chicagotribune--2020-02-17--Column: A new day dawns for the Cubs as David Ross begins to change the vibe and Kris Bryant clears

Column: A new day dawns for the Cubs as David Ross begins to change the vibe and Kris Bryant clears the air with Theo Epstein

“ I think what ( Baez ) is saying is good .
But the thing is , we ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ these things the last two years and we haven ’ t really acted on it @ @ @ @ @ for us to talk about things , and we ’ re all guilty of it @ @ @ @ @ , speak up .
Have a little more communication .
... We ’ ve all @ @ @ @ @ we all know each other .
That ’ s a good thing and a bad @ @ @

MESA, Ariz. — With the whole gang in camp Monday morning at the Nike Performance Center, first-year Cubs manager David Ross delivered the speech he probably had rehearsed in his head for years.
Players listened intently to Ross’ message, the first time he really talked to the group as a manager instead of as a friend and ex-teammate, and the room was quiet.
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How did they react?
Kris Bryant said it was unlike anything he had ever heard.
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“I wanted to run through a wall,” he said. “Obviously I’ve played with him and seen the intensity, but to see how he is as a manager … I don’t even know how to describe it. It was one of the best speeches I’ve heard from anybody in this organization.
“Theo (Epstein) gave a really good one too. Just completely different sides from them, which I totally appreciated. I already feel like the change is happening.
“It’s really weird. Not weird, but good. Guys are walking around with their notebooks and everything, and everybody is ready to go and embrace whatever change is coming. It’s a good thing.”
So what was the gist of Ross’ message?
“Rossy’s main message was he didn’t take the job because it was manager, or for the money, or to extend his career,” Bryant said. “He took it because he wants to win. That’s it. He’s a winner. He’s going to be hard on you when he needs to, but just the passion that came from his speech and what he was talking about, I really felt it.
“All of us were locked in, how he holds a room and holds court. It was really impressive. Obviously, I got a chance to see (his passion as a teammate), but as a player it’s completely different. Gosh, my first impression couldn’t be any better.”
First impressions usually are lasting, and Ross apparently hit all the right notes in his State of the Cubs address.
It’s no easy task following in the footsteps of a charismatic and successful leader such as Joe Maddon. It would’ve been much easier for Ross to remain a TV analyst with the lovable legacy of “Grandpa Rossy” intact.
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Now every change Ross makes will be interpreted by some as a rejection of the Maddon era, whether it is or not.
Even the workout music is vastly different, going from Maddon’s favorite classic rock anthems to an assortment of country staples. When Bryant, Anthony Rizzo and Javier Baez took batting practice Monday as Garth Brooks sang, “I’ve got friends in low places,” through the on-field speakers, it was a stark reminder Camp Grandpa will be unlike any other.
A new vibe gradually is being established after an awkward start to camp that couldn’t be ignored.
It began Feb. 11 with Epstein’s grim news conference in which his passive-aggressive relationship with Maddon was laid bare. It cranked up to 11 when Bryant arrived Saturday and gave blunt, heartfelt answers about the nonstop trade speculation, the grievance hearing, the Cubs budget, the mythical extension he said he never was offered, the Astros cheating scandal and his hatred of Twitter.
On Sunday Baez admitted he wasn’t able to feel “loose” until the fourth inning or so because of ineffective pregame preparation, while Yu Darvish wondered aloud why the Astros couldn’t have their 2017 World Series championship taken away like those cheating Olympic athletes who lose their medals.
And on Monday morning, Chairman Tom Ricketts made his annual pilgrimage to the media room and skirted a question about whether the Cubs could sign both Bryant and Baez to contract extensions.
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“Where we place our resources is a baseball decision; that’s Jed (Hoyer) and Theo,” Ricketts replied, pretending he’s just an interested observer. “But ultimately we have to look at it from a bigger perspective. Just because you spend a lot of money doesn’t mean you’re going to win. We’ve seen that in our own organization the last couple years. We saw that our first year where we had the third-highest payroll and maybe the 22nd-best record.
“The fact is, it’s not really about how much you spend. It’s about where you spend it and getting the right guys on board.”
In other words, the Cubs are not going over the luxury-tax threshold. Get over it.
Meet the new Cubs. Same as the old Cubs?
Maybe. Maybe not. It’s too early to tell.
But at least the theory seems to have been squelched that Bryant would let the trade rumors affect his attitude this spring. He said he has no hard feelings toward NBC Sports Chicago host David Kaplan over his report of a lucrative extension offer Bryant said he never received.
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“I have a lot of respect for him,” Bryant said of Kaplan. “But if he’s going to be throwing things out there, I can’t control it.”
Bryant also didn’t count himself among the players Baez referred to when he said “a lot” of them couldn’t get loose until early in games because of optional hitting and individual workout routines. Bryant said he was so ready to play that outfielder Carlos Gonzalez, during his brief stint with the Cubs, once teased him and Jason Heyward about “always having our uniforms on two hours” before game time.
“Car-Go is like, ‘What are you doing?’ ” Bryant said. “I’m sitting there in the chair, ready to go. I said, ‘This is how I play.’
“I think what (Baez) is saying is good. But the thing is, we’ve been saying a lot of these things the last two years and we haven’t really acted on it. It’s easy for us to talk about things, and we’re all guilty of it. When you see something, speak up. Have a little more communication. ... We’ve all been here so long and we all know each other. That’s a good thing and a bad thing.”
The need to communicate honestly and openly has been a focal point of camp. That may be why Bryant and Epstein had a long talk Sunday to get on the same page after a long, depressing winter. Bryant declared “everything is great” between them.
So will Epstein keep him more in the loop about the possibility of being dealt, as Bryant requested during his opening news conference?
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“Yeah, we talked about a variety of things, all good things,” Bryant said without elaborating.
Epstein declined to comment.
Whether or not Bryant is being shopped, the airing of grievances was important to the him and could pay dividends for the Cubs. If he’s going to be around this season, the Cubs need Bryant’s head to be in a good place.
“Honestly, it was probably my best conversation with any superior in my career,” he said. “Everything is really good. … I told him at the end it was good we both said what we needed to say, and we both feel great about it.
“Obviously there were misunderstandings on both sides, which of course is going to happen. It’s good to clear things up with one another, one on one.”
The air was clear, the sun was out and a new era was underway.
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It felt like a fresh start for everyone.


chicagotribune--2020-02-17--Chicago officials say horse that died outside Englewood home showed no signs of mistreatment, and re

Chicago officials say horse that died outside Englewood home showed no signs of mistreatment, and report of dog eating animal is ‘unfounded’

In 2019 , Animal Control issued six citations — four for one horse and two for the dog — for @ @ @ @ @ or proof of up-to-date vaccines , as well as failure to set up a screen @ @ @ @ @ with fly bites during the summer .
“ The issues had since been corrected , @ @ @ @ @

The yard behind a home in the 1,000 block of West 61st Street in Englewood is shown Feb. 17, 2020, where a horse was found dead outside. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)
Chicago animal control officials said Monday that a horse found dead outside a home in Englewood showed no signs of mistreatment, and that reports about a dog eating the animal were unfounded.
The horse’s owner, Leo Beltran, was stunned by previous reports of neglect. He said his horse, named Casper, was always cared for and died of natural causes.
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When 28-year-old Casper fell ill, Beltran decided to move the horse from a ranch in Mendota, Illinois, to a lot next to his home in order to keep a closer eye on the animal.
“I love my animals,” Beltran said. “These are my horses.”
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Chicago Animal Care and Control came to Beltran’s house after the horse died and saw no signs of mistreatment or malnourishment.
“The owner reported that the deceased horse had been to the veterinarian recently and provided records for that visit,” said Jenny Schlueter, assistant to the director of the department. “A remaining horse was moved to a farm this morning.
“It is legal to keep a horse in the city of Chicago as long as the animals are licensed and receive proper care,” she added.
The statement is at odds with one from Chicago police earlier in the day that said at least two calls came in Saturday afternoon reporting the animals did not appear to be in good condition outside the home in the 1000 block of West 61st Street.
“Call stated that the horses were not looking good, possibly deceased,” the statement read. “Another call came through at 5:09 p.m. stating that a dog was lying next to a dead horse. ... A pit bull had gotten into the yard and was eating the horse.”
But animal control said that report was not true, and that a dog found on the premises was “in good health and is friendly.”
City officials were called to a home in Englewood over the weekend where they found two horses, one of them dead. (Ald. Raymond Lopez's Facebook)
The other horse “is in relatively good condition except for an old leg wound that does not affect its mobility,” the agency added in its statement.
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Animal control added that a small barn on the property “was clean and equipped with hay and water, and the animals have access to the barn at all times.”
The owner was cited for failure to provide updated vaccine records for the surviving horse. “The owner said he has those records at his other home and will be emailing them to the department,” the agency said.
In 2019, animal control issued six citations — four for one horse and two for the dog — for failure to have a license or proof of up-to-date vaccines, as well as failure to set up a screen frame to help address issues with fly bites during the summer. “The issues had since been corrected,” the agency said.
Sabrina Acoff, who used to live in the neighborhood, was shocked to learn one of the horses died. “They looked fine last week, there were two of them,” she said. “They were just there last week!”
Acoff’s family lived one block from the house for many years, and she said they never had issues with the animals. She said her daughter and her friends often went to the house to look at the horses.
Acoff said she’s also seen llamas, donkeys and chickens there. On Monday morning, no animals remained except for a dog sitting on the porch.
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Before animal control released its statement, Ald. Stephanie Coleman, 16th, and Ald. Raymond Lopez, 15th, said the incident illustrates the need for legislation they are backing restricting animal ownership in the city.
An ordinance introduced last fall would ban roosters from residential areas in Chicago and allow a household to keep no more than six hens and two livestock animals, defined as four-legged farm creatures such as pigs, sheep and goats.
A $25 annual livestock permit from the city’s Health Department would be required of each household keeping farm animals, and only single-family homes and two-flats would be eligible. Applicants would have to inform all neighbors within 500 feet of their plans, and a permit would be rejected if a majority objects.


chicagotribune--2020-02-17--3 takeaways from Cubs camp, including a thumbs up for David Ross’ opening speech to players and a po

3 takeaways from Cubs camp, including a thumbs up for David Ross’ opening speech to players and a possible return of the Ricketts family panel at Cubs Convention

“ I ’ m confident because I think that in the end , everyone will do what ’ s right @ @ @ @ @ And that ’ s where I ’ m confident that we ’ ll get all @ @ @ @ @ day or pretty soon anyway .
”

