chicagotribune--2020-03-07--MLB says it isn’t closing locker rooms to the media — for now — amid the new coronavirus outbreak

“ We are also discussing additional measures internally and with other leagues .
At this time , we have not @ @ @ @ @ access procedures , and we will advise if we determine to take such steps .
@

GOODYEAR, Ariz. —
Major League Baseball is not changing its media-access policy — for now — amid the new coronavirus outbreak, opting not to follow the NHL’s decision to close dressing rooms to reporters upon the recommendation of the Centers for Disease Control.
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Hockey reporter Elliotte Friedman said Saturday that the NHL instead will hold availability in formal press conference areas “in an effort to stop the spread of coronavirus.” Friedman’s tweet also said the NBA, MLB and MLS were “expected to follow.” ESPN also reported the changes.
Starting today, @NHL will close dressing rooms to media, on recommendation of Centers for Disease Control (@CDCgov) in effort to stop the spread of coronavirus. NBA, MLB + MLS are expected to follow. Media availabilities will be conducted in formal press conference area. — Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) March 7, 2020
MLB released a statement later saying no such decision has been made.
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“We are undertaking many precautions currently,” the statement said. “For example, we are asking anyone — including media — who has visited a high-risk area, as defined by the CDC, within the last 14 days not to visit our facilities.
“We are also discussing additional measures internally and with other leagues. At this time, we have not made changes to our media access procedures, and we will advise if we determine to take such steps.”


chicagotribune--2020-03-07--Man, 79, 'unintended target’ of gunfire on West Side, police say

`` It is unknown at this time who the intended target was , but , at this time , the @ @ @ @ @ be the intended target , '' police said in a media notification .

A gunman who was apparently aiming for a rival shot an eldelry man instead on Saturday afternoon on the West Side, police said.
Using a POD camera, police spotted the gunman firing shots across the street into a lot in the 5600 block of West Division Street in the city’s North Austin neighborhood about 1:20 p.m.
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The only person the bullets hit was a 79-year-old man who was in an alley, police said.
“The victim had nothing to do with anything,’’ said Officer Anthony Spicuzza, a police spokesman.
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“He was shot in his left arm and elbow,” said Chicago Fire Department Chief Curtis Hudson, who added paramedics took the man to Mount Sinai Hospital, where his condition had stabilized.
"It is unknown at this time who the intended target was, but, at this time, the victim does not appear to be the intended target,'' police said in a media notification.
Earlier, Spicuzza said the victim was approached by “multiple unknown offenders” who shot him.
The gunman, dressed in all black, fled east after the attack and he was not arrested.
Area North detectives are investigating.
Check back for details.


chicagotribune--2020-03-07--Big crowd gathers in Grant Park to rally for Bernie Sanders: ‘This way to feel the Bern!’

“ This is my first time voting , but my whole life I ’ ve just been so frustrated watching @ @ @ @ @ me , ” Strahl said .
“ I know my future is at stake , @ @ @ @ @ make it right .
”

Presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders speaks during a rally at Grant Park on March 7, 2020, in Chicago. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)
Hundreds of supporters, young and old, began to fill Grant Park on Saturday ahead of a rally for presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders.
They began gathering about 9:30 a.m. for the event, scheduled to begin around 1:30 p.m.
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“This way to feel the Bern!” shouted volunteers at the corner of Columbus Drive and Monroe Street on Saturday morning.
DePaul University freshmen Gabriela Ramoz and Hannah Strahl stood at the front of the line outside Petrillo Music Shell. It was the first political rally for Ramoz and Strahl, and the first election they will be able to vote in.
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“This is my first time voting, but my whole life I’ve just been so frustrated watching everything happening in front of me,” Strahl said. “I know my future is at stake, and I just want to make it right.”
“There’s no other candidate that’s really looking out for us in the way Bernie is,” Ramoz said.
Farther back in the line stood Sean Abernethy and Ryan Lozoya, both union truck drivers, sporting their Teamsters Local 705 jackets.
“He’s the only candidate that speaks for people like me,” Abernethy said. “I’m a union guy, and he speaks for union people like me.”
Abernethy said he’s baffled by the idea that a union member could vote for a Republican.
“It’s like a chicken voting for Colonel Sanders,” Abernethy said.
Lozoya thinks more young people need to learn about the power of unions.
“I know Bernie stands for working people, Bernie stands for organized labor,” Lozoya said. “I know once he gets in office that message is going to get across and it’s going to get spread”
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As Abernethy looked around at the crowd, he said he hopes everyone there is registered to vote.
“Coming to rallies is important, but going out to the ballot box and punching for Bernie is even more important,” Abernethy said.
Lines for the @BernieSanders rally now wrap all the way down Lake Shore and Columbus Drive pic.twitter.com/oVz0TgfIPk — Sophie Sherry (@SophiePSherry) March 7, 2020
When gates opened just after 11:30 a.m., “Disco Inferno” played over the loudspeaker.
Groups cheered as they ran to claim their spot near the front of the stage.
Lorena Jasso, of Humboldt Park, wore a Bernie Sanders shirt and large Mexican flag tied around her neck.
“We’re representing Mexico here today,“ Jasso said. “Mexico is there for him (Sanders) when he wins.”
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Jasso came to the rally with her 22-year-old nephew, Michael Jasso, a student at Wright College.
“I’ve been a supporter of Sanders since 2016,” Michael Jasso said. “I became more involved in politics because of him, because there was something very different and something that seemed very honest.”
The aunt and nephew said they’ve made sure the rest of their family is supporting Sanders.
“And we’re a big family,” Lorena Jasso said. “So we’ve got everybody’s vote.”
By 12 p.m. the crowd stretched all the way around the perimeter of the park. Eventually, the lines broke down and supporters filled the field outside of Petrillo Music Shell.
The Tommies Reunion performed gospel music for attendees as they waited for speeches to begin.
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The crowd grew, with fans overtaking the area in front of the Petrillo Music Shell by the time Sanders took the stage just before 3 p.m.
Earlier Saturday, the Sanders campaign announced it was canceling a rally scheduled for Tuesday in Rockford. It marks the third rally his campaign has canceled in recent days because of scheduling changes — Jackson, Mississippi, and Kansas City, Missouri, are the other two.
The Illinois Democratic Primary is on March 17.
ssherry@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-03-07--3 facing charges after man, 44, gunned down in West Humboldt Park

Darvell Dixon , of the 6200 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue ; Levale Dixon , of the 6600 block @ @ @ @ @ who was also wanted on a warrant ; and Green , of the 13900 block @ @ @ @ @ Riverdale , were expected to appear before a judge at the Leighton Criminal Court Building @ @ @ @

Zarrick Green, 32, of the 13900 block of South State Street was charged with aggravated fleeing and multiple traffic violations after a fatal shooting on March 5, 2020, in the 1100 block of North Pulaski Road that claimed the life of a 44-year-old man, Chicago police said. (Custom)
Three South Side men are expected in court Saturday after being charged in connection with the fatal shooting of a 44-year-old man on Thursday afternoon in the West Humboldt Park neighborhood, according to Chicago police.
A still-unidentified 44-year-old man was sitting in his black vehicle in the 1100 block of North Pulaski Road around 2:55 p.m. Thursday. Police said a witness spotted a silver car being driven by 32-year-old Zarrick Green approach, and someone inside it fired multiple times into the black car, police said.
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The victim was shot several times and taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. His name was not being made public immediately.
The three assailants, including a fourth suspect, sped away in the vehicle and then fled on foot when the vehicle became disabled, police said. Police caught up with them, confiscated two guns and they were placed into custody.
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Darvell Dixon, 26, and Levale Dixon, 32, of Chicago’s South Side, were both charged with murder, and Green, of Riverdale, was charged with aggravated fleeing and multiple traffic violations, police said.
Levale Dixon, 32, of the 6600 block of South Wolcott Avenue, was one of three men charged charged in connection with a fatal shooting on March 5, 2020, in the 1100 block of North Pulaski Road that claimed the life of a 44-year-old man, Chicago police said. (Custom Credit )
Darvell Dixon, of the 6200 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue; Levale Dixon, of the 6600 block of South Wolcott Avenue, who was also wanted on a warrant; and Green, of the 13900 block of South State Street in Riverdale, were expected to appear before a judge at the Leighton Criminal Court Building on Saturday afternoon.
The fourth suspect, who police did not name, was also arrested and charged with a misdemeanor.
Area North detectives are investigating.
rsobol@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-03-07--Inmate beaten to death at high-security federal prison in Illinois: AP sources

The Thursday death is the latest serious security issue for the federal Bureau of Prisons , which has been plagued @ @ @ @ @ misconduct and persistent staffing shortages , and it once again raises questions about whether officials @ @ @ @ @ agency can adequately protect the safety of the more than 175,000 federal inmates across the @ @

The Thomson Correctional Center in Thomson, Ill., in 2009, before the state sold it to the federal Bureau of Prisons. An inmate was killed Thursday, March 5, 2020, after being beaten inside USP Thomson, AP sources say. (Lane Christiansen/Chicago Tribune)
WASHINGTON — An inmate was killed after being beaten by another prisoner inside a high-security federal prison in Illinois, two people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press on Friday.
The Thursday death is the latest serious security issue for the federal Bureau of Prisons, which has been plagued by chronic violence, serious misconduct and persistent staffing shortages, and it once again raises questions about whether officials at the embattled Justice Department agency can adequately protect the safety of the more than 175,000 federal inmates across the U.S.
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On Thursday, officers at another Bureau of Prisons facility — the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York City, where wealthy financier Jeffrey Epstein killed himself in August — found a loaded handgun during a lockdown. And on Friday, federal prosecutors announced that four Bureau of Prisons officers had been indicted for lying about three inmate deaths at a prison in North Carolina in 2019.
The death at USP Thomson, a high-security federal penitentiary about 150 miles west of Chicago, comes just a week after Attorney General William Barr named a new director of the Bureau of Prisons.
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In a statement, the agency said the 31-year-old inmate, Matthew Phillips, was found unresponsive at the prison on Monday. The facility houses more than 1,000 male inmates.
Phillips, who was serving a sentence of more than 7 years for distributing heroin and money laundering, suffered life-threatening injuries and was brought to a local hospital, where he died Thursday, the statement said.
The Bureau of Prisons did not disclose details of the circumstances leading to Phillips’ death, but two people familiar with the matter told the AP that Phillips was severely beaten. The people were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
The Bureau of Prisons said it notified the FBI and that no staff members or other inmates were injured.
Homicides in federal prisons are relatively rare. Federal statistics show 160 federal prisoners were killed between 2001 and 2016.


chicagotribune--2020-03-07--Bulls’ version of Shaq (Harrison) and Coby (White) pick up the slack while the injured core slowly r

Bulls’ version of Shaq (Harrison) and Coby (White) pick up the slack while the injured core slowly returns. 3 takeaways from the 108-102 loss to the Pacers.

