chicagotribune--2020-03-30--Community House videos of unrehearsed art projects to do at home

Watching McDermott ’ s efforts , baby boomers who grew up in Chicago may be reminded of Ray Rayner , @ @ @ @ @ s television show on Channel 9 in the 1960s and ‘ 70s .
Although McDermott @ @ @ @ @ Rayner demonstrated when doing crafts , both have the same natural , unrehearsed appeal , @ @ @ @ @ into the camera waiting for the clock to hit 4:15 .

Jimmy McDermott of The Community House in Hinsdale, shows a watercolor painting he did on his new online show, Studio 415, where he demonstrates arts-related projects viewers can do while they are stuck at home during the coronavirus. (Jimmy McDermott)
For some people, the coronavirus shutdown means lost wages and financial hardship. For some, the effect has been isolation. For others, it means learning new ways to do your job and stay connected with people from home.
“I am definitely learning new things everyday,” said Jimmy McDermott, LyArts program director at the Community House in Hinsdale.
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The Community House can no longer hold its programs, which includes arts, crafts and sports, at its building due to “social distancing” requirements, so the staff is figuring out how to interact with the community in alternative ways.
McDermott has started a live online activity each weekday afternoon, called Studio 415.
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415 is the time the activity starts, at 4:15 p.m., and also is part of the Community House’s address, 415 W. Eight St.
McDermott thought the late afternoon would be a good time for a break after children doing schoolwork at home would have finished their lessons and before dinner.
In the first four days, McDermott made a marionette from a cardboard toilet paper tube, string and metal nuts, painted a picture from the album cover of Miles Davis’ “Sketches of Spain,” while the compact disc played in the background, and made a clay head of an old man.
Jimmy McDermott, a program director at The Community House in Hinsdale, is doing arts-related project online, such as making a marionette out of cardboard, string, nuts and bolts and glue. (Jimmy McDermott)
He has no shortage of ideas, but the challenge is doing something his viewers can duplicate at home with materials most people have lying around the house or in their “junk drawers,” he said.
The videos are posted on the Community House’s Facebook page, so they can be viewed anytime.
McDermott has found the mechanics of making the videos, such as positioning his iPhone so everything he wants is in the frame, is more difficult than he expected and he has gained new respect for You-Tubers.
He has been doing the projects on his front porch, the only “unclaimed space” in his Westmont house, he said. For the first video, he was sitting on the floor working on an old coffee table.
At times while he was painting or making the clay model, the viewer could not see everything he was doing.
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“Everybody is watching me learn,” McDermott said. “I’ve done a ton of acting in my life and I’ve been getting up in front of people to perform since I was 13, but this is different.”
“Originally, I was trying to do a quick 15-minute project, but everything has taken longer.” His new goal is to have the project finished by 5 p.m.
“The hope is this becomes appointment TV for folks at some point,” McDermott said. “This also is an opportunity to reach people who are not familiar with our programs.”
Watching McDermott’s efforts, baby boomers who grew up in Chicago may be reminded of Ray Rayner, who had a children’s television show on Channel 9 in the 1960s and ‘70s. Although McDermott has more artistic talent than Rayner demonstrated when doing crafts, both have the same natural, unrehearsed appeal, such as when McDermott stares into the camera waiting for the clock to hit 4:15.
He hopes the online programming will expand to include music lessons, taught by Community House music instructors.
For the time being, McDermott playing the ukulele and singing Woody Guthrie’s “This Land is Your Land,” is a nice substitute.


chicagotribune--2020-03-30--Antioch man charged with criminal damage to property at building that houses Barrington police and f

Antioch man charged with criminal damage to property at building that houses Barrington police and fire departments

Cody L. Dema , of the 25000 block of First Street , Antioch , was charged March 22 with criminal @ @ @ @ @ a peace officer at 400 North Northwest Highway , the address of Barrington ’ s @ @ @ @ @ Dema is scheduled to appear in court April 29 .

The following items were taken from Barrington Police Department reports and releases. An arrest does not constitute a finding of guilt.
Criminal damage to property
Cody L. Dema, of the 25000 block of First Street, Antioch, was charged March 22 with criminal damage to property and obstructing a peace officer at 400 North Northwest Highway, the address of Barrington’s police and fire departments. Dema is scheduled to appear in court April 29.
Domestic battery
Domestic battery in the first block of East Dundee Road was reported March 15.


chicagotribune--2020-03-29--2 Cubs game-day employees test positive for the coronavirus

“ There was nothing definitive to suggest training may have contributed to exposure , as we were nearly 20 days @ @ @ @ @ we were notified , ” Green said .
“ But out of an abundance of @ @ @ @ @ , it was the right thing to do to inform our staff and because we @ @ @ @ @

Two Cubs game-day employees who attended a March 8 training session at Wrigley Field have tested positive for the coronavirus, the team confirmed Sunday.
The team has lent its support to the employees, said Julian Green, the Cubs vice president of communication and community affairs.
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The workers alerted the team of their condition early last week. One was hospitalized, and the other is recovering at home.
“There was nothing definitive to suggest training may have contributed to exposure, as we were nearly 20 days removed from the training when we were notified,” Green said. “But out of an abundance of caution, transparency and responsibility, it was the right thing to do to inform our staff and because we’re all family.
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“We know many of these associates know each other, spend time together and speak frequently, so we want everyone to take the necessary precautions and follow CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) guidance even though we’re not together and playing baseball.”
The Chicago Sun-Times first reported the positive tests.


chicagotribune--2020-03-29--Sam Batt, whose family’s restaurant was known for its top-notch Jewish food, dies

The restaurant was opened in 1929 by Batt ’ s parents , Tillie and Harry , and operated for years @ @ @ @ @ what was once the Lexington Hotel , later the New Michigan Hotel , where gangster @ @ @ @ @ to 1931 .
For many years it was run by Sam and his brother Nathan @ @ @ @ @ and dinner , with both a cocktail lounge and a coffee shop .

Sam Batt ran the iconic Mama Batt’s Restaurant at 22nd Street and Michigan Avenue, continuing a family tradition of offering Jewish specialties, steaks and chops to customers who were sometimes drawn by the restaurant’s ample parking and bus service to nearby McCormick Place and Comiskey Park.
The restaurant was opened in 1929 by Batt’s parents, Tillie and Harry, and operated for years in ground floor space in what was once the Lexington Hotel, later the New Michigan Hotel, where gangster Al Capone lived from 1928 to 1931. For many years it was run by Sam and his brother Nathan, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, with both a cocktail lounge and a coffee shop.
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“They had the best Jewish food in the city,” said Batt’s son, Ira. “Hungarian goulash, homemade soups, brisket, corned beef, steaks and chops.”
Sam Batt owned Mama Batt's Restaurant until it closed in 1981. (Family photo)
Batt, 99, died of natural causes March 19 in La Posada in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, according to his son. He moved to Florida about 18 years ago, after living for years in New Buffalo, Michigan, where he had posted a number of Chicago street signs.
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He grew up in Chicago. After graduating from what was then Crane Tech High School, he went into the Army. He was stationed near Tacoma, Washington, his son said.
After leaving the Army, Batt studied briefly at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign but soon left to return to the family restaurant business.
He worked his way up from busboy and dishwasher to an eventual management role.
Mama Batt's drew diners from the neighborhood and nearby attractions like McCormick Place, Soldier Field and Comiskey Park, according to the Tribune’s 2011 obituary for Nathan Batt. Celebrities including Jerry Lewis, Perry Como and Danny Thomas stopped by, often while performing at the nearby Arie Crown Theater.
Ira Batt said part of the restaurant’s draw was a large — and free — parking lot across the street, where people could leave their cars and ride free shuttle buses to those nearby attractions. They could return for lunch or dinner and a few drinks at the restaurant.
For years, much of the cooking was done by the late James “Jimmy” Lemons, an African American who perfected his skills in cooking Jewish food over more than 20 years with the restaurant. Lemons worked at Mama Batt’s from approximately the mid-1940s to the late 1960s, when he left to open what is now Lem’s Bar-B-Q on East 75th Street in Chicago.
“They treated my dad like that was their son,” Carmela Lemons said. “The Batt family bought my dad his first brand-new car. They loved my father, my father loved them.”
Lemons said her father, who died in 2015, had his hands full at times. “That place was crowded, (especially) during lunchtime,” she said.
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The restaurant operated in the hotel space from the mid-1950s until closing in 1981, when the brothers retired.
“They didn’t own the building,” Ira Batt said. The hotel closed around 1980. It enjoyed a brief brush with fame in 1986, when Geraldo Rivera hosted a live television special for the opening of a secret vault said to belong to Capone, but the vault held little of interest.
The building was eventually demolished in the mid-1990s. The site is now home to an apartment building known as Arrive Lex.
In retirement, Batt continued his love of golf, playing at the Pottawatomie Country Club in Michigan City, not far from his home.
“He was an avid golfer, that was his life,” said Fred Daley Jr., a Chicago attorney who met Batt when he joined the club in 1989. As was the case in the restaurant, he knew everybody, said Daley, no relation to Chicago’s Bridgeport Daleys, whom Batt also knew well.
Batt often used his organizing skills to combine golf with fun and fundraising. Sometimes there was even a bus involved.
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Daley said Batt regularly organized the Sam Batt Open, an annual golf tournament that drew some 60 people to travel by bus to golf courses in the Indiana and Michigan area. It was basically a fundraiser for a rotating group of good causes like a local food pantry.
“He was great at signing people up,” Daley said. “He’d have all these prizes, raffle prizes. He was very gregarious, a very funny guy.”
Batt continued to play golf until he was 96, said Daley, who played with him in Florida. He also continued to raise money for good causes, whether selling specially priced drink tickets at La Posada or organizing a car wash.
“He still had energy right to the end,” Daley said.
In addition to his son, Batt is survived by his wife of 73 years, Pearl; his daughter, Sandra Sterling; a sister, Annabelle Turchik; seven grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.
Services were held.
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Megan is a freelance reporter.


chicagotribune--2020-03-31--Daywatch: Virus crisis looms for Cook County’s incarcerated, the brave new world of pandemic shoppin

Daywatch: Virus crisis looms for Cook County’s incarcerated, the brave new world of pandemic shopping and what Mayor Lori Lightfoot thinks of your memes

One week after Illinois ’ stay at home order went into effect , Chicago-area stores are no longer thronged with @ @ @ @ @ toilet paper , canned beans and bottled water .
Instead , a new reality is @ @ @ @ @ 24-hour shopping , free samples and self-service food bars have been abandoned , while policies @ @ @ @ @ toilet paper have become standard .
Signs advising shoppers to give fellow customers space are @ @ @ @ @ sight of employees sanitizing carts with disinfectant .

