chicagotribune--2020-02-20--Oak Park approves selling price of $1, village subsidy, to get property back on tax rolls

Previously , the village named Orson and Keri Morrison as preferred developers of the village-owned property .
The Morrisons also @ @ @ @ @ office building at 6645 North Ave. , with hopes to relocate their existing medical practice @ @ @ @ @ two planned to use the village parcels as a parking lot for the existing office @ @

The village of Oak Park has agreed to an amended sales contract for property it owns at 6641-43 North Ave. The new agreement reduces the sales price of the parcels to $1 in an effort to jumpstart its redevelopment into a parking lot. (Steve Schering / Pioneer Press)
The Oak Park village board has approved the sale of vacant land on North Avenue it owns for just $1, while also providing an additional financial incentive for the purchaser.
Board members previously approved a sale of the property at 6641-43 North Ave. for $20,000 in November 2018, however, developing the vacant parcel into a planned parking lot has yet to materialize.
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“In 2018, the village did approve a sale of that property,” village manager Cara Pavlicek said. “Since that time, there still has been an economic gap for the completion of that project.”
Previously, the village named Orson and Keri Morrison as preferred developers of the village-owned property. The Morrisons also agreed to purchase the adjacent office building at 6645 North Ave., with hopes to relocate their existing medical practice to that location. The two planned to use the village parcels as a parking lot for the existing office building.
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As a way to jumpstart the development, the Oak Park Economic Development Corporation recommended the village reduce the purchase price of the property to $1, while also providing a $45,000 incentive to the purchaser, which will be used for stormwater improvements at the site.
The village board approved the amended sale agreement by a 6-0 vote at its Feb. 18 meeting, with trustee Deno Andrews abstaining.
“I think this is an opportunity for us to use a small amount of money to put a property back on the tax rolls,” trustee Simone Boutet said. “I think it’s a good use of funds and I’m looking forward to this property being revitalized.”
Trustee Jim Taglia also voiced support for the plan, saying the payback to the village should be realized in about two years.
“I support North Avenue and I want to see their property contribute to the success and vitality of North Avenue,” Taglia said. “It makes all the sense in the world to support this.”
OPEDC officials said redeveloping the village-owned lots, which are currently tax exempt, would generate about $16,000 in annual property taxes to all taxing bodies. Although vacant, the adjacent 6645 North Ave. building produced a property tax bill of $36,324 in 2018.
“We believe the combined building and parking lot could generate total annual taxes of perhaps $70,000, an increase of nearly $35,000,” OPEDC executive director John Lynch said.
Judith Alexander, chair of The North Avenue District, voiced her support for the amended agreement.
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“The landscaped parking area planned for the vacant lot will move us toward a more attractive and pedestrian-friendly streetscape,” Alexander said. “This certainly sounds like a good deal for all concerned, especially considering that the vacant lot probably will remain so for many years without the proposed incentives.”
In August 2014, the village first acquired the 6641-43 property through foreclosure and later demolished an existing building on the site. The property was subsequently listed with a sale price of $145,000, but no offers were received.
In 2017, the village entered into an agreement with 2 Fools Cider to turn the lot into a new cidery and tap room, however, those plans fell through.
sschering@pioneerlocal.com
Twitter: @steveschering


chicagotribune--2020-02-20--3 takeaways from White Sox spring training, including Tim Anderson and Yoan Moncada likely at the to

3 takeaways from White Sox spring training, including Tim Anderson and Yoan Moncada likely at the top of the order

“ You ’ re looking at two guys at the top of the order that can run a little bit @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Try to make sure we take advantage of those opportunities that are given @ @ @ @ @ ( Anderson ) has at the top of the order .
I ’ m not @ @ @ @ @ that ) we ’ re going to be running more , but we can take @ @ @ @ @ he brings to the table .
”

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Here are three takeaways from White Sox camp Thursday.
1. Expect Tim Anderson and Yoan Moncada to be near the top of the order.
Sox manager Rick Renteria is leaning toward some combination of Tim Anderson, who led the majors with a .335 average in 2019, and Yoan Moncada, who was third in the American League at .315, at the top of the lineup.
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Anderson was 9-for-19 (.474) with a home run and three RBIs in four games as the leadoff hitter last season. Moncada was 10-for-40 (.250) with three RBIs in nine games in the leadoff spot.
Anderson walked only 15 times last season but did lead the Sox with 17 stolen bases. Moncada stole 10 bases and has a goal of running more often in 2020.
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“You’re looking at two guys at the top of the order that can run a little bit,” Renteria said Thursday. “Try to make sure we take advantage of those opportunities that are given to us with the speed (Anderson) has at the top of the order. I’m not trying to alert anybody (that) we’re going to be running more, but we can take advantage of the skill set he brings to the table.”
Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 15 White Sox pitchers Michael Kopech, Carlos Rodon, Lucas Giolito and Bernardo Flores Jr., run on the field a Camelback Ranch on Feb. 20, 2020. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)
Rookie Luis Robert has said he would be comfortable in the top spot, but Renteria is holding off on that option.
“I wouldn’t consider Robert as we’re standing here today,” Renteria said. “We have enough guys that allow him to transition into the lower part of the order. See where he starts to develop. I anticipate that somewhere in the near future we will see that, but he is another guy that develops and can hit between one and five.”
2. The lineup should be more consistent this year.
The Sox used 143 batting orders in 2019, according to Baseball Reference. Rick Renteria doesn’t anticipate a repeat.
“Will there be a tweak here or there? Yeah, absolutely,” Renteria said. “I’m not going to hold myself to not making adjustments as the season is going on and what the guys are doing. It would be foolish for me to lock myself into doing something that’s not conducive to helping us put together a lineup on a particular day.
“But we’re getting to a point where it’s some consistency, and hopefully that’ll give us the ability to see the same guys in maybe the same slots throughout the season.”
3. Mechanical adjustments paid off for prospect Gavin Sheets.
First-base prospect Gavin Sheets led the Southern League in 2019 with 83 RBIs for Double-A Birmingham. He also led the Barons in hits (124) and home runs (16), was second in runs (56) and tied for second with 18 doubles.
“Some of the mechanical adjustments, just trying to get the ball in the air a little bit more, driving,” Sheets said this week. “And then a lot of mental things. Trying to do damage at the plate. That was the biggest thing for me, trying to do damage and focusing on that. And I was able to put together a good season.”
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The Sox selected Sheets in the second round of the 2017 draft. He hit four home runs in 56 games between the Arizona League Sox and Class A Kannapolis in 2017, then batted .293 with 28 doubles, six homers and 61 RBIs in 2018 at Class A Winston-Salem. Sheets hit .267 last season at Birmingham with career highs in homers and RBIs.
“I’m just going to try to build off last year,” said Sheets, who’s ranked as the No. 11 prospect in the organization. “This is the first year where I’m not trying to do anything mechanical, change anything up. Now it’s just building off what I did last year, taking that same approach and trying to continue to grow as a hitter.”


chicagotribune--2020-02-20--Read the indictment against Casey Urlacher, others in offshore sports gambling ring

The brother of Chicago Bears legend Brian Urlacher was among 10 people charged in a federal indictment Thursday alleging they @ @ @ @ @ ring that raked in millions of dollars from hundreds of Chicago area gamblers .
Read @ @ @ @ @ the latest updates here .

The brother of Chicago Bears legend Brian Urlacher was among 10 people charged in a federal indictment Thursday alleging they ran an offshore sports gambling ring that raked in millions of dollars from hundreds of Chicago area gamblers. Read the indictment below. Get the latest updates here.


chicagotribune--2020-02-20--Custer Street Fair moving to Indiana as organizers say ‘people of Evanston came at us’

“ I can ’ t tell you why their revenue ( and ) profit was down .
It could be @ @ @ @ @ County DHS Command vehicle .
It could be the weather , it wasn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ Hagerty wrote .
“ It could be that Piccolo Theater , their partner , is @ @ @ @ @ assume their share of the work .
It could poor management ...
It could be @ @ @ @ @ city ’ s expenses .
Bottom line , the city can ’ t be in @ @ @ @ @ sector losses .
”

Organizers of the popular Custer Street Fair are moving the festival to Indiana, citing a lack of support from some Evanston residents and city officials.
The festival’s organizers said residents and officials disappointed them last year in response to a controversy that erupted after a Cook County emergency response vehicle was mistaken for an immigration enforcement truck, spurring a brief panic and social media storm. But Mayor Steve Hagerty said organizers have not paid what they owe to the city and other nonprofits, and wondered if a new group might start a new fair in their place.
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The Custer Street Fair began in 1972 and in recent years has drawn more than 300 artists, crafters and other commercial vendors for a two-day event on Main Street to benefit Evanston’s former Piccolo Theater. Tammy Szostek said she and her husband took over the event two years ago.
The fair was mired in controversy last year after a mobile command vehicle from the Cook County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management was mistakenly perceived as an immigration enforcement vehicle. More than 500 people signed a petition asking Evanston officials to ban the use of the vehicle, which was parked at the fair as a street barricade and staffed by Evanston police and firefighters.
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Petitioners said the vehicle “brought fear and distrust into our community,” and implied that immigrants are not welcome in Evanston.
Citing the outcry in Evanston as one reason, the county later changed the department’s official name to the Department of Emergency Management and Regional Security, dropping the “homeland security” phrase.
For weeks and months after last year’s June event, co-organizer Tammy Szostek said she fielded angry calls and emails accusing those behind the festival of supporting hate. Many people also boycotted the festival as a result, she said, shrinking attendance and revenue.
Cook County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management vehicle is parked at the Custer Fair June 15, 2019. (City of Evanston)
“People of Evanston came at us, ‘How could we let this happen?,’” Szostek said. “We tried to do damage control. Nobody wanted to hear our side.”
That, compounded with increased city fees and limited support from Evanston officials, prompted organizers to move the popular event to Whiting, Ind., Szostek said.
Whiting residents “were more than happy to open their arms,” Szostek said. “That’s the support we need.”
Szostek said Piccolo Theater, the previous primary beneficiary of the fair, declared bankruptcy in December 2019.
Mayor Steve Hagerty, however, said he has a somewhat different version of events. For starters, organizers haven’t paid the city what was owed from last year’s festival. The event’s nonprofit partners weren’t paid either.
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In an email to residents who contacted him about the fair’s departure, Hagerty wrote that organizers failed to pay Rainbows for All Children and the Evanston Animal Shelter.
Hagerty provided a copy of the email to Evanston Review.
“I can’t tell you why their revenue (and) profit was down. It could be the reaction over the Cook County DHS Command vehicle. It could be the weather, it wasn’t great last year,” Hagerty wrote. “It could be that Piccolo Theater, their partner, is practically non-existent and unable to assume their share of the work. It could poor management ... It could be the fees to cover the city’s expenses. Bottom line, the city can’t be in the business of subsidizing private sector losses.”
Stephanie Garrity, executive director of Rainbows for All Children, confirmed that her local nonprofit did not receive 10% of the entrance fees that the group was promised in exchange for staffing the six entrances all weekend.
Garrity said she has a contract outlining the agreement. Rainbows for All Children helps kids deal with grieving and loss.
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“I’ve reached out to the organizers of Custer Street Fair 25 to 30 times,” Garrity said, and never received a response.
Szostek confirmed that the fair did not pay the nonprofits, but said no money was made on last year’s event and that is why no payouts were made. She said she had to tap into her own savings account to reimburse the police department for the event’s expenses.
Hagerty suggested the Main-Dempster Mile organization start their own fair in that part of town, but said it would take time to organize the effort and might not happen this year.
Ald. Melissa Wynne, 3rd Ward, agreed that she would like to see another fair set up in her ward.
“Like everyone I’m disappointed that it’s leaving,” Wynne said. “Many people have enjoyed it and viewed it as the beginning of summer.”
Evanston artist Lena Kim, who runs the shop niceLena & Friends on Chicago Avenue, said she worked as a vendor at Custer Street Fair before opening her Evanston store. She long considered the fair a favorite neighborhood event.
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“The whole neighborhood would get together,” Kim recalled. “My kids wandering around and seeing their classmates and giggling at each other, that’s part of the fun.”
Kim said she hopes the Main-Dempster Mile organization will come together to start a new event. She was not pleased to see the back-and-forth between Szostek and Evanston residents and officials, especially on social media, since the festival’s move was announced.
“It just feels gross,” Kim said.
Kim said she looks forward to a new festival, and hopes to keep that neighborhood feel she remembers so fondly.
“We’re OK with planting new seeds,” Kim said. “If everyone brings a more positive vibe that’d be great.”