It is a far cry from the step forward the Bulls expected to take in the third season of their @ @ @ @ @ has dropped four of its last five games .
Yet , the most important action @ @ @ @ @ surrounds the key pieces of the Bulls core , most of whom still are working @ @ @ @ @ after extended injury absences .

A third straight losing season was a fait accompli for some time now once this Bulls season descended into disarray, but a 108-102 loss to the Pacers on Friday night officially marked their 42nd loss, clinching a below .500 record.
It is a far cry from the step forward the Bulls expected to take in the third season of their rebuild, and the team has dropped four of its last five games. Yet, the most important action on the floor each night surrounds the key pieces of the Bulls core, most of whom still are working their way into playing shape after extended injury absences.
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The Bulls have spent the past few games trying to incorporate those players back into the rotation, which has made for some disjointed lineup combinations as the returning trio of Lauri Markkanen, Wendell Carter Jr. and Otto Porter Jr. find themselves battling minutes restrictions and fatigue after long layoffs.
Here are three takeaways from Friday’s game:
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1. The injured Bulls have returned but still are working their way back into the swing of things after a long layoff.
Bulls coach Jim Boylen compared it to training camp, the way they are trying to get so many players into the swing of games at once.
Forward Lauri Markkanen participated in only two practices before he returned to the lineup Wednesday. Wendell Carter Jr. still is finding his conditioning after missing nearly two months. Otto Porter Jr. still is finding a rhythm and coming off the bench after being out 17 weeks. The trio all turned in a quiet night offensively during Friday’s game.
“It's almost like we’re in preseason with some of these lineups and situations,” Boylen said. “It’s difficult. I don’t know if you can miss that much time and just come back and be where you were. I don’t think it works like that.”
Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 14 Bulls guard Tomas Satoransky (31) talks to coach Jim Boylen as forward Daniel Gafford (12) and guard Shaquille Harrison (3) walk to the bench in the first half against the Pacers at the United Center. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)
Markkanen had a poor shooting night, finishing 1 of 10 from the field with three points and six rebounds in 22 minutes.
“The time I was on the floor, I did feel better,” he said. “Of course, my legs were a little tired, but I did feel like breathing wise I felt better than last game. It’s game by game, trying to get better at it. I’m not worried about the shooting numbers. It’s part of the process.”
After his offensive outburst in his first game back, Porter has turned in back-to-back quiet performances. He was limited to eight points in 19 minutes coming off the bench, unlike Markkanen and Carter, who were inserted back into the starting lineup.
Boylen said before the game that Carter is getting closer to playing without a minutes restriction, but the second-year big man still feels himself getting winded running down the floor. He finished with eight points in 26 minuets.
“It’s been kind of tough as an individual,” Carter said. “Legs have been kind of heavy very early in the game and it makes me a liability on the defensive end sometimes. I know I’m not going to pick up right where I left off from before I got the injury, so I’ve just got to be patient with myself and keep working hard.”
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2. Shaq & Coby — not that Shaq & Kobe — pick up the slack.
The Bulls got a scoring contribution from an unexpected source against the Pacers, when guard Shaquille Harrison dropped a career-high 25 points while knocking down 5 of 6 3-point attempts.
Combined with a 3-for-3 performance from beyond the arc in his last game against the Timberwolves, Harrison, a career 27.7% three-point shooter, is now 8 of his last 9 from 3-point range. He had made eight 3-pointers this season before then.
It’s part of the work Harrison said he put in recently, trying to improve his arc and balance. Still, it’s always nice to see the ball go in the hoop as validation, he said.
“It’s no other feeling than you working on something and it’s finally coming to show,” Harrison said. “It’s great.”
Harrison provided a nice complement to rookie guard Coby White, who continued his improved play by adding a team-high 26 points off the bench. White has now scored at least 25 points in nine games this season, matching Grizzles point guard Ja Morant — the favorite to win the rookie of the year award — for the most in the NBA.
White has scored at least 20 points in six of the last seven games, one more than he had in his previous 56 games prior to this stretch.
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“He’s making more real good decisions as we go,” Boylen said. “I think he’s learning how to get fouled. The game’s just coming to him. It’s slowing down for him. He’s changing speeds. You see signs of a guy that’s starting to figure it out.”
3. Jim Boylen described his relationship with Doug Collins as ‘really good’ despite reports of a falling out.
Boylen described his relationship with Bulls special advisor Doug Collins as “really good” before the game, a response to a recent report by NBC Sports Chicago that the two had “falling out” recently. The disagreement was born after Boylen reportedly no longer wanted Collins sitting in on coaches’ meetings, although Boylen denied any such disagreement having taken place.
“I don’t control his schedule if he’s here or he’s not here,” Boylen said. “That’s not what I do. But we’ve had a very good and a very close relationship since I’ve been here, since he’s been here.”
Boylen said earlier this season he talked to Collins, who joined the Bulls as an advisor in 2017, daily. On Friday, however, he said it had been a while since they spoke, although Boylen acknowledged Collins had been dealing with a family issue which required him to travel back and forth to Philadelphia.
“I’m not sure exactly how that report came to be, but those things happen I guess,” Boylen said. “Doug doesn’t work for me, he was hired by ownership and management. All my interaction with Doug has been very positive. He’s been in my meetings, he’s been on the floor with the team.”
More coverage from Friday’s game:
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The Bulls have spent the past games incorporating some of the most important players back into their rotation, a process coach Jim Boylen has compared to training camp.
It has made for some disjointed lineups and combinations as the returning trio of Lauri Markkanen, Wendell Carter Jr. and Otto Porter Jr. find themselves getting acclimated back into playing shape, battling minutes restrictions and fatigue as they play themselves back into playing shape.
Despite an unlikely scoring boost from Shaquille Harrison, who finished with a career-high 25 points and another strong game from Coby White, who scored a team-high 26 points, the Bulls could not overcome a quiet night offensively from their returning trio during a 108-102 loss to the Pacers.
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Markkanen finished with three points on 1 of 10 shooting in 22 minutes. Carter scored six points in 25 minutes while Porter added eight points in 19 minutes off the bench.
“We need those guys to play,” Boylen said. “We need them to get into the game and get their sea legs back and it’s kind of where we’re at.”
The loss was the Bulls’ ninth consecutive in the series; they have not beaten the Pacers since Dec. 29, 2017.
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The Bulls were handed their 42nd loss of the year Friday, clinching their third consecutive losing season, a major disappointment for a team with playoff aspirations at the start of the year.
This was also the team’s first game after Boylen issued a challenge to his players to improved their toughness following a loss in Minnesota on Wednesday night, and the Bulls responded with fight down the stretch. Even though Pacers big man Domantas Sabonis had his way inside with 24 points and 10 rebounds, the Bulls cut a 23-point deficit to single digits in the final minute of the fourth quarter, before their efforts ultimately fell short.
Still, Boylen was much more pleased with their rebounding effort and physical toughness overall, two areas he prides his team in having, even if it did not result in a win.
“You have to pick your moments,” Boylen said before the game. “We had a team that was hurt and working its way back. We are getting to be full strength, so you have to re-establish some of the pillars of your system."


chicagotribune--2020-03-07--How McCoy Tyner revolutionized jazz piano and enthralled Chicago

“ It would be difficult to imagine how any listener could escape being swept up in this wave of sound @ @ @ @ @ my 1990 review of Tyner ’ s trio , when the Showcase was in the @ @ @ @ @ Michigan Avenue .
“ All the more because the trio built to climaxes with irrepressible @ @ @ @ @ a piece such as ‘ Yesterdays , ’ Tyner and colleagues sustained a single , @ @ @ @ @ note to last .
”