Want Daywatch delivered to your inbox? Sign up here. | Get the top Tribune stories of the day on your smart speaker | Here’s how to get the most out of your Tribune subscription | Got something to say? Join the conversation on our Facebook page
Good morning, Chicago. Here is the coronavirus news and other stories you need to know to start your day.
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Officials announced Monday that Illinois’ known coronavirus case count climbed by 461, including another eight deaths. The state has now recorded 5,057 known cases of COVID-19, which includes 73 deaths.
The U.S. reported more than 163,000 infections and over 3,000 deaths, according to a count by Johns Hopkins University on Monday
Worldwide, on Monday there were more than 784,000 cases reported and over 37,000 deaths, per the Johns Hopkins university count
Breaking coronavirus news Stay up to date with the latest information on coronavirus with our breaking news alerts.
A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers emergency operations truck is parked outside McCormick Place on Monday, March 30, 2020 where a temporary hospital is being built to keep pace with growing hospital demand amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
As the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Illinois climbed to more than 5,000 on Monday, work began on converting McCormick Place into a medical facility that could handle a potential crush of COVID-19 cases and help ease growing concerns about a possible bed shortage in the Chicago area.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced the lakefront convention center will have 500 beds available by week’s end. The medical center, which is being called an alternate care facility, eventually will be able to hold 3,000 beds for patients, most of whom would have mild symptoms and would not require intensive care.
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Officials knew two weeks ago just what kind of crisis loomed outside the front doors of the sprawling Cook County Jail.
COVID-19 had just been declared a pandemic. More than 5,500 detainees were housed in close quarters inside the Southwest Side facility, with new arrivals coming daily from all corners of the county. Conditions were ideal for the new disease’s unchecked spread.
Monica Bebolla picks up supplies with her children Anthony, 7, and Aliha, 5, on Monday at Thomas Kelly College Prep in Chicago. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)
Chicago Public Schools will officially begin remote learning on April 13 and aims to get tens of thousands of electronic devices into the hands of homebound students — but leaders won’t say whether the school shutdown prompted by the coronavirus pandemic will last longer than previously declared, through April 20.
Trader Joe's customers create space between themselves as they wait patiently in line at the Clybourn Avenue location on March 28, 2020. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)
One week after Illinois’ stay at home order went into effect, Chicago-area stores are no longer thronged with shoppers anxiously piling carts with toilet paper, canned beans and bottled water. Instead, a new reality is setting in. Conveniences like 24-hour shopping, free samples and self-service food bars have been abandoned, while policies rationing items as basic as toilet paper have become standard. Signs advising shoppers to give fellow customers space are common, as is the sight of employees sanitizing carts with disinfectant.
In this file photo, Mayor Lori Lightfoot holds a press conference to discuss stopping the further spread of COVID-19, at City Hall Thursday, March 26, 2020. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has seen the internet memes that depict her enforcing the state’s stay-at-home order and clearing citizens from the public way.
And she’s a fan.


chicagotribune--2020-03-30--‘The Last Dance,’ ESPN’s 10-part documentary on Michael Jordan and the Bulls, will be moved up to ai

‘The Last Dance,’ ESPN’s 10-part documentary on Michael Jordan and the Bulls, will be moved up to air in April, report says

“ I know some have asked about ‘ The Last Dance , ’ and the reality is that the production @ @ @ @ @ yet been completed , so we are limited there at the moment .
Obviously , @ @ @ @ @ it until it ’ s done .
”

Like Michael Jordan and the 1997-98 Bulls, ESPN’s “The Last Dance” apparently cannot be held back.
Years in the making and originally scheduled to launch in June in conjunction with the NBA Finals, the long-awaited 10-part documentary about the Jordan-led team’s pursuit of its sixth and final championship instead will run on five successive Sunday nights beginning April 19, ESPN announced Tuesday.
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One-hour episodes will debut in pairs weekly, beginning at 8 p.m. Central time, through May 17.
“As society navigates this time without live sports, viewers are still looking to the sports world to escape and enjoy a collective experience,” ESPN said in a statement. “We’ve heard the calls from fans asking us to move up the release date for this series, and we’re happy to announce that we’ve been able to accelerate the production schedule to do just that.
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“This project celebrates one of the greatest players and dynasties ever, and we hope it can serve as a unifying entertainment experience to fill the role that sports often play in our lives, telling a story that will captivate everyone, not just sports fans.”
So excited to officially share the news: The Last Dance - Coming April 19th! @espn -- and outside of the US on @netflix #thelastdance #thewaitisover🍿🏀 pic.twitter.com/5s0p0OWyDD — Estee Portnoy (@esteep) March 31, 2020
The scheduling change, which fans lobbied for via social media, comes as the coronavirus pandemic has millions of people home-bound and looking to TV for diversion in the absence of live sports.
Promos for the series had changed earlier in March to say “The Last Dance” was “coming soon” rather than “coming in June,” despite ESPN publicly downplaying expectations.
April 19th can’t come fast enough. I CAN NOT WAIT!! 🗣Yessir!🍿 #LastDance — LeBron James (@KingJames) March 31, 2020
This naturally stoked speculation ESPN would expedite the documentary series combining behind-the-scenes video and interviews with not only Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Steve Kerr, Phil Jackson and other principals, but also other NBA stars and peripheral figures such as former President Barack Obama.
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ESPN indicated in mid-March that such a move would be far easier said than done.
For one thing, ESPN has multiple partners on the project, including Jordan’s Jump 23, NBA Entertainment and Mandalay Sports Media, along with Netflix, which will distribute the series internationally beginning April 20. Also, the miniseries wasn’t finished.
“Overall, any original content project that we can conceivably move up, we are obviously considering that, including films,” said Burke Magnus, ESPN’s executive vice president of programming, acquisitions and scheduling.
“I know some have asked about ‘The Last Dance,’ and the reality is that the production of that film has not yet been completed, so we are limited there at the moment. Obviously, you can’t air it until it’s done.”
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“The Last Dance” is directed by Jason Hehir, whose well-received documentaries include “Andre the Giant,” “The ’85 Bears” and “The Fab Five.”
“Michael Jordan and the ‘90s Bulls weren’t just sports superstars, they were a global phenomenon,” Hehir said in a statement. “Making ‘The Last Dance’ was an incredible opportunity to explore the extraordinary impact of one man and one team.
"For nearly three years, we searched far and wide to present the definitive story of an era-defining dynasty and to present these sports heroes as humans. I hope viewers enjoy watching our series as much as we enjoyed the opportunity to make it.”


chicagotribune--2020-03-30--South Florida’s new stay-at-home order could make early-June start for baseball difficult

Hillsborough County , where the Yankees spring training facility in Tampa is located , has been under a ‘ Safer @ @ @ @ @ since last week .
While players have been allowed to continue carefully staggered individual workouts @ @ @ @ @ , for example no more than three players are allowed in the gym at the @ @ @ @ @ protective gloves under their batting gloves .

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chicagotribune--2020-02-04--Winnetka-Northfield library director resigns after months of turmoil; officials mum on details: ‘Thi

Winnetka-Northfield library director resigns after months of turmoil; officials mum on details: ‘This brings up more questions than it answers’

“ The board ’ s No .
1 priority right now should be ensuring that its staff are among those @ @ @ @ @ director , and they should also welcome and embrace patrons being involved in the process @ @ @ @ @ should have some say , because it ’ s their tax money , ” Richmond @ @

Following months of turmoil, the director of the Winnetka-Northfield Public Library District has resigned from her post “to pursue other opportunities,” library officials said.
Library spokeswoman Sarah Quish confirmed in a statement that library director Rebecca Wolf had resigned, adding that library officials declined to comment on the departure. The library’s board of trustees had already announced last month that they intended to replace Wolf, who officials said was, "out of the office for an indefinite period of time.”
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“Personnel matters are private and confidential,” Quish said.
Wolf was not immediately available for comment Monday. Library officials have not previously answered questions about whether Wolf was being paid during her time out of the office.
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But former library employee Amy Richmond, who said she resigned from her job at the library last year due to what she described as a “toxic” work environment, questioned why the library board was refusing to release details of Wolf’s resignation.
“This brings up more questions than it answers,” Richmond said, adding that she is frustrated that the library board has declined to explain the terms of Wolf’s resignation, including if she received a severance package, and if so, indicating the cost to taxpayers.
Former library director Rebecca Wolf is is pictured during a Sept. 16, 2019, meeting of the Winnetka-Northfield Public Library District’s board of trustees. (Brian OMahoney / Pioneer Press)
Richmond said she also hopes that moving forward, the library will take a transparent approach when recruiting and hiring a new leader.
“The board’s No. 1 priority right now should be ensuring that its staff are among those who are choosing the new director, and they should also welcome and embrace patrons being involved in the process, too, as they should have some say, because it’s their tax money,” Richmond said.
Susan Kelly, who said she resigned from her job at the library last year because of Wolf’s management style, also questioned why the library board has remained silent about the details of the director’s abrupt departure.
“The primary mission of a library is to share information, and taxpayers deserve to know how much of their money has gone into this whole process,” Kelly said. “Those are funds that have been diverted and could have paid for other things, like buying new books, so it’s a shame they’re reluctant to share this information.”
According to library documents, roughly 88 employees, including both full-time and part-time workers, left the library district since Wolf’s hiring in 2013.
In their recent statement announcing Wolf’s departure, library officials conveyed a positive portrayal of the outgoing director, saying, "the library district has seen significant improvements during Rebecca Wolf’s tenure, including the full renovation of the Winnetka branch; new youth, creative and study spaces; and innovations such as The Studio and the introduction of RFID technology and self-checkout.”
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In addition, library officials stated that, “Annual community surveys have given the library high marks for patron satisfaction and excellent customer service.”
Officials also confirmed the library board has launched a search for a new director, and have appointed Emily Compton-Dzak, Assistant Director and Head of Adult Services, as Interim Director.
“The board has full confidence in the staff’s ability to manage a seamless transition and to continue to provide outstanding service to library patrons,” officials said.
kcullotta@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @kcullotta


chicagotribune--2020-03-31--Gov. J.B. Pritzker promises state doing all it can to see more prisoners exit system as coronavirus

Gov. J.B. Pritzker promises state doing all it can to see more prisoners exit system as coronavirus spreads

Pritzker ’ s announcement came after the Tribune reported advocates for the incarcerated and inmates themselves have called for the @ @ @ @ @ consideration of releases and be more aggressive in preventing people from being exposed to the @ @ @ @ @ .
IDOC has been unclear about its process and parameters for considering which inmates can @ @ @ @ @ general public in sheltering at home .

