What’s New

Moon Alert

After 6:30 a.m. Chicago time, there are no restrictions to shopping or important decisions. The solar eclipse in Sagittarius takes place at 11:43 p.m. PST.

Aries (March 21-April 19)

This is an excellent day to make plans for travel or further education and training. How can you enhance your world through further education or travel — something that will broaden your knowledge and experience of the world? Aries is the pioneer of the zodiac!

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

It’s time to plant seeds or make resolutions about how to reduce your debt and improve your relations with others regarding shared property, jointly held possessions and shared responsibilities. What can you do to improve these areas?

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

Today the new moon takes place opposite your sign. (Only time all year.) This is a powerful time for you because it’s your chance to think about how you can improve your closest relationships — partners, spouses and close friends.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

Today and tomorrow are the perfect time to think about getting better organized. What can you do to work more effectively and be more productive? This applies to all aspects of your life. Also, what can you do to improve your health?

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)

You are a creative sign, which is why Leo “rules” the theater and the entertainment world. Today and tomorrow, the new moon (actually, a solar eclipse) is the best time all year to consider how to use your creative talents — or not. Value your creative energy. It’s a gift.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

This is the best two-day window in the entire year to ask yourself what you can do to improve where you live, and likewise, what can you do to improve your relations with family members. Ideas? When these areas run smoothly, so do you.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

Everything begins with a thought. From the thought, springs the word. From the word, springs the deed. The deed slowly becomes habit; and habit eventually hardens into character. Today’s solar eclipse is the perfect time to observe your thoughts because your mind is creating your world.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

During this solar eclipse (late tonight and early tomorrow depending on your time zone), think about how you can better handle your money and also how you can better take care of the possessions that you own. Step number one is working with what you’ve got.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

Tonight, and early tomorrow (depending on your time zone) the only new moon in your sign all year will occur. (It’s actually a solar eclipse.) This is perfect time to take a realistic look in the mirror and ask yourself what you can do to improve the impression you create on your world. Ideas?

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

This is a good day to buy wardrobe items for yourself because you will be pleased. Meanwhile, take a moment to think about your inner world, your spiritual values and what really guides you in your daily life. What matters to you?

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

The new moon taking place now is the only new moon all year that affects your friendships. Your friends are a reflection of you. Do you hang out with quality people? Remember that whom you hang out with will affect your mind, and your mind is what makes your decisions. Friends make a difference.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)

Today or early tomorrow morning (time zone), there’s a solar eclipse at the top of your chart, which means this is the perfect time to think about your life direction in general. If you want to change your direction, now is the time to start planting seeds.

If Your Birthday Is Today

Actress Julianne Moore (1960) shares your birthday. You are independent and strong-willed. People are attracted to your confidence and enthusiasm about life. You’re not a casual person, you have strong beliefs and you are very loyal to others or a cause. This is a quieter year for you because you are seeking out meaning of your closest relationships. Accept help from others; trust your intuition.

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A man was fatally shot in a drive-by Dec. 2, 2021, in McKinley Park. | Foto de archivo

About 9:55 p.m., he was driving west on 35th Street, when someone in a passing dark-colored sedan fired shots at him in the 1700 block of West 35th Street.

A 22-year-old man was fatally shot in a drive-by Thursday in McKinley Park on the Southwest Side.

About 9:55 p.m., he was driving west on 35th Street, when someone in a passing dark-colored sedan fired shots at him in the 1700 block of West 35th Street, Chicago police said.

He was struck multiple times in the head and body, and taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said. His name has not yet been released.

Area One detectives are investigating.

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Seth Jones’ game-tying goal sparked the Blackhawks’ shootout win. | Rob Carr/Getty Images

The Hawks’ 4-3 shootout win Thursday marked their seventh win in 10 games.

WASHINGTON — The Blackhawks look like a competitive, cohesive hockey team more and more each day.

A gutsy 4-3 shootout win Thursday over the Metropolitan Division-leading Capitals marked the latest milestone of progress in the Hawks’ general surge under interim coach Derek King.