MESA, Ariz. — Here are three takeaways from the Cubs’ first full-squad workout of spring training Monday.
1. David Ross impressed Tom Ricketts with his opening speech.
The new Cubs manager wasn’t sure his message to players resonated until reporters informed him the chairman was impressed.
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“The energy, the passion, his ability to communicate, and he’s a proven winner,” Ricketts said of Ross’ delivery. “I think he’s the right guy for us.”
“Good,” Ross replied after being told of his boss’ assessment. “That’s nice.”
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Ross said he didn’t want to say anything “earth-shattering or mind-blowing” but merely emphasize what he believes in, what he’s passionate about and that every player will get a fresh start.
Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 35 Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo walk to the locker room after live batting practice on Monday. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)
President Theo Epstein also addressed the squad.
“Year in and year out, this is a family organization,” Ross said. “It’s run by families. It’s important to Tom, and the players need to act accordingly.
“We’re all delivering the same kind of message, and players seemed to take it well.”
2. The Marquee-Comcast standoff could affect Tom Ricketts’ household.
Ricketts revealed that his cable television provider is Comcast, which hasn’t reached a deal to carry the Cubs’ new Marquee Sports Network.
“And I have DirecTV as well,” Ricketts said. “I might have to cancel one. I don’t know.”
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Nevertheless, Ricketts sounded optimistic that Marquee would reach a deal with Comcast and alleviate the concerns of fans who may be in “panic mode” if they don’t have access to watch Cubs games by the March 26 opener against the Brewers.
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Ricketts opening statement pic.twitter.com/coZwfAZzHU — Mark Gonzales (@MDGonzales) February 17, 2020
“If you’re really concerned, you just call Comcast and let them know,” said Ricketts, who warned that negotiations are complicated.
“I’m confident because I think that in the end, everyone will do what’s right for the actual customers. And that’s where I’m confident that we’ll get all this behind us by opening day or pretty soon anyway.”
Ricketts said the Cubs will have a “much broader reach” with Marquee than previous TV partners.
3. The Ricketts family panel could be returning to the Cubs Convention.
Ricketts didn’t rule out the reinstatement of the ownership panel at the Cubs Convention, which was tabled for the second consecutive year, allegedly because of low interest.
“We also don’t try to make the story about us,” Ricketts said. “So if they’ll bring it back, we’ll see if people really want it back. I don’t mind doing it. It’s not a big deal.
“I certainly don’t mind talking to fans. I do that as much as anyone in the game. We could come back. It’s just something we want to think through.”


chicagotribune--2020-02-17--Zach LaVine had his moments — but the Bulls are left largely on the sidelines as NBA All-Star Weeken

Zach LaVine had his moments — but the Bulls are left largely on the sidelines as NBA All-Star Weekend took over Chicago

“ Just to keep the foot on the gas pedal , you never know what ’ s going to happen @ @ @ @ @ “ I ’ m always somebody who looks at the glass half-full .
We ’ @ @ @ @ @ playoffs yet .
As a team , we have to come back focused .
We @ @ @ @ @ vacation mode yet .
Sometimes you come out the break , teams go up or @ @ @ @ @ ll be one of the teams that go up .
”

Bulls guard Zach LaVine participates in the 3-Point Contest at NBA All-Star Weekend at the United Center on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)
It’s one of the few moments of downtime for Bulls guard Zach LaVine on Friday, so he’s eating lunch between media obligations.
He has been bouncing between appearances since Thursday night and sneaked in a quick nap on the ride to this one, a live podcast with kids from After School Matters. He has only a brief moment to catch his breath in the back of the JBL store at Water Tower Place.
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Just because LaVine was not selected to play in Sunday night’s NBA All-Star Game at the United Center doesn’t mean his weekend is any less jam-packed.
And as the face of the Bulls, it’s as if he’s playing host for the weekend. Pizza recommendations? Try these places. How cold is the weather? Answered.
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As one of the participants in All-Star Saturday Night, LaVine is first up for media day in the morning, followed by events with NBA Cares and Adidas.
LaVine is the only Bulls player who will participate in one of the premier events of All-Star Weekend — another sign of how the team’s rebuild continues to be stuck in neutral.
* * * *
Initially, LaVine planned to use the weekend as a chance to re-establish himself on the national stage as a more complete player, not just the one who burst onto the scene with back-to-back Slam Dunk victories in 2015 and ’16.
He had hopes of playing in the All-Star Game and injecting some optimism around this meandering Bulls rebuilding project. Instead, he competed only in the 3-Point Contest after declining an invitation to the dunk contest.
LaVine didn’t make it past the first round Saturday night, and he remarked how disappointed he felt that he could not put on a show for the city. It had become clear to him and basketball fans on Friday morning just how desperately a frustrated Bulls fan base has been craving a return to relevancy.
Fans voiced their displeasure, rather loudly, during an interview with LaVine on ESPN’s “First Take.” A seemingly innocent question was met with vitriol from the live crowd at Navy Pier at the mere mention of John Paxson, the Bulls vice president of basketball operations.
“Paxson’s built a couple winners in Chicago,” host Max Kellerman asked LaVine. “Do you have confidence that your GM can get you the help you need?”
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Almost immediately the crowd erupted in jeers. LaVine tried to answer diplomatically as the fans erupted into their unifying cheer of frustration: “Fire GarPax,” an allusion to Paxson and general manager Gar Forman.
“FIRE GARPAX” chants have broken out on national television. pic.twitter.com/PqkIP41ogZ — Josh J. (@JoshJBullsHoops) February 14, 2020
LaVine was asked again about the frustrated fans during media day Saturday morning.
“I don’t speak for the fans,” he said. “Obviously, I think the fans in Chicago have been frustrated. ... It gets rowdy. I know Chicago fans get rowdy too.”
It appears increasingly likely that some sort of shakeup is coming to the Bulls front office after yet another disappointing season.
The Bulls used All-Star Weekend as an opportunity to lay groundwork for an additional hire to the front office, according to a report by the Chicago Sun-Times, which described the role as a general manager with a “louder voice.” The hire reportedly would shift Paxson and Forman into different roles and would leave the future of coach Jim Boylen up in the air.
Fans have been vocal because the team entered the break on a six-game losing streak and, at 19-36, a season-low 17 games under .500. This is the third season since Paxson decided to hit reset by trading Jimmy Butler to the Timberwolves, and signs of progress still are lacking.
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The Bulls began the season dreaming of a return to the playoffs. Not much has gone according to plan, however, for a roster that was underachieving and regressing even before injuries depleted it. Those injuries prevented the front office from making more moves because it felt it did have not a chance to properly assess the roster.
Before the break, it sounded as if LaVine was almost pleading with his teammates to finish out the final 27 games strong, pointing out on a few occasions the team is not yet on vacation.
“Just to keep the foot on the gas pedal; you never know what’s going to happen,” LaVine said. “I’m always somebody who looks at the glass half-full. We’re not out of the playoffs yet. As a team, we have to come back focused. We can’t be on vacation mode yet. Sometimes you come out of the break, teams go up or down. Hopefully we’ll be one of the teams that go up.”
So as All-Star Weekend took over the United Center, it left the current Bulls roster on the sidelines.
All of the tributes and odes to Chicago basketball were rooted almost entirely in nostalgia, to an era of Michael Jordan or Derrick Rose.
A few Bulls players stuck around for All-Star Weekend, with Coby White, Daniel Gafford and Denzel Valentine hosting appearances around the city. Wendell Carter Jr., unable to play because of a high ankle sprain, received a warm response at the Rising Stars game Friday.
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Meanwhile, these Bulls are becoming known nationally for different reasons, such as their coach’s confounding late-game timeouts.
Boylen calls timeout with LaVine already eliminated and three balls left on rack. — John Hollinger (@johnhollinger) February 16, 2020
Bulls legend Scottie Pippen said he doesn’t know half the players on the team. During an interview at the Celebrity Game on Friday night, Common and Chance the Rapper acknowledged rooting for their hometown Bulls, but when asked what they thought about the state of the current Bulls, they went silent.
"What do you think of the Chicago Bulls right now, Chance? The state of the Bulls?"
Chance: ............... pic.twitter.com/PWQ8DohlP3 — Dime (@DimeUPROXX) February 15, 2020
“I definitely want to shout out Zach LaVine though,” Chance said after a long pause. “He’s going crazy.”
For as much vitriol as fans have directed toward management, their reception continues to be warm toward LaVine, who has accepted the responsibility of being the team’s franchise player.
* * * *
In the back of the JBL store, fans play a virtual reality 3-Point Contest on the eve of the competition.
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LaVine is greeted with a loud cheer as he emerges from the dressing room while some plead with him to enter the dunk contest. On Saturday night at the United Center, fans roar for him during the 3-Point Contest.
LaVine embraces the mantle he is trying to carry as the Bulls’ franchise player, even if he might be a bit overmatched in the role at the moment. He still is developing defensively and as a playmaker, although he has made leaps as a scorer.
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“I appreciate the fans who have stayed loyal,” he said. “I feel like I’m somebody they can trust and somebody who puts the work in. I don’t care if we’re down 100 or up 100. You’re going to get the same reaction from me, the same determination to try to win.”
The most exciting moment LaVine provided during All-Star Weekend, however, was one he never intended to.
He practiced for the 3-Point Contest with a clear intention to win it, shipping in shooting racks, chucking up about 300 shots each night and devising a strategy for how to compete in the event.
But after LaVine finished shooting practice one night, with a few friends in town for All-Star Weekend, he started showing off what he still can do dunking the ball.
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👀 Why isn’t Zach LaVine in the dunk contest?!?
He almost did a 360 from the FREE THROW LINE!!!
(Via @JoshJBullsHoops) pic.twitter.com/xefuz1f232 — Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) February 14, 2020
LaVine spurned an invitation to the dunk contest because he wanted to distance himself from his reputation as merely a dunker, and he said he did not realize his friend was recording as he took off from the free-throw line for a 360-degree dunk. He missed, but the video made the rounds on social media anyway.
“It wasn’t even supposed to go viral, man,” said LaVine, who acknowledged he has made the dunk before. “I got mad at my friend. He was with me recording. I was just messing around, trying to see what I still had and what I could do.”
It was another moment gone wrong during a Bulls season in which very little has gone right.


chicagotribune--2020-02-17--Chance the Rapper’s 2 late-night club performances after his halftime show and other celebrity sight

Chance the Rapper’s 2 late-night club performances after his halftime show and other celebrity sightings during NBA All-Star Weekend in Chicago