The state has made a concerted effort to release prison inmates early to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 behind bars, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Tuesday, pointing to an Illinois’ prison population that sits at its lowest count since the 1990s.
In his daily coronavirus press briefing the same day a Tribune story raised questions about the Illinois Department of Corrections’ response to the virus, Pritzker said nearly 300 more inmates have recently been released and the state is continuing to review case files to potentially send more out of harm’s way.
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“We’re working hard to balance the need to free up as much space in our prisons as possible with making sure we’re not releasing those who may pose a risk to their communities,” Pritzker said at his news conference.
Jails and prisons — where effective “social distancing” is nearly impossible — have the potential to become hot spots for the virus’ spread.
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There are 32 inmates in state prisons who have tested positive for COVID-19, and 18 staff members with confirmed infections, Pritzker announced. One of the state’s 99 confirmed COVID-19 fatalities was an inmate at Stateville prison in Joliet.
The Department of Corrections is examining case files of “as many low-risk offenders as possible” to determine if they are eligible for early release, Pritzker said.
Pritzker’s announcement came after the Tribune reported advocates for the incarcerated and inmates themselves have called for the state to speed up its consideration of releases and be more aggressive in preventing people from being exposed to the virus in the prison system. IDOC has been unclear about its process and parameters for considering which inmates can leave early to join the general public in sheltering at home.
Meanwhile, 17 local doctors and public health experts delivered a letter to Pritzker on Monday urging him to immediately commute the sentences of elderly inmates, people with underlying health conditions and anyone with less than a year left on their sentences.
“Facilities combine the worst aspects of cruise ships and nursing homes when dealing with COVID-19, as they contain high concentrations of people in close proximity and are breeding grounds for the uncontrolled transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19,” the letter states.
The governor on Tuesday said those released are being vetted to ensure they do not have a history of violence and have an appropriate place to live upon release — which is particularly challenging amid a pandemic, Pritzker said.
Meanwhile, hospitals near prison facilities will receive whatever assistance they need to handle inmates with the disease, and Pritzker warned of harsh penalties if any clinics or doctors refused to care for incarcerated patients.
“An incarcerated person is a person, and my administration will not be in the business of claiming one life is worth more than another,” he said.
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Pritzker said his administration inherited an overcrowded system, and that “when we get through this immediate crisis we all need to have a real conversation about criminal justice reform and the status and conditions of our state prisons.”
mcrepeau@chicagotribune.com
asweeney@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-03-31--Frank Maloney, the longtime Cubs ticket director and a former Syracuse football coach, dies at 79

Syracuse hired Maloney as head coach before the 1974 season , and the Orangemen posted a 32-46 record in his @ @ @ @ @ Their best season under Maloney was 1979 , when they went 7-5 and won the @ @ @ @ @ standouts Joe Morris , Art Monk and Craig Wolfley despite playing all games off campus @ @ @ @ @ Dome , which opened in Maloney ’ s final season .

Frank Maloney’s 29 seasons in the Cubs ticket office capped a life in sports that evolved at Mount Carmel High School and blossomed into a football coaching career in which he worked for and taught some of the game’s most successful coaches.
Maloney, who served as the Cubs director of ticket operations from 1987 until his retirement after the 2010 season, died Monday at his Chicago home from complications of metastatic brain cancer, according to Syracuse.com. He was 79.
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“Among the difficulties we’re all facing today, the passing of Frank Maloney is a particularly tough moment for the Cubs organization,” Crane Kenney, the Cubs president of business operations, said in a statement Tuesday. “If you had any relationship with the Cubs during Tribune’s ownership era, you knew Frank Maloney.
“His big voice, commanding demeanor and commitment to excellence were certainly honed during his time as a college football coach, but what those closest to Frank knew was that behind the tough exterior was a soft heart who loved his colleagues and more than anything else loved his wife, Kathy, his three children and grandchildren.”
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Maloney played guard at Michigan and served as an assistant coach for the Wolverines under Bo Schembechler from 1969 to 1973. In between he was head coach at Mount Carmel for six seasons, leading the Caravan to the 1967 Prep Bowl title.
Syracuse hired Maloney as head coach before the 1974 season, and the Orangemen posted a 32-46 record in his seven seasons in charge. Their best season under Maloney was 1979, when they went 7-5 and won the Independence Bowl with future NFL standouts Joe Morris, Art Monk and Craig Wolfley despite playing all games off campus during construction of the Carrier Dome, which opened in Maloney’s final season.
Among the coaches who worked under Maloney at Syracuse were Nick Saban, Tom Coughlin, George O’Leary and Jerry Angelo.
Maloney served as a scout for the Cowboys in 1981 before joining the Cubs, according to Syracuse.com. The lure of returning home and spending more time with his wife and kids was one of the perks.
With the Cubs, Maloney oversaw the entire ticket department — a colossal task considering the popularity of the team and Wrigley Field and requests from celebrities.
“Running the ticket office for nearly three decades, he led the team to its first 2 million fan season in 1984, its first 3 million fan season in 2004 and set a record for seven consecutive seasons with more than 3 million in attendance from 2004-2010,” Kenney said.


chicagotribune--2020-03-31--Watch live: Members of the coronavirus task force hold a press briefing

Watch live as members of the coronavirus task force provide an update on the coronavirus outbreak in a briefing scheduled @ @ @ @ @ Get the latest updates here .

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chicagotribune--2020-03-31--Glenview church hit by COVID-19 is now streaming service online, as pastor remembers usher who died

Glenview church hit by COVID-19 is now streaming service online, as pastor remembers usher who died of disease and responds to backlash over fateful gathering

“ Even before service here , my phone was blowing up .
Not everything was pleasant to read , ” @ @ @ @ @ ’ re infamous for deciding to have church on Sunday the 15th .
And people @ @ @ @ @ to tell me that over and over and over .
”

The Life Church of Glenview, located in suburban Glenview, has moved its services online after a March 15, 2020 service where several members went on to test positive for coronavirus. A man described as a head usher of the church died of the COVID-19 disease in recent days. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
The Life Church of Glenview, where leaders previously said dozens of members were experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, held a virtual service Sunday where a member who recently died of the disease was remembered and the pastor spoke on the criticism received over holding a recent in-person gathering.
Prayers were offered for the health of the congregation.
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"This church is in need of a touch from the holy ghost,” Pastor Anthony LoCascio said in prayer at the start of the service that was livestreamed on YouTube.
Forty-three people who attended a March 15 service at the church, located in Glenview, are displaying symptoms of the illness, including LoCascio, his wife Layna LoCascio wrote in a Facebook post March 25.
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Ten members tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, Anthony LoCascio confirmed in an email Monday to Pioneer Press.
The last in-person Sunday service was March 15, days before the governor’s stay-at-home order, and church leaders said about 80 people attended. Government officials had already called for large public events to be scaled down to 1,000 people and for private ones to have a maximum 250 in attendance.
In the service Sunday livestreamed from the LoCascio’s home, the pastor said the congregation is “on the mend.” He asked members who are symptomatic to continue to self-quarantine at their homes until they are free of symptoms for at least three days to prevent spreading the disease to others.
He also commemorated the church’s lead usher, a man who died Friday, after he had previously tested positive for COVID-19, saying he was “promoted to his eternal reward.” Several months ago, the man had been diagnosed with “inoperable stage four pancreatic cancer,” Anthony LoCascio said.
The faith leader said COVID-19 was “the final disease on top of everything else.”
“He will be missed, but he will never be forgotten,” he said. “We have shed lots of tears … and we are lifting (the family) up.”
Although Layna LoCascio said in her post that two other members were hospitalized, everyone is now recovering at home, Anthony LoCascio said in the email.
The church’s leadership has faced criticism for holding that last in-person service which some say seemed to have lead to the spread of COVID-19 among members. Anthony LoCascio said church leaders “were operating under the current information available at the time” and had asked sick people to stay home, wiped down surfaces and provided hand sanitizer.
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“Even before service here, my phone was blowing up. Not everything was pleasant to read,” he said. “We’re infamous for deciding to have church on Sunday the 15th. And people have been feeling the need to tell me that over and over and over.”
He said he understands people are “scared” and “want to lash out," but the outbreak in the church is “not an isolated situation.”
The pastor and his wife at times became emotional while praying and singing during the virtual service Sunday. He asked the congregation to pray and “seek the face of God" and said he is sending “love” to people criticizing the church.
“In this hour of darkness, I know how to turn on the light,” LoCascio said through tears near the end of the service. “It’s to shut all of this negativity out and say ‘I love you, Lord.’”
During the online service, the pastor said the church was considering an outdoor Easter service where people stay six feet apart, but said in the email Monday that the Easter service would be virtual.
In the email, Anthony LoCascio said the congregation is supporting each other.
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“Like everyone right now, we are reaching for our loved ones and doing what we can to flatten the curve,” he said. “Our prayers are with those who are still recovering, for first responders and health care workers who are on the front lines providing critical care for those who are ill.”
akim@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-03-31--COVID-19 concerns temporarily close several suburban train stations used by Metra riders

“ Where we are able to , we will maintain the number of cars on trains to allow for social @ @ @ @ @ s statement said .
“ On a line-by-line basis , Metra is monitoring ridership and @ @ @ @ @ meet the ridership demands .
”

