year-old boy about 3:30 p.m. Thursday in a lot in the 7500 block of South Colfax Avenue, police said.
Neal, one of the suspected shooters, was taken into custody after a brief foot chase, police said. Another suspect ran off.
Neal is due back in court Jan. 16.
Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.


chicagosuntimes--2020-01-12--Watching football, and playing another game, with Mitch Trubisky on your shoulder

It ’ s the No .
1 game in Chicago .
You can play it anywhere and any time .
No equipment is necessary .
It ’ s called Ditch Mitch , and it goes like this : You ’ re given two quarterbacks , and you have to choose one to replace the Bears ’ Mitch Trubisky .
To reiterate , you pick only one , no matter how tempting it is to answer “ both ’ ’ -- even if every fiber of your being screams to go for two .
Lately , the choices have been laid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ big football buffet .
Saturday , it was Baltimore ’ s Lamar Jackson or Tennessee ’ s Ryan Tannehill as they battled in an AFC playoff game .
Sunday , it was Kansas City ’ s Patrick Mahomes or Houston ’ s Deshaun Watson in another AFC showdown .
Monday , it will be Clemson ’ s Trevor Lawrence or LSU ’ s Joe Burrow in the collegiate national title game .
Tuesday , it will be a cantaloupe or a nicely packed snowball .
We figure to be playing this all offseason @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pace and coach Matt Nagy insisted during an end-of-season news conference that Mitch would be their starting quarterback in 2020 .
Few of the compliments the two men threw Trubisky ’ s way that day lined up with the reality of his mediocre season .
But there was no stopping Pace and Nagy and their stubbornness .
So we dream .
Much of this truly is fantasy football .
Young stars Jackson , Mahomes and Watson aren ’ t going anywhere .
They ’ ll be tied to their respective teams for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a career season and playoff victories over Tom Brady and Jackson , will hit the jackpot in free agency .
The Bears should be interested in him .
Will they be ?
Burrow likely will be the No .
1 overall pick in this year ’ s draft .
The Bears don ’ t have a first-round pick .
Lawrence still has one more year of college football before he can be eligible for the draft .
He ’ s projected to be the top pick in 2021 .
It would take a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sink ( and rise ) to the level of the No .
1 pick .
What do you root for ?
If I know the Bears , and I think I do , they believe that Trubisky is better than either quarterback .
If I know the Bears , and I think I do , they ’ re wrong .
Little of this is Trubisky ’ s fault .
That probably isn ’ t pointed out enough .
He didn ’ t select himself with the second pick of the 2017 NFL draft @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into his protein shake , I ’ ll bet he ’ d say he was as shocked as anyone that the Bears used such a high selection on him .
But here he is in Chicago , coming off a forgettable season and having to listen to knuckleheads like me suggest who should replace him .
That ’ s on Pace , who wrote in his journal after the 2017 draft about the importance of being bold .
Too bad somebody didn ’ t get to him before that draft : If you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about Mahomes or Watson .
Trubisky ’ s problems don ’ t stem from a lack of effort .
They stem from a lack of skill .
Marcus Mariota or Jameis Winston ?
Philip Rivers or Eli Manning ?
Oh , wait .
One other rule : “ Neither ” isn ’ t an allowable answer , either .
It occurs to me that , eventually , this exercise will drive all of us crazy .
If you watch every football game through a Mitch-colored lens , you ’ ll inevitably walk away @ @ @ @ @ @ @ game of wishful thinking , but unless Pace and Nagy were hiding their true intentions during that news conference almost two weeks ago , it ’ s all we have .
Would you rather replace Trubisky with Green Bay ’ s Aaron Rodgers or Seattle ’ s Russell Wilson ?
That was Sunday night ’ s NFC playoff matchup .
Both players have great arms .
Both can escape trouble .
Both make you think : Why can ’ t the Bears ever have a quarterback like that ?
We ’ ll play @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things around or until the Bears move on from him .
The best outcome would have the kid discovering his inner quarterback and becoming a success .
The next-best outcome would have the Bears acknowledging their mistake sooner rather than later .
The pessimist in me suspects that we ’ ll be playing some version of Ditch Mitch well after he ’ s gone .
That ’ s because the people who chose him in the first place likely will be choosing his replacement .

It’s the No. 1 game in Chicago. You can play it anywhere and any time. No equipment is necessary.
It’s called Ditch Mitch, and it goes like this: You’re given two quarterbacks, and you have to choose one to replace the Bears’ Mitch Trubisky. To reiterate, you pick only one, no matter how tempting it is to answer “both’’ — even if every fiber of your being screams to go for two.
Lately, the choices have been laid out for us like a great, big football buffet. Saturday, it was Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson or Tennessee’s Ryan Tannehill as they battled in an AFC playoff game. Sunday, it was Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes or Houston’s Deshaun Watson in another AFC showdown. Monday, it will be Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence or LSU’s Joe Burrow in the CFP national championship.
Tuesday, it will be a cantaloupe or a nicely packed snowball.
We figure to be playing this all offseason, even though Bears general manager Ryan Pace and coach Matt Nagy insisted during an end-of-season news conference that Mitch would be their starting quarterback in 2020. Few of the compliments the two men threw Trubisky’s way that day lined up with the reality of his mediocre season. But there was no stopping Pace and Nagy and their stubbornness. So we dream.
Much of this truly is fantasy football. Young stars Jackson, Mahomes and Watson aren’t going anywhere. They’ll be tied to their respective teams for a long time. Tannehill, coming off a career season and playoff victories over Tom Brady and Jackson, will hit the jackpot in free agency. The Bears should be interested in him. Will they be?
Burrow likely will be the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft. The Bears don’t have a first-round pick. Lawrence still has one more year of college football before he can be eligible for the draft. He’s projected to be the top pick in 2021. It would take a truly atrocious season for the Bears to sink (and rise) to the level of the No. 1 pick. What do you root for?
If I know the Bears, and I think I do, they believe that Trubisky is better than either quarterback. If I know the Bears, and I think I do, they’re wrong.
Little of this is Trubisky’s fault. That probably isn’t pointed out enough. He didn’t select himself with the second pick of the 2017 NFL Draft. If you slipped some truth serum into his protein shake, I’ll bet he’d say he was as shocked as anyone that the Bears used such a high selection on him.
But here he is in Chicago, coming off a forgettable season and having to listen to knuckleheads like me suggest who should replace him. That’s on Pace, who wrote in his journal after the 2017 draft about the importance of being bold. Too bad somebody didn’t get to him before that draft: If you want to be bold, be bold about Mahomes or Watson.
Trubisky’s problems don’t stem from a lack of effort. They stem from a lack of skill.
It’s why Ditch Mitch, Chicago’s favorite game, rages on.
Brady or Teddy Bridgewater?
Marcus Mariota or Jameis Winston? Philip Rivers or Eli Manning? Oh, wait. One other rule: “Neither” isn’t an allowable answer, either.
It occurs to me that, eventually, this exercise will drive all of us crazy. If you watch every football game through a Mitch-colored lens, you’ll inevitably walk away feeling empty. It’s a game of wishful thinking, but unless Pace and Nagy were hiding their true intentions during that news conference almost two weeks ago, it’s all we have.
Would you rather replace Trubisky with Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers or Seattle’s Russell Wilson? That was Sunday night’s NFC playoff matchup. Both players have great arms. Both can escape trouble.
Both make you think: Why can’t the Bears ever have a quarterback like that?
We’ll play our game of wistfulness until Trubisky turns things around or until the Bears move on from him. The best outcome would have the kid discovering his inner quarterback and becoming a success. The next-best outcome would have the Bears acknowledging their mistake sooner rather than later.
The pessimist in me suspects that we’ll be playing some version of Ditch Mitch well after he’s gone. That’s because the people who chose him in the first place likely will be choosing his replacement.
Case Keenum or Matt Moore?
Sorry.


chicagosuntimes--2020-01-12--Winter storm moves on; slight chance of snowfall during Monday morning commute

The year ’ s first major winter storm has moved on from Chicago , and though there ’ s a chance of a little more snow falling during the Monday morning commute , rising temperatures early this week will bring a little relief .
Saturday ’ s storm included high waves pounding the Lake Michigan shoreline , flooding parts of Lake Shore Drive and South Shore Drive .
More than 1,200 flights also were canceled at the city ’ s airports .
Steady rain throughout Saturday turned into snow by night , with 2.1 inches recorded at O ’ Hare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ International Airport by the end of the storm , according to the National Weather Service .
There ’ s still a 30 % chance of more snow Monday before 7 a.m. , the weather service said .
The rest of the day is predicted to be mostly cloudy , with temperatures near 38 and wind gusts up to 15 mph .
A light mix of freezing drizzle and snow is possible north of Interstate 80 Sunday night , with expected snow accumulations less that a half-inch near Waukegan , the weather service said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Chicago Department of Aviation Sunday reported 98 flight cancellations at O ’ Hare and 2 at Midway , with delays at both airports averaging less than 15 minutes .
The Department of Streets and Sanitation deployed over 200 snow vehicles to spread salt over “ arterial routes ” and Lake Shore Drive Saturday before turning their attention residential streets early Sunday , the agency said .
Cook County streets were clear as of 11 a.m. , while neighboring Lake County and LaSalle County reported streets partly covered with ice or snow .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with the rest of the week remaining in the mid-to-high 30s , the weather service said .
Rain and snow is expected everyday excluding Thursday , which is predicted to be mostly sunny .

