chicagotribune--2020-02-03--Safety concerns for Lebanese band, whose lead singer is openly gay, prompt Northwestern to move even

Safety concerns for Lebanese band, whose lead singer is openly gay, prompt Northwestern to move event from Doha to Evanston

A statement on the school ’ s website announcing the cancellation said such an event “ will facilitate a larger @ @ @ @ @ drive the band ’ s art and music — and about aspects of civil liberties @ @ @ @ @ are not always open to such discussions in all parts of the world .
”

The appearance of Lebanese band Mashrou’ Leila was relocated from Northwestern’s campus in Doha to Evanston. (Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)
Northwestern University’s Evanston campus will host a Lebanese band whose event at its Qatar campus was canceled this week due to safety concerns.
Justin Martin, an associate professor in residence at Northwestern’s Doha campus, confirmed the cancellation of the event, which was intended to be a discussion Tuesday with the band members of Mashrou’ Leila at the university’s campus in Doha.
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The event was a part of an exhibit at the Media Majlis, a museum at the school dedicated to journalism, communication and media with exhibits and events like this one, titled “From Visionaries to Vloggers: Media Revolutions in the Middle East.”
Reuters reported that hostile online comments against the band, whose lyrics include topics on gender equality and homophobia, and whose lead singer is openly gay, sparked safety concerns.
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“The decision to move the discussion to Evanston was made mutually between Northwestern and members of Mashrou’ Leila,” said Jon Yates, Northwestern’s director of media relations. “The decision was made out of an abundance of caution due to several factors, including safety concerns for the band and our community.”
Yates said they are in the process of confirming logistics for the Evanston event.
Yates said both university campuses are committed to academic freedom, diversity and inclusion. He said because the school believes that the band’s ideas, art and voices should be heard, it is working to bring them to Illinois.
A statement on the school’s website announcing the cancellation said such an event “will facilitate a larger discussion around the ideas that drive the band’s art and music — and about aspects of civil liberties and freedom of expression that are not always open to such discussions in all parts of the world.”
Reuters reported on Wednesday that a spokesman for the Qatar Foundation, a state-linked nonprofit and partner of the university, said it did not currently have safety or security concerns.
“We also place the very highest value on academic freedom and the open exchange of knowledge, ideas and points of view in the context of Qatari laws as well as the country’s cultural and social customs. This particular event was canceled due to the fact that it patently did not correlate with this context," the spokesman told Reuters.
Yates said Wednesday, “We respectfully disagree with the Qatar Foundation’s statement,” and he again emphasized the event was moved after discussing the situation with band members, including concerns for their safety.
The band, which is based in Beirut, has faced threats and experienced cancellations in the past.
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Last summer, a Lebanese music festival canceled a concert “to prevent bloodshed” after threats, and they previously were blocked from playing in Jordan.
Editor’s note: This story was updated to include a response from the Qatar Foundation from a Reuters news report, and Tribune’s call to Northwestern for its response to that information.
abowen@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-02-03--Cousins from Aurora and Streator accused of robbing Lisle cellphone store and fleeing in employee’s

Cousins from Aurora and Streator accused of robbing Lisle cellphone store and fleeing in employee’s car, DuPage County prosecutors say

Authorities say the pair , armed and wearing masks and hoods , entered the store about 6:50 p.m. Saturday , @ @ @ @ @ at gunpoint to a back room .
Once there , the duo forced the employee @ @ @ @ @ and the men took about 60 phones and electronic devices , prosecutors said .

Cousins Arron Thompson, left, and Ezekiel Thompson are accused of robbing a Lisle cellphone store at gunpoint. (DuPage County states attorney / HANDOUT)
An Aurora man and his cousin were ordered held without bail Monday on charges that they robbed a Lisle cellphone store at gunpoint last weekend, allegedly tying up an employee before leaving in the worker’s car, prosecutors said.
Arron Thompson, 24, of the 3500 block of Frontenac Court in Aurora, and Ezekiel Thompson, 24, of Streator, have been charged with multiple felony counts in connection with the robbery of the Lisle Verizon store at 1104 Ogden Ave.
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They appeared Monday in DuPage County court before Judge George Bakalis.
Authorities say the pair, armed and wearing masks and hoods, entered the store about 6:50 p.m. Saturday, and ordered the sole employee at gunpoint to a back room. Once there, the duo forced the employee to open a safe, and the men took about 60 phones and electronic devices, prosecutors said.
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They then bound the employee’s arms and legs with zip ties and took his wallets and keys before driving away in the employee’s car, prosecutors said.
Police from several departments, including Lisle, Woodridge, Downers Grove and Darien, allegedly located the men in the parking of a Woodridge apartment complex. The men abandoned their vehicle and tried to flee but were taken into custody after a brief foot chase, police said.
In a statement released Monday, State’s Attorney Robert Berlin lauded the interagency police work that led to the arrests.
“As demonstrated with the quick apprehension of these suspects, brazen acts of violence as alleged in this case will attract the full force of DuPage County law enforcement,” Berlin said.
The men are facing counts of armed robbery with a firearm, aggravated kidnapping, unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, defacing identification marks on a firearm and unlawful possession of a stolen motor vehicle.
According to DuPage County court records, Arron Thompson is on probation for a 2018 domestic incident in Naperville in which he allegedly punched a woman and then assaulted a Naperville police officer who responded to the incident.
Because both men were armed with guns, they could face enhanced sentences of an additional 15 years if found guilty, prosecutors said. They are scheduled for arraignment Feb. 28.
Clifford Ward is a freelance reporter.


chicagotribune--2020-02-03--Judge sets high bond for man who spit on Chicago cop, then was body-slammed

The judge acknowledged that Kersh likely would be unable to post the $ 10,000 needed to be released but said @ @ @ @ @ so Kersh could avoid the “ stigma ” of being held without bail .

A bystander took video of a Chicago police officer as he hurled a 29-year-old man to the ground for allegedly spitting on him during an arrest Nov. 28, 2019. (Jovonna Jamison)
A man who was body-slammed after allegedly spitting on a Chicago police officer in late November likely will remain in custody after picking up a new felony charge for allegedly striking a store manager.
Bernard Kersh, 29, should be kept in Cook County Jail and treated for mental health issues given the violent nature of the charges he faces and his allegedly spotty history of complying with bond conditions, Judge Erica Reddick ruled Monday.
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Reddick ordered him held on $100,000 bond.
Kersh was charged with aggravated battery after he allegedly spit on the undisclosed officer, prompting the officer to hurl him to the pavement Nov. 28. Video capturing the scene — apparently shot by a bystander — was circulated widely online.
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Kersh was released in early December after community members put up the $500 to pay his initial bail, according to his attorney, Sami Azhari.
Bernard Kersh, 29, was charged with felony aggravated battery to a peace officer and misdemeanor counts of resisting arrest, assault, and drinking alcohol on the public way. (Chicago Police Department)
On Jan. 23, he was arrested again, this time for hitting a Jewel-Osco manager who tried to stop him from stealing tequila and a bouquet of flowers, prosecutors said Monday. He was charged with aggravated battery and retail theft, records show.
That arrest violated the terms of his bail on the earlier charges
Azhari sought Kersh’s release so he could receive mental health treatment, but the judge ordered he remain in custody on the $100,000 bond and undergo treatment in jail.
“There is an issue that requires mental health intervention immediately,” Reddick said. “He does need to be stabilized and maintained.”
The judge acknowledged that Kersh likely would be unable to post the $10,000 needed to be released but said she ordered the high bond so Kersh could avoid the “stigma” of being held without bail.
Azhari said Kersh has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and is blind in one eye.
The Nov. 28 encounter began as a routine patrol stop when two plainclothes officers driving in an unmarked squad car observed Kersh drinking vodka at a bus stop in the Chatham neighborhood, prosecutors said.
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Kersh allegedly spit in one officer’s face after he had taken away his bottle of vodka while preparing to write Kersh a ticket for drinking on the public way, authorities have said.
Kersh was convicted in 2018 of spitting on a police officer and in 2011 for punching an officer.
mcrepeau@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-02-03--Lincoln Park High School students and parents seeking answers after abrupt suspension of administrat

Lincoln Park High School students and parents seeking answers after abrupt suspension of administrators and basketball season

Hundreds of students participated in the walkout and , after the news conference , marched off school grounds , weaving @ @ @ @ @ officers and spilling out onto Armitage Avenue .
Many toted hand-lettered signs asking that leaders @ @ @ @ @ basketball team be allowed to play this week , chanting , “ What do we @ @ @ @ @ , “ Let them play !
Let them play !
”

