chicagotribune--2020-03-06--Here’s what to do when people assume they’re invited to your wedding

Above all , couples in this situation should realize that regardless of what others ’ expectations are , this is @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t owe anyone an invitation .
You are free to invite whomever you @ @ @ @ @ you want .
Let your day be about you and the one you love , @ @ @ @ @ those you want there , because that ’ s what you deserve !

Q: What should you do when people assume they’re invited to your wedding — and they’re not?
A: Managing the expectations of other people is a common struggle for couples as they plan a wedding. This is especially true for couples who desire a small, intimate celebration.
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When people assume they will be invited, my advice to couples is always to be honest. Let the person know that you and your spouse-to-be have decided to keep the guest list small — immediate family and dearest friends only.
If the greatest factor is the budget, it’s perfectly acceptable to tell the person that your budget is restricting you to a certain guest count. You can say, “In an ideal situation, we would invite everyone, but the fact is, our budget simply won’t permit it.” Whatever the reason, just be honest with the person in a kind, respectful way.
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If people get offended, it could very well be an indication that their desire to be a guest is more about them than it is about you. In which case, your lack of invitation is justified.
Above all, couples in this situation should realize that regardless of what others’ expectations are, this is your wedding day. You don’t owe anyone an invitation. You are free to invite whomever you want, for any reason you want. Let your day be about you and the one you love, and surround yourself with only those you want there, because that’s what you deserve!
— Nikeva Lawrence, owner and lead planner of SouthWind Events
A: Your wedding is an exciting time for not only you and your fiance, but for everyone else around you! People will be thrilled and intrigued by all the wedding details when you first get engaged.
Before you start publicizing all your wedding plans, come up with a realistic guest list with your fiance based on your wedding style, venue choice and budget. Include your parents in this initial conversation to set expectations and avoid any awkward situations later. Come up with parameters for your guest list early, such as plus-ones for only those in relationships, no extended family whom you haven’t seen in five-plus years, or every guest has to have met both you and your fiance in person.
When you are faced with people who assume they are invited, let them know you feel honored that they would want to come. You don’t owe them a reason they aren’t invited, but if you feel compelled to do so, some common ones are budget constraints, venue size, you and your fiance have large families, and the guest list is limited in the number of co-workers, friends, classmates, etc.
Or, maybe you don’t want to oblige them to travel, which works best for distant relatives. Whatever you do, don’t back down from your decision or sound wishy-washy in your response. Deliver the reasons confidently, and don’t feel guilty that you aren’t able to invite every individual who has ever been a part of your life.
— Lauren West, senior associate event planner at Naturally Yours Events
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hgreenspan@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-03-06--A proud Lake Michigan beach town battles erosion and one of the country’s newest national parks

“ But these things do rebound naturally over time .
So if the lake levels do go down , eventually @ @ @ @ @ available offshore , it will slowly make its way back onshore and rebuild the beach @ @ @ @ @ `` But it ’ s not going to happen overnight .
And for areas where @ @ @ @ @ , the shoreline is not going to heal itself fast enough for those different things @ @ @ @ @ way they were .
”