The year’s first major winter storm has moved on from Chicago, and though there’s a chance of a little more snow falling during the Monday morning commute, rising temperatures early this week will bring a little relief.
Saturday’s storm included high waves pounding the Lake Michigan shoreline, flooding parts of Lake Shore Drive and South Shore Drive. More than 1,200 flights also were canceled at the city’s airports.
Steady rain throughout Saturday turned into snow by night, with 2.1 inches recorded at O’Hare International Airport and 1.2 inches at Midway International Airport by the end of the storm, according to the National Weather Service.
Part of the concrete wall is shown toppled Sunday along the Lakefront Trail near 67th Street and South Shore Drive. The area was hit by high waves during Saturday’s winter storm. Pat Nabong/Sun-Times
Bill Fay and daughter Annabel went sledding in Lincoln Park on Sunday. Pat Nabong/Sun-Times
Sunday’s high temps were right at freezing — 32 degrees at Midway and 31 at O’Hare airports, the weather service said.
There’s still a 20% chance of more snow Monday before 7 a.m., the weather service said. The rest of the day is forecast to be mostly cloudy with temperatures near 40 degrees and wind gusts up to 15 mph, and a 30% chance of snow flurries Monday night.
A light mix of freezing drizzle and snow is possible north of Interstate 80 Sunday night, with expected snow accumulations less than a half-inch near Waukegan, the weather service said.
As of 11 a.m. Sunday, The Chicago Department of Aviation reported 98 flight cancellations at O’Hare and 2 at Midway, with delays at both airports averaging less than 15 minutes.
A light wintry mix of freezing drizzle and snow is possible north tonight. Minor accumulations of snow <0.5” and/or a light glaze of ice are possible generally north of a Dixon to Elgin to Waukegan line. Any impact should remain limited to elevated or untreated surfaces. pic.twitter.com/VCwRRVyoFd — NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) January 12, 2020
The Department of Streets and Sanitation deployed over 200 snow vehicles to spread salt over “arterial routes” and Lake Shore Drive on Saturday before turning their attention residential streets early Sunday, the agency said. Cook County streets were clear as of 11 a.m., while neighboring Lake County and LaSalle County reported streets partly covered with ice or snow.
Tuesday, temperatures should peak at 44, with the rest of the week remaining in the mid-to-high 30s, the weather service said. Rain and snow are expected to make spotty appearances throughout the week, with the possibility of precipitation on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
A person walks along the Lakefront Trail on Sunday near Fullerton Avenue. Pat Nabong/Sun-Times
Waves wash over the concrete wall Sunday along the Lakefront Trail near near 67th Street and South Shore Drive. Pat Nabong/Sun-Times


chicagosuntimes--2020-01-12--Port of Chicago and shipping have a promising new future

I write to commend you for your recent recognition of the important role that the Port of Chicago plays in the city ’ s infrastructure .
And to second your recommendation that the port receive “ sustained and consistent funding ” to realize its full potential as a force for job creation , economic development and tax generation .
The timing now is especially important in light of advances made over the last eight years to dramatically shore up the Illinois International Port District ’ s finances and operations .
Eight years ago , the district was in dire financial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the district operated at a loss every year , up to $ 1.1 million annually .
Even the Harborside golf complex lost millions of dollars in that same period .
By 2011 , the district ’ s long-term debt was over $ 40 million — staggering numbers given the agency has only a $ 5 million budget .
This challenging financial position was reflected in the port ’ s capital investment — or more precisely , the lack thereof .
It had not undertaken any substantial capital projects since 1981 .
Mayor Rahm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this .
So we undertook a complete overhaul of how the port does business , including : commissioning a study of the port ’ s place in the nation ’ s logistics network and its competitive landscape ; recruiting a professional golf management company to run Harborside ; and taking the unprecedented step of requesting an audit by the Illinois auditor general .
The results were significant .
We cut the district ’ s long-term debt by more than two-thirds and operated at a profit , generating more than $ 1.2 million over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ management , Harborside now generates roughly $ 400,000 annually .
We used these improved financial results to fund long-delayed investment and maintenance and to pay down debt .
Given this new financial stability , the port is finally in a position to move forward in order to compete with the other ports in the region .
The experts who have looked at the Port of Chicago largely agree — its location gives it enormous potential , but it will take very substantial investment to realize that potential .
It is essential that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do so .
Michael K. Forde Chairman of the Illinois International Port District Board from 2011 to 2019 The recent revelations of possible criminal environmental behavior on the part of steel maker ArcelorMittal , accused of cheating on toxicity tests , should concern every person and government in the Great Lakes region .
The lakes , the source of our drinking water , should be treated preciously and carefully .
Yet industrial criminals are allowed to get away with essentially poisoning us .
It ’ s time to wake up and penalize @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s most important natural resource — the Great Lakes !

I write to commend you for your recent recognition of the important role that the Port of Chicago plays in the city’s infrastructure. And to second your recommendation that the port receive “sustained and consistent funding” to realize its full potential as a force for job creation, economic development and tax generation.
The timing now is especially important in light of advances made over the last eight years to dramatically shore up the Illinois International Port District’s finances and operations.
SEND LETTERS TO: letters@suntimes.com. Please include your neighborhood or hometown and a phone number for verification purposes.
Eight years ago, the district was in dire financial condition. From 2009 to 2011, the district operated at a loss every year, up to $1.1 million annually. Even the Harborside golf complex lost millions of dollars in that same period. By 2011, the district’s long-term debt was over $40 million — staggering numbers given the agency has only a $5 million budget.
This challenging financial position was reflected in the port’s capital investment — or more precisely, the lack thereof. It had not undertaken any substantial capital projects since 1981.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel made it a priority to address this. So we undertook a complete overhaul of how the port does business, including: commissioning a study of the port’s place in the nation’s logistics network and its competitive landscape; recruiting a professional golf management company to run Harborside; and taking the unprecedented step of requesting an audit by the Illinois auditor general.
The results were significant. We cut the district’s long-term debt by more than two-thirds and operated at a profit, generating more than $1.2 million over the last two years. Under private management, Harborside now generates roughly $400,000 annually. We used these improved financial results to fund long-delayed investment and maintenance and to pay down debt.
Given this new financial stability, the port is finally in a position to move forward in order to compete with the other ports in the region. The experts who have looked at the Port of Chicago largely agree — its location gives it enormous potential, but it will take very substantial investment to realize that potential.
It is essential that the city and state provide the funds necessary to do so.
Michael K. Forde
Chairman of the Illinois International Port District Board from 2011 to 2019
Don’t let industry poison the Great Lakes
The recent revelations of possible criminal environmental behavior on the part of steel maker ArcelorMittal, accused of cheating on toxicity tests, should concern every person and government in the Great Lakes region. The lakes, the source of our drinking water, should be treated preciously and carefully. Yet industrial criminals are allowed to get away with essentially poisoning us.
It’s time to wake up and penalize those who would willfully pollute our region’s most important natural resource — the Great Lakes!
Dennis Allen, Wilmette


chicagosuntimes--2020-01-12--6 key takeaways from the start of recreational weed sales