Piano player McCoy Tyner flashes a smile as the audience applauds for him at Symphony Center in Chicago on Friday, Dec. 4, 2015. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)
Through the decades, a few visionary musicians have changed the way jazz piano is played.
Jelly Roll Morton’s buoyant left-hand rhythms, Bud Powell’s trumpet-like right hand lines, Art Tatum’s all-over-the-keys wizardry, Thelonious Monk’s piquant dissonances and Oscar Peterson’s astonishingly fleet technique – among others – opened the instrument to sounds previously unimagined.
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McCoy Tyner, who died Friday in his New Jersey home at age 81, belonged to this elite class of piano innovators. Before him, no jazz pianist had conjured such sonic force, ferocious rhythmic drive and quasi-orchestral eruptions. If you weren’t looking at the keyboard when Tyner was at work, you would have sworn that two pairs of hands were giving it everything they had.
Tyner proved the point often in the Chicago area, where he was a frequent attraction at the Jazz Showcase, a periodic headliner in Orchestra Hall and an occasional marquee name at the Ravinia Festival. Regardless of the setting, though, there was no mistaking the man’s singular approach to the piano.
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Stylistically and technically, he defied much of what had preceded him, dispensing with the keyboard clarity of earlier pianists to produce great swirls of sound bathed in unrepentant dissonance. Yet the music proved so thrilling to experience – so dynamic in tone, touch and pulse – that listeners who recoiled at the jazz avant-garde widely embraced Tyner’s art.
This music emerged in his native Philadelphia, a vibrant jazz city where Tyner encountered saxophonist John Coltrane and pianist Powell, both profound influences on him. Tyner toured and recorded with Coltrane in the 1960s, and the saxophonist’s obsessiveness about music rubbed off.
“He practiced all the time,” Tyner told me in 2015. “When we traveled, we got to the hotel, John would take out his horn. He was very devoted to it, very devoted.”
Coltrane’s devotion reached its highest and most celebrated peak with the masterwork “A Love Supreme,” a 1965 album in which Coltrane articulated his faith via jazz, with Tyner at the piano.
“During the year 1957, I experienced, by the grace of God, a spiritual awakening which was to lead me to a richer, fuller, more productive life,” Coltrane wrote in the album’s liner notes. “At that time, in gratitude, I humbly asked to be given the means and privilege to make others happy through music. I feel this has been granted through His grace. ALL PRAISE TO GOD.”
The recording gave Tyner a measure of jazz immortality.
“‘A Love Supreme’ was a testament – John’s testament to a higher power,” Tyner told me in 2004.
“His spiritual inclinations were very strong, which means he believed in something that is more powerful than any of us but is still in all of us.
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“When we made that recording, it was as if we were saying, ‘We’re here now, we’re going to play, we’re going to praise You.’”
Yet during the recording session – in Rudy Van Gelder’s New Jersey studio in December, 1964 – Coltrane didn’t fully reveal his musical intent.
“Just about everything we had recorded with John already had those spiritual feelings, but this recording was much more important to him in specific terms of spirituality,” Tyner told me in 2004.
“But I did not even know that this music was going to be a suite. I knew the pieces were tied together, but that’s all.
“He didn’t talk about it to us. He came in, we talked a little about the music, and we played.
“But as I was leaving, John was recording a (vocal) chant over a Jimmy Garrison bass line,” added Tyner, referring to Coltrane’s incantation of the phrase “A Love Supreme.”
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“And then when I read the liner notes, when the record came out, I thought, ‘Ahh, that’s what he was trying to do.’”
The pianist managed to forge an identity apart from Coltrane, who died of liver cancer in 1967 at age 40. Tyner compositions such as “Passion Dance” and “Blues on the Corner” became part of the jazz repertory, while his galvanic pianism influenced generations.
Some of Tyner’s most rousing work occurred with his big band, which amplified the near-frenzy of his pianism. When he led that ensemble in Grant Park at the Chicago Jazz Festival in 2003, neither a steady rain nor the Petrillo Music Shell’s muddy acoustics could dampen the power of this music. In the aforementioned “Passion Dance,” a chorus of braying horns and a combustive rhythm section echoed Tyner’s leonine pianism.
And when Tyner and his trio collaborated with Jeff Lindberg’s Chicago Jazz Orchestra in Orchestra Hall in 2009, the already mighty CJO sounded newly empowered by the soloist. Never before had I heard CJO soloists ignite such fire.
Ever the experimenter, Tyner -- and his trio -- partnered with dancer Savion Glover at the Ravinia Festival in 2005. But Tyner didn’t merely accompany the celebrated tapper – he pushed him with unstoppable rhythmic drive and ever-accelerating tempos. Even in more lyrical moments, there was no mistaking the rhythmic tension Tyner brought to Glover’s art.
Tyner’s most frequent home in Chicago was the Jazz Showcase, which was founded by another Philadelphia native, Joe Segal. Tyner played the club’s various locations but always shook up the place.
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Legendary pianist McCoy Tyner and his Trio (Charnett Moffet on bass and Eric Gravett on drums) plays during his week-long engagement at the Jazz Showcase off Grand Avenue downtown. He is reflected to the right on a mirrored wall.) (Michael Tercha/Chicago Tribune)
“It would be difficult to imagine how any listener could escape being swept up in this wave of sound,” I wrote in my 1990 review of Tyner’s trio, when the Showcase was in the Blackstone Hotel, on South Michigan Avenue. “All the more because the trio built to climaxes with irrepressible forward drive. Thus in a piece such as ‘Yesterdays,’ Tyner and colleagues sustained a single, inexorable crescendo nearly from first note to last.”
As the years went by, Tyner inevitably lost some of the muscularity and heft of his playing but never its focus, intensity or purpose. At a celebratory 2015 concert in Orchestra Hall featuring Tyner on a bill with two younger pianists – Geri Allen and Danilo Perez – Tyner looked thin and a bit frail but gathered momentum with each piece.
“Sitting ramrod straight at the piano, Tyner opened with a poetic solo on his ‘Fly with the Wind,’ those fat chords, rumbling octaves and streaks of dissonance instantly recognized as signatures of his pianism,” I wrote in my review.
Pianists Allen and Perez told the audience how they felt about the master.
“It is the greatest of honors to share the stage with him,” Allen said in launching the evening.
Standing next to Tyner later in the night, Perez said, “Maestro, I want to tell you that your music has been very powerful in the world.”
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Such accolades encouraged Tyner to stay on the road.
“I think I was put on earth to do that,” he told me shortly before the Allen-Perez homage in Orchestra Hall.
“I see people come to hear me from all these different nations, when I go to Europe.
“They know the records I did with John (Coltrane) and my own recordings. The way I look at it, my health is good and everything is going good. I’m playing. My family is fine. I don’t worry about how old I am.”
Thanks to Coltrane, added Tyner, “I have the history of playing with one of the greatest players who ever lived. Him and Elvin (Jones). … I’ve had the opportunity to play with the greatest players.”
So did they.
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Howard Reich is a Tribune critic.
hreich@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-03-07--Suspects in custody after 6 shot at Grand Crossing party and alleged gunmen flee, then crash on the

Suspects in custody after 6 shot at Grand Crossing party and alleged gunmen flee, then crash on the Dan Ryan: police

We continue to work nonstop on a shooting that left 6 people injured on the southside .
This resulted from @ @ @ @ @ are asking those who may have been present to come forward to help us identify @ @ @ @ @ report info anonymously to https : //t.co/HMtbLWKmF8 pic.twitter.com/tfsdVEXnPw

The wind whips up Chicago police crime tape as they investigate the scene of a multiple shooting at 79th Street and Ingleside Avenue, where six people were shot after a party on March 7, 2020. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)
Seven people were shot after an altercation at a party just before dawn Saturday on the South Side, authorities said.
About 4:40 a.m., a fight broke out at party in the 900 block of East 79th Street, which borders the Grand Crossing and East Chatham neighborhoods. After they exited the residence, a gray Dodge Charger pulled up and someone inside fired shots, according to Chicago police.
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Six people — five men and one woman — were wounded and taken to University of Chicago Medical Center, police said. A woman who was fleeing the shooting was hit by a vehicle and also taken to the same hospital, the Chicago Fire Department said.
A seventh victim was discovered late Saturday when a 32-year-old man walked into Northwestern Medical Center around 10:30 p.m. with multiple gunshot wounds to both legs, police said.
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The suspected shooters fled northbound on the Dan Ryan Expressway and crashed near 42nd Street, police said. They were transported to U. of C. and Stroger Hospital. Both are in their late 20s and in custody, police said.
The Dan Ryan crash is being handled by the Illinois State Police, the CPD said. Area South detectives are looking into the shooting.
As of 6 a.m., East 79th Street was blocked from South Ellis to South Cottage Grove avenues. Officers directed their flashlights at the sidewalk in front of a collection of storefronts on the north side of 79th as well as a vacant lot to the east.
Chicago police investigate the scene of a shooting on March 7, 2020. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)
Chicago police offered the following information on the shooting victims:
A male, age 30, shot in both legs and in fair condition at U. of C.
A male, age 29, shot in the calf and in good condition at U. of C.
A male, age 36, shot in both legs and in good condition at U. of C.
A male, age 37, shot in the calf and in good condition at U. of C.
A male, age 37, shot in the foot and leg, and in good condition at Jackson Park Hospital, being transferred to U. of C.
A female, age 24, shot in the arm and leg, and in fair condition at U. of C.
A male, age 32, shot in both legs and in good condition at Northwestern Memorial Hospital
We continue to work nonstop on a shooting that left 6 people injured on the southside. This resulted from an indoor dispute & we are asking those who may have been present to come forward to help us identify the gunman. You can report info anonymously to https://t.co/HMtbLWKmF8 pic.twitter.com/tfsdVEXnPw — Anthony Guglielmi (@AJGuglielmi) March 7, 2020
This is a developing story. Check back later for updates.
Chicago Tribune’s Charles J. Johnson and Paige Fry contributed.


chicagotribune--2020-03-07--Column: Big Ten teams have been beating up on each other all season. Now it could pay off with a rec

Column: Big Ten teams have been beating up on each other all season. Now it could pay off with a record-setting March.

“ Everybody ’ s had their four- or five-game kind of strange times where you win four out of five @ @ @ @ @ of five , ” he told MLive.com .
“ Just about everybody ’ s done @ @ @ @ @ ’ re all going to beat the daylights out of each other .
I don @ @ @ @ @ ’ ll be good , bad or indifferent as we move forward , but it @ @ @ @ @ for .
”

After beating one of the two worst teams in the conference, Illinois coach Brad Underwood proselytized about the strength of the Big Ten.
“Someone mentioned this is arguably the best league in the country,” he said after the Illini beat Northwestern 74-66 last week. “You can forget that. There is no arguing about it. This is the best league in the country. You have to play every single night.”
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While it’s common for coaches to praise their conferences, no matter how strong or weak, Underwood is right about the Big Ten this season. It has been wild — in a good way.
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Entering the final two days of the regular season, only two games separate first place from seventh and just four games separate first from 11th.
Illinois (20-10, 12-7) is in fourth, a game behind the three co-leaders, with a chance to earn a double bye in the Big Ten Tournament with a win Sunday night against Iowa.
While beating up on each other, the Big Ten teams have pulled each other up too. The conference could see a record-tying 11 teams invited to the NCAA Tournament on Selection Sunday. (The Big East set the record in 2011 with 11 bids in a 16-team conference.)
That would continue a remarkable progression from only four NCAA Tournament teams in 2018 to a Big Ten-record eight last year.
As CBSSports.com reporter Matt Norlander pointed out, the Big Ten is enjoying this resurgence in part thanks to its controversial decision to expand the conference schedule to 20 games last season.
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Tougher scheduling has boosted both the conference’s profile and its standing in quantitative rankings such as the NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) and Ken Pomeroy’s ratings.
Eight Big Ten teams are in the current Associated Press Top 25, a conference record.
Ten teams are in the top 37 of the NET rankings, with Minnesota (45) and Indiana (52) not far back.
KenPom likes the Big Ten even better, with 12 teams in the top 36.
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ESPN’s “bracketology” projection Friday morning had 10 Big Ten teams in the field, with Purdue listed in the “next four out.” Illinois was projected as a No. 7 seed.
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Michigan State coach Tom Izzo, whose team has made a late push for the Big Ten title, compared this year’s conference parity to the NFL
“Everybody’s had their four- or five-game kind of strange times where you win four out of five, you lose four out of five,” he told MLive.com. “Just about everybody’s done it. Unfortunately, we’re all going to beat the daylights out of each other. I don’t know if they’ll be good, bad or indifferent as we move forward, but it gives you something to play for.”
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Proof of the conference’s increased strength is found at Rutgers. A Big Ten doormat since joining the conference in 2014, the Scarlet Knights (19-11, 10-9) set a school record with 18 home victories — the most in the nation — and their win Tuesday against No. 8 Maryland might help secure their first NCAA Tournament berth in 29 years.
Iowa’s Luka Garza is a national player of the year candidate. Michigan State’s Cassius Winston might be the nation’s best point guard — if it isn’t Maryland’s Anthony Cowan Jr.
Wisconsin has quietly built a contender, while Penn State has joined Rutgers in escaping the conference’s bottom tier. Ohio State has bounced back from a midseason slump, something Michigan needs to do in a hurry.
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Next week’s Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis figures to showcase the conference’s depth. Selection Sunday will confirm it.
The final step is the ultimate validation: a Big Ten team winning the national championship for the first time since Michigan State 20 years ago.