Rodger Howell looks at erosion behind a protective seawall during a winter storm in Ogden Dunes, Indiana, on Feb. 13, 2020. The town filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the National Park Service over permit interference issues. Howell, one of the plaintiffs, is the beach nourishment and protection committee chair for Ogden Dunes. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)
The sand stretched so far and burned so hot kids jumped from tiptoes to beach towels to cool their feet. When summer hit in Ogden Dunes, a small Indiana town whose identity was tied to a beach on Lake Michigan’s southern coast, technicolor umbrellas popped up. Residents relaxed.
“A lot of the people I’ve met go, oh, when I was a little kid I used to burn my feet trying to get down to the beach because it was so big,” said resident Rodger Howell. “And now you can dip ‘em right in the water.”
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Now, erosion is chewing up parts of northwest Indiana’s shoreline. In Ogden Dunes alone, the beach is decimated; a sliver remains on the west end. The town along with neighboring communities including Beverly Shores, Long Beach and Portage have declared emergencies.
Rodger Howell looks at erosion and damage to properties behind a protective seawall during a winter storm in Ogden Dunes, Indiana, on Feb. 13, 2020. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)
Harbors constructed decades ago disrupted the natural flow of sand. That, combined with near-record high lake levels, diminished ice cover, and major storms, has caused severe damage like that seen in Chicago and other Great Lakes coastal areas. In a town flanked by steel mills and one of the newest national parks — where ownership between the beach and water is split — stakeholders are at odds.
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In January, 50 residents and officials of Ogden Dunes filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court over shoreline protection, claiming dunes, roads and private homes are “in danger of total destruction” if current protections fail. The lawsuit alleges the National Park Service and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have interfered with the permit process.
On a recent afternoon, beach access was blocked by caution tape encased in ice. At the water’s edge, a splash from a 4-foot wave could harden a winter coat. Patios hovered over crumbling dunes.
“It really comes down to the survival of our town,” said Howell, one of the plaintiffs and chair of the beach nourishment and protection committee for Ogden Dunes. “We’re not looking for help. We’re looking to do this ourselves. We’re looking to get our permits and put this in place. And we’re looking to do what’s been previously agreed that we can do.”
Lake Michigan creeps up to properties behind a protective seawall in Ogden Dunes, Indiana, on Feb. 12, 2020. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)
However, one of the priorities of the Park Service, which controls property bordering Ogden Dunes, is restoring the natural shoreline and considering long-term impacts.
The lawsuit could signal future battles at a time when solutions dependent on federal studies and funding are sluggish, and as scientists predict more variability in lake levels spurred by climate change.
“This is the challenge of coastal shoreline management, is people want to build in exactly the most beautiful, fragile and dangerous places,” said Richard Norton, a professor of urban and regional planning at the University of Michigan who studies both policy and legal aspects of coastal management. “And then having built there, they want to do everything they can possibly do to protect that structure. And so more and more, we’re putting priority on protecting the beach house.”
Norton said armoring can come at the expense of the beach.
“It’s heart-wrenching. You don’t ever want to see someone’s house go into the lake,” Norton said. “At the same time, does that mean that we’re going to let everybody armor and never have a beach come back? How do you reconcile that? That’s the challenge that we’re facing.”
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‘In danger of total destruction’
Residents started to become concerned about shoreline protection and sought permits more than a decade ago, Howell said.
“What’s happening here is quite unnatural,” he said. “Without that structure (the Port of Indiana) blocking us to the east, our beach certainly would be smaller with the high lake level, but we think there’d certainly be a lot more. … So we don’t view this as a natural crisis. It’s a man-made one.”
The lawsuit pins the main cause of the erosion on structures at the port, including the Burns Waterway Harbor, ArcelorMittal Harbor, U.S. Steel Harbor and Burns Small Boat Harbor — and says erosion has been exacerbated by high lake levels.
“We were certainly here before the port and the park,” Howell said. “We’re not questioning their right to exist. In fact, we helped with the creation of the park. We appreciate industries there. We just want to cooperate with them.”
Sand bags are piled up at a home in Ogden Dunes, Indiana, on Feb. 12, 2020. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)
Protections installed in the 1980s and ’90s are now exposed to Lake Michigan, according to the complaint, and at least one section of the steel wall is failing. There have been two more structural failures since the complaint, Howell said.
“If any portion of the sheet piling fails, the town infrastructure, including town-owned dunes, beach access ways, roads and utilities — and private homes — are in danger of total destruction,” the lawsuit says. “This in turn could lead to the release of sewage and other pollutants into Lake Michigan endangering the public and wildlife, and will endanger the lives of the occupants of those residences.”
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Protection plans were approved by the state, but the Park Service “repeatedly interfered," according to the lawsuit, and the Army Corps also interfered “by conditioning approval of the project” on the Park Service.
Paul Labovitz, the Indiana Dunes superintendent, said in an email, “the most resilient lake edge is a natural shoreline.”
Some homes on the east end are potentially at risk, Labovitz said, but he does not think the survival of the town is at stake. Labovitz also said the Park Service is concerned that armoring in Ogden Dunes could further erode the bordering West Beach and the Portage lakefront beach.
The Army Corps said the Park Service would only approve beach nourishment, not armoring with large stones as proposed in the permits, the lawsuit says, but the Park Service has allowed stone protection at Indiana Dunes National Park’s Portage lakefront and beach.
“What we would say is that the town of Ogden Dunes is not responsible for beach nourishment,” Howell said. “We aren’t the cause of the starvation."
Indiana state Sen. Karen Tallian, who represents Ogden Dunes, agreed the situation is too dire to delay permits.
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“People are so frustrated,” Tallian said. "We don’t think he (Labovitz) has the jurisdiction to say no. And secondly, it doesn’t make sense that he’s saying no, because if we start losing the houses along the shore of Ogden Dunes, you’re going to have a multimillion-dollar disaster.”
‘Compromise that we live with to this day’
The town of Ogden Dunes was incorporated in 1925, and was meant to be an upper-middle class, restrictive community with golf courses, shooting ranges and a yacht harbor. The Great Depression hit and tanked those ambitions, said Dick Meister, the outgoing president of the Ogden Dunes Historical Society and DePaul University emeritus professor of history. But in later years, an increasing number of middle-class families not only had summer cottages in the town, they became full-timers.
There are about 1,000 residents now, the majority of whom are Indiana residents, and nearly 60 homes dot the coast.
Tallian said she knows it’s been said that “rich people shouldn’t be building their houses along the lake."
“But you’ve got to go to Ogden Dunes and look. Some of those houses were built there in the 1920s,” Tallian said. “And when I first moved to Ogden Dunes in the ‘70s, we had lots and lots of beach. It was never even a thought that we wouldn’t have beach.
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Jennifer Petti, born and raised in Ogden Dunes, said she recently moved back from Alaska.
“Who comes back anywhere from Alaska?” she said. “I love this place. My siblings are like this too. It’s in your DNA. The beach is our home. And it’s not the East Coast or the West Coast. It’s the southern shore of Lake Michigan.
“And where do you meet each other?” Petti asked. “On the beach.”
Signs are posted to keep people away from a home in Ogden Dunes, Indiana, on Feb. 12, 2020. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)
Petti remembers families, coolers, blankets, neighbors next to one another. Kids used to play in the dune grass, catching frogs. The shore was lined with sailboats and windsurfers.
“There’s no place for that now,” Petti said. “I know there’s hope. But to go from that memory to this, is heartbreaking.”
The shoreline crisis is not new; neither are clashes with the Park Service over the beach, said Meister, who’s working on a series of articles for the historical society’s newsletter.
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High water levels and devastating storms came and went across decades, Meister said. But things changed for Ogden Dunes with the construction of industrial structures starting in the 1960s.
Some residents, including Save the Dunes founder Dorothy Buell, fought for protection of the dunes. But the port moved forward, and the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore was established in 1966 as part of the deal.
“That compromise that created the park is a compromise that we live with to this day,” said Colin Deverell, Midwest program manager of the National Parks Conservation Association. “So much of the erosion challenge at Indiana Dunes National Park is due to the extreme development of the shoreline, which is only exacerbated by climate change, with increasingly severe storms and warmer winters.”
The construction of the Burns Waterway Harbor in 1967 began trapping sand on the east side of the breakwaters, according to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, “creating sand starved conditions,” and resulting “in erosion and loss of the beaches and sand dunes on the Ogden Dunes shoreline.”
In a 1960 report from the Army Corps, officials said the Port of Indiana would lead to annual erosion of the shoreline west of the harbor. Just how much was significantly underestimated, according to later Army Corps reports.
Cary Troy, an associate professor of civil engineering at Purdue University, said you can think of the shoreline as a conveyor belt — “where as long as what you’re losing is equal to what you’re gaining in terms of the sand moving along the coast, you won’t have erosion, even if the rates of the transport of sand along the coast are very high.”
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The natural movement of sediment leads sand to the middle of Indiana at the southernmost point, Troy said.
“But as soon as you put in a barrier,” Troy said, “you disrupt that conveyor belt, and that will lead to a pile up, or a loss of sand, depending on what side of the barrier you’re on.”
(Jemal R. Brinson/Chicago Tribune)
Up until 2015, sand from dredging was occasionally used to replenish beaches in the Ogden Dunes area. Dredging activities have been limited in recent years due to high lake levels, according to the Indiana natural resources department. But residents said even before 2015, there wasn’t enough sand being placed on the beach.
Now, the town wants to reinforce walls up to 25 feet from lot lines and place rock revetments. According to the lawsuit, the Army Corps and Park Service have failed to comply with state and federal regulations that provide "that Ogden Dunes is an area where erosion rates have been increased by man-made structures and as such, is exempt from the ‘let nature take its course’ philosophy.”
But there’s a patchwork of ownership and controlling interests. While Ogden Dunes owns the beach, the state of Indiana holds the land from the water’s edge to the ordinary high water mark in trust for the citizens of Indiana, according to the Department of Natural Resources. The Army Corps has control over the water’s surface, but the Park Service has jurisdiction within its property boundary — and regulates the area between the high water mark out 300 feet, according to Labovitz.
“You can fight about who owns it, really,” Meister said. “But there are stakeholders who have different goals.”
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‘Going storm to storm’
Lorelei Weimer, executive director of Indiana Dunes Tourism, said the extent of erosion damage became apparent a few years ago when a wheelchair-accessible ramp at the Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk area, one of the newest additions to Indiana Dunes National Park, landed in the water.
“And we realized we’ve got some issues going on,” Weimer said.
In November 2018, drone footage of the Portage lakefront showed a dune that could potentially be breached. Weimer said there was hope the dune could be protected.
“We wanted to make sure people understood we were not crying wolf,” said Weimer, who advocated for months at the statehouse to secure funding for a study of the shoreline and beach nourishment. “And the reality of it is this past November, that dune breached. And so now you’ve got this pavilion that’s sitting on this little island, and we’re certainly hoping that it’s not going to fall in the water.”
In nearby Beverly Shores, which was affected by the Michigan City Harbor, most homes were wiped out decades ago, and now “the lake is lapping at the road that’s behind," said Geof Benson, the president of the Beverly Shores Town Council.
Between 2012 and 2019, Beverly Shores’ beach lost about 3,000 dump trucks of sand, according to Troy.
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Beverly Shores is working with the Park Service, which owns the damaged land adjacent to the road.
“We’re not suing them,” Benson said. “That’s the biggest difference.”
National Park Service employees work on emergency erosion control at Lake View Beach in Beverly Shores, Indiana, on Feb. 12, 2020. The beach is scheduled to be closed unto at least May 1. The pink Florida Tropical House can be seen in the background. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)
Seawalls without revetments are failing, Benson said. There are talks about moving the Florida Tropical House, featured in Chicago’s 1933 World’s Fair, as water encroaches. The town has reached out to get quotes on what it would take to safeguard the road, which houses utilities. That could mean more debt.
“Maybe if somebody ever gets around to an emergency declaration, we might make some of it back,” he said.
Gov. Eric Holcomb signed an executive order in preparation for a declaration, and a website was created to report damage. But some residents are frustrated the state hasn’t declared an emergency.
“The value of what we’re going to lose could be a lot higher than the money to shore it up,” Weimer said.
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In Chicago, Gov. J.B. Pritzker issued a state disaster proclamation in February, allowing municipalities to apply for federal funding after a January storm caused $37 million in damages.
A declaration cannot occur unless infrastructure is damaged, according to the Indiana Department of Homeland Security, and the erosion is not tied to a single incident — presenting another obstacle.
Long-term interests, short-term needs
The high lake levels have forced the hand of stakeholders along the Great Lakes, said Troy, the Purdue professor. The challenge is balancing long-term interests with real short-term needs.
Beach nourishment is generally “a long-term process that leads to a healthy coast over longer periods of time,” Troy said. “And when you have houses that are threatening to fall into the lake, that requires more of an immediate solution. And I think that’s where a lot of the conflict is arising.”
If lake levels remain high, and storms continue to pummel the shoreline, there may only be more pressure to implement armoring structures, said Richard Norton, of the University of Michigan.
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“That’s going to just create more and more conflict,” Norton said. “Erosional processes are probably going to prompt more lawsuits around these harbor structures as property owners downdrift of them, more and more, are seeing erosion accelerated, and they want to find someone to help, take action.”
There’s also the potential for public nuisance claims, if neighbors pursue each other for armoring that accelerates erosion on nearby properties, Norton said, as well as possible public interest group litigation as beaches disappear.
Regardless of the outcome of the Ogden Dunes lawsuit, the one thing everyone agrees on is the need for a long-term solution. A study completed by the Army Corps in 2010 said protection structures will eventually need replacement as the shoreline erodes. But the next step, a viability study, is paused due to lack of funding and state support.
The most likely solution raised in the study involves a bypass piping system that would transfer dredged material from east to west near Ogden Dunes, according to David Bucaro, Army Corps outreach manager.
The national park name change led to a more than 80% increase in visitation, said Weimer, of Indiana Dunes Tourism, so a solution to protecting beaches is critical.
Deverell, of the National Parks Conservation Association, agreed a long-term solution is needed. “But we have to be careful,” he said. “Further developing the shoreline will only make the problem worse.”
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The Park Service released an environmental impact statement in 2014 about shoreline management for Indiana Dunes, Deverell said, “and as a national park, a natural shoreline is what is preferred.”
Labovitz said the park’s preferred solutions are beach nourishment — a key component of long-term planning. Short-term needs can mean protecting structures “that probably shouldn’t be there,” he said.
Solutions to stabilize coastlines can be challenging, Troy said. Drone surveys have shown that with water levels at current near-record highs, as much erosion can happen over one or two storms as you’d see in a few years.
“But these things do rebound naturally over time. So if the lake levels do go down, eventually if there’s sand available offshore, it will slowly make its way back onshore and rebuild the beach," Troy said. "But it’s not going to happen overnight. And for areas where infrastructure and property is threatened, the shoreline is not going to heal itself fast enough for those different things to be back to the way they were.”
An earlier version of the Burns Waterway harbors map has been updated.


chicagotribune--2020-03-06--As Chicago police flood CTA with cops, viral Red Line shooting underscores holes in training

As it stands , the department ’ s guidelines make no distinction between an officer drawing a gun while confronting @ @ @ @ @ lot and doing the same in the busy , confined spaces of CTA rail lines @ @ @ @ @ incident took place just as CPD was adding 50 officers to the ranks of the @ @ @ @ @ `` L '' network , virtually ensuring an increase in the kind of encounter that @ @ @ @ @