chicagotribune--2020-02-20--‘Windy City Rehab’ host suing notary public she says forged her signature on documents

Gramenos and Eckhardt are also being sued by a Lincoln Square couple unhappy with the renovations to their home , @ @ @ @ @ first season of the show .
The parties were in court on Tuesday , and @ @ @ @ @ mediation before returning to court next month .

There’s more legal drama for “Windy City Rehab.”
Alison Victoria Gramenos, who flips Chicago homes on the HGTV renovation series, accuses a notary public of either forging her signature on financial documents or notarizing documents that Gramenos says she did not sign.
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Gramenos filed a lawsuit on Tuesday against notary public Adriana Rodriguez and is seeking a temporary restraining order against her. A hearing is scheduled for Friday at the downtown Daley Center.
Gramenos said she learned during an audit that “her signature had been affixed by others without her knowledge or consent to a large number of documents, including loan documents, operating agreements and lien waivers,” according to the lawsuit.
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Gramenos said there is similarity between her forged signature and Rodriguez’s own signature. “Rodriguez, at a minimum, notarized documents purportedly executed by Gramenos, which Gramenos did not sign,” according to the lawsuit.
Gramenos’ attorney did not immediately respond to a Tribune request for comment. A message for Rodriguez was not returned.
The documents submitted as part of the lawsuit deal with some of the properties featured on Season 1 of “Windy City Rehab” — 885 W. Lill Ave. in Lincoln Park; 1635 W. Pierce Ave. in Wicker Park; and 2123 W. Thomas St. in Ukrainian Village. Gramenos and contractor Donovan Eckhardt teamed up to flip those homes on the show.
The pair were involved in other court action this week.
A hearing was held Thursday on four “Windy City Rehab” properties the city deemed “dangerous and unsafe.” The properties — 1846 N. Damen Ave. in Bucktown; 1924 W. Berenice Ave. in North Center; 1815 W. Augusta Blvd. in East Ukrainian Village; and 3352 S. Carpenter St. in Bridgeport — are to be kept vacant and secure until the next court hearing on April 16.
“They’re all a work in progress,” said Larry Lusk, who represents the companies that own the four properties. “The city’s satisfied with what’s going on.”
Gramenos and Eckhardt are also being sued by a Lincoln Square couple unhappy with the renovations to their home, which was featured on the first season of the show. The parties were in court on Tuesday, and they appear to be seeking mediation before returning to court next month.
Despite the legal issues and permit problems with the city, “Windy City Rehab” has been renewed for a second season, which is expected to premiere in the summer.
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tswartz@tribpub.com
[ Chicago couple suing ‘Windy City Rehab’ stars want HGTV’s parent company added to lawsuit ]
[ ‘They slap lipstick on a pig’: What Chicago real estate experts think of the HGTV effect and ‘Windy City Rehab’ woes ]


chicagotribune--2020-02-20--Chicago’s Fulton Market gets another corporate HQ: Aspen Dental is moving from N.Y., with plans to h

Chicago’s Fulton Market gets another corporate HQ: Aspen Dental is moving from N.Y., with plans to hire up to 500

Aspen ’ s growth has come with controversy .
In 2015 , the company paid $ 450,000 to settle with @ @ @ @ @ ’ s office after an investigation found Aspen was making business decisions that were adversely @ @ @ @ @ pressuring staff to increase sales of dental services and products .
Aspen also reached a @ @ @ @ @ Pennsylvania attorney general in 2010 after it was accused of using confusing or misleading information @ @ @ @ @ interest-free financing .
Aspen did not admit wrongdoing as part of those settlements .

Aspen Dental Management has leased 197,000 square feet of office space and 8,000 of ground-floor retail space in this 19-story building under construction at 800 W. Fulton Market. The company said this week it is moving its headquarters from New York to the new building in Chicago. (handout / HANDOUT)
Aspen Dental Management plans to hire up to 500 workers over the next three years for its expansive new headquarters in the Fulton Market district.
The company handles administrative and other services for about 815 dental offices across the country, and is now headquartered in East Syracuse, New York. The New York office will remain open, but the company’s leadership will move into a 200,000-square-foot space covering eight stories of a 19-story office tower now under construction in Fulton Market.
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The building at 800 W. Fulton Market will be the company’s new national headquarters, said Aspen CEO Bob Fontana. The company already has about 100 Chicago employees at 1040 W. Randolph St., and will move into the new space in fall 2021, he said.
The site will include about 8,000 square feet of ground floor space that will house an Aspen Dental practice and a WellNow Urgent Care office. Aspen Dental Management bought WellNow in 2017, and it now has 43 medical clinics in Illinois and New York.
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As the company grows, Fontana expects to hire 300 to 500 people for the Fulton Market office, including professionals in finance, marketing, human resources, information technology and operations.
“We knew Chicago would be an important hub for us for a variety of reasons, mostly talent,” Fontana said. “When we think about growing our business, talent is at the center of what we do.
“It really made sense for us, given all the growth in the West Loop, to really call Chicago home.”
He said the vast majority of hiring will likely be from the Chicago area, and the city’s appeal also will help the company draw candidates from other areas of the country.
Aspen, which was founded 21 years ago, has been growing at a rapid pace. The company opens a new dental office, on average, every four days, Fontana said.
Under Aspen’s model, dentists own the practices, but the company handles all administrative and support services. The practices are branded as Aspen Dental.
“There’s a lot of things embedded in a traditional dental office that aren’t really the core capabilities or competencies of the practitioner,” Fontana said. Aspen centralizes administrative aspects of running dental practices so dentists can focus on providing care, he said.
Aspen has 41 locations in Illinois, including about 20 in the Chicago area.
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Aspen’s growth has come with controversy. In 2015, the company paid $450,000 to settle with the New York attorney general’s office after an investigation found Aspen was making business decisions that were adversely affecting patient care, including pressuring staff to increase sales of dental services and products. Aspen also reached a $175,000 settlement with the Pennsylvania attorney general in 2010 after it was accused of using confusing or misleading information about discounts, coupons and interest-free financing. Aspen did not admit wrongdoing as part of those settlements.
In 2012, the Center for Public Integrity and Frontline published an investigation finding some Aspen patients complained of being overcharged or given unnecessary treatments.
Fontana said Aspen does not influence the care dentists provide.
“They’re independent clinicians doing what they believe is right for patients,” he said.
Aspen works to make care more affordable and accessible to patients, some of whom haven’t seen a dentist for years, he said. Its offices work to see new patients within 48 hours, have evening and weekend hours and accept walk-in appointments.
Aspen also offers education and development for dentists, dental hygienists and office support workers. More than 20,000 square feet of the new office will be dedicated to learning and development, with dentists and others flying in from across the country for classes.
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The company is not getting any tax incentives to open the new headquarters, Fontana said.
lschencker@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-02-20--From Paczki Fest to Cider Summit, here are 5 things to do in Chicago this weekend

Since launching on Chicago 's South Side in 2014 on a glorified homebrew setup , Marz Community Brewing has embraced @ @ @ @ @ to brewing , sending more than 100 different beers to store shelves .
The February @ @ @ @ @ a quiet , industrial corner of the city finally gave all that creativity a home @ @ @ @ @ out waves of fun and goofy whims , such as A Lifestyle Beer ( a @ @ @ @ @ mate and guayusa tea with papaya ) and Nasal Cavity ( a `` golden milk @ @ @ @ @ and vanilla beans ) .
The eclectic approach to brewing adds up to one of @ @ @ @ @ interesting taprooms , though worry not — there 's also plenty of IPA .
3630 @ @ @ @ @ — Josh Noel ( Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune )

Prima Cider from Long Grove, that's their Prima Harvest pictured, will be among the 48 makers at Cider Summit on Saturday. (Keri Wiginton / Chicago Tribune)
Prep your waistline this weekend, Chicago, with a crawfish boil, cider festival and paczki party among the things to do—plus some smooth jams and laughs to balance it out.
Get your cider up
Climb your way to the Cider Summit this weekend — it’s not a hill, just kidding — at Navy Pier, where the annual event brings together more than 200 different cider-makers around the world. Guests can enjoy 16 tastes (admission cost includes tasting tickets) of the classic libation and experience the different styles and flavors used by different regional distillers. Some, like Right Bee Cider and Eris, come right from Chicago’s backyard. Additional tasting tickets will be available for purchase. Noon-3 p.m. and 5-8 p.m. Saturday, Aon Ballroom, Navy Pier, 840 E. Grand Ave., $40, extra tickets $2 per; cidersummitnw.com/tickets
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Since launching on Chicago's South Side in 2014 on a glorified homebrew setup, Marz Community Brewing has embraced a breakneck and dizzying approach to brewing, sending more than 100 different beers to store shelves. The February opening of its taproom in a quiet, industrial corner of the city finally gave all that creativity a home. Marz continues to churn out waves of fun and goofy whims, such as A Lifestyle Beer (a tart Berliner Weiss with yerba mate and guayusa tea with papaya) and Nasal Cavity (a "golden milk stout" with wasabi root and vanilla beans). The eclectic approach to brewing adds up to one of Chicago's most inventive and interesting taprooms, though worry not — there's also plenty of IPA. 3630 S. Iron St., www.marzbrewing.com/ — Josh Noel (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)
Paczki days/daze
With the Lenten religious observation approaching, many Chicago restaurants and bars are making plans to celebrate with paczki — or maybe they’re actually making both paczki and plans. Bridgeport’s Marz Community Brewing puts its own beer-friendly spin on the Polish Paczki Day with its annual Paczki Milk Stout — which has a pistachio variant this year — and will celebrate with its own Paczki Fest event this weekend. The event features some fantastic live music, guest food vendors, arcade games, guest drafts and more. Noon-8 p.m. Sunday, Marz Community Brewing, 3630 S. Iron St., $25; marzbrewing.bigcartel.com/product
‘Look at all those fishes’
In New Orleans, the Mardi Gras season also represents the beginning of crawfish season. So, in proper NOLA fashion, Devereaux will celebrate this time of year with an all-you-can-eat crawfish boil. The 18th-floor restaurant will have a menu of crawfish, corn and potatoes to fill your belly, along with Bayou beverages. Louisiana-based Abita Brewing will be on-site showcasing its signature Strawberry and Purple Haze brews, or you can go with local classics like the hurricane or sazerac. Ticket includes four drink tickets; more will be available for purchase. 1-4 p.m. Sunday, Devereaux, 1112 N State St., $55; exploretock.com
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CAPTION: Amid a busy career as an in-demand writer and producer, Raphael Saadiq crafted his most personal album yet -- a tribute to his late brother. - Original Credit: Aaron Rapoport (Aaron Rapoport)
‘Because you’re so smooth, yeah’
Soul musician Raphael Saadiq is one of the coolest guys working in music, from his disposition to his music, from his Tony! Toni! Tone! years to his more recent work as composer-in-residence on Issa Rae’s “Insecure.” He’s fresh off the release of his latest solo album “Jimmy Lee” from August, and comes to a Chicago for a more intimate club show. 6:30 p.m. doors, 7:30 p.m. show Friday, The Vic, 3145 N. Sheffield Ave., $34; http://www.victheatre.com/e/raphael-saadiq-71827017543/
‘Should I be laughing?’
Comedians Tim and Eric bring their Mandatory Attendance World Tour through the city this weekend for a stop at Chicago’s namesake theater. The event promises to be, as always, odd, esoteric and hilarious. Tim Heidecer and Eric Wareheim’s ironic, bizarre comedic style is hard to explain on paper, but if you know, you know, and if you don’t, well, then, here’s your chance. 8 p.m. Saturday, Chicago Theatre, 175 N. State St., $47.50; ticketmaster.com


chicagotribune--2020-02-20--Prosecutors: Man locked girl, 3, in bathroom stall, where he sexually assaulted her at River North M

Prosecutors: Man locked girl, 3, in bathroom stall, where he sexually assaulted her at River North McDonald’s

The girl ’ s father was helping her brother inside another stall when Christopher Puente , 34 , motioned for @ @ @ @ @ stall , said Assistant State ’ s Attorney James Murphy .
During the assault , @ @ @ @ @ Puente to put his hand over her mouth to silence her , Murphy added .

A child sexual assault suspect locked a 3-year-old girl into a stall in the men’s washroom at a McDonald’s, where her father was nearby with her brother, prosecutors said Thursday during a bond hearing for the man, who was held without bail.
The father, who was in the next stall, pulled the child from underneath the locked stall door after hearing her cries, prosecutors said at the Leighton Criminal Court Building.
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The incident happened about 8:20 a.m. Monday at the restaurant, in the 600 block of North Clark Street in the city’s River North neighborhood, police said.
Christopher Puente (Chicago Police Department)
The girl’s father was helping her brother inside another stall when Christopher Puente, 34, motioned for her to come into his stall, said Assistant State’s Attorney James Murphy. During the assault, the girl whimpered, prompting Puente to put his hand over her mouth to silence her, Murphy added.
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After the girl was pulled from the stall, she was taken from the bathroom. Puente fled, authorities said. Police took a photo from the surveillance video and put it in a community alert.
During his bond hearing Thursday afternoon, prosecutors said Puente, who is deaf and was aided in court by a sign language interpreter, admitted calling the victim into a bathroom stall and assaulting her.
Puente, who was charged with felony predatory criminal sexual assault of a victim under 13 years old, admitted to being high on drugs when he touched the girl, saying “it wasn’t right,” Murphy said in court.
After hearing he would be held with no bail, Puente’s arms tensed behind him as he interrupted through his interpreter.
“I don’t understand. This is my first time,” the interpreter said.
Judge Susana Ortiz agreed with prosecutors that Puente posed a threat to the public and ordered him held without bail. The judge also approved a request barring him from contacting the family or anyone younger than 18.
Puente was arrested Wednesday morning at a business in the 500 block of North Dearborn Street, police said. He had refused to leave the establishment and was identified by responding officers as the suspect pictured in the community alert. Puente also faces a misdemeanor count of criminal trespass to land, police said.
Puente, of the 100 block of East Chestnut Street, has nine Illinois felonies and five misdemeanor convictions. He was also recently charged with a misdemeanor for inappropriately touching a woman’s legs downtown, Murphy said.
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He returns to court next month.
wlee@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-02-20--North Side tattoo shop featured on ‘Black Ink Crew: Chicago’ allowed to operate after inspection

The Tribune reported on Dec. 18 , 2019 that 2nd City Ink was not registered with the Illinois Department of @ @ @ @ @ by state law .
IDPH sent 2nd City Ink a cease-and-desist letter the day after @ @ @ @ @ online .
Walker also had to deal with the city .
She applied for a @ @ @ @ @ Dec. 19 , 2019 , according to city data posted online .

A logo for the 2nd City Ink tattoo shop is photographed on Dec. 10, 2019. "Black Ink Crew: Chicago" star Charmaine Walker owns the shop at 1440 N. Dayton St. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)
The North Side tattoo shop recently featured on the VH1 series “Black Ink Crew: Chicago” is allowed to operate after passing a state-required health inspection that took place three months after the shop had already opened.
A portion of the Jan. 22 inspection of 2nd City Ink was shown on Wednesday’s mid-Season 6 finale. A woman — whose face was blurred out, but who was identified as an inspector — could be heard making comments about the conditions at the shop, which is located on the lower level of 1440 N. Dayton St.
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“You should consider your procedure areas like surgery because you’re doing the same thing, going under somebody’s skin,” the unnamed inspector said. “You gotta make that sink, where it has splash guards, and it’s labeled ‘for artists only.’ Prove to me that your gloves are of medical grade.”
The Chicago Department of Public Health conducted the inspection and noted violations, including improper storage of single-use items, non-compliant toilet facilities and insufficient or inaccessible emergency procedures. The department did not issue any citations, a CDPH spokeswoman said, and all violations were corrected.
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Charmaine Walker opened 2nd City Ink on Oct. 3, 2019, after being fired from 9Mag, the Pilsen tattoo shop at the center of “Black Ink Crew: Chicago” since its 2015 premiere.
The Tribune reported on Dec. 18, 2019 that 2nd City Ink was not registered with the Illinois Department of Public Health, as required by state law. IDPH sent 2nd City Ink a cease-and-desist letter the day after the Tribune story was posted online. Walker also had to deal with the city. She applied for a Chicago regulated business license on Dec. 19, 2019, according to city data posted online.
The Chicago business license was approved on Jan. 22, the day of the health inspection. The shop is also registered with the state through Dec. 31. Cameras documented the license and registration drama, which played out over multiple episodes.
VH1 representatives have not announced when the second half of the sixth season of “Black Ink Crew: Chicago” will air. It’s also unclear if 2nd City Ink will be a major story line moving forward since the shop’s Instagram page was blank as of Wednesday night.
tswartz@tribpub.com


chicagotribune--2020-02-20--Kelly Crull, the former Cubs in-game reporter for NBC Sports Chicago, lands a job covering the Brave

Kelly Crull, the former Cubs in-game reporter for NBC Sports Chicago, lands a job covering the Braves for Fox Sports South

❤💙CHICAGO , THANK YOU !
❤💙 I can not begin to express how grateful I am for your love and @ @ @ @ @ .
It was a dream come true for this Hoosier to become a sportscaster in @ @ @ @ @ Nation you welcomed me with open arms and quickly made Wrigley my home away from @ @ @ @ @ , we witnessed magnificent moments together & we shared one of the most magical World @ @ @ @ @ Those extraordinary experiences are what make my bond with this city and community so special @ @ @ @ @ my career was transformative and will be forever cherished , the time has come to @ @ @ @ @ .
More hosting and warmer temps are on the horizon !
It ’ s been @ @ @ @ @ being part of your Cubs coverage and sports broadcasts .
I hope you continue to @ @ @ @ @ me in my new role with FOX Sports South !
This is not goodbye , @ @ @ @ @ you soon .
August , in fact , at the Friendly Confines !