chicagotribune--2020-03-07--Column: As the White Sox lock up their young core, ace Lucas Giolito is in no hurry for a contract e

Column: As the White Sox lock up their young core, ace Lucas Giolito is in no hurry for a contract extension

“ I always look forward to it , ” he said .
“ It ’ s fun .
This environment @ @ @ @ @ re going to get to a big-league game in spring training .
The place was @ @ @ @ @ out there with a little bit of that adrenaline , but we did a good @ @ @ @ @ and I ’ m looking forward to doing the real thing , too , during @ @ @ @ @

MESA, Ariz. — Lucas Giolito didn’t try to sugarcoat things Friday when asked if the matchup against the Cubs at Sloan Park was just another spring training game.
After making his 2020 debut in a 6-3 win, Giolito conceded that the crosstown rivalry — and a record crowd of 16,095, the largest in Cactus League history — gave him an adrenaline boost.
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“I always look forward to it,” he said. “It’s fun. This environment is the closest you’re going to get to a big-league game in spring training. The place was packed. ... I went out there with a little bit of that adrenaline, but we did a good job to control it, and I’m looking forward to doing the real thing, too, during the real season.”
The real games obviously will be much more intense than Friday’s matchup, but that didn’t spoil things for Sox fans who made the trip to the Valley of the Sun.
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It was a near-perfect day with temperatures in the 80s, the return of Giolito, the debut of Yasmani Grandal, a win over the Cubs and a five-year, $70 million extension for Yoan Moncada that solidifies a core growing stronger every year.
Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 32 White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)
It was almost deja vu for Sox general manager Rick Hahn, who announced a five-year, $32.7 million extension for Chris Sale before a Cubs-Sox game at HoHoKam Park on March 7, 2013. On that day Hahn said he was “thrilled” to have “one of the best young starters in the league in a White Sox uniform for potentially the next seven years.”
Sale wound up pitching only four more season for the Sox before being sent to the Red Sox in a trade that netted Moncada and Michael Kopech, the deal that kick-started the rebuild.
Just as former Indians general manager John Hart locked up young stars Albert Belle, Kenny Lofton, Sandy Alomar Jr. and Carlos Baerga in the 1990s, Hahn is putting all his chips on the table and betting Moncada, Eloy Jimenez, Luis Robert, Tim Anderson and Aaron Bummer will be solid contributors for contending teams for years to come.
Hahn stressed the importance of “having players like Moncada, Jimenez, Robert under control for at least six years, not to mention Anderson and Bummer and other starters that are still here, and not even mentioning guys like (Nick) Madrigal and (Andrew) Vaughn, who are going to provide us with at least six years of control.
“You can start seeing what the better part of this decade is going to look like for this club, and we’re excited about it.”
Giolito is part of that core, but whether he signs a team-friendly extension is a question he’s not ready to address.
“It’s not something I’m thinking about,” he said. “For me, I’m more like present moment — ‘What can I do this day to improve and become a better player?’
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“All that stuff — the money, the contracts — that will all fall into place if I keep focusing on what makes me successful.”
Whether the mythical kingdom of “SoxTown” can become a reality in the next decade also is unknown, but there’s no doubt the Sox have opened eyes all around baseball, including on the North Side.
“I felt like last year they didn’t quite play to where they should’ve,” Cubs pitcher Jon Lester said. “Their lineup was very, very talented. They had a lot of different dynamics in there. Now you’ve got Giolito coming out like he’s the dude now. He’s the No. 1 guy.
"And you get another guy behind him, and it just makes that rotation a little bit deeper. It’s just like football — defense wins you championships, good starting pitching wins you championships.
“You can bash a bunch of runs, but if you don’t stop them, you’re still going to lose. But yeah, I like where they’re at. It’s a good lineup. ... "They’re right there. Now it’s just a matter of playing the 162 (games) and seeing where they’re at at the end. That division is definitely for the taking for them.”
Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 21 Cubs outfielder Albert Almora Jr. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)
Lester said the Sox’s strategy of locking up so many young players is good for the organization and the players, even if some of the contracts are considered team-friendly deals.
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“Any time you can make your first fortune, it’s always a good thing,” Lester said. “It’s good for the game. I don’t think there are any negatives.”
Lester then presumed the next question was ‘So, what about the Cubs?’
“Why haven’t we signed our guys?” he said, asking the question himself. “We have guys that are just betting on themselves, and once you reach a certain point, it’s like, ‘Why not test free agency and see?’ It doesn’t mean you can’t come back here.
"It’s a cool process and it’s a frustrating process at the same time. We wait to get that that leverage, and when you do, sometimes it’s good to wait.”
Perhaps Giolito, who will make $627,000 this season and won’t be a free agent until after 2023, will be the one to bet on himself.
But who knows? A lot can happen in four years.
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Just ask Chris Sale.


chicagotribune--2020-03-07--Mourning Clive Cussler: Dirk Pitt was the adventurer I wanted to be

Dirk Pitt is an almost cartoonish example of American masculinity , one that pre-teen me at some level desperately wanted @ @ @ @ @ both a decorated military pilot and the greatest known deep-sea adventurer combined , a marriage @ @ @ @ @ Cousteau .
He is tall , strong , a deadly shot and entirely incorruptible .
@ @ @ @ @ classic cars , a trait Pitt shared with his creator .
Pitt ’ s “ @ @ @ @ @ be either transfixing or menacing , depending on the need .
While he rarely had @ @ @ @ @ , when he did , it was intense beyond belief .

The very first fictional character I wanted to be was Encyclopedia Brown.
The boy detective of Idaville was a know-it-all who didn’t get his lights punched out for being a know-it-all, partly because his detective agency partner, Sally Kimball, was the toughest kid around, but also because people appreciated the utility of Encyclopedia’s knowledge.
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As a kid who read through the Trivial Pursuit cards for fun and would occasionally let loose some bit of factual flotsam, being Encyclopedia Brown seemed like a good gig if you could get it.
Plus, in Encyclopedia’s world, the good guys always win and the bad guys (Bugs Meany) are justifiably humiliated. Who wouldn’t want to live in that world?
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The recent death of Aurora-born author Clive Cussler brought back memories of the second fictional character I wanted to be: Cussler’s underwater adventurer Dirk Pitt.
Perhaps best known from Cussler’s 1976 best-seller, “Raise the Titanic,” and appearing in a total of 25 novels, the last handful of which Cussler co-wrote with his son also named Dirk, Dirk Pitt is a character spun from the DNA of old movie serials, an adventurer who manages to extricate himself from impossible situations with a combination of his guile, his guts, and his gun.
Like Encyclopedia Brown, Dirk Pitt has his adventures with his best friend (Al Giordino); unlike Encyclopedia Brown, evil masterminds that make Bond villains look tame are trying to kill him.
Cussler’s Dirk Pitt novels were among the first adult books that I read, and I remember being thrilled by the twists and turns of story. In isolation, the plot of the average Pitt novel is ridiculous, as in “Deep Six” (1984), in which a poison is released off the coast of Alaska, killing all marine life and a member of Pitt’s team. Pitt’s quest to avenge the death of his comrade embroils him in a plot to by the Soviet Union to kidnap and then brainwash the president of the United States into a sleeper agent.
I won’t spoil the full story, but that’s the believable part.
Dirk Pitt is an almost cartoonish example of American masculinity, one that pre-teen me at some level desperately wanted to embody. He is both a decorated military pilot and the greatest known deep-sea adventurer combined, a marriage of Chuck Yeager and Jacques Cousteau. He is tall, strong, a deadly shot and entirely incorruptible. His only weakness is for classic cars, a trait Pitt shared with his creator. Pitt’s “opaline green eyes” could be either transfixing or menacing, depending on the need. While he rarely had time for love and relationships, when he did, it was intense beyond belief.
I was an unconfident swimmer who was certain that girls would never be interested in him and who didn’t sleep for a month after accidentally watching 20 minutes of “The Exorcist” on television while I was home alone. Why wouldn’t I want to be Dirk Pitt?
I don’t know that I grew out of Dirk Pitt novels, but at some point I stopped reading them. Cussler was not a particularly careful stylist, and as I became more invested in writing, those things started to matter to me as a reader.
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But the sheer amount of pleasure I experienced reading a good eight or 10 Dirk Pitt novels is tough to beat. I miss that kid who was willing to let go and follow an adventure yarn no matter where it went, who was willing to believe in anything.
Thank you, Mr. Cussler, and long live Dirk Pitt.
John Warner is the author of “Why They Can’t Write: Killing the Five-Paragraph Essay and Other Necessities.”
Twitter @biblioracle
Book recommendations from the Biblioracle
John Warner tells you what to read based on the last five books you’ve read.
1. “Dairy Queen Days” by Robert Inman
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2. “A Great Reckoning” by Louise Penny
3. “The Tombs of Atuan” by Ursula K. Le Guin
4. “The Novel Habits of Happiness” by Alexander McCall Smith
5. “Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH” by Robert C. O’Brien
— Erica H., Winthrop Harbor, Ill.
Just seeing the title of “Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH” fills me with a pleasant nostalgia. I can picture me reading the book in the bedroom of my childhood home, starting over from the beginning once I’d finished it. I think Erica will take to the deep humanity of Jon Hassler’s “The Love Hunter.”
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1. “2666” by Roberto Bolaño
2. “Sayonara” by James A. Michener
3. “Imaginary Friend” by Stephen Chbosky
4. “East of Eden” by John Steinbeck
5. “Find Me” by André Aciman
— William G., Chicago
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If a reader is willing to tackle “2666,” I know they’ll embrace Julio Cortázar’s “Hopscotch,” a book that can literally be read multiple ways.
1. “Prisoner: My 544 Days in an Iranian Prison” by Jason Rezaian
2. “Righteous” by Joe Ide
3. “Chances Are ...” by Richard Russo
4. “I Can’t Breathe: A Killing on Bay Street” by Matt Taibbi
5. “Bring Up The Bodies” by Hilary Mantel
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— Mike F., La Grange Park
I think Mark will enjoy “Pretty as a Picture” by Elizabeth Little, an unconventional crime novel with an unconventional heroine and an uncommonly high dose of humor.
Get a reading from the Biblioracle
Send a list of the last five books you’ve read to books@chicagotribune.com.