Students from Chicago's Lincoln Park High School stage a walkout Feb. 3, 2020, to protest the suspension of school leaders and the boys varsity basketball season. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)
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The investigations into alleged misconduct at Lincoln Park High School are wide-ranging and include claims of athletic recruiting violations, retaliation against witnesses, sexual misconduct and financial misconduct involving athletic program accounts.
In outlining the reasons why several school administrators were suspended and the boys varsity basketball season was abruptly halted late last week, school officials told hundreds of community members gathered Monday night that the moves were the result of “egregious and systemic policy violations.”
School officials said the alleged misconduct involved both students and adults, and also included failure to follow sexual misconduct reporting procedures, improper student discipline, dishonesty to families, allowing suspended employees to work, failure to create safety plans for students and interference with and withholding evidence from investigations.
Among the claims are that school leaders were aware of “student-on-student retaliation” against those who spoke to investigators and that it was not properly reported.
The school’s current leadership turmoil — with the principal, assistant principal, a dean and three basketball coaches now suspended or reassigned — began Jan. 2 when the district’s Office of Student Protections received a report of alleged misconduct during an “unauthorized” school basketball trip over winter break days earlier.
Audience members respond to speakers at a community meeting at Lincoln Park High School Monday evening following a rash of misconduct claims against staff members and students. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
“While conducting the investigation, OSP finds additional serious policy violations and failures to follow proper protocols by adults to ensure student safety,” school officials said in a written presentation Monday evening.
In recent weeks, CPS investigators have uncovered “greater systemic policy violations by adults” as well as two separate complaints of sexual misconduct, one related to the girls basketball team, officials said. Both have prompted separate investigations.
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“I personally come in here with a heavy heart” knowing that “students were harmed” during alleged misconduct, Chief Schools Officer Bogdana Chkoumbova told the crowd.
Students in the audience pressed the chief of schools on whether decisions were reversible and some raised their voices when she said said they were not.
“I understand that this is not something that you would like to hear... This is not something I can change,” she said.
Despite the new revelations, many parents and students expressed anger toward school officials’ handling of the situation. The meeting was marked by emotional and sometimes heated exchanges, and after it concluded some community members angrily confronted CPS safety chief Jadine Chou, prompting security to escort her out.
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The meeting came hours after Lincoln Park High students walked out of classes Monday morning in protest of the removal of their school leaders and the suspension of the boys varsity basketball season just before playoffs are due to begin Tuesday.
About 10:30 a.m., teens began to emerge in droves from school buildings, pausing for a news conference at the edge of campus, where several students spoke publicly in support of interim Principal John Thuet, Assistant Principal Michelle Brumfield and Dean John Johnson, who were among those removed from their positions, Chicago Public Schools announced late Friday.
Outside school Monday morning, Romelle Howard, co-captain of the varsity basketball team, told the crowd he felt “disappointment, stress, confused” over the team’s suspension. He said the number of students who joined the protest shows “a lot of people support us.”
Howard said seniors like him might lose out on chances to be seen by recruiters. He also said students were given no specifics about the reasons behind the decisions.
“I hope we get our season back, get our coach back, (that) everything goes back to normal," Howard said.
Students from Lincoln Park High School walk back to school after staging a walkout and march Feb. 3, 2020, to protest sudden staff changes at the school amid misconduct allegations. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)
Students from Lincoln Park High School head back to school after walking out of class Feb. 3, 2020, in protest of the suspension of school leaders and the basketball season. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)
Hundreds of students participated in the walkout and, after the news conference, marched off school grounds, weaving through television crews and police officers and spilling out onto Armitage Avenue. Many toted hand-lettered signs asking that leaders be reinstated and that the basketball team be allowed to play this week, chanting, “What do we want? Answers” and, “Let them play! Let them play!”
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Parents have also been clamoring for more information about the staff removals, and many new details about the scope of the probe were revealed Monday evening by school officials, including that there are now four separate investigations underway.
But Marybeth Jones, a member of the Lincoln Park Local School Council, said fellow members were “shocked and blindsided” about the leadership suspensions when they received the news hours before it went public.
Jones — whose remarks prompted a standing ovation from fellow audience members — said she was dismayed such a “rash decision” was made privately, contrasting it with the “highly public principal selection process.”
Some students said they felt disrespected and chanted, “Where is the due process?”
Several speakers made reference to an alleged encounter involving students during the overnight basketball team trip to Detroit.
But one person commented: “I find it troubling people have so much to say about what they know so little about.”
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One person in the crowd questioned why the girls basketball team is allowed to play but the boys were suspended.
At the news conference during the walkout Monday, Lincoln Park junior Ella Wong, 17, said that the ousted leaders “made so many drastic differences ... in students’ lives. If that wasn’t true, we wouldn’t be walking out for them.”
CPS Chief Schools Officer Bogdana Chkoumbova speaks during a meeting Feb. 3, 2020, after leadership changes were announced at Lincoln Park High School. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
Wong told the crowd that the school seemed to have “upped the security” Monday and had warned students there could be serious consequences for leaving campus. Students participating in the walkout would have to take an unexcused absence, she said.
But a CPS spokesman later said no students were going to be disciplined as a result of the walkout.
Student speakers said they’ve been reaching out to CPS officials and are prepared to protest at district headquarters in pursuit of answers and changes.
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The announcement late Friday of a leadership shake-up also included the news that Johnson, the dean, and boys basketball coach Donovan Robinson had been reassigned pending the outcome of investigations.
The moves followed the suspension of boys basketball coach Pat Gordon last month over a trip taken by members of the boys basketball team during winter break.
That was followed by a Jan. 25 announcement of an allegation that another staff member, the girls basketball coach, “engaged inappropriately with a student.”
Besides the walkout, an online petition seeks to allow the boys basketball team to resume play. The varsity team is due to play Perspectives/IIT Math & Science Academy on Tuesday in the Chicago Public Leagueplayoffs.
Lincoln Park parent John Moser also said he’s concerned about the lack of information provided by school officials about what’s going on.
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“CPS references serious allegations, and while we understand privacy, they are not telling anyone what these allegations are or what they involve, and the school community will be looking for answers to that tonight,” he told the Tribune ahead of Monday’s community meeting.
Moser said he wanted to emphasize the “incredible work” Thuet, Brumfield and Johnson had done in a relatively short time.
“It’s why the students walked out today, it’s why the students, teachers, parents and school community are upset,” Moser said. “It’s why almost 2,000 people have signed the petition supporting the administrators."
hleone@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-02-03--CPS Inspector General Nicholas Schuler quits, says ‘proud of the work we have accomplished’

“ Mayor Lightfoot has accepted the resignation of Chicago Board of Education Inspector General , Nicholas Schuler , effective February @ @ @ @ @ a statement provided by the mayor ’ s office .
“ The Mayor thanks Mr. @ @ @ @ @ dedicated service to Chicago Public Schools and the City of Chicago .
The Chicago Public @ @ @ @ @ critical role of ensuring the integrity of important functions within Chicago Public Schools , particularly @ @ @ @ @ or abuse .
”

Chicago Public Schools Inspector General Nicholas Schuler has resigned his post as the school district’s chief watchdog.
“Mayor Lightfoot has accepted the resignation of Chicago Board of Education Inspector General, Nicholas Schuler, effective February 29,” according to a statement provided by the mayor’s office. “The Mayor thanks Mr. Schuler for his years of dedicated service to Chicago Public Schools and the City of Chicago. The Chicago Public Schools Inspector General performs the critical role of ensuring the integrity of important functions within Chicago Public Schools, particularly regarding allegations of sexual assault or abuse.”
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Schuler took over the job in 2014 after serving as deputy inspector general and was reappointed in 2018 to a second four-year term.
In his time at the helm, Schuler’s office has uncovered or identified hundreds of cases of alleged misconduct, waste and fraud, including fudged graduation rates at one school, falsified records at the jail high school and staff members living outside city limits.
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He was appointed to the job by then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel but three years later called for the resignation of the mayor’s schools chief, Forrest Claypool, over his handling of an ethics investigation involving a school district attorney. Claypool promptly stepped down.
Under Schuler, the inspector general’s office also has had a large role in investigating complaints of sexual misconduct by district staff members and other adults, a role that expanded after the Tribune’s “Betrayed” series in 2018 uncovered widespread failures by district officials to protect students from sexual misconduct or adequately respond to allegations.
Schuler said in a statement to the Tribune on Monday he had “no comment” about his departure, “other than that I’m proud of the work we have accomplished here over the past 5 years.”
The mayor’s office stated it “will immediately begin the search for a replacement to ensure the rights of all students, teachers and staff remain protected."
CPS officials did not immediately respond Monday.


chicagotribune--2020-02-03--Family of 8-year-old with autism sues Berwyn school district, alleges abuse

“ Thus far , our review of video footage from the school bus and from the hallway cameras has not @ @ @ @ @ us to take remedial action concerning any of our employees , ” district Superintendent Michelle @ @ @ @ @ released by the district .

Attorney John Chwarzynski holds a photo Feb. 3, 2020, of second grader Gianni Fata-Roden after his family says he returned from school with permanent marker scribbling on his back and neck. (Raquel Zaldivar / Chicago Tribune)
The family of a 8-year-old boy with severe autism sued their Berwyn school district Monday, alleging abuse and neglected supervision of their child.
On Wednesday, second grader Gianni Fata-Roden came home from school with permanent marker scribblings on his bare back and neck, his family says. Gianni has limited speech abilities and was unable to say how he ended up with the writings on his back.
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When his mother, Lucia Roden, called Prairie Oak Elementary School, she said they had no explanation for the marks.
“If it was a simple accident (the school) should have contacted me and let me know, but no one did, right away it’s pointing fingers,” Roden said. “I’m just disgusted.”
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The scribbling episode was just the latest in a series of abuses from staff, employees and agents of Berwyn School District 98, dating back more than four years, according to the family’s lawsuit, filed Monday in Cook County Circuit Court.
Officials from the district were conducting their own investigation into what happened, according to a statement released Friday.
“Thus far, our review of video footage from the school bus and from the hallway cameras has not revealed anything that would cause us to take remedial action concerning any of our employees,” district Superintendent Michelle Smith said in a statement released by the district.
In 2015, a school employee tied Gianni to a chair using “exercise bands,” according to the suit. When Roden spoke to school officials about it, she said they acted as if it were no big deal.
Lucia Roden talks to reporters in Chicago on Feb. 3, 2020, about a lawsuit her family filed against Berwyn School District 98 over the treatment of their son. (Raquel Zaldivar / Chicago Tribune)
As a result of Gianni’s being restrained, Roden must approve any technique the school wishes to use with Gianni in the classroom.
Gianni is in a room with just three other students and four teachers and he is supposed to have one-on-one supervision at all times and never be out of sight of a trained adult.
In 2019, the school lost track of Gianni and later found him on a separate floor.
The fact these incidents occurred, when Gianni should have been under close supervision indicates the staff is either improperly trained or careless, according to John Chwarzynski, the family’s attorney.
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“I’m at the point where I don’t even want to send him to school anymore,” said Roden.
In addition to the lawsuit, the family filed a police report with Berwyn police.
The school has not apologized or provided an explanation, according to Chwarzynski.
The district’s statement Friday only addressed what happened last week.
Roden said she wants to know how the three episodes could happen to her son and hopes the lawsuit will bring her some answers.


chicagotribune--2020-02-03--No charges filed against West Side woman with concealed carry license who shot her boyfriend to deat

No charges filed against West Side woman with concealed carry license who shot her boyfriend to death

Chicago police determined a 43-year-old woman who lived in the apartment who was in a relationship with the man , @ @ @ @ @ fired the gunshots that led to his death .
Officers arrested her and questioned the @ @ @ @ @ who witnessed the dispute and shooting , according to a police source .
A 13-year-old @ @ @ @ @ home at the time , but it was not clear whether she saw the shooting @