Kelly Crull, who was the in-game Cubs reporter for NBC Sports Chicago, is headed to Atlanta, where she’ll have the same role during Braves telecasts on Fox Sports South.
Crull replaces Kelsey Wingert.
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“More hosting and warmer temps are on the horizon!” Crull said, thanking Cubs fans and bidding adieu in an Instagram post Thursday that showed her looking out at Wrigley Field.
”It’s been an honor and a privilege being part of your Cubs coverage and sports broadcasts. I hope you continue to follow, watch and support me in my new role with Fox Sports South! This is not goodbye, but rather … I’ll see you soon. August, in fact, at the Friendly Confines!”
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Crull’s NBC Sports Chicago contract expired, and the Cubs and Sinclair Broadcast Group elected to hire Rockies in-game TV reporter Taylor McGregor, 27, for Marquee Sports Network, the channel they’re set to launch Saturday. Sinclair also owns Fox Sports South.
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Before coming to NBC Sports Chicago in October 2013 as a freelance general assignment reporter and anchor, Crull, 36, worked for Fox Sports Net San Diego covering the Padres as beat reporter and host of “Padres Weekly.”
She was the sideline reporter for FSN Southwest’s Thunder coverage and host of the NBA team’s pregame show and weekly “Thunder Insider” program. Crull also worked as a sportscaster for Oklahoma City’s KOCO-TV.
In addition to Cubs games on NBC Sports Chicago, Crull contributed to the channel’s Bulls telecasts and the quiz show “Beer Money.” Her Cubs run included their 2016 World Series championship season.
Crull enjoyed such popularity with Cubs fans that a man was cheered at last month’s Cubs Convention for urging Crane Kenney, the team’s president of business operations, to hire Crull for Marquee.
“I cannot begin to express how grateful I am for your love and loyalty the last 6 years,” Crull said in her note to Cubs fans. “It was a dream come true for this Hoosier to become a sportscaster in the Windy City.
“Cubs Nation you welcomed me with open arms and quickly made Wrigley my home away from home. We grew together, we witnessed magnificent moments together & we shared one of the most magical World Championship journeys, together.
“Those extraordinary experiences are what make my bond with this city and community so special. While this chapter of my career was transformative and will be forever cherished, the time has come to challenge myself in new ways.”


chicagotribune--2020-02-20--Column: Tim Anderson is selling the White Sox — and himself — with his new YouTube channel

“ I get to control all my content , what I want to put out , and just give the @ @ @ @ @ , showing all this hard work , ” Anderson said .
“ So when fans @ @ @ @ @ we ’ re going to be or how confident we are in our work , @ @ @ @ @ to see where we get that from .
We ’ re also motivating and inspiring @ @ @ @ @ ...
It ’ s dope content .

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Near the end of his latest YouTube video, White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson reveals the reason he has taken it upon himself to bring more life to Camelback Ranch.
Yolmer Sanchez is gone, Anderson explained, and someone had to fill the void.
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“You know the type of guy Yolmer was,” Anderson said Thursday morning at Sox camp. “He was bringing the excitement, keeping everybody in a positive way, always being funny and loud. I’ve just got to pick up the energy for him, I guess — keep everyone positive, keep pushing and motivating everybody to deliver something that can be real dope.”
So can we expect Anderson to dump a bucket of Gatorade on his head after a walk-off home run, as the eccentric Sanchez did during some walk-off celebrations?
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.@CarlosSan29 made himself an Honorary Splash Brother. 💦😂 pic.twitter.com/Lb1zt5VrEA — Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) May 4, 2018
“No, I ain’t going to go that far,” Anderson said with a laugh.
After seven straight losing seasons, the Sox need all the help they can get to market what’s expected to be a turning-point season in the rebuild. Anderson is doing whatever he can to sell the Sox brand while also selling his own. His newly created YouTube channel already has nearly 5,000 subscribers in its first week and is growing by the day.
The Sox marketing slogan for 2020 is “Change the Game,” something Anderson seemingly has taken to heart. He came up with the idea of creating his own channel because Major League Baseball’s “marketing game was off.”
His now-infamous bat flip last season against the Royals — which ignited a skirmish and led to his one-game suspension — left some with the wrong impression. He wanted fans to know he was more than just a guy who flips his bat and “pimps” home runs.
“So why not bring it yourself?” he said. “So I started to bring myself in. YouTube was a way to connect with fans, show my personality, show what I stand for, how I go about my business. I feel like a lot of things got put out too soon that really wasn’t me.
“Obviously with the bat flip, people judge what type of person, what type of player that guy is. People thought that was the only thing I did, and they were missing all the dope stuff I did. So I created a lane to be my own voice and show people I am real, I am human and I’m having fun in life, no matter what it is.”
Entering his fifth season with the Sox, the 26-year-old Anderson is turning heads after winning the major-league batting title in 2019 while helping bring attention to the Sox with a generation of fans who have been turned off by the slow, deliberate pace of the game.
At SoxFest in January, he even had his own bat-flipping seminar with kids, and now he’s taking things to another level.
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Anderson didn’t have to ask the Sox for permission to start his YouTube channel. They were happy to see him take the initiative.
“Look, he is his own brand,” Sox vice president of marketing Brooks Boyer said. “The nice thing is that the way he plays, he’s an extension of ‘Change the Game.’ He is a game-changer, and doing what he’s doing changes the game, giving people the inside look of what he goes through, how he prepares.
Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 78 White Sox starting pitcher Dylan Cease warms up in right field before a game against the Reds at Goodyear Ballpark on Feb. 23, 2020. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)
“All the things he’s doing on YouTube is ultimately good for the White Sox because he’s really authentic, and he’s going to be able to connect to younger fans. They’re connecting through Instagram and YouTube, and he has a unique ability to connect to fans that way and he’s unapologetic for it.”
Anderson hired Chicago-area photographer Chris Tejada, who works for the Sox’s Instagram account, to become his YouTube videographer.
“All the work is all his,” Anderson said.
Tejada meets Anderson at Camelback Ranch in the morning and follows him around, shooting scenes from batting practice and autograph signings and hanging out with his teammates. It’s shot in black and white this spring for a reason.
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“These are the dark moments nobody sees,” Anderson said. “Once the (regular) season starts, we’ll give it a little flavor and a little color. Taking it slow. I know people want the color.”
In other words, it’s Anderson’s version of “The Wizard of Oz.”
After the day’s work, Anderson and Tejada go to Anderson’s apartment and edit the video into one package.
“I get to control all my content, what I want to put out, and just give the people authentic and real stuff, showing all this hard work,” Anderson said. “So when fans hear us say how good we’re going to be or how confident we are in our work, you’ll be able to see where we get that from. We’re also motivating and inspiring kids through that channel. ... It’s dope content.
“I don’t know when it’s going to drop, but our life is like a movie, so why not record it and give it to them and let the fans know what’s really going on besides what’s being put out (by the media)?”
Not everyone appreciates Anderson’s devil-may-care attitude. Astros pitcher Justin Verlander criticized him in 2018 for celebrating a stolen base in a game, then gloated after picking him off.
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“Very thankful that he gave me an out,” Verlander said afterward. “That’s what I said and (Anderson) didn’t like that comment. But, hey, that’s not my fault. That’s his fault. I’m not going to let the situation dictate what I do out there. I’m going to slow everything down, and that’s what veterans can do — see the game, play the game, play the game the right way.”
Anderson shrugged off Verlander’s comments and vowed not to change. Then came last year’s controversy with the Royals, when he was suspended for calling pitcher Brad Keller a “weak-(expletive) (N-word)” after Keller plunked him for an earlier bat flip, which sparked a benches-clearing incident.
Benches clear in Royals-White Sox after Brad Keller hits Tim Anderson in the 6th inning. pic.twitter.com/u9IhZ56AvP — MLB (@MLB) April 17, 2019
Why does Anderson upset some of his peers?
“They don’t know how to control their feelings,” he said. “I’m a guy that came from nothing. It was tough growing up (in Tuscaloosa, Ala). And you’re telling me I can get to this point of my career and can’t celebrate or be excited about things I’ve accomplished?
“That’s what it is. They don’t like to see me have fun and enjoying the moment. But that’s OK. We don’t care about (Keller). We don’t care about (critics). We’re going to keep doing us and keep being real and authentic. Forget those other guys. They ain’t on our team.”
Anderson’s in-your-face persona is rubbing off on his teammates, creating an us-against-them mentality that’s hard to ignore. How it plays out this season will be interesting to watch now that the Sox are expected to back it up on the field.
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Rest assured there will be no apologies to those who don’t like their attitude.
It’s who they are.
“We’re changing the game,” Anderson said. “We’re different over here.”


chicagotribune--2020-02-20--Brown sugar boba ice cream bars have been flying off shelves, but are they good? We put them to the

Brown sugar boba ice cream bars have been flying off shelves, but are they good? We put them to the test.

Over the past few months , brown sugar boba ice cream bars have flown off shelves and people have inundated @ @ @ @ @ searching for the coveted treats .
I joined the hunt in December and reached out @ @ @ @ @ WeChat , asking where in Chicago I could get my hands on a box .
@ @ @ @ @ markets were the place to go , but after three months of looking , I @ @ @ @ @ I stopped in at the H Mart location downtown last weekend and saw that the @ @ @ @ @ the coveted item , I stood in shock in front of the freezer case , @ @ @ @ @ before hastily buying a box .

We tracked down brown sugar boba ice cream bars from the Xiao Mei brand at H Mart in downtown Chicago. But finding them may prove tricky. (Grace Wong / Chicago Tribune)
Boba drinks, one of the foremost symbols of Asian American identity, are tea-based beverages (aka bubble tea or pearl milk tea) varied in flavor and texture. However, one flavor has risen to the top in recent years: brown sugar boba, with its signature marbled appearance and distinct smoky flavor, paired with tapioca balls cooked in honey and more brown sugar. So when a frozen iteration of this well-loved drink was released by the Taiwanese company Xiao Mei, the Asian internet collectively exploded.
Over the past few months, brown sugar boba ice cream bars have flown off shelves and people have inundated social media with posts desperately searching for the coveted treats. I joined the hunt in December and reached out to friends on Twitter and WeChat, asking where in Chicago I could get my hands on a box. Many of them claimed Chinatown markets were the place to go, but after three months of looking, I remained empty-handed. So when I stopped in at the H Mart location downtown last weekend and saw that the store had clearly just restocked the coveted item, I stood in shock in front of the freezer case, slack-jawed at my luck, before hastily buying a box.
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According to the Xiao Mei Chinese-language website, the key ingredient of its bars is milk from New Zealand and Australia, plus the caramel brown sugar and the “Q” texture (a culinary term used to describe a springy yet chewy food texture beloved in East Asia) of the boba balls. This texture is notoriously difficult to achieve and requires fresh batches of tapioca bubbles every few hours during production, otherwise they seize up and get hard. Not very Q.
Brown sugar boba ice cream bars transform one of the most popular flavors of bubble tea into frozen treats, and the Asian internet is mad for them. (Grace Wong / Chicago Tribune)
I was skeptical of the bars. After all, good boba drinks are few and far between in the Midwest, so how could a frozen item even come close to achieving the same result?
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To help me taste the bars, I recruited the help of fellow Food & Dining reporters Nick Kindelsperger, a noted sweets hater, and Louisa Chu, who enjoys boba from time to time, along with Tribune data reporter Cecilia Reyes, a self-described boba lover who gets cravings so strong that she’s willing to pay to get a drink delivered to her when the mood strikes. Each person was asked to describe what they thought of the bars, including their thoughts on appearance, flavor and texture.
I’m happy to report that every single person enjoyed the boba bars and would want to buy them. And why not? It’s a beautiful product, with brown sugar ribbons marbling smooth, creamy white ice cream.
Kindelsperger said it was refreshing and Chu praised the bar for its tannic tea flavor and super-concentrated aroma. The bar is balanced with the semi-bitter tea and the delightfully fatty, milky dairy. I enjoyed how floral the tea was and how its flavor lingered, cutting through the creaminess of the milk. Reyes complimented the bar for its clean aroma.
But we were the most impressed by the perfect Q texture of the boba balls. Although Kindelsperger said the boba in the ice cream bar was not as exciting as getting one in a drink, he still thought it was fun. Reyes saw the evenly dispersed tapioca balls as a good thing for people who perhaps don’t enjoy the surprise of sucking one up when drinking boba in liquid form. Every bite is accompanied with a little chew and the ice cream bars aren’t too sweet or cloying. We agreed that both adults and kids would enjoy them.
My only mistake was buying just one box.
It’s $8.99 for a box of four ice cream bars at H Mart, 711 W. Jackson Blvd. Although your instincts may tell you to call first, I’d recommend walking into the store. My calls only seemed to confuse the person who picked up. I consoled myself by saying that part of the fun is the hunt.
gwong@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-02-20--Booked it! Chicago theater casting announcements for Feb. 20