chicagotribune--2020-03-05--‘We just need to get our legs underneath us now’: White Sox catcher Yasmani Grandal looks forward to

‘We just need to get our legs underneath us now’: White Sox catcher Yasmani Grandal looks forward to the next steps as he rebounds from a mild left calf strain

“ My main concern was that the doc said if it happens again , especially this early , it can @ @ @ @ @ Grandal said .
“ Him saying that stays in the back of your head .
@ @ @ @ @ might be able to push a little harder , you just take back a little @ @ @ @ @ process .
So far , so good , and hopefully we won ’ t have @ @ @ @ @ for much longer .
”

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Yasmani Grandal wasted little time testing his mild left calf strain during Wednesday’s B-game against the Reds.
The White Sox catcher ripped a pitch to the right-field wall in his first trip to the plate before he rounded first and slid safely into second for a double.
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“I didn’t think it was smooth at all,” Grandal said Thursday. "I couldn’t feel my legs. But I guess it’s a good thing, right? We just need to get our legs underneath us now.
“I wasn’t trying to run hard. There was no trying — I have one speed pretty much. I was trying to feel my legs get underneath me, but they were way behind me. I was trying to get to second, which I didn’t think I was going to do, and thank God the right fielder bobbled it like five times and I was able to make it.”
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Grandal struck out in his second plate appearance Wednesday. He also caught the Reds off guard after his first-inning double. Noticing third base was unoccupied when the Reds went into a shift with Gavin Sheets at the plate, Grandal stole third.
“It was funny because I was talking to Brett (Walker), one of our trainers, and he said one of his guys, the same thing happened and his first two hits were triples.
“And then all of a sudden, I get a double and have to run to third afterward. But they wanted to see me run, especially on the bases, and take leads, so I’m glad we got that out of the way on the first (at-bat).”
One day after his first action of the spring, Grandal said he’s feeling “fine" in his recovery from the injury.
“It feels good,” Grandal said. “Now I need to keep building off it.”
Grandal said the next step is just to keep playing and gain strength.
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“I’m still building up innings and making sure we stick to our schedule,” he said.
He is expected to start and, according to manager Rick Renteria, possibly play three innings Friday when the Sox face the Cubs in Mesa, Ariz.
“Hopefully that goes well,” Grandal said. “(Wednesday), I could have gone four or five innings. I don’t know how many I’ll play (Friday) but I don’t think we’re going to try to test anything. ”
Renteria thought Grandal moved well Wednesday.
“It was his first game, so he’s feeling a little of the game wind you get,” Renteria said. “I said (Thursday), ‘Are you feeling jelly legs?’ And he said, ‘No, I actually feel pretty good.’ So that’s a good sign.”
But while he hasn’t been hesitant on the field, Grandal knew the importance of rehabbing at a good pace and not trying to push it.
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“My main concern was that the doc said if it happens again, especially this early, it can be eight weeks,” Grandal said. “Him saying that stays in the back of your head. Usually to an injury you might be able to push a little harder, you just take back a little bit and trust in the process. So far, so good, and hopefully we won’t have to be talking about this for much longer.”
He’s ready to return the focus back to the game.
“That’s why I’m saying, now you just have to get our feet underneath you,” Grandal said. "From there on it’s just playing. There’s not much you can do about it. Get the playing time in without stressing it.
“I’m in a good spot, so as long as we keep building off it, we should be fine.”
Cactus League: Right fielder Nomar Mazara went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run for the Sox in Thursday’s 7-6 victory against the Rockies at Camelback Ranch. Mazara’s homer, to right-center, came during a four-run fifth inning. Shortstop Danny Mendick went 3-for-3 with an RBI, and center fielder Adam Engel drove in a pair of runs.


chicagotribune--2020-03-08--As Chicago springs forward, keep in mind: Daylight Saving Time can affect your health

“ If someone sleeps from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. and then we spring forward , on Monday morning we @ @ @ @ @ be driving when we should normally be sleeping , ” she says .
“ So @ @ @ @ @ impact because our body is under the impression it should be asleep when we ’ @ @ @ @ @ a pretty complex task .
”

Daylight Saving Time can mess with your biological clock, but there are ways to lessen the blow. (Dreamstime/TNS)
When daylight saving time kicks in, you spring forward and gain an hour of daylight. But you also lose an hour of sleep.
Dr. Brynn Dredla, a Mayo Clinic sleep neurologist, explains why that seemingly small change can significantly affect your body.
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“We have more difficulty springing forward than we do falling back,” says Dredla.
Dredla says an hour may not seem like much, but it can have a pretty dramatic effect on our bodies.
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“If someone sleeps from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. and then we spring forward, on Monday morning we’re asked to now be driving when we should normally be sleeping,” she says. “So that can be a big impact because our body is under the impression it should be asleep when we’re asking it to perform a pretty complex task.”
Dredla says it’s a similar effect on the body as jet lag when you fly to Europe and are suddenly hours ahead of the time your body thinks it is. You body’s internal clock, or circadian rhythm, no longer matches the external clock, which causes us to feel sluggish and foggy-headed.
“And it usually takes two days before we’re able to get back into our normal routine,” Dredla says.
She suggests preparing for the change starting about two or three days before daylight saving time by going to bed 15 minutes earlier and waking up 15 minutes earlier. That way, your body has a slower, more gradual adjustment to waking up early.


chicagotribune--2020-03-07--Suspects in custody after 7 shot at Grand Crossing party and alleged gunmen flee, then crash on the

Suspects in custody after 7 shot at Grand Crossing party and alleged gunmen flee, then crash on the Dan Ryan: police


chicagotribune--2020-03-07--Police: Man’s body found in Chicago River on West Side

The Chicago police Marine Unit responded about 10 a.m. near the 3300 block of South Kedzie Avenue in the Little @ @ @ @ @ .
A man ’ s body was recovered from the river , and he was @ @ @ @ @ .

A man’s body was pulled from the Chicago River on Saturday morning on the West Side, according to Chicago police.
The Chicago police marine unit responded about 10 a.m. near the 3300 block of South Kedzie Avenue in the Little Village neighborhood, police said. A man’s body was recovered from the river, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
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His identification wasn’t immediately available because his body appeared to be decaying, police said.
It’s unclear if foul play was involved in the man’s death. Detectives are investigating.
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The man’s cause of death is still pending the completion of an examination by the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
Check back for updates.
pfry@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @paigexfry


chicagotribune--2020-03-07--Ask Amy: Woman wants long-distance homebody to move

I just learned that a friend of ours , independently and coincidentally , has booked the same tour to take @ @ @ @ @ .
While this is nice , my wife and I do not want to spend @ @ @ @ @ tour with them , or have our granddaughter spend every waking hour with their granddaughter @ @ @ @ @ even know .

Dear Amy: I have been divorced for a year (my ex-husband cheated on me for years before I found out).
I am currently dating a man, "Bobby," who lives two hours away. He owns his own business and pays his own bills BUT he still lives with his parents. Bobby is 43. He stated that there was no reason for him to move out (the business he owns is located on their property).
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I am having a really hard time with that. I have been on my own since the age of 15, so I do not understand this.
Bobby's two older sisters are married with children, and all live within a few miles of the family home.
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Also, my 16-year-old daughter refuses to acknowledge Bobby. She was the one who caught my ex-husband (her father) cheating -- in fact, she caught him multiple times.
I know she needs adjustment time, but it has been a year since the divorce, which she wholeheartedly wanted and pushed for.
I have been dating Bobby for nine months now.
Advice on both issues, please...?
— Wondering Woman
Dear Wondering: Let's start with your daughter. She is the most important person in this extended story.
She discovered her father cheating on her mother. She then endured an (I assume) extended period where her parents were in the process of separation and divorce.
You have now chosen to engage in a relationship with a man who lives two hours away. This relationship is time-consuming and (I assume) you are devoting a lot of energy into trying to make it work.
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You have been on your own since the age of 15. Are you expecting the same level of independence from your daughter?
I have news for you -- you could bring George Clooney over to the house and she wouldn't acknowledge him. She wants you right now.
In terms of "Bobby," here's what you know: He lives with his folks. He always has and -- if you two stay together -- he will expect you to, also.
Dear Amy: My wife and I have planned a very special 10-day tour of Europe with our granddaughter.
She lives across the country and despite the distance we are on very good terms. We want to use this trip as additional bonding.
I just learned that a friend of ours, independently and coincidentally, has booked the same tour to take with his wife and granddaughter. While this is nice, my wife and I do not want to spend every waking hour on the tour with them, or have our granddaughter spend every waking hour with their granddaughter, who she does not even know.
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How do we tell them that we want separate bonding time?
We are wondering how to say "no."
— Want to Say No.
Dear No: I don't think you should say "no." I think you should consider saying, "Yes!"
Your friends likely have a similar bonding goal for their trip, as well as similar anxieties about your family group's possible encroachment onto their time. Assume that they share your concerns -- send clear cues, read their cues, and map out some time for just the three of you.
You could readily share your concerns ahead of time by saying, "I assume that you are all eager to get some special bonding time with just your granddaughter. We want that, too, and want you to know that we'll respect your family time -- and we're going to try to carve out family time for our little group, too."
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If you feel you are being glommed onto during the trip, here's how you say "no": "We've already made a solid plan of our own for today. But let's meet up for tea or drinks later on."
If these two girls hit it off, it could end up being really fun and memorable for both of them.
Trips to Europe with the grandparents are wonderful, but -- who is going to hold the selfie stick while they pose in front of the Eiffel Tower?
Ask Amy Daily No-nonsense advice for better living delivered to your inbox every morning. By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our Subscriber Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy >
I suggest that you remind yourself to be flexible on this nice vacation.
Dear Amy: A recent question from "Survivor" detailed horrific abuse during childhood. This got me wondering how you handle the burden of so many sad stories?
— Wondering Reader
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Dear Wondering: My own childhood (challenging, but happy) conditioned me toward empathy. My adulthood (challenging, but very happy) has taught me compassion. I feel honored that people who have suffered so much let their stories tumble out. They are far braver than I am.
Get the latest no-nonsense advice for better living delivered to your inbox every morning with our Ask Amy newsletter. Sign up here.
(You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.)
Copyright 2019 by Amy Dickinson
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency


chicagotribune--2020-03-07--2 charged with Christmas morning shooting that wounded 7-year-old girl in Brighton Park, police say

Jaime Lopez is of the 2200 block of West 19th Street , and Gabriela Lopez is of the 4800 block @ @ @ @ @ , police said .
The two were arrested on Friday after police identified them using @ @ @ @ @ as well as using `` community driven information , '' police said .

