chicagotribune--2020-01-24--In a race against terminal illness, former Obama staffer with ALS and his wife find new hope a year

In a race against terminal illness, former Obama staffer with ALS and his wife find new hope a year later

“ As a patient you want to see something measurable , and I don ’ t mean measurable in days @ @ @ @ @ “ If I ’ m a patient , I want to see something , and @ @ @ @ @ and my family .
I want something that is going to slow the disease down @ @ @ @ @ kids growing up , I can watch them graduate from college , I can watch @ @ @ @

Husband and wife Brian Wallach and Sandra Abrevaya sit together in their home on Jan. 6, 2020, in Kenilworth. Together they created I AM ALS, "A patient-led, patient-centric community that reshapes public understanding of this disease, provides key resources to the community, and creates opportunities for patients to lead the fight against ALS and search for a cure." Wallach was diagnosed with ALS in 2017. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)
Brian Wallach wasn’t supposed to live to see his younger daughter’s first birthday.
Diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a terminal disease with no cure, doctors told him in 2017 that he might have six months to live.
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Today, he’s focused on being there for his daughter’s future firsts: kindergarten drop-off, middle school dance, wedding day.
More than two years after his diagnosis, he has been lucky, he said, to experience relatively limited progression of his disease. After some balance issues, the Kenilworth resident now uses a cane — or, as he is careful to specify, a “cool walking stick” — to get around.
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When Wallach was diagnosed, neither he nor his wife, Sandra Abrevaya, knew much about ALS, a neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord, eventually paralyzing even the body’s ability to breathe.
In response to Wallach’s diagnosis, the couple, both 39, launched I AM ALS in January 2019. Former staffers in the Obama White House, they marshaled lessons learned while campaigning — gathering information, forming consensus, considering the impossible possible — to build a force to mobilize hope and change for those facing a disease they say can and should be cured.
Hope is beginning to emerge.
On Wednesday, an innovative trial at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston received FDA approval to test several drugs at the same time. In June, a bipartisan congressional caucus was created, which led to federal funding toward research being doubled. And in September, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative gave the couple’s organization a $453,000 grant to develop digital tools to connect patients, caregivers, doctors and scientists.
“Last year we made hope a word that was OK to use,” Wallach said. “This year we have to make hope real.”
Audaciousness is the only option, the couple says, in their race against the clock.
Wallach logged 120,000 miles in the air last year, including traveling to Washington, D.C., in April, where he testified before Congress and asked legislators to amp up funding.
“Last year, every time someone said, ‘Do you want to speak to us,’ I said, ‘yes.’ Every time someone said, ‘There’s a meeting,’ I said, ‘I’m going.’” he said. “Every time there was anything, I said, ‘Great, I’m on the plane.’”
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Until October, when Wallach fell while exiting a Lyft in Boston after swinging a heavy backpack onto his back. Thirteen staples in his head later, and after terrifying Abrevaya with a phone call, the two agreed he wouldn’t travel alone anymore. He’s maintaining momentum for the cause with more hours in his home office and fewer in airports.
In December, I AM ALS debuted billboards around Times Square as part of its #CuresForAll campaign aimed at informing the public about the impact a cure or better treatment for a neurodegenerative disease can have on other diseases such as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. ALS patients and their families from states including Michigan, Maine and Colorado were in New York for the launch.
The billboards noted the number of people lost to ALS each day — 16 — with photographs of those who died in 2019. Days earlier, Pete Frates, a founder of the viral fundraiser the Ice Bucket Challenge, which raised $115 million, had died. He was 34.
The campaign was also shared on social media. The posts expressed the suffering and loss nationwide: a mother wrote about her son who was diagnosed at 20 and died at 28; a son posted in honor of his dad; Colorado Rep. Jason Crow posted a message honoring his cousin.
It’s time, the couple said, to switch ALS conversations from a diagnosis rooted in darkness to the faces of people bravely moving forward. They want to speed development of potential cures and give patients more access to experimental treatments.
That’s not an unreasonable goal, said Sabrina Paganoni, a physician scientist at The Sean M. Healey & AMG Center for ALS at Mass General in Boston, which plans to test at least five different medications for ALS at the same time, a first for the disease and something she said could be a huge turning point.
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On Wednesday, the Healey Center announced it received FDA approval to move forward with testing the first three drugs: Zilucoplan, Verdiperstat and CNM-Au8. Similar to how cancer drugs are already tested, this gives patients access to more treatments and allows researchers to quickly collect data and accelerate the pace toward a cure.
“This is a very exciting time in the history of ALS,” Paganoni said. “I think this is going to be the decade when ALS is changed from a rapidly fatal disease to a more chronic disease that we can manage.”
For years, Steve Perrin, the chief executive officer at the ALS Therapy Development Institute, has monitored clinical trials for ALS. So far, he said, the two drugs approved by the FDA, Radicava and Rilutek, are “a very marginal slowing down of disease.”
This year, he said the quality of drugs going into trials seems improved. He is excited about several trials, including one studying stem cells and another testing a drug to potentially slow progression in some patients.
“As a patient you want to see something measurable, and I don’t mean measurable in days,” he said. “If I’m a patient, I want to see something, and I want hope for myself and my family. I want something that is going to slow the disease down so I can watch my kids growing up, I can watch them graduate from college, I can watch them marry.”
But that takes resources.
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“We are in a time when we can reasonably say that there’s going to be new treatments available,” Paganoni said. “But we need more funding and support, so all of this can happen, and happen soon.”
Nearly every moment feels like a push-pull for Wallach and Abrevaya.
Do they spend more precious minutes with their two daughters, ages 4 and 2, or do they spend time away, among strangers — on a plane, in a researcher’s office, walking the halls of Congress — with the hope that those minutes will, someday, result in time banked to create more family memories.
“The hardest balance, if I’m honest, is, I love every minute I have with them,” Wallach said about his daughters, “but I also feel this pressing sense of, I need to be working towards a goal of actually finding a cure.”
“We’re doing that so we have a shot at a real future together,” Abrevaya said about their time spent traveling and advocating.
At home, when the family heads for the door, the toddlers reach for their father’s shoes, and they get his walking stick.
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“While that both fills your heart with joy and appreciation, it’s also painful that your toddlers are being put in this position,” Abrevaya said.
The parents guard normalcy. They take their daughters to swim at the neighborhood pool and on vacation with friends. Wallach wishes he could lift them above his head to touch the ceiling, like their uncle can. But he can lie on the floor and play with them; he can listen to them belt out songs on their purple karaoke machine.
They find ways to lighten a heavy subject. On New Year’s Eve, the two danced in a video on the foundation’s Instagram, singing into hairbrushes, and Wallach promised to get an “ALS: You Gone” tattoo if 20,000 people donated $10 to a Healey Center research fundraiser. It raised $40,000 in 24 hours, Wallach said. No matter the outcome, he plans to get the tattoo.
The couple, who both work full-time jobs — Abrevaya is the president of nonprofit Thrive, Wallach works at law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom — want more research, to create a patient navigation system, and to gather signatures for a letter asking new FDA commissioner Stephen Hahn to speed ALS patients’ access to possible treatments.
And they keep looking for light. But it takes work.
Changing life with ALS for Wallach, and for other patients and their families, requires bold action from people with the power to make change: politicians, researchers, philanthropists.
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As they meet others with ALS, they welcome new friends and face the pain of losing some.
“It does make you uniquely urgent in what you do,” Wallach said. “You push because you have to. You push because you know that the time that we have is precious, and that you want to see 20 years from now. And know that you can make that happen.”
Wallach often shares moments about his ALS journey on Twitter with his 40,000 followers. Recently, he shared something he wasn’t sure he should. It was a time he was unable to find light.
On a recent night, he woke up to pain he’s had for the past few months, radiating from his right hip to his right calf.
He clutched a stuffed llama his daughter gave him. And he began to cry.
“I cried because of the pain. I cried because I couldn’t be the father to my girls I dreamed of being,” he wrote. “I cried because I couldn’t be the husband to my wife I dream of being. Because I saw the future zooming ahead, and for a brief moment I wondered if I would be a part of it.”
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His wife heard him crying that night. She asked what was wrong. And he said maybe they would be better off if he left, living instead in an assisted living facility. Their daughters, he told her, could have a dad who could do everything he dreamed of doing.
She looked at him in the dark. “You are my light,” she said. “You are their light. The only way you are leaving us is if you die in my arms, and we aren’t going to let that happen for a long, long, long time.”
Finally, he smiled.
abowen@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-01-24--No injuries after ‘minor explosion’ prompts Level 1 Hazmat inside Chicago police’s District 1 statio

No injuries after ‘minor explosion’ prompts Level 1 Hazmat inside Chicago police’s District 1 station

A malfunction led a small electrical fire in the room , which employs a Halon system that disperses the gas @ @ @ @ @ may damage the computers , according to the Chicago Fire Department , which responded and @ @ @ @ @ Hazmat as they checked the room .