MJ , Yvette , Dru and Reggie .
This one means a lot to me .
Honored to play the @ @ @ @ @ Thanks MJ , we love you guys

Kim Kardashian West and Kanye West watch the first quarter of the NBA All-Star Game at the United Center on Feb. 16, 2020. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)
Here’s a look at where the stars dined and partied during All-Star Weekend.
Sunday’s sightings
After headlining the All-Star Game halftime show, Chance the Rapper performed at the North Side clubs Dance Studio and LiqrBox. Entertainment reporter Terrence J accompanied him.
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Chance the Rapper, center, watches the NBA All-Star Game at the United Center on Feb. 16, 2020. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)
Chance dined earlier at RPM Steak, which also hosted rappers J. Cole, Fabolous and G. Herbo; the singer Bad Bunny; former Suns star and Waukegan native Shawn Marion; former DePaul and Young star Quentin Richardson; and former Bears wide receiver Alshon Jeffery.
Rapper G-Eazy hit up Ramen-san Deluxe and Tao Chicago and performed a surprise set at LiqrBox. Also at Tao: Migos rapper Quavo, who sang with Chance during the halftime show, Bears linebacker Khalil Mack, who visited RPM Steak three nights in a row during All-Star Weekend, and Rockets guard Russell Westbrook.
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Actor/activist Common, who gave a moving tribute to Chicago to help kick off the All-Star Game, closed down Tavern on Rush with a large group that included actress Tiffany Haddish. The two have sparked romance rumors.
Saturday’s sightings
Retired NBA star Dwyane Wade’s spades game at the City Hall event space in the West Loop drew several big names, including his wife, actress Gabrielle Union; Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes; Russell Westbrook; Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell; Celtics center Tacko Fall; popular Fortnite streamer Tyler “Ninja” Blevins; Queen Latifah; Common; Tiffany Haddish; NBA-star-turned-broadcaster Reggie Miller; and Sky players Stefanie Dolson, Cheyenne Parker and Diamond DeShields.
LeBron James attends the Klutch Sports Group All-Star Dinner presented by PATR"N Tequila at Swift & Sons on Feb. 15, 2020. (Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images for PATR"N Tequila)
NBA superstar LeBron James, meanwhile, shut down Swift & Sons steakhouse in Fulton Market for his Klutch Sports Group dinner. 76ers guard Ben Simmons and Terrence J were among those in attendance.
Rapper Megan Thee Stallion celebrated her 25th birthday in Tao’s private skybox the night before her pre-game concert at Navy Pier. She wore a blue shimmery outfit and dined with a group of friends, including rapper Tory Lanez. She had not one but three birthday cakes. A slew of basketball and football players watched G-Eazy’s set at Tao, and Food Network host Guy Fieri even joined the rapper on stage.
Hip-hop couple Cardi B and Offset were at Bounce Sporting Club for Offset’s performance. Quavo and Haddish were there too. People magazine reported Offset flew in Valentine’s Day dinner from one of Cardi’s favorite New York restaurants. Offset hosted a party Sunday at Ocean Gentlemen’s Club in suburban Bedford Park.
Shaquille O’Neal — using the stage name Diesel — kicked off his Dance Studio set by encouraging the crowd to put up their hands for his former teammate Kobe Bryant, who died last month in a helicopter crash.
Someone also handed him a beaded necklace that featured a replica of Bryant’s No. 24 Lakers jersey. Alshon Jeffery and “New Girl” cast member Lamorne Morris were in attendance.
Shaquille O’Neal performs in celebration of All-Star Weekend at Dance Studio on Feb. 15, 2020. (Youngrae Kim / Chicago Tribune)
Before his set at Joy District Chicago, DJ Khaled showed off his dance moves at Sunda New Asian restaurant, met fans at the Snipes shoe store in Evergreen Park and dined with a group of friends at RPM Italian.
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LiqrBox performers 50 Cent and Ludacris dined separately at RPM Steak, which also hosted “Alexa & Katie” star Tiffani Thiessen. “Chicago P.D.” star LaRoyce Hawkins, who played in Friday’s All-Star Celebrity Game, ate at Tavern on Rush. ESPN commentator Michael Wilbon, who coached the team that defeated Hawkins’ team in the celebrity game, also ate at the Gold Coast steakhouse.
Friday’s sightings
Michael Jordan celebrated his upcoming 57th birthday at Cinespace Chicago Film Studios’ Little Village complex. Attendees didn’t know the location of Friday’s party until Thursday, and security was very tight.
The singer Miguel performed. Russell Westbrook, Trail Blazers forward Carmelo Anthony, Celtics guard Kemba Walker, Lakers forward Anthony Davis, rapper Fat Joe, comedian Chris Tucker, Chicago native Vic Mensa and “Family Matters” star Jaleel White were among the 250 to 300 people in attendance.
Michael Jordan’s Steak House catered the event, and Moet & Chandon provided a champagne display and vending machine. There was a large Kobe Bryant jersey made of flowers to honor the late NBA legend and a large Jordan sneaker floral display.
This was the first event at Cinespace’s Little Village location — at 31st Street and Kedzie Avenue — which used to be a steel plant. The AMC network show “61st Street” moves into that space in March.
“Grocery Store Joe” Amabile, fresh off his split from “Bachelor in Paradise” castmate Kendall Long; Kelley Flanagan, who was sent home by pilot Peter Weber on a recent episode of “The Bachelor”; and Dustin Kendrick, who competed on Hannah Brown’s season of “The Bachelorette” last year, took in DJ Khaled’s set at Tao. “Bachelor in Paradise” alumnus Chris Bukowski and “Bachelor” alumna Katrina Badowski, who dined together at Bandit in the West Loop, were spotted at Tao too.
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Dustin Kendrick (from left), who competed on "The Bachelorette" in 2019; Kelley Flanagan, a contestant on "The Bachelor" in 2020; and Joe Amabile, a 2018 "Bachelorette" contestant, party at Tao Chicago on Feb. 15, 2020. (Hilary Higgins / Chicago Tribune)
Also at Tao on Friday: Carmelo Anthony (who dined at RPM Seafood); Ben Simmons (who visited Tao the night before); Anthony Davis; Donovan Mitchell (who dined at Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse); former NBA star Allen Iverson; former Bear Devin Hester; and rappers Rick Ross, Tory Lanez, Pusha T, Nas and 2 Chainz.
Former President Barack Obama dined with a small group at RPM Steak and chatted with Clippers guard Patrick Beverley, a Chicago native. Also at RPM Steak: Quavo, with his rapper girlfriend Saweetie; country music singer Kane Brown; Clippers forward Paul George; and Marcus Jordan, the youngest son of Michael Jordan.
President Obama, in Chicago for NBA All-Star Weekend, dined at RPM Steak on Feb. 14, 2020. He is pictured with two RPM Steak servers. (RPM Steak photo)
Former Bears quarterback Jay Cutler and his wife, jewelry designer Kristin Cavallari, dined at Siena Tavern, which is where they filmed a storyline for “Very Cavallari” in the fall. They were in town to meet fans at Cavallari’s Uncommon James store in the West Loop. Attendees paid $200 to watch Cavallari and Cutler — who wore loafers without socks on Chicago’s coldest day of the year — answer questions from the audience while sitting on a swing in the store.
RPM Seafood hosted rapper Lil Jon before his Dance Studio set; Grammy winner Anderson .Paak; and Bears defensive lineman Akiem Hicks. Bears coach Matt Nagy and his family dined at Bar Cargo. Former Bulls center Pau Gasol ate at Tavern on Rush.
Tiffani Thiessen and her children visited the Shedd Aquarium, dined at Sushi-san and Gino’s East and had hot chocolate at BomboBar. Rapper O.T. Genasis dined at S2 Express Grill before performing at Joy District.
Patrick Mahomes and his girlfriend, Brittany Matthews, dined at Chicago Cut Steakhouse. The Chiefs quarterback pre-ordered five dozen roses for his corner booth to celebrate Valentine’s Day.
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“Saturday Night Live” cast member Alex Moffat, who played in the All-Star Celebrity Game; and Jeff Ross, who participated in a roast of the “Inside the NBA” studio team, also ate at Chicago Cut.
Thursday’s sightings
Chance the Rapper — who has a packed schedule of All-Star Game duties and charity events — was spotted at the Bacardi Rum Room pop-up at Dance Studio on Thursday with fellow Chicago native Vic Mensa and “Power” star Omari Hardwick.
Former Bull Carlos Boozer, meanwhile, has been eating around town. He was at RPM Seafood on Thursday, and he also dined at Tavern on Rush and the Licking.
Also at RPM Seafood on Thursday were Miguel, and his model-singer wife, Nazanin Mandi; Anthony Davis, a Chicago native who dined in a private room with 20 people; and “Shameless” alumna Joan Cusack. RPM Steak, meanwhile, hosted Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard; Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma; and Magic forward Aaron Gordon. Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals were at Three Dots and a Dash, a day before dining at RPM Italian.
A foot injury didn’t stop Heat rookie Tyler Herro from partying at Joy District and Tao. Also spotted at Tao: Comedian Michael Blackson; Jazz center Rudy Gobert; Pacers forward Domantas Sabonis; Bucks forward Khris Middleton; and Celtics legend Paul Pierce.
Tiffani Thiessen and her two children visited the Chicago Children’s Museum at Navy Pier and Velvet Taco on Thursday before Thiessen and her 9-year-old daughter, Harper, kicked off the Rookie USA fashion show at Morgan Manufacturing in West Town.
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Tiffani Amber Thiessen and her daughter, Harper, @RookieUSA fashion show in the West Loop as part of #NBAAllStar festivities. pic.twitter.com/lunoMEyp1e — tracyswartz (@tracyswartz) February 14, 2020
“Curb Your Enthusiasm” star JB Smoove accompanied his nephew down the Rookie USA runway. He told the Tribune that the cold in Chicago doesn’t bother him because his wife, Shahidah Omar, is from the South Side.
JB Smoove of “Curb Your Enthusiasm” fame @RookieUSA fashion show in West Loop as part of #NBAAllStar festivities.
He said he is calling the runway O’Hare because he’s going to land on it. pic.twitter.com/WLhhB0TEVq — tracyswartz (@tracyswartz) February 14, 2020
“I came to the airport, and you know what I said? ‘This all you got Chicago? This all you got? I heard about your reputation for freezing people, freezing eyelids, freezing eyes wide open, and you can’t blink no more.’ ”
Thursday’s fashion show benefited the James R. Jordan Foundation, which is devoted to empowering youth to reach their full potential.
Wednesday’s sightings
The National Basketball Retired Players Association had its tipoff party at Tao. Among those in attendance: Shawn Marion; Chicago native and Basketball Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas; Hall of Famer and former Loyola coach Sheryl Swoopes.
LaRoyce Hawkins dined with his “Chicago P.D.” colleagues Eriq LaSalle, Jason Beghe and Jesse Lee Soffer at RPM Seafood.
NBA legend Charles Barkley joined “Waddle & Silvy” on WMVP-AM 1000 from Chicago Cut.