Cellphone records, city surveillance video and a license plate reader led police investigators to a man and a woman accused of taking part in a Christmas morning shooting that injured two people, including a 7-year-old girl, Cook County prosecutors told a judge Sunday.
Jaime Lopez, 22, and Gabriela Lopez, 35, appeared side by side at the Leighton Criminal Court Building on attempted first-degree murder charges, though the judge in the case barred the pair from contacting one another during the pending case.
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Jaime Lopez is of the 2200 block of West 19th Street, and Gabriela Lopez is of the 4800 block of West Irving Park Road, police said. Authorities didn’t say how the pair were related.
The girl and the then-38-year-old victim were both shot just after 1:30 a.m. Dec. 25 in the 3500 block of South Washtenaw Avenue in the Brighton Park neighborhood.
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Jaime Lopez is charged with attempted murder after the Dec. 25, 2019, shooting that injured a 7-year-old girl. (Chicago Police Department)
In court, prosecutors said both defendants and a third person were seen on surveillance video getting into a 2000 maroon Buick LeSabre sedan with a distinctive white vinyl top and leaving a bar in the Avondale neighborhood. Gabriela Lopez was described as the driver.
Gabriela Lopez’s phone records, city cameras and multiple license plate readers confirmed that the car carrying the trio traveled to South Washtenaw Avenue, where someone inside flashed gang signs to three people standing on the street, Assistant State’s Attorney Gino Betts told the court.
Jaime Lopez then got out of the car and fired several shots at the 38-year-old victim and two juveniles with him, Betts said. The man, who turned 39 in January, was struck in the head and both legs, authorities said. As Lopez continued firing at the two juveniles, one of the shots went into the nearby residence and struck the girl, who police previously said was watching television with her cousins that morning.
About a month later, a traffic stop performed on Gabriela Lopez’s Buick found Jaime Lopez as a backseat passenger along with a gun, authorities said.
Betts added that one of the juvenile targets later identified Jaime Lopez as the gunman.
Gabriela Lopez is charged with attempted murder after a shooting that wounded a girl, 7, on Dec. 25, 2019, the Brighton Park neighborhood. (Chicago Police Department)
During the hearing, Jaime Lopez weakly shook his head as he listened to the prosecutors make the allegations. Police arrested both Lopezes on Friday without incident, according to their arrest reports.
Calling Jaime Lopez a “real and present threat to the public," and citing the evidence against him, Circuit Judge Arthur Wesley Willis denied him bail but granted $100,000 bail for Gabriela Lopez. Both are expected to return to court Friday.
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In the shooting, one of the bullets crashed through a front window of a home, tore through a couch and hit the girl in the right elbow, back and chest, police said.
As emergency vehicles arrived at the scene, lights from a police car and an ambulance flashed alongside blinking Christmas decorations outside the three-flat, according to a video taken by Network Video Productions and obtained by the Tribune at the time.
(Chicago Tribune Handout (handout, chicago-tribune-handout))
A paramedic emerged from the home carrying the girl in his arms to the ambulance. Speechless and wide-eyed, two men and a woman could be seen trailing closely behind. At least six creased notecards served as makeshift evidence markers next to shell casings strewn across 35th Place.
The holiday shooting grabbed the attention of Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who expressed concern for the family and called on the public to come forward with any information at the time.
“As we gather for the holiday, we renew our commitment to protect our children from harm," Lightfoot said on Twitter at the time. "To the family, CPD will do everything possible to bring the perpetrator to justice. As a city, you have our love and support.”
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A $1,000 reward had been offered in the days after the attack.
wlee@chicagotribune.com
rsobol@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-03-07--Kyle Hendricks believes he and his teammates have a solution for their road woes, plus 2 other takea

Kyle Hendricks believes he and his teammates have a solution for their road woes, plus 2 other takeaways from Cubs spring training

“ You always have to trust in yourself , ” Wick said .
“ As long as I get to @ @ @ @ @ to my job , that ’ s all I really ask for .
Just get @ @ @ @ @ continue to do that , that ’ s what I ’ m here for .
@ @ @ @ @ in myself , but just getting the opportunity .
… I just try to keep @ @ @ @ @ t go too far beyond that . ''

GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Three takeaways from Cubs spring training Saturday.
1. Kyle Hendricks has his thinking cap on.
Even when your nickname is “The Professor,” trying to figure out a solution to the home-road thing can be a daunting task.
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But Kyle Hendricks has thought about it and he believes he and his teammates have come up with an answer.
In case you’ve forgotten, Hendricks went 6-2 with a 2.04 ERA in 14 starts at Wrigley Field but couldn’t find a way to take that dominance with him on the road, where he finished 5-8 with a 5.02 ERA.
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He wasn’t the only Cubs player with divergent home-road splits — the Cubs were 51-30 at Wrigley Field but 33-48 on the road — which was one of the main factors for the team’s 2019 regression. Hendricks knows he has to change that narrative to become the consistent pitcher he was the previous four years.
Any theories?
Pitcher Kyle Hendricks runs drills during Cubs spring training Feb. 15, 2020, in Mesa, Ariz. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)
“We had a little bit of that (issue) team-wide, and we addressed it as a staff,” Hendricks said Saturday after four sharp innings in an 8-5 win over the Indians at Goodyear Park.
“I can only speak for myself, but at Wrigley I’m so comfortable in the setting and the environment, the look of home plate, the look of the backdrop and all the stuff.
“So going on the road, we’ve talked about going out on the game mound when we get there and just getting a look, getting comfortable with that at first. Because sometimes that’s what gets you. You do your warmups (in the bullpen) and then get out to the game, and it looks a little different than what you’re used to.”
Just standing on it? Is that doable?
“Possibly, yeah,” he said. “The grounds crew doesn’t love it. When we first get there to start the series, show up day one, and a couple pitchers mosey out and just kind of take it in, see what it looks like.
"That’s going to help me, but it was really more of a mindset. Just got to be more aggressive and come out attacking more on the road. I did a better job of that at home because of the comfortability.”
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2. Kyle Hendricks endorsed Yu Darvish or Jon Lester for opening-day nod.
Hendricks made his third spring start Saturday, serving up a leadoff home run to Francisco Lindor before shutting down the Indians on one run the rest of the way. He struck out four, including back-to-back K’s on changeups to Franmil Reyes and Domingo Santana in the fourth.
Hendricks has allowed one run on three hits over nine innings this spring with eight strikeouts and only one walk.
Despite his strong spring performance, Hendricks doesn’t feel he’s in the mix for opening-day starter, conceding Yu Darvish and Jon Lester deserve it ahead of him.
“I’m just grateful to be part of this staff and lucky to have a clean slate and another opportunity with these five guys," he said. "We’re going to have to really try to make a run. We’re worried about where we are at the end of the year, not the first game.”
Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 21 Cubs outfielder Albert Almora Jr. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)
3. The Cubs need Rowan Wick to be Rowan Wick.
Wick figures to be the primary setup man for Craig Kimbrel after posting a 2.43 ERA with 35 strikeouts in 33⅓ innings (31 appearances) in 2019.
When wondering why the Cubs brought in so many no-name relievers to fight for bullpen spots, it’s best to remember Wick was one of those no-names last year.
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The Cardinals waived him in 2018, and he played one year in the Padres system before the Cubs acquired him in November 2018 for minor-league infielder Jason Vosler.
“You always have to trust in yourself,” Wick said. “As long as I get to show up every day and to my job, that’s all I really ask for. Just get outs, and if I continue to do that, that’s what I’m here for. I always had the faith in myself, but just getting the opportunity. … I just try to keep it simple. Don’t go too far beyond that."
Wick believes he can be a closer in the future but will have to wait his turn.
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“Yeah, obviously, but we’ll see where Craig is at and whoever else is in that bullpen,” he said.
Wick allowed four runs in one inning Saturday in an 8-5 split-squad loss to the Reds in Las Vegas to increase his spring ERA to 22.09.
Cubs President Theo Epstein pointed to Dan Winkler, Ryan Tepera and Casey Sadler as some of the lesser-known relievers who have impressed him early.
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“It’s a little daunting building a bullpen when you’re not going to be bringing in too many household names or guys who are coming off good years because we were looking to do it, uh, efficiently,” he said.
Efficiently, in this case, is a euphemism for “on the cheap.”
The Cubs didn’t have the budget flexibility to dive in on some of the more coveted relievers such as Will Smith, who got $40 million for three years from the Braves. And they couldn’t afford to take a chance on former Yankees setup man Dellin Betances, who signed a one-year, $10.5 million deal with the Mets.
“Some of these guys we brought in on small trades or small free-agent signings have given us some good early feedback,” Epstein said. “It’s really early, and you know how volatile bullpens can be. But early returns are encouraging for us.”


chicagotribune--2020-03-07--3 takeaways from White Sox spring training, including pitcher Dallas Keuchel still feeling ahead of

3 takeaways from White Sox spring training, including pitcher Dallas Keuchel still feeling ahead of schedule

“ I ’ m not trying to get tired in late August and September like a lot of the young @ @ @ @ @ re coming into camp and going full bore and trying to make a team , @ @ @ @ @ I have to remember that it ’ s a process , whether you like most @ @ @ @ @ ’ t .
I ’ m still ahead of schedule and I like the way @ @ @ @ @ Saturday ) and I was able to command that a little bit better than the @ @ @ @