A police station in the South Loop was briefly evacuated Friday morning after a small explosion in a computer room, but no injuries were reported, according to authorities.
The explosion occurred around 3:10 a.m. on the second floor of the Central District station at 1718 S. State St., setting off a small electrical fire, according to Chicago police.
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The room is outfitted with a system that disperses gas to control fires, according to the Chicago Fire Department, which called a brief hazardous materials alert as they checked the room.
Officers were evacuated from the station as fire crews aired the room out, police said. About 20 minutes later, the room was deemed safe and officers were allowed back in.
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Chicago police spokesman Hector Alfaro said no officers or detainees in a lockup were in any danger from the explosion.
ayin@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-01-24--60-year-old man killed after being struck by vehicles twice on Gresham street

A black Chevy Impala driving west on 87th Street struck the 60-year-old .
Moments later , a private tow truck @ @ @ @ @ the way to avoid crashing into the Impala but ran over the 60-year-old , police @ @

A 60-year-old man died after a car and a tow truck crashed into him as he walked on a street Thursday night in the Gresham neighborhood on the South Side.
About 11:40 p.m., the 60-year-old was walking south in the middle of the street in the 800 block of West 87th Street, near South Halsted Street, according to Chicago police.
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A black Chevy Impala driving west on 87th Street struck the 60-year-old. Moments later, a private tow truck tried to swerve out of the way to avoid crashing into the Impala but ran over the 60-year-old, police said.
The pedestrian was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was pronounced dead, police said.
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The 22-year-old woman driving the Impala and the 29-year-old man driving the tow truck stayed at the scene and, as of early Friday morning, were not charged or cited, police said.
The crashes were under investigation by the police’s Major Accidents Unit.
ayin@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-01-23--Man, 27, shot, killed at Walgreens drive-through in Chatham

A beige SUV with its front doors open was the focus of the crime scene between the Walgreens and South @ @ @ @ @ the doors ’ window panes were mostly shot out .
Officers shined flashlights into the @ @ @ @ @ ground around it .
One of them kicked over a lump of snow to see @ @ @ @

A man was shot and killed as he sat in his SUV in a Walgreens drive-through lane in the Chatham neighborhood on the South Side, according to Chicago police.
Kendredge Dillard, 27, was shot in the head around 9:50 p.m. in the first block of East 75th Street by someone in a black sedan, police said. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Dillard lived about a mile away in the 8000 block of South Stewart Avenue.
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A female with him was taken to St. Bernard Hospital with minor injuries from flying glass flying, police said.
No one was in custody.
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A beige SUV, its front doors open, was the focus of the crime scene that stretched between the Walgreens and South State Street. Both of the doors’ windows were mostly shot out. Officers shined flashlights into the SUV and on the slushy ground around it. One of them kicked over a lump of snow to see what was underneath.
Over a dozen shall casings were scattered on the drive-through ground to the west of the vehicle.
A group of people who believed they knew the victim waited on State Street. One man rushed over and asked an officer, “Is the body still there?” Looking at the SUV, he later said, “I might know that person.”
He and others stood in the rain for hours as evidence technicians took photos of the SUV, the body and shell casings.
Meanwhile, others drove into the Walgreens parking lot, only to find the store closed. Several of them expressed anger at the gun violence. When is this s--- going to stop?” one woman implored as the family of the man tearfully embraced on State Street.
ayin@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-01-23--Ask Amy: Boyfriend wants influence over Instagram

I understand his point of view .
I know that he does not want to `` hide '' our relationship @ @ @ @ @ n't post pictures of us , even though it hurts to see my best friends @ @ @ @ @ happy pictures of their adventures .
But , at this point , it 's also @ @ @ @ @ own photos because he is such a huge part of my life that posting photos @ @ @ @ @ It seems unfair to me .

Dear Amy: My boyfriend "Brad" and I have been dating for almost a year. Brad and I have very different views about social media. For me, Instagram is my "scrapbook" of memories -- it's my way of documenting my life. By the six-month mark, Brad had become the most important thing in my life, and I wanted to share that with everyone!
However, Brad sees social media as superficial. He doesn't want to share our relationship with followers. He also thinks I just want attention from people who don't matter -- he says we should just send photos of ourselves to friends, or I should document our relationship in a private folder.
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I understand his point of view. I know that he does not want to "hide" our relationship. I know he won't post pictures of us, even though it hurts to see my best friends and their significant others' happy pictures of their adventures. But, at this point, it's also stopping me from posting my own photos because he is such a huge part of my life that posting photos without him seems artificial. It seems unfair to me.
After we reached an impasse, I decided that I should be able to post photos of us, even if he decides not to post any.
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When I told him I wanted to post photos of us marking our anniversary, it opened up the argument all over again.
I get it. It is his face, and I would be annoyed if a friend posted a picture of me without my permission. But, at the same time, he has chosen to be a part of my life and my Instagram was my scrapbook long before we started dating.
And I want to document (and yes, even show off sometimes -- I'm human!) my life.
Is there a compromise here?
— Anonymous
Dear Anonymous: The compromise I suggest involves you respecting your boyfriend's wishes not to have his photo posted on your public Instagram account. If your guy doesn't want to be Kanye to your Kim, then ... more power to him.
Traditionally, a "scrapbook" was an actual book maintained by an individual, viewed only by the person who had made it, and by others only with permission. Instagram is a wonderful photo flow of pictures, which can tell a curated story about a person's life -- available to anyone who wants to view it. My own public Instagram account features many pictures of the rolling hills and flocks of sheep pasturing on my family's farm, and no photos of family members. Why? Because I respect their privacy.
You could very easily set up a second Instagram account where you could post photos documenting your relationship. You could keep this second account private and only accept followers both you and your boyfriend know and approve of.
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Dear Amy: I'm a 19-year-old woman. I met a guy over the summer.
At the start, he said he wasn't looking for a relationship, but that he wanted to keep seeing me.
I wanted more than that but instead of leaving, I stuck around.
I am from California, now studying abroad in Russia.
Before I left for Russia, he said he was having real feelings for me. We've been together now for three months.
He's spending $1,000 to come visit me for a week, but I still feel like he isn't as emotionally invested as I am, and he said he doesn't know what he wants.
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What should I do?
— Wondering Woman
Dear Wondering: Your guy is showing you how invested he is in seeing you. Spending $1,000 for a short visit is nothing to sneeze at.
At this point in your relatively short relationship, you should focus on your own feelings. Enjoy this relationship as it is, one day at a time.
You may believe that your boyfriend is delivering mixed messages, but the way I read this, his feelings for you are growing. He sounds as if he has been honest with you. Encourage his honesty and respond in kind.
Dear Amy: You are running lots of questions from people regarding new family relationships being uncovered as a result of DNA testing.
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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 >
I am in one of those families! My siblings and I were approached by a person claiming to be a half-sibling.
Sure enough -- we have a brother. Yes, this has been challenging, but overall everyone has handled this well.
— New Family
Dear New Family: Every family has their share of secrets. I give you all so much credit for accepting and embracing reality.
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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Distributed by Tribune Content Agency


chicagotribune--2020-01-23--NFL receiver Antonio Brown turns himself in at a Florida jail after he and his trainer allegedly att

NFL receiver Antonio Brown turns himself in at a Florida jail after he and his trainer allegedly attacked another man

Brown , who is a free agent , played nine seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers .
He was traded to @ @ @ @ @ but released before ever playing a regular season game following several off-the-field incidents .
He @ @ @ @ @ New England Patriots , who released Brown in September after a second woman in 10 @ @ @ @ @ misconduct .

FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla. — NFL free agent Antonio Brown was granted bail on Friday after turning himself in at a Florida jail on charges that he and his trainer attacked the driver of a moving truck that carried some of his possessions from California.
Broward County Judge Corey Amanda Cawthon set a $110,000 bond and imposed conditions including a GPS monitor, no possession of weapons or ammunition, a mental health evaluation and surrender of his passport. Brown also must undergo random drug testing.
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The exact timing of his release from jail was unclear.
Brown, 31, appeared via video at a hearing in a green jail outfit, with his wrists shackled. He spoke only to answer the judge's questions.
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Prosecutors had sought no bail, pointing out that the wide receiver is a wealthy sports figure who is a risk of flight if released. They noted that police had been called to his Florida home 18 times since December, for various reasons.
But one of Brown's lawyers, Eric Schwartzreich, said Brown deserved credit for surrendering voluntarily and had no incentive to flee.
“He could have clearly left. He's not going to go anywhere,” Schwartzreich said. “He wanted to turn himself in.”
Brown was one of the NFL's top wide receivers during his nine seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was traded to the Oakland Raiders last year but released before ever playing a regular season game following several off-the-field incidents. He was then signed by the New England Patriots, who released Brown in September after a second woman in 10 days accused him of sexual misconduct.
A Hollywood police statement said Brown's arrest warrant included charges of burglary with battery, burglary of an unoccupied conveyance and criminal mischief. Officials responded Tuesday afternoon to a disturbance call where the alleged victim said Brown and his trainer, Glenn Holt, hit him outside Brown's Hollywood home.
Holt was arrested and charged with one count of burglary with battery, but officials couldn't make contact with Brown at the time.
According to a police arrest report, the altercation began as an argument over Brown's refusal to pay $4,000 to the driver to release his household goods. The driver called police and reported vandalism after he said Brown threw a rock as he drove away, causing a small dent and chipping the paint, an officer wrote.
The driver later returned when the manager of his company told him that Brown would now pay the $4,000, and an additional $860 for the damage and the driver’s time. Brown then paid the $4,000, but refused to pay the rest, so the driver returned to the van to call his company, and that's when Brown “started another verbal argument,” police said.
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“Brown stepped up into the cabin of the vehicle and started to physically grab and pull (the driver),” while Holt “entered the vehicle and grabbed the keys from the ignition,” police said. The driver tried to get the keys back and cut his hand in the process, according to the report.
Police say the driver suffered injuries including scratches on his neck, shoulder and arm, a cut on his finger and a scrape on his stomach.
Holt then used the keys to open the truck, while Brown “and other unidentified friends” began removing boxes. The boxes, however, belonged to another client, police said. When the driver told them so, Brown and the others "started tossing the items back into the truck causing damage to some of the property,” an officer wrote.
Hollywood police were called again, and when officers arrived, Brown “retreated inside of his residence and shut the door.”


chicagotribune--2020-01-23--2 suspected of shooting man during Logan Square gang wake before firing shots at pursuing police off

2 suspected of shooting man during Logan Square gang wake before firing shots at pursuing police officers have been charged, police say

The pursuit ended in the 4400 block of North Western Avenue in the Ravenswood neighborhood when the car smashed into @ @ @ @ @ , and police took them into custody , police said .
No injuries were reported @ @ @ @