It ’ s been more than a week since Illinois legalized the sale of recreational marijuana .
Here are some key takeaways : 1 .
Demand for legal weed in Illinois is off the charts .
In the first five days of recreational pot sales , the couple dozen dispensaries across Illinois unloaded $ 10.8 million worth of pot products .
While the state hasn ’ t released numbers for the other two days of the first week , those preliminary figures already rival the numbers tallied in the first week of recreational sales in California ( $ 14.6 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) , which have seen the largest rollouts thus far .
The strong showing has prompted industry research firms to revise projections for the first year of sales .
While the Loop-based Brightfield Group initially predicted that recreational weed sales could hit $ 400 million this year , analyst Andy Seeger now estimates the total could be a half-billion dollars , or $ 100 million more .
“ We definitely saw a strong amount of demand here .
This is a rather healthy rollout , ” he said .
Tom Adams , managing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ analytics in Colorado , said “ based on the strong start , ” his firm ’ s June prediction that stores would sell $ 270 million of legal weed will be “ modestly upsized ” in an upcoming report .
However , both experts cautioned that other factors , including regulatory delays , shortages and high taxes , could hinder growth .
2 .
Customers don ’ t mind the long wait in the cold to get inside pot shops .
Eager to ditch his unreliable dealers for legal pot shops that offer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ products to choose from , Will Johnson wasn ’ t daunted by the huge line at Midway Dispensary in Vittum Park when he arrived about a half-hour before doors opened at 10 a.m. on Jan. 1 .
“ You don ’ t got ta worry about some weed not smoking right , tasting right .
You can go get it yourself , ” added Johnson .
Others didn ’ t mind the wait for reasons that went beyond just selection and quality .
“ The experience was great , even with the freezing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Eric Adams , a systems analyst for a retail company , said of the 2 1⁄ hour wait at Verilife in his hometown of Ottawa .
“ It reminded me of waiting for concert tickets when I was in my teens and 20s — the experience of meeting a group of people that you have never seen before but who all were connected due to this one thing.
” 3 .
Many customers are pleased with the shopping experience .
Adams said he was welcomed into a clean retail space staffed by employees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” “ Each product was of very high quality and consistent with products I have seen in California on their legal market , ” he said .
“ All in all , it was a very pleasant and professional retail experience.
” Legal pot is generally far pricier than black market weed , and pot products are subject to state excise taxes between 10 % and 25 % , as well as state and local sales taxes .
Some folks have reported handing over $ 80 for an eighth of an ounce of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ twice as much as some pay on the street .
“ I ’ m going to stick with the dispensary because I ’ m able to tap into more specified effects of what I ’ m looking for , said Dee Jefferies , a freelance journalist in West Garfield Park .
The price “ really wasn ’ t that bad , ” he said .
5 .
Supply issues will likely persist for months .
The state ’ s 21 marijuana cultivation centers simply don ’ t have enough product to supply the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many of which have been forced to set buying limits and even shutting down sales to recreational customers .
The increased demand for pot won ’ t likely be fully met for up to a year from now , according to Beau Whitney , vice president of Washington , D.C.-based New Frontier Data , a firm that analyzes the pot market .
The state currently has plans to issue up to 40 licenses to smaller craft growers by July 1 .
Seeger believes the “ extreme shortages ” will be over in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said it could take an entire year for the new program “ to entirely balance itself.
” From Jan. 1-5 , Chicago police had caught 49 people driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol , according to spokesman Anthony Guglielmi .
That ’ s up slightly from the first whole week of 2019 , when there were 48 total cases .
Because there ’ s no reliable technology to test whether a driver is high , those figures take into account all cases of impaired driving .
Nevertheless , Guglielmi noted that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spike in auto accidents or any types of impaired arrests that we can link to the consumption of cannabis .
”

It’s been more than a week since Illinois legalized the sale of recreational marijuana.
Here are some key takeaways:
1. Demand for legal weed in Illinois is off the charts.
In the first five days of recreational pot sales, the couple dozen dispensaries across Illinois unloaded $10.8 million worth of pot products. While the state hasn’t released numbers for the other two days of the first week, those preliminary figures already rival the numbers tallied in the first week of recreational sales in California and Oregon, which have seen the largest rollouts thus far.
The strong showing has prompted industry research firms to revise projections for the first year of sales. While the Loop-based Brightfield Group initially predicted that recreational weed sales could hit $400 million this year, analyst Andy Seeger now estimates the total could be a half-billion dollars, or $100 million more.
“We definitely saw a strong amount of demand here. This is a rather healthy rollout,” he said.
Tom Adams, managing director of the cannabis research firm BDS analytics in Colorado, said “based on the strong start,” his firm’s June prediction that stores would sell $270 million of legal weed will be “modestly upsized” in an upcoming report.
However, both experts cautioned that other factors, including regulatory delays, shortages and high taxes, could hinder growth.
2. Customers don’t mind the long wait in the cold to get inside pot shops.
Eager to ditch his unreliable dealers for legal pot shops that offer convenience and a variety of high-quality pot products to choose from, Will Johnson wasn’t daunted by the huge line at Midway Dispensary in Vittum Park when he arrived about a half-hour before doors opened at 10 a.m. on Jan. 1.
Why not?
“You don’t gotta worry about some weed not smoking right, tasting right. You can go get it yourself,” added Johnson.
Others didn’t mind the wait for reasons that went beyond just selection and quality.
“The experience was great, even with the freezing temperatures and lack of shelter,” Eric Adams, a systems analyst for a retail company, said of the 2 1⁄ 2- hour wait at Verilife in his hometown of Ottawa. “It reminded me of waiting for concert tickets when I was in my teens and 20s — the experience of meeting a group of people that you have never seen before but who all were connected due to this one thing.”
3. Many customers are pleased with the shopping experience.
Adams said he was welcomed into a clean retail space staffed by employees who were both “courteous and knowledgable.”
“Each product was of very high quality and consistent with products I have seen in California on their legal market,” he said. “All in all, it was a very pleasant and professional retail experience.”
4. High prices and taxes hasn’t deterred shoppers.
Legal pot is generally far pricier than black market weed, and pot products are subject to state excise taxes between 10% and 25%, as well as state and local sales taxes. Some folks have reported handing over $80 for an eighth of an ounce of flower at some Chicago dispensaries, about twice as much as some pay on the street.
“I’m going to stick with the dispensary because I’m able to tap into more specified effects of what I’m looking for, said Dee Jefferies, a freelance journalist in West Garfield Park.
The price “really wasn’t that bad,” he said.
5. Supply issues will likely persist for months.
The state’s 21 marijuana cultivation centers simply don’t have enough product to supply the few dozen dispensaries across the state, many of which have been forced to set buying limits and even shutting down sales to recreational customers.
The increased demand for pot won’t likely be fully met for up to a year from now, according to Beau Whitney, vice president of Washington, D.C.-based New Frontier Data, a firm that analyzes the pot market. The state currently has plans to issue up to 40 licenses to smaller craft growers by July 1.
Seeger believes the “extreme shortages” will be over in the next two to three months, but said it could take an entire year for the new program “to entirely balance itself.”
6. Chicago cops haven’t seen a spike in DUIs.
From Jan. 1-5, Chicago police had caught 49 people driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, according to spokesman Anthony Guglielmi. That’s up slightly from the first whole week of 2019, when there were 48 total cases.
Because there’s no reliable technology to test whether a driver is high, those figures take into account all cases of impaired driving. Nevertheless, Guglielmi noted that “there hasn’t been a spike in auto accidents or any types of impaired arrests that we can link to the consumption of cannabis.”


chicagosuntimes--2020-01-12--Weed businesses set sights on 2 more locations in Chicago

Two more addresses have surfaced as potential sites of standalone recreational marijuana dispensaries in Chicago in River North and the West Loop — neighborhoods that have been highly sought after by pot businesses .
In the filings with the city zoning board last week , Nature ’ s Care Company is seeking approval for a dispensary at 810 W. Randolph St. — the former site of Olympia Meats butcher shop in the West Loop .
Meanwhile , PharmaCann wants to build at 444 N. LaSalle St. in River North .
The building used to be home to English Bar and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported that six marijuana companies had already submitted a total of 20 locations as they sought locations for a total of 13 dispensaries .
Not all of the locations will end up with pot shops , as some of the companies are seeking locations close enough to each other that approval of one would lockout the other — city rules prohibit pot dispensaries from being closer than 1,500 feet from each other .
The request to open at 810 W. Randolph St. , for example , is across the street from a request @ @ @ @ @ @ @ St. previously .
Other companies sent in applications on more locations then they had permission to open , apparently in case locations get rejected or don ’ t pan out .
The companies will still have to hold community meetings on the locations before going before the Chicago Zoning Board for approval .
None of the companies responded to requests for comment Friday .
Among the locations sought previously by Windy City Cannabis was at 923 W. Weed St. in Lincoln Park .