The Chicago Police Department does not specifically train officers on use of force and de-escalation methods for the city’s crowded CTA train system, a gap experts said has been magnified with the controversial shooting by police of an unarmed man after a struggle during rush hour in a downtown Red Line station.
As it stands, the department’s guidelines make no distinction between an officer drawing a gun while confronting a suspect in a vacant lot and doing the same in the busy, confined spaces of CTA rail lines. And the Red Line incident took place just as CPD was adding 50 officers to the ranks of the 200 who already patrol the "L" network, virtually ensuring an increase in the kind of encounter that touched off the shooting.
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In the Feb. 28 incident, two officers made a fateful choice. One shouted at his partner to shoot a man they had wrestled with, and she did — once as the suspect ran away from the cops up an escalator in the presence of startled commuters.
An image from video shows a Chicago police officer aiming her gun at a suspect after she and another officer appeared to struggle to handcuff the man at the Grand station on the CTA Red Line on Feb. 28, 2020. As the struggle continued, she appeared to fire the gun at him. Then another shot was fired as the man scrambles up the escalator. (Michael G. McDunnah)
Department leaders said the incident could spur adjustments in training.
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“That’s a possibility. We often look at our training in light of situations that arise," Daniel Godsel, deputy chief in charge of CPD’s police academy, told the Tribune this week.
Experts interviewed by the Tribune said the shooting points to several training deficiencies and also raises questions about preparing officers for posts with a high volume of interactions with the public.
“If you have officers that are going to be working in a particular space that has a higher than usual level of anything ... you want to have them better trained than the average officer,” said David Klinger, a professor of criminology and criminal justice at the University of Missouri at St. Louis.
The principles of current officer training can carry into different environments, Godsel said, and while officers aren’t trained for specific situations in the CTA rail system such as the one that emerged last month, they are expected to take the “totality of the circumstances” into account as they make decisions to use lethal force.
A police supervisor watches over a gathering of protesters at the CTA Red Line State and Lake station on March 4, 2020, in response to the police shooting of a man last week at the Grand station. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
“It would certainly have to do with the environment, such as a crowd of people,” said Godsel. “The officers have to be aware of their entire situation, the entire picture."
The incident also promises to be a test for the city’s four-month-old Force Review Board, a group mandated under reform to help the department address training or policy deficiencies that contribute to unnecessary uses of force against the public.
The CTA shooting is the most high-profile CPD shooting that board has handled, and is arguably among the most explosive videotaped incidents the department has grappled with since the 2014 killing of teenager Laquan McDonald — an incident that resulted in criminal charges and a second-degree murder conviction for Officer Jason Van Dyke.
Per a department general order, the board, which includes the superintendent and other department officials, evaluates incidents to see if actions by officers were “tactically sound and consistent with department training.” Interim Superintendent Charlie Beck on Wednesday stripped the two officers involved in the Red Line shooting of their police powers, and the incident is under criminal investigation by the Cook County state’s attorney’s office with assistance from the FBI.
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Reaction to the shooting by city officials was unusually swift and direct, perhaps driven by the availability of the cellphone video taken by a CTA customer. That included Mayor Lori Lightfoot calling it "extremely disturbing.”
In it, the officers involved can be seen wrestling with a man, 33-year-old Ariel Roman, and attempting to pin him to the floor of the Grand Red Line station and handcuff him. One of them repeatedly yells, “stop resisting,” and then says, “shoot him.”
Roman can be seen on the video getting up and staggering, as one of the officers fires her gun at him. Another shot can be heard as Roman darts up an escalator in the station, which was filling with late-afternoon commuters heading home from work on a Friday.
The chain of events began when the two officers, who both joined the department in 2017 and were assigned to the mass transit unit, saw Roman hopping from train car to train car — a city ordinance violation. Roman was expected to make a long recovery from being shot in the abdomen and buttocks, according to his lawyer.
Aside from the regular CPD training, officers assigned to mass transit detail do receive training from the CTA, officials said, but that training has nothing to do with use of force or de-escalation techniques for dealing with people who resist them in crowded stations.
Those officers receive "CTA rail-safety training to familiarize them with basic CTA rail operations and procedures," said Brian Steele, a CTA spokesman. "It’s a daylong training that involves both classroom and field instruction."
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CTA riders watch a group of protesters in the State/Lake Red Line subway station in response to the police shooting of a man last week at the Grand station. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Godsel said CPD’s regular training does include instruction on use of force and de-escalation in confined spaces, including confronting unruly suspects on CTA buses. Some of that training is applicable to the incident last week, he said.
“Generally speaking, when you refer to close quarters those techniques haven’t changed," Godsel said. "The training is still sound. And it’s still relevant. So that wouldn’t change.”
Beck has not specifically stated whether he expects changes to training after the videotaped shooting, and the department did not make him available for this story.
Experts who viewed the viral video of the encounter told the Tribune the officer who fired did not appear to justifiably shoot Roman, saying the handling of the confrontation was rife with tactical errors, including poor teamwork and should be cited in future department instruction.
“I want officers that know how to talk to people and calm people down,” Klinger said. "But also I want officers who are competent to engage physically with people and get them under control.
“And it appears to me ... setting aside the nature of this interaction in terms of how it came about, (once) the physical altercation goes down, you have to be able to do a better job than these two officers did.”
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Adam Bercovici, a security consultant and a former Los Angeles police lieutenant, said the two officers were "outmatched physically" by Roman during the struggle.
“They were exhausted so that could have affected their judgment as well,” Bercovici said.
Both use-of-force experts said the officer who discharged the shots made a bad decision to open fire when her partner was standing behind the suspect.
“If she misses, or if the bullet goes through the body of the suspect, her partner is going to be struck, so it just doesn’t make sense from a positional, tactical perspective," Klinger said. "Then the question of, what is the justification for pulling the trigger at that point?”
Klinger also found problems with the confrontation even before the actual shooting. For instance, as Roman wrestled with the male officer on the ground, one of his hands grasped that officer’s handcuffs as the cop tried to place them on Roman’s wrist. In that situation, Klinger said, the female cop should have stepped on his hand or tried to pry his fingers off the cuffs.
“It’s just a failure in terms of teamwork and in terms of a concerted effort based upon an understanding that we need to get control of the handcuffs and we need to get the handcuffs on this person,” said Klinger, a former police officer in Los Angeles and suburban Seattle.
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Godsel said CPD’s current training does stress using physical restraint against combative suspects to gain compliance.
“If an individual is fighting with a police officer, the officer has certain techniques and tools that that officer can respond with,” Godsel said.
For many years, CPD has struggled to adequately train its cops, including on when to use deadly force.
In a 2017 report on Chicago’s policing practices, the U.S. Justice Department found that CPD provided such poor training and supervision to its officers that, in some cases, those inadequacies led to police misconduct. The report’s findings helped eventually set into motion a federal court ruling requiring CPD to follow a consent decree to improve officer training and other policing issues.
But at the same time, the department on its own began boosting in-service training for officers. This year, officers will be required to undergo 32 hours of training and 40 in 2021, and in each year after that.
This includes scenario-based training on CPD’s revamped use-of-force policy, de-escalating tense encounters and dealing with people experiencing mental health crises and other issues.
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jgorner@chicagotribune.com
asweeney@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-03-06--Chicago police union president forced into runoff election against cop facing discipline for filing

Chicago police union president forced into runoff election against cop facing discipline for filing report on Eddie Johnson

Catanzara has a lengthy history of complaints filed against him in his 25 years as a Chicago cop .
Records @ @ @ @ @ he had at least 35 complaints against him through mid-2017 , many of them for @ @ @ @ @ s also been suspended several times in his career , and past superintendents have tried @ @ @ @ @ .

Kevin Graham faces a runoff in his bid for reelection as president of the union representing thousands of rank-and-file Chicago police officers after failing to garner more than 50% of the vote in a race with four other challengers.
Finishing in first place in Thursday’s election for president of Chicago Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7 was Officer John Catanzara, an outspoken critic of Chicago police leadership who is currently relieved of his police powers for a pending disciplinary matter. He finished with 2,639 votes, or 32.12% of the total vote, in his bid to replace Graham, according to sources briefed on the election results.
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Graham finished second with 2,095, or 25.50% of the vote, the sources said. Finishing third was Martin Preib, Graham’s second vice president and an ardent critic of the local media for its coverage of police misconduct issues who ended up with just 30 fewer votes than Graham.
More than 8,200 votes were tallied. Active and retired officers were eligible to vote.
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On Thursday night, Catanzara told the Tribune he was disappointed he couldn’t win the election outright with over 50% of the vote but was pleased that most of the other candidates on his ticket for other FOP positions were elected to their posts. Graham could not immediately be reached for comment.
The winner of the runoff will head the union’s negotiations for a new police contract, as the existing one expired about three years ago. When Graham was elected FOP president in 2017, the contract was under fire in the fallout over Laquan McDonald’s fatal shooting.
In its aftermath, a task force formed by then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel criticized the union contract for contributing to a “code of silence” that protects bad officers. Negotiations over the next contract, the task force wrote, should focus on removing current provisions that prevent people from filing anonymous complaints and force them to sign affidavits describing police misconduct.
The FOP’s relationship with Mayor Lori Lightfoot also got off to a rocky start. Last year, a hot mic at a City Council meeting captured Lightfoot calling Graham’s No. 2, First Vice President Patrick Murray, an “FOP clown." She later apologized and acknowledged it was inappropriate for her “to say that out loud.”
Catanzara on Thursday night said he’s willing to work with Lightfoot and get serious about contract negotiations with the city because he doesn’t want to see an independent arbitrator decide what goes in a police contract.
“The ball’s in her court,” he said of the mayor.
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Catanzara has been known as an outspoken critic of CPD's leadership and city government. He's been a mainstay at public meetings over the years, including monthly Chicago Police Board meetings where he's often chided police brass on myriad issues.
When the Tribune last year uncovered that CPD ran secret background checks on citizens who signed up to speak at Police Board meetings, Catanzara told the newspaper he felt the practice was “intrusive.” Lightfoot ordered an end to the controversial policy and requested the city’s government watchdog look into its origins.
“You should be told that your name will be ran for a background investigation prior to the meeting," Catanzara said at the time.
He is currently relieved of his police powers and under investigation by the department on allegations related to a 2018 police report he filed against then-police Superintendent Eddie Johnson. Catanzara accused him of breaking the law by allowing marchers onto the Dan Ryan Expressway that summer to protest city violence.
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Catanzara has a lengthy history of complaints filed against him in his 25 years as a Chicago cop. Records obtained by the Tribune show he had at least 35 complaints against him through mid-2017, many of them for personnel violations. He’s also been suspended several times in his career, and past superintendents have tried twice unsuccessfully to fire him.
In August 2008, then-Superintendent Jody Weis sought his firing on allegations that he did not follow orders to complete a psychological exam, according to Chicago Police Board records. But in February 2009, the board cleared Catanzara of wrongdoing in a 5-3 decision.
Three years later, then-Superintendent Garry McCarthy tried to fire him for working a side job as a security guard for a restaurant in the Old Town neighborhood when he was supposed to be on medical leave for a back injury.
The Police Board found him guilty of several Police Department violations, board records show. But instead of firing, the board in a 7-2 decision voted to suspend Catanzara for 20 days.
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The department in 2017 issued Catanzara a reprimand — among the lightest punishments a Chicago cop can face — for violating department rules that prohibit officers from participating in any partisan political campaign or activity while on duty.
In that case, he posted a photo of himself on Facebook in an apparent protest of NFL players who knelt during the national anthem at the start of games. The photo showed him in uniform holding an American flag as he stood in front of a marked Chicago police SUV.
Asked Thursday night what Catanzara might tell people who criticize him for his disciplinary history, he quipped, “Until you walk in someone (else’s) shoes, (you) probably should shut your mouth.”
Tribune reporter Jennifer Smith Richards contributed
jgorner@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-03-06--Prosecutors: Gunman posed with gun on social media hours after fatally shooting Humboldt Park man

After the car turned onto Springfield , Thomas pulled out a “ large , shiny gun ” and fired three @ @ @ @ @ toward Garfeed and two others , prosecutors said .
Two of the witnesses with Garfeed @ @ @ @ @ out .
One of them returned to the scene and found Garfeed barely breathing and @ @ @ @ @ authorities said .