Several suburban train stations used by Metra riders have been temporarily shuttered amid the spread of COVID-19.
A total of 11 stations operated and staffed by employees of Union Pacific have been closed on three train lines, said Union Pacific spokeswoman Kristen South.
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“In an effort to limit interaction for employees with public-facing positions, such as ticket agents, and help stop the spread of COVID-19, until further notice, depots are closed on Union Pacific’s lines,” South said in a statement.
The stations include the Waukegan, Highland Park and Davis Street Evanston stations on the Union Pacific North Line; the Crystal Lake, Arlington Park, Mount Prospect and Uptown Park Ridge stations on the Union Pacific Northwest Line; and the Geneva, Villa Park, Lombard and Elmhurst stations on the Union Pacific West Line.
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Though ticket windows are now closed, riders who board trains at these stations can purchase tickets using the Ventra app, South said.
Metra trains are currently running on alternate service schedules due to reduced ridership during the COVID-19 pandemic, the rail system said on its website.
“Where we are able to, we will maintain the number of cars on trains to allow for social distancing,” Metra’s statement said. “On a line-by-line basis, Metra is monitoring ridership and may further reduce service to meet the ridership demands.”
jjohnson@chicagotribune.com
Twitter: @Jen_Tribune


chicagotribune--2020-03-31--Area police departments adjust to serving during coronavirus pandemic

“ We ’ re only stopping people for aggressive violations , ” he said .
“ If someone is going @ @ @ @ @ miles per hour ) over the speed limit we ’ ll most likely pull up @ @ @ @ @ them to slow down , which usually works .
”

Signs like this one at the entrance to the Burr Ridge Police Department are not uncommon int the area, as several departments have put measures in place during the coronavirus pandemic. (Kimberly Fornek / Pioneer Press)
Emergency responders are taking extra steps to protect themselves and the public from the coronavirus.
Paramedics, for example, wear surgical masks and gloves when they respond to any call, said Tri-State Fire Protection District Chief Sam Molinaro. They may have the patient put on a mask, too, depending on information the dispatch center relays about the person’s symptoms.
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They add eye protection and gowns when they respond to a call at any nursing home or assisted living facility, Molinaro said.
And police officers, too, have temporarily changed their protocol due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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La Grange police officers have been instructed to minimize contact with people, so when they see a violation, an officer will use his discretion to decide whether he needs to stop the apparent offender, said La Grange Police Chief Kurt Bluder said.
Certainly, if an officer sees an egregious offense, he or she will intervene, Bluder said.
When one officer stops a driver, the officer approaches the car from the passenger side, as opposed to the driver’s side to put more distance between him or herself and the driver, Bluder said.
Officers on patrol routinely carry a first aid kit in their squad cars and the kit, even prior to the coronavirus, has included N95 masks and gloves to protect against blood born pathogens and biohazards, Bluder said.
La Grange has an adequate supply of gloves and masks, he said. The department had a box of N95 masks in storage and had just ordered several boxes of disposable gloves. They also have been issued safety glasses, Bluder said.
In Clarendon Hills, veteran officer Jeff Pasteris said officers are being extremely cautious.
“We’re only stopping people for aggressive violations,” he said. “If someone is going maybe 10 to 12 (miles per hour) over the speed limit we’ll most likely pull up alongside them and signal to them to slow down, which usually works.”
“Each squad is equipped with PPE (personal protective equipment) equipment so that we have that available if needed,” he said.
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La Grange Park, Western Springs, Hinsdale and Burr Ridge along with La Grange, are not responding to every call for service. Instead, officers are taking information over the phone for ordinance violations and delayed reports, and telling residents not to come to the police station to report a problem.
The departments continue to respond to violent crimes, traffic crashes and property crimes, where evidence can be collected.
La Grange, Western Springs and La Grange Park ask residents to meet the officers outside when they arrive.
Hinsdale Police Chief Brian King said officers are maintaining a more visible presence around the village to provide security.
The departments have temporarily suspended all in-person services, such as fingerprinting for job applications, building tours and child seat safety checks.
In Oak Brook, police have asked those with a fever, cough or shortness of breath to conduct business over the phone, if possible, said public information officer Katherine Yager.
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“On calls where our officers respond to potential COVID-19 exposures, you may notice our officers wearing personal protective equipment, including face masks and gloves, and may ask you to step outside, keeping a safe distance from you,” Yager said.
Anyone needing an officer to respond should continue to call 911. A dispatcher may ask questions to determine if the caller has any coronavirus symptoms.
Area officers, including from Hinsdale and La Grange are cleaning their patrol cars with disinfectant and sanitizing wipes before and after each shift.
Hinsdale also is using a more aggressive cleaning regiment around the police station, King said.


chicagotribune--2020-03-31--With most funerals banned, funeral directors struggle to handle bodies, comfort mourners in age of c

With most funerals banned, funeral directors struggle to handle bodies, comfort mourners in age of coronavirus

“ We ’ re offering all of the families that have used our services—and even if they have not used @ @ @ @ @ this is over they can use our chapel with no fee to have some form @ @ @ @ @ ones , ” Jacobson said .
“ I think not only do the families need @ @ @ @ @ the communities need to express their grief to the families , and to share that @ @ @ @ @

Mike Simkins, owner of Simkins Funeral Home in Morton Grove, said funeral directors are doing their best to help families grieve even as the coronavirus pandemic prevents regular funerals. (HANDOUT)
Life has changed during the coronavirus pandemic. So has death.
Funeral directors and owners of funeral homes in Norridge, Franklin Park, Skokie and Morton Grove said procedures have changed as the world battles COVID-19.
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If a deceased person had the disease, the funeral home personnel who arrive to take the body often walk in with N95 masks. The funeral home must decide whether to permit embalming and expose the embalmer to the disease. And because Illinois is under a shelter-in-place rule, people cannot gather, at least in groups greater than 10, for a wake, visitation, funeral, shiva or memorial service.
"There will be a whole swath of the population that is going through a death and they won’t be allowed to grieve in the way they want to,” said Anthony J. Lupo Jr., owner and funeral director of Cumberland Chapels in Norridge.
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“That will have a lasting effect on a lot of people. That is going to be rough.”
Lupo said that personnel who remove a body from the site of death now wear N95 masks if they can get them. But his father, Anthony J. Lupo Sr., also owner and funeral director of Cumberland Chapels, noted they have always taken precautions.
“We have all of our staff don masks and gloves and gowns,” Lupo Sr. said. "It’s what we’ve always done for 30 years.”
There has always been an element of risk in handling deceased bodies.
“We’re trying to be extra cautious on handling every deceased that comes through, whether they’re confirmed coronavirus or not,” said Timothy S. Dawson, funeral director at Sax-Tiedemann Funeral Home in Franklin Park.
Other funeral directors observed that while the pandemic is forcing them to change many things, they are keeping dignity intact.
“The bodies are still being taken care of in the most dignified and respectful manner,” said David I. Jacobson, founder of Chicago Jewish Funerals in Skokie.
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Handling a COVID-19 case
While Lupo Jr. said Cumberland Chapels has not had a coronavirus victim yet, the personnel who come to take the body would put it in a body bag immediately and also put it in a cardboard box, of the type used for cremation, before bringing it into the funeral home.
Lupo Jr. said that according to guidelines issued in mid-March by the National Funeral Directors Association, which takes its guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, funeral homes can still do embalming on COVID-19 victims, and family and friends can still view the bodies.
“Embalmers can be exposed to blood-borne pathogens,” he said. “Normally we wear face masks, plus goggles, and now we’re wearing N95 masks and disposable gowns.”
However, deceased bodies do not need to be embalmed, especially if they are being cremated. If there is to be a visitation where family and friends would view the body, most funeral directors would embalm, he said. With the risk of COVID-19, he would prefer to protect his staff from doing it, however.
No normal funerals
With government orders to stay home, though, survivors are either not holding funerals or holding extremely limited funerals.
“With the mandate from the state, we have to have only graveside services with 10 people or less,” said Mike Simkins, owner of Simkins Funeral Home in Morton Grove. “Churches are closed and the cemeteries are only allowing graveside services.”
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Chicago Jewish Funerals is also doing graveside services limited to 10 people but they have found a way to allow other mourners to view the services. “Via livestream, we’re recording them,” Jacobson said.
Dawson said Sax-Tiedemann is hosting wakes, but in a very controlled manner. “We’re holding small wakes, the immediate family,” he explained. “We’re following the CDC guidelines, having them no larger than 10 people. We’re trying our best to serve the families and the community here but still do it responsibly.”
“We’re having small, limited visitations for the immediate family only,” reported Lupo. “We’re trying to limit it to one visitation at a time in the funeral home, which is difficult for us. Those are generally taking place for an hour, hour-and-a-half, in the morning or early afternoon.”
They make sure mourners maintain that six-foot distance. “We have signs at each of our entrances with illustrations showing what the six feet looks like,” Lupo said.
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Memorial services someday
Jacobson reported that Jewish families are still sitting shiva—the mourning period that Jews observe in their home–– but with small groups of family. He added Chicago Jewish Funerals is working on a way to use the Internet so that people wanting to make a condolence call during the shiva period can do it virtually.
All the funeral directors said they are encouraging mourners to hold memorial services once the pandemic is under control.
“We’re offering all of the families that have used our services—and even if they have not used our services—that when all of this is over they can use our chapel with no fee to have some form of memorialization for their loved ones,” Jacobson said. “I think not only do the families need to express their grief but the communities need to express their grief to the families, and to share that as condolence calls.”
Simkins admitted that the restrictions are “not convenient and not good for business and don’t allow us to serve the people the way we would like, but there’s no other choice at this time.”
Lupo believes that funeral home staff are not getting the credit they deserve. “They’re in hospitals and nursing homes every day,” he said. “They’re putting themselves as much in harm’s way as anybody else.”
Jacobson reflected, “The mandate is still ‘care for the dead; comfort the mourner.' We can’t sacrifice that. We just have to adjust the way we’re doing it.”
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Myrna Petlicki is a freelancer.


chicagotribune--2020-03-31--Blackhawks jersey ranks as NHL players’ favorite sweater in a poll

The Hawks sweater received about 28 % of the vote , followed by the Knights , Maple Leafs and Rangers @ @ @ @ @ , according to the survey of nearly 600 NHL players .
Slightly more than half @ @ @ @ @ a team that didn ’ t make the top four .