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Nomar Mazara went 2-for-3 with an RBI for the White Sox in Saturday’s 12-7 loss to the Giants in a Cactus League game at Scottsdale Stadium.
Mazara doubled in the fourth inning and drove in Nick Madrigal with a single in the sixth. Luis Robert and James McCann both went 1-for-3. McCann drove in two runs with a triple in the sixth.
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Hee are three takeaways from Sox spring training Saturday:
1. Dallas Keuchel still feels ahead of schedule.
Dallas Keuchel thought the early stages of his start against the Giants were solid. But then, the veteran left-hander said, he “kind of lost focus a little bit.”
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Keuchel allowed four runs on eight hits in 3⅔ innings striking out three and walking one in his second outing of the spring.
“That’s really one of the challenges I’m going to face having spring training off last year and just kind of going about my own slower pace,” Keuchel said. "I’m kind of in between right now of cruise control, just let the body work and jamming the accelerator down. I’m trying to find the correct balance again.
"It was good to get work in. You never want to see runs across the board, but if you can pick and choose a time, it’s definitely spring training. I’d rather get the runs out right now than during the regular season.”
The three strikeouts came in the first two innings. The Giants scored twice in the third and added two runs in the fourth.
“They did a really good job early in the count, especially the lefties," Keuchel said. “I was more willing to just be around the zone than be specific, which I usually am during the regular season. So far, in two starts, lefties have hit me a lot better than the righties. As we come to a close of spring training, I’ll start to tighten that up to the lefties.”
Keuchel said he still feels ahead of schedule at this point in the spring.
“I felt like I could have gone a couple of more innings, which is a really good sign,” Keuchel said. “Then again, I’m not trying to jam down the accelerator, so I have to unintentionally back off a little bit and make sure that when we leave spring training I’m not 110%, I’m still hovering at like 85 because there was a lack of spring training last year.”
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Keuchel was still a free agent at this time last spring. He signed with the Braves in June.
“I’m not trying to get tired in late August and September like a lot of the young guys do when they’re coming into camp and going full bore and trying to make a team," Keuchel said. “I have to remember that it’s a process, whether you like most of it or you don’t. I’m still ahead of schedule and I like the way the breaking-ball shape was (Saturday) and I was able to command that a little bit better than the first start.”
2. Andrew Vaughn and Codi Heuer are among the players making an impression.
First baseman Andrew Vaughn, the No. 2 prospect in the organization according to MLB.com, went 1-for-3, driving in a run with a single to right field in the sixth inning.
Vaughn is hitting .350 with five RBIs.
Andrew Vaughn doing Andrew Vaughn things. pic.twitter.com/T8Alrb6jlp — Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) March 7, 2020
“Andrew Vaughn certainly looks like he’s been a pro longer than eight months or however long he’s actually been,” Sox general manager Rick Hahn said Friday.
Vaughn isn’t the only young player who has made an impression.
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“A lot of the young relievers, whether it’s Codi Heuer or Tyler Johnson, have come in and impressed early on in camp," Hahn said. “(And) it’s good to see Zack Burdi back healthy.”
Heuer struck out two in a scoreless inning Saturday. He has pitched five scoreless innings with seven strikeouts this spring.
Johnson has a 7.71 ERA — four earned runs in 4⅔ innings — but also has recorded seven strikeouts.
3. Nick Madrigal is ‘holding his own.'
Nick Madrigal, the No. 4 prospect in the organization according to MLB.com, singled and later scored a run in the sixth inning. The second baseman went 1-for-3 and is hitting .208.
Friday, Hahn assessed Madrigal’s spring.
“It’s been similar to what we expected,” Hahn said. "There were a handful of things we sent him home to work on offensivelym and over the course of various at-bats, you can see him trying to execute on that plan.
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"Defensively, we’ve seen him make some spectacular plays and we’ve seen it quicken on him a handful of times. Like we’ve talked about with other players, the speed of a big-league game is tough to replicate in the minors. He’s done a nice job holding his own over the course of this camp.”


chicagotribune--2020-03-08--Bradley is back in the NCAA Tournament for the 2nd year in a row after ending Valparaiso’s run to th

Bradley is back in the NCAA Tournament for the 2nd year in a row after ending Valparaiso’s run to the Missouri Valley final: ‘This is the year we want to go make some noise’

“ He came in with a chip on his shoulder and he proved it , ” Wardle said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ than when you see true hard work pay off .
He let everyone see what @ @ @ @ @ it was great .
”

ST. LOUIS — Bradley guard Darrell Brown was not happy with his selection to the Missouri Valley’s all-conference second team earlier in the week.
He displayed his displeasure in a big way Sunday.
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Brown scored 21 points and Elijah Childs added 17 to lead fourth-seeded Bradley to its 10th NCAA Tournament with an 80-66 win over seventh-seeded Valparaiso in the MVC championship game.
Ja’Shon Henry scored 16 points for the Braves, Nate Kennell had 14 points and Ville Tahvanainen added 10.
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Javon Freeman-Liberty paced Valparaiso with 24 points and 10 rebounds.
Bradley (23-11) claimed its fourth MVC Tournament title and became the ninth team in conference history to defend its tournament crown. It’s the first time the Braves have qualified for back-to-back NCAA Tournaments since 1954 and ’55.
Brown, who came into the game averaging 15.3 points, was certain he deserved first-team all-conference honors. The perceived snub bothered him.
Bradley coach Brian Wardle made sure to keep Brown properly motivated. He jokingly called Brown “Second Team” at every opportunity.
“In the hotel he kept calling me that,” Brown said. “I thought it was funny. But I’m a self-driven person. He really didn’t have to do that. I felt disrespected. So I took it upon myself to prove everybody wrong.”
Wardle's actions paid off.
“He came in with a chip on his shoulder and he proved it,” Wardle said. “There’s nothing better than when you see true hard work pay off. He let everyone see what he was made of — it was great.”
Brown hit 6 of 14 shots, including 4 of 6 from 3-point range, and kick-started a 38-18 run over the final 12 minutes, 2 seconds with a jumper that tied the score at 49. His 3-pointer pushed the lead to 62-52. He also had nine assists.
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“He can carry us when he gets hot like that,“ Childs said.
Valparaiso (19-16) led 48-42 before the Braves took charge. Tahvanainen hit a big 3-pointer to cap a 7-0 run that put the Braves ahead for good 56-51.
Inside for the stuff!
The @ValleyHoops title game has been a dandy. pic.twitter.com/xQVrArBLeZ — CBS Sports CBB (@CBSSportsCBB) March 8, 2020
Bradley rallied from an 18-point second-half deficit to beat Northern Iowa 57-54 in last year’s MVC final. The six-point hole Sunday was nothing for the Braves, who have won eight of their last 10.
“It’s one possession at a time and everyone contributing,” Brown said. “It’s not like we panic when we get down. We knew what we had to do and we did it.“
Valparaiso used a 9-2 blitz over the last 3:37 of the first half to take a 38-36 lead into the break.
“We’ve got a locker room full of guys that just laid it out on the line,” Crusaders coach Matt Lottich said. “When you give your hearts into something and it doesn’t work out, it hurts.”
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Valparaiso played its fourth game in as many days for the first time in its postseason tournament history.
“I wouldn’t blame it all on fatigue,“ Freeman-Liberty said.
The Braves seem to thrive in the underdog role. They were seeded fifth when they upset Northern Iowa in last year’s championship game.
“We like it better when no one expects anything from us,” Childs said.
Bradley’s 23 victories are the program’s most since the 1993-94 team went 23-8 under coach Jim Molinari.
The Braves were a No. 15 seed in last year’s NCAA Tournament and lost to Michigan State 76-65 in the first round.
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“I already told the guys, this is the year we want to go make some noise,” Wardle said.


chicagotribune--2020-03-08--Kirby Dach’s offensive inconsistency can be frustrating, but the Blackhawks rookie says he’s staying

Kirby Dach’s offensive inconsistency can be frustrating, but the Blackhawks rookie says he’s staying positive mentally while learning from his veteran teammates

“ Earlier in the season when I was getting my feet wet , I was aware — but I wasn @ @ @ @ @ same time — of just how fast it really was going to be , ” @ @ @ @ @ knew it was going to be a step up and the pace was going to @ @ @ @ @ but for me it was more so learning I can ’ t really take a @ @ @ @ @ always coming after you to get that puck back .
”

Kirby Dach has had games, like the two last week against the Ducks and Oilers in which he assisted on a goal in each game, when his progress is evident.
Then there are nights like Friday against the lowly Red Wings, when Dach played 20 shifts totaling nearly 16 minutes, lost 70% of his faceoffs and didn’t get off a single shot on goal.
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It was the first time Dach failed to take a shot since Dec. 31. He had four goals and four assists in November but scored only goal each month since through February, though he does have nine assists since Jan. 19. For the season, he had eight goals and 14 assists in 62 games entering Sunday night’s game against the Blues at the United Center.
The peaks and valleys of the rookie center’s season come as no surprise.
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“We know we’re going to make mistakes in the games; sometimes they’re going to be more costly than others (and) end up losing us a game,” Dach said, speaking of himself and other inexperienced players.
“For the young guys in this group, we’re all confident players and we all believe in ourselves and each other that when it comes down to crunch time, we’re going to get the job done. We’ve just got to keep coming to the rink each day and believing, and things will turn around (and) we’ll have a good rest of the year.”
Dach is trying to learn as much he can during the Blackhawks’ final 14 games, barring a Hail Mary that gets them into the postseason.
“Earlier in the season when I was getting my feet wet, I was aware — but I wasn’t aware at the same time — of just how fast it really was going to be,” he said. “I knew it was going to be a step up and the pace was going to be higher and harder, but for me it was more so learning I can’t really take a stride off. Guys are always coming after you to get that puck back.”
Once he felt more comfortable with the pace of games, how strong other players were and knowing where to position himself in certain situations, he felt more confident in his playmaking. But there are still areas he would like to “clean up,” he said.
“There’s been stretches where I didn’t produce offensively, but at the same time I was getting those chances, I wasn’t quite putting them in the net,” Dach said. “But I felt like I was playing well in other areas.”
Dach had an 8.1% shooting percentage entering Sunday’s game, and his 48.6% Corsi-For percentage ranked 16th on the team.
His offensive game may not be to his liking yet, but he’s contributing and making strides, coach Jeremy Colliton said.
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“He’s getting better all the time,” Colliton said. “It’s fun to watch. He’s more and more confident making plays. That line’s been really good for us.”
In the previous five games, Dach played on the third line with Alex DeBrincat and Drake Caggiula. They generated three goals and allowed one.
“He’s been pretty good defensively,” Colliton said. “If anything it’s just the finished product offensively, but that will come.”
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Veterans such as Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith and the injured Brent Seabrook have helped school Dach on the finer points of the league.
“It’s a privilege for me to work with Seabrook,” Dach said. “He’s helped me out a lot.
“You learn skills each day and mental ways to go through obstacles when maybe you’re not scoring goals but you’re getting the chances and pucks aren’t going in. Or you’re not getting the chances and you’re frustrated offensively, or you keep getting scored on defensively.
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“There’s tactical ways to change those things, but the big thing for young guys is not to get mentally frustrated and put yourself down. You have to find ways to bring yourself up because that will only bring your game down if you’re constantly thinking of the negatives.”
Lately Dach has particularly studied Toews, his counterpart at center on the first line.
“I spend a lot of time watching Tazer and talking to him and learning from him,” Dach said. “It’s just that 200-foot game, to bring that element that I can play in the defensive zone and at the same time I can create plays and be a playmaker in the offensive zone and be square with the puck in certain situations and be trusted to put out in those critical moments.
“I try to take things from everybody. I’m always trying to learn and improve my game. You can never be good enough in every facet of your game.”


chicagotribune--2020-03-08--Defensive focus gives Vernon Hills boys basketball a boost down the stretch

Defense kept the Cougars in the game in the first half against Notre Dame , the second-ranked team in Class @ @ @ @ @ Associated Press .
Vernon Hills coach Matt McCarty said the Dons average 18 points in @ @ @ @ @ the Cougars held them to eight points in the first quarter Friday .