announced casting for the world premiere of Tyla Abercrumbie ’ s “ Relentless , ” running May 6-June 27 .
@ @ @ @ @ mother , two sisters return home to Philadelphia in 1919 to settle her estate .

The principal cast of Skylight Music Theatre's upcoming production of "Evita," Andrew Varela, Rána Roman and Kevin Melendez. (Courtesy of Skylight Music Theatre)
Here are the casting announcements in Chicago this week.
Skylight Music Theatre announced casting for Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber “Evita,” running Mar. 20-29. The musical tells the life and story of Eva Duarte and her rise from poverty to the wife of Argentine president Juan Perón.
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Michelle Lopez-Rios will direct, Alicia Rice will choreograph and Kerry Bieneman will music direct.
will direct, will choreograph and will music direct. The cast will feature: Rána Roman , Andrew Varela , Kevin Melendez , Ashley Rodriguez , Doug Clemons , Taylor Arnstein , Olivia Vitrano , Elizabeth Bivens-Logan , Cecilia Davis , Lydia Eiche , Jeremy Mossman , Adam Qutaishat and Shayne Steliga .
, , , , , , , , , , , and . The production team includes: Kristina Sneshkoff , costume design and Sun Hee Kil , sound design.
, costume design and , sound design. All performances will take place at Broadway Theatre Center, 158 N. Broadway, Milwaukee, Wisc.
For more information, visit www.skylightmusictheatre.org
TimeLine Theatre Company announced casting for the world premiere of Tyla Abercrumbie’s “Relentless,” running May 6-June 27. After the death of their mother, two sisters return home to Philadelphia in 1919 to settle her estate.
Ron OJ Parson will direct a cast of: Ayanna Bria Bakari , Xavier Lee Bleuel , Amanda Drinkall , Adia Alli , Travis Delgado and Marguerite Genard .
will direct a cast of: , , , , and . The production team includes: Jack McGaw , scenic design; Christine Pascual , costume design; Heather Gilbert , lighting design; Mealah Heidenreich , properties design; Christopher Kriz , sound design; Mike Tutaj , projections design; Megan Pirtle , wig and hair design; Khalid Yaya Long , dramaturg; Dina Spoerl , lobby display and Tiffany Fulson , assistant director.
, scenic design; , costume design; , lighting design; , properties design; , sound design; , projections design; , wig and hair design; , dramaturg; , lobby display and , assistant director. All performances will take place at TimeLine Theatre, 615 W. Wellington Ave.
For more information, visit www.timelinetheatre.com
The Passage Theatre announced casting for Beth Hyland’s “All One! The Dr. Bronner’s Play,” running Apr. 17-May 3. This world premiere follows the life of soap maker, Emanuel Bronner.
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Sammy Zeisel will direct a cast featuring: Jen Allman , Ned Baker , Carter Caldwell , Nico Kruger , Abby Pajakowski , Deanalís Resto , Will Sonheim , Joolz Stroop , Allyce Torres and Park Williams .
will direct a cast featuring: , , , , , , , , and . All performances will take place at Ebenezer Lutheran Church, 1650 W Foster Ave.
For more information, visit www.thepassagetheatre.com
hgreenspan@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-02-20--Tia Mowry talks women’s empowerment at NBA All-Star Weekend summit

My definition of female empowerment comes from seeing my mother completely give up everything to allow her children to excel @ @ @ @ @ a mom doesn ’ t mean that you have to let go of your aspirations @ @ @ @ @ give to this world .
I think a lot of women sacrifice themselves for others @ @ @ @ @ themselves , and then once their children are out of the house , they ’ @ @ @ @ @ life has gone by and then they ’ re like , I have so much @ @

Have you seen Tia Mowry-Hardrict lately? How can you not? One half of the ’90s sitcom “Sister, Sister," she is currently taping the second season of the Netflix series “Family Reunion,” recording her YouTube channel of life hacks called “Tia Mowry’s Quick Fix” and busy kick-starting Anser, her new supplements company that launched in January.
Granted, the last couple of times we checked in with the Hardricts, it was a bit focused on Tia’s husband Cory, a Chicago Southland native, and his latest acting jobs. But this past weekend — NBA All-Star Weekend — Mowry-Hardrict was in town to participate in the National Basketball Wives Association’s (NBWA) Women’s Empowerment Summit, “Unsung Sheroes.” Showing shorter locs (after her “It was time! #shorthair #dontcare” Jan. 31 Instagram post), the author and mom of two (Cree, 8, and Cairo, 1) was on hand to inspire women and talk entrepreneurship.
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“Anything that is empowering or pushing women forward … I’m all for it,” Mowry-Hardrict said. “When she (Mia Wright, NBWA president) heard what I was doing with Anser and my wanting to inspire women, I believe that’s how this came about.”
We talked with Mowry-Hardrict about her multifaceted life — one that she refers to as “good chaos” — as well as how she defines female empowerment, her drive to create positive content in a time of negativity and adding some diversity to the Hallmark Channel. The interview has been condensed and edited.
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Q: How do you define female empowerment?
My definition of female empowerment comes from seeing my mother completely give up everything to allow her children to excel. Just because you are a mom doesn’t mean that you have to let go of your aspirations or what you want to give to this world. I think a lot of women sacrifice themselves for others so much that they lose themselves, and then once their children are out of the house, they’re twiddling their thumbs and life has gone by and then they’re like, I have so much resentment.
So for me, it’s about encouraging women that, no matter where you are on your journey or where you are in life, don’t lose sight of what you want to do in life. I want women to know that you have so much to offer and you can do anything you put your mind to.
Q: Through “Tia Mowry’s Quick Fix” we get a glimpse of your family life. How did that come about?
A: Two years ago, I wanted to develop content for the audience that I have — the 13 million followers across all social media platforms. I wanted to create this outlet of life hacks from cooking to beauty tutorials to inspirational talks, just to get us all connected and to create a community that inspires, encourages and uplifts anybody that’s watching it.
The reason I like it is because I’m not playing a character. I’m being myself. This is who I am. It’s nice to have that outlet for people where they can really see who Tia Mowry is. This is a way where I can connect, dial in and communicate. My audience is always asking questions, always engaging. What kind of product are you using for your daughter? How did you help your symptoms with endometriosis? I want to help.
That’s what I’m about. I wanted to create a community of positivity, positive images and to go to put a smile on your face. We have too much negativity going on. Life is too short to be dwelling on that. Let’s try to bring it up a notch.
Q: Why did you start Anser?
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A: The inspiration came through my personal endometriosis journey. When I started to have my symptoms pushed at bay, I went on this journey and on that journey, I exercised, meditated and started to take supplements. I saw huge changes in my overall health. Not only was I able to have a child, I got rid of my eczema, my migraines. So, I wanted to inspire other women to take charge and control of their well-being and health.
We live in a society where women always put everyone first — they take care of their significant others, their children, and they don’t focus on themselves. And so I want women to meditate on the statement: Self-care isn’t selfish. It’s not selfish for you to take time out to take care of you — do 20 minutes on the treadmill or 20 minutes in a bath.
It was important for me to have the tagline “You are the Anser,” insinuating that the only person that can do that work for yourself is you. You have to take care of you. I want to inspire other women to do the same. You have to do something, even if it’s just 10 minutes of your day. You’ll just be a better person.
Q: You have added some diversity to the Hallmark Channel movies in past holiday seasons; how did you join the fold?
A: Hallmark approached me around the same time I think that whole diversity article came out. I believe that they knew there was some backlash and they had to change. So, kudos to them for recognizing and listening to the noise.
But I will say this: In order for you to see continued change, it’s about you doing it yourself. That’s where my next goals are — to start producing, start creating content and say: Look, there’s a lot of people that are not being included. It’s time to start creating it.
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drockett@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-02-20--Aluminum bottled water. Straw-less lids. Reusable cup systems. As concern about plastic waste grows,

Aluminum bottled water. Straw-less lids. Reusable cup systems. As concern about plastic waste grows, the search for sustainable packaging has gone mainstream.