Two more addresses have surfaced as potential sites of standalone recreational marijuana dispensaries in Chicago in River North and the West Loop — neighborhoods that have been highly sought after by pot businesses.
In the filings with the city zoning board last week, Nature’s Care Company is seeking approval for a dispensary at 810 W. Randolph St. — the former site of Olympia Meats butcher shop in the West Loop.
Meanwhile, PharmaCann wants to build at 444 N. LaSalle St. in River North. The building used to be home to English Bar and Restaurant.
Last week, the Sun-Times reported that six marijuana companies had already submitted a total of 20 locations as they sought locations for a total of 13 dispensaries.
Not all of the locations will end up with pot shops, as some of the companies are seeking locations close enough to each other that approval of one would lockout the other — city rules prohibit pot dispensaries from being closer than 1,500 feet from each other.
The request to open at 810 W. Randolph St., for example, is across the street from a request made to open at 807 W. Randolph St. previously.
Other companies sent in applications on more locations then they had permission to open, apparently in case locations get rejected or don’t pan out.
The companies will still have to hold community meetings on the locations before going before the Chicago Zoning Board for approval.
None of the companies responded to requests for comment Friday.
Among the locations sought previously by Windy City Cannabis was at 923 W. Weed St. in Lincoln Park.


chicagosuntimes--2020-01-13--Dear Abby: My mother, my fiancee ruin meals for me with their chain smoking

DEAR ABBY : I don ’ t smoke , but my mother and my fiancee are chain smokers .
This is particularly annoying when the three of us eat together because they always light up during the meal .
For example , they ’ ll almost always have a cigarette after the salad , another before the dessert and then two or three cigarettes afterward .
It ruins the meal for me .
I ’ m really disappointed in my fiancee , who seems to have forgotten her promise to quit smoking before our wedding day .
Is there anything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the dinner table ?
And should I remind my fiancee about her promise to give up cigarettes and be a smoke-free bride ?
— ANNOYED IN ALABAMA DEAR ANNOYED : Your mother and your fiancee are nicotine addicts .
That they can not get through a meal without lighting at least three cigarettes is alarming .
No rule of etiquette dictates that you must tolerate secondhand smoke while you are trying to enjoy your dinner .
If they need a fix , they should be considerate enough to excuse themselves from the table @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but equally important , subject , your fiancee has not “ forgotten ” her promise to give up cigarettes before your wedding .
She ’ s ignoring it , and you haven ’ t called her on it .
Please do .
If you marry her , you will be living in a tobacco haze for the rest of her life , which could have a negative effect on your — and your children ’ s — health in the future .
Don ’ t say you weren ’ t warned .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ years and I recently moved in together .
When we first met , he let me know he had lost his father to cancer a few years prior .
While I know a little about his father , it is mostly superficial .
As our relationship has progressed — moving in , talking about our future — I long to know more about his dad .
What kind of a father and husband was he ?
What special memories does my boyfriend have of spending time with him ?
However , when I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with no elaboration .
If I ask more than one question at a time , I feel like I ’ m pulling teeth , so I just drop it .
When I asked if he ’ s uncomfortable talking about it , he says it ’ s fine , but I still know next to nothing .
The only time he brings up his dad is around the time of his dad ’ s birthday , the anniversary of his death or the time when they found out about his prognosis .
At @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I don ’ t want to cause my boyfriend more pain , and I worry that I ’ m being insensitive by asking him to talk about it .
Yet , if we are going to start a life together and be a family one day , I want to know about his father .
— CURIOUS IN NEW YORK DEAR CURIOUS : Your boyfriend may not want to discuss his relationship with his father because the subject is painful , either because of his death or because they were not close .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ might have better luck asking your boyfriend ’ s mother or his siblings , if he has any .
Because the subject clearly makes him uncomfortable , back off .
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 everything you need to know about wedding planning , order “ How to Have a Lovely Wedding.
” Send your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or money order for $ 8 ( U.S. funds ) , to : Dear Abby , Wedding Booklet , P.O .
Box 447 , Mount Morris , IL 61054-0447 .
( Shipping and handling are included in the price . )

DEAR ABBY: I don’t smoke, but my mother and my fiancee are chain smokers. This is particularly annoying when the three of us eat together because they always light up during the meal. For example, they’ll almost always have a cigarette after the salad, another before the dessert and then two or three cigarettes afterward. It ruins the meal for me.
I’m really disappointed in my fiancee, who seems to have forgotten her promise to quit smoking before our wedding day. Is there anything I can do about their smoking at the dinner table? And should I remind my fiancee about her promise to give up cigarettes and be a smoke-free bride? — ANNOYED IN ALABAMA
DEAR ANNOYED: Your mother and your fiancee are nicotine addicts. That they cannot get through a meal without lighting at least three cigarettes is alarming. No rule of etiquette dictates that you must tolerate secondhand smoke while you are trying to enjoy your dinner. If they need a fix, they should be considerate enough to excuse themselves from the table to indulge.
On a slightly different, but equally important, subject, your fiancee has not “forgotten” her promise to give up cigarettes before your wedding. She’s ignoring it, and you haven’t called her on it. Please do. If you marry her, you will be living in a tobacco haze for the rest of her life, which could have a negative effect on your — and your children’s — health in the future. Don’t say you weren’t warned.
DEAR ABBY: My boyfriend of two years and I recently moved in together. When we first met, he let me know he had lost his father to cancer a few years prior. While I know a little about his father, it is mostly superficial.
As our relationship has progressed — moving in, talking about our future — I long to know more about his dad. What kind of a father and husband was he? What special memories does my boyfriend have of spending time with him? However, when I ask questions, I get succinct answers with no elaboration. If I ask more than one question at a time, I feel like I’m pulling teeth, so I just drop it. When I asked if he’s uncomfortable talking about it, he says it’s fine, but I still know next to nothing.
The only time he brings up his dad is around the time of his dad’s birthday, the anniversary of his death or the time when they found out about his prognosis. At those times he is clearly grieving. I don’t want to cause my boyfriend more pain, and I worry that I’m being insensitive by asking him to talk about it. Yet, if we are going to start a life together and be a family one day, I want to know about his father. — CURIOUS IN NEW YORK
DEAR CURIOUS: Your boyfriend may not want to discuss his relationship with his father because the subject is painful, either because of his death or because they were not close. If you want more details, you might have better luck asking your boyfriend’s mother or his siblings, if he has any. Because the subject clearly makes him uncomfortable, back off.
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 everything you need to know about wedding planning, order “How to Have a Lovely Wedding.” Send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $8 (U.S. funds), to: Dear Abby, Wedding Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. (Shipping and handling are included in the price.)


chicagosuntimes--2020-01-13--‘Cap the Kennedy’ plan, dormant for years, still has backers

It ’ s a visionary idea for beautifying Chicago and lifting a community ’ s property values whose time has never come .
But might it come at last ?
There ’ s still an allure here for making no little plans , even if they are arguably unwise .
The idea is the Kennedy Expressway cap , a green oasis that could be built on a deck over the highway as it cuts its swath west of downtown .
It would cover that unsightly traffic , diminish its roar and provide open space for a West Loop region that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hotels and restaurants .
Think of it as Millennium Park replicated about a mile and a half west .
Capping the Kennedy is a notion that ’ s been out there for years , always with a dream-like quality to it .
It was included in the city ’ s 2003 Central Area Plan , its first comprehensive look at the downtown region since 1958 , and it also was featured in a 2009 “ action plan ” update that cheerily set a goal of completing it by 2020 .
I wrote about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cap acquired an advocate in Steven Fifield , a developer who pioneered the push into the Near West Side and has since focused on other areas .
Fifield enlisted Scott Sarver , now a principal at RATIO Architects , to draw the schematics and consider the costs .
What brings this up now ?
I was at a meeting last week called by Ald .
Walter Burnett Jr. ( 27th ) and the West Loop Community Organization where residents offered comments about a new hotel and apartment tower connected to an office building @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kennedy between Washington and Randolph streets .
People liked the project overall , but talk inevitably turned to traffic management and lack of park space for an area that now has many young families .
Residents said the closest parks , Mary Bartelme and Skinner , can be overrun .
That ’ s when Burnett brought up capping the Kennedy .
I asked him about it later .
He said the project could tap into funds in his ward ’ s tax increment financing districts that may be close to expiring .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we lose it , ” he said .
“ That money has to be distributed back to all the taxing bodies , so let ’ s use it while we can.
’ ’ Burnett noted Fifield has been an ardent supporter and developers could come up with money on their own .
I asked if he thinks the proposal would pass muster with Mayor Lori Lightfoot , who wants more public investments in underserved areas , and Burnett deflected the question to her planning commissioner , Maurice Cox .
“ This planning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ space , ” he said .
Some area residents also have said the idea could work for the Eisenhower Expressway near the medical district .
Sarver said he still believes in the cap .
If the experience of Millennium Park is a guide , the Kennedy cap “ would generate billions in tax revenue for the city .
It would be wonderful .
That stretch of roadway is a real fissure in our city.
’ ’ He said other cities , such as Dallas , have done well by relegating a highway to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ above it .
“ I think this really would be the kind of project that TIF dollars were intended for , ” Sarver said .
The cost ?
Sarver estimates it at $ 50 million per block .
If you did the stretch between Randolph and Adams streets , that would get you to $ 200 million .
Others may suggest capping only two or three blocks .
He said there was an opportunity to do this when the Jane Byrne Interchange was reconstructed a few years ago , but nobody pushed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ J.B. Pritzker and “ thinking big.
’ ’ Cox was unavailable for comment last week and the mayor ’ s office had no immediate response .
If this is to happen , it will take a public-private partnership and serious fundraising .
Advocates will have to inoculate themselves against the criticism that this is a rich neighborhood being favored by the public largesse .
But who knows ?
In a city where a developer can secure a potential $ 1.3 billion in public assistance to build a wealthy enclave on the North Side @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , parkland is a worthy cause .
On the Near West Side , it might keep some of the young tech workers in town after they have babies and start thinking about a bigger space , maybe a backyard , of all things .
If the Kennedy cap goes forward , it might also set the open space crowd against the anti-TIF social justice warriors .
That might be fun to watch .