Katherine Rosenberg-Douglas, Rosemary Sobol

Chicago police arrested a woman in connection with the recent shooting death of her live-in boyfriend late last week, but prosecutors declined to charge the concealed carry license holder, according to authorities.
Officers were called about 4:30 p.m. Friday to an apartment in the 5700 block of West Lake Street in the Austin neighborhood, where they found a wounded 37-year-old man, who later was pronounced dead, according to Sally Bown, a spokeswoman for Chicago police. He had been shot once in the leg and once in the chest during a domestic fight , a police source said.
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The medical examiner’s office ruled the man’s death a homicide from multiple gunshot wounds. He was identified as Leonard Stricklin Jr., who lived in the apartment where he was killed.
Chicago police determined a 43-year-old woman who also lived in the apartment, who was in a relationship with the man, fired the gunshots that led to his death. Officers arrested her and questioned the woman’s younger sister who witnessed the dispute and shooting, according to a police source. A 13-year-old girl also was in the home at the time, but it was not clear whether she saw the shooting.
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The woman was found to have a valid state firearms identification card and a state license to carry a concealed weapon, although the shooting happened at her home, police said. Investigators treated the investigation as a first-degree murder case, the source said, and the woman was held for nearly 24 hours. About 4 p.m. Saturday, the 43-year-old was released because the state’s attorney’s office did not file charges, Bown said.
“We conducted a thorough review of the incident after it was brought to us by law enforcement and concluded that the evidence and facts were insufficient to support the filing of criminal charges,” said Tandra Simonton, a spokeswoman for the state’s attorney’s office, in a statement.
According to the police source, the residents of the apartment got into a verbal dispute, which turned into a fight that the woman said included the man shoving her into a wall. She also told investigators the man said he was going to kill her, according to the source.
Bown could not say what the couple had a dispute about, but she said the man was armed with a handgun while the fight was taking place.
The police source said both the man and woman carried .357-caliber revolvers, both silver, but made by different manufacturers.
Bown said “there is no indication” that the man fired his weapon.
kdouglas@chicagotribune.com
rsobol@chicagotribune.com
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chicagotribune--2020-02-03--Portillo’s has a new food truck to sling hot dogs, Italian beef and cheese fries across the country

Portillo’s has a new food truck to sling hot dogs, Italian beef and cheese fries across the country — and you can vote where it goes next

Any location in the lower 48 United States is eligible for the Beef Bus to visit , a press release @ @ @ @ @ .
So far , the Beef Bus has a visit planned to Florida this month @ @ @ @ @ area before a Portillo ’ s location opens near Walt Disney World , then to @ @ @ @ @ Tampa .
The Beef Bus is also planning to visit Louisville for events around the @ @ @ @ @ events around the Indy 500 , according to Scarpino .

Portillo's is sending a new food truck called the Beef Bus across the U.S., and the company is letting fans vote on where the truck should go next. (Portillo's)
Portillo’s is taking Chicago-style hot dogs and Italian beef on the road with a new food truck called the Beef Bus — and the fast food chain is letting people vote where in the U.S. it should go next.
The Beef Bus offers a limited menu of Portillo’s favorites: Italian beef ($7), with sweet peppers, hot peppers or mozzarella cheese ($1 each); hot dogs ($4); crinkle-cut fries ($3) or cheese fries with Portillo’s wedding-worthy cheese sauce ($4), according to Nick Scarpino, senior vice president of marketing and off-premise dining for Portillo’s. Drinks and combo meals are also available.
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The Beef Bus quietly debuted last fall before Portillo’s opened a location in Fort Wayne, Indiana, but the restaurant chain began promoting the truck this week — along with a campaign where people can ask the Beef Bus to bring Chicago’s favorite fast foods to their town next.
It’s the 2nd most important vote you'll make in 2020 and it’s up to YOU to decide where the Portillo’s Food Truck should serve up hot dogs, Italian beef, & cheese fries next. Cast your vote & tag your friends to bring Chicago-style glory to you! https://t.co/yK0N4hwzPa pic.twitter.com/s3o5qvdO6E — Portillo's (@portilloshotdog) February 3, 2020
By Monday afternoon, Portillo’s had received 4,000 votes for cities from Miami to Seattle.
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Any location in the lower 48 United States is eligible for the Beef Bus to visit, a press release from Portillo’s said. So far, the Beef Bus has a visit planned to Florida this month — first to the Orlando area before a Portillo’s location opens near Walt Disney World, then to the Florida State Fair in Tampa. The Beef Bus is also planning to visit Louisville for events around the Kentucky Derby and Indianapolis for events around the Indy 500, according to Scarpino.
“We receive thousands of messages each month from our fans across the nation asking us to bring Portillo’s to their city,” Portillo’s CEO Michael Osanloo said in an emailed statement. “Through our new Beef Bus voting campaign, guests will be in the driver seat. Whether you’re a former Chicagoan living in Louisville, or a fan looking to put their town on the map, your vote will count.”
[ Portillo’s still plans to open on Chicago’s Northwest Side, just a year behind schedule ]
Portillo’s has a food truck manager who will drive the truck around the country, according to Scarpino. Employees working the truck will rotate, but they’ll be made up of local restaurant employees and members of the chain’s restaurant opening team.
For more information on the Portillo’s Beef Bus, visit portillos.com/beefbus. To vote for the next location where the Portillo’s Beef Bus should sling hot dogs, Italian beef and cheese fries, visit portillos.com/vote.


chicagotribune--2020-02-03--Chiefs’ Derrick Nnadi pays for adoption of every dog at a Kansas City shelter after Super Bowl LIV v

Chiefs’ Derrick Nnadi pays for adoption of every dog at a Kansas City shelter after Super Bowl LIV victory

Nnadi , 23 , just completed his second season with the Chiefs , who drafted him in the third round @ @ @ @ @ 2018 .
He had 48 tackles , a sack and an interception this season and @ @ @ @ @ postseason games .

The Chiefs’ victory in Super Bowl LIV was good news for the dogs at a Kansas City shelter.
According to WRAL Sports, defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi celebrated the 31-20 win over the 49ers by paying the adoption fees for every dog at the shelter.
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Any dog that became available on Sunday or before can go home with a family for free, according to a tweet from KC Pet Project.
We’re so honored to partner with @DerrickNnadi who is sponsoring the adoption fees of all of our adoptables dogs at our locations! What an incredibly generous gesture and we want to thank Derrick for his support all season long. pic.twitter.com/xXWqXkQPS9 — KC Pet Project (@kcpetproject) February 3, 2020
Nnadi, 23, just completed his second season with the Chiefs, who drafted him in the third round out of Florida State in 2018. He had 48 tackles, a sack and an interception this season and another four tackles in three postseason games.


chicagotribune--2020-02-03--Lake Forest hopes to rebound after losing Horizon Therapeutics, IDEX Corporation to other suburbs

Horizon Therapeutics , an Ireland-based drugmaker , announced plans to buy Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. ’ s former building campus in @ @ @ @ @ expansion .
The company plans to relocate its U.S. headquarters , along with more than @ @ @ @ @ Forest in the second half of the year .

Horizon Therapeutics is planning to relocate its U.S. headquarters (pictured) from Lake Forest to Deerfield later this year. (Emily K. Coleman / News-Sun)
Lake Forest officials believe the city can rebound quickly after learning last week that two corporations employing hundreds are planning to leave.
Horizon Therapeutics, an Ireland-based drugmaker, announced plans to buy Takeda Pharmaceutical Co.’s former building campus in Deerfield as part of an expansion. The company plans to relocate its U.S. headquarters, along with more than 500 employees, from Lake Forest in the second half of the year.
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IDEX Corporation, a manufacturer that has been in the city for years, also announced plans to relocate to Northbrook later this summer.
The business employs 7,000 people overall with manufacturing operations in 20 countries. At its Lake Forest location, IDEX employs around 85 people, said company spokesman Mark Spencer.
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Both corporations operated out of the Conway Park office complex in Lake Forest. Mayor George Pandaleon said the looming vacancies should be refilled quickly.
Pandaleon, who works as a commercial real estate executive, also chalked up the departures to the nature of the market.
“Large employers have large amounts of space,” Pandaleon said. “They grow and they run out, and they have to find space elsewhere.”
Geoff Curtis, a spokesman for Horizon, said the company plans to sublease its Lake Forest office space once the business relocates to Deerfield.
Horizon moved to Lake Forest in January 2016, setting up its U.S. headquarters at a 160,000-square-foot building at 150 S. Saunders Road, which served as the Solo Cup headquarters at one time.
At the time of the move, Horizon had fewer than 200 employees in Lake Forest before growing to more than 500 employees, Curtis said. Overall, the company employs 1,200 workers.
The move to Deerfield will help Horizon expand even more, Curtis said. The company sells orphan drugs, which are medications for rare diseases, and drugs to treat rheumatic diseases.
“We looked for space in the northern suburbs that could accommodate current employees and address our long-term growth plans, and the Deerfield campus was the only space that could address both,” Curtis said.
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Catherine Czerniak, community development director for Lake Forest, said IDEX Corporation has been in Lake Forest for the past 10 years.
Officials don’t know of any possible new tenants for either spaces at the moment, but they will look to work with Lake County Partners, a regional economic group, on filling the vacancies and contacting interested companies, she said.
Czerniak said she was not certain of the exact overall occupancy rate in Conway Park.
The news of the departures also come as officials are looking at ways to redevelop the Route 60 commercial area.
Officials have been considering new amenities, such as restaurants and employee housing, she said. A new hotel featuring five floors and a ground floor lobby is under construction and is scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2021, Czerniak said.
Daniel I. Dorfman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.


chicagotribune--2020-02-03--Plan to build new $240 million Provident Hospital put on hold after ouster of Cook County Health CEO

“ In the face of a competitor saying they ’ re going to open not only a new hospital but @ @ @ @ @ outpatient centers , I would imagine they would not only want to take a step @ @ @ @ @ ’ s needed , but also how do they respond and how do they position @ @ @ @ @ .