chicagotribune--2020-02-17--Amazon’s Jeff Bezos devoting $10 billion to new charity fighting climate change

Today , I ’ m thrilled to announce I am launching the Bezos Earth Fund.  Climate change is the @ @ @ @ @ .
I want to work alongside others both to amplify known ways and to explore @ @ @ @ @ devastating impact of climate change on this planet we all share .
This global initiative @ @ @ @ @ , NGOs — any effort that offers a real possibility to help preserve and protect @ @ @ @ @ can save Earth .
It ’ s going to take collective action from big companies @ @ @ @ @ states , global organizations , and individuals .
  I ’ m committing $ @ @ @ @ @ will begin issuing grants this summer .
Earth is the one thing we all have @ @ @ @ @ s protect it , together.  - Jeff

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos walks off stage after a Sept. 19, 2019, news conference at the National Press Club in Washington to announce the Climate Pledge. On Feb. 17, 2020, Bezos said that he plans to spend $10 billion of his own fortune to help fight climate change. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP)
New York — Amazon founder Jeff Bezos said Monday that he plans to spend $10 billion of his own fortune to help fight climate change.
Bezos, the world’s richest person, said in an Instagram post that he’ll start giving grants this summer to scientists, activists and nonprofits working to protect Earth.
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“I want to work alongside others both to amplify known ways and to explore new ways of fighting the devastating impact of climate change,” Bezos said in the post.
Amazon, the company Bezos runs, has an enormous carbon footprint. Last year, Amazon officials said the company would work to have 100% of its energy use come from solar panels and other renewable energy by 2030. As part of its plan to reduce emissions, Amazon is ordering 100,000 electric vans from Rivian, which has a factory in Normal, Illinois.
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The online retailer relies on fossil fuels to power planes, trucks and vans in order to ship billions of items all around the world. Amazon workers and others have been vocal in criticizing some of the company’s practices, pushing it to do more to combat climate change.
Bezos said in the post Monday that he will call his new initiative the Bezos Earth Fund. An Amazon spokesman confirmed that Bezos will be using his own money for the fund.
Despite being among the richest people in the world, Bezos only recently became active in donating money to causes as other billionaires like Bill Gates and Warren Buffett have done. In 2018, Bezos started another fund, committing $2 billion of his own money to open preschools in low-income neighborhoods and give money to nonprofits that help homeless families.
Bezos, who founded Amazon 25 years ago, has a stake in the company that is worth more than $100 billion.
Follow @ChiTribBusiness on Facebook and @ChiTribBiz on Twitter.


chicagotribune--2020-02-17--Pier 1 Imports, with 12 Chicago-area stores, files for bankruptcy amid online competition

“ Today ’ s actions are intended to provide Pier 1 with additional time and financial flexibility as we now @ @ @ @ @ for our stakeholders through a sale of the company , ” Pier 1 CEO and @ @ @ @ @ said in a statement .
Riesbeck , an executive with previous corporate turnarounds , joined @ @ @ @ @

Downtown Oak Park's Pier 1 Imports has announced it will close when its lease expires in early 2020. The home goods retailer said Feb. 17, 2020, that it has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. (Steve Schering / Pioneer Press)
Home goods retailer Pier 1 Imports said Monday that it has filed for bankruptcy protection.
The Fort Worth, Texas-based company, which was founded in 1962, has been struggling with increased competition from online retailers such as Wayfair.
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Pier 1 said it will pursue a sale, with a March 23 deadline to submit bids. A hearing is scheduled for Tuesday at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.
In the meantime, Pier 1 said lenders have committed approximately $256 million in debtor-in-possession financing so it can continue its operations during the Chapter 11 proceedings.
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“Today’s actions are intended to provide Pier 1 with additional time and financial flexibility as we now work to unlock additional value for our stakeholders through a sale of the company,” Pier 1 CEO and Chief Financial Officer Robert Riesbeck said in a statement. Riesbeck, an executive with previous corporate turnarounds, joined Pier 1 last summer.
On its website, the company said it “fully expects to operate its business in the normal course during this process, and Pier 1’s continuing stores and online platform are open and operating.”
[ Retailers like Pier 1, Papyrus and Express are closing 1,000 stores. That’s just the beginning. ]
The website lists 12 Chicago-area stores, down from 24 before closures announced last month.
Pier 1′s sales fell 13% to $358 million in its most recent quarter, which ended Nov. 30. It reported a net loss of $59 million for the quarter as it struggled to draw customers to its stores. Pier 1 has been trying to declutter its stores, improve online sales and draw in younger customers.
In January the company announced it would close 450 stores, including all of its stores in Canada. The company is also closing two distribution centers.
Pier 1′s shares have fallen 45% since the start of the year. They closed at $3.58 per share on Friday.
Chicago Tribune staff contributed.
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chicagotribune--2020-02-17--Column: It took 32 years for the NBA All-Star Game to return to Chicago. Hopefully it won’t take as

Column: It took 32 years for the NBA All-Star Game to return to Chicago. Hopefully it won’t take as long for it to come back.

“ There you go , ” Johnson said .
“ We ’ ll never see another basketball player quite like @ @ @ @ @ one game , scoring 60 points in his last game .
Five NBA championships .
@ @ @ @ @ really proud of is there are millions of people in Los Angeles who don ’ @ @ @ @ @ and Kobe was fighting ( for ) them every day .
He was passionate about @ @ @ @ @ passionate about being a great father , husband and filmmaker .

It took 32 years — a long 32 years — for the NBA All-Star Game to return to Chicago. And if the WiFi in the arena doesn’t improve, it should be 32 more.
But this is no time to gripe. Not after the NBA treated us to a Trae Young half-court bomb, a mesmerizing LeBron James behind-the-back dribble drive, a third quarter that was competitive enough to feature intentional fouling and an ingenious new format for the final quarter.
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“That fourth quarter was incredible,” Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said. “I don’t even know that you can call it a quarter. There was the final countdown. What’s the name of that band?”
Europe.
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Cuban knows all about crummy and brilliant ideas from his “Shark Tank” experience. Where does this one rank?
“Not so much the idea because it’s been out there,” he said. “But (Commissioner) Adam (Silver) for having the guts to give it a try ... that’s where Adam really earns his money. He’s willing to try anything and knows the risk-reward.”
Here are four takeaways from a weekend that gave Chicagoans both frostbite and pride.
1. The city showed out — and showed the All-Star Game needs to return soon.
The club scene was spectacular. (Or so we hear.) The Friday tech summit featured brilliant minds discussing cultural and technological issues — plus Bill Murray zinging the likes of Knicks owner James Dolan. (Wish I could report what he said, but it was off the record. I’ll tell you over some beers.)
The NBA held a ton of events that benefited charities and Chicago neighborhoods. Former President Barack Obama challenged NBA players Giannis Antetokounmpo, Chris Paul and Kevin Love to increase their community involvement. The Skills Challenge sizzled, the 3-Point Contest was halfway decent and the Slam Dunk contest featured gravity-defying leaps — and a helping of controversy.
DJJ’s head was at the RIM 🤯 #ATTSlamDunk pic.twitter.com/DMAUoY9h0J — NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 16, 2020
“This is where you vote early, vote often,” ESPN personality and Chicagoan Michael Wilbon said. “Don’t tell me about voting scandals here.”
And the final stretch of Sunday’s All-Star Game was incredible.
The players actually cared. They played defense. Took charges. Challenged layups.
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“The fans loved it,” said James Harden, who of course questioned the push-off call that negated his would-be game-winning 3, “and that’s what it’s about.”
How did Chicago fare?
“Amazing,” Harden said. “Chicago was amazing. The crowd was amazing. The weekend was a huge tribute to Kobe (Bryant). Chicago is a beautiful city. It was freezing out here, but the weekend was a success.”
What are you waiting for, Commissioner Silver?
2. Charles Barkley should admit it: He was wrong about the new format.
Charles Barkley called the new format “stupid,” adding: “All these people come up with these stupid rules to try to make it like … it’s Game 7, life or death. No, this is an exhibition. We’re here to have fun.”
I covered the 2017 All-Star Game in New Orleans. It wasn’t fun. It was garbage.
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Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 39 Anthony Davis of Team LeBron is fouled by Kyle Lowry of Team Giannis in the fourth quarter of the NBA All-Star Game. Davis made one of two free throws to win the game. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)
I thought the solution was to offer the winning team $1 million. Maybe that would work too. But the charitable element of Sunday’s game, with students cheering courtside, was brilliant. And guaranteeing a walk-off was cool, even if it was a free throw.
Chicagoan Anthony Davis hit the second of two, joking (we think) on TNT: “I told my team I was going to miss the first one and put a little more pressure on myself here at home.”
3. Magic Johnson struck the right tone remembering David Stern and Kobe Bryant.
Speaking without notes, Magic Johnson asked the United Center crowd to remember the legacies of Commissioner David Stern and Lakers star Kobe Bryant. After Johnson asked for more noise from those in attendance, they responded with “Ko-be! Ko-be!”
.@MagicJohnson leads an 8-second moment of silence for Kobe Bryant and David Stern before the #NBAAllStar game ✊ pic.twitter.com/WM7o6kiaTF — NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 17, 2020
“There you go,” Johnson said. “We’ll never see another basketball player quite like Kobe, scoring 81 in one game, scoring 60 points in his last game. Five NBA championships. But what I’m really proud of is there are millions of people in Los Angeles who don’t have a home, and Kobe was fighting (for) them every day. He was passionate about that. He was also passionate about being a great father, husband and filmmaker.
“We all are hurting. If I can get you all to rise right quick for David and Kobe, hold hands for one second. We need to embrace each other in this tough time. Come together and love each other. Kobe would have wanted that. And if we can have it quiet for eight seconds …
“God bless you.”
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Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 18 Jennifer Hudson sings a tribute to Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, before the NBA All-Star Game in Chicago on Feb. 16, 2020. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)
4. The ‘Greek Freak’ should enter the dunk contest.
Giannis Antetokounmpo was used as a prop Saturday for teammate Pat Connaughton. And he said that’s as far as he’ll go.
Boo!
“That’s the MVP of baseball!”
Pat Connaughton brings out @ChristianYelich for his first dunk 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/12DOPAf5dE — NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 16, 2020
“There’s no way I can compete with the guys who were in the contest,” he said. “Every dunk, it was the first time we’ve seen it. Pat jumped over (Brewers star) Christian Yelich, and he (got) a 45. Past years, you jump over somebody, you take a 50. I think everybody had fun.”


chicagotribune--2020-02-17--Outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease up to five reported cases at Vernon Hills senior living center

Investigators with both the county and state health department also have taken water samples from various areas in the Brookdale @ @ @ @ @ , such as in the pools and bathroom sinks , Adam said .
He said @ @ @ @ @ in pipes and other parts of the water distribution system at the facility .