It’s a visionary idea for beautifying Chicago and lifting a community’s property values whose time has never come.
But might it come at last? There’s still an allure here for making no little plans, even if they are arguably unwise.
The idea is the Kennedy Expressway cap, a green oasis that could be built on a deck over the highway as it cuts its swath west of downtown. It would cover that unsightly traffic, diminish its roar and provide open space for a West Loop region that teems with new residents, offices, hotels and restaurants. Think of it as Millennium Park replicated about a mile and a half west.
Capping the Kennedy is a notion that’s been out there for years, always with a dream-like quality to it. It was included in the city’s 2003 Central Area Plan, its first comprehensive look at the downtown region since 1958, and it also was featured in a 2009 “action plan” update that cheerily set a goal of completing it by 2020.
Chicago Enterprise bug Chicago Enterprise
I wrote about it 2012 and 2013, when the cap acquired an advocate in Steven Fifield, a developer who pioneered the push into the Near West Side and has since focused on other areas. Fifield enlisted Scott Sarver, now a principal at RATIO Architects, to draw the schematics and consider the costs.
What brings this up now? I was at a meeting last week called by Ald. Walter Burnett Jr. (27th) and the West Loop Community Organization where residents offered comments about a new hotel and apartment tower connected to an office building on the block just west of the Kennedy between Washington and Randolph streets. People liked the project overall, but talk inevitably turned to traffic management and lack of park space for an area that now has many young families. Residents said the closest parks, Mary Bartelme and Skinner, can be overrun.
That’s when Burnett brought up capping the Kennedy. I asked him about it later. He said the project could tap into funds in his ward’s tax increment financing districts that may be close to expiring. “If we don’t use it, we lose it,” he said. “That money has to be distributed back to all the taxing bodies, so let’s use it while we can.’’
Burnett noted Fifield has been an ardent supporter and developers could come up with money on their own. I asked if he thinks the proposal would pass muster with Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who wants more public investments in underserved areas, and Burnett deflected the question to her planning commissioner, Maurice Cox. “This planning commissioner is for green space and open space,” he said. Some area residents also have said the idea could work for the Eisenhower Expressway near the medical district.
Sarver said he still believes in the cap. If the experience of Millennium Park is a guide, the Kennedy cap “would generate billions in tax revenue for the city. It would be wonderful. That stretch of roadway is a real fissure in our city.’’ He said other cities, such as Dallas, have done well by relegating a highway to a tunnel and creating attractive public space above it.
“I think this really would be the kind of project that TIF dollars were intended for,” Sarver said.
The cost? Sarver estimates it at $50 million per block. If you did the stretch between Randolph and Adams streets, that would get you to $200 million. Others may suggest capping only two or three blocks. He said there was an opportunity to do this when the Jane Byrne Interchange was reconstructed a few years ago, but nobody pushed the idea. That was before Gov. J.B. Pritzker and “thinking big.’’
Cox was unavailable for comment last week and the mayor’s office had no immediate response.
If this is to happen, it will take a public-private partnership and serious fundraising. Advocates will have to inoculate themselves against the criticism that this is a rich neighborhood being favored by the public largesse. But who knows? In a city where a developer can secure a potential $1.3 billion in public assistance to build a wealthy enclave on the North Side riverfront, anything is possible.
Besides, parkland is a worthy cause. On the Near West Side, it might keep some of the young tech workers in town after they have babies and start thinking about a bigger space, maybe a backyard, of all things.
If the Kennedy cap goes forward, it might also set the open space crowd against the anti-TIF social justice warriors. That might be fun to watch.


chicagosuntimes--2020-01-13--3 killed, 8 wounded in Chicago weekend shootings

Three people were killed and eight others were wounded in gun violence throughout Chicago over the weekend .
The weekend ’ s latest fatal shooting left one man dead and injured another Sunday in West Humboldt Park .
They were in a vehicle about 7:20 p.m. in an alley in the 4300 block of West Thomas Street when someone walked up and fired shots at them , Chicago police said .
An 18-year-old was struck in the head and taken to Stroger Hospital , where he was pronounced dead .
The Cook County medical examiner ’ s office hasn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The other man , 19 , was struck in the arm and taken to the same hospital , where he was stabilized , police said .
On Friday , two people were killed in separate shootings about an hour apart .
A man was killed and another was wounded in Lawndale on the West Side , police said .
They were crossing the street about 6 p.m. in the 700 block of South California Avenue when someone fired shots from a dark-colored car that was westbound on Lexington Street .
A 34-year-old was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mount Sinai Hospital , where he was pronounced dead , police said .
The medical examiner ’ s office hasn ’ t released details about his death .
The other man , 39 , was hit in the buttocks and taken to the same hospital in good condition , police said .
An hour earlier , a 17-year-old boy was killed in Englewood .
About 5 p.m. , Rasean Green was in the 7200 block of South Aberdeen Street when someone approached and shot him multiple times , police and the medical examiner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center , where he was pronounced dead .
Nonfatal shootings wounded six other people between 5 p.m. Friday and 5 a.m. Monday , including a bicyclist shot early Monday in Roseland on the South Side .
The 52-year-old man was riding about 2:03 a.m. in the 100 block of West 107th Street when someone in a passing black Chevrolet Malibu fired shots , police said .
He was struck in the leg and abdomen , and his condition was stabilized at Christ Medical Center in Oak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 46-year-old man was shot during a robbery in Chatham on the South Side .
He was driving about 9:30 p.m. when he was flagged down by two males in the 8200 block of South Maryland Avenue , police said .
They demanded and took his wallet before shooting him once in the leg .
The man drove himself to Jackson Park Hospital and was listed in good condition .
Earlier that morning , a man was shot in Logan Square on the Northwest Side .
The 37-year-old was driving about 6 a.m. when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of North Central Park Avenue , striking him in both legs , police said .
He took himself to Norwegian American Hospital , where he was stabilized .
Less than two hours before that , a woman was shot while getting into a vehicle in the same neighborhood .
The 35-year-old was about to get into a vehicle with her friends at 4:18 a.m. in the 3000 block of North Hamlin Avenue when she heard gunfire and felt pain , police said .
She didn ’ t see who fired shots or where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was driven to Community First Medical Center with gunshot wounds to both legs and her condition was stabilized .
Hours earlier , a man was shot multiple times in Lawndale on the West Side .
The 29-year-old was sitting in his parked car at 2:50 a.m. when someone in a passing white sedan shot at him in the 700 block of South Kedvale Avenue , according to police .
He was hit twice in the shoulder and grazed on a rib .
His condition was stabilized at Stroger Hospital .
The weekend ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Austin on the West Side .
A 26-year-old man was walking about 8:30 p.m. in the 100 block of North Menard Avenue when he heard shots and felt pain , police said .
He was hit in the foot and took himself to Rush Oak Park Hospital , where he was listed in good condition .
Gun violence last weekend left 18 people shot across the city , three of them fatally .
Read more on crime , and track the city ’ s homicides .