Provident Hospital is seen at 430 E. 51st St. in Chicago. Cook County Health officials said Feb. 3, 2020, that plans to replace the current Provident with a new $240 million hospital have been put on hold. (James F. Quinn/Chicago Tribune)
An ambitious plan to build a $240 million facility for Provident Hospital has been put on hold — a move that follows the recent ouster of Cook County Health’s CEO and an announcement last month that competing hospitals nearby hope to build their own facility.
Cook County Health announced in August it planned to invest in a new eight-story building for the historic Bronzeville hospital just west of its current location. The new facility was to be smaller but offer some services the current one doesn’t and include 70 outpatient exam rooms, following a national trend of more procedures being done without the need for an overnight stay.
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But the Cook County Health board of directors has decided to press pause on the project, Cook County Health confirmed in a statement Monday.
“The health system board believes that a project of this magnitude requires strong leadership,” the system said in a statement. “The board believes it is prudent to pause the project until a new CEO is named and he/she has the opportunity to become fully briefed in order to direct this project to a successful completion.”
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Demolition of a vacant, former outpatient building to the west of the current Provident building will continue as planned.
The Cook County health board voted in late November to end the contract of CEO Dr. Jay Shannon. Members indicated they wanted new leadership at the system, which includes Stroger Hospital on the city’s West Side. The health board did not give a reason publicly for Shannon’s departure, but there was growing concern among county officials about the rising costs of medical care not covered by either private sector health insurance or Medicaid.
Shannon left with a $542,000 severance package and an annual pension of more than $250,000, the Tribune reported.
Last month, four other South Side hospitals announced plans to join forces and spend $1.1 billion on a construction plan that includes building at least one hospital.
The leaders of Advocate Trinity Hospital in Calumet Heights, Mercy Hospital & Medical Center in Bronzeville, South Shore Hospital in South Chicago and St. Bernard Hospital in Englewood said their deal could be finalized by the fall, and hospital closures could also be possible. The plan includes opening three to six community health centers, each 30,000 to 50,000 square feet, that would offer outpatient surgeries, testing, mental health services, urgent care and primary care.
It’s possible those merger plans contributed to Cook County Health’s decision to put the Provident project on hold, said Jennifer Perry, managing principal at FMG Leading, a consulting and strategic advisory firm. Perry is not involved in either project.
“In the face of a competitor saying they’re going to open not only a new hospital but also a significant number of outpatient centers, I would imagine they would not only want to take a step back to look at what’s needed, but also how do they respond and how do they position themselves,” she said.
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At the time the Provident project was announced in August, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle called the new facility “a true and lasting commitment to the patients we serve and our greater community.” Cook County Health had planned to finish construction in 2023. System officials said a new hospital would allow more patients to go to Provident for care rather than travel to Stroger, which is eight miles away.
Provident Hospital opened in 1891 as an African American hospital, and the country’s first open-heart surgery was performed there by Dr. Daniel Hale Williams, an African American doctor. Provident also had the first nursing school for black women in Chicago.
The Illinois Health Facilities & Services Review Board approved Cook County Health’s application to build the facility in October.
WBEZ first reported that the Provident Hospital project was on hold.
This story has been corrected to note that nearby hospitals made their facility announcement last month.
lschencker@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-02-03--Tribune Publishing CEO Tim Knight steps down in management shake-up

Alden , a secretive New York hedge fund with a reputation for dramatic cost-cutting , took a 32 % stake @ @ @ @ @ , mostly by acquiring the stake of former Chairman Michael Ferro .
Two Alden representatives @ @ @ @ @ newspaper company ’ s board , expanding it to eight members .
As part of @ @ @ @ @ restricted from increasing its stake in the company to more than 33 % until June @ @

Tribune Publishing CEO Tim Knight joins an April 30, 2019, Chicago Tribune newsroom celebration of reaching 100,000 digital subscriptions at the newspaper's offices in Chicago. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)
Tribune Publishing announced a shake-up of its leadership ranks Monday — less than three months after hedge fund Alden Global Capital became the company’s largest shareholder.
Tim Knight, a longtime company executive who became CEO in January 2019, has been replaced by Terry Jimenez, Tribune Publishing’s chief financial officer. Knight will leave the company at the end of the month.
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Jimenez will take Knight’s seat on the board, the company said in a news release.
Also, board member Philip Franklin has replaced David Dreier as nonexecutive chairman. Dreier will remain on the board.
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“These changes are a natural transition as Tribune Publishing works to reduce its corporate and back-office costs and streamline its real estate footprint,” Dreier said in the news release.
The change in leadership comes amid an employee buyout program to reduce head count and expenses. At the same time, some journalists at Tribune Publishing newspapers such as the Chicago Tribune and Baltimore Sun have launched independent efforts to find new owners in the face of an increasingly uncertain future under Alden.
Knight, 54, declined to comment Monday. His contract, which paid an annual salary of $600,000 plus up to a 100% cash bonus, was set to expire in January 2022.
Alden, a secretive New York hedge fund with a reputation for dramatic cost-cutting, took a 32% stake in Tribune Publishing in November, mostly by acquiring the stake of former Chairman Michael Ferro. Two Alden representatives subsequently were added to the newspaper company’s board, expanding it to eight members. As part of that agreement, Alden is restricted from increasing its stake in the company to more than 33% until June 30.
Launched in 2007, Alden owns about 200 publications through an operating company now known as MediaNews Group, formerly Digital First Media. The chain has come under fire for sweeping layoffs at its newspapers, including major dailies such as the Denver Post, San Jose Mercury News and the St. Paul Pioneer Press, as well as smaller weeklies.
Heath Freeman, Alden’s president, did not respond to a request for comment Monday.
Last month, Tribune Publishing offered voluntary buyouts to employees with eight or more years of experience, which based on participation is designed to “avoid turning to company-wide reductions of the workforce as a last resort,” Knight said in a January email to employees.
Tribune Publishing had about 4,100 full-time employees at the end of 2019, according to the company.
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In addition to the Chicago Tribune, Tribune Publishing owns the Baltimore Sun; Hartford Courant; Orlando Sentinel; South Florida Sun Sentinel; the New York Daily News; the Capital Gazette in Annapolis, Maryland; The Morning Call in Allentown, Pennsylvania; the Daily Press in Newport News, Virginia; and The Virginian-Pilot in Norfolk, Virginia.
The newspaper industry has struggled to compete in the digital media age. Revenue has been cut in half between 2008 and 2018 because of a precipitous decline in print advertising, according to data from Pew Research. During that same time, newsroom employment declined 25%.
On Wednesday, Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway announced it will exit the newspaper business, selling its portfolio of mostly smaller and medium-sized dailies to Lee Enterprises for $140 million.
That same day, Alden took a 5.9% stake in Lee Enterprises, buying 3.4 million shares of the publicly traded company for $9.2 million, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
While the newspaper industry struggles with secular revenue declines, initiatives are underway at several Tribune Publishing newspapers to find alternative buyers to preserve local journalism.
Chicago Tribune investigative reporters David Jackson and Gary Marx, who published an op-ed in the New York Times last month warning that Alden’s cost-cutting approach could create a “ghost version” of Chicago’s oldest and largest daily, have been leading an unusual independent effort to solicit wealthy benefactors to buy and save the newspaper.
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Journalists at the Baltimore Sun have been engaged in a similar effort, reaching out to local investors to buy the newspaper before Alden’s standstill ends in June.
An attorney, Knight began his media career with the Chicago Tribune’s legal department in 1996, and later served as publisher of Newsday, then owned by Tribune Co., the former parent of the Chicago Tribune. In 2011, he became CEO of Wrapports, the Ferro-led former ownership group of the Chicago Sun-Times. Knight rejoined Tribune Publishing as president of digital content in February 2017 and in January 2019 replaced Justin Dearborn as CEO.
Jimenez, 47, has been CFO at Tribune Publishing since 2016. Previously, he was president of Newsday Media Group, a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems in New York. Before that, Jimenez was controller for the Chicago Tribune Media Group from 2003 to 2005.
Jimenez did not respond to a request for comment.
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“We will continue working to position the company to navigate the industry-wide challenges while continuing to serve our communities with high-quality journalism,” Jimenez said in the news release.
rchannick@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-02-03--Staples Center removes massive Kobe Bryant memorial, cleaning up flowers, jerseys and basketballs le

Staples Center removes massive Kobe Bryant memorial, cleaning up flowers, jerseys and basketballs left following the Lakers star’s death

A massive memorial created by the public outside Staples Center after the death of former Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant was @ @ @ @ @ an official saying some of the items would go to Bryant 's widow and other @ @ @

LOS ANGELES — A massive memorial created by the public outside Staples Center after the death of former Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant was being dismantled Monday, with an official saying some of the items would go to Bryant's widow and other family members.
The cleanup of flowers, balloons, jerseys, stuffed toys and basketballs began at 4 a.m., Staples Center President Lee Zeidman tweeted. A fence was erected around the site to keep the cleanup out of public view.
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Fans spontaneously began creating the memorial in a plaza outside the arena as word surfaced that Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven other people were killed Jan. 26 in a helicopter crash in suburban Calabasas. The memorial kept growing for a week. Personal messages were written on many of the items.
“Truly amazing the outpouring of love from the City of Angels in honor of the 9 who lost their lives 1/26/20," Zeidman said. By midmorning Monday, he said, more than 1,350 basketballs had been boxed up.
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Bryant's widow, Vanessa, had requested items, which were to be cataloged and shipped to the family. Flowers will be composted and spread around plants near Staples Center.
Fans were urged to donate to a Bryant foundation rather than bring more gifts and flowers.


chicagotribune--2020-02-03--Super Bowl viewership rose slightly from last year — with Chicago-area TV ratings peaking during the

Super Bowl viewership rose slightly from last year — with Chicago-area TV ratings peaking during the Shakira and Jennifer Lopez halftime show

Bearing that out , Chicago Nielsen ratings did not peak as the Chiefs and Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes rallied @ @ @ @ @ 10 points down to win 31-20 .
Rather they hit a high of 47.8 in @ @ @ @ @ halftime show featuring Shakira and Jennifer Lopez .

The Chiefs’ come-from-behind victory over the 49ers in Super Bowl LIV on Sunday averaged slightly more viewers nationally across all platforms than the Patriots’ championship triumph over the Rams a year earlier.
Similarly, in the Chicago market, Fox-32 averaged a 44.5 household TV rating for this year’s Super Bowl, while last year’s title game on CBS-2 averaged a 44.0 rating.
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Those local numbers translate this year to 44.5% of the Chicago area, or roughly 1.45 million homes.
The Super Bowl, of course, attracts far more than simply football fans thanks to interest in the advertising and the annual halftime extravaganza.
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Bearing that out, Chicago Nielsen ratings did not peak as the Chiefs and Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes rallied in the fourth quarter from 10 points down to win 31-20. Rather they hit a high of 47.8 in the quarter-hour that included the halftime show featuring Shakira and Jennifer Lopez.
The national viewership figure includes television and streaming.
This past NFL season was the league’s most viewed in four seasons, up 5% from a year earlier. The Bears’ local ratings were down 9% year-to-year, however.


chicagotribune--2020-02-03--Vandal takes a sledgehammer to windows, doors at Sheffield’s; bar remains open

According to Chicago Police , officers responded to a call just after 4 a.m. Saturday at Sheffield ’ s ( @ @ @ @ @ .
A witness told police that she heard glass shattering from her apartment and saw @ @ @ @ @ and doors with a sledgehammer .