The total reported cases of Legionnaires' disease at the Brookdale Senior Living center in Vernon Hills has increased from three to five since Feb. 5. (James T. Norman / Pioneer Press)
Brookdale Senior Living in Vernon Hills has shut off water features, closed its pool and spa, and added point-of-use filters as the company works to contain an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease at the facility.
The total reported cases at the Vernon Hills senior center has increased from three to five since Feb. 5, when Lake County public health officials first announced that one person at the facility died following an outbreak of the disease, a type of severe pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria.
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In a statement to Pioneer Press late last week from its corporate office, Brookdale Senior Living said the business is following protocols and recommendations from county and state officials on containing the outbreak.
The measures have included shutting off all water features at the Vernon Hills facility, including the pond, along with cleaning shower heads and adding the water filters to try and minimize the chance of residents there being exposed to Legionella bacteria, the company said.
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Brookdale Senior Living also is working with officials at the the Lake County Health Department and the Illinois Department of Public Health as they investigate the possible sources of the outbreak.
“The health of our residents and associates is our greatest concern, and we are taking appropriate steps regarding the situation,” Brookdale said in a statement.
Mike Adam, deputy director of environmental health for the Lake County Health Department, said county officials started investigating shortly after the outbreak was first reported to the department Feb. 3.
Investigators are working to determine possible causes and looking for any possible similarities in cases that have involved recently hospitalized patients who either are exhibiting signs of pneumonia or Legionnaires’ disease.
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“Did everybody go to the swimming pool at the same time or eat in the same area?” Adam said of the similarities investigators are looking for.
Investigators with both the county and state health department also have taken water samples from various areas in the Brookdale facility and conducted swab tests, such as in the pools and bathroom sinks, Adam said. He said they’re also looking in pipes and other parts of the water distribution system at the facility.
Adam said the Legionella bacteria can form in any place where there has been stagnant, warm water.
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But people commonly become sick from it when they breathe in water droplets containing the bacteria, as it enters into the person’s lungs, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“The way people get exposed to (Legionella) is it’s in the water,” Adam said. “But it’s aerosolized, so it somehow gets up in the air and people breathe it in.”
The other issue for the Vernon Hills case is how dangerous this kind of outbreak can be for those who are older or who have compromised immune systems, he said.
While the disease isn’t uncommon, it can be dangerous and potentially fatal for those demographics, he said. But on the other hand, residents at the Vernon Hills senior center rarely leave the facility, so it can help officials identify the source easier, Adam said.
Adam said county officials currently are awaiting various test results that can help them better determine the exact source.
jnorman@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-02-17--Review: Virtuoso pianist Yuja Wang keeps her audience guessing in illuminating program

The concert ’ s high point , not surprisingly , came with Scriabin ’ s Sonata No .
5 in @ @ @ @ @ 53 , a treacherously difficult work even a pianist of Wang ’ s keyboard acuity @ @ @ @ @ save for the end .
Beyond its monstrous technical demands , the piece is built @ @ @ @ @ rhythm , quicksilver changes of texture and a demonic finale .
Wang made sense of @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s more accurate to say that she captured Scriabin ’ s neurotic mood @ @ @ @ @

On paper, pianist Yuja Wang’s recital Sunday afternoon in Orchestra Hall looked perilously close to a collection of miniatures lacking a substantial center.
In concert, it amounted to something far greater than that: a guided tour through several historical epochs, each benefiting from Wang’s distinct perspective – plus, of course, her wizardly technique.
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But that journey from baroque to classicism, from romanticism to Impressionism and beyond, was neither chronological nor predictable. Indeed, an insert in the concert’s program book advised that: “The order of the works performed during this afternoon’s recital is at the discretion of the artist and may not match the order listed in your program.”
It also included a quote from Wang: “I believe that every program is a living organism, so it should be in sync with how I’m feeling in that moment, so it is truly alive. I want the music to surprise me and to surprise the audience.”
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That it did, for at least one listener would have bet against Wang opening with one of the two Scriabin sonatas listed for the program’s second half. But her first notes instantly shattered that presumption, making clear that she was starting with Scriabin’s Sonata No. 4 in F-sharp Major, Op. 30.
Few other pianists would dare such a feat, for the gossamer touch the sonata requires in its opening passages and the technical demands it makes soon after are not easily achieved when fingers aren’t fully warmed up. Wang’s surely were, the pianist conjuring delicate tonal shades, urgently singing lines and mercurial bursts of sound. She also captured the implicit push-pull of Scriabin’s phrasings, an element of his style lost on many otherwise fine pianists.
From here Wang ventured into Ravel’s “Une Barque sur l’Ocean,” from “Miroirs,” her touch and tone having shifted from Scriabin’s hyper-romanticism to Ravel’s lush waves of sound and sensuality.
The concert’s high point, not surprisingly, came with Scriabin’s Sonata No. 5 in F-sharp Major, Op. 53, a treacherously difficult work even a pianist of Wang’s keyboard acuity and self-composure was wise to save for the end. Beyond its monstrous technical demands, the piece is built on nervous energy, stop-start rhythm, quicksilver changes of texture and a demonic finale. Wang made sense of these eruptions, or perhaps it’s more accurate to say that she captured Scriabin’s neurotic mood changes with welcome insight.
The only major work on the program that didn’t fare quite as well was a landmark of early 20th century pianism, Berg’s Sonata, Op. 1. Though Wang brought unmistakable surface beauty to the work, its darkly brooding undercurrents and profoundly longing qualities eluded her. This is a piece that stretches traditional Western tonality practically to the breaking point, as if the 19th century were giving way to the 20th within its pages.
The rest of the program, however, proved quite illuminating. By alternating a series of Brahms intermezzos and Chopin mazurkas, Wang brought into high relief not their similarities but their differences. We heard profoundly introspective statements in Brahms, beguiling lyricism in Chopin.
Wang’s approach to Bach’s Toccata in C Minor, BWV 911, made no concessions to early-music dictates, instead reveling in the colors and poetry of the modern grand piano. And her reading of Mompou’s “Secreto” from “Impressions Intimes” was a melancholy whisper, sweetly delivered.
For encores, Wang offered a stunning – and fast – account of Vladimir Horowitz’s “Carmen” Variations, based on Bizet, and a hauntingly subtle performance of Schubert’s “Gretchen am Spinnrade,” in Liszt’s transcription.
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In all, a pianistic tour de force.
Howard Reich is a Tribune critic.
hreich@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-02-17--Celebrities at NBA All-Star Weekend in Chicago

After years of overpacking and stuffing things in your bag at the very last minute , it ’ s time @ @ @ @ @ Little tips and tricks make all the difference , here is your ultimate list for @ @ @ @ @ .
( Zareen Syed , The Active Times )

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chicagotribune--2020-02-17--Black athlete says he was wrongly detained, threatened by Illinois police officers at rest stop whil

Black athlete says he was wrongly detained, threatened by Illinois police officers at rest stop while traveling with college swim team

“ My dad taught me at a young age what to do when you are stopped by police officers — @ @ @ @ @ hands up , drop anything you are holding , and drop to your knees , @ @ @ @ @ told The Dispatch-Rock Island Argus .
“ I hoped I would never have to use @ @ @ @ @ , but all that changed in seconds .
”

EAST MOLINE, Ill. — Illinois police officers wrongfully arrested, detained and threatened to shoot a black college athlete while pointing a gun to his forehead at a rest stop as he traveled with the school's swim team, a civil rights group contends in a lawsuit.
Jaylan Butler, who was then a 19-year-old member of the Eastern Illinois University swim team, is suing six officers for false arrest, excessive detention and use of force, according to a federal lawsuit the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois filed last month in a district court. The case is pending.
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“My dad taught me at a young age what to do when you are stopped by police officers — stop instantly, put your hands up, drop anything you are holding, and drop to your knees,” Butler, 20, told The Dispatch-Rock Island Argus. “I hoped I would never have to use this advice in my life, but all that changed in seconds.”
On Feb. 24, 2019, Butler and his teammates were traveling on a bus from a South Dakota swim meet when they stopped at an East Moline rest stop, just over the Illinois border past the Interstate 80 bridge. Butler stepped out to stretch his legs. Heading back onto the bus, his coach suggested he take a photo of a roadside sign for the team’s social media account.
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While taking the photo, several law enforcement vehicles stopped and officers drew their guns. Two officers had Butler on the ground. Butler said one cop pointed a rifle at him and another had a gun to his head.
"He said, 'If you move, I'll blow your (expletive) head off,'" Butler said.
Jaylan Butler, a swimmer at Eastern Illinois University, said he was unlawfully searched and held at gunpoint by officers during a bus stop with his team last year. (ACLU Illinois)
The team’s bus driver, Todd Slingerland, and Butler’s coach were alarmed and exited the bus to tell the officers the teen was part of the school’s swim team.
Several minutes after the officers searched his pockets and placed him, still cuffed, in the back of a police vehicle, ACLU lawyers said authorities forced him to provide photo identification before releasing him. The officers involved were part of the Hampton Police Department, the East Moline Police Department, and the Rock Island County Sheriff’s Office, ACLU attorneys noted.
Rock Island County State's Attorney Dora Villarreal, whose office will defend the two unnamed county deputies named in the suit, said it is her understanding the two were not with the sheriff's department. The officers were called in to assist on a Henry County incident, Villarreal added.
Henry County Sheriff Kerry Loncka said Illinois State Police asked for help in chasing a man in a vehicle who shot at a truck on Interstate 80. When the newspaper contacted the state police to seek information, state police declined to comment.
The ACLU says Butler started seeing a therapist to address trauma and depression he's endured following the incident.
“I was scared and depressed. I remember sitting in class the next day, looking at the bruises on my wrists and replaying the events of that night,” said Jaylan. “Now whenever I see a police officer, I don’t feel safe — I feel scared and anxious.”


chicagotribune--2020-02-17--Winners and losers from NBA All-Star Weekend, including that scene-setting Chicago video, Common’s r

Winners and losers from NBA All-Star Weekend, including that scene-setting Chicago video, Common’s rhymes, cold weather complaints and of course, GarPax

ESPN , meanwhile , couldn ’ t be bothered to send a camera crew around the city to shoot scenic @ @ @ @ @ out of commercial breaks during special editions of “ First Take , ” “ The @ @ @ @ @ and Wingo ” from Navy Pier , not to mention the All-Star Celebrity Game .
@ @ @ @ @ shortsleeves around the Bean and a look at the pre-atrium Jordan statue when it was @ @ @ @ @ .