The Blackhawks’ jersey is a classic — at least in the estimation of their peers who took the NHL Players Association poll.
The Hawks sweater received about 28% of the vote, followed by the Knights, Maple Leafs and Rangers, tied at 6.8%, according to the survey of nearly 600 NHL players. Slightly more than half of poll takers voted for a team that didn’t make the top four.
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The annual poll’s release was delayed by the league’s suspension of its schedule because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Patrick Kane’s and Jonathan Toews’ sweaters currently rank sixth and ninth on the NHL online shop.
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While the brand seems to be doing just fine, the team didn’t fare as well as it has in past polls.
The union’s survey asked its players a range of questions, from who’s the best forward (Connor McDavid) to the one player (Sidney Crosby) you’d want on your team, and Hawks players didn’t make any of the top five lists.
Last year the United Center ranked as the fourth best atmosphere, but the survey didn’t include that question in this year’s survey, instead asking about the best visitor’s locker room (Edmonton’s Rogers Place).
The players also were asked who’s the best women’s hockey player in the world, and Lake Forest’s Hilary Knight and Palos Heights’ Kendall Coyne Schofield ranked second and third, respectively, behind Canada’s Marie-Philip Poulin. Last year, Knight edged out Poulin in the poll.


chicagotribune--2020-03-31--Fox-32 sports reporter Siera Santos leaving for Phoenix

“ I want to say thank you , Chicago , ” Santos said in her video .
“ Thank you @ @ @ @ @ me feel right at home when I moved here four years ago .

Sports reporter Siera Santos is leaving Chicago’s Fox-32 for the Fox station in Phoenix, her hometown.
Santos posted a video Monday night on social media bidding Chicago farewell and thanking viewers, but she did not say where she was headed or why.
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A Fox spokeswoman on Tuesday confirmed Santos, an Arizona State alumna, is set to start April 6 as a reporter and co-anchor for KSAZ’s “Fox 10 Sports Night.”
“I want to say thank you, Chicago,” Santos said in her video. “Thank you for accepting me and making me feel right at home when I moved here four years ago.
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“Thank you for being the most passionate, knowledgeable sports fans I’ve ever covered in my career. I have learned so much about myself here. I have grown personally and professionally.”
Santos is the second female sportscaster to leave Fox-32 this year.
Shae Peppler, who was part of the station’s Bears postgame show, among other responsibilities, said in January she was leaving Fox-32 to join husband and fellow broadcaster Jordan Cornette in Connecticut. Last week she announced she joined SiriusXM as an NFL Radio host.
UPDATE: I’m SiriusXM NFL Radio’s newest host & I could not be more excited to get back to discussing all things NFL! I’ll share when I’m working @siriusxmnflradio on my stories, but the party starts THIS Thursday. Sweet news call for SWEETNESS! pic.twitter.com/AeGmkTQxW8 — Shae Peppler Cornette (@shaepeppler) March 23, 2020
Santos joined Fox-32 in September 2018 shortly after leaving NBC Sports Chicago, where for three years she worked in multiple capacities, including, for a time, as reporter on White Sox telecasts.
Before coming to Chicago in 2015, Santos was a sports anchor and reporter for the CBS Los Angeles TV duopoly of KCBS and KCAL and hosted KCAL’s Sunday “Sports Central” and web segments for CBSLA.com. She also previously worked at CBS affiliate KWTV in Oklahoma City, NBC affiliate KOAA in Colorado Springs, Colo., and Fox Sports Arizona.


chicagotribune--2020-03-31--Guys, meet your new #WFH wardrobe

Guys, meet your new #WFH wardrobe

Joe : When I am ready to begin work , I always change into a comfortable but presentable “ uniform.
@ @ @ @ @ , it has been a long-sleeve knit , typically crew neck .
I also steer @ @ @ @ @ while I am working , I like to feel dressed .
I put on either @ @ @ @ @ a cool pair of sneakers .
Wearing only socks or going shoeless affects your way @ @ @ @ @ sluggish .

Tread lightly. Along with a burst of color, Nike's lightweight Air Zoom Pegasus 36 Trail has a perforated mesh upper for breathability. $103.97, nike.com (Nike)
If you’re working from home like just about everyone else these days, you’re probably discovering that one of the biggest challenges is keeping structure in your day.
Your new routine includes raiding the fridge every hour on the hour, you haven’t shaved in two weeks and you’ve been living in sweats. Yes, working from home requires restraint.
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You might think that getting dressed is pointless, since chances are you’re only going to be seen from the waist up for a video conference or weekly team check in, but don’t let social isolation prevent you from making the effort to add some focus to your workday.
Jesse Garza and Joe Lupo, co-founders of New York and Chicago wardrobe styling firm Visual Therapy offer tips on pulling yourself together with a cool but casual WFH wardrobe.
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Q: What do you wear when you work from home?
Joe: When I am ready to begin work, I always change into a comfortable but presentable “uniform.” For me right now, it has been a long-sleeve knit, typically crew neck. I also steer clear of wearing sweatpants because while I am working, I like to feel dressed. I put on either a rubber sole slip-on or a cool pair of sneakers. Wearing only socks or going shoeless affects your way of being — you become sluggish.
Q: Why should a guy care what he wears when he works from home?
Joe: A guy should care what he wears while working from home because it definitely affects your level of productivity, your posture and your delivery. Do it for yourself and give yourself some structure to your workday.
Q: What are wardrobe essentials for working from home?
Joe: Knit tops such as a button-up polo or a nice button-down shirt in white or blue. Try to avoid small or tight patterns that will look distorted on a video chat. Have comfortable pants such as cotton chinos in basic colors — you can repeat obviously. There are a lot of options in the athletic leisure category such as an easy pant with stretch. Just avoid sweats or workout clothes.
Jesse: Keep it simple, but always have a work “capsule” ready. Put aside a few pieces that are comfortable and presentable for a video chat.
Sometimes it’s worth it to step it up for dinner and have a stay-at-home date night. Putting on something that makes you feel good can dramatically change your mood.


chicagotribune--2020-03-31--Who brews Chicago’s best bourbon barrel-aged stout? Our March Madness-style tasting leads to an unli

Who brews Chicago’s best bourbon barrel-aged stout? Our March Madness-style tasting leads to an unlikely winner.

Taylor , Moreno and I met in Whiner ’ s taproom on a Thursday morning with a box of crackers @ @ @ @ @ clear ) and plenty of water ( to stay hydrated ) to taste through the @ @ @ @ @ the undertaking was Whiner ’ s head of sales , Adam Schulte , who kept @ @ @ @ @ across the four-hour tasting .
He presented two samples at a time in elegant stemmed @ @ @ @ @ us only as samples A and B .