Charges have been filed against two men suspected of shooting and seriously wounding someone during a Logan Square gang wake, then firing at pursuing police officers before crashing into a bank, according to Chicago police.
Josue Becerra, 24, was charged with attempted murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault and unlawful use of a weapon, police said. The driver of the getaway car, Marcial Arriaga, 26, was charged with aggravated fleeing and cited with five traffic violations, police said.
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The shooting occurred around 8:35 p.m. Tuesday at a funeral home in the 3300 block of West Armitage Avenue as gang intelligence officers were conducting surveillance during the wake for a known gang member, police said. The officers heard shots and saw someone with a gun running on Armitage Avenue and then get into a silver Honda Accord.
Police say the driver of the getaway car, Marcial Arriaga, 26, was charged with aggravated fleeing and cited with five traffic violations during the incident that began in the 3300 block of West Armitage Avenue about 8:35 p.m. on Jan. 21, 2020. (Chicago police / HANDOUT)
The officers found a 43-year-old man shot several times in the parking lot of the funeral home. He was taken in critical condition to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center.
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Police began chasing the Honda. In the 2500 block of North Milwaukee Avenue, someone inside the car began firing at police, authorities said.
The pursuit ended in the 4400 block of North Western Avenue in the Ravenswood neighborhood when the car smashed into the wall of a bank. The two suspects were taken into custody. No injuries were reported from the crash.
A gun was recovered in the 2500 block of North Milwaukee Avenue, according to a law enforcement source. Officers closed off a section of a construction site where the gun was found.
Arriaga, of the 4800 block of North Talman Avenue, and Becerra, of the 5400 block of North Artesian Avenue, are scheduled to appear at the Leighton Criminal Court Building for bond hearings on Friday.
rsobol@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-01-23--Big Ten suspends Illinois guard Alan Griffin for 2 games for stepping on Purdue’s Sasha Stefanovic;

Big Ten suspends Illinois guard Alan Griffin for 2 games for stepping on Purdue’s Sasha Stefanovic; Brad Underwood calls the penalty ‘excessive’

“ Alan Griffin is a great young man , and I remain proud of him as a person and as @ @ @ @ @ .
He is a 19-year-old student-athlete who made a mistake — a mistake we don @ @ @ @ @ reflects negatively on our program , ” Underwood said in the statement .
“ He @ @ @ @ @ moment of emotion and has been remorseful from the outset , meeting with Sasha Stefanovic @ @ @ @ @ and following with a public apology to Sasha , Coach ( Matt ) Painter and @ @ @ @ @ was ejected from the contest and essentially missed the entire game as a consequence of @ @ @

The Big Ten has suspended Illinois guard Alan Griffin for two games, the conference announced Thursday.
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Griffin, a sophomore, was ejected from Tuesday’s 79-62 victory at Purdue for stepping on Sasha Stefanovic after the Boilermakers guard made a layup in the first half.
Griffin has been a spark off the bench for the Illini, averaging 8.9 points and 4.4 rebounds. Illinois plays at Michigan at 11 a.m. Saturday and hosts Minnesota at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 30. Griffin is eligible to return Feb. 2 at No. 19 Iowa.
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“After a thoughtful and thorough review of this incident, we are all extremely fortunate this did not create a hostile and unsafe environment for the players, coaches, game officials and fans,” Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren said in a statement. “It is important for me to emphasize and make it crystal clear that such behavior will not be tolerated, period.
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“We place the utmost importance on the safety and well-being of our players, coaches, game officials and fans. The situation provides a teachable moment for all parties involved, especially our student athletes as they use their time in the Big Ten to grow as individuals both on and off the field of competition.”
Illinois coach Brad Underwood released a statement later Thursday, decrying the punishment as “excessive.”
“Alan Griffin is a great young man, and I remain proud of him as a person and as a member of our team. He is a 19-year-old student-athlete who made a mistake — a mistake we don’t condone and that reflects negatively on our program,” Underwood said in the statement. “He showed poor judgment in a moment of emotion and has been remorseful from the outset, meeting with Sasha Stefanovic after the game to apologize and following with a public apology to Sasha, Coach (Matt) Painter and the Purdue team. He was ejected from the contest and essentially missed the entire game as a consequence of his actions.
“I am proud of Alan’s accountability, response and growth from this experience. I feel the further penalty of a two-game suspension is excessive and am disappointed in the timing. But I respect the Big Ten’s decision and am moving on. We will continue to support Alan and help him learn from this situation.”
Griffin issued an apology Wednesday. He posted on Twitter that the incident was “out of character” and “does not reflect who I am as a person.”
“To Sasha, Coach Painter, the rest of the Purdue team, my coaches, teammates and Illini Nation, I am deeply sorry that this incident caused a distraction in what was otherwise a great nigh for our team,” the tweet read. “I promise to Coach Underwood and my teammates that I will be more mindful in the future.”
The Big Ten’s announcement follows the news of suspensions by the Big 12 totaling 25 games for four players involved in a bench-clearing fight during Tuesday’s game between Kansas and Kansas State.


chicagotribune--2020-01-23--4 takeaways from Rick Renteria’s and Rick Hahn’s news conferences on the eve of SoxFest, including l

4 takeaways from Rick Renteria’s and Rick Hahn’s news conferences on the eve of SoxFest, including leadoff options and playoff expectations

“ A few years ago , I would put guys at the top of the order and give them as @ @ @ @ @ continue to get them as much involved as possible , ” Renteria said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ m not forced to do something like that necessarily .
He might not be at @ @ @ @ @ he see some at-bats at the top of the order at spring training ?
Yeah @ @ @ @ @ .

The White Sox completed their offseason wish list.
The needs included starting pitching and bullpen help, a designated hitter and a right fielder. The Sox added starters Dallas Keuchel and Gio Gonzalez, reliever Steve Cishek, designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion and right fielder Nomar Mazara and also signed the top free-agent catcher in Yasmani Grandal.
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General manager Rick Hahn believes most of the winter work has been completed as the team gears up for spring training.
“The short answer is that we’re probably done with any major (offseason) acquisitions,” Hahn said during a news conference Thursday at Guaranteed Rate Field. “The reality of our day-to-day is that we’re still, down the hall, debating various potential smaller additions, and there’s still the occasional trade idea or free-agent signing that picks up a little steam. So never say never.
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“The nature of the job is you always feel like there’s one more addition you can make, so I’m probably never going to stand up here and say we’re finished. But in reality, the safe assumption is the bulk of our heavy lifting, for this winter at least, is over.”
Hahn and manager Rick Renteria met with reporters on the eve of SoxFest at McCormick Place. Here are four takeaways from the two news conferences.
1. Rick Renteria would be ‘disappointed’ if the Sox don’t make the postseason.
With all of the additions, Renteria isn’t shying away from larger expectations. He agreed when asked if he would be disappointed if the Sox don’t make the playoffs this season.
Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 7 Here's the before picture of White Sox pitcher Michael Kopech as he waits to get his hair cut at Ronald McDonald House in Chicago on Jan. 22, 2020. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)
“That would be accurate,” Renteria said. “We want to break through. We want this to be an impactful season.
“You can’t force those things. You have to allow them to play themselves out. But man for man, now we at least have a little bit more ammunition to be able to compete hopefully on a consistent basis and put those victories on the board.”
2. Renteria is stressing defense.
The Sox finished tied for 13th in the American League with 111 errors last season. Renteria knows for the team’s record to improve, that number has to decrease.
“One of the big things I’m going to be talking about is making sure that we minimize giving away outs,” Renteria said. “And there’s a lot of work that can be done to improve upon that. A lot of it is just confidence, and now it’s going to be awareness of when to try to make a play, when to try to force something, things of that nature.
“The talent is there for these guys, and I think we will be a much improved team.”
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3. Renteria has options at the top of the lineup.
Tim Anderson, Luis Robert and Leury Garcia are among the possible leadoff hitters. While Robert has a lot of experience leading off in the minors, don’t automatically pencil him in there when the rookie center fielder makes his Sox debut.
“A few years ago, I would put guys at the top of the order and give them as many at-bats as possible, continue to get them as much involved as possible,” Renteria said. “Right now, I’m not forced to do something like that necessarily. He might not be at the top. But will he see some at-bats at the top of the order at spring training? Yeah, it’s possible.
“I want to see Timmy there, I want to see (Robert) there, Leury (led) off for us a lot. Obviously not an on-base guy, not a high-average guy, but just a good player that does a lot of different things and somehow he always impacts in a positive way. We’ll look at all those ways in terms of how we’ll structure the lineup, but right now, truthfully, one through nine, I’m OK.”
4. Rick Hahn doesn’t feel a need to address the Astros sign-stealing scandal with his players at spring training.
Hahn said the sign-stealing affair won’t have an impact “in terms of changing our operations.”
“We intend to remain compliant,” Hahn said.
Hahn called the entire situation “unfortunate.”
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“Every team is motivated to do everything in their powers, to do everything they can to win,” Hahn said. “Traditionally, doing that based upon your wit or insight or intellect has certainly been acceptable and is what we encourage our guys to do.
“When you cross that line into forbidden activity, that’s obviously a different story and (we) certainly need to commend the commissioner’s office for the thoroughness of their investigation and the swiftness with which they acted.”


chicagotribune--2020-01-23--Uniforms for the NBA All-Star Game take their inspiration from Chicago’s flag and ‘L’ trains

The red and blue All-Star Game jerseys take inspiration from Chicago ’ s flag and “ L ” train system @ @ @ @ @ six-point stars are featured on the leg and in the NBA logo on the chest @ @ @ @ @ each train line are represented throughout , including on the trimming along the lapel and @ @ @ @ @ .