It also would require manufacturers of plastic products to improve , manage and finance waste and recycling programs , many @ @ @ @ @ handle different types of plastic .
Just 8 % of plastic waste in the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ according to the Environmental Protection Agency , and in some cities , such as Chicago @ @ @ @ @ about the effectiveness of recycling programs .
Two aldermen this week separately called for hearings @ @ @ @ @ program and Mayor Lori Lightfoot last month announced a study of how to improve it @

Revival Food Hall in the Loop sells Open Water exclusively as its packaged water. The water is packaged in aluminum bottles instead of plastic. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)
Nicole Doucet and Jess Page were met with skepticism when they first tried to persuade retailers to sell their brand of bottled water. Consumers, the young entrepreneurs were told during those early sales calls five years ago, would not pay more for water packaged in aluminum containers instead of plastic.
It turns out their Chicago-based startup, Open Water, was just a bit early to the party. Food and beverage companies that cater to on-the-go consumers are rethinking their packaging amid growing concern about single-use plastics clogging up swaths of ocean and killing sea life, with the likes of Coca-Cola and PepsiCo launching canned water as part of commitments to cut down on plastic usage and waste.
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"It has gone very mainstream,” said Doucet, CEO of Open Water, which counts Hyatt hotels, salad chain Sweetgreen and Second City as customers.
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A march toward sustainable packaging
Plastic, most of which is made from oil and natural gas, has raised particular environmental ire because half of the plastic produced globally is designed to be used just once, resulting in 300 million tons of plastic waste a year, according to a 2018 United Nations report. The top items recovered at beach cleanups are, after cigarette butts, drink bottles, bottle caps, food wrappers, grocery bags, drink lids, straws and stirrers. At the current rate of disposal, the oceans by 2050 will contain, by weight, more plastic than fish, the report said.
“As more consumers have more convenience products marketed to them, the waste becomes unmanageable,” said Ivy Schlegel, senior research specialist in plastics at Greenpeace USA.
Legislation to curb plastic waste takes aim at food producers. In Chicago, an ordinance proposed last month would ban polystyrene foam to-go containers by 2021, and disposable cutlery, drink tops, stirrers and similar single-use products would have to be compostable or recyclable and only available upon request.
Open Water founders Nicole Doucet, left, and Jess Page show samples of their aluminum containers Feb. 13, 2020, at Combined Warehouse in Chicago. Open Water, a startup headquartered in Bridgeport, sells bottled water in aluminum containers for environmental reasons. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
At the federal level, the Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act, introduced earlier this month by House and Senate Democrats, would ban certain single-use plastic products that are not recyclable and establish minimum recycled content standards for food service products.
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It also would require manufacturers of plastic products to improve, manage and finance waste and recycling programs, many of which can’t handle different types of plastic. Just 8% of plastic waste in the U.S. was recycled in 2017, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, and in some cities, such as Chicago, questions have been raised about the effectiveness of recycling programs. Two aldermen this week separately called for hearings into Chicago’s recycling program and Mayor Lori Lightfoot last month announced a study of how to improve it.
Some food companies have made sustainable packaging central to their business models.
Just Salad, a fast-casual chain with 47 locations including six in Chicago, sells a reusable salad bowl for $1 and gives customers a free topping when they use it, a program that the company says diverted 75,000 pounds of single-use plastic from landfills last year. As part of a new commitment to send zero waste to landfills by 2022, Just Salad is testing compostable cutlery.
The world’s food giants are also setting ambitious waste targets.
Starbucks last month announced that by 2030 it would reduce by 50% the amount of waste sent to landfills, part of a broader goal to reduce its environmental footprint. Starbucks stores produce 455,000 tons of packaging waste annually, mostly polypropylene plastic used in cold cups, lids and straws.
The coffee chain is rolling out new straw-less lids for its cold drinks as it phases out plastic straws from its 30,000 stores worldwide, and in partnership with McDonald’s launched a global innovation challenge to design a more recyclable or compostable cup for hot beverages. The hot cups Starbucks now uses contain a plastic liner that makes them difficult to recycle.
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In-market testing begins soon on the most viable designs.
The NextGen Cup Challenge this week also announced that a cluster of independent cafes in Palo Alto, California, and San Francisco will test reusable cup systems that designate drop-off points around town for the cups, which are then picked up and sanitized and returned to the cafes for reuse. Starbucks for the past year has piloted such a system in London’s Gatwick Airport, but the California test examines how reusable cups might work outside of a captive space like an airport terminal.
Though corporate sustainability initiatives have been en vogue for years, plastic took center stage in 2018 when the U.K.-based Ellen MacArthur Foundation and U.N. Environment Program called on corporations and governments to sign a pledge to create a circular economy for plastics so that none is wasted. The 400 signatories of the New Plastics Economy Pledge, which include packaged foods giants such as Mars and Nestle, have announced targets to reduce plastic usage and innovate packaging to make it more recyclable, compostable or reusable.
Greenpeace’s Schlegel said some of those pledges have been meaningful. For example, Unilever, the multinational company with brands ranging from Breyers to Dove and a packaging footprint of about 700,000 tons annually, in October promised to halve its use of virgin plastic by 2025. It is experimenting with refillable deodorant sticks and letting some products go “naked” without any packaging.
Schlegel is less impressed with other promises to substitute plastic with other materials or improve recycling infrastructure.
“That’s not going to really move the needle,” Schlegel said. “We want to see companies moving away from disposable packaging and moving toward refill and reuse options.”
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Currently, less than 3% of packaging used by companies in the New Plastics Economy consortium is reusable, according to its 2019 progress report.
For packaged food behemoths like Chicago-based Conagra Brands, whose portfolio includes Slim Jim and Orville Redenbacher’s, and Deerfield-based Mondelez International, maker of Oreos and Triscuits, a big challenge is what to do about the thin plastic film used to package most snacks. Recycling systems aren’t equipped to process it.
“Plastics do serve a lot of purpose in terms of keeping food safe and fresh,” said Christine Montenegro McGrath, chief of global impact sustainability and well-being at Mondelez. “The challenge is finding materials that have the same level of safety when it comes into contact with foods.”
Conagra, which recently announced a goal of making 100% of its plastic packaging renewable, recyclable or compostable by 2025, is exploring bioplastics made from renewable sources, like plants. Mondelez, which set a similar goal, is working to see if the used film can be mixed back in with virgin plastic to make new plastic products.
Aluminum bottled water ‘for plastic-free oceans’
For Open Water founders Doucet, 31, and Page, 32, the anti-plastic awakening has been heartening. They were college students at University of Miami when they saw a documentary on plastic pollution in 2009 and heard a statistic they couldn’t shake: that 1,500 plastic bottles are used every second.
Doubtful consumers would abandon the convenience of disposable containers, shortly after graduation the friends began researching the most eco-friendly alternative.
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They landed on aluminum, which has a much higher recycling rate than single-use plastic bottles and even boxed water, which tends to be made of layers of paper, plastic and aluminum that many recycling systems can’t handle.
Unlike plastic, which is cheap in its virgin form and degrades with reuse, aluminum has a strong secondary market because the raw material is expensive and it can be recycled multiple times without losing quality. On average, aluminum cans and bottles contain 73% recycled materials.
It isn’t perfect. An aluminum bottle takes three times more energy to produce than plastic. Open Water, which launched in 2014 as Green Sheep before changing its name in 2018, this year plans to launch a carbon offset program to make production carbon neutral.
A 16-ounce bottle of Open Water retails for $1.49 to $1.99, putting its price on par with premium waters like Evian or Fiji, said the company, headquartered in Chicago’s Bridgeport neighborhood. But Open Water, which sells still and sparkling purified, re-mineralized municipal water in bottles and cans, markets its packaging rather than the water source, with the slogan: “For plastic-free oceans.”
“We don’t think water from Fiji is better than water from here,” said Doucet, who graduated from Miami with a degree in finance and economics and later got her MBA from University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business.
Doucet, a native of Mexico City, and Page, a Boston-area native who got her degree in graphic design, did not realize how in over their heads they were when they started the business. But their inexperience was an asset, they now say, because they approached everything with fresh eyes.
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After striking out initially with retailers, Doucet and Page found interested customers in food service, gyms, offices, zoos and college campuses. Their first major account was the Monterey Bay Aquarium, which in 2017 switched from boxed water to the aluminum bottles.
“That story was very powerful for us to tell other people,” said Page, the company’s chief operating officer.
Getting on retail shelves is a key goal for Open Water this year as it rides a wave of interest in sustainable packaging. The company’s revenues grew 300% last year, its third year of triple-digit growth. The founders, who employ a team of seven, declined to share revenues, but said 2019 was their first profitable year. By the end of this year, they say, they will have sold enough product to replace 20 million plastic bottles.
Coke’s announcement last summer that it would soon be selling some Dasani in aluminum cans, following a similar announcement by Pepsi’s Aquafina, is bittersweet, as Open Water lost some customers with Coke or Pepsi contracts. But it will be difficult for the giants to bad-mouth plastic when they still sell so much of it, Doucet said, so she thinks her startup will still have an environmental edge.
“The messaging for them will be hard,” she said.
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Coke, which also unveiled a new “hybrid” Dasani bottle made with a combination of plants and recycled plastic, said its initiatives will remove at least 1 billion virgin plastic bottles from its supply chain over the next five years.
That’s “definitely a good thing,” Page said, not only because it drives attention to Open Water’s mission but it also helps make their business case.
“We’ve proven there’s a market for it,” she said.
aelejalderuiz@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-02-20--3 Wisconsin women charged with robbing, beating a man who thought he was getting ride-share in Linco

3 Wisconsin women charged with robbing, beating a man who thought he was getting ride-share in Lincoln Park

The officers then lost sight of the car and the women dumped the man out of the moving vehicle onto @ @ @ @ @ police .
Police eventually pulled over the vehicle in the 1000 block of West North @ @ @ @ @ west and south of where the man originally was picked up , according to police @

Three Wisconsin women have been charged with beating and robbing a man who thought he was catching a ride-share car in Lincoln Park early Saturday, police said.
The attack occurred about 3:25 a.m. Saturday near the 2000 block of North Sedgwick Street, police said.
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From left, Felicia Anderson, 31, and Anesha Robinson, 30, of Milwaukee, and Jasmine Ross, 30, of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. (Chicago Police Department)
Felicia Anderson, 31, and Anesha Robinson, 30, of Milwaukee, and Jasmine Ross, 30, of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, were each charged with robbery and felony aggravated battery causing great bodily harm.
A 24-year-old man got into what he thought was a ride-share car, according to police. Officers saw an attack happening in the car and tried to pull over the vehicle.
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The officers then lost sight of the car and the women dumped the man out of the moving vehicle onto the street, according to police. Police eventually pulled over the vehicle in the 1000 block of West North Avenue, a few blocks west and south of where the man originally was picked up, according to police.
All three were being held in Cook County Jail, pending hearings Friday: Ross was being held in lieu of $40,000 bail; Robinson on $25,000; and Anderson on $10,000, according to court and jail records.
The 24-year-old man was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center for treatment of injuries to the face.


chicagotribune--2020-02-20--Column: ESPN going with a 2-person booth for ‘Sunday Night Baseball’ is good. But bringing back Alex

Column: ESPN going with a 2-person booth for ‘Sunday Night Baseball’ is good. But bringing back Alex Rodriguez is a missed opportunity.