Seth Jones’ game-tying snipe with 8:04 left in regulation, countless Capitals post hits next to — but not behind — Marc-Andre Fleury and Patrick Kane’s shootout goal helped the Hawks earn their first win in Washington since January 2006.

For the first time since Apr. 12, the Hawks have gone three straight games with as many or more shots on goal than their opponents. For the first time since March 5, they’ve won seven times in a 10-game span. And for the first time in a long time, they look like a team that can not only find an identity — right now as a surprisingly grinding, defensive team — but develop it.

“It’s no secret we didn’t start the season the way we wanted, so we have climbing to do,” Jones said. “Every night we need to put together a good performance and give ourselves a chance to win, [to] keep getting points. We’re just improving as a team on staying consistent in the way we want to play the game and making it easy on ourselves.”

Interim coach Derek King’s significant, if slight, manipulations to the Hawks’ roster and strategy continue to translate into results, too.

Clad in a striking plaid suit Thursday — a “distraction for their team,” he joked — his subtle, almost gentle approach to coaching genuinely seems to work.

The Josiah Slavin call-up looked instantly brilliant. With his parents, wife, trainer and sister-in-law in attendance for his NHL debut, he was one of the Hawks’ most noticeable players all night and earned a deserved point on Jones’ goal.

Connor Murphy left in the second period looking woozy after an Alex Ovechkin hit and didn’t return. That’s a concern for the Hawks moving forward, but King and associate coach Marc Crawford smoothly managed the ice time with five defensemen the rest of the way.

Jonathan Toews still doesn’t have a goal this year, and the universe’s apparent conspiracy to keep him out of the net is becoming laughable. He hit the post in the first period and was robbed by Capitals goalie Vitek Vanacek on a largely gaping net in the second.

But at least Kubalik’s 15-game goal drought — which he called “frustrating” after morning skate — ended, and at the same time as the Hawks’ 1-for-30 power-play drought. Kubalik took a pass from Alex DeBrincat and roofed it, putting the Hawks briefly ahead 2-1, before celebrating with understandable vigor.

“It’s patience,” King said. “You’ve just got to let them get through it, and now hopefully that snowballs into more goals from him. And Jonathan’s playing good hockey on both ends and he’s just snakebitten, that’s all it is. He’ll get his and then he’ll just start snowballing, too. Hopefully by the end of December, we’ll be buzzing.”

And King’s massive power-play shakeup that first debuted in practice Wednesday, itself sparked by Toews’ request to move out of the bumper slot, also paid immediate dividends.

The first unit of Toews, Patrick Kane, Kirby Dach, Dylan Strome and Erik Gustafsson produced two golden chances before seamlessly transitioning to the second unit of Kubalik, DeBrincat, Brandon Hagel, Henrik Borgstrom and Seth Jones, which converted.

“[The ‘PP’ has] been struggling for a while,” Jones said. “We haven’t changed it; we’ve stuck with it. And we needed a change. We needed a different look. I like our units now. Obviously we want to stick with it a few more games and see how it goes, but it was a great job tonight. We moved it pretty well against their ‘PK,’ ended up scoring one on the rush.”

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Bartlett’s Conrad Luczynski (54) plays strong in the low post as the Hawks host West Chicago. | Allen Cunningham/For the Sun-Times

Conrad Luczynski was 7-2 at the start of the season. That’s an eye-popping height, but the Bartlett senior has already grown another inch. He’s now 7-3.

Conrad Luczynski was 7-2 at the start of the season. That’s an eye-popping height, but the Bartlett senior has already grown another inch. He’s now 7-3.

“I’ve always been the tallest kid,” Luczynski said. “In first grade I was taller than some of my teachers.”

Luczynski isn’t one of those tall kids that is playing basketball because he’s kind of forced to. That’s clear from his soft touch around the basket and at the free-throw line.

“I’ve been playing since I was four,” Luczynski said. “It’s in my blood. My dad played college ball over in Poland.”

Luczynski scored 16 points and grabbed six boards in Bartlett’s 65-28 win against visiting West Chicago on Thursday. He played about half the game.

Luczysnki said he’s talking to some colleges but that he doesn’t have a scholarship offer. That’s strange to hear from an athletic, 7-3 player.