The NBA released jerseys for the NBA All-Star Game, Rising Stars Challenge and more. (Courtesy of the NBA)
The interest in what NBA players wear grows with each passing year, and that extends to All-Star Weekend, when the league showcases its brightest stars and most extravagant fashion.
With the 2020 All-Star Game in Chicago next month, Jordan Brand was charged with creating designs for the league’s main event and banner weekend. The move was intended to add local flavor, and the result is an eight-jersey collection that leans heavily on the city’s history.
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The red and blue All-Star Game jerseys take inspiration from Chicago’s flag and “L” train system. The flag’s six-point stars are featured on the leg and in the NBA logo on the chest, while the colors of each train line are represented throughout, including on the trimming along the lapel and lower portion of the shorts.
The jerseys for the NBA All-Star Game take their inspiration from the Chicago flag and "L" train system. (Courtesy of the NBA/Courtesy of the NBA)
Jordan Brand also created designs for the Rising Stars game and All-Star Saturday, with original looks in orange and purple, respectively, for the USA and World teams and uniforms for the Celebrity Game (green and pink) and NBA Cares Special Olympics Game (brown and yellow).
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With so many colors available to players throughout the weekend, they should have plenty of opportunities to showcase their favorite sneakers. Signature athletes often showcase new releases in the All-Star Game, so expect surprises. So far Nike has revealed releases from LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, Paul George and Giannis Antetokounmpo.


chicagotribune--2020-01-23--Park Ridge Appearance Commission reviews possible revamp of vacant Main Street building

The former Le Peep Restaurant at 100 Euclid Ave. is slated to become Venezia Nail Spa .
Jim Brown , @ @ @ @ @ development for the city of Park Ridge , said unlike the salon slated to open @ @ @ @ @ one block away on Prospect Avenue , Venezia will not require special zoning approval from @ @ @ @

Formerly a restaurant, commercial buildings at 28 and 30 Main Street in Uptown Park Ridge have been vacant for several years. (Jennifer Johnson / Pioneer Press)
Park Ridge’s Appearance Commission this month reviewed potential plans for revamping the exterior of a long-vacant building in Uptown.
Commissioners saw designs calling for significant changes to 28-30 Main St., the former Walter’s Restaurant.
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While the architectural drawings included a sign reading “bistro,” Mike Wall, associate architect with Neri Architects, told the commission that no tenants have been signed for the space.
Potential uses of the space, as well as how it might be divided, are “up in the air,” Wall said.
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For now, the focus is on repairing the building and the facade, he said.
An architectural rendering shared with the Park Ridge Appearance Commission shows possible exterior upgrades for 28-30 Main St. in Uptown. - Original Credit: Neri Architects (Neri Architects / HANDOUT)
The building’s owner was not in attendance for the meeting.
Appearance commissioners appeared pleased with the proposed design, which, if implemented, will completely modernize the look of the aging building.
“It’s a nice contemporary design,” said Chairman Brian Kidd.
Walter’s Restaurant closed at the end of 2006. Two restaurants opened briefly in the space, but it has been vacant ever since.
In recent years, several properties on Main Street have undergone exterior and interior remodeling as new restaurants and other businesses have opened.
Elsewhere in Uptown, other empty storefronts have been experiencing some activity as well.
The former Le Peep Restaurant at 100 Euclid Ave. is slated to become Venezia Nail Spa. Jim Brown, director of community preservation and development for the city of Park Ridge, said unlike the salon slated to open inside former retail space just one block away on Prospect Avenue, Venezia will not require special zoning approval from the City Council.
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“The Le Peep location is in the Uptown Commercial (District), so a hair/nail salon would be permitted,” Brown said.
Le Peep closed in 2016.
Venezia Nail Spa is proposed for the former Le Peep restaurant site at 100 Euclid Ave. (Jennifer Johnson / Pioneer Press)
At the former Noodles and Company, 510 Touhy Ave., a sign for a new restaurant, Grand Hotpot, has appeared, while remodeling work is ongoing nearby in the former Jason’s Deli at 608 W. Touhy Ave. An Italian restaurant is planned for the location, Park Ridge Environmental Health Officer Tim Schwarz said.
Noodles and Company closed in 2017 and Jason’s Deli closed the following year.
jjohnson@chicagotribune.com
Twitter: @Jen_Tribune


chicagotribune--2020-01-23--Milk prices are so low Wisconsin is losing two dairy farms a day

“ We ’ re all looking for ways to do better when it comes to ag , '' Fitzgerald said @ @ @ @ @ a number of proposals by the Legislature but I ’ m all ears on what @ @ @ @ @ .
It sounds like he ’ s been working on something comprehensive so absolutely I @ @ @ @ @ time to see what the special session includes and work on those bills .
”

Cows stand ready to be milked May 31, 2016, at the Lake Breeze Dairy farm in Malone, Wisconsin. The state is in the midst of a dairy crisis that's caused a loss of one-third of its dairy farms since 2011. (Daniel Acker / Bloomberg)
Madison, Wis. — Gov. Tony Evers on Thursday called the Republican-controlled Legislature into a special session beginning next week to consider an $8.5 million package of bills designed to help rural Wisconsin in the face of a crisis that's caused a loss of one-third of the state's dairy farms since 2011.
The Democratic governor told reporters that he was confident the Legislature would move quickly on the plan he unveiled in his State of the State address Wednesday night. He also dismissed criticism from Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos that the proposals show he has ignored rural Wisconsin before now.
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“That’s just baloney," Evers said, noting that many of the ideas had been included in his budget last year but rejected by Republicans. "We need to move forward. Our farmers need us.”
Wisconsin loses an average of two dairy farms a day as farmers suffer under low milk prices.
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[ Borden files for bankruptcy as America sours on milk ]
Vos said late Wednesday that the plan shows Evers has “finally turned his attention to rural Wisconsin."
“He has ignored that part of the state for most of last year since he’s been elected governor,” Vos said. "If he’s a newfound convert that rural Wisconsin has problems, of course we’re going to listen.”
While Vos was wary of the plan, Republican Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald said Wednesday night that he was “all ears."
“We’re all looking for ways to do better when it comes to ag," Fitzgerald said. "There have been a number of proposals by the Legislature but I’m all ears on what the governor has to offer. It sounds like he’s been working on something comprehensive so absolutely I think the Legislature should take time to see what the special session includes and work on those bills.”
[ Dairy giant Dean Foods, once based in Chicago area, files for bankruptcy protection and may be sold ]
Evers said he expects the Legislature to meet starting Tuesday to take up the bills. Republican leaders have not said if they will do that. Vos and Fitzgerald did not immediately return messages Thursday seeking comment.
The bills Evers wants the Legislature to pass would:
Create a Wisconsin Initiative for Dairy Exports, at a cost of $1 million, with the goal of increasing dairy exports to 20% of the country’s milk supply by 2024;
Hire 20 experts at the University of Wisconsin-Madison extension division to provide free research and technical assistance to farmers;
Add five positions and increase funding within the state agriculture department to provide more mental health support for farmers;
Give preference to small dairy processing plants when awarding grants;
Bolster the department’s efforts to help farmers diversify their operations and create a new program to award grants of up to $50,000 to assist farmers; and
Create a program to connect local farmers with other entities, besides school districts, that have a cafeteria and could purchase locally grown food.
Evers said he was creating a new Office of Rural Prosperity to help people navigate state programs and resources targeting rural communities, businesses and workers. He also created a blue-ribbon commission to promote agriculture and rural economic prosperity and develop long-term strategies on how to help rural communities.
“I believe the folks who support this initiative will agree with us,” Evers said. "It’s not a handout. This is not a handout. We are looking to help our farmers and farming communities stay strong.”
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Evers said he hoped Republicans could work with Democrats to take action.
“We’re past the point of pointing fingers, we just need to get work done,” Evers said. “I feel confident we’re in a good place around this.”
Follow @ChiTribBusiness on Facebook and @ChiTribBiz on Twitter.


chicagotribune--2020-01-23--Chicago-based ‘Doomsday Clock’ creeps closer to midnight than it ever has in history. Scientists cal

Chicago-based ‘Doomsday Clock’ creeps closer to midnight than it ever has in history. Scientists call world affairs ‘profoundly unstable.’

“ We are now expressing how close the world is to catastrophe in seconds — not hours , or even @ @ @ @ @ Bronson of the University of Chicago , who serves as president and CEO of the @ @ @ @ @ the closest to doomsday we have ever been in the history of the Doomsday Clock @ @ @ @ @ true emergency — an absolutely unacceptable state of world affairs that has eliminated any margin @ @ @ @ @ .
”