Can we all agree that not only was Sunday’s NBA All-Star Game a lot of fun to watch, but also the video scene-setter that celebrated Chicago and Chicagoans was wonderful?
It made you feel good about being a Chicago-area resident, which isn’t always easy to do.
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Former players such as Michael Jordan, Candace Parker, Dwyane Wade and Isiah Thomas spoke lovingly of the city, standing before a detailed scale model.
So did performers such as Chance the Rapper, Keke Palmer, Buddy Guy, artist Hebru Brantley and others.
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“Chicago was the place where I became a man,” former President Barack Obama added, later reflecting on the central role sports plays in the city.
Jordan, who was not from Chicago and has not stayed, nevertheless said being a Chicagoan is “like a tattoo, it’s not removable.”
Even as the tone grew somber, acknowledging the loss of Kobe Bryant that cast a shadow on the entire All-Star Weekend, the affectionate focus never completely left Chicago.
You know you’ve been seduced when falling snow is made to seem romantic.
It was beautiful.
But there were other winners and losers to be found watching All-Star coverage.
Winner: The Obama Presidential Center
Grant Hill’s pregame feature could not have been more hopeful and positive concerning the yet-to-be constructed center and the contributions it would make to society on the South Side. Not a discouraging word was heard. Seriously, the piece could be used to help raise contributions. Maybe it will be.
“Our goal is to not just create a traditional mausoleum... but rather where we can create the future.”@BarackObama on how the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago will impact the next generation. @ObamaFoundation pic.twitter.com/JePGCMxTmx — NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 17, 2020
Afterward, Kenny Smith noted fellow TNT analyst Charles Barkley was so impressed after spending time with Barack Obama two years before his election to the White House that Barkley predicted then and there Obama someday would be president.
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A shot of Barkley and Obama in the Oval Office prompted Shaquille O’Neal to wonder aloud how Barkley’s arrest record didn’t keep him from such a secure spot. “Statute of limitations,” Barkley said.
Loser: Chris Webber
Back problems kept Webber from his announcing assignment on TNT on Sunday. Grant Hill instead sat in with Reggie Miller and Marv Albert, who was calling his 25th All-Star Game.
Winner: Common
Michael Jordan’s onetime Bulls ball boy was almost everywhere during All-Star Weekend, it seemed, a great ambassador for the city and the sport. He also performed a beautiful setup about Chicago and basketball as a prelude to the game, much as Jennifer Hudson did with her tribute to Kobe Bryant.
There is no place like Chicago ❤ pic.twitter.com/ZbaHw2RSff — Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) February 17, 2020
Common’s coup de grace, however, was his effort to rhyme his player introductions. They didn’t all work. “Clinic” doesn’t really go with Kawhi Leonard, and “refusal” is a stretch for Giannis Antetokounmpo. But he gets points for trying.
Winner: Fred Hampton
The Black Panthers leader shot to death by Chicago police 50 years ago got name-checked in Common’s ode to the city, an acknowledgment that not everything here has been as peachy keen as it was so often portrayed over All-Star Weekend. Of course, if you don’t know the history, the reference might not have registered. Google it.
Loser: Isiah Thomas
While Zeke was celebrated for his Chicago roots despite some Bulls fans still harboring resentment of his years with the “Bad Boys” Pistons, he also showed that introducing players on All-Star Saturday Night is not as easy as it Common made it look — even without rhymes.
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Thomas said whoever was going to face Chicago-born Patrick Beverley in the Skills Challenge was in trouble. The problem: Thomas’ intro partner, Kristen Ledlow, had yet to introduce Beverley or his opponent.
“This is what happens when you don’t come to rehearsal, Isiah, but you don’t have to come when you’re a Hall of Famer,” Ledlow said, trying not to sound like she was scolding him even if she was.
Oh, and Beverley was eliminated in the first round by Pascal Siakam.
Came on here just to see y’all drag isiah Thomas lmao — Joel Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) February 16, 2020
Winner: TNT aerial shots
Chicago at night looks magical by air, and it was particularly attractive with some buildings specially lit for All-Star Weekend. The empty parking lots took some oomph out of the shots of the United Center, but it was still worth springing for the aircraft.
Loser: ESPN bumpers
ESPN, meanwhile, couldn’t be bothered to send a camera crew around the city to shoot scenic shots to segue into and out of commercial breaks during special editions of “First Take,” “The Jump” or “Golic and Wingo” from Navy Pier, not to mention the All-Star Celebrity Game. So viewers got tourists in short sleeves around the Bean and a look at the pre-atrium Jordan statue when it was still outside the United Center.
Winner: Chicago Cut Steakhouse
Whatever it cost to roll out the red carpet for high-profile diners, it paid off. Both Michael Wilbon and Charles Barkley — maybe others too — said thank you via on-camera plugs praising the hospitality.
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Loser: Fair-weather fans
Media visitors to Chicago made it clear they did not appreciate just how cold it gets in the winter. By Sunday, conditions no longer were arctic. But when a shot of the skyline in sunshine aired during TNT’s pregame show, Charles Barkley blurted out: “Don’t be fooled, America. It’s cold as hell out there.”
Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 43 Kim Kardashian West and Kanye West watch the first quarter of the NBA All-Star Game at the United Center on Feb. 16, 2020. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)
Winner: Alec Cabacungan
The Oak Park teen who in recent years starred in a series of fundraising ads for Shriners Hospitals got some screen time during TNT’s All-Star pregame show, when it was noted he’s headed to Northwestern with plans to study sports journalism.
Loser: Charles Barkley’s kind of town
Barkley, who repeatedly praised this city as his second-favorite, said postgame it may be “the last time we ever come to Chicago” for TNT coverage. The reason? “Because the Bulls stink,” he said.
He said the same thing about Cleveland until he was reminded the city will host the 2022 All-Star Game. Then he made clear he preferred All-Star Weekends awarded to less chilly locales. Las Vegas, he said, was high on his list.
Winner: Charles Barkley’s convenient memory
Barkley apparently was too busy talking about how well the game turned out to recall that he earlier said the NBA’s new All-Star format was “stupid.” This should not have been surprising.
Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 39 Anthony Davis of Team LeBron is fouled by Kyle Lowry of Team Giannis in the fourth quarter of the NBA All-Star Game. Davis made one of two free throws to win the game. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)
Sir Charles also had said players such as the Bulls’ Zach LaVine didn’t merit All-Star consideration at least in part because their teams were faring poorly. But as a Tribune reader pointed out, Barkley’s Suns were en route to finishes of 36-46 and 28-54 in his first two All-Star seasons in Phoenix.
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Loser: GarPax
It was a rough All-Star Weekend for Bulls braintrust Gar Forman and John Paxson. They were booed Friday during Zach LaVine’s appearance on ESPN’s “First Take.”
And on Sunday night during the basketball showcase in their home arena, reports circulated that Bulls boss Michael Reinsdorf was soliciting advice on potential front-office hires. And #FireGarPax trended locally on Twitter.
A rare treat in Chicago these days. Professional basketball!#AllStarWeekend pic.twitter.com/BOZWpc5UnX — David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) February 17, 2020
Winner: ‘Inside the NBA’
TNT’s outstanding “Inside the NBA” crew learned over All-Star Weekend that their show will be honored by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. But Ernie Johnson and company didn’t allow that to go to their heads as they were also subjected to a comedy roast in which comedian J.B. Smoove called them “the flabby four.”
Of the program’s three analysts, put-down pro Jeff Ross said: “Shaq is best known for missing free throws. Charles Barkley is best known for missing court dates. Kenny Smith is best known for knowing Charles Barkley.”


chicagotribune--2020-02-17--10 takeaways from the NBA All-Star Game in Chicago, including Anthony Davis’ poetic ending and Kobe

10 takeaways from the NBA All-Star Game in Chicago, including Anthony Davis’ poetic ending and Kobe Bryant’s presence

“ I played with Bron and A.D. last year , and I think the year before that or so , @ @ @ @ @ But it 's always fun just to get around guys that are very competitive , @ @ @ @ @ an everyday basis .
Just talking , just being their teammate .
We go at @ @ @ @ @ , and just , like I said , it 's great to be able to @ @ @ @ @ be around them and joke and laugh .