Three people were killed and eight others were wounded in gun violence throughout Chicago over the weekend.
The weekend’s latest fatal shooting left one man dead and injured another Sunday in West Humboldt Park.
Alberto Rodriguez, 18, and another man were in a vehicle about 7:20 p.m. in an alley in the 4300 block of West Thomas Street when someone walked up and fired shots at them, Chicago police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office said. Rodriguez was struck in the head and taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Chicago police investigate a shooting Jan. 12, 2020, in West Humboldt Park. Carly Behm/Sun-Times
The other man, 19, was struck in the arm and taken to the same hospital, where he was stabilized, police said.
On Friday, two people were killed in separate shootings about an hour apart.
Maurice Jones, 34, was killed and another was wounded in Lawndale on the West Side, authorities said. They were crossing the street about 6 p.m. in the 700 block of South California Avenue when someone fired shots from a dark-colored car that was westbound on Lexington Street.
Jones was struck in the chest and taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, authorities said.
The other man, 39, was hit in the buttocks and taken to the same hospital in good condition, police said.
An hour earlier, a 17-year-old boy was killed in Englewood.
About 5 p.m., Rasean Green was in the 7200 block of South Aberdeen Street when someone approached and shot him multiple times, police and the medical examiner’s office said. He was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Nonfatal shootings wounded six other people between 5 p.m. Friday and 5 a.m. Monday, including a bicyclist shot early Monday in Roseland on the South Side.
The 52-year-old man was riding about 2:03 a.m. in the 100 block of West 107th Street when someone in a passing black Chevrolet Malibu fired shots, police said. He was struck in the leg and abdomen, and his condition was stabilized at Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn.
On Saturday evening, a 46-year-old man was shot during a robbery in Chatham on the South Side.
He was driving about 9:30 p.m. when he was flagged down by two males in the 8200 block of South Maryland Avenue, police said. They demanded and took his wallet before shooting him once in the leg. The man drove himself to Jackson Park Hospital and was listed in good condition.
Earlier that morning, a man was shot in Logan Square on the Northwest Side.
The 37-year-old was driving about 6 a.m. when someone opened fire in the 2400 block of North Central Park Avenue, striking him in both legs, police said. He took himself to Norwegian American Hospital, where he was stabilized.
Less than two hours before that, a woman was shot while getting into a vehicle in the same neighborhood.
The 35-year-old was about to get into a vehicle with her friends at 4:18 a.m. in the 3000 block of North Hamlin Avenue when she heard gunfire and felt pain, police said. She didn’t see who fired shots or where the shots came from. The woman was driven to Community First Medical Center with gunshot wounds to both legs and her condition was stabilized.
Hours earlier, a man was shot multiple times in Lawndale on the West Side.
The 29-year-old was sitting in his parked car at 2:50 a.m. when someone in a passing white sedan shot at him in the 700 block of South Kedvale Avenue, according to police. He was hit twice in the shoulder and grazed on a rib. His condition was stabilized at Stroger Hospital.
The weekend’s earliest nonfatal shooting happened Friday in Austin on the West Side.
A 26-year-old man was walking about 8:30 p.m. in the 100 block of North Menard Avenue when he heard shots and felt pain, police said. He was hit in the foot and took himself to Rush Oak Park Hospital, where he was listed in good condition.
Gun violence last weekend left 18 people shot across the city, three of them fatally.
Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.


chicagosuntimes--2020-01-13--How to stop Trump from jacking up electric bills and hurting our environment

Last month , the Trump administration adopted a rule that will raise electricity bills for ratepayers across northern Illinois .
The Legislature can put a stop to this , while also moving the state toward carbon-free power , but it must act quickly .
If lawmakers fail to do so , Illinois ratepayers collectively could be shelling out hundreds of millions of dollars more for electricity each year .
And the state ’ s avowed commitment to boosting renewable energy such as wind and solar , which is so important as the ravages of climate change become obvious — witness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
On Dec. 19 , the Republican-controlled Federal Energy Regulatory Commission rewrote energy rules in a way that is obscenely beneficial for coal and other fossil fuels .
Those rules are particularly threatening to the environment of Illinois , which has been working to become a leader in renewable energy .
Simply put , the Trump administration wants to make it cost-prohibitive to decarbonize the energy sector by switching to renewables .
Even Illinois ’ nuclear plants could suffer .
In October , Exelon CEO Chris Crane said four Illinois nuclear plants could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do something about the FERC plan , which everyone could see coming .
Nuclear plants are not in Illinois ’ long-term future , but the state needs the power they generate to give Illinois time to transition to 100 % renewable energy by 2050 .
Last year , environmentalists and others got behind a bill called the Clean Energy Jobs Act that laid out a plan for moving the state to carbon-free energy while keeping costs down for ratepayers .
The bill — CEJA for short — built on an earlier law , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the Citizens Utility Board says lowered Illinois electric bills from some of the highest in the country to some of the lowest .
But CEJA stalled , partly because some lawmakers were nervous about dealing with energy-related topics after ComEd became a particular target of scrutiny in a widening federal investigation , even though ComEd had virtually no role in crafting CEJA .
Now , the General Assembly has set up working groups of lawmakers to draw up legislation for the coming session to keep electricity rates from shooting up and to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ track .
Whatever emerges from the working groups should include all of the key elements of the Clean Energy Jobs Act .
Among those elements are encouraging conservation , reducing peak energy demand , transitioning to electric vehicles , subsidizing solar energy installations , creating jobs in economically challenged communities and providing benefits for displaced coal workers in the state .
The Legislature also should allow the Illinois Power Agency to manage the state ’ s capacity market — a system set up to ensure states have enough energy capacity to meet peak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from under FERC ’ s fossil-fuel-friendly ruling for how power plants can bid to provide electricity to the grid .
Illinois now is part of a capacity market that includes the District of Columbia and all or part of 13 states that is subject to FERC ’ s reprehensible effort to boost coal and other fossil fuels .
State Sen. Cristina Castro , D-Elgin , who introduced CEJA and who called the FERC decision “ horrible , ” said she is confident the Legislature will enact a good law .
“ It is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and we are ready to lead , ” Castro told us on Friday .
But to keep rates from going up , the Legislature needs have a new law in place before the next so-called capacity auction , when companies that generate electricity guarantee how much power they can be counted on to deliver .
The interlocking deadlines are complicated , but it appears the Legislature needs to act before the spring session ends in May at the very latest .
As in every legislative session , many issues will be competing for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of our environment — and how much people have to pay for electricity — should be at the top of that agenda .

Last month, the Trump administration adopted a rule that will raise electricity bills for ratepayers across northern Illinois. The Legislature can put a stop to this, while also moving the state toward carbon-free power, but it must act quickly.
If lawmakers fail to do so, Illinois ratepayers collectively could be shelling out hundreds of millions of dollars more for electricity each year. And the state’s avowed commitment to boosting renewable energy such as wind and solar, which is so important as the ravages of climate change become obvious — witness Australia up in flames — could falter.
Editorials bug Editorials
On Dec. 19, the Republican-controlled Federal Energy Regulatory Commission rewrote energy rules in a way that is obscenely beneficial for coal and other fossil fuels. Those rules are particularly threatening to the environment of Illinois, which has been working to become a leader in renewable energy.
Simply put, the Trump administration wants to make it cost-prohibitive to decarbonize the energy sector by switching to renewables. Even Illinois’ nuclear plants could suffer.
In October, Exelon CEO Chris Crane said four Illinois nuclear plants could close if the Legislature doesn’t do something about the FERC plan, which everyone could see coming. Nuclear plants are not in Illinois’ long-term future, but the state needs the power they generate to give Illinois time to transition to 100% renewable energy by 2050.
Last year, environmentalists and others got behind a bill called the Clean Energy Jobs Act that laid out a plan for moving the state to carbon-free energy while keeping costs down for ratepayers. The bill — CEJA for short — built on an earlier law, the 2016 Future Energy Jobs Act, that the Citizens Utility Board says lowered Illinois electric bills from some of the highest in the country to some of the lowest.
But CEJA stalled, partly because some lawmakers were nervous about dealing with energy-related topics after ComEd became a particular target of scrutiny in a widening federal investigation, even though ComEd had virtually no role in crafting CEJA.
Chicago Sun-Times. SOURCE: Citizens Utility Board
Now, the General Assembly has set up working groups of lawmakers to draw up legislation for the coming session to keep electricity rates from shooting up and to keep renewable energy and conservation efforts on track.
Whatever emerges from the working groups should include all of the key elements of the Clean Energy Jobs Act. Among those elements are encouraging conservation, reducing peak energy demand, transitioning to electric vehicles, subsidizing solar energy installations, creating jobs in economically challenged communities and providing benefits for displaced coal workers in the state.
The Legislature also should allow the Illinois Power Agency to manage the state’s capacity market — a system set up to ensure states have enough energy capacity to meet peak loads. That would get Illinois out from under FERC’s fossil-fuel-friendly ruling for how power plants can bid to provide electricity to the grid.
Illinois now is part of a capacity market that includes the District of Columbia and all or part of 13 states that is subject to FERC’s reprehensible effort to boost coal and other fossil fuels.
State Sen. Cristina Castro, D-Elgin, who introduced CEJA and who called the FERC decision “horrible,” said she is confident the Legislature will enact a good law.
“It is now time for Illinois to lead, and we are ready to lead,” Castro told us on Friday.
But to keep rates from going up, the Legislature needs have a new law in place before the next so-called capacity auction, when companies that generate electricity guarantee how much power they can be counted on to deliver. The interlocking deadlines are complicated, but it appears the Legislature needs to act before the spring session ends in May at the very latest.
As in every legislative session, many issues will be competing for lawmakers’ attention. But the protection of our environment — and how much people have to pay for electricity — should be at the top of that agenda.
Chicago Sun-Times
Send letters to letters@suntimes.com.