Sheffield's Beer & Wine Garden is boarded up Feb. 3, 2020, but open for business after a vandal broke nearly all the windows early Saturday in Lakeview. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
Boarded-up windows kept most of the weekend’s sunlight out of Sheffield’s Beer & Wine Garden after a vandal smashed many of the Wrigleyville bar’s windows early Saturday morning.
According to Chicago Police, officers responded to a call just after 4 a.m. Saturday at Sheffield’s (3258 N. Sheffield Ave.). A witness told police that she heard glass shattering from her apartment and saw a man hitting glass windows and doors with a sledgehammer.
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A second witness showed officers video footage of the incident, and officers were able to identify the offender, according to CPD’s incident report.
Some Sheffield's Beer & Wine Garden employees say they know who the vandal is, according to a published report. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
Block Club Chicago reported that bar employees said they suspect a recently banned patron to be the culprit. “We know who it was. We got him on surveillance video,” one employee told Block Club.
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Employees at Sheffield’s declined to comment when reached via phone Monday.
Sixteen windows and two glass doors were smashed along both North Sheffield Avenue and West School Street, according to the reports.
Sheffield’s opened for business Saturday, and remains open. The bar is known for its extensive beer list, barbecue and large beer garden.
adlukach@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-02-03--Former Score host Brian Hanley to launch Saturday morning hockey show on rival ESPN 1000 with NBC Sp

Former Score host Brian Hanley to launch Saturday morning hockey show on rival ESPN 1000 with NBC Sports Chicago’s Pat Boyle

“ The reaction I ’ ve gotten today has been great and as humbling as when I left the Score @ @ @ @ @ “ It ’ s remarkable how many people take time out to shoot you a @ @ @ @ @ .
...
It ’ s overwhelming in a lot of respects .
I can ’ @ @ @ @ @ been a year and a half ( since leaving WSCR ) .
Time has really @ @ @

Brian Hanley is headed back to Chicago sports radio, co-hosting a weekend hockey program for WMVP-AM 1000.
Hanley’s 26-year run at rival WSCR-AM 670 ended in the summer of 2018 when the station did not renew his contract and replaced him alongside Mike Mulligan with then-Tribune columnist David Haugh.
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Hanley and NBC Sports Chicago’s Pat Boyle this weekend will launch the “ESPN 1000 Hockey Show,” a weekly one-hour program set for 9 a.m. Saturdays. Hanley also will be a fill-in host for the station.
Mike Thomas, WMVP’s market manager, tweeted news of the program Monday, telling Blackhawks fans, “You have a new home to talk about your team."
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We just announced on @ESPN1000 that starting this Saturday at 9am, it’s the debut of Chicago’s ONLY “Hockey Show” with @BoyleNBCS and Brian Hanley! #Blackhawks fans, you have a new home to talk about your team! pic.twitter.com/8dnIqgBmlH — Mike Thomas (@mikethomasmt8) February 3, 2020
Hanley covered the Blackhawks during his 1984-2010 hitch as a sports writer with the Sun-Times.
Hanley joined WSCR at its launch in 1992, initially on a part-time basis, and was first teamed with Mulligan in 2005, developing a loyal following. They had worked together at the Sun-Times. The duo took over the Score’s morning drive slot for Mike North in July 2008.
“The reaction I’ve gotten today has been great and as humbling as when I left the Score,” Hanley said. “It’s remarkable how many people take time out to shoot you a congratulatory text or post something. ... It’s overwhelming in a lot of respects. I can’t believe it’s been a year and a half (since leaving WSCR). Time has really flown.”


chicagotribune--2020-02-03--What makes a real Chicagoan? ‘BoJack Horseman’ has thoughts

When Guy ’ s son reads Diane ’ s young adult mystery , he angrily points out that she claims @ @ @ @ @ Chicago , but the main character lives in Schaumburg .
When she points out that @ @ @ @ @ the metro area , Sonny retorts , “ Oh my god !
What ’ s @ @ @ @ @ Chicago ?
Morton Grove , Chicago ?
Naperville , Chicago ?
!
”

Netflix’s final eight episodes of “BoJack Horseman” premiered last week, and the characters continued to poke fun at Chicago, where Diane moved in with her boyfriend, Guy, earlier in the season.
“You gotta try a Chicago-style baked potato,” urges Guy (voiced by LaKeith Stanfield) during an outing to the city’s fictional Hubba Bubba Field to see the Human Babies baseball team play.
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“Why does everything have to be Chicago style here? We get it. We’re in Chicago,” says an exasperated Diane (Alison Brie).
Diane (in red jacket) bemoans the overabundance of Chicago-style things while at a baseball game with her boyfriend, Guy. (Courtesy of Netflix / HANDOUT)
The animated show about BoJack, a horse/human hybrid who’s a washed-up actor and recovering addict, wraps its final season with his best friend, Diane, struggling to write a book, dealing with depression and adapting to life in the Midwest.
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Other Chicago-style mentions: museums, pizza by the spoonful, whistling, pork and “The Bean” beans, pickles, bands and cheese fries. There’s even a bookstore called Da Books, a nod to the “Saturday Night Live” skit about Bears superfans.
The series wraps up with the main characters reconciling and moving on with their lives, often ungracefully, after choosing separate and difficult paths. Suggestion: Get your tissues at the ready for the emotional finale.
One of the recurring questions of the sixth and final season is: Who or what counts as real Chicago?
When Guy’s son reads Diane’s young adult mystery, he angrily points out that she claims the book takes place in Chicago, but the main character lives in Schaumburg. When she points out that the northern suburb is in the metro area, Sonny retorts, “Oh my god! What’s next — Evanston’s Chicago? Morton Grove, Chicago? Naperville, Chicago?!”
Hubba Bubba Field, home of the Human Babies baseball team, is modeled after real-life Wrigley Field in an alternate Chicago in "BoJack Horseman." (Courtesy of Netflix / HANDOUT)
In a phone conversation between Diane and her ex-husband, Mr. Peanutbutter, he asks how she’s settling in. “You know, I went to school in Chicago,” he tells her. “You went to Northwestern,” she corrects him. “That’s not in Chicago.” “Ah!” Mr. Peanutbutter explains. “You are a Chicagoan!”
“BoJack Horseman” airs on Netflix.


chicagotribune--2020-02-03--‘Evaluations are difficult when guys don’t play together.’ Where do the oft-injured Bulls stand as t

‘Evaluations are difficult when guys don’t play together.’ Where do the oft-injured Bulls stand as the NBA trade deadline nears?

The Bulls are currently without four of their top rotation players after the news Sunday that Kris Dunn has an @ @ @ @ @ knee .
Their core of Zach LaVine , Lauri Markkanen , Wendell Carter Jr. and @ @ @ @ @ just nine games together since Porter was acquired at the trade deadline last season .
@ @ @ @ @ 52 games for the Bulls this season while the other three players have all missed @ @ @ @ @

Toronto — Bulls coach Jim Boylen says he stays in constant contact with John Paxson, the team’s vice president of basketball operations, about the state of the team. Now that the Bulls do not play before Thursday’s trade deadline at 2 p.m. Central, Boylen expected the organization to meet Monday to discuss where the franchise stands.
At 19-33, the Bulls are a season-worst 14 games under .500. The fact that they began the day within 3½ games of a playoff spot is an indictment on the bottom of the Eastern Conference. Entering Monday, 21 teams in the NBA had a better record than the Bulls, yet they were still technically within striking distance of the last playoff spot in the conference and one good stretch could make up that ground.
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Conversations around the trade deadline are always difficult, but Boylen believes the Bulls are in an especially challenging spot because of how injuries have wrecked their lineup in the last month.
“I think in general — not talking about the trade deadline — when you’re in a season where you’d like to win and compete for the playoffs, and you’d like to develop, your evaluations are difficult when guys don’t play together and guys are injured,” Boylen said. “To me that’s more of the issue than maybe the trade deadline.”
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The Bulls are currently without four of their top rotation players after the news Sunday that Kris Dunn has an MCL sprain in his right knee. Their core of Zach LaVine, Lauri Markkanen, Wendell Carter Jr. and Otto Porter Jr. has played just nine games together since Porter was acquired at the trade deadline last season. LaVine has played in all 52 games for the Bulls this season while the other three players have all missed time with an injury.
Boylen has a point that it’s hard to know exactly what the Bulls have with so many players in and out of the lineup, which could mean the Bulls will keep this roster largely intact.
Bulls forward Thaddeus Young speaks to the media at basketball practice at The Advocate Center on Monday, Jan, 27, 2020 in Chicago. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
The entire trade market is reportedly moving slowly around the league, the product of so few teams being out of the playoff hunt and the number of big contracts and player movement during the previous offseason. That said, trade talk usually accelerates as the deadline draws nearer and Boylen said he expected those conversations to pick up in the next few days.
Players, who are not usually privy to such conversations, will try to stay sharp as the deadline approaches as well.
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“I’ll be watching, you never know in the NBA, it’s a business,” LaVine said. “But since I’ve been here there hasn’t been a whole lot of movement, just the one from last year (Porter), but you could almost see it coming. We’ll see. I’ll always have my ear on what’s going on."
Maybe the Bulls could take advantage of the slow market and capitalize. While it seems unlikely they would deal one of their core players, Denzel Valentine and Thaddeus Young have become popular names for trade speculation.
Even as their rotation has been hammered by injuries, Valentine still has had trouble getting on the floor consistently under Boylen. It makes sense that the Bulls would explore the market for him, and most teams are likely to find playing time in their rotation for a career 37% shooter from beyond the arc in his third year in the league.
“I feel like everything is going to take care of itself,” Valentine said. “I can’t really control what happens.”
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Young signed a three-year, $41 million deal with the Bulls during the offseason, but more than a few teams could benefit from the veteran forward if the Bulls decided to deal him. Injuries in the front court have made this situation a bit murkier considering the Bulls don’t have many other bodies if they lose Young. But if the organization decided to sell, Young would likely generate the most interest around the league.
“I try not to worry about those things,” Young said. “I try to continue to come and hoop whether I’m playing for the Bulls or playing for any other organization. Whatever organization I’m playing for, that’s who I’m family with. That’s who I’m going to play for and that’s who I’m ready to play for.
“If they have to make a business decision, I understand what it is. I don’t worry about those things. I understand. I’ve been in the game for a long time.”


chicagotribune--2020-02-03--Police investigating fatal shooting of Elmwood Park teen

Wade said Elmwood Park High School Principal Douglas J. Wildes sent a message to the school community noting that police @ @ @ @ @ the building and that additional student support services , such as counselors and social workers @ @ @ @ @ needed .
Wildes also said the shooting did not involve any current EPHS students .