Years from now, the 2020 NBA All-Star Game in Chicago will be remembered as a classic showdown. A lot of elements from Sunday night at the United Center worked (the new format), but some didn’t (the national anthem).
Here are 10 observations about the finale to All-Star Weekend.
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1. Anthony Davis provided a poetic ending.
Anthony Davis embodied two of the night’s themes: Chicago hosting the All-Star Game and the NBA paying tribute to the late Lakers star Kobe Bryant.
Davis, a Laker and Chicago native, sank a free throw to win the game for teammate LeBron James’ side.
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“Joel Embiid was trying to say we shouldn’t be able to win on a free throw, but, hey, that wasn’t in the rulebook,” Davis said. “I’m just glad we got the win.”
2. It’s safe to say the new format worked.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver came up with something to motivate the All-Stars to play competitively after some ridiculously lax games in recent years.
Under the new rules, each team could win $100,000 for its charity by winning a quarter, and each of the first three quarters were up for grabs. The fourth, untimed quarter had to be won by reaching the “target score” — the higher cumulative score through three quarters plus 24, in honor of Kobe Bryant — with more money for the winner’s charity.
At first, the new format seemed to fail. Team LeBron blew out Team Giannis 53-41 in the first quarter, and Team Giannis returned the favor 51-30 in the second quarter.
The game tightened in the third, which ended at 41-41. The fourth quarter got a bit physical — a total of 21 fouls in the quarter — and had the air of a playoff game as Team LeBron overcame an 11-point deficit to win 157-155.
“It was dope,” Jimmy Butler said. “Damn sure got to compete at the end.”
“It was a great feeling,” Anthony Davis said. “The new format was amazing. The game was fun. Bringing defense back to the game. Bringing excitement back to the game. We all loved it. I was happy that I was able to be the one to knock down the free throw to seal it.”
Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 39 Anthony Davis of Team LeBron is fouled by Kyle Lowry of Team Giannis in the fourth quarter of the NBA All-Star Game. Davis made one of two free throws to win the game. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)
Giannis Antetokounmpo said his brother and Bucks teammate Thanasis told him “this has been the most fun All-Star he’s been a part of. And I asked him why, and he told me, ‘Because you guys were really competitive. You guys were playing to win.’ ”
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3. Perhaps we all owe Giannis Antetokounmpo an apology.
When Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron James drafted their All-Star teams, many NBA observers believed James took advantage of his counterpart. James’ roster was stacked with MVP-caliber talent and clearly had the advantage in 3-point shooters.
But here’s the thing: That’s all well and good for the regular season, but perhaps the Greek Freak figured that no one plays with much intensity on defense in the All-Star Game, and certainly not in the paint.
So why not stack your roster with trees who can dunk, rebound and block like Rudy Gobert, Pascal Siakam and Joel Embiid? Team Giannis did win the rebounding battle and dominated points in the paint.
4. Jimmy Butler had some bad turnovers.
Jimmy Butler replaced Joel Embiid with just under six minutes left in the first quarter, and less than a minute later, he made three straight bad passes in a 33-second span. He added another turnover to give him four in four minutes.
All-Stars get a bit careless when trying to set up teammates for the highlight reel, but that level of recklessness — from Butler of all players — is eye-opening.
The only question is whether Regular Season Jimmy will drag All-Star Jimmy on social media or embarrass him in practice.
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5. Kyle Lowry is a taker of charges.
Kyle Lowry taking a charge (or flop?) against Kawhi Leonard was one of the highlights of the game, and Lowry pointing both fingers at his former Raptors teammate while lying on his back was priceless. Lowry’s takedown of Anthony Davis, however, proved devastating, sending Davis to the free-throw line for the game-winning shot after a failed coach’s challenge.
“I literally couldn’t do anything,” Lowry said. “It sucked to end like that. Maybe we have to tweak that format a little bit more (and have the game end on a made basket). But it was a fun learning experience.”
His Team Giannis teammates appreciated his tenacity.
“It’s great. That’s what he does,” Joel Embiid said. “Game on the line, he’s going to be there. He is going to do what he has to do. I love him.”
6. Chaka Khan, some folks didn’t ‘feel for you’ or your anthem.
Who would’ve thought that after songs by Jennifer Hudson and Chaka Khan, Hudson would have the much more subdued performance.
Hudson, the Chicago native famous for her vocal gymnastics, gave what many found to be a moving tribute to Kobe Bryant before the game.
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Chaka Khan showed far less restraint with her riffs during the national anthem.
“I live in the West Loop and I heard Chaka Khan’s version of the National Anthem from here in my high-rise,” one local tweeted.
Another Twitter user wrote, “The Astros punishment should’ve been Chaka Khan singing the anthem for all of their home games.”
Someone else tweeted a picture of Klay Thompson’s ears bleeding in a reply to the singer’s own account. She blocked other replies.
Online, the headlines also weren’t kind. When you resurrect memories of Fergie’s disastrous All-Star rendition, it probably hasn’t been a good night.
7. Common put his stamp all over All-Star Weekend
Chance the Rapper performed at halftime and Kanye West sat courtside, but All-Star Weekend belonged to Common.
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He won the Celebrity Game MVP on Friday. Then on Sunday, the city’s hip-hop laureate rapped a love letter to Chicago’s streetball roots and gave tribute to “a king named Kobe Bryant, who wore purple and gold.”
There is no place like Chicago ❤ pic.twitter.com/ZbaHw2RSff — Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) February 17, 2020
But he’ll probably be best remembered for his rhyming introductions. Here are five of the best ones:
“Think you can shake this first-time All-Star? Au contraire, mon frere . From the Utah Jazz, the Stifle Tower, Rudy Gobert.”
. From the Utah Jazz, the Stifle Tower, Rudy Gobert.” “Like a protest on the court, he’s an all-time disrupter. From the Miami Heat, y’all give it up for Jimmy Butler.”
“A league MVP who breaks ankles with no pardon. From the Houston Rockets, the league’s leading scorer, James Harden.”
“Making his second All-Star appearance, he runs the team like a mogul. From the Los Angeles Lakers, the coach, Frank Vogel.”
“Making his All-Star debut, going hard in the paint is his style. From the Miami Heat, Bam Adebayo.”
8. Not everyone gets credit for playing defense.
It took a while for players to warm up to the idea of playing defense — and it wasn’t everyone’s forte.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had the best no-so-subtle jab of the night.
“Offensively, we were just trying to find whoever James Harden was guarding. That’s who we thought we’d have the opportunity to score on.”
9. It was interesting to see the fantasy team that is LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard and Anthony Davis.
In an alternate universe, with a different decision by Kawhi Leonard, they would have been Lakers teammates.
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LeBron James set up Leonard for a 3-pointer for the first points of the game. In fact, James and others kept looking Leonard’s way, and he finished with 30 points and the MVP trophy.
“I played with Bron and A.D. (in the All-Star Game) last year, and I think the year before that or so,” Leonard said. “But it’s always fun just to get around guys that are very competitive, see what they do on an everyday basis. Just talking, just being their teammate. We go at each other all year round, and it’s great to be able to pick their brain and just be around them and joke and laugh.”
10. Kobe Bryant’s ‘presence’ could be felt throughout the night.
Players on both teams wore either No. 24 or No. 2, Kobe Bryant’s number and that of his daughter Gianna, who died in a helicopter crash with him last month, along with seven others.
Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 18 Jennifer Hudson sings a tribute to Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, before the NBA All-Star Game in Chicago on Feb. 16, 2020. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)
LeBron James declined to say the game’s competitive play was motivated by a desire to honor Bryant, “but you could definitely feel his presence just from the start,” he said.
“From every moment, from the fans chanting his name till you seen the numbers,” James said. “Every time you saw Giannis’ team run on the floor, you saw the 2-4. So he was definitely here.”
Here’s more coverage from Sunday night’s game:
The NBA entered the 69th All-Star Game hoping to change the tone of its annual showcase by creating a new scoring system and adding a charitable component to stoke the competitive fire of the league’s 24 best players.
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Year No. 1 of the All-Star experiment was a hit with players and fans Sunday night at the United Center. The first All-Star Game in Chicago since 1988 ended with Team LeBron hitting the target score of 157 for a 157-155 victory over Team Giannis.
Kawhi Leonard posted 30 points and seven rebounds to become the first player to win the renamed NBA All-Star Game Kobe Bryant MVP Award.
As a condition of the new format, Team LeBron also raised $400,000 for Chicago Scholars, and Team Giannis’ effort resulted in a $100,000 donation to After School Matters.
Team LeBron’s Anthony Davis made the decisive point as he knocked down a free throw to bring to a close one of the most exciting All-Star Game finishes in recent memory. Although this game wasn’t marked by one singular offensive performance, there was anticipation and excitement that had been lacking in previous years.
At the start of the night, the exhibition had general nonchalance bordering on boredom taking hold for two quarters. That changed in the third quarter and disappeared completely in the fourth, when strategy and foul calls entered the fray and the entire arena hung on the edges of their seats on every play.
Team Giannis introduced strategy in the final moments of the third quarter as it trailed 40-39 and elected to foul Russell Westbrook, who made 1 of 2 free throws. Rudy Gobert fielded an alley-oop on the next play and flushed it to make the score 41-41. Westbrook missed a fadeaway and the quarter ended in a tie, carrying the $100,000 donation from the third quarter over to the fourth.
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Then the game clock went off and the competitiveness came out. From there everything changed: Actual defense was played, bodies hit the floor, shot selection was exercised and coaches used challenges.
Because Team Giannis led 133-124 after three quarters, 24 points were added to its score to create a target score of 157. Team LeBron overcame the disadvantage with a 33-point fourth quarter.
The game became an all-out battle when the score became tied at 152 in the fourth. Each team had to claw and fight from there.
With Team LeBron leading 154-153, Team Giannis successful challenged a goaltending call on Giannis Antetokounmpo’s block of a LeBron James layup attempt, and James Harden was called for an offensive foul that erased a 3-pointer that would have ended the game. Shortly thereafter, James finished a dunk to give his team a 156-153 lead.
On the final play, Kyle Lowry fouled Davis to send him to the line needing one free throw to hit the target score. Davis added extra excitement when he missed the first free throw. But he hit the second to make Team LeBron the first winner under what appears to be a promising new format.
— DeAntae Prince


chicagotribune--2020-02-16--Middle Eastern restaurant serving big crowds in its first weeks of business

Raed Zayed , another customer , said some of his favorite items are the rice , falafel , hummus and @ @ @ @ @ .
Ismail is particularly proud of the taboon because of the traditional way it is @ @ @ @ @ cooking in just seconds over wood-heated rocks .
Customers can watch the taboon being prepared @ @ @ @ @ a window as they walk into the restaurant .