chicagosuntimes--2020-01-13--Police seek suspects in Romeoville T-Mobile store iPhone theft

Police in Romeoville are looking for two people who stole display cellphones from a T-Mobile store last week in the @ @ @ @ @ p.m. on Jan. 8 , the two male suspects entered the store , 356 S. @ @ @ @ @ employees before snatching two tethered iPhone 11s that were on display , according to a @ @ @ @ @ Authorities released surveillance images of the suspects and are asking anyone with information to call @ @ @ @ @ to Case 20-0083 .
Read more on crime , and track the city ’ s @ @

Police in Romeoville are looking for two people who stole display cellphones from a T-Mobile store last week in the southwest suburb.
About 1:30 p.m. on Jan. 8, the two male suspects entered the store, 356 S. Weber Road, and distracted employees before snatching two tethered iPhone 11s that were on display, according to a statement from Romeoville police.
Authorities released surveillance images of the suspects and are asking anyone with information to call police at 815-886-7219 in reference to Case 20-0083.
Surveillance image of two people wanted for stealing iPhones Jan. 8, 2020, from a T-Mobile store at 356 S. Weber Road in Romeoville. Romeoville police
Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.


chicagosuntimes--2020-01-13--Carol Stream man accused of soliciting child porn online: police

A Carol Stream man is accused of owning and soliciting child pornography from girls over Snapchat .
Anchit Nayyar , @ @ @ @ @ three counts of possession of child pornography and three counts of grooming , according to @ @ @ @ @ learned he was soliciting naked selfies from girls through Snapchat and obtained a search warrant @ @ @ @ @ ’ s computer equipment and cellphones were seized Jan. 3 , and he was arrested @ @ @ @ @ at $ 100,000 , and he was released after posting bond , according to police @ @ @ @ @ ’ s due back in court Jan. 27 .
Read more on crime , and @ @ @ @ @ homicides .

A Carol Stream man is accused of owning and soliciting child pornography from girls over Snapchat.
Anchit Nayyar, 20, is charged with three counts of possession of child pornography and three counts of grooming, according to Glendale Heights police.
Anchit Nayyar Glendale Heights police
Investigators learned he was soliciting naked selfies from girls through Snapchat and obtained a search warrant, police said. Nayyar’s computer equipment and cellphones were seized Jan. 3, and he was arrested.
His bail was set at $100,000, and he was released after posting bond, according to police and court records. He’s due back in court Jan. 27.
Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.


chicagosuntimes--2020-01-13--Man charged with burglaries to Skokie gas stations

A South Side man has been charged with burglarizing several convenience stores and gas stations last year in north suburban @ @ @ @ @ , 46 , was arrested Jan. 9 and charged with five felony counts of burglary @ @ @ @ @ from Skokie police .
The first burglaries were reported overnight on April 8 , 2019 @ @ @ @ @ at multiple Skokie businesses , police said .
Detectives and evidence technicians eventually identified the @ @ @ @ @ lives in Roseland .
Reese appeared in court Jan. 10 and remains held at the @ @ @ @ @ 25,000 bail per each count , according to police and Cook County court records .
@ @ @ @ @ scheduled for Feb. 4 .
Anyone with additional information about the case is asked to @ @ @ @ @ or the 24-hour crime tip line at 847-982-8477 .
Read more on crime , and @ @ @ @ @ homicides .

A South Side man has been charged with burglarizing several convenience stores and gas stations last year in north suburban Skokie.
Deiel T. Reese, 46, was arrested Jan. 9 and charged with five felony counts of burglary, according to a statement from Skokie police.
Deiel T. Reese Skokie police
The first burglaries were reported overnight on April 8, 2019, and continued throughout April at multiple Skokie businesses, police said. Detectives and evidence technicians eventually identified the suspect as Reese, who lives in Roseland.
Reese appeared in court Jan. 10 and remains held at the Cook County Jail on $25,000 bail per each count, according to police and Cook County court records. His next court date is scheduled for Feb. 4.
Anyone with additional information about the case is asked to call Skokie police at 847-982-5900 or the 24-hour crime tip line at 847-982-8477.
Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.


chicagosuntimes--2020-01-12--Horoscope for Monday, Jan. 13, 2020

Horoscope for Monday, Jan. 13, 2020

Avoid shopping or making important decisions from 7:30 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. Chicago time .
After that , the moon moves from Leo into Virgo .
Discussions with bosses , parents and VIPs are not warm and cozy today ; nevertheless , you impress others with your sense of duty and purpose .
These qualities will actually lead to accomplishments for you .
Because you ’ re in a serious frame of mind today , you find it easy to study difficult subjects because you are focused about achieving your aims .
Discussions about philosophy , religion and politics will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most seriously ) .
You won ’ t be frivolous in financial discussions today because you feel quite the opposite — frugal and serious .
You ’ re ready to defend your best interests in discussions about shared property , inheritances , insurance and anything that you own jointly with someone else .
Don ’ t expect too much from relations with partners and close friends today .
This is because today people feel isolated , even lonely .
Nevertheless , they feel a strong sense of duty and are willing to tackle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be doing .
( Got your list ready ? )
You will accomplish a lot at work today because your respect for duty and obligation is strong .
You will fulfill what others expect of you .
You might use this same sober approach to health issues or even responsibilities related to a pet .
“ Just do it.
” Children might be an increased responsibility today .
Likewise , you will be serious about making social plans or plans for vacations even though you are not in a frivolous frame of mind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Don ’ t expect too much from a romantic partner .
Relax .
Family discussions will be serious and will address responsibilities that family members have for each other as well as for the home or keeping things afloat .
“ Is that the wolf at the door ?
” An older family member might lay down the law today .
( It will behoove you to listen respectfully . )
This is a serious day .
There seems to be a pall over everything .
Your own thinking is geared to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Hey , you can use this energy to make plans to get better organized because you ’ re more concerned with form and order that you want to incorporate into your life .
Financial issues are serious today .
You won ’ t be frivolous !
Oh no .
Instead you are concerned with saving money or buying practical , long-lasting things and saving for your old age .
( You get the picture . )
You want financial security .
Today the sun and Saturn ( your ruler ) are lined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you feel low-energy ; nevertheless , it helps you focus on tasks that you think must be done .
You ’ re concerned about your duties and responsibilities in the world .
Don ’ t worry — you will accomplish a lot .
Today it ’ s easy to feel cut off and lonely .
“ It ’ s hard out there without your towel.
” Because you feel this way , it might be hard to relate to others because others feel isolated as well .
Oy !
This is just a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well .
Someone older or more experienced might have good advice for you today .
If so , it ’ s in your best interests to listen .
However , someone older or more experienced might also say or do something that makes you feel diminished .
Don ’ t worry about this .
It ’ s just the spores in the air .
You ’ re as wonderful as you were last week .
If Your Birthday Is Today Actress Julia Louis Dreyfus ( 1961 ) shares your birthday today .
You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ These qualities combined with your dogged perseverance help you to get things done .
This year you ’ re winding up many things you began nine years ago by letting go of what is no longer relevant and moving on to something new and different .
You are lightening your load to get ready for new beginnings !