Elmwood Park police and the area’s major crimes task force are looking to solve the fatal shooting of a former Elmwood Park High School student that took place early Sunday morning.
Andres Damian Salgado, 19, of Elmwood Park, was shot around 5:48 a.m. Sunday outside of a home in the 2800 block of 77th Avenue where a group of young people had been gathered, according to Elmwood Park Police Chief Frank Fagiano.
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Fagiano said the shooting was an isolated incident and that investigators believe the shooter knew Salgado.
He said one person had walked out of the house shortly before shots were fired, but he would not say whether investigators knew who that person was.
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According to a Facebook post from Elmwood Park Trustee Anthony Del Santo, the teen had been shot multiple times. Fagiano said three bullets hit the teen in the chest.
Salgado died four hours later at Gottlieb Memorial Hospital, Fagiano said, and an autopsy was conducted Monday. The Cook County Medical Examiner ruled it a homicide and attributed the cause of death to multiple gunshot wounds.
Police do not have anyone in custody, he said.
“We are exhausting all the leads we currently have,” said Fagiano, whose department is working with the West Suburban Major Crimes Task Force.
Elmwood Park Unit School District 401 Superintendent Nicholas Wade confirmed that Salgado was a former student, but declined to provide any details on his time at the school.
Wade said Elmwood Park High School Principal Douglas J. Wildes sent a message to the school community noting that police presence would be increased around the building and that additional student support services, such as counselors and social workers, would be provided if needed. Wildes also said the shooting did not involve any current EPHS students.
“While the police have informed us there is no threat to student safety, an additional presence was had anyways,” Wade said.
A Neighborhood Watch meeting had been previously scheduled at the police station, 7420 W. Fullerton Ave., Elmwood Park, for Tuesday at 7 p.m. Village Trustee Anthony Del Santo said the village may have additional information at that time. The meeting will be held in the community room.


chicagotribune--2020-02-03--The hot toddy — it won’t cure you, but you’ll feel better. Here is why some call it the chicken soup

The hot toddy — it won’t cure you, but you’ll feel better. Here is why some call it the chicken soup of the cocktail bar.

Last winter I had a dreadful cold .
The type of cold that seems to never end .
The type @ @ @ @ @ aches , your head throbs , you can ’ t ever seem to rid your @ @ @ @ @ restful night of sleep seems impossible .
The type of cold where leaving the house @ @ @ @ @ ’ d ever want to do .

The hot toddy is the simplest of drinks: Combine your choice of brown spirit, such as bourbon or rum, with lemon juice, honey and hot water. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)
Last winter I had a dreadful cold. The type of cold that seems to never end. The type of cold where your body aches, your head throbs, you can’t ever seem to rid your nose of mucus and a restful night of sleep seems impossible. The type of cold where leaving the house is the last thing you’d ever want to do.
Nevertheless, I dragged myself to the pharmacy down the street and bought just about any over-the-counter remedy I could find. Nothing seemed to work except the passage of time.
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When I returned to work a few days later, a colleague asked how I was feeling.
“Not good, but much better than I was,” I replied.
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“Next time, try a hot toddy,” he said.
“Isn’t that an old wives’ tale?” I asked.
“Try it,” he said.
The hot toddy — the simple hot cocktail consisting of hot water, honey, lemon and brown liquor — like chicken soup, has long been touted as a remedy for the common cold. But when I’m feeling awful, alcohol is the last thing I want to consume. That’s why I had never tried a hot toddy when feeling under the weather — until I got another cold a few months later.
Before I had another restless night, I decided to give the hot toddy a try. I pulled out a mug, poured in 2 ounces of bourbon, a tablespoon of honey and 2 teaspoons of lemon juice, then topped with a quarter cup of hot water and stirred.
My skepticism quickly faded. It seemed to work better than any of the over-the-counter products I had tried before. I slept through the night.
While it was no cure, it temporarily relieved my symptoms, which may make some sense, says Donald Hensrud, a physician in internal medicine who also serves as an associate professor of nutrition and preventive medicine at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science.
After all, even though there are few “good studies” on the hot toddy, if you look at the individual elements you can understand why the cocktail offers some relief.
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“The warmth of the drink may provide symptomatic comfort,” he says. That explains the effectiveness of other traditional remedies that also provide fluids, such as chicken soup, which also supplies nutrients, and tea, which also contains antioxidants.
Then there’s hot lemon water with honey, which has long been used to soothe a sore throat and to act as a cough suppressant.
One study, which gave children who had upper respiratory tract infections and were at least 2 years old up to 2 teaspoons of honey at bedtime, found that the honey seemed to improve sleep and reduce nighttime coughing. In fact, it was just about as effective as the common cough suppressant ingredient dextromethorphan that’s found in Robitussin.
While some have suggested the alcohol has medicinal benefits — such as its ability to fight infection — Hensrud is skeptical, noting that it can actually cause some congestion and may affect immune function.
But those negative effects may not matter in limited amounts. And there may actually be another effect: Like Nyquil, it can help you get to sleep.
And rest, along with fluids, are the key ingredients to cold relief.
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Zak Stambor is a freelance writer.
Hot toddy
Makes: 1 drink
1 ounce brown spirit (I prefer bourbon)
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons lemon juice
¼ cup hot water
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Pour ingredients in a mug and stir until the honey dissolves.


chicagotribune--2020-02-03--NCAA Tournament tracker: Illinois is a No. 6 seed in new bracket projection, while 10 Big Ten teams

NCAA Tournament tracker: Illinois is a No. 6 seed in new bracket projection, while 10 Big Ten teams are in the field

We ’ re also following updated projections of the field by renowned “ bracketologists ” Joe Lunardi of ESPN and @ @ @ @ @ .
Palm ’ s latest projection , posted Monday , dropped Illinois — which also @ @ @ @ @ .
20 in Monday ’ s new Associated Press poll — from a No .
@ @ @ @ @ .
6 after Sunday ’ s loss at Iowa .
Lunardi is likely to reveal @ @ @ @ @

Illinois is on course for its first NCAA Tournament invitation since 2013, and we’re tracking the Illini’s resume in key metrics while following updated projections of the field by renowned “bracketologists” Joe Lunardi of ESPN and Jerry Palm of CBS Sports.
Palm moved Illinois up a line to a No. 6 seed in his new bracket Monday after the Illini defeated Iowa on Sunday night in Champaign. He has them opening in Greensboro, N.C., against the winner of a First Four game between Wichita State and Richmond.
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Lunardi still projects Illinois as a No. 7 seed, facing Marquette in a first-round game in St. Louis.
Regardless of seeding, the Illini’s spot in the NCAA Tournament appears secure entering this week’s Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis. Eight Big Ten teams look like locks, all projected as No. 7 seeds or higher by both forecasters: Michigan State, Maryland, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Penn State, Illinois, Iowa and Michigan.
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Rutgers, meanwhile, took a big step toward earning its first NCAA Tournament bid since 1991 when it won at Purdue on Saturday. The Scarlet Knights’ resume had been lacking a quality road win. Lunardi now sees Rutgers as a No. 9 seed, while Palm moved the Scarlet Knights from one of his “first four out” to a No. 11 seed playing a First Four game.
Both forecasters also have Indiana in the field, which would give the Big Ten a conference-record 10 bids. (The current record of eight was set last year.) Lunardi has the Hoosiers in a First Four game as one of his “last four in,” while Palm sees them as a little more secure on the No. 10 line.
Purdue, despite top-25 rankings in most predictive metrics, remains on the outside, though Lunardi does have the Boilermakers as one of his “next four out.” The good news for Purdue fans is the Boilermakers will have chances to burnish their resume this week in Indianapolis with games against Ohio State and, if they win, Michigan State.
Here is Illinois’ resume, including its position in the NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) rankings; predictive analytics rankings by Ken Pomeroy, Jeff Sagarin and ESPN’s Basketball Power Index (BPI); quality wins in Quadrant 1 and 2 games, as defined by the NET rankings; and potentially damaging losses in Quadrant 3 and 4 games.
(The NCAA defines Quadrant 1 as home games against opponents with a NET ranking between 1 and 30, neutral games versus 1-50 teams and road games against 1-75 teams. Quadrant 2 is home 31-75, neutral 51-100, road 76-135. Quadrant 3 is home 76-160, neutral 101-200, road 135-240. Quadrant 4 is home 161-353, neutral 201-353, road 241-353.)
The Big Ten rankings and seed projections follow Illinois’ resume.
Updated through games of March 8.
Illinois
Record: 21-10, 13-7 Big Ten
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Illinois players prepare to take the court against Northwestern on Feb. 27, 2020, at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)
NET: 38
Pomeroy: 30
Sagarin: 26
BPI: 34
Quad 1 record: 5-8 (wins vs. Michigan, at Wisconsin, at Purdue, at Michigan, at Penn State)
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Quad 2 record: 5-1 (wins vs. Purdue, vs. Rutgers, vs. Minnesota, vs. Indiana, vs. Iowa)
Quad 3 record: 2-1 (loss vs. Miami)
Quad 4 record: 8-0
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Lunardi (last updated March 8): No. 7 seed
Palm (last updated March 9): No. 6 seed
Upcoming games
Friday in Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals, 1:30 p.m., opponent TBD
Big Ten
In NET ranking order, with Pomeroy-Sagarin-BPI rankings and Lunardi and Palm seed projections
7. Michigan State (22-9, 14-6), 7-2-4, 3 seed, 3 seed
16. Ohio State (21-10, 11-9), 8-8-9, 5 seed, 5 seed
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18. Maryland (24-7, 14-6), 11-12-12, 4 seed, 3 seed
24. Wisconsin (21-10, 14-6), 22-13-21, 4 seed, 5 seed
25. Michigan (19-12, 10-10), 16-22-18, 6 seed, 7 seed
32. Rutgers (20-11, 11-9), 27-29-31, 9 seed, 11 seed (last four in)
33. Purdue (16-15, 9-11), 24-23-19, not in field (next four out), not in field
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34. Iowa (20-11, 11-9), 23-30-27, 6 seed, 7 seed
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35. Penn State (21-10, 11-9), 26-42-28, 6 seed, 5 seed
38. Illinois (21-10, 13-7), 30-26-34, 7 seed, 6 seed
43. Minnesota (14-16, 8-12), 29-51-33, not in field, not in field
60. Indiana (19-12, 9-11), 40-36-39, 11 seed (last four in), 10 seed
158. Northwestern (8-22, 3-17), 128-121-136, not in field, not in field
198. Nebraska (7-24, 2-18), 154-167-171, not in field, not in field


chicagotribune--2020-02-03--Did Jennifer Lopez and Shakira’s Super Bowl halftime show make a subtle political statement?