“He loves the game and he’s got all the tools,” Bartlett coach Jim Wolfsmith said. “He’s arguably the most under-recruited kid I’ve ever seen. Probably since John Konchar, who went to West Chicago and is now playing in the pros.”

Luczynski has been on a tear this season. He had 33 points, eight rebounds and four assists in a win against Wheaton Academy. He posted 21 points and 13 rebounds against Francis Parker and opened the season with a phenomenal 18 points, 20 rebounds, nine blocks and eight assists against Metea Valley.

“I don’t understand why colleges aren’t all over him,” Wolfsmith said. “He’s got everything you need to have. Big, long and athletic and he can shoot it and handle and loves to pass the ball. I can’t say enough about how hard the kid works.”

Luczynski is 17 and still growing. Wolfsmith thinks that he may hit 7-4 before he’s done.

Allen Cunningham/For the Sun-Times
Bartlett’s Conrad Luszynski (54) towers over his team during a game against West Chicago.

“He’s still a baby,” Wolfsmith said. “He’s not an awkward seven-footer. This is not a guy tripping over his own feet. He runs the floor and he can dunk. He’s got a really nice outside shot although he doesn’t really do it for us.”

Luczynski threw down a fastbreak dunk against West Chicago. He was 6 for 6 shooting and made all four of his free throws. He had two blocks and a pair of assists.

Sophomore Kelton McEwen scored 14 for the Hawks (4-2, 1-0 Upstate Eight).

“Every time we walk out of the locker room we see all the fans and the other team just staring at [Luczynski] and whispering about him and stuff like that. It’s definitely crazy. The first time I saw him I was amazed.”

Sophomore Hudson Parker led West Chicago (1-3, 0-1) with 10 points. The Wildcats are very young this season, starting three sophomores and a junior.

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Flanked by family members, supporters, attorneys and bodyguards, former “Empire” star Jussie Smollett walks into the Leighton Criminal Courthouse, Thursday morning, Dec. 2, 2021. The 39-year-old actor and singer is charged with lying to Chicago police in 2019 when he claimed he was the victim of a racist and anti-gay attack near his Streeterville apartment. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times

A defense lawyer said Abimbola Osundairo, who Smollett allegedly recruited for the 2019 attack, asked for the huge payout in exchange for him telling police the actor didn’t plan the hoax.

Testimony from brothers Olabinjo and Abimbola Osundairo closed out the prosecution case against Jussie Smollett on Thursday, the fourth day of the former “Empire” star’s trial for lying to police about a hate crime assault near his downtown apartment.

The pair were the lynchpins in the case against Smollett, who was charged with making false reports to police soon after the Osundairos confessed they had been hired to stage the attack in a publicity stunt masterminded by the actor.

Smollett’s defense team also began calling witnesses late Thursday, including his former music manager Brandon Moore, who testified he was on the phone with the actor when the alleged attack occurred and heard someone use a gay slur and then scuffling.

Moore said the actor told him he’d been jumped and “sounded panicked” and “out of breath” as he ran back home.

Late Thursday Judge James Linn told jurors, who have been working nearly 12-hour days during the trial, that they would get the day off on Friday, and the trial would resume on Monday and potentially end on Tuesday.

The Osundairo brothers each testified Thursday that Smollett had recruited them and choreographed the attack at the actor’s behest.

Taking the stand earlier Thursday after his younger brother finished his testimony, Olabinjo Osundairo described climbing into the backseat of Smollett’s SUV a few days before the attack and quickly becoming an accomplice.

“Jussie went on to ask me first if he can trust me, and I told him of course he can,” said Olabinjo Osundairo, who had prepared nutrition plans for the actor who had befriended his brother.

“He had this crazy idea that two MAGA Trump supporters attack him so he can get the footage and put it on social media so he could show the ‘Empire’ studio.”

Both aspiring actors, the brothers came across as fairly flat during their time on the stand, even under sharp questioning from Smollett’s lawyers. They were largely unshaken in their accounts of Smollett’s role at the center of planning the hoax.

Smollett, they said, requested a beat down that wouldn’t leave lasting injury, scouted the location, and even scripted the racist and homophobic taunts the pair were to shout before attacking him.