It ’ s not clear whether Mendoza ’ s criticism of Astros scandal whistle-blower Mike Fiers — seemingly aligned with @ @ @ @ @ as a Mets employee , even if that wasn ’ t part of her actual @ @ @ @ @ being moved off “ SNB ” or giving up her advisory role with the team @

ESPN’s “Sunday Night Baseball” will return this season with Alex Rodriguez and Matt Vasgersian back in the booth and Buster Olney as reporter.
That’s official now, after the New York Post in October reported the entire show — with the exception of A-Rod’s presence — was subject to change.
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Whatever options were considered (and much needed by most accounts), ESPN opted for the status quo.
ESPN announces its 2020 Major League Baseball commentator lineups for Sunday Night Baseball, Baseball Tonight, Weeknight Baseball and ESPN Radio coverage.https://t.co/wYPMiAptHz pic.twitter.com/tniUTe0KED — ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) February 20, 2020
The two-announcer booth in the wake of Jessica Mendoza’s reassignment, which ESPN insists is not a demotion, represents a step in the right direction.
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But bringing back Rodriguez, whose disregard for league rules as a player casts a shadow over his standout career, is a dubious call at best.
It’s not merely a missed opportunity to make an important statement at a time when the Astros sign-stealing conspiracy and MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred’s muddled response to it have called the sport’s integrity into question.
It’s also a blown chance to improve the quality of what’s supposed to be MLB’s premier national TV showcase each week.
Rodriguez to this point has proved far better as a studio analyst for Fox than covering games for ESPN, where he’s expected to offer instant, unrehearsed commentary.
Too often on ESPN he has struggled and strained to say something interesting, insightful or relevant. It’s one thing to be a .295 lifetime hitter. A .295 average as an analyst is not so impressive. Even .500 isn’t much to boast about.
Any number of commentators in ESPN’s stable are better than Rodriguez, whose bosses have seemed so dazzled by his star power that they don’t notice or care.
Perhaps Jeff Dufine, who has replaced Andy Reichwald as “SNB” producer, can coax better stuff from him and steer the telecast’s focus to what the teams are doing rather than what the announcers feel like batting around.
Maybe A-Rod will benefit simply by knowing Mendoza’s absence means he doesn’t have to jockey for time to say his piece.
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That streamlining definitely will help play-by-play man Vasgersian, who no longer will have to choreograph and set up the in-game conversation.
Two analysts, plus a reporter, is too much to juggle when following a game.
Also too much to juggle: Working as an national TV analyst while also holding a front-office job, as Mendoza was trying to do with ESPN’s tacit blessing, although it cheats fans of an independent voice they deserve.
Mendoza wasn’t alone. ESPN and MLB Network remain littered with double-dippers such as Jim Thome and Pedro Martinez. (David Ross was doing both until the Cubs bumped him up to succeed Joe Maddon as manager.) But it’s a needless conflict that should not be tolerated.
It’s not clear whether Mendoza’s criticism of Astros scandal whistle-blower Mike Fiers — seemingly aligned with what would be her interests as a Mets employee, even if that wasn’t part of her actual rationale — figured in her being moved off “SNB” or giving up her advisory role with the team.
But the criticism it spurred surely made it easier for a network that had received a good deal of credit for installing a woman in such a high-profile gig to take it away from her.
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Mendoza’s new duties include midweek MLB games, studio work and game analysis on ESPN Radio’s World Series coverage.
That might have been a great job in which to stash Rodriguez, but alas, she got it first.
The good news is this is the last season of Rodriguez’s current ESPN contract, so it’s either get better or get lost.
Is it too soon to think, “Wait till next year”?


chicagotribune--2020-02-20--Why was the Blackhawks’ performance in the 3rd period so bad? 3 takeaways from their 6-3 loss to the

Why was the Blackhawks’ performance in the 3rd period so bad? 3 takeaways from their 6-3 loss to the Rangers.

“ I think that game was there to be had , too , ” he said .
“ A lot @ @ @ @ @ of open ice .
Again there ’ s moments where we ’ re playing our @ @ @ @ @ lines rolling , guys are making good changes , getting pucks deep , making other @ @ @ @ @ ’ t want to play , and other times we just get away from that @ @ @ @ @ the wrong areas and D-men , forwards can do a better job of supporting each @ @ @ @ @ details like that .
”

The way the Blackhawks unraveled in the third period of Wednesday’s 6-3 loss to the Rangers was both startling, given the stakes, and seemingly out of character.
The Hawks have their struggles — such as going 0-for-3 on the power play — but their low energy on defense was surprising, particularly on home ice.
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“We gave up a bunch of goals. Easy goals,” Jonathan Toews said.
Coach Jeremy Colliton called it “very concerning.”
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“I think that game was there to be had, too,” he said. “A lot of opportunities, a lot of open ice. Again there’s moments where we’re playing our game where we have four lines rolling, guys are making good changes, getting pucks deep, making other teams play where they don’t want to play, and other times we just get away from that. Our turnovers are in the wrong areas and D-men, forwards can do a better job of supporting each other. So just little details like that.”
Colliton said he wanted to see the Hawks practice Thursday “like it’s a game.”
The Flames didn’t play Wednesday and the Coyotes lost to the Stars, so while the Hawks didn’t gain any ground in the wild-card race, they didn’t lose any either. They remain eight points back.
Here are three takeaways from Wednesday’s game.
1. Whatever the reason, the Hawks weren’t ready for the Rangers in the third period.
The Hawks appeared resurgent in the second period and went into the third tied 1-1 — then proceeded to give up five goals. How did that happen?
“I don’t really have an answer for you,” Jonathan Toews said.
Coach Jeremy Colliton said the Rangers consistently got inside of Hawks defenders, putting goaltender Robin Lehner in a bad position.
“We weren’t able to close guys out in (the defensive) zone and they get on the wrong side of us, and then it’s hard to defend,” Colliton said. “There’s a couple times where we were late to recognize transition, and so they had numbers back.”
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Colliton also blamed their lack of gap control, not just in the third period but for the whole game: “Our gap was nowhere near where it needs to be. We just didn’t do enough good things.”
Drake Caggiula added, “There are times where you can box out physically and that doesn’t take much of a mental grind, but there are also times you have to think the game and make plays and get the puck out of the zone. That’s something that we’re struggling with right now.”
The Rangers had 22 shots combined in the first two periods. They had 19 in the third.
Despite the breakdowns, Caggiula said, “I don’t think we’re ever discouraged. For the most part our team is pretty positive and we try to stay that way even when the going gets tough.”
2. Dominik Kubalik’s success wasn’t just about him.
Kubalik’s two goals lifted him to 25 on the season and padded his lead among rookies. The next closest is the Sabres’ Victor Olofsson with 19.
“Obviously it’s nice to score goals,” Kubalik said, “but I think it’s about the line because we’re playing in the offensive zone pretty well. We just found some chemistry between each other and that’s pretty good. ... It’s not very happy when the result’s not there.”
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Kubalik was on the line with Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews when he scored his first goal — on Duncan Keith's 500th career assist — in the second period. He was assisted by Toews and Drake Caggiula for his second goal in the third, and Kubalik and Toews were on the line when Caggiula scored later in the period.
With the goal and an assist, Caggiula had his third multi-point game since Jan. 15.
3. Jack O’Callahan was one of the few highlights of the night.
You would think if anyone was going to steal the show, it would have been the Strome brothers, who faced each other for the fifth time in their careers on Wednesday.
Dylan (Hawks) won the opening faceoff but Ryan (Rangers) won the game.
Jack O’Callahan won the crowd.
The former Blackhawk performed a ceremonial puck drop before the game to mark the 40th anniversary of the “Miracle on Ice,” but when the Rangers’ Artemi Panarin and the Hawks’ Patrick Kane readied for the faceoff, O’Callahan tossed it Kane’s way, drawing laughter.
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“You know I saw a Russian and an American facing off, and it’s like there’s not a chance I’m even going to risk this Russian winning that draw,” O’Callahan said. “I kind of looked at Kaner and just fired it through his legs and he’s kind of laughing. But I’m sure he expected it. Even through we’re generations apart we’re still teammates.”
O’Callahan was a defenseman on the underdog 1980 Olympic hockey team that upset the Soviet Union on its way to winning a gold medal.
He and 17 of his old Olympic teammates will be honored again in Las Vegas during a game between the Golden Knights and Panthers.
When asked if someone asks him about the “Miracle” team every day, O’Callahan deadpanned, “If no one’s talking about it then I started talking about it.”
O’Callahan seemed a natural at joking and charming a crowd, but he’s serious about his support of U.S. women’s hockey.
“The Olympics is such a great forum for women’s sports, I’d almost like to see the men go do something else,” he said. “Just have the women own the Olympics, because that’s what the people are paying attention (to) and watching. It’s really fun and I think they compete so hard.”
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O’Callahan didn’t warm to the idea of NHL players returning to the Winter Games — it was learned last week that the International Olympic Committee and the International Ice Hockey Federation have had talks about bringing back professional players by 2022.
“We see enough of these guys,” O’Callahan said. “Let’s watch some of these great women compete. It’s some of the greatest drama and emotion you’ll ever see. The Olympics is a great place for them.”
Here is more coverage from Wednesday’s game.
Dominik Kubalik scored twice, and Drake Caggiula added a goal to give the Blackhawks hope with their season teetering on the brink, but the Rangers made life miserable Wednesday for goaltender Robin Lehner — whose rough night wasn’t helped by defensive breakdowns.
The Hawks allowed five goals in a disastrous third period in a 6-3 loss at the United Center.
“That was one of the worst third periods or worst period in general that we’ve had. It’s unfortunate," Lehner said.
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Coach Jeremy Colliton added: “Makes you angry because it’s a game that we looked (at) before and we need this game. We didn’t do the things right from the start to put ourselves in the best position to win. We just didn’t have enough guys ready to play.”
“I’d say there were repeated defensive breakdowns," Colliton said, "just them getting on the wrong side of us basically the whole period, whether that was off the rush or whether that was in D zone, or we had a couple of turnovers that was not a recipe to keep the puck out of your net.”
Pavel Buchnevich led off the barrage 2 minutes, 33 seconds into the period, and by the time Mika Zibanejad poked in his 26th goal of the season, the Rangers had scored five goals in the span of 11 minutes. Chris Kreider’s and and ex-Hawk Artemi Panarin’s goals came less than a minute apart.
With the Hawks trying to make the case to general manager Stan Bowman that he should keep the roster intact after Monday’s trade deadline, their unraveling Wednesday didn’t speak well for their playoff hopes.
Asked where the team’s mindset was after the loss, Lehner said, “Not forward right now. We’ve got to figure it out.”
Hawks captain Jonathan Toews said playoff teams do what they have to even on nights they’re not feeling their best.
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“To me, the story of the game tonight is you’re going to have games throughout the year where you don’t have energy, where it’s hard to find," Toews said. “You gotta find the motivation to go out there and play your best game.”
The Rangers and Hawks entered the game under similar circumstances: in seventh place in their divisions and eight points out of a wild-card spot.
The Hawks’ season was likely was riding on their last three games before the deadline, starting Wednesday. They quickly found themselves in a hole when Rangers center Filip Chytil scored an unassisted goal 1:58 into the game.
The Hawks bounced back 2½ minutes into the second period, when Kubalik scored on Duncan Keith’s assist.
It was the first of two Kubalik goals on the night, putting the rookie at 25 for the season, two behind Patrick Kane for the team lead.
Kane passed to Keith as Jonathan Toews skated into crease and crossed in front of Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin. Keith instead looked to Kubalik, who poked the puck into the corner to Shesterkin’s left side.
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Kubalik took a breakaway single-handedly through a double team for his second goal, which came about six minutes into the third.
Lehner had his worst outing since allowing six goals to the Canucks on Jan. 2 in Vancouver.
The Hawks had been intent on defending home ice in just their second of three games at the United Center this month and the first of a two-game homestand. The loss Wednesday creates even higher stakes.
“We just got to battle through,” Kubalik said. “Just got to come out ready every night because we’re still in the mix for the playoffs. We just got to battle every game; every point is huge.”
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On the injury front, Zack Smith practiced in the morning but didn’t play Wednesday. It’s still too soon since his left hand was stepped on and slashed by a skate Feb. 12 against the Canucks, an injury he’s surprised doesn’t happen more often.
“For the amount of times guys goes down to the ice and a skate blade goes by him, there’s probably so many close calls that you don’t even notice, or you forget about (it) a shift later,” he said Wednesday morning after practice. “For me, it could’ve been a lot worse, so it was probably a millimeter away from being the end of my season, so I got very lucky. “
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“A couple of stitches and a few days off is all it's gonna take.”
When it first happened, though, it was “very painful” and Smith knew immediately, “That’s not good.”
“You feel a skate blade step on your hand, you know it’s not going to look good. The trainers said they couldn’t believe there wasn't blood on the glove because I just threw it off right away and went to the bench.”
Coach Jeremy Colliton called the injury a “scary thing,” but he wasn’t aware of its exact nature at first.
“I didn’t see it so when he came off I thought he broke his wrist or something, we didn’t really know in the moment,” he said. “But when you hear what happened and see the cut, it’s not a good situation. So obviously happy that it’s not too serious.”