After a 16-point loss to Antioch Jan. 7, the Vernon Hills boys basketball team took a look inward.
Defense became a priority and helped the Cougars prevail in close games during the second half of the season. That defensive focus also led to a win in a Class 3A North Chicago Regional semifinal.
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Vernon Hills held Ridgewood scoreless for the final 3 minutes, 38 seconds on March 4, as the Cougars won 50-48. Two days later, Vernon Hills kept an elite Notre Dame team well below its scoring average in a 56-30 loss to end the Cougars’ season.
Vernon Hills (15-18) lost senior starters Ryan Jacobson and Michael Moore early in the season. The 6-4 Jacobson tore an ACL, and the 6-5 Moore dislocated a knee. That led to the 58-42 loss to Antioch.
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Vernon Hills' Josh Liu shoots a free throw against Notre Dame during the Class 3A North Chicago Regional final Friday, March 6, 2020. (Mark Kodiak Ukena / Pioneer Press)
“That was a real clunker of a game for us,” Cougars coach Matt McCarty said. “We talked about increasing our defensive energy. If we were going to win some close games, we had to be stronger at the defensive end.”
Cougars point guard Tony Brown, who scored 16 of his team’s 30 points against Notre Dame, said the reset after the Antioch contest made it clear to him that defense was going to be the key.
“We had a meeting and talked (about) playing as a team on defense, helping each other out,” Brown said. “That’s when we started to find ourselves. Playing well on defense was going to keep us in close games.”
Vernon Hills senior guard Josh Liu said the team committed to defense and each other after the Antioch game.
“As a group, we made a commitment to defense,” Liu said. “We were going to know where everyone was and what we were going to do at all times. We were playing for each other.”
Defense kept the Cougars in the game in the first half against Notre Dame, the second-ranked team in Class 3A, according to the Associated Press. Vernon Hills coach Matt McCarty said the Dons average 18 points in the first quarter, but the Cougars held them to eight points in the first quarter Friday.
Brown paced Vernon Hills on offense, but Notre Dame also brought its A-game on defense.
“I saw it as an opportunity to attack,” Brown said. “If I could drive for a layup, I did. When I got in there, if I didn’t have the layup, I passed it out to a guy who was open.
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"You have to pass. You can’t dribble against those guys. They have hands all over you.”
McCarty said his team advanced to the regional final by playing a complete game against Ridgewood in the semifinal. Cougars senior Jack Barszcz scored the go-ahead basket to cap a 30-point, 13-rebound performance. Vernon Hills shut down the Rebels in the final four minutes of the fourth quarter.
“We knew our defense would keep us in close games,” McCarty said. “This was exactly that. We played some really strong defense. We didn’t give them any good shots (in the final minutes), and we got the defensive rebounds.”
Steve Sadin is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter @Pioneer_Press


chicagotribune--2020-03-08--Clark Weber, Chicago radio voice for generations who introduced the Beatles at Comiskey, dead at 89

He jumped to rival Top 40 WCFL-AM 1000 in 1969 , and then to WMAQ-AM 670 in 1971 .
He @ @ @ @ @ slot there , replacing Howard Miller .
He explained the reason for this move from @ @ @ @ @ a reporter , “ I was 40 and I knew I couldn ’ t be @ @ @ @ @ much longer .
Either I was going to have to change or I was going @ @ @ @ @ of the business .
Well , I loved the business , so I made the @ @ @

Spinning and launching records in the early days of rock and roll, sharing thoughtful commentary or interviewing a variety of people from celebrities to politicians, the voice of Clark Weber was part of the soundtrack for generations of radio-listening Chicagoans.
A professional and a gentleman to the core, Weber died Saturday of cancer in hospice care at the Presbyterian Home in Evanston, the suburb in which he had long lived. He was 89 and had lost Joan, his wife of 63 years to cancer in 2018.
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“Clark was Clark—on and off the air,” said retired radio newsman Lyle Dean, who was a colleague of Weber’s and a friend for decades. “He was easy to be friends with, as so many thousands heard on and off the air. And he never acted his age. An endearing quality that probably rubbed off on those who knew him.”
Clark Weber was born on Nov. 24, 1930, in the Milwaukee suburb of Wauwatosa, where he fell in love with radio as a teenager. After attending the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and serving in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War, he began his lengthy radio career working for a number of small Wisconsin stations.
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In 1961 he drove south and into the overnight hosting chores at WLS-AM 890, joining a roster of deejays that also included Dick Biondi, Art Roberts and Larry Lujack. Referring to himself self-deprecatingly as “Mother Weber’s Oldest Son,” he moved up from overnights to afternoons to mornings and, for a time, served as program director at what was then the hottest station in town.
He jumped to rival Top 40 WCFL-AM 1000 in 1969, and then to WMAQ-AM 670 in 1971. He took over the morning drive slot there, replacing Howard Miller. He explained the reason for this move from music to talk by telling a reporter, “I was 40 and I knew I couldn’t be a Top 40 jock for much longer. Either I was going to have to change or I was going to have to get out of the business. Well, I loved the business, so I made the transition.”
He did so successfully at that station and, from 1972-1985 at WIND-AM 560. When that station was sold and switched to a Spanish-language format, he joined WJJD-AM 1160 for a decade and then spent five more years at WAIT-AM 820.
As a talk show host, he was always probing and engaging. This, even though, as he told reporter Rick Kaempfer in 2007, “I always hated politicians. They don’t come clean, they speak in platitudes, and they never say what they really mean. I remember [Illinois Republican senator] Everett Dirksen once saying to me off the air: ‘Clark, I don’t think the public can stand the truth.’”
Though he would occasionally be heard for short hosting stints at other stations and often as a guest, he devoted most of his time to Clark Weber & Associates, an advertising agency and consulting firm which specialized in radio advertising for the 50+ market.
He was zealous in that mission, saying during a speech in the mid-1990s, “There are a number of erroneous stereotypes about older consumers. It’s made us a wide-open market that’s hardly being touched.” And telling a reporter, “The older audience is being shunted aside by the time buyers at the advertising agencies who only think in terms of 18-to-34 listeners. But that’s a shrinking audience. And here I have an audience that is growing as the whole country is getting older.”
He also started hosting daily one-minute commentaries on aging, “A Senior Moment,” that aired on more than 30 stations and online. He formally retired in 2015, the years he was inducted in the Illinois Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame.
Ever a frequent (and delightful) speaker various local gatherings, Weber was often asked to recall what it was like for him to introduce the Beatles at Comiskey Park on Aug. 20, 1965.
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He would say a variation of what he once told a reporter: “The crowd went crazy because they knew what was coming. There were about 38,000 screaming teenage girls and the sound was indescribable. I could feel the vibration in my fingers. I don’t think anyone in the ballpark heard a single second of the show. I was standing right next to the stage and I didn’t hear it.”
That story and many others are between the covers of the autobiography he published in 2008, “Clark Weber’s Rock and Roll Radio: The Fun Years, 1955-1975” (Chicago’s Books Press).
Lyle Dean had talked with Weber during his final days.
“He was still quick with a humorous quip,” Dean said. “His sense of humor stayed with him through his journey. He told me that one of his goals was to live to 89, just like his signature radio jingle ‘Clark Weber, 89, WLS’.”
Weber is survived by daughters, Ann Lesar, Peggy Barthold, Jeanne Wakenight and Janet Bryan; 12 grandchildren and two great grandchildren. Services are being planned.


chicagotribune--2020-03-08--Watch live: Health officials discuss 7th coronavirus case in Illinois

Officials from the Chicago and Illinois departments of public health will discuss a new case of the novel coronavirus , @ @ @ @ @ , at a 3 p.m. news conference at the Office of Emergency Management and Communications @ @ @ @ @ updates on the ongoing investigation at Vaughn Occupational High School , where a classroom assistant @ @ @ @ @ latest here .

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chicagotribune--2020-03-08--Homicide investigation underway after shooting reported during house party in Barrington Hills Airbn

Homicide investigation underway after shooting reported during house party in Barrington Hills Airbnb rental

Airbnb later issued its own statement , saying the company has been in touch with investigators .
It also said @ @ @ @ @ is its top priority and that it is “ outraged ” by the “ criminal @ @ @ @ @ , an Airbnb spokesman said house parties are not altogether against its rules , but @ @ @ @ @ such as when details are shared on social media and anyone can attend , are @ @

Investigators said one person was killed this weekend when someone started shooting during a house party being hosted at a Barrington Hills Airbnb rental.
Barrington Hills police were called about 3:20 a.m. Saturday for a report of shots fired at a home in the 300 block of Old Sutton Road and found an unresponsive man who later was pronounced dead. Responding officers launched a homicide investigation, according to a statement from the Village of Barrington Hills, a northwest suburb about 40 miles from Chicago.
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William Walsh, a spokesman for Barrington Hills police, in a statement said there had been a large party at the home prior to the shooting, hosted by “individuals from outside of Barrington Hills, who had rented the property on a short-term basis.”
The shooting was described by village officials as an isolated incident that posed no threat to the community at large. The Cook County medical examiner’s office had not released the name of the man who was killed as of Sunday morning.
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Police are investigating an incident at a residence in the 300 block of Old Sutton Road, which occurred today in the... Posted by Village of Barrington Hills - Government on Saturday, March 7, 2020
Airbnb later issued its own statement, saying the company has been in touch with investigators. It also said the safety of its community is its top priority and that it is “outraged” by the “criminal violence.” In an email, an Airbnb spokesman said house parties are not altogether against its rules, but “open-invite” parties, such as when details are shared on social media and anyone can attend, are banned.
“This covers any event that the organizer opens up to anyone who wants to attend, such as gatherings advertised on social media. Hosts who attempt to circumvent this ban and allow guests to throw large parties will be subject to consequences,” the Airbnb policy states. The spokesman did not indicate whether Saturday’s party in Barrington Hills violated policy.
The Cook County Major Case Assistance Team is helping local authorities with its investigation.
The medical examiner’s office indicated it planned to perform an autopsy Sunday on the man who was killed.
Check back for updates.
kdouglas@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @312BreakingNews