The actor handed them $100 with instructions to buy red “Make America Great Hats” and get rope to hang over his head as a noose and gasoline to pour on his clothes. Olabinjo Osundairo copped to making one suggestion, substituting bleach for gasoline.

“I didn’t think it was safe to be pouring gasoline on someone,” he said.

The older Osundairo’s testimony largely mirrored his brother’s description of the plan and the 2 a.m. assault a few days later near Smollett’s Streeterville apartment. Olabinjo 0sundairo was to drape a noose over Smollett’s head, while his brother, who was better acquainted with the actor, was to handle the task of roughing up Smollett.

“I believe I joked around that I should be the one to do it, but he said that he didn’t think could trust me to hold my punches back,” Olabinjo Osundairo testified.

The defense has tried to cast the brothers as opportunists who sought to ingratiate themselves to Smollett, then took advantage of him.

Defense lawyer Shay Allen peppered Abimbola Osundario with questions about alleged attempts to profit from his ties to Smollett, including shopping for book deals and seeking to be paid for interviews. Lastly, Allen asked if he had asked the actor for $1 million each for him and his brother to either not testify or recant their statements and say that Smollett had not been involved at all.

The brothers denied asking for money to not testify.

Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Abimbola Osundairo (from left), attorney Gloria Schmidt Rodriguez, a man who identified himself as a bodyguard, and Olabinjo Osundairo walk into the Leighton Criminal Courthouse Thursday morning for the trial of Jussie Smollett.

Allen also sought to characterize Abimbola’s Osundairo’s relationship with Smollett as more than friendship. Under questioning by Allen, Osundairo admitted he and the openly gay Smollett had gone several times to a bathhouse in Chicago’s Boystown neighborhood, though Osundairo said he did not know if the establishment catered to gay men.

“You didn’t see the big rainbow flag?” Allen said, noting that gay pornograhic movies also were playing on a television near the entrance.

Defense attorney Tamara Walker also used a handful of text messages between the brothers to paint them as homophobic, but Olabinjo Osundairo testified he had worked as a bouncer at bars in Boystown, and prosecutors showed pictures of the two brothers marching in the Gay Pride Parade four years before the alleged attack, dressed in “Trojan Warrior” costumes and tossing condoms to spectators.

The questioning led to a tense exchange between Walker and Judge James Linn when he told her to move along from a question about whether Smollett was aware of Olabinjo Osundairo’s comments on social media and in private messages that included derogatory names for a gay person.

Walker accused the judge “lunging” at her and dismissing her questions in front of the jury. While the jury was cleared from the room, defense attorney Heather Widell said she had see the judge making a “snarling” face during the questioning and asked for the judge to declare a mistrial, which Linn declined.

Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Former “Empire” star Jussie Smollett raises his fist as he walks into the Leighton Criminal Courthouse Thursday morning.

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“Ghost guns” are displayed at the headquarters of the San Francisco Police Department in November 2019. The Los Angeles City Council has passed a ban on “ghost guns” that police say represent an increasingly large share of the weapons used in violent crimes. | AP file photo

The scope of the scourge may make us feel helpless, but that is no reason not to act.

The never-ending news reports of gun violence are numbing. But turning our backs out of a sense of helplessness at so many shootings makes us more vulnerable, not safer. We should cry out — every day — for solutions.

Pay attention — close attention — to what has happened just in the past week.

As of midday on Tuesday, the Cook County medical examiner’s office had logged more than 1,000 homicides in a calendar year for the first time in 27 years. Most of those homicides were caused by guns.

On the very same day, in Oxford Township, Michigan, a school shooting took four students’ lives. Seven others were wounded. It was the 651st mass shooting in America this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive. By Thursday, the number was up to 652.

Think about that: 652 mass shootings — almost two per day. And almost a month remains in the year.

Like other perilous plagues to be feared, guns are saturating our communities. The 15-year-old Michigan suspect’s father apparently bought the gun used in the shooting on the day after Thanksgiving, which appears to be November’s busiest day for gun sales. The holiday buying spree came as gun ownership has soared this year. Americans have purchased more than 18 million guns in 2021, the second most in at least two decades.