Former California Gov. Jerry Brown, executive chair, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, left, former President of Ireland Mary Robinson, chair, The Elders, and former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, deputy chair, The Elders, during a presentation of moving the hands of the Doomsday Clock closer to midnight during an event in Washington on Jan. 23, 2020. (Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists)
Calling world affairs “profoundly unstable,” scientists have moved the fateful minute hand of the Doomsday Clock another 20 seconds closer to midnight, signifying their view that humanity is more perilously near global catastrophe than any other time in recent history.
The metaphorical clock is now set to 100 seconds to midnight, the closest it has come to hitting the final hour — a symbol of world annihilation — since its inception by the University of Chicago-based Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists in 1947.
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At a news conference in Washington, D.C. on Thursday,scientists cited U.S. withdrawal from the 2015 Paris climate agreement and from the Iran nuclear deal, as well as deadlock in disarmament talks, as some of their reasons for the dire forecast. The recent rise in tensions between the United States and Iran helped confirm their decision, they said.
“We are now expressing how close the world is to catastrophe in seconds — not hours, or even minutes,” said Rachel Bronson of the University of Chicago, who serves as president and CEO of the Bulletin. "It is the closest to doomsday we have ever been in the history of the Doomsday Clock. We now face a true emergency — an absolutely unacceptable state of world affairs that has eliminated any margin for error or further delay.”
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The foreboding timepiece was designed by Bulletin scientists as a harbinger of the state of international affairs, with the minute hand shifting toward or away from “doomsday” based on man-made threats to safety and security.
For the first few decades, the time was based solely on nuclear threats, but in recent years climate change and disruptive technologies — such as military use of drones and artificial intelligence — also weighed heavily in the decision, according to the Bulletin’s website.
The latest reset of 20 seconds was the smallest incremental time change in the clock’s history; other time changes have been in increments of 30 seconds or more.
Even at the height of the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States, the minute hand was set at two minutes to midnight; the clock has never come this close to approaching the end.
The Bulletin was established in 1945 by University of Chicago scientists who were part of the Manhattan Project, which produced the atomic bombs the United States used against Japan, weaponry that would later ignite the Cold War with the Soviet Union.
[ Flashback: Secret experiments in a Cook County preserve aided atomic bomb efforts — and left nuclear waste behind ]
“It’s very much a Chicago story,” Robert Rosner, University of Chicago professor and chair of the science and security board of the Bulletin, said in a telephone interview. “It’s one of the earliest examples of when scientists have come to terms with what they created. I would say the Bulletin was the very first organized attempt to come to terms with the consequences of scientific invention.”
While the visual image of a clock might be simple, Rosner said the experts determining each shift of the minute hand take the decision very seriously, critically evaluating the state of international events, climate threats and how technology impacts safety and security. The Bulletin’s science and security board — which includes scientists and other experts on climate change, military affairs and technology — meets twice a year to discuss international events, and resets the minute hand accordingly.
The iconic clock is kept at the Bulletin’s headquarters at the U. of C.
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“Most people don’t have the time to think through the consequences of actions taken by governments,” Rosner said. “This is a synthesis, a look at the big picture: Are we safe? Are we safer than before? Or not?”
He added that these experts are nonpartisan and the choice to move the hand of the clock is never politically motivated.
The minute hand has been reset about two dozen times since the clock’s inception, marking moments of calamity as well as indicators of peace and prosperity: In 1991 following the Cold War’s end, the minute hand was rewound to 17 minutes, the furthest it’s ever been from the fatal hour.
The last time change was in 2018, when the minute hand crept 30 seconds toward midnight, resting just two minutes shy of the end of the world.
Tick tock.
eleventis@chicagotribune.com
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Some key moments in Doomsday Clock history
1947: Seven minutes to midnight — The Doomsday Clock is created. Chicago-area artist Martyl Langsdorf, who married a nuclear physicist who worked on the Manhattan Project, designed the original image for the first cover of the Bulletin.
1949: Three minutes to midnight — The Soviet Union successfully tests its atomic bomb.
1953: Two minutes to midnight — The United States and the Soviet Union test their first thermonuclear weapons. “The hands of the clock of doom move again,” wrote Bulletin editor Eugene Rabinowitch, a University of Illinois professor. “Only a few more swings of the pendulum, and, from Moscow to Chicago, atomic explosions will strike midnight for Western civilization.”
1998: Nine minutes to midnight — India and Pakistan stage nuclear weapons tests three weeks apart. The United States and Russia “maintain 7,000 warheads ready to fire at each other within 15 minutes.”
2007: Five minutes to midnight — For the first time, climate change is taken into account; previous decisions were based solely on nuclear threats.
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2015: Three minutes to midnight — The scientists urge actions to cap greenhouse gas emissions, nuclear disarmament, as well as safe and secure nuclear waste storage.
2018: Two minutes to midnight — U.S. and Russia continue military exercises along NATO borders, tensions rise over the South China Sea and nuclear weapons arsenals stockpile in Pakistan and India. Misuse of information technology and “vulnerability of democracies to disinformation” are also taken into account.
Source: The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists


chicagotribune--2020-01-24--White Sox pitcher Dallas Keuchel apologizes for his role in the Astros sign-stealing scandal but say

White Sox pitcher Dallas Keuchel apologizes for his role in the Astros sign-stealing scandal but says, ‘It wasn’t every game’

“ I can tell you that not every game ( were ) signs being stolen , '' Keuchel said .
@ @ @ @ @ really good job , and sometimes we did as a group had signs and nobody @ @ @ @ @ , so it wasn ’ t like every game we had everything going on .
@ @ @ @ @ that ’ s when the whole ( sign-stealing ) system , it really works a @ @ @ @ @ the same time there was human element where some ( pitchers ) were better than @ @ @ @

Dallas Keuchel apologized for his role in the Astros sign-stealing scandal Friday. Danny Farquhar felt vindicated that his story was validated.
They are now on the same side as members of the White Sox organization, but in 2017 they were on opposite sides of the Astros cheating scheme: Keuchel was a pitcher on Houston’s championship team that has since been exposed for using a system of cameras and monitors to communicate pitches to hitters. And Farquhar, then a Sox pitcher, was one of the first players to openly speculate that he was a target of such an operation.
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Keuchel, who signed a three-year, $55.5 million deal with the Sox last month, became the first current or former Astro to publicly apologize for his knowledge of or participation in the Astros’ scheme, but he didn’t elaborate on the extent of his role.
The admission itself, at the opening of SoxFest at McCormick Place, was stunning.
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“First and foremost I think apologies should be in order for, if not everybody on the team,” then himself, Keuchel told reporters during a scheduled media session. “It was never intended to be what it is made to be right now. I think when stuff comes out about things that happen over the course of a major-league ball season, it’s always blown up to the point of ‘Oh, my gosh, this has never happened before.’ ”
Former Astros pitcher Dallas Keuchel talks sign-stealing at #SoxFest2020: “A lot of guys are not happy with the fact that Mike (Fiers) came out and said something. ... But at the same time there is some sorrow in guys’ voice.” #WhiteSox pic.twitter.com/0AKVpb7k8v — Phillip Thompson (@_phil_thompson) January 24, 2020
An MLB investigation found that during their 2017 World Series championship season and part of 2018, the Astros stole signs during games at Minute Maid Park using a camera positioned in the outfield. Players and staff helped relay the expected pitches to the batter by banging on trash cans.
Keuchel wouldn’t go into detail, but he implied other teams had similar schemes during the 2017 playoffs, saying, “Everybody’s using multiple signs. … It’s just what the state of baseball was at that point in time. Was it against the rules? Yes it was. I personally am sorry for what’s come about the whole situation. It is what it is and we’ve got to move past that. I never thought anything would’ve come like it did. I, myself, am sorry, but we’ve just got to move on."
Keuchel said the system didn’t always work.
“It wasn’t like every game we had everything going on,” he said. “At that point, that’s when the whole system, it really works a little bit, but at the same time there was a human element where some guys were better than our hitters."
Farquhar, now the pitching coach at Class A Winston-Salem, pitched for the Sox twice at Minute Maid Park in 2017 and said heard a banging coming from Astros dugout whenever a changeup signal was put down.
“Maybe some people thought I was being a little paranoid in the moment,” Farquhar said. “I think more players are going to be aware of sign-stealing technology and they’ll take more pride in multiple sets of signs.”
White Sox pitcher Dallas Keuchel is interviewed on opening day of SoxFest at McCormick Place West on Jan. 24, 2020. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)
Despite Keuchel’s contrition, he had pointed words about former Astros teammate Mike Fiers, who alleged in a Nov. 12 article by The Athletic that the Astros stole signs. The interview snowballed into the MLB investigation that culminated in stiff sanctions against the Astros and resulted in managers Carlos Beltran (Mets), Alex Cora (Red Sox) and A.J. Hinch (Astros) and Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow losing their jobs.
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“That’s a tough subject because it’s such a tight-knit community in the clubhouse," Keuchel said of Fiers. “In baseball especially, you’re playing 162 games in the regular season, plus spring training and the maybe in the playoffs if you’re lucky, so you’re pushing 185 (to) 200 games. It sucks to the extent of the clubhouse rule was broken. That’s where I’ll go with that, I don’t have much else to say about it.”
But then later, he added, “A lot of guys are not happy with the fact that Mike (Fiers) came out and said something. But at the same time, there is some sorrow in guys’ voices — I have talked to guys before. This will be going on for a long time. I’m sure in the back of guys’ minds this will stick forever.”
Baseball has had sign-stealing on various levels for ages and Keuchel suggested it’s a subject that’s discussed in every clubhouse.
“There’s conversations all the time about signs,” he said. “If we’re going to go into robot umpires and automated strike zones, then definitely a mic to the pitcher-catcher should be ‘evolutionized.’ But if we’re not going to do that, then keep it as is.
“It’s either hey let’s do one thing or let’s do the other and quit talking about it.”
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Farquhar said batterymates should share a complex set of signs to combat sign-stealing.
“It should be a non-issue as long as you and the catcher know what’s going on.”
Farquhar also granted The Athletic an interview for the article that featured Fiers and recalled one of those 2017 games while speaking to the Tribune.
“I did talk about it with my teammates (back then) and I told them that my thoughts were that I think they’re relaying signs from the dugout,” he said, adding that he told them, “I don’t know how they’re doing it, but just use multiple signs like there is a runner on second base even though there’s nobody on, just to add a little bit of confusion and uncertainty on whether they are stealing signs or not stealing signs.”
He added, “In the moment I was like, I didn’t know if I was hearing things or not. I just wanted to make sure that I did have the confidence in throwing the pitch, that somebody wasn’t stealing the signs. It’s nice to hear that I wasn’t going crazy.”
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Since The Athletic story in November, he said his involvement in the sign-stealing saga is a subject that continues to follow him — even with his golfing buddies.
“I would say, yeah, (it comes up) fairly often," he said. “Most of the time I just kind of brush it off. ... What happened happened. I do want baseball to move forward.”
Chicago Tribune’s Paul Sullivan contributed.


chicagotribune--2020-01-24--Northwestern University professor leading research team trying to stop coronavirus: ‘We are here spe

Northwestern University professor leading research team trying to stop coronavirus: ‘We are here specifically for this.’

Though coronavirus may be new to the general public , but Satchell said infectious disease researchers at the center already @ @ @ @ @ better understand the proteins of similar viruses .
Both SARS and MERS are types of @ @ @ @ @ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
The proteins in this new virus are highly @ @ @ @ @ , Satchell said .