Two hours after he fatally shot a weed dealer on a West Side corner this past Monday, prosecutors said the 20-year-old gunman posed with the murder weapon on social media, telling viewers he would sell the handgun because it “had bodies on it.”
Julius Thomas then told viewers on Facebook Live that he killed two people with the gun that resembled the handgun an eyewitness saw him use to shoot Diviris Garfeed, 30, authorities told a judge Thursday during a bail hearing at the Leighton Criminal Court Building.
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Judge Charles Beach II granted the prosecution’s request to deny bail for Thomas, who faces a first-degree murder charge for the 12:35 a.m. shooting in the 1000 block of North Springfield Avenue in the Humboldt Park neighborhood.
Julius Thomas, 20, faces first-degree murder charges for the March 2, 2020, shooting death of Diviris Garfeed, 30. (HANDOUT)
Authorities said surveillance video captured the deadly shooting, and that POD cameras and license plate readers led police to the getaway vehicle, a white Pontiac sedan registered to Thomas.
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In court, prosecutors said Thomas was the passenger in the Pontiac with another person driving when it pulled up to the corner of Augusta Boulevard and Springfield around 12:35 a.m.
Thomas asked Garfeed and one of two other people standing with him if they had $20 worth of marijuana. Garfeed told the car’s driver to pull over, authorities said.
After the car turned onto Springfield, Thomas pulled out a “large, shiny gun” and fired three shots through the open window toward Garfeed and two others, prosecutors said. Two of the witnesses with Garfeed fled as the shots rang out. One of them returned to the scene and found Garfeed barely breathing and bleeding from the head, authorities said.
Garfeed, of the 1000 block of North Springfield, was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, authorities said.
One of the witnesses identified Thomas from a photo array as the shooter, according to prosecutors. On the livestream, authorities said Thomas bragged that he “put two bodies” and a gang rival on the gun, meaning he’d killed the people. Thomas was also still wearing the same blue sweater that the witness had described to responding officers.
Thomas was arrested a day after the shooting at his home as he got into the Pontiac, prosecutors said. Inside the car, police recovered a single 9 mm shell casing that matched casings found at the shooting scene.
Thomas, of the 4400 block of West Fulton Street in West Garfield Park, had a 2018 conviction for aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and was sentenced to 18 months probation, according to court records.


chicagotribune--2020-03-06--Judge questions self-defense claim in fatal stabbing at Richard’s Bar: ‘What most bothers me were th

Judge questions self-defense claim in fatal stabbing at Richard’s Bar: ‘What most bothers me were the location of the stab wounds’

The attorney said Tansey was hospitalized for psychological treatment after the attack , which he said aggravated the trauma he @ @ @ @ @ of duty in Afghanistan .
Tansey served in the Marine Corps for five years and @ @ @ @ @ a military vehicle operator from 2012 to 2013 , according to a Marines spokeswoman .
@ @ @ @ @ of corporal before being discharged in 2013 , the spokeswoman said .
His LinkedIn page @ @ @ @ @ was at an asphalt paving company in Arlington Heights .

Diona Bueno, center, remembers her son Kenneth Paterimos as family and friends rally outside Richard's Bar on March 3, 2020, demanding justice in his death. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
It’s not clear what started the fight at Richard’s Bar, but a judge on Thursday cast doubts on an ex-Marine’s claims that he was acting in self-defense when he slashed and stabbed another man to death outside the West Town tavern last month.
“What most bothers me were the location of the stab wounds,” Judge Charles Beach II said during a hearing where he denied bail for Thomas Tansey, 30.
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Tansey is accused of stabbing Kenneth Paterimos in the back of the head, right ear, middle back, right collar bone and right arm after the two got into a fight inside the bar. The last wound severed an artery and caused Paterimos to bleed to death Feb. 21, according to prosecutors.
Thomas Tansey (Chicago Police Department)
Because “the bulk of the stab wounds” were to the back, the judge questioned whether Tansey and Paterimos were “mutual combatants,” adding that “proof was evident" Tansey had assaulted Paterimos, who was not armed.
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Tansey’s attorney Sam Amirante argued that the first-degree murder charges were not warranted because Paterimos was the aggressor, following Tansey out of the bar and continuing the fight after saying he would “kick (his) ass.”
He said he would keep pressing the court to reconsider the no-bail ruling. The next hearing is March 25.
[ His brother stumbled back into Richard’s Bar after being stabbed. He had to decide: ‘Do I hold my brother for his last dying breaths … or go find the guy who did this?’ ]
Paterimos’ family left the courtroom without comment. Earlier, they shouted with relief when bond was denied. They have questioned the handling of the case by both police and prosecutors because Tansey was initially released from custody because of his self-defense claim. Days later, an arrest warrant was issued and Tansey was taken into custody after he was released from a hospital.
During the hearing Thursday, prosecutors released new details of the deadly fight that started inside and spilled outside and ended when Paterimos collapsed, bleeding, as he tried to get back inside.
Paterimos had been at the bar celebrating with his brother and friends when he and Tansey began fighting, according to police and court records.
Family and supporters of Kenneth Paterimos, 23, walk in the lobby of the Leighton Criminal Court Building to a bond hearing for Thomas Tansey on Thursday, March 5, 2020. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)
“(Tansey) was severely intoxicated and was bumping into people inside the bar,” prosecutors said in a court document. He and Paterimos started punching each other and both fell to the floor, according to the document. “From all witnesses interviewed, it is unclear who started the fight.”
[ Mother greeted with locked doors and jeers as she demands justice for son killed outside Richard’s Bar. A day later, a suspect is arrested and charged. ]
Initial police reports said Tansey had yelled a homophobic slur at Paterimos, who was bisexual, but prosecutors made no mention of that Thursday and Assistant State’s Attorney James Murphy later said there is no evidence anything like that was said.
After patrons separated the two, Tansey yelled “something about ripping out (Paterimos') nose ring,” prosecutors said.
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Tansey walked out and, after a short time, Paterimos also left. “Witnesses saw that (Paterimos) was angry and that his friends were trying to calm him down,” prosecutors said in a court document. “(His) friends were trying to calm him down.” One witness said he heard Paterimos say he was going outside and “kick (Tansey’s) ass.”
Paterimos left the bar and began arguing with Tansey and soon the two were on the ground throwing punches, according to witnesses. A friend of Paterimos gave him a bear hug and pulled him off Tansey, but he too fell to the ground. Paterimos got up and started to run down Milwaukee Avenue as Tansey chased him, prosecutors said.
It’s not clear when Paterimos was stabbed, but he staggered back into the bar, bleeding, as Tansey continued walking on Milwaukee, prosecutors said. Paterimos’ brother “detained (Tansey) and disarmed him before police arrived.” A knife was recovered where witnesses said they saw Tansey place it.
In court, Tansey held his hands behind his back and said nothing.
Amirante, a former judge, argued that his client was attacked and followed outside by Paterimos. He said the media spotlight and false social media claims against his client put pressure on prosecutors to file criminal charges.
“Suddenly, because of these rumors, because of the pressure that was put on this case, he was charged," Amirante said.
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The attorney said Tansey was hospitalized for psychological treatment after the attack, which he said aggravated the trauma he experienced during his two tours of duty in Afghanistan. Tansey served in the Marine Corps for five years and was deployed in Afghanistan as a military vehicle operator from 2012 to 2013, according to a Marines spokeswoman. He rose to the rank of corporal before being discharged in 2013, the spokeswoman said. His LinkedIn page says his most recent employment was at an asphalt paving company in Arlington Heights.
Amirante also took issue with initial police reports that Tansey had yelled a homophobic slur at Paterimos. “There’s not one fact that indicated any homophobic action, thoughts, words, deeds — it had nothing to do with that,” Amirante told reporters after the hearing.
“This had nothing to do with any kind of slurs against anyone,” he added. “This was a fight in a bar.”
wlee@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-03-06--Ask Amy: Brother's cheating creates a wave of drama

Because there is a baby in the picture , the stakes are different now , and you might give your @ @ @ @ @ up '' by telling him , `` I just want you to know that the @ @ @ @ @ you 're cheating , I 'm not going to keep your secret for you .
@ @ @ @ @ to the woman , `` My brother has a history of cheating on his partners @ @ @ @ @ differently with you . ''