Here’s why it’s easy to feel numb and helpless: The bloodbath in Michigan wasn’t the only school shooting on Tuesday. One person was fatally shot and others were injured later Tuesday at a Humboldt, Tennessee, high school. That brought the number of school shootings this year to 29, according to Education Week. Just the day before, a student in Arizona allegedly shot a fellow student in school during the sale of a “ghost gun,” a self-assembled weapon that can’t be traced.

Grim toll continues to rise

Instead of preventing those shootings, we are a nation where active-shooter safety drills in schools have become commonplace. That is no answer.

The tragic level of gun violence in America is a scourge that exists in no other high-income nation. No American school is safe. Nor are the streets.

Last weekend, three people were shot dead and 26 were shot and wounded in Chicago. On Monday, nine more people were shot. On Tuesday, seven more people were shot. On Wednesday, 10 people more were shot, three fatally.

Meanwhile, the number of police officers killed nationally in 2021 in August passed the total from all of 2020. The shootings continue. Just on Wednesday night, a Chicago police officer was shot and injured on the South Side.

More than 19,000 Americans have been killed by guns this year, not counting suicides. Add in suicides, and the number tops 41,000. Many of those who use guns to commit suicide would have survived had guns not been available.

“The public is recognizing this is a huge problem that affects all of us no matter where you live,” Jens Ludwig, director of the University of Chicago Crime Lab, told us. “I hope we will mobilize a lot more constructive policy than we have seen recently.”

Focus on prevention

On Monday, the journal JAMA Pediatrics, citing new research, reported that gun violence disproportionately impacts young people who live in low-income counties. Reducing disparities in income can reduce gun violence.

Some signs are encouraging. On the day of the Michigan school shooting, the Los Angeles City Council banned ghost guns. And President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better legislation includes $5 billion for community violence intervention, programs designed to reduce and interrupt shootings.

It’s not enough, but it’s a sign the nation is looking for ways to address violence without relying so heavily as it did in the past on criminal justice solutions, which can cause their own injustices. The focus should be on prevention.

Some states, including Illinois, also are setting aside money for violence intervention. Illinois also has passed some gun safety measures, such as gun dealer licensing and strengthening the Firearm Owners Identification card program; that should help.

To look away from gun violence is to look away from our collective safety. It is to play into the hands of the gun lobby, whose goal is to maximize gun sales. It is to allow timid lawmakers to sit on their hands.

No matter how frequent the shootings, how loud the gunfire sounds on the street, it’s dangerous to shrug off gun violence just because it has become so common. The cost in lives, injuries and economic loss affect us all.

If shootings are not checked, the barrel of gun violence will point at every American.

Send letters to [email protected].

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Lemont’s Nojus Indrusaitis (23) shoots Sandburg’s Martin Petraitis (4) and Ryan McPolin (2) defend. | Allen Cunningham/For the Sun-Times

All the scores from around the area.

Please send scores or corrections to [email protected].