Karla Satchell, professor of microbiology-immunology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, is leading a research team involving nine labs to help analyze the new coronavirus and develop treatments to stop its spread. (Northwestern University)
As the mysterious coronavirus spreads — killing at least 41 people in China and prompting U.S. health officials to screen thousands for signs of the disease — a Northwestern University professor is leading a multipronged effort to try to stop it in its tracks.
Karla Satchell, a professor of microbiology-immunology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, is leading a team of U.S. and Canadian researchers to examine the atomic structure of the virus, which originated in Wuhan, China, in the Hubei province. Satchell leads the Center for Structural Genomics of Infectious Diseases, a consortium of nine labs at eight schools collaborating on this effort.
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[ Chicago woman who traveled to China diagnosed with coronavirus, health officials say ]
Other institutions in the consortium are University of Chicago, Purdue University, Washington University, University of Virginia, University of Calgary, UT Southwestern Medical Center and Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute in San Diego.
Satchell said the consortium, in place since 2007, functions as a sort of rapid response research operation that can mobilize immediately to quickly find solutions for public health emergencies.
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“We are here specifically for this,” Satchell said in an interview Friday. “If there’s a crisis like this, the last thing you want is for the (National Institutes of Health) to say, let’s put out a call for grants and take seven months to review them. We’re here and we have entirely trained staff. We’re able to pivot almost immediately to respond.”
[ What is coronavirus and what precautions should people in the Chicago area be taking? ]
The team is mapping out the proteins of the virus with the aim of finding a weak spot where medication can intervene and stop the virus from replicating in humans. To do that, they are cloning the virus proteins and growing them in crystal form in small ice cube-like trays. The scientists then can use a powerful X-ray beam to view the proteins down to the atomic level.
Satchell said they are focusing specifically on 12 of the 28 proteins in the virus.
Though coronavirus may be new to the general public, but Satchell said infectious disease researchers at the center already had projects in place to better understand the proteins of similar viruses. Both SARS and MERS are types of coronaviruses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The proteins in this new virus are highly similar to those of SARS, Satchell said.
That meant researchers quickly could compare and contrast the coronavirus with similar ones, and figure out what drugs they had on hand to test against it, Satchell said.
[ Coronavirus death toll rises to 41 in China as officials report more than 1,280 people infected ]
“We’re doing really beautiful science on behalf of the infectious disease community every day, but when something like this happens, all that capacity is already preexisting,” Satchell said.
That similarity, however, does not necessarily mean the same medications work on both. Andrew Mesecar, a biochemistry professor at Purdue, is developing the specific oral medicine and vaccines to combat it.
The consortium has done this type of work before, Satchell said, most notably during recent Zika virus outbreaks starting in 2013.
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Satchell said other groups of researchers throughout the world are doing similar work on coronavirus, publicly posting papers and entering information into databases for other researchers to quickly access.
“One of the things that’s really unique in this is just how open all the science is,” Satchell said. “It allows many different minds to contribute to that.”
drhodes@chicagotribune.com
@rhodes_dawn


chicagotribune--2020-01-24--Phony delivery driver who sexually assaulted woman in Albany Park denied bail

Prosecutors said Petersen posed as a delivery driver for Amazon on Dec. 29 , shortly after 8 p.m. Once the @ @ @ @ @ he pushed his way into her apartment .
After he commented on how heavy the @ @ @ @ @ instructed him where he should place the package .
After he set the package down @ @ @ @ @ advances toward the victim , but when she told him to leave , he grabbed @ @ @ @ @ and pushed her into a wall , prosecutors said .

A 57-year-old Round Lake man who pretended to be a delivery driver to sexually assault a woman once he gained entry was denied bail at a hearing Friday afternoon, officials said.
Forrest Petersen was arrested after he was identified as the person who sexually attacked a woman, police said. (Chicago Police Department)
Forrest Petersen was arrested Wednesday shortly before 7 p.m. after he was identified as the person who sexually attacked a 30-year-old woman at a residence in the 4200 block of North Francisco Avenue in the Albany Park neighborhood, police said.
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Prosecutors said Petersen posed as a delivery driver for Amazon on Dec. 29, shortly after 8 p.m. Once the victim opened the door, he pushed his way into her apartment. After he commented on how heavy the package was, the victim instructed him where he should place it. After he set the package down, he began to make advances toward the victim, but when she told him to leave, he grabbed her buttocks and breast, and pushed her into a wall, prosecutors said.
He then attempted to assault the victim, but she began to scream and fought him off.
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Petersen stopped and walked out of the apartment as he made vulgar comments.
The incident was captured on video surveillance, and police were able to post community alerts leading to him being identified. Police learned Petersen was staying a few blocks away from the victim. Detectives were able to get Petersen’s LINK card transactions from a Target and 7-Eleven store, and video surveillance from both stores showed him wearing the same clothes as the day of the incident, prosecutors said.
He was arrested Wednesday in the 900 block of Village Drive in Round Lake, where he lives, and he was charged with home invasion/sexual offense, and one felony count of aggravated criminal sexual assault. A Cook County judge denied him bail Friday afternoon, and he was told not to contact the victim.


chicagotribune--2020-01-24--Could White Sox prospect Nick Madrigal be the opening-day second baseman? ‘Whenever they call me, I’

Could White Sox prospect Nick Madrigal be the opening-day second baseman? ‘Whenever they call me, I’ll be ready’

“ When you see him in the cage , you see the bat-handling quality , you see ( first-base prospect @ @ @ @ @ beautiful swing , I mean there ’ s a lot of positive things , ” @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s just going to be a matter now of just a little more @ @ @ @ @ ’ ll tell us .
They ’ ll tell us in their actions .
Performance @ @ @ @ @ us of what they ’ re doing and I don ’ t necessarily mean outcome @ @ @ @ @ ’ re going about it , what are they doing .
Is the contact good @ @ @ @ @ ?

Nick Madrigal isn’t sure if he’ll begin the 2020 season with the White Sox or at Triple-A Charlotte.
But the prospect is ready for the next challenges coming his way.
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“I’m not going to worry about where I’m going to start the season or end or anything like that,” Madrigal said Friday at SoxFest. “It’s kind of out of my hands.
“I’m just going to go into spring training, enjoy it as much as I can and see where we go from there.”
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Madrigal is the No. 4 prospect in the organization. He succeeded at three minor-league levels in 2019 and is one of three options the Sox have at second base, along with Leury Garcia and Danny Mendick.
The Sox non-tendered Gold Glove winner Yolmer Sanchez in December, creating an opening at the position.
Who will emerge as the opening-day starter? General manager Rick Hahn isn’t tipping his hand.
“(Sitting) here today, it would be some combination of Leury Garcia, Danny Mendick and Nick Madrigal,” Hahn said Thursday. "Ask me again on March 25.”
Garcia is the versatile veteran who hit .279 while spending a majority of his time as an outfielder last season. Mendick shined as a September call-up, hitting .308 in 16 games.
White Sox infielder Nick Madrigal is announced on opening day of SoxFest at McCormick Place West on Jan. 24, 2020. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)
And Madrigal is the future. It’s only a matter of how soon that future arrives.
“He’s viable, but he’s got a few more things to prove," Hahn said. "Trying to be as objective as possible, thinking about where he is developmentally, he hasn’t necessarily answered all the questions we have for him at the minor leagues.
"But we’re going to go in with fresh eyes and a fresh approach in spring training and see where he’s at and in all probability make an assessment there. I don’t think we have him by any means written in pen as the opening-day second baseman, if that’s what you mean. But could he change our minds? Yeah.”
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Madrigal hit a combined .311 with 27 doubles, four home runs and 55 RBIs in 120 games at Class A Winston-Salem, Double-A Birmingham and Triple-A Charlotte in 2019. He struck out just 16 times.
He also won a minor-league Gold Glove for second basemen.
“That’s the most games I’ve ever played in my life,” Madrigal said. “You pick up things on a daily basis throughout a season. The biggest thing (was) lifting (weights) during a season. I’ve never lifted a lot during a season, but I did last year and my body felt great toward the end of the season. That’s big moving forward to stay on the field and to stay healthy, to be in the weight room and to take care of my body.”
He said his weight-room activities continued this offseason.
“I feel stronger,” Madrigal said. “I’ve done a lot of speed work. I feel like my body is moving a little bit better than it has, ever.”
Sox manager Rick Renteria said he’s eager to see how it all translates this spring.
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Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 54 Yoan Moncada cuts a ribbon to open SoxFest. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)
“When you see him in the cage, you see the bat-handling quality, you see (first-base prospect Andrew) Vaughn with that beautiful swing, I mean there’s a lot of positive things,” Renteria said Thursday. "It’s just going to be a matter now of just a little more time possibly, but they’ll tell us. They’ll tell us in their actions. Performance is the best indicator for us of what they’re doing and I don’t necessarily mean outcome. I mean how they’re going about it, what are they doing. Is the contact good? Are the at-bats good?
"All those things. Is he in the right place at an appropriate time defensively? Is he doing the right things on the base? All those things. So those are things we’ll monitor and hopefully he’ll come into camp as he has in the past — excited to show everybody what he’s capable of doing.”
Madrigal is prepared to showcase those skills.
“Whenever they call me, I’ll be ready,” Madrigal said. “I feel as ready as I’ll ever be at this point. But I’m just going to show up every day and give the team everything I have.”


chicagotribune--2020-01-24--Electric vehicles are the future. Can ComEd power the revolution while keeping the lights on?

One way to solve that problem is through “ optimized charging , ” which would steer electric vehicle charging to @ @ @ @ @ stress on the power grid .
That could be done with pricing incentives and smart @ @ @ @ @ plugged in , but don ’ t flip the power switch on until the middle @ @ @ @ @ demand is low .