Dear Amy: My brother has recently fathered a child.
I love the baby, my brother, and the woman he is with. Except, it isn't one woman. It's never just one woman.
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My brother has a history of womanizing and being with many women at once.
My family and I usually grow attached to the primary woman he's with, only to have them hate us in the end because they find out about his cheating and we "never told them."
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I don't want that to happen with the mother of this baby, but how do I approach this?
On one hand, I say something to the poor girl, and I break my brother's trust.
On the other, if I don't say anything, I break her trust.
Either way, it seems I'm stuck in a tidal wave of drama. Is there a way I can at least lessen the storm?
— A Morally Confused Sister
Dear Morally Confused: You see this as a matter of trust-breaking -- or perhaps the other principals involved gaslight you into believing that you have a duty to either keep or disclose secrets. You are not in charge of policing your adult brother. You don't owe it to either party to tell -- or lie.
You have to imagine that the women your brother chooses must have some awareness of his womanizing, because -- presumably -- he is cheating on someone else when he takes up with them.
Because there is a baby in the picture, the stakes are different now, and you might give your wonderful brother a "heads up" by telling him, "I just want you to know that the next time I find out you're cheating, I'm not going to keep your secret for you." You could also say to the woman, "My brother has a history of cheating on his partners. I hope he behaves differently with you."
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Unfortunately, this does not keep you out of the tidal wave of drama -- it means you would be surfing on the first wave. And -- I assure you -- if you tell a woman your brother is cheating on her, she could find a way to blame you (or "hate" you), anyway.
Plant your family flag with this baby, and assume that at some point your brother will cheat. If you want (or feel forced) to declare your loyalty in order to maintain a close relationship with the child and its mother, you might say to him, "Um ... this time, I choose her."
Dear Amy: A few months ago, I offered to my 45-year-old niece our home for her wedding. This will be her third wedding and his second.
What I thought was going to be an afternoon ceremony with 50 attendees has turned into an evening ceremony with 90, followed by an outdoor party with a DJ and loud music into the wee hours.
While we would be issued an event permit, we will not be permitted to have a DJ play past 9 p.m. That hasn't phased my niece, who asked, "What would the police do, arrest me?" I told her at the very least they would cite my husband and me for noise violation.
We also have limited parking on our road. We can accommodate eight to 10 vehicles, but if 70 people show up, there will probably be 35 cars to find parking for.
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I discussed this all with our town's police chief (who issues the permits) and he said that he would be happy to do a walk-through with all of us next week.
Then there is the issue of porta-potty rental, the use of our small kitchen by the catering staff, etc.
The obvious answer here is to tell my niece and her fiancé that they will have to make other plans. Can you suggest how to do that?
— Anxious Aunt
Dear Aunt: Double-check your insurance policy. And then say, "I blame myself for not communicating this more emphatically earlier, but your wedding has outgrown our ability to host it. I think you'll have to find a professional event space."
Ask Amy Daily No-nonsense advice for better living delivered to your inbox every morning. By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our Subscriber Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy >
Do not delay. Do this now.
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Dear Amy: "Caring Friend" reported that her dear friend was about to enter into a "green card" same-sex marriage. I disagree with your response. These marriages are wrong, and illegal. This friend should call him out.
— Upset
Dear Upset: This so-called "green card" relationship was actually a genuine "love connection" -- at least on one man's part. I agree that there were many red flags here, but blaming and shaming wouldn't serve the greater good.
Get the latest no-nonsense advice for better living delivered to your inbox every morning with our Ask Amy newsletter. Sign up here.
(You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.)
Copyright 2019 by Amy Dickinson
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency


chicagotribune--2020-03-06--‘Tonight, it caught us’: Poor free-throw shooting dooms Loyola in a 74-73 overtime loss to Valparais

‘Tonight, it caught us’: Poor free-throw shooting dooms Loyola in a 74-73 overtime loss to Valparaiso in the MVC Tournament

No .
2 seed Loyola had other issues Friday in their 74-73 overtime loss to seventh-seeded Valparaiso in a Missouri @ @ @ @ @ none were as glaring as from the line .
The Ramblers missed 13 of 27 @ @ @ @ @ maker in a game that came down to the wire after they allowed the Crusaders @ @ @ @ @ 18-point second-half deficit .

Loyola coach Porter Moser believed in his players, of course. He praised their work ethic and potential.
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But he knew the Ramblers wouldn’t last. Not if they didn’t start making free throws.
It doesn’t take John Wooden to sense impending doom for a team that can’t make them.
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“We’ve been skating on thin ice for many, many games with this free-throw shooting,” Moser said. “Tonight, it caught us.”
No. 2 seed Loyola had other issues Friday in its 74-73 overtime loss to seventh-seeded Valparaiso in a Missouri Valley Tournament quarterfinal, but none as glaring as from the line. The Ramblers missed 13 of 27 attempts — an obvious difference maker in a game that came down to the wire after they allowed the Crusaders to charge back from an 18-point second-half deficit.
With a wide-open path for a second NCAA Tournament berth in three seasons after No. 8 seed Drake’s equally stunning upset of top-seeded Northern Iowa earlier in the day, the loss was especially disappointing for Loyola (21-11).
And it has the remaining teams in the tournament believing this is their year.
After No. 6 seed Missouri State’s 78-51 upset of No. 3 Indiana State in the nightcap Friday, the highest remaining seed is No. 4 Bradley. The Braves take on Drake at 2:35 p.m. Saturday, followed by Valpo-Missouri State at 5:05 p.m.
Arch Madness, indeed.
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These Ramblers didn’t have a conference player of the year as they did the last two seasons. They didn’t enter the conference tournament as the regular-season champions and No. 1 seeds, either, as they did the last two years.
Sister Jean Delores Schmidt, the 100-year-old team chaplain, was in the stands at the Enterprise Center cheering again. But something felt different.
The Ramblers arrived in St. Louis with something to prove after an unexpected semifinal loss in the tournament last season. With a host of newcomers and no senior in the top rotation, Loyola lived through a season of potential and pitfalls.
“I’m sad. I’m bummed. Just, I’m upset,” Moser said. “A lot of emotions going on right now, but I know I’ll reflect on just how proud I am of the guys. … It’s tough because now you’ve got to go in the offseason with that taste in your mouth.”
The Ramblers appeared poised to coast into the semifinals with an 18-point lead in the second half while they were shooting 57%.
But then they inexplicably let Valpo catch up.
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They held the Crusaders, whom they swept in the regular season in narrow victories, to 22 points and 33.3% shooting in the first half. But Valpo (18-15) outscored Loyola 46-32 in the second half and held the Ramblers to 1-of-10 shooting in overtime.
And those damn free throws.
The whiffs weren’t unexpected. Loyola’s 65.6% free-throw shooting entering the tournament ranked 315th out of 350 Division I teams. The Ramblers shot worse than 70% from the line in 23 games, with all but one of their losses coming in those instances.
It’s not as if it was only one or two players dragging down the average. Nobody on the team — except for deep reserve Bruno Skokna, who made 8 of 9 this season — shot even 70%.
“It just seemed like it got a little contagious,” Moser said. “That was a hard snowball to stop going downhill, no matter what we were trying. And they’re all capable (of making free throws).”
The unraveling loss overshadowed a brilliant performance from guard Keith Clemons, who scored a career-high 28 points. He had 17 points by halftime, and he hit 5 of 6 3-pointers during the game.
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Valparaiso deserves credit for making timely clutch shots to erase an 18-point deficit.
In regulation, John Kiser and Ryan Fazekas made back-to-back 3-pointers to tie the game 68-68 with 10.6 seconds left.
Donovan Clay’s layup with 1:39 left in overtime gave the Crusaders a 72-71 lead — their first since the opening minutes. Junior Cameron Krutwig made two free throws with 13 seconds left to give Loyola a one-point lead, but an Eron Gordon layup with 3 seconds left gave Valpo the win.
“This is a pretty big moment for us,” Valparaiso coach Matt Lottich said. “Loyola is a team we haven’t been able to beat.”
Loyola players said the loss stung, but they see a brighter future.
Everyone except Skokna, who didn’t play Friday, will return. Krutwig, a starter since his freshman season, will be a senior.
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“The faces change but the expectations don’t,” Krutwig said. “The good thing for us is we don’t have a lot of faces changing next year.”


chicagotribune--2020-03-06--About 200 people attend meeting to show support for Huntley High School employee who said he resigne

About 200 people attend meeting to show support for Huntley High School employee who said he resigned rather than face termination from job

Woo , who was not at the meeting , said earlier he resigned when he faced being terminated after a @ @ @ @ @ grabbing him by the hood of his sweatshirt and choking him as he dragged him @ @ @ @ @

Chong “John” Woo is a former Huntley High School security aide and athletic coach who said he resigned after a student accused him of choking him. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
About 200 people — many of them at times in tears — showed up at a school board committee meeting Thursday night to urge that the district rehire a former employee who said he resigned rather than face termination after an incident in the Huntley High School cafeteria.
Chong “John” Woo, who worked as a security aide and athletic coach, was described as a mentor, trusted friend and second father by those in the crowd.
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Students told Huntley Community School District 158 board members that Woo always smiled, checked how they were doing, was encouraging and gave out candy.
One student said the school feels empty since Woo resigned.
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Parents said they trusted Woo with their children.
Woo, who was not at the meeting, said earlier he resigned when he faced being terminated after a male student accused him of grabbing him by the hood of his sweatshirt and choking him as he dragged him out of the cafeteria.
Woo said he was trying to defuse a volatile situation during the Feb. 21 incident. He said two boys were encouraging a fight between a group of students by standing on chairs, pumping their fists and yelling “fight, fight.”
Woo has denied being excessive with the boys, and said he only touched them on the shoulders and escorted them out of the cafeteria in an effort to prevent a melee as hundreds of students began to gather.
District 158 said earlier this week that it cannot release details of the incident or of Woo’s departure.
School board President Michael Fleck said the board does not handle staff hiring and firing except for the job of superintendent.
Hiring and firing of certified and noncertified staff is handled by administrators, and the board gives its approval. In Woo’s matter, there still is an open investigation, he said.
“When controversial issues come before us, we can and will take more information before an employment decision is made,” Fleck said. “But if somebody voluntarily resigns, we won’t stand in the way of that decision.”
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However, he said the comments from the public do not “fall on deaf ears” and that the board would take them into consideration “as we move forward.”
Tammy Fabis, president of the Huntley Education Support Professionals Association, which is representing Woo, said Friday the board has been asked to rescind Woo’s resignation. She said the association hopes to clarify policies with the board.
“He absolutely would love his job back,” Fabis said.
Mike Doty, a parent and assistant football coach, said Woo has always been “for the students.”
“(Woo’s) goal is to coach (and) help students,” he said. “I am not here to pick on the students (involved in the incident), but to say I’m disappointed in them is an understatement.”
Doty, who said he works in law enforcement, said the boys incited a fight and that Woo “had to take action.”
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He said the situation was “fluid and fast, and (Woo) had to protect the students. He had to act … in order to protect students from a fight.”
Doty said it was loud, and Woo did not hear when an administrator told him to let go of the students.
“(Woo) has never lied in his life. (He) used reasonable force,” Doty said.
Doty said that in forcing Woo out of his job, the district has “empowered” students to think they can do “whatever they want,” a statement that drew a roaring round of applause.
Dana Wiley, parent of three students in the district, echoed Doty’s sentiments.
“We are enabling students to make poor choices,” Wiley said, adding that the district, by not standing behind Woo, is empowering students to “know there is no accountability.”
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“This case has cost the livelihood of a respected adult," she said.
On Friday, about a dozen students held a peaceful protest at the school in support of Woo, officials said.
Woo was cited by Huntley police with an ordinance violation and has a court date set for March 23. Though he said he was told the charge, a petty offense, would be dropped, as of Friday morning the case remained open in the McHenry County court records.
Amanda Marrazzo is a freelance reporter.