Moon Alert
Avoid shopping or making important decisions from 7:30 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. Chicago time. After that, the moon moves from Leo into Virgo.
Aries (March 21-April 19)
Discussions with bosses, parents and VIPs are not warm and cozy today; nevertheless, you impress others with your sense of duty and purpose. These qualities will actually lead to accomplishments for you.
Taurus (April 20-May 20)
Because you’re in a serious frame of mind today, you find it easy to study difficult subjects because you are focused about achieving your aims. Discussions about philosophy, religion and politics will be serious (and I say this most seriously).
Gemini (May 21-June 20)
You won’t be frivolous in financial discussions today because you feel quite the opposite — frugal and serious. You’re ready to defend your best interests in discussions about shared property, inheritances, insurance and anything that you own jointly with someone else.
Cancer (June 21-July 22)
Don’t expect too much from relations with partners and close friends today. This is because today people feel isolated, even lonely. Nevertheless, they feel a strong sense of duty and are willing to tackle whatever they think they “should” be doing. (Got your list ready?)
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)
You will accomplish a lot at work today because your respect for duty and obligation is strong. You will fulfill what others expect of you. You might use this same sober approach to health issues or even responsibilities related to a pet. “Just do it.”
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
Children might be an increased responsibility today. Likewise, you will be serious about making social plans or plans for vacations even though you are not in a frivolous frame of mind. “Somebody has to do this.” Don’t expect too much from a romantic partner. Relax.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
Family discussions will be serious and will address responsibilities that family members have for each other as well as for the home or keeping things afloat. “Is that the wolf at the door?” An older family member might lay down the law today. (It will behoove you to listen respectfully.)
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
This is a serious day. There seems to be a pall over everything. Your own thinking is geared to what you “should” be doing. Hey, you can use this energy to make plans to get better organized because you’re more concerned with form and order that you want to incorporate into your life.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
Financial issues are serious today. You won’t be frivolous! Oh no. Instead you are concerned with saving money or buying practical, long-lasting things and saving for your old age. (You get the picture.) You want financial security.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
Today the sun and Saturn (your ruler) are lined up in your sign, which makes you feel low-energy; nevertheless, it helps you focus on tasks that you think must be done. You’re concerned about your duties and responsibilities in the world. Don’t worry — you will accomplish a lot.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
Today it’s easy to feel cut off and lonely. “It’s hard out there without your towel.” Because you feel this way, it might be hard to relate to others because others feel isolated as well. Oy! This is just a temporary thing. Relax. All is well.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)
Someone older or more experienced might have good advice for you today. If so, it’s in your best interests to listen. However, someone older or more experienced might also say or do something that makes you feel diminished. Don’t worry about this. It’s just the spores in the air. You’re as wonderful as you were last week.
If Your Birthday Is Today
Actress Julia Louis Dreyfus (1961) shares your birthday today. You are organized, systematic and practical. These qualities combined with your dogged perseverance help you to get things done. This year you’re winding up many things you began nine years ago by letting go of what is no longer relevant and moving on to something new and different. You are lightening your load to get ready for new beginnings!


chicagosuntimes--2020-01-14--Man, 70, reported missing from Park Manor

A 70-year-old man has been reported missing from Park Manor on the South Side .
Emerson Hoover was last seen @ @ @ @ @ block of South Eberhart Avenue , according to a missing person alert from Chicago police @ @ @ @ @ and often wears a black skullcap , police said .
Hoover has diabetes and might @ @ @ @ @ Anyone who knows his location is asked to call Area Central detectives at 312-747-8380 .

A 70-year-old man who was reported missing from Park Manor on the South Side has been found.
Emerson Hoover, who was reported missing Jan. 6, Chicago police said.
Police canceled the alert Tuesday, saying Hoover was located without incident.


chicagosuntimes--2020-01-14--State Street makeover? Downtown business group hires design firm to recommend changes

Is the State Street corridor in need of a makeover ?
That is the question that an urban design firm will tackle in the coming months before releasing a report this fall with recommendations that are expected to touch on a variety of issues ranging from the aesthetic to the practical .
A sample of topics that are up for discussion : Are old-fashioned lamp posts and ornate street-level entrances to CTA Red Line trains still a good look ?
Would dedicated bicycle and bus lanes be a good idea ?
The Chicago Loop Alliance , a group made up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they commissioned the report .
There ’ s little chance the report will seek to close the iconic corridor to motorists .
Such an experiment was carried out in 1979 under former Mayor Jane Byrne , who turned the downtown street into a bus and pedestrian mall .
The street was torn up again and reopened to traffic 17 years later .
“ We ’ re not looking to tear it up again , ” said Alliance spokeswoman Jessica Cabe , noting that , ultimately , any changes to State Street would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ernie Wong , head of Site Design Group , which has been tasked with compiling the report , will kick off the effort with a keynote speech at the Alliance ’ s annual meeting next month — a ticketed event at a downtown hotel .
Members of the public who want to keep tabs on the report ’ s progress and learn how they can weigh in should go to www.loopchicago.com/statestreet .

Is the State Street corridor in need of a makeover?
That is the question that an urban design firm will tackle in the coming months before releasing a report this fall with recommendations that are expected to touch on a variety of issues ranging from the aesthetic to the practical.
A sample of topics that are up for discussion: Are old-fashioned lamp posts and ornate street-level entrances to CTA Red Line trains still a good look? Would dedicated bicycle and bus lanes be a good idea?
The Chicago Loop Alliance, a group made up of downtown businesses, announced Monday that they commissioned the report.
There’s little chance the report will seek to close the iconic corridor to motorists.
Such an experiment was carried out in 1979 under former Mayor Jane Byrne, who turned the downtown street into a bus and pedestrian mall. The street was torn up again and reopened to traffic 17 years later.
“We’re not looking to tear it up again,” said Alliance spokeswoman Jessica Cabe, noting that, ultimately, any changes to State Street would be done in partnership with the city.
Ernie Wong, head of Site Design Group, which has been tasked with compiling the report, will kick off the effort with a keynote speech at the Alliance’s annual meeting next month — a ticketed event at a downtown hotel.
Members of the public who want to keep tabs on the report’s progress and learn how they can weigh in should go to www.loopchicago.com/statestreet.


chicagosuntimes--2020-01-14--One of R. Kelly’s girlfriends apparently reunites with estranged family

Azriel Clary ’ s boyfriend-girlfriend relationship with singer R. Kelly drove a well-documented wedge between her and her family , but a photo posted to social media Monday seems to indicate a reconciliation has occurred .
The photo shows Clary , 22 , joyously dancing with family members — all of whom are dressed in blue jeans and white T-shirts .
An accompanying message on the Instagram post reads : “ Surprise Let the healing process begin .
Love yall and thank y ’ all ❤ I even thank everyone who follows me.. because you all believed in me when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ # movingontobetterdays P.S - everyone will be posting there own fav photos so make sure y ’ all follow the family !
# ontherunwithazriel ” The photo was posted four days after Clary accused Kelly ’ s other girlfriend , Joycelyn Savage , 24 , of attacking her in Kelly ’ s condo on the 48th floor of Trump Tower , where both women have lived .
Savage turned herself into police Wednesday — on Kelly ’ s 53rd birthday — and has pleaded not guilty to domestic battery .
Her bail was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was scheduled to return to court Feb. 6 .
Kelly remains held without bail at the Metropolitan Correctional Center downtown while he faces a litany of criminal charges in four jurisdictions in three states .
The estrangement of both Clary and Savage from their families was documented in Lifetime ’ s docuseries ‘ Surviving R. Kelly .
’

Azriel Clary’s boyfriend-girlfriend relationship with singer R. Kelly drove a well-documented wedge between her and her family, but a photo posted to social media Monday seems to indicate a reconciliation has occurred.
The photo shows Clary, 22, joyously dancing with family members — all of whom are dressed in blue jeans and white T-shirts.
An accompanying message on the Instagram post reads:
“Surprise Let the healing process begin. Love yall and thank y’all ❤ I even thank everyone who follows me.. because you all believed in me when I could not believe for myself. 🙏🏿🦋 #movingontobetterdays
P.S - everyone will be posting there own fav photos so make sure y’all follow the family! #ontherunwithazriel”
The photo was posted four days after Clary accused Kelly’s other girlfriend, Joycelyn Savage, 24, of attacking her in Kelly’s condo on the 48th floor of Trump Tower, where both women have lived.
Savage turned herself into police Wednesday — on Kelly’s 53rd birthday — and has pleaded not guilty to domestic battery. Her bail was set at $2,000, and she was scheduled to return to court Feb. 6.
Kelly remains held without bail at the Metropolitan Correctional Center downtown while he faces a litany of criminal charges in four jurisdictions in three states.
The estrangement of both Clary and Savage from their families was documented in Lifetime’s docuseries ‘Surviving R. Kelly.’