Liz Mosbach charges a Tesla at an electric vehicle charging station, Jan. 22, 2020, on the roof of a parking garage at NewCity in Chicago. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
Electric vehicles are generating most of the buzz in the automotive industry these days, with sleek designs, sizzling performance and environmental benefits threatening to put gas guzzlers in the rearview mirror for good.
While still a fraction of total auto sales, demand for electric vehicles is projected to ramp up sharply over the next decade, with nearly 19 million of them streaking silently on U.S. roads by 2030, up from about 1.5 million vehicles today, according to the Edison Electric Institute.
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But to get from here to there will require a major boost from a nascent player in the automotive industry — electric utilities.
From installing charging stations to fortifying the grid, ComEd is gearing up to power transportation electrification in the Chicago area, where upwards of 3 million drivers may trade gas pumps for plugs over the next decade, according to the utility. Meeting the increased demand while keeping the lights on and rates down for all customers could prove challenging.
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A car is hooked up to a charging station in a downtown Chicago parking lot on Jan. 22, 2020. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)
“We’re pretty excited about the transformation of the transportation sector to more electric vehicles,” said Joe Dominguez, 57, a longtime Exelon executive who was named CEO of ComEd in August 2018. “That’s a technology that we see coming very rapidly that’s going to change the nature of our business.”
ComEd is a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Corp. and the dominant electric utility in the state, providing service to more than 4 million customers in northern Illinois.
The rise of electric vehicles seems a foregone conclusion. On Wednesday, Tesla, which delivered 367,500 electric vehicles last year and has yet to turn an annual profit, surpassed $100 billion in valuation — more than GM and Ford combined.
Not surprisingly, automakers are all in on EVs, from Detroit’s Big Three to startup electric truck manufacturer Rivian, which is set to begin production later this year in downstate Normal.
It is a crucial balancing act for ComEd — enabling the growth of electrical vehicles while not knowing how widespread adoption will become. Legislators, regulators, automakers and consumers will have a hand in the process, but nothing happens without the electric utility paving the way.
A study last year by Boston Consulting Group said transportation electrification, from the family car to electric buses and delivery fleets, could create $3 billion to $10 billion of new value for the average utility over the next decade, mostly from needed infrastructure investments.
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“This is a big deal for utilities,” said Tom Baker, an energy industry consultant and partner with Boston Consulting Group’s San Francisco office. “It’s a growth opportunity for the utility, and it’s also, for most areas of the country, a policy objective.”
But utilities will have to carefully plan for the projected increase in demand from electric vehicles, which could require up to a 33% increase in peak capacity. Baker said those infrastructure investments could put upward pressure on consumer electric rates, as utilities fortify the power grid to handle the increased load.
Electric vehicle charging stations, Jan. 22, 2020, in a parking garage at NewCity. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
ComEd has been investing $300 million a year since 2012 into the Smart Grid infrastructure improvement program, which includes digital switches that automatically route power around potential problem areas. During a recent interview at ComEd’s Chicago headquarters, Dominguez said the investments have improved reliability by 70 percent, reduced the frequency and duration of outages, and avoided more than 13 million interruptions in service.
“We’re investing a lot in the system. We’ve had to because, let’s be honest, we weren’t in a great place in 2012. We were not one of the best-performing electric utilities," said Dominguez, who is now steering ComEd through a different kind of challenge — a federal investigation into the utility’s lobbying activities.
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Rates have been relatively flat over the last decade, according to Dominguez. But keeping that trend going may be more challenging as millions of electric vehicles come online in the Chicago area over the next decade, creating unpredictable demand issues on a neighborhood by neighborhood basis.
About 80% of electric vehicle charging takes place at home, Baker said, which could contribute to a power distribution bottleneck on any given block.
Peak demand for most utilities is between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., when people return home from work, turn on the lights, the TV and the stove, and perhaps jack up the heat or air conditioning as well. If millions of people also suddenly plugged in their electric cars, it could overload the grid.
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Joe Dominguez, CEO of ComEd, at his office in Chicago on Jan. 9, 2020. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)
One way to solve that problem is through “optimized charging,” which would steer electric vehicle charging to off-peak hours to reduce the stress on the power grid. That could be done with pricing incentives and smart technology that keep the vehicles plugged in, but don’t flip the power switch on until the middle of the night, when demand is low.
A study published last year by the Citizens Utility Board pegged the relative cost of charging up an electric vehicle as the equivalent of paying about $1.00 per gallon of gas. Taking advantage of hourly pricing can further reduce the cost.
ComEd offers hourly pricing incentives to charge your electric vehicle at 2 a.m. The Citizens Utility Board wants to make it law.
“If you do it right, it can lower overall electric bills for everyone,” said David Kolata, executive director of the Citizens Utility Board. “You’re getting more usage when you need it, and less usage when you don’t.”
The nonprofit Illinois watchdog group is part of a coalition of environmental and consumer advocates that last year proposed the Clean Energy Jobs Act, which would push for electric vehicle adoption and 100% renewable energy in Illinois, among other goals. The measure stalled in Springfield last year, but Kolata is hoping the bill will get traction in 2020.
One aspect of the proposed legislation would create a “beneficial electrification” program that would encourage people to charge their electric vehicles at off-peak times. Such a policy would prevent a spike in demand, making the power grid more reliable and reducing electricity bills for all ComEd customers, Kolata said.
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Another concern is making sure ComEd has enough clean energy — nuclear and renewable power like solar and wind — so that the environmental benefits of EVs aren’t lost through “dirty” energy generation.
“We have to ensure that the sources that are making the electricity aren’t producing air pollution either,” Dominguez said. “If we’re just using coal plants to make electricity to power electric vehicles, we’re obviously not going to get the same environmental benefit that we would if we had clean energy sources.”
Clean energy provides 92% of the electricity delivered by ComEd, but most of it comes from the state’s five nuclear plants, which are owned by the utility’s parent company, Exelon. Those plants will be phased out of production over the next two decades, leaving renewable energy as the only clean energy source down the road.
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The Future Energy Jobs Act, which took effect in 2017, requires Illinois utilities to get 25% of their retail power from renewable sources like solar and wind by 2025. ComEd now gets about 7% of its electricity from renewable sources, and likely won’t hit that goal in five years, Dominguez said.
A Tesla electric vehicle charging station, Jan. 22, 2020, in Skokie. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)
But the biggest infrastructure hurdle to widespread electric vehicle adoption is a shortage of public charging stations. With a typical range of about 200 miles, the calculation comes down to whether you can load up the family electric vehicle and drive to Ohio without running out of juice.
The 18.7 million electric vehicles projected to be on the road by 2030 would require 9.6 million charging ports — and a significant investment in charging infrastructure, according to a report by Edison Electric Institute and the Institute for Electric Innovation.
Currently there are 24,409 public charging stations in the U.S., including 563 in Illinois, according to the U.S. Department of Energy’s alternative fuels website.
“When you talk about owning an EV, the phrase ‘range anxiety’ keeps coming up,” said Mike Moran, spokesman for Electrify America, a Virginia-based company rolling out what it claims is the nation’s largest public fast-charging network. “We want to instill range confidence.”
Electrify America, which is owned by Volkswagen, is investing $2 billion in the charging network as part of the automaker’s massive 2016 settlement with federal and state regulators over its diesel emissions testing scandal.
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The company expects to have 800 charging stations with about 3,500 chargers in 45 states by the end of next year. Currently, there are 390 stations up and running across the U.S., including seven in the Chicago area.
Locations include Target stores in Glenview, Woodridge, Hodgkins and Chicago, as well as shopping centers in Lincolnwood and Schaumburg. The company expects to add 12 more Chicago-area charging stations by December 2021, Moran said.
The chargers can accommodate any electric vehicle, and can be operated by an app. Most charging sessions take 20 to 40 minutes, allowing the driver to lock the vehicle and visit the nearby retailers while they wait, with updates on charging progress delivered on the app.
Moran declined to say how much it costs to build a charging station, but said it was a process that ultimately requires working with the utility provider to power up the location. ComEd, he said, is getting with the program.
“ComEd is becoming more familiar with our applications and it’s becoming more streamlined as we make more requests of them to energize our charging locations,” Moran said.
rchannick@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-01-24--Man killed in fatal shooting Thursday in Gresham neighborhood identified, officials say

A 27-year-old man who was fatally wounded Thursday in the Gresham neighborhood has been identified , officials said .
Kendredge @ @ @ @ @ 8000 block of South Stewart Avenue was pronounced at 10 p.m. Thursday , according to @ @ @ @ @ ’ s office .
According to Chicago police , Dillard was in a drive-thru in @ @ @ @ @ 75th Street , when someone in a black sedan fired shots , striking his head @ @ @ @ @ at the scene , but a female passenger was taken to St. Bernard Hospital for @ @ @ @ @ shattering when Dillard was shot , said police .
No one has been arrested in @ @ @ @ @ were investigating .

A 27-year-old man who was fatally wounded Thursday in the Gresham neighborhood has been identified, officials said.
Kendredge T. E. Dillard of the 8000 block of South Stewart Avenue was pronounced at 10 p.m. Thursday, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
According to Chicago police, Dillard was in a drive-thru in the first block of East 75th Street, when someone in a black sedan fired shots, striking his head.
He was pronounced dead at the scene, but a female passenger was taken to St. Bernard Hospital for injuries suffered due to glass shattering when Dillard was shot, said police.
No one has been arrested in the fatal shooting and detectives were investigating.


chicagotribune--2020-01-24--Bulls forward Lauri Markkanen to miss 4-6 weeks with a right pelvis injury

This is the latest setback in what has been an up-and-down season for Markkanen.. One of the biggest reasons for @ @ @ @ @ the start of the season was because of Markkanen , who was expected to take @ @ @ @ @ as a second scoring option behind Zach LaVine .