Chicago is a city of many things. Tall buildings. Big shoulders. Mediocre sports teams. And bourbon barrel-aged stout.
The practice of aging imperial stout in bourbon barrels was born in Chicago, first introduced by Goose Island in the mid 1990s with the legendary Bourbon County Stout.
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It was such a dazzling and boozy creation, such an unexpected well of flavors — chocolate, vanilla, coconut, coffee, bourbon and oak, all the result of beer meeting barrel — that the style became a craft beer hallmark. Almost any ambitious brewery began aging stout in bourbon barrels as an annual cold weather release.
But then something happened: stuff.
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An assortment of 18 stout beers before a blind taste test at the Whiner Brewing tap room Feb. 27, 2020. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)
Brewers started putting stuff in their barrel-aged stouts. At first, these adjuncts, as they’re known, were an expression of creativity. Done well, the addition of coffee or vanilla beans could amplify a bourbon barrel-aged stout’s most delicious nuances.
Then it became an arms race: even more stuff. The stuff has included, but not been limited to: fruit, lactose, cacao nibs, cinnamon, marshmallows, chile peppers, maple syrup, nuts, mint, hazelnut and, well, you get the idea.
Yet there remains no purer expression of bourbon barrel-aged stout than the simple melding of beer and barrel. Done well, it’s an art.
For that reason, I rounded up as many adjunct-free, Chicago-made, bourbon barrel-aged imperial stouts as I could find from 2019. The goal: anointing a king of Chicago barrel aging.
There turned out to be 18 of them. Some were innately familiar, such as the aforementioned Bourbon County Stout. Others were far more recent creations, such as Ancient Evenings, from 2-year-old Roaring Table Brewing in Lake Zurich.
Two experts judged the beers with me: Brian Taylor, co-founder and brewmaster at Whiner Beer Co., and Mike Moreno, co-owner of Moreno’s Liquors and Osito’s Tap.
We tasted the lineup blind — there’s no purer approach to judging — and through the lens of a March Madness-style bracket. In two brackets, the 18 beers were seeded one through nine, based on the size and reputation of each brewery. Goose Island and Revolution were obvious top seeds. Second seeds went to Three Floyds and Begyle. And on it went.
Seeds
(Chicago Tribune)
Taylor, Moreno and I met in Whiner’s taproom on a Thursday morning with a box of crackers (to keep our palates clear) and plenty of water (to stay hydrated) to taste through the 18 stouts. Key to the undertaking was Whiner’s head of sales, Adam Schulte, who kept deft track of the beers across the four-hour tasting. He presented two samples at a time in elegant stemmed glasses, beers known to us only as samples A and B.
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Skip to the end if you must, but the suggestion here is to experience the tournament as we did, beer by beer, round by round, until a victor was revealed. Though we tasted the beers blind, I will reveal the match-ups as we go for your reading ease.
Sweet Eighteen
Brian Taylor, left, founder of Whiner Beer Co., and Mike Moreno, co-owner of Moreno’s Liquors and Osito’s Tap in Little Village, help taste the 18 stouts at the Whiner Brewing taproom Feb. 27, 2020. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)
We began by trimming the field, pitting the 8 and 9 seeds — all small suburban breweries — for the right to take on the two top seeds.
On one side, Roaring Table’s Ancient Evenings (8 seed) battled Buffalo Creek’s Barrel-Aged Hallows (9); Taylor described Ancient Evenings as having “nice chocolate cigar” character; Moreno called it “rich and sweet with nice barrel presence.” We were roundly impressed, and it was the unanimous victor, headed for a showdown against Revolution.
On the other side, Crystal Lake Brewing’s Boathouse Reserve Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout (8) faced off against Side Lot Brewery’s Distinguished Gentleman (9). The prize? A date with Goose Island. Crystal Lake Brewing was seen as a possible low-seeded sleeper; it has built momentum in recent years, especially behind its barrel-aging program. And indeed, it showed well.
Taylor and Moreno detected a welcome vanilla note in Crystal Lake’s stout, which segued into an oaky-boozy finish tempered by chocolaty sweetness. Taylor said it had “a good tobacco note on the aroma, and with a little more burn.” It was also a unanimous winner.
1 vs. 8
The matchup between Revolution Brewing’s Deth’s Tar (1) and Roaring Table’s Ancient Evenings (8) was closer than anyone would have expected.
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Taylor, his nose volleying between the glasses, said it would be a difficult decision. Both were quality beers.
We all admired Deth’s Tar for its tasty dark chocolate character and late bourbon-laden rush. Taylor called it “a great beer.” From Ancient Evenings, he said, he detected a heavy dose of “chocolate-cherry — which is not terrible.”
Moreno agreed, saying Ancient Evenings even veered toward cherry cola character. It was an interesting wrinkle, though not enough to topple the muscularity of Deth’s Tar, which is one of the most heralded bourbon barrel-aged stouts in Chicago for a reason.
Deth’s Tar was our unanimous choice.
The other side of the bracket was also surprisingly competitive. Taylor and Moreno detected a welcome vanilla note in Crystal Lake’s Boathouse Reserve Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout (8), which segued into a sweet oaky-boozy finish. Taylor said it had “a good tobacco note on the aroma, and with a little more burn.”
Bourbon County Stout (1), meanwhile, was obviously a well made beer. I tabbed it as sweet — perhaps too sweet — but its chocolaty-boozy character tied together nicely. Taylor noted dark fruit character, but said it was “right for the style.” He, too, thought it was “a little on the sweeter side.”
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It was a bold, well-made beer, and though Crystal Lake’s effort was respectable, it wasn’t enough to dethrone the king. We unanimously voted for Bourbon County Stout.
2 vs. 7
Begyle Brewing seemed to have as good a chance as any brewery to win the tournament. Its Barrel-Aged Imperial Pajamas (2) beat 172 other barrel-aged stouts to win gold last year at the Great American Beer Festival. If that 2018 vintage could beat 171 national competitors, surely the 2019 vintage could beat 17 local competitors.
Its matchup against Asmodeus (7), from Romeoville’s Metal Monkey. was a battle of two quality beers with well-integrated flavors and similar strengths.
Imperial Pajamas was noticeably sweeter, with a strong cherry note and subtle vanilla aroma. Asmodeus showed more chocolate character with roasty tobacco and leathery notes. Both had silky textures and deep flavors.
“They’re quite similar,” Moreno said. “It’s tough.”
Adam Schulte, sales director of Whiner Beer Co., pours one of 18 stouts during the blind test tasting at the brewery's taproom Feb. 27, 2020. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)
He initially leaned toward Begyle (“a little sweeter — molasses sweetness,” he said) but landed on Metal Monkey. Taylor also went Metal Monkey for its bourbon and oak character: “It smells like the Heaven Hill distillery,” he said.
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There was no wrong answer; it came down to personal preference: sweeter or burlier? We all went burly. And Asmodeus advanced.
The other side of the bracket featured the legendary Three Floyds (2) against Alter Brewing (7), of Downers Grove.
This was yet another difficult matchup, though for the wrong reason: We didn’t love either beer. Begyle and Metal Monkey would have likely beaten either of these beers. But in this matchup, Three Floyds’ Blot Out the Sun had at least one advantage: a classic woody, leathery, tobacco-laden, barrel-aged aroma. It was enough to make Blot Out the Sun the unanimous winner.
3 vs. 6
Spiteful versus Cruz Blanca presented yet another challenge.
Spiteful’s Barrel-Aged Hostile Harry (3) was the kind of beer I wanted to crawl inside of for a nap, a bruising, 6-ounces-by-the-fire sipper, rich with cacao. Cruz Blanca’s Rey Gordo (6) was deeply layered by comparison: sweet and chocolaty, but drying in the finish, tempered with fruitiness and a hint of molasses. It was a deft integration of beer and barrel.
Taylor noted the large cacao nib character in Hostile Harry, as well as a deep cigar note. Moreno said it had “deep dark chocolate” and “heavy barrel.”
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“I can’t complain about either one,” Taylor said.
Moreno voted for Spiteful, saying he liked its oaky heft. Taylor endorsed Spiteful’s massive aroma, but preferred Cruz Blanca for “a more traditional barrel-aged stout nose — deep fruit, a prune-type nose.”
I’d gladly savor a glass of either, but opted for Cruz Blanca for a bit more balance and nuance. Rey Gordo went to the next round.
On the other side of the bracket, we all considered Wild Onion (6), of Lake Barrington, another potential sleeper. The brewery is nearly 25 years old and its Barrel-Aged Drago is well regarded.
Pollyanna’s Movembeer (3) was respectable, but struggled against Drago’s balance of chocolate, cherry and a rich tobacco aroma. Taylor said he got “a lot of cigar” character from Drago and called the beer “very balanced.” Moreno said he got “nice heavy barrel on nose — rich tobacco and decadent chocolate.”
It was a unanimous vote for Drago.
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4 vs. 5
Moody Tongue’s Bourbon Barrel-Aged 12 Layer Cake Imperial Stout (4) showed deft balance: a burst of dark fruity character and nicely integrated notes of chocolate and vanilla.
Moreno appreciated the light fruity notes; Taylor said it had “super sweet tobacco character ... everything blends together easy.”
We were all a little thrown by Temperance’s Might Meets Right (5). It had a wisp of smoke in the aroma and took on a little cola character on the palate. It was a perfectly fine beer, but couldn’t overwhelm the boldness of 12 Layer Cake Imperial Stout, which unanimously advanced.
The other side of the bracket pitted Buckledown’s Significant (4) against Sketchbook’s Barrel-Aged Turbulence (5).
Significant was perhaps the most interesting beer of the day, and Moreno nailed the reason: “It has a chocolate-banana thing going on.” Taylor hypothesized it was due to whatever yeast Buckledown used in the beer: “Intense chocolate-banana,” he said.
Turbulence was a fine beer, with no obvious flaws and showed an admirable coconut wrinkle. But Significant was equal parts unique, delicious and fascinating. Significant moved on to the next round.
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Elite Eight
(Chicago Tribune)
Two of these matchups were, as the bettors say, chalk — the higher seeds surviving. In this case that was the 1 seeds and the 4 seeds, and neither of those matchups — Revolution against Moody Tongue and Goose Island versus Buckledown — was simple. Only well-made beer was left.
“I can’t say there’s anything wrong with either one,” Taylor said as we compared Revolution’s Deth’s Tar (1) against Moody Tongue’s 12 Layer Cake (4).
Deth’s Tar came across as rounder, thicker and fuller. 12 Layer Cake had seemed luscious in its first-round matchup, but thinner now by comparison.
Moreno noted that Deth’s Tar had “more malt backbone” to stand up to the barrel. He liked both beers, but preferred Deth’s Tar. So did Taylor. So did I. Though the beers were similarly well-executed, it was a unanimous trip to the Final Four for Deth’s Tar.
Bourbon County Stout (1) against Buckledown’s Significant (4) was another pairing of well-made beers. Though it was sample B before us, we could all pick out Significant as the beer with the rich banana note. It smelled wonderful.
Moreno said it reminded him of rum barrel character as much as bourbon barrel character. That’s a neat trick.
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“This is starting to get hard,” he said.
Brian Taylor, left, founder of Whiner Beer Co., and Mike Moreno, co-owner of Moreno’s Liquors and Osito’s Tap in Little Village, both voted for Bourbon County Stout, sending it to the Final Four. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)
Taylor liked Bourbon County Stout — a beer he had worked on for seven years as a brewer at Goose Island — but, as he did in the first round, he called it “a little on the sweet side.”
That, to me, was the flaw, and the reason I preferred Significant. It was a balanced, more interesting beer.
Taylor and Moreno were torn, but both voted for Bourbon County Stout — which sent it to the Final Four. Both of the top seeds had clearly earned their reputations.
The other two matchups involved less obvious breweries.
Three Floyds (2) had made it here without much enthusiasm. Wild Onion (6) had impressed deeply. And sure enough, Wild Onion’s Drago showed well again. It was fruity, and rife with decadent vanilla notes. Three Floyds’ Blot Out the Sun was less sweet, more oaky and denser.
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Taylor said Drago seemed familiar, and in a way he liked. It reminded him of “wet cigar.” (In the previous round, he had said Drago evoked “a lot of cigar.” Points for consistency.)
Blot Out the Sun had some interesting fruity character, but seemed thin. We unanimously and enthusiastically sent Drago to the Final Four.
The last matchup was a duel of Cinderellas: Cruz Blanca’s Rey Gordo (6) and Metal Monkey’s Asmodeus (7).
Once again, Rey Gordo showed wonderful layers and balance: boozy oak, rich molasses, dry chocolate character and notes of vanilla, cherry (as Moreno noted) and even strawberry (as Taylor noted). Asmodeus was tasty, but came off as one dimensional by comparison.
Onward for Rey Gordo.
Final Four
(Chicago Tribune)
Just before we began the tasting, I asked Taylor and Moreno for predictions.
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They agreed that the breweries with the most barrel-aging experience would probably fare the best. The process is science as much as art. The top seeds, we figured, had the expertise to stand out.
Sure enough — the two savvy veterans had reached the Final Four. Taking on first seeds Goose Island and Revolution for the right to go to the finals were two six-seed surprises: Cruz Blanca and Wild Onion. Both are well regarded breweries, though hardly the stuff of buzz.
I’ve enjoyed Cruz Blanca’s barrel-aged releases each of the last two years, though mostly for the brewery’s playful and inventive approach. I was, frankly, surprised to learn it had made it this far.
Both Revolution’s Deth’s Tar and Cruz Blanca’s Rey Gordo were quality beers, though quite different. Deth’s Tar showed more fruitiness, and came across as sweet. Rey Gordo, once again, showed an impressive depth of layers, including notes of coconut, chocolate, vanilla and molasses.
Moreno called it “a very nuanced, interesting beer.” Deth’s Tar, by comparison, was “hot, with a lot of barrel and alcohol.” Both, he said, were “really good.”
Taylor called this the single most difficult head-to-head comparison. Yet we were unanimous: Deth’s Tar is a wonderful, well-made beer, but depth, nuance and balance made Rey Gordo an exceptional beer. It unanimously advanced to the finals.
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The other side of the bracket offered another difficult pairing: Bourbon County Stout (1) came across as strikingly sweet, locked into an intensely chocolaty character. But it was quite well made, and exceptionally silky. Taylor said he admired Bourbon County’s aroma, as well as its interplay between sweetness and barrel.
Drago (6), he said, was “very balanced” and reminded him of “leathery tobacco.” Moreno was impressed by its finish: “Really good, spicy notes.”
Both were well made, but this was another round that came down to preference. Taylor and I preferred Drago’s interesting depth over the brash sweetness that made Bourbon County arguably the sweetest beer of the field. Moreno preferred Bourbon County. But Drago was the winner.
The Finals
(Chicago Tribune)
The championship was an unlikely showdown: two six seeds battling it out.
After so many rounds, and so many quality beers left behind, you might think this would be a wrenching decision. It wasn’t. Taylor sniffed each, tasted each, and didn’t equivocate.
“I already know which one I love,” he said.
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“Clear winner?” I asked.
“Clear winner,” he said.
Moreno was right there with him.
“I’m ready,” he said.
“Kind of crazy how it’s so clear,” Taylor said.
Brian Taylor, left, founder of Whiner, and Mike Moreno, taste through the beers. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)
I tasted each and knew we were all in agreement. It was strange how clearly the answer presented itself.
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Drago, we agreed, was a quality beer. It deserved to reach the finals. But we also agreed that Rey Gordo shimmered. It was a lovely, nuanced beer. Moreno came up with a savvy insight about what made it soar: an element of baking spice — cinnamon in particular.
“I love it — the body, the cinnamon stick note, the barrel notes coming off of it,” Taylor said. “There’s a lot of molasses, but it’s balanced. You can tell a great base beer went into the barrel, and a lot of interesting characteristics came out.”
“Looks great, smells great, tastes great,” Moreno said. “Everything about it is a well-made beer.”
“It just looks beautiful in the glass,” Taylor said. “The carbonation is perfect; I love the way it sticks on the glass.”
“It looks like someone just struck oil for the first time,” Moreno said. “This is quality stuff.”
We had our winner.
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All hail the king
(Chicago Tribune)
Few people would have seen this coming.
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But Cruz Blanca brewmaster Jacob Sembrano said his secret is simple: He delights in making a barrel-aged stout that’s loyal to the genre. Rather than kowtow to tastes skewing sweeter, he gears Rey Gordo, which is released every November as part of a family of barrel-aged releases, toward stubborn defiance.
“It leans really heavy on roast — a nice roasty stout with some sharp edges — and that’s something that I think a lot of barrel-aged stouts shy away from now,” Sembrano said. “Palates have been shifting to sweet, less roasty stouts for barrel-aging. I want to go in an opposite direction and lean into that roast character.”
Jacob Sembrano, head brewer at Cruz Blanca, pours a bottle of Rey Gordo, at the brewpub in Chicago on March 16, 2020. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)
Sembrano uses an array of darker malts “at percentages higher than what would be recommended,” he said. The result is a bold, layered beer that can not only stand up to a fresh whiskey barrel, but can complement the flavors lent by the oak and the booze.
Rey Gordo (“Fat King" in English) was aged in Basil Hayden’s barrels, which Sembrano admitted it’s not his favorite sipping whiskey. But for aging a stout, he said, it is marvelous: “It has a great spice character to it, and citrus and licorice.”
That cinnamon note? “It comes from the barrel,” he said.
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Rey Gordo isn’t just a beer aged in bourbon barrels for boozy effect. It is a brilliant mingling of well-crafted base beer and fresh bourbon barrel. The result is an entirely new whole, and exactly what bourbon barrel-aged stout should be. Stuff need not apply.
jbnoel@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-03-31--Evanston catering company delivering more than 250 meals a day during coronavirus pandemic