During the opening of “ Let ’ s Get Loud , ” Jennifer Lopez ’ s 11-year-old daughter Emme Maribel @ @ @ @ @ what many referred to as a glowing cage .
It was then revealed that several @ @ @ @ @ singing inside similar cages .
After the performance , viewers took to social media to @ @ @ @ @ Lopez was referencing the controversial border situation that has immigrant children separated from their detained @ @

All indications are that Jennifer Lopez and Shakira killed it during the Super Bowl LIV halftime show on Sunday night. But the two Latin pop stars may have been making a political statement as well, directed towards President Donald Trump.
During the opening of “Let’s Get Loud,” Jennifer Lopez’s 11-year-old daughter Emme Maribel Muniz began singing from behind what many referred to as a glowing cage. It was then revealed that several other children were sitting and singing inside similar cages. After the performance, viewers took to social media to speculate on whether or not Lopez was referencing the controversial border situation that has immigrant children separated from their detained parents.
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MIAMI, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 02: Singer Jennifer Lopez's daughter Emme Maribel Muñiz performs during the Pepsi Super Bowl LIV Halftime Show at Hard Rock Stadium on February 02, 2020 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) ** OUTS - ELSENT, FPG, CM - OUTS * NM, PH, VA if sourced by CT, LA or MoD ** (Maddie Meyer / Getty Images)
What may (or may not) have confirmed the protest was the children leaving the cages to sing a cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.”
Meanwhile, Lopez was wearing a cape that had the American flag on one side and the flag of Puerto Rico on the other. Perhaps another political statement about Puerto Rico being a true part of the United States. J. Lo and Shakira have yet to comment on any possible political statement made during the show.


chicagotribune--2020-02-03--‘Hamilton’ movie with original Broadway cast coming to theaters

Kail added , “ We are thrilled for fans of the show , and new audiences across the world , @ @ @ @ @ like on stage — and in the audience — when we shot this at the @ @ @ @ @ in June of 2016 .
We wanted to give everyone the same seat , which @ @ @ @ @ provide , ” Thomas Kail said .

Movie theaters aren't throwing away their shot to have "Hamilton" on the big screen. Disney is bringing a film of Lin-Manuel Miranda's musical sensation with the original Broadway cast to cinemas in North America on Oct. 15, 2021.
The movie version isn't an adaptation in the vein of Miranda's upcoming "In the Heights," but rather a "live capture" of a stage performance. It was shot at the Richard Rodgers Theatre in Manhattan before founding members began to depart the production.
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"Lin-Manuel Miranda created an unforgettable theater experience and a true cultural phenomenon, and it was for good reason that 'Hamilton' was hailed as an astonishing work of art," Disney CEO and chairman Bob Iger said in a statement. "All who saw it with the original cast will never forget that singular experience. And we're thrilled to have the opportunity to share this same Broadway experience with millions of people around the world."
"Hamilton" debuted on Broadway in 2015 and won numerous accolades, including 11 Tonys and the Pulitzer Prize for drama. The original Broadway cast includes Miranda as Alexander Hamilton, Daveed Diggs as Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson, Leslie Odom Jr. as Aaron Burr, Christopher Jackson as George Washington, Jonathan Groff as King George, Renee Elise Goldsberry as Angelica Schuyler, and Phillipa Soo as Eliza Hamilton.
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“I fell in love with musical storytelling growing up with the legendary Howard Ashman-Alan Menken Disney collaborations — ‘The Little Mermaid,’ ‘Beauty and The Beast,’ ‘Aladdin,’” Miranda said. “I’m so proud of what Tommy Kail has been able to capture in this filmed version of ‘Hamilton’ — a live theatrical experience that feels just as immediate in your local movie theater. We’re excited to partner with Disney to bring the original Broadway company of ‘Hamilton’ to the largest audience possible.”
Disney presents: Hamilton.
With The Original Broadway Cast.
Filmed onstage at The Richard Rodgers Theatre.
In A Theater Near You.
October 15, 2021. #Hamilfilm pic.twitter.com/08YP6CTbF8 — Walt Disney Studios (@DisneyStudios) February 3, 2020
Kail added, “We are thrilled for fans of the show, and new audiences across the world, to experience what it was like on stage — and in the audience — when we shot this at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on Broadway in June of 2016. We wanted to give everyone the same seat, which is what this film can provide,” Thomas Kail said.
Miranda teased the project to Variety last week at the Sundance Film Festival, saying, "Hamilton" would hopefully get the big-screen treatment "sooner rather than later."
“What I’m most excited about [is] you all have that friend that is like, ‘I saw it with the original cast.’ We’re stealing that brag from everyone because you’re all going to see it with the original cast,” Miranda said. “We’re just trying to find the right time to do it.”
Before “Hamilton” makes its way to movie theaters, Miranda is bringing his first Tony-winning production, “In the Heights,” to multiplexes. The show, a slice-of-life musical about a largely Hispanic community in Manhattan’s neighborhood of Washington Heights, will debut this summer. Jon M. Chu, who most recently brought box-office smash “Crazy Rich Asians” to life, directed “In the Heights.”
An original Chicago production of “Hamilton” closed in January with a sold-out show after amassing $400 million in gross sales at the box office over more than three years of performances.


chicagotribune--2020-02-03--New East Prairie District 73 superintendent called ‘collaborative,’ ‘supportive’

“ The job of any leader is to get to know people and that ’ s how I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ Goldberg said .
“ That ’ s the way to accomplish the greatest success for @ @ @ @ @ of as many kids as possible .
”

Team building and collaboration are two of the tools Paul Goldberg plans to use when he becomes superintendent of Skokie’s East Prairie School District 73 July 1.
Goldberg’s three-year contract was approved by the East Prairie Board of Education Jan. 13, ending an extensive search to replace Teri Madl, who retired June 30 after six years in the role and 15 with the district.
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Learning the strengths of teachers, administrators and staff will help Goldbergguide them toward giving students the best possible education, he said.
“The job of any leader is to get to know people and that’s how I’m going to start,” Goldberg said. “That’s the way to accomplish the greatest success for everyone and assure the success of as many kids as possible.”
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Goldberg will use team building to help teachers learn from each other.
“Collaboration among teachers is essential for improvement,” Goldberg said. “It’s the best strategy for the long haul.”
Paul Goldberg will take over as superintendent of East Prairie School District 73 on July 1. (Distict 54)
Goldberg visited the district Jan. 15, said Scott Thompson, interim superintendent since July 1.
“There was quite a bit of buzz and excitement,” Thompson said. “[Faculty and staff] are looking forward to him leading the district.”
A Glenview native and Riverwoods resident, Goldberg is currently assistant superintendent of staff and student services in Schaumburg Community Consolidated School District 54.
Ed Rafferty, the retired superintendent of District 54 who hired Goldberg for his first administrator role as principal of Robert Frost Junior High School 13 years ago, said Goldberg’s work with others is a major asset. Frost earned Blue Ribbon status from the United States Department of Education while Goldberg was principal.
“He has a great talent and ability to build teams and support teams of teachers,” Rafferty said. “That is clearly one of the things that helps him build a really strong staff. He supports kids to make the best things happen for them.”
Current District 54 Superintendent Andy DuRoss said Goldberg’s experience as a principal at both an elementary and middle school in Schaumburg was good preparation. District 73 is a one-school district with East Prairie School housing preschool through eighth grade.
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“He is a strong institutional leader,” DuRoss said. “He will help (District 73) get amazing academic results with all the kids. He has a great ability to work collaboratively and build teams.”
Goldberg started working with children as a camp counselor and camp director. When he graduated from the University of Illinois at Champaign in 2001 with a degree in speech communications, he became a fourth grade teacher at Chares E. Culver School in Niles.
After four years at Culver, he was an assistant principal in Palatine Community Consolidated School District 15 for a year before going to Schaumburg. Along the way, he earned a masters’ degree in teaching from National Lewis University and an EDD from Loyola University in Chicago in 2009.
Thompson said plans are being made to introduce Goldberg to as many East Prairie stakeholders as possible before he starts July 1. After that, he will be reaching out to meet village officials and other community leaders.
Goldberg will be paid $195,000 for his first year with raises determined by the board for the subsequent two years of his contract.
Steve Sadin is a freelance reporter.


chicagotribune--2020-02-04--Fight is on to save Chicago Virtual Charter School, Illinois’ first and only remote learning public

Fight is on to save Chicago Virtual Charter School, Illinois’ first and only remote learning public school: ‘It’s not perfect, but it is the only one we’ve got’

Ericka Mingo ’ s older son has done well at Chicago Virtual and is due to graduate this spring , @ @ @ @ @ the school ’ s four-year graduation rate , which last year fell to 44 % @ @ @ @ @ in CPS .
The rate of students who graduate after five years of high school @ @ @ @ @ % .
Mingo ’ s younger son started at Chicago Virtual as a kindergartner , @ @ @ @ @ him out during third grade after she saw drastic changes in the school .