When Lauri Markkanen first started feeling soreness in his right hip earlier this week, he didn’t think much of it. Earlier in the season, he had played through an oblique injury and more recently he has been laboring through a sprained ankle.
He assumed these were the usual ailments that come with making it through a full season, and his goal was to play all 82 games.
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The injury wasn’t improving, however, and ahead of a trip to Cleveland on Saturday, the Bulls sent him in for an MRI, the results of which dealt another setback to a disappointing season.
Markkanen has a stress reaction in his right pelvis, the team announced before Friday’s game against the Kings. He is expected to miss four to six weeks.
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The news surprised Markkanen as much as it came out of nowhere Friday afternoon. Markkanen had been practicing and shooting normally. He had his first 20-point performance in about two weeks in his most recent game Wednesday. So he lobbied to remain in the lineup as he had through the oblique and ankle injuries but was quickly shut down by the Bulls.
“I was shooting my shots (to the team doctor) to try to maybe find a reason why the MRI showed what it showed,” Markkanen said. “I really wanted to play, but at the same time I had to take a step back and think what’s actually smart.”
The injury leaves the Bulls without their entire expected starting frontcourt with Markkanen joining Otto Porter Jr. (foot) and Wendell Carter Jr. (ankle) on the sideline. They also are without backup center Daniel Gafford (thumb).
“When it rains it pours,” said forward Thaddeus Young, who will start at power forward in place of Markkanen.
Zach LaVine
Otto Porter Jr
Lauri Markkanen
Wendell Carter Jr
Since Otto Porter was acquired a year ago, Bulls' four-man core has played 9 of a possible 74 games together. 9. https://t.co/cH8Y73WOwm — Tom Haberstroh (@tomhaberstroh) January 24, 2020
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For a team hoping to take a step forward this season, Markkanen’s injury is a significant blow.
The Bulls were hoping Markkanen would continue to ascend in his third NBA season, rising to become a reliable second scoring option behind Zach LaVine. Instead Markkanen’s production has regressed. He has been subject to prolonged stretches on the bench — though he has insisted he’s not on a minutes restriction — and has gone scoreless in the second half in several games.
He is averaging 15.0 points and 6.5 rebounds per game while playing 30.3 minutes. Those numbers are all down from last season when he averaged 18.7 points and 9.0 rebounds in 32.3 minutes.
The news was fresh for Markkanen on Friday, so while he said he hadn’t had time to properly process it, he was disappointed at yet another season interrupted by injury. He wanted to play in all 82 games this season and continued to play through discomfort to do so, even when he appeared limited on the floor. These next few months could have provided an opportunity for him to begin turning his season around, but now he and the Bulls have to contend with a setback for the third straight season.
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“It is disappointing,” Markkkanen said. “I just feel like I want to be out there to help the team.”
Injuries have already tested the Bulls depth this season, and with Markkanen sidelined they will be pushed even more. Young has been a starter for years and should slide into the starting lineup smoothly, but an already thin bench will feel almost certainly feel Markkanen’s absence.
“I’m not deterred one bit,” coach Jim Boylen said. “I’m disappointed for him. I know fans love watching him play. So I’m disappointed for that. But I’m not deterred in the least bit. As painful as it is, this is an opportunity for somebody else to establish themselves in the league and step up.”


chicagotribune--2020-01-24--Bears raise ticket prices for 2020 after a disappointing 8-8 season

The Bears went 4-4 at Soldier Field in 2019 , hindered by a bottom-tier offense that scored only 12 touchdowns @ @ @ @ @ The team will have to back up its vows to improve with a better performance @ @ @ @ @ Bears have missed the playoffs in 11 of the last 13 seasons , a record @ @ @ @ @ some fans ’ displeasure with Friday ’ s announcement of a ticket-price increase .

The Bears sent a letter to season ticket holders Friday morning announcing a price hike for the 2020 season. The average increase will be 3.9%, with non-club-level tickets going up by an average of 4.3%, the team said. All sections of Soldier Field will experience a price increase of at least 1.6%.
The announcement comes on the heels of a disappointing 8-8 record and a third-place finish in the NFC North in the franchise’s 100th season, a year that general manager Ryan Pace acknowledged this month was defined by regression.
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The Bears also announced that prices of individual game tickets for 2020 will continue to vary, with each game assigned to a tier reflecting the quality of the game.
In the letter, Bears President Ted Phillips acknowledged the widespread dissatisfaction that surrounded the 2019 season and said it was imperative for the team to “thoroughly analyze what went wrong and make the necessary corrections for 2020.”
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Phillips also referred to the Bears100 Celebration Weekend in Rosemont last June, the unveiling of George Halas and Walter Payton statues outside Soldier Field in September and the opening of a Bears Fit gym in Vernon Hills as “examples of fan-centric celebrations to show our appreciation for your continued support and passion throughout the entire year.”
The 2020 schedule will be released in late April. The Bears will have home games against the Packers, Vikings, Lions, Texans, Colts, Giants, Saints and Buccaneers.
The Bears went 4-4 at Soldier Field in 2019, hindered by a bottom-tier offense that scored only 12 touchdowns in eight home games. The team will have to back up its vows to improve with a better performance on the field. The Bears have missed the playoffs in 11 of the last 13 seasons, a record of struggle that added to some fans’ displeasure with Friday’s announcement of a ticket-price increase.
“We understand you have options when it comes to spending your discretionary income, and we hope you have seen value in your commitment to us,” Phillips wrote.


chicagotribune--2020-01-24--Arlington Heights suspends liquor license of downtown bar ‘to send a message’ after underage patrons

Arlington Heights suspends liquor license of downtown bar ‘to send a message’ after underage patrons served

Also , McCaskey said , his staff has all been recertified and trained about checking identification and underage drinking .
@ @ @ @ @ also installed 16 cameras in the Arlington Ale House at the main entrance and all @ @ @ @ @ the three large rooms with bars .
Behind the bar , and at the front @ @ @ @ @ 50-inch monitor alerting patrons that they are being recorded and televised .

The third floor of the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre building in downtown Arlington Heights, pictured in this 2016 file photo, is home to the Arlington Ale House, owned by Kevin McCaskey. The European-style bar had its liquor license suspended for three days at a Jan. 21, 2020 hearing after bartenders there sold alcohol to underage patrons. (Karen Ann Cullotta / Pioneer Press)
The Arlington Ale House in downtown Arlington Heights had its liquor license suspended for three days by the village’s Liquor Control Commission Tuesday night, after officials said bartenders there served alcohol to minors three times in one day.
“It was an egregious violation and I do want to send a message,” said Mayor Tom Hayes, who is also the village liquor commissioner.
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Ale House owner Kevin McCaskey – the grandson of Chicago Bears principal owner Virginia McCaskey – was given less than a week to notify the village which three days he will stop serving alcohol over the next three months, to comply with the suspension.
It was a choice granted by the mayor.
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McCaskey pled guilty to the Dec. 21 offense during the formal hearing at Village Hall Tuesday. Apologetic and sometimes emotional, McCaskey shared a long list of security measures he has put in please since the incident to ensure an underage violation doesn’t happen again. He said he fired the doorman who was working that night, Bassett trained all of his employees, and installed security monitors, ID scanners, entry turnstiles and more. Despite this, Hayes was resolute in his decision.
“A suspension of your liquor license is warranted in this case to send a message to you and all of your employees, and also to send a message to the community that this is not going to be tolerated and that your establishment does not invite underage people to come and try to purchase alcohol,” said Hayes.
According to the village’s notice to the business, three different bartenders served beer to a 17-year-old boy and a 17-year-old girl on Dec. 21 at Arlington Ale House, 111 W. Campbell St. The teens were working undercover for the Arlington Heights Police Department.
Hayes called the incident “disappointing,” particularly since the village had taken “big risk” allowing the Ale House to open three years ago without a restaurant kitchen.
The 10,000-square-foot facility above the Metropolis is a popular gathering place for area residents, a destination for community and charity events, birthday parties and bands.
“I’m embarrassed by the incident … we’re a better business than this and I’m a better owner,” said McCaskey, who apologized repeatedly and took sole responsibility for the incident. “I was raised in Arlington Heights, I’m raising my family in Arlington Heights. This incident has affected me personally.”
Hayes gave McCaskey until Friday to let the village know which days he would not serve alcohol, as part of the suspension.
While it is unclear how much an actual financial impact the days of not selling alcohol would have on the Ale House, McCaskey did say he didn't want to sacrifice a Saturday because "[I]make 70% of my revenue on a Saturday."
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As a result, he was considering a Wednesday, Thursday and Friday as his option, but he didn't confirm that with the mayor on the night of the hearing.
In the last few weeks, McCaskey said he has posted signage at the entrance of his establishment with policies and rules stating that any attempts by underage visitors trying to obtain alcohol would not be tolerated and would be reported to the police.
He said he moved his underage time up from 9 p.m. to 8 p.m. and no minors will be allowed on premises after that hour. Expired IDs and vertical identification cards will no longer be accepted, he explained. In Illinois, driver’s licenses for people under age 21 are printed vertically, as opposed to the horizontal orientation for those over that age.
Also, McCaskey said, his staff has all been recertified and trained about checking identification and underage drinking. He explained that he has also installed 16 cameras in the Arlington Ale House at the main entrance and all points of alcohol purchase in the three large rooms with bars. Behind the bar, and at the front entrance, there is a 50-inch monitor alerting patrons that they are being recorded and televised.
Additional security enhancements he detailed include increasing his doormen to two at the front entrance to check IDs and prevent all beverages from leaving the premises. A third security person will be working on weekends to assist. He has also installed state-of-the-art ID scanners to verify patrons are of legal age. In addition, new gates will close off certain areas of the bar and turnstiles at the entrance will count the numbers of patrons, he said.
“I’ve shown my commitment to doing this,” McCaskey said, adding the three-day suspension “would be very devastating.”
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He told Hayes he thought the measures he taken have already sent a message to his patrons and the community.
Hayes disagreed.
“The message needs to be sent,” Hayes said. “You’ve gotten a reputation where underage people can be served and we can’t have that. The message needs to get out.”
Elizabeth Owens-Schiele is a freelancer.