Thursday, December 2, 2021

BIG NORTHERN

Dixon at Byron, 7:00

Genoa-Kingston at North Boone, 7:00

Rock Falls at Winnebago, 7:00

NOBLE LEAGUE – GOLD

Butler at Johnson, 5:30

Comer at DRW, 7:00

ITW-Speer at Bulls, 7:00

SOUTH SUBURBAN – CROSSOVER

Thornton Fr. South at Evergreen Park, 6:00

SOUTHWEST PRAIRIE – EAST

Plainfield South at Joliet Central, PPD 12-13

UPSTATE EIGHT

Elgin at Fenton, 7:00

Larkin at South Elgin, 7:00

Streamwood at Glenbard East, 5:30

West Chicago at Bartlett, 7:00

NON CONFERENCE

Amboy at Indian Creek, 6:45

Back of the Yards at Hancock, 5:00

Catalyst-Maria at Perspectives-Lead, 6:30

Chesterton Holy Family at Families of Faith, 5:30

DePue at Calvary (Normal), 7:00

Donovan at Blue Ridge, 7:00

Dunbar at Fenger, 5:00

EPIC at Agricultural Science, 5:00

Hansberry at Ellison, 6:30

Hillcrest at Bowen, 6:00

North Shore at Walther Christian, 7:30

Payton at King, 5:00

Perspectives-MSA at Lindblom, 5:00

Phillips at Harlan, 5:00

Rauner at Excel-Englewood, 5:30

Rochelle Zell at Westminster Christian, 7:00

Roycemore at Waldorf, 6:00

Stillman Valley at Harvard, 7:00

AURORA CHRISTIAN

Joliet Catholic vs. Mooseheart, 4:30

St. Edward vs. Aurora Central, 6:00

Crossroads vs. Harvest Christian, 7:30

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A person receives a COVID-19 vaccine in June in Chinatown. Illinois recorded its highest coronavirus caseload in a year today. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times

Today’s update is a 5-minute read that will brief you on the day’s biggest stories.

Good afternoon. Here’s the latest news you need to know in Chicago. It’s about a 5-minute read that will brief you on today’s biggest stories.

This afternoon will be sunny with a high near 58 degrees. Tonight will be mostly clear then a 40% chance of rain or snow with a low around 37 degrees. Tomorrow will have a 30% chance of rain followed by mostly sunny skies with a high near 49 degrees.

Top story

More than 11,000 new COVID-19 cases in Illinois, most in a year — with omicron still looming

Illinois has yet to detect its first confirmed case of COVID-19’s omicron variant, but the delta strain is still inflicting serious damage statewide.

Public health officials today announced a staggering 11,524 newly diagnosed coronavirus cases, the most logged in Illinois in a full year — a figure not seen since the state’s worst surge of the pandemic last fall before any life-saving vaccines were available.

That’s nearly double any other daily case count reported by the state in the past 10 months. Illinois has averaged more than 5,300 new cases per day over the past week, a rate that has jumped by 136% over the past month — and that has multiplied by a factor of 16 compared to early July.

The latest troubling caseload is the state’s 13th highest of any day throughout the pandemic. The state reported more than 15,000 cases on Nov. 13, 2020, what was then a national record.

Today’s cases were diagnosed among a record-high 231,876 tests processed by the Illinois Department of Public Health, but numbers have been rising steadily across the board since late October.

Mitchell Armentrout and Jason Beeferman have more on the latest spike here.

More news you need

The fourth day of the trial of Jussie Smollett opened with defense lawyers hurling bombshells at the state’s star witness, claiming Abimbola Osundairo, who Smollett allegedly recruited for the 2019 attack, asked for $2 million in exchange for him admitting the actor didn’t plan the hoax. Our Andy Grimm has the latest from the Leighton Criminal Courthouse.

Fifteen City Council members have petitioned the city clerk’s office for a referendum on the new ward map filed by the Latino Caucus that includes 15 majority-Latino wards. If there is no agreement 40 days before the June 28 Democratic primary, Chicago voters will make the decision for City Council.

Officials say a man was shot and killed by Buffalo Grove police early this morning after he called 911, fired off two guns and then refused to drop them when officers arrived. This was believed to be the first police shooting on record in Buffalo Grove.

Chicago police have released video showing a gunman killing a man during an attempted robbery in Lincoln Square earlier this week. It was the third shooting in that neighborhood in four days.

Gov. Pritzker today announced $300 million in grants to child care providers across the state. Applications for the latest round of funding are due by early January with the state expecting to disburse the money beginning in February.

A bright one

Chicago serves as backdrop for new holiday movie ‘Christmas Again’

It’s the most wonderful time of the year — forever.

In Disney’s “Christmas Again,” every day is Dec. 25, and the stars of the movie (premiering Dec. 3 on Disney Channel and Disney+) are left to gallivant around Chicago in a fresh, candy-striped version of “Groundhog Day.”

Starring Scarlett Estevez of TV’s “Lucifer” and “Bunk’d” as Ro, an 11-year-old stuck in a Santa-induced time loop, the film centers on her parents’ divorce and the changes to her family in Ravenswood.

For Ro, that means juggling a new kind of Christmas, with an attention-hogging future stepsibling, Dad’s girlfriend mistakenly finishing the Christmas candy, and a flatulent abuela who toots in her face.