chicagotribune--2020-03-06--5 takeaways from Cubs spring training, including an update on Yu Darvish’s health and the end of Ben

5 takeaways from Cubs spring training, including an update on Yu Darvish’s health and the end of Ben Zobrist week

Ben Zobrist ’ s brief stint in camp ended Friday , and in an informal meeting with reporters he said @ @ @ @ @ in uniform while acting as a guest observer .
Zobrist said he won ’ t @ @ @ @ @ tends to his family but has no intention of announcing his retirement any time soon @

MESA, Ariz. — Five takeaways from Cubs spring training Friday:
1. Yu Darvish was worried that he had the new coronavirus.
Y Darvish threw 47 pitches in a simulated game Friday after being scratched Thursday with an illness. Darvish said he didn’t have a fever but was coughing after practice Wednesday and decided to see a doctor the next day.
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“I was just making sure I was good,” he said. “I don’t want to be in the clubhouse if I have the coronavirus or something like that, coming into the clubhouse and spreading it to everybody.”
Yu says he went to doctor after coughing and didn’t want to spread the Coronavirus in clubhouse if it was indeed there. It was not. He’s fine. pic.twitter.com/huE6lVeHTv — Paul Sullivan (@PWSullivan) March 6, 2020
Darvish said there was some miscommunication because of a translation of a tweet he wrote that said he was at a hospital. He actually was only at a doctor’s office.
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“We call everything a hospital in Japan,” he said. “It’s not a big thing in Japan, so that’s why I tweeted it in Japanese, and you guys translated from Google translation.”
Asked if he was frightened for his friends back in Japan, he replied: “I don’t have any friends in Japan. I don’t know what’s going on there except for (what he reads on) the internet.”
Informed that Darvish said he didn’t want to bring the coronavirus into the clubhouse, Jon Lester deadpanned: “That’s nice of him.”
Darvish said pitching in a simulated game “feels weird” to him, but his health was fine afterward. He remains on track to be the opening-day starter if called upon.
2. Kris Bryant is excited to go home to Las Vegas.
Manager David Ross is giving Kris Bryant an extra day off in his hometown of Las Vegas, where the Cubs begin a two-game series Saturday against the Reds.
Bryant has a doctor’s visit planned Tuesday with his wife, Jessica, who is expecting a boy in April. He told the Marquee Sports Network last week he feels as though he was “put on this Earth” to be a father.
“This (baseball) stuff doesn’t matter to me anymore,” he said. “It does, and of course you want to win, and I’m always going to play as hard as I can, but …”
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Bryant said he always has been envious watching his teammates bring their kids to the clubhouse.
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“It’s hard to not picture that,” he said. “Me and my wife have been together since high school, so it’s a long time coming for us.”
3. Ben Zobrist ended a quiet week in Cubs camp.
Ben Zobrist’s brief stint in camp ended Friday, and in an informal meeting with reporters he said he wound up not dressing in uniform while acting as a guest observer. Zobrist said he won’t play this season while he tends to his family but has no intention of announcing his retirement any time soon.
Invited to camp by Ross, Zobrist said he was happy to return and wants to keep up his relationship with the team. Though he lives in Nashville, Tenn., Zobrist still plans to spend some time in Chicago this summer and said he’ll be at Wrigley Field occasionally.
4. Jon Lester turned in his second straight effective outing.
Lester allowed one run on four hits in 2⅔ innings in a 6-3 loss to the White Sox, striking out six and issuing two walks against a full lineup. He was pleased with the results.
“I know it’s spring training, I know we always say we don’t care about results,” he said. “But at the end of the day I don’t want to give up hits or runs. ... But facing a lineup like that, where you know guys and I’ve had past experiences with guys, it can give you positive feedback as far as your stuff.”
5. The first roster cuts of spring took place.
The Cubs made 11 cuts from camp, including optioning Robel Garcia and Tyson Miller to Triple-A Iowa and Justin Steele and Manuel Rodriguez to Double-A Tennessee. They have 51 players remaining in camp with a little more than two weeks left.


chicagotribune--2020-03-06--‘The stuff was good’: White Sox ace Lucas Giolito takes a step forward in his 1st start of the sprin

‘The stuff was good’: White Sox ace Lucas Giolito takes a step forward in his 1st start of the spring

“ All we ’ re looking for is to make sure that he leaves the spring healthy , which he @ @ @ @ @ up as much as we possibly can , use whatever means necessary to meet that @ @ @ @ @ Rick Renteria said before the game .
“ We want him to get his feet @ @ @ @ @ get on that mound .
...
There ’ s nothing in our mind that he @ @ @ @ @ for us on opening day .
”

MESA, Ariz. — Lucas Giolito wanted to feel comfortable working at game speed. He also wanted his pitches to be in the strike zone.
The right-hander accomplished both Friday against the Cubs in his first outing of the spring.
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Giolito pitched one scoreless inning at Sloan Park. He hit one batter and had one strikeout while throwing 15 pitches.
“It was good overall, working ahead in the count,” Giolito said. “Unfortunately I hit (Kyle Schwarber) but working back into a count to end up striking out Willson (Contreras). So that was a good experience. In a short outing, I got to experience a few things to get back to game speed.”
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Giolito had been slowed this spring by a strained muscle in the rib-cage area. He said he felt “great” physically after Friday’s outing.
“I wasn’t going to go out there and step on the gas 100% as far as body-intensity wise,” Giolito said. “I was pitching with intensity, but the big thing was feeling things out and making sure I was controlling myself as the game sped up, which I thought I did a pretty good job of. I thought the stuff was good, pretty much fastball and a couple of changeups. We’ll keep working.”
Giolito enjoyed working with Yasmani Grandal for the first time. Grandal, who had been hampered by a mild left calf strain, also was playing in his first Cactus League game with his new team.
“He presents a great target, very relaxed back there," Giolito said. “We didn’t get deep into sequencing and things like that. ... I was a fan of the 3-2 changeup call for sure (on Contreras). ... But we’re going to keep working, for sure.”
1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 K for @LGio27 in his 2020 Cactus League debut. pic.twitter.com/AYUfulD1mT — Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) March 6, 2020
Giolito said he threw about 10 more pitches in the bullpen after his outing.
“All we’re looking for is to make sure that he leaves the spring healthy, which he is, and build him up as much as we possibly can, use whatever means necessary to meet that criteria,” Sox manager Rick Renteria said before the game. “We want him to get his feet wet (Friday) and get on that mound. ... There’s nothing in our mind that he won’t be ready for us on opening day.”
Giolito has no concerns about being ready.
“I’m just going to keep progressing nicely here,” Giolito said. “First game back, always a little bit of adrenaline. We had a lot of fun with it and now we go ahead and pitch in five days and keep building up.”
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Roster moves: The Sox optioned pitcher Matt Foster to Triple-A Charlotte, while pitchers Dane Dunning and Jimmy Lambert were optioned to Double-A Birmingham. Pitchers Ryan Burr, Jonathan Stiever and Hunter Schryver and infielder Matt Skole were reassigned to minor-league camp.
General manager Rick Hahn said Stiever is dealing with “a little muscle strain in the forearm.”
“There’s no long-term concern,” Hahn said. "It was viewed as, ‘Let’s let him rest for two to three weeks and then start ramping him back up.’ Because of those two to three weeks, he’s probably going to be a little bit behind to start the season, but long term we don’t have any concerns right now, knock on wood.”
The Sox have 60 players remaining in major-league camp: 32 pitchers, six catchers, 11 infielders and 11 outfielders.
José Abreu blasts his first of the spring! pic.twitter.com/dNFWHEXYgW — Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) March 6, 2020
White Sox 6, Cubs 3: Jose Abreu and Adam Engel both hit two-run homers in the victory. Luis Robert went 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Grandal went 0-for-2 with a walk.


chicagotribune--2020-03-06--'I wanted to be with this team’: Yoan Moncada officially agrees to a 5-year, $70 million extension w

'I wanted to be with this team’: Yoan Moncada officially agrees to a 5-year, $70 million extension with the White Sox

“ And then understanding he can be aggressive early in the count .
Still be able to work counts , @ @ @ @ @ just had tremendous growth .
On top of that , looking at him playing third @ @ @ @ @ had a chance .
I know that was the next question we had last year @ @ @ @ @ him from second to third ?
Was he going to be able to do it @ @