Patrons dine on traditional Middle Eastern cuisine in one of the dining rooms at Al Bawadi Grill, 8015 W. Dempster St., Niles. (Lisa Cisneros / Pioneer Press)
Diners looking to experience the flavors and ambiance of the Middle East can find those things at the new Al Bawadi Grill in Niles, though they might want to make a reservation first. The 180-seat restaurant, which opened Feb. 1, is already serving thousands of customers a week, according to its owners, and would-be diners without reservations can expect up to a two-hour wait on weekends.
The restaurant, located at 8501 W. Dempster St., is the second Al Bawadi Grill in the Chicagoland area. Owned Kal Ismail and partner Kalid Baste also operate a location in southwest suburban Bridgeview. Both restaurants serve traditional cuisine native to Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria, and many of the recipes came straight from Ismail’s mother, Sarawat, who passed away in 2009.
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“My mother was a good chef,” said Ismail, adding that he and his five brothers and three sisters learned to cook from her while growing up in Jordan. “We all cook at home. We all love food, we love to eat and we love to feed people. It’s happiness.”
The restaurant offers a mix of meat and seafood dishes, as well as vegetarian and gluten-free choices, such as falafel, hummus, rice-stuffed grape leaves and baba ganoush. The most popular dishes are the mixed grill of beef, lamb and chicken kabobs, and the seafood mixed grill made of salmon, basa and shrimp. The kitchen prepares the dishes over mesquite wood-fire grills.
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Two hostesses put a customer on the wait list at Al Bawadi restaurant in Niles. (Lisa Cisneros / Pioneer Press)
Longtime Bridgeview customer Yaser Juma, who was dining at the Niles location with friends, said the mixed grill is a favorite entrée. “It gives you a little bit of everything and has a great taste,” he said.
For dessert, the restaurant sells a lot of knafeh, a pastry made of sweet goat cheese and filo dough served with a honey syrup. “It’s very popular with us right now,” said Ismail.
Raed Zayed, another customer, said some of his favorite items are the rice, falafel, hummus and the flatbread, called taboon. Ismail is particularly proud of the taboon because of the traditional way it is prepared at the restaurant, cooking in just seconds over wood-heated rocks. Customers can watch the taboon being prepared in a small room through a window as they walk into the restaurant.
“That’s the old-fashioned way,” said Ismail. “My mother would cook in the backyard, with stone, and fire and wood until it got hot. She’d be making the dough and then she would just throw it right on the rocks. It’s tradition.”
Al Bawadi Grill co-owner Kal Ismail inspects some chicken and beef kabobs in the kitchen before plating to serve customers. (Lisa Cisneros / Pioneer Press)
Al Bawadi Grill co-owner Kal Ismail collects a platter of taboon, a Middle Eastern flatbread cooked over rocks, to serve to waiting customers. (Lisa Cisneros / Pioneer Press)
All of the meat dishes at Al Bawadi are 100 percent halal, meaning that the animals must be healthy at the time of death, slaughtered by hand and appropriate for Muslims to eat. Chicken is purchased from Crescent Foods and the beef and lamb comes from Superior Farms. The meat is butchered on site at the Bridgeview location.
“I have my own butcher shop,” said Ismail, who also hopes to raise sheep and cows and open a slaughterhouse in the future.
Ismail, who came to the U.S. in 1987 with his five brothers, previously owned a pizza restaurant in the ‘90s and decided to open a Middle Eastern restaurant because he was disappointed in the options available to him and his family.
“When we wanted to eat Arabic food, we’d go to different places and it’s not quality,” Ismail said. “We didn’t like it, there was no nice seating. So... we created our own.”
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Ismail, who lives in Orland Park, opened his first Al Bawadi Grill in New Jersey in 1998, followed by locations in Miami and Anaheim, CA. He decided to sell the restaurants after he said it became too difficult to travel back and forth. He and Baste opened the Bridgeview restaurant in 2008.
Diners enjoy traditional Middle Eastern cuisine in one of the dining rooms at Al Bawadi Grill at 8501 W. Dempster St. in Niles. (Lisa Cisneros / Pioneer Press)
“Now I’m in Chicago and I will never leave it,” he said, adding that he hopes to open a location in Naperville next.
Ismail said he and Baste chose to open their newest location in Niles because they found that many of their Bridgeview customers came from the northern suburbs. He says that in the three weeks the restaurant has been open they have already started to gain regulars.
“I see faces every day, the same faces,” he said. “It’s great.”
While Ismail said that the clientele at the Bridgeview location was predominantly Arabic when they first opened, exposure through news coverage and shows like “Check, Please!” brought in a more diverse crowd. He observed that the clientele in Niles has been diverse since they opened.
“The area we are in now, it’s international, it’s mixed,” he said. “I’ve seen a lot of different faces and I love that.”
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Ismail says what makes Al Bawadi stand out among other Middle Eastern restaurants is the quality of food, customer service and the atmosphere, adding that a lot of detail and almost $1 million was put into decorating and remodeling the location, which was formerly the Just Like Home diner restaurant.
Much of Al Bawadi’s artwork comes from the Middle East and one of the dining room walls is adorned with a replica of the Al-Khazneh temple in Petra, Jordan, a famous archeological site that was featured in the film “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.”.
“The decoration is amazing,” said customer Ibrahim Ders, who is from Jordan. “He (Ismail) is making the same environment of overseas. I was born and raised there, and the pictures and decorations are just like here. It gives you the taste of the food, and the environment.”


chicagotribune--2020-02-17--Ask Amy: Daughter from Dysfunction Junction ponders status

One opening bid from you might be to ask her about her therapy .
Why is she there , what @ @ @ @ @ does she hope to accomplish , and what does she want from you ?

Dear Amy: Growing up, my mother clearly dictated our relationship.
She was the authoritarian figure and I was the obedient daughter.
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We were never best friends because she could not be level-headed and provide guidance. Instead, she was always a disciplinarian and a "Wait until your father hears about this" kind of mother.
My mother approached me (I'm 34 years old) about why we don't have a "best friends" relationship. She noticed that her friends are "BFFs" with their daughters.
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I was blunt. I told her that she was at fault for setting those boundaries and not providing a level-headed atmosphere at home. I said I was OK with our relationship because I know I could not change her.
My father says it has emotionally affected her to the point where she sees a counselor on a regular basis.
My father says she will not accept any responsibility, and it is my responsibility to start the conversation and to accept the blame.
She has never accepted fault over any situation, regardless of her actions or words.
I told my father that I will not accept the blame (this time) and will not have the conversation because it will go nowhere. I'm indifferent.
I'm not sure if there is anything I can do to positively change our relationship without taking all the blame. What can I do?
— Distant Daughter
Dear Distant: You talk a lot about "fault" and "blame." If you and your mother want to develop an adult friendship, you are both going to have to learn to let go of some of your score-keeping.
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Your mother is in therapy. She might be using her hurt feelings to try to manipulate you. But she also seems to be making a bid for connection.
Now it's your turn to decide whether you will accept the bid. The conversation you two might have will start the way friendships do -- slowly, haltingly, and through looking for commonalities instead of faults.
One opening bid from you might be to ask her about her therapy. Why is she there, what is she learning, what does she hope to accomplish, and what does she want from you?
Your friendship might be less "Gilmore Girls, and more "Housewives of Dysfunction Junction," but the way to open up to the possibilities is to talk, listen, and learn to disagree peacefully.
Dear Amy: I've been seeing "Julian" for a little over two months. We are both in our late 20s.
He is sweet, generous, owns a stable business, has multiple hobbies/passions, and is very honest with me about everything. All of my friends love him.
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However, I am scared for him to eventually meet my conservative, Italian-American family. Julian is covered in tattoos.
A couple are always visible on the back of his neck. I like his tattoos. I don't consider this a red flag. His career is also blue collar.
Recently, my mother "stalked" his Instagram page, and called me in a rage. She said that there "must be something wrong with him" to cover himself like that and that I "cannot" date him.
She said many judgmental words and disregarded my feelings. She said that she's terrified of what our family will think of him.
I am waiting for my older brother to say similar words.
Julian and I have been getting more serious.
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I told her that she has to stop trying to control me, and to just accept it. However, I am still hurt and don't want to deal with more judgments.
What should I do?
— Not Judging a Book by its Cover
Dear Not Judging: Your Italian-American family seems to be behaving in some stereotypical ways, but at your age and stage, it is well past time to differentiate from your family. Their unkind and overblown reaction to your guy's appearance reflects very poorly on them. How embarrassing (for them).
While I'm trafficking in stereotypes, maybe you can, too. Be like Cher's character in "Moonstruck". Tell them to "snap out of it!"
Dear Amy: "Anonymous Gran" wanted to acknowledge her new grandchild (her son, the baby's father, did not).
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Your response was good, but as a retired family law attorney I suggest, before the relationship with the child develops, that she attempts to get paternity or DNA tests on the alleged grandchild. You never know paternity for sure until you have test results.
I had cases where grandparents later discovered "non-paternity" after they had a relationship with the child, and it was devastating.
— Been There
Dear Been There: Good advice; thank you.
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
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chicagotribune--2020-02-17--Police seize guns from SUV at United Center before NBA All-Star Game

Between about 6:20 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. , a black Yukon Denali drove into the loading dock checkpoint area of @ @ @ @ @ beginning of the game , police said .
As part of the stadium ’ s @ @ @ @ @ vehicle was stopped so a dog could sniff it for explosives .

Chicago police confiscated two illegal guns from an SUV outside a special entrance to the United Center shortly before the start of Sunday’s NBA All-Star Game, authorities said, but no one was charged in connection with the firearms.
Occupants of the vehicle were part of the game’s entertainment, Chicago police said, though the department did not identify them.
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Between about 6:20 p.m. and 6:45 p.m., a black Yukon Denali drove into the loading dock checkpoint area of the United Center before the beginning of the game, police said. As part of the stadium’s routine security check, the vehicle was stopped so a dog could sniff it for explosives.
When a dog “detected a possible hit,” the Denali’s occupants were told not to leave the vehicle, police said in a statement.
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“Occupants grabbed their personal belongings and exited the vehicle while stating that they were part of the halftime show and kept walking towards the United Center,” according to the police statement.
In the Denali, two loaded guns and boxes of live ammunition were found inside a backpack, police said. The driver of the vehicle also had two guns in his possession, police said, but he had a valid concealed carry license and a valid state firearm owner’s identification card.
No arrests were made because police were unable to prove to whom the guns inside the backpack belonged, according to law enforcement sources.
The Chicago Tribune’s Tracy Swartz contributed.


chicagotribune--2020-02-17--Police seek second suspect in CTA Blue Line shooting

Now police said they are looking for Waldon ’ s accomplice .
According to a community alert issued by the @ @ @ @ @ described as a man about 20 to 30 years old .

Detectives are seeking to identify this person in connection with a shooting Feb. 5, 2020, on a Blue Line train. (Cook County Bureau of Detectives)
Chicago police on Monday were searching for a second suspect wanted in the shooting of a passenger aboard a CTA Blue Line train earlier this month.
Authorities already arrested 31-year-old Patrick Waldon in the Feb. 5 shooting shortly after the incident occurred. He was charged with aggravated battery with a firearm, armed robbery and being an armed habitual criminal. Waldon is being held without bail.
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Now police said they are looking for Waldon’s accomplice. According to a community alert issued by the department, that person was described as a man about 20 to 30 years old.
The shooting happened as the Blue Line train was pulling into the UIC-Halsted stop. Police said Waldon grabbed the victim’s backpack from him as the doors opened, then shot him.
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Waldon was arrested hours after police released photos from surveillance cameras around the station on the Near West Side. He had been on parole for a separate armed robbery case.
Anyone with information is asked to call Area Central detectives at 312-747-8380.