Jameshia Farmer Shea checks in on daughters Auguste and Cheridan while they study at home. The twins are students at Chicago Virtual Charter School, where they take most classes remotely and attend the brick-and-mortar school once a week. But now the school has lost its charter and might have to close in the spring. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)
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Sitting in front of matching laptops in their Old Town apartment, Chicago twins Cheridan and Auguste Farmer tuned in to their fifth grade language arts lesson, which featured a fictional set of twins named Dory and Lory.
The teacher’s voice sounded from the school-issued computers, explaining how the passage provides insight into Dory’s thoughts: “She doesn’t like to be identified as Lory. She is her own person.”
The real-life twins could relate. They are their own people, too, and their mother, Jameshia Farmer Shea, said she appreciates the individualized education their school offers.
“Learning at their own pace is very important,” she said.
Fifth graders Cheridan, left, and Auguste Farmer, students at Chicago Virtual Charter School, follow a reading lesson at their home. The school's pupils take remote-learning classes in which they can communicate in real time with teachers and fellow students. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)
Cheridan and Auguste attend Chicago Virtual Charter School, believed to be Illinois’ first and only primarily online public school for kindergarten through 12th grade. Its pupils attend classes once a week at the brick-and-mortar campus in the Near West Side neighborhood, but the rest of the time they learn remotely, through online classes during which they interact in real time with their teachers and fellow students.
But the 13-year-old virtual school could now be one vote away from closing.
The Chicago Board of Education decided in December to rescind Chicago Virtual’s charter, citing low academic performance. Though tens of thousands of Chicago Public Schools students attend charter schools, Chicago Virtual’s was one of several charters the board has revoked in recent years, including Frazier Preparatory Academy, also in December. The board voted at its January meeting to renew 31 charter campuses, but only after some board members posed tough questions about the schools’ accountability and transparency.
Yet despite the troubles at Chicago Virtual, teachers and families aren’t ready to give up on the school, which has filed an appeal with the Illinois State Board of Education, as has Frazier. If Chicago’s Virtual’s appeal is granted, the school could stay open, authorized by the state rather than CPS.
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If not, Chicago Virtual would lose its status and funding as a public school. And its closure — a near certainty if it loses its charter — would leave “520 different types of students” without similar options next year, said interim CEO Vikki Stokes.
“Even with the challenges, the model is worth saving," Stokes said.
'Significant’ concerns about finances, operations
Chicago Virtual Charter School opened in 2006 as part of Renaissance 2010, an initiative of then-Mayor Richard M. Daley that aimed to increase school options.
The school serves a diverse student body: About 60% of students are black and about 21% Latino. Seventy percent are from low-income families and 12% have special needs, according to CPS. They practice many faiths, and the school prides itself on accommodating religious observances.
Farmer Shea said she decided to enroll her twins in part because they experienced bullying at their former school. She was also persuaded by their older sister’s success at Chicago Virtual. The older sister had an “almost immediate turnaround” from her experience in a CPS-run school, where her individualized education plan was not followed, her mother said. And Chicago Virtual’s learning model makes it easier for her to ensure Cheridan’s plan is followed.
The school does require significant involvement from parents, whom educators rely on to monitor younger students and keep them on task. Farmer Shea said she has to make sure her twins aren’t playing computer games when they’re supposed to be studying.
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“The hybrid model isn’t for everyone, and the traditional structure isn’t for everyone,” Farmer Shea said. “It’s really up to the parents how much time they are able to dedicate to their children’s education.”
Other parents have cited similar reasons for choosing the school, including safety, a comfortable learning environment, the ability for students to learn at their own pace, and flexibility in where and when they study. Some parents also said their children were mistreated in or faced dangerous walking routes to former schools.
The scarcity of similar alternatives "begs the question of whether such massive disruption as school closing and forced transfers are worthwhile,” Chicago Virtual officials wrote in their appeal.
The appeal acknowledges that changes in management and curriculum in the past 18 months have affected the school’s performance but argues that Chicago Virtual provides a one-of-a-kind service and deserves more time to turn things around. The changes are so far-reaching, officials wrote, that Chicago Virtual should be treated like a new school.
“This is an issue of time," the appeal states. “As with any new school, organization or business, typically there is a two-year launch period.”
Vikki Stokes, interim CEO of Chicago Virtual Charter School, says the school serves "520 different types of students” and "is worth saving." The Chicago Board of Education has revoked its charter. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)
Stokes took over as interim chief executive officer after the Chicago Virtual board voted last August that CEO Cheryl Pruitt “be placed on unpaid leave, and terminated for just cause ... pending a hearing and an opportunity to respond in writing,” according to public meeting minutes. Pruitt also faces pending charges of theft and official misconduct related to her previous job as superintendent of schools in Gary. Pruitt’s attorney, Scott King, told the Tribune that Pruitt “denies any guilt” and blamed the charges on a faulty audit.
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But beyond the leadership issues, Chicago Virtual has struggled academically.
In November, CPS placed the school on its academic warning list for the second time since late 2018. It now has the second lowest rating of any CPS charter elementary school and the lowest rating of any CPS charter high school — a far cry from 2012, when Chicago magazine ranked it 14th on its list of the city’s top public high schools.
Hal Woods, who directs CPS’ Office of Innovation and Incubation, told the school board in December that during a site visit, district officials rated Chicago Virtual basic or unsatisfactory in all but two categories.
He added that while the charter revocation was for academic reasons, “the school’s financial and operational concerns are significant.”
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CPS’ inspector general’s office also has a pending investigation into Chicago Virtual. During the previous school year, it was one of nine CPS charter schools in financial remediation, a district oversight process. The school has an $8.1 million budget for the current school year, most of which comes from local and state taxes, according to CPS budget documents.
Woods also noted the school had lost 160 students since the last school year — the largest single enrollment decline in the district.
Yet 130 other CPS schools also have a Level 2 rating — the second lowest in the CPS rating system. And Chicago Virtual’s appeal touts improvements already this school year in categories that factor into a school’s rating, such as third to eighth grade reading and the percentage of high school students earning college or career credentials.
Chicago Virtual Charter School students Nusaybah Islam, from left, Jasmyn Peete and Sahm Tribute take a math test. The school's students spend four days a week learning remotely from home and one day a week at the brick-and-mortar campus. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)
Even some parents who say the school isn’t what it used to be still want to see it saved.
Ericka Mingo’s older son has done well at Chicago Virtual and is due to graduate this spring, doing his part to boost the school’s four-year graduation rate, which last year fell to 44%, one of the lowest in CPS. The rate of students who graduate after five years of high school at Chicago Virtual is 70%. Mingo’s younger son started at Chicago Virtual as a kindergartner, but she said she pulled him out during third grade after she saw drastic changes in the school.
“It used to be more robust. It used to feel really cool,” Mingo said. “It went from something really great to really awful.”
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Despite that, Mingo said Chicago Virtual’s hybrid online model can give parents an ideal balance between control and support.
“It’s not perfect, but it is the only one we’ve got,” Mingo said, “and it’s worth saving.”
A controversial model
From its inception, the virtual model faced intense scrutiny, and proponents fought to be given a chance to try it. The Chicago Teachers Union even filed a lawsuit trying to stop Chicago Virtual from opening, arguing that it amounted to taxpayer-funded homeschooling, in violation of state law. But the school won approval from the Illinois State Board of Education in a 5-4 vote.
While many public schools offer some virtual classes, including in CPS, those that offer predominantly remote classes remain uncommon in Illinois.
Across the country, though, more than 278,000 students were enrolled in 528 full-time virtual public schools in 34 states during the 2015-16 school year, and an additional 36,000 students were enrolled in 140 blended or hybrid public schools, where students spend some of their time in physical classrooms, according to a 2017 report by the National Education Policy Center. But their growing popularity doesn’t always mean better outcomes for students, the study said.
“Although increasing numbers of parents and students are choosing virtual or blended schools ... school performance measures for both virtual and blended schools indicate that they are not as successful as traditional public schools," the report states.
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Among schools the study looked at were those run by contracted for-profit companies, which it noted has been a point of controversy.
In 2018, Chicago Virtual ended its contract with education management group K12 Classroom, which at the time of the study was the largest for-profit operator of virtual schools.
Since then, Chicago Virtual has become self-managed and uses different curriculum providers. Some parents say it was around that time that they started noticing unwelcome changes.
Before that, Mingo remembers getting boxes of workbooks, maps and materials for science experiments. But when the curriculum switched, the boxes stopped coming, she said. When she took her younger son out of Chicago Virtual and began homeschooling him, she started paying out of pocket to keep using the K12 curriculum. At $80 per month, plus hundreds of dollars in textbooks, she estimates it’s cost her $4,000 over the past three years.
Farmer Shea said that while there were some glitches at first, her family eventually got used to the new curriculum.
“A lot of people had trouble adjusting right away, but the material was there,” she said.
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Virtual’s high school principal, Leslie Foster-Ramsey, said administrators have sought to rebuild trust with wary parents.
On a recent tour of Chicago Virtual, which rents space at Merit School of Music, Foster-Ramsey explained how leaders are working to keep the school open while at the same helping families prepare for a possible transition.
In the meantime, classes must go on.
Student Brooke Jones, right, works with occupational therapist Martha Figueroa at Chicago Virtual Charter School, which rents space at Merit School of Music. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)
In a small room with a piano, an occupational therapist held a yellow cardboard clock in front of a student as muted jazz music played through a speaker. “Show me 6:45,” the therapist said. The student moved the clock’s minute hand to the nine.
Down the hall, about a dozen students were taking standardized tests.
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Social worker Julia Rooney said many students she works with have been bullied at neighborhood schools or had difficulty coping with anxiety, learning disabilities or trauma before landing at Chicago Virtual. It’s a struggle for some to show up even one day a week.
“That’s my biggest concern,” she said. If the school loses its charter, “what do these students do?”
Foster-Ramsey, too, worries about “where they will go and who will take them," and fears some youths might quit school altogether. She’s been trying to create more structure for the students and said she’s open to adding more on-campus classes. The state education board has scheduled a hearing for Feb. 20 on the appeal and, after a period of public input, is due to vote by late March on whether to reinstate Chicago Virtual’s charter.
Farmer Shea doesn’t know what’s next for her twins if Chicago Virtual closes. She’s entered them in some of the CPS school lotteries for next school year, but one of their neighborhood campuses, Manierre Elementary, has an even lower rating than the virtual school, at Level 3.
Mingo said she’s hopeful that Chicago Virtual will get the reinvestment needed to stay open.
“Now that I’ve tasted it and I know that it’s possible ... I hope they win their appeal," Mingo said. “If they do, as a parent, I’m going to try to help as much as I can.”
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hleone@chicagotribune.com
This story has been updated to clarify Cheryl Pruitt’s status with Chicago Virtual Charter School.