MESA, Ariz. — Nomar Mazara walked over to Yoan Moncada in the White Sox clubhouse Friday morning and greeted the third baseman with a congratulatory handshake.
Moments later, Alex Colome did likewise.
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Moncada had plenty of reasons to celebrate after officially coming to terms on a five-year, $70 million extension with the Sox.
The contract includes one club option that could extend the deal through the 2025 season.
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“It was a good opportunity," Moncada said through an interpreter. “It was a good opportunity that showed up, and you have to take advantage of the opportunities when they present (themselves), and that’s what I did.
"I wanted to be with this team too. That’s another factor. With all this happening, I can say I’m going to play alongside (left fielder) Eloy (Jimenez) and (center fielder) Luis Robert for a very long time, and that’s going to be a key for the success of this team.”
𝙈𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙈𝙤𝙣𝙘𝙖𝙙𝙖.
The Chicago White Sox have agreed to terms on a five-year, $70-million contract with third baseman Yoán Moncada, plus one club option that could extend the deal through the 2025 season. pic.twitter.com/hwDEwB2P48 — Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) March 6, 2020
Moncada will receive a $4 million signing bonus, $1 million in 2020, $6 million in 2021, $13 million in 2022, $17 million in 2023 and $24 million in 2024. The Sox hold an option for $25 million in 2025, with a $5 million buyout.
General manager Rick Hahn said negotiations had been going on for less than two weeks. Moncada, 24, said he was happy to have a deal behind him.
“My focus this year is on baseball, it doesn’t matter what happened with this contract," Moncada said. "If it didn’t happen, I would still have my focus on this season, but of course it’s good to have this done ... because as I said before, I have big plans for this season. I’m expecting to have a way better season than I had last year.”
The switch-hitter slashed .315/.367/.548 with 34 doubles, five triples, 25 home runs, 79 RBIs, 83 runs and 10 stolen bases in 132 games in 2019. He finished third in the American League in average behind teammate Tim Anderson (.335) and the Yankees’ DJ LeMahieu (.327).
He went 3-for-4 with an RBI and scored a run Friday in the Sox’s 6-3 victory against the Cubs at Sloan Park.
Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 32 White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)
“He’s got a special understanding of the strike zone, one that potentially got him in a little bit of trouble in 2018 and then led to a 2019 where he was a little more aggressive," Hahn said. "The ultimate peak Yoan Moncada is probably somewhat a little in between those two approaches over the course of a season.
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"Certainly not as passive as 2018, and probably in the future, using that awareness of strike zone and selectivity a little bit above where it was last year. If he winds up being the same guy he was last year, that’s a pretty darn good player and one that certainly deserves MVP consideration, as he got in 2019.”
Moncada improved his average 80 points from 2018, the fourth-best jump in franchise history, while cutting his strikeouts from 217 to 154. Defensively, he made the transition from second base to third.
“The work ethic has been there,” Sox manager Rick Renteria said. "He actually has stepped it up a notch. More than anything it’s just focus. He’s understanding the things he needs to do in order to continue to improve. He certainly made adjustments. That was a big swing for him in terms of in particular strikeouts.
“And then understanding he can be aggressive early in the count. Still be able to work counts, get on base. He just had tremendous growth. On top of that, looking at him playing third base, you realize he had a chance. I know that was the next question we had last year — what if we moved him from second to third? Was he going to be able to do it?”
This makes us very excited. pic.twitter.com/OKUsS8JgEd — Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) March 6, 2020
Moncada is the latest member of the Sox young core to sign a long-term deal recently.
Last spring, the Sox reached a six-year, $43 million deal with Jimenez. They came to terms with Robert on a six-year, $50 million contract Jan. 2. And they announced a five-year, $16 million extension with reliever Aaron Bummer on Feb. 22.
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“This team has a lot of young talent," Moncada said. "Part of that is we all can be able to carry this team to win a World Series championship. That’s our goal, but definitely the talent that we have right now is something that makes you feel excited.”


chicagotribune--2020-03-06--Long before fatal stabbing, Richard’s Bar was already a Chicago legend — for better and for worse

Richard ’ s Bar , unsurprisingly , is known as a place to play by its own rules .
In @ @ @ @ @ , it remains a place to light up — despite the yellowed handwritten sign taped @ @ @ @ @ reads , “ No Smoking.
” And sure enough , a thick smoky embrace awaited @ @ @ @ @ crowd — a lawyer , a guy covered in tattoos , another lawyer .
Two @ @ @ @ @ ceiling did little to help .
No one seemed to mind .

The world around Richard’s Bar has changed in its 90-plus years, from blue collar to sleekly new: polished restaurants like The Dawson and Piccolo Sogno, gleaming apartment towers and rehabbed office buildings. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
Editor’s note: When city officials confirmed Thursday that they are investigating whether Richard’s Bar flouted coronavirus guidelines, longtime patrons of the tavern would be forgiven for not being surprised. As Josh Noel wrote back in March when Richard’s was in the headlines for a fatal stabbing outside its doors, Richard’s is a dive bar with an outlaw reputation.
Like any self-respecting Chicago dive bar doubling as a civic institution, Richard’s Bar opens most days at 8 a.m.
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In a 2001 letter to the editor, a Chicago Tribune reader explained that he and a group of friends took advantage of those early hours to “have our morning coffee and fruit juice” while reading the newspaper “from cover to cover,” sharing whatever oddities they came across.
Their informal name? “The Richard's Bar Breakfast Club.”
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Richard’s Bar picks up significantly in the evening, transcending its dive bar reputation. Much like the city itself, the world around Richard’s has changed. Blue collar has turned sleekly new: polished restaurants like The Dawson and Piccolo Sogno, gleaming apartment towers and rehabbed office buildings.
Richard’s winds up attracting a broad swath of Chicago: the old guys earlier in the day, followed by a youthful post-work crowd, drinkers fueling up ahead of trendier stops in Wicker Park and Logan Square, and plenty of cops, lawyers, politicians and the occasional pro athlete.
The cooler at Richard's Bar says drink and be happy on Feb. 13, 2020, in Chicago. (Gina Cangiolosi)
It’s the kind of bar that doesn’t need anything on tap — and Richard’s has nothing on tap. It’s just bottles and cans in glass-door refrigerators and liquor bottles huddled together against the mirrored wall behind the bar. Most beers cost $3, though the real deal is Tecate: $2 cans or six of them for $7. Hard-boiled eggs, strangely enough, cost 75 cents.
Despite entrances from both Milwaukee and Grand avenues, it’s a cozy room. There are just 14 stools at the bar. A revered jukebox is crammed with legends (Aretha, the Stones, Sinatra) and walls are covered with images of still more legends (Capone, Marilyn and, yes, Sinatra). One restaurant reviewer summed up the merits of Richard’s simply: “Cheap drinking at (a) loveable dive.”
There’s a reason that Richard’s inspired the first book of photojournalism from legendary fashion and portrait photographer Victor Skrebneski — and it’s not the beer. That book, released in 2007, was simply called “Richard’s Bar.” (Skrebneski, who is 90, was not available for comment.)
But even before being thrust into the headlines last month with the stabbing death of 23-year-old Kenneth Paterimos — and then again this week when the bar declined to let Paterimos’ mother in to pray and demand justice for her son’s killing — Richard’s Bar has nursed a more sordid history.
Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 11 Diona Bueno, center, remembers her son Kenneth Paterimos as family and friends rally outside Richard's Bar on March 3, 2020, demanding justice in his death. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
[ Judge questions self-defense claim in fatal stabbing at Richard’s Bar: ‘What most bothers me were the location of the stab wounds’ ]
According to the Illinois Liquor Control Commission, Richard’s Bar is owned by Susan Dominic, sister of reputed mob associate Robert “Bobby” Dominic. There are conflicting reports about Robert Dominic’s ownership of the building, which houses not only Richard’s Bar but La Scarola, a well-regarded Italian restaurant, and the Acacia, an single room occupancy hotel on the second and third floors.
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According to legend and lore — stories spread across the internet — both Richard’s Bar and La Scarola have been places for, shall we say, certain business meetings. The large “Goodfellas” banner hanging in Richard’s Bar doesn’t do much to dissuade such talk. That talk even makes it into some of Richard’s five-star Yelp reviews. For some customers, it’s part of the allure.
Susan Dominic, who has owned the bar since 2005 according to the city’s Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection, declined to comment.
“I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but I don’t have anything to say,” she said. “It’s coming from all directions right now.”
A large "Goodfellas" banner hangs in Richard's Bar on Feb. 13, 2020, in Chicago. (Gina Cangiolosi)
Richard’s Bar, unsurprisingly, is known as a place to play by its own rules. In the era of smoke-free Chicago, it remains a place to light up — despite the yellowed handwritten sign taped up behind the bar that reads, “No Smoking.” And sure enough, a thick smoky embrace awaited the meager Thursday early afternoon crowd — a lawyer, a guy covered in tattoos, another lawyer. Two spinning fans in the tin ceiling did little to help. No one seemed to mind.
[ Mother greeted with locked doors and jeers as she demands justice for son killed outside Richard’s Bar. A day later, a suspect is arrested and charged. ]
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Richard’s has been fined several times in recent years by the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection: $1,000 in 2015 for a smoking violation and failure to cooperate with police when an employee refused to provide identification; $1,000 in 2013 for selling tobacco to a minor and $50 for a receipt violation; and $2,400 in 2008 for smoking and occupancy violations.
Richard’s Bar has been a bar since 1926, according to the Chicago Reader, and once was named Tischer’s Tavern. Under that name, it was the site of another grisly event: In 1976, two men who had met in federal prison embarked on an armed robbery spree that led them to Tischer’s. During a holdup, Martin Canelo — who, like Paterimos, was 23 — was shot and killed.
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Lee Martin, 94, right, tends bar on Oct. 3, 2006, at Richard's as Bob Butterfield, left, stops in for a mid-day brew. (Chris Walker/Chicago Tribune)
In the early 1990s, Tischer’s Tavern was renamed Richard’s Bar and routinely garnered such superlatives as “legend” and “Chicago institution.” Among its characters was 40-year employee Leslie “Lee” Martin, who, in 2006, at the age of 94, proclaimed himself to be “probably the oldest bartender in Chicago." He worked the morning shift at Richard’s and remained behind the bar until at least the age of 97. (Martin has since died.)
No list of Chicago’s best dive bars would be complete without Richard’s, and it does in fact appear on page 53 of that very book, “Chicago’s Best Dive Bars: Drinking and Diving in the Windy City,” a slim paperback published in 2005.
It’s always been difficult to crack the code on Richard’s — which undoubtedly accounts for some of its fandom over the years. As Jonathan Stockton, author of “Chicago’s Best Dive Bars,” wrote, he had trouble getting much historical information from “Richard’s tight-lipped bartenders.”
“I suppose in time you could crack them, but I wouldn’t call it time well spent,” Stockton wrote. “And who wants to wear cement shoes at the bottom of the lake.”
jbnoel@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-03-05--Why Winona Ryder says ‘The Plot Against America’ is ‘incredibly timely’ in the Trump era

`` Obviously a lot has been weighing on all of our minds .
The whole fear of 'the other ' @ @ @ @ @ , what 's happening at the border , all of that is so outrageous and @ @ @ @ @ years has been such a mind boggling like nightmare in so many ways , '' @ @ @ @ @ I think about this project , it makes me want to speak out and do @ @ @ @ @ way to do that right now is to vote . ''