chicagotribune--2020-02-21--Climate change and your garden: How warmer temperatures prompt tricky guesswork for gardeners

“ We haven ’ t seen as much of an increase in storms and droughts as some places , ” @ @ @ @ @ knowledge specialist in the Plant Clinic at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle .
“ But @ @ @ @ @ that we can ’ t count on our gardens to work exactly the way we @ @ @ @ @ ”

The climate in the Midwest is changing, and that makes a difference for gardeners.
“We haven’t seen as much of an increase in storms and droughts as some places,” said Sharon Yiesla, plant knowledge specialist in the Plant Clinic at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle. “But our weather is different enough that we can’t count on our gardens to work exactly the way we’re used to.”
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Of course, the weather still varies from year to year, but overall trends are apparent, said Christy Rollinson, forest ecologist at the Arboretum. Winters, for example, aren’t getting as cold as they once did.
The warmer global climate means the shift in seasonal events is no longer happening at the same time as years prior, Rollinson said. Spring is coming sooner; on average, the leaf buds of shrubs such as lilacs and honeysuckles are opening about two weeks earlier at the Arboretum than they did in the 1950s.
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What does this mean for gardeners? “We can’t assume things will happen when they once did,” Yiesla said. “We can’t depend on our old ideas of what to do when, and we can’t garden by the calendar.”
A few decades ago, it was always safe to prune roses in winter, because they were sure to be dormant, Yielsa noted. Now, with a trend toward warmer winters, it might be wise to wait until spring.
“Pruning a plant that isn’t fully dormant in winter could cause it to sprout, and the new growth would be killed by the next cold snap,” she said.
Many fungicide spray programs to combat fungal diseases such as apple scab must start at bud break, when trees’ buds open in early spring. Now, a homeowner who wants to spray a shrub or tree known to be susceptible to a fungal disease must watch it carefully, starting in late winter, and be ready as soon as the buds begin to open.
“It’s no longer possible to give a date for that, or even a month,” Yielsa said. “Bud break might be in April or May, or even March in a really warm year.”
Chewing insects like pine sawfly larvae and Eastern tent caterpillars were once thought of as a May problem. Now, they might emerge as early as March in an early, warm spring.
“They don’t read the calendar,” Yiesla said of insects. “They just know when it’s warm enough.”
April used to be the regular month to start planting trees, but unpredictable rainfall and swinging temperatures can make that risky, as well.
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“Last April, we started with heavy rains that made the soil soggy and sticky,” Yiesla said. “On April 23, we had a high of 79 degrees. Five days later, the temperature dropped to 29 degrees, and we had over an inch of snow.”
The bottom line, she said, is that we need to pay more attention to the weather — and to what’s going on with our plants out in the yard.
“We can’t go by the schedules in old garden books or just do what our grandparents did,” she said. “Things are changing, and we need to pay attention to keep up.”
For tree and plant advice, contact the Plant Clinic at The Morton Arboretum (mortonarb.org/plantadvice, 630-719-2424 or plantclinic@mortonarb.org). Beth Botts is a staff writer at the Arboretum.


chicagotribune--2020-02-20--Man killed, another wounded in West Garfield Park drive-by shooting

The younger man was shot multiple times in the leg and taken to Stroger Hospital in critical condition .
The @ @ @ @ @ the chest and pronounced dead at the same hospital , police said .

Two men were shot, one fatally, late Thursday night in the West Garfield Park neighborhood.
About 11:30 p.m., the 21-year-old and 23-year-old were shot by a gunman standing on a sidewalk while they were in a vehicle going west in the 4400 block of West Congress Parkway, according to Chicago police.
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The younger man was shot multiple times in the leg and taken to Stroger Hospital in critical condition. The other man was shot in the chest and pronounced dead at the same hospital, police said.
No one is in custody.


chicagotribune--2020-02-20--Ask Amy: 'Shefault' parent wants to rebalance home life

Author Eve Rodsky has come up with a useful way for busy parents to reframe their households .
As a @ @ @ @ @ ( and a frustrated `` shefault '' parent of young kids ) , she realized @ @ @ @ @ she used at work could be applied to her messy home life .
Her book @ @ @ @ @ A Game-Changing Solution for When You Have Too Much to Do ( and More Life @ @ @ @ @ 2019 , G.P .
Putnam 's Sons ) breaks down child and household roles in @ @ @ @ @ `` gamifies '' it so that couples can negotiate their own solutions .

Dear Amy: My husband and I have been married for six years. We have two children -- ages one and five. I struggle feeling like I'm supported at home.
Most days I get up with the kids and start getting them ready for school. My husband will sleep in and either get up on his own, or I'll wake him up.
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I really don't want to have to add "get husband out of bed" to my morning routine, but that's what I've been doing.
He doesn't think it's a big deal -- I can just "get him up earlier" if I want his help earlier in the morning.
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For me this is just a microcosm of our household -- I do the work by default. If I want his participation, I need to coordinate his involvement. He says I don't give him enough credit for the things he does, and it's true that we do split some work evenly.
Still, this makes me feel as if I need to not only do the heavy lifting by default and work to get him involved, but then also make him feel like a rock star for getting up with the baby once in a while.
It feels like my work is invisible and his work is not. Clearly neither of us is able to be unbiased about our role in the home.
I feel like he is a "fair weather dad" -- helpful when the work is easy, scarce when it's hard. For me, it's killed my attraction to him, and I just feel annoyed basically all the time.
How do I shift my perspective so I can live in peace and be content with what I have?
— Overworked Mom
Dear Overworked: Well, you could work hard to try to shift your perspective, but that would be yet another chore on your "to-do" list.
You are describing a fairly common dynamic within traditional two-parent families, and although this balance seems to be shifting, women often become the "shefault" (default) parent. Yes, your built-up resentment over feeling like your husband's "mommy" has affected your relationship, because it's a big lift to feel in charge of everyone -- and then want to have sex with the person who can't even manage to wake himself up in the morning.
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Your husband feels resentful, too. He sees his participation as a special event, and you aren't giving him enough extra credit. He probably works hard, too -- but at things other than parenting.
Author Eve Rodsky has come up with a useful way for busy parents to reframe their households. As a professional mediator for high-powered families (and a frustrated "shefault" parent of young kids), she realized that some of the tools she used at work could be applied to her messy home life. Her book, "Fair Play: A Game-Changing Solution for When You Have Too Much to Do (and More Life to Live)" (2019, G.P. Putnam's Sons) breaks down child and household roles in a new way, and "gamifies" it so that couples can negotiate their own solutions.
Dear Amy: You get letters from folks who wonder if they should apologize for bullying they took part in when they were children.
Well, I just got one of those "apologies" and the answer is NO! They should not.
In my "apology," the bully detailed one incident as an example of how mean he was and to explain what he's sorry for.
He included the ugly names he called me, so, the "apology" dredged up all the old hurt and I got to experience it all over again.
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Thanks, but no thanks. Leave it in the past where it belongs.
I don't need to be feeling like this today, just so he can feel better about himself.
My story is not unique.
— Bullied
Dear Bullied: Abusers sometimes use the "apology" mechanism to reoffend. It sounds as if in this case the person who bullied you was mainly seeking to alleviate his own guilt.
There is a way to acknowledge and apologize without triggering past hurt. True humility and tenderness is called for.
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Ask Amy Daily No-nonsense advice for better living delivered to your inbox every morning. By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our Subscriber Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy >
Dear Amy: Thank you, for your response to "Bad Friend," whose bestie had twin babies and seemed to complain a lot about it.
You were so right to point out how overwhelming the twin experience can be. And, like you, I wondered if this new mom was suffering from postpartum depression.
— Mom of Twins
Dear Mom: This new mother deserves tons of TLC, help with her babies, and -- a better friend.
Get the latest no-nonsense advice for better living delivered to your inbox every morning with our Ask Amy newsletter. Sign up here.
(You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.)
Copyright 2019 by Amy Dickinson
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