With each Christmas Day starting with a triumphant “Good Morning Chicago!” from her alarm clock, Ro she decides to discover what Chicago has to offer. Guided by a snippy Santa who drives an eight-wheeled stretch Hummer limo, she travels from Navy Pier to the Museum of Science and Industry to Millennium Park and more.

Disney
In “Christmas Again,” Scarlett Estevez plays a Ravenswood kid stuck in a holiday time loop.

For Estevez and Alexis Carra, who plays Ro’s warmhearted mother, filming in the city was a memorable experience.

“I always say that if Chicago had California weather, everyone would live there,” Carra said.

Much of the cast stayed in the River North neighborhood in late fall of 2020, and spent time walking around downtown and admiring the Christmas lights, she said.

“Chicago, it’s got that magic of the big town, especially downtown. It’s just such a beautiful city,” Carra said. “Being able to shoot in a Chicago neighborhood in an actual Chicago family home, It just felt really magical, all of it.”

For food, Estevez’s spot was the Nutella Cafe on Michigan Avenue, where she and co-star Ashlyn Jade-Lopez wolfed down croissants and hot chocolate. Carra said she dined on all Chicago has to offer, including Giordano’s deep dish, Portillo’s hot dogs and the “insane” carrot cake at Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse.

Jason Beeferman has more on the making of the movie here.

From the press box

After making a pair of moves on Tuesday by signing catcher Yan Gomes and outfielder Clint Frazier, the Cubs saved their best for last ahead of the MLB lockout.
Considering Allen Robinson hasn’t practiced since hurting his hamstring facing the Steelers on Nov. 8 and Marquise Goodwin left the Thanksgiving game with foot and ribs injuries, the Bears are thin in the receiver department.
Ahead of Saturday’s Loyola-DePaul game, broadcasters from both sides discussed the Red Line Rivalry’s renewal.
The Blackhawks have traded Malcolm Subban to the Sabres, freeing the Hawks’ goalie logjam.

Your daily question ?

Who does the holidays better — New York City or Chicago?

Email us (please include your first name and where you live) and we might include your answer in the next Afternoon Edition.

Yesterday, we asked you: Have you decided to get a COVID-19 booster shot yet? Why or why not?

Here’s what some of you said…

“I absolutely got the booster. It makes it safer for everyone.” — Dawn Stockmo

“Hell no.” — Karl Bensman

“Booster? You bet! Got it over a month ago. COVID is a really ugly way to die. Not going to take that path if there’s an alternative. The unvaccinated who fall back on the ‘vaccine hasn’t been sufficiently tested scientifically’ excuse fail to realize that THEY are now part of the control group in the experiment.” — Glen Prezembel

“I decided and I got the booster. I’m looking for the next one. Why? Because I want to live and I want you to live — period!” — Cheryl Bitoy

“Yes! Because anything that helps to bring the pandemic to an early end and save lives is worth it!” — Jonathan B. Rivera

“None of your business.” — Jeff Bregel

Thanks for reading the Chicago Afternoon Edition. Got a story you think we missed? Email us here.

Sign up here to get the Afternoon Edition in your inbox every day.

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Kyler Murray and the Cardinals intend to add to the Bears’ woes on Sunday. | Ross D. Franklin/AP

The Cardinals are coming to town, and they plan on adding to the Bears’ troubles.

Will Sunday be a new rock bottom for the Bears? Who will play quarterback? Will Kyler Murray light them up? Team Sun-Times answers those, among other, depressing questions.

New episodes of “Halas Intrigue” will be published regularly with accompanying stories collected on the podcast’s hub page. You can also listen to “Halas Intrigue” wherever you get your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Luminary, Spotify, and Stitcher.

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The Chicago Blackhawks have a pretty set duo in net this year. Marc-Andre Fleury and Kevin Lankinen are the one and two as of now. We don’t know if they will keep Fleury all year long based on their playoff status but he is the guy right now. Because the one thing they have set […] Chicago Blackhawks: Malcolm Subban is off to the Buffalo Sabres – Da Windy City – Da Windy City – A Chicago Sports Site – Bears, Bulls, Cubs, White Sox, Blackhawks, Fighting Illini & MoreRead More