For a series entitled "The Plot Against America," viewers can't help but think about how the story could resonate with today's turbulent political climate ahead of the 2020 elections.
"We know what happened in WWII, we know what the Holocaust was, we know what America first meant in 1940 and what was at stake," creator David Simon told Variety on the red carpet for the show's premiere at Florence Gould Hall on Wednesday night. "The 'othering' that's going on right now in this country quite obviously is the misuse and abuse of people of color, black and brown people, immigrants, people from Muslim countries, people who are Islamic. That's now the cohort that is fundamentally happening in America."
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The show, based on the 2004 novel by Philip Roth of the same name, portrays an alternate history in which legendary aviator Charles Lindbergh defeats Franklin Roosevelt for the presidency in the 1940s, turning the country into anti-semitic fascist regime. While some Jewish characters in the series, like John Turturro's Rabbi Lionel Bengelsdorf, are in support of Lindbergh and his policies; some detest him, including Zoe Kazan's Elizabeth Levin; and some are complacent, like David Krumholtz's Monty Levin, a glaring polarization in the era of President Donald Trump.
Winona Ryder, who plays Evelyn Finkel, carried a worn, hard copy of one of Roth's books on the carpet, declaring that he has "always been" her favorite writer. In addition to the combination of Roth and working with old friend David Simon, Ryder explained that she signed on to the series because the story is "so incredibly timely."
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"Obviously a lot has been weighing on all of our minds. The whole fear of 'the other' in the eyes of fascism, what's happening at the border, all of that is so outrageous and I think the last few years has been such a mind boggling like nightmare in so many ways," Ryder said. "When I think about this project, it makes me want to speak out and do whatever I can and the way to do that right now is to vote."
“I think this show is so much more about psychology of the victim than it is about the tyranny of the perpetrator,” Krumholtz added. “It was not unlike a lot of [my] friends that have chosen to not take the alarmist route, to sort of keep their heads down and be grateful for the things they do have.”
In terms of the upcoming election, Morgan Spector, who plays Herman Levin, says he's supporting Bernie Sanders.
“I think the problems that we’re facing are enormous and they require state scale solutions. Climate change cannot be solved by individuals recycling or driving electric cars. It has to be solved by states acting together to address what is an absolute crisis,” Spector said. “When I see the Democratic Party consolidating around a candidate [Joe Biden] who basically has, I don’t think really an interest in dealing with that problem or considering it, I find it absolutely terrifying.”
“The Plot Against America” hits HBO on March 16.


chicagotribune--2020-03-05--Storied FitzGerald’s nightclub in Berwyn sells to Chicago entertainment veteran

Bill was an Oak Park house painter in his 20s when got the idea to run a music venue in @ @ @ @ @ at 6615 W. Roosevelt Road .
He closed on it March 20 , 1980 , @ @ @ @ @ evolved into Chicago ’ s leading American roots music venue , for many years the @ @ @ @ @ you could see alternative country greats from Austin , Texas , Cajun and zydeco legends @ @ @ @ @ and , still , on Sundays , the big band jazz that was the club @ @ @ @

Former owners Bill and Kate FitzGerald, far left and far right, stand on either side of new owner Will Duncan outside FitzGerald's Nightclub, March 2, 2020, in Berwyn. (Erin Hooley/Chicago Tribune)
Earlier this week, an almost-1-year-old crawled around on the bar at FitzGerald’s nightclub, the storied roots music roadhouse in Berwyn. His nearly 3-year-old brother stood on the stage and sang his ABCs into a microphone still set up from the big band jazz performance the night before.
And why shouldn’t they? Their dad was about to own the joint.
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Founding proprietor Bill FitzGerald and the kids’ father, Will Duncan, a Chicago restaurant and club veteran, finished signing the papers Wednesday that sealed the sale of the 40-year-old music venue on Roosevelt Road to Duncan, both parties said.
The sale, and a kind of stealth farewell party at the club planned for Wednesday night, ended a 2½-year search for a new FitzGerald’s owner who could handle the challenging live music business and see the value in the quirky, three-building property where the owner and his name and presence have been as important as the music bookings or the beers on tap.
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“My plans are to honor the history and preserve the legacy — the energy, the soul of the place, whatever you want to call it,” said Duncan, who turned 40 on Tuesday and recently resigned as beverage director for 16” on Center, the restaurant and club business that includes Thalia Hall, Dusek’s, Empty Bottle, Longman & Eagle and others. He will retain a “very, very small partnership” in the company’s Thalia Hall building businesses and its Moneygun and Saint Lou’s Assembly, he said.
“I’m just going to come over here and unlock the door and open, and I think that the community and the regular customers will recognize the staff and recognize the place and recognize a lot of what’s going on in the music calendar, and it’ll feel pretty familiar,” Duncan said.
In addition to retaining the club name and the approximately 25 staff, including head of music Donnie Biggins, plus the schedule of music festivals, Duncan said he plans to be a hands-on presence at the club in the same way FitzGerald has been, ever ready to repair a broken tap line or suggest an overly talkative patron take it to the patio outside.
[ After selling, Bill FitzGerald says farewell to his namesake music club ]
The sale price was undisclosed, but the original asking price was over $2 million, according to the broker FitzGerald worked with when he first put the place on the market.
Duncan said he is sole proprietor, with his name on the title, but backed by “a large pool of investors” he would not name.
“We couldn’t think of a better person to be taking over,” said Kate FitzGerald, 62, happy that she and her 67-year-old husband will get to retire to their Mississippi River fixer-upper in southwestern Wisconsin.
It was Kate who came up with the wording for Wednesday night’s “March Forth Open House,” a billing that would let people read between the lines and figure out something was up.
“As you know unless you’re on another planet,” the listing said, “we have offered the club for sale for a while now. Is it sold? NO. When will it happen? Who can say? That being the case we decided to just have a party anyway!”
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So in front of family and friends in the audience, along with those who just saw the free double bill of Expo ‘76 and Blackfoot Gypsies and thought it sounded like a great show on a Wednesday night, Bill said he planned to stand on stage to deliver a farewell.
Outside in the tent that frequently covers the parking lot between the three buildings — club, Sidebar and the space leased by Capri Ristorante — a slideshow will play photos from FitzGerald’s history and clips from the five films that have shot there. The musical-note mural painted for 1992’s “A League of Their Own” still serves as the main stage backdrop.
Bill FitzGerald speaks about his career in live music and his retirement from FitzGerald's nightclub. (Chris Sweda/ Chicago Tribune/Chicago Tribune)
Bill was an Oak Park house painter in his 20s when got the idea to run a music venue in the former Deer Lodge, at 6615 W. Roosevelt Road. He closed on it March 20, 1980, he recalled, and it evolved into Chicago’s leading American roots music venue, for many years the only place in town where you could see alternative country greats from Austin, Texas, Cajun and zydeco legends from Louisiana, blues giants and, still, on Sundays, the big band jazz that was the club’s heritage.
All of it happened in an intimate, woody room where a deer head hung on the wall and the feel was more Wisconsin hunting lodge than grungy rock club.
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Roots music hero Dave Alvin, a mainstay at the FitzGerald’s annual summer American Music Festival, the area’s longest running independent music fest, called the place “legendary” when he first heard it was up for sale.
Chicago singer-songwriter Robbie Fulks said, “It was more than a venue because it felt authentic, and it was authentic. It wasn’t playing at being a roadhouse. It was a roadhouse.”
It’s been a long road to finding a buyer. Since the club went on the market in mid-2017, a number of potential new owners have come in to kick the tires, and some have come closer to a purchase than others, the FitzGeralds recalled Monday afternoon, seated at one of the long, thin wooden tables that Bill salvaged and refinished himself.
“In every case I think they just didn’t quite have enough money or business plan together to pull the strings," FitzGerald said.
Duncan, seated with them to talk about the property transfer, said he was immediately interested, but it took a while to get from Point A to Point C, including a little time off for him and wife Jessica King, a charter school assistant principal in Chicago, to have their second son.
A friend brought him to FitzGerald’s for the first time about 15 years ago, he recalled, for a bill that included the Waco Brothers, and “it was instantly recognizable as a special place.”
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When news of it being for sale came out, it “rippled throughout” the club business in the city, he said. That coupled with a family move to Elmhurst led him to begin thinking seriously about an offer.
He’d come to the club various nights to check it out, he said, including bringing a knowledgeable friend to the American Music Fest.
“It was this series of a hundred little signals and messages and, you know, having little wins along the way,” he said. “I started writing a business plan. I started to like the way that it looked. I got some feedback from family and friends and professionals, and I spruced (the business plan) up. And every time I spent time here was a little win and another little signal.
“Walking out of Sidebar at midnight on a Wednesday after seeing some incredible jazz and having a delicious (bartender) Isaac (Lyons) cocktail and just being able to picture it, you know, and it just feeling right. And that just kind of kept happening.”
Monday afternoon, he brought his kids to see the place for the first time and to get some photos taken with his family and with the FitzGeralds and Bill’s siblings, who have been part of the club’s life through the years. Those kids were under strict adult supervision while exploring the new place, he wanted people to know.
Duncan came in for public criticism in 2018, when waitress Sarah Joanou was fired from Punch House, downstairs in the building that houses the Pilsen club Thalia Hall and restaurant Dusek’s. She posted about what she deemed an unfair firing by Duncan and 16″ on Center principal Bruce Finkelman, and it resonated for a time in social media circles.
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Duncan would not discuss specifics of that incident but said the company greatly improved its HR practices afterward, as it reportedly fired the Dusek’s and Punch House general manager.
He expects to take the lessons learned to his new venture, Duncan said this week. “We learned a lot, and some good work has been put in and it’s given me a really good kind of North Star as I proceed," he said, "to be damn sure that everyone I work with going forward is going to have a fantastic employee experience.”
sajohnson@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @StevenKJohnson


chicagotribune--2020-03-07--Girls find cop’s gun in elementary school washroom; internal affairs probing

Three girls alerted staff at Catherine Cook Elementary School , 226 W Schiller St. , about 2:30 p.m. , when @ @ @ @ @ the women ’ s washroom , said Officer Anthony Spicuzza , a spokesman for the @ @ @

An internal investigation has been opened after three elementary school students found a Chicago police officer’s gun in a school washroom Friday in the Old Town neighborhood.
Three girls alerted staff at Catherine Cook Elementary School, 226 W. Schiller St., about 2:30 p.m., when they found the gun in the women’s washroom, said Officer Anthony Spicuzza, a spokesman for the Chicago police.
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Security staffers secured the gun, which did not discharge, at the school, and the school filed a police report.
Chicago police learned the gun belonged to a Chicago police officer who had been working off-duty for Catherine Cook school as a security officer, Spicuzza said.
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“An internal investigation has been opened” by Chicago police, Spicuzza said.
“There will be some type of discipline,” Spicuzza said, adding that no one was injured. “Obviously, it could have been way worse.”