Being stuck inside her house during the pandemic “ wouldn ’ t be very healthy for me , ” said @ @ @ @ @ to process the death of her son .
She and Carter own catering businesses Feast @ @ @ @ @ Smoke .

Heather Bublick of Evanston, co-owner of Feast & Imbibe/Soul & Smoke, wears a protective facial mask in her catering kitchen on March 27, 2020. (Karie Angell Luc / Pioneer Press)
When Heather Bublick lost her 7-week-old son in January, she pointed those who offered help to the nonprofit I Grow Chicago.
The group’s mission is to help build a thriving Englewood neighborhood through community projects and new opportunity, according to the nonprofit.
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So when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Bublick and her husband, D’Andre Carter, gave I Grow Chicago staff 50 meals from their catering businesses to deliver to Englewood families in need.
Since then, what started as dinner for a few dozen people when restaurants were ordered closed, has turned into daily delivery of more than 250 meals to Evanston and Chicago residents in need.
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Being stuck inside her house during the pandemic “wouldn’t be very healthy for me,” said Bublick, as she continues to process the death of her son. She and Carter own catering businesses Feast & Imbibe and Soul & Smoke.
For her, being busy helps.
Another added benefit of the shift in focus is that the couple can keep their nine full-time employees.
“It never dawned on us to lay off our employees,” Bublick said. “It really just took off.”
The couple connected with school social workers, who sent them lists of families who would need food while schools are closed and they shelter at home during the coronavirus pandemic.
“There’s so many,” Bublick said. “Everyone scraping by, making ends meet.”
So they set up a donation page where supporters can buy a meal for a person in need, a group of Evanston first responders, themselves or a friend. Donors can also sponsor an entire day of meals and snacks for 200 people.
Employees drop off packaged meals at doorsteps all over town, and the nonprofit I Grow Chicago takes 50 meals to Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood.
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Most of the meals are from the couple’s Soul & Smoke catering business, which features barbecue and comfort food, Bublick said.
But there have been other delivery additions, like the day Evanston’s Starbucks stores gave the couple all of their milk. Every family on the list received a gallon.
The operation recently applied for nonprofit status, she said, and Bublick hopes to continue serving those in need even after the pandemic is over.
The work also has become a balm for the hurt she felt after losing her son, Bublick said.
“We would love to see it continue forever,” she said.


chicagotribune--2020-03-31--An arm injury followed by MLB’s shutdown set back Manuel Rodriguez. But the Cubs still see the prosp

An arm injury followed by MLB’s shutdown set back Manuel Rodriguez. But the Cubs still see the prospect as a force in the bullpen.

Rodriguez has yet to pitch above Class A , and his injury becomes a beacon for caution .
But his @ @ @ @ @ experience in the Mexican League could allow him to ascend through the Cubs minor-league system @ @ @ @ @ he improves his control and health .

MESA, Ariz. — Cubs pitching prospect Manuel Rodriguez stayed in Arizona to rehab the prized right arm he injured March 1 — 11 days before Major League Baseball suspended spring training and delayed the start of the season indefinitely because of the coronavirus pandemic.
While baseball awaits the approval to resume preparations for the 2020 season, Rodriguez’s recovery could create particular interest for the Cubs once workouts resume.
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Before suffering a Grade 2 biceps strain, Rodriguez, 23, displayed a 99 mph fastball and ample poise in his first major-league spring training.
Rodriguez has yet to pitch above Class A, and his injury becomes a beacon for caution. But his velocity and three years of experience in the Mexican League could allow him to ascend through the Cubs minor-league system quicker than most prospects if he improves his control and health.
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“He’s one of those guys that’s matured, and the time in Mexico helped him prepare for the big stage,” Louie Eljaua, the Cubs director of international operations, said before the shutdown. “And pitching in front of a lot of fans in pressure situations. He’s one of those guys who can sneak up on a lot of people.
“He’s a guy who can help us at some point for sure. It’s a matter of when and what role. But he’s a back-end (bullpen) guy for me at some point.”
That timing will depend on Rodriguez’s recovery and ability to continue his success in the second half last year at Class A Myrtle Beach, where he posted a 1.96 ERA with 33 strikeouts in 23 innings and a 1.04 WHIP.
The late improvement convinced team officials to put him on the 40-man roster in November.
Manuel Rodriguez is introduced during the opening ceremony of the Cubs Convention at the Sheraton Grand hotel on Jan. 17, 2020. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)
“We see the age and that he (last) played in Myrtle Beach,” Cubs manager David Ross said in late February. “But this guy has closed out games in the (Mexican League). He has more of a veteran presence. He’s been around veteran pitchers.”
Cubs scouting supervisor Sergio Hernandez, who covers Mexico, wanted to sign Rodriguez after the 2015 season. But the Yucatan Lions held his rights and held on to him for another season. The Cubs finally reached an agreement the following season.
“Since I was young, my goal was to make it in the big leagues,” Rodriguez said before his injury. “When I signed with the Cubs, I was excited right away.”
Rodriguez’s familiarity with Hernandez provided further comfort.
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“At the beginning, when he saw me, he trusted me,” Rodriguez said. “Several scouts came to see me, but they didn’t have that trust. He did.”
Agent Hector Gomez also followed Rodriguez with Yucatan and believed he would be a fit for the major leagues.
“Not only does he know how to pitch, but he’s a gym rat,” Gomez said Feb. 28. “He works hard and tries to outwork everyone. He expects a lot out of himself.
“It’s always great in Mexico to pitch in front of your people, but you want to pitch on the best level in the world. So coming over here is a dream come true.”
Rodriguez, who started his professional career at 17, benefited from playing with several veterans for Yucatan, including six-time All-Star closer Francisco Rodriguez.
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“They helped me a lot with preparation and the mindset you need to have,” Manuel Rodriguez said.
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For Rodriguez to become a reliable late-inning reliever, he’ll need to harness bouts of wildness. He walked 36 in 40⅓ innings at Class A South Bend in 2018.
He made strides in the second half of 2019 with only six walks in 23 innings, which he attributed to focusing more on first-pitch strikes with his fastball.
“Sometimes he thinks a lot,” catcher Miguel Amaya said. “It’s just about giving him confidence all the time, throwing nice and easy and focusing on the glove.”
Rodriguez’s injury, which didn’t require surgery, coupled with the shutdown virtually wiped out any chance of a 2020 major-league debut.
But his snippets of improvement and power arm lend hope that he someday could stabilize the Cubs bullpen.
“He’s had a couple bumps in the road with strikes and command,” Eljaua said. “He’s always had a great arm. It’s just a matter of harnessing his stuff and throwing more strikes, which he did last year.”


chicagotribune--2020-03-31--Rihanna and Jay-Z’s foundations each donate $1 million to coronavirus relief

Last week , CLF announced $ 5 million in grants to on-the-ground partners working on the frontlines of the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ vulnerable and marginalized communities in the United States , Caribbean and in Africa for whom @ @ @ @ @ pandemic is still to come .
This new round of emergency funding will support a @ @ @ @ @ organizations including the Mayor ’ s Fund for L.A. , Fund for Public Schools , @ @ @ @ @ ACLU ) and the New York Immigration Coalition .

Rihanna’s Clara Lionel Foundation, which has already made substantial donations to coronavirus-relief, today announced that an additional $1 million in grants towards COVID-19 response efforts will be matched by Jay-Z’s Shawn Carter Foundation. The funds, totaling a combined $2 million between the two foundations, will support undocumented workers, the children of frontline health workers and first responders, and incarcerated, elderly and homeless populations in New York City and Los Angeles.
Last week, CLF announced $5 million in grants to on-the-ground partners working on the frontlines of the coronavirus response to protect and prepare vulnerable and marginalized communities in the United States, Caribbean and in Africa for whom the full impact of the pandemic is still to come. This new round of emergency funding will support a variety of efforts led by organizations including the Mayor’s Fund for L.A., Fund for Public Schools, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the New York Immigration Coalition.
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According to the announcement, specifically, funds will support:
Offering daycare, learning materials, food and supplies for the children of frontline healthcare workers and first responders;
Providing learning materials for the over 20,000 children and youth learning in shelters and virtual mental health support for parents.
Ensuring child-care centers are clean, have smaller clusters of children and that all personnel are protected;
Supporting the expansion of home delivered meals for the elderly and meals for homeless populations in emergency shelters;
Providing emergency economic support and the expansion of rights for immigrants and undocumented workers,
Advocating for free testing and treatment for all New Yorkers, regardless of status; and
Provision of legal support to protect members of marginalized populations, including advocating for people to be released from jail and detention, encouraging voting and civic engagement during the COVID-19 response period and protecting immigrant communities.
Justine Lucas, Executive Director of the Clara Lionel Foundation said, "There are a number of populations who are especially vulnerable during this pandemic -- those who are undocumented, incarcerated, elderly and homeless, as well as children of frontline health workers and first responders. Now more than ever, we need to support organizations prioritizing the health and rights of these individuals."
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This combination photo shows Jay-Z speaking at the 2018 Pre-Grammy Gala And Salute To Industry Icons in New York on Jan. 27, 2018, left, and Rihanna at the 5th annual Diamond Ball benefit gala in New York on Sept. 12, 2019. (AP)
Gloria Carter, CEO and Co-Founder of the Shawn Carter Foundation said, "In times of crisis it is imperative that we come together as one community to ensure that everyone, especially the most vulnerable, has access to critical needs: shelter, health, nutrition and education. The only way to get through this pandemic is with love and action."
With the organization's focus on efforts surrounding the COVID-19 response, CLF also announced today that it has decided to postpone this year's annual Diamond Ball. The event, held every September, has raised more than $14 million for multiple charities largely focused on Caribbean countries.
Founded in 2012 by Robyn “Rihanna” Fenty, the Clara Lionel Foundation works with community-based leaders and organizations around the world innovating high-impact approaches to education and emergency response and preparedness. CLF will continue to be engaged in COVID-19 response efforts and donations can be made via their website here.


chicagotribune--2020-03-31--Column: Trust. That’s what has the Bears optimistic about what Nick Foles can bring to the offense —

Column: Trust. That’s what has the Bears optimistic about what Nick Foles can bring to the offense — and the QB competition.

“ You get the butterflies for sure , ” he said .
“ Any game you ever play in , @ @ @ @ @ Because it ’ s a big stage .
There ’ s a lot going on @ @ @ @ @ on the field , you just play ball .
You live in the moment .
@ @ @ @ @ that comes out of you where you go out there and just play .
”

Bears quarterback Nick Foles walks to the field before the first quarter against the Seahawks at Lumen Field on Dec. 26, 2021. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)
Nick Foles knew the competitive nerves would be there.
“You get the butterflies for sure,” he said. “Any game you ever play in, you get that excitement. Because it’s a big stage. There’s a lot going on. But once you get on the field, you just play ball. You live in the moment. And there’s something that comes out of you where you go out there and just play.”
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At the start of Foles’ improbable run to becoming a Super Bowl MVP, seven Sundays before “Philly Special” and a memorable upset of the Patriots, there was a routine first step against the Giants at MetLife Stadium.
In Foles’ first start for the 2017 Eagles, he let his natural composure take over. He threw four touchdown passes to four different receivers. Each came inside the red zone. And all of them, when put together, exemplified the veteran quarterback’s command and comfort in the offense.
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A 3-yard scoring dart to Alshon Jeffery.
A 10-yard “faith throw” to Zach Ertz.
A backyard easy-breezy 13-yard toss to Trey Burton.
And a 10-yard bullet to Nelson Agholor.
The Eagles rallied out of a 13-point deficit to seize a 34-29 road win in Week 15 against the Giants, a triumph that proved both comforting and energizing to the city of Philadelphia. A week after the Eagles lost MVP candidate Carson Wentz to a season-ending torn anterior cruciate ligament, Foles showed that the city’s Super Bowl hopes were very much alive and in good hands.
The Eagles improved to 12-2 with their No. 2 quarterback showing he was composed and in full control of what he was asked to do.
A few days later, in detailing all four scoring passes for the Eagles website, quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo walked through the logistics that made each pass possible.
On the toss to Jeffery, for example, Foles used a “peel motion” from Ertz before the snap to diagnose zone coverage, then calmly went through his progressions — left to right — getting to his fourth read and making a precise throw behind cornerback Ross Cockrell.
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Foles trusted the play design and trusted Jeffery to be where he needed him. Six points.
Eagles quarterback Nick Foles (9) celebrates with wide receiver Alshon Jeffery (17) after they connected on a touchdown pass against the Giants on Dec. 17, 2017, in East Rutherford, N.J.
The throw to Ertz, on a corner post route, came against an all-out blitz and required both anticipation and faith that Ertz would break in front of defensive back Andrew Adams near the goal line.
On time. On target. Six more points.
The touchdown to Burton was as easy a throw as Foles will ever have in the NFL, with the Eagles’ route combination confusing cornerbacks Eli Apple and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and leaving Burton totally uncovered. It was a third-down conversion and another end-zone celebration.
Finally, against another Cover-0 look late in the third quarter, Foles made a quick read and shrewd throw to Agholor, noticing cornerback Darryl Morris’ back turned in man coverage and giving his receiver a chance to make a play.
With trust in the route combination of Agholor and Torrey Smith and belief in Agholor’s ability to make a contested catch, the Eagles finished a 59-yard scoring drive to build a 31-23 lead, their final touchdown in an important win.
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It was all there.
In one snapshot from one seemingly routine December game, Foles showed his command, vision and understanding of progressions. He distributed the ball wisely with a flurry of accurate throws that came in sync with the timing of the plays.
“We know Nick’s a great player,” DeFilippo told the Eagles website a few days later. “Because we know he’s going to go in and do his job the best of his ability. And he’s prepared. So we have all the faith in the world in Nick.”
In short, Foles trusted his offense. He trusted his teammates. He trusted his own abilities. In turn, Foles earned greater trust from his coaches and supporting cast.
Circle that word, Bears fans: trust. That is what has the folks at Halas Hall so optimistic about what Foles can bring to the Bears.
DeFilippo is now the Bears quarterbacks coach, again united in a symbiotic relationship with Foles after previous stops together in Philadelphia and Jacksonville.
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Offensive coordinator Bill Lazor worked with Foles as the Eagles quarterbacks coach in 2013.
Bears coach Matt Nagy spent two previous seasons with Foles: 2012 in Philadelphia and 2016 in Kansas City.
All three coaches have built-in trust with Foles and a speak-from-experience confidence that the 31-year-old quarterback will know the offense inside and out, able to execute at a winning level if he is called on.
There has been no public decree from Halas Hall about Foles’ role as his Bears career begins. When Nagy and general manager Ryan Pace last spoke at the combine — three weeks before the trade with the Jaguars for Foles — they continued to emphasize that Mitch Trubisky would remain the starting quarterback but would face real competition to retain that role.
Thus all of this remains fluid, especially with the ongoing coronavirus shutdown threatening the Bears’ offseason schedule for meetings, organized team activities and minicamp. The uncertainty could linger through June.
Still, what Nagy wants so badly — and struggled to maintain at times in 2019 — is trust in his quarterback. And in that regard, Foles might be able to gain the inside track on the starting job given Nagy’s straightforward criticism in December that Trubisky hadn’t yet become “a master at understanding coverages”; that he was struggling too often to trust the pocket; that his footwork needed refinement; and that his ability to play with a touchdown-to-checkdown mentality wasn’t sharp enough.
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The Bears will push Trubisky to make noticeable developmental leaps this offseason, still clinging to hope they can get his career back on track. But they also can’t waste much time in 2020 hoping a breakthrough is coming. They’ll have to see it to believe it.
And when the season begins, Nagy wants to put his foot on the accelerator and peel out from the starting line without having to tap the brakes.
Back in 2017, the Eagles’ Super Bowl journey seemed headed for a detour when Wentz went down. But internally, the trust in Foles allowed the Eagles to keep cruising — through the end of the regular season, into the playoffs and all the way to an unforgettable win in Super Bowl LII.
Foles trusted his offense. He trusted his teammates. He trusted himself. He lived in the moment and just played.